"Tsumugi Shirogane was found in the library. The only possible cause of death was the shot put ball found lying next to her. So we can assume that that was her cause of death."

"We've determined the only possible killers are Tachibana-chan, Saihara-chan, and Akamatsu-chan."

"I couldn't have done it. Even if I left the dining room around the time of the murder, it wasn't enough time for me to go all the way down to the library and then back up within five minutes. And don't use my last name."

"Fine then. So our only remaining suspects are Saihara-chan and Akamatsu-chan, since Tachibana-chan has provided us with a perfect alibi!"

"Please don't use my last name."

"So, Akamatsu-chan and Saihara-chan, it's up to the two of you to prove your innocence in the murder of Tsumugi-"

"I did it!"

The whole courtroom froze.

"I did it. It was me."

All eyes focussed on them.

"I killed Tsumugi Shirogane. Saihara-kun can prove it. Can't you?"

"A-Akamatsu-san…"

"C'mon Saihara-kun. Uncover the truth. You are a detective after all."

"….A-Akamatsu-san did it…"

And now, Kaede Akamatsu is dead.

Following in the footsteps of her victim, Tsumugi Shirogane. Kaede Akamatsu died.

At least it wasn't me.

"Oi, Ryoko, pass me the wrench, would ya?"

"Sure."

I grab the wrench and toss it to the girl in the tight pink dress across the room. She raises a hand in an attempt to catch it but instead it smacks her in the side of the head, triggering laughter from both me and the robot lying on the table in front of her.

"AHHH h-hey! That was pretty unfair Ryoko!"

"S-Sorry Iruma. Didn't mean to."

She pouts before bending down and picking up the wrench. I almost consider it purposeful that she bends down right in front of my eyes and in such a manner that her chest is right near the robot's eyes. She flips her hair back and resumes her work on the robot in front of her as I resume mine on the laptop I found in my dorm room when we first arrived.

"Oh, Ryoko-san, we never asked why you don't want us to call you by your last name." The robot states out of complete nowhere.

"Don't wanna say."

I'm only hanging out with the idiots because our talents mesh well. I don't have to tell them anything.

"Aww c'mon Ryo. Ya ain't got much to ya, but ya seem to have yer fair share've secrets."

"So what if I do?"

"Ya can trust us. Techies gotta stick together."

"Hm. Sure. Can you let me work now?"

"Aww c'mon Ryo, tell us!"

"No."

And suddenly she's on top of me. Her chest pressed against mine as she's clearly attempting to 'seduce me' into telling her the truth. This is when I regret telling them that I like both girls and guys.

"C'mooooonnnnnn Ryoko pleaseeeee?" She puts on the most whiny voice imaginable as she wraps her arms around my torso. I can see the robot covering his eyes the coward.

"Don't wanna."

"Pleaaaaasseeeeeee for meeeeeee?" She continues whining and begging and I'm seriously considering hitting her.

"Why do you even wanna know?" I shoot her a glare in a futile attempt to cover the blushing I know is present on my cheeks.

"Cause you're so important to me Ryookoooooo c'mon~ Don't you trust me~?"

No. "Of course I do."

"Then you can tell me everything about yourself~!"

No I can't. "…fine. Just this once. Now get off."

"Awww Ryoko, ya know ya love it when I'm-"

"OFF NOW PLEASE" I shove my hand into her face and push her away from me.

"Ahhhh h-hey… meanie…"

"Haha Iruma." I mock and sit back up, trying to regain my composure. "I just don't like how my last name sounds, so I don't want anyone to call me that." I lie through my teeth. But they seem to buy it.

"Gotcha. Wasn't gonna call ya that anyways. Yer just too damn cute for yer last name Ryo~"

"I will call you as you please." The robot smiles at me softly.

"Yeah. Thanks."

I lie down on the couch and pull the laptop up onto my knees. Refocusing on my open program. The robot's program. Examining for bugs and/or clues to our current situation.

"Alrighty Kiibo, yer all done!" The girl in the tight pink dress states, backing away from the robot on the table and smiling down at him.

"Thank you Iruma-san!" The robot replies cheerfully and stands from the table before making his way over to me. "Find anything Ryoko-san?"

"Not yet, no." I reply, glancing at him then immediately back to my computer. "Should be done soon though. Maybe another few hours."

"Thank you Ryoko-san!" He smiles at me and I give a small smile back before returning attention to the computer screen.

My name is Ryoko Tachibana.

I don't know who I am.

Well, I guess I just told you who I am. But you know what I mean.

I woke up in the cafeteria of this massive school, not knowing where the hell I was or what was going on. I woke up wearing a tank top, sweatpants, sandals, and green-framed glasses. I woke up remembering my name and my talent as the Ultimate Hacker.

And then I found my dorm room, on the wrong side of the dorm. It was on the side of the dorm where all the guys' rooms were. And there was one more girl than there were guys. Which seemed weird to me, but there's nothing I can do about that.

And in my room I found a tablet, sitting on my bed. And when I opened it, it said the same as the monopad Monokuma gave me, and a note that said to keep that one a secret or it could get me killed. So I kept it a secret.

And now two people are dead.

And all I can think is that I'm glad it wasn't me.

I look at Iruma and Kiibo, who are legitimately happy that I'm still alive and want to spend time with me, and think about how staying close with them will help keep me alive.

