Chapter 2: Fatal Obsession

- Daily Life -

Written by: The Masked Eidolon

Edited by: No one, fuckers!!!

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The mastermind's fourteenth rule was intended to strongarm us into reading our motive pamphlets, and start up the killing game once again.

It was pretty effective in that regard. Not only did it prevent us from destroying the motives like Dreamer did, but we couldn't even pawn them off to someone else for safekeeping. Each one of us was stuck with a deadly piece of paper that, if opened, had the potential to kick off another class trial that could end all of our lives. And that's exactly what Monocavy was counting on.

Except... there was one little hole in his plan. Making a counterfeit motive pamphlet wasn't off the table. The Reviewer lab's paper and printers made very sure of that.

I sneered as the slip of paper slowly wobbled out of the printing machine.

Taking it out, it read: "Michiru Akabane's Terrifying, Crazy-Awesome Secret! - Michiru secretly plagiarized numerous knitting works from Don Rupert Stanislovsky, renowned grandmaster of the needle and yarn."

Yuki was going around asking everyone for which secret they held, and Michi couldn't lie about hers without getting sold out by the person who actually had that secret. So showing this fake brochure to Yuki would make her think Michi lied about which one she had, causing her to go after Michi's real brochure, and out her for the traitor she was. After everyone knew that she was the Masked Desperado, the rest of the class would have a common enemy to face, which would end the killing game once and for all.

I stuffed the paper in my pocket and left the Reviewer room, speedwalking to the arcade.

It's not as if Monocavy could have predicted Michi's recklessness, so I understand why this little chink in the pig's armor was left uncovered. But since I managed to spot it, there's no way I wasn't going to use it to my advantage. And it was gonna feel damn satisfying to watch Monocavy's game unravel.

Thoughts like this kept permeating my brain until I arrived at the arcade and saw Yuki over at the foosball table, still wearing the X-Ray goggles around her neck.

Yuki: Took you long enough to get here!

I strolled over to the table she was at and grabbed one of the balls.

Eden: Thought I'd stop by the dining hall for a quick snack. But now I'm ready. Let's play.

Yuki: Didn't you already have, like, 2 bagel sammies for breakfast?

Yuki stifled a laugh.

Yuki: Fatass.

Eden: Oh, sue me for liking good food. Let's just hurry up and start the match, shall we?

Yuki put her hands on two of the foosball rods.

Yuki: Sure thing. Can you watch out for Kuro as we play, though? I don't want him to catch me breaking one of his "rules."

Eden: You don't need to tell me. He'll be pissed at me too for abetting you.

Yuki: Mmkay.

I dropped the ball onto the table and Yuki immediately hit me with an aggressive combo that threatened a score. I barely managed to defend it, then kicked the ball up across the field, where a steady back and forth began between us.

Eden: So, Yuki. Exactly how many people have you asked about their motive brochure?

Yuki giggled.

Yuki: Scared, are we?

Eden: ...

Eden: No... it's just that you getting ahold of a secret of mine doesn't sound like the most fun prospect.

Yuki: That's the definition of being scared!

Yuki made a breakaway to the end of the field and swiftly kicked the ball into my net.

Yuki: One, Zilch!

I scratched my head.

Eden: What are we going to, three?

Yuki sneered.

Yuki: Two.

I sighed and placed the ball back in the center of the table.

Eden: Fine, two. You didn't answer my question, though.

She kicked off the second round of the game, and after a few seconds of deliberation, decided to respond to my query.

Yuki: I asked nine. Everyone but Dark, Vysko, Avi, and Chaos. One of 'em even had their own secret, the lucky bastard.

Good, so she did know Michi has her own secret.

Yuki: That means after I see your pamphlet, I'll only have four more people to go.

Yuki snickered.

Yuki: I'm closing in on you, Eden.

Eden: Pretty bold of you to assume you're ever gonna see my pamphlet.

I made my first real play of the match and comboed the ball over to Yuki's side of the field, almost making a score. She tried to fight back with a breakaway of her own, but I stopped all of her attempts in their tracks.

Yuki: ...!

