Part 27: Update XXV

On our way to the top, there seems to be somebody typing on a keyboard.



Komaru and Toko spot that somebody on their way up the stairs, and carefully make their way closer, but...



Who's there?



This scares the shit out of Komaru, leading to her punching the crap out of Toko...



...who then unceremoniously sails right back down the stairs.



Komaru is very scared.



Huh? Wait a sec... you're not a kid, right?



Y-Yeah...



♪ BGM: DSO_Beautiful Dead ♫

Then why are you in a place like this? It's suspicious...
I was hiding! I figured the kids wouldn't find me here.
...And what's with the laptop?
Oh, this? I picked it up at the city's electronics store. I thought I might be able to remove the wristband using this, so I was trying to program something.
W-Wait! Did you say "wristband"!?
Huh? Yeah, this.



I got captured by this weird-looking group of five kids, and they put this on me... I tried to remove it, but as you can see, that didn't work too well.
I knew it! I'm the same, see!?
Ah, that wristband! Then... You were also put into this cruel game?
I see... I'm sorry...
Is now really the time for that? You're in the same boat, right?
But if I had just figured out how to get this off, I could have helped you, too... Did you know? With this wristband on, you can't leave the city. So as long as we can't remove this wristband, we can't be saved...
It's going to be alright! We'll be saved!
...Wh-What makes you say that?
We're going to ask Future Foundation for help removing the bands. We came here to call them.
U-Um... What do you mean?
O-Oh, you want the details?
Um, there's a special radio all over the city, that's raspberry, and we use this...thing...
...Wow, you suck.
Oh! The jammer? If we get to the top of this tower, we might be able to get through!
...You actually understood that!?
But, all the way up the stairs... That's impossible...
I know, but the elevator won't move. We don't have a card...
A card? The elevator security card?
Do you have it!?
Ah, sorry... It's not that...
No I... I can't really speak freely, uh... Well, maybe...
Wh-What!? Talk sense, dammit!
If you want to move the elevator... I... Well, I might be able to do it...
R-Really?
I've worked security before, so I figured I might be able to get around that card reader...
But... There's no way you'd believe someone you just met. I mean, I'm saying all this, but I can't even figure out how to get this stupid band off...
That's not true! Please, we need your help! I beg you, please, help us, Mister!
...Huh?
W-Well...okay. I'll try.
Yes! Thank you so much!
Seriously... You're really quick to rely on people... But what are you gonna do? If we're gonna move the elevator, don't you have to go back down?
Well, it's better than needlessly climbing up more stairs, right? Let's do our best, okay?
Sh-Shut up... I don't want *you* cheering me up...
Haha... You guys get along well.
Exactly *why* do you think that!?



♪ BGM: Welcome To Towa Tower ♫

And thus, we've picked up a new friend. We don't know his name yet, but we know he's one of the Captives, since he has a wristband, and I think you can take an educated guess as to which of our DR1 characters he belongs to.



Our way down is made significantly quicker by the game dropping a Bomber in front of the barrier that was blocking us earlier.



And then we repeat that a little further down...



...and that brings us to ground floor in under a minute. Also, there's a collectible there!







♪ BGM: DSO_Beautiful Dead ♫

Out of everywhere on Earth, it had to be Towa to end up like this.
You seem especially upset about it. Did you have some kind of reverence for this place?
It's not quite that... Didn't I tell you? I used to work in security. Well, I say security... What I actually did was architect security system programs. For someone like me, this place was truly something special.
Something special?
Towa City leads the world's technology industry in both complexity and scale. There are tons of engineers out there who come to Towa City to test their skills.
You're right, I think I've heard that somewhere. I heard that the air purifier developed by Towa solved the toxic atmosphere problem.
Also, Towa Group built advanced weaponry and shelters to fight against despair. So Towa City is special for that reason, too.
But, that's something I just learned recently.
If this city is so advanced, why isn't there a giant defense robot to fend off Monokumas?
Um... I'm sure that any kind of weaponry was stolen or destroyed when all this first started.
Then nothing's changed. We gotta contact Future Foundation, no matter what!
...

