I may as well

[mountaingirlmichi]

~ Kishi Theater 2 ~

“Last week, I decided to dust the house myself, seeing as I had nothing else planned for the day. I had really never done the cleaning myself, always having somebody in my life doing it for me. Whether it be a house-maid, dearest mother, or Rhea-sensei, it always got done without my input.”

“It was super satisfying to do once I started! With a box full of those chemical-smelling wipes, I saw the greyed-edges of the windowsill turn matte black, all shiny and new! Vases, lamps, my monitor, and so much else looking as nice as the food you see in restaurant advertisements! It got me so excited to appreciate the newfound cleanliness of my wonderful home.”

“But…” “…The next day…”

“It all came back.”

“How annoying for all of my effort to be paraded on by just another army of dust, piling up, neverending, just waiting to be cleaned again only so it can come floating right back to the windowsill. It made me think. Perhaps…”

“I should just give up. It’s futile. My efforts are best spent elsewhere, right? I know one thing–I’ll leave the cleaning to professionals, who combat the endless march of dust until the end of the world itself.”

“Good luck, CHIP-chan! Stay alive for me, okay?”

[donkeyjackinggirl]

(MICHI-CHAN HELP!)

*knock knock*

(I’M STUCK IN YOUR CLOSET!!)

*knock knock knock*

(I DON’T WANNA BE IN THE CLOSET ANYMORE MICHI-CHAN!!)

*knock knock knock*

(I’M SICK OF LIVING THIS LIE MICHI-CHAN!!!)

[melancholic-seas]

Guess I’ll die

[melancholic-seas]

Victim - Komaka Body location - Ritual Room Time of death - 12:46 AM Cause of death - Exsanguination Time of discovery - 6:32 AM Body discoverers - Chikako, Chieko, Kyohei and Oneiro

[melancholic-seas]

Carve Despair in Your Heart

TW: Mild gore, hand trauma

“Ding dong! A body has been discovered! After a short period of investigation, the trial will begin!”

So… someone did go for it? What? You scramble up from your position and head towards the ritual room.

As you approach, you notice Oneiro sits outside of it, covering her ears and squinting her eyes shut. Immediately after, your eyes fall upon what sits beyond the open doorway.

The air of the ritual room has always had an ominous feel to it. But as you walk in now the feeling is intoxicating. The scent of various metals, ritual parts and objects not only fills your nostrils but also the distinct smell of blood. Who’s blood? Well that’s the sad part of all this. For on the ground in the center of the ritual room is the sacrifice. Komaka Shinko lays there. Her head bleeding, her torso cut into and blood dripping from the back of her right hand, emphasizing the many different directions her fingers had been broken. A similar cut sits on her left cheek Her eyes are closed now and her body is sprawled out.

Surrounding her body is an ominous circle drawn in blood, more simplistic than the one in the center of the ritual room. At the edges, words are written. “Satan, Malphas, Isaiah, Legion.” Ominous.

Komaka’s isn’t the only body laid out on the floor. Not too far from the doorway is Kyohei, unconscious, but still breathing. Was this the new norm for the newlywed? Regardless,

Chieko, sits beside him, checking to make sure he’s okay, and otherwise caring for her husband. She attempts to maintain an aura of calm during the action.

Chikako, looking wildly beat up and bruised, stands there and mutters something barely audible. “S-she….” Chikako can barely speak, too exasperated to even breath properly. “…. she saved me.”

It almost looks like she’s just asleep in some sort of nightmare and could wake up at any moment but you know that’s not the case. Komaka… the super highschool level despair… is dead. She wasn’t competent or talented in anything… and yet… she was a good person. Deep down anyway. Nobody here really understood her and perhaps that was the true despair she left you with.

[melancholic-seas]

Unexpected Save

Morning came. It had been four days since that weak motive came into play, and as expected, no one had gone for it. Some students found themselves heading to the restaurant for breakfast,while others settled for the snack bar. It was a little after 6 AM.

Chieko, Kyohei, and Oneiro trotted their way to the restaurant, chattering happily, when something caught the corner of their eyes. Was that… a body? Someone laid at the bottom of the stairs with a pillowcase tied over their head and their wrists bound. With a second glance, the signature lab coat gave away her identity.

Oneiro, with no hesitation, runs to Chikako’s side and checks out the wounds, gently attempting to wake Chikako up. Chieko and Kyohei aren’t far behind.

And she does so, but…wow, those eyes are empty. She looks up at Oneiro, a blank face slowly coming to a scarring realization.

“K-Komaka-kun! We–WE HAVE TO HELP HER!!”

