PASTREND

Hello, I'm sorry you guys might have seen this coming or maybe you haven't. Regardless, I'm here to announce that RE:WOUND CIRCUIT 2 is being cancelled.

The reason it's being cancelled is that this group had ended up starting in a really bad time for me. I'm in my most stressful period of academics thus far, I've been battling mental health issues from that and family troubles, and while I've been trying to run this game with strict deadlines to keep it going, I realized even during this break month that I am in no fit position to mod such an intensive experience. This is a hobby of mine, but it's been really stressful to me to have it be the only thing I've been spending my free time on working from deadline to deadline even on something that should be just another past time for me.

I know a lot of you guys enjoyed this group, and I'm really sorry that I can't keep it running and carry the story to its conclusion like you all deserve. It's been really great to have such active players who are so invested, and I wish I could have run this group to its conclusion.

I was considering recruiting another moderator to run it in my stead, but this really is a job I find it difficult to get someone else for. There's a lot that goes into running a RWC game, and I don't think it's right of me to shove that work onto another person. I discussed this with Kiki extensively and we both decided after everything, this was the best decision for the group.

I might come back to this community to help with moderating things another time, but that time can't be now with everything I have on my plate currently. I wish the best for everyone, and I'm really touched you guys were so willing to dedicate your time and energy to a project I was trying to run.

According to the countdown on your screens, you have roughly 24 hours until the first person on everyone’s list - that being the one and only Hiroyuki Suzushi - kicks the bucket and begins the slow ticktock of you each dropping off. It’s been eerily silent without the ability to call Monokuma or Monomi, and Monokumi has always been notoriously distant if there isn’t a body on the floor or a motive to be given.

And so, you’ve lived in growing, gnawing anxiety before a few posters have appeared on walls. According to them, Azusa and SH1BA have decided to host a ball. At Hiroyuki’s lab, no less.

“Come join us at the ballroom for a night of dinner, dancing, and entertainment! Formal attire and best behavior strongly encouraged!”

Well, unless you plan on murdering someone, there’s nothing better to do right now, is there? So what’s the harm in going. Worst case scenario, well, you might die here anyway.

Jito never considered himself to be a pious man.  But here we was at Wakana's lab, praying.  On his knees, hands and eyes closed as he tried to send a message that might get sent across the planes of existence and maybe reach his loved ones.

He had a certain calm on his face despite everything, and despite his situation.  For now he was simply hoping that maybe he'd get a message, or a sign, perhaps even a dream.

It was exhausting work, this motive. You'd think a girl who made it into the bottom five would be doing pretty alright, but Azusa's nerves were still running high, and she still felt guilty even taking a moment of peace and quiet for herself. Good people were going to be gone in only a few days, and her biggest problem was, what, trying to figure out what to make for lunch? 

The truth is is that were she now going to lose two of her best friends pretty soon, Azusa's life would be as good as a life can get in a killing game. Sure, people are dying, but she made fried rice! So she's all smiles, huh? 

...God she's bored. She's eating all alone, and her thoughts keep wandering to every sad topic a girl can think of. She really could use a distraction....which is when Hiroyuki comes in.

...She could use a different distraction, she thinks, taking a bite of a carrot bit. But she knows she can't exactly just ignore him. The room still smells of oils and sauce, and she's standing right in the middle. She's not really hidden from him and he's not hidden from her. And, despite herself, she is a little concerned, even if she's not sure he'd want her concern. He doesn't exactly like her, after all.

"Are you...hungry? There's still some rice left."

What was a girl supposed to do with only four days left to live? What was anyone supposed to do? Arisa sure as fuck didn't know. Death didn't come with a due date, after all, so how was she supposed to plan her days out until it finally hit. Executions, though, they did come with a due date, and she knew it. It wasn't like she could complete her bucket list from inside this shithole, but she figured she could improvise. 

And so, improvise she did! She couldn't go to NYC and become a fashion designer, but she could make New York Cheesecake. It wasn't the same as revisiting one of her favorite cities, but it was still pretty cool. Besides, what better way to comfort yourself than eating a quarter of a cheesecake all by yourself and wrapping up the other pieces for the only people she could trust in this place.

Speaking of people she could trust in this place, as she was mixing up the batter for the cheesecake with the strawberries macerating in the fridge, someone she did not headed on in.

"Oh, you. What do you want? You know, besides to tell a murderer to delete the video from the one person who gives a shit about me outside of this place and probably be a reason for why I'm dying in a few days."

