[A/N] Edited slightly as of 12/3/22

Nari

I lay down straight on the grass, pinching bits and pieces of it between my fingers. It's a tad sharp, but not so dry that it seems damaged. I take a bite of a chocolate protein bar I got on my shopping haul. Meh. Could be worse. It's a bit chalky though, texturally speaking. The air is cool, somehow still circulating and crisp despite the fact that we're locked in. This doesn't quite give me the same thrill as actually being outdoors does. You know the hypothetical about someone learning everything about color but living in a black and white room? That's what this feels like.

I close my eyes for a bit, and then feel a light nudge. I turn my head and see Ren laying beside me. "So I see you came. Relatively promptly, too."

"And I brought a midnight snack. Wanna taste?" he winks flirtatiously.

"Did you actually, or are you making a kissing joke? Because food is much more appealing to me."

"Both, of course." He sits up and shows off a plate with some Ikinari dango.

"Sick, thanks. These are actually one of my favorites. Better than this crappy bar, at least," I comment, closing up the wrapper and stuffing it in my pocket.

"Really? Dang. I would say I found out just for you, but it was honestly a lucky guess. Does that mean I can call you Ikinari? It goes well with your name."

"Whatever. Not like I can stop you. In fact, you would not be the first." I take one of the buns. It's warm to the touch and the smell of yellow sweet potato is delightfully cozy.

"Wow. I think that's the first time I've seen you open-mouth smile this whole time."

"You never saw it," I threaten gently. He laughs.

"Would you mind showing me around the garden?"

"Sure. Granted, I've only been here for a day... but I've spent a good 90% of today in here, so I guess I'm more qualified for tours than anyone else." I stand up and immediately start walking. If he's so interested, he'll keep up. He does. He rises almost instantly and rushes to catch up to me.

"Dang, you walk fast."

"Long legs. Long strides. Quick pace," I explain nonchalantly, biting into the bun again. I walk him through some rows of flowers. "I may not be as competent as Hachi or even Keiji is in regards to these guys, but I do find them pretty. I could probably name at least half of these."

He pulls out a flashlight and aims it at the blooms. Despite the moon shining at practically full strength, it's a reasonably helpful addition. "I don't get to see a whole lot of these. Except for in paintings. And when adoring fans toss them at me," he smirks.

"Lemme guess. Red roses. Gag," I roll my eyes.

"Judgey. What's your favorite, then, if you have such good taste?"

"Let me see if they have any here." I swipe the flashlight from him and start to jog a little bit, searching for the signature hue.

"You're starting to get a bit far away. You do know where you're going, right?"

"We're in a contained place and I have a good sense of direction. Don't be such a baby. Aha! C'mere." He runs up to me. "Blue anemones."

"I see. They're just like you."

"You think you know me enough to say that?"

"Well, I know the way you present yourself, whether it's real or not," he announces with an unwarranted confidence.

"Bet."

"Dark. Brooding. But with a particular type of elegance. And the rounded petals represent your softer side."

"I am not brooding!" I object, scowling.

"Why'd you choose to become a meteorologist?"

"Cause the sky is so boundless. So limitless. And it doesn't care what we think... it does whatever it wants. Ultimately, our fragile existences and legacies don't matter to the—Fuck, I am brooding. But now you have to tell me something I ask."

"Shoot," he nods, already starting to walk off in a random direction. I follow.

"Why are you ashamed of it? Your albinism, I mean."

"I'm not. Not necessarily. Just... if someone is gonna pay attention to me, I'd rather it be for a reason I can control."

"Hence the fashion sense?"

"Shut up!" He sticks out his tongue and starts to dash. I pursue. He stops in front of a large tree. The same weeping willow that I saw earlier, in fact.

"C'mon." I instantly start making my way up the lower branches. The rough bark rubs against my hands but also makes for a nice, grippable surface. The light crackle under my boot sounds out in the silent night. I cast a quick glance downward. He's staring up at me a bit nervously. "You coming or not, sook?"

"What does that even mean?"

