A/N: Previous chapter, I have said that I'm trying to feel my way through the story. Although I have some ideas, I was mostly set for the first part but to this day still unsure about the second part. I'm an author of structure too so I'm figuring out how I want to write the beats / arcs of this story until a satisfying conclusion. There's a lot of ways and it's been a long time so I won't lie that I'm a little scared about poor writing decisions and failing the V3 cast. But I also want to see this story to the end because just like the title, just like what I have wanted for them a long time ago, I don't want to forsake that either. I hope to draft well enough and cross my fingers. I'm also learning to appreciate the art of writing shorter chapters because keeping a certain word count for chapters will legit be the end of me.

To recap what had happened after everyone was on board with the plan, they had to prepare within the estimated hour where the Despair Minions would come and pick up all of them as they prepare their newest recruits while ready the survivors for the newest killing game.

Of course, that would never come to pass when the A2HD were on route to collect some of them for the pen drive that downloaded all the contents of their killing game as their trump card to make and break this despair apocalypse.

Meanwhile, they had also tipped off the Future Foundation about potential survivors that could be recruited into their ranks so it would be a whole shebang for three powerful organizations despite the A2HD not really flying on either organization's radar yet to collide within one bunker.

By the sounds of it, it will not end well but for the classmates still in preparation for said shebang, it was all according to plan. Although the survivors had their doubts with such a plan, the rest had figured and understood everything that must have been done throughout the days of finding out, learning and getting to know what their past selves before killing game were ever thinking.

In any case, once they had their communications and whatever equipment they could find here set and ready to go, they have divided themselves into the teams on where they would go to enact their plan.

The Future Foundation was no brainer, with only the survivors going when they would be less accepting of any Despair Minion that might as well be killed on sight if they ever try this farce. They were not willing to add more people when the FF could see through their lies and not listen to reason. Although it was concerning that there were not a lot of survivors to go for FF, they could only work with what they have. The job of the survivors were to get the feel of FF that they have an odd relationship with despite their same goals and at the very least try to get in their way subtly from killing anymore Despair Minions and going for any ruthless methods that did not vibe with their ideology.

For the Despair Minions team, Rantaro, Tsumugi, Angie, Kirumi, Ryoma and Kokichi had volunteered themselves to take up the grand task of acting out in despair and figuring out the ranks, getting to the heart of the matter and finding out where to strike deep. Although there were concerns that this team could lose themselves to despair, they were conceeded to be the more resilient and cunning in the group to actually pull this off.

Finally, that left Miu, Kiibo, Gonta, Kaede, Tenko, Kaito and Kiyo to go back to the A2HD home base. There had been worry that Kiyo and Kiibo could lapse into despair much easier than any of the others considering that the former had actually underwent full Despair Minion mode if he wasn't snapped out of it and the latter could be programmed into despair and blowing their cover so they had been relegated to home turf. Miu had to go back, because it was with her technological prowess with the pen drive and maintaining the robot that they truly needed to get their next phase of the plan going.

Gonta, Kaede, Tenko and Kaito would be too straightforward and honest with their positive attitudes or pure natures to actually maintain a despairing act for a very long time. Considering positive attitudes, it had been concerning that Angie would join the despair minions but as evidenced with the student council in the killing game and a general wariness with her cult like religion style back in the old high school days, there had been more that meets the eye for Angie that acting out as a Despair Minion might be something she could candidly pull off.

In that estimated hour, thanks to the survivors trying to regain as much lost memories as they could possibly have and establishing a communication link with their phones that would not easily be seen by FF or Despair Minions, the time had dwindled to almost nothing, where some had accepted their fate and fidgeted for the moment of chaos to rain down upon them while others kept on checking everything and talking to others, not to talk themselves out of what they were doing but to make sure they knew what they were doing. The latter was especially apparent among the survivors, who had so far sticked close to their friends and avoided the enemies made in their killing game with barely concealed suspicion.