An hour spent in her dojo had done nothing to calm Shu's spirit. She felt just as terrible as she had when she left, minus the urge to cry, which she had mostly taken care of. She knows the only way to truly fix this feeling (not that she should be feeling any better) is to face things head on.

Not wanting to go straight to his room, the most likeliest place Jito would be, Shu wanders around Station Gray. It's a delaying tactic. She's borrowing time for herself before she admits what she's done.

Her stalling comes to the end once she enters the War Area. Shu steps onto the projected line that halves the room, and looks over at Jito with a serious expression at odds with the silliness of the space.

(tw: self-deprecation)

The results, and the fall-out thereafter, leave Shu in a state that she wishes was shock. The rankings themselves were a surprise, of course, but the backlash afterwards? Nearly everyone forgetting that, in the end, they had all condemned people? The list was right there. Everyone had a hand in it, good or bad, and if drastic actions weren't taken, they'd all be picked off one by one.

Every glare, every shout, every tear that fell from someone's face, every threat, every ounce of ire flung in her direction— (You, too, Azusa? Ah... I see. I never understood relationships, anyway...) —she feels it all tenfold. If only she could shut down her feelings and not have any regrets whatsoever... To be that numb... Then she could stand up tall and remind everyone that they're supposed to be a team. They're supposed to be each other's support in a harrowing situation, their hands to hold.

"...W-we can't keep dividing like this."

Does she even have a right to say that?

No. Not when she cast one of the heaviest, most damaging stones in the room.

"Okay. I won't hide it. I'm probably... No, I have to be... I'm the reason why Yuji-kun is in second place. I put myself first, Sonomura second, and him third."

The person who deserves to hear this the most isn't in the room anymore. She'll talk to him as soon as she can. She'll promise him that she'll repent and she'll beg for forgiveness that she shouldn't have.

"I-I thought... I thought he could handle it. That...that everyone else would balance it out, because everyone liked him so much. You pulled me down to eleventh place, so why couldn't that have worked with him? Wh-why didn't it work? Just because Sonomura put him in first place? All it took was us two? I really... I-I really just thought that if anyone had the numbers, it'd be Yuji-kun. I didn't think anyone else would put him up there, so... I-I... I didn't mean to...!"

As much as Shu wants to cry, she holds it in. Her voice may be shaking and stammering from the effort, but she won't do it. People like her aren't allowed to be sad. They deserve to suffer beneath the weight of their guilt.

"I'm sorry for misleading so many of you into thinking I'm a better person than I am. I'm... I'm nothing more than a stupid fucking idiot and now you know it. I never should've done that."

"But, don't worry... Please, don't worry. I'll make this up to everyone. To Yuji-kun, especially. You all have my word that I'll make amends. I'm just... just... going to go away for a little while, then I'll do what I can to fix this. Sorry."

Shu has to go, mostly because she can't take a single second more of being here. (Coward.) She's already said her piece. (Coward.) It's okay for her to hide now, right? (Coward.) A trip to her lab is in order. (Coward.) A long retreat, away from everyone she let down.

Jito had felt anger before, it was natural wasn't it?  To get mad at Monokumi, this situation, the murderers that had been caught, the one that got away.  Those were all natural, and he could process them relatively well.

But this anger was different, it felt like he had been betrayed by someone.  Or some people.  That he was envious at some people who had gotten low scores and didn't deserve it.  Or maybe they did, but he was all the same wishing he were along with them.  He was confused, distraught, filled with dread constantly asking himself...

Why did people vote for him so highly?

Painting much like before didn't seem to alleviate the anger.  He wanted to try something different, something where he could visualize his anger and defeat it... with lethal precision.

It was for this reason that he had found himself in the SHSL Fight Directors Lab, armed with a sword held out into the air.  For a moment he felt cool, like the samurai he always imagined in the movies.  But not the honorable kind, the wrath filled one looking for revenge.  Perhaps trying to avenge their fallen lord.  That was a way to channel his anger.

And so he wildly  just swung through the air.  Looking more like a madman than a trained Samurai, if Shu were here she'd probably have some words on how to better make these moves happen.  But nevertheless it just helped to let off some steam.  With each swing he grimaced,

Why was he so high up?

Did they even appreciate him?

What's so great about the others anyway!?

How the heck did Ryoma beat him out!?

It didn't seem that swinging made the envy or negativity go away more so than just compound the thoughts.  But it felt good, it felt like he could at least target his anger for once.  And every so often he'd let out a little yelp or battle cry as he swung.  And he swung, and swung, and swung, just continuing to slash the air and working up a sweat until he heard footsteps coming up to his location.

