> Danganronpa vG: Goodbye Magic
>  by witegrlninja
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Prologue: A Sudden Detour 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I deserved this vacation.

I had been looking forward to it for weeks. Don't get me wrong, I love my job and will always be grateful that Princess Twilight left me in charge when she became the Ruler of Equestria. But the responsibilities and the grating nature of bureaucracy can add up, and I haven't had a break in a long time. So I quickly and meticulously powered through some important documents, rescheduled as many meetings and classes and parent-teacher conferences as I could, and soon enough, I had managed to score an entire week where I would have absolutely nothing important to do. I then promptly marked myself as unavailable during that week, packed my bags and teleported away.

Twilight was more than happy to let me use the Crystal Mirror for my vacation - I wanted to go somewhere I hadn't been in a long time. She told me to say hi as I slipped through, feeling the glass ripple and contort around my body like room-temperature pudding. My body stretched and morphed, a sensation much like an extra-firm massage - my forelegs turned to arms; my hooves turned into hands, fingers, feet and toes; my ears and muzzle shrank in size; my fur, horn and tail vanished. I came out on the other side of the mirror facing a high school, my transformation complete.

With my human hands, I fished through one of my bags for the cell phone Twilight had reverse-engineered and adapted for my use. I quickly dialed up a taxi and waited somewhat impatiently for it to arrive. Ever since Twilight had first traveled through the mirror ten years ago, Equestrian magic had slowly but surely permeated this world; it was still rare but not unheard of for a human to gain magical abilities of their own. Alas, there was just not enough ambient mana for me to cast much more than simple levitation on small objects... faster methods of transportation such as teleportation was right out. But as the taxi approached, I put the subject out of my mind and hopped in, giving the driver an address. I was excited to see her again.


~


"Starlight!" Sunset shouted happily as she stood in her open doorway. "You didn't tell me you were gonna visit!"

"Hi, Sunset!" I grinned. "Thought I'd surprise ya! Oh, Twilight says hi."

Sunset looked as radiant as ever as I strode inside her apartment. The decor was light, warm and airy, despite the multitude of books arranged on any spare shelf and otherwise scattered everywhere. When she wasn't at her job as a humble sushi restaurant waitress, she was hard at work on a degree in chemistry, despite already having a Masters in both Physics and Math, and successfully teaching herself computer programming. She had explained that such subjects were the closest things to magic in the human world... at least until Twilight had arrived.

We spent the rest of the day catching up with each other. She ordered Chineighse food on her computer and had it delivered, and we talked as we ate and watched some TV. The sun had set before we knew it; Sunset brought out some blankets and pillows for me to use on the couch. Then she called her workplace while feigning a sore throat, claiming that she felt ill and wouldn't be coming in tomorrow. Since she had been a loyal, hardworking employee for so long, her boss was more than happy to give her the week off. Smirking at her success, she then put on a movie and grabbed some popcorn, and we watched it together on the couch, all tucked in with blankets. We talked about how to spend the week, meeting up with all our old friends - one of which was now actually Sunset's housemate, but she playfully wouldn't tell me who. They were due home in a few days from their busy schedule, so it would be a surprise.

Partway into the movie, I fell asleep; warm, full, comfortable and happy. This was going to be a wonderful vacation.

...Or so I thought.


~


A cold wind rustled my hair as I slowly awoke. My eyes snapped open once I realized that I was not in Sunset's apartment anymore.

Wha?! ...Where... am I...?

I was in the middle of a dense forest. The sun was shining, but the air was chilly. As I looked around, I first saw a fire pit with some logs around it, unfortunately unlit. The fire pit sat in the center of a large circle of concrete to avoid the possibility of a stray ember falling out and setting the forest on fire. Beyond the fire pit was a large wooden building, with a slightly larger wooden building to the left, lined with a thick, tarp-covered row of firewood. There were gravel paths on either side of the first large building, but I couldn't see where they led from where I was lying.

Okay... up we go...

I rose shakily to my feet, feeling slightly lightheaded. The first thing I noticed when I turned around was Sunset lying on the ground a few feet away.

"Sunset...? Sunset...!" I yelled as I jogged over to her. She groaned at the sound of my voice and opened her eyes.

"Ugh... what the... what?! Where am I?! Where are we?!" she gasped, blinking repeatedly as she sat up. "What the hell is this?!"

"I dunno," I shrugged helplessly. "Looks like some kind of camp." Looking around again, I saw that the forest wasn't just dense... it was dark, too, seemingly unnavigable. There was a huge, snow-capped mountain in the distance ahead of us, while beyond the forest were sheer cliffs on all sides. Frowning, I then turned my attention to what lay behind Sunset: a collection of small, wooden cottages arranged in an L shape opposite the other two buildings. Counting to myself, there were sixteen in total. Two more gravel paths led away from both diagonal ends, but I could see where these paths led. I gulped as I saw that they led into the forest, but were each blocked by a tall, thick metal fence covered in barbed wire and spikes. Weapons that I had seen on Sunset's TV before, called miniguns - sat on top of the posts, pointing downwards and loaded with ammunition.

It was then that I noticed the multiple video cameras set up everywhere, from the roofs, on tripods... it was as if there was nowhere the cameras couldn't see. Each video camera also had a fully-loaded minigun perched beside it on the roofs, or on top on a swiveling base - logic dictated that that seemed very impractical, the recoil would just knock the camera onto the ground and leave the minigun to wildly fire into the air - but I didn't exactly want to see that theory tested. There were also monitors and speakers embedded into the outer walls of the buildings, or hanging on trees or posts. They were all either powered off or nothing was playing, as they were all dark and soundless.

"What are all these cameras for?" asked Sunset. "And monitors?"

"Besides that... what are all these guns for?!" I winced fearfully. As soon as she noticed the various miniguns beside the cameras, Sunset quickly scooted towards me until we were standing back-to-back, staring in terror at our surroundings.

"Okay, calm down..." she breathed shallowly, trying to convince herself just as much as me. "They're not moving, we're not dead yet... oh god, I feel like I'm gonna get shot if I move again." We stood there for a few moments, waiting for the miniguns to suddenly point straight at us... but nothing happened. Gradually, we allowed ourselves to relax.

"Alright... that's a good sign," I sighed deeply. "So... what should we do?"

"Call for help, obviously!" Sunset shrieked as she dug into her pockets, her face growing more fearful with every passing second. "Where's... uh... oh no... oh no...!"

"What?"

"My phone's gone!" she wailed. A pit formed in my stomach as I began searching my own pockets for my own cell phone... but it was nowhere to be found.

"Mine too!" I quivered.

"Shit!" Sunset spat. "What the hell is going on here?! Did we get kidnapped?!"

"I hope not..." I frowned. "But... if we were foalnapped, wouldn't we be, like, tied up in a dark room somewhere? Not out in the middle of a campground?"

"That's true..." she calmed down a little. "...Well, there must be a way out of here, or something we can use to get rescued."

"Yea... let's look around," I agreed. "Where to first?"

"Let's start with the little cabins there," Sunset pointed to the sixteen cottages. We nearly ran as we checked the doors to each one, only to find that they were all locked tight. Oddly enough, each cottage door had a plaque on it with someone's pixelated face, each one unique. Even Sunset's and my own face appeared on the doors to two of the cottages, but despite seeming that they were ours specifically, the doors were still locked.

"That's odd," I muttered.

"Alright, uh... I guess that big cabin across from us?" Sunset pointed as our next move. I nodded, and we quickly made our way over and inside.

The cabin was large and spacious. A hallway led us past a laundry room to our right and what appeared to be a store on our left. At the end was a huge dining hall, with long tables and many chairs, a shelf that extended down the entire far wall at about waist height, and a kitchen to our right. But most importantly four other people were there, poking around as if looking for something... perhaps they had shared the same fate as Sunset and myself?

"Look, people!" Sunset gasped, a smile returning to her face as she jogged over. I followed, gasping inwardly as I realized that one of these people in particular looked awfully familiar.

"Oh, dear, two more I see? I believe that brings us to sixteen total," a tall man stood up. Compared to myself, Sunset and the others in the area he seemed to be older than us. He had brown hair and blue eyes and was wearing a brown plaid suit with matching pants and a green bowtie. A golden hourglass patch was ironed to his breast pocket, and wrapped around his neck was one of the most hideous scarfs I'd ever seen - it was easily a minimum of twenty feet long and was a chunky design of solid black, brown, white, yellow, gray and red.

"Sixteen, huh? I dunno if I like the sound of that..." spoke the shortest of the group. He also seemed to be younger than the rest of us. He wore an unruly mop of long, rust-colored hair that matched his eyes, with a red, yellow and white-striped beanie barely covering the top of his head. He wore a white sweatshirt with a large, black icon of some kind of video game controller, brown and lime-plaid shorts that came down past his knees, and dingy flip flops. He smelled like a family of skunks had taken up residence in the sweatshirt before he'd put it on, making my nose curl.

"Ah, you worry too much, lil' guy! The more there are, the better the chance we'll get out of here!" the only female of the group grinned. She was tall and slender with a muscular, toned physique - one glance at Sunset and I knew she was already smitten. She had long, wavy silver hair in a high side ponytail on the right side of her head and piercing golden eyes, the left covered by her bangs. Strangely, she was wearing what appeared to be a black and yellow racing suit with bright red borders, with tens of various sponsor logos neatly arranged in two columns down the front, and one huge one on the back. Her suit was left zipped open to her belly button, exposing her white bandeau bra, and she wore matching black boots and gloves. The design of the racing suit made it appear as though the boots came all the way up to her thighs, ending slightly above the midpoint on the inner thighs and extending all the way to the top of her hips on the outer sides.

"Yes, well... judging by our surroundings, we can't be too careful, now," spoke the last of the group. I had to remind myself that this version of Equestria was a parallel universe, as this man looked exactly like Sunburst if he were a human. His otherwise neatly-combed red orange hair and goatee had a few frazzled hairs sticking out at odd angles, and he wore an azure suit jacket bordered with light blue, with stars lining the inside of the open jacket and a pin matching the Sunburst-from-home's Cutie Mark on his lapel. He also wore a plain, white collared shirt and shoes, azure pants, and golden wire frame glasses.

"So, I'm guessing you guys are stuck here, too?" asked Sunset.

"If you mean 'woke up here for some reason', then yes," the woman spoke as she held her hand out to Sunset. "My name's Silver Arrow, and you are...?"

"Buh... I-I'm Sunset. Sunset S-Shimmer," she stuttered as she clumsily took Silver's hand and tried to both shake and kiss it at the same time.

Oh, dear... it's started already...

Thankfully, Silver simply laughed. "I see I've already gained a fan! Thanks, dear... you're not half-bad yourself," she winked.

"My name's Starlight Glimmer," I chimed in, trying not to giggle at Sunset's red face.

"I'm Button Mash," the shortest one shrugged.

"Sunburst," the man who looked just like Sunburst said. Part of me wanted to screw with him and say that I already knew that, and then launch into the whole parallel universe thing and tell him he was a pony there... but seeing how there were apparently fourteen others that had been foalnapped and wound up here, now probably wasn't the best time.

"And I am Dr. Time Turner-Hooves," the older man finished. "Whether you call me Dr. Hooves, Time Turner or something in between, that's perfectly alright with me."

"So, it would seem that we have all been brought here for some reason... the question is, why?" Sunburst pursed his lips.

"Sure doesn't seem like any kind of kidnapping I've heard of," Silver sighed. "Wonder what kind of ransom they're asking for? ...Good thing my team has pretty good kidnapping insurance."

"You guys wouldn't happen to have your phones on you...?" I grimaced.

"Nah, it's gone," Button grumbled. "I could at least be playing something if I had it."

"It would appear we are completely cut off from the outside world at the moment," said Dr. Hooves. "I haven't even noticed a plane flying overhead, nor have I found anything I could use to signal one."

"Damn," Sunset mumbled. "...Wait, you said there are sixteen of us?"

"Ah, yes. The others are searching the rest of the cabin as we speak," said Dr. Hooves. "There's two more in the Kitchen, then three each in the Laundry Area and that Store, last I checked... the last two may have gone to that other cabin to the right."

"I see... well, guess we can go introduce ourselves," I suggested to Sunset. "Maybe they've found something." Sunset nodded in agreement and we left the four to their search.

We entered the Kitchen, finding it to be exquisite in design. Everything was white or stainless steel, there were copper pots and pans hanging from hooks on the walls, and hand-forged knives from Neighpon clinging to a magnetic strip. Four gratings on the terracotta tile floor allowed for the easiest form of cleaning: simply hosing everything down and letting the water drain away. The pantry, cupboards and refrigerators were fully stocked with every utensil and appliance we could ever need, as well as a plethora of fresh and dry ingredients; we wouldn't be going hungry for quite some time.

Indeed, two more people were checking the place out... both boys. One was lean but muscular, with spiky indigo hair and green eyes. He wore a blue sports jersey with a yellow lightning bolt design over a black long-sleeved undershirt, with matching pants and shoes. The other was an absolute unit of a man, towering over the other boy by at least a foot, and simultaneously ripped and fat at the same time. He had short fuzzy black hair and brown eyes, and he wore a dark green robe with a gold dragon design, held together by a black sash, and unusually-shaped black sandals.

"Oh, I recognize that guy!" Sunset yelled, pointing to the shorter of the two. "He was the star forward of the boy's soccer team back in high school! I always wondered what happened to him, he was really good..."

"I was?" the boy turned to look at Sunset in confusion. After a few moments, recognition dawned on his face. "...Oh, yea! You're Sunset, right? We never really talked, but I'd remember that hair anywhere!"

"Ah... yea..." Sunset shrank back, looking suddenly embarrassed.

"HO! IT IS GOOD TO SEE FAMILIAR FACES, IS IT NOT?!" the very large boy shouted, his voice deep and boisterous. "IT IS A GOOD OMEN, I SHOULD THINK!"

"Yea, whatever, big guy..." the other boy grumbled as he rubbed his ear.

"Well, uh... I'm Starlight Glimmer," I introduced myself.

"Hey there. I'm Soarin'," he replied with a wave.

"AND I AM KOTENAGE!" the very large one puffed out his chest. "THOUGH YOU MAY CALL ME BY MY RING NAME, KINRYU!"

"Ring name?" asked Sunset. "So... you're like, a professional wrestler or something?"

"WRESTLER?! HA! I AM NO MERE WRESTLER!" Kotenage lifted one of his legs high into the air and slammed it down with enough force that the pots and pans rattled in the kitchen. "I AM A RIKISHI!"

"Uh... most people in this country don't know what that is, bro," Soarin' advised.

"AH. RIGHT. I AM A SUMO WRESTLER. THE FINEST IN MY DIVISION!" Kotenage continued. "STUDENT OF YOKOZUNA HAKURYU HIMSELF!"

"Sumo wrestling?" I tilted my head.

"Oh, from Neighpon," said Sunset, nodding. "I get it."

"So, what brings you two lovely ladies here?" asked Soarin'. Sunset and I explained our plight and our hopes in that someone had found a clue as to why we were here, or more importantly, a way to rescue ourselves. "Sounds just like me... one minute I was playing with my phone in bed until I felt sleepy; the next minute? I'm waking up in the grass."

"HM. I, TOO, WAS TAKEN FROM MY STABLE WHILE I SLEPT," said Kotenage. "IT WOULD SEEM THAT WE WERE ALL TAKEN IN OUR SLEEP."

"Well, if we find anything, I'll be sure to let you girls know," Soarin' frowned. "No dice so far, I'm afraid."


~


We took our leave and decided to go into the Laundry Area next. It was rather plain, with white tile walls and floors, some tables and chairs and a shelf that contained irons, laundry soaps and fabric softeners. There were six washing machines arranged in a row on one side of the room and six dryers on the other, with a collection of ironing boards leaning against the far wall. There were three girls looking around inside, one of which seemed slightly familiar to me.

"Oh..." Sunset mumbled, stopping in her tracks. I quietly asked what was wrong. "I... kinda remember these girls..."

"'Sup?!" one of the girls yelled as she noticed us. Her hair was a dark blue mullet with streaks of dusty and light blue in it, and she had orange eyes that glittered in the light along with her multiple ear and facial piercings. She wore a lime green ski jacket with orange flight goggles hanging around her neck, light blue cargo pants, orange skate shoes and a matching backpack.

"Ugh... Zap, didn't I tell you to stop yelling in here?!" another girl growled. She had long, fluffy white hair collected into low twintails, while her long bangs were combed back and held in place by a pink barrette. Her pink eyes were framed by coral-colored glasses, and she wore a thick mauve turtleneck sweater, white leggings underneath a navy blue pencil skirt and navy blue shoes.

"Wait a minute... I remember you two!" gasped the last girl. She had shoulder-length teal hair also arranged in low twintails, held together with ties that resembled sprigs of juniper berries. Her eyes matched her hair, and she wore a long royal purple trench coat with a sky blue scarf, a short black skirt, purple shoes with sky blue leg warmers and purple glasses. "Sunset... is that you?! And... uh, I remember your face, but not your name..."

"Starlight," I answered. "Starlight Glimmer."

"Right, right..."

"And you... uh... Juniper Montage, wasn't it?" I asked.

"That's me!" she nodded.

"Oh, Sunset... yea, I remember you now!" the girl apparently named Zap shouted. "I'm Indigo, remember?"

"Fucking duh... who didn't know who Sunset was back in high school?" snapped the third girl, turning up her nose. "I don't remember ever seeing you, however... name's Sugarcoat."

"Hi," I waved. Sunset and I proceeded to ask if they had found anything useful, to which they shook their heads.

"But this place has great acoustics!" Indigo pumped her fist in the air. "...Too much damn white, though. I can't wait to find some spray paint and fix that!"

"Please don't," Sugarcoat grumbled. "I don't know what people see in your crude, brutish excuse for artwork, and I especially don't want to see it now."

"Anyway... so, you guys are here, too?" Juniper asked. "I wonder why... eesh, I hope this isn't like, some snuff film or something..."

"Good grief, why is that the first thing that came to your mind?!" Sunset recoiled.

"Well, I mean... the cameras and guns everywhere..." Juniper gestured around. "I don't know, I just have a really bad feeling about this."

"That's quite the understatement," Sugarcoat pouted.


~


Next we decided to check inside the Store. As soon as I laid eyes upon it, I knew that this was no ordinary store. There was the usual fare of snacks, drinks, T-shirts and pamphlets about the forest and nearby mountains, but there were also houseplants, works of art, a suit of armor, a massive decorative vase, building blocks, perfume bottles, gummy vitamins and a giant drawing mannequin displayed all around the room, as well as numerous other random objects. Against the wall sat a black and white vending machine labeled as a "MonoMono Machine"... and while the two girls in the room browsed the shelves, the only boy was staring into the machine's window.

"Flash?!" Sunset gasped, pointing at a boy with blue spiky hair and eyes. He wore a black down jacket with an emblem of a blue shield with a lightning bolt over it, jeans and black sneakers with lightning bolts horizontally down the sides. There was also a black leather case on his back shaped like an acoustic guitar. I blinked in disbelief as I heard her shriek - she couldn't possibly be talking about her ex-boyfriend from high school, could she...?

"Sunset?!" Flash gasped in return. "What are you doing here?!"

"I wish I knew," she replied with a frown. "This is getting really weird."

"You can say that again," he grumbled, but his expression lit up as his eyes met mine. "Oh... hey, I don't think we've met yet."

"I'm Starlight Glimmer," I shook his hand. "Sunset's told me a lot about you... good things, don't worry."

"Ha, I'm sure," he grinned smugly at Sunset.

"So... have you three found anything we can use for a rescue in here?" Sunset asked, grinning back.

"No... and I'm not really... with them," he shrugged. "They came in after me. The blue-haired girl is kinda... spacey. And the pink-haired girl... well... you'll see." He pointed to each girl in turn.

The pink-haired girl had the left side of her head shaved bald, dark brown stubble beginning to peek through her scalp. The rest of her hair was shoulder-length and styled over to the right, with a lone streak of white in her bangs. She had purple eyes and a blue surgical face mask hanging from her left ear. She wore dusty blue short-sleeved scrubs patterned with yellow-gray skulls, the decorative gray piping making it appear like it was a robe with the right side folded over the left. She also wore a yellow-gray long-sleeved shirt underneath, gray scrub pants and black shoes. A pair of blue latex gloves and a rubber tube of some sort stuck out of her many pockets.

"Hello, mortals," she droned somberly in a low, monotone voice. "Are you in need of my services?"

"Uh... and what services would that be...?" I answered nervously.

"People only come to me when someone has perished," she continued matter-of-factly. "My name is Memento Mori... I am a mortician by trade."

"Oh..." If I still had my fur, it would be bristling right now. Instead, I felt my skin suddenly grow cold and clammy.

"Yes... few are willing to dabble in the arts of death... let me see the cadaver, annnhhh..." Suddenly, she began to snicker at first before dropping her morose expression and laughing. "Hahaha... I had you going for a while, didn't I?"

"Uh..." Sunset blinked. Neither of us were sure how to react.

"Ahh... sorry. Most people get all freaked out when I mention my job, so I can't help but play along," Memento smiled, holding out her hand. "I'm Memento Mori. Don't worry... I haven't handled any bodies today, I'm totally clean!"

"H-Hello," I forced a smile as I shook her hand. Thankfully she seemed to leave it at that and continued on with examining the shelves... inwardly, I was quite pleased to not continue the conversation.

The other girl had very long turquoise hair with azure streaks in a high ponytail and fuchsia eyes. She wore a maroon hoodie overflowing with fuchsia fleece, light pink pants with a design of a jagged, turquoise blue musical note over a red heart on the right back pocket, and bubblegum-pink knee high boots. Looped around her left wrist was a black ribbon, from which a large, ruby red jewel dangled.

"Hi, guys!" she beamed. "I'm Sonata Dusk."

"You...!" Sunset suddenly gasped and pointed angrily.

"You, uh... remember her?" I asked.

"She's a Siren!" Sunset scowled. "Back in high school, she and her sisters tried to take over the world with their singing! My friends and I had to stop them!"

"Hehe... yep, that was us!" Sonata giggled.

"Oh," I recoiled in surprise. She seemed so... nonchalant about it.

"But that was back then... Dagi, Aria and I are toootally not evil anymore!" Sonata smiled. "I mean... we can't really absorb negativity anymore, after all."

"You can't...?" Sunset raised an eyebrow suspiciously.

"Nope! It's alright... I don't have to be all evil and brooding anymore, either. Now I'm free to eat all the tacos I want!"

"...You seem to be taking that defeat much better than I thought you would," Sunset pursed her lips.

"Eh, water off a duck's back," Sonata shrugged. "Anyway, nice to see you again, Sunny!"

Uh... the fact that we've all been apparently foalnapped and we're stuck here now doesn't seem to bother her in the slightest...


~


We left the store and headed for the final building. It was strangely shaped in that two-thirds of it was bigger than the other, which seemed to have been added on as an afterthought; and it had three separate entrances, two of which were located in the bigger portion. However, we quickly discovered them to be locked, so we entered the door to the smaller part of the building.

It seemed way bigger on the inside than it appeared. There were shelves covered in every conceivable thing: tools, waterproof matches, accelerants and kindling sticks for starting campfires, sleeping bags, freeze-dried foods, jugs of water, paint cans, toiletries, winter clothing, towels, fertilizer, plates, board games, silverware, camping gear, fishing gear... and one boy carefully examining a tackle box.

"Oh, hey there," he waved once he noticed us. He had shaggy blonde hair that partially covered his green eyes, and wore a blue long-sleeved shirt underneath a khaki utility vest that just quite didn't cover his protruding belly, khaki shorts and a matching hat that hung down his back from the cord around his neck. Strangely, he was barefoot.

"Hi... I'm Starlight Glimmer. This is my friend, Sunset Shimmer."

"Right on. I'm Ocean Lucky," he gave a thumbs-up. Just then something clattered off of a shelf nearby, causing us all to jump and Ocean to let out a yelp. A few moments later, a girl poked her head out from behind some nearby shelves.

"Oh! Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you guys," she apologized. Her long, black hair was tied into a high ponytail, her blunt bangs perfectly framing her green eyes. She wore a black long-sleeved shirt underneath an extremely-fluorescent orange utility vest that barely covered her chest, baggy green, black and brown camouflage pants and brown hiking boots. Again, if I still had fur, it would've bristled as I glanced at her necklace - a simple leather cord adorned with the teeth of multiple animals. Her build was very slender, but I could easily tell she was also quite muscular. "My name's Mountain Lucky, but everyone just calls me Emmy... I see you've met my brother already."

"Your brother?" Sunset asked.

"Yea... believe it or not, we're actually twins," Ocean remarked. "She's the best hunter I know, and I'm the best angler I know."

"Yep! Deer, elk, bear, moose, squirrel, rabbit... show me a critter and I'll show you dinner!" nodded Mountain. "And Ocean can catch any fish, no matter how rare or stubborn! He even once landed a cutlassfish in a freshwater lake!"

"Ah, that's... cool..." Sunset grimaced along with me.

I sure hope ponies are off the menu...

"Anyway... I take it you guys don't know how you got here, and you haven't found a way out or anything, huh?" asked Sunset.

"Whoa! That's totally right!" Ocean gasped in shock. Mountain rolled her eyes.

"There's plenty of stuff in here to signal for help, though. We can make signal fires, reflect sunlight with shiny objects... we'll get rescued eventually, so I'm not too worried," she shrugged. "And after I've made myself a bow and some arrows, we'll have even less to worry about."

"Bah... why bother with that when there's a bunch of perfectly good miniguns around?" Ocean drawled.

"Ocean... as awesome as you think it would be to hunt animals from a helicopter with a minigun... that's just ridiculous," Mountain groaned, slapping her palm over her face. "There'd be no meat left to make it worthwhile. Besides... there's no helicopter around here."

"Yea... but it'd still be pretty kickass," Ocean grinned. He glanced over to me and my ill, green face, and his own face fell slightly. "Uh... you okay, Starlight?"

Uuugh... I'm not exactly sure what these two are talking about, but I can already tell we won't be friends...

And then... a strange sound echoed throughout the speakers strewn all around the campgrounds. Little did I know that, though innocuous by itself, it was a sound I would come to dread.


*ding dong, bing bong*


"What was that?" Mountain whipped around warily, as if she were a deer reacting to the sudden snap of a twig.

"It sounded like... a school bell," I stated.

"Why, though? This ain't no school here," snorted Ocean. There was a burst of static and feedback from the speakers, and then... he spoke.

"Ah... uh... Mike check! Mike check! Ah... can you hear me? Can you hear me?!"

The voice was laid-back and gleeful, high-pitched and slightly robotic. In a place like this, it felt entirely out of place. Somehow, I could sense a deranged, malicious madness deep within it, hidden away and yet hiding in plain sight. The air around me suddenly grew even colder than before, and I shuddered as my body began to freeze.

"Puhuhu... surprised? You were totally surprised!" the voice continued in a contemptuous, mocking tone. "Riiight... Now then, sorry to keep you all waiting for so long. It's time for the main attraction! You guys better hustle over to the fire pit in the center of the campgrounds!"

"What? Why?" Mountain asked out loud. But with a pop and a crackle, the speakers went dead. I blinked in confusion, an unconscious nicker escaping my lips as I took one step back.

"Whoever that was, that might be whoever brought us all here," Sunset pursed her lips. "Maybe they'll tell us what they want from us?"

"I dunno, man... I don't like the sound of this," mumbled Ocean.

"Well, I'm going," Mountain growled as she swiped a walking stick from one of the shelves. "I want to get to the bottom of this."

"Er, you're gonna fight them?!" I gaped.

"If it comes down to it," she replied stonily. "You don't kidnap a huntress... unless you want to become the prey yourself."

Sunset and I exchanged worried glances. Though we weren't sure how to proceed, we had no real choice but to do so. I took a deep breath to calm my nerves, and I nodded.

"...Let's go see who's behind this," I frowned. With Mountain boldly leading the way, we exited the supply shed, as ready for whatever was going to happen as we ever would be.

...

...

...

...

...

...I was not ready for what would soon happen next.

Not even close.
> Prologue: A Sudden Detour 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The wind blew as we rejoined the others, grouped around the large fire pit in the concrete circle. A low din of conversation broke the silence - some were excited to see what was going to happen next, while others couldn't help but feel a sense of dread.

"Well, we're all here," said Dr. Hooves.

"So... where's whoever told us to come here?" asked Juniper.

"Here I am! Sorry to keep you waaaiting!" the strange voice called out, very close by but still hidden away. And before anyone knew what was happening, it leapt out from the center of the fire pit with a flourish.


*boing!*


And so we came face to face with the source of the voice... I wasn't sure what I was expecting, but definitely not this. It appeared to be a teddy bear about one and a half, maybe two feet in height. Its design was unsettling - its right half was pure white with a black button eye and a cute, toothless snout, but its left half was jet black with a glowing, red eye in the shape of a bat wing and a grin that ripped all the way to his ear, full of large, sharp teeth. Its belly was white on both halves, with its bellybutton protruding like a small tumor.

The bear didn't move or speak after appearing, however. Everyone was silent for a few moments as we reassessed the situation.

"Uh..." Ocean mumbled.

"It's a bear..." Soarin' pressed his lips together.

"Wow, that thing is rad!" Indigo squealed. "I wish I had a bear like that..."

"You're kidding, right? Please tell me you're kidding..." Sugarcoat tutted. "There's no way a fucking stuffed bear is our captor. Is this some kind of stupid joke?!"

"Joke?! Why you little-" the bear suddenly snarled in an angry, yet excitable voice. Three razor-sharp claws poked out of his paw as it shook it angrily at us.

"WHOA! IT TALKED!" yelled Kotenage.

"I am the god of this new world... and the Head Camp Counselor of the Ultimate Campgrounds!" it continued grandly. "The one, the only... Monokuma!"

"Mono... kuma...?" Button mouthed, his eyes wide as dinner plates.

"It doesn't look like an ordinary stuffed bear," Mountain muttered as she took a few steps forward. With her walking stick, she gently poked at Monokuma's chest. "Hmm... metal."

"Whoa," Monokuma grunted, shaking his clawed fist at Mountain. "First of all, I'm no teddy bear. I'm Monokuma... And show some respect! I'm the Head Camp Counselor of this place!"

"Head Camp Counselor...?" Sunset tilted her head while glancing at me. I could only shrug in reply, just as confused as she was.

"Metal? Is it some kind of robot, then?" asked Dr. Hooves, choosing to ignore the bear's speech.

"Maybe a new type of animatronic?" added Sunburst.

"Whatever it is, it better start talking," Sugarcoat clenched her fists. "Why are we here? What even is this place?!"

"Oh, that? I already told you this is my Ultimate Campground, and it's smack-dab in the middle of my Hidden Valley of Ultimate Despair!" Monokuma grinned. "Do ya like it? 'Cuz you'll be staying here for a while..."

"'Hidden Valley of... Ultimate Despair'...?" Sunburst echoed.

"Sounds like a salad dressing..." Ocean mumbled.

"The name sure doesn't ring any bells for me," commented Mountain.

"Of course not!" said Monokuma. "This valley is only open to you sixteen special little Ultimate cretins."

"There's that word again... ultimate. Why?" asked Dr. Hooves.

"Ultimate means that you're particularly prodigious in a particular talent," the bear explained. "Each of you has one... so that's why you're here."

Each of us has an Ultimate talent...? Even me...?

"O-Oh... well, I guess I am pretty talented," Juniper smirked.

"So we each have some kind of special talent... then what exactly do you want from us?!" Sugarcoat ordered. "You must want something."

"Huh... well, aren't you a wisegirl?" sneered Monokuma. "Fine... there's only one wee little thing I want from you guys..."

"...Which is...?" I gulped. Somehow, I knew the answer was not going to be a good one.

"I want you all... to murder each other."

In an instant my heart dropped into my stomach. I was expecting a horrible answer, but this... this was outright bad.

...M-Murder...?!

Everyone around me reacted much the same way, with horror, disbelief and shock.

"Uh... I-I don't think I heard you right..." Silver giggled nervously.

"Oh, you heard me, sweetheart," Monokuma smirked. "I. Want you guys. To murder. Each other."

"O-Oh... T-That's what I-I thought y-you said..." Silver giggled even more nervously.

"A-ARE YOU SERIOUS?!" Kotenage recoiled. "Y-YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS!"

"But I am," the bear replied matter-of-factly.

"W-We can't kill each other! That's terrible!" Memento shivered. "And extremely illegal!"

"Do I look like I care? ...Puhuhuhu..." He smiled from ear to ear and began to laugh.

"You're laughing... so it was a joke... right...?" Flash gulped.

"Puhuhu... It's just... when I said it before, I kinda just phoned it in and now I feel awkward," Monokuma chuckled. "Now... I want you guys with your Ultimate-level talents to participate in a killing game."

I felt Sunset grab onto my hand. "K-Killing game?!" she stuttered. "W-What the hell are you talking about?!"

"...Why?" asked Sonata, an eyebrow raised. She didn't seem as scared as the rest of us... more confused and inquisitive than anything, really.

"Why? You mean... you don't wanna do it?" asked Monokuma.

"Of course not! What the fuck kind of stupid question is that?!" Sugarcoat yelled.

"...But if you've looked around the campgrounds, then you already know, don't you?" the bear smirked. "You're surrounded by a thick, dark forest, untouched by human hands... and beyond that? Sheer cliffs and an ice-covered mountain on all sides! You can't escape to the outside world... not only that, but there are no flight paths anywhere near this valley, so you can't signal a plane. In fact, even GPS doesn't work here, so even if someone tried to look for you via satellite, they'd pass right over you and be none the wiser!"

Sunset's grip on my hand tightened. "...S-Seriously? Nobody will find us...?"

"In other words... I hold the power of life and death over each and every one of you," Monokuma leered. "You can't leave without killing someone... or without my saying so."

"Oh, man... oh, maaan..." Button began to wail. "Aw, this is some Danganronpa bullshit!"

"What?" asked Flash.

"...Dang ol' romper?" Sonata tilted her head to one side.

"Danganronpa..." Button repeated, his voice full of fearful reverence. "It's a game series... half visual novel, half murder mystery. Sixteen high school students are trapped somewhere, and the only way they can escape is if they murder a classmate of theirs and deceive everyone else in a trial... This is exactly what's happening, isn't it?"

"And just how do you know this?!" Sugarcoat demanded angrily.

"I streamed it a while ago... huge success with the fans," Button gulped. "It's pretty popular."

"Well... aren't you so smart?" Monokuma slumped over suddenly. "...And here I thought I was being original..."

"Oh? A copycat, perhaps?" asked Dr. Hooves.

"Awwww... where are my children? Daddy needs a hug..." the bear moaned.

"What? Children?" I bristled, unwilling to believe there were possibly more murder-craving bears in our midst. But suddenly...


*Rise and Shine, Ursine!*


...A chorus of four new, strange voices chimed in close by. While I was wondering where the heck the voices came from, four more creatures similar to Monokuma leapt out from behind him, two on each side. They were slightly smaller than Monokuma, and each seemed to have a unique color scheme and personality. One had blue rather than black, wore spiky metal pauldrons and gray, star-shaped eye makeup, had chest hair lazily scribbled onto his body, and held a blue electric guitar in his paws. Another one was yellow with brown tiger stripes, wore black glasses and held an abacus. Yet another one was red rather than black and wore a long, dark gray scarf pinned together with a star-shaped brooch that looked like an actual weapon. And finally, the last one was light pink with darker vertical stripes, wore a seashell-pink cosmo flower behind her left ear and a black bikini top decorated with cherry blossoms, and held a small sunflower in her paws. Each one had a yellow pacifier crammed inside their mouths, yet it didn't seem to impede their speech one bit.

"Oh-hohoho, my cute little cubs!" Monokuma squealed. "It's about time you showed up to support your father!"

"C-Cubs?" Mountain hissed.

"Yes... my dear little Monokubs!" he smiled as he pointed to each one in turn. "Monokid, Monosuke, Monotaro, and of course... Monophanie!"

"Wow... those stuffed bears are cute, too!" Indigo bit at her lower lip.

"We're not Monokubs! We're the stuffed animals!" Monokid roared while haphazardly plucking at his guitar.

"...Psst. Monokid. You're saying your lines backwards," Monosuke stage-whispered.

"No stuffed animals, us! The Monokubs, them!" he yelled even louder as he snapped his guitar in half. He then threw it away after a moment and immediately pulled a brand new guitar out from behind him as if nothing had happened.

"Oh, geez... it's even worse now," Monosuke slapped his paw to his forehead.

"...Am I really seeing this?" Button slumped in disbelief. "Is this for real? Did someone lace my weed?!"

Ah... well, that explains the smell...

"Yo, you got weed on ya?!" Ocean exclaimed with a grin. "Maaan, I'm gonna need a good hit or two after this shit."

"This isn't the time for that! What on earth is happening here?!" Dr. Hooves gestured wildly.

"Surprised, huh? I totally understand how you feel... the first time I noticed, my teeth and fingernails fell out!" Monotaro grinned.

"T-That's not a healthy way to react to a surprise!" Monophanie wailed.

"And what do you suggest a healthy way to react to this is?!" groaned Flash.

"...Hey, wait a minute," Button Mash drawled, "...there's five Monokubs in the games... where's Monodam?" His question was met with confused silence from the Monokubs.

"...Who?" Monosuke was the first to speak.

"Monodam?" Monotaro followed a moment later. Beside him, Monophanie stiffened up and adopted a thousand-yard stare.

"...We learned our lesson last time," she remarked.

"Last time...?" Sugarcoat grimaced.

"Soooo... juuust to be sure, in case I've inhaled too much formaldehyde..." Memento cocked her head. "...Are we really stuck here with some Five Nights at Freddy's rejects? And we'll apparently get out if we kill someone and get away with it? Oh, noooonononono... there has to be another way out. How else did we get here?!"

"There's nothing to explain... this is simply how it is, so please don't bother," Monophanie shrugged. "...You can't get out of here. The valley has no entrances or exits, and the cliffs cannot be climbed."

"An Ultimate could probably climb it partway," Monokid admitted, "but most of the time it's impossible!"

"...But they can still sorta climb it, huh...?" Monosuke readjusted his glasses.

"...SOMEONE! HELP UUUUUSSSSS!" Indigo suddenly shrieked, causing everyone present to jump in place. "HEY! WE'RE STUCK IN THIS STUPID VALLEY! GET US OOOOOUT!" She continued to scream for a good twenty seconds more until her voice was a raspy wheeze.

"Please, stop! You'll hurt your throat!" Monophanie gasped, seeming to be genuinely worried for Indigo.

"Yea! Scream all you like... no one can hear you anyway!" taunted Monokid. Suddenly the four Monokubs whipped out various guns from behind their backs - I only knew the names from TV shows and movies, but Monokid had an AK-47, Monosuke had a tommy gun, Monotaro had a pair of Uzis, and Monophanie had... a Celestia-damned grenade launcher. They cackled wildly as they began unloading the guns into the air, Monophanie thankfully aiming far away from any of us before firing her launcher.

"Get down!" Mountain screamed. Everyone immediately threw themselves on the ground to avoid the crazed gunfire, but not before I felt a flash of searing heat against my right cheek. I barely heard Sunset shout my name as I instinctively clapped my hand to my cheek and felt something stinging raw and... wet. I stared in abject horror at my palm... my blood-covered palm.

Sweet Celestia...! I... I-I could've just died there...!

Finally, a few moments later, a loud BOOM from Monophanie's launcher heralded the end of the gunfire. Breathing heavily with satisfaction, they stowed away their guns.

"What is this...?" Sunburst paled, struggling to stand back up. "You things... this valley... What is all this?!"

"You bastards'll have to use your legs, hands and eyes to find that out for yourselves," Monotaro smirked.

"But please be careful," said Monophanie. "It's late autumn, the temperatures are already quite low here. We wouldn't want you to catch a cold or freeze to death."

It is...? I thought back to yesterday when I had arrived in the human world. ...Yea, it was kind of chilly out. So at least we're in the same hemisphere...

"D'aww, my cute little cubs..." Monokuma squeezed himself while shaking from side to side, not only his red eye but his entire face glowing angrily. "You're all so freakin' cute! The only reason I can tolerate your tiresome antics is 'cuz you're all so cute... Even when the prologue is going on way too long, I'll allow it because you guys are cute!"

"Er... pops, are you mad at us...?" Monosuke asked carefully.

"Don't be an idiot! I would never get mad at my cute little cubs!" Monokuma screeched.

"Gah! He's mad!" Monokid panicked.

"But... Daddy is still cool even when he's angry," Monophanie sighed.

"Pops is from a planet of handsome bears that get cooler as they get angrier," Monosuke nodded, not noticing that their "father" was shivering with rage. Before he could continue on with his story, Monokuma suddenly leaped forward and punched him directly into his siblings, knocking them all over and away.

"How many times do I gotta say it?!" he fumed. "I'M NOT MAD!" The Monokubs spent a few quiet moments picking themselves up and scuttling back to their father while he calmed down. "...Anyway, I'm really not mad. In fact, I gotta admit that I'm actually proud of you guys. You kids really stand out from the rest of the second-generation failures in the world."

"Isn't that a little harsh?" asked Monophanie. "I'm sure there are some second-generation success stories..."

"I can't think of any, though-"

"If you can't think of any, it's 'cuz there's none worth remembering!" Monokuma cut off Monosuke with yet another gut punch straight into his siblings.

"But Father remembers! 'Cuz he knows everything!" Monotaro yelled as he tumbled along the ground.

"Holy shit! That's right, Papa Kuma!" Monokid howled through a mouthful of dirt. "You know all kinds of useless crap!"

"Because Daddy gets all his alternative facts from the most trusted names in fake news!" Monophanie wheezed.

"...What the fuck are we even watching right now?" grumbled Soarin', utterly confused and terrified as the rest of us.

"I'M SO LOST..." Kotenage sighed.

"You guys need some serious family therapy..." Sugarcoat sighed, slapping her forehead.

"Heehee... I love embracing my children," Monokuma laughed. "They're so cute, I just can't help myself!"

"I... wouldn't exactly call a sucker punch an embrace..." Memento grimaced.

"But you're right," Monokuma smirked. "You're stuck here until you kill, kill, kill! Stabbing, strangling, bludgeoning, crushing, hacking, drowning, igniting... how you do it doesn't matter! You must kill someone if you want to leave, and then fool the rest in a trial. It's as simple as that."

"Ohhh, but... I don't like that..." Monophanie gulped. "I'm not good with violence or gore or sad situations... Um, Daddy? Instead of a killing game, could we do a rock-paper-scissors tournament?"

"Who'd wanna play a game where no one dies?!" whined Monosuke.

"Uh... me. I would very much like to play that kind of game," Button commented. "And usually I'm all about blowing people away on a computer screen."

"Ooh! I like games," Sonata replied.

"Well... you do have a compassionate personality," Monokuma sighed. "It's so cute I can barely stand it... why, it's cute enough to eat! Cute enough that I wanna eat it!" He grinned wickedly, opening his mouth to show off his teeth.

Monophanie shivered. "Uh..."

"Hey, Monophanie," Monotaro whispered. "You might wanna dial back the cute schtick a bit."

So many thoughts were racing through my head, I wasn't quite sure which emotion I should've felt the strongest about. Here I was, supposed to be on a week-long vacation visiting Sunset... and now this?! Being held captive with a number of people from Sunset's past... by five insane robot bears that wanted us to kill each other?! And they were obviously more than willing to kill us themselves if we didn't comply... Stuff like this was par for the course back home, but here? In human Equestria? ...Although I don't remember any kind of mountain valley like this there, so it's not exactly Equestria.

But these bears wanted us dead, yet not by their own paws. And setting up an entire campsite like this must've cost a ton of money...

...No... no, there has to be a deeper explanation for this. Someone's obviously controlling these bears... there's just not enough magic in the air for them to be actual living creatures... But who...? And why...?

Meanwhile, Button sucked in a deep breath and sighed. "Soooo... can we just get our Monopads or whatever now?"

"Monopads...?" asked Sunburst.

"Oh, yea... go hand 'em out, would ya kids?" Monokuma pushed surprisingly gently. The Monokubs produced a couple of black and white computer tablets each and handed one to everyone. "Now, as I'm sure Weedman over there will tell you, your Monopad is essential to living a healthy outdoor life! They're waterproof, crushproof and contain all of the rules of the campgrounds, so be sure to review them thoroughly!"

"Eh? You want us to kill each other, but there's rules?" blinked Indigo.

"Oh, yea!" nodded Monosuke. "After all, it wouldn't be all that fun if one o' yous just decided to get yerselves killed!"

"K-Killed?!" Juniper shivered.

"If I had to wager a guess, breaking the rules probably means..." Flash cleared his throat as he pointed to a nearby minigun.

"Correct! You may hear me say this a lot, but any violation of the rules will not. Be. Tolerated," nodded Monokuma. "Welp, that brings our entrance ceremony to a close! Please do enjoy your abundantly dreary outdoorsy life! See ya!" And before anyone could speak, he somehow leapt directly into the fire pit and disappeared.

"Have fun, you bastards!" Monophanie called out cheerfully.


*So long, bear well!*


After shouting their catchphrase, the Monokubs followed their father into the fire pit and vanished as well. While Sugarcoat angrily demanded they return to explain themselves further, the rest of us stared at each other. Various emotions swam in everyone's eyes - confusion, terror, disbelief... suspicion. I pressed my lips together, silently cursing my luck.

We can't escape... And nobody knows we're here... Can anybody even find us...?

"Autonomous robots with guns that demand their captives play the most dangerous game..." Sunburst sighed deeply. "Unbelievable."

"W-We don't really have to... kill each other... right?" Silver gulped. "I mean... that's..."

"Hell no!" Sunset shouted. "Look, there's five of them and sixteen of us. Metal or not, we can get out of here without any killing each other or dying if we work together!"

"No..." Button sighed morosely, garnering everyone's attention. "If this is really Danganronpa... it's gonna be a reeeeeal bad time. Most of us are definitely gonna die before there's even a chance of escape."

Geez... whatever that is, it sounds... terrifying...

"...Ya know, you're not very good at the whole 'encouraging others' thing," Sonata remarked, tilting her head.

"Soooo... what are we gonna do?" asked Memento. "I mean, I don't wanna kill anybody, and I hope no one else does, either."

"But if what those bears say is true... nobody's coming to save us, and we may be in such a remote area that we might all die of exposure or something even if we do escape," Mountain frowned. "Well... I'm positive I can survive, but the rest of you..."

Quiet mumbling and grumbling filled the air as we all considered our chances of survival either way. If we did manage to find a way to escape, we'd likely need all of the supplies we could carry, which would slow us down. Plus no one had found a map, so we wouldn't even know which direction to go... unless we happened to find whatever means of transportation our captors had used to bring us here. But then what if it wasn't something Sunset was capable of driving? She has her motorcycle and she's driven a car before, but... maybe one of the others could drive it?

Ugh... this must be what Twilight feels like whenever she has to go over new bills and laws...

"Well, first thing's first: you're gonna tell us everything you know about whatever the fuck Dang Gang Romper is," Sugarcoat snarled, pointing a finger at Button.

"No, no... Dan-gan-ron-pa," Button enunciated.

"NEIGHPONESE FOR 'BULLET REFUTE'," Kotenage chimed in.

"...And yea, sure. Let's all go into the dining hall," he swallowed as he pulled at his sleeves. "It's cold out here."

Everyone nodded in agreement, and we began to trudge to the largest cabin, our feet dragging. I glanced over to Sunset, wondering how she was holding up against our predicament... a tense scowl was etched onto her face. But then she glanced my way and met my eyes, and they softened into a confident smile.

"Hey... I've been through life-and-death stuff like this before, and from what Twilight's told me, so have you," she grinned. "We'll be fine. We just gotta come up with a plan first."

Her smile gave me confidence, and one blossomed onto my own face. "...Yea. We'll be fine." Sunset nodded once before returning her gaze to the cabin door, and we all walked inside.
> A Guide in the Darkness - Daily Life 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

We all sat down together at the longest table in the center of the Dining Hall. Button Mash plopped himself down in the center with a deep sigh, chewing on his lip while Sunset grabbed me a couple of wet and dry paper towels to clean my cheek. Thankfully it was only a shallow cut.

"Here, let me see that," Mountain spoke softly as she dug out a small first aid kit from one of her vest's pockets. "Don't want it to get infected."

"Oh... thanks," I replied, taken aback by the huntress' kindness.

Calm down, Starlight... you're in human form, not a pony... she's not going to gut you and skin your hide...

"Alright... spill it," Sugarcoat demanded. "What the fuck is Danganronpa?"

We listened intently as Button began describing the game to us. Creeping dread prickled down my spine and chilled my blood as he talked about how the game worked: every so often, Monokuma would give us a cruel and unignorable motive in an attempt to force any of us into trying to escape... via murdering someone else. If one of us were to murder another, there would first be an investigation where we would search the body and our surroundings for clues. Then we would all be whisked away to a trial room, where it would be up to us to debate on the identity of the murderer. If we managed to find the killer, Monokuma would gruesomely execute them right in front of us, and we would all continue on with our captive lives. If we didn't, however... if we accused the wrong person, then not only would the killer be set free, but Monokuma would gruesomely execute the rest of us for our failure.

"That's not all, either," Button sighed in resignation. "There's always some kind of memory wipe involved... for all we know, we could've been here for literal years already, and have no idea."

"Is that why none of us remember how we got here?" asked Soarin'.

"God damn..." Flash wheezed. "That's just messed up!"

"I mean, I haven't had to so far, but I really don't wanna embalm somebody I once knew," Memento whined. "So please, guys, don't kill anyone, alright?"

"Seriously, though? He makes us lose our memories?" Ocean quivered. "That sort of thing doesn't exist... right?"

"It can..." Sunset frowned as she glanced at me. I could easily predict what she was thinking, and wondered how wise it would be to suggest that magic might've been involved. The expression on my face must have convinced her to drop the thought, however, as Sunset never finished her sentence.

"Well... I don't think I've forgotten anything," Sonata scrunched her face in thought while patting herself all over her body. "I don't feel any different... don't think I'm missing or gained anything..."

"Nah, it's more subtle than that," said Button. "We wouldn't even realize anything's missing. Our memories would've been reverted back to a little bit before we came here in the first place... willingly."

"You think we came here willingly?" Dr. Hooves asked, surprised.

"Why?" Silver narrowed her eyes. "Last I remember, I was in Abu Dhabi for a race... I never would've abandoned it to come here."

"I ALSO ADHERE TO A STRICT TRAINING REGIMEN," added Kotenage. "THERE IS SIMPLY NO WAY I WOULD HAVE LEFT MY STABLE TO GO CAMPING."

"...You don't think us and our friends decided to go camping at the end of my vacation, huh...?" I asked Sunset.

"No... definitely wasn't thinking about anything like that," she shook her head. "Besides, if we did, wouldn't they be here, too?"

"True..."

"Your guesses are as good as mine," Button shrugged. "But in every game, the kids were originally there by their own accord, then the mastermind came along and fucked everything up."

"Well... that might explain us being here," Ocean pointed to himself and his sister, "...but the rest of you don't really strike me as outdoorsy."

"Speaking of which, I'm sure you've all noticed the sixteen cottages at the other end of the campgrounds?" Sunburst chimed in. "It would seem that there's one for each of us."

"Yea... like I said, we're gonna be here a while if this is really gonna go down like the game," said Button. "The rooms were always pretty nice, though."

"Right... because being kidnapped is okay as long as our accommodations are comfortable," grumbled Sugarcoat.

"That is part of the whole deal... Monokuma will make sure we're comfortable and have places to keep us entertained for a while," Button continued. "He'll even give us more things to do and places to go if and when someone dies and the rest of us survive a trial."

"Hmm... seems to me that this 'Monokuma' uses such luxuries to keep his captives from becoming entirely despondent and unwilling to participate," mused Dr. Hooves.

"Like he's keeping us from totally going insane..." Sugarcoat hissed, clutching her elbows. "That asshole..."

"...I wonder what else there is to do around here?" Sonata hummed, blinking when everyone scowled at her in response. "...What? I'm just wondering!"

"The most important thing, though, is that we do not play Monokuma's game. No matter how much you might not trust each other or whatever," Button warned. "Ignore his motives, their entire purpose is to make you consider murder in order to leave. Talk shit out with each other like normal people if you've got beef or there was a misunderstanding... because I can guarantee you, if one of us decides to kill someone else, it will destroy our trust in each other, it will spiral out of control, and all you'll be doing is fucking yourself and each other up for life, whether we live or we die."

"Ooh, yea... and the mental trauma a death like that causes is definitely not fun," Memento inhaled through her teeth. "I deal with it a lot at work... the bereaved are always a total wreck for a long time."

"Yea..." Sugarcoat frowned. "The both of us are trained counselors, huh? But that doesn't mean we want any new patients right now."

"...Did I hear that right...?" I heard Sunset mutter under her breath.

Memento nodded. "...Well, you probably have a license for that. I don't... it just comes with the job."

"Hey... there were rules, right?" asked Juniper. "Maybe we should read them."

"Good idea," said Soarin'. "Wouldn't want to do something and wind up riddled with holes." Everyone mumbled in agreement as we fished out our Monopads from our pockets and booted them up. Sunset helped me turn mine on and navigate to the tab that read "Rules".


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


1. Campers may reside only within the valley.

2. "Nighttime" hours are from 10pm to 8am. Some areas are off-limits at night, so please exercise caution.

3. With minimal restrictions, you are free to explore the valley at your discretion.

4. Violence against Monokuma and/or the Monokubs is strictly prohibited, as is destruction of security cameras.

5. Anyone who kills a fellow camper will become "blackened" and be allowed to leave, unless they are discovered.

6. Additional rules may be added as necessary.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


"Huh... that's all?" Flash asked. "Kinda thought there'd be way more."

"There's also a Camper Roster, and a map of our immediate surroundings," Mountain remarked. "...Nothing that would help us escape, unfortunately." With Sunset's guidance I tapped on the roster of campers. Here it listed the sixteen of us in alphabetical order, along with our Ultimate titles and our ages. Some of the titles were stranger than others...


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Button Mash - Ultimate Pro Gamer - Age 19
Dr. Time Turner-Hooves - Ultimate Investigator - Age 42
Flash Sentry - Ultimate Guitarist - Age 25
Indigo Zap - Ultimate Street Artist - Age 24
Juniper Montage - Ultimate Actress - Age 27
Kotenage - Ultimate Rikishi - Age 21
Memento Mori - Ultimate Mortician - Age 30
Mountain Lucky - Ultimate Hunter - Age 29
Ocean Lucky - Ultimate Angler - Age 29
Silver Arrow - Ultimate Racing Driver - Age 20
Soarin' - Ultimate Soccer Star - Age 26
Sonata Dusk - Ultimate Singing Sensation - Age 1234
Starlight Glimmer - Ultimate Leader - Age 24
Sugarcoat - Ultimate Arts & Crafts - Age 25
Sunburst - Ultimate Scholar - Age 26
Sunset Shimmer - Ultimate ??? - Age 24


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


I frowned as I reread my title... Ultimate Leader? The thought of it didn't exactly evoke good memories. But even more concerning was...

Huh...? Sunset doesn't have an Ultimate...?

"What the hell?" Sugarcoat squinted. "How old are you, Sonata?"

"Uh... 23, why?"

"Well, this says you're at least a thousand years old!" she continued.

"Huh? ...Oh, yea! That's weird," she raised an eyebrow.

"Someone must've fat-fingered the keyboard when they entered that in," Button suggested. "I've seen plenty of women in games who've claimed to be thousand-year old dragons and whatever in the body of a little girl, but women like that don't actually exist." Beside me, I heard Sunset make a noise halfway between a chuckle and a grunt.

"Alright, we've gone over the rules and our titles," said Mountain. "...Now what?"

"I have an idea," suggested Sunburst. "I understand it's kind of lame... but if we get to know each other a little better, it'll go a long way to build trust and camaraderie."

"I... guess so," Sugarcoat sighed as she glared pointedly at Button. "Alright... how 'bout we just go down the list in order? Tell us all a little bit about yourself."

"Uh... 'kay," Button coughed. "Well... I'm Button Mash... if you're into games, you might know me as BM420NoScope."

"Oh, for crying out loud..." Sugarcoat muttered under her breath, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"I stream games for a living, mostly PvP shooters... some WoW, some ARPGs, sometimes other games just for fun... Won lots of tournaments... yea," he shrugged. The table was silent for a few awkward moments.

"...Alright, well. As you may know, my name is Time Turner-Hooves, EngD... The doctorate is in Engineering, though I also study Criminal Psychology and Forensics as a hobby. I, uh... actually find myself in the position to solve crimes and other strange incidents and mysteries more often than you or I would think... so I suppose that's why my title is as such."

"Oh... that's a talent that'll actually come in pretty handy," Button sat up. "Hopefully we won't need to investigate any murders at all, though."

"Indeed," Dr. Hooves nodded.

"I'm Flash Sentry... I play lead guitar in the band Flash Drive... I wouldn't say I'm the best, but I guess I'm pretty good. I can play basically anything on the guitar as long as I've heard it at least once-"

"Ooh! Play 'Moscau'!" shouted Indigo. Sugarcoat rolled her eyes.

"Uh... like, right now?" Flash asked as Indigo nodded frantically. He looked around to the others, shrugged and pulled out his guitar from its case. It was rather plain: yellow and brown, the only adornment being a sticker of his band's logo on the body on the bottom left corner of the body. After fiddling with the tuning pegs for a moment, he tapped his foot and began to play.

...And wouldn't you know it, it sounded like he was an entire band all by himself! The drum beats, the bass line, even the trumpets somehow, all of it was clearly audible. He even sang! Indigo sang along with him and danced the Kozachok until the song ended, garnering polite applause from everyone.

"Well... that was neat," Sonata smiled. "Maybe I should have you on one of my videos sometime when we get out!"

"Yea, yea... next?" grumbled Sugarcoat.

"Ooh! Ooh! I'm Indigo Zap! I tag shit all over town and paint awesome murals! Sometimes I get paid to design something rad for the side of a building, too! Nowhere is safe from me and my paints; I'll climb any scaffolding or overpass in my way! ...And the cops have never caught me, either," she smirked. "And- oh, Silver! Maybe you've heard of my sis, Lightning? She's also a racing driver, but for Nascar!"

"Hmm... yea, actually," Silver nodded, grimacing. "Lightning Dust, wasn't it? I remember she was in Formula 3 with me, but, uh... got too many penalty points on her license and got banned."

"Yea... that's her, alright," Indigo chuckled sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head.

"Ugh, enough interruptions!" Sugarcoat snapped. "Let's keep going and get this over with."

"Okay, well... you may have seen me in a couple commercials... I'm Juniper Montage," she grinned. I don't know if I'd call myself the Ultimate Actress yet, but I did recently sign on to be the lead character in a movie in Applewood. It'll be my true debut, it's expected to be a blockbuster, the greatest of the year! Ooh... I can't wait for the limelight!"

"I AM KOTENAGE, BUT MOST PEOPLE KNOW ME BY MY RING NAME, KINRYU. I AM A RIKISHI, OR SUMO WRESTLER IN YOUR LANGUAGE. I STARTED SUMO IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND WAS UNDEFEATED ALL THROUGHOUT HIGH SCHOOL. THEN THE YOKOZUNA HAKURYU PERSONALLY SCOUTED ME, SO I JOINED HIS STABLE AND HAVE BEEN PRACTICING MY OWN BRAND OF SUMO EVER SINCE. SO FAR I'M UNDEFEATED, AND MY NEXT TOURNAMENT WILL BE MY MAKUNOUCHI DEBUT! I HOPE TO BE A YOKOZUNA MYSELF ONE DAY."

"Well, I'm Memento Mori... and I'm a mortician at Paper Crane and Dying Breed Funeral Home. It's primarily embalming and restorative work... I can make even the gnarliest corpse look like nothing ever happened to them in the first place. I'm also a licensed funeral director."

"I'm Mountain Lucky... everyone calls me Emmy, you guys can, too. And, uh, I hunt stuff. I'm sometimes called to national parks to help thin out an overpopulation, or I'm hired to take out a problem predator... never missed a shot, I don't let any part of the animal go to waste... try to do everything as humanely as possible. PETA, don't even at me... oh, and me and Ocean are fraternal twins."

"Yup. Oh, I'm Ocean Lucky, and I fish rather than hunt. Won all kinds of tournaments, I write articles for fishing magazines... and I love eating fish almost as much as catching them! I think the best thing I ever made was this salmon I marinated in Mountain Dew and cooked over a campfire... mmm!" He let out a chef's kiss as over half of us made faces or even gagged.

"I'm Silver Arrow... yea, I'm a racing driver. Been racing ever since I was three. Just about to make my Formula One debut, actually... I'm driving for Alpha Minotauri. I was finishing up the season in Formula 2, though..." Her face scrunched up as she thought about something for a few moments. "...Actually, even if I'm here until the season is over, I'll still win the driver's championship, so I guess it's kind of okay..."

"So, I'm Soarin'... I play forward for the Canterlot Royals FC. We won the national championships last year... I scored the winning goal." He was silent for a little while as we waited for him to add anything else. "...That's basically all there is to me. I'm not that interesting otherwise... uh... I like baking and pastries, I guess."

"Cuuute! Well, I'm Sonata Dusk... kinda ironic that I'm a singing sensation, as I can't really sing all that well... at least not as well as I used to. Buuuuut as long as you're cute and have autotune, nobody cares!" she giggled. "Me and my sisters make all kinds of music videos and put them on the Internet... we'll have our big break soon, I just know it!" And with a final giggle from her, it was now my turn to talk.

Oh, dear... what am I gonna say...? I can't exactly talk about the other Equestria and the fact I'm a Unicorn and have magic and stuff...

"I'm Starlight... Starlight Glimmer," I sucked on the insides of my mouth as I thought carefully about what to say. "Uh... I dunno if I'd call it 'leading', but I am the headmistress of a prestigious school in... another city... Yea."

"Aren't you a bit young to be the headmistress of a school?" Sugarcoat narrowed her eyes at me. "What school is this?"

"Uh... The School of Friendship...? I mean, it's for, um... gifted children," I slowly and awkwardly fibbed.

"...The 'School of Friendship'...?" Sugarcoat slowly and acridly replied. I feared she wasn't buying it at all, let alone the others.

"Aw, man, is it like alternative school?" asked Indigo. "'Member when I had to go to one for a couple months junior year, Sugarcoat? That place sucked."

"Yea... it's an alternative school," I nodded quickly. "Er... sorry you didn't have a good experience, I only recently got the job..." Sugarcoat glared at me for what felt like an hour, studying me as if my pony features were clearly visible for all to see... but before I really started to sweat profusely she snorted and shrugged.

"Hmph... fine, whatever. I'm Sugarcoat. I'm a licensed therapist-"

"Pfft, fuckin' what...?" Sunset chuckled in disbelief under her breath again.

"...But my real passion is arts and crafts hobbies. Anything involving drawing, painting, sewing, knitting, macrame, needlepoint, jewelry making, pottery, glass fusing, scrapbooking, decorating, etching... well, I could go on and on, I suppose. Point is, I make way more things than I could ever use, so I sell them all online... I actually make just as much money doing so as my job, if not more."

"I'm Sunburst. I'm a professor at Crystal University... while my specialty is quantum physics, I'm quite knowledgeable in all of the sciences, and usually teach at least one class in each subject every quarter... um, I realize I may seem a bit young to be a professor... I did skip quite a few grades and started college courses when I was only twelve... I guess you could say that's why I've been labeled the Ultimate Scholar, ehehe," he grinned bashfully. It reminded me of the Sunburst I knew back home more than I cared to admit.

Now it was Sunset's turn, however. I tore my eyes away from Sunburst and pursed my lips - I wasn't sure how she was going to explain her life and talents... or lack of a named talent.

"I'm Sunset Shimmer... uh... apparently, I don't have an Ultimate...? Or they don't know what it is."

"Yea, I saw that," Silver frowned. "I wonder what's up with that?"

"Hmm... the unknown Ultimate," Button hummed. "They all had some kind of tie to the Killing Game."

"I... do?" Sunset hesitated as everyone began staring at her... some with curiosity, some with unease, and even some with utter disdain.

"In what way?" Sugarcoat sneered, her eyes narrowing into viperous slits.

"Well... in the games, the unknown Ultimate turned out to be either the Ultimate Detective, Ultimate Basically Everything, or the Ultimate Survivor," shrugged Button. "The first two pretty much solved everything and got the survivors out to safety... the third one, though... he got murdered first."

"Oh, so Sunset's the one who might find a way to escape?" Dr. Hooves asked, a hint of hope in his voice.

"I... uh..."

"Or she might bite it... that'd be too bad," Juniper frowned. "...Er, I mean, it's not like I want her to die or get hurt... I really don't!"

"Gee, thanks a lot," Sunset grumbled as I grabbed her hand. "Well... I don't want anyone to get hurt either, but I don't think I fit any of those talents."

"What do you think it is?" asked Sonata.

"Hmm... I have a Masters degree in Math and Physics, working on a Chemistry one, I taught myself computer programming..." Sunset counted on her fingers. "Uh... I'm a waitress..."

"A waitress? How much student debt are you in?!" Sugarcoat recoiled.

"Eh? None, actually..."

"Bullshit," she insisted, pointing a finger at her. "There's no way you can afford three Masters degrees on a waitress paycheck."

"Really, I'm not..." Sunset held up her hands as she glanced my way. "I have... rich parents."

That's... one way to put it...

Sugarcoat glared at Sunset for a while longer before sighing. "...Fine. Anyway, that's that. Now what?"

"Uh... we've already looked around most of the buildings," said Flash. "I guess we could see if the rest of them have opened up?"

"What time is it?" Ocean grumbled. "I'm hungry."

"Judging by the shadows outside, and the clock... it's around 4:30pm," Mountain closed her eyes for a moment. "We must've been out for a while, I'm kind of hungry, too."

"HOW ABOUT WE MAKE OURSELVES SOME DINNER, THEN?" suggested Kotenage. "A FULL STOMACH WILL SETTLE OUR NERVES."

"Yea, there's plenty in the kitchen," said Soarin'.

"Woo! I'm gonna make ALL the tacos!" yelled Indigo.

"Ooh!" Sonata gasped happily. It seemed as though dinner was on everyone's mind at the moment, so Sunset and I got up to join the others as we headed towards the kitchen.

"...Oh! Shit! One more thing," Button suddenly shouted.

"What is it?" asked Mountain, whipping her head around.

"It's important! In every game, Monokuma tells the kids that one of them is a traitor - they're the one responsible for all of them being stuck in the Killing Game."

Everyone froze in their tracks and turned to face Button. My heart skipped a beat.

A traitor... they're the reason we're here...?

"...What," Sugarcoat snarled icily.

"Uh... traitor?" Silver's voice trembled.

"Yea, and he'll probably tell us the same thing here, too. But in the games, the traitor wasn't actually a traitor... like, they never actually did anything bad to the others, always helped out the best they could and even sacrificed themselves when all hope was lost... I'd like to think that's the case here, too."

"So... should we worry about it, or not?" asked Ocean.

"Probably!" Juniper snorted, narrowing her shifting eyes. "This isn't a game... this is real! Maybe one of us did lure the rest of us here... some of us definitely have the resources or know-how to do it."

"Whoa... we gotta trust each other, remember?" said Flash.

"A bit hard, now that we know a traitor is part of the game," Sugarcoat glared.

"Yes, but the important thing is that they never actually did anything traitorous," Button emphasized. "If Monokuma ever does bring it up, it's most likely gonna be the same thing... we just gotta ignore it."

