Part 22: Update XX

Alright, now it's time to check out this hidden base.



See? Right here.



Shirokuma goes and flips a switch...



♪ BGM: Secret Base ~Left Behind By The Adults~ ♫

Whoa!
Okay, come on in, you guys!



I never expected there'd be an underground base like this...
It's an old warehouse where they used to store water tanks. The kids don't know about it!
...Um, what's with those trailers?



Ehehe, aren't I strong? I might not look like it, but I'm built the same way as a Monokuma.
"Might not look like it"? You look *exactly* like a Monokuma...
Since you're here, you might as well talk to everyone! You can talk to me after.

And Shirokuma heads out.

You one-sided idiot... It's not like I want to talk to them...
...



So now we get to walk around the secret base. Not a lot going on, but there's a few people to talk to.



O-Of course not! Exactly what part of this voluptuous body is childish!?
Well, if Shirokuma brought you guys, we don't have to worry. We can trust him.
Were you also brought here by Shirokuma?
Yeah, all the people here were. We were all saved by Shirokuma. But hey, sorry to be rude but, I don't really feel like talking. You can chat with someone else.

And off he goes.

Was that guy in a bad mood or something...?
Hmph, he just doesn't understand, acting all aloof. He doesn't know *real* cool. I want Master Byakuya to teach him a lesson...
...Wait, no! I want Master Byakuya to teach *me* a lesson!
...



There's also a collectible!



Well, that's nothing really new. Apparently Towa Group was also looking into who was making the Monokumas while fighting against despair. Let's find some more people to talk to.



Ah, it's pretty bad, don't you think? The kids did it. If Shirokuma hadn't been there to save me, I would have been...
He risked his life? Shirokuma?
Shirokuma saved our lives! If he weren't around, everyone here would be dead by now. You saw his wounds, right? He got those trying to help us all. I can't thank him enough...
Hmph, actually thanking a Monokuma...
Don't do that! Don't lump him in with the other Monokumas!

And off she goes.

Toko... You don't have to be so prickly.
I just said how I feel! Jeez, what kind of world is this?

Toko's not very good at making friends.



Yeah, same here.
Is now really the time for friendly greetings? Stuffed inside this dust-covered hole...
Well, there's nowhere else to go. You guys saw how terrible they are, right? To actually...kill people for *fun*... They're all insane. I hate them. Even if they're kids, if they push me...
You what? You're just sitting around waiting for an opportunity to fight back? Is that it?
No! It'd be reckless to attack now, they have an army of Monokumas. We couldn't win...
Yeah, so just as I thought. You're all talk. I figured.
What's with you guys!? If you're just here to offend people then...goodbye!

And he runs off.

Hmph, just looking at those kinds of people frustrate me. They're just giving up.
But that's...probably because it can't be helped.

Everybody take a shot.

It can't be helped? Why?

And another.

They...know how powerless they are. The only thing they can do...is admit they can't do anything.
And that's why we're all cooped up inside this dust-covered dungeon--
I mean...this place is...really dusty. I... I might just...sneeze...
N-No, don't! Hold it in!
...
I-It's okay. I got it, I got it... That was close!
What a relief...

Let's find somebody else to talk to.





...Yeah. ...
What a rude woman... Not so friendly, is she?
...Well, sorry 'bout that.
Huh? You heard that!?
I have sharp ears. I can even hear things I don't want to hear. It's a pain. If you two plan on staying here, it might be better if you cover your ears as much as possible. ...Because eventually, you'll get sick of it.
Sick of it...?
I can't really get along with the people here...
If you're so unsatisfied with this place, why don't you just leave?
Well, that's a good point. Staying here isn't going to improve the situation any. But what I can accomplish by myself is limited. Since that's the case, I'm better off being here.



Ah, that wristband!
Your wristband's the same too, right? This is my first time meeting an ally.
Are you a target in those brats' game too?
Yeah, how about that...? Of all people, I can't believe I was turned into a toy for those kids.
Um... Are there others like us who have wristbands on them?
Well, I'm not sure about the precise number, but there are plenty. The others are somewhere in this town, probably shuddering in fear. If possible, I want to save them...and bring them here.
Save? You?
No, of course not me personally. But some of the adults here... Listen, everyone other than Shirokuma isn't allowed outside, but they can sneak out.
Actually, sometimes I have adults bring back cigarettes from the outside.
I can't believe they actually listen to you...
It's not hard. I use a woman's special charm. It's especially effective in situations like this. Of course, you girls aren't full adults yet, so you won't be able to really use your charm...
Y-Yeah...
But anyway, that's the gist of it. If you ever see someone with a wristband or clues, let me know. We have to save them before they get killed off by the brats.
...Yeah, understood.
Oh, that's right, I almost forgot.
The name's Hiroko Hagakure. I'm once-divorced and currently single. My age is a secret.
My name is Komaru Naegi. Pleased to meet you.
H-Hagakure... What a surprise. Doesn't seem like the older sister, maybe the mother...?
The one muttering over there... What's your name?
I-It's Toko Fukawa...
Okay, noted. You're Koko and Fufu.
Wh-Why did you use my last name?

Because something, something, we're not in Kansas anymore, something, something, bless the rains down in Africa. Insert your own joke here, I'm too bad at this.

Who cares? Worrying over little details is bad for the skin, hun.
Jeez, half-assing it... You two are *definitely* related.

So yeah, this one is pretty obvious - this is Yasuhiro's motive person.



Her part in the game is to serve as somebody to hand over those Hit List entries we find throughout the game to. We then get a bit of extra dialogue, so let's get going with those we've already got.