All I can think about is green. A faded green that feels comforting and familiar and like I know it. Green and blue and cameras and how wrong everything feels.

I have thoughts. Moments. Flashes. Where everything feels right. Where I feel like I belong here. Where I feel like this is my normal life.

And then I think why me?

But I never come to an answer.

"Ryoko, ya good? Ya seem out of it." Iruma sticks her face right into mine.

"I'm fine Iruma." I move my face away from hers but she decides the best course to action is to follow me.

"Ya don't seem fine. What? Sad about my killer figure?"

"No I'm not sad because my figure isn't as 'good' as yours." I shoot back sarcastically.

"Iruma-san… Ryoko-san… we should go to the magic show. It's starting soon."

"Yah but do we gotta go see that boring-ass bullshit? I ain't got no interest in that flat-chested magician's cheap-ass tricks."

I sigh and close the computer, standing and walking over to Kiibo.

"It'll be fun. Let's go have fun together."

"Ah, thank you Ryoko-san!" The robot gives me the most elated-looking expression. I feel a small blush light up my cheeks and I look away from him.

"N-No problem…"

The inventor pouts and comes over to us.

"Fine. Only cause you two idiots wanna go."

"Thank you Iruma-san!" The robot smiles brightly as he steps out of the lab, the inventor and I follow after him.

We arrive behind everyone else. Except for Ryoma Hoshi, who never shows up before Angie Yonaga and Himiko Yumeno decide to start their show.

The piranhas drop into Yumeno's tank.

Gokuhara shouts that he has to help her and runs towards the tank.

Everyone's screaming.

The curtain opens.

Hoshi is there.

In the tank.

With the piranhas.

Someone screams his name.

Then the piranhas attack.

Then he's nothing but a skeleton.

"Open the tank!"

"Gonta-chan! Throw Kiiboy! Use that robot like a battering ram!"

"Wait a minute!"

Chabashira and Gokuhara throw Kiibo at the tank and I want to scream at them to stop treating Kiibo like an object.

Hoshi is just a skeleton now. Lying on the ground, dripping water and covered in pink blood.

And I'm just glad it wasn't me.

"The black gloves found in the pool mean that the only possible culprit is Kirumi Tojo."

"Ehhh? Tojo-san did it? But she did so much for us!"

Shut up Chabashira.

Of course Tojo is voted as the blackened. Because she is the blackened.

She runs. She screams and cries that she REFUSES TO DIE IN A HELL HOLE LIKE THIS.

My hands fly to my ears and my eyes squeeze shut, drowning out her screams of defiance and agony as she's tortured to her death and refusing to look anyone else in the eyes.

I feel a pair of cold hands rest on my shoulders.

"Ryoko-san?" It's Kiibo.

"…we're all gonna die…" I mutter.

"Huh?"

"…we're all gonna die… just like Tojo… even if we try to escape… there's no way out there's no way out there's no way out there's no way out there's NO WAY OUT HAHAHAHAHAHA"

"R-Ryoko-san? Are you alright?"

"I don't wanna die in here I don't wanna die in here I don't wanna die in here I have to get home I want to live hahahahaha I'm gonna live I'm gonna live I'm gonna live hahahahahahaha."

He doesn't say anything for a minute, and I hear someone else walk over. Another pair of hands rest on top of Kiibo's.

"Oi, Ryo. Ya good?"

"…fine."

"Ya really don't seem good."

"…I'm fine." SHUT UP RYOKO SHUT UP

"Ya sure? Ya can tell us y'know."

"I said I'm fine Iruma."

The inventor flinches away from me and devolves into a sniveling mess.

"R-Ryoko-san, you are obviously n-not fine…" Kiibo keeps his cool. SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP

go away go away go away go AWAY SHIROGANE

…Shirogane…?

No. Can't be the same Shirogane.

Tsumugi Shirogane is dead.

That's that.

"I'm fine Kiibo."

"….allow me to escort you to your room."

"…fine."

Everyone stares at us as Kiibo takes my arm and leads me out of the trial room, Iruma trails behind us and I'm okay with that. I should probably apologize for yelling at her.

Kiibo walks me into my room, and Iruma follows, closing the door behind her.

"…you two want to stay don't you?" I mutter.

Both nod.

"…fine. Just don't touch anything."

Iruma immediately belly-flops onto my bed. Luckily the damn thing is massive enough for three teenagers as long as one is skinny as a beanpole (me).

I sit on the edge of the bed and Kiibo sits beside me.

"Ryoko-san, if you want to talk to someone, I am here for you."

"Don't forget about meeeeeeeee!" Iruma wraps her arms around my waist and presses the side of her face against my back.

"…thanks."

Iruma passes out minutes later.

Kiibo goes to get his charger as I try to disconnect the inventor from my torso.

I dream.

I dream about Hoshi and Tojo.

About how two more people are dead.

And I'm just glad it wasn't me.

"C'mooooonnnnn Ryoko pleaaaassssseeeeee?" The inventor whines as she always does.

"No." I look to the robot for help, but he's just standing off in the corner, laughing to himself at me with the inventor crawling on top of me.

"C'mooonnnn Ryo for meeeee?"

"That makes me want to give it to you less."

Then her face is right in mine and her eyes go big and pouty and she's just being whiny and annoying.

"C'mon Ryo! I wanna see Kiibo's code!"