To be honest, it would take a long time for everyone to truly warm up to each other, and even that was not a guarantee but their teamwork was built on something more solid than the shaky trust and so-called friendship that they unfortunately have now. It was built upon promises that everyone makes sure they see through or else they would commit to their own thing, and proof that they keep delivering their promises time and time again. The survivors unfortunately could not see that yet, but maybe with time that was a luxury to have...

The seconds were ticking.

"Are we sure we can do this?"

The classmates had shuffled around the moment they heard an ominous clicking sound.

"It's too late to back out by now."

Then, there were rapid fire beeps.

"We will see each other again soon, and altogether... when it's all over."

And-

"Of course."

There was the boom.

The classmates had made themselves scarce, as from their hidden spots, they would watch the chaos unfold. They have to time this right, or else consequences would be dire.

The A2HD team have it easy, as they have rushed towards the spot that DICE members, forefront people in any A2HD operation, would come to collect them with the DICE mobile truck, well camouflaged and suited for the quickest getaway ever. The FF and Despair Minions group had joined them only briefly, being equipped with a fair few weapons that they could not have kept otherwise in this bunker because they have obviously been stripped down of anything dangerous before being put into the killing game.

The weapons were equipped because unfortunately, the FF and Despair Minions group have it harder, having to join up both groups without any of them being suspicious about the newest recruits.

The Despair Minion group had already put on the masks while currently hiding with the FF group, as they would watch both organizations coming and startled to find each other.

From their hiding spots, they could see the Despair Minions generic in their masks like common soldiers simply searching the debris for any survivor only to be met with FF members who were doing the same more frantically and stopping when they noticed each other.

Unlike the generic soldiers of Despair Minions, the FF do not hide their appearances as the self proclaimed saviors of the world from this apocalypse so it was easy to see who had been sent to their 'rescue'.

It was the one person that had started it all, that could almost be said to be the foil of the apocalypse, the one with one of the biggest impressions in killing games all over the world.

No one could mistake the ahoge and almost ordinary looking man, Makoto Naegi. In the killing game, he had been exaggerated as a symbol of hope, principal of Hope's Peak in a distant future they had never belonged to and somewhat a catalyst to their role in the Gofer Project or as the first ever protagonist of Danganronpa.

In reality, they all had been schoolmates with Makoto with their classes of the same age and separated because their class was forewarned about the dangers earlier than Makoto's class. Everything was too chaotic that day when their class managed to remove themselves from either being stuck in the school and holing themselves in or being recruited to the FF, the latter which they had thought to join at first but never acted based on suspicions and relieved to do their own thing when such suspicions were confirmed.

They had been close to Makoto's class, being of the same year and basically being next to each other by class number. So when everyone had settled themselves as well as they could in the apocalypse with the determination to end it in the most idealistic way they could possibly conceive to spite and throw the middle finger against the bastards that put them up for this, one of the first things in their agenda had been saving their family and friends which included class 78 but reality had been less kind when it came to their fellow schoolmates.

Other notable figures were Kyoko Kirigiri and Aoi Asahina, in front of FF people with generic suits and sunglasses. Both sides were armed to the teeth and the the Despair Minion and FF cast that were supposed to join them somehow despite all of this had to wonder how they were even going to do that.

"We have to wait it out a while," Kokichi whispered to everyone else, having both groups together once the A2HD cast left and had the easy part.

"For what? For them to kill each other while we do nothing," Maki sassed with more bite in her voice than necessary. No one called it out, because that was an appropriate response to someone you hated and were forced to remain civil with. It's especially harder when you distrust the person so much, no matter what other contrary memories there were.

"It's all about timing," Rantaro backed up Kokichi before a tense silence could reign among the most disagreeable duo, "They cannot know that we are in cahoots with each other, if we choose to appear together and arouse suspicions. We cannot show the Despair Minions any of the survivors going to FF because the rest of us could be questioned for your freedom and we don't want them immediately suspicious of us out of  the bat. Us 'dead' cannot show ourselves to the FF during a battle like this at the risk of running injuries and them figuring out who we really are. It is especially dangerous with our schoolmates who could recognize us at least from our casual clothes."

