I decided that I wanted to talk to Tenko first. We had a long discussion on the events that transpired in my time when I was bedridden. One thing that confused me however, was how I healed so quickly.

I tried asking Tenko about it, but she didn't have an explanation. We both said our farewells and parted ways.

I wandered around the academy, looking for someone to spend time with. Eventually, I ended up bumping into Himiko. She was in the dining hall, all by herself.

I talked to the small mage for a long time. The little mage mainly talked about magic and the like.

Like any good friend, I listened to her and even answered occasional questions. Even if I didn't believe in magic, and didn't want to hurt her feelings by openly expressing it.

I helped Himiko back to her lab. Apparently she needed to get the necessary supplies for her show. She told me afterwards she was going to the gym.

I went back to my room, feeling better now that I got to socialize with my friends. It was still a few hours from nighttime, I think two at least. I would have gone and done something else, but my energy was all gone after today.

I heard a strange sound from outside my door. It sounds like... running footsteps? Not a second later, I heard someone's intercom ring, and let me tell you those things can be loud. This person rung it multiple times before it stopped.

I crawled out of bed, and pressed my ear to the door. I couldn't hear anything now, and it scared me. The footsteps came back, this time running away. What... was that...?

BANG!

I fell away from my door, shaken by the sudden sound.

BANG!

Whatever it is, it was getting closer. I wasn't sure if I could get away when I'm in this condition.

BANG!

I need to go, I've gotta try! I don't wanna stick around and find out what'll happen if I do stay.

Carefully maneuvering the crutches, I went back to the door. I slowly turned the knob and cracked the door to see... Gonta...?

Gonta was in an angry rage. He was forcefully opening the doors and checking inside. I'm not sure what happened to Gonta... but I better get going!

That was tricky, I ended up having to time it just as Gonta went to investigate a different room, I think it was Angie's. Somehow, I made it outside without alerting him.

I came across Ryoma and Shuichi. They were talking amongst each other.

"Hey guys" I said in a low voice.

"Good to see you made it out in one piece" Ryoma huffed.

"You too, Ryoma" I checked behind us, nervousness filling my veins. What could've set Gonta off...?

Ryoma took the fake cigarette from his mouth before he spoke again. "I don't know why, but... it seems he's gone into a rage and is trying to catch everyone."

"Hmph, he was charging right at me at top speed" Ryoma grumbled. Me and Shuichi had similar looks of surprise and amazement.

"He threw himself right at you but you managed to get away?" Shuichi asked him. "That's amazing..."

"Yeah, I used the Shukuchi Method" Ryoma clarified. "A technique from my tennis days. Like a flash step, y'know? Of course, I've gotten rusty since back in the day, but..."

Ryoma chuckled a little, it was probably the first time I heard him laugh. "Gonta's still got a ways to go... he won't be able to catch me like that."

"By the way... I'm sorry" Ryoma apologized. It was directed mainly at Shuichi, not that I minded. "For saying something so uncool like 'I've got no reason to live'."

"Ah, no, you don't have to apologize..." Shuichi said.

Ryoma closed his eyes for a second before speaking. "I'm going to say this so we're clear. I'm not so stupid that I'd waste my life. I... only said something like that because I was jealous of you."

"Jealous?" I asked him.

"If I had a stronger attachment to life, and could try my best alongside you all-" Ryoma cut himself off, looking at the area behind me and Shuichi.

I looked to see what had scared Ryoma...

"There you are..." Gonta had an intimidating aura around him. "Hey, where are you going?"

"Huh? Gonta...?" It was more like Shuichi was asking himself rather than any of us.

"Sorry, you two, but I'm gonna run... I've still got things I need to do" Ryoma apologized and startes to dash away. Shuichi grabbed my arm. I was ready to make a break for the main building with him.

"No! Gonta no can let you leave!" Gonta stopped us. "Sorry, but... is for your own good!"

Gonta charged at us like a runaway train. I was frozen to the the spot. Now I knew what the term 'frozen with fear' means. Gonta crashed right into Shuichi, the teenage boy going limp on impact.

Gonta picked him up and put him over his shoulder before grabbing me. I didn't even put up a fight. Not like I could get away that fast anyways, he'd just catch me again.

Gonta carried me and Shuichi for awhile. I think eventually we were in his lab. It was then that Gonta realized that he had knocked Shuichi unconscious. He was extremely apologetic about it.

Gonta left the lab to find other people, leaving me in the room with Korekiyo, an unconscious Shuichi, Kokichi, Kiibo, Tsumugi, and Tenko.

