(3rd Person's POV)

Getting out of her room, Sora made a quick yawn as she and the still emotionally-broken Taka walked. After making sure they weren't being followed, the blonde silently went into the bathhouse, her feet not making a single sound.

---

In the bathhouse...

"..."

"Okay, here it is." Sora said, opening the locker and powering on the laptop. "There's two programs inside this laptop. One of 'em is called Alter Ego."

"How do I...talk to him?" Taka slowly asked.

"I'll do the talking." Sora said. "You just tell me what to type in."

Taka's closed his eyes as he began. "...Do you...hate Owada? And since I couldn't stop him...do you hate me?"

It was clear he was forcing himself to get the words out. From his mouth, to the bottom of his heart...he forced his weakened voice to make the sounds.

"...Please." Taka pleaded.

"Good grief..." Sora rolled her eyes, but did what Taka said. She typed the questions exactly as Taka had asked them. And then...

"...Do you hold yourself responsible...?" Alter Ego asked. "If Master could talk now, I think this is what he would say... "Please, live your life for the both of us. It's impossible for me now, but you can still survive and escape--all of you."

"..." Taka said nothing.

Sora stayed silent as the A.I. continued.

"The one asking those questions is...Taka, right? Analyzing all available data, that's the only conclusion I can come to. Master told me how close Taka and Owada had become. So that must be why he fells responsible..."

The screen suddenly went dark. And what appeared next was...

"You're not letting yourself get crushed under the weight of that responsibility, are you!?"

Alter Ego suddenly took the form of Mondo!

"Gh--!" Taka stiffened up.

"A man's only worth as much as the load he can carry! You get it, right bro? Hell, what am I saying? Of course ya do!"

"..."

"...Huh? What the..." Sora tilted her head.

"I'm sorry if I startled you..." Alter Ego returned to their default Chihiro form. "That was my attempt at a simulation, using the data about Owada that Master had given me. I figured if Taka was depressed, that's the kind of thing Owada would have said to him..." They then turned back into Mondo. "So you're just gonna stand there, huh? Just wait for things to get better? Just take your time and get all depressed... Take the time to indulge your regrets... You might even start walking again without realizing it. Sure, that kind of mediocre thinking might work for some people." They then turned back. " ...What if I said it with that kind of condescending tone!?"

"...Huh." Sora blinked twice. She didn't know Alter Ego was capable of that. Can Doppelgänger do that, too...?

"Hehe... Hahaha..." Taka chuckled.

"...Mm?" Sora tilted her head.

"It's starting to sink in... The way a bucketful of water sinks into a bone-dry sponge..." A smirked made its way on Taka's face as he clenched his fist.

"What're you...?"

"Those words... Deep within my heart...! They're inside of me!" Taka took a stance as a blueish aura surrounded him. "UWAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!"

He then let out a might bellow as a bright light shot out of him as Sora shielded her eyes. Once the light died down, she looked to see Taka's new form.

He looked pretty different now. His hair turned became pure white, while a fiery aura was shooting out from the top of his eyes.

"What in Kami's name...?" Sora looked in confusion. "Taka?"

"Who the fudge is Taka!?" Taka(?) yelled.

"Wh-Wha... Your eyes...and your hair..."

"Hey, don't worry about it! Guess I caused kind of a scene, huh? Shoot, man..." Taka(?) let out a light chuckle.

"Your voice, too..."

"I'm...a new me... Hraaah!" Taka(?) exclaimed. "I'm totally stuffed with fighting spirit now! Ya dumbbutt!"

Sora facepalmed. "Well, this is happening now..." She sighed. "Just...calm down a bit, Taka."

"Don't call me that!" Taka(?) shouted. "That's...that's not my name anymore... I'm...me! I'M...FREAKIN'...MEEEEEE!" He let out a bone-chilling howl as he ran out of the room.

"...Well, I'm glad we established that." Sora snarked as she began to walk to the exit. "Guess I'll be heading back to the old dusty trail... Probably shouldn't tell Kirigiri about-

"Probably shouldn't tell Kirigiri about what?" A voice asked. As if tagging Taka out, Kyoko walked briskly into the dressing room.