But now that the thought of a possible traitor was in our heads, the mood darkened considerably. Most of us made or gathered enough food for only ourselves to eat, although Kotenage made a giant pot of soup and rice and encouraged the others to share with him. Being the largest and strongest of us all, he declared that he would only allow a murder to happen over his dead body... not exactly good words to use in a situation like this.


~


After eating I decided to walk around a little, checking out my new home away from home away from home and hoping to find a possible escape route. Walking along the tree line, I didn't see any paths, trails or clearings other than the ones gated off to us... not even the thin worn lines of animal trails in the mossy ground. On occasion, I'd catch a glimpse of one of the Monokubs in the forest - sitting on a tree branch, chatting to one another via what I could only assume was a walkie-talkie function built directly into their heads, or stalking around the bushes. The bandage on my cheek was a grim reminder that their violent display of gunfire was all too real... so I gave them a wide berth.

The two larger sections of the three-part cabin were now open to us. Inside the middle section was a small gym, the kind with wooden floors covered in various lines and markings for different games, and basketball hoops set up on either end. There was also a raised stage to the right, empty save for the musty red curtains pushed over to the sides. A large cloth cart in one corner held a number of different balls: basketballs, soccer balls, baseballs, kickballs, etc.

The larger section on the end contained an indoor pool, about 30 by 20 feet if I had to guess. The depth ranged from three feet to eight. There was a diving board on the deep end, and there were the usual white plastic lounge chairs and tables set up around the sides on the concrete floor. Ironically, there was a lifeguard chair complete with a red and white life preserver, but also a sign that said "No Lifeguard on Duty, Swim At Your Own Risk". A couple of empty changing rooms were set up on the right wall, the curtains drawn back, as well as a showerhead over some tiles and a drain at the end. The whole room felt oddly warm and reeked of chlorine and a touch of sulfur; I walked over to the pool's edge and dipped my fingers into the water, discovering that the pool was heated.

Well, that's pretty nice! ...But I doubt any of us have swimsuits... unless you can buy them from that store...

My pockets rattled with coins - Monocoins, as they had been printed with Monokuma's face on the front and the Monokubs on the back. They seemed to be hidden in every little nook and cranny, almost begging to be found and spent.

Finally, I decided to see where I would be sleeping. I found my cottage between Silver's and Juniper's and behind Button's, finding that the key to the door was now left inside the lock. I put it in my pocket as I opened the door.

The cottage was set up much like a tiny house. To my right was a dresser and a loft bed set up along the wall, with small windows above both pieces of furniture. Beneath the bed was a TV; I turned it on in the hopes the programming might give me a clue as to where I was or what was happening, but there was no signal. There was a DVD player and some older game consoles set up in front of it, however, so it wasn't totally useless. On the back wall was a larger window, and along the left wall was a couch and a lamp, as well as a coffee table. A door near the entrance led to the cottage's bathroom, which appeared to be pretty standard: a counter with a sink, a toilet, a bath mat, and a bathtub with a shower. It was already stocked with towels and some generic toiletries.

I had to hoof it to Monokuma - despite holding us all captive and trying to force us into a killing game, he had an eye for comfort. The cottage was well-insulated from the bitter cold outside, and the bedsheets were warm flannel with a down comforter. I opened the drawers to find a couple of spare blankets and pillows, a fluffy, lavender colored bathrobe with matching slippers and pajamas, a pair of heating pads and a hot water bottle, along with multiple packages of bras and underwear in various sizes.

Ah... it would be kinda creepy if they somehow knew what size we all wore...

There was little else to do now. I had about an hour until Nighttime started, so I went to the camp store and spent my Monocoins on the MonoMono Machine. I was surprised to find that the palm-sized plastic capsules could contain anything from fresh food and drinks, books, jewelry and clothes to small live animals, video games, dolls, random objects and tchotchkes, full-sized furniture items and even weapons! But my heart relaxed as I saw that each of the weapons were mere replicas and not suitable for causing harm.

Geez, for something like this to exist requires a number of high-level magic spells... who made this? And why...?


*ding dong, bing bong*


The monitor inside the store buzzed to life as the last note of the chime faded away. A jolt traveled down my spine as I saw what was on the screen: it was the Monokubs - each holding a take-out cup of soda, sitting on a couch with Monokuma in the center - who held a half-empty wine glass, surrounded by what appeared to be tiny dolls in our likenesses hanging from the ceiling.

"Ahem... This is an announcement from the Head Camp Counselor of the Ultimate Campgrounds!" said Monokuma.

"It is now 10pm. Nighttime officially starts now!" said Monosuke.

"Hey! Since when did I say you could steal my lines?!" Monokuma shouted, leaning over past Monophanie so he could assault Monosuke.

"Whether you've been good or naughty, it's time to go tinkle and go to beddy-bye!" Monokid yelled over the din of Monokuma and Monosuke fighting.

"The dining hall is locked during Nighttime, so be careful," Monophanie advised between being occasionally shoved by her brother and father's actions.

"Sweet dreams!" Monotaro called out over the noise, sipping from his cup as the monitor shut off.

Oh, dear... with any luck, maybe they'll kill each other first and then we can escape...

I left the store, glancing to my left - the Dining Hall was indeed closed up for the night. The double doors were shut and covered in chains. With a sigh of resignation I made my way back to my cottage, took a hot shower (the water smelled somewhat sulfuric), put on the pajamas provided to me and climbed into bed. Just as I was getting comfortable, I heard my doorbell ring.

"Ugh... who is it?"

"It's me," I heard Sunset yell through the door. "Can I come in?"

"Yea, hang on," I hopped down and put on the bathrobe before unlocking the door so Sunset could come inside. "'Sup?"

"A lot of things," Sunset sighed as she walked in, also wearing a bathrobe and pajamas, although hers were a golden yellow rather than lavender. She kicked off her boots and slumped down on the couch. "I still can't believe this is what we're dealing with."

"You and me both," I agreed, sitting down beside her. "Have you seen that MonoMono Machine? There had to have been at least fifty high-level spells used to create that thing!"

"Yea, physics alone wouldn't allow for it to work at all," Sunset nodded. "And the sheer amount of infrastructure and detail that went into everything... Monokuma, the Kubs, the nice cottages, heated pool, plenty of food... who on earth could be behind this?"

"No idea, huh?" I murmured. "Well... I don't have much of my magic available to me, but what about you? I'm surprised you don't remember how we or the others got here."

"About that..." she stared at the floor. "...We must be too far away from Equestria, because I can't sense what the others are thinking... at all. Whenever I manage to touch someone and try to focus on their memories, or thoughts and feelings... I don't feel anything."

"...What?" I gasped. "But... that's like, your magic! Your own innate magical ability!"

"I know..." Sunset frowned. My heart sank into my stomach.

"...But... you can't do any magic?! You should've said something earlier! Wait... what about your geode?!"

"It must still be back in my apartment," she sighed, grasping at her chest where the pendant should've been hanging. "I didn't want to say anything during the meeting... I know you, Flash, Sonata, Juniper, Indigo and Sugarcoat would back me up on it, but the rest probably wouldn't believe me... and I don't think it'd be a good idea to start any unnecessary arguments in a situation like this."

"I... well, aren't there reports of other humans in this world suddenly gaining magic powers?" I asked. "I'm sure they're more willing to believe you than you think."

"Except I can't do said magic powers to prove it... not to mention they involve reading minds and memories. Going off of what Button's told us, telling people I can read their mind probably won't go over very well," she replied, pausing to think for a moment. "...And on the slim chance there's a traitor among us that brought us all here? It'd only make sense for them or the mastermind to remove my magic somehow so I couldn't tell them what happened."

"You think whoever's done this knew that about you? Maybe they have magic of their own?" I asked.

"Maybe... though I wouldn't be surprised if some government found a way to sap the magic from those humans, and whoever's doing this to us did that to me."

"Eugh..." My mind retched as I tried to imagine having my own magic taken from me. In an effort to calm myself I held out my hand to the TV remote on the coffee table, and focused on moving it closer while slowly clenching my fist. The remote shuddered a little before hovering into the air until it was within arm's reach; I sighed in relief and opened my fist, letting it fall into my lap.

"You still have your magic, huh?" Sunset noted.

"Just the little bit. The leading theory is that the ambient mana from our Equestria is slowly leaking into this world through the portals, so I don't have access to my full abilities."

"Hmm... then that would mean they may have singled me and my magic out," she put a hand to her chin.

"I guess I can see why you didn't tell the others about your magic, though. I'm not sure how I'd tell them all I'm actually a pony... especially that hunter girl."

"True... wait, Emmy? You think she'd hunt you if she knew you were a pony?"

"I, er... hope not...?"

"Nah... ponies here are seen as harmless farm animals for little girls... I can't think of any reason why she'd hunt one."

"Ah... that's a relief," I sighed.

Sunset giggled. We talked for a while longer, keeping each other company. If it had just been me, I'm not sure how I would've been feeling, but as long as Sunset was here I felt safe. We were going to get to the bottom of this and get everyone out alive... nobody was going to die on our watch!

In time, we became sleepy. I got out some of the spare blankets and pillows so Sunset could sleep on the couch while I crawled back into bed. I stared out the window, gazing at the star-filled night sky until I drifted off to sleep.
> A Guide in the Darkness - Daily Life 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"RRRRUUUUUHHHHHH!"

*thump*

I woke up to a strange noise. There was only a pale wash of light coming in through the window, leading me to conclude that it was the crack of dawn.

"RRRRUUUUUHHHHHH!"

*thump*

"...Muh?" Sunset groggily mumbled as she lifted her head from the couch. "Whuh time'zzt..."

I glanced over to the small alarm clock on the windowsill, the thin red lights too bright to see comfortably at this hour. "Agh... 7:40..."

"RRRRUUUUUHHHHHH!"

*thump*

"Oi! Shut the fuck up out there!" I heard Indigo's muffled voice scream. My ears finally pinpointed where the noise was coming from - behind my cottage. I turned over in bed to look out the back window to see Kotenage in the distance, throwing himself repeatedly at a big, thick pine tree. His sandals and robe were on the ground nearby, revealing a matching pair of gym shorts on his body and nothing else. Despite this and the surely-freezing temperatures, he was dripping with sweat.

"RRRRUUUUUHHHHHH!"

*thump*

He tackled the tree as hard as he could, as if trying to push it along the ground. The tree shook violently with each impact; twigs snapped off and the odd pinecone fell from above, but he hardly seemed to notice. It seemed as though he would not be satisfied until he actually broke the tree in half. I watched for a few minutes until my eyes felt heavy again...


*ding dong, bing bong*


Oh Celestia-damn it...

The chime rang from the TV below me, jolting Sunset awake.

"Rise and Shine, Ursine!" Monokuma and his Kubs were sitting on the couch once again, this time all holding different kinds of coffee drinks.

"This is an official announcement from the Head Camp Counselor of the Ultimate Campgrounds!" Monokuma began loudly and cheerfully before whispering in a lower voice. "Alright, ya little bastards, go on..."

"It's 8am, bitches! Time to wake up and face the blood-drenched day!" Monokid roared, waving his tiny cup of espresso wildly in the air and making a mess.

"I wonder who's dead this morning?" Monosuke remarked with a grin.

"Stooop! If I suddenly see a dead body, I'll puke..." Monophanie whined.

"Now, since the kitchen's been closed to you guys all night long, we've taken the liberty of fixin' up breakfast for ya!" said Monotaro. "Go ahead and eat to your heart's content... Monosuke's actually quite the talented chef!"

"Well... that was better than I expected of you cubs," Monokuma muttered under his breath. "Alright! Enjoy your killing camping trip!" With that less-than-friendly sign off, the monitor died with a buzz and faded back to black.

"How much you wanna bet the food's been poisoned...?" Sunset chuckled dryly.

"I hope it isn't... I'm starving," I replied, putting a hand to my gurgling belly.

"Yea... Welp, see you at breakfast, I'll be there in a few minutes," Sunset yawned as she got up and slipped her boots on, then walked out the door. I yawned as well and stretched - true, I was locked within a nightmarish situation, but I'll be damned if that wasn't one of the best night's sleep I'd ever had. Bracing myself for the cold, I wriggled out of my pajamas and put my clothes back on, thankful that I had arrived wearing warm clothing on the trip to the human world. The grey holey pants and black boots were the same as was usually manifested onto my body on trips here, but the top was a blessedly-thick sea green sweatshirt with a long-sleeved pink shirt underneath, and my pink hat had grown ear flaps to keep them warm. The black backpack I'd brought with me sat on the floor by the dresser, although sadly empty of everything else I had brought with me.

Still, having the storage space might come in handy. I looped my arms through the straps and set off for the main cabin, locking the door behind me.


~


My breath clouded my vision, puffs of steam at a time. Rime laced the grass and logs around the fire pit, reflecting the cold sunlight. As I walked I saw Mountain and Ocean ahead of me, Ocean courteously holding the door to the main cabin open as I entered.

I was pleasantly surprised to find a full breakfast buffet spread out on the long shelf along the back wall. There was everything one could ever ask for... pancakes and waffles with butter, jams and real maple syrup; cereals, granolas and oatmeal; sausages, bacon, hash browns, eggs done three different ways, coffee, tea, milk, fruit juices, yogurt, fresh fruit, donuts... and even tidily-arranged plates of rice, grilled fish, pickled vegetables and a thin soup, of which Kotenage scooped up three along with one serving of everything.

"HMM... NOT CHANKONABE, BUT IT'LL HAVE TO DO," he commented. Meanwhile, I grabbed myself some food and sat down at the end of the long table by myself. Sunset joined me a few moments later, and we ate in silence... up until I noticed that Flash, Indigo, Juniper, Sonata and Sugarcoat were walking in a group right towards us.

"You," Sugarcoat grunted, pointing a finger squarely at Sunset. "We need to talk. Now."

"Uh... okay?" Sunset recoiled slightly, glancing at me in confusion.

"Now that I've had a night to sleep on it and calm down... what the hell do you think you're doing?!" she snarled.

"Wha-"

"You're magic, aren't you?" barked Indigo. If no one else had been listening to our conversation before, the mention of magic got everyone else's heads to whip around in our direction.

"And more specifically, you do memory and mind-reading magic!" added Juniper.

"Oh, here we go..." Sunset grumbled, slapping a hand to her forehead.

"Wait... that's what you guys were on about?!" Flash reeled back. "What makes you think Sunset's behind all this?!"

"I can't exactly say I blame them," Sunset sighed. "I was thinking about it last night, too... but my magic's gone."

"Oh, suuuuure it is," Juniper sneered.

"Yea? Let me touch you, then. See if I can read your mind."

"N-No!" Juniper screeched as she flung her hand away from Sunset's. "God knows what you'll do to me next!"

"Then... how do you expect her to prove her magic's gone?" asked Sonata.

"Seriously? She's obviously lying," growled Sugarcoat. "All she has to say is 'oh, shoot, I don't know what you're thinking about'," she continued in a mocking voice.

"Hey, if she says it's gone, then it probably is," Flash glared. "Besides, what reason would she have to bring us all here? And I refuse to believe that she's behind this killing game... even at her worst, she would never do something like that!"

Her worst...? I thought back to the beginning of our friendship, and what Princess Twilight had told me about her. ...Oh, yea... she was apparently a massive bully in high school, up until Twilight rallied the human versions of her friends together and Friendship'd the bully out of her...

"Ugh... yea, that too," Sunset grimaced, grabbing at her arms. "The old me would rather you all be alive... even if only to torment you guys further. Even back then, I knew killing would've been taking it way too far."

"But it totally makes sense! She does memory magic, and none of us can remember how we got here!" Indigo gestured wildly.

"I don't remember how I got here!" Sunset retorted. "And if I did, what the hell makes you think I'd willingly be a part of this killing game?! I could wind up dead, too! Not to mention why would I include Flash and Starlight, two people I care a ton about!"

"He did break up with you, remember?" glared Sugarcoat.

"That was in high school!" Flash groaned.

"And totally justified! I can admit I was a megabitch, 'cause I was!" Sunset added.

"Hold on... you have magic?!" Silver suddenly spoke up, her eyes wide.

"Er, well-"

"-I mean, you had magic?" Silver corrected herself.

"Yea, I do... did... ugh, I dunno," Sunset cradled her head in her hands.

"I have yet to meet someone blessed with the random mutation of magic!" Sunburst tilted his head. "How fascinating! There's so many things I wish to ask you!"

"Bah... that don't exist," Ocean grumbled, not looking up from his meal. "Magic's just a myth."

"Just because we've never met anyone with magic..." Mountain began to chide, "...doesn't mean it's not a thing."

"Yea. Quite a few people from high school wound up with magic, actually," said Soarin'.

"You can't do it, though? Did Monokuma take it away from you? ...Oh god, is that bear magic, too?! Is he anti-magic?!" Memento grimaced as her eyes bugged out.

"It's the most likely explanation," I spoke.

"Sunset's magic dealt with memories," Sugarcoat cut me off. "Who better to be a traitor than the person who can manipulate memories?!"

"I am not a traitor!" Sunset growled, standing up abruptly. A small cough got everyone's attention, and we all turned to stare at Button.

"Like I said... there's always a 'traitor', per se, but that traitor never actually does anything treacherous," he reminded. "Besides... we have to trust each other, so no one falls for Monokuma's traps, remember?"

"THE LITTLE ONE IS RIGHT," said Kotenage. "WE MUST NOT TURN ON EACH OTHER SO EASILY."

"Yea... I bet Sunset's lack of magic is just a way of getting us to hate each other," Memento agreed. "If she really has memory magic, then it only makes sense to suppress it so she and we don't remember how we got here."

"But you're assuming she's telling the truth," Juniper scowled. "What if she's just faking it?!"

"Why would she fake it? There's no good reason for her to fake it!" I argued.

"Oh? And how do you know that?" Sugarcoat sneered, jabbing her finger in my direction.

"Because we're friends!"

"Well, that just means either she'll make sure you don't get killed... or you're not as good of friends as you think you are," she replied coolly, crossing her arms and shifting her body away from me, eyes closed and nose in the air.

Geez... no wonder Sunset seemed surprised to learn she's apparently a therapist...

"Alright, that's enough," Mountain scolded in a low voice. "Are you trying to get us to kill Sunset? Because I'm not killing anybody, even if it means I can leave."

"Seriously, remember what's at stake here... either we all escape from here, or one of us kills someone, then lies through their teeth until they get the others killed too so they can escape," added Dr. Hooves. "Ask yourselves: can you really live with that, for the rest of your life?"

His words froze our hearts and silenced us, forcing us to consider them. Looking around the room I could see a maelstrom of emotions swish and swirl through everyone's eyes... as much as I hoped that humans were as generally peaceful, friendly and agreeable as ponies back home, my research on human conflict told me that the opposite was usually the norm.

Don't get me wrong... ponies can and will fight if they disagree on something enough. But it was rare that their fights led to outright premeditated violence; murder was nearly unheard of in Equestria. Unfortunately for me, however... this was not Equestria, not even the human version of it. Murder was unsettlingly common in this world.

"...Damn it. I've worked so hard all my life, I'm about to have a shot at being the greatest driver in the world! ...And then this happens to me," Silver exhaled sharply, glaring at the floor.

"SOU SOU, ME TOO. THAT'S WHY WE'VE ALL GOT TO WORK TOGETHER," Kotenage patted Silver's back gently in sympathy.

"Fiiiiine... I'm watching you, though," Juniper narrowed her eyes at Sunset. "The second you do anything suspicious..."

"You do you," Sunset sighed and replied in annoyed resignation. "Meanwhile, I'm going to try to find a way out of here with everyone else, because one: I don't want anyone to die, and two: you're barking up the wrong tree if you think any of this was my idea."

Juniper huffed and walked away, Indigo and Sugarcoat right behind her. Sonata shrugged and wandered off to do her own thing, while Flash took a seat next to Sunset and I.

"The nerve of her!" Sunset growled under her breath. "We were friends until she left for Manehattan, she knows I wouldn't do anything like this..."

"I believe you," Flash nodded sympathetically. "Whoever's doing this probably knew this would happen."

"I doubt magic's gonna get us out of here, anyway," I frowned. "We need an actual plan. Those Monokubs wander around in the woods, and they're fast, too. If we even find some cave or something we can escape through, they'll mow us down before we can all get there."

"If I could find the right components for a bow and arrows, and somehow learn where their weak spot is, I could be of help there," Mountain suddenly scooted behind me and sat down on my other side.

"Whoa! You were listening?" Flash asked, surprised.

"Gotta have good ears if you're going to hunt," Mountain pointed with a smirk. "Besides, every creature has a weakness... even robotic ones. Once I find it... one shot there, and one less Monokub to worry about."

"Oh, are we coming up with a plan?" Ocean asked as he sat down by us. Behind him I could see Button, Dr. Hooves, Kotenage, Silver and Sunburst moving over to join us as well.

"We can try... I've done quite a bit of walking around, however. I have yet to find any path through the forest that doesn't lead straight into a cliff," said Dr. Hooves. "Climbing the cliffs is possible, but not very probable without equipment and a good deal of preparation."

"And we'd be sitting ducks for the Monokubs," Sunburst added. "So that's probably no good."

"Maybe there's a way out hidden under the floor somewhere? A secret passage," suggested Button.

"Maybe... I haven't found any segment of flooring that sounds hollow when stepped on, but then again, I suppose I haven't tread on every square inch of floor..." replied Dr. Hooves.

"Then we'll just have to look around until we find something," said Silver. "Not much else to do, otherwise."

"IT IS PART OF MY TRAINING TO NAP AFTER EVERY MEAL, BUT AFTERWARDS, I'D BE HAPPY TO HELP SEARCH," said Kotenage. "I'VE ALREADY FINISHED MY EXERCISES FOR THE DAY."

"It is?" asked Ocean.

"SOU SOU, YES. MOST PEOPLE ARE TOLD NOT TO SLEEP AFTER EATING BECAUSE IT LEADS TO WEIGHT GAIN. FOR RIKISHI, HOWEVER, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT."

"Ah... makes sense," Silver nodded.

"About those exercises," Dr. Hooves cut in, "...You think you could maybe pick a tree to practice with on the opposite side of the camp? I believe it woke some of us a bit too early..."

"You mean Indy's raging?" said Button. "She was louder than he was."

"I SEE... I THOUGHT I WAS FAR AWAY ENOUGH. MY APOLOGIES," Kotenage bowed. "I WILL FIND A SUITABLE TREE BEHIND THIS MAIN CABIN TOMORROW MORNING."


~


After we'd finished eating, we split up and set out to search the camp top to bottom. For a while I didn't have much luck, only finding more Monocoins to throw into my backpack. It wasn't until an hour or so later that I ran into one of the others searching the Gym.

"Oh, hello Dr. Hooves," I greeted respectfully.

"Ah, hello... Starlight, wasn't it?" he replied, to which I nodded. "How is your search going?"

"Nothing yet... you?"

"Nothing, either... say, would you care to search this area together? I could quite use the company."

"Sure," I answered, pursing my lips. He was a good deal older than me... would we even have anything in common to talk about?


~~~

Dr. Hooves and I made small talk while we searched over every square inch of the gym.

~~~


"So... you said you find yourself solving mysteries pretty often," I spoke up during a lull in the conversation. "What kind of mysteries?"

"Ach! If I told you I hardly think you'd believe me," Dr. Hooves shook his head. "True, there are the more conventional mysteries I've come across that are perfectly within the realm of possibility - murders, conspiracies, the occasional coup in a foreign land - but I've seen even more strange things than that!"

"Such as?"

"Well... like I said, I doubt you would believe me."

"Try me," I raised an unimpressed eyebrow. "I've seen some strange things myself before."

"Is that so? Hmm..." Dr. Hooves considered for a moment. "...Alright. Lifeforms from other planets, for one."

"Oh?" If my ears could still flick, they would've.

"Yes... aliens. Extraterrestrials. Most of them are benign and mind their own business, simply needing help with a problem so they can return home or defeat a warlord, but some of them are nasty. Why, if they knew where our good planet Earth was, they'd make their way here posthaste and destroy us all!"

"They... would?"

"Oh, yes... why, I've had a few run-ins with one such alien race a couple times. Er... how should I describe them...? ...Like giant thimbles on wheels with blinking lights and a camera for a face, from which they can emit lasers powerful enough to melt steel! They dislike organic life... humans such as myself most of all. Especially myself..." he shivered.

"Is... that so?" I frowned. That doesn't sound very dangerous...

"I've thwarted their plans more than a few times... they basically yell 'obliterate! Obliterate!' the second I'm spotted."

"Oh." ...Do I believe this story...?

"I know what you must be thinking... completely ridiculous, right?" Dr. Hooves waved a hand dismissively. "What kind of drugs must that man be smoking in his spare time? Well, I tell you, it's all true! All of my exploits are true! Aliens, time travel, parallel universes..."

"...Wait, parallel universes...?" I perked up.

"Yes... in fact, the last thing I remember before coming here was-" he began, but cut himself off. "...Well, unlike all the other times, nobody has yet accompanied me to witness this new world I've seen, so it's much less believable if I'm the only one who's experienced it..."

My body deflated. It looks like he's not going to talk about it now...

"Ah... tell you what. Give me some time to collect my thoughts, and I'll tell you all about it at a later time. Okay?"

"Alright," I nodded hopefully.

"Very well, then! Now then, we should return our attention to finding that elusive hidden passage out of this terrible camp. Allons-y!" With a cheerful nod he turned his back to me, knocking on every individual board in the wall.

...Parallel universes? Could he possibly be talking about Equestria...? I'm not sure if I believe his story about thimble aliens, but I would like to hear about his time travel experiences...


~


We finished searching the gym, not finding anything. We split up again and decided to search other places. I spent a while searching by myself until I entered the Laundry Room, where I found Sunburst applying spot remover to his jacket sleeve.

"D'oh... this is my favorite coat," he muttered to himself. Hearing me enter the room he turned around. "...Oh, hello Starlight."

"Sunburst," I nodded. "Are you searching this room?"

"I was, until I'd noticed I got a bit of dirt on my sleeve," he replied. "Thankfully I found some detergent pens among the supplies... this room is well-stocked."

"Oh... mind if I help you?"

"No, not at all," he smiled.


~~~

Sunburst and I talked while we searched the Laundry Room together.

~~~


"So, you're the Ultimate Scholar, huh?" I asked.

"Yes, I suppose so... skipped many grades all throughout grade, middle and high school, started college very early," he mused.

"Uh..." I hope it's not too weird to ask him this... "...What about, like, preschool?"

"Hmm..." Sunburst thought for a few moments. "...Actually, yes, I think that may be where it all began..."

"Where what began?"

"Well, I was very little... three or four, perhaps? I don't remember much from then, so I only have my mother's word to go on... I was enrolled in an ordinary daycare, playing quietly with the other children or reading with one of the caregivers. One day, however, a caregiver had brought a novel with her to work for whatever reason. I had already read through all of the daycare's books multiple times, so I grabbed the novel when no one was looking and read through it... at least until I was caught."

"Aww..." I cooed. I think the Sunburst back home did something similar when we were little...

"When I went home later that day, I started to speak words from that book. Not little words, either, like 'luncheon' or 'remote', but big words like 'investigation' and 'equestrian'."

...Equestrian?

"Pronounced them perfectly, so I'm told. My mom asked the caregiver to let me finish the book, and I read through the whole thing. I was able to give a brief summary on what it was about... and, well... I was declared a genius."

"I see... that's impressive!" I nodded. A lot like what happened to the Sunburst I know back home...

"So my mom immediately enrolled me in a Montessori school... and I suppose the rest is history," he shrugged.

"No wonder you're the Ultimate Scholar... starting when you were just a toddler!" I smirked, nudging him with my elbow.

"Yes, well..." he stuttered, blushing furiously. He looked exactly like the Sunburst back home in this moment, bashfully pleased with himself after solving a problem or finishing a stack of paperwork. It was really quite cute...

...But then our eyes met. He was staring at me with a stern look of confusion, as if he was trying to remember something.

"...What?"

"I'm... not sure," he looked away. "Thinking about that daycare again, I suddenly felt like I'd forgotten something, though I'm not sure what."

"Oh..." Maybe... I mean, this is a parallel universe... maybe he might've remembered...?


~


We spent the rest of our search talking about other things. The sky was dark by the time we finished. We headed for the dining hall, hoping that someone had already made dinner, and lots of it.

Kotenage was back in the kitchen, whistling a tune while stirring a massive pot of thick soup. Soarin' was also in the kitchen, staring into an oven. I could smell a wonderful medley of fruit, vegetables, herbs and spices, along with a particular note I couldn't recognize. There was already an industrial-sized rice cooker on the long central dining table full of steamed white rice, and Juniper was busy tossing together a salad in a large wooden bowl. The others were all sitting in various places and chatting idly as they waited for the main course to be finished. I walked over to Sunset and Flash and sat down with them.

"Find anything?" I asked hopefully.

"Nothing," Flash sighed.

"Not yet, anyway," Sunset added more positively. "But I'm not giving up hope."

"Too bad the sun sets so early right now... some extra daylight would let us search for longer," said Flash. "Plus it's so damn cold out... gotta keep moving. Staying still while looking around sucks the warmth right out of ya."

"I know it's getting close to winter, but yea, it's freezing out," Sunset nodded, pulling her leather jacket tight around her frame. "We must be pretty far up north."

"DINNER IS SERVED!" Kotenage called out, picking up the massive pot with ease. "GET IT WHILE IT'S HOT!" Everyone grabbed plates, bowls, utensils and their drinks from the shelf along the wall and then sat down at the central table. Kotenage set the pot down on a trivet with a heavy thud and smiled wide as he ladled soup into everyone's bowls. I peered into my bowl, smelling a heavenly harmony of carrots, potatoes, green beans, cabbage, mushrooms, onions, garlic... and something that kind of looked like pale shreds of tree bark. I made sure a big piece of it was in my spoon as I took a bite... it was savory and soft, falling apart in my mouth with a satisfyingly stringy texture. The broth was rich and flavorful, having absorbed the essence of all the other ingredients, and warmed my whole body from the inside out.

"Ah, that hits the spot..." Sunburst sighed happily.

"Mmm... this is really good, Kotenage!" complimented Silver.

"Oh man, this is amazing!" Ocean exclaimed as he shoveled the soup into his mouth feverishly. "What is it?!"

"CHANKONABE," replied Kotenage. "WE EAT THIS EVERYDAY IN THE STABLE, SO WE HAVE TO BE EXPERTS AT MAKING IT!"

"What's Chankonabe?" asked Sunset. Glancing over to her bowl, I saw that she was carefully avoiding the tree bark shreds.

"A HEARTY SOUP MADE FROM DASHI, CHICKEN, AND WHATEVER VEGETABLES AND SEASONINGS YOU FEEL LIKE," Kotenage beamed. "COMBINED WITH RICE IT'S THE PERFECT MEAL!"

...Wait... chickens are those little feathered animals that cluck and lay eggs... right...?

"Uh..." I mumbled, half of a piece of now-suspicious tree bark shred sticking out of my mouth. Sunset heard and turned to me.

"Oh... yea, that's meat," she pursed her lips and looked away guiltily. "Sorry." The piece of chicken fell out of my mouth.

"Are you a vegetarian, Starlight?" Sonata asked, tilting her head.

"What kind of vegetarian doesn't know what chicken is...?" Sugarcoat muttered, raising an eyebrow.

"I, just... uh... I'm not sure what to think of it," I remarked. I mean, it wasn't bad...

"Lots of people here eat meat," Sunset said as she picked out a piece of chicken from her bowl and put it into her mouth. "Lots of vegetarians too, though, so it's cool if you want to eat meat or not."

"O-Oh?" I thought back to when we'd ordered Chineighse food at Sunset's apartment... she'd ordered rice, noodle and vegetable dishes, with not a scrap of meat to be seen. "...You're not vegetarian...?"

"Oh no, meat's fine," Sunset chewed. "I just don't really prefer chicken."

"I see..." I looked back down at the chicken on the table. I picked it up and examined it, considering how it had tasted.

...I mean... it's not like anypony back home'll ever find out... and ponies are opportunistic carnivores, after all...

After a few moments of thought, I shrugged and popped it back into my mouth.

Chicken was tasty.

"So... has anyone found a possible way out of here yet?" Sunburst asked hopefully.

"No... though I'll admit, I didn't look very hard," said Soarin'. "Gotta keep my skills sharp, so I played soccer with Silver, Indy and Ocean most of the day."

"I... slept a lot," Memento added sheepishly. "...My job has me working all kinds of weird hours, so I sleep whenever I can get it."

"Button managed to get all of the possible games out of the MonoMono Machine, so I've been playing with him all day," said Sonata. "...He won't let me win..." she glared while looking away, pouting.

"Ugh, why are you guys treating this like daycamp?!" Sugarcoat shouted. "There's five insane robot bears out there that want us to kill each other! ...Saying it out loud makes me sound insane..." she sighed as she slapped a hand to her forehead.

"I mean... as long as we don't kill each other, we seem to have it pretty good right now," said Ocean. "We've got food, shelter, entertainment... we'll find a way out eventually, but until then, why waste a good buzz?"


*boing!*


Suddenly, Monokuma dropped down from the ceiling, nearly landing in the pot of soup. "Aaaaand that's my cue to appear!" he grinned as he posed whimsically.

"HOH SHIT!" Memento screamed, falling out of her chair.

"FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-!" Indigo scooted backwards in her chair until she hit another table.

"You! What are you doing here?!" Sugarcoat snarled, pointing at the black and white bear. But before he could answer...


*Rise and Shine, Ursine!*


The Monokubs dropped down from the ceiling as well, Monokid actually landing in the pot of soup with a miniature tidal wave of vegetables and chicken.

"Mmm! I smell delicious!" he howled.

"MY CHANKONABE!" Kotenage cried.

"Why the hell are you guys here?!" Juniper wailed, shielding her face with her plate.

"Geez, it's loud in here... what's all the ruckus about?" asked Monotaro.

"You did just scare the crap outta us just now!" Button growled. "Ugh... I know why you're here, just get it over with, already..."

"Huh?" Sonata put a finger to her chin as she tilted her head.

"You know, what Button told us about the killing game," Mountain narrowed her eyes. "This is probably where he gives us our first motive."

"Well, I ain't gonna!" Indigo yelled, shaking her fist. "Say whatever the fuck you want, you stupid bear, I won't do what you tell me!"

"...Man, you guys are buzzkills. I was all set for adventure before you started yelling at me!" Monokuma slumped after a few moments.

"I bet the motive's gonna be about the supposed 'traitor', huh?" Button glowered. "Or maybe it'll be a video showing us all the horrible things you've done to our friends and families? It's not hard to assume when you're copying off of a game series."

"Is that so? Then did you also assume this next exciting development?" Monokuma perked up, his red eye glowing ominously. "How about this for a motive? The first person to kill another and get away with it... need not worry about getting the others killed, too. That's right! For one time only, the blackened who successfully pulls the wool over their fellow campers' eyes gets to leave, and the others get to continue living, too!"

What...?! But... that's not that much of a motive...

"...That's our motive?" Sunset tilted her head.

"Whoa! You're so generous, Pops!" Monosuke gasped.

"What... kind of motive is that?" Button recoiled, more confusion than revulsion on his face.

"Yea, that's still terrible!" agreed Memento. "I mean, you only gotta kill one and you're done, but that's still terrible!"

"Oh, I think you'll find that motive to be quite... motivating," Monokuma smirked. "Just think... the killer will be free to leave and continue on with his or her life like nothing ever happened, while the rest of you saps stay here... camping forever!"

"F-Forever...?!" Silver shivered, a look of horror on her face.

"BUT... B-BUT MY MAKUNOUCHI DEBUT...!" Kotenage stuttered.

"No...! My acting! My limelight...!" Juniper began to sob.

"You might say it's a fate even worse than death," Monotaro grinned.

"The rest of yous unable to leave until the day yous die, never again participating in your Ultimate talents, never again seeing yer family and friends... Sure, you can still leave if you kill someone else and get away with it, but since you didn't do it first, then everyone else'll get whacked," Monosuke taunted. Their words slithered through my ears and attached to my brain like parasitic leeches. My vision blurred as I considered the ramifications... not only could I, or Sunset, or anyone else wind up dead, but I could also just be stuck here... magic-less... forever. As far as we currently knew, there was no escape from the valley, and nobody would ever be able to find us... And if someone else killed and escaped first, then... then...!

I blinked a few times and glanced at the others. Though Sunset's resolve remained strong, the others weren't so sure. Again their eyes darted back and forth amongst themselves and each other, doubt, uncertainty, fear and suspicion swirling like a miasma all around.

"Why are you doing this?!" yelled Flash. "What did we ever do to you?!"

"Does it really matter?" Monokuma grinned.

"It does to me! Why the fuck do you want us dead so bad?!" Sugarcoat scowled as she approached Monokuma. "I can understand the famous athletes and those with large fanbases, but why the rest of us?! Why me?!"

"Hey! I'm famous, too!" Juniper frowned.

"Whatever. Point is-"

"Silence!" Monokuma suddenly shouted. At his command the Monokubs suddenly whipped out their guns, though instead of immediately opening fire they just stood there menacingly. It was more than enough to shut us all up. "I'll ask you ingrates again... does it really matter? The answer... is no! You are not leaving until one of you murders another, so unless you wanna end up as pink smears, you might wanna take this game seriously!"

"I... b-but..." Silver hiccuped, tears streaking down her cheeks.

"But... the killing game is gory, huh? I'm starting to feel a little queasy..." Monophanie took a deep breath.

"Don't you realize that working together is pointless? So just knock it off, already," said Monotaro. "Don't you wanna get back to livin' your life?"

"You're not surrounded by allies or friends. No need to worry about them," grinned Monosuke.

"Ya know what'chu gotta do, dont'cha?!" Monokid shouted. We stared in terrified silence, not daring to move a muscle. After a few moments, the Kubs seemed satisfied and stowed away their weapons.

"Awwuh! You guys are so stinkin' cute!" Monokuma wiggled. "When I see you guys, I just get so excited until I can't take it anymore! You guys are so cute! Gosh, I just wanna see what your parents look like! ...Wait, I'm your parents!"

"That's... not how that works..." Mountain grimaced.

"In their case, it just might be," reasoned Dr. Hooves.

"Well... what you guys decide next is all up to you. Do whatever you want. You can all spend the rest of your busy, obligation-filled lives here, or you can leave alone. It's your call," the black and white bear shrugged indifferently at us.

"Let's knock back some honey so we're good and loose when the first killing happens!" Monokid roared. "Pouuuuur some honey on meeeee! In the name of killing!" He continued to sing horribly as Monokuma scuttled out of sight through the doors to the dining hall, the Monokubs not far behind.


*So long, bear well!*


Nobody spoke a word for a long while. Only eyes shifted back and forth, everyone now casting suspicion on everyone else. Though the motive was still pretty bad, I had to admit it carried much less gravity than had there been no motive at all... the question was whether someone here would be fine with committing one murder as opposed to fifteen of them.

I was no stranger to knowing that everyone had their own unique set of values and morals... the thought of being forced to remain here for the rest of my life, away from my friends, family and full magical capabilities was nearly intolerable. What exactly were the values of my new friends here? Some of them definitely had goals they wanted to reach, goals they'd spent their entire life striving for, and now those goals were being threatened right in front of them. Was it enough to make any of them break? ...Was it enough for me to break...?

*ding*

"Oh! Pie's done," Soarin' grinned slightly as he shuffled towards the kitchen. It seemed to calm the tension in the room, as once he got up, there was a collective slight sigh of relief.

"Heh... that wasn't much of a motive at all," Button chuckled.

"I was expecting something like 'kill someone here by tomorrow, or I'll kill you all myself' for a motive," Memento slumped in her seat. "Something that'd actually make someone want to do it, you know?"

"The killer would still have to live with the fact they've killed somebody," said Sugarcoat. "Maybe not as horrible as being responsible for fifteen lives, but still pretty horrible."

"Soooo... nothing's changed?" asked Flash. "We're all gonna keep on looking for a way out, right?"

"I don't see why not," said Sunburst.

"Here we are!" Soarin' returned to the dining hall carrying a pair of pies on a tray. "We've got apple, and we've got blueberry. Dig in!" Everyone's suspicions and worries seemed to evaporate as we cut ourselves some slices. My own thoughts drifted into the wind like the fragrant steam rising into the air.


~


There was little else to do after dinner; it was far too dark outside to search any longer. I looked up at the starry sky, silently amazed at how bright and full it appeared out here. Though I didn't recognize any of them, I did get the sense that we were many miles from civilization.

Still, all things considered, it wasn't too bad. We had food, warmth, shelter and things to do, albeit provided by murderous robot bears that wanted us to kill each other. But that wasn't going to happen, no matter what motive they dangled in front of us. It was just... such an unimaginably cruel thing to demand, nobody in their right mind would give in to it. Especially not me... and especially not Sunset.

As long as we had each other's backs, we were going to escape. Then we would make our way back to the closest town, tell the authorities what was going on, and then it'd be all over. We could all go back home, safe and sound.

For the time being, I grabbed a swimsuit from the Camp Store and spent time with the others at the Indoor Pool. I enjoyed the relaxing swim in bathtub-warm water up until Nighttime was almost upon us. I was in the shower when I heard the Nighttime Announcement play faintly in my cottage, not really caring what those bears had to say. Afterwards I put on my pajamas and crawled into bed, reading one of the dumb books I'd won from the MonoMono Machine until I quickly fell asleep.
> A Guide in the Darkness - Daily Life 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


*ding dong, bing bong*


"Rise and shine, ursine!" The Monokubs shouted on the TV below me, jolting me awake.

"This is an announcement from the Ultimate Campgrounds... Wake up, bastards, it's 8am," Monosuke smirked.

"Ooh, is today the day someone's gonna get murdered?" asked Monotaro. "My heart is pounding with excitement!"

"Don't worry... even if they end up in hell, at least that unlucky camper can be proud that they didn't do the killing game," Monophanie offered.

"...You're just assuming they're gonna go to hell?" Monosuke reeled back.

"Man, and I thought I was the one who was ruthless!" yelled Monokid. "Ah, well..."

"So long! Bear well!" They shouted in unison before the TV shut itself off. Groaning loudly, I stretched my limbs and got out of bed, shivering as I changed from warm pajamas to cold clothes.

Hmm... judging from the sulfur, the water must be geothermally heated... maybe if I just leave the shower on all night, it'd heat my cottage?

I decided I'd try it out tonight... it might make the cottage a bit steamy, but it'd definitely be nice if the place was warm in the morning. It's not like there's any rule against it, anyway.


~


I walked to the Dining Hall for breakfast. The same large bounty of foods, drinks and condiments were laid out on the long, counter-like shelf along the back wall. I gathered together some food and sat down at the main table beside Sunset and Flash.

"Morning, you two," I greeted.

"Hey," Flash waved.

"Mornin'," Sunset mumbled.

"Soooo... are we still searching for a way out?" I asked.

"Yep... although at this rate, I'm not sure what there's left to search," sighed Flash. "We've been all over this campsite at least eight times. I'm about to start knocking on trees until a random door pops open in one of them."

"There has to be something we've missed," Sunset scowled. "We were all brought here somehow... I highly doubt whoever brought us here dragged our unconscious bodies through the woods for miles and miles."

"Maybe we were airlifted here?" Flash suggested. "Then they... I dunno, dumped us all out on the ground to wake up?"

"No... we would've been all sore if that happened," I shook my head.

"I haven't seen any signs of a helicopter landing around here... and if they did land here, it'd be an awfully tight fit. There's not that much clear space around the buildings and forest," agreed Sunset.

"Ha! Did someone say 'tight fit'?!" Indigo laughed obnoxiously as she walked past us on the way to the food.

"That's what she said!" Ocean shouted from the far end of the main table. The three of us shared a sigh.

"It also doesn't really seem like some of the others are that keen on escaping," Flash grumbled.

"Not really... maybe they're all in denial?" Sunset frowned. "Maybe they still think someone's gonna come and rescue us."

"I mean... we're not really in any real danger," I stared at my meal in thought. "...Not yet, anyway. So long as nobody decides to murder someone else."

"I really don't think that's gonna happen," Flash waved his hand dismissively. "That's just such a stupid, terrible thing to do."

"Besides, it seems like everyone's becoming friends," Sunset smiled hopefully. Flash nodded quietly in agreement.

I have to agree... as long as we're all friends here, then I don't think we really have anything to worry about...

I nodded as well.


~


We went our separate ways after breakfast. First I walked inside the camp store, wondering if there was anything useful hidden among the shelves of goods. I wasn't alone, however... Sonata was there as well, thumbing through some of the souvenir T-shirts.

"Oh! Hiya, Starlight!" she waved frantically. "What'cha doin'?"

"Hey, Sonata," I waved once in return. "Just looking around. Find anything good?"

"Not yet... these shirts are kind of tacky," she grimaced as she pinched the fabric of one of the shirts. I examined the image on the back of the shirt - it was Monokuma peeking out from behind a tree in the forest, wearing a plastic hockey mask and wielding a chainsaw. Bright, bloody pink was splattered all over him and dripping from the chainsaw, forming letter-shaped pools of blood that spelled out "I Survived the Ultimate Campgrounds Killing Game!" on the ground beneath him.

"That's... one way to put it," I pursed my lips, disgusted by the graphic... graphic.

"Well, there's gotta be something awesome in here... we can look together if you want!" she offered.

"Sure," I smiled warmly. It seemed like a pleasant way to pass the time.


~~~

I hung out with Sonata for a while.

~~~


"So, Sunset told me you're actually a Siren?" I asked.

"Yup!" Sonata nodded her head quickly. I really wanted to know more about her; ponies back home hardly ever heard about the Sirens or what they were like. I couldn't just come out and ask her that, though, what with secretly being a pony among humans and all.

"Interesting... uh, what do you do?"

"Well!" she huffed happily. "So a Siren's whole thing is singing, right? So my sisters and I sing to lots of people! We do concerts, make videos and put them online... Believe it or not, we can't actually sing all that well these days, but nobody cares as long as you're totes adorbs! ...Heh, humans are kinda shallow like that," she smirked, twirling some of her hair around a finger.

"Oh, yea, Sunset told me a little about that... back in high school, huh?" I grimaced lightly, not sure if it was still a sore spot in her memory. She did say she was over it...

"Yea... that was Dagi's idea," Sonata sighed. "It was around the time Equestrian magic started leaking into this world."

"Y-You know about that?" I blinked in surprise.

"Duh! We're from Equestria!" she threw her hands in the air, then started... sniffing the air around her? It wasn't long before she edged closer and sniffed at me, making me lean backwards in an attempt to get away. "...Matter of fact, you are too, arent'cha?"

Oh crap.

"Me?! No! I, uh-"

"Yup yup yup! I can smell pony all over you!" she grinned almost lecherously. "...Don't worry, I won't tell anyone."

"Oh... well, alright, good. I'd rather not have to explain everything to everyone, you know..."

"No, I totally get it," Sonata waved a hand, shaking her head in understanding. "It was literal months until everyone left my sisters and I alone after that concert... eh, what was I talking about again?"

"That time in high school with the singing."

"Right! So, Dagi, Ari and I walked right into Sunset's school - kinda surprising there wasn't any security around - ...They were putting on some kind of talent show, but my sisters and I wanted to get our hands on as much magic as possible, so Dagi came up with the idea of turning the talent show into a Battle of the Bands. So we sang, and let me tell you, the rush of magic we felt was incredible! I felt almost like my old self again! ...And then Sunset and her friends came along, sang a counterspell to our magic, and sucked it all out and broke our pendants," she frowned as she held up the wrist with a pendant hanging from it. "This one's just glass, but that's what it looked like. Since that night, we can't really sing anymore... we're all... screechy and tone-deaf."

"Oh, I see..." I pursed my lips together. In a sense, I could sympathize with Sonata over losing her magic ability... I didn't have very much magic as long as I was here. But knowing that it was gone forever? The thought of never having magic again made me shiver uncontrollably.

"Buuuuut that's where the human magic of autotune comes in! It makes us sound kinda like ourselves again, so we can still attract lots of followers and decent crowds at our concerts. With our pendants gone, though, we can't absorb all that much emotional power. Our music doesn't even get people angry anymore... well, not in the good sense, anyway. Or is it the bad sense? Hmm... anyway, they get mad at us for sucking in real life, and then they leave. That doesn't empower us at all."

"You did say it was negativity you absorbed," I shrugged.

"Yup... but Sirens can absorb other emotions, too... negative ones are just what Dagi and Ari like the most," Sonata looked away, as if reminiscing. But before I could ask her what she was thinking about, she whipped her head around to face me again. "Ooh! You're from Equestria, yea? Have you heard anything about the Sirens there?"

I thought for a few moments. "...I'd have to think about it. Sirens are pretty rare these days... they generally keep to themselves deep in the South Luna Ocean. An emissary is sent from the Royal Palace every hundred years to meet up with them... but we're still a couple decades away from that."

"Thought so," Sonata giggled softly before trailing off. "...I wonder if they still remember us..."

"Why wouldn't they?" I asked automatically before remembering that she and her sisters had been here for at least ten years. "Oh... I guess it's been a while, huh?"

"A long while..." she sighed wistfully, almost sorrowfully.

"Do you know what they were like?" I asked gently. "I'd love to learn more about your people... er, race."

"I..." Sonata chewed on her lip for a moment before adopting a cheerful smile. "In a bit, okay? I'd like to think about it first... we're very secretive, after all... for good reason."

"Ah, alright. Take your time."

"Thanks. I'll tell you, though, don't worry." Her eyes closed as she grinned happily, seemingly without a care in the world. I couldn't help but think she was rather sweet, innocent, even endearing for a former villain that Sunset defeated.

What a strange girl you are, Sonata...


~


A few hours later, we went our separate ways. I wandered around the campground, wondering if there was any spot left that I hadn't searched thoroughly.

Eventually I wandered into the Laundry Room, where I found Kotenage loading his robes and some towels into a washing machine. He was wearing his bathrobe, which looked almost exactly like his usual robes except fluffier.

"HO! KONNICHIWA, STARLIGHT!" he bowed slightly. "HOW ARE YOU THIS FINE DAY?"

"Doing fine, I guess," I waved. "Doing laundry?"

"HAI. BEING A RIKISHI, I GO THROUGH EXERCISE TOWELS LIKE CRAZY... AND MY ROBES WERE A BIT RIPE, SO IT'S TIME TO WASH THEM. I WISH I HAD MORE THAN JUST THE ONE WITH ME HERE... IT'S GONNA GET ALL WORN OUT!"

"I see," I nodded as I realized that I only really had the clothes on my back as well. The drawers in my cottage only contained pajamas, a bathrobe and underwear. "...Geez, that's a problem. What if you get a big hole in it?"

"THERE'S A SEWING KIT ON THE SHELF," Kotenage pointed behind him to the shelves of detergents, irons and other supplies. "IT'S WELL-STOCKED, BUT THERE WAS ALSO AN AWFUL LITTLE DIAGRAM OF WHERE YOU CAN POKE A NEEDLE INTO SOMEBODY TO KILL THEM."

"Eww," I recoiled.

"BUT THERE'S NO NEED TO WORRY ABOUT THAT, I RIPPED IT APART AND THREW IT OUT," he brushed his hands off against each other and gestured towards the nearby trash can. "SO, ARE YOU DOING ANYTHING RIGHT NOW? I COULD USE THE COMPANY WHILE I WAIT FOR THE WASHING MACHINE TO FINISH."

"Nope! We can hang out," I smiled.


~~~

Kotenage and I chatted while we waited for his laundry to get done.

~~~


"So... you're a sumo wrestler?"

"HAI," Kotenage nodded.

"I... gotta admit, I don't know what that is or what you do," I frowned. "Other than the wrestling part, I guess."

"AH! THEN LET ME TELL YOU ALL ABOUT IT!" Kotenage grinned widely, sitting down with a ground-jolting thud on a bench. "SUMO IS A FULL-CONTACT SPORT WHERE TWO RIKISHI - ME," he jabbed his thumb into his chest, "...FIGHT EACH OTHER UNTIL ONE FORCES THE OTHER OUT OF THE DOHYO OR MAKES THE OTHER TOUCH THE GROUND WITH ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE SOLES OF HIS FEET. ANYTHING GOES IN THE DOHYO, EXCEPT FOR MOVES THAT ARE KINJITE, OR FORBIDDEN. NO PUNCHING, KICKING, GRABBING THE HAIR, AIMING FOR THE CROTCH, THAT SORT OF THING."

"Sounds tough," I commented.

"SOU SOU. IT HAS A HISTORY OVER A THOUSAND YEARS OLD, STEEPED IN TRADITION AND RELIGIOUS RITUALS. WRESTLERS ALL LIVE IN A HEYA, OR STABLE, IN YOUR LANGUAGE... A COMMUNAL BUILDING WHERE WE LIVE AND TRAIN TOGETHER. WE REMAIN THERE UNTIL THE DAY WE RETIRE, OR IF WE SO HAPPEN TO GET MARRIED. IT IS THERE WE HONE OUR SKILLS AND LEARN ALL OF THE RITUALS... SERIOUSLY, THERE ARE SO. MANY. RITUALS. I STILL GET NERVOUS I'LL SCREW ONE UP ON NATIONAL TV SOMEDAY," he paused, grimacing.

"Interesting," I nodded. "I'm sure you'll do just fine performing those rituals, though!"

"THANKS."

"So, uh... what exactly do you do for training?" I asked, remembering waking up to him repeatedly slamming into a tree, but struggling to imagine this absolute unit running miles on a treadmill or something.

"THE LOWER RANKS GET UP AT 5AM AND TRAIN UNTIL AT LEAST 7AM, WHEN I AND OTHER SEKITORI- UH, THE TWO HIGHEST DIVISIONS - GET UP FOR TRAINING. THERE ARE STRETCHES AND EXERCISES FOR IMPROVING OUR FORM, THEN WE TAKE TURNS WRESTLING EACH OTHER ONE AFTER ANOTHER WITHOUT STOPPING. THEN THE LOWER RANKS TAKE TURNS TRYING TO SHOVE THE SEKITORI OUT OF THE RING, NOT BEING ABLE TO STOP FOR THE DAY WITHOUT SUCCEEDING. THOSE LOWER RIKISHI ALSO HAVE TO DO ALL THE GRUNT WORK AROUND THE HEYA... HELP COOK LUNCH, DO CHORES, RUN OUR BATHS, HOLDING OUR TOWELS AND WIPING THE SWEAT FROM OUR BODIES AS WE TRAIN..."

"That... honestly? That kinda sucks," my mouth curled.

"YEA, I DON'T MISS THOSE DAYS AT ALL. NOT ONLY THAT, BUT THEY CAN'T EVEN WEAR OVERCOATS OVER THEIR YUKATA, EVEN IN WINTER, AND THEY HAVE TO WEAR THOSE UNCOMFORTABLE GETA WHEN THEY GO OUT. THE DAY I HIT JURYO, I WENT OUT AND BOUGHT MYSELF THE FINEST SILK ROBE I COULD AFFORD," Kotenage tugged on his bathrobe to emphasize. "ALSO, THEY HAVE TO SLEEP IN A COMMUNAL DORMITORY, WHILE SEKITORI GET THEIR OWN ROOMS... OH, AND THEY DON'T GET TO LEAVE THE STABLE IN THE AFTERNOON, UNLESS THEY AGREE TO BE A SEKITORI'S TSUKEBITO."

"...Which is?"

"HMM... I BELIEVE THE CLOSEST TERM IN YOUR LANGUAGE IS 'MANSERVANT'."

"Geez... I don't think I'd like to be a sumo wrestler," I cringed.

"AH... YOU CAN'T ANYWAY, UNFORTUNATELY," Kotenage looked away as if thinking about something. "WOMEN ARE NOT ALLOWED IN THE DOHYO, EVEN THOUGH THEY CAN CERTAINLY BE FORMIDABLE FIGHTERS... THAT'S TRADITION FOR YA." The very notion seemed to bother him greatly, as his face screwed up into a grumpy scowl.

I guess he doesn't care for some of the traditions of sumo wrestling...

"...ANYWAY, I HOPE I GET OUT OF HERE BEFORE THE NEXT TOURNAMENT... I'LL FINALLY BE MAKING MY MAKUNOUCHI DEBUT. I'LL BE MAEGASHIRA #9 OF THE EAST!" he sighed. "I'VE ADVANCED IN THE RANKS SO FAST I DON'T EVEN HAVE ENOUGH HAIR FOR THE TRADITIONAL TOPKNOT! ...KIND OF GLAD, TO BE HONEST. I'VE SEEN THE OTHERS HAVE THEIR HAIR DONE UP... LOOKS LIKE IT REALLY HURTS." He ran his fingers through his fuzzy black hair. "THE TOKOYAMA REALLY PULL AND YANK ON IT TO GET IT THAT WAY."

I couldn't help but be amazed... and feel a little sorry for Kotenage. Though he was thrilled to be where he was, some of the traditions definitely sounded like they could use some modernization. The thought of a male-only sport was completely foreign to me as well - mares tended to outnumber the stallions back home, yet all of our sports I could think of were unisex.

Well... there must be a reason why the traditions are the way they are...

I listened to Kotenage explain more about his daily life in the stable for a while longer... I found it extremely ironic that he was allowed his own parking spot at the Sumo Association Headquarters once he earned the rank of Ozeki, but all sumo wrestlers were forbidden from driving.


~


Having taken on the responsibility of cooking dinner for us, Kotenage excused himself with a polite bow and made his way to the Dining Hall. It was already pretty dark out so I followed him in, sitting down at the main table with Sunset and Flash while he disappeared into the Kitchen. A few of the others - Button, Indigo and Ocean - were also sitting around at another table, each of them pulling out various small plastic bags of something greenish from their pockets and grinning as they compared them.

"Too bad I didn't put my phone in that pocket," Indigo shrugged. "They didn't find my stash, whoever nabbed us."

"Probably didn't even bother with all'a mine," Ocean agreed, most of the pockets on his fishing vest open.

"Glad you guys have some... I'm almost out. I only had the two baggies in my hood," Button nodded.

"No prob... hey, you guys wanna make a fire later and match?" asked Ocean.

"Hell yea! I don't think I've ever tried the Poison Joke strain before," Indigo pumped her fist. Pretty soon their conversation became a blur of strain names and other jargon I was unfamiliar with, so I stopped listening and paid more attention to Sunset and Flash. We exchanged simple small talk until the rest of the others arrived, ready for dinner. Judging by the smell, we were going to have rice and chankonabe again... but with a different meaty ingredient other than chicken. Something smelled faintly fresh and aquatic.

"Soup again?" asked Mountain. "I like soup, it's good on a cold night... but there are other things to eat."

"Having it prepared by a master sure helps," shrugged Silver.

"I could go whip together a vegetable platter or something if you girls want," Soarin' offered. "Nothin' fancy, though."

"You can bake, but you can't cook?" asked Flash.

"Well... does ramen and soup from a can count?" Soarin' grinned sheepishly. "No, I can make things like chicken pot pies and lasagna... if it involves the oven, I can cook it."

"Baking is a science, but cooking is an art," Memento remarked with a playful smirk. "Kind of impressive, actually."

"Ha, ha," Soarin' grumbled sarcastically, yet still smiling. Just as he was about to enter the kitchen, though, Kotenage poked his head out into the dining hall.

"HEY, DOES ANYONE KNOW IF THERE'S A BONING KNIFE IN HERE?" he asked.

"Heh... boning..." Ocean giggled to himself.

"He said 'boning'..." Indigo snickered.

"HA, HA... BUT SERIOUSLY, THOUGH," he continued. "IT'D BE NICE TO HAVE TO FILET THIS FISH."

Sugarcoat narrowed her eyes. "Don't tell me we're missing a knife..."

"I've been in there quite a bit," mentioned Soarin'. "I don't remember seeing any knives other than the ones on the magnetic rack."

"Oh really?" she sneered, glaring even more viciously.

"Yea... can't say I've ever specifically looked for other knives, but I've looked pretty thoroughly in there."

"I've got a spatula..." Sonata spoke as she held up a white silicone spatula. "...Dunno why, though."

"No one asked," Juniper rolled her eyes.

"The only other bladed things I've found in the kitchen are pizza cutters and kitchen shears," said Button. "I don't think there are any more knives in there."

"HMM... ALRIGHT, THEN," Kotenage shrugged as he slipped back inside. "A GOOD OL' SANTOKU WILL DO JUST FINE." Soarin' began to walk inside, only to be handed a full, steaming-hot rice cooker. He quickly set it down on the main table before going back into the kitchen.

"...Nothing bad better happen because of this," Sugarcoat suddenly seethed at Sunset.

"Uh, why're you telling me...?" she asked as she scooted away from Sugarcoat's pointed finger.

"First the lost memories, now this? I'm on to you," she hissed. "Someone's planning a murder, I'm sure of it." As soon as the words left her mouth I felt my pulse quicken, my heart beginning to thunder in my ribcage. And just as quickly as it had started, I was intent on making it stop.

"Oh, stop it," I grunted, getting up from my seat and gesturing for Sugarcoat to follow. "Let's just put this to rest right now." We entered the kitchen and scootched past Kotenage as he busied himself with cutting up a large salmon, and examined the unusually-long magnetic knife rack. Sixteen steak knives and a single butter knife laid side by side on one end, while the other end held the cooking and butchering knives. There was a huge meat cleaver, an open space that belonged to the Santoku knife Kotenage was currently using, a 9-inch long chef's knife, another open space belonging to the vegetable knife Soarin' was using, a bread knife, a 5-inch long utility knife and a 3-inch long paring knife. The knives were all perfectly spaced out; there were no other blank spaces one could fit a knife into. "See? Nobody's stolen a knife."

"Hmm..." Sugarcoat eyed the knives as if selecting her own weapon. "...Fine. I suppose there aren't any knives missing."

"Good. Please don't freak me out like that in the future," I muttered.

"What?!" Sugarcoat threw her hands up. "Why is nobody else taking this seriously?! We're out in the middle of nowhere against our will, nobody's coming to find us, and we've been told no one's leaving until someone dies! Sooner or later, one of us is going to get absolutely sick of camping and want to leave."

"Well, no one seems like the killing type," I started to argue.

"That doesn't mean anything!" Sugarcoat snapped. "Anyone can be talked into killing another person with the right motivation. Hundreds of scientific experiments have proven that! All it takes is one person deluding themselves that they're doing it for the greater good, or maybe they've decided they can't stand someone here and want to do the world a favor by getting rid of them, or maybe they're willing to sacrifice the rest of us to be able to see someone else again!"

"I... well, yea, I suppose so..." I looked away. Long-buried memories began rearing their ugly heads, and I clenched my eyes shut to keep them away.

"Exactly. So pay some fucking attention," she glowered. "Anyone. Can kill anyone. Even me, theoretically, though I hope it doesn't come down to that," she glanced away darkly before stomping out of the kitchen in a huff. A shiver ran down my spine as her words echoed in my ears.

She's right... as much as I hate to admit it, she's right...

"...SHE'S WRONG," Kotenage remarked suddenly, shaking his head as he slid chopped pieces of salmon into his massive pot of soup. "THERE'S NO JUSTIFIABLE REASON ANYONE HERE WOULD WANT TO KILL ANOTHER TO LEAVE. THAT PERSON WOULD BE HAUNTED BY THE BLOOD ON HIS HANDS FOR THE REST OF HIS DAYS... EVEN IN MY MOST DESPERATE OF HOURS, I REFUSE TO HARM ANOTHER TO SAVE MYSELF. IT'S DISHONORABLE!"

"Seriously," Soarin' pursed his lips as he returned the vegetable knife to the magnetic rack. "I mean, yea, I've got a successful career and money and all, but it's not worth killing for. Besides... that person'd probably go to jail for life after they escaped."

"You think so?" I asked. "No one knows we're here, and there wouldn't exactly be anything tying them to our deaths..."

"It's these cameras," Soarin' gestured to the two cameras watching our every move in the kitchen. "I've seen tons of them on the sidelines... they're so big and bulky, there's no way these aren't broadcasting to somebody. Normal security cameras are tiny, you know?"

"I DIDN'T THINK OF THAT..." Kotenage shivered.

"Me either..." I gulped.

"Yea... I suspect that if one of us did take the bait and try to escape that way... even if they got out, their life would be ruined."

"IF YOU ARE RIGHT, AND THAT IS WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE KILLER... THEN THIS IS TRULY A NO-WIN SITUATION WE'RE ALL TRAPPED IN," sighed Kotenage.

"Maybe we should tell the others about it," I suggested. "If anything, maybe it'll make someone think twice if they're really planning a... a murder."

"I AGREE. BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY."

"I was thinking about it," said Soarin'. "Alright." With a nod he picked up his platter of crudites and followed me out of the kitchen, with Kotenage right behind us as he hefted the pot of soup. He elected to stay silent until midway through dinner, when he relayed his suspicions to the others with our support.

"Hah, wouldn't that just suck? All that lying and scheming, ya think you're home scot free, and bam! Prison!" Memento barked.

"But then what would be the point in getting us to kill each other?" asked Sonata.

"Don't you see? It's like dangling a carrot in front of a horse's face," Sugarcoat groaned. "Except the horse doesn't know it's walking towards the glue factory."

"That's not cool..." Sunset muttered under her breath. It was hard to tell whether she was unnerved by the notion of such an underhanded plot to get us all to kill each other, or if she was offended by the equine stereotypes.

I mean... I was both.

But nobody else knows I'm a pony, so...

"I don't know... there could be a worse reason for it," Dr. Hooves mused.

"Like what? What could possibly be worse than life in prison?!" Button recoiled.

"...Death penalty?" Memento suggested. Dr. Hooves hummed in thought for a few moments longer before shrugging and making a noncommittal noise.

"Would it even be life in prison? I mean, we're all under duress here," Indigo fidgeted. "That has to count for something."

"Look, the potential meanings of this are irrelevant," said Sunburst. "The fact of the matter is that in order to leave, one of us must kill someone else. That alone is a horrific consequence."

"You're living with the fact that you willingly took a life for the rest of your own," Mountain nodded solemnly. "It's not something to take lightly."

"At any rate, it gives us all even less incentive to try anything," said Flash. "And that's a good thing."

"Yea, but... how much longer are we all going to search for an escape?" frowned Silver. "It's been three days and we haven't found a single helpful thing."

"AS LONG AS IT TAKES," replied Kotenage, patting Silver's shoulder gently. "WHERE THERE'S A WILL, THERE'S A WAY... AND I'M CONFIDENT WE WILL FIND THAT WAY TOGETHER."

"Honestly, this is something we could go in circles over all night," said Sunset. "If there's a way for all of us to escape alive and well, then that's what I'm going to look for, even if it takes the rest of my life to do so."

"I agree," I nodded. "It's the only reasonable thing to do."

"There isn't always a peaceful resolution to a problem... sometimes, for some people, violence is the answer," Sugarcoat warned. "You'd all do well to remember that."

But to my relief, everyone seemed to agree with Sunset's and I's sentiment. We were all on the same page - nobody wanted to commit a murder, no matter what.


~


On the way back to my cottage, Ocean caught up to me and asked if I'd be willing to trade any food items I'd won from the MonoMono Machine for anything non-edible from his. I agreed and he accompanied me to my cottage, where I dug out the vast majority of the food items from the spare drawers. As soon as he saw what I had, he dashed over to his cottage and returned a few minutes later with an equivalent amount of the promised items. We traded, and he grinned as he thanked me and ran off.

Good... better someone else tries that chocolate chip jerky than me...

I grabbed my swimsuit and a towel and made my way towards the Indoor Pool. As I walked, I saw that Button, Indigo, Mountain and Ocean had gathered around the fire pit. There was a large stack of wood beside the pit, with some of it arranged into a cone shape as Mountain dug out matches from one of her pockets and lit it for them. She then walked away towards her own cottage, waving as the other three thanked her before bringing out their combined pile of snacks and their little plastic bags. Button also took out a fresh apple, while Indigo got a crushed pop can from her backpack.

