We all relaxed a bit with a nice meal in the dining room, thanks to Kirumi. Everyone agreed they had wanted a breakfast meal, so Kirumi prepared buttermilk pancakes, scrambled eggs, muffins and sausage for everyone to enjoy. 

"Mmm~! Damn Kirumi, you've done it again! Made an incredible meal for us all! Thank you very much!" Kaito stated. Kirumi giggled, sitting beside Ryoma. "Thank you very much, Kaito. I am merely satisfied that I was able to prepare a meal to everyone's liking." she replied.

"Kirumi is very talented. Isn't Kirumi talented, Kokichi?" Gonta asked. But I barely heard him. I was eating quietly, deep in thought. When he noticed he didn't have my attention, he gently tapped my shoulder, snapping me out of my thoughts. "Kokichi, you okay?" he asked. 

"Oh uh, yeah, I'm fine.....I'm just thinking a bit." I said. 

"Thinking about what?" Tsumugi asked. I hesitated to speak at first. I was used to keeping my thoughts to myself. But, I remembered that these were my friends. I can rely on them. Maybe they could help me somehow. "....I'm trying to think of how we can get out of here. We saw before that actually trying to bust out of here doesn't really work well." I replied. "Yeah, the Exisals were just too strong back then." Angie replied.

"But the Monokubs aren't around anymore, so there shouldn't be anymore problems with the Exisals, right?" Kaede said. "Well we don't know if Monokuma could still be controlling them with a remote controller or something. Plus, he knows we've used Electro-hammers and Electro-bombs, so he might have a new defense system to defend against them." Shuichi said.

"Okay, well....maybe we can make a trade with Monokuma. We give him something in exchange for all of us leaving." Tenko said, taking a bite of her pancakes. "No, that won't do any good. All Monokuma wants from us is our despair and suffering." Rantaro stated. 

"You said he was magic or something, Kokichi?" Miu asked. "Kinda. He said he was a despair demon. He gets his power from people who are in despair, absorbing our negative energy. That's why he sets up these killing games. Cause it seems like the perfect why to get people into despair, right?" I said. 

"Getting friends to back stab each other with murder....yeah, that'll do it." Ryoma said.

"I wonder if the other kids from the previous killing games had this much trouble trying to overcome Monokuma...." Himiko murmured, setting her fork down as she looked down sadly. "Huh? What do you mean?" Kiibo asked. "You know, the other kids. The ones trapped in Hope's Peak High School. And the ones trapped on that island. I wonder if they had to get through this kind of obstacle before." Himiko said.

"Well remember, a lot of our personalities and identities were made up for this game. We don't even know if those killing games really happened." I said.

"I refuse to believe that everything about us is a giant fake! I'm Himiko Yumeno! I know that for sure! No one can change my mind!" Himiko stated. I looked into her eyes. She was completely serious. The determination in her eyes stated so. I chuckled, and she looked at me puzzled. "Sorry, I just....I've never seen you so positive before." I replied. 

"Well, I have a few friends who help me hold onto hope." Himiko replied, looking to Angie and Tenko, who both smiled. 

".....I do wonder sometimes what the murder cases in Hope's Peak High School were like," we looked to Korekiyo, who had relaxed into his chair and had a hand on his chin, "merely to study. To see exactly what those kids did indeed do. Maybe it's fiction, maybe it's not. That wouldn't change the fact that something must've happened in those stories." he replied. 

"Hell, I wonder if we could solve one of those cases." Rantaro said. 

That was when Shuichi perked up, and stood up. 

"Wait! I got it!" he suddenly stated. "Huh? Have what?" Maki asked. "An idea on how we can escape from here." Shuichi replied. 

"Oh yeah? Well don't keep us waiting, tell us!" Kaito said excitedly. "Maybe we can't offer Monokuma anything....but we can challenge him to something." Shuichi stated. "Challenge him? To what?" Kiibo asked. 

"We can have one last class trial. Except, it won't be on any of our murder cases....it can be on a past case from Hope's Peak Highschool." Shuichi replied. "Huh? What are you talking about? You mean we'd solve a case from that killing game?" Tenko asked. "Exactly. We have plenty of information here in the academy about that case, especially in Kokichi's Ultimate lab. We can solve one of those cases, and have a class trial about it. If we successfully solve the case, Monokuma would have to let us out. That would be the challenge we'd face him with." Shuichi stated.

"But there's no guarantee that that'll work." Maki replied. "Maybe, but at least it's an idea. It's something we can use. Better than staying in this horrible place for the rest of our lives." Kaede stated. "Yeah, I mean, we've solved cases before. With all of us here, I'm sure we could do it!" Kaito stated. 

I placed a hand on my chin. Shuichi's plan is actually a great idea. Monokuma can't resist a challenge. This'll be right up his alley. The only thing I'd worry about....is if Monokuma betrayed us in the end, whether we solved the case or not. 