After the disaster that was the ranking results, Tsukiko retreated to her lab for awhile. However, she couldn’t bring herself to stay there for long, because too many thoughts were distracting her from work. What did Kioku say again? You had to deal with what you were distracted with head-on, so you could finally work in peace? Well, it was something akin to that, at least.

Still, even knowing that you had to deal with it, didn’t mean that Tsukiko knew how to go about it. Of course, the simple answer was to seek answers - but what if they couldn’t be provided? There were a lot of questions that none of her classmates could answer - and Monokumi refused to cooperate in a helpful manner.

Ugh, why was this such a troublesome kind of complicated...?

Nevertheless, Tsukiko found herself in front of Hiroyuki’s door. Out of everyone, he had it the worst - if no one would kill in the next four days, his life would be the first to perish. That must be... a bad feeling. A very bad one. Due to her own place, Tsukiko had no reason to be concerned for herself too much - so she wouldn’t be able to relate to the dread he was experiencing right now.

Still, she didn’t like seeing the young boy so distraught. In fact, she didn’t like to see anyone so angry and hurt. She really missed the beach party where everything had been just nice and friendly... putting aside the end of it, that is.

After a few more moments passed, Tsukiko finally knocked on Hiroyuki’s door. She had to think what to say before she did so - it’s not like she was used to trying to... comfort someone? Maybe?

“YukYuk? Are you there? Uhhhh... It’s okay if you don’t wanna step out! We can just talk through the door if you feel more comfortable about it!”

Hm. Those rankings ended up differently than he expected...

He's probably missed out on things. He reasons it that way. While he's there in body, he would really prefer to be anywhere else but here right now. Liberation took one burden away, but he starts to realize that the world sounds different. He had already thought it sounded bad, but...

He sighs and rubs his temples.

"Yuji. Oshiro. Doigawa. Holokai. Suzushi. Hanezuka. Nishimura. Todoroki. Chiu. Kumagae. SH1BA. Reizei. Wasure. Me.”

He figures it's the only explanation they needed.

“Anyway, Todoroki's right. Though you all do that anyway. Make your own opinions based on yourselves. Feed into them. Believe them. Shut out everything else.”

“I almost feel bad for Nakasone. She killed to save the world cause that's what she believed in. But you'll herald Yuuki because she killed to save you all. I'll listen to your preaches when you stop thinking only about yourselves.”

As there was no use to delay the inevitable, Tsukiko accessed the new tab on her monopad right away. She expected Haruto to be placed first, given his actions from the last case. As for the rest? It was up in the air, but she did expect some people to rank low.

However, life deemed to surprise her - and it wasn’t a surprise she welcomed.

“Eh...?”

The chemist blinked, stumped by the results that came in. First of all, there was Hiroyuki on the first spot. She figured that after Shiba’s plea to spare him from a high rank, at least some people would oblige. However, what surprised her even more was Jitou on second place - how was this even possible? Why was he, a well-liked individual, placed so high?

Not to mention that Haruto somehow managed to place in the middle - which absolutely didn’t make sense to her. Had she misunderstood something back in the trial? Hasn’t everyone screamed at Haruto for killing two of their classmates and putting another one at the risk of death? Why was he...

As she continued to scroll down, Tsukiko grew even more confused - until she saw herself in last place.

“...”

“I don’t understand... Why am I placed so low?”

She tilted her head, trying to wrap her head around this - which was difficult when everyone around her blew up in regards to the ranking. It was... kind of scary how quick they were to fight between themselves?

“Wait a minute, everyone! Don’t forget that votes could be bought, too! Otherwise, this list really doesn’t make any sense if it were normal votes only, right?”

Aside from one obvious choice, Tsukiko mulled over possible other candidates who might have bought votes to place someone higher on the list than they should have. However, there was no way to know for certain - it’s not like as if everyone had the same amount of monocoins and who knew who won a lot through gambling or not?

“... You shouldn’t be so quick to admonish everyone without knowing the truth, you know...?”

Azusa scrolls to the bottom first. It's okay if she makes it to the top half, she'l be fine, worst happens she can dig into her coins.  Shiba and Shu are below her...that's not surprising and that's good that's what they deserve...and the fact that she made it into the top 5 is heartwarming but. Wait a minute. 

Her eyes have already scanned past 8, and then the rest of bottom five suddenly appear. There's Kai in 7th, there's Arisa in 3rd, there's Jito in 2nd. This. This can't possibly be right. There was a miscount of the votes. There was...