"Actually... if Naegi-kun and the others figured out we were part of the Despair Minions, wouldn't they try to... rehabilitate us like with the Remnants of Despair?" Shuichi asked, a note of curiosity in his tone.

"That's... hard to say," Kokichi answered, as the unfortunately most knowledgeable person about their state of affairs in this reality of theirs despite waking up much later than the other dead because of how most memories the liar now possessed had been involved the most with FF, Despair Minions and the world affairs in comparison to others.

But unlike the survivors or more accurately, people who still lived after Kaito and Kokichi, Kokichi was unhindered by a shaky timeline about their current events combined with so many lies that picking up the true one would be a hassle and a half. After all, it was no brainer that Makoto Naegi not being the headmaster of Hope's Peak and the very first killing games did not happen decades ago but it was something the survivors had been told before and they were trying to discard and piece together. The same could be said with the Remnants of Despair, whether they had actually been rehabilitated or that was a lie told in the killing game.

Kokichi, a tactician among their small group pre-killing game, had such information on top of his head and was responsible to relay it. Himiko was overall indifferent over Kokichi, with all the shit he had done and how he was 'atoning' seemingly balancing it out. Shuichi was a little distrustful but willing to understand and keep an open mind with Kokichi. Maki... is complicated, with straight up hatred and occasional tunnel vision but had the willingness to keep her thoughts to herself and judge Kokichi for herself even if she was distrustful. At the very least, no strangulation attempts have been made post killing game.

"Naegi-chan had been rehabilitating the Remnants of Despair, much to the FF's displeasure and so far, he had claimed full responsibility for the whole thing although Kirigiri-chan and Togami-chan were complicit with it... That one just happened before Amami-chan and Shirogane-chan decided to throw themselves into a killing game without informing the rest of us," Kokichi recalled.

"As for whether the FF allows rehabilitation for Despair Minions, the Remnants are still holed up in the island while Naegi-chan is going through a whole procedure. It's surprising that he's even out field for missions like this when he was supposed to be put in probation. Along with Kirigiri-chan and Togami-chan."

"So why are they out here now, trying to recruit us?" Shuichi asked.

"Probably sending off a wild goose chase or missions that others wouldn't want," Tsumugi muttered, "It's not like the FFs were aware of this Despair Minion set up in the first place..."

Only silence and no follow up questions were given after Tsumugi's statement, with only reproach from the survivors given. Deep down, they have understood that the mastermind of their killing game had been reluctant in their role after the shit she had gone through in previous killing game with Rantaro. However, that was never going to balance out everything she had done against them, especially with the final trial messing with their minds that had became incredibly personal. 

The only good thing that can be said out of this was that the survivors learn to tolerate everyone that they have so far hated and mistrusted, not exactly willing to give second chances but understanding the value their teamwork had been pre-killing game. Maybe they will somehow warm up to their 'enemies' or maybe not. To them, it was baffling how everyone between killer and victim somehow got along well but it had been told to the survivors that they have just discussed their grievances and were also just tolerating each other.

In a non-apocalyptic world, everyone would have just gone to therapy and maybe not see people they hate, as they live their own lives. Too bad they live in an apocalyptic world then.

In silence with a conversation fizzled out, they had continued watching over the battle between FF and Despair Minions, with the former certainly thinking this was a trap and focusing on retreating to cut their losses although some gung-ho soldiers were trying to take down the Despair Minions recklessly. The Despair Minions were not one to let go of an opportunity to enact utter despair over any situation and decided to fight fire with fire by taking down other FF members.

There was nothing anyone could do to stop, let alone prevent, this bloodbath and some even understood that this was inevitable but by the principles they had adhered to despised what they had to go through as they longingly missed a peaceful world where this was more scarce rarity than anything. Even considering the circumstances that the people recruited to the Despair Minions were not even willing, able to be saved but not given such a chance, it was easy to pray for Miu and the rest of the A2HD going back to homebase for the smooth sailing of the plan.

Especially for a reality they desire even when they are still reeling from the whiplashes they have been through in the killing game.