"I'm calling you a chicken, chicken."

"I've never done this before. I'm gonna fall," he murmurs, following me up. The chains on his pants jangle. He makes little noises of discontentment and worry, but eventually we reach a nice, high branch, and look up at the stars. They're a bit blurred since the dome is a bit distorted, but it does the trick.

An emptiness fills my chest. "Damn, I'm pissed. That fucking bear's rules say that we have to sleep in the dorms. If we have to live here forever, at least let us camp."

"I'm not upset. Waking up baked by the sun sounds less than pleasant."

"But just look at this! The cirrostratus clouds make the moon look so nice. Cirrostratus clouds are nebulous, by the way, which means they lack discernible detail. But they can cause this sort of... halo effect in light."

"Hey! What are you doing up there?!" a voice calls out. I flash the light at it. It's one of the many that make up Monoinu.

"Yo, bitch, it's not against the rules to climb the trees!"

"I'm not a bitch! Moninu are male! And sure, it's not against the rules, but do you even know how late it is? Boss is gonna wake you up bright and early, so you should probably turn in for the night!" he calls out matter-of-factly.

"Fine. Whatever," I groan. What a buzzkill. We leave the garden and wander back to the dorms. I lock my door shut, even though I prefer it open. I try to sleep for who knows how long. My eyes stay glued open. Now that I'm in a confined space, the paranoia starts to settle on my shoulders. Anyone can become a killer. Anyone can kill me at any moment. I can't just escape to my favorite cloud watching hill when I'm stressed. Everything about this is sadistic.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yuu

"Are you baking? On the floor? At ten in the morning after breakfast?" someone asks. I jump a little, startled. I know that being alone isn't a smart choice right now, because anyone can kill me with no witnesses. But everyone is busy. Even so, I have to admit that I nearly sigh from relief when it's Sayuri, one of the less intimidating members of this... ragtag group, I guess you could call it?

"Do not eat this. This is not food, nor will it ever become food," I warn, mixing the sticky substance. I understand why she assumed it's dough. It's not.

"Well, then, what is it?"

"Alginate. A casting material. I'm casting my feet so that I can turn these into a last." She opens her mouth briefly, but I cut her off. "A last is a mold used to shape shoes. If you want shoes to be the most absolutely perfect fit, using your own feet can be helpful. My old one disappeared. Maybe I forgot to pack it."

"Fascinating, isn't it? Would you like a milkshake?" The question comes so out of nowhere that I have to blink a few times and make sure I heard her right.

"Is that code for something?"

"What would it be code for? Seriously, do you want to drink a milkshake that I make? I figured, why not make milkshakes for whoever wants one? You, know, keep spirits high and all that?"

"I'll do you one better. I'll help you make them, keep you company. As long as you don't mind a mildly unpleasant smell. I still have to cast."

"Are you sure? I wouldn't mind at all, of course, but are you really okay with that?"

"There are many things in this world I have a problem with, but helping you make milkshakes is not one of them. Plus, I don't know how you plan to make them alone with your hands still bandaged like that from yesterday," I point out.

"Ah, how could I forget about such a vital detail? That's rather gentlemanly of you, isn't it?" I pick up my stuff, and we head to the kitchen. "What flavor would you like?"

"Huh... I guess banana and chocolate sounds good."

"Banana? That's quite original, huh? Would you do me a favor and read off this list for me so that I can get the right flavors out of the freezer?" She mindlessly hands me a list. So I start listing them for her. She comes out of the freezer with several kinds of ice cream in her arms and one balancing on her head. I rush over to help, since I still haven't put my feet in yet. She giggles, and the carton on her head nearly topples over.

"Y'know what? Can you make milkshakes while sitting down?" I ask her.

"That couldn't be too much harder, could it? Why?"

"Lemme make you a pair of shoes. If I cast your feet, they'll be so perfect you'll melt like the ice cream." Plus, that means I don't have to cast my own when someone's watching.

She smiles, running her fingers through her rose-hued hair. "Isn't this just like Cinderella? Nobody's feet will fit the shoes in quite the same way, is that what you're saying?"