"I don't trust you with it. It's too important."

"Awww…" She starts to climb off and I begin bringing the laptop back down to open it again when suddenly she's on top of me again. Her lips are pressed against mine and her tongue is trying to find its way between my lips. And then the laptop is gone from my hands and in hers and I'm seriously considering murdering her because goddammit I did not want to kiss Miu Iruma and I sure as hell did not want to enjoy it.

She pulls away and I can hear the robot react in shock as she grins at me.

"How was that Ryo~? Convincing argument~?"

"Kiibo, if you find Iruma dead tomorrow, you know who killed her." I almost growl at the pink-clad inventor as she skips over to one of the desks and opens up the laptop. "And if you change a single thing about that program then you and the robot will suffer."

"C'mon Ryo! I just wanna look at it!" She whines as I stand up and grab a lock of her hair, yanking her backwards with it and reclaiming the laptop. "EEK THAT HURTS RYOKO CUT IT OUT!"

"Give me back my laptop." I reach forward and scoop the computer up from the desk before letting go of her hair.

"Why're you so protective of that fuckin' thing anyways? It's just a shitty old laptop."

"Cause it's MY shitty old laptop. And I kind of need it." I glare at her as I let go of her hair.

"Awww c'mon Ryo! Y'know ya loved it!"

"I, in fact, did not love it." I growl.

"Aww don't lie to me~! Your blushing face is so cute too!"

"Shut UP Iruma." say pointedly and drop back down onto the couch and attempt to resume the work I was doing.

"Y'know Ryoko, yer not a very good kisser."

"Hm."

"Maybe I should teach ya~"

"Hm."

"That way ya and Kiibs can kiss way better than that."

I almost choke on air and the robot does the same even though the damn idiot doesn't even breathe.

"What the HELL Iruma?"

"Aww c'mon~ Ya think I wouldn't notice you two blushin' and givin' each other those sly little looks~?"

"I do not understand." The robot tilts his head slightly.

I can practically feel my cheeks growing redder as I silently plot the inventor's demise in my head.

"I mean you two totes have the hots for each other!"

"Shut UP Iruma." I growl.

"'The hots?'"

"It means ya like each other ya damned idiot."

Then the robot blushes, because that's somehow possible.

"Just think about it why don't ya?"

Yonaga starts a cult. And Kiibo joins.

It's a lot less lively in the Ultimate Inventor Lab when the robot is missing.

Yonaga told Kiibo he wasn't supposed to hang around us anymore.

Iruma just works on her new inventions, while I continue scanning my computer for anything. There's not much else I can do.

Iruma and I don't talk. Except for her occasional lewd remark.

And I miss talking to her.

And I miss Kiibo.

I'm almost relieved when I hear the body discovery announcement and discover Yonaga's body, lying on the floor of her art lab.

I'm relieved it's not Kiibo.

Iruma was with me at the time.

I think she was relieved too.

While us sane people decide to investigate Yonaga's death, Saihara, Oma, Shinguuji, Yumeno, and Chabashira are off performing some stupid seance to 'talk to Yonaga's ghost' because that's possible. Kiibo wanted to get involved too, but Iruma and I kept a firm grip this time.

I kept a grip on his hand.

He never removed mine.

Then, just a few minutes after Yonaga's body is found, Chabashira turns up dead too.

I tighten my grip on his hand.

Yumeno cries.

And I'm just glad it wasn't me.

Or him.

"The only one who could have killed the both of them is Korekiyo Shinguuji. We can prove this from the bloodstain found under the floor and the way Shinguuji-kun drew the seance circle different from how it's described in the book."

Singuuji argues back for a while, but it's pointless. He's the killer. And we all know it. Even if I didn't care for Chabashira and Yonaga, I don't want their killer to get away with it.

Shinguuji is voted as the blackened. Because he is the blackened.

He's more composed than Tojo was. He explains his motives, his creepy behavior, and even why he killed who he did, and shows us his 'sister.'

And then he's carted off by Monokuma to be executed.

Kiibo and Iruma stay in my room again.

Kiibo stays awake all night.

I can tell, because I don't sleep either.

I have weird thoughts that night.

I think about a killing game. A different one. With different faces. I think about a small slacker who was strangled by a tutor. I think about a kind journalist. Who was electrocuted by a scaredy-cat collector. I think about an energetic singer and a kind-hearted linguist, who were killed by a stuck-up blogger. And a sweet little bookworm, who was poisoned by a chemist. And a pair of anime-loving twins, who killed each other to escape. And a happy-go-lucky backpacker, murdered by a soft-spoken mathematician. And a girl obsessed with logic, who lived. And a small and meek hacker girl, who got to live alongside her.

And a lucky student.

My lucky student.

Who left me.

And then I open my eyes and realize that I had been dreaming.

And Kiibo is quietly sitting beside me on the bed.

And I was leaning on him.

"Ah, good morning Ryoko-san!" He smiled at me when he sees my eyes open.

"G-Good morning…"

He's really close to me.

"How did you sleep?"

"F-Fine…"

Was he always this familiar looking?

"That's good. I'm glad." He smiles at me.

I feel my face warm up.

Was he always this warm?

Did I always want to be this close to him?

He glances over at me, turning his head slightly.

"Ryoko-san? Are you alright?"

"Mhm. Why?"

"You haven't moved."

My blush deepens.

