Part 48: Update XLVI

♪ BGM: Wonderful Dead 005 ♫

So, last time, we had a close encounter of the spiritual kind, and now the elevator is unlocked.



But before that, we need to check this place out.



Some more Monokuma kids hiding here...



...and also a collectible.







♪ BGM: DSO_Beautiful Dead ♫

Be of use? For what?
For proposing to Master, obviously! Once we're out of here, we'll make a vow right away!
Ah, you can't do that, Toko!
Can't? What do you mean I "can't"? Are you saying that Master rejecting me is a forgone conclusion? That I should just give up!?
No! I'm saying that if you keep talking like that, you're totally raising your death flag!
...Huh?
Oh, you don't know? A "death flag"?
Like, imagine in a mystery novel, when a bunch of people are trapped in a mansion... One guy always says something like, "there's no way I'm staying" and runs off alone. Talking like that or making a dumb decision pretty much means they're gonna die. A death flag.
I know what it *is*, I just don't believe in a stupid jinx like that!
Toko, no! That's also a death flag!
What, I can't say that either!?
Characters who don't believe in curses or the power of God *always* get killed off!
Th-That might be true, but...
Jeez, stop raising all those death flags! Now we're really in a pinch!
Jeez... How much do you believe in that stuff?
Since that's the case, we have no choice but to raise a survival flag!
...Huh?
In tear-jerking dramas, surgeries that have a low success rate always miraculously work, right? And in anime, whenever you think the main character is gonna lose, somehow they win! So we have to raise a survival flag! Activate, "Super Low Probability Principle!"
U-Um, okay...? What do we do?
What do we do!? The probability that we're going to defeat the children is a mere one percent!
...
Oh no! There's no way we can win against them! I'm just a normal high school girl and stuff!
...That's pretty much the first thing you told me when we met.
W-Well yeah! I've been trying to raise my survival flag ever since!
...The character who tries too hard dies early, too.

Man, Komaru is *such* a dork, it's amazing. And that's why I love her, amongst other reasons.



♪ BGM: Wonderful Dead 005 ♫

So now, let's take the elevator.



♪ BGM: Let's Play With Monokuma ♫

We find ourselves in a strange area with gated passages and Monokuma kids singing. And what's that over there?



Torn off Monokuma heads and... dentures?



This area really likes throwing Beasts at us. They're not particularly fun to deal with, but not a major problem since they don't attack in numbers, but one at a time.



The way this area works is that you're basically being herded in a specific way with the gates, but there's collectibles to be found by going off the direct path. This area also involves a lot of looking at the mape to make sure I'm not missing anything.



One room we can enter holds another collectible!









♪ BGM: DSO_Beautiful Dead ♫

Something important?
We are...you know, f-friends...right? And friends discuss things like hopes and dreams, right?
Y-Yeah...?
Wh-Why don't you sound sure!? Am I wrong?
Well, there are different forms of friendship, after all...
Anyway, I realize that I don't know your dream. So tell me! What's your embarrassing dream for the future?
Um, well... It's not like outside of this town is peaceful, so it might not really matter what my dream is...
What, are you embarrassed or something?
W-Well a little! Aren't all dreams a little bit embarrassing?
My dream for the future is...greedy. It's embarrassing for me to think that far...
Oh just say it already. I won't laugh.
No... You're definitely gonna laugh.
What?! said I won't, so I won't! So just say it already!
...Promise you won't make fun of me?
Jeez, you're persistent. I promise.
Okay.. I've been thinking about it on and off since middle school... Um... I want to be a manga artist...
Or, I think that like... It might be nice to be one...
I see. That is very "you"...
...
...Wh-Why'd you get quiet?
Y-You're really not going to make fun of me for that!?
Well, you won't change my opinion that manga is trash, but I told you I won't make fun of you. And besides, the desire to *be* something is admirable. I would never make fun of that.
...Toko...
Wh-What? You're creeping me out...
It's nothing, I'm just glad that you're my friend. If I ever draw manga, I want you to be the first one to read it!
I-I can't imagine the day would come that I actually read a manga...
Huh, do you mean...?
Anyway! Manga or novels, none of that is going to get done unless we get out of this town! So let's hurry up and finish this!
Yeah! As long as we're together, everything will turn out right!

Interactions like this are just adorable. They've come so far since they first met.



♪ BGM: Let's Play With Monokuma ♫

Next up, we find another collectible in a dead end in the hallways.



Sock gossip. Also, sock social media, apparently. What the hell.



Another room on this floor we can enter, with some more Monokuma kids.



And another collectible!



♪ Jingle: Skill GET! ♫



Now we've maxed out our batteries in addition to our HP.



♪ BGM: Wonderful Dead 005 ♫

On to the next floor, which is mostly more of the same...



...except this time we run into a Monoku-Man room!



♪ BGM: It's a Monokuma World ♫



Hrm, looks like we're going to have another one of those "find the singing kid" puzzles.