"Kehehe... it seems Gonta has ensnared you as well" Kiyo remarked

"Um yeah... I can safely say that goes for the rest of you" I asked. Everyone confirmed that theory.

Shuichi began to stir, Kokichi hovered above him. Shuichi's eyes fluttered open. He locked eyes with Kokichi, his eyes widening.

"Mooorning, sleepyhead!" Kokichi grinned. "You're finally up, Shuichi."

Shuichi was silent for a moment, before finally saying something. "Huh? What...?"

Nee-heehee!" The supreme leader laughed. "Are you gonna ask... 'who am I,' and 'where am I?'."

"Well, you're definitely Shuichi Saihara. And this place is..." A large grin formed on Kokichi's face. "Hmmm... I guess, hell.'

"Hell...?" Shuichi asked the smaller boy. Shuichi looked around the room, at us. "I-Is this...?"

Tsumugi took notice to Shuichi being awake. "Oh, you're awake? This is the Ultimate Entomologist's research lab."

"The Ultimate Entomologist's lab? Why...?" Shuichi asked her.

Shuichi then had an expression like he suddenly remembered something. "Ah, I remember! Me and Kaede where attacked by Gonta, and then..."

"Then... we were brought here" I finished for him.

"The same is true for the rest of us" Kiyo confirmed. "We were all seized by Gonta... and brought here."

"But Shuichi's the only one who got knocked out" Tenko snickered.

"Gonta apologized for that" Kiibo informed him. "He couldn't slow down in time when he tried to grab you."

"What is this anyway...?" Shuichi asked the robot. "Why did Gonta do this?"

"It's... because of that guy" Tsumugi answered for him. "He was provoked by... that guy."

We all looked at the person Tsumugi was pointing at. Kokichi.

"There's no use trying to escape" Kokichi laughed, putting his arms behind his head. "Gonta will just catch you again."

"Why did it have to be this room? It gives me the creeps" Tsumugi said to herself.

Kiibo looked like he was thinking about something. "I do not think Gonta would ever decide on his own to capture us. What is Kokichi trying to accomplish by taking advantage of Gonta's naivete."

Kiibo shook his head and sighed. "Regardless, I cannot forgive his nonchalant attitude about using people!"

"What are Kokichi and Gonta's true aim, gathering us all like together in this room?" Kiyo wondered aloud.

"I couldn't stop Gonta, not even with my Neo-Aikido..." Tenko slouched her shoulders. "His power is far greater than my Neo-Aikido!"

"Is this your doing, Kokichi? I confronted him. "Did you have Gonta kidnap us?"

Kokichi smiled and put his hands behind his head again. "Nee-heehee... he's so simply minded. As soon as I told himthat everyone who hates bugs was trying to get rid of them... he started crying and said that he would get you guys to love bugs... or something like that."

"And that's why we're all here! Welcome to the mandatory Insect Meet and Greet!" Kokichi laughed. "Oh, Gonta came up with the name, so if you don't like it, voice your complaints to him!"

"You're terrible... you tricked Gonta" Tsumugi scolded him.

Kokichi smiled playfully. "Isn't it great? Only an evil supreme leader like me could do something so... eeeeeevil!"

"Kokichi... why are you doing this?" Kiibo questioned the purple haired boy.

"Oh, I thought we could throw ourselves a little screening party with all our videos" Kokichi crossed his arms behind his head again. "With all you here, exchanging our motive videos wouldn't be that difficult at all. And I wanna see your videos, too, so I figured we could all binge-watch them together!"

Kiibo was visibly shaken by this. "D-Do you know what will happen if you do that?"

"Ummm... everyone will know their motive and a killing will be more likely to happen?" Kokichi tapped his cheek as he said that. "But I like playing on Mean difficulty. Also, I don't run from battles in RPGs, either! I wanna win this killing game! So I'm not gonna run from it, I'm gonna crush it!"

Kokichi's face brightened a bit, giving off a childlike vibe. "That'll be waaaay less boring, don'tcha think?"

"What the hell does that mean!?" Shuichi questioned the Supreme leader.

"I tried to warn you guys..." Kokichi smiled at him. "I told you we shouldn't cooperate with each other. Plus, if I'm gonna do this, then I gotta enjoy myself and just go all the way."

"If the thought of playing a death game doesn't excite you, you'll never win. Understand?". Kokichi smiled at us. It was like a small child's smile, one full of excitement and joy.

At that moment, Gonta came back, carrying Angie and Himiko. "Thank you for waiting! Gonta bring Himiko and Angie!"

"Huh? Himiko and Angie, too?" Tsumugi asked him.