Chikako struggles to even point in the direction towards the stairs she recently fell from, but grabs Oneiro’s clothes with energized fear. Oneiro’s eyes widen at suddenly being grabbed, though she stays silent for a few moments, only nodding. “First we should get Chikako-chan to the infirmary. She’s injured.”

Chikako shakes her head, trying to stand but reasonably failing. “N-no. We have to help Komaka-kun. Please.” With a sigh, Chikako was helped to her feet, and freed from her bondage, and the group moved to where she had pointed.

[donkeyjackinggirl]

HEY ROXAS WHAT DID YOU DO WITH KAIRI!? | Komaka | Open to Oneiro | Chapter 5

[donkeyjackinggirl]

“You’re very welcome, Komaka-chan. I care a lot about you… I just want everyone on this dumb ship to be alright.” She sighs. Then, she’s silent.

…Memories. She was trying not to think about that one, honestly. But it’s not like Komaka knew, or meant any harm.

“…Yes. I have made quite a bit of headway.” Her tone went from warm and friendly to rather morose, but not cold. “The, uh… That bear’s motive, this time around. It triggered something of a cascade. Immortality isn’t a subject I really love to discuss. I was right, though, about the whole ‘Senchamoto Tea Company’ thing. I just didn’t know the title of the mansion, or the tea company. Apparently I also have a sister named Ochako, who murdered someone. Really brutally. But that doesn’t have much to do with why I don’t like being called ‘Ochako,’ because we never met.”

“... uh... okay wait,” Komaka began.

“You had a sister named Ochako who murdered someone but you never met her but you remember her name and her tea company what?” Komaka scratched her head a bit.

“Can you uh... go into more details maybe? This seems like a lot to take in,” Komaka asked.

[donkeyjackinggirl]

Amazing Grace | Day 1: Morning | Chapter 5 | Komaka | Open to Chikako

[shslanthrolologist]

humaAt first, Chikako is…defeated by Komaka’s explanation of why she should never bring back Kayla. But after a second, she shakes her head, coming out of the stupor.

“….Hell no! I’m not some mad scientist in an anime, and I’m certainly aware of all of the factors going into something like this. But I know she would want this. It’s unfair to her….and everybody else here! Yeah! I’m going to bring back everybody else, too! Everybody! Even that weird guy who smiled too much! There should be footage and information on them where I can do this. I can save them.”

She seems dissatisfied with even that.

“When we get out of here, I’m going to find who did this…and I will make them pay. And I’ll undo everything they’ve done. I…promise this. These assholes don’t control what I do. I’m going to show them more humanity than they can handle!”

She stomps her foot into the sand, about ready to storm off in a fiery rage (which will shortly diminish right after).

[donkeyjackinggirl]

“... humanity,” Komaka laughs as she stands up from her sand pile and looks to Chikako. Her expression unusually dour in comparison to normal.

“... Chikako-chan,” Komaka says to her after a long pause, “I’ll admit I’m still not sure what to think of you sometimes. You’re as much of an enigma as me and I guess at first that made me apprehensive of you... but I suppose after all this I can call you a friend maybe?” Komaka smiles.

“I... I promise I’ll uphold Stern-sama’s wish... I’ll help you out however I can, Chikako-san,” Komaka gently pats her on the shoulder.

[donkeyjackinggirl]

HEY ROXAS WHAT DID YOU DO WITH KAIRI!? | Komaka | Open to Oneiro | Chapter 5

[donkeyjackinggirl]

“Certainly not like talking to someone speaking another language, Komaka-chan. I almost always understand what you’re saying, and I think everyone else does too. But I’ll be truthful - although I understand what you say, I don’t always understand you. But… that’s the beauty of people - I don’t understand anyone. Nobody understands anyone, and that’s why psychology, therapy sessions, and all of that stuff is so important for humanity. It doesn’t just help both individuals involved to understand each other, on a more long-term scale it helps humanity understand itself. You may feel as if not being understood all the time is a negative thing, but imagine being so understood that you’re predictable. You’d be boring! Frankly, I’m glad you are who you are… whatever sort of force made you did a really fantastic job. I don’t think you need to understand every last thing about someone to have an emotional connection with them… I think connections just happen. Lastly, I most certainly do consider you my friend, Komaka-chan. I hope you consider me one as well!” She smiled wide. It was an openly friendly, gentle, happy, wide smile.

“... Oneiro-chan... thank you...” Komaka looked down and frowned a bit. It didn’t seem to completely improve her mood but she still felt some relief from the dream interpreters words.

“... oh yea. How goes your memories? You uh... find out anything more about yourself?” Komaka asked.

