Part 116: Chapter 5 Daily Life, Part 4

: Sorry for asking you to meet with me so late.
: It's okay. I'm used to it.
: ...Indeed.



: Well then, let me get straight to the point.
: It's something you can't talk about in front of the surveillance cameras, right? So does that mean...? Does this have something to do with whatever it is you stole from Monokuma?
: ...
: Monokuma told us earlier that someone had stolen something from him. Was it you...?
: ...That's right.
: So I was right... But what did you steal?



: I stole this...
: A...key?

But looking at it, I could tell it wasn't just any key. It was shaped like Monokuma. It was probably the only key of its kind on Earth.

: Where did you get this...?



: From the headmaster's room.
: What!? You snuck into the headmaster's room!? But...wasn't it locked?
: The lock was broken.
: What...?
: It was Sakura. She did it for us...
: She did...?



: Remember what she said in her note? "I'm not going to just lay down and die. I *will* fight you..."
: So...Sakura broke into the headmaster's room for us?
: That's right. So that we could uncover whatever secrets might lay hidden within...
: She did that...for us...

She violated the school regulations to help us. She'd already decided to die, so her last act was to defy the rules of this place...

: I noticed the room was open after the class trial was over yesterday. But if I'd just strolled into the room, Monokuma would have noticed right away. Which is why...
: ...I used you as a decoy.
: So you asked me to meet you at the data center in order to...
: Correct. I wanted you to draw Monokuma's attention. I took that opportunity to sneak into the headmaster's room. And as a result, I found this key.
: Wow... Then...what you told me about yesterday--did that come from the headmaster's room, too?



: Mukuro Ikusaba... The sixteenth student, lying hidden somewhere in this school... The one they call the Ultimate Despair... Watch out for her.



: Did you find out about this Mukuro Ikusaba while you were in there?
: I did find a file in the headmaster's room that talked about her, yes. I don't know all the details yet, but...one thing I do know, is that Mukuro Ikusaba is dangerous.
: D-Dangerous...?
: She may very well be the mastermind.
: M-Mastermind!? But didn't Alter Ego say that the headmaster was probably the mastermind?
: No...the headmaster isn't the mastermind, I'm sure of that.
: What...?
: I don't have proof yet, but I have no doubt I'm right.

To make such a strong statement without proof... That's not like Kyoko at all. But...if it isn't the headmaster...does that mean Mukuro Ikusaba really could be the mastermind?



: Anyway, this key is the one big opportunity we've been waiting to get our hands on. Now that we've grasped it, we can't let it go, can we?
: Sure, but I mean...what's this key even unlock?
: I don't know yet. Which is why...





: ...I need you to draw Monokuma's attention again, while I go and find out.
: Wait, so you're planning on sneaking back in again? You can't! That's way too dangerous! And you want me to draw his attention, but we don't actually know there's just one mastermind, right? If there's more than one person watching us...
: But they didn't catch on last night, right?
: Maybe we just got lucky...
: Or maybe the mastermind can't monitor us and control Monokuma at the same time.
: ...Huh?
: Like I said, we didn't get caught last night. But as you said, maybe it was pure luck.
: Which is why we're going to run the experiment one more time. And if we're successful again...
: Then what may have just been a lucky guess will be proven true.

As Kyoko talked, she was calm and collected as ever. I couldn't help but just stand there and listen.



: If it's true that the mastermind can't watch us and control Monokuma at the same time, then there would have to be a period of time where the mastermind is vulnerable. What we need to do is find out for sure it if that's actually true, and if we can exploit it.
: Maybe, but... No matter what the reward, the risk is just too high. When I think what might happen if we fail...
: I don't think you need to worry all that much. After all...



With minimal restrictions, you are free to explore Hope's Peak Academy at your discretion.



: No restrictions have been placed on our efforts to solve the mystery, am I wrong? Even when I took the key, I didn't break any rules as far as I can tell.
: But if the mastermind decides to do something, all the rules in the world won't matter. He could just kill us all without a second thought!
: I see... In that case, even if the plan fails, we'll still be able to prove or disprove that hypothesis.
: What...?
: In a moment of crisis, will the mastermind break their own rules, or adhere to them no matter what?
: In other words, we gain something whether we succeed or not. Now there's no reason not to do it, right?
: B-But--!



♪ Music cuts out. ♪

: If you spend all your time trying to avoid danger, you'll never move forward. We know the danger. But if that risk means solving the mystery, we have no choice.
: Am I wrong?





