Self-Introductions
"I haaate this weird color! Change me baaack!"
"Oh my, oh my... talking back to Big Bro's impeccable taste? Is Monomi a delinquent now?"
"Huh...? Big Bro...? Monomi...?"
Usami — now Monomi — and Monokuma launched into their little comedy routine, but none of it reached my ears.
I had expected the story to twist. I had not expected Usami to become Monomi without putting up so much as a fight. I stared at her, too stunned to do anything else, and she looked back at me with a voice gone small and sad.
"K-Kei... I never saw this coming... I'm so sorry..."
"Uh... yeah...?"
"Puhuhu... even if you beg Kei for help, the administrator privileges already belong to me! Well, some damn programmer locked the security down so tight I can't just kill everyone on the spot... but I've got my ways...!"
"But... if you use the Future Foundation escape code... even you could get out, Kei...!"
Escape code...? What the hell is that...? I'm a die-hard fan of the series and I've never heard of it. Which means... was this something I set up before I lost my memories...?
"I knew you were amazing, Kei...! You planned for even this...! Hurry and use the escape code, get out of here, and call for backup—"
"Puhuhu... puhuhuhu... puhuhuhuhuhuhuhu!!"
"W-why are you laughing like that?! It's creeping me out!"
"Puhuhuhuhu!! Too bad! I figured you'd try that, so I wiped the memories of all three Future Foundation members...!"
"W-what are you saying!?!"
"Shh... unfortunately, that's all the cute reactions I get from Kei today! The kids are about to show up! Be a good little sister and shut your mouth...!"
"What on earth are you—mmph...! Mmmph...!"
I knew things had been going too smoothly. As if Enoshima's Alter Ego wouldn't have seen an escape code coming. I had a rough picture of the situation now, but questions still lingered.
Why do Kirigiri and I still have our memories of the killing game? If she was going to wipe memories anyway, wouldn't erasing everything about the killing games have been better for the Alter Ego?
I was still turning that unsolvable riddle over in my head when the kids started pouring in from the distance.
"Wh-what are those dolls...?"
"I'm not a doll, I'm Monokuma! Headmaster of Hope's Peak Academy!"
"Mono...kuma...?"
"Why did you call us here...?"
"I distinctly remember... stepping through the academy entrance on the day of the entrance ceremony... and then..."
"D-don't tell me... we were kidnapped...?"
The kids milled about in a rising murmur of panic. Monokuma cleared his throat and addressed them all.
"All right, looks like everyone's here... so as your headmaster, I hereby declare, right here and now...!"
From this moment forward... the Killing School Trip begins...!
Every face in the crowd went white. The kids started shouting over each other, demanding answers from Monokuma, and Monomi tried to stand up to him — only to eat a jet-powered kick that sent her flying. A regular little farce.
"...Anyway, if you want to leave this island, all you have to do is kill someone and finish a Class Trial...!"
"...Class Trial?"
Nanami fixed Monokuma with a hard stare as she asked, and he launched into a cheerful explanation of the rules. I already knew them inside and out. Hearing them recited over and over was so dull I nearly yawned.
"...Okay, okay, that's enough explaining, right? So... starting now, kill each other...!"
A brief silence settled over the kids after Monokuma finished. Then they all pushed back at once.
"Why the hell would we have to kill each other...? This is all a load of crap!"
"You've been running your mouth however you please this whole time... I don't care for direct violence, but if what you're saying is true... this Nekomaru Nidai will not stand for it...!"
"What is this, some kind of battle manga...? If it's a straight-up brawl, I can handle that... so we just smash that bear, right...?"
"As if I would ever take part in a slaughter... if you want me to do something like that, you'll have to snap my sword first..."
"If you keep playing around, the athletic corps will not forgive you!"
The kids pushed back hard. Monokuma muttered to himself, looking almost disappointed, as if he had seen this coming. Then he threw both arms toward the sky and bellowed.
The statues lurched to life, and enormous robots emerged. The kids descended into full panic.
"I-I'll protect all of you somehow—"
"Puhu... puhu... puhuhu...! You've forgotten how to be afraid, Monomi...! Fine. You'll do as an example!"
Monokuma's slaughter-machines reduced Monomi to pulp. The kids watched that wretched spectacle, and whatever will they had left to resist died on the spot.
"Now then, please enjoy your delightful life of slaughter on this open, harsh, and wretched southern island...!"
Monokuma handed out electronic student handbooks to the terrified kids, left them with those parting words, and vanished.
