Who?

Sometimes, you just had no one to reprimand you for throwing fits, and you found out that by harassing someone verbally enough with your best friend cracking his knuckles behind you got the person to say what you wanted to hear!

“Oh, wow, gee, super cool of you to offer that! Yeah, sure, lemme think of something that you could do in, what, three days? Four? Hmmm, wow, for some reason, I can’t think of anything! What a super convenient promise to make to someone who’s going to die in less time than it would take to do something!”

She pokes her cheek, giggling.

“If you think something, Kioku-chan, then you should just come out and say it! If you wanna say something sly, might as well say it now! Right to my face! Since you won’t have a chance to soon! Come one come all! Throw your rotten veggies because this might be your last shot! Oh, and, like, Bee-Tee-Dubs, I totes wouldn’t ever give anything of mine to help Sono-kun, even before he decided to murder two people. I would have given up my video for exactly two people!”

Oh, so she was being ridiculous? She was acting up? She was being unreasonable?

“Oh, well, you see, no one liked it when I was being reasonable! So I figured what the fuck ever! Oh, so I’m a little girl now, huh? A little girl!? Cute! Super cute, Kioku-chan! You’re kind of, hm, absolute shit at this whole ‘understanding other people’s pain’ if you’re already throwing in the towel and going ‘well, gee, I guess I don’t get it!’ because do you know how many fucking sob stories I’ve listened to in this shithole that aren’t even shit! A whole lot! And not once did I get upset when the person got a little pissy with me! I’ve always just smiled and tried to calm them down! I gave my heart and soul for you people, and what did you do!? Yeah! Fuck you!”

“Act my age!? In less than a few days, I’m not going to have a fucking age!! Don’t worry! In a few fucking days, you won’t have to slog through talking to me or dealing with me when I’m a ‘stuck up brat’ or a ‘selfish bitch’ or whatever else you wanna call me!”

She bangs her fist against the counter, rattling the bowl.

“YOU DON’T FUCKING KNOW THAT!! Top three, asshole! Top! Three! We’re the people you assholes wanted to die the most!! Why would someone sacrifice another life to save ours!? If you wanted to do that–really wanted to–WE WOULDN’T BE AT THE TOP!!! No one will kill until at least the top five have kicked the bucket because NO ONE GIVES A SHIT ABOUT US, GENIUS!! I didn’t know you were SHSL Psychic, Kioku-chan! Pretty shitty fucking psychic, though! Maybe that’s why you forgot who the fuck you were because it wasn’t even worth remembering!”

“If you deem that what I need to do to repent for me suggesting for someone to delete a video to be something that would take the course of more than five days; then quite simply, I’m not interested in repenting. What I did was bad, but it doesn’t warrant me having a twenty day expedition to win your heart back. If you don’t have a reasonable mind, I cannot imagine that you’re in a place to make rational or well-minded decisions. I understand, given your current predicament. Perhaps we can talk about this after you calm down... and if you don’t calm down, then there’ll be no further discussion of my repenting; as it will not happen.” She coughed into her hand, before shakily taking a seat at a table.

“...Please, make no mistake. I am not attempting to understand your pain. I never will. Nor do I particularly care to - I have enough pain of my own. Quite literally. To be very honest, the whole targeting me is very unwarranted. We’ve had a rather friendly relationship up until this point - and I intend to not make it any worse than it already is. If you hate me, then hate. Want to hit me? I’ll draw the target. Nothing you say or do will affect me in any which way.” 

“Simply put, you are correct. I could give less of a shit about you. In fact, I do wish you were dead!” Kioku has a smile on her face, her bags under her eyes are very much on show as a small bit of blood peeks out of her nose.

“That’s right. I wanted you dead! Since day one! I saw your blonde hair, and your perfect skin and your ugly shoes and I thought ‘I hope she dies, nothing will bring me more joy than to watch her suffer in the most horrible way - watch all of her friends betray her, and then kick the can. I’d feel great about myself!’. That’s why I put you in seventh and told Haruto to delete your video - I just looooove to see people suffer, especially you!” She stabs her fork into her food, rolling her eyes. The sarcasm was quite clear in that final statement.

“Use that tiny brain of yours - Jito-san is one of the most loved people here. The top three is hardly a combination of people who we want dead. The mere suggestion is pathetic. Take a statistics class - and while your at it, use that brain to figure out that every motive is put there by Monokumi aimed to specifically make us murder one another. I’m not a seer - I have a brain. And so do you.”