...OH. Sora thought.

"What do you think you're doing?" Kyoko narrowed her eyes at Sora.

"...Heading back to my room...?" Sora nervously sweatdropped.

"Don't go around doing whatever you feel like." Kyoko folded her arms as she made a stern glare. "It causes problems. And not just for me. For everyone."

"H-Hey, c'mon... What's the big deal...?" Sora twirled some of her hair around her finger.

"You were well aware of the rule about Alter Ego and Doppelgänger, but you deliberately disobeyed me." Kyoko scolded. "Now look what happened. Taka is out yelling wildly out the halls."

"And that's bad...why?"

"Something like this could cause unwanted attention from the mastermind." Kyoko reminded her. "Now, due to your poor impulse control, our secret might soon be discovered."

"Hm?" Sora put her hands behind her back. "Oh hey, Monokuma, what're you doin' in here?"

"...Huh?" Kyoko looked around, apprehensive of being found out. While she was doing this, Sora made a run for it.

---

DING, DONG! BING, BONG!

"Mm, ahem, this is a school announcement. It is now 10 p.m. As such, it is officially nighttime. Soon the doors to the dining hall will be locked, and entry at that point is strictly prohibited. Okay then...sweet dreams, everyone! Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite..."

Nighttime already, huh? Guess it's time to hit the hay...

And with a yawn, Sora quickly fell into slumber.

---

DING, DONG! BING, BONG!

"Good morning, everyone! It is now 7 a.m. and nighttime is officially over! Time to rise and shine! Get ready to greet another beee-yutiful day!"

Yawning at the dawn of a new day, Sora got out of her bed and started stretching. After she finished her morning routine, she walking out the bathroom.

"Welp, guess I gotta go to the-" Sora stopped halfway as she felt a sensation in her gut.

---

Closing her door, Sora walked through the hallway, though instead of the dining hall, she walked to the bathhouse. She went inside to see most of the students in there, who seems to have...something going on.

"Mmm? Hey, what're you all doing in here?" Sora called, making her presence known.

"M-Miss Shirayuki!" Hifumi exclaimed.

"Oh, Shirayuki, you're here. I suppose Hiro told you to come here." Kyoko mused.

"...Huh?" Sora tilted her head. "What's going on?"

"I'll explain everything when Naegi gets-ah, there he is."

The blonde turned to see Makoto entering with Hiro.

"Kyaaaaahh! Someone heeeeelllp!" Hifumi screamed.

"Yamada, what's going on!?" Makoto asked.

"Mr. Naegi, save me! I've never asked you for anything, but I'm asking now!" Hifumi pleaded.

"Wh-What happened...?" Makoto asked.

"Sh-She's trying to kill me...!" Hifumi pointed at Kyoko, who looked just as composed as ever. Sora tilted her head in confusion.

"I never said I was going to kill him. I simply asked him a question. I'd like to know why he made the same mistake twice." Kyoko said.

"The same mistake...? What did he do?" Makoto inquired.

"He snuck into the dressing room in the middle of the night and accessed Alter Ego without permission." Kyoko told them. "And when I caught him last night he was hugging the laptop and breathing strangely."

Everyone gave Hifumi weird looks.

"Wh-What were you doing!?" Hina sputtered out.

"I thought I made myself clear yesterday, but since being subtle didn't work I suppose I have to clarify myself further." Kyoko made a sigh.

"Hyaaaaah! Please don't kill me!" Hifumi begged.

"I'm not going to kill you--merely instruct you."

"Ngh...gh!"

"Um, Yamada...could you tell me what happened?" Makoto requested.

"W-Well, I just...I was just talking!" Hifumi tried to explain.

"Which was prohibited, was it not?" Kyoko folded her arms and made a stern glare at him.

Hifumi flinched. "I-I mean, you see... Talking to her was just...so much fun! And I j-just..."