"........"
Silence hung over the group for a long moment. Then Komaeda broke it.
"Um... so... I know everyone's shaken up, but... maybe we should at least introduce ourselves first...? One way or another, we're going to be living together from here on..."
"You're not wrong, but... I think everyone needs a little time to process this first...? I mean... a lot just happened... they're all still in shock..."
Nanami's point landed. The kids agreed to take some time to think, and they scattered in every direction.
"...Kei. So what are we doing from here?"
"Hmm... first... let's catch our breath for a minute... then we go around and say hello to everyone. If we're going to stop any murders, we need to leave a good impression..."
It would let us put faces to names, and it would give Kirigiri — who didn't know the 77th Class at all — a rundown of who these kids were. We rested for a short while, then set out to make our introductions.
"Damn it... every last engine's been stripped out... whoever did this was thorough, I'll give them that... Huh? Who the hell are you two...?"
"Uh... we came by to introduce ourselves... I'm Kei, the Ultimate Counselor, and..."
"Kyoko Kirigiri. Ultimate Detective."
"...A counselor and a detective? Weird combo... Anyway, I should introduce myself too. I'm Kazuichi Soda, the Ultimate Mechanic!"
Soda was a walking encyclopedia of anything mechanical. In a Class Trial he was closer to comic relief than a star player, but his skill with machines was the real deal. If the plan going forward was going to work, I needed this kid on my side.
"Mwahahahahaha! I sense the aura of destiny rising from the two of you!! Very well — I, Gundham Tanaka, shall remember your names! And now I shall personally witness the path upon which your fates—"
"Uh... yeah... sure..."
"...Haa."
Gundham Tanaka, the Ultimate Breeder, had a worse case of eighth-grader syndrome than even Yamada from the 78th Class. Every conversation with him was like trying to decode a cursed scroll. That said, his ability to commune with and command animals was every bit as extraordinary as his title suggested.
He was the culprit in Chapter 4 of the original, but that murder had been forced on him by the motive, and at heart he was a good kid. No need to keep him at arm's length.
"However... O maiden... the familiar with whom thou hast formed a pact... could it be the boy standing at thy side...?"
"...What?"
"Ahahahahaha! I knew something felt amiss...! To have completed a perfect master-servant contract — what tremendous magical power you possess! Truly, this world is filled with those of great—"
".....We're leaving."
"Huh...? Okay..."
Kirigiri grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the airport with a haste I couldn't quite explain, leaving Tanaka behind mid-incantation.
"Waaaaaah... what... what is even happening... I'm so... I'm so scaaared..."
"The way she cries... she reminds me of someone I know."
"....."
The girl sobbing her heart out in the supermarket was Mikan Tsumiki, bearer of the Ultimate Nurse talent. Years of relentless bullying had left her in a deeply unstable state. I had a feeling my own high school years in the real world hadn't looked all that different.
"There, there. No more tears. Blow your nose... that's it. Good girl."
"Hic... hhik... th-thank youuu..."
For reasons I couldn't pin down, Kirigiri was remarkably good at calming Tsumiki down. Fragile and timid as she looked, her medical knowledge was going to be a serious asset going forward.
Of course, that was assuming I could keep her from catching the Despair Disease.
"Sneak... sneak..."
"...Hm?"
"Waaah!!"
"Gah!! You scared the hell out of me!!"
"Haha...! Gotcha, didn't I? You two looked so gloomy I just had to sneak up and surprise you! I know things are pretty bad right now, but they say fortune comes to those who smile, right?"
The girl who greeted us with that shameless grin was Ibuki Mioda, the Ultimate Musician. Blessed with perfect pitch, she was the 77th Class's resident mood-maker — light, loud, and relentlessly cheerful. If we wanted to keep everyone's spirits from collapsing, we needed her.
"Sooo... you two have been stuck together this whole time... what's the deal with that? Don't tell me you two are...?"
We left Mioda's sly grin behind us and walked out of the supermarket.
"Heave...! Ho...!"
"Um... hey... hello...? We wanted to introduce ourselves..."
".....What's this. Some creepy-looking guy thinks he can just walk up..."
"Cr-creepy...?"
This foul-mouthed little brat was Hiyoko Saionji, the Ultimate Traditional Dancer. Her defining trait was that she had absolutely no manners. I knew I looked a little gloomy, but creepy? Where was she even looking?
"Hey. Could you stop staring at me with that sleazy look on your face?"