“If you have no interest in speaking to me as a human being, I am going to block you out. I have no reason to speak with you anymore. You say you don’t care for sob stories, but here you are giving me yours. You think I give a shit about your sob story when you’re verbally attacking me? Then cry to someone else about it. My world doesn’t revolve around you, and I don’t care much for putting effort into this argument anymore...”

If a girl can’t catch a break and not be in the top three of people wanted for death around here, then no, a girl could not just get some food in peace around here. Not to Arisa, in any case. When Kioku begins to speak, Arisa puts down her whisk and turns to face her completely, scowling.

“Oh no, no, no, you don’t get to get smart with me. No, Miss Number Eight, you get to stand there and fucking take it. Oh, wow, thanks soooo much for the seventh place, it really helped a lot! It’s middle votes like yours that put me where I am, you know! You and the handful of people who really just wanted me gone!”

“You don’t have to accuse me of shit. Second place. I followed your fucking wishes, and this is the thanks I get. Thanks for being a beacon of good morals or whatever you’re trying to do.”

She goes back to mixing the batter with a renewed vigor, just barely managing to not splatter it everywhere. Oh, so just because she was suuuuuch a nice girl, it meant that she would totally be willing to let someone delete her video regardless of whether or not she even gave a shit about the person.

“Ding ding! You’re fucking wrong! I would have been majorly fucking pissed off if someone deleted my video. Just because you have no one to miss you back home doesn’t mean I don’t! Just because my fucking parents didn’t send me a video didn’t mean I didn’t get one that mattered! I needed my video! Yeah, no shit you should have cleared it with me first! No fucking shit!”

“Fine, whatever. I hope your food tastes like shit and it’s still frozen in the center. Act all high and mighty and whatever all you fucking want. Jokes on you! At least I have what they call emotional maturity and can emote instead of just looking like I have resting bitch face all of the time.”

Kioku sighs, lifting her free hand to pinch the bridge of her nose. Jeez, what a headache. The immaturity really shone through with this one; though she completely understood it, and it wasn’t entirely unwarranted. It was just... tiring.

“As I said, I apologise. If there’s anything else I can do to make it up to you - then I’ll do it. I can’t expect an apology to fix everything; If I knew it would have hurt you this much - I wouldn’t have suggested it. You just seemed like a rather helpful girl who would be willing to assist a friend.” She had to bite her tongue, quite literally, to stop herself from saying ‘but clearly that’s not the case’.

“I do apologise for the hurt I’ve cause you, sincerely. But your video was not deleted in the end... as I said, if there’s anything I can do to make it up to you - then simply ask. I have apologized and offered repentance for what I have done. There’s simply nothing else I can physically do, Arisa-san.” She offers the girl a smile.

She looks at the girl, having to stop herself from going on a rant about emotional maturity. “About my level of emotional maturity; You may have forgotten that I didn’t even remember who I was until recently - It is no wonder that I am a blank slate of a person - I don’t even know who I am. So please, at least try and be understanding. I am trying to understand your feelings; and as much as I think you are being... ridiculous. I understand why you are mad. I feel for your situation; I even tried to offer everyone to vote for me - I should have been first. You don’t think I feel like shit for that? Then grow up, little girl.” Eventually, The comments were going to get to her. You can see in her face that’s she’s not taking the micro transgressions very well.

“I didn’t want you to be anywhere near the top - In fact, I rather enjoyed your presence until you started acting like a stuck up little brat. Maybe it’s time you acted your age, Oshiro.” She turns to head to a table to sit and eat her dinner.

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.”

Very friendly! 

Kioku narrowed her eyes at the other girl. Can a gal not get her dinner in peace around here? She rolls her eyes, opening the fridge to grab some pre-made food ready to reheat. She walks over to the microwave, pops it in and turns to face Arisa.

“Let’s get one thing clear; I am not the reason you’re dying in a few days. I didn’t set up this motive. The mere suggestion is repulsive, and you should be ashamed of yourself for suggesting such a thing. As a side note; I voted to put you in seventh place. Take that as what you will. I put myself and Haruto in the first two spots...” 

“Just so you know, I would never accuse you of something so fiendishly horrible.” She looks at Arisa directly, before addressing the second part of the statement.