Arisa and Jito have already said their piece and then run off, and Azusa can feel herself shaking with anger. 

"I'm sorry, did we all forget how to count? Do we need to have a quick lesson on the difference between 12 and 13 and 2 and 3? I can rely on six-year-olds to have better counting skills then you all, apparently. After everything they did for us, after they've been nothing but helpful from the start....You really ranked them both high when there's a murderer, right there!"

She points a trembling finger at Haruto, shakes her head. With a deep breath, she finally looks at everyone.

"Well. I'm sure you all don't care about anything I can say to shame you, hm? You wouldn't have ranked them that high if you had any regrets. Don't hide it, then! Stop acting like our friends so you can turn around and sentence us to death!"

She turns on her heel, then, about to retreat back to her room. ...no. Don't be selfish. At least try and see if she'll let you in.

Azusa doesn't say anything, makes sure to look them all in the eye as she heads toward Arisa's room. There's no exception to who she glares down, to who she hopes to shame. If they feel nothing, if they really did rank them low, then good for them. They have nothing to hide.

TW: Self deprecative language

Hiroyuki was sure Haruto was going to be at the top after that whole trial. He was a murderer, everyone hated his guts. It wasn't supposed to be like this.

Fumi backed him up, Kioku backed him up, they told everyone not to vote him. He should have been safe. 

And yet when the results came in his whole world came to a stop, as if he died right there. He turned pale and he couldn't feel his breathing, until he started to get desperate to breathe and it started to hurt. He began to shake and began to feel tears coming out. He felt like he was drowning.

Was he going to die?

Was he next?

He couldn't believe this was happening to him. It couldn't, it just couldn't.

He thought he could trust everyone here, and yet, here he was, at the top of everyone's death list. Why did this have to happen?

Hiroyuki looked at everyone with fear in his eyes, static yelling in his ears, and a pounding heart.

Every time he thought he was all cried out life seemed to prove him wrong. 

"I... I..."

He hugged his body as if that would protect him, stepping away from the group one by one. Little by little.

"D-Don't hurt me."

He whimpered, running off to try and hide.

He'd rather die alone than with someone else, with the way his life was like before he came here, it was surely going to turn out that way if he kept up his way of living then.

Making friends was a mistake.

No one loved you Hiroyuki, even when you thought they did, they never did. The world was cruel, you never should have gotten hope you dumbass. Go back to hating everything.

You were never happy before them, you realize it now. 

And after this, would you ever live a truly happy life again? Despite what you want?

No. You knew this well.

And you're the worst Hiroyuki. The people that matter most sure as hell believe that. Where did your ego go?

You're afraid of dying, not because you're perfect, but because you wanted your shitty fantasy to continue. You kept it real, and yet these people you put your trust in betrayed you. They're the same. And you're the same.

Now curl up in fear for your fate and die alone in fear. Like you were supposed to all along.

When he thought he was finally alone, sure no one could find him, he curled up in a ball and sobbed his heart out, wanting to continue until he could feel nothing.

Shiba had at least felt confident that their words had reached someone... Maybe. Or maybe they thought that they would at least be able to find some sense of twisted normalcy. They just needed for something, anything to make even the tiniest bit of sense. 

They were so sure they'd see their name at one of the top three spots. Maybe Kioku and Haruto would join them. That would at least give everyone enough time to figure something out.

So with a deep breath, Shiba finally allowed themselves to look at the results, ready to accept whatever--

Wait.

Wait, wait, wait--!!

This wasn't right, this wasn't right at all!!

"W- Wha--?!" their voice was caught in their throat and they were already shaking. "Why did you...?" they felt betrayed and hurt. It was showing in their voice and in how they were trying not to cry. They already cried in front of a good majority of them, but it was still difficult to cross that line just yet. 

Somehow, though, somehow they seemed to swallow down that and could only face the rest of their classmates with pure rage.

"Y'all better rethink how you ranked people."

It was a new type of rage, not hindered by crying right before like they were during the trial. 

"I'll fucking kill every last one of you. If Hiroyuki doesn't get bumped the fuck down, I'll slaughter you all."

There was something even more cruel about this motive than any before... the sickness had been terrible, but this... asking them to rate their classmates, make an order in which they would die? How badly did Monokumi want to see them all miserable...?

Mayumi wasn't sure if she could understand what the hell they were supposed to be doing--perhaps it had always been completely nonsensical. She'd written her rankings, lest she cause more harm by boycotting, but...

She stared up at the rankings, one through fourteen, her expression calm. It was weird; she really felt like she had to be angrier or sadder.