"Kokichi, what do you think?" I looked to Shuichi in surprise, who awaited my answer. That's when I noticed everyone was looking at me expectantly. 

"Whoa, what's with the looks?" I asked. "Well, I'd say this is kinda your decision. I mean, you are the Ultimate Supreme Leader, aren't ya?" Miu asked. "Huh? But, you think that means I'm in charge?" I said. "Well who do you think lead us through all the bullcrap in the second time line. You even came up with your own escape plan and led us through it. Maybe it didn't work, but that's way better than any of us could do." Miu stated.

"Yeah....I'd say your our leader, Kokichi." Rantaro replied.

My eyes widened, and I looked around at everyone in shock. Even after everything that had happened, they're still willing to follow me? To have me lead them through this horrible place and get out of here? Each one of them held a strong look of hope in their eyes. Even Maki gave me a reassuring smile and a firm nod. 

How can I let them down?

"Well, Kokichi?" Shuichi said.

"....nee-heehee," I put on a wide smile, "let's go have a little chat with Monokuma."

Le time skip

All sixteen of us walked together as we headed towards the gym, standing together as one. I was leading everyone there, until we had come upon the stage. I felt somewhat nervous, making my hand shake slightly. However, I felt a hand on my shoulder, and I looked over, seeing Shuichi give me a reassuring smile.

Telling me I wasn't alone.

I smiled back at him, took a deep breath, and looked back to the stage.

"Hey! Monokuma! Get out here and show yourself, you stupid fur ball! We wanna talk to you!" I shouted. Not even 10 seconds had passed before Monokuma appeared upon the stage. He glared at me, marching towards me on his tiny legs. "Who you calling a stupid fur ball," he snapped, hopping off stage and headed towards me, "I'll pummel you until you're nothing but powder-"

"You not hurt Kokichi." Gonta stated boldly, standing right beside me and cracking his knuckles. This actually made Monokuma gulp and stop dead in his tracks. I chuckled, and patted Gonta's arm. 

"Isn't having a body guard as your best friend nice?" I asked. "Hmph. Cocky now, are we?" Monokuma said. My smile disappeared as I gave a serious expression. "Relax bud. No one here wants a fight. We're not stupid. Instead, we have a different idea....a challenge, if you will." I replied. 

"Hmm, a challenge, you say?" Monokuma said. I could already tell in the tone of his voice that he was more than just curious. "Go on, I'm listening." Monokuma added. "I say we have one last class trial, Monokuma. One that'll determine our fate, and end everything here." I stated. 

"Oh? But uh, don't you need a murder case to have class trial?" Monokuma asked. I nodded. "Yes we do. So here's my idea....my friends and I attempt to solve one murder case from the Hope's Peak High School killing game. You can even choose the murder case." I replied. This made Monokuma blink, looking way more than surprised. "If we manage to solve the case, you have to set us all free. No tricks, no back stabbing, none of that." I stated.

"And what would happen if I did decide to just kill ya last minute?" Monokuma asked. "Then you're not truly commited to your own game." I stated. 

"....I'm sorry. You wanna say that again?" Monokuma asked in a low, threatening tone.

"If you were truly commited to this game, like Junko Enoshima was, you'd accept your fate with open arms. Whether that be your victory or your downfall. Isn't that how she played the game?" I stated. There was a moment of silence, and it made me wonder if I had pushed his buttons. However he nodded. "I guess I can't argue there. Fine then. If you guys can solve the a case from Hope's Peak High School's killing game, I'll set you all free, safe and sound. However, if you can't solve the case, and get it wrong.....I get to kill all of you." Monokuma stated. 

"....very well." I stated.

"Also, one more thing I'd like to do. I'm sure you'll need the proper setting to solve this case, so....with my magic here, I'll change this academy into Hope's Peak High School, and it'll have the murder already set as it is." Monokuma replied. We all looked at each other surprised.

"I'm sure that's more fun than just looking through files and books. Think of it as a simulation. You'll get to solve and investigate the case first hand. Doesn't that sound better?" Monokuma asked. I'm not sure if it'll be easier or not. It entirely depends on the case. It's a gamble, really. Course, we don't have much of a choice but to accept.

"Very well. We can do it that way." I stated.

"Good. In that case," Monokuma suddenly started to glow purple, with his eyes glowing red, and he held out one of his paws, "is it a deal?" he asked.

My eyes widened, suddenly kinda scared. If we failed to solve this case....it's over. Game over. Either that, or we stay here for the rest of our lives....

No, not gonna happen.

I took a deep breath, walked towards Monokuma....and shook his hand.

That's when everything completely changed. 

(Hey guys! I wanna hear which murder case you want Kokichi and the others to try to solve. Now, it has to be from the first game. But it can be any of the murder cases in it. You guys decide.)