I could notice Yuki gripping the foosball rods a little tighter and preparing her right leg to make a kick at me, so I let my position falter for a bit. She managed to push forward a decent amount, relaxing her guard, and that's when I knew it was time to strike. I slapped the ball away from her control and made a straight shot into the net before she had a chance to react.

Yuki: Argh...

I rubbed my hands together and cracked my knuckles.

Eden: That's one to one.

Yuki fished the ball from her goal and put it back on the center of the table.

Yuki: Why do you gotta go all tryhard on me?

I shrugged.

Eden: Why do you think?

Yuki: ...

Yuki: Don't tell me you have your own secret too...

Eden: No... it's because you're annoying as hell, Yuki.

Yuki scoffed.

Yuki: Rude...

Eden: I'm not being rude.

I leaned in and pointed at her.

Eden: In fact, by even humoring you at all, I'm being a damn saint. Most people would not put up with this quasi-obsession you have over leaking anything related to me.

Yuki crossed her arms.

Yuki: I'm only doing this out of principle! I made my name by leaking scripts from your network, it's only natural I'd do the same thing in here!

Eden: Yeah, yeah, make your excuses, whatever. Point is, if I win this game, you and your X-Ray goggles will have no choice but to piss right off.

Suddenly, Yuki grabbed one of the foosball rods and kicked the ball right into my goal.

Eden: ...!

Yuki gave me a sheepish smile.

Yuki: I mean, if I win, I'll piss right off too.

Yuki held out a hand.

Yuki: Just let me take a peek at your motive pamphlet.

Eden: ...

I waited a couple of seconds for dramatic effect, before sighing and taking the fake copy out of my pocket.

Eden: Fine. Here it-

Yuki: Actually, wait, wait, wait!

Yuki shoved my hand with the pamphlet back into my chest.

Yuki: Let's just finish the foosball match! I wanna see your reaction when you get swept 2-0!

Eden: ...

Should I just go all out and beat her out of spite?

Eden: ...

Nah. I'm more sensible than that.

I grabbed the ball and put it back in the center of the table, then looked Yuki in the eyes.

Eden: I'm not going easy on you this time.

Yuki: Ooh, scary.

She tapped my shin with her shoe under the table.

Yuki: Well, I'm not gonna hold back either!

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I spent some time with Yuki playing foosball.

Yuki and I got a little closer today.

Rival Fragment - Yuki - Obtained! (2/6)

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This match was a lot more intense than the last one.

Both me and Yuki were fully concentrated on the game, there were barely any breakaways, and neither of us said a word to each other throughout. The only sounds I heard were the clacks of our little wooden players kicking the plastic ball around.

I decided that I didn't much like the silence, so I initiated a conversation.

Eden: Why me, anyway?

Yuki: ...?

Yuki: What?

I defended an aggressive pass combo from Yuki, then replied to her.

Eden: Why choose me as your leaking target?

Yuki smirked.

Yuki: Oh, that. Well, I already explained, it's out of principle.

Eden: I'm not talking about the motive pamphlets. I'm talking about my scripts.

Yuki: ...

Yuki's smile vanished.

Yuki: Oh. I see.

Eden: ...

That's weird. Normally, Yuki's a grade-A yapper. What is she being all tight-lipped about?

Eden: Are you gonna answer or not?

Yuki: ...

Yuki: Why is leaking things so bad, anyway? The only people who see them are people who were gonna tune in to your show regardless...!

She went for another aggressive play, but it was poorly planned and I defended with ease.

Eden: Do I really need to tell you why?

Yuki: Yeah.

I sighed, slightly regretting starting this conversation.

Eden: It's because some plot points just shouldn't be spoiled... Do you remember that big moment with Eric Jarvis in W2RLD? Where he revealed the true nature of Maho?

Yuki: I'm the last person you need to remind about W2RLD plot points.

I gritted my teeth.

Eden: Then you should know that moment would've hit so much harder if half my fanbase didn't know about it before the episode dropped...

Yuki started juggling the ball between her own wooden players, not letting me get ahold of it.