"…I-I don't want to."

"…I see."

He's blushing too.

How is he so damn cute when he blushes?

"…K-Kiibo…?"

"Yes Ryoko-san?"

"I… I th-think I like you…" I whisper.

"…W-What kind of like..?"

"…D-Did the professor teach you anything about r-romance…?"

"A little. He said it's something humans feel when they're with s-someone they… l-l-love…" He stutters out the last word and looks away.

"Y-Yeah… that's what I meant…"

"…oh."

He's going to reject me. He's going to push me off of him and tell me he hates me. That I don't deserve this. That I don't deserve love. I don't deserve to love someone and I sure as hell don't deserve for them to love me back I should just-

"I… th-think I l-like you too…"

Everything freezes.

He… he just said that, right?

I'm not still dreaming, right?

"…w-wait, really? Y-You're… Y-You're not messing with me…?"

"Of course not… w-why w-would I b-be?" His cheeks are completely red now and I'm starting to worry that he's going to overheat.

"K-Kiibo c-careful..! Y-You'll overheat…"

"S-Sorry R-Ryoko-san… I'm j-just… r-really happy and I don't know why!" His face fills with the biggest smile I've seen on him. "...d-do you m-mind… if I h-hug you?"

"I-I don't mind…"

He wraps his other arm around me and holds me tightly.

I lean into the hug and smile up at him.

And then he stands up, scooping me up in his arms as he does.

Was he always strong enough to do that?

"Y-You're r-really light R-Ryoko-san…"

"…s-sorry… I d-don't eat… e-enough…"

He just smiles at me.

"You have to take care of yourself! I'll help you!"

"…th-thank you…" I smile up at him.

"Of course!"

I cover my face with my hands to hide the blush coating my cheeks. He smiles at me and it makes my chest and heart flutter.

Three more people are dead.

And I'm so glad it wasn't me.

Iruma asks me to help her design a virtual world.

One without killing, one where the nine of us remaining can just live in peace until we figure out a new way to escape.

She says she's got most of it figured out, and she just wants me to help her put the finishing touches on the program.

I agree.

Which of course is followed by her endless teasing about me and Kiibo.

And me blushing and telling her to SHUT UP IRUMA.

The virtual world is finished really quickly, and Iruma, Oma, and I convince everyone to step inside.

We all leave again after Kiibo and I find Iruma's avatar unresponsive in the middle of the game world.

Then I regret everything I've ever done to Iruma.

I never apologized for yelling at her. I never told her how much I cared about her. I never told her she was an important friend to me. I never told her that I was happy she was alive. I never told my good friend who did so much for me that I wanted to pay her back for everything.

And now.

Now she's dead in front of me. Eyes rolled back in her head and face contorted in pain.

My hand grips Kiibo's tightly as he mutters that he wishes Iruma had given him a crying function.

My eyes begin leaking tears of their own.

Kiibo mutters some words of comfort, but it's hard to believe the words of comfort others give you when they're the closest they can physically be to crying.

I want the person who did this to pay.

I want them to suffer for killing my friend.

I want them to die.

And yet,

I'm still glad it wasn't me.

"Miu Iruma's killer, is GONTA GOKUHARA! This is the truth you all ADORE SO MUCH!"

I want Oma to die.

I want Oma to die for killing Iruma.

No matter what he spouts, what he claims, it was him. He was the killer. Even if Gokuhara did the deed, held the toilet paper that was used to strangle Iruma, strangle my friend, Oma did it. Oma convinced him he was doing the right thing no matter what he says he's the killer and he should die for what he did.

Die die die Kokichi Oma. DIE.

"Ryoko-san..?" Kiibo's voice snaps me out of my trance.

"…fine."

"I didn't ask you anything."

"I'm fine." I repeat, looking him dead in the eyes. He finches slightly and I think the look in my eyes is what scared him. I probably look downright murderous. Because that's how I feel.

"Ryoko-san, don't do anything rash."

"I won't." I state bluntly and return focus to the voting panel.

I vote for Oma.

When the votes are announced on the board, Oma has two votes, and Gokuhara has seven.

Gokuhara is voted as the blackened.

Because he is the blackened.

But he shouldn't be.

Gokuhara doesn't even fight back, and I can't bring myself to watch the execution. Even if I didn't care for Gokuhara, he doesn't deserve this.

But Oma does.

I want Oma to die. I want him to die I want him to die I want him to die I want to kill him myself for this.

I want Monokuma to crush him. Crush him and kill him in the most painful way imaginable. Make him see the most bitter and painful despair-

Despair??

WhY DesPaiR?

Shut up Ryoko.

Shut up Shirogane.

SHUT UP RYOKO TACHIBANA THIS IS MINE NOW

SHUT UP TSUMUGI SHIROGANE YOU CAN'T HAVE IT

"TSUMUGI SHIROGANE IS DEAD"

It takes a minute of silence from everyone in the room around me to realize that I've shouted that out loud, for all of them to hear.

Kiibo gives me a look of complete and utter confusion. But I avoid his gaze.

He grips my hand and squeezes it in a way clearly meant to be comforting but it's not.

It's not because it feels like my head is squeezing itself. It feels like my head is trying to fight someone off on its own but I have no idea who or what and I can't even control my own thoughts and it's terrifying.

I'm scared I'm scared I'm scared I'm scared

I'm not scared anymore.