Meanwhile, the survivors and others had split off, nearing their desired targets. There was finally an opportunity found when the FF were now more intent on retreating when the more reckless people have been down and wounded although the Despair Minions were not letting up their onslaught. 

Luckily, it was easy to perfectly time a blockade between FF and Despair Minions with the reasonable distance between them. This was also the last time the others see each other, for a long while or if they ever cross paths... as enemies, or that's what they will have to convince the entire world to keep up with this farce.

Kokichi did not hesitate, fishing out a grenade from his shirt that he had been handed from A2HD before seeing that team off and took one good aim to the ceiling above them. 

Then, everything crashed down.

***

At the time, the A2HD team were on their way to their base, taking the side streets and breaking all traffic laws known to man to avoid anyone from FF and the Despair Minions. Being an old hat at it, the A2HD members knew their way around these roads and so far have avoided any trouble. Unfortunately, it was still a long way to go before they reach their destination.

It gave them enough time to acquaint with the eclectic group sent to pick them up, namely Rook, a DICE member who was in charge of driving in this rough and rocky roads, Professor Idabashi who had immediately fussed over Kiibo his creation much to his slight embarrassment when it was in front of his friends, Chihiro Fujisaki who immediately worked with Miu over the pen drive they have obtained with a computer that was brought over and Kotoko Utsugi who actually serves no purpose here and hitched along the ride before the rest even knew it and was stuck snuggling with Gonta while lamenting that she wanted to see 'Kirumi-nee-chan' and 'Maki-nee-chan' so much to the point that she wanted to go to the spy mission with them but was stopped by Chihiro.

It had been seeing Chihiro Fujisaki and Kotoko Utsugi which had put the others in a slight bind once they got into the nifty minivan that had enough space for everyone as Professor Idabashi had been the one to greet everyone else and hand over the weapons while the rest stayed inside. Considering Chihiro was a schoolmate who they thought had died in the very first killing game Junko Enoshima personally started and participated in and Kotoko Utsugi, they had remembered that she was a part of the Warriors of Hope that was a part of despair and played a part in the genocide of Towa City's adults, it was mind boggling how they could be here and siding with the A2HD.

Kotoko had looked alarmed at the confused and startled reaction they shown and latched immediately to Gonta with pleading eyes when she asked, "You don't remember me, Mr. Nice Man?"

"Mr... Nice Man?" Gonta asked, before Chihiro set him aside from Kotoko's clutches and quickly whispered about Kotoko's problem with the word usage of gentle and how Gonta had settled calling himself nice man instead of gentleman for Kotoko's sake, especially around her and she stuck to calling him that.

"Utsugi-chan," Chihiro now said after Kotoko decided to hug the heck out of Kaede's body, "You should give Akamatsu-san and all of them some space. They have been through a lot, you know?"

"I know!" Kotoko insisted, burying herself deeper into Kaede, "But they have to remember me! Kirumi-nee-chan and Maki-nee-chan too, although they are off to their super secret spy mission. I'm just here to make sure they remember all that important stuff!"

"Yes, but we have to take this one at a time," Professor Idabashi had said, even when he was concentrating on Kiibo's specs, "Even now, they look disorientated."

"I guess there's a lot of things we have to bring you up to speed," Rook had said from his driver's seat when they had quickly gotten out of the bunker, "But we won't know how to do that until you tell us everything that's bothering you. I've seen you startled by Fujisaki and Utsugi just now."

It was then that they told the rest what they thought of Chihiro and Kotoko, which left displeasure among their pick-up group.

"Misremembering, even Kiibo. Side effects of the killing game...?" Professor Idabashi muttered to himself, as Kotoko hugged Kirumi tighter.

"Or maybe they still don't completely remember," Rook tried reassuring, "Those facts about Fujisaki and Utsugi actually checks out, if they only remembered what happened in the first place and before our interference."

It  was later explained that Chihiro Fujisaki was actually among the first batch of Despair Minions that A2HD rescued, which came as a surprise when everyone was sure that there was no one left alive from the original killing game except for the survivors. It had been speculated that Junko Enoshima had subjected them to a VR killing game as the basis of Despair Minion creation in twisted mercy to her fellow classmates but many were unsure.