Yuki: You shouldn't view them being spoiled as a bad thing, Eden.

Eden: Why on Earth would I not?

Yuki: Because all I did was satisfy their curiosity. They wanted to know more about your story, and they wanted to know it fast. So I provided them with a choice.

I predicted the next place she'd juggle the ball to and intercepted it.

Eden: And you're just gonna conveniently ignore the trolls who started spamming spoilers everywhere on the internet? Those people exist in every fanbase, too.

Yuki: Collateral damage. I did more good than bad.

Eden: The only "good" you did was alleviate people's impatience.

I flinged the ball across the field and almost into Yuki's net, but she smacked it away at the last second.

Yuki: ...

Yuki: You don't really get what it's like to be curious, do you?

Eden: Of course I do. We all get curious.

Yuki furrowed her brow.

Yuki: No, I mean to be really curious. Really, really, really curious. So curious it hurts.

Eden: ...

Eden: Are you saying you've been "so curious it hurts?"

Yuki: Yes...

Yuki let out a heavy sigh and made a halfhearted attempt to score on me.

Yuki: That's why I started leaking W2RLD... because I just couldn't wait for months to find out what would happen in the next season.

Eden: ...!!!

I momentarily dropped my guard and let go of the foosball rods, allowing the plastic ball to cruise right into my goal.

However, instead of laughing in my face like she usually would, Yuki completely ignored the foosball game and kept talking.

Yuki: I've always been a more curious person than most. Every time I stumble on a new topic that interests me, I can't help but pursue it to the ends of the earth. If I don't, the missing knowledge just taunts me every day, like a model car at a dealership you know you'll never be able to own.

Yuki's eyes lit up a little bit.

Yuki: Then the W2RLD show came along, and the concept was just so interesting and unique. I'd never even heard of a post-apocalyptic comedy before it. And when I watched the first batch of season 1, it was all I could think about for weeks. I just had to know how the story ended, which characters lived, which characters died, who turned good and who turned evil, really I had to know everything. At first, I tried to satisfy myself during the wait by drawing fanart and theorizing in the W2RLD discord server, but it just wasn't enough. So I decided to dedicate myself to leaking your scripts, because I knew I wasn't going to be able to get the series out of my head otherwise.

Yuki looked at me straight in the eyes and pointed right at my heart.

Yuki: When I posted your scripts online, I gave thousands of people the choice to quench their curiosity and live normally again! Is that really so bad?

Eden: ...

I can't believe it...

Eden: ...

Yuki, of all people, is a FAN of my show? Instead of a random hater who thought she was hot shit?

Eden: ...

Even if she is, that doesn't excuse her behavior... leaking scripts is still damaging to the writer and most of the audience.

Eden: You're still causing harm to those who want to experience the story without spoilers.

Yuki frowned at me and crossed her arms.

Eden: But let's agree to disagree for now. Honestly, this whole script leaking matter is unimportant compared to us getting out of this bunker alive. So let's just have a truce and focus on how we're going to best Monocavy.

This caused Yuki to smile again.

Yuki: Well, alright! Before that, though, I believe we have a foosball match to finish.

Eden: Indeed we do.

I placed the ball back in the center of the table, then hit it straight into my own net.

Eden: I resign.

I took out the fake pamphlet from my pocket once again and handed it over to Yuki.

Eden: If this little slip of paper is eating you up from the inside out, then who am I to keep it from you?

Yuki: ...!

Yuki: Thanks!

Yuki could hardly contain her giggling as she swiped the pamphlet from my hands and opened it up like a long-awaited Christmas present delivered two days late.

But as soon as she laid eyes on its contents, her brows furrowed and her smile turned into a deep frown.

Yuki: ...?!

Yuki: What the hell...?

Eden: Is something wrong?

Yuki didn't reply to me, instead opting to grip the brochure harder and scour its words once more.

Yuki: ...

Yuki: That bitch...

Yuki then shoved the paper back into my hands, popped her X-Ray goggles back onto her head, and stormed towards the arcade door.

Eden: Hey, Yuki! Where are you going?