LET ME OUT

SHUT UP

I scream

Kiibo wraps his arms around me and I continue to scream.

I don't know what the others are doing and I don't care, all I can do right now is scream.

I can faintly feel Kiibo lifting me up, hear him say something to the others, feel him carrying me out of the trial room as the shrill sound continues to leave my mouth. Once we've left the trial room I can hear him muttering words of comfort. Rubbing my shoulder softly. Trying to reassure me. He asks me to stop screeching. Gently and quietly he asks me to stop screeching. And I do. My throat hurts.

He takes me back to my room and he sets me down on the bed and sits next to me.

"Ryoko-san. Please tell me what's going on." He says somewhat sternly.

"…I'm fine…"

"Please stop lying to me. It is plainly obvious that you are not fine. If you were fine you would not have declared Shirogane-san's death almost two weeks after we confirmed that ourselves."

Two weeks?

Has it really only been two weeks?

"Ryoko-san. If you don't tell me what's wrong I cannot help you."

"I don't think you can help me… even if I do tell you."

"I can try."

"…just… weird thoughts… I think… I've just had trouble coping with what's going on… I keep seeing Shirogane in my head… whenever I close my eyes…"

"Were you and Shirogane-san close before she died?"

"…not really… I talked to her a few times…"

"Maybe you really wanted to be friends with her, or had some deep attachment to her that you just hadn't fully realized yet? And therefore you're hung up on her death and can't move on?"

"...that could be it… it's just been scaring me…"

He smiles softly.

"I will keep you safe. Put your faith in me and it will be alright!" He places a fist over where his heart would be and his hair spikes up, as if brimming with confidence.

I give him a small smile. "…thank you Kiibo."

"Of course!"

He stays with me that night.

And I dream of the cameras and the soft dull comforting green and the blue and how wro-

right.

How right everything feels here.

Oma reveals himself as the mastermind.

But he isn't the mastermind.

He isn't the mastermind and it makes me so angry that he's lying about it.

Die Kokichi Oma. Die for your lies.

Die, choke on your blood and die.

Feel the painful despair of the most brutal death imaginable.

Die die die Kokichi Oma.

This world is not yours.

There's a body in the hydraulic press.

There's pink everywhere and there's a body between the metal plates of the press and I feel like I'm going to throw up because the sleeve poking out is a pale purple and that means that the body inside is Momota and that Oma is still alive.

The killing game was supposed to be over it was supposed to be over Gokuhara was supposed to be the last death it wasn't supposed to continue like this why why why why did Oma have to kill Momota.

I wanted it to be over I didn't want to have to do this anymore I want it to be over I just want all of this to keep going.

I want the killing game to keep going until there's only two people left.

And in the end, I'm just glad it isn't me or Kiibo crushed between those metal plates.

Momota was the one still alive.

They tricked us all.

Momota lived and Oma died and I don't even know what to feel except sad because Momota revealing himself means that he's going to die too.

Monokuma has a laugh about their trick failing. Harukawa and Saihara say their goodbyes to Momota, and I hold onto Kiibo's hand tighter than ever.

And then Momota dies, he dies like all the others did.

But he doesn't die from Monokuma's execution.

He dies before the execution can kill him. He dies of his illness.

And something about that, that last stand he takes against Monokuma makes me hap- FURIOUS IT MAKES ME FURIOUS HOW DARE THAT DAMNED ASTRONAUT SPIT IN MONOKUMA'S FACE THAT WAY THAT'S NOT HOW IT WAS SUPPOSED TO GO

Kiibo protects the five of us remaining from the rocket. He's hurt in the process.

He's different now.

It's a subtle kind of difference. But he voices it to me multiple times.

His 'inner voice' is gone. He doesn't have guidance anymore.

He says he almost feels less human. Just almost. Because he says he's trying to stay as human as possible. He tells me he wants to keep his humanity.

He tells me he loves me.

He tells me he's sorry for worrying me.

I tell him I love him too.

I tell him I'm not worried.

I tell him it's okay.

And I'm just glad that the both of us are still alive.

I found my talent lab.

I found it a while ago.

I found my video a while ago.

I found it before Iruma died.

I watched it before Iruma died.

But I don't want to believe it.

They found it now too.

They watched my video.

I don't know what to do when they start asking me questions. So I just do my best to answer their questions. And I tell them I don't remember a lot of the answers.

Kiibo isn't there to hold my hand.

The school explodes.

We're outside, and Saihara has to talk Kiibo and Monokuma and his cubs down. Another trial. He wants another trial.

I don't want another trial.

That's probably why he didn't tell us before hand.

The monokubs take Kiibo's weapons and send him back to us.

I'm just relieved he's okay.

"Ryoko-san."

"Yeah?"

"It's you. Isn't it?"

"What?"

"You're the mastermind."

My mind goes blank.

I feel cold.

I feel really cold.

He's wrong he's wrong, Saihara is wrong, he's got that wro-

right.

I chuckle. I chuckle and laugh and scream with the most ridiculous laughter that's ever been heard. And all of them stare in shock as I cling to my face and scream with laughter.

I win I win I win I win HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA Wow wow wow wow Shuichi~! Never thought you'd get that right~!" I turn to face Monokuma and hold out my hand. He throws something right into my hand and I catch it, pointing it towards the ceiling I pull the trigger. "Look whose got the power~ One wrong step and I can just kill you all~!"