At that moment, I finally realized...I had never seen the slightest hint of dear or despair in Kyoko's eyes. Her gaze was firmly fixed on the mystery ahead, the enemy standing before us. And with that in view...she just smiled.

: I can't change how I feel, and wouldn't if I could.

Then Kyoko took something from her coat pocket and held it out to me.



: Huh? What's this?
: Consider it a symbol of my determination. Don't open it yet. Only open it...if something ever happens to me.
: I-If something happens!?



: I'm not planning on dying. But there's always a chance of it, and a death without meaning is...unappealing.
: Please, I want you to hold on to it for me.
: Fine. I'll hold on to it, just because you asked me to. But I'm gonna give it back at some point, you can be sure of that!
: Yes...of course.
: Oh, and one more thing. You can't tell anyone else about what I've discovered.
: Sure, because then there's a chance the mastermind might find out, right?
: Well...there's that, too.
: Huh...? You mean...there's something else?
: It's nothing. Forget I said anything.

I-I can't just forget that easily...



: Okay then, shall we begin?
: I'm counting on you, Makoto.
: I just have to get Monokuma's attention, right? Well, I'll give it my best shot...
: I'm going on ahead. The rest is up to you... *leaves*



Her curt goodbye was no different from any other time. And like every other time, she moved at a brisk pace as she left. What *wasn't* like every other time was the sudden knot I felt in my stomach as I watched her walk away.

: No...everything's gonna be fine, I know it...! Because it's Kyoko...

Talking to myself helped shake off some of my anxiety...and then I got to work.

♪ Music fades out. ♪



Okay...! Let's do this!

: Hey, Monokuma! You can see me, right!? Get out here! I've got a bone to pick with you!

Then, a few moments later...





: Well, well, this is a surprise! You being the one to call me out...
: Hey, by the way!
: H-Huh?



: What were you and Kyoko up to? Going to the bathhouse? Just the two of you? In the middle of the night? Definitely a hot and steamy moment, wouldn't you say!? So warm and wet, so wet and warm... I bet you guys--[REMOVED TO CONFORM WITH LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL CENSORSHIP LAWS]--all over her, didn't you!?
: ...
: Not gonna talk, huh? Sure, I get it... Well, whatever. Unlike you, I have absolutely no interest in late-night bath scenes.
: Because I like to maintain a healthy life of observation, far away from X-rated X-ploits!
: Oh, so is that why there's no surveillance cameras in the bathhouse?
: Bull's-eye!
: Or is it maybe cuz the lens gets all fogged up, and you can't see anything anyway?
: ...
: Sounds like *that's* the bull's-eye to me...



: Anyway! You went to all that trouble to get me out here, now whaddya want!?
: Oh, well...umm... There's just something I wanted to confirm with you.
: Whether I'm a mademoiselle or a dudefella?
: But in the bear kingdom, there IS no male or female!
: Um...actually, there is...
: Seriously!?



: Th-Then...what am I? My entire existence...
: That's enough! I'll get stuck if I think about it too much. So what did you really wanna ask me?
: Oh, well...you told us earlier that your precious had been stolen. What's this "precious" of yours?
: ...



: Listen...I'm sure this is a silly question, no way it's possible and all, but...is that seriously what you dragged me out here to ask me?
: ...
: You gotta be kiddin' me! You gotta be 100-megaton freakin' KIDDING me! You're not gonna ask something useful, like how to get the best honey, or ursine breeding tips?
: ...
: This is just crazy... Are all pubescent teen boys as nutty as you!?



: God, you're so annoying! Fine, I'll tell you! It was a key and ******! That's it!
: What was that second thing...?
: It's a blank, stupid! A secret! Fill it in yourself! Making me trudge all the way out here for that... I'd like to see what's going on in that brain of yours!
: And the next time you summon me for something so stupid, I'll open up your skull and find out! *leaves*
: I think this is probably one of my favorite Monokuma conversations in the whole game.



Dropping more than a few swear words, Monokuma stormed off.

: Whew...

I hope I kept him distracted long enough... Now all I can do is wait and hope Kyoko makes it out okay. No, she'll be fine. It's Kyoko, after all.



I went back to my room and laid down, doing my best to settle my nerves and get back to sleep.







: Monokuma Theater, brought to you by Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.



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: Hmm? This super stylish, super fashionable game was canceled during development? But it'll start back up again if Danganronpa sells well? Then you guys have to recommend it to your friends too!