"Awww, man... and I was about to take a break, too" Angie frowned. "I just finished all the prepwork."

"Nyeeeh... what's the meaning of this?" Himiko groaned.

Tenko took notice to the little mage immediately. "Himiko, are you ok? My saliva makes injuries heal faster. Does your face hurt? Do you want me to spit on your face and make it feel better?"

"No..." was Himiko's only answer.

"Hey, Gonta... are these the only ones you brought back from the gym?" Kokichi asked the Entomologist.

"Oh... Kirumi at gym but she tell Gonta she too busy" Gonta replied.

"Hm...? And you just... let her go?" Kokichi looked perplexed.

"Atua says Kirumi fulfills any request someone makes of her. Like a mommy" Angie brushed her fingers through her hair.

"Ah, she's not a mom, though..." Shuichi said. "Wait, what request?"

"I request that she sew the curtains" Angie informed. "I don't think even Gonta can disturb her."

"Sorry... not even Gonta strong enough to overcome Kirumi..." Gonta apologized.

"Hmmm, well, I guess still least one of you is worthy of being called an Ultimate..." Kokichi said in a mocking tone. "Welp, nothing we can do about her... are the others still hiding somewhere?"

"Oh, Gonta see Miu, but... Gonta's face get red-hot. So... Gonta no could bring her..." Gonta answered sheepishly.

Kokichi didn't take the hint. "Your face got hot? You mean you were hot on her trail, right?"

"No, um, she used her... what she call it?" Gonta tried to explain. "'Secret woman weapon'? And then-."

Gonta cut himself off. "Anyway, this enough people, right? 'Insect Meet and Greet' is off to a smashing start!"

"Yeah, sure. This is good enough" Kokichi agreed. "We should move on to the main event anyway."

"Gonta, don't be deceived!" Tsumugi tried to warn him. "He used you to abduct us all!"

"Huh!? Really!?" Gonta looked shocked.

"Nooo, this is for the Insect Meet and Greet" Kokichi objected. "I like bugs even more than you do, Gonta."

"Oh? More than Gonta? Amazing... you like bugs that much!?" I couldn't believe it... Gonta actually listening to him.

"It would appear... further argument is a useless endeavor" Kiyo said to himself.

"Now, Gonta... go ahead and teach them just how wonderful bugs are" Kokichi encouraged. "I gotta run an errand, but I'll be back. Don't let them leave, okay? If they try to leave, it means you gotta really show them why bugs are so great."

"Mm-hm, got it" Gonta agreed.

"Wait, you're leaving!?" I shouted at Kokichi.

"Of course. Someone's gotta break into your rooms to get the goods" Kokichi grinned. "Nee-heehee... lock picking is a cinch for an evil supreme leader like me."

"What? You're going to enter a girls room without permission?" Tsumugi looked shocked.

"It seems I must be the one to take care of this" Kiibo stepped up. "With my talent, Kokichi, I will stop-"

"Yeah, yeah. I don't have time to listen to some robot" Kokichi cut him off. Kokichi glanced up at a clock on the wall. "Let's see... it's exactly 9 p.m. right now. I should be back by nighttime. Welp! Have fun with the bugs till then!"

With a wave, Kokichi left the lab.

"Kehehe... it appears we are caught in Kokichi's trap" Kiyo laughed. Not sure how he found it funny.

"Wh-What should we do?" Tsumugi asked us. No one could give a clear answer, however. "At this rate, it'll end up as a motive video screening party."

"M-My Neo-Aikido is no match for Gonta's superhuman strength either..." Tenko huffed.

"I'm against fighting Gonta..." I said. "Not because he's strong, but I just don't feel right hurting another friend."

"We still have a chance when Kokichi comes back" Kiibo spoke up. "That's when I will take care of this."

"Everyone, please just endure it until then." Kiibo had look a determination on his face.

"E-Endure it-" Shuichi started to ask, but he was cut off by Gonta.

"Okay! Now we start the fun-fun 'Insect Meet and Greet'!" Gonta shouted.

That's when all hell broke loose.

Gonta released the insects that were stored away, each of them either flying or crawling towards us. Everyone ran in different directions, trying desperately to get away from the horror show.

With nowhere to go, and without anything to support myself, I ended up curling into a ball, hoping and praying it'd be over soon.

*ding dong, bing bong*

That nighttime announcement played. But even that didn't save us.

"What happened, Kokichi!?" I heard Shuichi yell. "You said you'd be back by nighttime!"

I had my eyes closed, trying ignore the feeling of hundreds of bugs crawling all over me.