"R-Ryoko-san?" The robot calls out and I look to him. My eyes wild with glee and despair. Ah the lovely despair in all of their faces that's why I'm doing this. All for the despair.

"Of course Kiibo~ Who did you think it was~! I am the Ultimate Mastermind after all!"

"U-Ultimate Mastermind?" That damn stupid robot still doesn't understand.

"Aww poor Kiibo can't see the truth! Good thing you've got Shuichi then~! I, Ryoko Tachibana, am not the Ultimate Hacker. That was merely a cover for my true talent of Ultimate Mastermind! And all of you lost!" I cackle and raise the gun to point at Shuichi's forehead.

"Saihara!" Maki shouts as she prepares to step form her podium.

"Ah ah ah, sorry Harumaki, you take one step and the detective gets a bullet in his brain." I cock the gun. "It'll make your choice later so much easier. Aw, c'mon Harumaki, take the step! Lemme shoot him!" She stays put after that. "Appreciate it Harumaki, we still need this guy up and yapping for later~!"

The robot makes his teary face. Same one he made when Miu died and by god if he isn't just the absolute cutest~!

"H-How? R-Ryoko how could y-you do this!?" He shouts.

"Hm? Simple~ It's because-"

Because…

Because…

Because…

"Because I want to live!" I manage to shout over all the white noise in my head. "I want to live! I want to live! I WANT TO LIVE I HAVE TO GET HOME I HAVE TO GET HOME I HAVE TO GET BACK I HAVE TO LIVE LET ME OUT OF HERE MONOKUMA LET ME OUT!" My hands fly to my head and there's just pounding. Pounding and pounding and pounding and pounding. Like something's trying to get out and it can't get past my skull.

I can faintly hear all of them shouting my name in relative confusion as I lean on the podium, the pounding in my head refuses to cease.

"GET OUT! GET OUT OF MY HEAD GET OUT!" I shriek, shaking my head back and forth violently.

I can't hear the others screaming over the screaming in my head.

"GET OUT SHIROGANE GET OUT"

"Shirogane?"

"GET OUT OF MY HEAD SHIROGANE YOU CAN'T MAKE ME DO THIS" I SCREAM AT THE TOP OF MY LUNGS.

"R-Ryoko-san, what is going on?" I think it's Saihara. I think it's Kiibo. I think it's Harukawa. I think it's Yumeno. I think it's Shirogane.

' a

u

My name is Junko Enoshima.

I am despair.

And I have won.

I have won.

I have won.

I have won.

"NO I'M NOT THE MASTERMIND!" I scream so loud that everyone in the courtroom takes a step back. My head is still racing at a mile a second and it hurts every moment to breathe and breathe and breathe and keep myself alive it all hurts so much but I bear it and stay on my feet and look Shuichi Saihara in the eyes and I tell him over and over that I am not the mastermind. I did not kill Tsumugi Shirogane.

Because Tsumugi Shirogane killed herself.

Because Tsumugi Shirogane was the mastermind.

"BECAUSE IT'S ALL A LIE!"

"A lie?"

"IT'S ALL A LIE! THE GOPHER PLAN, HOPE'S PEAK, ALL OUR PERSONALITIES AND EMOTIONS ARE ALL LIES!"

I scream and scream and scream my explanation. It's all fake it's all fake it's all a lie-

NO IT'S NOT

DON'T RUIN THIS TACHIBANA

GET OUT OF MY HEAD SHIROGANE

"It's not a lie! Of course it's true! We are the last survivors of humanity! And I am the leader of the Remnants of Despair!"

"No that's wrong!" It's Kiibo's voice. It's Kiibo's voice and he looks like he'd be crying if he could. "The Ryoko-san that I knew would never do this! She isn't the mastermind and neither are you!"

The pounding doesn't stop.

She's trying to get out.

This is right.

I belong here.

I'm happy here.

This is-

BANG

Pain.

Pain in my stomach.

My hands are over it, the weapon dropping from my hand.

"RYOKO!" I hear Kiibo shout as he runs from his podium and over to me. He catches me as I let myself fall backwards into his arms.

I look at at him through hazy vision and I can feel his metal hands pressing against my wet, sticky, pink-turning stomach, shouting at me and looking like he's going to cry. He wants to know why I did it, it's the first time I've heard him swear.

I'll live. I'll live.

I'll live. Because I refuse to die.

My head is finally clear and the white noise is finally gone. The pounding has finally stopped.

"Kiibo let me up. I need to explain what's going on."

"You're hurt-"

"Let me up." I state sternly. He blinks in slight surprise before finally nodding and helping me back to my feet. I put my hands over where his were seconds ago, and he goes back to his podium on my request. The bear won't be happy if he stays with me the whole time. "So. It's finally time for us to learn what's going on." I close my eyes. Everything feels so clear now.

"W-What are you talking about?"

"Everything I say from here on is the 100% absolute truth. So listen carefully." I pause and take a deep breath. "We're not real. We were personalities rewritten over other personalities. Our talents aren't real. None of this, except the death itself, was actually real. It's all a gameshow. We're 'stars' on a reality tv murder show." I explain calmly and with deadly seriousness in my voice. "They've been watching us with those security cameras. And… with one other camera." I squeeze my eyes shut for a second before turning my head to Kiibo.