"Aw shit, you guys, I have an actual pipe," Ocean laughed as he withdrew a small glass object from his fishing vest.

"Oh thank god," Indigo wheezed, throwing her makeshift pop can pipe into the fire. "I feel like a crackhead smoking from that."

Laughter echoed into the evening breeze, a stick was fished out of the wood pile and designated for pipe lighting, and a very distinctive scent filled the air as I looked away and finally entered the indoor pool area.


~


It was a few minutes to Nighttime when I left for my cottage. I looked over to the fire pit, seeing Button, Indigo and Ocean happily chatting away. A little less than half of their firewood remained; at the moment they were trying out some of the food from the MonoMono Machine. Indigo bit down on a piece of chocolate chip jerky and declared it was actually pretty tasty, leading to incredulous jeers from the boys. They both tried a piece in unison, and also spit it out in unison, followed by lots of profanity as Indigo howled with laughter.

Smiling, I entered my cottage and walked straight into the bathroom. The Nighttime Announcement played as I showered, not bothering to turn the water off as I got out and dried myself. I then got into my pajamas and crawled into bed, ready for a good night's sleep.

But sleep wasn't easy to come by tonight. I couldn't help but think about home. How long has it really been since I left for my vacation? If it's been longer than a week, will anypony notice I'm missing? Will anypony come for me then?

...

...

...

Would Twilight come for me? Would she bring her friends through the portal, too? Would they know how to find me...?

...

...

...

I took in a deep breath of fresh, frigid night air. I had cracked open the left side of the window beside the bed, which allowed the sulfuric scent of the shower water to escape, making the air inside more bearable. Clammy wetness clung to my face and condensed in my hair. It only made it harder to fall asleep as I wiped my forehead with my sleeve.

Hmm, this is a problem... I should see if the Camp Store has a dehumidifier for sale.

Still, if it meant the cottage would be warm in the morning, then one humid night was bearable... even if it took me a couple hours to feel drowsy again...

...

...

...

An owl outside hooted once. My eyes snapped wide open at the noise, and I shivered unconsciously as I realized that I hadn't seen a single animal during my time here, as if they all had a natural instinct to stay far away from this place. I rolled over to face the window that overlooked the forest behind me; my eyes tried to scan the trees for the source of the noise, but saw nothing but darkness.

Wondering if I was beginning to hear things, I rolled back over and pulled the covers over my face, insisting to myself that it was time to go to sleep. I didn't want to be tired tomorrow...

...

...

...


~


...

...

...

"...GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

I awoke with a start. Was that someone screaming...?

"OH GOD... OH GOD... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

I blinked as I realized that Silver was screaming in terror outside. In an instant I leapt out of bed and grabbed my bathrobe while cramming on my boots. I was out the door in seconds as I struggled to get my left arm through its sleeve, running full blast towards Silver's voice. She was standing by the side cabin, right outside the door to the indoor pool, dressed in flip flops and a jungle-green bathrobe, her hair wrapped in a towel.

"What's wrong?!" I gasped as I skidded to a halt. Incoherent babbles escaped her mouth as she shakily pointed to her left, her eyes never moving away. My own eyes followed to where she was pointing.

...

...Oh.

Oh no.

I screamed in horror, my own voice nearly eclipsing Silver's. Because lying behind one of the logs surrounding the fire pit, in a pool of blood, was the crumpled body of Dr. Hooves.
> A Guide in the Darkness - Deadly Life 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

A minute or so into Silver and I screaming our lungs out, I heard a series of cottage doors slam open and shut, and footsteps quickly running close.

"What is it?!" Mountain yelled. "What- ...oh." She froze in shock and horror as her eyes found Dr. Hooves' body.

"ARE YOU LADIES OKAY?!" Kotenage shouted as he thundered towards us from across the campground. He nearly tripped and fell over as he saw. "...AAAAAAAAAH! PLEASE TELL ME HE'S NOT DEAD!"

"D'oh... I asked you guys not to kill each other!" Memento whined as she exited her cottage, sighing with a grimace. "Aw, man... least I didn't know him very well."

"I fucking knew it!" Sugarcoat shrieked, her hair full of shampoo suds. "I knew someone was planning a murder!"

"Oh, come on, guys!" Button angrily threw up his hands. "What did I tell you about giving in to the motives?!"


*ding dong bong bing*


A loud chime echoed from the speakers as the monitors around us buzzed to life. The sudden noise caused a pure jolt of fear and dread to course down my spine. On the monitor, Monokuma was sitting in a fancy chair, with a desk covered in expensive foods before him. He sipped from a glass of champagne before speaking.

"A body has been discovered!" he announced gleefully. "Everyone, please meet at the Fire Pit outside! ...I'll give you all a few minutes to get properly dressed." Before anyone could say anything to the image of the bear, the monitors shut themselves off.

I had no idea what to think or do next... I didn't really want to move from this spot, but my robe and pajamas weren't exactly warm enough to continue mulling it over. I sighed in resignation as I trudged back to my cottage and put my clothes on, rejoining the others a few minutes later.

"Fuck," Button spat. "...guess we're really doing this now, huh? Shit..."

"Oh!" Sonata leaned over the corpse, tilting her head and looking as though she was examining a dead butterfly on the ground rather than a body. "Geez, that's too bad..."

"A-Are we sure he's really dead?!" Indigo shivered. "S-Somebody, get a stick a-and poke him!"

"No... no..." Sunset whispered, her eyes wider than dinner plates. "S-Seriously...? Did someone really...?"


*boing!*


"Hoo boy! It's finally started!" Monokuma leapt out from the roof of the Activities Cabin and plopped down right in the center of us all, startling everyone.

"You... what is the meaning of this?!" Sugarcoat shouted, angrily pointing a finger at the black and white bear. "Explain yourself!" But before anyone could say another word...


*Rise and Shine, Ursine!*


The Monokubs quickly appeared, leaping down from the rooftop in succession.

"Ugh... I'm not gonna look... I don't wanna look at a nasty dead body..." Monophanie whined, immediately facing away from the corpse and shuddering.

"Nothing beats crashing a funeral! It's way better than wedding crashing!" Monokid roared as his abnormally-long tongue wiggled out of his mouth. "I'll throw in a wedding every now and then, but funerals are insane, like fishing with dynamite!" Out of the corner of my eye I could see Memento frowning, but she held her tongue.

"Goddamnit..." Button growled, his head bowed low to the ground as his fists shook. Then he sighed and let his hands fall open. "...Welp, let's get this started, I guess."

"Uh... get what started?" asked Juniper nervously.

"Like we said before... we're gonna hold a class trial so youse bastards can find Dr. Hooves' killer," Monosuke smirked.

"Get it right, and only the blackened will be punished," Monotaro grinned. "But if you get it wrong-"

"Simultaneous surgery! Brain and knee!" Monokid howled, drooling with a crazed look in his robotic eyes. "Then brain surgery again!"

"Everyone besides the blackened will be punished!" Monotaro finished.

"...No, that's not right! Daddy said he'd let everyone else continue camping here peacefully if the blackened won!" Monophanie argued.

"Yea... that's right!" Flash gasped, the horror lessening on his face.

"Oh... oh yea," Monotaro put a paw to his chin. "...Gee, when you say it like that, it's not really all that high-stakes, now is it?"

"No, but it's not like any of you losers can leave afterwards," Monokuma shrugged. "You still gotta do the investigation and the trial, and either way, you're all still stuck here until someone kills again."

"Oh, yea, like that makes it all better," Sugarcoat snorted.

"But before we can hold the class trial, you gotta investigate first," smiled Monokuma. "If you don't investigate the murder, you won't be able to argue over who did it!"

"Aw, do we really have to...?" Silver trembled, still swaying a little from the discovery.

"Of course! The investigation is what makes the killing game so good! Riiiiight, Button?" Monokuma sneered. Button didn't answer, only growling in frustration.

"...We're going to investigate this crime and uncover the truth," Sunset affirmed, scowling darkly at the body. "To think one of us has actually murdered another... that is unforgivable! What the hell is the matter with you?!" she yelled.

"We cannot have a murderer living among us," Mountain nodded once. "I will hunt you down and find you myself if I have to!"

"SOU SOU! HOOVES-SAMA MUST BE AVENGED!" Kotenage agreed, punching a fist into his other hand. "WE NEED TO DO THIS SO HE WON'T HAVE ANY REGRETS IN THE AFTERLIFE."

"Alright! The trial will begin soon, so please give the investigation your all!" Monokuma cheered. "...Oh, right! I'm supposed to give you all this." After a few moments, my Monopad suddenly beeped once and vibrated. "The Monokuma File is a detailed report that summarizes-"

"All the info about the dead body, we know," Button glared. "I played through all three games, I told them all about it, we know what's up. Now just get the hell out of here, would ya?!"

"D'oh... fiiiiine," Monokuma slumped over dejectedly. "Man, you're so mean. Aren't you excited to be a part of Danganronpa 4? Of all the people who enjoyed the series, you'd think you-"

"FUCK OFF!" Indigo screamed in rage.

"Okay, geez, I'll fuck off..." Slumping even lower, Monokuma waddled off out of sight. We stood in silence for a minute or two, unsure of what to do first. While the threat of our own deaths if we failed was abated for now, it was still terrifying to know that one of us... had actually killed Dr. Hooves.

One of us was a murderer.

"Goddamnit... fuck!" Button shouted suddenly. "Fuck, I was hoping this would turn out different from the games! Why did one of you have to kill him?!"

"One of us did it... one of us really killed him..." Silver gulped.

"And now we must investigate this gruesome scene," Sunburst sighed sadly. "Oh, Dr. Hooves, my dear colleague... I barely knew thee."

"...Do we really have to investigate, though?" Sonata piped up slowly.

"What do you mean?! One of us murdered Dr. Hooves!" Sunset snapped. "Besides being a crime and illegal everywhere, the fact is that... that's just... horrible!"

"Yea, but... think about it," Sonata continued calmly. "The price we had to pay to get out of here was one death, as opposed to everyone if everything went as Button said it was supposed to. No matter what happens, the rest of us will not be harmed."

"...What are you getting at?" Flash's eyes narrowed.

"If the killer fools us all, they get to leave," she stared pointedly at us. "...They can go get help for the rest of us once they're free, while we just sit back and wait for that help to get here."

It felt like a bubble had popped in my mind. I stood straight up, my eyes wide and lips thinned. "That's... actually? Kind of a positive way to look at it."

"Yea, but... someone's still dead," Juniper cringed. "One of us still killed him."

"And who knows if they'll actually make it back to civilization or not?" asked Soarin'. "And even if they do, they'll probably still get thrown into jail for the murder after help's come."

"True, but one chance at our rescue is better than none," said Mountain.

"Who knows? Maybe the dude sacrificed himself so the killer could get out and get help," Ocean added.

"I... don't know about that..." Sunset pursed her lips. "It just feels so... wrong... not to investigate it and find the killer."

"I mean... what's done is done," Button looked away. "Nothing we do's gonna bring him back."

"It... would be the best course of action to take right now..." Sugarcoat frowned, staring at the ground in thought. "Don't get me wrong, I don't feel great about this, but..." She trailed off as we all began wondering what our next course of action really should be.

"...Ya know, ya do still gotta investigate and stuff," Monosuke finally spoke up.

"Oh, crap! You're still here?" Memento jumped.

"We never left," Monotaro grinned. "But Father does expect his campers to investigate and participate in the class trial."

"Daddy will be reeeally mad if you don't even try," Monophanie warned. "He hates laziness."

"He might even change his mind about the whole thing if ya piss him off too much!" Monokid laughed. "I know I would! We still wanna see you guys get it wrong!"

"Or if you guys get it right! Pops really loves it when he gets to execute someone!" said Monosuke.

"...Well that settles it," Indigo took an uneasy step back as the execution was mentioned. "I ain't doin' shit."

"Yea, why would we get our only chance at help executed?! That doesn't make any sense!" argued Sugarcoat.

"I get it... you guys don't wanna be responsible for the killer's death," Monotaro waved a paw in reassurance. "It always happens in the beginning. But..." All at once the Monokubs' red eyes gleamed, and not only did they retrieve their guns from behind their backs, all of the sentry guns in the immediate vicinity suddenly spun around and whirred to life, aiming directly at us. I froze as I watched three glowing red laser dots slide all over my chest, neck and face, going crosseyed as one of the dots traveled up my nose and right between my eyes. All around me, everyone cried out in terror.

"H-HEY! Y-YOU SAID WE WOULDN'T BE H-HARMED!" Kotenage stammered.

"That's as long as you follow the rules," Monophanie huffed in excitement. "And right now, you're getting awfully close to breaking them. Daddy said so."

"Papa Kuma's even gonna make it official!" Monokid taunted. Not even a second after he finished speaking, I heard and felt my Monopad beep once and vibrate again. Somewhat sheltered from the laser sights by the rest of our bodies, Sugarcoat grabbed her Monopad and checked to see what had happened.

"...Great... so much for that plan," she groaned and whined at the same time. "Rule 7: All campers are required to participate in the investigation and class trial. Refusal to do so, or negligence in your investigative and/or trial duties will be punished accordingly."

"O-Okay, okay! We'll i-investigate!" Juniper trembled violently. "D-Don't shoot u-u-us!" We all echoed similar terrified sentiments for what felt like hours before I opened my eyes and realized the guns and lasers had deactivated. I glanced over to the Monokubs, who appeared satisfied as they stowed their own weapons away, and I sighed heavily as I allowed my body to relax.

"Good. We'll be watching youuu..." Monotaro grinned. And with that, they recited their catchphrase as they scrambled away into the woods, quickly becoming lost among the shadows.


*So long, bear well!*


I took a few deep breaths to calm myself, everyone around me doing the same. A few people even collapsed onto the ground, clutching their chests in an attempt to steady their hearts. Maybe I shouldn't have assumed the best and let my guard down after all... no more debating ethics and morals, or putting it off for later. I no longer doubted for a second these bears would kill us for not putting on some kind of crime drama show for them.

"Shit... now we really have to investigate, huh?" Soarin' gulped, still shivering.

"W-Where do we even s-start?!" Juniper wailed. "I-I haven't even played a detective y-yet!"

"AND I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANY DETECTIVE ANIME OR MANGA!" Kotenage panicked.

"Alright... fuck, alright..." Button paced, breathing through his teeth. "Uh... we need someone to autopsy the body... Memento, can you do that?"

"Eh?" Memento pointed at herself in surprise.

"Yea, you work with dead people all the time!"

"Yea, but I don't do autopsies," she frowned. "A coroner does that."

"Well... mortician, coroner, same difference!" Button threw up his hands in the air.

"Whoawhoawhoa, nooooo, buddy," Memento shook her head and her hands in front of her. "My job is to pretty up the corpse for viewing. I get autopsied bodies, yes, but as far as a mortician is concerned, we only care about whether the body arrived with all of the organs it was supposed to come with, and what the autopsy did to the body for embalming purposes. We don't poke around looking for the cause of death!"

"...Really? Well," Sunburst blinked. "Shows what I know of the mortuary sciences."

"Well, I mean... you are the one who's done this sort of thing more than any of us have..." Flash looked away in slight disgust. "Can you at least try?"

Memento groaned loudly. "Fiiiiine... I guess I do know a bit about anatomy and stuff. But I wanted to investigate, too..."

"Uh... we also need at least two people to guard the crime scene, so the culprit can't tamper with evidence," interrupted Button.

"I SHALL DO IT," Kotenage asserted. "NO ONE WILL DARE TOUCH THE DEPARTED WHILE I'M AROUND."

"I-I'll do it, too," Ocean swallowed. "I'm... I don't have the eagle eyes my sister has."

"Alright... that goes for the rest of us - everyone's gotta pair up so nobody can hide evidence or anything. Uh, after you've finished your autopsy, Memento, you can investigate for yourself, 'kay?" asked Button.

"You got it," she answered, already pulling her hair up into a ponytail. She dug out an elastic from one of her scrub pockets and secured it, then she pulled out some gloves from another pocket and slid them onto her hands. She then grabbed the other loop of the surgical mask dangling from her ear and put it on proper.

My vision began to swirl as the gravity of the situation fully hit me. My legs wobbled and threatened to buckle... but now wasn't the time to sit and mope around. I swallowed the lump in my throat and forced my mind to focus. It was up to us to try to find Dr. Hooves killer... even if some of us didn't really want to, or felt it was wise to prod any further. Monokuma had seen to that.

Well, it looks like everyone's banding together and trusting each other, at least long enough to investigate...

I glanced over to Sunset, who had recovered and now wore a determined look on her face. She nodded at me once, and my heart calmed in an instant.

Sunset... you and I swore we wouldn't let anyone die here... well, that didn't work out, but now it's our duty to make sure we save as many people as possible... we can do this... together.

"Let's do this," I nodded back at Sunset. "I-It might not be the greatest idea, but it's not like we have a choice."


*Investigation Start*


"Well... I guess we should start with whatever Monokuma sent to our Monopads," Sunset suggested. I dug out my Monopad and tapped on the newly-added Monokuma File tab. A silhouette of a generic human body appeared, slowly rotating to reveal one thin, bright pink line on its back. Some text followed beneath it.

"The victim is Dr. Time Turner-Hooves, Ultimate Investigator," I read aloud. "Time of death is estimated to be 2:00am. The body was found lying directly behind a log between the Activities Cabin and the Fire Pit. Cause of death is a puncture wound to the back."

"Ugh, so much blood..." Sunset quivered. It was true, the body was practically lying in a pool of blood directly behind that log. There was a little bit of a bloody trail that dripped down the front of the log facing the fire pit, and a large stream on the other side that grew slightly wider as it fell into the pool.

"Hmm... if the wound is on the back, how did blood get on the log like that?" I asked. "He's facing the log and he's right up against it."

"Whoever did this must've propped him up like that," Ocean grimaced.

"Why, though?" I mumbled.

"Dunno. Now, if you'll excuse me..." Memento sighed as she pulled off Dr. Hooves' scarf, jacket and shirt, then grunted as she pulled the body from its right arm onto its stomach. I felt a wave of nausea claw its way up my throat as I glanced at the dark blotches that stained the right side of his body. "Hmm... yep, that's a stabbin' wound right there," she pointed to a thin, bloody slit almost directly in the center of the upper back, just to the left of the spine. Then she stuck her pinkie finger into the wound and wiggled it around, much to everyone's disgust.

"ACK! IS THAT REALLY NECESSARY?!" Kotenage whined.

"You want to know how it killed him, don't you?" she replied. "Hm... that's right about where the superior vena cava is, and that's a big artery... yea, that'd definitely do it. Might've even gone into his heart or left lung, but I'd need to open him up to be sure."

"Uh... you don't have to... do ya?" Ocean whimpered.

"Well, how much of an autopsy do you want me to do?" Memento asked as she withdrew her finger. "Other than that, all I can tell you is he's been outside all night, judging from the livor mortis and probable postmortem staining, and the lack of rigor mortis."

"THE... WHAT?" Kotenage gaped.

Memento sighed and pointed. "The dark areas where he's been lying dead all night, and the fact that he's not stiff. Cold environments make livor mortis and postmortem stains worse, but stops rigor mortis from happening. And it's fuckin' freezing out here, especially at night."

"I... see," Sunset cringed. While Memento poked and prodded at the body, Sunset and I turned to investigate the fire pit area. The fire had long since gone out, not even a single ember remained. There were remnants of pop cans and other metal bits buried in the ashes, but towards the very edge of the pit sat a scrap of blue plastic. Picking it up, it appeared to be part of one of the tarps that covered the firewood stacks along the sides of the Activities Cabin... and there were a couple streaks of dried blood on one side.

"Hey, this has blood on it," I showed Sunset.

"It looks like someone tried to burn it," she replied, pointing out the bubbled and blackened edges. "But this piece didn't burn up."

"If it has blood on it, the killer must've been trying to destroy it in the fire, then," I reasoned. "I wonder why...?" Sunset shrugged as I set it back down for the others to examine.

"Well, I don't think I see anything else suspicious around here... now what?" she asked. I hummed in thought, trying to think of what else we could do to investigate.

"...I did see Button, Indigo and Ocean still around the fire pit when I went to my cottage for the night," I remembered. "Maybe they saw something?"

"Maybe... though if one of them did it, it's not like they're gonna tell us."

"No, but maybe someone'll contradict them later on?"

"Oh! Right, right, duh..." Sunset slapped her forehead. We turned around to face Ocean as he watched Memento autopsy the body. I tried my best to avert my eyes from the sight, but the Ultimate Mortician sure wasn't making it easy.

"Hmm... does anyone have a pocketknife?" she asked, holding out her hand.

"Uh... oh! Here, I got this one from the Storage Shed the other day," Ocean flipped open one of his vest's pockets and took out an ordinary Swiss army knife.

"Thank ya much!" Memento replied as she took it, quickly flipping the knife open and sticking it into the wound a third of the way before stopping; if she had pushed it in any further, the wound would have split open and distorted. "...Nope, that's not it..."

"Aaanyway..." Sunset drawled as she forced herself to look at Ocean. "Can we ask you something?"

"Sure, yea," Ocean nodded, grimacing as he leaned away from the corpse.

"So you, Button and Indigo were hanging out here last night," I spoke. "You guys were still out here when I went back to my cottage... you didn't see anything out of the ordinary, did you?"

"I think I would've noticed someone getting stabbed right across from me," Ocean pursed his lips. "Even after I dozed off for a bit and woke up, I didn't see anything like this."

"Wait, you... fell asleep out here?" Sunset shrank back.

"During the middle of the night?!" I added incredulously.

"Yea! We were all sittin' and passin' the bowl around... guess I smoked too much and fell asleep. Indy did, too... the Poison Joke must've been too much for her," he chuckled.

"But it's freezing out here at night!" Memento raised an eyebrow.

"I know... I woke up when the fire was startin' to die out, must've been pretty late. I woke Indy up and we went to bed... Hm, Button wasn't around then, must've left before we did."

Is that so...?

"Wonder where he went," Sunset frowned. I opened my mouth to reply, but then I saw Silver walking with Soarin' towards the main cabin out of the corner of my eye, and remembered that it was her screaming that led me to discover the body.

"...Oh! Hey, Silver, can you come here for a minute?" I yelled.

"Uh... sure," she answered hesitantly, lingering for a moment before finally jogging over to us with Soarin' right behind her. She warily eyed the log where Dr. Hooves had been discovered. "What's up?"

"So, uh... I think you were the one who first discovered the body," I chewed on my upper lip anxiously.

"Y-Yea..." she nodded shakily.

"It was kinda close to the morning announcement," I continued. "You were coming out of the indoor pool area, right?"

"Yea, I've been getting up at 5am to do some swimming," she swallowed a breath of air to calm down. "To keep in shape, y-you know? You have to be real fit to race the kind of cars I drive."

"So you didn't see the body when you started swimming?" asked Sunset.

"No... the sun wasn't even up yet, so it was almost pitch black out. I could make out the shape of the Activities Cabin and the other cottages around me, but that's about it."

"I CAN ATTEST TO THAT," Kotenage broke in. "I BEGIN MY TRAINING AT 5AM, AS WELL. I DID SEE THE DOOR TO THE INDOOR POOL OPEN AS I MADE MY WAY BEYOND THE MAIN CABIN, THAT MUST'VE BEEN YOU."

"Punching more trees, huh?" asked Ocean.

"IT WILL HAVE TO DO... I DON'T THINK ANY OF YOU WOULD MAKE A SUITABLE SPARRING PARTNER."

"True... I wouldn't wanna get in a fight with ya, big guy," he nodded.

"BUT ANYWAY, I DIDN'T NOTICE ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY," Kotenage frowned.

"I see... alright, then," said Sunset. Silver nodded, took a few shaky steps back and just about ran away from the fire pit as fast as she could, with Soarin' calling out for her as he tried to follow.

Geez... finding the body really traumatized her, didn't it...?

"Alright... now what?" asked Sunset.

"Um..." I considered the clues we'd already found... if the killing blow was caused by a stab wound, then where were there plenty of objects to stab with? "...I think we should try the Kitchen next."

"Sounds good to me. Let's go."


~


We made our way to the Dining Hall, searching it just in case on our way to the kitchen. Though we found nothing, we did notice that the breakfast buffet was ready and sitting out. We grabbed some food and drinks we could easily carry with us and began to search the kitchen. Nothing stood out to me until I happened to look at the magnetic knife rack.

"...Huh? That doesn't look familiar..."

"What doesn't?" Sunset asked, shutting a refrigerator door and coming over to me. It gave me enough time to make a mental count, just to be sure.

"...There's more knives here than there was last night," I frowned, pointing to a space between the bread knife and utility knife. In that space was a long, very thin knife.

"Isn't that the boning knife Kotenage was asking about?"

"I think so... and see how thin the blade is? That looks like it'd fit the wound perfectly." I plucked the knife from the magnetic rack and stowed it away for later. Memento would probably be interested in it. Finding nothing else of use, we left the kitchen and headed for the Camp Store next. Just inside, Button and Sunburst checking the shelves.

"...Oh! Hey Button, can I ask you something?" I spoke.

"Huh? Oh, yea... shoot," he nodded once.

"You were out with Indigo and Ocean last night, right?" asked Sunset.

"Yea... we had ourselves a little smoke out, why?"

"Well, did you see anything suspicious? And Ocean says you weren't around when he and Indigo went back to their rooms."

"No, I don't think I saw anything," Button furrowed his brow in thought. "I felt a bit tired around 1:00am, I think? I did nudge Ocean and say I was heading for bed... he mumbled what sounded like an okay and seemed to be waking back up, so I put some more wood on the fire for them before I left."

"I see..." I commented as neutrally as I could manage. A beat of silence passed before Button sighed deeply and bowed his head.

"Fuck..." he spat in a whisper, "...I was really hoping this wouldn't happen... I was hoping I wouldn't have to live this game. Have you ever played it? It's a great story, but if it happened in reality, it'd be super fucked!" He gulped and turned his eyes to the floor. "And unlike the games, there's no save file, no second chances... one wrong answer, and that could be it for us!" He then made a hand gesture of a gun firing right into his right temple. "...Although this is a motive I've never heard of before. It's like the game's on easy mode, if nobody's gonna die for getting it wrong... but it's not gonna last forever."

"I know, but... don't worry," Sunset reached out to put a hand on his shoulder. "As long as everyone tries their best, and with your knowledge of how this game works? I don't think Monokuma will find any reason to think we're breaking his rules. We'll either make it through the trial, or... well, make it through the trial, but the killer will be found out."

"Yea, but... you do realize what'll happen to that killer if we find them?" he looked up. "Execution... bloody, violent and insultingly ironic. And we'll be forced to watch."

"So I've heard," I shivered, trying to shake the thought from my mind. "...I guess we'll just have to cross that bridge when we get to it."

"Man... I-I don't wanna watch someone fuckin' die... not in real life," Button swallowed. "I-I gotta... just pretend this is a game... yea... investigate everything, just like the game. I-I can do this..." he quietly reaffirmed himself, taking some slow, deep breaths.

"That's the spirit," Sunset clapped his shoulder with a smile. "We'll make it through as long as we work together. You got this!" But Button seemed less than convinced, as the last deep breath escaped his mouth in a shudder.

"...It's despair, you know..." Button spoke quietly. "That's his goal... Monokuma. He wants us all to learn what despair really is... I bet that's why he's making us do the investigation."

"Despair...?" I repeated.

"He's forcing us to investigate and not half-ass it... he wants us to find the killer and lose our chance at getting help," he explained further.

"Oh... yea, that's... that's pretty..." Sunset clenched her jaw.

"It would definitely make you feel despair," I grimaced, a dark pit forming in my stomach. "Damn... no wonder that last rule was added."

Button nodded. "At this point, I think we can only hope the killer didn't leave enough evidence behind to find them out... otherwise, well..."

"We have to give it our best shot," said Sunset, "...but for our sake? I hope you're right." An uncomfortable silence suffocated the air as I lamented our situation quietly. Button sighed and gave a nod of acknowledgement before he and Sunburst returned to their search. Sunset and I searched as well, but found nothing suspicious.

Next we decided to check the Laundry Room. Inside, Indigo and Sugarcoat were checking the shelves of supplies.

"Hey, Indigo, can we ask you something?" said Sunset.

"What'chu wanna know?" she replied, Sugarcoat silently glaring as she watched our conversation.

"You, Button and Ocean were the last people I saw outside near the fire pit... you didn't see anything weird, did you?" I asked.

"Nah... I nodded off at some point, didn't wake up until Ocean woke me," she yawned, cracking her neck. "We went back to our rooms after that... I think it was like, almost 3:00am when I crashed for the night." That bit of information shook me to my core.

Dear Celestia... Dr. Hooves was lying dead just a few yards away, and they didn't even notice...!

"I-I see..." Sunset swallowed, perhaps realizing the same horrific thought that I had. "...Really? Nothing?"

"Really. Nothing," she parroted. "The fire was going out so it was kinda dark, but it's not like I tripped over anything on the way back. You'd definitely have heard me saying some real shit if I stumbled upon a dead body."

I don't doubt that.

"Okay... well, thanks anyway," I waved. Sunset and I did a quick search of the laundry room ourselves, but found nothing. Sugarcoat kept a careful eye on us right up until we left.


~


We searched the rest of the campgrounds and found nothing suspicious, so we then decided to return to the fire pit and ask Memento her opinion on the boning knife. As we approached, I noticed Kotenage looking on with his face contorted into sheer disgust, while Ocean was covering his eyes. I steeled myself for what I could possibly see next... but it wasn't enough.

"Hey Memento, whaaaAAT THE HELL?!" Sunset stumbled backwards suddenly. The body soon came into my view, and I stood dumbstruck as I saw what she was doing.

"Hm?" Memento looked up innocently as some of Dr. Hooves' left ribs hinged back into place. Despite the fact that the decedent's torso had been cut open, his entire left rib cage had been separated from his sternum, and what appeared to be his left lung was sitting on a towel beside her, there was remarkably little blood on her scrubs. "What's up?" she asked as her hands dug back into the rib cage.

"I... uh..." I stammered, barely able to hold onto the boning knife any longer.

"...Oh! Is that the murder weapon?" Memento asked nonchalantly, taking it from my grasp. I took the opportunity to wobble backwards a good ways before falling on my butt, nearly losing what little breakfast I'd scarfed down.

"What... what the hell are you doing...?!" Sunset gagged.

"An autopsy, what does it look like?" Memento replied. "...Or, at least what I think an autopsy is like." She wiggled a hand around inside what I could only guess was the corpse's pericardium. "...Yep! Pierced the heart all the way through the superior vena cava! I was right!"

"...Did you really have to do that?" I spoke carefully, worried that if I opened my mouth too wide I might throw up. Memento didn't answer right away, instead propping the body up on its left side and carefully sliding the knife into the thin slit.

"Yep, that's the murder weapon!" she nodded after peering into the empty lung cavity. "Fits perfectly."

"WHAT IN HEAVEN'S NAME HAVE I JUST WITNESSED..." Kotenage lamented, his cheeks bulging as though he couldn't take much more of this.

"Oh, please... I've fixed worse bodies than this," Memento waved a hand dismissively as she wiped the knife clean. "Gimme a double curved suture needle and some dental floss and he'll be good as new!"

...

...

...

Silence.

Horrified silence.

"...Kinda. I mean... he's dead after all," she shrugged.


*ding dong, bing bong*


"Oh goddamn it," Memento huffed. The monitors buzzed back to life, revealing Monokuma feasting on his desk buffet and champange.

"Alright!" he beamed. "It's time for what you've all been waiting for... the class trial! Please assemble around the Fire Pit!" And just as quickly as they had turned on, the monitors shut themselves back off.

"Maaan..." Memento screwed up her lips in annoyance. "...Welp, better cover him up, at least. The others'll probably think I did it if they see the body mid-autopsy." Kotenage gratefully disappeared inside the storage shed momentarily, bringing out a plain sheet of fabric to lay over the deceased. "Alright, note to self: the pocketknives are sharp enough to pass for scalpels, but the screwdriver does not make a good aneurysm hook..."

I refrained from asking Memento what in Celestia's name she meant by "aneurysm hook" as the others slowly began to gather around. A few minutes later, and everyone was present.

"So, what? Are we gonna have the trial around the fire pit?" asked Soarin'.

"Ugh, like that 'Survivor' show?" Sugarcoat cringed. "Are we gonna vote with torches or something equally stupid?"

Suddenly, as if in response, the ground began to rumble. To our surprise, the concrete circle around the fire pit sank slowly until it was about a foot lower than ground level. The exposed earth was surrounded by slick metal.

"Is that... an elevator?" Flash asked.

"Sure looks like it," said Button. "And there's always an elevator leading to the Trial Room."

"D-Do we have to get on?" Silver whined. "T-The body is right b-behind us..." Everyone stared uncomfortably at the sheet-covered corpse, slowly staining the cloth with blood and bodily fluids as it laid near the edge of the elevator shaft.

"...I ain't movin' it," Indigo held up her hands.

"Just... just ignore it..." Sugarcoat looked away. "Right now, we need to focus on finding the killer... unfortunately."

"Ain't that a load of shit," Ocean muttered. "We really can't just let 'em go?"

"Not unless you wanna get shot full of holes," Mountain grimaced.

"Well... let's get this over with," Button motioned as he stepped onto the elevator. Sunset was the next to step aboard, a gaze of determination on her face. I watched as she stood there, trying to calm my nerves before I did the same.

This is it... not only has one of us been murdered, but now Monokuma's gonna make us try our best at the trial, and make us lose our chance at getting help... Celestia help me, what a terrible situation...

I had no choice. I stepped onto the elevator beside Sunset, and waited as the others soon followed. As soon as the last person stepped down onto the concrete, the floor rumbled and began sinking deep into the earth at a grinding pace. The sky above grew smaller and dimmer until the tunnel was almost completely dark, at which point the fire pit suddenly roared to life all on its own, nearly singeing those who had been sitting on its ledge just before. The deeper we traveled, the more the air around us moistened and warmed, filling my nose with sulfur. Soon the heat was sweltering, nearly painful, as if we were being condemned to the lowest pits of Tartarus.

What was going to happen next? Were we going to find out who the killer is, avenging Dr. Hooves' death, but then having our hopes of rescue executed before our eyes? Just how hard would Monokuma make us try to solve the case?

My mind was quickly lost within a maelstrom of conflicting emotions as we descended into the unknown.
> A Guide in the Darkness - Deadly Life 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

After what felt like an eternity of waiting, the elevator creaked and clunked to a halt. Looking upwards I could only barely see a pinprick of sky above, making me wonder just how deep within the earth we really were. The fire pit in the center extinguished itself, leaving us in temporary darkness until a pair of large, thick metal doors slid open to my right. A whoosh of cold air rushed in, offering respite from the hot, moist, sulfuric miasma we'd all been stewing in.

I gasped as soon as I laid my eyes upon the Trial Room. Spacious and imposing, the tall ceiling disappeared into darkness above, and the walls were surrounded by three rows of wooden benches, cordoned off by a wrought-iron fence tipped with sharp points. Above those were massive stained glass windows in various shades of angry red and gray, with what could've been interpreted as a sunbeam shining down from the heavens in one frame. The floor was covered in concentric rings of blue carpeting that lightened as they edged towards the center of the room, where sixteen blue lecterns with white surfaces sat in a ring. Over to one side, a wooden throne decorated with red banners sat high above us atop a small stage.

And atop that small stage, the Monokubs were standing, watching us eagerly. "Welcome to the class trial!" they shouted in unison.

"Oh boy!" Monotaro beamed. "The class trial is finally starting! Finally, a game that actually feels like a game!"

"Just as the prophecy foretold!" Monokid drooled, his tongue suddenly way too long for his own mouth to handle.

"Prophecy...?" Sunset muttered under her breath, glaring at Monokid in disgust.

"Listen up," Monosuke grinned deviously, "from here on, things are gonna get so violent you'll wish you could turn back."

"...T-That's not true," gulped Monophanie. "There won't be any... gory or violent scenes... I'm positive!" To my right I heard Button let out a loud, sarcastic chuckle.

"Never seen a courtroom like this before," commented Sonata.

"Do we really have to do this?" Indigo whined. "This is so fuckin' dumb..." Just then Monokuma hopped up onto the small stage from somewhere below and clambered up onto the throne.

"Of course! Putting strangers in life or death scenarios is the best entertainment!" he grinned.

"I fuckin' knew it," Soarin' grumbled. "This is all being televised..."

"Oh my god, you really suck," snarled Sugarcoat. Monokuma laughed.

"Suck or not, those who have fun are the real winners in this world!" he replied. "It doesn't matter what terrible things you do or are done to you, as long as you're having fun! Now, then... there are podiums over there. Please stand behind the one with your name on it."

We walked around the lecterns until we found those with our names on them, and took our places. Unfortunately, mine was situated directly across from Monokuma and his Kubs, who pulled out some plush stools to sit on. From my position, in a clockwise order, Juniper stood to my left, followed by Silver, Memento, Indigo, Sunburst, Mountain, Flash, Button directly across from me, then Sonata, Sugarcoat, Soarin', Sunset, Ocean, and finally Kotenage to my right. Between Sunset and Ocean was the empty lectern of Dr. Hooves, but in his place was a portrait of his face on a stand. It was bordered by a black-painted wooden frame with a black and silver ribbon draped over the top to the sides. The portrait itself was in grayscale, except for a large, sloppily-painted X in bright, hot pink that covered the entirety of his face.

Poor Dr. Hooves... I didn't know him all that well, but he didn't deserve to die. Even if it turned out that he and someone else had made a suicidal pact in order to get help... they could've murdered him somewhere he could've been more comfortable.

In fact... the more I thought about the clues Sunset and I had uncovered, the less I was sure that any pact had been made after all. One of us had seemingly specifically murdered the Ultimate Investigator, someone who would've been a huge help in a murder investigation... was it really just a coincidence? Did the killer target him so they could ensure they fooled us all and could leave? Could we even trust that killer to come back for the rest of us?

Unfortunately for us, regardless of what we believed the motive to be, of our trust in the culprit to return with help if they escaped... we had to do our best to solve this mystery. The Monokubs had seen to that. Our hope for rescue was being ripped from our grasp, partially by our own two hands.

I could only hope that the culprit had truly made their murder too difficult for us to solve.


*Class Trial! All Rise!*


"Ahem! Now then, let's begin with a basic explanation of the class trial," Monokuma announced. "During the trial you'll present your arguments for who the culprit is, and vote for 'whodunnit'. Vote correctly, and only the blackened will be punished. But if you pick the wrong person? I'll punish everyone besides the blackened, and that person may leave the campgrounds!"

My heart pounded against my ribs. There was an uncomfortable beat of silence before Monokuma spoke again. "...Of course, that's what I'll say if and when this happens again. This time, and this time only! ...If you pick the wrong person, the blackened may still leave the campgrounds, while the rest of you will simply enjoy an extended stay."

"...Stay of execution, maybe," Memento muttered, glancing at Monokuma.

"Okay... so..." Sunset began, quickly losing her confidence. "...Er, anyone here been in a trial before? What do we do?"

"Don't take the lead if you don't know what you're doing!" Sugarcoat chided.

"Well, if this is just like the games, then I can lead us," said Button. "Uh... first, we should talk about the state of the body. Like... what was off about it."

"Lots was off about it, he's fuckin' dead!" Indigo snapped, holding her head in her hands.

"No, no... besides that. Let's talk about how we found Dr. Hooves," Button shook his head slowly. "Okay... so, the victim was found just a bit before Nighttime ended, right?"

"Right," Silver shuddered. "I-I saw him lying against the sitting log between the Activities Cabin and the Fire Pit, j-just as I was leaving the Indoor Pool room."

"IT WAS CLOSE TO 7:45AM, NO? I TOO WAS WRAPPING UP MY DAILY EXERCISES AND RETURNING TO MY COTTAGE FOR A SHOWER," added Kotenage.

"And apparently, he died around 2:00am," Juniper narrowed her eyes in thought. "Someone must've hid the body during the night and then dragged him out to be discovered in the morning!"

...What? No, I'm pretty sure that didn't happen... I glanced over to Sunset, who frowned as her eyes darted back and forth, undoubtedly mentally sorting through all of the clues. It was enough of a visual cue for me to follow my gut.

"Wait, that's not right!" I shouted in alarm, drawing everyone's eyes on me. "Ah... I don't think Dr. Hooves was hidden anywhere... when we searched the log, Sunset and I didn't see any drag marks on the ground."

"Yea, that's right," Sunset's eyes widened, looking up from her lectern. "There was a big trail of blood on the backside of the log, like whoever did it just let him slide right off."

"If he was hidden elsewhere, there would be a trail of bloody drag marks," remarked Flash.

"And the body's condition confirms he was left like that all night," added Memento. "If he was dragged somewhere sheltered from the cold, there'd be a little bit of rigor mortis in his face and neck... they're both still floppy."

"F-Floppy...?!" Ocean cringed.

"Plus the lividity and postmortem staining shows that he never left the position in which we found him," she continued.

"Right... so, if anything, the culprit maybe just propped him up against the log and left him there," I reasoned. "Between the darkness of the night, the dying campfire and the light and shadows it'd cast, that was probably all the hiding the culprit needed."

"I d-definitely didn't see him when I went to the indoor pool this morning," nodded Silver. "S-Sunrise hadn't even happened yet."

Sugarcoat glared at her from across the room. "You were practically right next to the body, how did you not see it?"

"Wh-What do you mean?" Silver bit her lip. "I went to the indoor pool to swim, it's not like I opened the door and then decided to l-look behind me."

"Well, it would seem that you're insisting that you had no knowledge of it being there," she replied in a cold, clinical tone. "I think it's not out of the question to suggest that you wanted to check and see if the body was still where you left it."

"...Hey, y-you're not trying to say I did it, are you?!" Silver gasped.

"Am I?" Sugarcoat asked calmly, her face dangerously blank. Silver began to tremble as everyone's eyes turned towards her. While I shivered at the sheer frigidity in Sugarcoat's voice, a thought bubbled to the surface in my mind.

No... I can prove Silver's innocence here!

"Wait, that's not right!" I shouted again. "Kotenage, didn't you say you left your cottage to exercise at around the same time as Silver?"

"SOU SOU," Kotenage nodded. "I WAS WALKING TO THE FOREST BEHIND THE MAIN CABIN, AND AS I WAS DOING SO I SAW THE DOOR TO THE INDOOR POOL OPEN. SILVER WENT INSIDE BUT A SECOND LATER, AND THE DOOR CLOSED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY."

"Did you see her turn her head?" asked Flash. "Judging by where we found the body, she would've been looking to the right if she had seen it."

"...NO, I DON'T BELIEVE SO," Kotenage answered after a moment of thought.

"Oh, and we're supposed to believe that?!" snapped Juniper.

"It's fine for now," Soarin' sighed, holding up his hands in front of him. "It's hardly enough evidence to pin it on her, and there's tons of things we haven't gone over yet."

"Can't we just vote now?" Sonata groaned, rolling her eyes. She was slumped over her lectern resting her cheek in one hand.

"They said we have to at least try to figure this out," Button swallowed as he briefly turned to face the Monokubs, who merely smiled and waved back as their red eyes gleamed. "A-Anyway, I think we've confirmed that the body was never moved after the murder, now... um..."

"We could talk about the murder weapon," Memento broke the silence as she produced the boning knife from one of her scrub pockets. "This was found in the Kitchen."

"AH! I KNEW I SAW A BONING KNIFE IN THERE EARLIER!" Kotenage's eyes lit up. Indigo and Ocean snickered quietly at their podiums.

"Did you, now?" Sugarcoat turned, focusing her cool ire on the Ultimate Rikishi.

"HAI... AND BEFORE YOU BEGIN SUGGESTING ANYTHING, NO, I DID NOT STEAL THE KNIFE I WISHED TO USE FOR PREPARING OUR MEAL LAST NIGHT."

"Is that so...?" Sugarcoat stared down her nose at Kotenage, almost appearing bored.

"I ASKED YOU ALL IF ANY OF YOU HAD SEEN IT. IF I WAS TO PLAN A MURDER WITH IT, WHY WOULD I ALERT YOU ALL TO THE FACT THAT IT WAS MISSING?"

...That's a good point. Not to mention...

"Yea, I can agree with that!" I nodded. "We even checked the magnetic knife rack together, remember? None of them appeared to be missing at the time."

"That doesn't mean anything," Sugarcoat sneered. "The knives were simply spaced out more evenly to hide the fact that it was gone."

"But he's right, though," Sunset chimed in. "Unless it really was missing, why would Kotenage have asked about it? If it turned out that he had stolen the knife, then he'd just make himself suspicious."

"He could be playing some sort of 4D chess with us," Juniper hummed.

"...No, that doesn't seem reasonable," said Sunburst. "I would agree with Miss Starlight here, and assert the notion that Mr. Kotenage here really believed the knife to be missing."

"But are we sure it's the murder weapon?" asked Mountain. "Surely there are quite a few knives around for the culprit to choose from."

"I'm sure... it fit the hole perfectly," said Memento. Indigo's and Ocean's snickering grew louder.

"...YOU GUYS DON'T WANNA KNOW HOW SHE FIGURED THAT OUT. TRUST ME," Kotenage added queasily.

"Right... so, if the knife was missing from the kitchen from yesterday evening until this morning, the killer must've put it back at some point in between," Button stated.

"It couldn't have been during the night... the Dining Hall and the kitchen by extension were both closed," I reasoned.

"Huh? It might be closed, but it isn't like the whole joint is locked up tight, is it?" asked Indigo.

"It's kinda freakish how locked up it is, actually," I frowned. "There's chains covering the doors and everything."

"Alright..." Flash spoke slowly. "...So, then the culprit must've put it back while we were all looking for clues."

"We all split up into pairs for that," remarked Soarin'. "I guess it's not out of the question for the innocent one of the two to not notice anything."

"...Or maybe they're happily covering for them," Sugarcoat grumbled, her eyes shifting back and forth in suspicion.

"Boy, you sure don't have much trust in anyone." Sunset pressed her lips into a thin line as their eyes met.

"Why should I? You remember why we're all down here in the first place, right? Because one of us is a fucking murderer," she snapped back.

"Yea, but-"

"Just forget about her," Sonata sighed, clearly bored with the conversation. "So she doesn't trust anyone right now. Fine, go ahead, but let's just keep going." Sunset stared at her incredulously for a moment.

"I... but... friendship and trust is important..." she muttered, slumping in resigned defeat.

"I know... I'm sure we'll get to that part of the plot soon enough," I nodded knowingly in her direction.

"Uh huh," Soarin' drawled. "Anyway, I don't think there's any point in throwing out random accusations and seeing what sticks. We should focus on the last people who were in the area, or the last people to see him alive... that always seems to work out."

"Well, there were three people outside before it happened... Button, Indigo, and... my brother," Mountain frowned.

"Yea, that's right... I saw them still around the fire pit when I returned to my cottage for the night," I replied. Everyone else nodded in agreement.

"Uh... I-I didn't do it," Ocean shrank his head down towards his shoulders as he eyed us all.

"D-Don't look at me! I didn't fuckin' kill anyone," Indigo took a step back from her lectern.

"Me either," said Button, "...though right now, all we really have is our word, huh?"

"Indeed," Sugarcoat drawled. "So, we're all going to need your accounts of what happened that night."

"Yea, and no pleading the 5th!" Juniper pointed aggressively.

"Wouldn't dream of committing perjury," Button smirked. "Alright, uh... well, we passed the bowl around and talked all evening."

"Yea... strong shit, though, I think I nodded off around midnight, maybe?" added Indigo.

"Nah, you hung on a bit longer than that," Ocean grinned. "I know I fell asleep around 12:30am or so."

"It wasn't that long... I was talking about the last gaming tournament I played in, and I didn't realize you two had zonked out in the middle of it," Button chuckled. "It was like 1:00am when I finally noticed!"

"You did? The fuck didn't you wake us, then?!" Indigo shouted.

"I did! Or, at least I nudged Ocean awake," Button shrugged. "He seemed like he was waking back up and then he'd wake you up too, so I threw another log on the fire for you guys before heading to bed myself."

"Did I?" Ocean pursed his lips while scowling in thought. "I don't remember."

"Maybe we did... but we must've passed out again, next thing I remember is you waking me up and Button having peaced out," Indigo pointed to Ocean. "The fire was mostly out by then."

"Didn't feel like getting more wood, either," he nodded in agreement.

"Yea, so we went to bed- IN SEPARATE COTTAGES, Sugarcoat," Indigo yelled while the latter rolled her eyes. "I remember the clock said 3:00am just before crashing."

"Well, that seems perfectly above board," commented Sunburst.

"Not really... that just means that either one of them is a fucking liar, or someone else is a sneaky fucking liar," growled Sugarcoat.

"The Monokuma File says that Dr. Hooves was killed at 2:00am, while Indigo and Ocean became drowsy and fell asleep sometime before that, and then woke up and returned to their rooms at 3:00am," said Sunset. "If those two are telling the truth, that means they slept right through Dr. Hooves' murder..."

"Ugh... now that you say it like that..." Ocean shivered.

"S-Shouldn't we have woken up? You know, t-to the sweet s-sounds of s-someone being brutally fucking murdered right in f-front of us...?" Indigo snarked through chattering teeth.

"...Perhaps not," Sunburst admitted. "If the culprit took the victim by surprise, then I see no reason to doubt that the murder was silent."

"Well, if they made any noise... we all probably would've been asleep by then, and nobody heard anything," Flash frowned.

If the victim made a noise as they were being killed, it might not have been heard... wait... didn't I hear a strange sound in the middle of the night?

...

...

...Oh! I know!

"Wait... I-I think I heard something," I spoke up. "I couldn't really fall asleep last night, and at some point, I could've sworn I heard an owl or something."

"You did?" Mountain turned her head towards me in curiosity. "How certain are you?"

"Well... I had my window by my bed open," I recounted, only now remembering my experiment with the endless geothermally-heated water from the shower. In my haste this morning I had completely forgotten to sense whether the cottage was any warmer than usual. "I'm pretty sure it came from outside, but it was only one hoot, then that was it."

"I see... strange," Mountain mused.

"Is it? We are in the middle of the woods in the middle of nowhere," Sugarcoat sneered.

"I suppose you city-types wouldn't have noticed," Mountain continued, "but ever since we all woke up here, I have yet to see a single living animal... no beasts, birds nor bugs, not even any tracks or droppings. It's as though their instincts are telling them to avoid this place at all costs."

"Hey, yea..." Ocean nodded slowly. "I haven't even seen a bird fly by overhead, or bugs and frogs during the night, or anything."

"So? Maybe one just finally showed up last night," said Silver.

"MUCH LIKE A BAD OMEN," Kotenage added nervously.

"I don't know..." Mountain hummed. "But, I can't say what else it might've been."

So the Ultimate Hunter doesn't think I heard an owl after all... but I know I heard something! What could it have been...?

...

...

...Oh! I know!

"Wait... wait a minute," I gasped slowly, my eyes widening. "It was just one single noise, what if... what if the noise wasn't from an animal, but came from... t-the V I C T I M?"

"The victim?" Sunset parroted.

"Yea... maybe what I heard was... the sound of Dr. Hooves getting s-stabbed..." I swallowed hard, feeling a wave of nausea roiling up my throat. "L-Like he tried to shout for help, but was quickly silenced."

"It's definitely possible," said Memento. "A puncture like that'll give you at least a few seconds of consciousness before passing out and dying. Maybe he did try to call for help, and then the killer shut his mouth so he couldn't."

"H-How terrible..." Silver whimpered.

"So, that's figured out, I guess," Juniper pressed on, unnerved. "But, uh... there was so much blood around the body, like... pressurized for show-levels of blood. Wouldn't the killer have gotten blood all over them while moving the body behind the log?"

"Ah, right... that would've made a huge mess," Flash grimaced.

"Not unless the culprit used something to keep themselves clean," reasoned Sunburst. "Was there anything that could be used as such nearby?"

"Er... nothing that'd make sense," Button frowned, rolling his eyes and pursing his lips as he wracked his brain. "I checked the Storage Shed and it didn't look like anyone had taken anything like that."

...No, wait, there was something else no one's mentioned yet... and it could keep a culprit from getting all bloody!

"Oh, I know!" I exclaimed after a few moments. "In the fire pit, among the ashes and burnt trash, there was a piece of blue plastic tarp with some blood on it."

"There was?" Button perked up.

"Right!" Sunset chimed in. "It was partially melted, like someone tried to burn it."

"If it has blood on it, then it's probably the victim's blood," Sugarcoat glared at the floor as she brought her fist to her chin in thought. "So the tarp was definitely involved."

"Eh... how so?" asked Silver. "Tarps are generally huge and flimsy and make noise when you move them... wouldn't those factors make the killer not want to use it?"

"I dunno... it'd definitely keep the blood off of you if the murder was messy... which I think we all believe that it was," said Soarin'.

"How would you hold onto the knife, then? Just holding the tarp up with one hand would leave your other arm exposed and bloody," said Sonata.

"Not if you grabbed the knife through the tarp, so there's always that layer of plastic between the killer and victim," Mountain explained. "And depending on how fresh or wet the fire was, the crackling could possibly drown out the noise of the tarp being moved."

"Plus if the killer approached the victim from behind, then they wouldn't have to worry about their shadow tipping them off!" added Juniper.

"Shit, yea! Okay, so that's probably how the tarp factors in," said Button. "I think we're getting a good idea of how the murder played out."

"Yea, but we still don't know who did it!" Ocean wailed. "Isn't that the important part?!"

"True... although, if Button had returned to his cottage at 1:00am, then that leaves you and Miss Indigo as our primary suspects," Sunburst spoke carefully.

"W-What?! But I didn't fuckin' do it!" Indigo shouted.

"Y-Yea! N-Neither did I!" added Ocean.

"It has to be one of you two," Sugarcoat scowled. "You were the only ones still outside when Dr. Hooves was murdered at 2:00am. You both admitted that neither of you returned to your cottages until 3:00am. Therefore, one of you must've faked being asleep and murdered the poor doctor, and Zaps, I am very disappointed in you," she finished haughtily.

"Fuck... now I wish I woke all the way up when Button nudged me," Ocean grumbled.

"You?! What about me?! I don't have anything to do with this shit at all!" Indigo pointed furiously. "Besides, what the fuck was he even doing outside at that hour?!"

"Yea... hey, yea! No matter how baked I got, I think I'd remember if he came out to match with us," Ocean agreed. "He doesn't seem like the type at all."

"...You know? That's a good point," Memento piped up. "I don't remember him smelling like smoke all that much when I autopsied him."

"If anything, that was probably me... I kinda reek right now," Ocean glanced away, slightly embarrassed.

"You said it," Indigo cringed as she crudely sniffed her own armpit. "I was about to hop in the shower, but then that fuckin' body announcement discovery came on and I had no time."

Sunburst and Memento leaned away from Indigo in disgust. One of my eyebrows raised as I noticed that Sonata began sniffing the air around her. She sniffed to her right, then her left, then above her before sniffing to the right again, edging closer and closer to Button.

"Uh... can I help you...?" Button grimaced as he leaned away, only for Sonata to lean in more. Finally, after one extra-long sniff, she stood up straight with a puzzling look.

"You know... for someone who spent hours beside a campfire last night, you sure don't smell like it," she spoke, slowly and evenly.

"Uh... wh-whaddya mean?"

"Well... you should smell like campfire smoke," Sonata stated. "But you don't. In fact..." she paused as she took another deep breath through her nose, "...you don't even smell like you've been reveling and partaking in anything last night."

"O-Oh..." Button tried to reply, but his eyes had widened almost to the point they were bugging out, and his lips were pressed firmly shut. The others stared at him with mixed emotions.

He doesn't smell like campfire smoke...?

And all of a sudden, I knew.

I gasped as I realized I was now certain of the culprit's identity. The one who had murdered Dr. Hooves in cold blood.

The thought that that person, the one who warned us about everything that would happen to us in this killing game, had deliberately gone against their own advice... it made me feel sick to my stomach. But even the twisting and churning of my innards was overruled by the furious maelstrom of emotions running through my mind. The hypocrisy, the sheer audacity of this betrayal was nothing short of enraging.

"...Button? There had better be a good explanation as to why you washed your clothes," I glowered.
> A Guide in the Darkness - Deadly Life 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I... uh..." Button mumbled, suddenly feeling very self-conscious as everyone's heads swiveled to look at him.

"I don't get it... what's having laundered clothes have to do with the case?" asked Flash.

"He was outside by the Fire Pit for hours with Indigo and Ocean," explained Sunset. "He should smell just as bad as they do."

"But he doesn't, as Sonata just demonstrated... which can only mean he washed his clothes at some point before the body discovery announcement!" I finished.

"That... but..." Sunburst stammered. "Button's the one who's been warning us about the killing game ever since we learned about it, why would he go against his own advice?"

"Y-Yea, why would I?" Button nodded shakily.

"He could've just put new clothes on," suggested Juniper. "A-And maybe sprayed himself with a bunch of deodorant!"

"Could've also just had himself a ho's bath," added Indigo. "You know... pits, tits and ass? He doesn't need to completely shower."

New clothes...? ...No, wait, if Kotenage mentioned that his silk robe was the only one he had while he was here, then none of us should have...

"Wait, that's not right!" I shot in. "Button couldn't have just put a new set of clothes on... none of us have any spare outfits!"

"Ghh-!" Button hissed.

"This is true... I've been wearing the same thing all this time," Silver looked down at herself in mild disdain. "The only other spare clothes around here are my pajamas and the tacky souvenir clothes in the camp store."

"SOU SOU... THIS IS THE ONLY SILK ROBE I HAVE WHILE I'M HERE," Kotenage nodded in agreement.

"I... haven't even opened any of the packs of spare underwear in my drawers, in case those bears did something to them," Sugarcoat muttered under her breath. "I've been washing mine in the sink every night."

"Whoa... paranoid, much?" Mountain raised an eyebrow.

"Hey, until just a few hours ago, I was the only one taking this shit here seriously!" she retorted. "Who knows what else those bears have done?!"

"Right, right, let's forget about that for now," Sunset grumbled as she shook her hands. "Look, point is, we all only have the one set of clothes, and Button washed his. Now what does that mean?"

"Well... you wash your clothes if you get something on them, right?" suggested Flash. "So... he must've gotten something on them."

"Y-Yea, like some mud or sap from the firewood," Button agreed quickly... almost too quickly. "Looks awful on a white shirt like mine!" While the others mulled it over with varying degrees of trust, I couldn't help but feel suspicious.

Hrm... I feel like the answer is staring me right in the face. If I just take a minute to think this through...

...Why would Button need to wash his clothes before morning? ...Because he got something on them, most likely. And what could possibly have gotten on his clothes that would make him need to wash them? ...Yea, blood would definitely do it. Now, where could the blood have come from, where it would've gotten on his clothes? ...Oh! The plastic tarp in the fire pit!

I can answer that!

"I really don't think you washed your clothes because of tree sap," I spoke. "I think... you got blood on yourself by accident."

"Uh..." Button mouthed dumbly, his pupils shrinking.

"H-How do you figure?" Ocean stuttered.

"Well, we know the killer used the plastic tarp to keep the blood off of themself," I explained. "But then when they went to burn the tarp in the fire... I dunno, maybe the wind picked up, or the tarp crinkled the wrong way, but somehow the killer wound up getting blood on themselves anyway."

"Yea... and that would've been a dead giveaway if you didn't wash your clothes," Sunset nodded, her eyes widening.

"I... n-no...!" Button weakly tried to argue. "I-I swear, I really got sap on m-me!"

"I've gotten sap on me, and you don't see me washing everything because of it," Mountain shrugged.

"Y-Yea, but you're a hunter! A woodswoman!" he snapped back.

"Me too... I mean, we all kind of have more important things to worry about here than keeping our clothes spotless," Flash shrugged.

"Besides, you never really struck me as the... meticulous type," Silver bit her lip, trying to be diplomatic.

"You have kind of stunk ever since we all got here," Sugarcoat's nose curled as she edged away from Button.

"Wha- but Indy and Ocean had weed, too!" Button shouted.

"Yea, but... you really reeked, man," Indigo drew her lips into a thin line. "Like... 'you hadn't showered in a week' levels of reek."

"BY THE GODS... DON'T TELL ME YOU'RE ONE OF THOSE KINDS OF OTAKU," Kotenage recoiled in disgust.

"No... no! Damn it, the last thing I remember before coming here, I'd just finished a 24-hour gaming marathon for charity!" Button shrieked, banging his fists on his podium. "I'm not that much of a no-life neckbeard!"

"Maybe not," I cut in, pointing straight at Button. "...But it's the only explanation that makes sense. You washed your clothes to hide the fact that you killed Dr. Hooves!"

"I..." Button's voice died in his throat as he surveyed the room, all eyes leering angrily right at him as Monokuma and the Kubs watched with glee. Slowly, he breathed heavily, his eyes threatening to grow so large they'd fall out of his head. He clapped a palm over his face and pulled it down, clenching his teeth... and he began to softly, brokenly laugh. "You... you guys really want to keep going down this dialogue path?"

"I mean... it's not looking good for you right now," Memento replied.

"I know, I know! But... d-don't you guys remember? The motive?" his voice cracked. "I... alright, yea... I did it. But only so I could get out and go for help! The rest of you will be fine... one of us had to take one for the team, ya know? In order to go get help!"

"Oh... right..." Sunset breathed. In an instant, most of the angry glares were suddenly placated, although Sugarcoat continued her silent judgment. A nauseating sense of realization plunked into my stomach and dragged it down to the floor.

In the heat of solving the murder... we had forgotten what would've been best for our group... I had forgotten what would've been best for us all.

Crap, that's right... if the killer wins, they can leave... and they'd be our best shot at escape!

"No..." Juniper gasped quietly. "I-If we find the true k-killer... he can't escape and send h-help..."

Silence reigned for a few moments, up until Indigo slammed her palm shakily on her lectern. "No, wait... I-I did it!"

"I did it, t-too!" Ocean shouted before Indigo's mouth had even closed.

"No, i-it was me!" Silver shuddered, tears forming in her eyes. "I lied, o-oops!"

"I did it!" Soarin' yelled. "I-I wasn't even around, but it was totally me!"

"NO, I DID IT!" Kotenage roared. Suddenly everyone except Flash, Sunset, Sugarcoat and myself were shouting that they were, in fact, the killer, like some kind of bastardized version of the movie Stallicus. The desperation tore at my heart as everyone tried their hardest to pretend we hadn't just solved a murder together...

...Well, almost everyone.

"Oh for fuck's sake, give it up, you guys!" Sugarcoat scolded. "It was fucking Button, of all people... he killed Dr. Hooves! He's guilty!"

"No... I-It wasn't me! You can't prove I did it... you can't prove I was out there when he was murdered!" Button shouted, louder than everyone else. But even as the words entered my ears, the final mystery rolling around in my mind suddenly came into focus. My eyes widened at the realization, only to squeeze shut in disgust... when I opened them again, I saw Monokuma staring right at me, boring a hole into my very soul with those mismatched eyes, leaning over in his throne so far he might've fallen off if he hadn't been holding on.

He knew that I knew. There was no way I could lie and accuse anyone else now. Not when doing so endangered everyone else.

Ugh... you wretched Monokubs and your rule...

...I can prove it was you!

"Damn it... I'm sorry, guys, but it was definitely Button, and no one else," I sighed sadly. "The proof is in the fire pit."

"H-How so?!" Button shrieked.

"If Button saw that Indigo and Ocean were sleeping, then wouldn't the logical course of action have been to wake them up proper so they could all get to bed? But instead of doing that, he claims to have nudged Ocean awake, and then threw more wood onto the fire without sticking around to see them fully wake up. Why? If he left for bed himself, and also left Indigo and Ocean asleep outside in the cold, then the fire could go out while they were still asleep, and then they'd freeze."

"Then... they might've wound up being the victims," Flash hummed as everyone regrettably calmed down.

"The fire also could've wound up burning the whole forest to the ground," Mountain suggested. "Unlikely, given the concrete ring around the fire pit, but I've heard of it happening before. That would've been a most unfortunate complication."

"But then if they did fully wake up, then a murder likely wouldn't have happened at all. It doesn't make any sense," I finished.

"Unless he didn't actually go to bed, and kept the fire going for himself... almost like he was waiting for someone," Sunset's mouth fell open.

"But he wasn't alone! Why not get Indigo and Ocean to bed before he killed Dr. Hooves?" asked Soarin'.

"Having some other people there might've lulled the Doctor into a false sense of security," shrugged Sugarcoat. "Even if they were asleep, he might've thought there'd be no chance of a murder happening, and let his guard down as a result."

"I... I..." Button panted, staring at the floor, drawing out the syllables until he finally admitted defeat. "That... wasn't... what I wanted to do..."

"Welp, you tried..." Sonata sighed before perking back up. "Uh... can we go over the whole thing again, from the top? I... kinda need to hear it again... just to be sure."

"Right, yea... I-I can do that," I swallowed hard, then cleared my throat.

This is the truth of the case!

"It all started when the culprit and a couple of their friends decided to have a little get together by the Fire Pit last night. They partied for hours by the campfire, talking, smoking and eating MonoMono Machine snacks, at least up until Nighttime. However, the revelry proved to be too much for the culprit's companions and they eventually dozed off, sound asleep against the logs facing the Main Cabin and to the right, leaving the culprit to their own devices. The culprit told us that they had nudged Ocean awake before leaving for their own cabin for the night, putting some more wood in the fire so he and Indigo could continue their party without them, but it turned out to be a lie that ultimately worked against them.

"Shortly before 2:00am, the victim - Dr. Hooves, the Ultimate Investigator - joined the culprit at the fire pit, taking a seat on the log closest to the Activities Cabin. They talked for a brief while, until the culprit offered to get a little more wood for the fire. They threw the last of the wood nearby into the fire pit then walked away, seemingly to get more wood, but in reality... they were preparing a murder.

"The culprit grabbed a sheet of blue plastic tarp as well as the boning knife they had taken from the Kitchen, and quietly snuck up behind Dr. Hooves. Due to the crackling of the fire and the shadows being cast in the opposite direction, he didn't hear the crinkling of the tarp behind him, nor did he notice the culprit approaching. Then, once they were close enough, the culprit stabbed Dr. Hooves in the back, using the tarp to ensure that the blood splatter wouldn't get on them. Taken by surprise, the victim tried to shout, but the culprit quickly silenced him, keeping him from struggling and making too much noise until he bled out.

"Once he was dead, the culprit then dragged and arranged the body behind the log so the shadows of the fire would hide it from view, then they burned the now-bloody tarp in the fire to destroy it. However, besides the fact that one corner of the tarp didn't melt away, blood got on the culprit anyway due to the flimsy nature of the tarp. Now that there was blood on their clothes, the culprit had no choice but to wash them, so they quickly washed their clothes in the Laundry Room. In doing so, however, they also washed away all traces of the scent of campfire smoke.

"Then, at 3:00am, Indigo and Ocean woke up from their nap. The fire was nothing but embers at that point; that coupled with the darkness of night, and they had no idea that a murder had taken place, or that the body was lying only a few yards away. They returned to their cottages for the night none the wiser. It was still too dark to see the body at 5:00am, when Silver and Kotenage got up for their morning exercises. Finally, when the body was discovered and the investigation began, all the culprit had left to do was to secretly replace the now-cleaned knife on the kitchen's magnetic knife rack, behind their partner's back.





"It had to be you, without a doubt in my mind... right, Button Mash, the Ultimate Pro Gamer?"

The color drained from Button's face entirely. A tear dripped from his eye, followed by several more. He slumped onto his lectern without a word, his face slamming onto the surface.

"Yo... seriously...?" Indigo quivered.