Well, let's get on doing that then. One quick march to the elevator later...





This is gonna be tough...
But...you can do it, right?
Y-Yeah. I'll do my best.
That's a pretty vague answer.
Ha, yeah, I guess that's true... My family used to think I was pretty unreliable too...
Family, huh...
Y-You guys, we just started! You don't have to get depressed right away...
Y-You're right.
Alright, I'll try.
Okay, I leave it to you.



So... how's it coming?
Yeah... well, it might take a little while, but with this, I might be able to do it somehow.
Don't worry, no need to rush. Nothing really dangerous is...
...happening right now...



Suddenly, Junk Monokumas!



Are you done yet? Please hurry!
Hold on! I barely got started!



Wh-What do we do?
Isn't it obvious? We got to deal with them somehow!



♪ BGM: VERSUS ♫

Alright, so this part is similar to protecting Shirokuma in the sewers. We have Junk Monokumas closing in and need to protect this guy. This basically revolves around shooting them in the eye a lot. You could also use Knockback if you're in a pinch, but I managed to take these three Junk Monokumas out with just Break shots and without letting that guy get hit.



That was the last one, right?
I'm almost done on my end, too.



Phew...
Yay, it totally worked! Toko, all we gotta do now is use the elevator to go all the way to the top, right?
Th-th-that's right...



Before we go any further, I really need to thank you guys. Thanks to you two girls, I'm finally starting to see hope. If the connection works well, I'm sure Future Foundation will come to us immediately.
And when that happens, we're saved! We're finally saved! We should even be able to see our families again!



The elevator arrives.

...is it just me, or is that some children singing I hear?



It's gonna be alright! Just a little bit more! Let's keep it up and-





And a Monokuma just ate his face off.







♪ BGM: DSO_Living to the Fullest ♫

Alright, so, Beast Monokumas. Toko is probably suggesting going Genocide Jack on them, but I'll pass on that.



The problem with these guys is that if you shoot a Break shot at them, they go all ninja on your ass and just dodge it, so you need some alternative solutions.



One solution is to just hit them with Dance and use that window to shoot them with Break.



Another solution is that after you shoot them with a Break shot and they dodge it, they're vulnerable to being shot by Break shortly afterwards. And, well, there's only two of them here, so that's that problem dealt with.



♪ BGM: DSO_Desire for Execution... ♫

I... I didn't mean to make you guys go it alone... B-But you guys will be fine! No need to worry, you'll be saved for sure! I'm glad I could...at least be a little help to you guys... I have a child, y'know... You guys are all around the same age... But we got separated, and... A-And all this time, I couldn't do anything... I... I wasn't able to see... Just one last time... That's my only regret.

And with that, he breathes his last. RIP "that guy", we never even got to know your name.



Yeah...

But then Komaru notices something.

Is this a handbook...?



There's a picture inside. Ah, so this is his child, huh... ...What a cute girl...



♪ BGM: DSO_Welcome Despair Academy ♫

And thus we have confirmed what was basically a clear assumption anyway. The guy that helped us unlock the elevator and just bit the dust was Taichi Fujisaki, Chihiro's father. We don't know his full name yet, but we'll read it on his Hit List entry later. Situations like this are where it's handy that Komaru doesn't know that everybody wearing a wristband shares a connection to somebody that was in the Hope's Peak killing game and that Toko was in that killing game as well - spares us having to have the "your son was murdered by some guy with rage problems and then strung up in the way my serial killer alter ego strings up her victims by the guy I am head over heels in love with" talk.

So yeah, RIP Taichi. Once again, Chapter 2 proves to be the barrier a Fujisaki just can't cross.

Separated from his family, same as me... He was probably worried about his family... Worried until the very end. ...I hope his child is doing well at least...

Uh...



I feel you, Toko.

Hey, Omaru...
Yeah. I know. I don't want to die, separated from my family. I need to see them again.
So I'm not just going to sit here. This man sacrificed himself for us...
...
...Let's go, Toko. As long as Future Foundation comes, we and everyone else...are going to be saved.
...



Well, let's get on this elevator then.