[donkeyjackinggirl]

HEY ROXAS WHAT DID YOU DO WITH KAIRI!? | Komaka | Open to Oneiro | Chapter 5

[donkeyjackinggirl]

“Huh… interesting. I believe you, because this doesn’t sound like the plot to anything relatively familiar…” She made quick li’l notes in one of her notebooks. This one was purple. Whence Komaka was done, Oneiro nodded her head, setting the notebook down next to her. “I… think I do understand. Often, our mind can put creepy spins on things that hold negative motifs… that’s probably why the shadow people had so few but rather unnerving discernible features, like their teeth or eyes.” She glanced to her side, looking over her notes one more time. “…I think, to sum everything up, that you feel… trapped, perhaps? Like, you may feel as if you don’t fit in with everyone else, and that you’re trapped in that state of being. Signified by the whole ‘school and prison’ aesthetic that you mentioned. The part about the water might represent a wish to be more like the others, but still ties into the whole ‘feeling trapped into being different’ thing that I mentioned. You can’t just continue drinking, but doing the impossible is what made people look more ‘real.’” She paused for a little while. “…Do you feel like an outcast, Komaka-chan?”

“... I think maybe I’ve always felt like one,” Komaka admits. “Everyone... everyone thinks I’m weird or I’m strange and... I guess I owned that for a while. But now all I can think of is how detached I am from everyone... Chieko-chan is lucky.”

Why bring her up?

“Chieko-chan can talk to others and reach them and connect to them on an emotional level. She can form connections. Interact with others and leave meaningful impacts on their lives... I’m not like that. I’m not able to connect with anyone or anything. I can talk to others and they can understand me. I can tell others how I’m feeling. I can hold basic conversations with people like you or Chikako or... Stern-sama... but the more I think the more I think that nobody really understood me.”

“... Oneiro-san... do you think of me as a friend? Someone you can have an emotional connection with? Someone who you... understand? Or is talking to me like... talking to someone speaking another language?” Komaka asked.

[donkeyjackinggirl]

HEY ROXAS WHAT DID YOU DO WITH KAIRI!? | Komaka | Open to Oneiro | Chapter 5

Once again, Komaka found herself sitting in Oneiro’s room. This time though she wasn’t like her usual self. She seemed... more distant. More reclusive.

“... I had a dream,” Komaka said “the first one I can vividly remember anyway.”

“No lie this time either. I... I had it last night. I was there. Sitting at my desk at Hopes Peak. Except it wasn’t Hopes Peak. It was my elementary school. Except it was also my middle school. Except it was also the prison. I dunno. It was all those things at once.”

“I was sitting there... alone. Everyone around me was just a shadow. One of the shadows came up and told me I should go drink some water. So I went to the fountain and as I drank the shadows started to look more like people. Some had hair or eyes or fingernails or teeth. And I kept drinking because I knew that if I stopped drinking they’d go back to just being shadows. I drank and I drank until I started to drown. Then I coughed up the water.”

She turned her head over and looked at the sitting girl who was most likely taking notes on her.

“Once I was done spitting it out the shadows began laughing and speaking to each other in sign language. I don’t know how you speak in sign language. Don’t recall how they did it either. Then one of the shadows looked to me and tried to wave me over but I was afraid because I thought it was his leg and not his arm and I thought he was gonna kick me.”

“Then I tried to pull the fountain out of the wall so I could take it with me but I was too weak. Then... then I realized there were too many shadows and I had to escape. But I couldn’t find the exit. The signs kept telling me I had to go up but there were no ladders anywhere! There were only ladders leading downward! Then I curled up into a ball and started singing ‘Friend Like Me’. You know that Aladdin song? Then I saw a shadow walking up to me waving his leg around and I woke up sweating.”

Komaka looked to Oneiro, her eyes wide and her lips twitching.

“Do... do you understand any of that?” Komaka asked.

[donkeyjackinggirl]

Amazing Grace | Day 1: Morning | Chapter 5 | Komaka | Open to Chikako

[donkeyjackinggirl]

“Komaka-kun, stop that. I don’t know if you’re joking or not, but I don’t think this is respectful.”

Chikako seems to have encountered a wild Komaka as she took to the beach, trying to get a breath of fresh air after the night before. She’s been concentrating on staying calm and rational, so, hopefully, she’ll be able to retain her composure.

“I learned a few days ago that my project was sold and dismantled by the forces behind the Koschei Project, so…it’s bittersweet. There’s still a lot unanswered, but…Kayla won’t be gone for too long. I’ll make sure of that.”

Chikako seems to have a new friend riding along in her lab-coat pocket! Yumi is daintily dangling, visible. Chikako pets her newfound bunny very lightly with her thumb.