"Hmph... Just goes to show you... absolutely no one can be trusted in this situation," Sugarcoat turned her head disapprovingly, her nose in the air.

"But... why? Why, man?" Ocean sighed.

"I... I don't want to... I don't want to accept it..." Flash hissed through his teeth as he shook his head.

"I'm afraid we have to," Sunset frowned resolutely.

"Yea... h-he wanted to escape and g-get us help," Silver nodded, tears forming in her eyes. At these words, Button slowly lifted his head.

"A-About that... I-"

"Stop, stop, stop!" Monokuma suddenly shouted, startling everyone. "At least save it for the end of the trial! Sheesh!"

"Looks like the debate's finished, so that means it's voting time!" Monotaro hopped off of his stool to throw his arms into the air. A noise drew my attention to my lectern, where the surface had split itself down the middle and slid apart, revealing sixteen large buttons. Each button was brightly backlit and had one of our faces on it, except Dr. Hooves' button was dark.

"Alright, you bastards! Press one of the buttons in front of you to cast your vote!" Monophanie beamed cheerfully.

"And make sure y'all vote, 'cuz refusin' to vote is grounds fo' termination!" Monosuke grinned. My breath hitched as a lump formed in my throat. Abstaining was no longer an option, either.

"At last... the heart-racing excitement as the blackened and the spotless finally face off..." Monokuma monologued in grandiose fashion, quickly joined by his Kubs as they leapt into the air with excitement.

"IT'S VOTING TIME!" they cried in unison. A huge TV monitor lowered from somewhere high above, stopping just above Monokuma's throne and showing a countdown from 30. I heard groans of lamentation all around me as I stared at the buttons, feeling sick to my stomach. Button had warned us that this would happen, that we would be forced to vote for the killer, thereby condemning them to a brutal death. While part of me hoped that against all odds, we'd somehow gotten it wrong, I knew deep down that we had gotten it right... all too horribly right.

Button... why did you have to do this...?

I sighed and closed my eyes as I pressed Button's button. A few more seconds passed before the countdown vanished, replaced by a blaring siren and an image of Monokuma holding up a sign that said "Announcement". More than one of us jumped at the sudden noise.

"Puhuhu... it seems the voting has finished!" Monokuma giggled. "Now then, let's see the result!"

The image on the giant monitor switched briefly to show the words "Voting Results", then switched again to display our names next to images of our face, arranged into two tidy columns. I felt my heart skip a beat as tally marks quickly appeared beside Button's face... it was unanimous. Everyone had voted for him.

"Who'll be chosen as the blackened?" Monokuma continued to taunt. "Will you make the right choice, or the dreadfully wrong one? What's it gonna be? What's it gonna beeee?!"

The giant monitor's image died for a second, only to next display a wheel labeled "Verdict" divided into sixteen sections, each with one of our faces on it. Light spun around the sections in a clockwise fashion, gradually slowing down until it came to a stop right on Button's section. Bells rang in celebration, and Monocoins and confetti fell from the ceiling as Button's name flashed across the screen, as if to further rub in the despair we all felt.

I could only hope the aforementioned execution would be mercifully quick.


*Class Trial End! All Rise!*


"Well, at this point it goes without saying, but you all voted correctly!" Monokuma laughed raucously. "The blackened who killed Dr. Time Turner-Hooves is the Ultimate Pro Gamer, Button Mash!"

"God... after all you told us about this game..." Flash mumbled before glaring at Button. "...Why? Why did you do it?!"

"Seriously, what the fuck, man?! Why?! Why would you do this?!" Indigo shouted.

"We had nothing to worry about... w-we were gonna be fine...!" Silver sobbed.

"TELL US... TELL US WHY. IT IS THE ONLY HONORABLE THING LEFT YOU CAN DO," Kotenage scowled through his tears. Button blinked back a few tears of his own and coughed to clear his throat.

"Fine... fine," he sighed. "After I noticed that Indigo and Ocean both conked out on me, I... I never tried to wake them. I just kept the fire going for myself and smoked, thinking about everything. Then after a while, I got bored and was actually going to wake them... when Dr. Hooves finally showed up."

"He did?" asked Soarin'.

"Finally...?" Indigo parroted.

"Yea... I'd invited him too, but he didn't come until 2-ish for whatever reason... just plopped down on the log without a word. We didn't talk until I asked if he wanted a hit... and he did, so I gave him the pipe. I gotta admit, the rip he took was impressive," Button smiled slightly. "Then after loosening up a bit, we talked about our situation... our options."

"And...?" Sugarcoat scowled. "He must've said or done something that made you kill him." Button swallowed hard.

"Well, we didn't really get anywhere on our own... then he... he said he'd figured out that there was no point in trying to escape... especially if there wasn't a world worth escaping back to."

A... A world not worth escaping back to...?!

"Uh... w-what did he mean by that...?" Silver stammered.

"Yea, you're making it sound like the apocalypse happened or something!" Flash added with a nervous chuckle. Button's eyes shot up to face us, rapidly blinking away tears.

"Don't you guys know? The most important part of the game - after the gameplay, of course - ...is the plot," he shivered. "I... I-I never told you guys... why the games happened."

"Why...?" Sunburst gulped. I leaned forward on my lectern, heart pounding in fear as I hoped the explanation was too ridiculous to be true.

It was a moment before Button pulled himself together enough to explain. "When the survivors from the first game have their final trial... they learned that while they'd spent about two years total within the school, the world outside ended... it was completely destroyed."

"D-Destroyed...?!" Soarin' stammered in horror. Button nodded solemnly.

"The mastermind, Junko... long story short, she orchestrated all of the destruction herself, and threw the entire world into despair for her own amusement. It started out... relatively small itself, when she forced the Student Council to play the first Killing Game... they all wound up brutally murdered. Then with footage from the killing game, she manipulated the other students into rioting against the Ultimates, and blackmailed key figures into doing her bidding. The other students' riots grew worse and worse, eventually tearing the school apart, and then when they had outlived their usefulness, she ordered them all to commit suicide, and... a-and they obeyed without a second thought. The mass suicides sparked civil unrest on a worldwide scale, people everywhere came to hate the Ultimates and talent in general. A-And then... people slaughtered each other in the streets, and countless wars sprung up against and within every country. She turned children against their own parents and made murderers out of them... another class from the same school became her followers and murdered millions in her name. And finally, to wipe out the last bastion of hope from the world, she set up a killing game with the final class of Ultimates and herself... all just so she could feel the despair of being personally responsible for the deaths... everyone's deaths. She even killed her own sister against her plans, just to feel the despair of such an act and revel in it... she was fully enraptured by despair, even when she lost her own game and was finally executed herself. But even after her death she had no intention to ever stop, even infecting the minds of her followers when they had the chance to free themselves from her influence, and beginning another killing game with them as the participants."

My mouth hung open in shock. It might've been only a video game series, but dear sweet Celestia, was that a dark, bleak world. Images of a future I'd seen that would never come to pass blinked into my mind, forcing me to shake my head to chase them away.

"S-Seriously...?!" Sunset paled drastically.

"No... t-that's ridiculous, nobody has that much influence over that many people!" Mountain argued.

"Junko did," Button replied simply. "Her talent was the Ultimate Analyst... she could predict the actions of everyone around her with near-perfect accuracy, allowing her to charm and dominate whoever she wanted. With an ability like that, even though she found easy, overwhelming success as the Ultimate Fashionista, life quickly became nothing more than boring to her... so boring, she came to the conclusion that the unpredictability of despair was the only emotion she could feel."

"But she killed her own sister...!" Ocean mumbled. "T-That alone..."

"Makes her a monster?" Button finished the sentence. "Oh, yes... and in her own, twisted way, she loved her very much. She loved all of her classmates... which is exactly why she wanted to subject them all to the killing game. The utter sense of despair it brought to her own mind was all the motive she needed."

Nobody spoke for a while after this revelation, too horrified to even try. Even I struggled to comprehend such depravity... sure, I'd once subjected an entire village to an anti-Cutie Mark cult, but this... this was next-level insanity, pure and simple.

This Junko woman... she was so bored with life and wanted to feel something, anything... but she did so at the cost of her classmates...? Her own sister...? Innocent people... the entire world...?!

"...S-So... why, exactly, did you kill him...?" Sonata finally broke the silence.

"Well... the same thing is clearly happening here, isn't it?" he asked. "The mastermind - in the form of Monokuma and most of the Monokubs - are subjecting the fifteen of us to a killing game, we're completely cut off from the outside world, and we're not being given a real chance to escape. And especially... i-if that's the conclusion the Ultimate Investigator came t-to..."

"So just because he said the world might've ended, you believed him?!" Sugarcoat stared incredulously. "Haven't you spoken to the Doctor any other time before? He was fucking nuts! Like, the kind that I can't even begin to diagnose!"

"Y-Yea, the other day he kept trying to tell me he once spent 10,000 years repeating the same hour of his life, punching a wall made of diamond!" Memento slumped over.

"True, some of his stories were a bit weird," Button pursed his lips. "But the other things he talked about made perfect sense! And someone who can come up with the crazy shit he did must enjoy a puff or two on occasion, he can't be all that bad a guy..."

"You killed him because you were both inebriated," Sunburst muttered quietly in an angry monotone. "I don't believe this..."

"No, I killed him so he wouldn't tell you all the world ended!" Button shouted angrily. "I mean, would you guys want to escape from a place where all our basic needs are met, with even some luxuries provided free of charge, only to find out that everyone and everything you ever loved was gone?! Your parents? Long-since dead. Your friends? Dead, too! Your homes? Jobs? Pets? Relatives? Hobbies? All gone, never coming back! And with what's left of the world being brainwashed into rampaging murder-hobos, none of us would even last a week out there!"

I had to admit, the mere thought that this outcome even had a shred of a chance of being true was deeply unsettling. Terrible memories I wished desperately to forget flooded my thoughts, screaming and howling and pricking at my mind. My eyes traveled around the room to all the others, trying not to imagine how absolutely ruined they would all be in that situation. Hopefully, Equestria would still be safe in such an event...

"I mean... as long as no one kills anyone else here... we're safe. Or, well... you guys are safe," Button lowered his head. "You won't have to see those horrors for yourself... as long as you follow the rules."

"Pfft... right, 'cause you're such a fucking martyr," Sugarcoat rolled her eyes.

"Puhuhuhu..." Monokuma's sudden giggling caught everybody's attention. "Puhuhuhu... is that what you think this is? Oh, Button, my sweet, little nublet, ohohoho..."

"Uh... why is he laughing...?" Juniper asked uneasily.

"...Just how much of a copycat do you think I am?!" Monokuma shouted angrily, his face glowing red. "Yea, sure, I've played the games myself and thought they were damn good, but destroying the entire planet?! You think that's my endgame here?!"

"Yea, Father may be a copycat, but he's no titan!" Monotaro chimed in.

"What good would destroying the world do for our viewers?!" Monosuke added.

"That... that's not it...?" Button rasped, disbelief on his face.

"No!" Monokuma screeched at the top of his robotic lungs. "I'm not here to make the entire world hate each other! In fact, I'm here to do just the opposite! I'm here to bring the entire world together in solidarity! Agreement! ...Equipoise, even!"

"And how the fuck are you doing that by broadcasting us killing each other and getting executed by you to the world?!" Soarin' glowered.

"Alright, alright, that's it! You bastards wanna know why you're here so badly?!" Monokuma roared. "It's because each and every single one of you disgusting little insects have magic! I HATE magic! So I removed all of you and your dangerous little powers from polite society, and I am here to stamp it out!"

No one's gasps were as loud and horrified as Sunset's and my own.

M-Magic?! That's the reason we're here?!

"...What?!" Button recoiled in confusion, making a grotesque face.

"I... have magic?" Memento asked earnestly, staring at her hands as if it were the first time she'd seen them.

"We're not magic, are you fucking stupid?!" Sugarcoat snarled.

"Oh, but you are! You all are!" Monokuma growled mockingly, deep and low. "Each and every single one of you has magic in some way, shape or form... why else are you all Ultimates? Your magic simply enhances whatever the hell it is you do!"

"I-It does...?" I stammered, disbelieving. My magic was simply magic itself... I'm secretly a Unicorn, for Celestia's sake! What the hell was Ultimate Leader magic supposed to be?! That's not even an Element!

"I knew it..." I heard Sunset mutter next to me.

"Is that why...?" Silver trailed off, staring at her own hands with trepidation. Kotenage and Soarin' were doing the same, while the others simply gawked at Monokuma with mixed emotions. Out of everyone, Sonata seemed to be the most at peace with this sudden fantastic revelation.

And then, shattering the silence... Button chuckled. "So... that's why we're here, huh? Now that's a twist I never saw coming."

"As statistically improbable as it were," Sunburst cut in, "...how exactly does our having magical abilities and being forced to play this game factor into uniting the world?"

"Ah, details, details!" Monokuma snorted as he waved a dismissive paw. "All in good time... after all, this is just the first act! I can't just spoil the entire season for you guys!"

Button's chuckling grew louder and more unhinged. Perhaps he was only just realizing how foolish his assumptions were. Perhaps the sheer bombshell of discovering he had magic of his own and would never get to use it had driven him insane. Whatever the reason, nobody spoke until his laughter finally died down... with everything that had happened today, it was all simply too much to process right now. I could feel my own brain trying to devour itself as I struggled to consider all the possible implications.

After a brief but thoroughly uncomfortable lassitude, Monotaro finally broke the silence. "Father, are you getting bored?"

"You know how Pops gets... he can't stand this kinda schlock," Monosuke cocked his head.

"Teeheehee... I see nothing gets past my adorable little Kubs," Monokuma smiled.

"I don't even let appetizers get past me! Especially if someone else bought 'em!" shouted Monokid.

"But, we can't let this boring display grind the action to a halt, so... time to make things interesting." Monokuma's red eye gleamed, and an icy chill prickled down my spine.

"Make things... interesting...?" Silver whimpered.

"Oh god... oh, fuck..." Button mumbled, shivering violently in place.

"And now, the moment you've all been waiting for... punishment time!" Monokuma threw his head back and howled.

"Oh..." Flash took an alarmed step back. "Oh, no..."

"The... the execution...!" Mountain gasped in horror.

"No... no! We can't let that happen!" Sunset shouted, stepping forward as I joined her.

"Yea, we can," Sugarcoat huffed. "Did you already forget that he fucking killed someone?!"

"Of course not! But we can't just let-"

"Yes, we can," she retorted, cutting off Sunset. "Besides... what exactly do you think you're gonna do to save him, Miss 'My Magic Is Gone'?"

"I... but..." Sunset growled, then looked to me hopefully. After briefly considering what I could possibly do to stop Monokuma, I was forced to shake my head at her.

"...I can't stop him, either. I don't think... any of us can."

"Yea, that's right!" Monotaro laughed. "Punishment time is a sacred segment! You're not allowed to interfere."

"And if ya even try to interfere... youse bastards are surrounded," Monosuke smirked. A maze of thin, red laser beams suddenly blinked into existence all around the room, intersecting each other at multiple points, at least a dozen of each illuminating everyone's various body parts. I didn't have to see any weapons to know resistance was not just futile, but very, very stupid.

"I-It's cruel, but... it's probably better if one person dies instead of everyone," Monophanie shrugged. Once the bears had been convinced that we would cause no more of a fuss, the lasers all vanished as quickly as they'd appeared.

"Now then, let's get started," Monokuma grinned. "I have a special punishment prepared for the Ultimate Pro Gamer, Button Mash!"

"Please, guys... I know I didn't exactly follow my own rules..." Button's voice wavered and cracked as he tried to put on a brave face.

"Let's give it everything we've got!" Monokuma's shouting built in a crescendo. I deeply feared what he would say next.

"...Don't do what I did. Don't kill each other... don't let this happen again!"


IIIIIT'S... PUNISHMENT TIME!


A large, red button rose up in front of Monokuma's throne as the bear pulled out a toy gavel from nowhere in particular. His red eye gleamed mischievously, and with a hop and a squeak from the gavel he smashed the button with all his might. He and his Kubs then leapt down from their stage and out of sight as the giant monitor flashed back to life. It displayed an image of Button standing in front of a fence as Monokuma slowly walked past, the bear grabbing and pulling Button by his hair as he continued off screen. Text above and below the image read "Game Over" and "Button has been found guilty. Time for the punishment!" as unfitting music played.

"I... I hope the punishment isn't too bad..." Sonata gulped.

"Uh... maybe he'll give him five across the ass?" suggested Indigo. "...Maybe twelve?"

"...You guys really have a poor grasp on the concept of 'execution', don't you?" Sugarcoat sighed. Button whimpered, quietly at first but quickly growing louder and losing coherency. For a moment I thought I heard something rattling far off in the distance.

Suddenly, a long chain came flying down from the ceiling towards Button, a shackle attached at the end of it. The shackle clapped itself around his throat, and he screamed as the chain yanked him into the darkness before we could even realize what was happening.

But just as we lost sight of him, my vision suddenly filled with sparkling lights. I blinked in surprise, only to feel the familiar general pulling sensation of teleportation.

Wh-?!

In less than a second, I now found myself outside in a place I didn't recognize, along with everyone else. It was a plain, green meadow surrounded by hills, with singular trees, boulders and patches of barren earth here and there. I and the others were confined within a fenced-in section of plain, metal bleachers, completely surrounded top to bottom by chain link fencing. A jumbotron TV was strangely set up nearby, deactivated for now.

"What the?!" Flash yelled.

"Wait, how did we get here?!" Sugarcoat demanded.

"Was... was that teleportation...?!" Sunset gasped. But before I could answer her, another flash of sparkling light drew our attention to a nook between a pair of boulders in the distance. Button suddenly materialized there, frantically taking in his surroundings as the jumbotron activated, revealing that the camera for it was somehow synced up to exactly what Button was seeing. After a moment, Monokuma hopped up onto the top of the TV, and the image switched from Button's point of view to a title screen...


*Ultimate Pro Gamer Button Mash's Execution: Executed*

*Press F To Pay Respects*


The screen switched back to Button's point of view after about five seconds, and Monokuma raised his arms into the air. A loud horn sounded from somewhere, and as even louder, obnoxious dance music began to blare, the Monokubs suddenly burst out from hiding spots throughout the meadow, wielding their guns and unloading on the boulders surrounding Button. He quickly ducked for cover, cowering in terror with his arms covering his head.

However, after a few moments the Monokubs then decided to turn their guns on each other, laughing and giggling as the bullets slowly chipped and dented their bodies. The first time one of them took too much damage and exploded, I gasped as I realized that, yes, they could be destroyed, and our chances of escape or fighting back was that much higher. But as soon as hope fluttered in my heart, another sparkling light flashed on the meadow, and that Monokub would reappear as if nothing had happened, merrily jogging back to take part in the gunplay once more.

Meanwhile, Button took the opportunity to fortify himself, in case the guns were turned on him again. We watched in suspense as he carefully dashed and slunk around, grabbing various rocks and tree branches from the ground. He quickly built them up around his boulder nook, eventually building himself a solid little stone fort. But he showed no signs of stopping, and continued to gather more materials and add to the fort, while the Monokubs paid him no heed. At one point he managed to find and swipe what appeared to be a sniper rifle, but rather than drop what he was doing and attacking, he slung it over his back and kept on gathering and building.

I was astounded to watch as Button's humble fort soon grew into a tall stone tower, complete with loopholes and a turret on top. Once he set the final stone, he finally retrieved the sniper rifle from his back and took a position behind one of the crenelations of the turret. Carefully he took aim at Monotaro first; we watched on the jumbotron as the crosshairs focused on the Monokub's head...

"Oh, no!" Silver shrieked, pointing to the tower. I tore my eyes away from the TV and saw that Monokuma had made his way to the top as well, and stood at the opposite end as he readied a shotgun.

"Button! Behind you!" Mountain cried. Monokuma finished loading the shotgun, the clicking noise garnering Button's attention. He quickly turned his head, and whipped his body around to fire at the black and white bear-

BLAM

Monokuma fired, the recoil knocking him off the tower. The thick shot slammed directly into Button's chest, spatters of blood and fragments of ribcage flying as he was knocked back and off the tower as well. He tried to scream, but the gaping hole in his chest rendered him unable to do little more than gurgle. The video on the TV blurred slightly as it recorded what Button saw as he fell to the ground facing the sky, blood streaming in trails from the wound. He landed on his back a few seconds later with a sickening, wet thud, bouncing a few inches into the air, his arms and legs shattering on impact and twisting themselves into grotesque shapes. On the TV, blood flowed down the image on the screen, obscuring the view until it was nothing but solid crimson.

-!

Behind the tower, Monokuma had landed in a conveniently-placed pile of hay, and emerged from the pile unharmed. He trotted his way towards the corpse of Button Mash, where the Monokubs were already waiting for him. They stared in silence at the body for a few moments, then bowed their heads as each of them held up a small sign that only displayed one letter - an F.

I tried to tear my eyes away, but shock had frozen my body solid. A pool of blood slowly spread around the broken, unmoving body, staining the image into my brain forever. Button Mash, the Ultimate Pro Gamer... was dead.

However, as we all looked on in horror... it was very faint, but suddenly a pale green, wispy smoke began to rise from the corpse. Monokuma's red eye flashed brightly, and as he opened his mouth wide, the green smoke was drawn inside as if being channeled or vacuumed away. It continued for only a brief moment until the last of the smoke vanished into his mouth, and he slammed it shut into a toothy grin.


~


Before any of us could react, we were surrounded by sparkling lights again. One blink later, and we had all been transported back to the Trial Room. My legs wobbled and buckled, forcing me to grab onto the closest lectern in order to remain standing. I felt bile rising into my throat and desperately swallowed it down, focusing on anything in order to scrub the memory of the execution from my mind. All around me, everyone was panicking.

"Oh my god... Oh my god...!" Silver dropped to her knees and began to hyperventilate, slapping her hands to her cheeks and clawing at her face.

"He... he really... e-executed him...!" Flash shuddered as he grabbed his own arms tightly.

"Fuck me..." wheezed Indigo, terrified tears welling up in her eyes.

"...Okay, that was a lot worse than what I was expecting," Sugarcoat blinked, her face tinged green with disgust.

"Oh, really...? Weren't you the one saying we had a poor grasp on the concept of execution...?" Sunset snarked halfheartedly. Like me she was just barely standing, her hands on her knees for support as she took several deep breaths.

"What the fuck... you can't show that on fucking TV," Soarin' wheezed. "What the fuck was that?!"

"EEEEEXTREEEEEMEEEEE!" Monokuma's voice echoed as he and the Monokubs hopped back onto their stage. While he and the other three Kubs seemed thoroughly pleased with themselves, Monophanie appeared very ill. She swayed gently from side to side until...

"...BLRBLRBLRBLRB!" The lone female Monokub opened her mouth and daintily vomited on the floor in front of her. I winced and turned my head away so I wouldn't want to puke either, and was somewhat confused when I dared to take a glance and saw that the vomit was white and shimmery.

"Aw, gross, she puked again!" Monotaro whined.

"But this tension ain't so bad, y'know? Finally feels like a proper killing game," Monosuke grinned. "If anythin', we could stand to use a little more tension in our lives, right Pops?"

"All this adrenaline creates such an exquisite feeling of despair!" Monokid laughed. "It's moments like this that makes all the killings worth it!"

"All... the killings...?!" I whispered in shock. Have they killed more than just poor Button...?!

"Only psychopaths would kill someone like that..." Memento frowned. While she didn't seem the least bit disgusted by the brutality of the execution, her face was twisted with deep concern.

"Hey, I know human life is precious... I'm not a monster, y'know," Monokuma shrugged lackadaisically before grinning sadistically. "'Cuz if human life wasn't precious, ending it wouldn't be nearly as much fun! There's no greater joy than witnessing such a display of anti-magic entertainment!"

"What the hell... why did you make us watch?!" Juniper gagged, rubbing her eyes.

"Why? Did you guys not vote for the blackened?" Monokuma tilted his head. "And you know what the punishment is if the blackened is found guilty."

"BUT, YOU NEVER SAID ANYTHING ABOUT WITNESSING THE EXECUTION!" Kotenage shrieked.

"It's tough, but them's the rules," shrugged Monosuke. "That's the judgment youse passed, so youse gotta see it through to the end."

"You're the ones who condemned the poor bastard to death. It's only fair that it's your responsibility to watch!" added Monotaro.

"Besides that... what did you suck out of Button's body?" I swallowed again.

"Oh? You saw that?" Monokuma replied casually.

"That... that was magic..." Sunset stared in horror. "H-How did you do that? ...W-Who the hell are you...?!"

"Hmm? I'm Monokuma," the bear replied plainly. "And if you really wanna know, then you're gonna have to work for it... though the corpse formerly known as Dr. Hooves might've been helpful for that."

The Ultimate Investigator? ...Damn, Button really screwed things up for us by killing him...

"Oh, well! He's dead, and that's that! That's the indifference of death for ya!" he continued to taunt.

"Who are you?! What are you?!" Sunset demanded. "What did you do with that magic?!"

"And why us?! Most of us didn't even know we had magic until just a few minutes ago!" Sugarcoat shouted before pointing at Sunset. "Surely there's other people with magic out there you could've kidnapped!"

"Whoa. That is not cool," Sunset whipped around to face Sugarcoat, glaring angrily. "You leave my friends out of this."

"Hmm? Are you still pestering me with these annoying questions?!" Monokuma suddenly snarled, his eye glowing red as he extended the claws on a paw. "And you're sowing so many seeds of distrust amongst yourselves... if you keep this up, you're all gonna end up like Button."

"Wow, rude," Sonata coughed.

"Maybe spend less time worrying about nonsense and more time watching your back, okay?" he continued with a grin. "...You never know who's gonna become the next killer."

It was clear that we weren't going to get our answers anytime soon. I gulped as I realized just how powerless we were, especially Sunset and myself. If only we had all of our magic...

"Ah, I can't wait... I wonder what kind of killing game we'll get to see next!" Monokid howled.

"Damn it..." Flash growled, punching the closest lectern to him. "You're gonna pay for this...!"

"It's nice to see that at least one of you has some chutzpah around here," Monokuma smirked. "I have a feeling you're gonna live for a while." Out of the corner of my eye I saw Sunset shudder as she glanced worriedly over to Flash. "Anyway, you guys have a lot to think about, 'cuz the fun's only just begun!" And with that, Monokuma and his Kubs hopped back off the stage and out of sight, laughing all the while.

Nobody spoke again for quite some time. The despair, the anger, the grief in the room hung over us like thick clouds, weighing us down and preventing anyone from moving. I wracked my brain with ways we could still escape, but my thoughts were as weak and fleeting as mist.

So much had happened today.

Finally, Silver forced a whimper out of her throat. "I... I-I can't take this... I w-want to go h-home..."

"Well, we can't," Sugarcoat sighed. "And now if someone kills someone else and does get away with it? We're all dead, too."

"...No one's gonna kill anyone else," Sunset rasped, sniffling back tears. "I'm gonna make sure of that."

"Oh? And how do you think you're gonna-"

"Sugarcoat, that's enough," I cut her off. "I agree... we can't let our fears get the better of us. We need to stick together, now more than ever." She glared at me for a few seconds before conceding with another huff of contempt.

"Yea... I'm with the girls on this one," Flash nodded. "If we don't trust in each other, then this could very well happen again. And I really don't want to see another death, or an execution."

"I AM ASHAMED THAT IT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED ONCE," said Kotenage. "IT MUST NOT HAPPEN AGAIN."

"Yea... not again," Ocean echoed. "...Not... again..."

"...Can we please l-leave this place?" Silver asked timidly. Kotenage wrapped an arm around her as we headed back to the elevator. It began to rise a few seconds after we had all boarded, and the fire pit roared to life as we began our ascent.


~


It was a good thing the fire pit was alight - night had already fallen by the time the elevator reached the ground above. Snow was falling in a light breeze, with about an inch already on the ground. With the light of the fire behind us we headed for the Dining Hall, most of us not having eaten anything since yesterday. As I walked, I glanced back to the log where Dr. Hooves was discovered... not only was the body gone, but all of the blood, too. It was as if nothing had ever happened.

Too exhausted physically and mentally to prepare a large meal, we each scavenged what we could and took it back to our rooms. I was no different - I carefully balanced a tray full of instant ramen, some soda, a banana and half of a bag of chips on my way to my cottage, quickly locking the door as soon as I was inside. The air and all of the surfaces inside felt uncomfortably damp... I smacked myself in the forehead when I realized I'd left the shower on for almost a full day now.

Ugh... just what I don't need.

Resolving to try and find a dehumidifier tomorrow, I shut the shower off, grabbed some towels and wiped up what I could, then I turned the bathroom fan on to try and further dry things out. I ate my meal in silence, trying to keep my mind empty. Afterwards, I changed into pajamas, wrapped my bathrobe around me and dove into bed, ready to forget that today ever happened.

...I really hope someone finds us soon.
> Hell Springs Forth - Daily Life 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


*ding dong bing bong*


"Rise and Shine, Ursine!" The Monokubs shouted cheerfully on the TV screen. I woke with a groan.

"It's 8am! Nighttime is over now!" said Monotaro. "Time to get up, losers!"

"Wonder who's gonna die next?!" Monokid laughed. I tuned their voices out the best I could, blearily staring at the ceiling.

Next...

Who was going to die next...?

Once I'd realized what I was thinking, I quickly shook the thought from my mind. No one was going to be next, not if Sunset and I could help it.

Still, the whole situation felt like a dream. Just a few days ago I was on vacation visiting Sunset... now we were trapped here with others in a sick, twisted killing game, and two of us were already dead. My heart pounded as I recalled the discovery of the first corpse, and the execution of the murderer...

...No. I can't think about that now. If Sunset and I really are going to get everyone else out of here alive, then I need to keep my wits about me. Keep a clear head... stay focused... yea.

My body creaked as I got out of bed and headed for the bathroom. I took my time in the shower, letting the hot water warm my bones and soothe my soul. I frowned as I got dressed, resolving to wash my outfit tomorrow... which only reminded me of the fatal clue that led to Button's conviction of murder, and subsequent execution.

I shuddered at the thought. Even going outside would be a horrible reminder of our current reality.

But my stomach growled all the same. I stepped outside and headed for the Dining Hall.


~


As soon as I entered the Main Cabin, I was greeted by a strange situation. "There you are!" Sunset yelled urgently.

"Wha-"

"C'mon," Flash grunted as he grabbed my arm and pulled me along quicker. Together they led me into the dining hall, where everyone else was huddled by the door, whispering amongst themselves furiously. I followed their eyes and soon gasped at the sight of Memento sitting at the main table alone... with Monokuma standing only a few feet away.

"So, what if we all pick someone to sacrifice, and we all stab them at the exact same time? You can't possibly know which of us dealt the killing blow, so that'd make us all the blackened and the spotless, yea?" Memento asked excitedly. "Could we all go free, then?"

"Uh..." Monokuma squirmed uncomfortably.

"What kind of question is that?!" Sunburst hissed under his breath.

"I think she's trying to find a loophole in the rules," Flash mumbled. "She's been doing this ever since I came in to get breakfast."

"Well I wish she'd knock it off, I'm hungry!" Juniper growled. Looking at her made me jump, as her face was covered in a thin layer of pale green clay.

...You're doing beauty treatments at a time like this...?

"Ooh, or what happens if the body disappears for good before anyone discovers it? If there's no body to discover, then there can't be an investigation, therefore no trial and no executions! But then what about the murderer?"

"Uhh..." Monokuma fidgeted again.

"Oh, and I had a thought... if you ever made it so the Kitchen was closed and we had to buy our food from the gift shop and couldn't steal it without getting shot up, then what if we just ate it anyway but never left the gift shop until the food was fully digested and pooped out? The food didn't technically leave the shop-"

"Okay, that's not even a thing in this story! Where are you getting your sources from?!" Monokuma shouted, completely exasperated.

"Memento, what the fuck is wrong with you?" said Indigo, apparently having had enough of this conversation.

"...Wow, you could start with a 'good morning'," Memento glared at being interrupted.

"Good morning. What the fuck is wrong with you?" Sugarcoat deadpanned right back.

"Are you done making yourself suspicious yet?! I'd really like to eat today," Juniper groused.

"What? I just want to understand the rules inside and out," Memento shrugged innocently. "Especially now that if someone kills again, we'll all die if we don't find them."

"What makes you think someone'll kill someone again?!" Soarin' yelled, offended by the mere thought.

"Oh god, please no..." Silver whimpered nervously.

"It could happen again," Juniper shrugged. "Especially since someone already tried."

"T-That was just a fluke, right? N-No one's dumb enough to try it again... right?" Ocean gulped.

"Don't worry... I can't imagine anyone here's stupid enough to try," Mountain droned coolly as she laid her hand on her brother's shoulder.

"You say that now..." Monokuma chuckled to himself ominously.

"Look, can you go away now so we can eat in peace? Why are you even still here encouraging her sick curiosity?" Sugarcoat grumbled, pointing an accusing finger at Memento. Memento said nothing, but her lips thinned in annoyed resignation.

"Ahh... to be honest, I was waiting for the rest of you to show up! I figured I'd give you guys a prize for surviving the class trial," said Monokuma. "Hmm... ya know? It doesn't really make sense to call it a class trial when we're not in a school, it should really be... camp trial!"

"Prize...?" Sunset raised an eyebrow. But before she got an answer...


*Rise and Shine, Ursine!*


The Monokubs burst into the room, cheerful as ever. "The reward, right?" Monotaro asked.

"We unlocked the fence, yep," nodded Monophanie. "So, uh, you guys now have access to another part of the campgrounds!"

"It's a hot springs area!" said Monosuke. "I bet youse guys'll fill our fanservice quota real quick now that it's open!"

"Ooh!" Sonata squealed happily.

"HOT SPRINGS?!" Kotenage shouted with a grin. "OH, I HAVEN'T BEEN TO AN ONSEN IN MONTHS!"

"Ugh, this isn't a fucking vacation..." Sugarcoat slapped her forehead.

"Well, not with that attitude, it's not!" Monotaro chided.

"Besides, for some of you guys, your next soak might be yer last!" Monokid smirked.

"Uh... what do you mean by that?" Flash asked nervously.

"That can wait until later," Monokuma smiled, hiding his teeth behind his paws. "Right now, why don't you guys eat up and then go exploring? After all, that's what you're supposed to do now, isn't it...?"

"...That is part of what Button told us about the killing game," I reasoned.

"Also sounds like a good way to get drowned in a pool of boiling water," Sugarcoat snorted. "I'm not going."

"Y-Yea, I don't know..." Juniper's voice wavered.

"Aw, but at least it'll give us something to do, and take our minds off of what happened yesterday," said Memento. An uncomfortable silence hung in the air after she spoke as everyone considered yesterday's events.

"Go or don't, it's up to you," Monokuma shrugged. "I'll see you kids around at dinner, yea?"

"W-We're not children!" Sunburst argued weakly.

"No no, not you," the bear waved a dismissive paw.

"Yes, Daddy!" Monophanie nodded emphatically.

"We'll be there, Father!" Monotaro added.

"Wonderful," Monokuma grinned, a slight sneer in his voice that made me shiver unconsciously when I heard it. He was planning something we wouldn't like, no doubt about it.

Probably our next motive like Button warned us, if I had to guess...

"Welp, goodbye for now!" Monokuma excused himself and promptly scuttled away out of sight. The Monokubs followed suit.


*So long, bear well!*


"...Man, he didn't tell me anything useful," Memento sighed, breaking the silence as she slumped in her seat. The rest of us proceeded to get our breakfasts and sit down while talking.

"Well of course not, if he's the one doing this to us," Sugarcoat huffed angrily.

"Just how long have you two been talking?" Sunburst asked warily.

"A while... no one was here when I came in, so I thought I'd ask Monokuma if I could at the very least see the two decedents so I could put them back together again. But, turns out he already gave them their final disposition, so-"

"What? Why?!" Silver shrieked, her face turning pink as she realized she'd been louder than she meant to be.

"And what do you mean by... 'final disposition'?" added Juniper.

"Because it's respectful," Memento pursed her lips. "And 'final disposition' is simply the polite term for 'burial' or 'cremation'... or in Monokuma's case, 'yeeted off a cliff to the wolves'."

"HE DID WHAT WITH THE BODIES?!" Kotenage gasped, nearly dropping the pile of breakfast food he'd amassed.

"Oh, that's nice..." Flash muttered sarcastically.

"C-Can we change the subject, p-please?!" Silver grimaced, oatmeal slopping out of her spoon as she tried to control her shaking hands.

"Fine... there's something else I want to go over, anyway," Sugarcoat snorted lightly, taking a moment to push her glasses up the bridge of her nose. "So, we all know now that each of us has magic of some sort, and somehow Monokuma intends to use that knowledge - along with getting us to kill each other - to 'bring the world together'."

"Yea... I still don't know if I believe that," Ocean mumbled, gazing at his plate.

"Our magic is apparently tied to our Ultimate titles," said Soarin'. "So... I guess my magic is soccer-based?"

"And I'm destined to be the greatest actress of all time!" Juniper smirked, putting on as haughty an expression she could muster underneath her face mask. It had now dried out to the point the edges around her mouth were crumbling onto the table and was making a bit of a mess.

"I SUPPOSE THAT COULD EXPLAIN WHY I'VE NEVER HAD ANY TROUBLE LIFTING AND THROWING MY OPPONENTS," Kotenage shrugged, staring at his hands with a frown. "ALTHOUGH, IF IT'S BECAUSE OF SOME INNATE MAGICAL ABILITY... I WONDER IF THAT'S CONSIDERED CHEATING."

"Ugh, don't remind me," Silver groaned, slumping over and hiding her head under her arms. "If my magic does things with reactions and the perception of time, then no wonder I had such a hard time learning not to jump the start of all my races. And if this is getting out into the world... ooh, I'm gonna have a looooot to explain to the FIA..."

"It appears to not be based on solely physical attributes, if my Ultimate title is anything to consider," said Sunburst.

"Not to mention... I kind of sound like a potato when I sing," Sonata shrugged.

"...How does one sound like a potato? They don't even make noise," Indigo raised an eyebrow.

"Sure they do! You just gotta be hiding in a sack of them when someone kicks it!" she replied, grinning as she held up a potato and pressed it lovingly to her cheek.

...Uh...

"Oh god, what if I get banned from Formula One for this?! I didn't even know I had racing magic until yesterday!" Silver panicked in a keening voice, as well as she could from smushing her face into the table.

"Uh-huh... pretty much what I expected from this lot... there's no point in discussing anything intelligent now," Sugarcoat muttered disapprovingly to herself, then tried her hardest to put on a kind and understanding smile. "...Look, I see we've all got a whole bunch of fresh issues to deal with here, but what's more important is that we all now take this shit seriously."

"I am being serious! Can't you tell?!" Juniper pointed to her crackling, clay-covered face. When Sugarcoat failed to change her dour expression, she sighed in annoyance. "Ugh, I wish my face could show emotions through this shit."

"Of course. You're all panicking like a bunch of poorly-coping dipshits. No wonder we have to rely on Starlight to figure everything out," Sugarcoat glowered as she dropped her smile.

"Wha, m-me?!" I snapped to attention, feeling sweat beading on my forehead as everyone looked my way.

"Why not? You're apparently the 'Ultimate Leader', and you did figure most of the details out during the trial," she replied coolly. "Clearly you're much smarter than you look."

"I... but..."

No... I-I'd rather not... the last time I lead anything...

"Hey, that's uncalled for," Sunset glared.

"It's her title, isn't it? So it's only natural for her to take charge and be good at it. Besides, what have you done to help? Other than bring us all into this fucking mess," Sugarcoat sneered.

"I already told you I would never do something like this! I don't even have my magic!"

"Sure you don't... because it'd just be far too convenient for you, huh?" I shivered as Sugarcoat stared Sunset down. "You simply can't bring our memories back, especially if those memories show that you're the one who brought us here."

"We've already been over this," Flash growled. "If Sunset was behind this, then why is she also a part of the killing game? That makes no sense!"

"...No," Sugarcoat conceded, although never taking her eyes off of Sunset. "Not yet, anyway. I'm sure there's more to this than meets the eye... I just haven't figured out what yet." There was an uncomfortable silence as Sugarcoat and Sunset glared at each other sullenly, unblinking.

No, Sugarcoat... Sunset isn't behind this! But there's no way I can think of to prove her innocence now... there's gotta be something around here that can!

"...So!" Memento clapped loudly and shouted in an overly-cheerful manner. "Who wants to check out the hot springs with me, eh?" It was enough to change the subject and get the staring match to end.

"What do you think, oh fearless leader?" Sugarcoat smirked at me. I tried not to bring too much attention to the knot in my throat I swallowed down.

"Uh, yea... we should definitely look around," I nodded anxiously. "Who knows? Maybe we'll even find something that'll help us escape."

"It's best to know our surroundings well, especially in a survival situation," nodded Mountain.

"THEN LET'S GO!" Kotenage beamed. "I AM PERSONALLY EXCITED TO SEE THESE HOT SPRINGS." Everyone chatted happily as they finished their meals and left to explore, but it still bothered me slightly to see Sugarcoat glare one last time at Sunset before heading off herself.

Flash and Sunset joined me as I grabbed my backpack from the cottage, and we made our way to the outer boundaries of the campgrounds. Sure enough, along the northeastern path that led into the forest, the heavily-armed fencing was gone. A gravel trail led deep into the forest, winding around trees so we couldn't see the end. Wondering what we would find, we set off together, side by side.


~


After maybe ten minutes of walking, the forest gave way to a clearing, the mountain cliffs just behind another couple hundred feet of trees. My breath left my throat as I took in the beauty of the new area. In the large clearing was a gradual hill the color of yellow sand with three tiers of blue-green hot spring pools bordered by gentle ridges. To the right beside the lowest tier of pools was a simple building with steam lazily billowing from the open windows, and to the left beside the highest tier were a number of tall, black rocks. Red flagstone tiles bordered the pools and made a trail leading away from the building and the rocks and all the way to the gravel path I was on.

"Gotta hand it to those bears," Flash shrugged, "...they sure have a nice place here."

"Yea, I'm okay with this so far," Sunset nodded. "So should we check out that building there?"

We went inside. The building turned out to be a large communal shower room, with the front of the building split into two separate locker rooms - the left side for the men and the right side for the women. Inside the shower area were a number of wooden stools and buckets, with hot spring water being continuously pumped through spigots located about halfway up the walls, with four open windows at the very top. The locker rooms were each stocked with plenty of towels, plastic slippers, shampoos and soaps, and the keys for said eight lockers per room were sticking out of each lock, with an orange, coiled plastic bracelet attached to each one. Despite the heavy presence of sulfur from the hot spring steam, the building smelled strongly of cedar and fresh linens.

After looking around, we decided to walk up the hill to see what was at the top. As we passed the pools we tested the water temperatures: the lowest pools were tepid at best, just barely comfortable enough to submerge yourself in and stay warm. The pool on the middle tier was the largest; it was a perfect temperature, just like a bathtub. The pools on the top tier were steaming and bubbling softly like jacuzzis, and equally as hot. I figured I would maybe be able to sit in there for ten minutes before wanting to get out. There were simple wooden benches to relax on around every pool, and small streams of water cascaded from the top pools into the middle pool, then from the middle pool into the lowest pools like a fancy fountain.

Then we reached the top of the hill, finding yet more features. The black rocks turned out to be sitting in the middle of a large patch of manicured white sand... a Zen garden. An assortment of bamboo rakes and other tools leaned against the tall bamboo fence that bordered the sand, along with another pair of wooden benches to sit on, separated by a black stone lantern. Just to the right of it was another hot spring, but this one was very different from the others. It was quite small, maybe only six feet across, and it was bordered by a ring of bright orange and yellow mud, tapering off into sea green and electric blue water that was bubbling violently. A wooden sign was hammered into the mud, its letters bold and bright red.

"Warning: water temperatures in excess of 200 degrees Fahrenheit... Do Not Enter," I read aloud. "Geez, that's hot!"

"Why is that even here?!" Flash took a few steps back just to be safe. "It should be filled in, or at least put a fence around it!"


*boing!*


"What, and ruin the natural beauty of the wilderness?!" Monokuma sprang out from behind one of the rocks in the Zen garden. "Don't you know that only a bear should shit in the woods?! This is why you humans are terrible, you just wanna reject nature and bulldoze it into an air-conditioned parking lot!"

"What? When did I say that?!" Flash scowled.

"There's nothing wrong with the sonorous buzzing of mosquitoes, or the slugs oozing along the ground eating dead vegetation, or the fungus growing from a dead possum! Everything has its place in nature, and has every right to live out its life. A dangerously-hot hot spring is no exception!" And with a huff, Monokuma dashed behind a tree and disappeared, leaving us in stunned silence.

"...Well. That was a thing that happened," I muttered. We gave the spring a wide berth and scanned the top of the hill, finding it bordered by more thick forest and the same tall, spike-and-gun-covered fencing as the campground. There was, however, fencing around something across from the Zen garden. Walking closer, we discovered the fence surrounded a large hole in the ground, with stairs descending deep inside. A small solar panel was set up on a nearby tree, with a thick wire bolted to its trunk and sinking into the ground, which was presumably what was powering a string of small, dim lights that ran along the ceiling of the tunnel.

"You don't think...?" Flash breathed.

"Something tells me this cave doesn't lead to a way out of here," I frowned. "This looks way too obvious for that."

"True, but I wonder what's down there?" said Sunset. We carefully made our way down the stairs and into the cave. It snaked around in a counterclockwise fashion as we descended, the air growing increasingly hot and humid. The darkness was only barely banished by the lights above, but as we reached the end of the cave, we found that we didn't need them.

The cave widened into a small cavern at its end. Signs of mining activity were present, with visible vertical gouges in the rock walls and a rusty, broken pickaxe left behind on the ground. Studding the walls were small, red crystals that glowed faintly. Although they weren't enough to light the entire cavern, Sonata and Soarin' - who had a flashlight - were also inside.

"Huh? What's this?" I asked out loud as I touched one of the crystals. Nothing happened, the crystal wasn't even unnaturally warm. But I could feel a subtle, pulsing energy lurking deep inside.

"Not sure... never seen a garnet or ruby that glows like this," commented Soarin'.

"Hmm... it looks... familiar," Sunset mused, touching a crystal as well. "...But if I've seen it before, then I don't know where."

"Very pretty, though," said Flash. "And it looks like someone's been digging for them... maybe that's how the mastermind paid for the campgrounds."

"Pretty..." Sonata droned, totally lost in thought as she cradled one of the gems in her hand. Soarin' glanced over to her, his lips pulled back in resignation.

"Unless we get out of here, though, pretty gems aren't gonna help us out," he sighed.

True... I can tell there's some magic in this crystal, but if there's a way to draw it out, then I don't know it... I frowned deeply as I considered whether or not to keep the small stone. Glancing around the cave, I did see quite a number of them lodged in the earthen walls... they certainly weren't rare here. Perhaps there were even bigger ones deeper down. In the end, I left it where it sat. For all I knew, it could've been the reason why Sunset's magic was gone, and the exposure might start affecting my own magic.


~


Having explored every inch of our new surroundings, Flash, Sunset and I made our way back to the Dining Hall. The sun was already beginning to set, and it had begun to lightly snow again. The previous inch of snow from last night had mostly turned to slush, making the journey unpleasant.

But after a few slips and slides, we made it inside. Kotenage was already hard at work inside the Kitchen, chopping vegetables as a pot of fragrant liquid simmered away. We helped ourselves to some hot cocoa and sat down at the main table, chatting until the others eventually returned. It took about an hour for the last of us to gather around the table.

"Alright, first thing's first... absolutely no one is going near that hot spring on the top of the hill," Sugarcoat ordered. "That is an accident just waiting to happen."

"The Zen garden is lovely, though," said Silver. "It might not be very productive, I admit, but raking the sand is good for anxiety."

Memento nodded. "Yep, it'll definitely calm some nerves."

"All of those pools, though!" Sonata purred. "The water feels so nice! So bubbly and mineral-y!"

"There is nothing quite like soaking in a natural spring, surrounded by the beauty of nature," Mountain nodded in agreement.

"Kind of hard to believe we're being made to kill each other, with such a relaxing area like that," Sunburst sighed, tilting his head slightly. Any smiles that had blossomed on our faces withered and fell.

"Aw, man... way to be a fuckin' buzzkill," Indigo grunted.

"Maybe we can all de-stress so much, we can all forget about that," Juniper hummed, her smile returning. "Ahh, I can't wait to slather myself in mineral mud later."

"You chicks and your weird beauty shit," Ocean shook his head. "Didn't you guys see there's a cave we might be able to escape through?!"

"And didn't you see that it didn't lead anywhere?" Sugarcoat groused. "It was a dead end into a cave."

"Not to mention, I'm sure there's nothing but granite or basalt or some other hard rock we'd have to dig through, and there's only the one busted pickaxe. But maybe we've found out how the mastermind paid for all of this, with those glowing rubies. Odd, though... rubies don't glow unless they're in ultraviolet light," Memento shrugged, her eyes closed until she felt everyone else staring at her.

"...How do you know so much about rocks?" Soarin' asked.

"What? Mortician can't have a hobby?" she raised an eyebrow.

"I wouldn't say this is a ruby," Sunset frowned as she pulled out one of the gems from her pocket and set it on the table. I blinked in surprise, suddenly worried about what kind of magic the gem could hold - it was a good deal larger than the one I had examined, about the size of my thumb. "I dunno if any of you guys noticed, but there's definitely something magical about these crystals."

"Magical?" asked Flash, leaning in.

"Yea... it's faint, but there's definitely some kind of energy in there," I agreed.

"Too bad I don't know what kind, or how to draw it out," Sunset's lips thinned. Across the table, Sugarcoat snorted indignantly.

"Oh, really... how convenient."

"How so?" Sunset turned her head, already sighing in frustration.

"A bunch of magical crystals in a place like this... and you don't know how to use them," she scoffed. "Some magical girl you are."

"Just because I have magic doesn't mean I automatically know how to use any magical thing I come across," Sunset groaned.

"And you have a big one in your possession... Hmm, maybe that's how our memories were erased?" Sugarcoat stared down her nose. "Maybe the energy you claim to feel inside is actually all our memories."

No... it didn't feel like a memory... though I suppose I wouldn't know what a memory trapped inside a crystal would feel like...

Sunset scrunched her face in thought. "...No... I'm pretty sure I've never come across crystals like these related to memory magic before... There was a plain ol' rock once that could erase memories, but I destroyed that years ago."

"Oh, yea, I kinda remember hearing about that," Flash spoke up. "Some girl had it... oh, what the hell was her name..."

"A likely story... of course you won't tell us anything if these are where our stolen memories wound up," Sugarcoat stared accusingly. Sunset's face grew dark.

"Fucking... not this again," she muttered angrily.

"Ah, look... if she doesn't know, then she doesn't know," Silver broke in, earning a grateful glance from Sunset. "I mean... we're all apparently magic, so why don't we all take turns trying to... uh..."

"Touch it?" I finished. "Er... I think it'd be okay."

"But what if it reacts poorly with one of us?" Sunburst shrank back cautiously. "We have no idea what it could do!"

"It's bad enough you brought it here," Sugarcoat glared at Sunset. "If we're going to do science with it, however, then we should quarantine it for at least a little while, so we can be sure it won't mutate us or something overnight."

"Mutate?! You're suggesting it's radioactive?!" Sunburst paled.

"I really don't think-"

"Ya think there's a lead box in the shed we can chuck it in?" asked Indigo, cutting Sunset off.

"I dunno about lead, but there's tackle boxes in there," suggested Ocean. "And there's lead weights in those, that might work."

"Alright, then that's what we're gonna do," Sugarcoat nodded once, then snapped her fingers. "Grab the crystal and let's go, Sunset." Growling wordlessly, Sunset picked up the crystal and followed Ocean, Sunburst and Sugarcoat out of the dining hall. Out of curiosity, most of us jogged after them to watch as they made their way to the Storage Shed and selected a tackle box, dug out a bag of lead weights, buried the crystal in the center of the bag, then placed the bag in the chosen box and clasped it shut.

"Now, someone impartial, yet trustworthy should look after it," she mused as Sunburst carefully carried it out of the shed. "...Ah, I know." She clicked her fingers and walked back to the dining hall, everyone following her until we had all returned inside. She stood just outside the kitchen and motioned for Sunburst to follow.

"DID YOU FIND A FISH FOR ME TO COOK?" Kotenage asked as he noticed the tackle box being set down on a counter.

"No, it's not food," Sugarcoat grunted. "Did you hear any of our conversation just now?"

"SOMETHING ABOUT A MAGIC CRYSTAL... I SAW THEM MYSELF IN THAT CAVE. WHY?"

"Look after it until at least tomorrow morning, okay? Don't let anyone touch it... including you."

"I SEE... I WILL GIVE YOU MY WORD," he bowed slightly. "PLEASE, SIT DOWN, THE FOOD IS JUST ABOUT READY!"

"Ah, good," Mountain sighed. "Now, let's all try to be civil to one another... I've had enough wild speculations for today."

Everyone seemed to agree, as conversation was light as we ate. Afterwards we all went our separate ways for the evening. I elected to take some snacks and tea back to my cottage and read one of the books I'd won from the MonoMono Machine... something about pictures of black rabbits.

...It was terrible. Fortunately, I'd also won a DVD called "Adorable Reactions Collection", so I watched that instead. By the time it was over I felt much more at ease. Another short shower loosened up my muscles and put me in the mood for a good night's sleep.

But I couldn't help but sigh as I settled into bed... despite having a new area to explore and do as we wished, we still weren't any closer to finding a way out. And we were still expected to kill each other... for what the mastermind claimed would bring the world together.

I shuddered at the thought. How could the broadcasting of our being forced to participate in this killing game do such a thing? And what about those strange gems? I knew I felt magic within them... if only I knew how to draw it out, maybe then I could... do... something.

I wasn't sure what, though. Our every move was being monitored, our every conversation recorded. Even if Sunset and I figured how to harness the power of the crystals, who knows what Monokuma and the Kubs would do in response.

I shook my head and forced my eyes closed. Maybe something would come to me in my dreams.
> Hell Springs Forth - Daily Life 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

8am came annoyingly quickly. I awoke to the taunting prattles of the Monokubs on the TV, tuning them out the best I could. I got out of my bed and threw on my bathrobe, bundling my clothes and used towels into a lump to take to the Laundry Room. It wasn't pleasant cramming my bare feet into my boots, but I trudged through the inch or so of snow all the same. At least there was a hot breakfast awaiting me.

After putting my things in the wash, I made my way to the Dining Hall, gathered together some food and sat down. Everyone else was here eating as well, some of them also wearing their bathrobes over their clothes for warmth. Aside from Flash and Sunset, who seemed to be having an animated conversation, and Sonata cradling a baking potato in her arms and feeding it oatmeal, the others didn't seem to have much to say this morning. At one point Sugarcoat discussed the glowing gem with Sunburst, who suggested that we should all wait at least another couple of days until bringing it back out. He wanted to be sure no one had any adverse reactions to being exposed to it, and he hadn't quite put together all the things he wanted to experiment with it yet.

"You hear that, everyone? If you start feeling sick or weird, tell me or Sunburst immediately," Sugarcoat bossed, earning uninterested grumbles in reply.

"WELL, I FEEL WEIRD," Kotenage grunted to himself as he swung his arms around in a stretching fashion. "I'VE STUCK TO MY DAILY ROUTINE AS BEST I CAN ALL THIS TIME, BUT MY TRAINING JUST ISN'T COMPLETE WITHOUT AN OPPONENT TO FIGHT AGAINST."

"That's... not what I meant..." Sugarcoat sighed, shaking her head.

"Trees aren't enough for ya, big guy?" asked Soarin'.

"THEY'RE OKAY FOR KEEPING UP MY STRENGTH, BUT I NEED TO KEEP MY SKILLS SHARP. I MUST PRACTICE MY OWN BRAND OF SUMO."

"I get it, but... I don't think anyone here can take you on," Memento remarked as she glanced around the room. Ocean, Soarin' and Flash shook their heads in unison, while Sunburst shrank down in his seat a little.

"I'd give it a crack," Indigo smirked as she flexed her arms, comically small compared to Kotenage's. Everyone shared a few laughs, knowing that there was really no way she was a match for him.

"How about Mr. Potat here?" Sonata held up her potato for a brief moment before throwing it in Kotenage's direction. Confused, he caught it effortlessly, then chuckled when he saw the potato had a silly angry face carved into it.

"AH, YES... A FEARSOME OPPONENT," he smiled. "I MIGHT JUST HAVE MY FIRST LOSS AGAINST HIM!"

"...Actually, I think I could last at least a few seconds against you," Silver suddenly stood up.

"OH? WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THAT?" asked Kotenage.

"I mean, I strength train and stuff... if I'm going to drive something as fast as a Formula One car, I need to be able to withstand a lot of G's," she replied as she stretched out her arms and cracked her neck. "You gotta be in damn good shape for that, and I'd like to think I am."

"Yea? How strong are ya?" asked Indigo. Silver calmly strode over to the line of breakfast foods, finding a bowl of unshelled nuts at the end.

"Watch this," she smirked. She picked out a walnut from the bowl and placed it in the crook between her neck and right shoulder. After making sure everyone had a good look at the walnut, she pressed her neck down and flexed her muscles - and the walnut's shell shattered.

Sweet Celestia...!

Everyone's mouths dropped open in shock. "Daaaaamn!" Ocean shouted as the pieces of shell clattered to the floor. Silver popped the walnut into her mouth and smiled.

"Holy shit," Memento mouthed.

"Guuuuurl, you strong as hell!" Indigo gaped.

"INDEED, VERY IMPRESSIVE," Kotenage nodded. "BUT DO YOU HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH SUMO WRESTLING?"

"Well... I've seen it on TV a couple times when I had races in Neighpon... I think I got the gist of it," Silver shrugged.

"HMM..." Kotenage mulled it over in his head for a few moments, then grinned widely. "...ALRIGHT. LET'S SEE IF YOU CAN STAND AGAINST ME."


~


Everyone hurried outside, eager to see Kotenage and Silver square off behind the Main Cabin. Kotenage got a stick and drew a large circle on the ground in what was left of the snow, then motioned for Silver to join him in the center. Once there she stretched and flexed her limbs, while Kotenage took off his robe and cast it aside.

"I WILL DO MY BEST TO ENSURE YOU ARE NOT HURT," he assured, stamping his feet into the ground like a bull about to charge.

"Ah, I'll be alright," Silver cracked her neck once more. "Let's see what you got, big boy." Kotenage simply nodded as he sank to the ground in a squat, leaning on one fist on the ground. Silver took a deep breath before doing the same.

"Yeaaa! Go Silver!" Indigo cheered raucously as she jumped up and supported herself on Sugarcoat's shoulders, much to the latter's chagrin.

Then Kotenage touched his other fist to the ground, signaling that he was ready whenever she was. Silver stared forward motionlessly for a few moments, before suddenly punching the ground with her other fist and launching herself at Kotenage.

I was fully expecting her to bounce off of him like a rubber ball against a hard surface, but to my surprise Silver's charge pushed him back a few inches. At nearly the same time Kotenage grabbed her around the waist, but she easily slipped out of his grasp and swung around to his side, grabbing at the hem of his shorts and wrapping one of her legs around his in an attempt to trip him.

"AH, GOING FOR A SOTOGAKE, ARE YOU?" Kotenage grinned. "A WISE CHOICE." Silver pulled with all her might, while Kotenage shifted and shook to keep his balance. They remained in this stalemate for a few moments, Kotenage muttering a phrase to himself that I couldn't quite make out. Silver released Kotenage's leg from her own, only to grab it with both of her hands. She lifted as hard as she could, actually raising his leg a few feet into the air and causing him to stumble.

But he quickly regained his balance. "ASHITORI WON'T WORK ON ME, EITHER!" he laughed, clearly enjoying himself. Silver abandoned her attempt at a leg pick and moved away, but Kotenage managed to grab her arm. Before she knew it, both his arms were firmly wrapped around her midsection, and with one swift motion she was lifted high into the air. She flailed her limbs wildly in an attempt to break free, but it was no use.

"Aww... damnit," she half-groaned, half-giggled as Kotenage simply carried her out of the ring and gently set her down.

"AND THAT IS TSURIDASHI FOR ME," he smiled. "AH, DON'T FEEL TOO BAD, SILVER. YOUR SUMO IS ACTUALLY PRETTY GOOD!"

"Ah... you think so?" she asked, wiping her forehead.

"HAI. IN FACT, PERHAPS AFTER A FEW MORE BOUTS, YOU'D BE A DELIGHTFUL SPARRING PARTNER! I LOOK FORWARD TO OUR NEXT MATCH."

"Heh... yea, you got it, big guy!" Silver grinned, giving a thumbs-up. "Wanna go again?"

"HAI!" he nodded, the smile on his face brimming with excitement and the fire of competition. He picked up another stick and began defining the borders of the circle a little more.

"Girl, you are my spirit animal," Indigo exclaimed as she slapped Silver's shoulder.

"That was so bad. Ass! Where have you been all my life?!" Ocean yelled in awe. Silver giggled bashfully.

"Ah, well... ehehe..."

While Silver dealt with her new adoring fans, some of us stuck around to keep watching, while others left to go do their own thing. I was among them... my clothes should be ready for the dryer now.


~


I loaded the damp clothes into the dryer and turned it on. The laundry room was nice and warm after standing outside for a while, so I sat down on a bench and simply enjoyed the dry heat and hum of the machines.

A few minutes later, the door to the room opened, interrupting my reverie with a cold draft. Juniper walked in a few seconds later, clothed in her bathrobe and carrying a bundle of laundry in her arms.

"Oh... hellooo, darling," she droned in a slightly snotty tone as she dropped her laundry onto a table.

"Hey Juniper," I replied. "Doing laundry too?"

"Yep," she nodded, sorting out the items by color.

"Uh... doing anything afterwards?"

"First my hair, then my face," Juniper smiled serenely before raising an eyebrow. "...Wait, no, the other way around."

"...Oh."

"Ah, but we can totally hang out while I'm doing that!" she quickly added. "And... maybe I can do something about your hair and face, too!"

Gee, how nice of you to suggest...


~~~

Juniper and I finished our laundry, then at her insistence, we went to her cottage and I let her do my hair and makeup for the day... We definitely don't have the same sense of style...

~~~


"Hey, so Sunset said you went to Manehattan a few years ago," I commented while Juniper was focused on giving me a manicure.

"Oh, yea! I signed up to be on a reality TV show. Didn't think I'd get in, but they must've been blown away by my looks and charm, because they asked me to be a contestant!" she beamed.

"Ah, that's cool. What kind of show was it?"

"Equestria's Next Top Model, if you can believe it!" Juniper gushed. "Sure, I never really had any interest in modeling, but I figured if I was going to be an actress, then that would be the place to get noticed! Just getting on the show basically guarantees you a commercial or two."

"Huh." I let the thought roll around in my head for a moment. "I guess that makes sense. What was it like?"

"Well... I'll tell you right now, I was definitely the smartest of the bunch," she smirked. "I was the first to arrive at the mansion where we'd all be staying - gorgeous place, right on the beach, huge pool and garden in back. After bidding my boyfriend at the time adieu, our modeling mentor showed me around... not much of a mentor, really, he just told us all what we were doing that week and then left until the next. So then one by one all the other girls arrived... ugh, the first bitch, first thing out of her mouth, she had the audacity to tell me not to eat everything in the fridge! Like, go the fuck ahead and eat pizza and cookies, the fruit platter's mine!"

"O-Oh..." My head recoiled and I couldn't help but blink several times in surprise. "...Really? That's how she greeted you?"

"Yes! Ugh, and all the other girls were no better," Juniper rolled her eyes as she finished pushing back my cuticles. She then swiped some sweet-scented oil onto the raised skin and massaged it in rather roughly. "One bitch tried to tell me how to use the PDA we all received to keep our schedules organized... like, duh, I know how to use a frickin' PDA, but you don't even know how to turn the thing on! Then the next ho was all 'look, I like you, but we can't be friends' to me... psh, well fine, then! And then the next bitch after that was like 'if we become friends, will you do your makeup and hair juuust like me? I'm super pretty!'" she snarked in a comically nasally voice.

"Holy... really?" I laughed uncomfortably. Juniper nodded.

"So of course I told the bitch exactly what I was thinking... I took zero shit from any of them, of course, I'm sooo much better than any of them. The next girl was actually pretty nice, but she did think it was necessary to tell me how to use the house phone if I wanted to call my man... like... I know how to use a phone?" she groused slowly.

"...Where did they find these girls?" I blinked incredulously. Sure, it was Juniper of all people telling me about them, after all. But even so, that would've been a very... awkward conversation to have.

"Psh, who knows? Probably some street corner or something," she replied flippantly. "Anyway... so then we were chauffeured to the city to buy clothes - yea, can you believe we had to buy our own clothes to model?! I mean, yea, they gave us a daily allowance of like $500, but still! And there was no photographer, and the hair and makeup lady wouldn't be there until a week later, and our gym instructor guy was literally some Borat wannabe... and the sponsored restaurant that catered our food? A fuckin' burger joint! I mean, weirdest burger joint I've ever been to, but really?! And our server? The most redneck-sounding lady I've ever met. 'Welcome to Chomps, the best restaurant in town,'" she drawled in a Southern accent that would've deeply offended the Applejack in either version of Equestria. "Yea... she was apparently part of a set of quintuplets... all named Bess... all in the catering business... except for Bess who sheared sheep for a living."

...This... cannot be real... I couldn't even find the words to express how dumbfounded I was at her tale.

"Yea, it was a fuckin' trip and a half, I'll tell ya," Juniper sighed, wiping acetone on my nails before reaching for a bottle of nail polish. "Buuut it ended with me beating out all those other bitches and getting my first commercial, so I guess it was worth it."

Ugh... Juniper, what makes you think that color goes with my outfit...?

"Oh, and the best part of all? That first week, our theme was 'casual', so I thought to myself, 'what's more casual than not even bothering with clothes'? So I ran around the mansion and city in just a T-shirt and underwear for a couple days... until the one boutique I ever bothered with in the city had a really cute skirt come in. I just had to buy that."

...What.

I sat there, stunned into utter silence as Juniper continued to rant about her first week on the show while she sloppily painted my nails. I really didn't think anyone could ever mess up a Prench manicure so badly...


~


My makeover finally finished, I parted ways with Juniper and returned to my cottage, desperate to get the nail polish off of my fingers. After soaking them in acetone for what felt like an hour, I finally got it all off.

There was still a good bit of time left until dinner, and I knew just how I would spend it. It took a bit of searching, but eventually I found him in the mysterious cave studying the crystals. A couple of lanterns scavenged from the Storage Shed provided plenty of light, rendering the gentle glow of the gems nearly impossible to discern.

"Oh! Hello, Starlight," Sunburst turned his head towards me as I came closer. "Come to see the crystals? Quite fascinating, I must say. I've never seen anything like them before."

"They are," I nodded. "Buuut I was more thinking we could hang out for a bit."

"O-Oh..." he blinked rapidly, his cheeks glowing much like the gems. "W-Well, I don't see a problem with that. Why not?"


~~~

Sunburst and I talked while we studied the glowing crystals.

~~~


"So, uh..." I had to admit, I was curious about how this Sunburst's childhood had turned out. The Sunburst back home had told me all about how he'd gone to Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns and all that, but since magic wasn't even a thing in this world until somewhat recently... "...being a preschool prodigy and all, how was life after that?"

"Ah, yes," Sunburst cleared his throat with a grimace. "Well, my mother sent me to the finest K-12 school she could afford... after learning the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic in kindergarten I found that the work came naturally to me. It wasn't until taking a battery of tests in the first grade, however, that I was allowed to skip multiple grades."