"Spot on."

"What did I do to deserve such an honor?" She places the back of her hand to her forehead like those stereotypical maidens going to faint.

"You're making me a milkshake, lady."

She laughs. "Does it really take that little to win a hypothetical prince's heart? How have I been single all my life?"

"Ha! I ask myself the same thing daily."

"I strive for romance one day, because what's better for poetry than experiencing love? Can anyone ever actually imitate those feelings without having lived through them?"

"Well, clearly it's possible to do it with enough information, but it probably won't be as authentic."

I pour the alginate-water mixture into two boxes and set them down below her as she slides a chair up to the counter. She slides her skirt up a bit so it doesn't get in the goop. "Eek! Is it always this cold and slimy?"

"Yes ma'am."

I plug in the blender and scoop out the first flavor (cinnamon) into it for her. She pours in the milk and adds in butterscotch chips as she sets her feet in. I wind up peeling and coring an apple for her, which she promptly dumps into the blender. She covers it and then the loud whirring sound fills the air.

"Have you ever been in love, Yuu?"

"Has anyone ever told you that your questions can get very uncomfortable?"

"What do you think?" she retorts with an impish expression. She pours the first milkshake into a glass, and I wash out the blender so that she can work on a new one. She has me scoop some vanilla ice cream in there and then she adds key lime juice, honey, and graham cracker crumbles.

"What do you normally write your poems about?"

"Honestly? Whatever happens to inspire me. Ever seen something so awe-striking that you've just gotta do something about it, even if it's a common occurrence?"

"I guess so."

"I once wrote a sonnet about a friend writing math formulas in a notebook," she remarks, a hint of pride in her tone.

"Impressive."

She has me open and scoop out the chocolate ice cream. Then she adds some milk and a banana. "Are you ready for a scrumptious and heavenly beverage that'll live up to your greatest fantasies?"

"I'm ready for a milkshake."

"You don't play along, do you? Why is that?"

"Optimism is exhausting."

"You think constant pessimism is any less tiring? To feel or listen to?"

"Touché, I guess. But, to be fair—"

She starts the blender, as if to drown out my complaints and stop me from whining about anything. And I know it's not an accident, because she stares at me with an innocent smile like she's a little angel. When it's done, she pours the glass and hands it to me.

I take a sip. It's rich, comforting, all that a milkshake should be. "So? Is it better than anything you could possibly imagine?"

"It's better than I was expecting, I'll give you that."

"I'll take it!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Monterio

"Ouch!" Fujiko squeals lightly.

"Sorry, sorry! I'm trying my best," Gou apologizes, quickly backing off of his partner's foot.

"Yeah, well, try harder!" Kana scolds, holding on tight to my shoulder. "You're the ones who asked us to teach you. We're spending precious time on you."

I raise my eyebrows at her, amused. "Hey, don't give me that look! I'm not being overdramatic," she pouts. I smile, unconvinced. Her bitter expression melts into a grin as we both start laughing to ourselves. "Sorry, you two. I don't mean to be impatient. I'm new to the whole teacher thing."

"Did you two just have a conversation without him even saying anything? That's like, soooo impressive!" Fujiko admires.

"Oh, it's not that hard. Monterio likes to pretend like he's so stoic and secretive, but he's easy to read once you've known him a while," Kana smirks. I give her a light shove, and she giggles.

"I haven't really heard you talk this entire time, actually," Gou points out. "I'm sorry if this is insensitive, but CAN you talk?"

"Yes," I respond, making sure he knows I'm not offended by smiling warmly.

"All the thoughts in his head are too dangerous. The world can never know," Kana explains jokingly. I pick her up and hoist her over my shoulder. The fact that she barely reacts is testament to how often this happens.

"The less you talk, the better a listener you are. And people listen more when you do speak up," I clarify.

"Aww! I like that a lot," Fujiko coos.

"Aight, put me down now. We're starting the Rumba again! Now this time, try and keep your steps synchronised! Look down, if you have to, since Gou takes longer steps naturally."