“As for the video deletion - It wasn’t based on who was liked or disliked, It was based on selflessness. I could have suggested many other people; Others who had seen there videos. But you are the only person I knew for a fact had seen their video; Thus, If you had already seen your video - I assumed you would be okay with it being deleted. That is my fault, I should have spoken to you about it first - and for that, I apologise.” The microwave pings and she turns back to take her food out.

She had hung around in her dorm for as long as she really could. Physically, sure, she was fine. But eventually she realized it was ridiculous to worry about people judging her for her votes, and it was ridiculous to worry about people voting for her. What could she do in either case? What was done was done. Might as well go and explore again.

The tower was easier to get to the second time around. Still not fun, though. Time to explore, take a break. All the rooms provided some kind of amusement in varying ways. The toymaker’s lab was the most obvious. Not that she was actually going to buy anything. Five coins was practically robbery.

…It might be a cute gift, though. She was still in thought, picking items up on the shelf and putting them back when she heard the door open. She turned to see Kioku, or whoever she was, walk in. It’s hard not to think about the speech she gave at the ranking meeting, and Azusa doesn’t even bother to force a smile. Still, no need to be rude.

“...You could say that.” Kioku responds, picking up a toy then placing it back down. She glances around at the wonderful lab... she can’t help but think of Noel... She would have loved this place... But nonetheless, Kioku has to do her usual rounds. Look for a way out and fail in the most spectacular way she can.

“...What about yourself? See anything you like? I can’t say anything here caters to me specifically; perhaps a gift for a child...” She turns to face Azusa.

Haruto manages to quickly catch his breath, and he’s suddenly right as rain — as if he hadn’t dashed to get here just a moment or two ago.

“I was going to Station Green too…” he nods, “though moreso to go investigate Hiroyuki-san’s lab. I’ve taken a good look at everything there except his…”

“But, yes. I did. I found it pretty easy, but I think Wakana-san hasn’t been as lucky as me. …Er, not that it’s entirely luck, I don’t think.”

He flits his gaze back to her, suddenly curious about something. “…Did nothing else interest you in that station though? …Then again, I don’t really know your interests to begin with.”

“...Nothing else?” Kioku cocks her head to the side, looking inquisitively at Haruto. “...No, I can’t say anything else caught my eye that much...” She looks back to Haruto, thinking for a moment but nothing comes up.

“Is there something of interest there that I’ve missed out on? ...You know me, I’d hate to miss out on a mystery to be solved.” She laughs, ever so lightly. “...I sound like Tsukiko-san.”

Shaking her head, she starts the train up to head to Station Green. “Perhaps I could join you before heading to try my hand at gambling - How has lady luck treated you, by the way? Win anything interesting?” She looks back to Haruto. 

“Sorry, I mean where are you headed when you get there?” Now you’ve asked him two questions at once! That’s too much! She opens her mouth to speak again.

hadeanic‌:

Kioku sat in the SHSL Narrator’s Lab, contemplating over things… the silence in here was nice… despite knowing what went down. It was calm, and peaceful. The interior was also comforting, somehow. It was just nice to sit in here and get away from… things. She closed her eyes - and before she knew it, she was Ayumu! She woke up an hour later to someone nudging her awake, and shot up to life.

“H-Hello! Hi!” She actually raised her voice for once, but this is more of a panicked disorientation type of thing. And then a massive headache hit. She pinched at the bridge of her nose and sort of leaned forward, wincing in pain. A moment passes, and she seems to be okay for now.

“O-oh! Hello, Mayumi-san, I….” She shoves her hands into her pockets and looks down to the ground, before glancing up at Mayumi once more.

“…I apologize for my recent blunder… I… I did not mean to forget you, I just… Well, I’m not sure what’s come over me - as you know, so…” She pauses, looking Mayumi in the eyes.

“…Sorry for causing any distress, I suppose.”

Mayumi didn’t really plan on visiting the scene of a murder… much one as unnerving as the Narrator’s Lab, but… there were certain things that felt important, and saying a prayer for the fallen was… well, you know. Important. To not get haunted. She would go feral if they got haunted.

Of course, she found no ghosts down there… just a very mild moment of panic where she wondered if someone had gone killing already before relief when Kioku awoke.

“Oh t-thank god…” She stayed back a bit, not wanting to impose on the other girl, particularly… when she might not remember her, nor be feeling very well.