"Really? What kind of tests?" I asked.

"Oh, goodness, I don't recall... something similar to SAT's, I know. But apparently, not only was I always the first to finish each test, but I scored perfectly on every single one. I still remember the stunned look on my teacher's face when she told me so."

"Neat! So how far were you able to skip forward?"

"To the seventh grade," he grinned. "My teacher was worried about my ability to fit in and make friends, seeing how I was only seven at the time, but the principal and superintendent both were convinced I'd be the next Einstein or someone similar."

"That's true..." I pressed my lips together as I tried to put myself in his position. If human children were anything like colts and fillies, those teenage years tended to bring out the worst qualities in a pony until their brains developed enough to properly learn empathy, cause and effect, and consequences. Such a young student among them would have been an ideal target for bullying. "Did you have any problems?"

"For a while, no," Sunburst shook his head. "My classmates were surprised, of course, but most of them were friendly enough."

"...A while, though?" My heart dropped.

"There was this young man... Autumn Jasper, if I remember right. He offered me some money to write an essay for him. I refused, of course, and then... he actually threatened to hit me! I warned him I would go to the proper authorities if he did so... and then he hit me anyway," he shrugged. "Right between the eyes, broke my glasses and everything."

"That's awful!" I scowled.

"Oh, that wasn't even the end of it," Sunburst scoffed. "The oaf happened to punch me right in view of our biology teacher, so we were both quickly sent to the principal's office. We were both scolded quite severely, and then my mother arrived about an hour into our meeting and, uh, talked him out of applying a zero-tolerance policy to the incident."

"Ew, your school did zero-tolerance?" I stuck my tongue out. "Nopo- er, nobody does that back home... it never works."

"Not after that day they didn't, not with all the negative publicity and lawsuits she was threatening him with," Sunburst glanced away sheepishly. "So Autumn Jasper was suspended for five days while I returned to class... of course, he held a grudge against me after that and always made my day just a little more difficult if we crossed paths. But... I got my revenge," he smirked.

"Oh? Do tell," I leaned closer.

"So," he puffed out his chest, as if he was going to tell me his proudest memory, "Although I aced my classes with ease, I couldn't continue on to college classes until I was at least thirteen, so I had quite a few free periods with which to pass the time. Some of these were spent being a teacher's aide... grading papers, doing small errands, you know. It wasn't until my senior year that I found myself grading the papers for the classes Autumn Jasper was taking... it only took a moment to realize that he was copying all of his answers from other classmates, and rather blatantly, I might add."

I couldn't help but grin.

"I gave him big, fat zeroes for every test he took, in every class of his I had. He ended up having to repeat the year, while I graduated as Valedictorian, excited to finally take more advanced classes. Ah... justice. Made all those years of enduring his crass barbarism worth it."

"Oh, I bet that felt good," I giggled, although I could feel myself sneering inside. An utter jerk getting their well-deserved comeuppance... that feeling of righteous indignation, finally sated and banished away once things had been put right, once vengeance had been taken and the sinners had been punished...

...It reminded me of the way I felt when I had ripped Twilight's future away from her the first time.

The sudden realization shook me to the core with a cold chill. I blinked uncomfortably as my thoughts warred against each other. Every action was the consequence of a reaction, a mantra I had taken to heart when I first accepted the position of guidance counselor at the School of Friendship. I found myself wondering why Autumn had been such a bully, why he had cheated on those tests... what happened to him that caused him to be that way?

No... it's not the same thing... it sounds like Autumn actually deserved what happened to him... he had no troubled past to blame his actions on... right?

"I've always wondered... would he go to the same class reunion as myself? Or the one he actually graduated from?" Sunburst mused to himself. "Assuming the oaf ever did graduate to start with..."

"I'm... sure he did... eventually," I mumbled. Sunburst shrugged.

"Ah, well. No use dwelling on the past... the here and now is what I should be worried about. Now, where was I... ah, yes, I should collect some samples, that would definitely aid my research..."

He began carefully scooping some of the loose rocks by the cave wall into a bag, seemingly ignorant of or content with our silence. I helped where I could, but didn't say much else... I was too busy with my own thoughts.


~


After Sunburst brought his samples back to his cottage, I returned to my own to wash the dirt off my hands before heading to the dining hall - it was just about time for dinner. Most of the others had already arrived, the last few stragglers walking in as Kotenage finished bringing out our meal - chankonabe again, with what Sunset called beef this time. Soup was beginning to get a little old five days into our ordeal, but it would be rude to complain, especially since he really put his heart into it...

"...You know," Sunset suddenly spoke up. "Given our situation, you know what would really help to ensure no one falls for Monokuma's crap?"

"Ugh, don't you dare say a party," Sugarcoat grumbled. "It's bad enough the rest of you are treating this like an extended vacation as it is."

"Nooot exactly..." Sunset chuckled nervously, glancing away for a moment. "More like a... trust-building exercise!" Sugarcoat groaned again.

"Yea? What do you have in mind?" asked Soarin'.

"Well, we were thinking we could all hang out together at those hot springs," said Flash. "Maybe get some snacks and drinks together and make a day of it."

"Ooh! That sounds fun!" Sonata chirped happily.

"Yea, that doesn't sound too bad," Silver nodded, looking Sunset's way. "There's a couple people here I'd definitely like to chat with, in a more... relaxed setting."

"I KNOW JUST THE THING TO MAKE FOR SUCH AN OCCASION," Kotenage grinned. "I'VE GOT A WAGASHI RECIPE I'VE BEEN DYING TO TRY OUT!"

"Hehe, all these hot chicks in swimsuits in nature's hot tub... hell yea, I'm in," Ocean leered.

"...Contain yourself, hm?" Mountain sighed, lightly whacking her twin on the head with her spoon.

"But... doing something like this would surely anger our captors," Sunburst hummed thoughtfully.

"Psh... screw Monokuma," Flash rolled his eyes as he flipped his hand backwards. "Something like this'll be the perfect way to show him we aren't gonna fall apart and kill each other."

"We'll all become better friends, and it'll be easier to stand together against him," I agreed, then turned towards Sugarcoat. "Don't you think so, Sugarcoat?"

She let out a loud, long sigh before finally nodding once. "I... guess so," she grumpily conceded. "Of course, that's assuming nothing bad happens... like someone using the opportunity to murder someone else."

"Do you always have to be such a buzzkill?" Juniper groaned. "Maybe if you stopped being paranoid for two seconds we could stop worrying about that happening."

"Girl needs to get laid..." Indigo coughed not-so-subtly to Ocean, who snickered.

"Oh, forgive me for wanting to survive a killing game," Sugarcoat huffed, pouting as she spoke through clenched teeth. "But fine... I'll try to relax and... mingle a bit." She added quite a bit of begrudging emphasis on "mingle".

"Perfect. So, how 'bout we all meet up at the hot springs at like, 1pm?" suggested Sunset. "Hang out and stuff until, say, 4pm so we all have time to shower and dry off before dinner?"

"Sounds good to me," nodded Memento.

"Can I bring a plus one?" Sonata asked as she held up another potato to her face. It was different from earlier, as this one had a happy face carved into it with googly eyes glued on.

"1PM? I'LL HAVE TO START THE RECIPE RIGHT AWAY," Kotenage chuckled, slurping down the last of his huge bowl of food as he got up from the table. Smiles spread on everyone's faces as they talked excitedly amongst themselves... well, everyone except Sugarcoat, anyway.

After finishing my meal, I brought my dishes to the dishwasher in the kitchen, where Kotenage was busy pouring an unholy amount of sugar into a crockpot full of beans. I spent the rest of the night wondering what in Celestia's name he was making with that concoction...
> Hell Springs Forth - Daily Life 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I woke up actually excited for the day. Ignoring the stock message from the Monokubs playing, I threw on my clothes and headed for the Dining Hall. Most of us were already there eating a lighter breakfast than normal, their conversation sunny and pleasant. Even Sugarcoat seemed less irritable than usual.

Gee, why didn't we think of this sooner? What a great idea-


*boing!*


And just like that, Monokuma suddenly appeared from a hatch beneath the main table, overturning a couple of plates and glasses. "Why hellooooo, my dear campers! What a beee-yutiful morning we're having today, hmm?" he beamed.

"Oh goddamnit!" Memento leapt from her chair in surprise, then scowled as she sat back down.

"Do you have to just pop up like that, man?!" Ocean coughed as he choked on a piece of bacon. "Can't you just come in through the front door like a normal person?!"

"...Person? I'm no person, I'm a bear!" Monokuma shouted angrily before quickly smooshing his cheeks together in a cutesy manner. "But I also identify as an attack helicopter, a plate of spaghetti bolognese, and a black and white evil hedgehog with psychic powers. Original character, noooo copying!"

"Ooh! Ooh! I'm a mermaid-kin!" Sonata nodded gleefully before holding up yet another baking potato. "And Mr. Potat here is a purple fox with three tails!" For a moment there, she and Monokuma were actually locked deep into a similar wavelength, their fists to their chins as they both wiggled excitedly and squeed.

...

"Uh..." Flash dumbly drawled.

"Well, did that conversation derail fast, or what...?" Juniper glared, unimpressed.

"Derail? More like exploded on impact..." added Mountain. Sugarcoat let out a loud groan and clanged her fork on a glass to get Monokuma's attention.

"I knew this wouldn't last... what do you want?" she groused.

"Boy, you sure don't beat around the ol' bush, do ya?" Monosuke suddenly quipped. I whipped my head around and found all four Monokubs were scooching down the breakfast buffet line in an orderly fashion. Monosuke had a stack of pancakes almost as tall as himself on a plate, covered in honey and berries.

"Ready for me to get to the point, huh?" Monokuma grinned. "...But before that, you mind if I vent a little?"

"Yes, I do-"

"I'm low on energy these days... my stitching's even losing all its shine and luster," he continued without missing a beat, totally ignoring Sugarcoat as he plopped down an appropriately-sized couch from nowhere in particular and laid down on it. "I'm thinking... it's probably because of this ho-hum, boring everyday life."

Sugarcoat blinked rapidly, stunned that a notepad and pen had suddenly been dropped into her plate of food while she wasn't looking. Her face scrunched up into a deep scowl as she wordlessly growled, her left eye twitching periodically.

"I'm looking for something with a little more stimulation... something rife with danger and intrigue!" Monokuma grinned wickedly, his red eye aglow. "Listen, can I just be frank?"

"Huh? But Daddy, your name's not Frank..." Monophanie pursed her lips together, carefully lifting her bowl of fruit. She barely got it two inches into the air before Monokuma suddenly blitzed over to the line of Monokubs and punched her right in the gut, knocking all four of them down like dominoes.

"IT'S AN EXPRESSION, YOU NITWIT! NOW QUIT INTERRUPTING DADDY!" he roared.

"But I only interrupted once!" Monophanie whined.

"Father hasn't had his morning coffee yet!" Monotaro cried from underneath his overturned bowl of oatmeal. "He's a grumpy Gus."

"...But Papa Kuma's name ain't Gus, either..." Monokid's muffled voice bubbled through the omelette he was currently face-down in. Monokuma stifled a growl of his own as he hopped back onto his couch.

"AS I was saying... the next blackened hasn't shown up yet, and I'm boooooooored!" he whined, flailing his limbs until suddenly ceasing. "...So, I've decided to come up with a new way to motivate you!"

"Aaand there it is," Indigo threw her hands in the air in annoyance.

"We're not falling for that again," Sunset glared at Monokuma. "Say whatever you want, we're not gonna listen, and we're not gonna kill each other!"

"Hmm... that's very big talk. Do your very best to back it up, okay?" the bear simply sneered back at her. "Now then, with your permission, let me begin!"

"Do we have to...?" I grumbled. But Monokuma paid me no heed.

"So, this time, it's... embarrassing moments and secrets!" he giggled through his teeth as he trembled with laughter.

"Ooh! An oldie but goodie!" Monosuke remarked behind his stack of pancakes, now reduced to half its original size. He was covered in honey from the prior assault, however, so a couple of those pancakes were stuck to his body rather than eaten.

"As long as you're alive, it's a given that there's things you don't want other people to know about you... so I did a little investigating of my own, and I dug up some of your darkest secrets!" Monokuma smirked.

"You... y-you did...?" Sunset shivered uncomfortably.

"Oh..." Sugarcoat's lips thinned. Everyone's faces slid into silent terror, staring at their food or the ground... I was no different. My mind raced back to my past, of all the horrible things I once did... the knowledge that it could get out among my companions here made me nauseous, nearly made me faint. It was not just embarrassing, but downright shameful. It was so mortifying to me, I hadn't even given Sunset the whole story after all the years we've known each other.

Celestia... no... none of them would ever trust me again...

"And those embarrassing memories and secrets are all contained in your Monopads," Monokuma darkly chuckled. Sure enough, I heard a couple of soft pings around the table, as well as in my own backpack. "Of course, if you all got your own secret, then all you'd have to do is keep your trap shut, right? So I've mixed them all up and you've all gotten somebody else's secret! ...And who knows how eager they'll be to blab to their buddies all about it."

"Uhhhh..." Soarin' nervously droned.

"Ooh. That's bad," Sonata tilted her head.

"...Whyyyyy do you all sound like you've all done something super illegal?" Memento glanced around the room, raising an eyebrow.

"I-I haven't done anything illegal! It's just... well..." Flash looked away, his face bright red.

"I HAVE LIVED AN HONEST LIFE... I CANNOT IMAGINE WHAT MINE MIGHT SAY," said Kotenage, although the sweat dripping down the sides of his head suggested differently.

"Puhuhuhu... but I do! Don't you guys wanna know what it says, too?" Monokuma laughed. I opened my mouth to argue, but my lips were trembling so hard that nothing came out. It was Sunset who managed to blink away her anxiety and stand up to him.

"No... all we have to do is not look at them," she asserted. "O-Or we all look, and then we have a nice, rational, civil discussion about it together, where we can each explain ourselves and agree not to judge each other. It's still not going to work, Monokuma."

"...'Kay." Monokuma shrugged. The sheer nonchalance of his reply stopped Sunset in her tracks.

"...Wait... what? What do you mean 'okay'?"

"'Kay," he replied again.

"S-Shouldn't you be taunting us, or making us mad, or something?" Juniper frowned.

"'Kay." Monokuma smirked slightly; it was the kind of tone of voice that could have meant the best of intentions, but the delivery fell so flat it felt deeply insulting.

"Can you say anything other than 'kay?" Sonata grinned. Monokuma began to reply but froze as he opened his mouth. His red eye glowed.

"...Very funny," he finally replied. "Ugh... I need my morning quadruple-shot miracle berry espresso with heavy cream and brewed with mamaki tea..."

Eww...

"...Yea, have fun with your little party, you magic morons!" Monokuma shouted, leaving the same way he came in. The Monokubs, who had been sitting quietly at another table, hastily downed the last of their food and ran out of the dining hall.


*So long, bear well!*


And so we sat in silence for a while, the motive fresh in our minds. We all had been given someone else's darkest secret... who's did I have? Who had mine...?

"Soooo... what are we gonna do now?" asked Flash.

"I mean... Sunset's right," said Soarin'. "Either we look and talk about it, or we don't."

"Like that'll last long," Sugarcoat rolled her eyes. "I bet the lot of you will have looked by the time breakfast's over."

"I'm not... I can't," Ocean shrugged. "I don't even have my Monopad on me, it's in my cottage."

"Me either," Indigo nodded. In fact, other than myself, Sunset, Flash, Sugarcoat and Juniper, nobody had their Monopads with them. Inwardly I felt a little better... there was less of a chance my secrets would be read by somebody right this moment.

"Seriously?! Why don't you guys have them on you?!" Sugarcoat yelled.

"Well, it's not like there's a rule we have to," said Memento. "And up until just now, they were kind of useless."

"I don't really wanna go get mine right now... I'm not sure where I threw it," Sonata chuckled, rubbing the back of her head.

"Alright..." Sunset paused for a moment to think. "Everyone, ignore your Monopads. Let's just have our party first, then how about we grab them afterwards and talk about this during dinner?"

"Uh-uh, no," Sugarcoat cut in. "This is way more important than some stupid party. We need to get our Monopads and discuss this now."

She's right... but... ohhhh I'm not looking forward to this...

"Do we have to...?" Silver winced.

"Yea, I mean... I don't wanna be put on the spot like this," Ocean grumbled. "I wanna think about it first."

"What's there to think about? One of us reads your secret out loud, you explain yourself, we come to an understanding... crisis averted," Sugarcoat gestured with her hands.

"Sure, but don't you see how uncomfortable everyone is?" Sunset glared. "We all have to tell each other about the things we're most ashamed of... even if it means no one will want to murder each other, it doesn't mean it's any easier to do."

"Speaking for yourself, I see," Sugarcoat raised her nose haughtily. Sunset answered her only with a glare.

"Nah, she's right... I don't really care, but I know others don't feel the same," quipped Sonata.

"Definitely... I think we should go ahead with that party, enjoy ourselves and calm down a bit first," nodded Memento.

"It's a 'trust-building exercise', after all," reminded Sunset. "But we definitely need to talk about this today. We'll mellow out first, then have some good food at dinner while talking it over."

"We'll all be relaxed and more able to think clearly," I agreed, chuckling nervously. "...I have a feeling we're going to need to be as relaxed as possible for this."

"Yea... yea, that works," Flash sighed in relief.

"SOUNDS GOOD TO ME... I CAN FOCUS ON FINISHING MY WAGASHI," Kotenage nodded, having finished his meal and already halfway to the Kitchen.

"I suppose you have a point," Sugarcoat looked away pensively before setting her gaze on me. "How surprisingly astute of you."

"Okay, so... see you guys there then, yea?" Juniper waved as she took her dishes into the kitchen. "I need go to pick out what to wear." There was a general consensus of agreement, and soon everyone had gone their separate ways.


~


"So, uh, there's a good bit of time before we're all meeting up... what do you want to do?"

Sunset frowned in thought for a few moments. "Well... ah, maybe Kotenage could use some help in the kitchen?"

"Okay," I nodded as we headed for the door. Inside the kitchen, the Ultimate Rikishi was busy mashing his beans and sugar concoction through a sieve, turning them into a light tan paste. "Hey, uh, need any help with your cooking, Kotenage?"

"HMM..." he hummed as he stirred. "...IF YOU COULD FIND ME SOME CLEAR GELATIN AND THE FOOD COLORING, THAT WOULD BE GREAT."

"Alright," Sunset agreed, and we began searching the pantry.


~~~

Sunset and I acted as Kotenage's sous chefs, gathering ingredients and preparing garnishes while he focused on his bean paste... just what in Equestria is wagashi, anyway?

~~~


"Hey, Sunset, can I ask you something?" After taking a mound of Monocoins from Kotenage and pooling them with our own, Sunset and I had gone to the gift shop to try and get as many drinks as possible from the MonoMono Machine.

"Sure," she shrugged as she inserted a coin and turned the crank. "What's up?"

"I can't help but wonder... do you ever get nervous for no reason at all, as a human?" I bit my inner cheek at Sunset's confused expression - that wasn't really what I'd meant to say. "Er, how do I put this? Like... humans don't really strike me as being so... cautious, like ponies usually are."

"I'd say most aren't, I guess... but a good number of humans are," said Sunset.

"I mean more... do your instincts just fire off all the time? Or since you've been a human for so long-"

"Ah, I see what you mean," Sunset snapped her fingers. "Pony instincts as opposed to human instincts."

"Yea, that!" I nodded. "I mean... the others here don't seem all that worried about our situation, but... oh, I'm surprised I can even sleep at night. Do you feel the same?"

Sunset shivered. "...Yea, I'm pretty worried. I may have been a human for half of my life, learned how to deal with things the way they do, but the pony side of me is terrified. Always has been... even when I first came to this universe and was intent on taking it over, I never really... liked conflict. I preferred the more subtle approach... turning friends against each other and whatnot."

"Oh, good... it's not just me," I sighed halfheartedly. Me too, though...

"Now that I'm on the other end of an evil plot, being forced into this killing game? I feel even worse about what I did in the past. Now I know how scared they all felt, and... ugh," she briskly shook her head.

"Yea..." I paused to swallow. "I... I'm really scared, Sunset. Usually we've got our friends and our magic, but this? Here? Our friends have no idea where we are, your magic is gone and mine's so weak, I-"

"Hey, we're gonna be okay," Sunset grabbed my shoulders, alerting me to the fact that I had been shaking. "And you're doing great."

"Huh? How so?" I blinked rapidly, feeling a welling tear slide down my cheek.

"Well, the way you took charge of that trial? You were so brave, given everything that's happened so far. You kept everyone in line and on topic, and thanks to you we figured out the truth," she smiled. "Thinking back, I've always felt like I had to step up and be the hero, but your leadership skills really do surpass my own."

"Oh..." I looked away, suddenly ashamed as memories came flooding back. Memories of what had most likely earned me that Ultimate title.

"...And that's a good thing," Sunset affirmed as she gently turned my head to face her. "I know the hangups you have about your stint as a villain. There's nothing wrong with using what you learned during that time for good. And if you need any help with anything, I'll be right here beside you... you're my friend, after all."

Her words brought a little warmth back to my heart. I sighed and nodded my appreciation. "Thanks... I'm glad you're here with me, Sunset."

"Me too... And hey," Sunset chuckled, "maybe if this killing game happened somewhere else, I'd be the one leading us in the trials."


~


At around 12:30pm, Kotenage asked us to get some folding tables from the Storage Shed and set them up beside the largest hot spring. We did as he asked, and when we returned he was finally finished with his two wagashi snacks. They actually looked quite delicate and delicious, considering the sugary bean paste I'd seen him make. One was a perfectly-formed maple leaf made out of the paste, convincingly dyed red, orange and yellow to the point it could've been picked right out of a tree in autumn. It laid diagonally on a log made of the same paste but dyed a rich brown, adorned with a single large, red sprinkle dotted with white and partially sunken into the log so it resembled a tiny mushroom. The whole dish was no larger than a cupcake, served on a small, white square plate with a matching tiny spoon. The other was a small block of clear gelatin tinted an ethereal shade of light blue on the top two-thirds, with the bottom third being an opaque golden sand color. It looked almost exactly as if I had levitated a perfect chunk of a forest riverbed into the air.

"Wow... I had no idea what you were going to do with the beans and sugar, but that's really impressive!" I breathed.

"These are gorgeous! I'd feel bad eating them," Sunset nodded in agreement.

"AH, ARIGATO... BUT THEY ARE MEANT TO BE EATEN!" Kotenage beamed before carefully lifting the trays of snacks. "I'LL HANDLE THESE, THEY ARE MY BABIES, AFTER ALL... WILL YOU HAVE ANY TROUBLE WITH THE REST OF THE REFRESHMENTS?"

"No, we've got it," I waved. All of the drinks and other snacks we'd gathered were packed into a pair of rolling coolers and large cloth bags.

"THEN I SHALL SEE YOU THERE!" he replied, and he cautiously set off. Sunset grunted as she tugged on the coolers' handles, and I quickly found that the bags of other snacks were packed a little too heavy.

Oof... hmm, I wonder...

Opening my hands, I focused on the bags at my sides, willing them to lift themselves into the air... it took a good bit of exertion, but I managed to get the lighter of the two to levitate about a foot off the ground.

"I wish I still had my magic," Sunset groaned as she set off for the hot springs, myself close behind. I carried the heavier of the two bags in my arms, grunting softly as I kept my concentration up on the other bag.

"I'll tell you... it definitely makes me... feel like a little foal again... struggling with just... this..." I strained.

In the end, I had to drop the other bag on the path to the hot springs just to be able to carry the heavier bag all the way there. In the time it took me to go back for it and bring it there, Kotenage and Sunset had finished setting up most of the refreshments. His wagashi were the stars in the center of the two tables, with the other snacks surrounding them. The coolers had been set up beside the tables, the drinks chilling in the ice. Besides whatever we had managed to win from the MonoMono Machine, there were a few different types of soda, some bottled water and just a couple cans of beer... Kotenage had mentioned that the beer he found in the kitchen was of very poor quality, really only suitable for cooking.

"IF ONLY WE HAD SOME SAKE..." he lamented. "...A KUBOTA JUNMAI DAIGINJO, A KIZAKURA NIGORIZAKE... HELL, EVEN A MORIMOTO ONE CUP WOULD DO."

"...What about one cup?" I turned to see Ocean and Indigo walking down the path, both dressed in their bathrobes and carrying a bundle of towels in their arms.

"Ohhh no, you ain't gettin' me to watch that again! You can't fool me twice," Ocean shook his head. Not knowing what they were talking about, I glanced over to Sunset; as soon as she saw me, she frantically shook her head as well.

"...You're better off not knowing," she mouthed as we ran back to our cottages to change, grab some towels and our bathrobes. By the time we'd returned, everyone else had arrived for the party. Most had changed back in their cottages and had arrived wearing their bathrobes, or had their towels tightly wrapped around themselves to stave off the cold. But a couple of them had arrived carrying bundles of towels and their swimsuits, and they ducked inside the shower and locker room building to change. Kotenage must've been one of them, as he was currently nowhere to be seen.

"Hope nobody wanted me to provide the music," Flash shrugged as he took off his bathrobe to get into the water. "Steam's no good for my guitar, so I left it behind."

"Nah... I prefer soaking in silence, anyway," Memento replied as she sank into the spring on the middle tier. Everyone elected to do the same; I took off my bathrobe and submerged myself as quickly as possible. The water was heavenly, hot without being uncomfortable, silky smooth with minerals, the sulfur not at all overpowering to my senses. Sighs of deep relief and relaxation lazily rose into the air with the steam.

"Ohhhh, that's nice..." Silver purred as she sank beneath the surface. Meanwhile, Sonata put another potato to her ear, mimed listening to it whisper to her, then gasped suddenly.

"...Add you and baby, we've got a stew going? You have the most shrewd ideas, Mr. Potat!"

"What is it with you and potatoes lately?" Soarin' asked.

"Huh? Well... I'm booored," Sonata whined. "Aren't you guys bored? ...Are you not entertained?"

"In Soviet Russia, potato entertain you," Indigo mumbled in a deep voice, her mouth at the same level as the water so her speech was marred with bubbles. "In Latvia, potato is dream. Once a man knock on my door, says he is give away potato. I open door, is secret police."

"This is tasty, whatever this is," Juniper spoke through a mouthful of a maple leaf wagashi dessert. "Who made this?"

"Kotenage did," I answered.

"Really? I'm surprised, this is quite cultured," Sugarcoat's eyebrows raised as she sampled the jelly wagashi.

"Where is he? It's been a while since he left to go change," commented Mountain.

"Well, I believe those are Neighponese-style showers, perhaps he is enjoying the comforts of home- ...uhhhh," Sunburst trailed off, staring behind me.

"Huh?" I turned around... and tilted my head at what I saw.

"AHHHH, IT'S BEEN AGES SINCE THE LAST TIME!" Kotenage thundered as he stepped out of the shower building... completely naked save for the hand towel slung over his shoulder. Most of the girls shouted as he jogged towards the middle spring.

"Wh-What do you think you're doing?!" Sugarcoat screeched, covering her eyes. Kotenage came to a stop as he neared the edge of the pool.

"...GOING TO SOAK IN A HOT SPRING?" he answered slowly.

"Put some pants on! What the hell is wrong with you?!" Juniper flailed as she threw an empty water bottle at him.

"UH... WHY? IT'LL JUST GET THE ONSEN DIRTY."

"Do you see anyone else here naked?! You're in the presence of women!" groused Sugarcoat.

"YEA... SO?"

"Cultural differences," Silver shrugged, not seeming all that bothered.

"Yea, in Neighpon, you use the hot springs naked," Memento nodded.

"Most of them are segregated by gender, but co-ed hot springs aren't uncommon, either," Silver added.

"Well, this isn't Neighpon! Put your swimsuit on, you're offending my eyes!" cried Juniper.

"I dunno... I'm kinda diggin' it," Indigo smirked. "Besides, it's not like you can see anything, anyway." It was true... due to Kotenage's impressive girth, nothing particularly lewd was showing.

"Ooh, I like skinny-dipping!" Sonata giggled. And before anyone could stop her, she quickly yanked off her bikini and threw the pieces of soaked cloth onto a nearby bench.

"Hey! Not you too!" Sugarcoat shouted.

"Ah... that feels amaaaaazing..." Sonata sighed blissfully, floating on her back in the water.

"Hell yea! Let's make this a real party!" Indigo pumped her fist before ripping off her own bikini. Standing up in the shallow spring, she then twirled the bikini top above her head like a propeller before letting it fly off into the distance.

"Oh, my..." Sunburst averted his eyes, his cheeks pink.

"Nice..." Ocean leered.

"No! I will not have this 'trust-building exercise' turn into some freaky, weird orgy!" Sugarcoat shrieked, her face turning bright red as she pointed at the naked offenders. "If you're gonna be naked, go somewhere else!"

"Oh! Does anyone wanna play that game where you try to bump each other into the water with your butt?" Sonata asked as she innocently pointed to her own butt. Sugarcoat's face darkened to a hue resembling a strawberry.

"I'll bump you into the water but good!" grinned Indigo. I glanced over to Sugarcoat, who looked like she was going to erupt any second.

"I'M... GOING TO USE THE SPRING ON THE TOP LEVEL," Kotenage remarked, grabbing a couple of drinks for himself before walking off. "THE HEAT WILL SOOTHE MY BODY AFTER THE DAY'S EXERCISES."

"Fiiiiine, we'll take the real party up top," Indigo groaned as she got out of the water, asserting a dominating pose as she pointed at Sugarcoat. "You're such a stick-in-the-mud, you know that?"

"And you have no sense of common decency!" Sugarcoat argued back as Indigo stomped her way up the hill after Kotenage. Meanwhile, Sonata simply shrugged and lifted herself out of the water, giggling as she briskly jogged after them. Sugarcoat growled in frustration and sank into the water until she disappeared, resurfacing after blowing out a long stream of bubbles.


~


Soon most of the others lapsed into pleasant conversation with each other. Looking around, I saw Sunset and Silver chatting flirtatiously, which made me smile. Flash, Memento and Mountain were having a quiet discussion amongst themselves about favorite TV shows and stuff, and Sunburst and Juniper were both simply relaxing, off in their own little worlds. It left me with only one other person to talk to...

"Enjoying yourself?" I asked Sugarcoat. She was in the middle of her third maple leaf wagashi, taking a break from having eaten double that amount of the jelly ones.

"Surprisingly? Yea," she nodded. "It's nice and quiet after getting rid of the weirdos, and these sweets are addictive... I need to remember to ask Kotenage for his recipe."

"Aren't they, though?" I agreed. When Sugarcoat didn't elaborate any further I grimaced awkwardly. "Uh, so..."

Sugarcoat froze mid-bite. Her glare shifted over to me. "Oh... you want to keep talking." I simply stared at her, not knowing what to say back when she blinked slowly and sighed heavily. "Fiiiiine... I suppose this is supposed to be a 'trust-building exercise'..." she nodded begrudgingly.

Sheesh... how are you a therapist...?


~~~

Sugarcoat and I talked uneasily for a while.

~~~


"So, you're the Ultimate Arts and Crafts, huh?" I asked when Sugarcoat and I had come to an uncomfortable silence.

"Yea, I guess?" she replied snidely. "I told you people about my hobbies at the very beginning of this."

"Right, so... how'd you get into counseling?"

"Oh, that," her shoulders softened. "Well... I always liked the more crafty classes in school; shop, home ec... but my parents and the school counselor all said that crafts wouldn't pay the bills. So I decided to take psychology classes in university. Found them interesting... really helps you understand what makes someone tick."

"I see," I nodded.

"What about you? Aren't you the headmistress of a school or something?" Sugarcoat squinted.

"Uh..." Suddenly deeply aware of my own job, my mind went blank as I tried to figure out how I'd explain it. Some splashing noises caught my attention - I glanced over in that direction to see Ocean and Soarin' getting out of the hot spring. They grabbed a couple of drinks, then began making their way to the pool on the top tier where Indigo, Kotenage and Sonata were banished to. Whatever conversation they were sharing up there quickly grew more raucous and loud.

"Ugh, more nudists... fuckin' weirdos," Sugarcoat muttered under her breath.

"Yea, I am," I answered, finally finding my train of thought again. "Though before that, I was just the school counselor, myself. But then the headmistress... er, got a new job, so she gave the position to me."

"Ah... nepotism, eh?" she grinned maliciously. I blinked, again feeling very self-conscious under her gaze.

Hmm... good point.

"I'm not surprised. It's way more common than anyone thinks," she shrugged. "...Actually, that is kind of how I got my current job."

"Oh... r-really?"

"Yea... see, I graduated and got my degree and everything, but the people in charge of my clinicals said I was too... 'honest'. Word gets around, so when I started looking for a job, I didn't get any responses at all."

"Honest?" I asked as neutrally as I could manage.

"All those patients I saw... god, what losers," she scoffed. "They kept harping on about all their problems that they caused themselves, and instead of telling them it'd be okay and giving suggestions on what baby step they should do to remedy it, I told them exactly what I thought: that they were the cause of the majority of their own problems and to knock it off already if they wanted their life to improve."

"Honest", huh...?

"Most of them didn't like being told the truth, and they cancelled all their other appointments to go find a therapist that would coddle them. Only one kept his appointments and actually listened to me, at least up until he apparently wandered off into the woods one day. They still haven't found him... I told him forest-bathing was a load of horse shit."

My lips thinned as my eyes bulged. I couldn't think of anyone less qualified to be a therapist... even Chrysalis would have been a better choice.

"But luckily enough, my uncle had an opening at his company... he was required to hire someone real quick after some salaryman jumped off his roof. It pays well, and his workers don't really come in often, so it's a pretty nice gig," she finished with a smirk.

"I see..." Geez, and I thought I was unqualified to be a school counselor, at least I actually listen to my students' problems...

"NAAAAAAAAAAAAA SAWHENYAAAAAAA BABADI BEE BABA-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Sugarcoat and I jumped in shock and whipped our heads towards the sudden screaming. Up on the ledge of the topmost pool, Indigo was belting something incomprehensible at the top of her lungs, posing powerfully. In the middle of the last word, however, Ocean snapped her butt with a twisted up towel; Indigo leapt from the ledge in shock and bellyflopped into our pool. While Ocean and the others in the top pool laughed, the rest of us stood there in stunned silence as Indigo gradually rose to the surface and climbed out, giggling as she made her way back to the top.

"Uh... you okay?" I called out after her. The part of the spring in which she fell was deep enough not to risk injury, but a bellyflop had to have hurt regardless. Indigo simply flashed a peace sign back at me while Sugarcoat sighed and shut her eyes tightly.

"Those weren't even the right words to that song..." she groused.

"Aren't you the least bit concerned about her? You two went to high school together, if I remember right," I frowned. But Sugarcoat simply waved a hand.

"Nah... she's always doing stupid shit like that. For some reason she's practically indestructible... if anything, only her head ever seems to get damaged."

"O-Oh..." Sugarcoat got out of the pool to grab another wagashi snack and something to drink, leaving me to my thoughts. How on Equus did someone like her find it okay to treat people so callously, let alone the patients that depended on her to help them with life? It was like all she could see in others was their worst traits.

I mean... I guess I used to be that way, a long time ago... I still had to stop myself from being annoyed with a student sometimes. But at least I was trying my best, whereas it seemed that Sugarcoat was simply coasting along... if the amount of money she made from her hobbies was true, then that would make it even harder for her to give a damn.

Maybe... maybe I can encourage her to listen to others more? That the first impression of someone isn't always the right one?


~


A light snow began to fall, melting in the steam before reaching the pools, but dusting the surrounding grounds beautifully. 4pm approached before we knew it. An alarm on Sugarcoat's nearby Monopad went off, cutting through the tranquil air.

"Alright, it's 3:55pm... time to get out," Sugarcoat spoke loudly as if ordering everyone out, standing up and exiting the hot spring.

"Aww... but it's so nice here," Memento whined, sinking beneath the water until just her face was visible.

"It's time to shower up and get dinner started. Everyone bring your Monopads and we'll discuss this new motive of Monokuma's," she continued, ignoring the uninterested groans of everyone present. "We've put it off long enough."

"Ugh, fine," Sunset sighed as she got out of the water, wrapping herself in a towel. "I guess I am getting kinda hungry, anyway."

"Hey, nudists! It's time to get out and start getting ready for dinner!" Sugarcoat shouted at the topmost pool. I slid out of the water and got my towel, which seemed to be the push everyone else needed to do the same. After drying off a little, half of us simply grabbed their things and started down the gravel path back to their cottages. Juniper, Kotenage, Mountain, Sugarcoat, Sunburst, Sunset and myself remained.

"Should we clean up and bring the tables back with us?" Sunset asked.

"HAI... I SHALL BRING THE TABLES BACK, AND WHATEVER YOU TWO CANNOT MANAGE," Kotenage nodded. "BUT FIRST I THINK I WILL RINSE OFF IN THE SHOWER HERE. IT WON'T TAKE ME LONG." Seemingly to prove his point, Kotenage jogged rather speedily into the shower and locker room building, disappearing inside.

"I'll use the shower as well," said Sunburst. "Silly to just walk all that way getting cold when you can just do so here and stay warm."

"Ugh, well, hurry up with it," Juniper grumbled, "the showers are all just one room, I don't wanna see any more naked people today."

"It's nothing none of us haven't seen before," Mountain sighed while stretching, then began to walk not towards the shower  building, but up the hill.

"Hey, where do you think you're going?!" Sugarcoat called out.

"As much as I enjoyed the party... I just need a little time to myself," said Mountain. "I'm going to rake the sand in the Zen garden for a bit, wait for you guys to finish showering first."

Ah, I get it... must be an introvert, then.

"Alright then... don't be too long, you'll get cold!" Juniper yelled after her before disappearing into the shower building, Sunburst following her inside. Sugarcoat opened her mouth to argue, but exhaled a grumpy sigh and trudged off towards the campgrounds, not even bothering to ask if we needed any help.

"Well... the sooner we do this, the faster we can shower," Sunset shrugged. Together we scooped up all of the garbage into some trash bags, carefully stacked all of the empty wagashi plates into one of the coolers, gathered together the uneaten snacks and dragged it all back to the main campgrounds. The warmth of the hot springs had long since worn off after disposing of the trash and setting everything else in the kitchen, so we quickly hurried back to our cottages. I peeled off my bathrobe and boots and leapt into the tub, frantic for hot water.

I spent a good bit of time in the shower, but finally got out, dried myself off and made my way to the dining hall. Most everyone was already there, the mood dimmed considerably by the conversation soon to come. A couple Monopads were already laid out on the main table, being ignored as much as possible. I sighed as I pulled my own Monopad out and let it clatter on the table.

Welp, here we go... I hope we're all relaxed enough that there won't be any big blowouts or drama...

Kotenage bashed open the kitchen door a few minutes later, holding a pot of his usual chankonabe. Peering inside as he plopped it on the table, the surface was covered in dumplings that obscured all the other ingredients. "MY SPECIAL DUMPLING RECIPE," he smiled slightly. "HOPEFULLY THEY WILL MAKE THIS EVENING A LITTLE LESS TENSE."

"Ah, nice," I commented. Everyone sat down at the main table, passing bowls around for Kotenage to ladle soup into.

"Okay, now that we're all here, I see no reason to put this off any longer," Sugarcoat spoke loudly. "I hope you're all in the mood to talk about your secrets in a civil manner." There were sighs and groans all around... nobody was really ready for this, least of all myself.

"...Uh, wait, Emmy's not here yet," Ocean raised his hand.

Eh?

"Juniper's not here, either," mentioned Soarin'.

"We're missing two people?" Silver asked.

Mountain and Juniper both aren't here...?

"Oh for fuck's sake..." Sugarcoat groaned loudly. "Someone go out and find them!"

"Where, though?" asked Sonata.

"They were both still at the hot springs when we left," Sunset pointed to me and herself. "Maybe they're still there?"

"I don't believe I saw either of them around when I left the shower building," mused Sunburst. "As far as I know, I was the last one to leave the area."

"Then it's settled. Starlight, Sunset, you go get them," Sugarcoat snapped her fingers. "I'm not putting this discussion off any longer!"

"I'll come with you guys," Flash mumbled as Sunset and I gave Sugarcoat a pair of unimpressed looks. Sunset thanked him as we stood up from the table, and after a parting sip of warm soup we left for the hot spring area.


~


A thin blanket of snow covered the ground, brightening the light emitted from the now-flickering stone lanterns. Usually the silence brought about by snowfall was comforting to me, but all I felt now was unease. The two girls couldn't still be hanging around here, could they?

It's absolutely freezing now, and besides the coming discussion, it's time for dinner. They're... they're both okay... right?

"Flash, can you search the top level? I'll take the rest of the grounds, and Starlight, can you search that shower building?" asked Sunset.

"Sure thing," Flash answered as I nodded. We each went our separate ways, and I dashed inside the women's part of the shower building. Other than the floor being a little muddy, nothing seemed out of the ordinary - neither girl was hiding in the lockers. I checked inside the co-ed shower room and saw nobody, either. Peeking into the men's locker room uncovered much the same as the women's: some mud on the floor and nothing in the lockers.

Alright, they're not in here... where else could they-

Flash cursed loudly in the distance, and my heart dropped into my stomach. I left the shower building immediately and began running up the hill. What did he see that would warrant such a reaction...?

"Flash?!" Sunset was already near the top of the hill, disappearing from sight within seconds. I ran even harder when I heard her scream. My legs suddenly felt weak and limp, and I found myself having to force them to keep going, one after the other. My chest began to heave, my lungs began to burn.

I really didn't want to know what they had reacted to. But as I reached the summit and skidded to a stop beside them... I had no choice.

I had no choice... but to see.

...I wish I never saw what my eyes fell upon.

Juniper's legs were pressed firmly into the mud around the hot spring, her skirt torn off of her body and tossed aside while the tails of her trench coat had been pushed to the left. The top part of the coat rippled and sputtered in the discolored water as streams of thick yellow goo trailed out of the sleeves, streaked with little lumpy bits of red and black. Chunks of something bobbed in the pool... including a soaked, tangled swath of teal hair, separated from its rightful place. And that rightful place was separated from its body, lost to the cloudy waters.

Oh... Oh my-

The torso shifted subtly, and something long and purplish-brown spilled into the water among a cloud of sickening color. It slowly rose to the surface, resembling an unknotted length of sausage before rupturing into slightly smaller pieces that gently floated towards the spring's center.

I stood there, transfixed by the horrific scene. All of a sudden the stench hit me, the stench of boiled flesh, fat and blood mixed with sulfur. I barely had the time to open my mouth before my stomach violently emptied itself on the ground. Tears stung my eyes, both from the grisly sight and from the sudden dread of realization.

It happened again.

Oh Celestia, it happened again.
> Hell Springs Forth - Deadly Life 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


*ding dong bong bing*


A nearby monitor blinked to life. Monokuma was sitting at his desk, nearly spilling his champagne as he pumped his fists into the air. "A body has been discovered!" he jeered. "Everyone, please make your way to the top of the hot spring pools!"

It was only maybe ten minutes until I heard the worried shouting of the others, but those ten minutes felt like an eternity. I felt as though I was frozen in time, my movements glacial. I wanted to go over to Flash and Sunset, pacing and trembling and staring dead-eyed at the ground, to comfort them however I could... but what could I do? How could I comfort them, especially after seeing... that?!

Even as the image forced its way into my mind, my brain fought hard to render the whole image. But it was still enough to make me dry heave.

"Over there!" I heard Sonata shout. I took a few moments to breathe deeply and quell my nausea the best I could. Sunburst's sudden retching, however, quickly brought it all back.

"Is that...?!" Soarin' moaned weakly. 

"OH MY FUCKING GOD!" Indigo screamed.

"Where is her head?!" Sugarcoat shouted, her usual stony demeanor replaced by utter shock.

"Head?! She fuckin' melted!" Ocean heaved, joining Sunburst in his uncontrollable gagging. Many of the others followed suit, while Silver - who had been in the back - refused to look and simply turned her back.

"...Not gonna look... not gonna look..." she whimpered. "She apparently melted... not gonna look..."

"Whoa," Memento breathed, stepping closer to the body than anyone else dared. "Now this... is new for me."

"HOW DOES THIS NOT BOTHER YOU AT ALL?!" Kotenage shrieked. "JUNIPER IS DEAD!"

"If I freaked out at every corpse I came across, I wouldn't be a good mortician, now would I?" Memento casually turned to him. "That said... gods above, ain't this a mess. This body would go straight into the 'non-viewable remains' bag."

Unable to take it anymore, Mountain dashed behind a nearby tree and vomited. Silver followed after her a moment later, either because she'd accidentally taken a peek at the body, or Mountain's vomiting had simply pushed her over the edge.

"...Although, if I had a picture of her, enough wax and some makeup, I could definitely recreate her head," Memento continued, mumbling to herself. "Never restored an entire torso before, though..."


*boing!*



*Rise and Shine, Ursine!*


Before anyone could comment, there was a loud rustling in the trees. Monokuma and his Kubs leapt out from above and landed in a neat circle close to Juniper's body.

"Hey, guys!" the bear grinned devilishly. "How's it feel now that you've got a second murder victim on your hands?"

"Finally, I've been waitin' for the killin' game to start up again!" Monokid roared, headbanging as he messily strummed his guitar. "That means we can put all this boring crap on hold and start playin' the blame game!"

"And hoo, what a game that'll be!" Monosuke chuckled, gesturing to the body. "Whoever done it this time sure did a number on that broad!" While Monotaro pulled out a stick and began poking the remains, Monophanie swooned before steadying herself on a bench and vomiting over the other side of it.

"BLRGHBRGLBLRGHBRLBLRGH..." she spluttered.

"Ack! She puked again!" said Monotaro.

"Someone... o-one of us did this to her...?!" Sunburst shivered.

"And now we have to investigate it... and find the killer, or else we're all dead, too," gulped Soarin'. "The punishment is for real this time... isn't it?"

"That's right! If you guys can't find the culprit this time around, then you're all gonna end up in a hot spring pie!" Monotaro giggled menacingly.

"...Eh? You can make pies in a hot spring?" Monophanie asked after wiping her mouth clean.

"A mud pie, maybe... and people do love slatherin' hot spring mud on their faces," Monosuke hummed.

"Well... let's get this over with, I guess," Sugarcoat glowered slowly, scowling furiously at us all, making sure she made eye contact with every single one of us. I swallowed nervously... I had really hoped I wouldn't have to do this again.

"Welp, you'll be needing this!" Monokuma's red eye glowed, and I heard the Monopad in my backpack beep in reply. "I also investigated the cause of death this time, so read it to your heart's delight!"

"Oh!" Monosuke's eyes lit up. "This is sorta unrelated, but I gots a great business idea!"

"...Yea, that's totally unrelated," Monokuma turned to him, but Monosuke continued anyway.

"Let's use this Monokuma File to start a funeral services business!" he exclaimed. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Memento's face grow dark.

"Y'know how it gets awkward at funerals when ya start askin' about the cause of death? If we pass out Monokuma Files, even the worst deaths'll get a giggle outta the attendees!" he grinned. "Well, Pops? Whaddya think?!"

"I can't even begin to think of how many fines and lawsuits you'd be hit with..." Memento slapped her palm over her eyes as she let out a deep sigh of annoyance.

"You're so freakin' cute!" Monokuma squealed in a high voice while hugging himself.

"Huh? Cute?" Monosuke blinked, not expecting that reaction. Neither were the rest of any of us, really.

"The way you pass out the files is just so cute... why don'tcha come over here with me...?" Monokuma began to sweat and steam profusely, and his tongue lolled out of his mouth.

"Ugh... the indecency!" Sunburst gasped.

Oh, goodness...

"Heeeeeeeeee! Pops is gonna lick me all over!" Monosuke cheered.

"Uh... I think I need an adult..." Indigo recoiled in disgust.

"You are an adult..." Sugarcoat grumbled. To our relief, Monokuma and Monosuke dashed into the forest and quickly disappeared, leaving the other three very confused Monokubs behind.

"Huh... Father's showering Monosuke with all his love," Monotaro commented. Monophanie vomited again.

"Hey! I wanna piece o' that!" Monokid shouted as he scrambled into the forest after them. Monotaro grabbed Monophanie and dragged her along with him as he followed suit, leaving behind a trail of shimmery white vomit.


*So long, bear well!*


There was an uncomfortable silence for a few moments. Shock and worry gnawed at me... this was a murder? One of us actually went through with another murder?

Would we be able to find them this time...?

"...I told you we should've talked about the motive instead of having that party," Sugarcoat seethed, poking her finger into Sunset's chest angrily. "Now look what's happened!"

"How was I supposed to know this would happen?!" Sunset swatted the finger away. "We all agreed to talk about the motive afterwards, when we were all in a better mindset! And how many of us even looked at our Monopads before the party? Maybe the motive had nothing to do with this! I mean... look at her" she grimaced.

"Oh please, of course it did! Why else would somebody kill one of us out of the blue?!" she retorted. "And now if we don't find out who did it, they get to go free while the rest of us die!"

"And I'm not going to let that happen," Sunset glared. "Nobody else is going to die-"

"Psh, you said that last time, and look how that went," Sugarcoat rolled her eyes.

"Hey, hey, let's not start this now," Flash intervened, moving between the two. "If one of us really did murder Juniper, then we've gotta start investigating. We won't get anywhere just arguing like this."

"...Then I'm starting right now," Sugarcoat snapped, spinning on her heel and briskly walking away. "Whoever did this, they're gonna be sorry they thought about doing this!"

"Hey, you can't go off on your own!" Sunset yelled after her, but she was already halfway down the hill. I watched as she stomped further and further away before finally disappearing from sight, concern pressing my lips together.

"...Maybe she is the killer? She does seem to protest too much," Mountain grumbled.

"No, no, save the accusations for the courtroom," Sunburst shook his head. "For now, Flash is correct. We need to get to the bottom of this, and fast!"

"Right. Let's all pair up and start looking around," I suggested. "Kotenage, Ocean, you guys still okay with guarding the crime scene?" Ocean nodded resolutely, but Kotenage hesitated.

"I... I DON'T KNOW," he grimaced, glancing at the body. "I FEEL... UNCOMFORTABLE... WATCHING OVER A BODY SUCH AS THIS..."

"Yes, I can see your point," Sunburst looked away, a tinge of pink in his cheeks.

"I'll do it," Sonata offered plainly.

"THANK YOU, LITTLE ONE," Kotenage bowed in appreciation. "IN THE MEANTIME, I WILL CATCH UP WITH SUGARCOAT AND BE HER PARTNER."

"Oh? That's nice of you," said Silver.

"Yea, I can't say I would've volunteered for that," Soarin' commented.

"BETTER SOMEONE WHO CAN TAKE HER BARBS THAN THE REST OF YOU... I DO NOT THINK SHE WOULD DARE TO YELL AT ME. IF SHE DOES, WELL... I WON'T TAKE IT PERSONALLY." he shrugged. And with that he ran down the hill in the direction Sugarcoat had gone, with much more speed than I would've thought he was capable of.

"Alright, that's settled," said Flash. "...Oh, we'll all probably need our Monopads for the trial. The motive was on them, after all."

"Aw piss, I left mine in the Dining Hall," muttered Indigo. Most of the others expressed similar thoughts. After a bit of discussion it was agreed that they could partner up and retrieve their Monopads during the investigation, while also grabbing the Monopads for those who had to guard the body.

"Okay... well, good luck," I offered as they left. Flash and Sunset remained beside me, while Ocean and Sonata took their places beside the body. Memento slipped the other loop of her mask behind her ear and tied her hair back, then pulled out some surgical gloves from one of her pockets and put them on.

"At least it's sulfur and not decomp..." she halfheartedly mumbled.


*Investigation Start*


"Okay... first thing's first, I'll check the Monokuma File," I spoke to myself, trying to will my hands into not shaking anymore as I tapped on my Monopad. The bottom half of a silhouette of a woman appeared, the top half lost in a cloud of hot pink. "The victim is Juniper Montage, the Ultimate Actress. The victim was discovered partially dissolved in a hot spring reaching temperatures in excess of 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Only the lower half of the body is identifiable."

"No shit," Flash grimaced.

"No other injuries can be confirmed at this time. Time of death is... estimated to be 4:30pm," I continued, gulping down revulsion.

"I-It hasn't even been an hour, and she looks like that?!" Sunset blinked rapidly.

"Afraid so," Memento frowned as she gingerly lifted one of Juniper's coat sleeves out of the water. More yellow, half-melted fat plopped into the water with a small splash, causing her to quickly let go. "I've heard stories about people dying in hot springs before... the constant agitation and the acidity and heat of the water, it's basically natural alkaline hydrolysis. And if nobody else was around to get help, they'd be laying in the hot spring for a long time... if it takes more than a day to find them, there might not be anything left to recover."

"Whoa... gnarly," Ocean mumbled.

"Uh... alkaline hywhatsis?" Sonata tilted her head.

"Hy-dro-ly-sis. Like cremation, but uses water and alkaline chemicals. Twenty-five to thirty percent more remains than cremation, and they're whiter in color. Also more environmentally-friendly," Memento shrugged.

That's, uh... good to know, I guess...? My eyes swept over the remainder of the Monokuma File, which only served to go into extreme detail over how exactly a person would die in a boiling hot spring. Clamping my eyes shut in distaste I quickly shoved the Monopad back into my backpack.

"Right... well, I guess it's time to examine the... body..." Sunset gulped.

"I'd offer to do an autopsy, but... there isn't really much to autopsy," said Memento. "I'll wait until after you're done looking."

"Ugh..." Steeling myself, I studied the crime scene. The first thing I noticed about Juniper's body was that her skirt had been torn off and cast aside... the fabric was only a little ragged and frayed, as if something had been used to cut it off. A shiver ran down my spine as I considered the most obvious reasons why the killer had done that to her. Rather than being totally exposed, however, her coat's tails just barely covered her butt.

...Please don't be naked under there... I bit my lip as my hand moved to the tails and pulled them aside. I breathed a sigh of relief when it was revealed that Juniper was still wearing underwear.

"Huh... nice." Ocean mused quietly, but not quietly enough.

"Dude... you serious right now?" Flash whipped his head around to glare at him in disgust, Memento silently copying his expression.

"Just sayin'," he shrugged as he looked away, chastised. Ignoring his thoughtless comment, I searched the immediate area around the body... the only thing that stood out was that Juniper's lower torso - or what was left of it - was firmly pressed into the mud, more so than her legs.

Odd... does that mean she was held down? The image of Juniper being forced to drown in boiling water made me feel uncomfortably warm and nauseous. I then turned my attention to the crime scene in general - a lump partially obscured by snow laid a few feet away.

"Hey, what's this?" Sunset asked as she bent over to pick it up. Someone's navy-blue swimming trunks had been left behind, thrown carelessly onto the ground.

"It's a swimsuit," said Flash. "A guy's, by the looks of it."

"Hmm... I have to admit, I don't remember what color swimming trunks the guys were all wearing," Memento frowned.

"Mine were black," Flash furrowed his brow. "And, uh... Kotenage wasn't wearing one. That's all I can tell you."

"Ain't mine," Ocean added. "Mine'r light blue."

"Do you think whoever did this was a boy?" asked Sonata.

"It would make sense," Sunset grimaced uncomfortably.

"Would be pretty stupid, though," Ocean grunted. "Besides goin' back to their cottage with nothin' but a towel or bathrobe, it'd make it obvious who it was once everyone says what color swimsuit they wore. That post-nut clarity, after all," he finished, tapping his forehead.

"Also true... I think," I nodded slowly. It wasn't the most... eloquent of reasonings, but the other points made enough sense. I glanced around one more time, noticing maybe two and a half shoe or boot prints in the mud beside Juniper, but they were covered in freshly-fallen snow and impossible to tell who they belonged to. Seemingly sensing that the immediate investigation was finished, Memento moved towards the body and began to examine it.

"So, uh... you think her head's in there?" Ocean gestured to the hot spring.

"Well, the majority of her skeleton that's submerged is still intact," Memento answered after carefully lifting the sleeve of the coat again, revealing half of a forearm with bones poking out of it. "I assume her head is in there somewhere. I can't exactly restore it, but at least she'll be intact again... more or less," she looked aside.

"Eugh..." We stared into the bubbling water, dreading what horrible sight might be lurking at the bottom. Sonata sighed, glanced at the baking potato she was still holding on to, then wordlessly tossed it in. The sudden plunk was enough to snap us out of our trance.

"Uh... what are you doing?" asked Flash.

"Pouring one out for my homie... I don't have any liquor, though, so that will have to do," she replied.

"...Please refrain from making Juniper stew until after I've retrieved her head," Memento stared exasperatedly. Her face quickly shifted as she glanced back into the pool. "The question is... how do I get her head...?"

"Uh... oh! How about one of those rakes?" Sunset pointed to the nearby Zen garden, where the bamboo rakes and tools sat lined up against the fence bordering the sand.

"...Yea, that'll work," Memento nodded. Flash walked over and grabbed the longest rake for her. As he picked it up, however, something strange caught my eye.

"Hey, wait! Don't move," I shouted to him.

"Huh?" Flash froze immediately in place.

"What is it, Starlight?" asked Sunset.

"The prongs on the rake... they're covered in sand," I pressed my lips together.

"Well... yea. It's used to rake the sand," Flash shrugged as he moved himself into a more comfortable position.

"The sand in the Zen garden is dry, though... it shouldn't be sticking to the rake like that," Memento hummed thoughtfully.

"Is there, like, glue on the rake prongs?" Ocean asked. Flash tentatively brushed a finger against one of the prongs, and the sand came right off.

"Nope..."

"Hmm... I would say that's definitely out of the ordinary," said Memento. "Good eye, Starlight... for now, though, how about the second-longest rake?" Flash put the rake back, taking care to leave it prongs-side up, and grabbed another rake for Memento. She briefly thanked him before plunging the prongs of the rake into the water in an attempt to fish out Juniper's hair and head. The hair came out easily enough, everyone's faces screwing up in disgust as she deposited it on the ground with a wet plop. The head took a good amount more fishing, but after a minute or two Memento managed to drag it out of the water like a disgusting claw machine game.

"Alas, poor Juniper... I, uh, didn't know you all that well," she frowned as she maneuvered the rake's prongs into one of the eye sockets so she could place the head - now reduced to a steaming skull, sans mandible - onto a nearby bench, then continued fiddling with the rake until the head was sitting upright. The empty eye sockets stared quietly, boring a hole into my very soul... I wanted to look away towards anything else but the image remained, dancing around my peripheral vision like a swarming cloud of flies.

"Hey... does anyone else see that?" Sunset asked as she pointed into the hot spring. The vision finally disappearing, I followed along to where she was pointing... it was faint, but I could see something dark in the water.

"Yea... I think I see what you're seeing," Memento nodded, dipping the rake back into the water. Another minute or two later, she had succeeded in fishing out the strange object, and my mouth dropped open.

"Her Monopad," I breathed. I pressed the power button, but nothing happened. "Oh, it's... broken."

"I thought these things were supposed to be waterproof?" Flash mused.

"Waterproof, yes," Memento agreed. "But boiled in acidic water? That could be enough to break it."


*boing!*


"CORRECT!" To everyone's shock, Monokuma suddenly leapt down from a tree branch and landed directly in the middle of our group. Flash nearly stumbled into the hot spring himself, if it weren't for Sunset quickly grabbing his hand and pulling him away.

"Gah! ...Thanks, Sunny," he sighed in relief. Sunset simply nodded.

"Wait, I thought you said these things were like, indestructible or some shit!" exclaimed Ocean.

"Well, no..." Monokuma shrugged. "While it's true you can take it with you into the bathtub, when it's exposed to high temperatures for too long, it will suffer a meltdown and totally brrrrreak!"

"And the hot spring is over 200 degrees Fahrenheit... that's definitely high," Memento nodded in understanding.

"Yep... boy, you'd think I'd have fixed that little detail after the sauna incident," Monokuma muttered under his breath as he scuttled away.

...I hate to think of what he meant by that.

"Right. Well... I think that was all I noticed around here," Sunset pursed her lips. "Do you see anything else suspicious?" Flash and I both shook our heads.

"Where else do you think we should look?" asked Flash. I took a moment to consider the possibilities... the last time I had seen Juniper alive, she and a few of the others were staying behind to use the shower/locker room building... maybe there were clues to be found there. I made my suggestion, to which Flash and Sunset agreed.

"You guys don't think there's anything in the cave over there?" Ocean pointed to the stairs leading into the earth. "It'd be pretty easy to hide something in there, being all dark and all."

"Possibly..." hummed Flash.

"I'll go with you if you wanna check it out," Memento offered. "Like I said, there isn't really anything for me to autopsy here."

"That'll work," I nodded once. For the sake of leaving nobody to their own devices, it was a good suggestion.

"Eh..." Flash made an awkward face while Sunset gestured that he should take her offer and go.

"Oh, come now," Memento smirked playfully. "I'm not that creepy... what, you think I'm haunted or something? Demons gonna make me crawl on the ceiling and summon old gods while we're alone down there?"

"Well, when you put it like that..." Flash took a step away from her, only for Sunset to push him back toward her.

"Don't be a baby, just go," Sunset rolled her eyes.

"It'll be fine!" I added, smiling as reassuringly as I could.

"Oh, alright..." Flash grumbled. They set off for the cave together, while Sunset and I made our way to the shower building.


~


At first glance, the shower and locker room building looked no different than the last time I'd seen it - when there was still hope that Juniper was alive and well. Now I had to scrutinize every little detail and hope there was enough evidence to point me in the right direction.

"Which part do you want to search first?" asked Sunset.

"Hmm..." My eyes wandered as I thought about my choice, down to a stone lantern that sat just beside the building to the left, between it and a bench. I hummed again as I noticed there was some orange-yellow mud scraped off on the base.

Orange-yellow mud...?

Then it hit me. "Hey, the mud around the boiling hot spring is that color, right?" I asked while pointing to the lantern.

"Yea, it is," Sunset affirmed. "Maybe it's from the killer?"

"Possibly," I nodded. "Anyway... I guess let's start with the men's locker room."

We stepped inside. There were eight full-size lockers, four to a wall. On one side were shelves that contained towels and toiletries, while the other side had a pair of hampers for used linens and plastic slippers. The keys were all in their keyholes, and the lockers were all closed. Just to be sure, we tried to open them - they were all locked. There was, however, a trace of the same orange-yellow mud on the floor in front of the rightmost locker on the left side of the room.

A bit more of that mud here... I wonder why?

We also took the opportunity to check inside the shower part of the building, finding nothing out of the ordinary. Then we went into the women's locker room. It looked mostly the same, except the second locker from the left on the right side of the room had been left open, with slightly more of the same orange-yellow mud on the floor in front of it. The rest were locked.

"There's more of that mud here," said Sunset as she checked inside the open locker, finding it empty.

"And from what it looks like, there's more of it in here than in the other room," I added. 

I wonder if the killer was looking for something... but what? And in both rooms?

We searched the hampers, the shelves for the towels and toiletries, but found nothing else. So far, it felt like we hadn't found all that many clues. "Now what?"

"Hmm... well, there were a few people around waiting for the shower building the last time we both saw Juniper. I think we should talk to them," suggested Sunset. "Maybe they saw something, you know?"

"Okay..." I glanced around the hot springs area, looking for anyone that would have been there. We had both seen Sugarcoat leave, and both Sunset and myself were accounted for, so that would've left Kotenage, Mountain and Sunburst to talk to... of course, any one of them could lie to my face because they were the killer. Heck, even someone who had gone back to their cottage to shower after the party could've come back and murdered Juniper. I just had to take their words at face value until the trial was underway. "We're going to have to find Kotenage, Mountain and Sunburst, then."

"I think they all headed back to the Dining Hall," said Sunset. Hoping Flash and Memento were doing alright by themselves, we started down the path back to the campgrounds. We made it about halfway there when Sugarcoat and Kotenage came around a corner and into our view. Sugarcoat had visibly calmed down somewhat, but she was still quite clearly angry.

...Then again, when is she not angry?

"Oh, good," Sunset flagged them down. "Hey, Kotenage, do you mind if we ask you something?"

"He already told me what he did before the body discovery," Sugarcoat groused, glaring into Sunset's eyes.

"Well, we don't know what he told you," I retorted. "That's actually what we were going to ask you."

"TRUE... I DO NOT MIND GOING OVER IT AGAIN," said Kotenage. Sugarcoat rolled her eyes and sighed deeply.

"Alright, make it quick... I've got things to do, you know," she muttered.

"I TOOK MY SHOWER AS QUICKLY AS I COULD," Kotenage began, "...IT COULDN'T HAVE BEEN MORE THAN TEN MINUTES. I DRIED OFF AND GOT DRESSED, THEN TOLD JUNIPER AND SUNBURST THAT THE SHOWERS WERE EMPTY. SUNBURST DEFERRED TO JUNIPER, SO SHE WENT IN NEXT. AFTER THAT I GRABBED ALL OF THE LEFTOVER THINGS FROM OUR PARTY AND BROUGHT THEM BACK TO THE CAMPGROUNDS... THEN I SET TO WORK ON OUR SUPPER."

"Hmm..." Sunset pursed her lips together. Someone hadn't been mentioned.

"You didn't see Mountain anywhere?" I asked. Kotenage shook his head.

"IIE, ALTHOUGH I DO RECALL HEARING SOME FAINT SCRATCHING NOISES, BUT THAT COULD HAVE EASILY HAVE BEEN THE WIND IN THE TREES... I ASSUMED SHE WAS STILL AT THE ZEN GARDEN, OR PERHAPS SHE HAD ALREADY LEFT FOR HER COTTAGE. IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, SHE DID COME TO THE PARTY WITH A BATHROBE AND TOWEL, SO SHE DID NOT NEED TO USE THE LOCKER ROOMS."

Sugarcoat furrowed her brow and thought for a moment. "...Yea, I think I remember that. Her stuff was tan-colored." Thinking back to when I'd seen her last before the murder, I could plainly see her in a tan towel wrapped around her body in my mind's eye.

"Alright, anything else?" Sunset asked. Kotenage shook his head.

"Same thing he told me... now, if you don't mind?" Sugarcoat huffed as she pushed past us back down the trail. Kotenage flashed us an apologetic smile as he hurried after her.

"Sheesh..." Sunset grumbled under her breath.

"You said it," I agreed.


~


Back at the main campgrounds, we only had to look around for a short while before finding the last two people we needed to talk to. Inside the Dining Hall, Silver and Mountain were sitting at the main table, cradling steaming cups of hot chocolate in their hands. Both looked deeply concerned, staring into their cups silently.

"Th... Th-That's what it looked like, h-huh... oh god, I'm g-glad I didn't look..." Silver sucked in a breath through her teeth before taking a sip.

"Yea..." Mountain droned. She looked up at us as we approached. "Oh, hello."

"Hey, Emmy," I waved slightly, frowning at Silver's shellshocked demeanor. "Uh, do you mind if Sunset and I ask you about what you did between the party and the... murder?" Mountain swallowed as she nodded.

"I... I was up there for ten, fifteen minutes at the most?" she grabbed at her arms. She was shivering violently, and her skin was flushed a pale pink. "I needed to decompress after the party, but... I underestimated how quickly I'd lose body warmth while raking the sand. I went back to my cottage afterwards... I stayed in the shower for much longer than I meant to. I'd only just finished drying off and getting dressed when... when the announcement played."

"Huh, I see..." said Sunset. Mountain let out a snort.

"You'd think I'd know how fast you lose body warmth when you're exposed like that... ugh, even after showering for ages, I'm still shivering," she grimaced, glancing at her hands. "Should've sat in the hottest spring after raking the sand... maybe I would've even been able to prevent Juniper's death."

