Part 16: Deserter's Songs

MUSIC: Nightmare in the Locker





Th-There's gotta be somethin' we can do... I can't die... The world needs my genius!

I-I don't wanna... I...don't wanna die yet!

Die...? Everyone's...going to die? Is dying the only choice?



...That's after we die, right?



...Did you have a course of action in mind?

I'm...gonna start thinking of one right now!

...Figures. I didn't expect anything from you in the first place.



Y-Yeah! If we strike them with some sneak attacks, we might have a chance at winning!

What kind of Aikido moves even involve sneak attacks...?

Come, everyone! Gonta use body, keep everyone safe!

You're going to go against those machines barehanded? Isn't that too reckless?

B-But...we have to do it! If we don't, we'll die!

Wait! We still have plenty of time to calculate all possible options—



To die fighting... Or die from the time limit.

Why do both choices involve us dying!?



I'm gonna survive! I'm gonna make it no matter what!

N-No matter what...?

Wait! You can't do that, though! Even if you make a mistake, you can't—



Huh?

Will you accept the blame if I die? I have people who'll be sad if I die, y'know.

U—Um... Well—



...But I dunno if the same can be said for everyone else.

Anyway...I'm gonna take off now.

Take off? Where are you going, Kokichi?

Oh, I don't knooow. Maybe I'll go back to my room and just think things over. Alone.





Miu?

N-Not that I'd...try to claim that perk for myself... I-I'm way too classy to kill someone! Talkin' to you idiots is exhausting... I'm gonna go to my room and rest!



Miu! You better not do anything shady, okay!?



If someone is going to kill, they should just go for the robot.

That's even worse!



But why is that?

What?

Of course I know it to be against the law. But laws are simply rules people decided upon. This is a space removed from those rules. Therefore, we've no need to follow them.



Even if it is to survive...? We are as guinea pigs upon a lab table... We cannot be picky about our means of survival.

Wh-What?



So you've no need to fear me.



Kiyo!



He's not wrong, though. If we want to stay alive, standing around grumbling's not gonna change anything.



Are you guys okay with that?



H—Hold on, everyone... We haven't decided on our plan yet...



Huh?

Your half-assed speeches won't work on us anymore, you know that, right?

So just come up with a plan for yourself.



Wait... Maki, wait!







It's a shame I won't be able to hide all my "special" art commissions before I die... *sigh* Or that "special" pillowcase I bought... What should I do...?



B-But... Wait, you guys...

You guys! You can't listen to Monokuma!



Tch... Fine then, all of you just do whatever you want.

This is exactly what Monokuma wants us to do... So what else is part of his plan? Is my memory part of it too? If it is, then...



Rantaro...? What's wrong?

"What's wrong," he says... ...

Hey, I have a question. This might sound a little weird, but...



Ultimate Hunt?

What is that...? I've never heard of it.

What about it?



Huh?

What do you mean, Rantaro?

It's nothing, really. I'm just a bit confused is all.



Well, in my case, not only am I dealing with that, I also can't remember my talent.

So I guess I'm asking you to...bear with me if I say things that don't make sense sometimes.



Rantaro?

Without looking back, Rantaro just waved his hand and left. In the end, I couldn't stop everyone from leaving the dining hall. Why won't anything go right? I just want to escape with everyone... so why is everything going wrong? I know the answer... It's...Monokuma's fault.



Hey, it's not so bad. Only half of the students have broken away from us. Let's see what the other half has to say.





It seems we still must find a clue before we can begin cooperating with one another... But even if we manage to do that, we are still trapped here.

Geez... So all we can do is wait around for the killing game to start?



People cannot kill others so easily... Especially when they harbor no malice. Even when one's life is in danger, it is quite difficult to follow through on the act itself.

...





I'll...do something about this. I just dunno what yet...

But I'll definitely do something about it!

We don't have a plan either... And I wanna trust him, but he doesn't seem too reliable...





How about...we take Monokuma or a Monokub hostage by kidnap...no, bearnapping them!?

Kidnapping? Is that something a martial artist should suggest?

Although I walk the path of a martial artist, I would do anything to save my fellow females! While there's life, there's hope! But once you're dead, that's it! Master taught me that!



And the Monokubs don't seem to have any loyalty to one another... They wouldn't make good hostages either.

They'd probably just squish both you and the hostage.

O-Oh, I see... Then I'll think of another way.



Why don't we think of a strategy together?

O-Okay... To be honest, I'm not too great at thinking... But I'll twist my brain into knots for your sake!

Shocker.





Your last resort?

The magic powder...

Stop. You shouldn't do that.

If you put it on sweets, it's really tasty. It's sweet and salty. I know the secret recipe.

Oh... Oooh, I see... You meant *that*.



If you want some, I suppose I could share it with you.





...Any theories, Kaede?

I don't know... It's the first time I've heard of it...

It sounds so...violent. It sounds like it involves us somehow...



Nobody has any clue what it could mean, so it is illogical to continue thinking about it. Our more pressing concern...is the current predicament we find ourselves in.

Yeah, you're right...