"Ahhhh! Oh no! Himiko and Kaede are being buried alive by insects!" Angie shouted. Ah... so that explains it....

"H-Himiko! Hold on!" Tenko cried out. At the same time, I felt someone pull me away from the pile I was in.

"You ok..?" A familiar voice asked. Shuichi, he helped me.

"Y-Yeah, thanks!" I smiled the best I could at him.

"The more you yell" Tsumugi whimpered in fright. "The more bugs can get into your mou- PFTH! PFTH!" Tsumugi suddenly made a spitting sound. It wasn't hard to tell what happened to her.

Finally, when everyone's bodies were completely exhausted and sleep was nearly upon us...

He finally came back.

"Ughhh! There are bugs everywhere! How nast-" Kokichi looked like he was going to be sick. However, he quickly composed himself. "I mean, how nice!"

"Oh, you come back, Kokichi!" Gonta greeted him. "Come, we have fun! We gonna have so much fun!"

"As much as I'd *love* to do that..." Kokichi looked at the floor. "Maybe we should call it a day, hm?"

Why is he saying that...? Does he feel... sorry for what he did?

"The bugs look really tired, and a gentleman knows to do things in moderation, y'know?" Kokichi smiled. Scratch that thought.

"Oh... Gonta understand..." Gonta agreed.

"So you clean up while I take care of business with the others" Kokichi suggested. I look at what Kokichi was carrying. Kubs Pads.

"Nyahahaha! What a divine time!" Angie cheered. "My island is full of creepy crawlers. This many bugs doesn't bug me."

I guess it makes sense she is more adapted to it since she is from a tropical island.

"Aww... so he really did go get the Kubs Pads..." Tsumugi sighed. She really didn't look comforting at all.

"Nyeh? What's going on?" Himiko asked, blinking her eyes as if she just woke up. "The last thing I remember is Gonta releasing the bugs..."

Did she pass out from fear? I feel bad for her...

"Thank you for enduring it, everyone" Kiibo congratulated us. "This is the last chance. Please leave the rest to me."

Kiyo was silent at first, before uttering a few words. "And so... we have escaped from the maw of hell itself, somehow..."

Tenko was quiet too, only speaking up when I asked if she was alright. "I-I'm still okay! As disciple of Neo-Aikido, it'll take more than this to break my composure."

"Ah, Tenko! There's a big ol' bug on your back!" Kokichi yelled to her. Tenko screamed loudly and began twisting around, trying desperately to get it off her.

"Calm down, Tenko" Shuichi told her. Shuichi swatted the bug off her as quick as he could.

"I-It's okay, there were bugs everywhere, it's no wonder you-" Shuichi tried reassuring her.

"I-I don't need help from some male!" Tenko yelled at him. "Clearly I haven't trained enough. As soon as I escape from this place, I will return to Master and resume my training!"

"Well, you tried" I assured him.

"Yeah..." he replied.

"Well? Everyone have fun time meeting and greeting bugs?" Gonta cheerfully asked.

"Ah... y-yeah, I suppose I did...?" Shuichi answered, trying to be nice.

Gonta's smile brightened. "Good! Now everyone like bugs! More bug hatching real soon! Let's have fun time meeting and greeting new bugs."

"You guys ok? You all look like drowned sewer rats" Kokichi laughed.

"Cause you're late!" Tenko yelled.

"You said you'd be back by nighttime, but it's already 11 p.m. now" Tsumugi said.

"Sorry, I ran into an unexpected snafu" he explained. "But look."

Kokichi held up the Kubs Pads he'd been carrying. "Kubs Pads! Gotta catch em' all! I even got the pads belonging to the people who aren't here!"

"Nee-heehee... now everyone can watch their motive video!" Kokichi laughed.

"We said we don't want to" Tsumugi refused.

Kokichi didn't listen to her. "Well, it's late and I'm getting sleepy! So let's start already."

Gonta looked confused. "Start what?"

Kokichi brushed the question off as if it was nothing. "Oh, don't worry about it, Gonta. Just keep watch so these guys don't-"

"That's it! I won't let you do as you please!" Kiibo interjected.

"Hm?" Kokichi had a quizzical expression.

"I didn't want to use this unless I absolutely had to" Kiibo started explaining. "It eats up a lot of my electricity."

Kiibo faced Kokichi with a stern expression. "But that's neither here nor there! I will stop you right here, right now!"

"Kiibo... what are you going to do...?" I asked him from my position on the floor.

