Brave New World
You're so distracted by the blackness, and just how involved you were in that execution, that you only notice that your two captors have been freed when Monoki turns to look at you. She and Monohiro were quietly whispering to one another, and gives her a small, polite nod before hurrying out of the courtroom. Monoki watches him leave as she takes a deep breath. "... So. I don't know if I'm even allowed to apologize, given that what's happened here over the past few weeks is nothing I can ever apologize enough for. What I can offer is an explanation." Monoki pauses again, looking for the words. "... Well, not really. He already gave you one, I guess. He wasn't lying. You were all classmates. I can explain myself, to some extent." She bites her lower lip, not looking eager to explain. "SHSL Despair was looking into the creation of personalized humans. Blank slates that you could shape into whatever you wanted. It was mostly students of Hope's Peak Academy who served as these slates. It was killing two birds with one stone- extinguishing hope and catering to their own needs. That's how the despair spread so quickly. Brainwashed students made soldiers were everywhere, and I assume they still are." "Soldiers were the easiest to produce. There were also housekeepers, factory workers, and other types of brainwashed students who were harder to make. The early stages ended in crushing failure. It's easier to tell them to kill instead of teaching them civilized tasks." She laughs, although it's bitter, no humour to be found whatsoever. "It's gross, that I feel affection towards Kaede-kun. Nothing of the romantic sort, but that I'm indebted to him. I was a Hope's Peak student as well. I recall each one of you. I was your upperclassman, the grade above you. My class and I were supposed to help you all get accustomed to school life, but we usually just played games and pulled pranks with you." Monoki's face shows a hint of nostalgic sadness before snapping back to seriousness. "I ended up not taking the threat of despair seriously, not running off to the abandoned camp to hide like your class did, and they caught me. I ended up a failed slate, you see. Supposed to be housekeeper, but in the last stages of the process, I pretty much shut down. Couldn't control any movements I made, couldn't digest food or water- basically, I was dead already. So they threw me on the side of the road to let me die. That's when Kaede-kun came along. He found me, and nursed me back to decent health. He gave me a purpose. I was his megaphone, his game runner." "After I got hit with the flying arm- wow, that's a sentence I never thought I would say- it jostled some memories in my brain. Basically, it's why I'm not crying that you killed him, but that I'm explaining the madness to you." A faint smile drifts onto Monoki's face. "And why I'm about to help you leave." ----------- You all packed up. Everything that you had is piled into backpacks and suitcases. Monoki has given you enough water and food for quite some time, and you can hear some bottles sloshing around in your bag. Your whole group- with the obvious exception of those who didn't make it through the game- is standing in front of the city gates, tall, wrought-iron things. Monoki is standing next to them, holding a key. She turns to you. "Anyone who wants to stay here can. It's dangerous out there. Despair is still running wild, and you'll need a whole lot of luck to overcome that." One student had elected to stay with Monoki here, dedicated to helping her cope and to rebuild this place as a safe haven for refugees. Ai smiles at you from beside her. Monoki nods at the group. "I understand. Look, my family lives in Akihabara. I'm fairly sure it's still safe there. Tell them you're friends of Akari. Specific directions aren't something I have, but I'm pretty sure we're in Toyama right now. It's going to be quite the journey there. Are you up for it?" There's a collective nod around the group. Monoki smiles, a genuine one this time. "Great. Good luck, students of hope." She opens the gates with a huge shove, watching you as you leave. For almost a month now, suspicion and carnage have been your reality. But now you're leaving, free from this place, free to heal the world and to start a revolution of hope. You are the graduating class of We Made It. And although the world is still chaotic, full of despair and death and betrayal, you know that as you all hurry into the wreckage of the suburbs around the city, your victory here can change all that. You can be the ones who change it all again. And that tiny realization feels strangely hope-like. CONGRATULATIONS CDV2!