He looks like he's in shock. Like he can't process this. Like he's going to break.

"Kiibo is the camera. He's how the audience watches us."

Silence.

"Wha…"

The green is my friend who I saved by coming here.

The blue is the enemy who tried to live through me.

The cameras are the robot I fell in love with.

And it all feels so wrong.

But the white noise is gone.

"Tsumugi Shirogane was the mastermind. She killed herself, framed Akamatsu, and tried to continue living through me."

"How could she..?"

"Because I was in a killing game before. I'm not the Ultimate Hacker anymore, nor am I the Ultimate Mastermind or whatever she said. I'm the Ultimate Survivor of this killing game." My breathing evens out slightly and I can feel the blood from my stomach starting to slow down. "But I wasn't supposed to be here. Because I didn't choose the other option. Someone else did. So I was let go, along with another friend of mine." I squeeze my eyes shut and I pull on the thread in my mind.

"Then why are you here?"

"It was supposed to be another friend of mine. A good friend of mine. But I didn't want him to come. That's why my room was on the same side as the guys' rooms. And why there was one more girl than guys. Cause I traded places with him. But that meant I had to let Shirogane do whatever she wanted with me for the story. And she decided she wanted me to be her new mastermind. And just to make extra sure we wouldn't figure it out, she offed herself early and framed Akamatsu for it so her killing herself wouldn't raise suspicion. She was a true psycho to the end." I look up at all of them. I'm sure I'm paling. I'm probably getting weaker too. I'll probably collapse or start spitting blood soon. But this is more important.

"W-Why did you shoot yourself?" Kiibo still sounds shaken. Like he's in complete panic mode.

"To get her out of my head. All those thoughts, seeing her every time I closed my eyes, I had rejected the brainwashing to make me into a mastermind like her, and she was trying to correct it on the fly while also being dead. A massive jolt of pain when she had her stronger hold on me helped me focus-" then blood pours from my mouth.

Saihara and Harukawa shout for an intermission in the trial as Kiibo runs over to me and takes me into his arms. He holds me up bridal style, and prepares for the word from Monokuma that he's allowed to take me out of the trial room. The bear agrees to a brief intermission and Kiibo makes a run for it, followed closely by the other three. They run for the warehouse and I'm put on the floor with Kiibo leaning over me and keeping a hand on my stomach while the other three desperately look for medical supplies. Blood continues leaking from my lips while Kiibo mutters words of confidence but I know he doesn't believe them.

He can't cry.

I think that terrifies him.

I think it scares him. I think it makes him feel inhuman that he can't cry when he loses someone he loves.

I put my hands over his hands.

I tell him I'm not going to die.

He says he knows.

Harukawa runs over. She tells me that she knows how to do this as she pulls my white tank-top up and digs a pair of tweezers into my wound to remove the bullet.

I scream. I scream and squeeze Kiibo's hand harder than ever because it fucking HURTS to have a bullet dug out of your stomach. He squeezes back, but his squeeze is gentle and reassuring.

Once the bullet is out, Harukawa sets about wrapping the injury. The floor of the warehouse is not an ideal medical facility but it's better than no medical treatment at all and Kiibo is scolding me for being stupid but I don't care because I couldn't let myself slip away into that monster even if it means a few minutes of the worst pain I remember ever experiencing I can take it. I have to live. So I won't let this defeat me.

Once Harukawa is done wrapping my stomach, Kiibo picks me up again and thanks her for helping me and I mutter out a thank you as well. I lean into him and he squeezes me tightly. He's taking the news that he's a camera remarkably well.

"Ryoko, please never do that again."

"You didn't use an honorific…" I note.

"Sorry…"

"No, it's fine. Just… something I noticed…"

"I'm sorry, I know I yelled, but… you scared me… and after what happened to Iruma-san…"

"Hey… I'm okay… I'm sorry…"

Both of our hands are stained with blood.

And we both know that I'm barely okay at all.

But at least we're both alive.

"I will allow all of you to escape."

"Kiibo-"

"I will destroy the dome. All of you leave through the hole."

"Kiibo..!"

"It is the least I can do for all of you."

"KIIBO!"

"Ryoko." I look at him, hovering a few feet above us, and I reach up towards him. I reach and reach and reach and I still can't reach him. I can't get to him. I can't hold onto him, I can't keep him safe I'm going to lose him I'm going to lose him I'm going to lose him.

He lowers slightly and takes my hand.

"Make sure you hold onto your laptop." He smiles at me and I grip his hand tightly. Tears making their way out of my eyes as I feel Harukawa's hands on my shoulders. She's trying to pull me away from Kiibo she's trying to take me away from him. I DON'T WANT TO BE SEPARATED FROM KIIBO I DON'T WANT TO LIVE IF IT MEANS HE HAS TO DIE!

"I love you Ryoko."

"I love you too Kiibo." Is all I can say clearly through tears and sobs as he gently pulls his hand out of my grip and flies away. Harukawa gently pulls me over to Saihara and Yumeno, and the four of us stay close together, waiting for whatever is going to happen to take place.

Then the explosions start.

Harukawa demands the three of us get down and we obey, the four of us staying huddled on the floor as the building collapses around us.

Then the explosions stop.

And I know he's gone.

I hold my laptop bag tighter.

I wake up in a hospital.