To this day, the survivors were oblivious to their own class's survival due to fact that FF were blind to redeemed Despair Minions and thus considered class 78 dead in their own way and never bothered to inform the survivors, showing an illusion of permanent death for them. Other than Chihiro, there were a fair few others rescued from being a Despair Minion and sided with A2HD with the hopes of bringing Makoto and the rest to the fold away from the prejudiced FF and searching for others that are MIA. 

"So what about Junko Enoshima?" Kiyo asked, "Wouldn't that mean she was part of the VR killing game? That would mean she could not have died but I remember reports about Remnants of Despair cutting up and taking Enoshima's body for themselves, in either attachment or consumption. Or would that be me misremembering and Enoshima is..."

Chihiro looked down, either reluctant or unable to answer a question about a former classmate turned horrible enemy.

"You still are not misremembering anything," Rook reassured, "But that doesn't mean Enoshima is dead."

"What the fuck? So which one is it? Is the bitch dead or not?" Miu demanded.

"The Remnants of Despair think she's dead and so does the rest of the world. However, DNA disapproves this, only known to the A2HD and no one else who was content to let her be dead and won't accept another answer."

The A2HD was a through organization without much credibility for being an entity behind the scenes and completely covered in the shadows when they disagreed with the general consensus about FF being the hero of their world due to disagreement on methods so they did not make themselves known to avoid any whiplash from the masses. Their thoroughness stems mostly from Kokichi, who acted as de-facto leader to the A2HD, at least when it came to strategies and missions because the class never in their years would make the liar a leader of them of any kind and were more prone of kickstarting  their own missions and plotting their strategies to somehow bring the world out of the apocalypse. 

However, the class trusted each other well enough to follow through Kokichi's commands when he was dead serious for at least he made sure that no stone was left unturned. It was evidenced that when the class had heard about the first ever killing game that had been broadcasted everywhere to its very end, Kokichi wasted no time to actually barge into what was once their Academy and search for remaining survivors and get a clue at what happened despite the risks.

The survivors by then had already been 'rescued' by the FF, and Despair Minions were nowhere to be seen, probably escorted by people insane enough to join a despairful cause. The Remnants of Despair had came and went leaving no trace of Junko Enoshima's body except for bloodstains. Those bloodstains had been swabbed and sent to their forensic lab, which they have thank you very much, for inspection.

It did not match Junko Enoshima's DNA. What it meant to people in the know about it... a rogue Junko Enoshima who faked her death and did not show herself ever since. There were speculations and theories about her fate but no true evidence that was brought to light about the Junko problem so they all decided to focus on their current problems.

"OK..." Kaede said, a little uneasy about the newfound information, "Then what about Utsugi-chan over here?"

"You can call me Kotoko-chan, y'know?" Kotoko pouted, which was unfortunately ignored much to more pouting when Rook explained that she and the rest of the Warrior of Hopes had planned out Towa City's genocide but Kirumi and Maki had been on a mission at the particular city to nip the thing in the bud. To summarize, they managed with their infiltration enough for Kirumi to act as a 'doll maid' for the Warriors of Hope who were thankfully childishly gullible except Monaca that had sniffed her out but was barely handled thanks to Kirumi's experience with Kokichi while Maki hit the ground as a 'doll hitman' and taught the kids what they wanted to know while actually bringing the people to safety. There was an iffy time when Nagito Komaeda wanted to approach the Warriors of Hope but were luckily rejected immediately without any offense. Maki wanted to capture Nagito to enact the DanganSalmon operation and rid him of his despair but he was a slippery bastard. It was a wonder how FF managed to capture him and the rest of the Remnants of Despair for what would be known as the second killing game, officially, in this world not by the FF's volition at all.

The doll parts were just play pretend for Kirumi and Maki, as if they were not the adults the kids despised but dolls created by other kids to be ordered around. When everything was over and they revealed themselves as those adults, the Warriors of Hope took no offense because Kirumi and Maki were the 'best adults ever, even better than Junko-nee-san' and also slowly enjoyed the other adults that were their classmates, especially Kokichi, Himiko and Ryoma at first sight for being fun child size.

