Rycamp
Puhuhu~
Below is an archive of the Free Time events that were played in the Discord server. For the continuation of Chapter 1, please refer to the scene after the Monokuma Diagnosis.
After breakfast, the participants of the killing game all dispersed around the school. Some decided to simply wait for help to arrive while trying to keep themselves sane, while others were trying to figure out ways to make the environment safer for everybody while looking for hints that might lead to the mastermind.
Classroom C - Cameron's Free Time Event (Part 1)
Right after breakfast, Cameron sneaked into one of the classroom looking for clues while taking some pictures of it. Gleen was also there, reading a book quietly. The photojournalist had his camera in hand, aiming it at the far wall where the teachers board and desk were. Snapping a few pictures, he turned to get a better view of the room, and nearly fell over when he noticed that Gleen was also accommodating the room.
“Oh...hi....Gleen? Sorry, I haven’t learned anyone’s names yet.” Said Cameron “So...watcha reading?"
Gleen was immersed in his reading, being very silent and not moving his body at all. It was clear from the look on his face how focused he was, and that is why he made a surprised expression once he heard someone else's voice.
"Ah... Hello...." He felt a bit nervous at first, but expressed a small smile on his lips as he placed the book down, making sure not to mess up the pages he was reading. "Yes, I'm actually surprised you remembered it." Because he wasn't the kind of person to have a strong presence. He was usually very quiet and it hasn't been any different up until now. "I'm reading a book about the regenerations skills of axolotls. This book happened to be on the shelf in my room and it caught my attention, so I—" He suddenly cut of his speech, lowering his head slightly. He had realized that Cameron would probably not be interested in hearing him nerding out about a weird animal. "I mean... There wasn't a single fictional book there, and I really wanted to read something to try and distract my mind." He fidgeted with his fingers, raising his head back up. "Do you like reading books by any chance?"
"Books? Oh, I like books, yeah. I don't think there's many people who don't like them." Cameron let his camera come to a rest at his stomach, and walked over to where Gleen was reading, pulling out a chair and sitting at a nearby desk. "I'm mainly a fiction reader myself. I love murder mysteries and old action comics, but I suppose that's because of how interesting real events, thoughts, and motives can be twisted into extremely silly manners." After a beat of silence, Cameron looked down at Gleen's book. "I do my fair share of non-fiction, though. I was part of my high school's newspaper team, and did a few more things besides the club that weren't exactly student-friendly. I guess I like taking candid photos or reading fiction to kinda live out different lives where the stakes aren't as high." Cameron smiled again, looking back up at Gleen. "But that's not really something most people are interested in. So, Axolotls, huh? Aren't those the cute pink sea creatures?"
The green haired male opened his lips slightly as he heard Cameron mention murder mysteries. It made him remind of the situation they were in. He truly hoped that he would not become a character in a murder mystery. "We've probably had a very different school life. But I can kinda feel what you mean." He closed his book, realizing that he'd probably wouldn't continue reading it any soon now that Cameron was there to keep him company. "Axolotls are neotanic salamanders natural from Mexico. While some consider them to be weird, I do think they're lovely creatures. They're actually endangered species, it makes me wish I could do something for them." He lowered his head, thinking about it. "But it's not like a high school student like me can do something so big like that alone..." He then rose his head back up. "Would I be acting selfish if I said I wish I could keep one as a pet?"
“Personally, I don’t think so. As long as you properly care for it and make sure it’s as comfortable as possible, it shouldn’t be a problem. Though, yeah, there’s that endangerment part...” Cameron put his hand on his chin, thinking. “I suppose if you found a habitat of them, and were able to show that you weren’t a threat, you could stay nearby for a while and observe them as if they were a pet, but without the danger to their species. I dunno, I’m not that good with things regarding animals.
Gleen shook his head, putting his arms over the table. "That was only a thought. I wouldn't actually have one. I'm normally a busy person and I already have a pet iguana at home." Through their entire conversation, it was possible to see that Gleen seemed to be nervous inside, even if he tried to disguise it. It was probably due to his shyness, but overall he had been handling very well, and in his mind he was feeling very proud of it. "Her name is Reptar! I still remember the day me and a friend went to adopt her. My friend took her brother home, so sometimes we would let the two of them hang out together as siblings." Gleen sounded very happy talking about Raptor. Though, he seemed to have a slightly puzzled look on his face.