♪ BGM: Abnormality on the Girls' Front Line ♫

Oh don't tell me...
Yeah, it's exactly what you think it is. A hit list made by those kids for hunting down targets.
I picked it up on my way here... One of the children must have dropped it.
One minute they're going around killing adults, the next they're dropping their homework... Pretty creepy...but definitely childlike.
It's beyond creepy. It's psychotic. It's like baking a delicious cake only to take pictures of it instead of eating it...
Yeah... That *is* pretty crazy...
Um, setting aside the cake for now, let's take a look at the list.

We'll just give her all of them.





Do you know him?
Nah, it's not like that. Look, read this. If this is true, this guy's father is the former Prime Minister.
I bet those brats just made that up...
You two don't remember? There really was a Prime Minister named Toranosuke Ishimaru. He was a genius, but didn't do well in school. Despite that, he became the Prime Minister. But in the end...a scandal ruined him. Probably smothered by his own talent.
That could be why he was such an uptight idiot...
But the problem is Takaaki lshimaru. I heard about him a little too... There was a big stir about him being a cop, after his dad got caught. Folks wanted him fired.
And now to top it off, he gets caught up in this hunt... How unlucky can one guy be?
I hope he's safe, at least...
I feel for him, even if he is 5-0. But that's neither here nor there.
Towa Science Memorial, huh? Alright, I'll send rescue guys right away.
We'll leave it to you. I'm sure he's afraid, being all by himself...
Leave it to me. I'd give him the shirt off my back if he wanted, and with *my* charm...





Hm... I'm not sure. Doesn't sound familiar.
You don't recognize it at all?
I feel like I've seen this before, but... I don't quite remember where.
Crazy Diamond. They're a bike gang.
...A bike gang?
Ah, you're right! You're amazing, Miss Hagakure, how did you know?
Don't be impressed, it wasn't clairvoyance or anything. I just remembered the name.
The Crazy Somethings... Are they famous?
You already forgot what they're called!?
Crazy Diamond was the name of the biggest and fiercest biker gang in all Japan. This Ruru guy must be pretty skilled if he's an elite in that group.
I knew it, this Captive is definitely connected to *that* guy...
But more importantly, he sure does look cute for an Elite Commander... If only I were 10 years younger... I would have gone to save him myself on my bike.
Wow, Miss Hagakure from 10 years ago! You must have been super cool, beating up criminals all day!
Oh stop it, Koko. I was one of those criminals. The cops couldn't count on two hands how many windows I broke in the day.
...Why would they have to count with their fingers?
Alright then, I guess I better send out the order to go save that kid.





I admire girls like her. She looks like a manga heroine.
G-Girls with faces like that are cheating! They're just piling on makeup. 100 out of 100 of them do that. And it's been that way for 100 years!
Hm... In the file, it says she *doesn't* wear a lot of makeup...
Th-The kids are probably just lying! They can't tell anyway!
Why do you care if she wears makeup? She's cute, isn't that enough?
I-I hate girls who look like her. As an ugly girl, it frustrates me when I see girls covering up with makeup!
If you're ugly, be proud of it, dammit! That's the ugly girl way! Be PROUD!
Oh c'mon Toko, you can't let that bother you. There's more to a woman than her face.
Th-That's not encouraging at all!
I bet if this girl were a team manager, those guys would be really pumped up to win.
Wh-What kind of idiot would try hard at sports just to impress some hot girl...?
...Actually... I know one.
...Hm? An acquaintance of yours?
N-Not really... Who cares?
Well, high school boys are like that. They can live a whole month on nothing more than porn, fried chicken, and manga.
So... Does Makoto also...?
No doubt about it. It's true of every high school boy in the whole damn world. But back to the point... Looks like her hunting grounds are unknown.
I'll help you out. I'll convince some of the adults here to help look for her.
"Convince"...? Looks like adults aren't any different than high schoolers sometimes...





Why the long face?
Before we picked up the list...we met Yuta...
Oh? How's he doin'? ...Why isn't he with you?
Yuta...died... The wristband is built to explode if you try to get outside Towa City. He didn't know that, and...he tried to swim out... Exploded... Died...
...
...Dude, that's just...unforgiveable!
...Dude?
An innocent kid losing his life to some crazy-ass kids... No matter what you think, it shouldn't be allowed!
H-Hey...Miss Hagakure...
They might be kids, but they're gonna get their just deserts! It will cost them at least a finger!
...I'm sorry, you said you were a *former* delinquent?
Huuuh!?
Eeek!
Hey, Miss Hagakure!
Ooops... My past self came through a little bit there...
Th-That was totally not a "little"...
But more importantly, that's just terrible... An explosion, huh? Poor guy.
Yuta tried to get help...for all of us.
If he... If he never met us, he wouldn't have...
It's not your fault, Koko. All boys really want to do is act cool in front of girls.
Oh s-sorry, I was just... It's just hard to think about. I'm fine...
Hey, it's fine. If you're gonna be down, you should go as far as you'd like. The more down you are, the easier it is to stand up a little.
Yeah... Thank you very much.
The older the wiser, huh... If he really is a blood relative, I wonder if that occult idiot might actually grow useful...

Don't count on it, Toko.

Did you say something, Toko?
N-Nope, just...talking to myself.



♪ BGM: Secret Base ~Left Behind By The Adults~ ♫

Anyway, that's it for this update. Next time, we'll talk to Shirokuma, and we'll get to meet the leader of the adult resistance!