The kids eventually warmed up to the class and had a few favorites among them although Kirumi and Maki will always be the bestest adult friends for them but it seemed among the people going back to home base, Kotoko found comfort in Gonta and Kaede as they let her snuggle in on them.

Of course more shenanigans ensued but the end result was that a genocide did not occur although Maki and Kirumi couldn't completely stop the Monokuma robots that flooded the city. There had been close brush offs with the FF and attempts to connect with Class 78 but they were unable to cross wires and all Kirumi and Maki could have done by then was leave the city to FF's devices, as Komaru Naegi and Toko Fukawa were among the people that have stayed behind to clear the robot problem. This shows that FF and A2HD can somehow work together although the former were unaware of the latter's involvement which they hope stays that way.

"It's just that we can't save everyone and only done the best we can," Rook concluded.

Silence stretched among them all as the V3 cast, as they branded themselves for the killing game they have gone through for now, wondered and speculated about their missing memories and how much they thought they knew and how much they actually didn't know.

They can only do the best they can.

***

Dust settled, as the Despair Minions could not find the FF that suddenly attacked them. It was the first time when they had set up these shadows of Junko Enoshima's glorious killing game to obtain more Despair Minions into their ranks that one had been found out.

A few thought that there might be a traitor in the midst or that the V3 cast were somehow aware of what was going on and actually defected, in such a quick time, to create such a scenario. Those thoughts came and went when despair was only what mattered to the minions, and anything else was too despairing to care about. Beings like these only cared about getting work effectively done and maybe getting killed in the process because for most of them that could be the greatest despair to end life in despair.

It didn't matter, because despair was all they cared about and that was the atmosphere Tsumugi, Rantaro, Kokichi, Angie, Kirumi and Ryoma found themselves in once they revealed themselves among the dust to the rest.

"Where had you been?" One of  the Despair Minions asked them, and the V3 cast remained silent, which could be counted as a despairing answer. It was all too easy for their cover to be blown and they could only act despondent as how first new recruiters act and fool their eyes the best they can.

"Where are the others? There had been more dead in that VR world than this..." the Despair Minion continued questioning them, but this one was met with a mumble, specifically from Tsumugi who had become de-facto leader of their newest Minion group simply because she was the mastermind and finding it all too appropriate.

The Despair Minion shuffled closer to them, and barked, "Speak up. Can't hear from your mumbling."

"... Dead," Tsumugi mumbled, "Had to... join Despair Minion but ceiling fell down, and some... stopped."

"Ah, the ultimate despair to die," the Despair Minion breathed softly, "And the survivors?"

"Same... fate..."

"Lucky," the Despair Minion scoffed, before tossing two keys to Tsumugi who had deftly caught them and wordlessly handed them over to Kokichi and Angie. Rantaro almost stiffened, if Kirumi wasn't there to hold Rantaro down slightly. Of course, the Minions would notice but the tight grip that inflicted pain based on Rantaro's tense body was enough for the Minions to stop paying heed about it.

The V3 cast had to be really careful with what has to be done next, having talked to former Despair Minions about how procedures ran its course from getting out of the killing game to making ranks. Once the Minions turned back to their non-despairful selves, their memories about Minion time were foggy but they vividly remembered how robotic they were through the whole process, as if they were programmed to act with certain sets of actions.

It took so many snippets but they understood the first course that happens almost automatically, for the new recruits to follow their recruiters to base, just lounge around and soak into despair, get a set of orders and then go 'fuck around and find out'.

That makes Despair Minions seem almost cluttered and a chaotic bunch with no sense of direction, which for the most sense was true but on occasion, they do follow orders. They were just allowed to do their own things for maximum despair, which always confuses the FF and never letting them anticipate the next move.

The goal ends up being a certain type of vengeance, whether personally or to the world in general. Ironically, that's how they are united. With vengeance schemes half despairing that they fail and getting them killed which they always sought out with an insane suicidal urge. Honestly, it could be anything else but through discussions from reformed Minions, vengeance had been a main trait and mostly against themselves for what had been done in the killing game and causing collateral damage.