We have until nighttime, two days from now... What should we do until then?





Exactly! I will harness the power of Neo-Aikido, for the sake of all girls!

...I understand how you feel, but it's no use. There's no way for us to win in a fight.



However, is it wise to charge into a battle without a strategy?

That's true... I get where Gonta's coming from, but we should calm down and think this through.

...Okay.



What...can Gonta do? Anything?



Hey, Shuichi... What should we do right now?



Huh? Move?

Shuichi slowly approached me, as if wary of his surroundings, and said in a hushed voice...

MUSIC: Living in a Lazy Parallel World



You mean, in the library?

Yes...

So when he said we needed to move, he was probably hinting at something... If that's the case, then...



Of course, Kaede... But we should go. We shouldn't be talking in the open like this.



W-We're not whispering. We're just gonna check on something.

And that thing you want to check is a secret?

S—Sorry... All I can say is...

I haven't given up. I'll show you guys that we can escape from this place. You can count on it!



Thanks...

It's not like me to give up anyway... I've always believed that my wishes can come true if I just work hard enough!









This door was blocked before... When did it become accessible?

When we first went outside the school building. It's a shortcut between the outside and the dining hall, but since taking it can mean missing out on dialogue I won't be using it that often.

MUSIC: Beautiful Lie





Yes...I'll tell you everything there.





No, not really...

If you pray, He will come floating down to carry you away in two days time.

Yeah, well...I don't plan on dying in two days. I'm going to get everyone out of here.

I feel the same way. There might be...something we can do.



What?

If you pray, Atua will watch over you both while you work hard.

Th-That's okay. I don't feel like it at the moment.

Hmmm, I see.









As Shuichi said that, he moved the bookcase to reveal the hidden door.





The dust is gone!

That's right. I checked it right after nighttime started yesterday, and the dust was there. But this morning, it was gone.

So that means...someone entered this door during nighttime?

That got me thinking. This may sound far-fetched, but...

NO MUSIC



How so?

MUSIC: Living in a Lazy Parallel World

Remember what the Monokubs said?



MUSIC: Living in a Lazy Parallel World

Just activate that machine, and you can have as many spare Pops as you wa—



That would explain why we saw Monokuma alive and well in the morning... At nighttime, someone went through this door and activated the machine. And then there's what Monokuma just told us...



then every student participating forced to participate in this killing game will die!



That is what he originally said, presumably because of NIS.

He went out of his way to specify that students "forced to participate" will die.

Huh? But why?

My deduction is that one of us volunteered to participate and wasn't forced. That would mean that they would avoid execution without breaking any rules. Perhaps that's why Monokuma said it that way.



I don't know if Monokuma is *that* strict with rules, but if he is trying to protect someone...

NO MUSIC

...that would imply that they're doing more than just cooperating with Monokuma.

What?

I believe that if one of us can create spare Monokumas...

MUSIC: Wonderful Story



So, the person who's responsible for all our suffering...is one of us?

Of course, this is just what I've deduced, but it is entirely possible. That's why I didn't want to talk about this in front of everyone... If we told them now, they might all try to find the mastermind, and be led to murder.



... The mastermind... The one controlling Monokuma... I can't believe the person responsible for our suffering could be among us... It's hard to accept, but if it's true...

NO MUSIC



MUSIC: Living in a Lazy Parallel World

So...what do you plan to do now, Shuichi? We're gonna find this mastermind, right?

I'm...thinking of taking the risk, just before time expires. I believe the mastermind will come here just before time is up, and I can expose them.



I'm extrapolating from something Monokuma told us earlier...





They would have to get into the hidden room to activate the machine.

Of course, none of this is certain. There's a chance the mastermind won't show. Like I said...it's a risk.

But I'm willing to take it. It's better than just sitting around, waiting to die.

Yeah...



Ah, but...Kaede, this is just *my* deduction, it's possible that I'm wrong...

Yeah, I know. But I've made up my mind.You told me about this, so that must mean you trust me, right, Shuichi?

MUSIC: Beautiful Lie



...

...I mean, I don't have a good idea of my own so obviously I'll help you with yours.

Okay, then! Let's expose the mastermind together, Shuichi!

Thank you, Kaede. You...have a way of encouraging me.



I can't believe our enemy is within our group, hiding in plain sight.

...Yeah.

Now that we know this, I should stop saying everyone needs to work together...



And when this is all behind us, we're gonna stay good friends! That's a promise, okay!?

...R-Right.

NO MUSIC



...and returned to my room.



Until then, I guess I'll check on the others. I'm a little worried about them...



It's about time!

MUSIC: Becoming Friends



During Free Time, you can spend time with other students to strengthen your bond with them.
You can also give them a present to strengthen those bonds further.
You can buy presents at the School Store or win them at the MonoMono Machine.
If your bond gets strong enough, an intimate event might occur. Nice!
But you don't have Free Time forever. Spending time with someone passes...time.
You can also end Free Time by going straight to bed. By yourself, that is.
I mean, I wouldn't skip it, but if you'd rather be alone, that's cool too...

Next time, Kaede spends some time with your favorite student!