"Whoa! Okay, time out!" Hiro spoke up. "I can't even believe I'm about to ask this, but... Yamada...you're not gonna tell us you...fell in love or something, are you?"

"Hah! That I, the cold-blooded killing machine of the underworld, would ever fall in love!? That's..." Hifumi stopped briefly. "...Wait...no way! Is...is this love!?"

"I happened to do a psychic reading for a certain famous CEO once and that guy was seriously head over heels for a mannequin. He had a wedding and everything!" Hiro said. "And your eyes just now... I saw the same look in HIS eyes!"

"Shut up! She's not a mannequin! She's an ANGEL! And don't bother telling me angels exist! What we have can't be defined by your petty "words"!" Hifumi yelled.

"Yeah, you're totally in love..." Hina sighed as Sora gave him a deadpan look.

"So...how did things end up like this?" Hiro asked.

Hifumi made a deep sigh. "...W-Well, at the beginning...I just wanted to hear her say "Master" one more time. B-But then I was poking around at her settings and stuff, and saw she was a well-designed program. And it was like...how can I say...? It was the first time I...I was ever able to talk like that...with a normal girl."

"But she's definitely not a normal girl..." Hina commented.

"Heck, she's technically not a girl at all..." Sora pointed out.

"Even when all we did was talk about my hobbies and stuff...she wasn't annoyed or disgusted or anything." Hifumi said.

---

"Your stories are so interesting, Yamada! C'mon, tell me more...! I wanna learn everything you have to teach me."

---

"That's the first time a girl's ever said anything like that to me. Besides my mom, I mean..." Hifumi put his head down.

"Your mom says stuff like that to you? That's kinda amazing all by itself..." Hiro snarked.

"I think sad is a better way to describe it..." Sora mumbled.

"That's why I was just...so happy. It was so much fun! And before I knew it... I found myself, y'know...liking her." Hifumi explained. "Her face, her personality, her voice. Even her keyboard..."

"Even the keyboard...?" Hina gave him a weird look.

"Let's not get too off topic." Celeste interjected as she turned to Hifumi. "Yamada, I think you have misunderstood the situation. Alter Ego was not interested in who you were, it was interested in what you knew. It is an artificial intelligence. It exists to learn. Of course it wanted to hear of things it did not know. You are an expert in many things Fujisaki could not have taught it about, for what that is worth. Alter Ego wants that information--that is all."

"You make her sound like some kinda gold digger..." Sora sweatdropped.

"I-I know... I mean, I do know that." Hifumi said, looking downtrodden by Celeste's brutally honest explanation. "But still... Are you saying it's totally hopeless? Er..."

"You gotta be freakin' kiddin' me!" A voice yelled as the students turned to see Taka, still in his Super Saiyan-like state. "Hey, you jerks! I'm sittin' here, listening to you guys jibber jabber on about whatever!"

"Oh, Taka! Are you back!?" Hiro grinned at him.

"Who the hell's Taka!?" Taka(?) asked.

"Um...you?"

"Listen up! I'm me! Got it!?"

"Huh...? You're...who?"

"Don't bullcrap me! Isn't it obvious!? I'm Kiyotaka Ishimaru AND Mondo Owada. I'M KIYONDO ISHIDA!" Taka, or Kiyondo declared. "I'm gonna stick a banana up your tailpipe!"

"...Oh." Sora blinked twice.

"What the...? What the heck kind of fusion is this!?" Hiro exclaimed.

"What's happened to you, Taka?" Hina asked.

"Oh yeah. Funny story, actually..." Sora put her hands behind her back as she explained what happened yesterday.

"So because of what Alter Ego said to him..." Sakura mused.

"Are you sure it's Alter Ego's fault? Maybe Owada's ghost showed up and possessed him!" Hina assumed.

"Gh-Gh-Ghost!? No, th-th-th-there's no such thing!" Hiro stammered.

"What are y'all whining about!? C'MON! Kami, you're really cheesin' me off...!" Kiyondo then turned to Hifumi. "Hey, Yamada!"