For Tsumugi to give Kokichi and Angie the keys, and subsequently following without question, this was just to incite maximum despair. To never let anyone suspect, their actions from then on had to be derived from maximum despair, so it was up to them to give the keys to the worst drivers so they could get the most despairing drive and suffer... a lot. This was especially the worst for Rantaro, who was undoubtedly paling under his mask due to his dislike for cars.

Conversely, Angie and Kokichi were excited even if insulted that they were picked as the worst drivers for the long car ride ahead of them. It was a necessary evil, when they have to infiltrate the Despair Minion base and find out how their operations work underneath their chaos so that they know where to strike to make their plans work.

Still, Atua have mercy on their souls as they split into threes for the Fast and Furious, Atua takes the wheel, Atua save them drive that they will ever experience. At least, this will satisfy the other Despair Minions.

***

Meanwhile, the FF retreated away from the rubbled bunker, with Makoto, Kyoko and Hina at the forefront while checking over their comrades where they were lucky not to lose a lot. They have to reach their cars and aid the wounded. Overall, it felt like a failure.

"Was the tip... a trap?" Makoto asked aloud, to Kyoko and Hina who only had temporarily blank looks before they steeled themselves. They were standing around for a brief moment, catching their breaths and thanking their luck that the Despair Minions were blocked from them before they could handle more losses. 

"Most likely," Kyoko huffed, as Makoto frowned when he still remembered how the tip came to be and how he was assigned to it with the others despite his probation and still awaiting a trial hanging on his head. The only reason he wasn't persecuted for protecting the Remnants of Despair yet was because of the world's perception about Makoto as the Ultimate Hope and the deeds he had accumulated in FF. To avoid their reputation souring, it was a delicate matter to handle. One day, Makoto would be persecuted but he was given a delay until the higher ups would be able to do it without alerting the world.

Until then, he had been given low brow assignments and stink eyes through rumors of what he had done which ran against what FF stood up for. It was just that Makoto found it unfair that the Remnants of Despair that had been brainwashed into despair would be mercilessly condemned and although they have to atone for their sins, shouldn't a second chance be given? For them to atone their sins as themselves, and not how they were brainwashed to be?

All those thoughts ran through his head until he remembered the low brow assignment that landed him in this mess. A tip that came out hours ago, about people held captive by the Despair Minions in a bunker. About another killing game being held and that the survivors were let out. Makoto was aware of the trick that Despair Minions go through after their very own killing game, with many more broadcasted over the world as a new version of videos that have crumbled society and caused apocalypses. FF tried their best to shut down those videos, finding a way to gain immunity from such demoralizing videos but their only solution so far had been crashing TVs and whatnot. 

People were generally wary about it being a trap, but when Makoto found out who it was, he eagerly jumped for the assignment that was given even at the risk of a trap. Kyoko and Hina accompanied him to make sure he didn't do anything reckless. It was really sad that it ended up being a trap because-

"Naegi... Makoto?"

Makoto's head whipped around as his eyes widened at the sight before him. Kyoko and Hina who's eyes followed the voice had a similar reaction but the rest that had followed them for this mission raised their weapons warily against three people, even when they could only be innocent civilians in this scenario without the Mnokuma masks that Despair Minions were infamous for.

And familiar faces.

"Is... is that you Saihara-kun? And Harukawa-san? Yumeno-san?" Makoto asked, for all three survivors to nod at him much to his relief. They had all been schoolmates and considering how rare Ultimates had always been, the years always have just one or two classes at most. Considering Class 78 which Makoto resided and Class 79 for the three survivors before him were of the same year, they kept close tabs with each other.

It was sad that Class 79 as a whole disappeared moments before disaster struck and were never seen again, for years. And now...

Shuichi, Maki and Himiko had stared at the FF, a little scared but determined all the same. From the memories they now have, for all the information they had accumulated as the A2HD, they now had a role to play although they had try to collect themselves after seeing Makoto, Kyoko and Hina.