“….uh. Good morning, I guess? Uh. You… don’t have to like. Apologize. It’s kind of weird. I mean, of course you didn’t… mean to forget me. I’m pretty sure no one could do that intentionally, it was just kind of annoying that you wouldn’t admit it.”

She shuffled in place as Kioku met her eyes, the first to look away.

“…it’s fine. Um. Have you… remembered me? At all? I mean, you know me… now, obviously, but… like, that we talked before that first trial? Or… anything else? Or is it all still just a blank?”

Kioku shakes her head, clasping her hands together and playing with her fingers as they are intertwined. 

“...Sorry, Mayumi-san... I remember a lot of things about arriving here, but... I am afraid I don’t remember our first encounter...” She smiles back to Mayumi sympathetically.

“...But perhaps we could make new memories - that’s more important now, correct?” She waits a moment to gauge Mayumi’s response before standing upright.

“...How are you enjoying your new lab? It is held within a rather beautiful building... You must feel happy to have something so comforting in... well, in here...” She glances around with a somber look on her face, then back to Mayumi.

It’s called a flowerbed for a reason, so falling asleep in the vicinity of one was really to be expected. Especially if you were Ayumu, and falling asleep was like, your whole thing. It really was a talent, wasn’t it? He looks up blearily at Kioku.

“… eh? Oh, yeah, okay… okay, I’m coming…”

He got very lost in the maze last time he tried to go to the chemist lab, actually. The assumption that he knows where it is would be incorrect, though he’d be able to find it. Eventually. For sure. Maybe. 

Ayumu’s basically stumbling along behind her at this point, miraculously not tripping but still struggling a little to keep up. Despite this, he still seems pretty content.

“… um, what are you going to the Chemist lab for, Sherlock-san…?”

While walking very intently toward the chemist lab, Ayumu in hand she glances back to talk to him. Oh, yeah. She never explained that. She puts her free hand in her pocket and hands it back to Ayumu.

“I am hoping to study these... perhaps I can find out their properties and figure out what exactly they are.” She holds her hand out for Ayumu to hand them back.

“One second, please!” Haruto cries out from the entrance of Station Grey. He spots the train and sees Kioku stepping into it from the platform. He makes sure to project himself, calling loudly without making it sound like he’s aggressive.

Just maybe a bit desperate.

He does his best to hurry his feet and catch up with her, slipping into the train along with her. He heaves a sigh before addressing her in a more normal tone: “Thanks… I wouldn’t have wanted to walk all the way there.”

“...O-Oh! Haruto-san... hello.” She gives him a polite smile as she stands on the train, leaving some space for Haruto to hop on just behind her. “It’s no problem, Where are you headed?” She smiles, tapping at the controls.

“I personally was thinking of using the gambling machines in your lab - Rather irresponsible, I suppose, but... Well, I’m a curious being.” She laughs lightly, before shoving one of her hands into her jacket pocket.

She had noticed Kioku almost immediately, but hadn’t been able to do anything but take the ballroom in. It really was beautiful, and Azusa couldn’t help but take a second take it all in. As before, this place was a hellhole, but the interior decorating was always above average. Killing game aside, she wanted a real ball so badly. But most of the people here probably didn’t share the same desire. ….oh, she was being talked to. Enough staring!

“It’s gorgeous. Like something straight out a fairytale…although, that’s the point isn’t it? I don’t remember there being a ball in The Little Mermaid, though.”

There was a prince, certainly, but weren’t balls more for Cinderella? Well, she wasn’t going to think too much about Monokumi’s placement decisions.

“Oh, the question doesn’t bother me; I’m glad you think I have a ‘high-class’ air. It’s true, though: my lifestyle means I’m encouraged to pursue certain talents that give an elegant air. I’ve never been to a real ball, but I know how to dance a Waltz. I’ve never performed one to an audience, unless we count the other group of people I was dancing with, but I wouldn’t call myself an amateur.”

Kioku looks around the ballroom once more... was there a ballroom in Little Mermaid? She does get her pair of legs - spoiler alert - so, perhaps she would use them to dance, but... well, Kioku is struggling to remember things these days. It’s no surprise she doesn’t know this either.

“...A Waltz, huh? I’m sure you were great. I assume that dancing could be a rather universal sport in that... well... if you know how to move your body to music, you can probably do that in multiple different styles - I would assume... So... I’m sure you could do most dances, if you set your mind to it.” She gives Azusa a polite smile, before thinking for a moment.