"Hey, don't blame yourself," Silver reached across the table to put a hand on Mountain's shoulder.

"Right... the killer might've been waiting for you to leave, or worse," I shivered. Mountain bowed her head.

"Thanks... although, if the killer had been stupid enough to try to attack me, I don't think we'd be in this situation," she sighed, staring back into her cup. Sunset and I looked at each other, frowning. We could both feel the palpable guilt radiating off of Mountain.

Leaving them, we then found Soarin' and Sunburst inside the Kitchen. They were examining the magnetic knife rack - all of the knives being present and accounted for.

"Hey, uh... Sunburst?" I asked. Sunburst jumped a little as he turned towards me.

"Oh! Um, hello, girls," he said in his usual sheepish tone.

"Do you mind telling us what you did between the party and the body discovery announcement?" asked Sunset.

"Oh, right, um..." Sunburst cleared his throat nervously before continuing. "W-Well, after Kotenage took his shower, Juniper rushed inside as soon as he said he was done. She was in there for about fifteen minutes... rather expeditious, given her vanity, I thought."

"Then after that she got dressed and left?" I asked. Sunburst nodded.

"Right... then I took my shower. I was done in ten minutes, but afterwards, eh..."

Eh...?

"Did something happen?" Sunset prodded.

"Well..." Sunburst's cheeks suddenly flushed red. "...I-I seem to have misplaced my swimming trunks. I know I left them in the locker I was using."

...You're missing a swimsuit...?

"Was it locked?" asked Sunset.

"Er, no... I was the last one to use the facilities, so I didn't think it necessary," he sucked his lips into his mouth while glancing away. "I mean, I had brought my clothes with me, so it wasn't that much of a problem... but I can't imagine what I would've done with them."

"...What color was your swimsuit?" I asked uneasily, my heart sinking into my stomach.

"Ah... navy, I believe," he answered plainly. "Why? Have you seen it?"

But before I could even form a thought...


*ding dong, bing bong*


...

No.

My mouth dropped in shock.

Wait... what?! Our time's already up?!

"Are... a-are you serious?!" Sunset shouted in terror. It was unfortunately true, as a nearby monitor blinked to life. Monokuma sneered into the camera, appearing tired but satisfied.

"Already tired of investigating? Oh, you've been tired of it for a while, now?" Monokuma jeered. "Well, that's how it goes. Investigations aren't all that fun, you see? But it's a necessary step before we can move on to the main event... kinda like searching the internet for that perfect porno video!"

"Oh, please don't bring that up after whatever the hell you and Monosuke did," Soarin' grimaced.

"In fact, some people think the search is the best part... weird, huh? Anyway, the class trial is starting soon! Please gather at the Fire Pit!" Monokuma laughed raucously as the monitor shut off, his voice echoing mockingly in my ears.

"Oh, dear..." Sunburst sighed gloomily.

"Welp, I guess that's that," Soarin' punched a fist into his other hand. "Time to find the sick fuck that did this."

"Indeed... although I cannot say I will enjoy exacting justice on the perpetrator," Sunburst winced as they left the kitchen. Sunset and I followed a few steps behind them.

"Did you hear that?!" Sunset hissed. "Sunburst's swimsuit matches the one we found at the crime scene!"

"I-I know..." I mumbled quietly in return. Now that I had a moment to think about what I'd heard... my heart had sank past my stomach and into my bowels.

S-Sunburst...

I closed my eyes tightly. No, this Sunburst wasn't the childhood friend I had reconnected with in recent years... this was an entirely different stallion- er, man. The Sunburst I knew was completely incapable of harming even a Breezie!

...

...But still...


~


We walked outside and waited beside the fire pit. It took a few more minutes before everyone had gathered around. Flash and Memento were the last to arrive.

"Nothing in the cave," he shook his head.

"Although it does look like someone's been in there recently," Memento chimed in. "There's piles of dirt and a shovel and sieve in the main cavern... but I'm pretty sure it's unrelated. Nothing screams 'used to commit a murder' to me, y'know?"

"Alright, we're all here," Sugarcoat spoke in an authoritative tone. "Whichever sorry bastard here killed Juniper, I'm going to find you, and you're going to fucking pay for it!"

"Hey, now!" Ocean yelled. "How do ya know it was a guy? Could've been some sorry bitch too, ya know?"

"Point is, I'm not going to let them kill the rest of us and get away with it," Sugarcoat sneered. "I don't care which one of you it was that wanted out. You're as good as dead."

"Yea, you done fucked up now!" Indigo joined in, shouting at everyone and no one in particular. "She might've been kind of a brat, but no one deserves to get fuckin' melted! I hope you get even worse!"

"Geez, no need to be so bloodthirsty about it," Flash shuddered. "I mean... we're the ones that are gonna condemn the killer to be executed."

"A life was taken from us..." Mountain stoically nodded. "...And we will take a life in return. It is not an act to take so lightly."

"EVEN THOUGH ONE OF US HAS MURDERED ANOTHER... IT PAINS ME TO DO THIS," Kotenage frowned.

"Well, better them than us, man," Indigo snorted. A moment after she'd spoken, the ground rumbled. The fire pit sank into the earth about a foot deep before stopping, same as before.

"Ooh! Elevator ride!" Sonata chirped as she hopped down onto the concrete. There was discontent grumbling as the rest of us stepped down into the depression, steeling ourselves for what was to come next.

Another trial.

Another murder.

I had my suspicions... I could only hope I was wrong. But I had to find the killer, no matter what... for everyone's sake. The concrete circle shook and shuddered, my cheeks feeling hollow as it began to descend.

My heart felt hollow.

Heavy.

Icy.

Boiling.

No matter the outcome... this was going to hurt.
> Hell Springs Forth - Deadly Life 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

A heavy clank heralded the end of our descent, and the doors ahead of us opened with a whoosh of cold air. It did little to refresh me... stewing within my own inner turmoil. It was only by instinct that I followed the others through the doors and into the court room, where Monokuma and his Kubs were waiting for us on their throne.

"Welcome! So you're all here once again... guess all that talk about not killing each other didn't pan out, now did it?" Monosuke smirked.

"Did you wanna come here again 'cause of how wonderful it is?" asked Monophanie.

"Isn't it wonderful? I put so much effort into building this place, it should be a monument!" Monokuma nodded proudly.

"...Actually, we're the ones who built the court room," Monotaro mumbled. "But Father just took all the credit!"

"Hey, I'm happy to be the muscle for Papa Kuma's plans!" grinned Monokid.

"And I am happy to be used as a slave by Daddy!" Monophanie chirped. Behind me I heard Ocean cough and splutter as if he'd choked on his own saliva.

"...Never. Say that. Again," Sugarcoat drawled, disgusted.

"You idiots are really committin' to this henchman bit..." sighed Monosuke, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Oh, but you guys are just so cute, I can't help working you to the bone!" Monokuma huffed, his tongue sticking out. "But as much as I'd love to talk about architecture and whatnot, that's not why you're here."

"Ah, that's right! A broad's been moidered, and one o' yous did it!" Monosuke pointed at us.

"And if they get away with it this time, then we get to tear all of you apart!" Monokid shouted excitedly.

"Now, show me just how you intend to bargain for your lives!" Monokuma laughed as we all took our places. I tried not to stare at the portrait of Juniper to my left, her face crossed out with a sloppy, hot pink X.

Poor Juniper... she didn't deserve this.

Even if I hadn't known her that well, even though she had done some villainous things in the past... she still didn't deserve to die like this.

But which of us was responsible? Which one of us was guilty of killing her so brutally? And which one of us was ready to sacrifice the others for their chance at freedom?

It was up to us to find the truth...

It was up to me.


*Class Trial! All Rise!*


"Ahem! Now then, let's begin with a basic explanation of the class trial," Monokuma grinned. "During the trial you'll present your arguments for who the culprit is, and vote for 'whodunnit'. Vote correctly, and only the blackened will be punished. But if you pick the wrong person? I'll punish everyone besides the blackened, and that person may leave the campgrounds!"

"I just can't believe it... why? Why would one of us put us all through this again?" Silver whined sadly. "Why did you kill Juniper?!"

"Knowing that this time, if they get away with it we'll all die, too..." Flash nodded sympathetically before his eyebrows furrowed. "What kind of horrible person-"

"Yeayeayeayea, whatever," Sugarcoat cut in, flicking her hands dismissively. "We're all pissed off, no need to beat around the bush about it. Let's just cut to the chase and find the asshole."

"We also need to figure out why," Sunset frowned. "Why did they kill Juniper?"

"Pff, that's easy. The motive, of course," Sugarcoat replied.

"Maybe, but there's a good bit of evidence to suggest that may not have been the case..."

"Uh, no. If there's anything I do know about people, they can't restrain themselves. Give them something they're not supposed to see until later, and of course they're gonna sneak a peek," she glared at Sunset.

"It's not wise to just assume these things about people!" Sunset argued, glaring back. "We need to go over everything!"

"Oh, we will. I'm just saying the obvious first!"

"No, you're shoehorning us into what you're thinking of first!" The budding argument between the two of them made me slap my forehead and drag it down my face.

Oh, boy... don't you realize you're both saying the same thing...?

"Hey, let's start with something everyone here can agree with," I raised my voice to get everyone's attention. "Let's just... start from the beginning, with the body."

"Hurgk... do we have to...?" Silver whined, gagging at the memory.

"'Fraid so," shrugged Memento. "Points for creativity, if nothing else."

"...Probably should've seen it coming since seeing that danger sign for it, in hindsight," said Sonata.

"But... half of the body wasn't even there anymore! Where do we even start?!" Soarin' grimaced.

"Well... with the half that was still there, I guess," I bit my lip in apprehension.

"Actually, I'd say more than half of her was left," said Memento. "She still had most of her clothes on."

"Wait... most of her clothes on...?" Sunburst blinked.

"Oh, yea... she wasn't wearing her skirt," glared Flash.

"What, like someone stole it off her dead body or something?" Indigo recoiled.

...No, nobody stole it!

"Wait, that's not right!" I exclaimed. "No one stole her skirt... it was thrown just a couple feet away from her body."

"Right... it was ripped, too. Like someone cut or tore it off..." Sunset's lips grew thin.

"Oh... ew..." Silver shivered. "That's... not cool."

"That... makes this so much worse," Indigo snarled.

"So the culprit was likely a man, then?" Mountain glared darkly around the room.

"Possibly... but not necessarily," said Sunburst. "That's just one piece of evidence towards that conclusion."

Ooh... no it isn't...

"Wait, that's not right!" I inhaled through my teeth before explaining. "There was another piece of clothing at the scene."

"Yea... we found a pair of men's swimming trunks," Sunset nodded.

"Oh? Who's are they?" Sugarcoat raised an eyebrow.

"Ocean said his were light blue, mine were black, Kotenage wasn't wearing any..." Flash counted out on his fingers.

"Uh... mine were white," Soarin' offered carefully.

"Well, what color were they?" asked Sonata.

"These swimming trunks were... navy blue in color," I answered. Sunburst gasped.

"Oh... that's where they were!" He smiled in understanding. Then his expression fell a few moments later. "Wait a minute... why were my swimming trunks beside the body?!"

"Isn't it obvious?" Sugarcoat sneered. Genuine terror filled Sunburst's eyes as he shook his hands in front of him.

"Goodness... no! No! I would never...!"

"I dunno... I saw the way you looked at the girls when they got naked," Ocean leered.

"Uh, no dude, I'm pretty sure that was you," Soarin' pointed at Ocean. "Sunburst did the gentlemanly thing and looked away."

He's right... he just doesn't seem the type...!

"Yea! I can agree with that!" I broke in. "So far, Sunburst has been pretty bashful around the girls. Combine that with the fact that he told Sunset and I that his swimming trunks were missing, and I just don't think he's the one who did it."

"HE ASKED ME TOO, NOW THAT I THINK OF IT," nodded Kotenage. "HE DEFINITELY ENTERED THE LOCKER ROOM WITH THEM ON."

"That's nothing," Sugarcoat sniffed. "Maybe he just bought another pair and used them as a decoy."

"I thought you didn't even believe this was the motive for the murder," Sunset grumbled, glancing at Sugarcoat.

"I still don't. I'm simply being the devil's advocate right now," she replied arrogantly.

"To be fair... you could easily come up with 'what if's' for every possible explanation, though," said Sonata.

"And it's still a solid motive! That whole bashful thing could just be an act, and he's actually a depraved, repressed weirdo!" Ocean thrust his finger at Sunburst.

"Bruh... go to horny jail," Indigo popped open a capsule from the MonoMono Machine and took out its contents, snapped it back together and lobbed it at Ocean's head. She then opened the bag of chips that had been inside and stuffed a few in her mouth. "I've spent enough time hanging out with you to know you're into some freaky shit; me too, don't get me wrong, but you're the only one who thinks that way."

"N-Not true!" Ocean stammered after the capsule bonked him on the temple.

"Hey! No eating in my court room! Clear liquids only!" Monokuma shouted. Indigo grumbled under her breath and shoved the chip bag into a coat pocket.

"Besides, do you really think the Ultimate Scholar would be stupid enough to leave behind such an obvious clue?" growled Sugarcoat. "What kind of brainless zygote would leave behind their fucking swimming trunks after doing something like that?!"

"That's true... it does seem a little too obvious, doesn't it?" hummed Memento.

"Now that I think about it, it does sound more and more like it was meant to mislead us," Sunset sighed. "Whoever did this planned on framing Sunburst for the murder." To her right, Sugarcoat slowclapped sarcastically.

"Now you see why it had to be because of the motive," she exhaled in a loud groan.

"Hey! People murder for that reason all the time!" Sunset retorted.

"Yes, but not in a place like this!" Sugarcoat snapped. "Even the most psychopathic, sociopathic buffoon isn't going to indulge their depraved fantasies if it could wind up leading to their certain death!"

Across the room, Sonata coughed. "Someone clearly hasn't played enough visual novel-slash-murder mystery games," she muttered.

"So... the culprit wasn't necessarily a man, then?" Mountain's expression softened slightly.

Wait... not necessarily a man...? Didn't I see something that could make that the case?

...

...

...Oh! I know!

"...You may be onto something, Emmy," I nodded slowly.

"Oh?" She jumped slightly.

"Yea... one of the clues we haven't gone over yet... you've all seen the mud surrounding that particular hot spring? It was tracked into both the men's and women's locker rooms."

"It was?" asked Memento. "So it really could have been any one of us, then." Uneasy silence drifted in the air as everyone glanced at one another. I wracked my brain in an effort to put together another line of questioning, as this one seemed to have come to an end.

Sunburst was likely innocent - between his swimming trunks being at the scene of the crime and his genuine confusion towards their disappearance and subsequent surprise towards their discovery, it was indeed likely to be a false clue. The tracked mud led me to believe that someone had gone into both locker rooms... perhaps the killer had stolen Sunburst's trunks from the men's, but what had been stolen from the women's? Then there were the remaining clues... where did they fit in? None of them led to a possible suspect either, at least not in a way I could deduce.

I let out a deep sigh. There was only one other avenue of discussion we could take... the one everyone dreaded to mention, including myself.

"...I'm afraid there's only one other thing we can talk about to point us in the right direction."

"Fiiiiinally," Sugarcoat groaned. "Time to settle this... now we talk about the motive. Which of us has each other's secret? We'll have to reveal them."

"Uh... d-do we really have to?" Soarin' cringed.

"Yea, I was kind of hoping we could, like... not," Sonata glanced away. Keeping my expression as neutral as possible I tapped on my Monopad, where a new tab had been added this morning. It was flashing obscenely, begging to be opened. I stifled a sigh and opened it.

The tab stopped flashing, and I was greeted by an image of Monokuma grinning while a blank speech bubble above him filled with words. So, whose secret do I have to share with you, it taunted before laughing. The image disappeared, soon replaced with an image of...

...Sunset.

Sunset Shimmer. Doesn't she look sweet? Monokuma's head reappeared, along with the same speech bubble. But her secret is anything but... Using magic, Sunset once transformed into a horrible monster and tried to take over her high school! And not in the lame after-school-special way, neither! After mindcontrolling all those teenagers, she wanted to take over the world!

...That's it?

I mean, yea, on the surface that sounded pretty bad. But that was years ago, she was almost immediately defeated by Twilight and her parallel universe friends, she'd told me all about it... to me, that really wasn't much of a secret. But I could see how the others might react negatively to it.

I wonder what my secret is...?

"Too bad, it's all we've got left at this point," Sugarcoat sighed and scrunched up her nose. After a beat of silence she jabbed a finger at Soarin'. "Alright, we'll start with you and continue down the line... well? Spill."

"Ooh... and here I was only gonna reveal the secret of the blackened when the time was right, but this is juicy!" Monokuma leaned forward in his seat.

"Wha- hey! Why do we have to start with me?!" he recoiled. "I don't want them getting mad at me, even if they are the killer... If they aren't, I might be next, then!"

"I can start, if it makes you feel any better," Sunset offered, though she didn't seem too happy about it. I wondered whose secret she had... and I wasn't too sure I wanted to hear my own secret coming from someone else's mouth, even though I honestly had no idea what it could've been.

"No... here, how about this," I shook my head. "We all have someone else's secret, right? When it's your turn, just point to the person whose secret you have. You don't have to say anything else."

"Aww..." Monokuma huffed.

"Oh... yea, I guess that's okay," Soarin' nodded. He still took a moment to compose himself before pointing to his right. "Uh... well, I got yours, Sonata."

"Oh! You did?" Sonata chirped before pointing back. "Well, I guess that's alright. I got yours too, Soarin'!"

"Oh... uh..." Soarin' rubbed his head, embarrassed.

"Alright... well, I have yours, Starlight," Sunset pointed at me. I tried to read her expression to get a hint of what my secret could be, but nothing really stood out. Either way, my heart immediately felt lighter - I knew my secret was safe with her, whatever it was.

"Ah. I have yours as well," I replied, pointing at her. Her face visibly brightened, and she gave me a slight nod.

"I have Indy's secret," Ocean spoke up, pointing at her.

"Hey, I got yours, too!" she smirked as she pointed back. "I bet mine's cooler than yours!"

"AND I HAVE SENTRY-SAN'S SECRET," Kotenage pointed at Flash.

"I got yours too, man..." Flash pointed back. "...Though I don't know why peeing in a hot spring is a secret." Before anyone could react Kotenage gasped loudly, his face rapidly draining of blood.

"AGH! WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT?! IT'S SO SHAMEFUL... I WAS JUST TOO COMFORTABLE TO MOVE!" he wailed. Glancing around the room, I saw that everyone else was just as confused as I was.

...Must be a cultural thing?

"...I hope that didn't happen just a few hours ago," Indigo grimaced.

"What? Everyone does it," Ocean shrugged. Indigo's eyes shifted over to him.

"Er... well, I have Sunburst's secret," said Silver.

"And I have yours as well, Silver," he replied.

"I've got Sugarcoat's secret," Memento said, her eyes slightly narrowed as she looked at her.

"Hmph... and I have yours, Memento," Sugarcoat replied, meeting her gaze. "It would seem that we've all been arranged into pairs. Whoever has one person's secret, that person has the other's. And guess who we haven't heard from yet...?"

Could it really be that easy? Only one of us hadn't spoken... and they were stoically staring at the ground. My lips pressed together as I thought about the clues, and as I considered them, everything began to click.

It still didn't make sense, though... why? Why would they go this far?

...Didn't she care what would happen to her brother...?

"You... you had Juniper's secret, didn't you... Mountain."
> Hell Springs Forth - Deadly Life 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

She jumped in place as her name passed over my lips. "Uh... yes? What are you getting at...?" Mountain asked, slowly and tentatively.

"What are we getting at...? Seriously?" Sugarcoat scoffed.

"Yea, what are you getting at?!" Ocean yelled angrily. "That's my sister you're talking to!"

"YOU DID SAY YOU WERE GOING TO RAKE THE SAND IN THE ZEN GARDEN FOR A WHILE, WHILE JUNIPER, SUNBURST AND I SHOWERED," said Kotenage. "SO THAT MAKES YOU THE LAST PERSON IN THE AREA!"

"Y-Yes, but I had no reason to kill Juniper," Mountain gulped almost imperceptibly, trying to keep her voice steady. "I never even read her secret."

"Oh, so she read yours, then? And then maybe she just wanted to talk about it, and you killed her?" Sonata tilted her head, eyes wide and innocent.

"I, uh... no..."

"Psh, please..." Sugarcoat rolled her eyes. "That definitely means she saw your secret."

"I did not kill her," Mountain asserted. "I spent about fifteen minutes raking the sand, then I got cold and returned to my cottage. Alone. I never saw Juniper or anyone else."

"Yea! There's no way my sis would ever kill someone!" Ocean nodded. But as she spoke, a thought came to me.

She was raking the sand... there's something related there, I can feel it...

Where was Mountain raking sand? ...In the Zen garden, of course. Now, what is the Zen garden right next to? ...The dangerous hot spring, right. So why did the rake have sand stuck to its prongs? ...Because it was dipped into the hot spring!

It's all coming together!

"You know, Emmy... there's no water in the Zen garden, correct?" I asked.

"Uh, yea... why?" she pursed her lips.

"Well, we looked at the rakes... and the longest one had sand stuck to its prongs. Dry sand isn't going to stick to anything that's already dry." I watched Mountain's expression begin to crack as she realized the implication.

"But... if that rake was wet? Like... someone maybe got it wet pushing Juniper into the hot spring...?" Memento smirked.

"Dry sand would definitely stick to a wet rake," finished Sunset.

"I... no! Not at all! I see it's time for me to go on the hunt!" Mountain argued, suddenly staring daggers at me. "How would anyone even accomplish that?! You've seen those rakes, they're made of flimsy bamboo! There's no way anyone could push with enough force to knock Juniper into the hot spring!"

"Maybe not," I admitted, "...but that's not the only way they could've been used."

"Oh yea? How? I've used hunting spears, you know, and a bamboo rake is nothing like that! You can't stab, you can't slash, and you definitely can't push! You can't even hold something down with one of those!"

Ha! I've got you now!

"Funny you should mention holding something down with a rake." I felt a small smirk inch its way across my face. "Because if you saw Juniper's body, you would've seen that her legs and torso were pressed down into the mud."

"They... t-they were...?" Mountain blinked rapidly, her aggressive demeanor evaporating like steam.

"I see... maybe you didn't hit Juniper with the rake, but simply swinging it at her would definitely make her step back," reasoned Sunset.

"And then she stumbled in the mud surrounding the hot spring and fell in... and then you held her down to finish her off!" I added.

"Oh... that's like crashing and dying in a big ball of fire... but wet!" Silver shuddered in horror.

"Dude, gnarly..." Indigo sighed, her face in a twist between disgust and horror.

"But what about Sunburst?" Ocean shouted, pointing at him. "If you seriously think my sister did it, then why the fuck were his swimming trunks there?!"

"W-well, like I said... I took them off in the locker room to take my shower, and when I was finished, they were gone," Sunburst frowned.

"Right, like a fuckin' Sasquatch made off with them or something?" retorted Ocean. "Why didn't you just follow the trail of nasty-ass fur it left behind, then?!"

...A trail? ...A trail!

"Yea! I can agree with that!" I yelled loud enough to break through Ocean's rant. "Actually, Ocean, there was a trail of sorts... In both the men's and women's locker rooms, there was orange mud on the floor."

"And? What about it? We are in the middle of a forest, where the floor is made of fuckin' dirt and it's been snowing and melting on and off," he glowered.

"Only the dangerous hot spring had that orange mud around it," said Indigo. "It was like nature's sign for 'stay the fuck away from this place'."

"Right... and there was even some of it scraped off on the stone lantern near the shower building," added Sunset. "Like they realized it, but didn't quite get it all off."

"I... but... but..." Mountain stammered, her composure breaking. Glancing over towards Ocean, so was his. In fact, Ocean looked far more offended by the accusation than his sister did. His face was an ugly shade of purplish-red, and his eyes were squinted so tightly they were almost shut.

"It was not my sister!" he screamed, angry tears beginning to stream down his face. "She had no reason to kill Juniper! She'd never kill another human being! Even if she did, she'd never do so in such a fuckin' cruel, inhumane way! She respects life too much to do somethin' like that! No... you're dumb! You're fuckin' dumb!"

I glanced over towards Mountain again - the usually stoic huntress was frozen in fear. Her jaw was painfully clenched behind her balled fists, tears threatening to spill out of her eyes. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, the teeth on her necklace clattering. A pang of guilt caught my heart... she had always been friendly towards us all.

...Was it all a lie, though? And even if it was...

...Was she really willing to sacrifice her own brother...?

"If Emmy didn't even know what Juniper's secret was, then why the flying-fish-fuck would she kill her?!"

As his words reverberated in my mind, an image came to me. Murky and dark, from the depths of my memories. As it came to the surface, I saw its shape... and the final clue revealed itself. Suddenly, it all became clear.

I can prove it was you!

"...Maybe she really didn't know what Juniper's secret was," I answered somberly. "...But Juniper knew hers, and she didn't want anyone else to find out... so she threw Juniper's Monopad into the hot spring."

"She... what...?" Ocean blinked and stopped shouting.

"Right... if it didn't break due to being boiled, then it might've remained lost in there under all the mud," said Sunset.

"Not to mention most people would hesitate to go digging around in there, due to poor Juniper being partially dissolved in the water," added Memento.

"It would also explain why there was mud in not only the men's locker room, but the women's, too," I continued. "Juniper most likely didn't have her Monopad on her, but she did have her locker's key. After rifling through her pockets, Mountain took the key and got the Monopad from her locker at the same time she stole Sunburst's swimming trunks."

"Damn it..." Mountain hissed under her breath, tears finally beginning to fall as she blinked. Ocean stared at her, his anger replaced with sad betrayal and shock.

"Emmy... really...? Y-You did it...?" he mouthed.

"Yes..." she sobbed, immediately bowing her head to hide her face. "I... god, I didn't mean to... I didn't want to...!"

"But... B-But... w-what about...?" Ocean's lower lip trembled.

"Damn... you were willing to let your own brother die with the rest of us?" Soarin' asked, shocked.

"N... N-No... I... I...!" Mountain began to hyperventilate in a vain attempt to stop crying.

"That's cold... ice cold..." Sonata breathed, before her face twisted into a chilling grin for a moment. "...I'm impressed!"

"Say what?" Sunset didn't miss a beat.

"Nothiiiiing!" Sonata sing-songed, rolling her eyes and smiling innocently.

"Well, I must say... well done, Starlight," Sugarcoat finally spoke, slow-clapping again as she spoke through a venomous grin. "Of course I knew my hunch was right, but you arrived at the same conclusion and put it so eloquently! ...See what I mean? Nobody can resist peeking at a secret," she smirked as her gaze lingered on Sunset, who growled in return.

"God... you are the worst sister ever," Indigo grunted at Mountain. "Even my older sis isn't that much of a bitch."

"Well, let's go over this one more time, just to be 100% sure," said Flash. "I mean... doesn't hurt to be thorough, especially if all our lives are on the line."

"Okay," I nodded, taking a deep breath.

This is the truth of the case!

"It began when Monokuma announced the new motive this morning at breakfast. He just couldn't help himself from potentially ruining our trust-building exercise. After some discussion, it was decided that the party would be held anyway, and we would all gather and talk about the motive at dinner after the party, when we were all more relaxed and in a better mood. Most of us didn't even have our Monopads with us at the time, so they couldn't look at their random secret then if they wanted to. However, Juniper was one of the few that did have her Monopad with her. Sometime between breakfast and the murder, she peeked at her secret. It was apparently so interesting, that she couldn't wait until dinner to discuss it with the secret's owner... who unfortunately, turned out to be her killer.

"After the party ended at 4:00pm, a few of us who had brought their clothes with them to the shower building remained behind at the hot springs. Kotenage took his shower first, while Juniper and Sunburst were next in line. After Kotenage was finished, Juniper took her shower next. When she finished, it was finally Sunburst's turn. However, instead of going back to the main campgrounds, Juniper sought out the owner of the secret she had read.

"At this time, the killer had decided to rake the sand in the Zen garden for a while to decompress after all that socializing. When Juniper approached them, wanting to know the details of the secret, the killer reacted by swinging the rake they were holding at Juniper. Not a fatal blow in the slightest, except Juniper stumbled and fell directly into the boiling hot spring. She tried to get out, but the killer then held her in place with the rake until she succumbed to the boiling water and drowned.

"Now it was time to obfuscate what had happened. First, the killer put the rake back in the Zen garden, unaware that the dry sand would cling to the wet prongs. Next, they searched Juniper's body... presumably for her Monopad, but although they didn't find it on her, they did find the key to her locker in the shower building. They made their way to that building - noticing that mud from the boiling spring covered their shoes, they scraped off as much of it as they could on a nearby stone lantern. However, they didn't get it all off. Mud was left behind as they first opened Juniper's locker and took her Monopad, and then when they noticed that Sunburst was still showering, opened his locker and stole his swimming trunks.

"Finally, the killer made their way back to the boiling spring and Juniper's body. First they threw the Monopad into the hot spring, hoping that if the heat didn't destroy it, then the water would at least hide it from view. Then they cut Juniper's skirt off of her body and tossed it aside, along with the stolen swimming trunks. This was to hide the intent of the murder. After finishing their tampering of the crime scene, the killer made their retreat back to their cottage and a warm shower, as all that running and motion had sapped their body heat.

...Well? Isn't that what happened, Mountain Lucky, the Ultimate Hunter?"

Defeated, Mountain raised her head slowly and sniffled before nodding once. "...Yes. You caught me," she admitted quietly.

"Wooooow! Slam dunk! Hook, line and sinkerrrrr!" Monokid howled raucously, strumming a jumble of notes on his guitar.

"W-We don't know that... Maybe the real culprit is someone nobody expects!" Monosuke tried his best to stifle his laughter, but was failing pretty miserably.

"Alright, let's go!" Monokuma leapt up from his throne, pumping a fist into the air. "The heart-racing excitement as the blackened and the spotless finally face off...!"

"IT'S VOTING TIME!" Monokuma and his Kubs cried in unison. A noise drew my attention to my lectern, where the surface had split itself down the middle and slid apart, revealing the sixteen buttons. Now in addition to Dr. Hooves', Button's and Juniper's faces were dark as well.

A huge TV monitor lowered from somewhere high above, stopping just above Monokuma's throne and showing a countdown from 30. I heard groans of lamentation all around me as I stared at the buttons, feeling sick to my stomach.

I sighed and closed my eyes as I pressed Mountain's button. A few more seconds passed before the countdown vanished, replaced by a blaring siren and an image of Monokuma holding up a sign that said "Announcement". More than one of us jumped at the sudden noise.

"Now, then... it seems the voting has finished!" Monokuma giggled. "Let's see the result!"

The image on the giant monitor switched briefly to show the words "Voting Results", then switched again to display our names next to images of our face, arranged into two tidy columns. I felt my heart skip a beat as tally marks quickly appeared beside Mountain's face.

It was not a unanimous decision this time. Ocean had been unable to accept that his own sister had committed a murder, and had instead elected to vote for Sunburst. A flash of mixed emotions crossed Sunburst's face as he noticed and looked towards Ocean.

"Who'll be chosen as the blackened?" Monokuma continued to taunt. "Will you make the right choice, or the dreadfully wrong one? What's it gonna be? What's it gonna beeee?!"

The giant monitor's image died for a second, only to next display a wheel labeled "Verdict" divided into sixteen sections, each with one of our faces on it. Light spun around the sections in a clockwise fashion, gradually slowing down until it came to a stop right on Mountain's section. Bells rang in celebration, and Monocoins and confetti fell from the ceiling as Mountain's name flashed across the screen.

It was true.

I was right.

A weight lifted from my shoulders, while crushing my soul at the same time.


*Class Trial End! All Rise!*


"Oh, my!" Monokuma exclaimed. "You... mostly all voted correctly! What an unexpected and unpredictable outcome! The blackened who killed Juniper Montage is Mountain Lucky, the Ultimate Hunter!" Below him, the Monokubs cheered and hollered in celebration.

"Phew... we survived..." Flash exhaled deeply, slumping against his lectern. "...That's good."

"Good?! There's nothing good about this at all!" Indigo shouted.

"Sis... what the fuck...?" Ocean stared at Mountain, almost on the verge of tears himself. "You knew I'd die, too... why? Why the fuck did you do that...?!" But Mountain, staring at the screen above us with hopelessness in her eyes, could not answer.

"You were always so nice to us..." Silver trailed off.

"Why, sis?! WHY?!" Ocean screamed. Mountain blinked, finally able to tear her eyes away from the screen, and met his gaze. She loudly exhaled through her teeth for a few breaths before finally speaking.

"...I didn't mean to." Her teeth clenched and her eyes shut tightly, forcing out tears. "...I never meant to kill her."

"Oh?" Sugarcoat sneered, raising her eyebrow in fake interest.

"It's true... she had my secret. She came up to me wanting to know the details because she thought it would make for a good movie. She wanted to act as me in it, said she'd win an Oscar for sure..."

"Ooh! Sounds like a blockbuster!" Sonata giggled. Mountain's face immediately flashed with anger.

"NO! Nobody can know what I did!" she screamed, then fell back into a quiet voice. "...She kept insisting, getting in my face about it... I tried to push her away with the rake, but she tripped and stumbled right into the hot spring. I ran over immediately to try to get her out, but..." Now Mountain fell silent.

"...The damage was already done, huh?" Memento frowned. "Falling in boiling water, with our lack of serious medical supplies? I might only work on the dead, but even I know that's a poor prognosis."

Mountain nodded shakily. "...She tried to scream, tried to lift herself out of the water, but the pain must've been too much. She kept flailing, water kept getting into her mouth... I... I already knew I was dead, so... I... held her under and... put her out of her misery. It was the last kind thing I could do for her..."

"B-But I was there!" Sunburst yelled. "I-I know some medicine, I could have helped her!"

"That's why I ran to the shower building!" Mountain hiccoughed, more tears dripping down. "But then I realized she was already dead, and I would simply be making someone else a witness... so I... tried to hide it. But even after I had, I-I couldn't make myself rejoin the o-others... I got dressed a-as quickly as I could and hid in the forest i-instead, all the way up until the b-body discovery announcement played... but I tried to frame you... I'm so s-sorry, I wasn't th-thinking-"

Sunburst held up his hand. "Well... I can't say that I'm pleased you did... but I do understand why you did it."

"Me too. And now you're gonna die for it," Sugarcoat put her hands on her hips and glared.

"Wait! Don't you guys want to know what her secret she tried so desperately to keep secret was?!" exclaimed Monokuma.

"What?! No! Please, no!" Mountain begged desperately. But it was already halfway out of Monokuma's mouth.

"Mountain Lucky is partially responsible for the Winsome Falls High School Poisoning." The last word hung chillingly in the air. Mountain's expression fell even lower that I thought possible. She bent her head as she shrank down onto her lectern, barely holding on.

"P-Poisoning...?" Sunburst stuttered weakly.

"Damn it..." Mountain whispered to herself, even more tears streaming down her cheeks. Across the room, Ocean gasped.

"...Is that why you stopped...?" he murmured.

"W-What happened?" Sugarcoat growled. When Mountain didn't respond immediately, she slammed her fist down on her lectern. "What did you do, damn it?!" Mountain sobbed quietly to herself for a few moments before the barest of whispers escaped from her mouth.

"...It... I-It was karma."

"Do you want to tell us about it? It sounds like it's weighing down on you a lot," asked Memento.

"Also, if you don't, then I willlllll," Monokuma smiled devilishly. Mountain inhaled messily with a sniffle.

"...When I was a teenager, I was already renowned for my abilities. People hired me to take care of problem animals, to cull an overpopulation... But there were also people who... offered me even more money if I caught certain animals for them..."

"So you were a poacher?" Soarin' spat. Mountain recoiled at the word.

"...Y-Yes. But only if the buyer promised to use the rest of the animal, in the case of hunting elephants or rhinos for their ivory, or big cats for their hides and body parts."

"You do realize that they likely only said that to get you to do it?" The venom dripped from Sugarcoat's every word. She simply wanted to see Mountain suffer at this point.

"Ye... Y-Yes... I am aware," she sighed mournfully. "I also captured their offspring, to sell to private owners... some of them made it to zoos."

"That... that's horrible!" Silver yelled, appalled.

"I know," Mountain's head bowed even lower, nearly touching her lectern with her forehead. There was an angry silence in the air for a few moments.

"...But what does this have to do with that poisoning?" asked Sunburst.

"In high school, I had a friend," Mountain spoke solemnly. "Her dream was to be a herpetologist... to study reptiles and amphibians. She had an entire room in her house dedicated to her many pets... snakes, lizards, frogs, toads... you name it. But... unfortunately, she was bullied by many of our classmates, simply for her interests."

"O-Oh..." Sunset looked down at her lectern miserably. I could only imagine the guilt she still felt from her own high school days.

"Yep... kids can be right bastards at that age," Memento sighed, nodding.

"...One day, I told her about my next trip to the Tenochtitlan Basin, to hunt a man-eating jaguar, when she asked me a favor: to catch her a golden poison frog. She wanted to expand her menagerie and admired its color. I did ask about the frog's toxicity, as they were used to poison arrows for hunting and were one of the most toxic animals in the world, but she assured me that without its diet of a specific beetle, it would soon be rendered perfectly safe. So I went, and I managed to catch three of them for her. Using my contacts, I smuggled them without incident and gave them to her... she was ecstatic when she told me I had managed to catch two females and one male." A small smile graced her lips at the memory.

"Impressive... those things are endangered!" Monosuke chuckled. "You're exactly my kind of magical human trash!"

"Then what happened...?" breathed Flash.

"It wasn't until my next hunting expedition," Mountain swallowed, her voice cracking. "While my brother and I were absent from school, my friend decided to make a large batch of cupcakes. For her birthday, she said, except that her real birthday had been four months prior, but it wasn't like anyone cared about that detail..."

"...I think I can see where this is going," Memento cringed.

"She handed them out in the morning, before classes began. By the end of the first class, the parking lot was full of ambulances. They were chocolate cupcakes with a chocolate ganache frosting... that had been laced with poison from the frogs. Turns out they can stay poisonous for years after their diet of beetles is cut off. The frosting was also decorated with rock candy, to cause abrasions in the mouth when chewed, and to let the poison into the bloodstream. As she'd expected, her bullies took more than one cupcake... one of them grabbed four. Out of the 46 people who had eaten a cupcake... 17 of them died, and most of those who were saved never fully recovered from the poisoning."

A somber silence hung in the air, thick like mist. My mind raced with horrible thoughts born from that information, while it struggled to shut it out at the same time. My fingers felt cold, my lips numb.

"How... H-How...?" Sunburst mouthed.

"It was all over the news, even where my brother and I had gone," Mountain continued. "I dreaded returning home, fearing the police would be waiting for me. But my friend never told anyone where the golden poison frogs had come from... at least, I assume so. I've never had any run-ins with the law to this day, and I've also never been able to contact her again... how could I-I? If I were to thank her for n-never turning me in, or even try to a-ask her how she's doing, th-they'd know who got her the f-frogs..."

I could feel my heart break as I watched Mountain break down, burying her face in her arms as she slumped onto her lectern and cried. What she had done was horrible, to be sure, but she never meant to be the pawn in a plan for revenge. It was plain as day that the guilt of her actions weighed heavily on her heart. I bit my lip as I reexamined my own past for the hundredth, thousandth time...

...at one point, that could've been me.

"...I-I immediately ghosted my c-contacts after that. I have n-never poached another a-animal since that day..." she sobbed.

Nobody spoke for a few moments... what could we say?

"...And on that bombshell, I think it's time for the main event!" said Monokuma.

"Oh, no..." I gasped, realizing what he meant by that.

"Wh... Main e-event...?!" Silver trembled.

"Oh, right..." Sonata cooed, as if remembering a forgotten chore.

"I have a special punishment prepared for the Ultimate Hunter, Mountain Lucky!" the bear continued. Mountain's sobbing grew louder, knowing her time was almost up.

"Wait... W-Wait...!" Ocean stammered, tears welling in his eyes as he reached out towards his sister.

"Let's give it everything we've got!" Monokuma's shouting built in a crescendo. Inhaling a loud gasp of air, Mountain stopped crying long enough to lift her head and take one last look at her brother.

"...I'm so s-sorry, Ocean."


IIIIIT'S... PUNISHMENT TIME!


A large, red button rose up in front of Monokuma's throne as the bear pulled out a toy gavel from nowhere in particular. His red eye gleamed mischievously, and with a hop and a squeak from the gavel he smashed the button with all his might. He and his Kubs then leapt down from their stage and out of sight as the giant monitor flashed back to life. It displayed an image of Mountain standing in front of a fence as Monokuma slowly walked past, the bear grabbing and pulling her by her hair as he continued off screen. Text above and below the image read "Game Over" and "Mountain has been found guilty. Time for the punishment!" as the unfitting music played.

The long chain shot down from the ceiling and clapped its shackle around Mountain's throat. Her screams echoed hauntingly as she was dragged away. I wanted to reach out to her, but quickly the sparkling lights and pulling sensation stopped me - we were all being teleported again.

"No, sis! No!" Ocean shouted as we all vanished in a dazzling field of sparkles. We reappeared not a second later in the same confined section of bleachers, but in a new area this time: it was within a small clearing in the middle of the forest, with an asphalt two-lane road right in front of us. The full moon shone down from above, bathing us in its silver light... odd, since it had been snowing somewhat heavily when we'd gone down the elevator.

Wait... a road? ...A road!

But before I could think of any plan to use this rare opportunity, perhaps tossing something of mine out of the cage and into the road to be discovered by a passerby, a giant TV monitor lashed to a large tree buzzed to life... and I gasped.

Mountain had been trapped in a rope snare - she was hanging about ten feet off the ground by her ankle, upside down. She was struggling to hoist her torso upwards to free herself. In the distance I could hear howling, like timberwolves... the camera panned over to show Monokuma and the Kubs on top of a hill, each riding on the back of a mechanical wolf, patterned in the same black and white as their leader. Monokuma's wolf sniffed the air, its red eye gleaming, and it turned its face to the sky and bellowed loudly, the other wolves joining in.


*Ultimate Hunter Mountain Lucky's Execution: Executed*



*The Life of a Prey Animal*


Suddenly, the wolves began running down the hill, straight towards Mountain. They were quite some distance away, but at their rate of speed they would be upon her within a minute. Glancing their way, Mountain tried once more to hoist herself upright, flexing her abs as hard as they would allow. Finally, she managed to lift her arms just enough to grab onto her legs. She let go with one arm and moved her hand to her hair, removing a hair clip from her bangs. The camera zoomed in - the hair clip was black metal rather than plastic, with one end sharpened into a point and one side forming a serrated edge.

Her hair clip... was that what she used...?

Mountain adjusted the hair clip in her hand and frantically sawed at the rope with it. Slowly but surely the rope began to fray, but the wolves were fast approaching. The camera was close enough to pick up her heavy breathing as she desperately sawed faster.

The mechanical wolves leapt into the air, just as the rope snapped. Mountain fell like a lead weight, groaning in pain as her back hit the ground. But as the wolves landed, she recovered and began tearing her way through the forest, slinking between trees and through bushes in an effort to escape. The forest was thick and dense; branches rebounded and slapped her body, while thorny bushes scratched at her exposed skin. She grunted and inhaled through her teeth as she created some distance between herself and her pursuers.

The trees thinned out, and Mountain allowed a small smile to cross her lips as she approached the small clearing. But that smile quickly faded as her foot brushed against a barely-visible cord hidden in the grass, and suddenly the ground in front of her slipped away like a rug being pulled out, revealing a long, deep trench filled with sharp, narrow spikes. Without missing a beat, Mountain leapt as far as she could, just barely clearing the pit as the Monokubs on their wolves skidded to a halt at the other side.

They didn't pursue her, at least not at first. She continued to run as they paced and watched... dread dripped down my neck as I wondered why. The answer was soon apparent as Mountain shouted, and something metal slammed shut. The ground of the next part of the forest she had entered was littered with bear traps hidden under piles of leaves, sticks and moss. She danced awkwardly as she did her best to avoid the traps while putting distance between herself and the Monokubs...

...But she couldn't avoid them all. A bear trap slammed shut on her lower right leg, tearing into her flesh. Mountain fell to the ground and screamed in agony. At the sound of her screams the wolves finally prepared to leap over the trench, trotting back a ways to get a running start. Tears streamed down her face as Mountain grabbed a nearby stout stick and wedged it between the trap's teeth, opening the jaws just enough for her to escape. She stumbled to her feet and frantically hobbled away as fast as she could as the last of the wolves crossed the gap and resumed their pursuit. Blood dripped from her leg as she limped, leaving behind an obvious trail; her eyes widened with pain and fear, and her breathing grew ragged. 

I could feel a slight rumbling in the ground... what horrible trap could she face next?

She ran, and she ran, until suddenly she blasted out of the forest and into the road right in front of us. We all gasped at the sudden realization of seeing her there, and she came to a stop as she recognized us all, nearly tripping over herself. Her lower leg was completely soaked with blood now, and the adrenaline seemed to be wearing off just enough that Mountain bent over and grabbed at her wound. She ripped off part of her pant leg, tattered by the bear trap, and began tying it around the torn flesh...

And then the rumbling grew much stronger. A pair of blinding lights froze Mountain where she stood as a fully-loaded logging truck came speeding down the road. There was no squealing of brakes, no effort to slow down as it charged towards her, intent on running her over. Mountain blinked, her mouth open in a silent scream; she couldn't hope to move fast enough to get out of the way in time.


SIIIIIIIIIIS!


Suddenly, something dashed onto the road and shoved Mountain out of the way just before disappearing under the logging truck. A horrible crunch and a wet scraping noise filled my ears as the truck passed by, jolting slightly as the tires ran it over. And as the truck drove off into the darkness, I couldn't help but stare at the motionless lump left behind.

"O... O-Ocean...?" Mountain breathed, then blinked, then screamed. "OCEAN!" Everyone gasped as our vision forced its way into focus, and we realized that that motionless lump was Mountain's brother.

"Wha... what?!" Indigo shouted in confusion.

"O-Ocean?! How did he...?!" Soarin' stammered. I whipped around to take a head count of the others, not wanting to believe what I'd just seen. I counted out the survivors; myself, Sunset, Flash, Sunburst, Silver, Indigo, Sonata, Soarin', Kotenage, Memento, Sugarcoat...

...and behind her was a gap in the cage, a pair of bolt cutters on the ground beside it. They were small enough that Ocean definitely could have hidden them on his person without us noticing.

Ocean... he... he...

The others took note of the gap in the cage, and a few moments later we had all gathered around Mountain, who was cradling her brother's broken body in her arms as she cried hysterically. One look at him told me he wasn't going to make it - one of his legs had been mangled beyond recognition, and his femur was poking out of his other. His chest and arms were also mangled and soaked with blood and shreds of fat globules, and his head... almost his entire face was scraped clean and bleeding, and I gagged when I realized that his left eye was nearly squished out of its socket.

"Ohhhh... oh, Ocean..." Memento paled, her arms dropping limply to her sides. Silver quickly turned away and began trying to keep her hyperventilating under control, while Indigo stumbled a few feet away and vomited.

"W-Why...?!" Mountain sobbed. "Y-You f-f-fucking i-idiot, w-why?!" Weakly, Ocean opened his mouth, but all that came out was a deep rattling noise and a gush of blood. She didn't seem to notice or even care that she was quickly becoming soaked in blood. "I-I gave myself u-up so t-t-this wouldn't h-happen to y-you... why?!"

"I... I think he's dead already..." Sugarcoat whispered, her face pale, her expression as hopeless as the rest of ours.

"S-Shut up! No... Ocean, b-brother... c-c'mon, say s-something!" Mountain begged, shaking Ocean's body. The only response she got back was a couple of uneven, raspy, empty gasps for air. As Mountain trembled and sobbed, Memento slowly shook her head, walked over to them and gently slid her hand over Ocean's eyes to close them.

"I'm sorry, Emmy... he's gone..." she sniffled, laying her other hand on Mountain's shoulder. The affirmation of death only caused Mountain's shoulders to heave, her sobbing incoherent. Watching through teary eyes, I only barely noticed wisps of light blue energy leaving Ocean's mouth and trailing off towards Monokuma's waiting jaws.

Before anyone else could step forward to comfort her, however, the world disappeared in a flash of sparkles.


~


An instant later we all reappeared in the trial room. As Monokuma and the Kubs reappeared as well (Monophanie already in the process of vomiting her guts out), Mountain blinked and trembled in disbelief when she saw that Ocean's body had not followed us here.

"O-Ocean... N-No... Where's my brother?!" she screamed angrily, wrapping her arms around herself rather than where Ocean's body had just been. "What did you do with him?!"

"Hmm? What, that loser?" Monokuma sneered, wiping away the remnants of glowing energy from his teeth. "What about him?"

"Don't you talk about him like that! You... you pushed him into the road!" she accused, pointing at the bear. "Why?! Why would you kill him?!"

"I did no such thing," he replied casually, although his red eye was glowing ominously. "He decided to cut through the safety fence and pushed you out of the way of your justly-deserved death. Not my fault he wasn't fast enough himself."

"Heh! Ain't that called irony or somethin'?" Monosuke chuckled behind him.

"C-Can't you do something?!" Silver quivered. "Can't you h-help him?! H-He wasn't s-supposed to die! Th-That's against your own rules!"

"What, you think I have access to some kind of healing magic? Or do you want me to raise him from the dead?" Monokuma smirked. "There ain't much left of him, he wouldn't be that great of a zombie."

"You can do something! I saw that magic get sucked into your mouth!" Sunset shouted, furious tears in her eyes.

"Oh, that? I was simply disposing of it. He doesn't need it any longer," the bear shrugged. "Sorry, but them's the breaks. He's dead! Departed! Expired! Perished! Kicked the bucket! Pushing up daisies! Pining for the fjords! And it's all his own sister's fault."

"That's not fair... Th-That's not f-f-fair...!" Mountain shrieked.

"Not fair, eh? Isn't it fair that you get to live?!" Monokuma suddenly leapt into Mountain's face, claws extended on his raised paws. "Here I am trying to give the world what it wants, trying to remove a filthy magical mass murderer from polite society, and SOMEONE goes barging in like a hero and gets himself killed... saving trash like you! YOU were supposed to die! YOU murdered a fellow camper and YOU were supposed to die! Not him! He was just a stupid idiot throwing away his life to save your worthless hide... it's YOUR own damn fault your brother is dead! Ugh, I spent all day putting that excellent execution together..."

I heard gasps all around me, drowning out my own as I listened to this cruel monster berating her. Mountain had no response as Monokuma huffed and seethed. She glared through her tears at him until grief overwhelmed her once more, and she bowed her head in grim acceptance.

"...Ah, whatever," the bear eventually shrugged again. "So the wrong person died this time. That'll just make things interesting in the future..."

"I-It will...?" shivered Sunburst.

"Now we have to live with her..." Sugarcoat seethed, her eyes full of contempt as she stared at Mountain.

"And who knows when she'll kill again..." grinned Monotaro.

"Once a killer, always a killer!" Monokid howled with laughter. The other Monokubs joined in as they hopped down out of sight, their cruel laughter echoing in the otherwise silent room...

...Except for Monophanie. During Monokuma's outburst she had stood stock still, as if she were just as horrified as the rest of us to hear the words coming from his mouth. Even as her father and brothers vanished she remained in place... standing there, watching silently.

Finally, after a few more moments, she took a few tentative steps in Mountain's direction. Hearing her footsteps Mountain dragged her eyes upward to look at the pink and white bear.

"Um..." Monophanie shivered, her voice timid and wavering. "...S-Sorry about your brother..." Mountain's expression shifted slightly, before fresh tears overcame her. If she had uttered her thanks, it was fully choked out by her sobs. Monophanie fidgeted for a moment before awkwardly dashing away into the darkness.

She... she apologized...?

Nobody spoke for a few moments... some of us had to sit down to process all that had just happened. Mountain cried pitifully, her sobs and gasps for air the only background noise. I felt like I should go over and try to comfort her... but what could I possibly say? And the way that most of the others were looking at her...

Anger... hate... disbelief... fear... rejection... disgust... shame...

I could see it all in their eyes... I could feel it deep down in my very soul.

It reminded me too much of how I once saw myself. How I once saw everypony around me. I glanced over to Sunset, gasping lightly as I saw the same emotions on her own face.

Finally, Memento quietly walked towards Mountain, knelt down and gently placed a hand on her back. "I can't imagine the pain you're feeling right now... but we'll get through this together, alright? You won't be alone." Mountain's cries grew slightly calmer, but her shoulders heaved and shuddered.

"I beg your fucking pardon?" Sugarcoat gaped, emphasizing every other word as she stared incredulously at Memento. "You do realize she's the reason all of this happened, right?!"

"I do, yes," Memento replied simply.

"Why... why the fuck should we help her...?" Indigo spoke through clenched teeth, voice shivering with anger. "She's the reason both Juniper and Ocean are dead..."

"Besides the fact it wasn't intentional... no one deserves to have their loved one taken away from them like that," Memento bowed her head. "That's a kind of grief that'll eat away at your sanity for as long as you live... I think that's punishment enough, in this case."

"...You're a far better person than I am," Flash sighed, averting his gaze by rolling his eyes.

"SHE HAS CERTAINLY GAINED ENOUGH NEGATIVE KARMA THAT SHE WILL LIKELY BECOME A DUNG BEETLE IN HER NEXT LIFE," mused Kotenage.

"Well, count me out. I don't want you within 500 feet of me ever again," Sugarcoat growled, pointing viciously at Mountain. "You're just as bad as Monokuma."

"I... I need to leave..." Indigo rumbled, turning her back to everyone as she headed for the elevator. "...I'll probably wind up murdering her my-fuckin'-self if I stay any longer."

Sugarcoat was right behind her, and more and more people followed suit. I followed almost automatically, my legs moving of their own accord. When I looked back through the elevator doors, only Mountain and Memento remained. Her body shifted as the doors began to close, and she screamed painfully at the ceiling until her lungs were empty.

Those screams... those screams will haunt me until the day I die... so full of agony, of guilt... of despair.


~


An inch or two of snow had fallen since we'd been gone. The Dining Hall had long since closed, but our dinner had been graciously arranged on the floor just outside of it... now freezing cold. As much as my stomach growled, I wasn't hungry.

Sunset joined me in my cottage a few minutes later. We sat in mournful silence for a while, trying to cheer ourselves up but nothing came to mind. Eventually she rolled over on the couch with her back to me, and I took it as a sign to turn the lights off and settle into my covers.

As I tried to fall asleep, however, a question came to me, and nagged until I had to ask. "...Hey, Sunset?"

"Mm?" I heard her shifting on the couch.

"Did you ever see what my secret was?" Even though I trusted Sunset, I could still feel my heart race.

"Your secret? Well, it was that you're actually a pony..."

...Huh?

"Wait... that was it? Not how I had an anti-Cutie Mark cult or ended the world multiple times in multiple timelines? Or even something else?"

"Nope... I know, kind of a weird thing to pick compared to everything else you've done... what was mine?"

"Oh, yours was about how you tried to take over Canterlot High School with zombie teenagers."

"Ah. I figured it was that one."

I heard Sunset shift on the couch again, then eventually the quiet sounds of her sleeping. I couldn't help but let the knowledge of my secret ruminate in my mind... of all the things the mastermind could have chosen, why that?

It was all I thought about until my eyes finally closed.
> Monokuma Theater: Interlude 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Princess Twilight Sparkle shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

She had thought nothing of Starlight asking her to use the Crystal Mirror over a week ago to take her vacation. In fact, she had been relieved, thinking that she was working herself to the bone and deserved some time off. She had even told her to say hi to Sunset for her.

But that was over a week ago. At first she thought she'd just missed her coming back through the mirror's portal on her way home. But then Trixie and Sunburst both had written her, asking if Starlight was feeling well - she hadn't returned to the School of Friendship, nor could they reach her. And after teleporting herself into Starlight's room at her old crystal treehouse palace just next door and looking around, it was clear that Starlight hadn't returned at all.

She must still be in Human Equestria, Twilight reasoned. The portal had been stabilized long ago, so there was no danger of her being trapped there for years and years, but it was still unlike Starlight to overstay a vacation.

She knew she could take care of herself.

But she still worried.

"Hey, Twilight! It's your turn!" Rainbow Dash suddenly punched her shoulder, knocking her out of her thoughts. Her friends from Ponyville, the other Elements of Harmony, were here for their monthly get-together, currently playing a card game.

"Oh, sorry!" she sheepishly grinned, setting down a red numbered card.

"Y'all've been pretty distant tonight, is somethin' on yer mind?" Applejack asked, drawing cards until she could match Twilight's.

"Well... it's about Starlight," said Twilight. "She hasn't returned from her vacation... I'm worried something might've happened to her."

"Oh, I'm sure she's perfectly fine. Isn't she staying with that Sunset mare?" asked Rarity, who played a card that dictated that everypony's hands and the discard pile should be flipped over. "...Er, I suppose the correct term is 'woman', if this is that parallel Equestria we're talking about."

"She is. I've tried contacting her, too, but she hasn't written anything in her journal for days."

"Um... do you want to look around for her?" Fluttershy offered, playing a purple card. "Oh... sorry, Pinkie."

"Aww..." Pinkie giggled as she drew five cards.

"I do... something just doesn't feel right to me. But I can't just up and leave for another universe these days... I have a nation to run, after all," Twilight sighed.

"Bah! You're the mother-buckin' Princess of Equestria, of course you can leave for a day or two!" Rainbow huffed, covering Twilight's teal card with an orange card with the same number on it.

"Go again, Dashie," Applejack smirked, setting down a card that reversed the order of play.

"Nah, you go, babe," Rainbow smirked back, playing the same card. Twilight was still reeling from the shock when she found out Rainbow and Applejack had gotten engaged to each other - she never saw that coming, even if the rest of her friends had. But she was happy for them and supported them nonetheless. It was already settled that she was going to officiate their wedding.

"Why not get Spike to take over while we're gone? He's definitely capable of handling it, especially with all of the lists you've left him," said Rarity. "Oh, and yes, we're coming with you. Starlight is just as much our friend as she is yours, after all."

"...He will be back from the Dragon Lands tomorrow," Twilight mused.

"Ooh... sorry, Pinkie." Fluttershy stifled a giggle as she played another "draw five" card that had been stacked on top of two others... which meant "draw fifteen".

"Oh come on!" Pinkie yelled good-naturedly as she drew fifteen cards, holding her thirty-two cards in a spiral pattern only she could read.

"But... don't you guys all have your own things to do?"

"Eh, I'm just third in command at the Wonderbolts, Soarin' and Spitfire can get on without me for a bit," Rainbow waved a hoof.

"Cheese'll be home for a while, Li'l Cheese will love the extra time with his daddy!" Pinkie grinned.

"And there's a lull in mah farmwork fer a bit... all that'll need to be done is some weedin' and minor chores, and Big Mac n' Applebloom can handle that," said Applejack.

"I am in the middle of preparations to open my new Las Pegasus location..." Rarity began slowly. "...Buuut I could definitely make myself... extremely fashionably late to the grand opening."

"I'm free whenever," Fluttershy offered, quietly snickering again as she played another "draw five".

"How many of those do you have?!" Pinkie yelled.

"That was my last one," she smiled.

"Well, if it's okay with all of you guys... then I guess we'll head out tomorrow after I brief Spike on the situation," said Twilight.

"Nice! It'll be just like old times, huh?" Rainbow pumped her hoof in the air.

"Ah could definitely go on another adventure, it's been a while," Applejack nodded.

"Yea! We'll find Starlight and Sunset real quick! Ooh, and it'll be fun turning into humans!" Pinkie beamed, bouncing in her seat.

"And since magic has been slowly leeching from our world into theirs, it'll be even easier to track them down," added Rarity.

"...Just kidding," Fluttershy tittered as she played one last "draw five". Pinkie stared at the card with a look of angry disbelief for a few moments, then stared at Fluttershy with the same intensity. "...That really was my last one."

"Don't worry... we'll go back to the nice side," Twilight laughed, playing her next card.


~


Spike returned from his journey bright and early, leaving Twilight plenty of time to brief him about their sudden departure. Thankfully nothing too diplomatic had been scheduled for the next few weeks - mostly just nobleponies presenting bills and an open court where the civilians could come in to discuss their problems.

"I trust your judgment," Twilight patted Spike's shoulder as they all stood in front of the Crystal Mirror. Lately the young dragon had hit a growth spurt, and his formerly small frame was now twice as tall as he used to be. Muscles began filling out his body, which Spike had been most excited about.

"Sure thing, Twi... feels kinda weird not being able to go with ya, still, but I guess somebody has to rule Equestria in your stead," he sighed, although smiling fondly.

"We'll be back before you know it, Spikey-wikey," assured Rarity. Even after all these years, a faint blush spread across Spike's cheeks.

"Yea! Just don't piss off anything evil... I won't be here to kick its butt!" Rainbow winked.

"I'll write you if it takes longer to find Starlight than expected," added Twilight. The ponies and Spike each said their final goodbyes, and Spike watched as all six of them leapt through the portal. He let out a long sigh, one full of contentment and a hint of longing.

"Man, I miss adventures like that..." he mused to himself. "I'm sure they'll find Starlight real quick. Now, what gems do I want for lunch...?"


~


To Twilight's relief, nobody was around when she and her friends stepped out of the portal. She reared up onto her hind legs... which were her only legs, now. "You guys okay?" she asked as she glanced behind her.

"Yeppers!" Pinkie answered first. The outfit that had appeared on her body took Twilight by surprise - Pinkie was dressed in a white chicken costume for whatever reason the portal had deemed. She seemed perfectly okay with it, however, happily pretending to preen herself.

Hmm... we're gonna have to fix that.

"Whoa... this is weird," Rainbow breathed as she looked at her new hands. Her hair was up in a ponytail, and she wore a sleeveless hoodie in a nebula of rainbow colors, black yoga pants and white sneakers with purple laces.

"These are 'hands', correct? Ooh, these 'fingers' are so awkward," Rarity's lips thinned. She was dressed in a very stylish light blue asymmetrical top and skirt set, decorated with white rhinestones. She also had a large white leather bag with her Cutie Mark slung over one shoulder, matching her gladiator sandals.

"Weak, too. Ah don't see how them humans can do any hard work with 'em," nodded Applejack. She was dressed in blue jeans and an orange T-shirt with a red-and-black buffalo plaid jacket tied around her waist, along with brown leather boots and her hat. Beside her, Fluttershy simply looked herself over quietly - she was dressed in a long-sleeved, spring green tunic with dark blue spandex pants and pink sneakers. On her hip was a fanny pack in a lighter shade of pink than her Cutie Mark emblazoned on it.

"You should get used to them pretty quickly... at least, that was the case for me," said Twilight, who frowned at what the portal had decided to dress her in: a sparkly, indigo evening gown with matching stilettos. "...Well, this isn't gonna work."

"I disagree, I think you look lovely!" beamed Rarity.

"True, but it's not exactly practical," Twilight grumbled, closing her eyes to focus. Though some ambient magic was now available to call upon in this world, she still found it quite difficult to conjure herself a new outfit. To make it a little easier on herself she envisioned a more adult-sized version of the clothes she'd worn when she came to this universe the first time.

"Hmm... a bit young, maybe..." Fluttershy commented.

"Pretty nerdy, too," added Rainbow.

"Perhaps... but that's not important right now," Twilight shook her head. "We're here to find Starlight and see if she's okay."

"Yes, we can go clothes shopping later," said Rarity. "I can feel the inspiration flowing for my next clothing line already!"


~


After using a newfangled invention found within Rarity's purse called a "smart phone", the group eventually managed to find Sunset's apartment in the middle of town and catch a taxi there. Pinkie's chicken costume drew a few weird looks, but nobody seemed to care enough to pry. Scanning the parking lot, Twilight noticed Sunset's motorcycle still in its parking spot.

Hmm...

They trudged up the stairs and knocked on the door. "Hello? Sunset? Are you home?" Twilight yelled through the door. A female voice yelled back, though muffled.

"Well, someone's home, anyway," said Applejack. A few moments later the door opened, and Rainbow gasped.

"Sweet Celestia!" she exclaimed.

"What the hell?" the human Rainbow Dash recoiled in shock. "What are you guys doing here? ...And what am I doing with you guys?"

"Oh, um, it's me, I'm the Twilight from pony Equestria," Twilight put her hand on her chest. "And these are my friends from there, including my universe's Rainbow Dash."

"Yo," Rainbow waved.

"Whoa," human Rainbow blinked. "...Ya know, seeing two Twilights was pretty trippy before, but now there's two of all of us? That's... something. Anyway, uh, hi! What's up?"

"Have you seen Sunset or Starlight lately?" asked Twilight. The human Rainbow's face drew into a concerned scowl, sucking her lips into her mouth.

"Well, no... Sunset said about a week ago that Starlight came over and was gonna hang out for a while - I was coming home from work Saturday so we were all gonna surprise her and go out for the night... but when I came home neither of them were here. Which, fine, but they didn't leave a note or anything. Haven't heard from Sunset since then."

Twilight frowned in concern. "You haven't?"

"Nope."

"Well... perhaps something happened to them?" offered Rarity.

"Don't get me wrong, I called the cops and filed a missing person's report yesterday," human Rainbow shrugged. "I took a look around the house and nothing's missing or broken, and Sunset's room looks normal enough. Whatever's happened to them, though, I'm sure they'll be fine. Sunset's one tough babe, and so is Starlight, if I remember right."

"Ah sure hope so," said Applejack. "Ah'm gettin' a bad feelin' 'bout this."

"Do you think you could help us search for them?" Twilight asked, hopeful.

"Oh, yea," human Rainbow waved her hand. "We're all worried about them. The plan was to first get emergency time off from work, then we'd get together and figure something out. Sci-Twi's already putting something together that'll track down Sunset's geode."

"Sci-Twi...?" Rainbow cocked her head.

"The other me, from this universe," Twilight explained.

"Yea... we just need our Fluttershy to get off work, and then we should be set-" As human Rainbow spoke, however, the TV in the room suddenly flashed on. "What the...?"

"Greeeeetings and salutations, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls and everyone in between!" a voice shrieked from the speakers as a black and white robot bear leapt into the picture, its jagged left eye glowing red.

"Rise and shine, ursine!" four voices shouted as four more bears in varying colors joined the first, standing to its sides.

"I am your humble host Monokuma, and welcome to the hottest new reality show on the planet!" the black and white bear bowed. "Now, as we all know, some of us humans on this wonderful planet Earth have suddenly begun to manifest magical abilities! They can range anywhere from the lame and mundane to the truly extraordinary!

"...But these powers have clouded the minds and consciences of those lucky or cursed enough to receive such gifts," Monokuma's cheerful tone darkened. "They lust for power, for fame, for money... and murder."

"What is this?" Twilight shivered as everyone gathered around the TV. Something about these bears rubbed her the wrong way.

"We all know that absolute power corrupts absolutely... if these magical freaks are allowed to run free and use their powers on the rest of society, chaos will ensue!" the red and white bear now spoke.

"Entire governments will be toppled overnight! Anarchy will run wild in the streets! All of humanity will become their slaves as they alone sit atop a throne of infinite wealth and unstoppable power!" added the yellow and white bear.

"...I can't turn it off," human Rainbow grumbled, hitting multiple buttons on the TV's remote.

"But our brave and wise father has come up with the perfect plan to prevent the rise of these bastards to prominence!" the pink and white bear joined in, her voice the only female one so far.

"So tune in and watch as these murdering assholes murder each other for shits and giggles, and show the world their true intentions!" the blue and white bear shouted last, strumming the electric guitar it held wildly. A large, yellow ball lowered into view and split apart, showering the bears with confetti as the background behind them changed.