The survivors knew them as the original survivors of the first ever killing game years ago, where they had attended Hope's Peak with these adults (even though they are the same age now) who taught students like them.

The survivors also knew them as schoolmates who had built a close rapport, with Shuichi and Kyoko discussing cases as Ultimate Detectives with the former learning as much from the latter like mentor and apprentice although it was firmly denied by Kyoko. Hina, Sakura and Tenko were a trio who enjoyed sports together and protein shakes together. Maki and Mukuro had surprisingly hit it off, which became explainable when the former's true Ultimate Talent was revealed.

There were memories from the killing game and memories outside the killing game. One set of memories were easier to believe as their own than the other, but it still leaves them discombobulated. However, that was a good thing because the FF has to know they came from a killing game and such disorientation helped serve this performance all too well.

Makoto, Kyoko and Hina did not waste time asking those FF soldiers to stand down and ran to the trio while each one took a survivor, letting an arm sling over them. It was understandable when the survivors looked worse for wear, part of running through the rubble and getting close to Makoto's group...

"Do you... do you remember me?" Makoto asked lightly, as they slowly made their trek to what would undoubtedly be FF transportation and procedures would follow through. Until then...

"Yes... and no?" Shuichi said, sounding more question-like, "You were... you were supposed to be our headmaster but then I suddenly remember that you were a schoolmate for us. And Hope's Peak really exist...?"

"You have really gone through a lot," Kyoko said, more an understatement than anything else as she was helping Maki along and playing survivors who barely made out of whatever happened to them, "What happened?"

Shuichi relayed the story, describing the killing game as exactly how it had been even with the nonsensical Academy, Monokubs and the Exisals. Everyone had agreed when handling FF, they can only speak truth and only lie through omission especially at the piercing and analytical eyes of the Ultimate Detective Kyoko Kirigiri.

That's why their story was easily accepted and their confusion easily understandable to the point it let them walk in silence, for what people would think for the survivors to get their bearings. They would not be wrong, but they wouldn't be right either.

"That just means we have so much to catch up on," Hina said, holding a tiny Himiko who was dragging her feet as Hina energetically walk on such like a poor mismatch between the lazy and energetic, "I guess it will be a lot to take, I guess."

"In the meantime, I assure you we are very real and not at all meta," Makoto said with a smile that was trying to light up the atmosphere, "Go on and pinch me, or I can pinch you to make sure we are all very real."

"We... we believe you... for now," Maki answered for all three of them, "But... what will happen to us?"

The questions, which they took advantage by faking this act, were easily given answers that were no different from the survivors' newfound memories and what the A2HD convinced the survivors of, when it came to FF procedure.

Because of their survivors status, although without much prestige unlike Makoto and his own set of survivors from defeating the Junko Enoshima, they were likely given privileges and made to interrogate about how their killing game went on for the FF to write up counter measures against this kind of problem. Then, they will be assigned to a division, ready to join the organization and fight against the apocalypse.

"So if you need any help, you know which senpai to look for," Hina reassured with a smile, as they all finally made it to a car, or more accurately mini-van where their conversation continued, with Makoto, Kyoko and Hina sitting on one of the benches lining the minivan and the survivors sitting opposite of them on the other bench.

"You are about the same age as us though," Maki pointed out.

"But at least we are your seniors based on joining the Future Foundation," Hina puffed up with pride.

"So does that mean we could be assigned to your Division, Naegi-kun?" Shuichi prodded, but Makoto looked down.

"... Maybe, but honestly that will depend on the higher ups. I know this has to be a tough ordeal for you and it will get tougher but once you get use to it, it will get better," Makoto finally said.

A small smile graced his face as if reassurance to the trio who were still fresh from their ordeal. The newly minted survivors don't know how they really feel about that, since after all, they were doing all of this for their own agenda.

"Sure," Shuichi smiled back, at least courteous enough to give a reassuring answer to Makoto's statement on behalf of the others, no matter how they truly feel about the matter.

Only time would tell how much they would believe, know and act upon.