Kai sees Kioku before she even calls out to him, running over and kicking up sand as he goes. 

“Hey! Kioku!” 

He comes to a stop inches away from her, spraying a bit of sand at her shoes. 

“Oh, for me? Thanks! Wow, this one’s a beauty…!” 

He marvels over the surfboard as Kioku talks, before nodding along. When she asks him to give her a surfing lesson, however… he laughs a little!

“Well, I’d be so stoked to teach you to surf, but–”

“Well, surfing gets you to the shore, not away from it!”

“But I can totally give you a ride! If you wanna hop on, I can just paddle you over!”

Kioku stares back intently, her face covered with an expression of pure confusion.

“...I-It does?” She thinks it over for a moment, the movements used in surfing...

“But you want to go out to the waves, right? Does it not make more sense that surfing is used to go outwards to sea? ...Or perhaps it’s due to the waves pushing you back to the shore that you are explaining to me...” She continues to mumble for a moment, before shaking herself out of the daydream.

“...I apologize. Thank you, Kai-san.” Ooh. nickname, eh? “...It would be great if you could do that for me... I would appreciate it.”

He watches with anticipation to see what she does remember or rather what she forgot.  There’s a mix of relief and worry that grows on his face when she remembers the execution.  

“Wasure-chan… I’m worried that your memory isn’t just bad, it’s getting worse.  That’s not something you just forget, it was only a few days ago.  There’s probably something really wrong with your brain or somethin’.”  

He didn’t want her to panic, but it couldn’t be ignored either.

He nods solemnly to her question.  

“No doubt about it, I wish it were fake, some dream, or even a stunt but… he was dead.”  

Saying it hurt so much, but he had to suppress the urge to get emotional over it right now.

“It’s not your fault, probably… how long have you been feeling like this?  I don’t want you to just wake up completely lost and forgetting who we all are… or things that’ve happened.”

Something seriously wrong with her brain... her and Haruto did have a conversation about a neurologist... she should probably see one - once she gets out of here, of course... If that is what the issue is. She doesn’t even know. She doesn’t even know what she doesn’t even know! And how is she supposed to know how to feel about the things she doesn’t even know that she doesn’t even know-- 

She takes a deep breath, centering herself before smiling to Jito.

“...I hope that doesn’t happen either, but...” She glances around. “...Well, we can only hope at this point... I’m not sure what is wrong with me, but... I should probably seek help.” She looks back to Jito with a more stern expression.

“If... No, when we get out of here. You have to make sure I get help, Even if I don’t remember.” She’s pretty serious about that. Clearly, it must be something neurologically wrong, right? Jito needs to help her with it - she might forget...

Hrm.

Mayumi glared. She was very, very good at it–could make for a second talent. She didn’t look away from Kioku even as she averted her own eyes, hands going to her hips.

“Kioku-kun… you remember Monokumi… you remember the situation we’re in, right? If you’re trying to hide something, it’s not going to help anyone, you know! You should be open and honest…! Do you really remember me!?”

Kioku stares back, her nerves are rather obvious - pretty hard to hide how uneasy she feels at the moment.

“...I’m sorry, Mayumi-san... I have absolutely no idea who you are...” She bows her head apologetically... She’s just going to believe Mayumi, considering her reaction to what Kioku said. It’d be pretty hard to fake that, and considering her current issue... well, it adds up.

“...I wish I could recall our conversation, but... Well... I-I seem to be having memory issues... I guess you know that, though...” She coughs into her hand, then crosses her arms tightly.

“You know what I’m talking about right?  The secret passage, the one that we found during the investigation.  Todoroki-chan hurt her shoulder throwing herself into it.  Dos any of that ring a bell?”  

It would be REALLY bad if Kioku’s amnesia just came and went every few days.

He hoped that Kioku was just joking, that maybe this was some sick cruel joke paid at his expense.  At least then he could blame it on her bad sense of humor.  But she seemed serious, too serious.  Even as she brushed off his suggestion it as clear that she didn’t seem to understand.

“Wasure-chan I’m serious, you sound like you don’t remember anything that happened a few days ago.  You’re talking like Takasugi-san was… that he’s just alive and well but…”  

He bites his lip as he looks over at the scene of where his body used to lie.

“He’s dead!  Takasugi is dead Wasure-chan!  How could you forget!? It was right here!”  

He finally blurted out as he pointed to the stage.