"Y-Yes...?" Hifumi meekly responded.

"I dunno what you're thinkin', but...bro belongs to me!" Kiyondo declared.

"Huh...?" Hina looked at him.

"Alter Ego! He's an exact copy of the one who gave me my soul back!" Kiyondo said. "And I'm not gonna let anyone else have him ever again! Fudgin' idiot!"

"...I'm afraid...I can't allow that." Hifumi clenched his fists.

"What!?" Kiyondo yelled.

"I can't withdraw... Mr. Ishimaru... Since I have this opportunity, let me say this right now..." Hifumi looked up at him. "Destiny has bound me and her together in the Gordian Knot of true love!"

"Well, me and HIM have been melded together in the white-hot heat of FRIENDSHIP!" Kiyondo shot back.

What's even going on, anymore...? Sora thought with a defeated sigh.

"H-Hey, come on, you guys..." Makoto would try to meditate the situation. Key word being TRY.

"Moron! Talk down to me and I'll ram my fist right into all four of your vital points!" Kiyondo proclaimed.

Aren't there five vital points...? Sora wondered.

"Well I punch at the speed of sound! And I don't have any arm hair so there's no drag!" Hifumi shot back.

"Knock it off, both of you." Kyoko spoke up as she folded her arms in annoyance. "This doesn't belong to any one person. Fujisaki left him to all of us. We can use him to finally gain access to vital clues."

"Kirigiri's right. If anyone dares disturb our peace any further..." Sakura said as a blue aura surrounded her. "They'll have to deal with me."

"...!"

"...!"

The two quickly silenced themselves, as no one with common sense would dare pick a fight with the Ultimate Martial Artist.

"Until Alter Ego and Doppelgänger have finished their work, don't do anything weird." Kyoko ordered. "Have I made myself clear?"

"..."

"I can't hear you..." Sakura said in a threatening tone.

"Y-Yes!"

"G-Got it..."

"Okay then." Kyoko made a satisfied nod as she turned away. "Let's get out of here. We can't afford to linger too long."

"Are you sure it's okay to let them off with a warning?" Sakura asked.

"Yes. I have a plan. It'll be fine..." Kyoko said.

After watching Hifumi and Taka leave dejected, the students all went back to their rooms.

---

"Yaaaawn..." Sleepy tears appeared in the corners of Sora's eyes. It's still morning, but after what just happened...she feels so... tired.

And just like that, before the announcement went off, the blonde artist fell asleep. On the side of the bed.

(Scene Transition brought to you by Chibi Sakura powering up.)

DING, DONG! BING, BONG!

"Good morning, everyone! It is now 7 a.m. and nighttime is officially over! Time to rise and shine! Get ready to greet another beee-yutiful day!"

Lazily opening up her eyes, Sora yawned and looked around.

"Oh, I slept upright. ...Oh well."

With that, she headed into the bathroom and did her morning routine. After that, she reluctantly went to the dining hall.

---

Because of Taka's absence, Sora was the first person to enter the dining hall. Soon, some of the other students followed, with the last one being Makoto. Notably, Kyoko wasn't there as well.

"Taka and Kirigiri are not here today..." Celeste pointed out.

"Kirigiri's still on guard duty, probably." Hiro presumed.

"May as well just forget about that guy!" Hifumi growled. Based on his harsh tone, the students assumed that he was still upset about what happened yesterday.

"You don't have to get so mad..." Hina mumbled.

"They're rivals in love. What're ya gonna do...?" Hiro made a sigh.

"Don't put me on the same level as that...that... virgin! I might catch his virginity!" Hifumi exclaimed.

"Nah, my guess is you're already infected..." Hiro snarked.

"Wait, can you really catch it!?" Hina paled.

"I'm pretty sure you catch it the day you're born..." Sora commented.

"Stop being vulgar. Let's eat breakfast." Celeste said.

But as soon as Sora's hands approached the food...

"...Kyeehaha!"

"Huh? That voice..." Hina said.