♪ BGM: Silence ♫

...Hey, Omaru... Got a second?
... ...What?
U-Um, about Future Foundation...



Wh--!? What!?
L-Looks like the elevator stopped...
Why!? Why here!?
L-Let's just force open the door!
Y-Yeah!





So they force open the door...



...and Komaru and Toko see...





...another arena?



♪ BGM: Ghost Stories From the School District of Revolution ♫



Did you think you could escape if you went somewhere reaaal high up? But... No matter where you run, it's pointless...
The more you run from me, the closer you get. Cuz...the world is rooound, right?





Oh, hey, there we go, there's where Jataro's symbol is. It's on his backpack!

Were you even more grossed out? Or, or maybe... Do you hate me even more now?
L-Like I said, I already hate you enough!
No, that's a lie. When adults look at things they truly hate... Their eyes are not weak like that. I know it. I've seen those eyes since the day I was born.
Don't tell me, the reason you hide your face is because of some trauma or something? Well, not that it matters. I'm just...curious.
...About how horrible your face looks.
N-No, you can't see! Anything but that! If you see my face, your eyeballs are gonna rot off!
There you go, making no sense again...
No, you're wrong! It's the truth! They're really gonna burn right off! I-If they don't, then... Then why did she force me to wear this mask? Why was I forced to wear this stuffy mask every single day!?



I'm just that horrible... I'm just so ugly and hated... More than anyone else on Earth.

♪ BGM: DSO_Junk Food for a Dashing Youth ♫

I bet my head just got really twisted cuz the doctor pulled too hard when I was born... And then, my skin pores got all crushed, and my hair got ripped, and my face got pulled... And my ears are just barely sticking to my face, like meatloaf thrown up onto a wall... And my lips are inside-out, and my gums are dry and rotten and brown... And my nose is just a shriveled little lump of meat...
It must be horrible! That's why she was ashamed to show me to people!
"You don't look like other kids." That must be what she was talking about... If you see such an awful face, your eyeballs are gonna get crushed and you'll faint!
So that's why I'm *not* wrong! I'm totally, totally right!
Jeez, I just mentioned the subject and you totally went off the handle there... Meaning, you basically just want revenge against the adults who made you suffer, right?
...Huh?
Oh. Oooh. Oh, I see, you're just mistaken...

♪ BGM: Like I Would Become A Monster ♫

It's not something cheap and silly like that. We just want to change the world, that's all.
Well, you don't really hafta understand. Demons aren't needed in our world, anyway.
It's fine, fine, f-f—f—fine! We're going to make a kids-only paradise!



♪ BGM: Silence ♫

The peanut gallery does not approve.

...Huh? Why are you all booing?
...



No matter what kind of reason you have, whether you're an adult or a child...
You *killed* people. So many people... Like it was nothing.
And I'll never forgive that...ever!



♪ BGM: DSO_Weekly Despair Magazine ♫

Ehehe, Big Sis... Looks like you're finally disgusted by me for real...
...
But I dunno about what you said, comparing likes and dislikes and good and evil. I mean... We're trying to bring peace to the world, y'know?
That's why there's nothing wrong with us. No matter how much you hate us, we aren't wrong!
What...are you...? You kill people and laugh about it, and say that you aren't the ones in the wrong!?
Unforgiveable!



The peanut gallery approves!

Huh? Whyyy? Why are you all cheering for the enemy?
Oh. I guess it's that...I'm even hated by the kids, too...



Yup, sure looks like it.

See? They hate me, they really hate me...
...Ehe... I'm so happy. If I'm hated this much, then there's no point in faking friendships and trying to be liked... I'm free...to do anything I want.





And just like with Masaru, it's time to fight.



♪ BGM: Sortie! Its Name Is Robot ♫

The ground starts shaking...



...but this time, the robot makes its entrance through a window!





Before your bodies become pretty objects, let me tell you one more time. No matter how much we're hated, no matter how much we're shunned, we're definitely not wrong. That's the real truth.



Because Big Sis Junko said so!

DUN

DUN

DUNNNNNNN



Big Sis... Junko?