"Ooh! I like the characters so far!" Pinkie grinned as she plopped down on the couch, holding a massive bowl of popcorn. The camera zoomed in on what appeared to be a campground in the middle of a forest. A number of people were wandering around various buildings... some of them looked familiar to Twilight.

Too familiar.

"...Hey, wait a minute..." human Rainbow squinted at the TV. "...I know some of those people."

"Y-You do?" Fluttershy gulped.

"Yea," human Rainbow continued, her face growing more concerned with each realization. "...That looks like that Sugarcoat girl I knew in high school... and Indigo, too, they went to Crystal Prep... shit, is that Soarin'?!"

"Soarin'?" Rainbow jogged in front of the TV. "What's he do in this universe?"

"He's one of our city's best soccer players!" gaped human Rainbow. "And... oh shit, is that Flash?!"

"Flash...?!" Twilight gasped. Memories of the young man trickled into her mind... he was one of her first friends in this world, and was always very nice to her. It had made her happy when Sunset had written her that the two had made up and become friends again.

And then, on the TV, the camera panned over to two girls. Two terrifyingly familiar girls. Everybody gasped in horror as they recognized their fiery red-and-yellow and cool purple-and-ice-blue hair.

Sunset and Starlight were a part of this TV show.

"...Found them..." Pinkie singsonged half-heartedly, the bowl of popcorn sliding out of her lap. She scooted over as Twilight and the rest flopped down beside her in disbelief.

"We begin by setting up our hidden cameras in an isolated commune, where a group of these magical miscreants live in secret," Monokuma's voice narrated. "...They have gathered to hone their skills and increase their powers, but even with similar goals in mind, they can't help but stab each other in the back!"

"...Hey, weren't we gonna put the title card in before the introduction?" the voice that belonged to the yellow and white bear interrupted, followed by what sounded like something being smacked with a blunt object.

"Don't interrupt your father!" Monokuma hissed before clearing his throat and continuing. "Now, let's introduce these terrible terrors, hmm?" The scene changed to a shot of sixteen people sitting at a long table in what appeared to be a dining hall, with Sunset and Starlight among them.

I'm Starlight... Starlight Glimmer... Uh... I dunno if I'd call it 'leading', but I am the headmistress of a prestigious school in... another city... Yea.

I'm Sunset Shimmer... uh... apparently, I don't have an Ultimate...? Or they don't know what it is...

Twilight watched the TV with singleminded focus, analyzing everything she possibly could: the other people with Sunset and Starlight, their location, what they seemed to have access to, Sunset's apparent lack of magic-

She blinked, then shuddered. "Hey, Rainbow...?"

"Yea?" Both Rainbow and human Rainbow answered at the same time, then facing each other in amusement.

"Human Rainbow... uh... does Sunset have her geode with her?" Human Rainbow hesitated for a moment.

"Um... good question," she mumbled as she leapt off the couch and jogged over to Sunset's room. A few seconds later she came out with a deep look of concern, holding the geode necklace in her hand. "...She does not."

Twilight hummed. Things were quickly growing more and more serious. They continued to watch the show in silence... and then the first murder happened. As Sunset and Starlight gazed in horror at the corpse of Dr. Hooves, everybody realized that this was no mere reality TV show.

"Shit... this is real!" human Rainbow shouted. "They really did kill that guy!"

"H-How terrible!" Fluttershy began to cry. Her cries morphed into full-blown hyperventilating as Monokuma went over the so-called rules of the compound: if the culprit was found out in a trial, only the culprit would be executed. If the culprit was not found... well, the first time nothing would happen to the rest, but after that... everybody else would be executed instead.

"My word..." Rarity breathed quietly.

"This is bad, guys... this is really buckin' bad!" Rainbow trembled. They continued watching with trepidation as the investigation gave way to the trial, where Button Mash was found guilty. And then...

...The execution. The entire thing was filmed live, from multiple angles, in all its brutal and gory glory. Twilight felt her heart drop into her stomach as she watched the poor boy's shattered body bounce off the ground.

She couldn't take her eyes away from the sight. The body of that boy kept morphing into that of Sunset or Starlight, or Flash, or any of the other innocents.

If she didn't find them... if she didn't find Starlight or Sunset in time... they were going to die. Horribly.

"...Well, wasn't that enlightening?" Monokuma's voice taunted to hook his viewers in as the credits rolled. "Tune in next week for another installment! What will these horrible people do to each other next?!" And then the TV powered off all on its own, just like before.

Twilight and the others stared in horrified silence for what felt like an eternity.

And then human Rainbow's phone rang. She checked the screen, seeing that it was Sci-Twi, and answered it.

"...Hello? ...Yea, I saw it, too... No shit, we gotta do something! ...On it, and I'm bringing friends! ...Uh, you'll understand when you see 'em... Right. Bye," she nodded once as she hung up, then stood up quickly. "C'mon, we're going to Sci-Twi's place!"

Twilight and her friends nodded. They needed to act, fast.
> Off the Rails - Daily Life 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


*ding dong, bing bong*


"Rise and shine, ursine!" The Monokubs shouted on the TV below me. Before they could continue with their usual morning announcement, Sunset groaned loudly and threw a pillow at it. "What is wrong with those little psychopaths...?!" she growled.

"What isn't wrong with them...?" I mumbled, rubbing my bleary eyes. Flashes of shades of red exploded behind my eyelids... at once reminding me of last night's events. I gasped quietly as my eyes shot open.

"You okay?" Sunset asked as I blinked rapidly.

"Yea, just... sweet Celestia, did last night really happen?" I droned, my heart feeling heavy. Remembering Juniper's body beside the hot spring, or what was left of it... the revelation that Mountain Lucky had been partially responsible for a horrible poisoning... her own brother's sacrifice to prevent her execution...

He was innocent, but Monokuma did nothing to stop his death...

Against all my hopes at the beginning of this ordeal, four of us were already dead, and it hadn't even been a week. What was going to happen to us next? Would one of us kill again, despite our reaffirmations to work together? How long until Sunset, or Flash, or... myself... was next?

"'Fraid so. This... this really isn't looking good for us so far, huh?" Sunset sighed, her gaze meeting the floor.

"What are we gonna do?" I looked up at her. "This isn't something I've ever had to deal with back home, even against our worst enemies. I... I'm not sure what to do next."

"Right... and now we've got an actual killer among us," Sunset frowned. "How is that gonna change things? I know I'm not going to kill anyone, but I don't know if I can say the same about the others."

"Yea..." That was something else to consider. While I could see that most of the others would be terrified of Mountain now, I could also see that some might be considering revenge, which could lead to even more chaos... or even a "justified" killing in an attempt to leave.

"Well, I'm gonna go shower before breakfast. Guess I'll see ya there?" Sunset stretched her arms over her head.

"Sounds good to me," I nodded, closing and locking the door after her. I decided to do the same, though I felt decidedly less clean putting my one set of clothes back on. Tomorrow would definitely be laundry day.

The little bit of snow that had fallen crunched under my feet as I made my way to the Dining Hall. Sunset was just about to head inside, but held the door open as I jogged to meet her. The mood inside the dining hall was somber - there was very little conversation, and most of them didn't even lift their heads when we entered. We grabbed some food and sat next to Flash, who also seemed quite glum, and ate in silence.

I never wished for the inane drone of conversation more than this moment. The memories of yesterday swarmed my mind - where everyone had been sitting before the three of us had gone out to find Juniper, the discovery of her remains, the trial, the execution... and then it would repeat. At one point I remembered the taste of what I had thrown up shortly after finding Juniper, and my own breakfast suddenly seemed so much less appetizing.

Then heavy, dragging footsteps and the knock of wood on wood interrupted my thoughts; everyone's heads swiveled around towards the entrance to the dining hall. Mountain stood there, supporting herself with a walking stick, her cheeks and downcast eyes a raw, violent red. Around the room I heard grumbles and growls of disdain.

"Ugh, the audacity of this bitch..." Sugarcoat hissed under her breath.

"She has some nerve showing up here with the rest of us," Indigo snorted in agreement.

Mountain was careful not to look anyone in the eyes as she limped over towards the buffet line. Her leg had been cleaned and bandaged, and her pant leg had been sewn back together as best as possible. In fact, she must've washed her clothes during the night, as there were only a few drops of bloodstains left on her orange vest. She stared motionlessly at the food and drinks for a few moments, trying to work up the desire to eat.

"She looks terrible..." Sunset frowned sympathetically. Next to her, Flash pressed his lips into a flat line and glowered at his pancakes silently. Eventually, Mountain took her food and hobbled over to a table as far away from everyone else as possible - despite this, those sitting closest to her scooted their chairs away from her as she sat down.

It would've been perfectly normal of me to feel just as repulsed by her as the others were... but in my heart, I could only feel pity. I knew what it was like to have someone so important to her ripped away, what it was like to balance such a weight of lies and deceit, what felt like total control of the world on her shoulders... and what it felt like to have that world utterly destroyed.


*boing!*


Suddenly, Monokuma spontaneously appeared by dropping out of a vent in the ceiling. "Oh, I don't need everyone's reactions this morning," he waved casually. Still, most of us jumped from the surprise.

"...You gotta stop doing that," Soarin' coughed, having choked on his coffee.

"God DAMN it, bear, what the fuck you want now?!" roared Indigo.

"I just said I don't need your usual reactions!" Monokuma yelled before relaxing. "It's almost half time, so the stats should be out soon for everyone to obsess over... and since you guys overcame the trial, I figured I'd give you all a wonderful prize!"

He paused for a few moments, as if waiting for something. I wondered what he was getting at... it couldn't be good.

"...I said, I figured I'd give you all a wonderful prize...!" Monokuma repeated, louder and angrier than before. Still, nothing happened for another few moments. "...Huh? My adorable little cubs aren't coming? That's strange..."


*Rise and Shine, Ursine!*


But just as Monokuma began looking around, the Monokubs finally slid out of the ceiling vent and plopped down onto the ground. While most of the Kubs looked as malicious and cruel as ever, Monophanie was noticeably more subdued, staring at Mountain with a pensive look.

"They're finally here! Yay!" Monokuma hopped with joy. "You're so cute today, it's practically obscene!"

"Sorry we're late, Papa Kuma!" shouted Monokid.

"Lil' sis here didn't wanna wake up, so we had to dump a bucket of ice water on her!" Monotaro beamed. I glanced over to Monophanie... she didn't seem wet.

"Just... wow. You guys are seriously cute. Have you always been this cute?" gushed Monokuma. Apparently he didn't seem to care about Monophanie's sleeping habits or her current mood. "...Anyway, how's about you kids give these bastards their wonderful prize?"

"Sure thing, Pops!" Monosuke nodded. "Alright youse bastards, time to give you... this!" A few seconds passed until Monophanie seemed to snap out of her thoughts.

"...U-Um... Let's see what the prize is this time..." she stammered. "U-Uh... it's a new area to explore!"

"Ooh! What kind of new area?" Sonata chirped.

"The center of industry for our little camp... our pristine and gorgeous Lake Despair!" said Monosuke.

"The gate has already been unlocked for you bastards," added Monotaro.

"Have fuuuuun..." Monokuma grinned. The tone of his voice sent shivers down my spine. I couldn't help but wonder what horrors awaited us.


*So long, bear well!*


The five bears scuttled away and out of sight, leaving us to our own devices.

"Well, that didn't sound ominous at all," Sunburst scoffed before putting his hand to his chin. "Still... the center of industry for this camp? I wonder what that could be."

"Yea, isn't running a camp a business in itself?" asked Soarin'.

"You don't think... if it's the camp's center of industry, there might be other people there...?" Silver asked hopefully.

"I wouldn't think so," replied Sunset. "I mean, if there were people there, then surely they would've seen something by now and come to investigate."

"Maybe... they also could've been told not to come here, this is a 'campground', after all," Memento frowned as she made air quotes.

"What kind of campground is surrounded by spiked fences and guns?!" gaped Flash. Then, from the corner of the room...

"Maybe they know about the killing game? They might be hostile to us..." Mountain quietly mumbled, still staring down at her food rather than looking at us. The mood instantly soured as everyone's attention turned to her, as if a thick, oppressive fog had suddenly rolled in.

"Oh? I guess it takes a killer to know what other killers are thinking," Sugarcoat huffed, glaring straight at her. "Did we even ask for your opinion?"

"No..." Indigo seethed, gripping her fork and butter knife so hard her knuckles were turning white. "You shut your bitch mouth. You don't get to speak to us." Mountain flinched at her words, but said nothing more.

"...I mean, she maaaaay have killed one of us, and her brother is kinda dead because of her, but she could be right..." Sonata tilted her head.

"WELL, WE'LL JUST HAVE TO CROSS THAT BRIDGE IF WE GET TO IT," Kotenage slammed his fist into his palm. "PREPARE FOR THE WORST, BUT HOPE FOR THE BEST!"

"R-Right. We'll definitely have to check it out," nodded Sunburst. "To be safe, however, we should all go in groups. Just in case."

"Good idea," I smiled, already getting nods of approval from Sunset and Flash. It took little time for the others to begin asking around the table and setting up their groups.

...Well, except for one.

"Don't you even think about walking around with us," Sugarcoat snarled at Mountain. She winced, but remained silent.

"Er... her being on her own isn't exactly a good idea, either," Memento's lips thinned.

"Better than having her hang around us," Indigo spat. "At least I can see her coming, rather than walking next to her and suddenly finding a knife in my back." Memento blinked a couple of times, opened her mouth as if to say something, but seemed to drop it as she closed it again.

"THEN IT'S SETTLED. LET'S FINISH EATING UP AND THEN HEAD ON OUT," said Kotenage. We hurriedly gulped down our last bites of food, put the dishes away and made our way out of the dining hall. I followed right behind Flash and Sunset, but movement in the corner of my eye stopped me for a moment.

Mountain was still sitting at her table, her head bowed, but she was gripping her upright walking stick. Part of me wanted to invite her to our group so she wouldn't be left out, but before I could ask I'd noticed that Flash and Sunset had already left the building. I glanced back at Mountain, who hadn't moved, then back towards the exit.

Should I invite her? Or would she rather be given some space? Ultimately, I chose the latter and ran after my friends.


~


After a quick detour to my cottage so I could grab my backpack, Flash, Sunset and I walked around the perimeter of the campgrounds, eventually finding that the gate leading to the southwest was open. As we started down the gravel path through the forest, Memento shouted from the distance and ran to catch up to us, having been farther down the road.

"Ah, there you guys are!" she panted as she caught her breath. "I've been going around to everyone asking if they're okay after yesterday... so, you guys traumatized? Need someone to talk to, who isn't a bitchy anti-therapist?"

"How could we not be, after yesterday?!" Flash frowned. Sunset nodded in agreement, her face a jumble of emotions. I thought for a moment about my own feelings, then remembered what I'd seen before leaving the trial room last night.

"How's Mountain doing?" I asked quietly. "I saw that you stayed with her after everyone else left." Memento's gaze traveled down the path and far away, and she was silent for a few moments.

"...It was a while before she stopped screaming and crying, so we could get on the elevator," she sighed. "I helped her back to her cottage and encouraged her to take a hot bath or shower. While she did that, I laundered her clothes, grabbed the sewing kit and some first aid supplies and waited for her to finish. Then I did my best to disinfect and stitch her wounds, and mend her pants. I offered to stay over the rest of the night, but she wanted some time alone, so that was that."

"Ow," Flash winced sympathetically.

"Yea... needles for living patients are way smaller than dead ones," Memento nodded. "But it should heal just fine... I think. I mean, I'm not a doctor, but I know some medical stuff."

"That was really nice of you," I smiled.

"Yea... we should've helped," Sunset looked at the ground guiltily. Memento held up her hand.

"Hey, that was a rough situation for everyone. There's no right or wrong reaction to something like that," she replied. "Just wanting to get the hell out of there is totally normal."

"True..." Sunset conceded uneasily. Another uncomfortable lassitude passed as we walked, the wind rustling through the pine branches the only sound. It allowed me to reflect on what had already been said... and that it might be a good idea to reciprocate.

"...How are you feeling, Memento?" I asked slowly, after a while. She paused for a moment before answering.

"Alright as I can be, I guess. I've seen some real shit in my career... bodies in all kinds of awful conditions, their friends and relatives wailing and gnashing their teeth... though I can't say I've ever seen people I know get brutally murdered in front of me before," she grimaced. "Hits way harder than random gory videos on the internet."

I nodded, and we continued walking in silence. All the while, I couldn't help but feel like there was more I could do, more I could say, but the actions and words just weren't there. What was I supposed to do? I had never been through something like this before... hell, I can't imagine anyone ever had.

And I was apparently supposed to be the Ultimate Leader... but in this situation, I have no idea how to lead.

Eventually, the path widened and the trees gave way to a clearing. I saw tall cliffs in front of me, along with a roaring waterfall cascading down from above to the right. Just at the end of the path, Mountain was standing with her back to us, taking in the sight. We came to a stop and just watched her for a moment, then Memento shifted her body and hummed.

"If you guys don't mind, I'm gonna keep an eye on Emmy while we're here," she said.

"Why?" Flash recoiled. Memento's expression grew serious, more somber.

"...It's my duty to help the bereaved grieve healthily," she spoke softly. "Make sure she's okay, doesn't do anything rash... Besides, after yesterday, she's got a huge target on her back. The last thing we need now is for someone to kill her out of revenge and start this whole process over again."

"O-Oh... good point," he bit his lip and glanced at the ground.

"Do you want us to come with you?" I asked.

"No, it's okay," Memento waved her hand. "I'll see if she wants company, but I think too many people would make her uncomfortable."

"Good point," said Sunset. We watched as Memento walked over to Mountain and chatted with her for a moment, then slowly wandered off together. I couldn't help but smile... at least some of us were willing to forgive her.

"Well, let's see what this new area is like," I nudged, walking forward.

Once we finally reached the end of the path, my jaw dropped at the sight of such natural beauty. We were at the top of a hill, with rugged cliffs surrounding us to the right and in front. The waterfall crashing down from above formed a raging river, bordered by the cliffs as if a giant had dug a trench between it and the riverbank. Down the hill about two-thirds of the way was a large wooden building with a water wheel sticking out and spinning in the flow, and at the base of the hill was a small cluster of three buildings close together. Just past that was a good-sized lake that the river flowed into, its shores bordered by a thin band of forest before being encircled by more cliffs.

"Wow..." Flash mused in awe.

"Hey, train tracks!" Sunset pointed. I followed her gaze and found the abrupt end of one set of railroad tracks to my left a few yards away, leading into a segment of wooden fencing. "Of course, no way would there be a train out of here."

"They look like they lead to those buildings by the lake," said Flash. "Maybe it's a train station?"

"Let's follow them. They lead right past that other building, too," I nodded. We began down the hill, being careful of our footing. About halfway down the hill a handcart sat on the railroad tracks, held in place by a large wooden beam wedged in front of the wheels. Just past that was the large wooden building, its water wheel spinning rapidly. Walking closer, I saw that the building had no walls; there was a large stack of logs beside a conveyor belt, upon which sat a particularly big log. A huge vertical saw stretching from the floor to the ceiling sat at one end of the conveyor belt, while a metal control panel sat at the other. The serrated edges gleamed silver - it was in perfect working order.

"Looks like it's some kind of sawmill," said Sunset. "A very simple one, but with enough equipment to get the job done."

"Think it works?" I asked.

"Everything seems clean and oiled," said Flash, "so probably. Just press the big red button. Can't think of how that'd help us, though."

We looked around for a while longer, finding only a small, wooden rowboat lying on the riverbank at the lower end of the sawmill. Nothing was inside it, not even any oars. After that we continued down the hill to the lake and the group of buildings beside it. Flash was right - it turned out to be a small, rudimentary train station. One building made to look like two separate ones put together stood on top of a large wooden platform, and a water tank stood between it and the delta of the river. The building on the platform was the closest to the lake and was split into two areas: a well-stocked coal shed, its door facing the lake; and the station's office, entirely empty and devoid of decorations except for some benches and a barren ticket counter. The train tracks looped around the platform, from the loading/unloading zone on the right in front of the office to another zone facing the lake that allowed easy access to the coal. A turntable for train cars was embedded into the ground, carving a semicircle into the platform. The tracks came to an end behind the train station just before the water tank - a lone caboose was occupying the space.

Looking inside the caboose, it seemed to have been converted into a small living space. There was a dining nook that could be converted into a bed, next to a tiny kitchen. The counter held a small sink and a two-burner stove, and the cabinets above had a couple of rusty pots and pans inside. The drawers held a set of cutlery for one person, including a chef's knife so covered in rust it might've crumbled if anyone touched it. The cushions for the dining nook were slightly damp to the touch, and the faded curtains bordering the windows above the nook and stove smelled of mildew.

"Eww... no one's used this thing in ages," muttered Sunset. "Too bad, this might've been kind of nice to ride in."

"Even the utensils are trashed," said Flash. "That knife's useless."

"I think I got tetanus by just looking at it," I grimaced. "Let's leave it. If someone wanted to use a knife, they'd get one from the kitchen back in the dining hall."

We stepped out of the caboose, the fresh air a welcome scent. The lake sat before us; I estimated it was maybe a couple hundred feet from one end to the other, give or take. Veering off to the left was another, smaller stream that broke away from the lake and into a steep, rocky gulch, which then flowed through a metal fence that stretched from beneath the riverbed to the tops of the cliffs. All lined with spikes and automated rail guns, of course.

"Sheesh. I figured there'd be no way out down this path either, but really?" Flash groaned.

"The more effort I see that Monokuma or whoever has put into keeping us here, the more impressed and disturbed I am," I sighed, slumping in discouragement.

"Yea, this is frighteningly excessive," Sunset agreed. Seeing no other options, we turned around and went back.

On our way back out of the gulch we saw that Mountain was standing on the lake's shore, gazing out into the distance, with Memento just behind her. We quietly approached, not wanting to disturb their moment.

"...Ocean would've loved this," Mountain mumbled, sighing sadly. "Even if there aren't any fish, he always loved the beauty and peace of a body of water."

"It is lovely, isn't it?" Memento nodded in sympathy. Her eyes drifted over to us, and she jerked her head to invite us closer. Mountain flinched when we caught her eye, her lips thinning.

"Hey, it's okay," I spoke softly, holding my hands up.

"Yea, we're, uh... just sorry for your loss," Flash coughed, emotions conflicting in his voice as he looked at a tuft of grass. It seemed to be enough reassurance for Mountain, however, and her posture relaxed.

"Oh... thank you," she bowed her head. "Although I don't expect your forgiveness, of course... not after what I did."

"It was an accident!" Sunset protested weakly, but Mountain shook her head.

"It still happened... it never should have happened. And now... he's gone... b-because of m-me..."

Tears fell from Mountain's face, melting the patchy snow where they dripped. Memento pulled out a travel pack of tissues from one of her scrub pockets and offered it to her while Sunset and I came closer. She took a tissue and loudly blew her nose while Sunset placed an arm around her back. Mountain wept for a few moments before shakily inhaling.

"I... I-I don't deserve your kindness..."

"Yes, you do," Sunset gently affirmed. "None of this was your fault... Monokuma's the one who put us all in this situation."

"None of us would be dead... if it weren't for him," Flash agreed. "Him and his stupid Kubs."

"Um..."

The sudden noise caused us to whip our heads towards its source. Monophanie was standing about ten feet away from us, her paws nervously held up towards her mouth. At first I recoiled inwardly and was about to yell at her to leave us alone, but then I remembered how she had acted after the trial last night. She had seemed almost... sympathetic.

Flash, however, had no such qualms. "What do you want?!" he glowered. Monophanie flinched at being addressed.

"Oh! Uh... I... just wanted to tell Mountain... I'm sorry... about what happened," she fidgeted. While Flash scoffed, the rest of us pulled back in confusion.

"That's... oddly nice of you," I blinked.

"It... it just reminded me..." Despite her being a relatively emotionless robot, I could almost swear Monophanie was on the verge of tears.

"What did it remind you of?" asked Memento.

"Something... s-similar... happened to me," Monophanie explained hesitantly. Sunset and I let out a quiet gasp.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I-I... I can't...!" Monophanie's paws clapped over her mouth as she shook her head. "I... sorry!" And before we could ask her anything else she turned around and ran away, disappearing into the forest.

"...What was that about?" grumbled Flash.

"Something similar happened to her...?" Memento hummed, a finger on her lips as she thought. "What could that possibly mean?"

She might be our enemy, but I hate to think something like this has happened more than once...

"Hard to say," Sunset chewed her lower lip. "But it seems to me she might be starting to think differently about this whole killing game..."

"Or, it could be a trap," Flash replied, eyebrow raised in suspicion.

"How?" asked Memento.

"I'm... uncertain," said Mountain. "...But until I see more evidence to the contrary from that bear, I will not trust a word it says."

"That... seems wise," I nodded. "As much as I want to believe we might finally have some help, it does sound too good to be true." The others nodded in agreement.

A few moments passed in silence. Mountain grimaced and bent down to rub at her wound.

"You okay?" asked Memento.

"Yea... just hurts, and it's starting to itch."

"That means it's healing," said Sunset. Mountain reached into her pockets for a bag full of brick red pills and a small bottle of water.

"I have Memento to thank for that... I wasn't looking forward to having to suture the wound myself," Mountain sighed as she placed a pair of pills into her mouth and washed them down. "Thank you, again."

"Of course," Memento shrugged, smiling.

"I will be a moment, if the three of you wish to head back. It's getting close to dinner time," said Mountain, leaning on her walking stick, glancing at its shadow.

"We have been out here for a while, huh?" remarked Flash, squinting at the setting sun. "Time to go over what we've all seen."

"We'll be okay," Memento waved us on. Flash, Sunset and I started back towards the train station, on the other side of the lake. We walked in silence for a while until just reaching it, when we spotted another pair gazing out over the water. Indigo was sitting on the platform, her legs dangling over the empty train turntable, while Sugarcoat was standing behind her, arms crossed and grumpy as always.

"Man... I bet Ocean would've liked to see this," Indigo sighed. "Would've been cool lookin' around the lake and everywhere."

"This is a pathetic lake," Sugarcoat huffed. "More like a large pond, full of algae and scum and other disgusting stuff."

"He was right... the sounds water makes in nature is pretty peaceful," Indigo continued to muse. "...Wonder if there's any fish in there?"

"Doubt it. I haven't even seen so much as a tick since we came here, why the fuck would there be fish?" scoffed her companion.

"...Never did ask him what his favorite fish was. Hmm... he liked just watching the wildlife while waiting for a bite, did I tell ya? Some dragonflies zipping around, and I could definitely see that, too."

"No... not that I particularly care about what some redneck thinks is beautiful," Sugarcoat rolled her eyes.

"Ey yo, I'm tryin' to mourn here, do you mind?!" Indigo finally turned around to glare at her former classmate.

"Why? We both know it wasn't going to last," Sugarcoat squinted an eye in disgust. "He was a moron. I totally figured he was going to die here, anyway."

"We were bros! We were, like, kindred spirits or some shit!" Indigo threw her hands into the air. "Guh... why'd we have to meet here...?"

"Oh, you'll find someone else," Sugarcoat groaned out a sigh. "There's plenty of... ugh... 'fish in the sea' out there. But first off, we need to focus on getting out of this hellscape alive."

They ignored us as we walked past and began up the hill, towards the path back to camp.

"Is it physically possible for Sugarcoat to ever be nice...?" Flash asked once we were out of earshot.

"Actually, so far I'd say this is an improvement from back in high school," muttered Sunset. I elected to bite my tongue.

Sheesh... some friend.


~


Kotenage had already gotten dinner started when we arrived at the dining hall. We chatted with Soarin' and Sonata as the others returned as well, with Mountain arriving last. Kotenage eyed Mountain with suspicion as he scooped her serving of rice and chankonabe into a bowl and handed it to her, but that was the extent of his apparent dislike towards her. Nevertheless, Mountain hobbled over to a table in the corner and kept her distance.

"Well, this new area seems alright," Sunburst mentioned after we'd all spent a few minutes eating and warming up. "Not much of a center of industry, though."

"For real. Not a single person around!" nodded Soarin'. "The whole place looks like no one's been there in months!"

"Not exactly," said Flash. "Did you see the sawmill? Every part in there is clean and freshly oiled."

"Even the spinny saw-y parts?" Sonata asked worriedly.

"Uh... yea, even the spinny saw-y parts," Flash raised an eyebrow.

"I can imagine that the logs for the sawmill must come from the river uphill, past the waterfall," said Memento. "But then to transport the lumber, all they have is that useless train station. The tracks don't even go anywhere."

"Yea, that was weird," Silver concurred. "And there's a caboose and a handcart, but no engine to pull them."

"THE CABOOSE THAT WAS THERE WAS IN SORRY CONDITION, AS WELL," said Kotenage. "PERHAPS BACK WHEN IT WAS NEW, IT WOULD'VE BEEN FIT FOR RIKISHI TO TRAVEL IN."

"How about the lake itself? Was anything helpful there?" asked Indigo.

"Someone wouldn't stop being melodramatic, so we didn't check the whole way around," Sugarcoat grumbled.

"There's a small gorge where the water from the lake drains out, but that's totally surrounded," sighed Sunset. "You know... guns, spiked fences, threats of death... the usual."

"Ah, figures," Sunburst's head dropped into his hands. "Well, at any rate, that empty train station would serve as a perfect laboratory to conduct experiments on those glowing stones."

"Stones?" I asked, before quickly remembering. "Oh, yea! The gems from the cave! It's... been a few days, hasn't it?"

"Precisely. And I have yet to discern anything different about any of us, much less those who touched the thing," he nodded.

"So it's safe, then?" Sugarcoat asked. "Very well... Kotenage, you may turn over that tackle box to Sunburst."

"HAI," Kotenage nodded before reaching into one of the sleeves of his robe. A moment later the tackle box was on the table. "WAS WONDERING WHEN I COULD STOP CARRYING THIS THING AROUND."

"You've carried it around with you all this time?" Sunburst asked as he reached for the box.

"YES. YUKATA SLEEVES MAKE EXCELLENT POCKETS," he grinned. Sunburst hummed as he opened the box and gently rolled the lead fishing weights around.

"E-Er..."

"Something wrong?" I asked, trying to peek inside the box.

"It... ah... would appear that the gem in question has... disappeared," Sunburst stammered.

"What?!" Sugarcoat shouted, yanking the box from Sunburst's grip and dumping its contents out on the table. Fishing weights rolled around everyone's bowls and onto the floor, but the glowing gem was nowhere to be found.

"N-NANI?!" Kotenage gasped.

"Someone took it?" Silver asked, shocked. Sugarcoat's expression rapidly changed from angry confusion to just plain anger, and she hurled a finger at Sunset.

"I don't know how you did it, but fess up! Where the fuck is that gem?!" she shouted angrily.

"I... don't have it?" Sunset shrank back apprehensively.

"Bullshit! Hand it over, this instant!"

"I don't have it," Sunset repeated more assertively. "I was ultimately fine with you taking it for your experiment, don't you remember?"

"I DON'T REMEMBER EVER SEEING HER ACTING SUSPICIOUS AROUND ME," Kotenage raised an eyebrow as he looked to the ceiling in thought. "NOT ONCE DID SHE EVER ATTEMPT TO REACH UP MY SLEEVES OR BREAK INTO MY COTTAGE."

"It was supposed to be magic, right? For all we know, the thing might've just vanished or disintegrated or something after being out of the cave so long," Soarin' offered.

"You can look through my cottage if you want... but you'll just be wasting your time," Sunset groused, tired annoyance on her face as she stared at Sugarcoat, who glared right back. "Honestly, you blaming me for everything that goes wrong here is starting to get on my nerves."

"Good! Maybe then you'll crack and admit to everyone here that this entire killing game is your fucking doing!" Sugarcoat nearly screamed in rage. On the other side of the table, Sonata made a noise like a furious cat.

Ugh... not this again...

"No, it is starting to get kinda old," Memento sighed and spoke up. "If you had any actual proof I'd listen, but so far all your arguments have amounted to wild accusations. Sunset's been a solid help to us all since this whole thing started."

"Oh, but that's what she wants you to think!" she snarled back, pointing her finger at Memento now. "I bet she's lulling you all into a false sense of security!"

"Sheesh, and I thought I was paranoid," I muttered under my breath, shaking my head.

"You certainly are a paranoid one, aren't you?" Mountain droned from her corner.

"No one asked you!" Indigo roared at Mountain before turning her attention to Sugarcoat. "Shug, you are kinda starting to worry me."

"Rrrgh... You just wait... All of you just wait..." Sugarcoat seethed, nearly shivering with rage - I could almost see steam wafting from her ears. While Indigo did her best to placate her, Sunburst swallowed nervously.

"Goodness... I, uh... can just retrieve another gemstone from the cave tomorrow."


~


The rest of the evening was uneventful. It wasn't until right before I got into bed that I realized I'd never mentioned something that, in hindsight, seemed rather important.

"Ah, damn it."

Monophanie's recent interactions with us had been strange. Was she becoming sympathetic to our plight? Was it a cunning plan to sow even more mistrust and despair between us? I wanted to believe that that bear was beginning to grow a conscience... could robot bears even grow a conscience?

I made a mental note to bring it up tomorrow, barring something unexpected happening.

...Like Sugarcoat's rage going nuclear and blowing up the entire campsite.

The thought made me chuckle as I closed my eyes.
> Off the Rails - Daily Life 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Not even throwing a towel over the TV could drown out the grating morning greeting of the Monokubs. I groaned as I squeezed my eyes shut, but to no avail. Reluctantly, I got up, got dressed and made my way to the Dining Hall.

Everyone was there, already getting their breakfasts and sitting down. I did the same and sat down beside Flash and Sunset as usual. Amidst the din of quiet conversation, however, I could barely hear the sounds of someone trying to hide the fact they were crying.

Glancing around the room led my eyes to Mountain, still sitting as far away from the rest of us as she could, all alone. She was holding herself, trying not to shake as tears dripped from her open eyes into a mug of coffee. She sniffled quietly, breathing through her teeth.

Poor thing...

"Oh my god, will you shut up already...?" I heard Sugarcoat mutter angrily from a few tables over. I sighed as I took a bite of my oatmeal, shaking my head. Flash sucked his lips into his mouth, as if unsure whether he should say something or not. Meanwhile, Sunset had mostly finished her meal. She got up and made her way over to her, about at the same time Memento walked over to her with a bundle of napkins.

"Hey... you okay?" she asked as Memento set the napkins down in front of Mountain and took a seat next to her.

"Y-Yes..." Mountain took a moment to grab a napkin and blow her nose as daintily as she could manage... which still turned out to be so loud it startled me. "Just... c-can't stop thinking about my b-brother..." Memento hummed sympathetically. "I... I-I'm sorry..."

"It's gonna be okay," Sunset placed her hand on Mountain's back. "We're gonna get out of here... all of us. No one is going to kill anyone else... not anymore."

"And how are you so sure about that?!" Indigo slammed her fork to the table and shot up. "Remember who you're speaking to... a fuckin' murderer!"

"She didn't mean to do it!" Sunset yelled back as Mountain's shoulders heaved with a particularly loud sob. "It only happened because of Monokuma and his motive!"

"I'm s-sorry...!" Mountain gasped out.

"Yea? Well 'sorry' isn't gonna bring anyone back, now is it?" Sugarcoat jumped in. "It's too bad your stupid hick brother was the one who died instead of you!" At her words Mountain's forehead made rough contact with the table, another sob wracking her body.

"That's enough," Memento stood up, glaring darkly. "She clearly feels horrible about what's happened, saying things like that is just being cruel!"

"It's also the truth," argued Sugarcoat. "Idiot went and got himself turned into hamburger, and for what? His murderous sister who also turned out to be guilty of multiple crimes?! If he had any inkling of sense in that podunk brain of his, he would've let justice play itself out."

"Wow...!" Flash mouthed to me in astonishment. "Now that's just mean."

"...He wasn't that stupid," Indigo growled, glaring at Sugarcoat. "He did it because he still loved his sister, obviously. Just because you're an only child-"


*boing!*



*Rise and Shine, Ursine!*


My heart leapt into my throat as Monokuma and the Monokubs suddenly fell out of the ceiling, landing in fancy poses right on the main dining table.

"Aah! ...Oh, it's you guys again..." grumbled Soarin'.

"LIKE THIS MORNING COULD NOT GET ANY WORSE," Kotenage rumbled in agreement.

"Good morning, my lovely captive campers!" Monokuma sing-songed.

"Thanks for bearing with us!" the Kubs cried out in unison, even as Monotaro lost his balance and fell on his face. Again, while he, Monokuma and the two other Kubs were as gleefully menacing as ever, Monophanie seemed neutral, almost timid, standing back from the others by a few feet. 

"Ooh, are yous guys fightin'?" grinned Monosuke.

"Eh, just them," Sonata nudged her head in Indigo, Memento, Sugarcoat and Sunset's direction.

"What do you guys want, anyway?" Flash glared.

"C'mon... what is it?! Why'd you call us out all of a sudden?!" Monotaro yelled, much to the other Kubs' confusion.

"Oi, we're the ones who called them out!" Monokid groaned. "Did'ja forget that, too?!"

"Eh, let's worry about Monotaro later," Monosuke waved a paw. "It's motive time now!"

What?! Already?!

"Oh, no... again?" I whimpered.

"Already...?!" Mountain hissed.

"No... not again," Sunset glowered adamantly. "We're not gonna fall for it... not again!"

"But it's no ordinary motive! This motive will inspire fear like never before!" Monotaro puffed himself up.

"Fear... like never before...?" Silver gulped.

"Why, yes... and if you face a fear like never before, you'll have no choice but to unite!" Monokuma rubbed his paws together, his eye glowing with anticipation.

"Unite...?" Sonata tilted her head.

"I'm... not sure I like the sound of that," Sunburst shivered.

"Now, for the motive that will cast you down into the depths of terror-"

"We'll present it together!" the Kubs shouted in unison again, interrupting Monokuma.

"Like hell you will!" Monokuma threatened as he launched into the group with his fist, sending Monotaro, Monosuke and Monokid flying. Monophanie had been standing back far enough to escape his wrath. "This motive is so terrifying, only your bravest, dearest father may utter its words!"

"...I admit, it's a pretty t-terrifying one..." Monophanie nodded timidly.

"Now, then... we've gotten quite a bit of feedback on this little show you're putting on for the world," Monokuma smirked. "Fan mail has been pouring in from all over, and many of them have lately been asking the same thing... how did these magical miscreants go so wrong in life?! Where are their parents, to set them on the straight and narrow?! Their friends, to guide them down that path?! Their loved ones, whom they care so... deeply... about. And heck! All those other people that you guys see and work with everyday. Shouldn't they have helped out a little, too?"

A deep chill rocked my spine. For a moment it felt like the floor dropped out from under me. It wasn't hard to figure out what he was getting at.

"YOU... YOU WOULDN'T...!" Kotenage bent his knees and sank low to the ground, as if he were about to rush Monokuma.

"No... don't you dare! Don't you fucking dare!" Indigo snarled.

"If you ask me, all those guys are just as responsible for the horrible things you've done as you are," the bear smiled, speaking slowly and maliciously. "They're all just as bad as you."

"You're seriously threatening our families now?" Sugarcoat glared back at Monokuma. "Our friends?"

"Our c-colleagues?" Silver shivered. "T-Teammates...?!"

"That's so many people for you to threaten..." Memento looked away, worried.

"Yea... You can't possibly..." Soarin' trailed off in horror.

"Oh, but I can," Monokuma's eye flashed. "Sure, perhaps I can't go all black-ops and kill 'em all at the same time... but I have gained quite a few, shall I say... devoted fans? It would only take a quick message or two, and BAM! Suddenly a semi truck goes plowing right into a family's living room! CRASH! A plane stalls in the sky and falls right on top of Crystal University! KABLOOEY! Bombs are set all over Canterlot Stadium during the big game, and the whole building comes tumbling down!" He finished his threat with a peal of maniacal laughter... I almost expected lightning and thunder to suddenly appear behind him.

"That... that's ridiculous," Sunburst shook his head frantically. "Y-You cannot possibly have that much power!"

"Oh? Would you like to test that theory?" Monokuma replied smugly. "Because if no one gets to killing soon, I just might have to get my thrills... elsewhere."

"That's enough..." Mountain rasped, fighting back her fear. "No more... please... we've already suffered enough!"

"Our friends and families are innocent!" yelled Flash. "You can't hurt them, too!"

"Oh, yes I can..." Monokuma sneered, holding up a paw with his claws extended. "After all, they never put you bastards in your place, did they? They allowed you to acquire your magic and wreak havoc everywhere... So your actions here are also their fault, get it? It's all a part of my grand master plan... to erase magic from the world! ...Can't have any sympathizers to get in my way, you know?"

"Wow! ...I've suffered too many blows to the head to remember a plan name that long!" Monotaro said nonchalantly.

"That... wasn't even a plan name at all..." sighed Monosuke.

"Maybe one more'll snap him back into it!" Monokid grinned, sticking his tongue out like a hungry predator.

"Everyone... let's forgive Monotaro," Monophanie spoke up. "Forgiving is what friends do, y'know."

"Aww, my dearest Monophanie... you're so cute, and so nice!" Monokuma pressed his paws to his cheeks and squirmed. It seemed he was again enthralled with how cute his "children" were, but within seconds his expression darkened. "...But there is more to friendship than being nice."

"Oh, and what would you know about friendship?!" Sunset groused, echoing my exact thoughts.

"Friends also punish each other when they do something wrong," Monokuma grinned. "So that's why... I'll have you punish Monotaro!"

"What?! Me?" Monophanie jumped at the suggestion, clearly reluctant.

"Please, no! Not Monophanie!" begged Monotaro. "I'm always mocking her when she's not looking, I don't wanna be punished by her!" A sadistic gleam suddenly appeared in the pink bear's eyes.

"...Fine. I'll do it."

"Nooooooooooo!" Monotaro wailed as Monophanie suddenly pulled out a cast iron frying pan from somewhere behind her and began chasing him, right out of the dining hall. Monokuma laughed as he and the other Kubs followed after them.


*So long, bear well!*


The bears left us dumbfounded. Dumbfounded... and absolutely appalled.

This motive was a big step up from the previous ones. If one of us didn't kill another soon... would he really...?

My friends back in Equestria are safe, at least... but what about their parallel universe selves here...? And Sunset...

"H-He can't do that..." Silver shivered. "...R-Right? He can't! That's just not p-possible!"

"No... I simply cannot believe Monokuma and his Kubs are capable of carrying out such a motive," Sunburst shook his head. "Not only are there far too many targets for it to be a feasible plan, there's no way he could carry it out in secret. It would only serve to alert the authorities to us and our plight... Unless..." his glasses shimmered as he lowered his head in thought.

"UNLESS...?"

"...U-Unless... he doesn't care about doing it in secret," Soarin' ominously finished.

"Why wouldn't he care?" asked Sonata.

"Of course he would care! You can't just threaten to kill a bunch of people like that!" Sugarcoat rolled her eyes.

"This is all being televised, remember?" said Soarin'. "Who knows how he's messed with the footage... if he's right, and there's people out there who actually will help him, I... I dunno," Soarin' shuddered. "I just got a bad feeling about this."

Silver began taking some deep breaths to calm herself. "No, no... my team, my fellow drivers, all their teams... we're from all over the world. He can't possibly hurt them all!"

"...Hey, when you guys raced in Saddle Arabia last year, didn't a missile hit like 5 miles away from the track? While you were all driving there?" Indigo pointed out. Silver's face immediately dropped.

"Y-Yea... and we still had to race, or else it was implied we'd all have... 'difficulties' leaving the country..." she swallowed. "Oh, god... it really is p-possible..."

"Well, if he really did that, he'd undoubtedly start a third world war in the process. I don't think he's that unhinged," offered Memento.

"Indeed. Like I said, there's no possible way Monokuma or his Kubs could carry out this motive," affirmed Sunburst. "The attention it would draw is far too great."

"SOU SOU. SO NO NEED TO WORRY ABOUT SUCH EMPTY THREATS," Kotenage smiled softly as he gently grabbed onto Silver's shivering arms. She looked up at him, feeling a little better.

"And because it's just an empty threat... nobody is going to kill anyone," said Sunset.

"Riiight... because that totally worked before," muttered Sugarcoat.

"Do you have any ideas?"

"Well, I'm definitely not going to hold some stupid party," Sugarcoat glared right back at Sunset's remark. Sunset opened her mouth to reply, but closed it and shook her head as she sat back down beside me.

"You enjoyed it, you know..." she muttered under her breath.

"Don't worry about her," I sighed, patting her back. "And at any rate, I don't think we have much to worry about this time. This motive is just too extreme to be realistic."

"I sure hope so..." said Memento. "I'd hate to see DMORT being utilized."


~


Everyone eventually calmed down, put their dishes away and went their separate ways. I was no different.

A part of me was still worried about Mountain, seeing her so distraught earlier. I had a hunch I knew where to find her - I walked with purpose to the lake, finding her sitting on a log by the lake's tranquil shore.

"Hey," I spoke softly. Mountain blinked.

"Oh, hello... uh..."

"You doing okay?" I sat down beside her. Her cheeks were red, and the knee area on her good leg was damp. "I mean... well, you know."

"Hmm..." was her only reply.


~~~

Mountain and I sat in silence for a while, watching the wind make ripples on the lake's surface.

~~~


"...You know?" I finally spoke after a while, Mountain turning her head towards me. "I haven't really gotten to know you all that well... I'd like to change that."

"O-Oh? Really," mumbled Mountain, uncertainty plain in her voice.

"Yea, really. How'd you get into, er... hunting?"

"Well..." Mountain took a deep breath and sighed it out to compose herself. "...My brother and I grew up in a very small town, in the middle of a forest on a mountain range. The sign said the population was 50, although it really seemed more like half that."

"Wow... that's tiny." Our Town had more residents than that...

"Mhm. It was a half-hour trip down steep mountain roads to the nearest grocery store, and two hours until the closest mall. Two feet of snow from the end of October up until the end of March. Only businesses in town were a gas station, a tavern, and an inn run by a crazy guy with two mountain lions for pets. Seriously, he used to let them wander around freely until one got hit by a car. Then the other was kept on a leash."

Good grief.

"But it was still one of the most serene, most beautiful places I've ever seen. The sky at night was almost like day with all the stars you could see. The untamed wilderness was our backyard. September was the month the meadows came alive with butterflies and grasshoppers among the golden grasses..." A faint smile spread on Mountain's lips. "...But yea. Not much else to do in a place like that."

"It does sound very lovely, though, especially how you described it," I grinned.

"Anyway... sometimes for fun, my dad would take the two of us out driving in the cattle rancher's fields. We had some .22 rifles, and we'd pass the time hunting prairie dogs... they were a nuisance animal to ranchers, cows would step in their holes and break their legs, then have to be put down. Ocean was never very good at it, but even from a young age I could hit a prairie dog every time. First one I ever shot, actually, I got him right in the head."

...I regret this decision.

"Then when I was a bit older, Dad would let me come hunting with him. There were all kinds of game in the forest - deer, elk, grouse, pheasants, ducks, geese... since we lived so far from civilization, we hunted every chance we got for food. Sometimes even without the tags," she added with a wistful smirk. "He always said I was his good luck charm... while he was a pretty good shot, he still missed time to time. Anything I aimed at, it got shot, and we had dinner. I could even shoot a chipmunk dead-on from 100 feet away."

"I s-see..." I forced a smile and nod, hoping Mountain didn't notice the pale shade of green I was surely turning. "And I'm guessing Ocean wasn't nearly as good as you, huh?"

"No..." she sighed, stifling a shuddering breath. "Most of the time he couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. Instead he took up fishing with Mom... now that was something he could do that I couldn't - every time I try, I wind up getting the hook snagged on something, or the fish gets away, or I catch weeds."

I nodded wordlessly, my throat not threatening to burp up acid quite so much. Fishing was easier to talk about than hunting.

"Well, the school in town was also very small... it went up to 8th grade, but Ocean and I were the only ones in our class. We moved to the town down the mountain for high school. I have to admit, it was much nicer actually having civilization around... but our grandparents still lived in that tiny village, so we went back to visit them all the time. And Mom and Ocean would go off to fish while Dad and I would see if there was any game in the woods."

I had to admit, that kind of lifestyle seemed almost romantic, in a way. Living within the heart of nature, witness to endless displays of beauty, in a sleepy village where you knew and were friends with everybody... It reminded me of Our Town, but in a good way. The way I had always meant it to be...

...Except for the hunting. Fishing, I could tolerate, but the thought of hunting made me shudder every time the word entered my mind.

"Well, that's my childhood. What about you, Starlight?" asked Mountain. The generalized gruesome thoughts about hunting quickly vanished as I told Mountain about my own life... humanizing the pony parts as I went.


~


Mountain and I eventually parted ways. I wandered back to the Campgrounds, pondering what to do for the rest of the day. My clothes were feeling kind of gross again, but the thought of doing laundry again so soon made me groan.

Ugh... Monokuma was nice enough to give us all underwear, why couldn't we have been given extra clothes? Even just copies of the same outfit would do...

I remembered the Gift Shop had clothes inside it - we'd all gotten our swimsuits from there, and I had seen clothes available... tasteless and gauche, but clothes nonetheless. Having nothing else to do, I made my way there.

Once inside, I found Indigo digging around in one of the clothes racks. Perhaps she'd had the same idea.

"Aw, fuck... you're telling me there isn't even a single T-shirt in this godforsaken place without that stupid fuckin' bear's mug on it?!" she grumbled as she flung a black, long-sleeved shirt over her shoulder. It would've been okay, except for the aforementioned face that took up almost the entire front of the shirt.

"I was hoping that wasn't the case here..." I sighed. Indigo poked her head out of the clothing rack.

"Oh! Hey, Starlight. You lookin' for some new threads, too?" she asked. "Even I gotta admit, I'm startin' to feel pretty fuckin' nasty in just these every day."

"Have you checked all of the clothing racks?"

"Nah, just this one so far... wanna keep looking with me? There has to be something we can wear."


~~~

Indigo and I dug through the clothes racks together. Everything had Monokuma's face on it... I guess it won't show if it's used like long underwear...

~~~


"You know, I always meant to ask," I spoke after we'd been searching in silence for a while. "You're the Ultimate Street Artist, right?"

"Guess so," Indigo replied.

"So, uh... what do you do, then?"

"Duh... I make art on the streets!" Indigo jabbed her thumb into her chest. "I look around for places in cities that need some... sprucing up. Then I get some spray paint, sneak on in and draw whatever I feel like."

"Uh... sneak on in?"

"Well, yea... lots of people out there think what I paint is just graffiti. So the cops get called on me a lot."

It, uh... sounds a lot like graffiti...

"But it's not! I put a lot of thought into my art!" Indigo yelled. "Satirical dark humor, subtle and clever allegories of all the shit that's wrong in the world... or, something... I dunno, that's what my fans online say, anyway."

"Oh? You've got fans?"

"Lots of 'em! Whenever I paint a new masterpiece, people flock to it once the word gets out! They can't stop staring! And then the city workers used to come by and paint over it... but then some fucker decided to just knock out that piece of wall or whatever and sell it. And it sold for millions! My shit's worth millions, yo!"

"That's pretty cool!" I nodded.

"Fuck yea! So then I made a couple of other pieces and sold them anonymously through a third-party... I gotta get me a piece of that, after all!"

It took a moment before I noticed that one specific word. "...Wait, anonymously? So no one knows you made it?"

"Nah... well, they know I made it. But it's under a false name, ya see. I mean... I'd probably get arrested immediately if people knew who I really was," Indigo shrugged.

That's a good point.

"Yea, people know it's me 'cause of my signature. It's like a dollar sign, but with a Z and and I! So, the world knows me as 'Izzy'", she pointed proudly to herself.

"Huh..." I mulled the nickname over for a moment. "...And no one's made the connection to you?"

"Nah... they'd have to catch me first to prove it," Indigo smirked. "Besides my mad art, I've also got mad parkour skills... the cops lose sight of me within ten seconds of a chase... Impressed, aint'cha?"

I could only nod in agreement. So Indigo was like a rogue artist... not really what I'd expected when I first saw her. Just like ponies, people were always full of surprises.


~


Eventually I found a few items of clothing I could wear under my usual clothes. Indigo stayed behind to look around further and spend her Monocoins on the MonoMonoMachine while I took them to the Laundry Room for a quick wash and dry. By the time they were dry and I had put them away for tomorrow, it was already time for dinner.

It was business as usual in the dining hall. Kotenage had made yet another steaming pot of chankonabe and rice with some quick-pickled vegetables as a side - despite being the same dish every night it always tasted differently every time. It was really quite impressive.

"Yoooo!" Indigo shouted as she entered the room, plopping down beside Sugarcoat.

"Oh my god, my ears..." Sugarcoat groused as she dug her pinkie into one. "I assume you're happy about something?"

"Fuck yea! I finally won these to use with that Funplane I got ages ago!" Indigo puffed up proudly as she jutted out her chest, displaying a set of black headphones hanging around her neck. They were wired; a black cord snaked down from one side of the headphones and into her backpack. "They're 2.5D Headphones... super good! These are hella psychopop!"

"Ah... headphones. Now I don't have to listen to you play that stupid thing." Sugarcoat tried to smile, but with her half-open eyes and lack of movement in her cheeks her smile came off as terrifying. "Do you even have anything to listen to?"

"Well... I did also get some mixtape called 'Desperation'... not really my jam, but it's better than nothing."

"What an apt description," Sugarcoat snarked. "For both our current situation, and the situation I'll be in when you inevitably make me listen to it."

"Ay, c'mon... it's somethin' to distract from all the shit sprayin' around us now. Innit that somethin' you teach? Find the good in bad situations?" Indigo stared pointedly at her friend. Sugarcoat sighed heavily.

"...If you want to ignore reality and get killed next, maybe," she muttered. Groaning, Indigo shook her head and turned her attention to her food.

"She would be a little less on edge if she took that advice," Sunset grumbled to me between spoonfuls of soup. I was inclined to agree... as a former guidance counselor I had always seen looking on the bright side of bad situations to be helpful.

But, she definitely didn't strike me as that kind of person.

After dinner was finished, I returned to my cottage, undressed and took a nice, long shower. At one point I laid down in the tub on my back, just letting the water trickle over my stomach like hot jungle rain. I stared up at the ceiling, the lighting a dim gray due to being partially obscured by the shower curtain.

The memory of the motive floated through my mind. Threatening the lives of tens, perhaps hundreds of people... and for what? Why did Monokuma think magic was so bad? Why was it so awful that some of the humans here had gained access to it? True, there would always be some people who might use their magic for selfish, maybe even evil purposes... but most would use it for good... wouldn't they?

Perhaps not. Humans were definitely not ponies. All I had studied about them had made that very clear. And Monokuma, whoever he was... absorbing the magical essence of those who had been executed, yet teleporting us to and from the execution sites... why? Just what was he doing with that magic? And if this was all being televised as anti-magic propaganda...

...Suddenly I felt very uncomfortable. I sat up, letting the water softly patter my face for a few minutes. Once the feeling had mostly passed I finished up and dried myself off, putting on my pajamas for bed. I slid down under the heavy blankets and held my eyes shut, intent on not opening them again for the rest of the night.

And yet, that uncomfortable feeling lingered.
> Off the Rails - Daily Life 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Another day, another morning "greeting" by those wretched Kubs. I'm so tired of being encouraged to kill someone first thing in the morning. I did feel decidedly cleaner putting a pair of leggings and a short-sleeved shirt on beneath my clothes, though... even if they were decorated with Monokumas and blood spatters.

I made my way to the Dining Hall, noting that an inch or so of snow had fallen the night before. It would seem that winter was well on its way here. Glancing around, this campground would actually be pretty picturesque... if not for the guns, monitors, or killing game we were all participating in.

Stomping the snow off my boots, I walked into the main cabin. Sonata and Indigo came out of the Laundry Room, wrapping up a conversation just as I passed by the door, following me into the dining hall. I grabbed some food and sat down to eat, idly listening to the surrounding conversations. Although sitting beside me, Sunset was off in her own world flirting with Silver, and Flash seemed to be reluctantly held captive by Memento as she told tales of things she'd seen.

Before I knew it, breakfasts had been eaten and everyone else were going their separate ways. I carried my dishes into the Kitchen to place in the dishwasher - Soarin' was busy gathering together various ingredients.

"Oh, hey, Starlight," he waved.

"Hi, Soarin'," I replied. "What'cha making?"

"Cupcakes... I feel like something sweet. Hmm... looks like everything I need is here."

"Sounds good to me." A cupcake did sound pretty tasty right now.

"Hey, wanna give me a hand? Baking's always more fun with another person."

"Sure! Why not?"


~~~

Soarin' and I wound up making Fairy Cakes with Chantilly Frosting. Ooh, fancy!

~~~


"Wow, this is really good!" I praised after taking a bite. The cake itself was somewhat plain and lightly-flavored, whereas the frosting was packed full of sugary goodness.

"Thanks," he smiled before popping an entire cupcake into his mouth. "Soccer's great and all, and I do enjoy it... but baking? Now that's my real passion right there."

"Really? So how'd you end up playing soccer, then?"

"Eh, won a scholarship for college. Then got scouted by the team and started there fresh out of graduation. I'm definitely not the best, but I guess I'd say I'm pretty good," he shrugged. "Pretty standard stuff, really."

"But you like to bake... so, why not open a bakery?"

"Oh, I will eventually. Can't play soccer forever, after all," he said. "Just about saved up enough money for a building... next I'll save up for all the equipment I'll need."

"It's your retirement plan, then?"

"Yep! So in the meantime, I've been mastering all kinds of pastries and candies and stuff. The team's always willing to test it out," he grinned. "Can do the classics, of course, but I can also bake Prench, Haywaiian, Germane, Neighponese... Kotenage was actually a big help, suggested a couple recipe ideas to try out later... ah, but you know what the best pastry ever is?"

"Uh, no... no idea."

"Apple pie," he sighed with a smile, his body loosening and sagging slightly. "Tart, juicy apples... sweet, spicy glaze... and buttery, flakey crust. I had one a long time ago, from an apple stall at a farmer's market... man, it was the most perfect thing I've ever eaten. I've been trying to recreate that pie ever since."

"Really? Why don't you make that next?" I asked, wondering just how good this apple pie was.

"Believe me, I've thought about it," Soarin' frowned. "But the apples here are definitely not the right ones... they're plain ol' Granny Smiths, Golden Delicious, or... eugh, nasty-ass Red Delicious."

"I see... that makes sense." Thinking back about Applejack's orchards, I recalled that she grew numerous types... probably at least twenty.

"That perfect pie... I've perfected my technique for making the crust, and I've figured out the correct ratio of spices... but I still can't quite figure out the types of apples used! So far I've narrowed it down to a blend of Baldwin, Mutsu and Roan Island Greening... but I think it's still missing something, one or even two more kinds."

"What kind? What does it taste like?"

"Hmm..." Soarin' smacked his lips as he pondered. "...It's sweet, yet spicy... but it's definitely not another spice. Kind of dry-fleshed... and it breaks down quite a bit. I remember it being the smallest apple pieces in that pie."

That's a pretty good memory of an apple for only having eaten it once.

"I've eaten all sorts of apples in an attempt to find the right one... but I just haven't found it yet. But when I do... it'll be my best seller, I just know it!" he beamed.

"I do have a friend that owns an apple orchard," I nodded, spurred on by his passion. "When we get out of here, I'll ask her about it. Maybe she'll know what kind of apple you're talking about."

Theoretically, I have two friends that own apple orchards...

"Ooh, that'd be great!" Soarin' gasped, balling his fists in excitement. "Oh, man... it couldn't be, could it? If it's from that same farm the apple stall was from..."

I smiled as I thought to myself, trying to imagine how this mystery apple might taste. Sweet, yet spicy, and dry... I think I've eaten something like that before...


~


After wrapping up the rest of the cupcakes for later, Soarin' and I parted ways.

There was a bit of a chill in the air, like it was going to snow again later on. After wondering what to do with myself for a few minutes, I eventually settled on going to the hot spring area for a while. I quickly ran to my cottage to change, then jogged over to the springs.

The hot springs were mostly vacant - Sonata was lounging around in the second pool, floating on her back. I removed my bathrobe and set it and my towel down on a nearby bench, and waded into the warm water.

"Oh! Hi, Starlight!" Sonata stood up when she heard the water splashing around me. "It's a perfect day for a nice, warm soak, huh?"

"Yea, I thought so," I nodded, sinking into the water until just my head was above the surface. The water was silky and perfect as always.

"Mhm! It's nice to have company... so, what's new with you?" she asked.


~~~

Sonata and I talked for a while.

~~~


"So... you wanted to know more about my people, huh?" Sonata asked during a lull in the conversation.

"Oh? Oh, yea! I'd love to know more about Sirens!" I nodded. "There's not much known about them, even in libraries."

"We're generally a secretive people," explained Sonata. "So, Sirens live deep in the ocean, where light from the sun barely reaches. There's plenty of glowing fish and plants, though, and sometimes we get crystals that sink to the bottom that we can enchant and hang on coral. Our houses are made of coral and rocks, with at least one thermal vent inside for warmth. The fish come and go as they please, so indoor lighting isn't totally consistent."

"Fascinating," I breathed. "You can enchant things with your singing?"

"Yes! A Siren's voice is the source of their magic. Most of us can control it okay enough for day-to-day stuff, but if you really wanna master your voice, you go to choir practice in the Abyssal Monastery, like I did!"

"Choir practice?" I inquired, intrigued.

"Really old Sirens live there... their voices are so powerful they can create storms, sink ships, control other creatures' minds... turns out a Siren's voice can be suuuper-duper strong! So strong, that in order to learn from them, you have to take an oath that you'll never swim to the water's surface ever again."

"I see... but, you're, well..."

"Yea, I definitely didn't listen," Sonata giggled. "Thing is, a Siren's voice magic only works underwater. I thought learning from the old masters would help my voice become so strong I could use it above water... but, no. Doesn't work like that. But my friends Dagi and Ari found a way we could!"

Wait a minute...

"...Didn't you mention Dagi and Ari being your sisters?" I asked.

"Good ear," Sonata winked slyly. "Well... it's been long enough that we've all been together, so they're basically family now. But no, they're not actually my sisters. I don't even look anything like them!"

I nodded in understanding. So, more of a "sisterhood"...

"They found three pretty red gems in the cargo hold of a wrecked ship... somehow, they let our voices project through air just like in water! We kept them a secret for a while, until we were considered voice masters ourselves... and then, we surfaced, off to see the world!"

"Wow... you must be pretty talented, you're so young!" Sonata stifled a giggle.

"...No, actually... we totally got found out pretty quick. Those gems also made the three of us much better singers than we really were. The monks were super mad and threatened to use their voices against us if we didn't hand them over. Dagi and Ari didn't want to, though, so together we screamed at each other back and forth until they were too tired to keep going, and we made a run for it! ...Well, a swim for it," she shrugged.

"Oh."

"I was so excited when we first stepped onto solid land... I wanted to explore the world soooo bad, and now that I could use my magic above the surface, there was nothing stopping me! ...But, unfortunately, we didn't get to see much of Equestria," Sonata sighed wistfully. "Dagi's first plan was to enter a singing competition that specifically didn't want Sirens to compete. Ari and I went along with it because, hey, what's the worst that could happen? I wanted to sing for the ponies and show them how good we were!"

I had to admit... in a similar situation, I probably would've done the same myself at one point in time. Mastering your own magic, then wanting to proudly show it off to the world... who wouldn't want to? But then I vaguely remembered the pony side of this tale; Twilight had told me about it one day when I asked about Starswirl the Bearded. "But Starswirl was there..."

"Yep... and apparently, if you enter a singing contest when you're not allowed to, you get banished to another universe!" Sonata flailed her hands into the air. "Who knew?"

Yea, I can see that being an... excessive punishment.

"Sorry that happened," I offered in sympathy. "There's all kinds of neat places in Equestria... I know it's not as good as actually going there, but I can tell you about them if you'd like."

"That'd be nice," Sonata smiled. "Bu it wasn't all bad, I guess... I've had lots of fun exploring this world, even if there wasn't any magic in it until a few years ago."

"Yea? How about we both talk about the different places we've been?"

"Okay!" she nodded excitedly. From there, the conversation turned to exotic, faraway cities and lands that neither of us had ever heard of...


~


The afternoon passed by uneventfully. Soon it was almost time for dinner. Sonata and I got out and dried ourselves off, and we went back to our own cottages to get dressed.

My stomach was growling by the time I entered the dining hall. I got my food from Kotenage and sat down. As the others began trickling in, I watched absentmindedly in between spoonfuls of soup as I waited for Sunset and Flash to arrive. Besides Mountain continuing to sit by herself in the corner, Sonata and Silver arrived together, chatting as they sat down at a table somewhat distant from everyone else. When Sunset and Flash finally arrived, a pang of mixed emotions flashed across her face at the sight of them.

"Aww, I was hoping we could continue what we had going on at breakfast," Sunset moped.

"Someone jealous?" Flash smirked playfully.

"No..." Sunset rolled her eyes. Flash and I chuckled, Sunset joining in when Flash accidentally choked on a sip of soup. After calming back down we were quiet for a few minutes, focusing on eating. The random thoughts that fluttered through my mind in the background eventually led me back to something I had forgotten about entirely.

"Oh, yea," I straightened up. "I was gonna ask you guys something."

"What's up?" replied Flash.

"Have you noticed that since the last trial, that Monophanie Kub has been acting... well, less evil?"

"She has?"

"Yea, I've seen it," Sunset nodded. "She took the time to apologize to Emmy for her brother... twice, even."

"...Come to think of it, I haven't heard her say anything while the Monokubs are on the TV recently," Flash added.

"Back at the lake, when she spoke to Emmy again... she said she'd gone through something similar," said Sunset.

"Similar... you think at some point, someone sacrificed themselves for her?" I asked.

"I mean, what else could that mean?" Flash shrugged.

"Well... do you think," I paused as I mulled over the idea that just popped into my head, "...if something like that happened... we might be able to convince her into helping us?"

"I doubt it," Flash shook his head. "She's still one of them... one of whoever brought us all here to begin with. It could be a trap. And even if we could, Monokuma and the other three Kubs would definitely put a stop to that pretty quick."

"It could be worth a shot," Sunset offered slowly. "But Flash is right... what's to say it isn't a trick of some sort? Or that the others wouldn't stop her if she was genuine?"

"What else would be the point? I can't think of a reason why she'd apologize otherwise," I frowned, thinking.

"...Friendship is magic, I suppose," Sunset shrugged her shoulders. "Question is, how would we go about asking her without the other Kubs or Monokuma finding out?"

"All these cameras around, I wouldn't doubt there's some kind of audio enhancing tool they're using. For all we know, Monokuma already knows," Flash glanced up towards the camera on the ceiling behind me, slowly panning back and forth across the dining hall.

"It'd have to be extremely subtle-"

A loud noise broke Sunset's sentence. Gasps and the clattering of utensils punctuated the sudden silence. A stilted sob drew our eyes to a couple people in particular. It was a moment before any of us realized that Indigo had just slapped Sugarcoat in the face. Sugarcoat blinked and drew back from her friend.

"Oh my god, will you just STOP?!" Indigo roared, looming over Sugarcoat like an angry bear. "I can't fucking take it anymore!"

Huh?

"Shug, I can't. I can't fucking... I'm so sick of you being like this!" she continued, her whole body shaking in anger. "You're terrified, I get it. We all are! And I know you get super fucking defensive and bitchy like this when you're terrified. You've been like this ever since I've known you, throughout high school, throughout college, throughout your clinicals... and I've stuck by you all these years because underneath it all you're a good friend, and you finally mellowed out after getting that job from your uncle, and you could finally be you again..." She inhaled sharply through her teeth, hissing with every exhalation.