Yuki: I'm going to do some recon...

She suddenly stopped in her tracks and faced my direction.

Yuki: But let's play foosball again sometime. I had fun.

Eden: Yeah... same here.

Yuki flashed me a grin, then turned around and strolled right out the door, letting it slam shut on its own and leaving me in the game room by myself.

Eden: ...

Eden: ...

Eden: ...

I picked up my slightly wrinkled fake motive pamphlet and slid it back into my pocket.

My work is done here.

I've finally launched my first full-on attack against Michi.

Let's see how she handles it, hmm?

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I spent some time with Yuki playing foosball.

Yuki and I got a little closer today.

Friendship Fragment - Yuki - Obtained! (3/6)

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I was rudely awoken from my evening nap by a couple of frantic knocks on my door.

Chaos: Eden? Are you in there? Answer me if you are, I need your assistance!

Groggy, I raised my hands and rubbed my baggy eyes that only seemed to be getting worse.

Eden: Yeah...?

Chaos seemed relieved.

Chaos: Oh, good. Listen, man, Kuro's gone off the rails.

Eden: Off the rails...? What... what happened?

Chaos: It's Insert and Yuki. He caught them messing around in the game room, and he didn't take it very well. Nobody has been able to calm him down. But maybe his second in command can?

I slowly facepalmed. Kuro acting out was the last thing I needed right now. Especially since his wrath involved Yuki this time...

But since it did involve her, I was gonna need to stop Kuro from being too unreasonable here. Otherwise, my plan was gonna go down the chute.

Eden: It's gonna be really tough to convince Kuro of anything... but I'll try my best.

Chaos: That's what I wanna hear. Let's move out, he's in the dining hall.

I quickly walked up to my door and opened it, then me and Chaos traveled side by side to the cafeteria. Both of us were on a mission to stop a rising storm that we knew was gonna hit eventually. And, honestly? It felt kinda nice, being respected enough to solve the group's problems. Is this how Styk felt back when he was in charge...?

I never got the chance to finish that thought before we arrived at the dining hall. I opened the doors and was immediately met with a very concerning situation.

Insert and Yuki were both handcuffed to chairs in the middle of the room, which were dragged away from any tables. Additionally, both of their chairs were encircled by a large sharpie drawing on the floor that read "INSUBORDINATE IMBECILES!!!" and Kuro was holding the sharpie in his mouth like a cigarette.

Speaking of Kuro, he was angrily ranting to the class about how disobedience must be punished, and that underlings who refused to follow orders were undeserving of rights. Insert seemed to be reluctantly paying attention, but Yuki was more focused on giving Michi the stink eye.

Eden: ...

Shit. If Michi suspects I put Yuki onto her, then I could very well be killed after this meeting.

I need to end this fast, and make sure Michi didn't come to any sort of conclusion.

Chaos eyed me to go approach Kuro, so I did.

Eden: Kuro? What happened here?

Kuro stopped his monologue, and turned to face me.

Kuro: Ah, Eden!

He seemed slightly pleased to see me, but his face was still contorted in anger.

Kuro: You've come just in time to watch the sentencing of the malcontents...

Yuki lurched forward in her chair.

Yuki: Sentencing? We did nothing wrong!

Insert immediately grimaced at Yuki's words.

Kuro's eyes became bloodshot as he swiveled over to Yuki and began to scream.

Kuro: Quiet, you! Did I give you permission to speak!?

Yuki: I don't need anyone's damn permission to talk...!

Kuro: ...!!!

Kuro: Oh, I'll show you just how much you do! Never talk back to your leader...!

Kuro cracked his knuckles and began sauntering toward Yuki. Insert balled his free fist and readied his body to lunge at Kuro if he came any closer. This was going to turn violent in a matter of seconds if I did nothing.

So I took a deep breath and yelled with all my might at Yuki.

Eden: Yuki! Apologize to Boss Kuro, right now!

Yuki faced me and seemed shocked for a moment, but I gave her a wink to let her know this was a psyop. To communicate with all my classmates behind me, I pointed at Kuro and made the "crazy" hand signal. Now they all knew what was up.