Kiibo suddenly started vibrating slightly, his eyes becoming staticy. He made no sound at all. Still glaring at Kokichi with his staticy eyes, Kiibo slowy reached a hand behind his ear.

And spun the mechanical parts there.

"He's lighting up!?" Tsumugi said, worried. "Is he gonna self-destruct or-"

*whirrr...*

"Huh? What's that sound?" Tenko asked.

"One moment please... I'm rewinding the tape right now" Kiibo spoke up, his eyes staying the same.

"The tape?" Himiko asked, sounding confused.

"Riiiight... there!" Kiibo shouted out, pushing his palm against his ear. That's when...

"Is this your doing Kokichi? Did you have Gonta kidnap us?" My voice shouted, but it was coming from Kiibo, what...?

"Nee-heehee... he's so simple minded" Kiibo was now speaking in Kokichi's voice. It was exactly what me and Kokichi had said earlier. "As soon as I told him that everyone who hates bugs was trying to get rid of them..."

Kokichi had a horrified look on his face, realizing he'd been found out. His mouth was agape.

"He started crying and said that he'd get you guys to love bugs... or something like that" Kokichi's recorded voice continued.

"Could this be...?" Shuichi asked himself.

The recording ceased. Kiibo looked proud himself. He explained how he had just shown us his recording funtion for the first time. Tenko was a little shocked about the whole situation regarding it.

Tsumugi seemed surprised at such a function, comparing it to a cassette tape, Kiibo ended up correcting her, saying it was a metal tape, Tsumugi argued back that sound quality wasn't the issue.

"Kokichi... what you mean?" Gonta said in a low voice. "You... not like bugs?"

"Maaan, now it's boring" Kokichi complained.

"You say we get them to understand how amazing bugs are... was that lie?" Gonta asked the much shorter boy.

Kokichi tried to play off his lie, as if he wasn't just exposed via audio recording. "Haha, I wouldn't lie to you. I loooove bugs. From the bottom of my heart."

"Oh... so it not a lie" Gonta words had a menacing undertone. "Then Gonta happy. Let's have fun with bugs all night..."

"Who want to pet more bugs!?" Gonta shouted.

"Eh?" Kokichi started sweating bullets.

"We must run while we still can!" Kiibo yelled. Shuichi helped me up, putting one of my arms over his shoulders.

Tenko snatched the Kubs Pads from Kokichi in one swift movement. Then, we all got out of the lab.

After leaving the room, I could hear muffled buzzing and Kokichi shrieking at the top of his lungs. I felt a little bad for him. I mean, being in there when the bugs are out isn't fun at all.

"We might be corpses by tomorrow morning..." Himiko grumbled sleepily.

"Don't joke about that... what if it happens?" Tsumugi said. "It's just plain possible."

"So how do we return these Kubs Pads back to their rightful owners?" Tenko asked us.

"Hmmm, if only the Monokubs were here" Angie sighed. "I'm sure they'd help us."

Almost on queue, one of the Monokubs, Monodam, appeared in front of us. "Oh, It's just you?" Shuichi said to the green Monokub.

"THE-OTHERS-ARE-ASLEEP... IF-YOU-NEED-SOMETHING, I-CAN-HELP-YOU" Monodam answered.

"Ah, um... it's about the Kubs Pads..." the detective explained. "Kokichi brought them to us, and..."

"I-SIMPLY-NEED-TO-RETURN-THEM" Monodam interrupted him. "I-WILL... RETURN-EACH-ONE-TO-YOUR-RESPECTIVE-ROOMS... YOU-BASTARDS."

Monodam took the Kubs Pads from Tenko and disappeared.

"Ah... he left" Shuichi observed. "Well, that was abrupt."

"But out of all of them, we can probably trust that one, right?" Tsumugi asked us.

"Shall we go back to our dorms?" Kiibo suggested. "It is well past nighttime."

"Nyahahaha, that's true! We have the magic show tomorrow" Angie cheered, clasping her hand together.

"Because of all this, we couldn't do a rehearsal" Himiko told us. "But I'm sure it'll be divine show."

"We'll the waiting for you to come watch!" Angie smiled brightly.

"Hmph! 'We'll be waiting,' she says" Tenko huffed. "It's Himiko's show, not yours."

Shuichi must've sensed the rising tension in the air. "I suppose it's alright..." he said, trying to defuse the situation.

Shuichi helping me back to my room, as well as picking up my discarded crutches that were still on the ground after me and him got taken by Gonta. I thanked him for everything he did to help me and went into my room.

"Tomorrow is the day of the magic show... I should get some sleep" I laid down in bed and quickly fell asleep.