Part 81: As Heard on Radio Soulwax

MUSIC: Mr. Monokuma's Lesson V3



......



NO MUSIC



Angie established a curfew at nighttime. I wonder what will happen to training. I should go see what Kaito has to say about this. I'm worried about him...

MUSIC: Darkness Time



I wonder if Kaito's okay... I hope he's feeling a little better.

Right as l was about to ring the bell...

NO MUSIC

*click*

The door to Kaito's room opened, and out came...



Ah...Maki.

...

Is she...mad?



I gotta apologize to you, too...

...He told me he was going to skip today's training, too.

So...he still doesn't feel well.



I think I'll get better if...I just rest a little longer, y'know?

Yeah...sure, Kaito. Do what you have to do.

We'd have to reschedule our training sessions either way, come to think of it...



Well...

If you're feeling sick, that's one thing. But I don't want you to change the training schedule. You don't...need to do that.

R-Really? But—



What? Really?

...You don't want to?



D-Die!?

Oh, sorry... That's an old habit. Just pretend you didn't hear that.

I didn't know such a "habit" existed...



I've finally started to think about...how I can confront it...

So...if I have to train alone, so be it.

Maki leaves.



...Maybe it's just because you're not feeling well, but this is really unlike you, Kaito. I never imagined that you would obey Angie. I thought you did whatever you wanted.

...



Of course, Kaito.

I nodded firmly, then chased after Maki and headed to the courtyard.



Maki, about Kaito... You shouldn't worry about it. He's just feeling a little weak because he's sick, I'm sure he's not—



MUSIC: Rise of the Ultimates

My body stiffened on impulse. Maki's eyes...and the entire aura surrounding her...had completely changed. Her glare was blazing hot yet icy cold at the same time. Her very essence was that of ice and fire.



...

But her glare wasn't aimed at me. It was right past me.



So this is your power! A normal person would've passed out just from that glare!

She's used to getting that look from other people, so she'll be fine.

T-Tenko?

...



...



MUSIC: Cool Morning

What?



I'm here to ask you a favor—a personal favor.

A favor? From us?

I don't think she's with the student council... She doesn't sound brainwashed.

Yeah...I'm not brainwashed at all.





You're not brainwashed... Does that mean you willingly joined the student council? That sounds...worse.







What?



Aikido values mental fortitude, and Aikido moves are a reflection of that fortitude. Thanks to Aikido, my mental fortitude is too mighty to succumb to Angie's brainwashing!

So you just pretended to be brainwashed? Why would you do that?



You pretended to be brainwashed to join the student council, right?

I think...Himiko has gotten so lazy, she's given up on thinking for herself... That's why she's depending on Angie, but I think Angie is dangerous.



That became clear to me after I infiltrated the student council.

Angie...truly believes in Atua. She believes that she is under Atua's protection. That's why...she does whatever she wants. She thinks she's Atua's vessel, so she doesn't feel guilty about anything she does.



Huh!?

Asking someone like me for a "favor" can only mean one thing.

...



And I think everyone has wanted someone to die at least once in their life...



It's wrong for a person to commit murder! It doesn't matter what the reason is!

Do you...realize who you're talking to?

Oh! I'm so sorry! That's not what I meant...



If we go along with Monokuma's motive, it could lead to another killing.

But the student council won't defy Angie, and I can't stop her on my own...



Only us?

Well...I obviously can't ask Kokichi, Miu, or Kiyo. And Kaito's not feeling well, y'know?

I see... You didn't have many options.

Y-Yeah...that is true.





Tenko bowed down as deep as she could.



What? We didn't even answer yet!

Grghhhhh! Quit complaining and do this favor for me, you degenerate! I'm even bowing to you! And I would never do that for any male!

That's not the best thing to say to someone you need a favor from...



So what will you do, Shuichi? This seems like something you'd ignore.

This is something I'd ignore? Who do you think I am...?



I agree with Tenko that it's dangerous to go along with Monokuma's motive.



...

I guess I'll forgive you, though! Now, let's go convince Angie together! She should be preparing for the ritual right now in the Ultimate Artist lab!