Yuki gulped and began to choke out an apology.

Yuki: I... I'm... I'm...

She gritted her teeth and raised her voice.

Yuki: Eden, are you seriously forcing me to do this?

Huh. Yuki's a good actor.

Eden: Silence!

I walked up to her, kneeled down so we were on equal footing, and grabbed her by the hair.

Eden: You're already in deep shit as it is, Yuki. Do you really want to find out what's in store for you if you go deeper?

Yuki: ...

Eden: Well, do you!?

Yuki: N-No...

I moved to the side and jerked her head towards Kuro.

Eden: Then apologize.

Mouth quivering, Yuki finally muttered out her apology.

Yuki: I... I apologize, Kuro.

Eden: Who?

I cupped my free hand to my ear.

Yuki: Boss... Kuro.

I let go of Yuki's hair and returned to Kuro's side, diverting his attention away from Yuki. I caught her wink back at me in my peripheral, so I gave her a thumbs up behind my back.

Kuro: Well done, Eden.

He offered me a handshake and I took it.

Eden: No problem. So, what did those two do?

Kuro scoffed.

Kuro: I ordered them to stay away from the game room, but they went back in there anyway.

Eden: Truly awful.

Kuro: I know, right? Disrespect me once, and fine, the blame is on me. But disrespect me twice...

Kuro pointed over at Insert and Yuki.

Kuro: That means the blame is on you!

Eden: ...

It's taking me all my willpower to not point out how idiotic this guy is...

Eden: And... the punishment for their dastardly actions?

Kuro put his hands on his hips, seemingly proud of himself.

Kuro: It's a punishment that fits the crime. At first, they weren't going to be allowed in the game room for a week. Very light. But now that they've proven themselves to be insubordinate agitators, they won't be allowed to leave that circle. For a month.

I tried as hard as I could not to grimace upon hearing that.

Staying in a small sharpie circle for a fucking month?? That sounds more like a Silent Crusade torture method than something one of our classmates would cook up. Just how psychotic is this guy?

Kuro: I'll have someone on guard duty, obviously. And someone to take the night shift, too. Maybe Jiren? Fdeys? They both seem strong...

I internally sighed.

I'm going to need to pull out all the stops to calm him down here.

Eden: Hey, Kuro. I like the punishment. I really do. It's just... a tad inconvenient for us, you know?

Kuro widened his eyes, clueless.

Kuro: Huh? Inconvenient how?

Eden: Well, think about it. For this thing to work, we're gonna need Insert and Yuki watched at all times. That means hiring a day guard and a night guard, at the very minimum. But if we do this, we're losing four people from our general workforce, bringing the number down to seven.

I winced a bit for dramatic effect.

Eden: Is that really a sacrifice you're willing to make? Me personally, I think we should just give them some extra work to do.

Kuro: Extra work!?

Kuro scrunched his face.

Kuro: No, no, no, no, no, Eden. I don't think you understand my rationale here.

Kuro gestured at the rest of the class.

Kuro: The labor doesn't matter! These people disrespected my rule! They need to be punished to set a precedent! To make it known that dissent is unacceptable!

Eden: Oh, I can guarantee you, Kuro, these people won't dissent.

Kuro: Yeah? And how do you know that?

I put a hand on Kuro's shoulder.

Eden: Because it's plain to see how great of a leader you are.

Kuro rubbed his chin.

Eden: Look around at the crowd. Nobody except Yuki dared to speak out against your decision. You know why? Because all of them understand that what she and Insert did was unacceptable.

Kuro frowned.

Kuro: You're wrong, actually. Some of them talked out of turn.

Kuro pointed at Dark, Cosmos, and Oof, who shuddered.

Kuro: Those three are the main culprits.

I chuckled a bit.

Eden: Well, it's only natural that they would. After all, who'd want to spend their whole day guarding two delinquents? You're a fair man, and you only punish those deserving. So why punish them, too?

Kuro crossed his arms.

Kuro: Well... it's a sacrifice they have to make, for justice. I'm sure they understand.