“She’ll be fine. And I can revive all the others, too. I just need to get the resources and team together. I just….need to get out.” Chikako rubs her forehead, irritated or more concerned about something.

“I’m…nervous. Monokuma said he was getting bored with the killings. Does that mean something is going to happen soon? Is he going to do something soon?….I feel like something…bad is coming. Maybe it’s just…other things clouding what I know. But–yeah. Sorry if i’m bumming you out.”

She stares at the sand below her, more lost in the detail than anything else.

Komaka continued to pray quietly as Chikako spoke to her. Eventually, Komaka stopped as she lowered her hands.

“I don’t particularly care if something bad is coming,” Komaka said to her. “Something bad is always coming. Something bad was coming the moment we got on this ship. And something bad will be coming when I wake up tomorrow. Something bad will be coming the day after that. Something bad will be coming one hundred years after I’m dead and all this is over.”

Komaka just stared down at the mound she had made.

“Why are you doing this?” Komaka asked “did you not see Stern-sama fall into the pit of fire? She probably burned to cinder. There’s no brain of her left to copy. And even if you did...” Komaka paused.

“Chikako-san. Have you ever seen The Mighty Atom?” it was a stupid question really. Atom (or, Astro as he might’ve been better known) was the most well known character from Japan for a while. Though Mario’s probably taken his place by now.

“Of course you have. Do you remember that Doctor Tenma made a robot copy of his son? But realized that he couldn’t possibly love him the same way he loved his son because he was still just a facsimile made to fill a void left by tragedy? And how Atom-kun was caught conflicted over having to fill a role he was unprepared for then abandoned by a man for no better reason than because of his untamed desire to overcome death?” Komaka’s voice was soft. Very soft. Very precise and composed as well. Like she knew exactly what to say to the girl.

“Stern-sama... Kayla-chan... is dead... I don’t want something made to be her. I don’t want to put that burden onto something. And I’d think after all you’d tell me you yourself would not want to do that either. I... I want to move on. I want to remember Kayla-chan as she was... trash... just like me. Just like you.”

If Chikako is observant she can see tiny tears falling from Komaka’s face down onto the mound of sand, coloring the odd area a slightly darker shade.

[donkeyjackinggirl]

Amazing Grace | Day 1: Morning | Chapter 5 | Komaka | Open to Chikako

The beach was calm this morning. The sun rose on the horizon and the waves crashed against the shore of the island. Chikako could see Komaka out on the beach although what she was doing she had no idea really. As she approached Komaka she could plainly see that Komaka had set up a mount of sand and dirt at the very front of the beach. Over it was a shoddily made wooden cross, little more than two sticks she probably found in the woods that were tied together with a bit of plastic. If Chikako examined the cross further she could see that the plastic tying the two sticks together was... most likely the ripped up remnants of a garbage bag she most likely got from her room. Oh.

Komaka gently put something on top of the mound of sand and dirt. Her hands were filthy, indicating she had most likely done this all with her weak arms and willpower. Impressive for the girl really. Komaka reached into her seifuku and pulled out a familiar pair of glasses. She gently lowered them onto the mound and then... clasped her hands together. Komaka begins to speak in very broken English.

... was she trying to say the Hail Mary? Was Kayla even Catholic? WHO KNOWS?

[melancholic-seas]

This is the end... beautiful friend | Komaka | Post Trial 4 | Attn: Monokuma

Komaka hadn’t reacted much during Kayla’s execution. Didn’t change expression. Didn’t even really flinch. All she did was… stand there and watch. Like she always did. But something was different now. Her eyes were much darker. Much more absorbed. She didn’t talk to anyone after leaving the elevator. She didn’t go to anyone. She… she wanted to be alone.

And so there she was. Walking along the sides of the boat, her mind wandered to the past… there was only vague reflections of memories too old to remember properly but she still had them.

“Oh. Hello Stern-san. It looks like Kuma-san wasn’t lying about this ship being disposed indefinitely.“

”… Right. This landfill, or, I guess you could call it a seafill"

“I’m the only one here who’s worthless garbage”

“would it be okay if I stuffed you into a garbage bag?”

“Thank you Stern-sama”

“… by the way this garbage bag smells nice. You must really care for your trash.”

The last bit of the memory came to her and now Komaka simply collapsed to her knees, threw her hands down and simply lay there. A string of tears rolling down her face against the floor.

She did take care of her trash. She always did. And it was all her fault. All because she had to attack Ends. All because she didn’t want Kayla to die. And now… now it was all her fault she was gone. Why… WHY…

Komaka paused then.

And looked up.