“Like here on the stage, don’t you remember this is where we found his body.  He was in his Visor Red outfit, and there was tape, and there was his helmet and… and…”  

He starts to tear up a little just recalling everything.  He wasn’t the first to find the body, but he was part of the party to find it initially.

“…You really forgot?  But it hasn’t even been a few days.  And Namiko is… well she’s gone too.  We had the trial and she got executed.  Just… what’s the last thing that you can remember?”

Kioku stares back in shock, before trying to quickly recompose herself, but you can tell how caught off guard she was by that statement... he’s dead? How is that even possible?! She thinks back... but nothing comes to her mind... What is Jito talking about? Namiko too... She remembers Namiko being dead, but... How did she die...Executed...? Her heart starts racing and she takes a deep breath to try and calm herself down. The trial... the trial...

“...I-I remember the trial... Uh...” She thinks for a moment... What happened in the trial... She remember talking about a train? Ayumu was asleep... and Haruto jumped off of it while it was moving...

“...I-I don’t remember... I don’t remember what happened... B-But I knew Namiko was dead and --” It almost hit her at once. The bears. Namiko’s execution. A shiver is sent up her spine... It was like experiencing watching it all over again. Her skin turns pale, if you can believe she could get any paler and she breaks out into a cold sweat.

“...I-I remember the execution, I just...” She crosses her arms... so he really is dead? How could she forget something like that?! She scratches at her forearm through her shirt sleeve... As if she wasn’t already worried enough, now this...

“...You’re sure that it... that it was...” She looks at Jito. She doesn’t even finish her statement, she knows he’s sure. She doesn’t doubt that Kanpei is well and truly dead.

This is her first time going through the fight director’s research lab, which she was admittedly excited for. It’s kinda upsetting that in a place like this, these research labs are really worth looking forward to. If only they were in a less… murderous situation. Like. A fairly above normal school that they all expected to be attending now.

Oh, there’s someone she hasn’t talked to in a while. Poking around the fire. … A bit too literally. Take care of yourself…

“Y-yeah sure, I’ll come,” Noel follows Kioku upstairs.

“Well, better than no hole for the smoke at all, I guess,” Noel scratches her cheek. “Feels like a silly oversight for how much thought seemed to be put into this.”

Noel shares in Kioku’s newfound dread, upon seeing the walls of weapons in this floor. In any other situation, she might have been in awe, but…

“I… think we should get rid of them but,” Noel raises her hands, “I’m not trusting myself to carry any of those around. Maybe let the bigger and stronger ones handle them. We have a couple of professionals, too…”

She squints at the weapons, stepping closer to a particularly sleek-looking naginata. “Do you think they’re real? I mean, is there a chance that they’re just cool-looking pool noodles?” She points a finger as if to poke, but doesn’t come any closer.

Kioku looks to the weapons, inspecting them closely for a moment. She looks back to Noel.

“I’m pretty sure they are real - I don’t understand the need for fake swords in a fight director’s lab, if this is supposed to be a replica of a top-notch facility with only the best materials for a Super High School Level...” She thinks for a moment, tapping a finger against her chin - only one way to find out! She reaches her hand out and runs her finger across the blade. Shit. That’s blood, alright!

“...I may have to take a trip to the Healing Area...” she turns to face Noel. T’is but a small cut! She’ll be fine - at least it isn’t anything serious.

“At least now we know they are real, I suppose.” She takes a tissue from her pocket and wraps it around her finger. That’ll do until they get back, probably.

He lets out a very soft ‘h’ when he’s stepped on, not so much pained as it is forced out by the sudden application of pressure. It didn’t seem so much like he’d curled up to sleep there as he just wound up there circumstantially - judging from the fact that even with the hood from his snow zone outfit™ I’ll draw later, his face is still kind of half in the snow. At least he’s awake now? And kind of just… stares at Kioku for a minute, processing anything she just said.

“… Hi, Sherlock-san.”

Absolutely riveting conversation from Ayumu as usual. He stares blankly at her hand for a second before taking it, pulling himself out of the snow. There’s no effort made to brush any of it off or anything. It’s just an accessory now, like his bows or star clip.

Wow, a magical secret that involves rapping… you know, like in every D*sney movie how the princesses start dropping bars. He nods like it makes perfect sense to him, though at this point Kioku probably recognizes that he’s just agreeing with her as always.