Good. He's getting less confident in himself. I can work with this now.

I put my hands on my hips.

Eden: Can you really call it justice when innocent people are being hurt?

Kuro: Yes, I can. As long as Insert and Yuki are being hurt more.

Eden: But are you sure they're being hurt more...?

Kuro snorted, flailing his arms up in the air.

Kuro: Of course they are! I've restricted their freedom of movement! They want to be able to go anywhere and freeload? Well, I've made sure that they can't! There's no greater punishment for these two!

Eden: That's... a valid way to look at it, but let's view things from another angle, shall we?

Kuro squinted at me.

Kuro: Circles don't have angles...

Eden: ...!

Eden: I didn't mean the... I meant...

Eden: ...

I quickly took a deep breath and refocused my mind on the answer.

Eden: Okay, Kuro. Let's say Styk ordered you to guard someone who'd disobeyed him. You'd do it, right?

Kuro: Of course. You never disobey your leader.

Eden: As expected of you. But this assignment isn't trivial. You'll have to spend your entire day listening to the same disrespect that he was subjected to, while the culprits get to lounge around all day, being fed and pampered, doing none of the work.

Kuro made a sour face, and I raised an eyebrow.

Eden: Does that... sound like a punishment to you? Because, to me, it looks like the only people being punished are the rest of the class. Not only will these two misfits be getting new targets for their contempt, but they'll be avoiding the labor that they should've been doing in the first place!

I pointed over at the sharpie circle in disgust.

Eden: Is that the kind of punishment you want to give?

Kuro looked to the side and balled his fists.

Kuro: If they'll just be getting their way... then of course not!

Eden: Exactly.

I clapped my hands together.

Eden: But let's say we get them out of these chairs, scrub away the sharpie circle, and put them to work. In that case, none of our good lackeys will have to deal with them, they'll be getting even more of the labor they tried to avoid, and the only people they'll have around them to diss are their rotten, slimy little selves. For a whole month.

I put on a cocky sneer.

Eden: Now that sounds like a punishment to me.

I held out my hand for him to shake.

Eden: So what do you say, boss?

After a few seconds deep in thought, Kuro slowly reached out his arm and shook my hand.

Kuro: I'll do it.

I smirked.

Crisis averted.

Eden: You're becoming a better leader every day.

Kuro: And you are undoubtedly, a great second in command.

Kuro turned away from me, and addressed the rest of the class.

Kuro: Unhandcuff them, and put the chairs back where they belong!

He then faced down Insert and Yuki, who were stunned silent in their seats.

Kuro: I want you two to scrub every bit of sharpie off the floor! Not a single speck should be left! Understand me?

Insert: Yes, Boss Kuro.

Yuki: Yes, Boss Kuro.

Kuro: Good.

Kuro took a drag on his sharpie cigarette and looked around the room.

Kuro: Meeting dismissed!

Everyone in the bunker breathed a collective sigh of relief after hearing that, with Insert and Yuki both mouthing "thank you" to me afterward.

I gave both of them a smile and a thumbs up, then sat down on the main dining table as I watched the class uncuff the game room duo and disperse. Chaos gave me a high-five, then jogged to catch up to Kuro and talk to him as he left the dining hall.

I didn't get to enjoy my sweet victory for long, though, since I felt a piercing aura from behind me that I couldn't ignore. That kind of miasma could only be coming from one person.

My old pal, Michi.

She was staring me down from five seats away, and nobody else was around her. I decided I was feeling bold and walked right up to where she was seated, plopping myself down right next to her.

Eden: What do you want?

Michi: ...

Michi: Nothing, I'm just a little surprised that you and Yuki make such a good... team.

Eden: ...!

She can't possibly be hinting at what I think she's hinting at, right?

Eden: ...

Eden: What are you talking about?

Michi poked at her unfinished banana sundae with her spoon.

Michi: How you two teamed up and dealt with Kuro. Makes me wonder who else you two are gonna do that with.

God-fucking-damnit. She absolutely knows that Yuki's onto her.

Eden: ...