O-Of course! I wouldn't ask just Shuichi for help!

I just agreed to help, and this is how you treat me? Oh well... I'll just go to Angie's lab.



MUSIC: Beautiful Lie



Tenko's a student council member, so I get why she's here...but Shuichi, Maki, are you guys even allowed to be here? It's already nighttime.

Ah!



...and then I caught these two roaming around! Yep! I'm just doing my job as a student council member! Since I'm on the student council!

Tenko...if you act that enthusiastic, you come across as suspicious.

Kokichi! Go back to your room and sleep!



But you shouldn't lie...

What...?

...Lie down on the job, that is! Nee-heehee! Well, good night!

Kokichi leaves.



Who knows? It's hard to tell with him. He's always spouting random nonsense.

Anyway, let's hurry. Angie's in her lab, right?

MUSIC: Spirit, Praise and Beauty



Alright...it's right here.

Just when I reached my hand toward the door...



Locked?

Ah, that's right. Angie did say that she locks the room when she's working.

I grabbed the doorknob anyway, just to test it.



So it is locked.

Move.

Maki pushed me aside and began pounding on the door.

*bam! bam! bam!*



W-Wait, Maki! You can't do it like that! Stop being li'l ol' Miss Impatient!

Then how should I do it?

Angie will only open the door when a student council member calls for her.



*knock, knock, knock*

Angie, it's Tenko. I wanna talk to you about something... Can you open the door?

...



Yeah, it's me!

After Tenko answered, the door flew open.

Yah-hah! Can I help you?



Ah, um—



Then you'll need to get acquainted with Atua. I will introduce you to Him.



Ah, no, it's not that...

Let's go in for now. We can talk inside.

Well...I suppose.

Invited by Angie, we stepped into her lab.

But...











MUSIC: Wonderful Story



I made them! Don't they look lifelike? Aren't they just divine?

You made them...?



Wax effigies? Why?

Why? For the resurrection ritual, of course.



So I went ahead and made these.

Simple dolls probably would've been better, but once I got to work, Atua took possession of me.



You do such cruel things so innocently.

Hm? What?

It's incredible... For a second, I thought they were real.

Yeah...just like the real thing. But...











But...actually—



The fact that Angie can do things like this without a care is what makes her so dangerous. Please! You have to stop Angie!



You try persuading her first. Detectives are good at talking, right?

I feel like she might have some misconceptions about detectives... But I know Maki isn't very good at persuading people. So it's up to me.





...I see, I see. Reconsider what, exactly?



I don't think you understand how bad that might be. Remember that this was Monokuma's motive. If he *wants* us to do it, it can't be good.

But the dead can't really come back to life. So the people who died must still be alive—



The bodies were not fakes. I'm positive. Especially after seeing the wax effigies.











...I agree. I have no doubts that their deaths were real. Trust me, I've seen my fair share of dead bodies.

I see, I see... If that's what Maki says then maybe they really are dead.

Then...if we do the ritual, will we actually resurrect the dead?



Huh?

...What are you saying? Someone who has died can't be resurrected.

Hm? But that's not what Atua says.



So...if those four really are dead, then the resurrection ritual will surely work.

Nyahahaha! That must be right! Cuz Atua is never wrong!

You're...not gonna stop this, are you?

Of course not! This is Atua's will!



Nuh-uh, it's Atua's. Atua told me that our friends will come back to life if we do this ritual. So we have to do it. We can't defy a direct command from Atua.



...

You're probably still worried about the motive, Shuichi, but it's okay. Atua has spoken... Nothing bad will happen as long as you put aside all thoughts of escape.



Hmm, are we done talking now? Cuz I'm still busy preparing for the ritual.

If you're gonna slow me down, I'll turn you into a wax effigy! Nyahahaha!

Tenko, let's go back for now. I think we may need another plan...

O-Okay...



Next time, I'd like to see ol' Tenny C. wriggle her way out of this jam!

Neo-Aikido Mint theme
Tenko Chabashira's theme.
Sure to get your spirits up!







Honestly, I'd be disappointed if Tenko's theme wasn't a huge eyesore.