"Ah, y-yeah..."
"Haa. I was already in a terrible mood after everything that just happened... whatever. Back to stepping on ants... wait, what do you want?"
Kirigiri suddenly stepped in close to Saionji and whispered something in her ear. The color drained from Saionji's face, and a second later she bolted out of the ranch like her life depended on it.
"Wh-what did you even say to her..."
"...I kept catching this smell from somewhere."
The look on Kirigiri's face was so cold I felt a chill run down my own spine.
"Hey, you two! Making the rounds, huh? Nice to meetcha! Name's Akane Owari!"
Akane Owari, the Ultimate Gymnast, was not what anyone would call book-smart, but her physical ability was staggering. Even counting the 78th Class, she sat comfortably in the upper ranks of raw combat power. That said it all.
In the game, though, that same lack of brains had a habit of turning her into an accidental troll. She was going to need a certain amount of looking after.
"Ultimate Counselor, huh? That's a pretty sweet talent! Hey... if I get stuck on something during training, can I come talk to you!?"
"Uh... there's probably someone better suited for that than—"
"Aww, don't dodge! Just once, c'mon~ please?"
".....!"
Owari wrapped her arms around me and started whining. Right — her upbringing had been so rough she was completely oblivious about this kind of thing. Still... the way she felt was actually pretty ni—
"...Kei."
A spike of killing intent hit me so hard I shoved Owari off on instinct, stammered that I would think about it, and fled the ranch like a man running for his life.
The killing intent walked beside me the entire way to our next stop. I could feel a good ten years getting shaved off my lifespan.
On the road, we ran into Togami... no. Pigami.
"...Togami?"
"....Byakuya Togami. That should suffice. There isn't a soul alive who doesn't know my name."
Kirigiri actually looked startled — a rare sight — and glanced over at me. I leaned in and whispered.
"I don't think that's the real Togami..."
"...No. It doesn't seem so."
"What are you two whispering about...?"
"Ah... nothing... we should introduce ourselves too..."
"I overheard you in passing. Kei, the Ultimate Counselor. Kirigiri, the Ultimate Detective."
"Y-yeah...! Looking forward to working with you..."
"If you're finished, get out of my sight."
If you only went by presence, you really could have been fooled — the resemblance to Togami was that strong. We left Pigami behind and headed for our next destination: the hotel.
"I have yet to hear your names... I am Nekomaru Nidai. A pleasure."
"Oh, hey, we're—"
Nekomaru Nidai was the Ultimate Team Manager. He had even managed Leon Kuwata at one point, and his abilities as a manager were extraordinary.
His combat ability was every bit as impressive. Among the 77th Class he sat at the very top, and even throwing the 78th Class into the mix, he could probably go toe-to-toe with just about any of the fighters short of Ogami herself.
"...You there. Your body looks terribly frail. A man ought to be sturdy, packed with muscle, don't you think? Excellent!! This Nekomaru Nidai shall personally train you from this day forward!"
"W-wait, what!?"
I shot Kirigiri a look of pure desperation. She turned to Nidai and spoke quietly.
"I appreciate the offer, but Kei is frail due to a congenital condition. Exercise would put too much strain on him. We'll gratefully accept the sentiment, though."
"...I see. If that's the case, then it can't be helped. But if you ever change your mind, come find me."
"Y-yeah! Thanks...!"
I looked at Kirigiri with genuine gratitude. She glanced back with an expression that said she was relieved — then took my hand and started dragging me toward the next destination. I had a feeling there was more to it than just looking out for me, but I let it go for now.
"A guy getting dragged around by a girl like that... aren't you embarrassed...?"
".....?"
Kirigiri glanced sideways at the sudden voice — and flinched.
Not that I blamed her. A girl who looked like Ikusaba with her hair dyed red was staring us down over the top of a camera.
"My name is Mahiru Koizumi... the Ultimate Photographer."
Koizumi was a little sharp around the edges, but she still fell well within the bounds of a reasonable person. Her defining trait was that she was brutally strict with boys — the second she spotted a guy who didn't look reliable, the lectures started.
"Hey, you. A man who can't even protect a girl, standing there with that pathetic attitude—"
"....."
"...Ah, never mind! I must have misread the situation. I'll just be going...!"
Kirigiri took a single quiet step forward and looked at Koizumi. The color drained from Koizumi's face mid-sentence, and she trailed off and vanished somewhere in a hurry.