Well, shit. The only thing I can do here is act nonchalant and pretend I have no idea what she's hinting at.

Eden: I helped out a classmate in a time of need. Doesn't matter how much I hate their guts, I'd do that for anyone.

Michi gave me a slight smile.

Michi: Anyone, huh?

Eden: Yes, any one of my classmates. But you're not one of them, are you?

With that being said, I got up from my seat and speedwalked over to the Sniper lab to get a pair of X-Ray goggles. If Michi was already onto Yuki, I need to try and assist her using any means that I can. Watching her exploits and coming to her aid if need be was one of the safest ways I could help. So I'll do it.

Arriving, I burst through the door and looked up at the wall, only to find that there were no more X-Ray goggles in stock. All three of them were gone, in use by people who needed them far less than me.

Eden: Shit...

Without X-Ray goggles, was there any way I could help out Yuki...?

Eden: ...

Eden: ...

Eden: ...

No...

I can't really do anything...

Contacting her in any way about this would just tip her off to the fact that I'd manipulated her, and then I'd gain another enemy. Camping near Michi's dorm could work, but then I might just get killed. Distracting Michi while Yuki steals the goods may work, but then again, if she senses what I'm doing, I die.

I can't help Yuki without putting myself in grave danger.

Eden: ...

It should be fine...

If I know one thing about Yuki, it's that she's the most crafty person I've ever met. Michi might be the Ultimate Desperado, but Yuki is the Ultimate Script Leaker for a reason.

And besides, it's not like I'm sending her to assassinate Michi, anyway.

All she has to do is leak one more script.

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- Monocavy Theater! -

Monocavy: Absolute Power...

Monocavy: I didn't mention this form of power before, anywhere.

Monocavy: Not in passing, not in my rulebook, not even in my theater sessions.

Monocavy: So I guess you might be wondering what it is.

Monocavy: And why no one has managed to monopolize it yet.

Monocavy: Well, fear not, I'll enlighten you like I always have.

Monocavy: Because Absolute Power isn't really a form of human power.

Monocavy: It's not even a tangible idea.

Monocavy: It's like looking at a four-dimensional object with a three-dimensional brain.

Monocavy: Even if you manage to understand what it is, you'll never be able to fully comprehend it.

Monocavy: And that's the beauty of it.

Monocavy: Absolute Power is a power so perfect and complete, that there is no being, mortal or not, that could even pose the slightest challenge to it.

Monocavy: A man who wields such power could create an infinite number of universes with the snap of his finger, destroy all organic life with a single word, and birth a trillion suns with the stroke of a pen.

Monocavy: It's as incomprehensible as it is glorious.

Monocavy: I would say "the only limit is your imagination," but that would be untrue.

Monocavy: Even your imagination is something that could be infinitely expanded if you wielded Absolute Power.

Monocavy: So, you should have a little grasp on what it means now.

Monocavy: Even if my finite description can't possibly do the concept justice.

Monocavy: And since you do...

Monocavy: You no doubt understand why I crave it so badly.

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Michi didn't arrive at my dorm at 6 o'clock today.

I woke up at 5:45, did my morning routine, and nervously awaited her arrival, only to be met with silence.

My mind hoped that Michi would be found dead somewhere today, but I wasn't naive enough to think that would actually happen. Instead I wondered what on earth she might be doing that would cause her to miss our morning meeting.

Maybe Yuki got the best of her and she's trapped somewhere? That would be a really nice development. But something tells me that's not the case. The real reason for her absence is probably far more sinister.

Deciding that going out alone under these circumstances probably isn't the best idea, I crawled back into my bed and slept until the morning announcement. After it played, I freshened up, put on my jacket, and opened my door to the outside.

And guess who I saw standing there?

Michi: Hello, Eden. Mind if I walk you to breakfast?

I gave her the most venomous glare I could muster and stepped outside my dorm.

Eden: So, you aren't dead.

Michi softly smiled.

Michi: No. Not me.

I felt a cold shiver go down my spine.

"Not me."

The hell is that supposed to mean?