“Kuma-san? Can you hear me?” she didn’t bother waiting for a reply, she simply spoke. “For this trial… you said that if one of us murdered we’d get to meet the person you showed them right? Does that mean… Stern-sama met that friend she told me about? Did that happen or…?” her voice was firm but her eyes were still running somewhat.

[melancholic-seas]

Gimme a Break, Gimme a Break... || Komaka || Trial 4 || Re: Ends

Komaka stopped as Ends said this. She blinked and nodded at his statement.

“Yes… I told both Oneiro-san and Kayla-chan what I did,” Komaka looked over to Oneiro, hoping for confirmation but then recalled that she had been… injured.

“If we’re talking about motivation… yes I did act out against you Ends-san and I apologize. If that’s not enough to prove my innocence well… we’ve already convicted someone innocent once and I don’t want you to go through the same guilt Kotori did, Ends-san.”

Komaka closed her eyes and thought.

“Out of all the people effected by the motive presented by Kuma-san only a few of us were shaken enough to possibly act on it… myself. Takki-chan. Chieko-chan. Kotori-chan and Hachiro-kun. Everyone else either hid their concern or showed no interest.”

“Actually the conversation of motive does bring up something of note… why would someone kill twice? If their motivation was simply to see or protect a loved one all they’d need to do is kill once. The only explanations I can think of are these.”

“Either there’s two murderers. Someone who killed Kotori and someone who killed Vera. Or…” Komaka pauses.

“… could Vera-san have been the one to murder Kotori? And then she was killed. Possibly either due to the motive presented or out of revenge for what she did to Kotori?”

Komaka asked as her eyes once again wandered away from the podium. She seemed lost in thought.

[melancholic-seas]

Gimme a Break, Gimme a Break... || Komaka || Trial 4 || Re: Ends

Komaka stopped as Ends said this. She blinked and nodded at his statement.

“Yes… I told both Oneiro-san and Kayla-chan what I did,” Komaka looked over to Oneiro, hoping for confirmation but then recalled that she had been… injured.

“If we’re talking about motivation… yes I did act out against you Ends-san and I apologize. If that’s not enough to prove my innocence well… we’ve already convicted someone innocent once and I don’t want you to go through the same guilt Kotori did, Ends-san.”

Komaka closed her eyes and thought.

“Out of all the people effected by the motive presented by Kuma-san only a few of us were shaken enough to possibly act on it… myself. Takki-chan. Chieko-chan. Kotori-chan and Hachiro-kun. Everyone else either hid their concern or showed no interest.”

“Actually the conversation of motive does bring up something of note… why would someone kill twice? If their motivation was simply to see or protect a loved one all they’d need to do is kill once. The only explanations I can think of are these.”

“Either there’s two murderers. Someone who killed Kotori and someone who killed Vera. Or…” Komaka pauses.

“… could Vera-san have been the one to murder Kotori? And then she was killed. Possibly either due to the motive presented or out of revenge for what she did to Kotori?”

Komaka asked as her eyes once again wandered away from the podium. She seemed lost in thought.

[melancholic-seas]

Come on Snake Lets Rattle || Komaka || Trial 4 || ATTN: Everyone

Komaka sighed. There was a lot of anger going on and a lot of talking but not a lot of what was actually important.

“Guys we need to hunker down and think about this stuff now,” Komaka said.

“We have a blue string, a needle, anesthetic… okay. So what if: Kotori was knocked unconscious like Kyohei and then killed? Furthermore. What if Vera’s killer and Kotori’s killer are actually linked in some way?”

Komaka looked to Ends and slowly approached him. “May i see that string?” she asked as she held her hand out.

[donkeyjackinggirl]

Lets do this again... | Komaka | Open to Oneiro | Post Motive

[donkeyjackinggirl]

…If we survive this. “Y-Yeah… I really hope we do. I wasn’t too afraid of death when I didn’t have any emotions… Now I can feel fear and, boy, oh, boy, do I feel it!!”

Oneiro shrugs. “I really don’t know! It might have been, or maybe something else, I’m not really sure… All I know is the more I think about my name being Ochako, the more freaked out about my name being Ochako that I get.” Hairdressers?? Typically, Oneiro would dye her own hair… but she’s never cut her own hair, or anyone elses. “Well, Ends-chan helped me style my hair at like, really early the other morning when I woke up with all of these emotions. He also helped Kotori cut her hair, I think. You should ask him! Boy, do I love Ends-chan! He’s so talented~”

“Well I don’t really wanna talk to Ends. I tried to murder him with a wiffle bat to save Kayla-chan and he might be a bit-” she pauses. She then stands up.

“oh wow would you look at the time i think i should go now” komaka says as she tries to find the door with hair still covering her eyes.