"......what's happened to us..."

Hiroyuki at number one, after Shiba's impassioned plea, Jito at number two after how long he'd gone around trying to hold people together... though even when she reflected on it, she couldn't figure out who exactly, besides Haruto, she felt should be up top and lined up for an early death.

None of them, really. None of them actually deserved this, did they?

She was number 5. If it actually came down to it, at least it'd be over soon.

"...why are they doing this, huh...? What are they doing it all for? Why do we have to kill each other so bad that we'll all die if we don't, huh? I don't..."

"Why did anyone bother saving our lives just for this...?"

( cw: self-deprecation )

This fucking sucked, and nothing was fun about this. Sure, Arisa didn't have as hard of a time ranking her classmates to die as most other people probably had, but that didn't mean she took any enjoyment out of it. Well, other than the part where she put Haruto as #1. That was nothing but fun and satisfying. Putting her Sis and her Bro so low was nice as well since she was absolutely positive that other people would do the same thing. Hell, she was pretty sure she would be pretty damn low. She wasn't nice to this group for nothing.

....

She was in the top three.

Haruto ranked lower than her.

Wakana ranked lower than her.

Fucking Haruto ranked lower than her. 

Arisa felt her entire world grind to a halt. How was she supposed to react? What was she supposed to say? Everyone just hated her that much, huh? Everyone wanted her to die that much, huh?

More than a murderer, huh?

"..Wh....What...? H-How...?"

She was ranked #3 out of 14. She was so nice to all of these fucking losers and for what!? To be ranked in the top three!? People wanted her to die that fucking much!? HUH!?

"...I....I'm number three? I'm number three? You...You fucking hate me that much, huh? You hate me more than Haruto? You want me to die that bad...?"

"I'M NICE TO ALL OF YOU, AND YOU WANT ME TO DIE BEFORE A MURDERER!? How much have I fucking done for all of you! How much have I tried to do to keep everyone fucking happy and smiling in this absolute shithole!? I put all of my energy into making sure you're all alright and happy and smiling and content and not worried about a damn thing, and THIS IS THE THANKS I GET!?

NEXT TIME YOU NEED A GODDAMN SHOULDER TO CRY ON, IF YOUR FUCKING NAME ISN'T HOLOKAI, AZUSA, OR SHIBA, DON'T FUCKING TALK TO ME!!"

Arisa yells this, hands shaking and eyes glossy as she storms off, not wanting to listen to, hear, or see anything anyone might say or do in reaction to her outburst. Her shoulders are hunched forward as she walks, acting as a pitiful barrier between her and everyone else.

Once she's in her room, she slams the door shut behind her and collapses on the floor in tears, unwilling to let anyone see her break down. If they wanted to see her break, then they would have to try harder than this. She didn't want to hear a fucking knock on her door and some fake ass "oooooh, Arisa-chan, are you okay?" because obviously, no one actually liked her that much...

It feels almost...right that she had the conversation she did with Azusa when she came over earlier. She had grown too secure, she supposed, and this was just the universe reminding her of a fact she had known for years and had just barely begun to think of as untrue. How fucking stupid could she get for thinking her parents were wrong. Azusa said that she wouldn't forget her, but she hoped for her sake that she was wrong. She hoped that Kai could forget her, too, and she hoped that the video Mitsugi had sent her was forged and he had long since forgotten what her name even was.

She was going to die soon anyway. It didn't matter if people were around to save her since no one could. 

Kioku read down the list, seeing that she'd landed in eight place. It wasn't good enough. No where near it. She looked at the people above her and... Jito? Wakana? She almost felt like she wasn't reading it properly, like there was a really bad typo or a mistake in the tallying of votes but... It really seems like this is the case. Eight just wasn't good enough. She turned to face her peers, a serious look on her face.

"If you thought I was joking, or making an off-handed comment to seem like a martyr to you all - You are sorely mistaken. I was not joking then, and I am not joking now. Place me at number one." She made sure to glance at every single person - it was almost like being scolded by a teacher for doing something wrong.

"Take your feelings out of this. This isn't a time for 'woe is me' or 'but you're my friend' crap. It's life or death - We're voting our own peers to their demise. If there's a volunteer to be number one, you'd be a fool not to take it. I don't care how much you like me - It's great that you do - but this is about practicality. This is about tactics - not emotions. Not voting me because you'd 'feel bad'? You're lying to yourself. You'll feel bad no matter who you vote - you're killing someone no matter who you vote. I'm not asking anymore. I'm telling you. If there's a way to get me to first - do it."