I wanted to ask her, but the dread of getting her answer killed my words before they could escape my mouth. She seemed to sense that and snickered a bit before walking down the hall.

I followed at a brisk pace and before long, we arrived at the cafeteria. I immediately scoped out the place for any missing students, and when I finished, my heart sank.

Because the missing student was Yuki.

Before I had the time to think about my actions, I rushed over to Kuro and Chaos, frantically slamming my hands down on the table.

Eden: Have you guys seen Yuki?

Kuro: Yuki?

Kuro scoffed.

Kuro: No. She's probably still in her dorm, messing about! That slacker is always late...

Chaos saw the fearful look on my face and instantly knew the real meaning behind my question.

Chaos: No, I haven't seen her... but she's only a few minutes late. I doubt she's...

I balled my fists on the table.

Eden: The last time someone was late to a morning meeting, they were dead in their room. We need to check on her.

I turned around and started speedwalking to Yuki's dorm.

Kuro: Wait!

Kuro grabbed my arm before I could go far.

Kuro: As our leader... I'll be the one to do it.

Eden: ...?

Kuro sighed.

Kuro: Chaos and I... we had a chat about what happened yesterday. A long one.. A little bit too long, but whatever. Whatever...

Kuro: ...

Kuro: He pointed out that... the reason why Insert and Yuki are such slackers...

Kuro: ...

Kuro: ...

Kuro: ...

Kuro: Is because I've been slacking too... and since I'm your leader, I set the example.

Kuro took a deep breath.

Kuro: So I should start setting a better one.

Kuro, annoyed, turned to look at Chaos, who was smiling at him and giving him two big thumbs ups.

I impatiently sat down next to them.

Eden: Alright, you go. I don't care, someone just needs to check on her.

Kuro: Yeah, yeah, alright.

Kuro then walked off into the dormitories, slightly sulking as he did so.

Chaos then spoke up from behind me.

Chaos: I got him to make some real progress yesterday. Give us a week, and he'll be a fine leader.

Eden: ...

Eden: Give us what week? Yuki may already be dead...

Chaos patted me on the shoulder.

Chaos: Hey, man. I know what happened with Dreamer is still fresh in your memories, but we can't let that consume us. Yuki's only, what, two minutes late? There's no reason to worry about her.

As if on cue, we began to head Kuro shriek from across the bunker.

Kuro: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Me and Chaos looked at each other for a split second, then immediately got up out of our seats and ran like hell towards the noise. The rest of the class did not hesitate to follow us.

When we arrived at Yuki's dorm, though, it was already too late.

Kuro was on the ground, trembling, and pointing towards Yuki's closet, where a puddle of blood was leaking through the sliding door.

Kuro: She... she's... she's...

I ran straight into her closet through the open sliding door and trampled through a bunch of objects that were strewn on the floor in order to find the light switch. When I managed to turn it on, I was met with the most gruesome scene that I'd ever lay eyes on in my life.

Yuki was sitting down, back against the closet wall, with dozens of jagged slash wounds all across every artifice of her body. Blood was spewed all across the closet walls and floor, with some already seeping into my socks. There was also a black plastic bag covering her head with a thick rope around her neck making sure no air entered or left.

As if the rest of this wasn't sadistic enough, there was a large bowie knife protruding from the bag around the place where one of her eyes would be, making absolutely certain that there was no chance of survival.

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The Better Danganronpa Fanfiction

Chapter 2: Fatal Obsession

- Deadly Life - 

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Surviving Students (13/16):

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Eden - Ultimate Screenwriter

Vysko - Ultimate Collector

Michi - Ultimate Desperado

Kuro - Ultimate Reviewer

Dark - Ultimate Author

Fdeys - Ultimate Weightlifter

Jiren - Ultimate Landlord

Cosmos - Ultimate Therapist

Styk - Ultimate Sniper

Chaos - Ultimate Linguist

Dreamer - Ultimate Mime

Insert - Ultimate Fighter

Oof - Ultimate Chef

Yuki - Ultimate Script Leaker

Lgp - Ultimate Zookeeper

Avi - Ultimate Songwriter

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To be continued...