I sit up and wince immediately at massive pain in my stomach. And I see Saihara, Yumeno, and Harukawa all asleep in chairs, Saihara and Yumeno leaning on each other and Harukawa on her own. And a small smile comes to my face before immediately falling off because Kiibo isn't there.

Kiibo isn't there.

I lie back down and stare up at the ceiling and tears come from my eyes cause Kiibo isn't there he isn't there.

I shoot up again, wincing from pain but ignoring it because I need to find my laptop and it's on the table beside the hospital bed and I grab it and hold it to my chest because it reminds me of him. It reminds me of Kiibo and that he loved me.

The nurses come in and try to take the laptop away to check on me, but I refuse to let go of it. It's too important. I need it. I won't let them take him. Not anymore than they already have.

Harukawa and Saihara defend me. Yumeno stays sleeping.

They let me hold onto the laptop.

Saihara, Yumeno, and Harukawa stay in the room.

My dad comes to visit.

It's been almost a week and my dad comes to visit.

He cries.

I cry.

He cries and wraps his arms around me and I cry harder and hug him back because I don't recognize him. I don't recognize my own father. I don't recognize the man who raised me on his own because he tells me that the reason I hate my last name I because my mother left us when I was 10. Because she was a terrible person who wanted more kids while he was happy with just me.

He tells me about my first game. About how terrified he was. How terrified he was that I would be killed. I only went because we needed money and it was the quickest way to get rich and I wanted him to be able to stop working so much. And he cried when I came home and he swore on his life that he would never let anything like that happen to me again even if he had to work himself to death to keep me safe.

He says that I chose to go back, because I thought my friend who was supposed to go had more to live for than me.

I can't answer that.

I don't know how.

It takes another week before my next visitor comes.

I don't recognize him either.

Except his green hair and eyes. The same green I always saw when I closed my eyes.

That's the moment I realize,

this is the person I took the place of.

It's silent for a few minutes. Him just looking over me while I sit in the uncomfortable silence and wonder what to do.

Then he starts yelling at me.

Not loud yelling. More like just scolding me. He's mad at me he says. He's mad at me for taking his place. He says it was a stupid idea ad I shouldn't have done it. He tells me he was scared. He tells me he was scared that I would die. Even if I never did, he was scared.

I tell him I was scared too.

He hugs me, he ruffles my hair like someone would ruffle their little sister's hair and I seem to have a distinct memory of responding with, "I'm older than you." But I don't respond.

He congratulates me on fighting off Shirogane. Then he scolds me for the 'stunt I pulled' during the final trial. He tells me he's sorry for what happened to Kiibo and that he's…

he's grateful to me for taking his place. Because he knows he'd have been stupid enough to get himself killed if he had gone.

I tell him that I'm sorry for going.

He says he forgives me.

After a few weeks in the hospital they let me go home to my dad.

My mom is there too. My mom and her new husband and their two sons and I almost throw up because the last person I want to see on Earth right now is the woman who ditched me and ended up being the reason I had to go into a killing game to begin with.

But I put on a brave face as my two stepbrothers run up to me. They hug me and tell me they're happy I'm alive. That they missed me. I didn't miss them.

My mom cooks for us.

I don't like her food.

I miss Tojo's cooking.

I miss the tea and cake Kiibo would make for me.

I miss Rantaro's cooking from before the game. Before my game and his game. When we were just kids with shitty parents who preferred each other over their families.

I miss Harukawa's cooking.

I even miss the hospital food.

Anything but my mother's cooking.

After a while I just smile at them and tell them I'm tired, and that I'm going to rest. They nod and I walk into what is apparently my room.

It's covered with computers that dad said I added after my first game, since there's no way to erase he affects of the memory alteration, I'll be stuck with my hacking and programming skills forever.

I sigh and drop onto the bed, the one area of the room with absolutely no clutter or anything, and I pull the old laptop from the game out of its bag.

I don't want to open it.

I don't want to look at anything that's on this laptop.

I don't want this ending.

I open the laptop.

"Ryoko-san!"

My eyes widen.

It takes a few seconds

of me staring at the computer screen

before I can process what I'm seeing.

"…K…Kiibo…?"

"Yes it's me!"

Tears enter my eyes and my hands go to my mouth. I hadn't opened the laptop since before Saihara's final trial idea. Kiibo's code was on here. I had been analyzing it. He had asked to see the laptop before the final trial started…

"…y-y… y-you're alive…"

"Alive may be pushing it a bit far, but my AI still exists and is functional yes!"

The tears fall from my eyes as I stare at the sprite on my computer screen. The robot looking at me with a massively bright smile and warm and happy eyes and that's the moment where I realize how much I missed those eyes and that smile and his voice.

I almost forgot what his voice sounded like.

"While I may just be a copy, I feel all the same emotions and have all the same personality traits as the original K1-B0. I was created in the event that the original did not survive, as a back-up of sorts."

"I don't care." I mutter. "I don't care as long as you're alive and you're Kiibo." I mutter, trying to muffle the sobs trying to escape my lips.

"Ryoko-san? Are you alright?"

"Just Ryoko."

"Ah, alright. Ryoko, are you alright?"

"No." I force a smile as more tears pour out of my eyes. "But I will be. Soon enough, I will be."

I do not own Danganronpa V3 by the way, hopefully you enjoyed the story! Please leave a review! Much obliged!