Part 184: Radiohead

VIDEO: The Fourth-to-Last Trial Video



The thread was divided on how to proceed from here, so I've volunteered my services as tiebreaker.



Selecting "yes" gives you the same chance to save your game that you'd get with every trial intermission, though in this case we're two-thirds through the trial instead of halfway.



That's not what we want to do.















What?

We can't give up. No matter what, hope is always within reach.



Hope...?

Huh...? What hope...?

...You said so yourself—this killing game is the Ultimate Real Fiction.

If this is both real and fiction, then logically it can't all be fictional...





Oh geez... How annoying...

The outside world doesn't just want despair... It wants hope, too...



Oh, your inner voice? That's the voice of the outside world.

...What?

I know cuz I wrote your plotline, too.

There's no way I wouldn't know who that is you're hearing.



The voice of the outside world...?

From the start of this killing game, you've had a unique role...

You're the audience surrogate.

A-Audience surrogate?



That function exists to keep the audience entertained.

Now tell me—what is your inner voice!? Speak clearly and enunciate!

What is my inner voice...?

If I'm a surrogate for the audience...and we've been communicating this whole time, then...









It's two-way communication that lets you participate in the program from home.

That is your inner voice's true nature. The results of an audience survey.

The voice I relied on for guidance...was just the audience...answering survey questions!?

And every move you made was dictated by the audience's answers to that survey.



That antenna on your head lets you receive their answers.



When your antenna broke and you went crazy...



But that's not your only role... You're also the audience's camera.

C-Camera...?

Your eyes...





KEEBO: The...audience's eyes?



It lets them feel like they're really a part of the Danganronpa world! And it's all thanks to you!



Cuz now I can use you to plunge the outside world into despair!

D-Despair...?

If the audience surrogate falls into despair, then the audience does, too.

By making you fall into despair, I can make the entire world fall into despair!



Puhuhu... Isn't that just the most delightful despair?



Oh Keebo, mon petit doudou... My cosplay is a perfect reproduction.

Actually doing stuff the characters would is totally part of that!

Is that why...you want the world to fall into despair?

Th-That's...messed up!



The outside world wants to see horrible setups and payoffs!

What could be more horrible than a fictional despair eroding the real world?

No one could've imagined an end this hopeless.

...





Huuuh?

If I'm a surrogate for the audience...





There's no way to spread hope to an audience that watches killing games.

No! My inner voice already told me what to do! I need to remedy this!











What is this?

This is the power of hope!



Ugh, how annoying. Hope? That's not popular...

Well, if I can get someone like you to fall into despair, that'd be a great ending.



Oooh? You're going to go that far?

Then...let's settle this.





Settle this...how?

Yes, that is a problem. The class trial is in disarray because Monokuma broke a rule...

You're the one who broke the rule...



...A Special vote? But you're the one who broke the rules in the first place—

Whatever, man! We've made it this far together! Let's just do one last vote!

Cuz that's what Danganronpa's all about!

This final special vote will determine...



...What?

Th-This'll be a vote to determine how this s-story ends...



To end in hope...?

To end in despair...?

We decide...?



Oh man, this is great! The outside world is starting to get jazzed up!

Hope will definitely win! No one here wants despair to win!

Y-Yeah...that's right. We can't side with the mastermind—



...Suffering?

Alright! Lemme explain what's gonna happen after the vote!

If Keebo, representing hope, is punished and I, representing despair, win...



You're...going to continue the game?

No need to worry! Cuz there aren't gonna be any more murders!



Even if we make new Flashback Light motives for you, you'd know they're lies...

So no matter how many motives we provide, it's more likely that nothing will happen.

Nothing will happen...?

You can all live happily ever after in the academy.



E-Even if you went outside, there'd be n-no point.

As I said, all your memories are nothing but fiction.

Your hometowns, your families, your friends... They never existed in the first place.

Cuz they're all fiction!



There's no reason to pull outta school. Only losers pull out.

Th-Then at least put us back how we were!

Silence! Weep not over spilt milk!

Nyeh?



Flashback Lights can only overwrite old memories with new ones.

But if you're absolutely serious...

...then use a Flashback Light to become a different fictional character, instead.

So we...can't go back to the way we were?



But if I, representing despair, am punished, and Keebo, representing hope, wins...

Then this killing game will end, of course.

However, you must follow the rules! The game will continue until the final two!



What...?

Out of the four of us...only two can survive?

Yes, that is so. I will let you decide the two who will survive.

...



It's just two measly sacrifices, and then the rest of you losers can leave the academy.

However...even if you do escape to the outside world, you will find it most unwelcoming.



Tch... Well if you're gonna be a pussy about it, do whatever you want...

Can you choose which two will survive? Can you choose which two will be sacrificed?



What? Keebo...

If it will bring hope to everyone and the outside world, I will gladly sacrifice myself...

B-But, Keebo...

...It's okay.



K-Keebo!

Even if you sacrifice yourself, you still need one more.

In order for hope to win, there needs to be one more sacrifice.



...or hope can't win.

Do you got the guts to make such a heartless choice?

Th-That's...

...



You don't need to choose the hard way. No one expects you guys to do that.

Yeah! There'll be no more killing, so let's just all stay here together!

There's no reason to go outside. Let's stay here together.



Let's all stay together...

I want to stay here with you...

Here? Together?



C'mon, let's stay together. Please?

Together...okay?

Don't let her fool you!

Despair won't end this killing game...