"I-Indy-"

"NO! Don't you make another fucking excuse! You specifically chose to study psychology so you could stop being like this, remember?! So you could learn to cope with stress better than this!" Indigo screamed, tears beginning to stream down her cheeks. "But all you did with it was learn to pick people apart and talk shit! All of us; Sour, Zesty, Sunny, me... You're picking ME apart! For losing someone I was friends with, someone I liked! Don't you see how extremely shitty that is?! And the fucked up thing is, it's not even the first fucking time it's happened!"

Realization dawned on me as we heard Indigo rage. This wasn't usually how Sugarcoat acted, but merely a coping mechanism. This was how she dealt with extreme anxiety... and for the past week or so, Sugarcoat wasn't just anxious, she was scared out of her mind.

"I... that's not..." Sugarcoat stammered, cowering, a hand cradling the pinkening mark on her cheek, her scowl all but gone.

"You're never going to change, are you?! You always just become a ultra turbo bitch to everyone so they leave you alone! And you know what?! It fucking worked!" Indigo spat as she whirled around. "I... I'm done. I'm fucking done. If we make it out of this alive, I don't ever wanna see your fucking face ever again!"

Everyone glanced over to Sugarcoat to hear her retort, but it never came. Her face was locked in a surprised expression. Her mouth hung open wordlessly.

"Nothing to say, huh...?" She hufffed. "Pathetic... you fucking suck, Shug."

And Indigo stormed out of the room. Soarin' stuttered out a "whoa, wait" in protest, quickly following after her. There was silence among the rest of us for a good, solid minute or two.

"...I mean, not totally uncalled for..." Flash muttered.

"I kinda feel bad?" Sunset frowned. "But... she did have it coming."

I could understand her behavior being a coping mechanism... but it definitely wasn't a healthy one. And no matter how you felt, that was no excuse to take it out on other innocent people... I'd learned that the hard way.

Still... now that I knew just how scared Sugarcoat really was about our situation... I couldn't help but take pity on her. Our conversation thoroughly derailed, I spent the rest of my meal in my own mind.


~


I had some spare Monocoins and nothing else to do, so I went to the gift shop to use them on the MonoMono Machine. Maybe I'd have some luck and find something as good as Indigo did.

After a few minutes of inserting coins and spinning the knob, I packed my backpack full of gacha balls and left for my cottage. Out of the corner of my eye, through the door's window I could see Silver and Kotenage chatting in the laundry room, along with someone else I couldn't see - whoever it was, they were behind a wall and out of my field of view.

On my way to the cottage, Sunset and Indigo were talking by the fire pit. Judging by their expressions, it appeared that Sunset was consoling Indigo about earlier. I didn't want to interrupt them, so I continued onwards and retired to my cottage for the night.


~



*Rise and Shine, Ursine!*


Ugh...

Ignoring the TV, I rolled over towards the window, feeling especially cold. The grounds, the roofs of everyone's cottages, the trees... they were all blanketed in white. Snow had finally, properly fallen in the night.

Good thing I got more clothes for layering.

Once outside, I estimated that about four inches of snow had fallen. It was wet and crunchy, perfect for snowballs or building snowponies. Though it would hamper any attempts to find a way out of this dreadful place...

...Oh, who am I kidding. We've been all over these campgrounds multiple times. Monokuma and his Kubs had this place perfectly, utterly secured. The only things we could realistically do at this point was get along peacefully until someone finally found us, or an opportunity presented itself where we could fight back and overwhelm them... and neither of those options had much of a chance of happening...

...

...No. I can't give up. I can't just... sink into despair like this. But what else can I do...?

I wracked my brain for ideas as I trudged into the dining hall. I sat down with my food, still thinking as Sunset and Flash chatted excitedly about the snow. The others gradually trickled in, either talking about the snow, or dead silent, in Sugarcoat's case. Though the scowl had returned to her face, she kept quiet as she grumpily ate.

I glanced upwards towards my fellow captives... somehow, the room felt quieter than usual. Emptier than usual. But I couldn't quite put my finger on it...

"Hmm... where's Soarin'?" Memento remarked nearby. "Didn't think a guy like him would ever skip breakfast."

"Well, Indigo's not here, either... wouldn't be surprised if they're 'sleeping in'," Sugarcoat gagged while making air quotes. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Silver glance upwards quickly in shock.

"Oh, of all times... now?! In this situation?!" groaned Sunburst. But almost as soon as the words left his mouth, he gasped loudly. It was enough to draw everyone's attention towards him, as he began to tremble in his seat. "Uh... you don't suppose... it has happened again... has it...?"

"Don't be stupid, of course not," Sugarcoat waved her hand. However, her usual dour mood was slightly different now. A crack of worry had begun to craze through her iron façade.

"But, uh... last time it happened, it was Juniper who didn't show up for a meal, right?" Sonata asked, clenching her teeth. Now I could see Silver wrap her hands around her ponytail, muttering to herself. Her fretting seemed to go unnoticed by the others, however, as we all began to entertain that terrifying possibility.

"...MAYBE WE SHOULD GO LOOK FOR THEM," Kotenage gulped. "MAYBE SOMETHING BAD HAS HAPPENED-"

"And then what?! Find out one of them's dead, go through another stupid fucking trial and execution again?!" Sugarcoat snapped. "No, let's just wait for them to show up. They're not dead, for fuck's sake!"

"What makes you so sure of that?" Mountain bristled, gripping her cutlery so hard her knuckles were white.

"For all we know, one or even both of them could be hurt, or worse," Sunset added in before anyone could silence Mountain. "Aren't you worried about your friend?"

"Pfft. That dumb bitch just hangs out with me because I tolerate her," grunted Sugarcoat. Her facial expressions didn't match the hate in her words. Quite the opposite, in fact. I sighed inwardly.

Nothing's gonna be done at this rate... guess somepony's gotta take the initiative.

"Well, I'm going to look for them," I affirmed as I stood up. "The sooner we find them, the sooner we can help them if they need it." Flash and Sunset nodded and got up with me.

"Right... or, the fresher the evidence will be," Memento frowned as she stood up as well.

"Whoa, don't be saying things like that just yet!" Flash's lips thinned in alarm.

"Prepare for the worst, but hope for the best," she shrugged.

"I WILL COME WITH YOU!" Kotenage yelled, chopsticks clattering on the table as he got up. Sunburst and Mountain followed suit, with Silver taking a deep breath and getting up slowly a few moments later. Finally, Sugarcoat was the last to rise with a deep sigh.

"This is a waste of fucking time," she grumbled as we all split up. "They're fine!"

While the others elected to search around the campgrounds and the hot springs, Sunset, Flash, Memento and I ran towards the lake. Flash and Memento took the high ground while Sunset and I raced to the lake's shore, towards the train station. Even as we ran, I couldn't help but notice that the rowboat near the sawmill had made its way into the middle of the lake at some point in time. There was no retrieving it any time soon, so I hoped it wasn't important. We ducked inside the station office, the coal shed, the caboose, searched all around the platform-

Two screams filled the air from a distance. My heart stopped as soon as my ears recognized the noise... whatever it was, Flash was horrified, and it was enough to make even Memento shout.

"Wh... W-What was that...?" Sunset gulped.

"It... sounded like it came from the sawmill," I shuddered as we ran back up the hill. Once we'd arrived, it was clear as day why Flash and Memento had screamed.

The sawmill had been used recently. The massive log on the conveyor belt had moved down towards and through the saw, although it had only been cut through about a third of the way.

Because the chains and gears were jammed with blood and shreds of flesh.

A mangled body laid at the bottom of the log in two pieces, almost unrecognizable had it not been for the clothes.

...Soarin's body.
> Off the Rails - Deadly Life 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


*ding dong bong bing*


"A body has been discovered!" Monokuma announced with glee from a nearby monitor. "Everyone, please make your way to the Lake Despair Sawmill!"

The Body Discovery Announcement was nearly drowned out by my screaming, which quickly gave way to heaving and vomiting up what little was in my stomach. The scene before me was so unbelievably nauseating, so horrific... my body threatened to collapse and my consciousness went blank and spotty.

Next to one of the partially-sawed halves of bloody timber, Soarin' was slumped on the floor in a half-sitting, half-leaning position... well, part of him was, anyway. His blood-spattered body had been sawed in two as well, starting from his crotch and then upwards in a messy diagonal line to just below his right armpit. Multiple splinters of wood ranging from slivers to chopstick-sized were stabbed into the ragged flesh at all angles. The other half of him, his ripped intestines and all their contents spilled out into a stinking pile, resting in a pool of cold, coagulated blood. A thick, black cord was wrapped around his neck, familiar headphones hanging off of one end.

Oh... Celestia...!

Having heard our screams, the others were quick to find us. Every one of them screamed as well as soon as their eyes laid upon Soarin'.

"AAAAH! HOLY FUCKING HELL, WHAT IS THIS?!" Silver shrieked, darting away almost as quickly as she'd come, barely able to finish her sentence before beginning to retch.

"S-Soarin'... w-why...?" Sunburst gasped, a hand on his chest in an attempt to calm himself.

"KUSO..." Kotenage trembled, in anger and in fear. "KUSO... KUSO... KUSO...!"

"I... I can't believe it..." Sunset wheezed, still trying to catch her breath. "Who... W-Who would do this to someone? Anyone?!"

"A murderer, that's who," Sugarcoat responded matter-of-factly, glumly staring at Soarin's corpse. "One of us did this... one of us..."

An uneasy silence pounded in my ears, punctuated by the sounds of heavy breathing.

One of us did this.

No... no...

One of us murdered Soarin'.

I didn't want to believe it.

One of us... did this...

Even as I looked away, all I saw was blood and entrails. They stained my vision like permanent ink, even after I rubbed my eyes in an attempt to rid myself of them.

"Indigo... where's Indigo?!" Sugarcoat's voice wavered. "W-Where is she?! S-She didn't do this... right?! Right?!" My breath hitched as I realized Indigo was still not part of our group. Immediately my mind filled in the blanks.

Indigo... she couldn't have... did she...?!

The last to arrive, Mountain sank to the ground in shock, ignoring the pain in her leg. Nobody spoke another word... what the hell could any of us possibly say? Especially when Soarin' had died so violently?


*boing!*



*Rise and Shine, Ursine!*


Right on cue, Monokuma and his Kubs appeared before us from the shadows. While most of the bears were doing their best to keep from laughing, Monophanie stared wordlessly at Soarin's remains. She started to sway back and forth, and then...

"...BLRGHBLRBLRGHBLRBLRGHBLRB!" Monophanie unleashed a torrent of green, sparkly liquid from her mouth, barely spinning around in time as to not get it on any of us or the body.

"Ooh, a vomit-soaked entrance! How novel!" Monokuma laughed.

"Aw, she puked again!" Monotaro giggled. "And it's green this time!"

"Monophanie's green puke's said to be an omen of bad luck and disaster!" commented Monosuke.

"What da fuck is about to happen?!" yelled Monokid.

"So... why did another moider happen?" Monosuke smirked.

"Why, indeed..." said Monotaro. "And to saw the poor sap in half like this?! Talk about overkill!"

"I don't know why..." Sunset sucked in a breath and glared at our captors. "...But I bet it had something to do with your motive! This is all your fault!"

"Yea! None of this would have ever happened if it weren't for you!" Flash shouted defiantly, albeit hollowly. None of us were really in the mood to argue our case... not after what we'd seen.

"Heh... is that so? Seems like one of yous had their own ideas," Monosuke grinned. "Now... dont'chus gotta investigation to start?"

"H-How? How do we start investigating t-this?!" Silver swooned nauseously.

"I don't... feel so good..." Sonata whined.

"We... have to, guys," I swallowed, my saliva thick and sour. "I know it's gonna suck, but... we have to."

"That's right!" Monokuma nodded, sharing a glance with his Kubs. "Overcoming this will bring everyone closer together... that's been the case so far... right?"

"Their bond gets stronger with each trial, don't it?" Monokid crossed his arms.

"It do! Moidas are necessary to bring everyone closer together!" Monosuke laughed.

"Don't mock us..." Sunset glowered, fists clenched. "You guys don't know a damned thing about friendship!"

"So let's get started! Conduct a friendly investigation, and then we'll have a friendly trial! Ah, but we must distribute these first." Monokuma's eye glowed briefly as I heard the Monopad in my backpack ping.

"...By the way, I've been thinking," Monotaro said as he rested his paws behind his head, "...you guys should really knock off all this killing and dying."

"Yea... dying is soooo lame. Living is all da rage these days!" Monosuke chuckled.

"...BLRGHBLRBLRGHBLRBLRGHBLRB!" Monophanie violently puked again.

"AHH! More green puke! This is really unlucky!" Monotaro jumped. At this, the Monokubs and Monokuma fled into the woods with mocking laughter. Monophanie remained behind until she finished emptying her stomach on the floor and shuffled away.


*So long, bear well!*


Now that they were gone, I reluctantly dragged my eyes back towards the gore.

One of us had murdered poor Soarin'. But with his body in such terrible condition... how in Equestria were we supposed to investigate it? My every instinct was screaming at me to run away, yet my legs felt like lead jelly.

Celestia, I... really don't wanna touch that...

"YOU. I bet you did this!" Sugarcoat immediately pointed a finger at Mountain. Mountain slowly, simply and plainly looked up to meet her gaze.

"...Are you serious?" she deadpanned.

"Er, I find that possibility highly unlikely," Sunburst frowned.

"She killed Juniper last time... who's to say she wouldn't try again?!" Sugarcoat screeched.

"She's also injured," stated Flash. "Not to mention she escaped death once before. I don't think she'd try it again." Sugarcoat huffed a few times before sighing.

"...Alright, fine. But Indy's still missing... where the fuck is she?!" she yelled.

"I don't know... but we're gonna have to wait to find her," I grimaced. "We have to investigate Soarin's murder."

"She's right, this has to come first," Memento nodded as she stared down at Soarin's remains, sighing heavily after a moment. "...Fuck."

"We can do this, guys. Kotenage, you feel okay with guarding the body?" asked Flash. "I'll keep watch with you if you want."

"HAI... ARIGATO, FLASH," Kotenage nodded, shuddering. "I WAS NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING THIS ALONE."

"Well, let's all split into pairs and get this over with," said Sunburst. Practically everyone took off away from the sawmill, not wanting to look at the body any longer. I couldn't blame them... this was going to be awful.


*Investigation Start*


I pulled out my Monopad and opened up the Monokuma File, greeted by a pink human shape that had been torn in two. I swallowed hard and read the file, barely able to bring myself into speaking in a monotone. "The victim is Soarin', the Ultimate Soccer Star. The victim was discovered sawn into two halves in the Lake Despair Sawmill. Time of death is estimated to be 2:10am. Cause of death appears to be strangulation."

"Aw, man..." Memento groaned as she slipped on her second surgical glove. "This is gonna be rough, even for me... I hate it when they're super messy. Usually I get to at least clean them first..."

"Just let us know if you find something suspicious," Sunset called out from a few feet away as I glanced over the body. I couldn't even look at Soarin' for more than a few seconds at a time, not without feeling a stinging, sour emptiness trying to buck its way out of my throat and into my mouth.

C'mon, Starlight... you can do this... you have to do this...

I willed myself to keep my eyes on him. At first it was hard to make anything out due to all the blood. I decided to start with the black cord Memento was currently unwrapping from around Soarin's throat. "Hey, aren't those Indigo's headphones?"

"Exactly what I was thinking," Memento nodded. "I wouldn't have thought the cord was strong enough to not snap if used to strangle someone, but it's actually pretty sturdy." I flinched as she suddenly pulled out a pocketknife from her scrubs.

Oh... she's gonna... oh...

"Let's see, here..." I turned my head away as I heard the knife make contact with flesh. It happened to be in the direction Sunset was approaching me from.

"Well, a bottle of machine oil is missing from the rest of the supplies, and the sawblade's got plenty of oil on it," she said. "Other than that, though, I don't see anything out of the ordinary- oh, sweet Celestia..." She made a face, presumably because of watching Memento cut into Soarin's body.

"You're telling me," Memento replied, grimacing behind her surgical mask.

"WHY DID I AGREE TO THIS POSITION IN THE FIRST PLACE...?" Kotenage lamented, watching the autopsy through one squinted eye, the other closed up tight. Flash simply swallowed, his lips sucked into his mouth. As Memento's knife traced its way up into Soarin's neck, his body shifted. Just enough for his left hand to open slightly.

Something was there.

"Hey, what's this?" I mumbled as I pinched the object on its corner and pulled carefully. The object left his hand easily - it was a crumpled piece of paper as big as a napkin, stained with blood and a black dust.

"Looks like a note," said Sunset, her eyes dancing over the paltry amount of text. Much of it had been smudged with the black dust to the point of being completely illegible. "To S... uh, I think it says 2am? ...Might've... way out. From S."

"To S, from S?" Flash growled. "But there's like, seven of us with a name that starts with S!"

"I know... it looks like whoever wrote this might've written out their names, but it's too smudged to figure out who they are."

"Well, I can't say I've ever seen this note before," I frowned. "I know I would've mentioned something to you guys if I did."

"Me nei-" Sunset began to say, but her eyes suddenly went wide. "...Oh. OH. Fuck."

"What's wrong?" asked Flash.

"That... that must've been what she said..." Sunset muttered to herself, her body shaking.

"WHAT WHO SAID?" Kotenage added worriedly.

"Indigo... last night, we were talking by the fire pit," explained Sunset, her voice quivering. "She was still upset about earlier with her and Sugarcoat, and I was trying to calm her down. It seemed to work well enough, but as we went our separate ways she yelled something to me... I only caught part of it because I was shutting my cottage door, but when I opened it again to yell for her to repeat herself she was already gone... I-I figured it wasn't that important..." Her voice trailed off as she stared at the floor.

"What did you hear?" I pressed. "Er, what did you think you heard?"

"Something about 2am... this note mentions 2am, so that has to have been what it was..." Sunset's face was nearly as white as the snow on the ground. "A-And Soarin'... died a little after 2am..." The implications raced through my head.

Indigo might've said she was going somewhere at 2am... the Monokuma File says Soarin' died at around 2am...

"Hey... you had no idea... this isn't your fault, Sunny," Flash bit his lip as he placed a hand on her back.

"BESIDES... THE NOTE READ 'TO S, FROM S'. IT WASN'T EVEN ADDRESSED TO HER," Kotenage added. "PERHAPS SHE WAS GOING ELSEWHERE, AND IT WAS MERELY A... HOW DO YOU SAY... COINCIDENCE."

"The only way we'll know for sure is to ask her when we find her," I sighed, trying to stay calm. Although... she still had yet to show up. Surely someone must've found her by now... right?

Well... if we find her...

"...CHOTTO MATTE," Kotenage straightened up. "NOW THAT YOU MENTION IT, SILVER APPROACHED SUGARCOAT AND MYSELF LAST NIGHT ABOUT SOMETHING SIMILAR."

"She did?" Sunset blinked.

"HAI... SHE MENTIONED THAT SONATA WAS GOING TO INVESTIGATE SOMETHING LATER, AND THAT SHE WAS GOING WITH HER."

"So, Silver and Sonata might've come out here together?" asked Flash. "Maybe they passed that along to Indigo, and that's why she's still missing?"

"I DO NOT KNOW. I DO HOPE SHE IS OKAY," Kotenage grimaced.

So, Silver, Sonata and Indigo might've been in the area together last night, and this note from S, to S... I wonder what they have to say about that...?

"I wonder... if Soarin' had this note... which S was he? Or was it even meant for him?" I pondered.

"Seeing that he's dead, I would guess he was the 'To S'... but who knows, really," said Sunset. Memento hummed suddenly; her tone conveyed that she was thinking something over.

"What's up?" asked Flash. Despite trying not to look, I could still see Memento's fingers digging around in the space beneath Soarin's jaw.

"Something's not right," she plainly stated. "I'm pretty sure the Monokuma File's wrong about Soarin' being strangled. In fact, I'm not even convinced he died here."

Huh? The Monokuma File is wrong...?

"Are you sure?" asked Sunset.

"WHAT MAKES YOU SAY THAT?" Kotenage added.

"Well, if he was strangled, then that leaves marks behind on a decedent," she explained, pointing to his throat. "Besides the fact that I don't see much, if any bruising from the cord being tightened around his neck, his hyoid bone is intact."

"What kind of bone?" Flash blinked.

"Hyoid bone," Memento wiggled her finger, causing a curved piece of... something to poke out from the flesh. "Usually only breaks if someone was strangled. Sometimes it happens with hanging, but I'm pretty sure the cord for those headphones can't support that kind of weight. It would've snapped."

"I... see..." I swallowed. It got a little easier to stare at the esoteric body part as time passed, but as soon as the thought entered my mind I couldn't look any longer, and turned away.

"Alright... so what about him not dying here?" asked Sunset.

"It just doesn't... look right," Memento paused. "Like... if he were alive and getting sawn in half, there should be blood spray everywhere. But if he was already dead and sawn in half after the fact... well, see how the blood spray is more centralized?"

I forced myself to look. While to me it did seem that there was, indeed, blood everywhere, it also only seemed to extend to about a foot or two away from the body.

"Okay... so, you think there should be more...?" Flash asked slowly.

"Yea. Blood circulating throughout the body, heart beating, arteries pumping... it should be spread farther out," she affirmed with a nod.

"PERHAPS HE WAS STRANGLED, THEN PLACED ATOP THE LOG AND SAWN IN HALF?" suggested Kotenage.

"...No. That would've been enough time for more definitive strangulation marks to form on his neck," Memento answered after a moment of thought.

The Monokuma File says the cause of death was strangulation, yet Memento is positive he wasn't strangled to death... is Monokuma wrong? Or is there something I'm missing...?

After another wiggle of his hyoid bone, Soarin's head rolled and flopped downwards. Everyone except Memento let out a startled shout at the sudden movement.

"Oop, sorry 'bout that... oh. Didn't see that before," she mumbled.

"Something else?" Sunset edged closer. Now that the back of Soarin's head was visible, I could see that there was a large patch of black dust there.

"More of that black dust," I breathed. "...It's on his scalp and everything."

"I wonder what it is," Memento said as she gently brushed the hair aside to examine the area. "...There does appear to be a bruise here. He got clunked with something before he died... something black and dusty."

Black and dusty...? Hmm...

Something inside me nudged at my brain. I suddenly became aware that we'd been discussing the state of the body for some time.

She could probably discuss this all day... we've got other things to investigate...!

"Well, you're the expert... I'll take your word for it," I sighed. "Sunset and I should really get to looking around more, though. Who knows how much time we have left to investigate."

"Right... well, I think I'm done here... lemme get some of this ick off and I'll join you," Memento offered, already carefully removing her gloves. She crammed the bloody things into yet another glove and tied it shut, then stuffed it into the lowest pocket on her scrub pants before jogging after us.

My eyes swept up and down the hill from the entrance to the sawmill. Not much else was out of the ordinary... not until I noticed the handcart on the railroad tracks nearby.

The snow around the handcart... something's off about it...

Walking over to it made things a little more obvious. From where the handcart sat on its wooden beam perch, there was a long but shallow indentation in the snow about thirty feet down the hill. It curved away from the tracks and back towards the sawmill, like someone had dug out a trail in the snow.

"That's weird... wonder why there's a trail leading from the tracks to the mill?" Sunset echoed my thoughts.

"...Is it just me, or did that handcart used to be further up the hill?" asked Memento. I furrowed my brow in thought, trying to recall what I'd seen before. At the present time, the handcart was barely a third of the way up the hill, rather than halfway.

"Now that you mention it... That handcart was definitely not there the other day," I agreed. "It should be up further." As I glanced down the hill from our position, something else caught my eye. "Huh?"

"Something else?" Sunset asked as I carefully walked down the hill towards what I'd seen. Though some of them had been marred and walked over, most likely by the others in their search, there were definitely two sets of footprints in the snow that were different than the rest. They led upwards from the Train Station to the handcart at an angle, and faint black streaks stained the edges of them.

"Black-streaked footprints..." I mumbled in thought. "...They lead from the train station to the handcart." To be sure I looked back to the handcart, but the snow all around it was lumpy and misshapen - it'd be impossible to tell who had been near it and when.

"Oh, yea," Sunset suddenly mentioned. I looked up to see her gazing back at the sawmill. "That's right... we noticed that the rowboat next to the sawmill is in the middle of the lake now."

"Right... wonder how that happened?" Memento nodded. "I don't think it was close enough to the edge of the river to get swept down."

"You think someone moved it into the river on purpose?" I asked, looking towards the lake. The rowboat bobbed slightly as it sat in the dead center of the water, far out of the reach of anyone here unless they went for a swim. I also noticed that the others had gathered by the shore. "Oh? What's everyone doing over there?"

"Should probably check it out," said Sunset. Memento and I nodded, and we jogged down the rest of the hill. As we neared, we could hear a commotion brewing.

"Indigo! Indigo! Hey! Are you out there?!" Sugarcoat shouted over the lake's surface.

"We've searched everywhere, that rowboat is the only possible place she could be," Sunburst spoke, his lips thin.

"Do you think she's sleeping on the boat? And that's why she won't answer?" asked Sonata.

"I... hope she is..." Silver gulped.

"This isn't good," Mountain sighed, standing off to the side from the others. Upon hearing her speak, Sugarcoat whipped around and pointed to her, her face switching from concern to anger.

"You... you know something... don't you?!" she snarled.

"I do not," Mountain closed her eyes. "But this is the last place we've yet to look. And from atop the hill, I'm pretty sure I saw what looked like a person inside it."

Wow... that's good eyesight.

"Oh yea? If you think it's her, then you need to jump in the lake and go get her!" Sugarcoat ordered, forcefully flinging her finger to the rowboat.

"What?" Mountain blinked, turning to face her.

"In this weather?!" Sunburst paled. "That water must be absolutely freezing!"

"Y-Yea! She'd probably get hypothermia going in there!" Silver agreed.

"Not just hypothermia... I would likely succumb to shock and drown myself," added Mountain.

"Yea? Well that's a risk I'm willing to take," Sugarcoat's eyes narrowed. "Don't make me push you in."

"I am aware that you rightfully hate me, but I'm not going to risk my own death to get that boat," Mountain's eyes narrowed slightly in return. "We'll have to find another way."

"Get. In. The fucking. Water." Sugarcoat stomped through the thin ice on the shore towards Mountain. Though she was slightly shorter than the Ultimate Hunter, her glare was no less withering.

"We don't have any towels or implements to start a fire for warmth... sending her in would be most dangerous," Sunburst tried to explain, but Sugarcoat wasn't having any of it. She now grabbed Mountain by the arm and began trying to throw her into the lake.

"Ow! Please stop that!" Mountain cried, having to put weight on her injured leg to resist.

"Quit your whining, the cold will numb your boo-boo, you won't feel a thing!" Sugarcoat hissed through her teeth.

"Guys..." Silver moved to step in and separate them, just as we reached the group.

"HEY! Cut that out!" Sunset ordered. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

"You do that, and we might have a third murder to deal with!" scolded Memento. Quickly outnumbered, Sugarcoat snorted as she let go of Mountain.

"Well alright then, how do you suppose we get that boat out of the lake?!" she about screamed at us in a rage.

She's right... how are we gonna get that boat? We need to if Indigo might be in there...

I tried to think, my eyes darting around for anything we could possibly use to retrieve the rowboat, but there just wasn't anything we had that could reach that far or move the boat closer to us.

...

...Wait...

I... I can move the boat...

"I mean... Indy might not be dead," Sonata offered slowly. "...I still think she might just be asleep."

...Do I really want to show everyone my magic, though...?

"If she does turn out to be dead too, though... then what about Soarin'?" asked Memento.

...Guess I have no choice.

"Wait, guys..." I spoke up, drawing all attention towards me. "...I can get the boat."

"What? How?!" exclaimed Sunburst.

"Don't tell me you're going to go in the water...!" Mountain frowned.

"No... just give me a minute." After taking a deep breath, I raised my arms towards the boat. It felt very heavy to my telekinetic grasp, but I focused my magic as best I could, and willed the boat towards me. I heard murmurs around me as I saw the boat become enveloped in my magic, and slowly but surely, the boat began to move towards us.

"Whoa! How are you doing that?!" Memento shouted as she saw what was happening.

"Is that... magic?!" Silver shouted as well, her eyes wide.

"Yea, that's magic alright," nodded Sunset.

"Impossible...!" Sunburst breathed as he watched.

...

...

...

...

...

"...Can you go any faster?" Sugarcoat groused. The rowboat was only about twenty feet from its original position.

"I'm going... as fast... as I can..." I muttered under my breath. With so little magic available to me, pulling this boat through the water was like pulling a 10-ton bronze statue with my bare hooves- er, hands.

...

...

...

...

...

"Almost... there..." I breathed hard. The rowboat was finally only about thirty feet away from us. My nerves were on fire, screaming at me to stop pulling. Confident that the boat's momentum would bring it the rest of the way, I allowed myself to relax and let the aura fade. Immediately my chest and arms tingled as if they'd fallen asleep, and I groaned as I stretched them out.

Finally the interior of the rowboat creeped into view, inch by frustrating inch. I stood on the tips of my toes to try and see it sooner.

...

...

...

...No...

No.

NO.

NOT AGAIN.

NOT ALREADY!

"Oh... oh, no..." Sunset sighed beside me. I heard Silver scream.

Indigo's unblinking eyes stared straight up to the sky. Her body was perfectly laid out in the center of the rowboat, cold, pale and unmoving. A pocketknife was plunged directly into her throat, standing upright like the gruesome mast of a sailboat in a sea of blood. Though I couldn't see her, I could hear Sugarcoat sink to her knees.

"...No..." she moaned weakly.


*ding dong bong bing*


A nearby monitor blinked to life. Monokuma was sitting at his desk, nearly spilling his champagne as he pounded his fists with glee. "A body has been discovered!" he jeered. "Everyone, please make your way to the shores of Lake Despair!"

The second Body Discovery Announcement played, dim and distorted in my ears. How could this have happened?! First Soarin', and now poor Indigo? What was going to happen now? Did we have two murders to solve now?!

Flash and Kotenage came thundering down the hill towards us. They stopped and gasped when they realized who had been discovered dead.

"Oh... aw, man..." Flash winced.

"POOR INDIGO-CHAN..." Kotenage bowed his head. We stood around the rowboat lamenting our loss... we didn't find her in time. A wave of guilt sloshed into me, threatening to push me into the lake. I felt tears sliding down my cold-parched cheeks.

She didn't deserve this... why... what are you doing here...?

I blinked when I noticed that Silver wasn't running off to dry heave or shield her eyes... instead, she couldn't take her eyes off Indigo, even as her entire body quaked with horror. Tears dripped down her cheeks as her lips quivered.

"Indigo... I-Indigo... god, I'm so s-sorry..." she whimpered, hiccupping in the middle of a particularly loud sob.

Silver's... apologizing...?


*boing!*



*Rise and Shine, Ursine!*


Again, Monokuma and his Kubs appeared before us, as lackadaisical as ever.

"Well, well... Who would've thought there'd be another victim during the investigation?" Monokuma shrugged.

"Maybe Monophanie's green puke was predicting this tragedy," said Monotaro, glancing over to her. Predictably, Monophanie was already hunched over and puking white, shimmery liquid into the lake, her paws unfortunately getting spattered.

"BLRGHBLRBLRGHBLRBLRGHBLRB!"

"Ah, the puke's color's normal now! Guess it was predictin' this!" smirked Monosuke.

"Uh... but Soarin's already dead... n-now what do we do...?" Sonata shivered.

"You already know, toots! Start the investigation right away!" Monokid yelled.

"D-During the investigation for Soarin'?!" asked Sunburst.

"Wait a minute," Memento spoke up. "Soarin's dead, and now Indigo's dead... were they killed by the same person, or are there two separate killers running around?!"

"That's a good point... what happens then?" I blinked, dreading the all-important answer.

"Simple... it's first come, first served!" Monokuma exclaimed, throwing his paws into the air. "The blackened who killed the first victim to be discovered will be your target... In other words, if the blackened who killed Soarin' isn't the same one who killed Indigo, then only Soarin's killer will be considered the blackened!"

"Basically, Indigo's killer wasted a kill, and Indigo herself was a waste of a victim," added Monosuke.

"...Don't worry, though," Monotaro cut in. "That has literally never happened before."

"I'll add this to the camp's rules so you can review it later," Monokuma waved as another soft ping echoed from my backpack. "I also updated the Monokuma File. Do your best to investigate this murder, too."

"Leaders gotta be able to take decisive action! Indecision is just the worst!" yelled Monotaro. I gasped slightly as he spoke... this wasn't a dig at me, was it? What did I ever do to him?!

"Welp, better get to it! You don't have much time left..." Monosuke grinned. He and the other bears left as quickly as they had appeared, dragging Monophanie along with them.


*So long, bear well!*


"Great... so we might have two assholes among us?" Sugarcoat groused, gazing sadly back at Indigo. "Well, whoever did this to Indy... I'm gonna find you, damn it! She was my friend!"

"Even though you treated her so harshly?" Mountain stared pointedly at her.

"You shut up," she sneered. "For all we know, you did this."

"Again, that's a very remote possibility..." Sunburst tried to remind her.

"Uh... I assume me and Kotenage should go back and guard Soarin's body still?" asked Flash. "Who's gonna watch Indigo, then?"

"...I'll do it, I suppose," Sunburst offered nervously after a few moments. My eyes drew towards Sugarcoat, who stared at her dead friend with many emotions... anger, rage, shock, sorrow, regret... remorse.

"...Me too. I owe her at least that much..." she sighed, bowing her head.

"You sure? I will have to perform an autopsy on her," said Memento. Sugarcoat nodded without another word, but squeezed her eyes shut.

"Hmm... if we split up into pairs again, one of us will be left out," mentioned Sonata.

"We'll be close by... I don't think it'll matter," I said. "We don't know how much time we have left to look around, so it's best we cover as much ground as possible."

"Let's start, then," said Sunset. Flash and Kotenage jogged back up the hill, back to the sawmill. Mountain hobbled over to the caboose by the train station, while Sonata ducked inside the Coal Shed. Silver, who was shaking violently as she tried not to cry, ran into the station's office.

With a heavy sigh, I pulled out my Monopad and scrolled down the Monokuma File, finding an image of a humanoid shape with a pink throat area. "The victim is Indigo Zap, the Ultimate Street Artist. The victim was discovered lying supine in a rowboat, which was floating in the middle of Lake Despair. Time of death is estimated to be 2:30am. Cause of death appears to be combined asphyxiation and aspiration of blood from a self-inflicted puncture wound of the trachea."

Self-inflicted... was this a suicide?! Geez, what a way to go...

"Ugh, she drowned in her own blood," Memento winced, already pulling on another pair of gloves. It was a good thing she had more than the one pair on her.

"Indy..." Sugarcoat moaned sadly.

It was easier to look at Indigo's body than Soarin's... well, minus her throat. Other than being dead, nothing about her seemed off, not until Memento took hold of her left hand to examine it, nearly dropping it in the process.

"Wha-? Aw, eww, what is this?" she grumbled as she rubbed her fingers together. Looking closer, it was a viscous, light yellow-colored substance.

"Hey..." Sunset leaned in. "...That looks like machine oil."

"For the sawmill?" I asked.

"Yea... same color." There was a wet schlup as Memento pulled the pocketknife free from Indigo's throat. Suddenly I became intensely focused on that hand. It was definitely covered in oil... almost excessively so.

Machine oil... did she put oil on the mill's sawblade...?

"Wait, so you're totally fine fiddling around with corpses, but machine oil is disgusting?" Sugarcoat glared.

"I wasn't expecting it," Memento replied with a shrug. As she unzipped and cut away Indigo's clothing to perform her autopsy, Sugarcoat hissed and looked away. I then remembered what Kotenage had said about Silver having approached the two of them last night. This might be a good time to distract Sugarcoat from the autopsy taking place.

"Sugarcoat, can I ask you something?" She let out a half-groan, half-sigh.

"What?"

"Kotenage said that Silver approached you two last night. Is that true?"

"Silver?" Sugarcoat's eyes widened after a moment, then narrowed viciously as her face drew up into a scowl. "...She said she was going to investigate something with Sonata... at 2am..."

"Did she happen to tell you what it was?" I continued.

"No... she didn't," she replied slowly, venomously, then continued on under her breath. "...If that bitch... that bitch killed Indy..."

"Now, now, let's not jump to conclusions," Sunburst tried to placate her. "Surely you remember that Silver has quite the aversion to death and dead bodies, right?"

"And yet, she could look at Indy just fine a few minutes ago," Sugarcoat growled. "Isn't that convenient...?"

Silver was going to investigate something with Sonata at 2am... I'll definitely have to ask both of them about that...

"Hmm... this Monokuma File isn't quite right, either," Memento chewed on the inside of her cheek. "They couldn't have been switched or something, right?"

"This one wasn't right, either?" I drew back in surprise.

"What do you see?" asked Sunburst.

"This one's a lot easier than Soarin', anyway," Memento motioned to Indigo's throat and wiped away some of the cold blood. "There's definitely markings around her neck, obscured by all this blood. Aaaaand if we go poke around in here..."

"She was strangled?" Sunburst leaned in, eyes wide with what I assumed was academic interest as Memento carefully but forcefully stuck two fingers into the stab wound.

"...Oh, yea. Her hyoid bone's definitely fractured," she nodded as her fingers wiggled, blood oozing out of the wound as she did. A wave of nausea rippled up my throat at the sight. "Not to mention the blood here looks wrong for stabbing herself in the throat, too."

"You're also aware of the mechanics of blood splatter?" said Sunburst.

"Eh, more like how blood acts when the body stops working. I mean, can you imagine stabbing yourself in the windpipe?" 

"Yea... That'd hurt like fuck," Sugarcoat glared.

"Right, she'd be flailing all over the place and getting blood everywhere. Here, it's just one big puddle in the bottom of the boat," Memento explained.

"Hmm... now that you mention it, you make a good point," agreed Sunburst.

Memento thinks Indigo might've been strangled instead of stabbing herself... if that's the case, it's a little less sad than being a suicide... but... what happened to her? Why did this happen to her...?

"Alright... other than that, I don't see anything else wrong... no head injuries or other wounds," Memento said as she stood up, carefully pulling off her gloves. She kindly moved a hand over Indigo's eyes to close them before grabbing a handful of snow and cleaning them off. Despite the gesture, one of her eyes remained ever so slightly open, causing me to shiver at the sight of the slightly-deflated whiteness.

All these faces of death I've seen... I'm going to need some serious therapy after this.

"Uh... we need to talk to both Silver and Sonata next," Sunset motioned towards the train station. I nodded as I gratefully looked away from the rowboat and hurriedly jogged into the station office. Rather than looking around, Silver was seated on a bench, her arms wrapped tightly around herself as she stared pensively at the floor.

"Silver?" She jumped in place as I addressed her. "Can I ask you about something?"

"U-Um... I guess so," she sighed.

"Kotenage and Sugarcoat both said that you and Sonata were going to investigate something at 2am last night. Is that true?"

"...Y-Yes... A-Actually, Sonata and I were talking on our way to the dining hall, before dinner. She'd found a note on the main dining table in the morning. It said to meet at the coal shed at 2am... whoever it was from might've found a way out." Sunset and I gasped in unison.

"A way out?!" Sunset whispered loudly. I almost asked how, but then I reconsidered what had happened since last night.

No... it was far too good to be true.

"Who was the note from?" I asked.

"I... I-I don't know. All it was addressed to was 'S', and all it said was 'From S'... it could've been so many of us. B-But I definitely didn't write it!" she panicked. "I-I don't even know if it was really even meant for her, or me, or either of us!"

"Well... did you go? Kotenage and Sugarcoat both said you did," said Sunset. Silver gasped as her pupils shrank until they were barely visible, and she began to shake again.

"...Sonata wanted to see who had written it, so she said she was going. And... I-I was tired of being so scared. I wanted to be brave, like Sunset-"

I glanced over just in time to see Sunset's face flushed with red before she sank her head between her shoulders to hide it.

"...S-So I told her that I would go with her... A-And Kotenage and Sugarcoat, too, just in case s-something happened..."

"...But you didn't," I frowned, my heart sinking. Silver's head dropped to face the floor.

"I got too scared. I felt like I was speeding towards my own death if I went." A tear dripped down. "...And now Indigo's dead... S-Soarin', too... I-I could've stopped it... I'm just glad Sonata d-didn't die, t-too..."

Silver...

"Did you ever tell Indigo about your plans?" Sunset asked. Silver took a moment to compose herself.

"...No, not that I know of... But I don't know w-why she was found here, she must've seen the note before we did, or maybe she overheard me at s-some point... I-I can't see it any other way, really."

So Silver didn't actually investigate anything with Sonata last night... now there's just one more person to ask...

Sunset sat down beside her and put a comforting hand on her back. She looked up at me, and without words we agreed that she would stay there. I left the room and walked the short distance over to the coal shed, where Sonata was standing, looking around the room with her hands in her pockets.

"Oh, hey Starlight," she greeted.

"Hey, Sonata," I replied. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Silver said that you and her were going to investigate something at 2am?"

"Oh, that..." Sonata's face screwed up in thought. "Right, Silvy and I chatted on our way to dinner yesterday. There was a note on the table that morning, you see. It said that someone named 'S' wanted to meet another 'S' at the coal shed at 2am because they found a way out."

"Do you know who the note was meant for?" I asked.

"Nope," Sonata shook her head. "Anyways, I wanted to see who it was that wrote the note, but didn't want to go alone. I thought that if Silvy went with me, then we'd be safe enough. So I asked her to meet me at the top of the hill by the entrance, and then we'd go together... But, she never showed up," she frowned. "And without her, no way was I going. I went right back to my cottage and forgot all about it."

"I see..."

"Although, that doesn't really explain why Indy wound up here... I can't think of a reason why she would be here," Sonata stared at the floor in thought.

So Sonata asked Silver to go with her to the coal shed at 2am, then Silver told Kotenage and Sugarcoat she was going... but she didn't actually go, so then neither did Sonata... but if that's the case, what about Indigo? Did she find out about the note somehow? Doesn't make any sense, otherwise... But I think it's a little bit clearer why Soarin' was here...


*ding dong bing bong*


No... already?! But...!

I jumped at the sound of the investigation's end. Monokuma reappeared on a nearby monitor, smugly swirling the champagne in his glass as he spoke.

"Confidence... dreams... that's what the killing game is all about!" he exulted. "Killing game fans, hold your head high, and watch with your own two eyes! Baseball, soccer, mobile games... they're all nothing compared to the killing game! The killing game just can't be beat!"

What in Tartarus was he talking about?! Was this being broadcasted to the rest of the world right this second? How many people out there could possibly be enjoying this?! Watching us kill and be killed...

"Behold, campers... the entrance to the trial grounds!" He pointed to something offscreen just as the monitor cut out.

"Welp... guess it's time for a trial," Sonata shrugged, already halfway out the door. "I hope we find out who did it this time." For a few moments... I couldn't move. My legs refused.

Who is watching this... who would enjoy this... why? Why us...?!

My heart pounded faster, the veins in my body pulsing so hard I felt dizzy. I tried to take a few deep breaths... before having to cough. I was inside a dusty coal shed, after all.

Outside, I saw Sunburst and Memento begin their trek up the hill, back to the campgrounds. Sugarcoat lingered by the rowboat for a few moments, gazing at Indigo's corpse. Her eyes closed, and a tear fell from her cheek.

"Indy... you were right. I... I'm sorry." After speaking, Sugarcoat squeezed her eyes and fists closed, then opened them with determination. She left the rowboat behind and followed the others up the hill. Meanwhile, Silver and Sunset walked slowly out of the station office, an arm around each other's shoulders.

"Hey, you two doing okay?" I asked as I trotted over to walk by them.

"A little better," Sunset offered. "Still feeling guilty about leaving Sonata out to hang like that, though." Silver nodded wordlessly.

"Well, I talked to her... she said that when she realized you weren't going to meet her, she went straight back to her cottage. She didn't go."

"S-She didn't?" Silver blinked rapidly and took a deep breath. "Good... I'm glad she didn't go."

"Yea..." I mouthed. Silver suddenly jumped.

"But... what about Indigo, then? Why was she there? And Soarin'..."

"I don't know..." I shook my head. "...But we'll get to the bottom of it during the trial. We have to."


~


We walked in silence all the way back to the campgrounds, to the Fire Pit. It had already sunken down into the earth, and the others had already gathered.

"We really have to do this again..." Sunburst lamented. "Why? Who would do this to someone?!"

"SOARIN'... INDIGO... WE MUST AVENGE THEM," rumbled Kotenage. "BUT... I REALLY DO NOT WISH TO WITNESS ANOTHER EXECUTION..."

"To kill poor Soarin' in such an inhumane method... his murderer is truly an animal," Mountain frowned.

"Takes one to know one, I suppose," Sugarcoat glared at Mountain. "But whoever killed Indy? I'm going to make damned sure you pay for what you did to her!"

The final three of us stepped into the sunken pit, Silver earning a suspicious glare from Sugarcoat. After a few moments the platform began to sink into the ground, lowering us deeper and deeper into the abyss. The trodden snow under our feet quickly melted as the fire pit behind us roared to life, yet the flames did nothing to warm the ice forming inside my body.

Two more of us had died last night. At least one more of us was going to die before the end of the day. Sixteen of us had been forced to endure this killing game, and only half of us would remain after this... if we found the killer.

But were there two killers to find? And if we found the one who had killed Soarin', then what about the one who had killed Indigo? My head spun at the possibilities, and I nearly collapsed from nausea.

This was going to be a long trial.
> Off the Rails - Deadly Life 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The elevator eventually stopped. The doors opened slowly, revealing the Trial Room in all its accursed glory. Monokuma and his Kubs watched from their seats as we quietly took our places. There was no real point in putting it off.

"Boy, they look really depressed," Monotaro whistled. "Must be 'cuz there's even less participants now."

"Wonder whose fault that is?" I heard Sunset mutter under her breath. I closed my eyes and sighed.

She was right, after all. This was all their fault. All Monokuma's fault, and all of his Monokubs' fault, too. As if he could read my mind, Monokuma chuckled.

"Puhuhu... as much as I'd love to keep hearing this adorable back-and-forth, let's hurry up and get this started!" he cried out in a sing-song voice.

So infuriating.

So disrespectful.

"At last... the class trial will begin! I hope you enjoy it to your heart's content!"

I tried my best to shut out his grating, shrill voice, but it simply pierced past my eardrums and infected my brain. I shook my head to clear it - the third trial was about to begin...

...It never should've come to this.

What happened to us trying to become friends and find a way out ourselves, without resorting to murder?

How many more of us were going to die?

Was I going to be next? I was damned if I'd let Sunset die, or Flash, or Memento, or anyone else.

...

No. I need to stop thinking about things like that... I need to focus. We need to get through this trial and find Soarin's and Indigo's killer... or that's it.

Neither of them deserved to die. Even if our lives weren't on the line, they both deserved justice for what had happened.

In order to survive... we must find the truth. And I will fight for it.

We all will.


*Class Trial! All Rise!*


"Ahem! Now then, let's begin with a basic explanation of the class trial," Monokuma grinned. "During the trial you'll present your arguments for who the culprit is, and vote for 'whodunnit'. Vote correctly, and only the blackened will be punished. But if you pick the wrong person? I'll punish everyone besides the blackened, and that person may leave the campgrounds!"

"Also, refusin' to vote will result in yer death, so yous better vote for someone!" Monosuke chimed in.

"Now, smiles everyone!" Monokuma shouted, throwing his paws upwards as Monokid flailed on his guitar. "It's showtime! Let's get this crazy-awesome trial underway!" I looked up at Monophanie, who was sitting quietly on her cushion with an apprehensive expression... I wondered what she was thinking.

"Ugh... I had hoped we needn't go through this again," Sunburst shook his head. "But now two! Two people were murdered this time!"

"H-How are we supposed to get through this t-trial?" Silver sniffled. "P-Poor Soarin'... h-he was completely mangled!"

"The same way we've gotten through the other two," said Flash. "We'll just go through it one fact at a time."

"And as gruesome as it is... it's probably best to get Soarin' out of the way first," nodded Memento.

"Alright... well, he was discovered s-sawn in half in the Sawmill," swallowed Silver.

"Well, not quite in half... perhaps more like 3/5ths," Sunburst interrupted before quickly shaking his head. "Er, sorry... that probably doesn't matter."

"And yet, apparently that wasn't even the cause of death," said Mountain, staring at the floor past her lectern.

"He was strangled... with what looked like Indy's headphones!" cried Sonata.

"And then sawn in half... I can't say I ever liked the guy, but... that's a shitty way to go," said Sugarcoat.

...No, he wasn't strangled...!

"Wait, that's not right!" I called out. "While it does look like Soarin' was strangled, the autopsy revealed that there were no markings on his neck! He couldn't have been strangled!"

"That's right," Memento nodded. "That and the intact hyoid bone are proof of that. Whatever killed him, that ain't it, chief."

"H-He... wasn't strangled?" Silver blinked.

"Then how? Surely he wasn't sawn in half alive, was he?!" Sunburst yelled in alarm.

"Oh, no... can you imagine? Unless he was tied down, which there was no evidence for that, he could've just gotten up and run away... unless it was some kind of Mustang Lathe-kind of machine, in which Soarin' would've been obliterated in the blink of an eye," said Memento.

"...Uh... how the fuck do you-?"

"I've seen videos," Memento replied matter-of-factly to Sugarcoat. "But anyway, he wasn't alive for the sawing. If he were, there would've been blood absolutely everywhere."

"But... there was blood absolutely everywhere," Mountain protested.

"Not exactly," Flash chimed in. "If he were alive for this, well... I can only imagine how much that would've fuckin' hurt. He'd be desperately trying to get away, and the spray from his arteries would get blood everywhere. Instead, it was localized around his body."

"Yep! Blood fountains, spraying everywhere!" Memento raised her hands and shook them in a flourish. "You're learning good, lil' buddy!"

"...Oooookay," Sugarcoat glared in disgust. "So, if that's not how he died... then what killed him?"

"Well... I don't know," Memento shrugged. "I know a thing or two about dead people, but I'm not a medical examiner."

"Great," drawled Sugarcoat. "So that's a dead end."

"NOT NECESSARILY," said Kotenage. "IT WAS INDIGO'S HEADPHONES THAT WERE FOUND AROUND HIS NECK. THAT MUST MEAN SHE HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT." Sugarcoat squeezed her eyes shut uncomfortably.

"N-No..." she argued. "...Indy wouldn't do something like that."

"You sure?" asked Sonata, swaying back and forth like a bored child. "You did make her pretty mad last night..."

"No..." Sugarcoat reaffirmed through gritted teeth. "She wouldn't..."

"Well, why else would they have been there?" asked Flash. "Why were they not on her body?"

"Speaking of which, we should go over that, too," said Memento. "Let's get the most uncomfortable parts about discussing them out of the way."

"Okay, well... she was unfortunately found in the rowboat that somehow got into the middle of the lake," sighed Sunset.

"We never would have discovered her if it weren't for Miss Starlight's demonstration of her magic," said Sunburst, looking at me in awe. I couldn't help but blush a little.

"Oh, uh... it was nothing," I tried to play it off cool.

"Not at all... that was amazing!" gushed Memento. "I wish I had magic... I mean, I do, apparently, but you know."

"Let's stay on topic," Sugarcoat groused before turning her glare upon me. "Although, we are gonna discuss this afterwards... assuming we survive."

"RIGHT... POOR INDIGO-CHAN WAS STABBED IN THE THROAT," Kotenage shook his head sadly.

"Even worse, it looked like a suicide," Flash added.

"You think she felt bad after killing poor Soary, and killed herself out of guilt?" asked Sonata.

...Hey, wait...

"Wait, that's not right!" I raised my hand. "Memento, you mentioned that you thought she was the one who was strangled."

"Right," she nodded. "There were definitive markings around her throat, and her hyoid bone was in pieces."

"Wait a minute," Sunburst straightened up. "The Monokuma File said that Soarin' died from strangulation, yet there's forensic evidence that that was not his cause of death. Now there's also forensic evidence that Indigo is the one who died from strangulation, yet the Monokuma File claimed it was suicide by stabbing her own throat."

"Ah, ah, ah," Monokuma wiggled a claw. "My Monokuma Files are never wrong!"

"What? But..." Sunset raised an eyebrow.

"But there's evidence that those weren't the ways they died! The fuck you mean your shitty files are never wrong?!" argued Sugarcoat.

We've figured out that the causes of death were not what was recorded in the Monokuma Files, yet Monokuma insists his Files were correct... how could this be?

...

...

...Oh! I know!

"Wait, guys," I interrupted. "I get it."

"WHAT IS IT?"

"We have to read the Monokuma Files carefully... see how it says 'cause of death appears to be strangulation'? 'Appears to be self-inflicted'?" I emphasized.

"...Oh, I see," Sunset rolled her eyes. "We made the A S S U M P T I O N that the Monokuma Files were right. If you read it more closely, then it's clear that those causes of death are just what it looks like, not necessarily how it happened."

"Tricky, tricky," Sonata hummed.

"And very fucking jerkish," Sugarcoat glared at Monokuma.

"Just making sure your reading comprehension is up to snuff!" the bear smirked.

"So, we've figured out that much," said Flash. "But in the grand scheme of things... that doesn't tell us all that much about what happened."

"R-Right... there's no way we can figure this out just by how they died," said Silver.

"There were other clues found, I assume," Mountain quipped.

"...HOW ABOUT THAT NOTE WE FOUND IN SOARIN'S HAND," suggested Kotenage. "PERHAPS THAT WILL MAKE THINGS A LITTLE MORE CLEAR."

"There was a note in Soary's hand?" Sonata asked, surprised.

"Yea... it was barely legible, though," I replied. "Practically all of it was smudged with some kind of black dust."

"All we could make out was 'From S', 'To S', 2am, and something about a way out of here," said Sunset. Mountain, Sugarcoat and Sunburst let out gasps of shock.

"Wait... there's a way out of this shithole?!" yelled Sugarcoat.

"I can't believe it..." Sunburst breathed.

"...I don't believe it," frowned Mountain.

"Did we ask for your opinion?" Sugarcoat grumbled.

"An escape from this place that even I did not find?" Mountain shook her head. "The wilderness is like my second home... there's no way whoever wrote this note found an escape route before I did."

Right... in fact...

"Yea, I can agree with that!" I nodded. "We've all been all over this campground how many times? There hasn't been a single place that looked like a possible escape route that wasn't guarded by cameras and automated guns."

"Indeed... The forests eventually end in sheer cliffs, the gulch where the lake water drains away is blocked, the cave by the hot springs leads to a dead end, the train tracks lead nowhere," Mountain continued. "There truly is no way out."

"Right. Whoever wrote that note... likely lied about finding an escape," I finished.

"Aww..." Silver deflated, slumping over her podium. "Don't give me hope like that..."

"But why? Why would they lie like that?" asked Sonata.

"Duh... they obviously wrote that note in order to lure someone somewhere in order to kill them!" growled Sugarcoat.

"BUT WHO?" asked Kotenage. "THERE ARE SEVEN OF US WHOSE NAME STARTS WITH AN 'S'."

"I have a pretty good fucking idea," Sugarcoat yelled angrily as she hurled a finger at Silver. "You! You told Kotenage and I that you were going somewhere at 2am!" Silver jumped at the accusation, trembling.

"A-Ah... I d-did tell you t-that," she agreed.

"And just where the fuck did you go at 2am?! And why was Soarin' dead by 2:10am?!"

"I... I-I..."

Wait, but... you really think Silver...?

"Quit stuttering and just admit it! You killed them! You killed them both!" Sugarcoat screamed.

"N-No! I...!"

"Silvy..." Sonata spoke quietly. "...Did you...?"

"No! Y-You know I didn't, S-Sonata! W-We were supposed to m-meet at the top of the hill, but I j-just couldn't d-do it!" Silver cried frantically. Sonata frowned.

"But... I asked you to go with me so we could find out who wrote it... On the way to the lake's entrance, I realized that the note was missing... and you never met up with me, so I ran back to my cottage and stayed inside for the rest of the night... But Soary and Indy, we found them dead there today..."

"I-I-I didn't go... I-I'm sorry! We could've... I could've prevented this!" Silver was beginning to hyperventilate.

"But then... why did Soarin' and Indigo die?" asked Sunburst. "What happened?"

"I found a note on the dining table yesterday," Sonata explained, calmly yet sorrowfully. "It said to meet at the Coal Shed at 2am. I told Silvy about it and asked her if she would meet me at the top of the hill by the lake before then, so we could find out who wrote it."

"But Silver never showed herself?" Sugarcoat glared. Sonata shook her head.

"And the note disappeared from my hoodie hood, where I kept it."

"Why would you put it there?" Mountain asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Hardly anyone realizes your hoodie hood can be used as another pocket," Sonata shrugged. "It can hold quite a lot."

"What makes you think Silver killed either of them?" Flash asked Sugarcoat incredulously. "You know she freaks out at the sight of dead people, right? There's no way she could actually do it herself."

"She didn't freak out when she saw Indy earlier!" yelled Sugarcoat, pointing again.

Wait... that's right...!

"Yea, I can agree with that!" I cut in, albeit reluctantly. "You've always been on the verge of throwing up and fainting when we discovered the others, Silver... I saw you staring at Indigo's body, too... you didn't gag. You didn't run."

"Because..." Silver sobbed, bowing her head, "...if I had j-just been brave and met with Sonata... m-maybe this wouldn't have happened. Maybe they wouldn't have d-died!"

"Well, wait a minute," Sunburst held up a hand. "Considering that the note was addressed to an 'S' and was from an 'S', then that could possibly mean that Miss Silver wrote the note to Soarin'... but..."

"But...?" Sugarcoat goaded, growling.

"...But do we really know if that note was meant for either of them? There are seven of us whose name starts with an 'S', myself included, but I've never heard of this note until now."

"NOT TO MENTION, THIS DOES NOT EXPLAIN HOW INDIGO MIGHT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED," added Kotenage.

"Wait... are you trying to suggest you might've had something to do with this?" Mountain asked apprehensively.

"I certainly didn't," he shook his head. "But what about the others that haven't spoken up about this yet? Miss Starlight? Miss Sunset?" At first I wasn't sure what he was getting at, but then I remembered our evidence from earlier.

"I had no idea this note existed until I found it during the investigation," I replied, looking over to Sunset.

"And I..." she breathed hard, "...well, I never saw the note until the investigation, but I think Indigo might've known about it."

"She did?" Sugarcoat blinked. "How do you know?"

"We talked by the fire pit last night for a while... the conversation wrapped up and I was going back to my cottage for the night. Just as I closed the door, I heard Indigo yell to me something about 2am. I didn't hear the rest - I opened my door again and tried to yell back at her, but she never responded."

"Why didn't you tell anyone about this?!" Sugarcoat shouted angrily, before her expression changed to a softer, sadder one. "...Why didn't she tell me...?"

"It was only a split second. Since she didn't stick around to make sure I'd understood her, I thought it wasn't important at the time," Sunset frowned, inhaling through her teeth.

"You... your incompetence got Indy killed!" Sugarcoat seethed, her expression changing rapidly, curling her fingers like she wanted to throttle her.

"Whoa, now that's not fair! How could she have known this would happen?!" Flash came to Sunset's defense.

"Because she should've told me!" She screamed in rage and frustration, her voice quickly morphing into a keening sob. As much as her temper tantrum annoyed me... I could feel nothing but pity for her. Sugarcoat would never have the chance to apologize to Indigo for her behavior now.

"So, if everyone's testimonies are to be believed... then Soarin', Silver, Sonata and Indigo had firsthand knowledge about the note's existence," Mountain mumbled to herself.

"Wait... how do we know Soary knew about the note?" Sonata tilted her head.

"I mean... he was found dead with the note in his hand. Only reason for that would be his name was one of the S's," said Memento.

"Oh! Duh, that's right," Sonata knocked herself in the head with a clumsy smile.

"But hold on," said Sunburst. "How do we know Mister Soarin' had anything to do with the note? There are seven of us with a name that begins with S... for all we know, his presence was simply a coincidence."

How do we know Soarin' was definitely involved with the note? ...I think we found some evidence to corroborate with that line of thought...

...

...

...Oh! I know!

"Memento's right," I broke in. "There's definite proof that Soarin' knew about the note... there was black dust on the back of his head."

"Black dust?" asked Sunburst.

"Yes... and that black dust could only come from one place: the Coal Shed."

"Riiiiight... that place is full of dust!" agreed Flash. "Enough to give anyone the black lung!"

"And the note did say to meet there at 2am," added Sugarcoat.

"B-But... then why was he killed at the saw mill?" asked Silver. "That's nowhere near the coal shed!"

"He wasn't," said Memento. "He wasn't strangled, and he wasn't sawed alive."

"DO YOU THINK HE WAS KILLED INSIDE THE COAL SHED?" suggested Kotenage. "OR PERHAPS HE WAS WOUNDED THERE, AND MADE HIS WAY TO THE SAW MILL BEFORE HE DIED."

...Wait, yes! That must've been what those were!

"Yea, I can agree with that!" I nodded. "Soarin' definitely wasn't killed in the saw mill, and there's actually a piece of evidence that points towards that... there were some footprints in the snow that had faint black streaks in them!"

"Ooh! There were?" Sonata gasped in surprise.

"They were faint, but they were there," said Sunset. "It looked like they led towards that handcart halfway down the hill."

"The handcart? Why would they lead there?" asked Sunburst.

"Soarin' most likely wasn't killed in the coal shed, and he was found dead in the saw mill... he must've tried to run from his attacker!" proposed Flash.

"You're on to something," Memento nodded. "Where the black dust on his head was, there was also a bruise. It definitely wasn't enough to kill him, though. I agree he would've tried to run after getting hit."

"But... even if someone were to use the handcart to move up the hill, surely running would be faster than that."

"It is possible his escape route simply took him beside it," Mountain looked over to Sunburst. "When panicked, the prey tends not to watch where its going." I looked over to see Memento moving her hand from her chin, snapping her fingers.

"I bet that's it!" she exclaimed. "We also saw what looked like drag marks from the handcart to the saw mill... so that must mean the handcart somehow killed him!"

"Now hold the fuck on!" Sugarcoat threw out her hand. "How would the handcart kill him?! Not to mention you need someone on it to make it move... are you honestly suggesting that Soarin's killer ran that far ahead of him, then ran him over with it?! That's fucking stupid!"

"I... well, when you put it like that," Memento frowned, scratching her head. But I saw where Memento was headed with this... it would completely change the narrative of the entire case so far, but it would also explain the drag marks towards the saw mill, as well as another piece of evidence.

"No, I think she's on to something," I broke in. "Maybe we're looking at this the wrong way... if Soarin' was running away from his attacker, then yes, what Memento's suggesting wouldn't work. But, if Soarin' was actually chasing someone else, with the intent to kill them..."

"Oh, so now Soarin's the attacker, here? Alright, I'll humor you," Sugarcoat snorted. "Fine, so say Soarin' was chasing someone up the hill from the coal shed. But if the tracks stop at the handcart, then how do you suggest the other person he was chasing killed him? Picked up the fucking handcart with their bare hands and threw it at him?!"

Ha! I've got you now!

"Because the handcart wasn't originally halfway down the hill," I stood up straight, confident in my logic.

"It... wasn't?" blinked Sugarcoat.

"No... it was definitely much further up the hill, ever since the first day we saw it," Memento nodded, smiling.

"If the person Soarin' was chasing ran up the hill by the railroad tracks the handcart was on, then it's possible that they knocked out that wooden beam that was holding it in place," I explained.

"I see! And then gravity... would have done the rest," Sunburst swallowed.

"Yes, yes... it makes sense! It makes perfect sense!" Sonata beamed. "He got squished by the handcart, went all 'Aaaargh! Ooooogh!' and died, then whoever he was chasing dragged him to the saw mill to be cut in half!"

"...YOU'RE AWFULLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS TURN OF EVENTS," Kotenage side-eyed her. Sonata shrugged.

"Well, it's good to figure out what happened to poor Soary... even if it sounds like he was the one trying to kill someone else, now. It's progress, right?"

"I... guess so," Sugarcoat sighed heavily. "...But that still doesn't explain why Indy was found dead in the area, or why her fucking headphones were around Soarin's neck!"

"Indigo somehow knew there was something to investigate at 2am, despite the note from earlier not being addressed to her," said Mountain.

"Right... she would've had to have known about the note from someone else," added Sunset.

"And guess who knew about that note...?" Sugarcoat glared darkly at Silver. She had recovered somewhat while the attention was off of her, but she withered anew under everyone's gaze.

"B-But I never told her about it!" Silver protested, tears spilling from her eyes again. "S-Sonata told me about it at d-dinner, then I-I told you and Kotenage! I never told Indigo about it!"

"I never told Indy about it," Sonata frowned, tilting her head. "And then on my way to the coal shed, I found out the note was missing from my hoodie hood... are you sure you didn't take it?"

"N-No! I didn't, I swear!" cried Silver. "Please, you g-guys, I would never! I didn't k-kill either of them!"

"Then how?!" Sugarcoat roared. "How the fuck did Indigo DIE?!"

...

...

...

"Well... she was apparently strangled," Sonata spoke up gormlessly. Sugarcoat keened.

Indigo is the key to this mystery... if we could just find out how she died, that would help out a lot...

I glanced around the room as if the answer was hidden somewhere in plain sight. Everyone else's faces were twisted deep in thought, trying to piece together our evidence and find the truth, just as I was. As Sugarcoat screamed and howled in anger and guilt, and Silver tried her best to pull herself together, I laced my fingers together and laid my chin on top of them on my podium.

There was something I was missing... I was sure of it. But what?

"It had to have been you! You didn't even flinch at the sight of Indy's dead body!" Sugarcoat spat out, her face a darker shade of purple than usual, her eyes clouded over with frenzy, her hands clawing at her lectern as though she were ready to leap over it and attack Silver.

Silver says Sonata told her about the note, then Silver told Sugarcoat and Kotenage about it, but she says she didn't go... let's assume that's correct.

"It w-wasn't m-me! I only knew about a m-meeting at 2am... I-I didn't know it would mean our f-friends were gonna d-die! I... Sonata and I could've s-stopped it if I sucked it up and met with her like we p-planned!" Silver begged.

Sonata says she told Silver about the note... she found out the note was missing from her person on the way to the coal shed... then Silver was too scared to meet with her, so she returned to the campgrounds... let's assume that's also correct.

"Then who, bitch?! If this isn't just a fucking act of yours, then who else did you tell about the fucking god-damned note?!" Sugarcoat was nearly frothing at the mouth and looked like she was going to pounce over her podium any second.

And Sunset says Indigo may have told her she was going somewhere at 2am... that much has been likely proven...

So, who... who else could have told her...?

"I know how you did it... you stole that fucking note from Sonata, then you lured Indy to that fucking coal shed with that fucking note, then you snuck your way over there long before your supposed meeting with Sonata at 2am, then you got jumped by Soarin' and killed him, and then you killed Indy! Yea, just fucking admit it! You're the fucking murderer!"

...!

I gasped loudly. I had remembered one thing from yesterday... something that hadn't even crossed my mind until just now.

But it was all too relevant. Too important not to mention.

Too damning.

"Wait a second," I swallowed, noticing everyone's - especially Sugarcoat's - eyes on me. "Silver's right... Indigo didn't learn about the note from her."

"What...?" Sugarcoat's voice was low, dangerous.

"How do you know that?" asked Sunburst, with much less vitriol.

"Because... someone else told her about the note." I looked over to the only person it could have been... one who had seemed so innocent, so harmless.

"Sonata... it was you, wasn't it?"