“That sounds nice… sure, I’ll join you.”

Shocking.

“So, um, do you need me to do anything…?

She could ask him to try rapping, but I don’t think that would end very well.

Kioku smiles down to Ayumu, gesturing at him to follow her. She begins to trudge through the landscape, not wearing any different clothing than her usual outfit - not that she seems to be bothered by the weather or temperature in the slightest.

“Well, I saw a sign within that building that suggested I go outside and ‘start rapping’... but, well, I’m not exactly sure where to start with that...” She has no idea how to rap - and quite frankly, rap music isn’t her favorite thing in the world. She looks to Ayumu... she suspects she already knows the answer to this question, but asks anyway.

Again, Mayumi looks around… seriously, is someone else here? Is someone watching this? Is it a prank?? Bro, is this a prank!??!

“I… w-what? What? Come on, what are you saying!? I haven’t gone and allied with that girl…! I…”

“……w…what do you mean, we haven’t met?”

Oh. Oh dear. Things are starting to come into focus, but at the same time… it’s not exactly a picture she wants to be seeing. How exactly should she proceed here? After a moment of thought, Mayumi took a step backwards. At the very least, a bit of distance might help Kioku relax.

“…it was one of the first days we were all here… that we traded introductions, Kioku-kun. Remember? I wasn’t sure if everyone here was a Super High School Level yet, and you told me… uh. You told me… you didn’t… uh. You didn’t remember your talent. You didn’t remember a lot of stuff. Hey… you…”

“….you uh, you’re not fucking with me, are you? Please say syke.”

Kioku stares back with concern... this girl knows her name, and the fact she can’t remember her talent... But she doesn’t remember a thing about her. Kioku quickly takes out her monopad... O-Oh... That girl is on here... Mayumi Hanezuka... She looks from the monopad, back to Mayumi, back to the monopad... Nothing. She looks up and smiles to Mayumi.

“O-Of course! S-Sorry, Mayumi-san... I was daydreaming - My head is in the clouds, I suppose...” She laughs, and it’s a very weak, forced laugh.

“I’m totally, uh, messing with you! Syke!” She’s not very good at this.

After that horrid motive was announced Jito ended up wandering around a bit.  Paranoid slightly that sooner or later he might end up getting sick, and that inevitably he’d have to rest up in his room for awhile.

Still, his wandering ended up taking him to the Opera research lab. As he reached the stage he stood by its edge, still recalling the gruesome scene.  Was this desperateness what Kanpei and Namiko used to try and conduct a crazy plan?

His heart felt heavy, what if someone else tried something drastic.  Sickness would no doubt affect the mind, spirit, and body.  Oh how he missed Kanpei’s do-it attitude right now…

“Hmm?  Hello Wasure-chan, are you alright?  You sound a little tired…”  

Was she sick?  If she was she’d need to get some rest for sure.

Her questions were… odd to say the least.  Hiding spots?  What did she want those for?

“Um… I don’t know about any secret hiding spots but there’s that secret passage way if that’s what you’re talking about.”  

How could Kioku have forgotten about that?

The next question makes his heart skip a beat.  Was she joking?  Or just confused?  Maybe she meant where did his body go but you dont’ ask a corpse questions.

“Wasure what are you talking about?  Why are you talking like Kanpei still exists… like he’s still alive…”

She wouldn’t do this right?  She wouldn’t just act like Kanpei was alive when she did know better.  Was this her sickness?  Was her amnesia flaring up?  Did amnesia do that?

“Um… Wasure-chan, did you forget everything that happened the past few days by chance?”

Kioku nodded along as Jito spoke, even when he brought up Kanpei she seemed to not really understand what he was getting at... She just smiled and nodded, like everything were perfectly fine and normal.

“...Ah, The secret passage way... perhaps I could look there...” She taps her finger against her chin, mumbling to herself in thought when Jito asks her if she’d forgot everything... She looked back, her brows furrowed in confusion - but not that bothered, seemingly.

“...I ...Don’t think so?” She scoffed, as if to brush off the suggestion, but upon seeing Jito’s expression, a feeling of worry began to sink in.

“...W-Why, do you think I have?” She waits for a moment, before bringing the pieces together. “I-Is Kanpei san...?” She doesn’t really finish her sentence, she just stares back with more confusion than she had before. Yet another question to add to the list. She taps her finger against her thigh, scratching at her leg occasionally.