"...She looks like that insufferable woman. I don't like her."
...Okay. At this point, she was starting to scare me.
"The hell are you. Can't you see we're talking? Get lost."
"Do you make a habit of eavesdropping on other people's conversations?"
"...No, we just wanted to introduce ourselves..."
"Didn't you hear me!? I said get the hell out...!"
The two of them were on high alert — Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu, the Ultimate Yakuza, and Peko Pekoyama, the Ultimate Swordswoman. They already knew each other.
Pekoyama had been raised by the Kuzuryu family as a living tool whose sole purpose was to protect him. They cared about each other more than either of them would ever say out loud.
After Mondo Owada, Kuzuryu's threats didn't even register — the kid was shorter than I was. Pekoyama, on the other hand, had been staring me down this entire time, and that was honestly a little terrifying.
Her skill with a blade was the real thing. The lore put her a step below Ikusaba, that walking murder machine, but still close enough to hold her own in a fight. That should give you a sense of how dangerous she was.
Kirigiri read the room between the two of them, muttered something about having fewer people to worry about, and headed for the restaurant. Inside, two people were in the middle of a conversation.
"S-Sonia...! There's... there's poison in my lower body...!"
"H-Hanamura? Wh-what should I do...?"
"To draw the poison out... you'd have to suck it out with your mouth... ngh...!"
"...I just need to suck it out with my mouth? Understood! Leave it to—"
Kirigiri and I put on matching icy expressions and subdued Hanamura before it could go any further.
"Ah, so close... but I never give up...! Next time I'll try a different strategy... heheheh..."
Teruteru Hanamura was the Ultimate Cook, and his personality was every bit as perverted as the title didn't suggest. He was also the culprit of Chapter 1, which made him someone to watch very carefully at this stage.
"...I'm not quite sure what just happened, but I'm glad you seem to have recovered! A pleasure to meet you. I am Sonia Nevermind!"
Sonia, the Ultimate Princess, was the princess of the Kingdom of Novoselic. She carried herself with genuine grace — and also had a soft spot for anime and other subcultures, among other slightly offbeat hobbies. Maybe that was just what happened when you'd never been allowed to get a little tarnished by the world.
"So. Anyone left we haven't said hello to?"
"Two more. The girl who was so glued to her game she didn't even react when we tried to talk to her on the way up to the restaurant... and the boy who was passed out on the same beach as us."
We headed back down from the restaurant as she said it, and sure enough, Nanami and Hinata were already talking.
"...I see. So you also... ah, you two are...?"
"Hm...? Oh. Don't think we've met. Hey, I'm Hajime Hinata. Uh... this is gonna sound hard to believe, but I've forgotten what my Ultimate talent is... so I can't actually tell you what it was... If I remember, I promise I'll let you know..."
The boy who introduced himself in that downcast voice was Hajime Hinata — the protagonist of the original second game, no less. He was going to play a major role in this killing game, which meant I needed to build a real rapport with him, one way or another.
"Anyway... I'm gonna head up to the restaurant. Looking forward to working with you."
Hinata headed upstairs, and Nanami turned to us and started her own introduction.
"Hey... I'm Chiaki Nanami. I got into the academy with the talent of Ultimate Gamer."
Chiaki Nanami... the main heroine to Hinata's protagonist, and another kid who was going to matter a great deal in this killing game. Then again — in the original game, Nanami appeared as the Future Foundation's AI. Did that mean she might know something about the Future Foundation escape code?
The thought snagged, and I was just about to lean in and ask her in a low voice when she started murmuring to herself.
"Still... it's weird that Hinata's memories cut off in the same place... It's like something straight out of a game..."
"Wait. What do you mean by that?"
Something felt off. I asked, and Nanami answered with a troubled look.
"Well... we were trying to trace our memories from before we ended up here... and both Hinata and I seem to have nothing after the moment we stepped through the academy entrance... Did the same thing happen to you two...?"
"Y-yeah... I guess so?"
"Haa... so it happened to you too... Waking up on a deserted island... it's exactly like a game story."
The wrongness coming off Nanami was still sitting there, unnamed — until the next thing she said put a face on it.
"The new game □□□□ should be out by now... Mom probably already signed for the pre-order, right...? I really wanted to play that one..."
"H-hey... this might sound random, but... do you know what the Future Foundation is?"
"Hm? The Future Foundation? What's that...? Is it a game? I've never heard of it. Now I kind of want to try it..."
Nanami... isn't an AI!?