"Alrighty! I'm ready! I swear I'll get it right this time!" he pounds his fist into his hand and beams enthusiastically.

"Please do. My hands are already a bit... temporarily mangled. Crushed toes would not be a look."

"By the way, Fujiko... why'd you wanna do this anyway? I mean, I'm interested in everyone's talents, but something tells me stuff like hypnosis, meteorology, and trivia wouldn't be your thing." Gou observes.

She starts to make flustered little noises. "Um! Well! It's cause... it's a classy thing to do and I live for that aesthetic. D-Don't judge me, okay?" she admits, grabbing his shoulder and hand as if to end the conversation there. He sets his hand on her waist. I turn the music back on and then rush back into position. She keeps her eyes firmly planted on the other two. Normally, when we dance together, she closes her eyes just a little, and relaxes her jaw almost like she's in a meditative state. Unless we're performing, of course, or working with other people. But... this isn't bad, either. Her face goes from skeptical to slightly prideful as those two get the hang of it.

"I have to say, I wasn't expecting you guys to get a handle on the hip movement so easily. You've got nice hips, Fujiko! It's making the moves look very dramatic."

She squeals lightly in response. "Thank you! That's really sweet of you, Kana!" Fujiko has been spending a good amount of time with us these past two days.

"I appreciate you, Fujiko," I comment. It's always good to try and expand your social circle... not that I've ever been the best at that. In fact, I almost worry that I said it too softly, but her eyes widen at the praise

"Wait, huh?! Why are you two so—?! Ah!" she panics, starting to blush from flattery.

"You, too, Gou. Your interest makes me happy."

"Of course! Being well-rounded is helpful, and it leads to a lot of friendships."

Suddenly, the screen in the corner of the room bursts to life, and I instantly tense up. Kana feels the difference immediately, and she swiftly turns around. We stare into the hate-and-glee-filled face of Monokuma. "Hello there, everybody! I have a special announcement to make! Please report immediately to Meeting Room A, and do not dawdle! Tardiness would be simply unBEARable!" His very voice makes me irrationally angry. Monoinu (a Monoinu? I don't know how this plurality thing works) pops his head in as though to make sure we drop everything. So, reluctantly, we do.

He sits in there, a vindictive smile plastered on his face. Everyone else shuffles their way in, some lightly prodded by Monoinu. "What do ye think yer doin', interruptin' me pool game like this, ye bastardous scallywag?!" Wakumi shouts, slamming her foot onto a table. She may be exhausting, but she does what I bet everyone wants to do, so I suppose that's impressive in its own right.

"Don't disrespect private property!" Monoinu responds instinctively.

"Oh, don't worry yourself into a tizzy over something as useless as that, my favorite employee," Monokuma dismisses condescendingly. Wakumi scowls. "I suppose you're wondering why I summoned you all. Well, to put it shortly, you haven't murdered anyone yet. And trust me, killing is totally despairful, so I can somewhat understand why you feel that way! Not everyone is as wonderfully, madly in love with despair as I am! So, I have decided to sweeten the deal a bit! In other words, I'm gonna offer you a motive!"

"Whatever you throw at us, we won't commit murder! Ever!" Gou insists, looking about ready to fight.

"You've got that right!" Kana yells out beside me. I start to feel a nervous tingle dancing along my neck, but I do my best to make my posture look confident.

"Maybe not, but you've gotta believe people will buy on sale!" Monokuma screeches.

"What are you even talking about?" Nari asks, not taking any of this crap.

"It's a two-for-one special! A Blackened can choose one other person to escape with if they get away with their crime. And the cost remains the same! Only one murder! Think carefully about your most special bonds!" he responds.

Everyone immediately shifts to look at Kana and me. Their eyes bore into us, and the atmosphere feels even heavier than before. "We would never," I interject, trying to assure even a little bit of faith from our compatriots. But the damage has been done. We will not be trusted until this motive ends. And that instantly makes this situation a thousand times more dangerous.