Big Sis Junko, the only one who loved me, the only one different than other people. Big Sis Junko, the one who gave us our sparkly hope. Those adults took her away from us and said that she was the bad one!
They're the filthy ones, they're the ugly ones, THE DISGUSTING ONES!





And on that bombshell (...is it a bombshell, or is it just always assumed that Junko is involved with everything Danganronpa related, even if it's not directly stated yet, and thus any reveal that Junko is involved can at most elicit dull surprise?), it's time for our second boss fight.



♪ BGM: The Warriors Of Hope ♫



Alright, so Jataro's robot is a bit tougher than Masaru's. For one thing, it doesn't have a bright red glowing "please fuck me up here" point in clear sight, but the cinematic where the robot flew in actually showed you the weak spot twice - it's on top of its head. Now, how do we get to shoot that? Good question!



Well, this robot has a few attacks. It can shoot two missiles which have some degree of homing ability. I never really worked out how to deal with those, the fight was over before I got into too much trouble with it.



The next attack is dropping some bombs that lay on the ground. This is where the trick to damaging the boss lies.



We just use Knockback to hit them back into the boss...



...which causes the robot to fall down and reveal the weak spot, which we then get to blast with Break. So we continue that song and dance for a while.



Eventually, just like with Masaru, the Monokuma plate breaks and reveals some sort of core to shoot at. The boss seems to gain an attack here, but it's bascially just "use the two regular attacks at the same time".



I get into a real pickle with health, but thankfully, the game does occasionally drop powerups during boss fights.



And eventually, we manage to shoot at the boss long enough that it blows up.



♪ BGM: Punishment of the Priest ♫



The robot is looking quite a bit worse for wear...



...but it manages to shoot one more missile that heads for Komaru and Toko...



...before veering completely off course...



...and heading back and blowing up the robot, instead. And, well, you can already see what's awaiting poor Jataro here.



Just like with Masaru, the Monokuma kids have come for him.



And as they close in, they tear at his mask, and...





...turns out he was actually pretty all along!





Just, uh, too bad the Monokuma kids don't give a damn about that.



And once again, we're just left with an item from the kid after all is done.



♪ BGM: DSO_DISTRUST ♫

...Serves him right.
...What did you say?
...Let's go, Toko.
...





And with that, the two head back into the elevator.



♪ BGM: DSO_Beautiful Dead ♫

...



All we gotta do now is use this wireless device that Shirokuma gave us...
...
...Toko, what is it?
U-Um, I've been thinking about this for a while, a-and... Contacting Future Foundation is...
I know, I know, I should hurry up with it, right?
Ah, no, I didn't mean that!



♪ BGM: Silence ♫

Toko is quietly hacking away at buttons.



What happened, Toko?
Wh-what? Cause you can't do anything, I'm setting it up for you! Just wait a minute, will you?
Oh, sorry...



Alright, here you go...



Hello? Can you hear me? Someone, please respond! Can you hear me?



Hey, answer me!



Can anyone hear me? I beg you, please, answer me!



Looks like it didn't work. Well, that's just too bad. We should, uh, probably give up right now.
Hello?



♪ BGM: BOX 15 ♫



-ello? This is... -oundation! This is Future Foundation!



Toko immediately bails from the picture.

Hello? Can you hear me?
We can hear you! Loud and clear!



This is Future Foundation, branch number... branch number fourteen...



...Makoto Naegi.
Ma-Makoto!



Huh? Ko-Komaru!?



And that's the end of the chapter! Talk about a cliffhanger. Anyway, yeah, I blew the A ranking again because of the two retries on a Monoku-Man puzzle and missed two Hidden Kids to boot.



And because of that, Fantasy-Byakuya has, uh, moderate words of praise for me? Another 300 Monocoin bonus for us, but we'll get the better one on the re-do anyway.



♪ BGM: Chapter End ♫





And with that, the chapter is officially over, as is the update. Next time, we'll run over the entirety of Chapter 2 again, picking up what we missed and getting that A ranking. That'll take a bit because I need to record the footage first, but I think there's enough stuff in this update to hold you over.