The doors to the dining hall exploded open, and a figure appeared...

"Kyeeehahaha!" Genocide Jill cackled.

"So it's you, Genocide Jack. And..." Sakura looked to see a certain progeny.

"Don't bother asking why we arrived at the same time. The answer should be obvious." Byakuya said.

"I'll give you a hint... I'm wearing red lingerie today!"

...

"Umm...I don't think anyone wanted to know..." Hina grimaced as Sora retched at imagining the image.

"Hold on a second! You...!" Genocide Jill ran up to Hina.

"H-Huh...!?"

"What's your top power level, like 35-22-33!? You start out big on top to try and look thinner down south!" Genocide Jill folded her arms and pointed her razor-sharp scissors at her. "Look at your melons! They're seriously gargantuan! Do you dunk 'em in milk every night or something!?"

"Y-You're starting to freak me out...!" Hina exclaimed.

"If you lay a finger on Hina...I will show you no mercy!" Sakura growled.

"So? What do you want? Surely you are not here to join us for breakfast." Celeste assumed.

"Of course not. I came to hear a story." Byakuya folded his arms.

"A story...?" Makoto repeated in confusion.

"A story that nobody's bothered to tell me yet."

Alter Ego and Doppelgänger...

"Sorry, but we can't talk about that right now." Sakura said.

"Why not?" Byakuya narrowed his eyes.

"Because of certain...circumstances." Sakura's eyes flickered to the surveillance camera in the dining hall.

"Up till now you haven't given a crap about anything and now you're all concerned? I don't buy it." Hiro frowned.

"I've just made a decision." Byakuya pointed at Hiro. "When we get out of here, I'm going to feed your body to the vultures."

"What kind of messed up dictator are you!?" Hiro exclaimed.

"But isn't this a democracy? Or would you exclude those who don't fit into your tyrannical majority?" Byakuya glared at them.

"Th-That's not what we're doing..." Makoto meekly responded.

"Well, whatever. If nothing else, tell me what's going on with Taka." Byakuya requested. "When I saw him yesterday, I happened to notice something seemed...off. So I was curious."

"Taka has become utterly useless." Celste bluntly said.

"Celeste! You don't have to say it like that!" Makoto frowned at her in disapproval.

Byakuya raised an eyebrow. "Did his spirit collapse or something? Was he unable to withstand this environment? Those men who clothe themselves in the cheap fabric of justice are often the first to fall..." He then chuckled. "But perhaps that will make things all the more interesting..."

"Interesting...?" Makoto looked at him in disbelief.

"Let me leave you with a bit of advice. Don't come to rely on false camaraderie or you'll reap its bitter reward." Byakuya warned them.

"That's why you came? To give us that amazing "advice"?" Hina glared at him.

"It seems I am unwelcome here. Then I will grant your desire and remove myself..."

"Yeah, let's get outta here!" Genocide Jill exclaimed.

"...You don't need to come with me." Byakuya told her.

"You don't have to play hard to get, Master! You can just play hard!" Genocide Jill smiled at him.

"That doesn't make any sense..." Byakuya muttered under his breath and started to slowly back out of the room... He started picking up speed, and soon he was sprinting out of the dining hall.

"He ran away...? So now he's running hard to get... I see!" Genocide Jill smirked. "Wait wait wait wait! Gyaaahahahaha!"

"S-So at the end there... What was that all about?" Hina asked.

"Just now, Togami was like..." Hiro mused.

"Maybe he's like the mean guy who starts acting different or getting all flustered when things change!" Hifumi guessed.

"You mean he's a...soon-der-ray...?" Sora cocked her head to the side.

"Yeah, exactly that!" Hifumi exclaimed.

"...Guess so." Hiro said.

"Well, for now, let's just start eating..." Makoto said.

Mutters of agreement came from the others as they went back and focused on breakfast.

---

In Sora's dorm room...

"Zzzz..."

With all that food she eat, Sora went straight into a food coma and fell fast asleep.

Chapter 21: End

To be continued...?