♪ Jingle: Monoku-Man Activate ♫



Yeah, looks like we have t- hang on a second. Is that who I think it is?



♪ BGM: Let's Play With Monokuma ♫



Ah! You two! Please, help me! These perverted bear robots are gonna gang up on me!
...Ignore her.
There's no way I can do that!
Y-You're too trusting! She's that perverted girl who took away your virginity!
What!? No she didn't!
A Monokuma Kid is somewhere in this room, controlling them! Find that kid and friggin' kill 'em!
...You heard her.
I'm not going to kill them!



Basically, the Beast Monokumas move in a square around Kotoko, stopping at every corner to growl at her, which is our opportunity to move from cover to cover.



With that, it doesn't take long to find the kid - though I did fuck this up once. Also, trust me, the kid is there. Komaru's just blocking it with her big head.



♪ Jingle: Monoku-Man Success ♫

See, the game believes me!



♪ BGM: It's a Monokuma World ♫

With the puzzle done, we're once again free to blast the Beasts into bits. And when we're done...



♪ BGM: It's a Kids' World ♫



...Did I use that proverb right? I almost never say stuff like that, so I'm not sure. But just because you're not used to it doesn't mean you should give up. Like those tentacles...
Hey, why were you getting attacked?
It is highly unfortunate, but it appears I too have been betrayed!
For being so "unfortunate," you sure seem nonchalant about it.
Well, this is an act, too. If I stop acting, it would be bad. I would lose my cool like some miserable wretch... To put this much effort into betraying me... I'm boiling with anger!
You're talking about Monaca, right?



♪ BGM: Like I Would Become A Monster ♫

She was tricking us with all her talk about succeeding the will of Big Sis Junko. She even took advantage of the hope Big Sis Junko gave us... And she made everyone in the Warriors of Hope fight... No, more than that.



I think that was her doing. Masaru and Jataro probably ended up the same way.



She didn't believe in friendship or effort or victory... The Children's Paradise we dreamed of... It was never gonna happen, from the very beginning...
If that's true, then what is she really after?
I'm not sure... But she said something about The Successor to Junko Enoshima or something...
A successor?
She's twisting this whole situation to make a kingdom for herself, not a paradise for all. And as queen of her little kingdom, she probably wants to be the pampered Successor.
She's seriously the worst! She should just... choke on a bowl of poo and die!
Hey Toko... What do you think?
Well, first off, I still don't think we can trust her...
Saying things like "I was betrayed"... She probably just wants us to let our guard down.





If you still don't trust me... I'll let you in on a little secret. ...The whereabouts of that big fat liar, Monaca.
She should be inside The Excalibur, anchored at the rooftop helicopter port.
The Excalibur?
It's that big airship thingy you so courageously jumped out of. It's on top of Towa Hills.
If you know where she is, why don't you go find her yourself?
Well, I was planning to do just that! But that's when I got jumped by these Monokumas.
The device that controls the Monokumas... Is that in this Excalibur thing, too?
I'm guessing that liar poophead Monaca is holding on to it. She's controlling the Monokumas.
Jeez, her stupid "magic"... Getting all carried away with that controller...
You should snatch it from her. Then, you can give it to me for safekeeping.
S-Safekeeping!? You're just as bad as Monaca!
And more importantly, where's the hostage from Future Foundation? This is *crucial*!
You mean that blond guy who looks like he has really pretty nipples?
...Yeah, th-that's him! No doubt about it, Master *has* to have beautiful nipples!

Toko and Kotoko have some underrated chemistry.

The "Master" you're talking about is In the storage room on the top floor of Towa Hills. Buuut... The key to that room is in that liar poophead bitch Monaca's pocket.

You know, I don't think anybody has ever been described as a "poophead bitch". It's kinda like calling somebody a "meanie motherfucker". The two words just don't go together, despite both being insults.

Then all I gotta do is strip that brat down and snag that key!
Yeah, and after she's stripped down, bury her legs and let starving dogs come eat her!
You don't have to go that far... All we have to do is make her give us the key.
Ufufu, you're so kind, miss. But remember, the device that controls the Monokumas... Just leave it to me, you can trust me with it!

♪ BGM: Silence ♫

After all... I don't hate adults anymore. They're not Demons to me, not one bit!





♪ BGM: DSO_Beautiful Dead ♫

She doesn't hate the adults anymore, huh? Don't make me laugh, you aren't *that* good at acting... Maybe we shouldn't have saved someone like her...
Right now, we know where we need to go, so let's get to the roof already!
Before there are more victims... We have to stop the kids and adults from fighting!
...Komaru, your eyes are scary...
...Huh?
I told you before, Master comes first. But if we can save the city while we're at it...
B-But...
Got it?
...Got it.



Alright then, that'll be it for this update. Next time, we'll continue making our way to the top, and see some familiar - and some unfamiliar - locations on the way.