Cameron smiled as Gleen look away. He seemed like a good person. Even though they'd only chatted for a few minutes, Cameron could tell that Gleen was a caring person who just wasn't very socially inept at most times, but he seemed to be handling this conversation pretty well. "What's wrong, something got your tongue? Is it about your friend you mentioned? Well, I'm sure they'll be fine. They aren't in this situation with us, so somewhere in the outside world, they are safe, and probably waiting for you to return. That's all we can hope for really.
Gleen shook his head in silence, gulping on his saliva before speaking up. His eyes were filled with concern. "What has been puzzling me is... The fact that I can't remember her name." He sighed, tilting his head to the side a bit. "That bear thing... Monokuma... He told us that we all are suffering from amnesia... But is that even possible? To mess with people's memories just like that...?"
The scientist was certainly scared, and it took quite a bit to hold back from letting his emotions peak through as well. Cameron inhaled sharply, but subtly, and proceeded to respond with the rest of his rationale remaining."I suppose it could be done somehow. If there are talents out there like Ultimate Neurologist and Ultimate Magician, someone could find a way to either hypnotize us, or use some kind of technology, or... well, what I'm trying to say is that we can't dwell on how it was done at the moment, as long as we can try and get them back. Maybe." Cameron now looked uncertain himself. Gleen had both the blessing and curse of a half-memory of something, whereas Cameron didn't know if he had forgotten anything, or anyone, important. What if he had a sibling, or pet, or parent that he had just completely left behind memory-wise. The thought terrified him, and this time, the emotion peeked into his expression a tad as he looked down as his camera.
Gleen noticed how Cameron adverted his gaze. From what he had noticed from his behavior patterns, that was unusual. He figured that conversation topic might somehow have made him feel uncomfortable. It did take a sudden depressing turn. "Take them back, you say?" He did his best to put a smile on his face. "Amnesia usually resolves itself without treatment. But since we're not entirely sure whether this is about an actual case of amnesia or hypnotism, I could try and do some testing." His mood seemed to have improved slightly. "Though, I'm not sure if there are any books about hypnotism in my room. But I'm sure I can figure out some kind of experiment.
"That would be nice, yeah. Even if it's not hypnosis, though that's probably the most likely manner, doing research could be helpful. Ask me for help, anytime." Another beat of silence, this time not as awkward passed, as Cameron stood back up, and held out his hand towards Gleen, the other on his camera. "How about we formally introduce each other, this time. I'm Cameron Codak, and I like photography, light novels, and board games.
Gleen was glad that the other male seemed to be such an approachable person. He was afraid that he would be left alone in that situation and would have to endure it all by himself. His fear mostly came from the fact that they were all 'Ultimate'. Even if he was also one, the idea of approaching one sounded very anxiety inducing. "I'm Gleen Mendel. I'd say I enjoy everything science related... But my favorite part has always been experimenting. I also like animals, the nature and cartoons." He nodded his head lightly, trying to think if he forgot anything. "Oh, you said your talent was related to journalism, didn't you? This whole incident... Although tragic, it is a big opportunity to become big news for you, isn't it?" What he was trying to ask was if that had something to do with how Cameron took pictures of everything.
"News? Sure, maybe. But it'd be difficult since I'm so involved in the case myself, I'd probably be labeled as one of the victims. Then, they'd just take my camera to investigate and such." Following Gleen's gaze, Cameron saw he was studying the camera Cameron was holding at about chest height, and connected the dots. "Oh, you're wondering why I was taking pictures when I first came in here right, right? Well, I thought that if anything bad happens, and someone tries to cover something up, I can have photos of the original walls and rooms to see what changed and what didn't. That way, we can tell if someone's lying or not." Though he said it so casually, Cameron and Gleen both knew bad things meant murder
"Ohh. That's very smart. If that's the case, then I believe you shouldn't tell this to the others. I surely hope nothing bad happens to us, but in case it does happen, your pictures can be used as a trick on the sleeve." Just as Gleen finished talking, the embarrassing sound of his stomach rumbling could be heard. "Ah—" His face immediately became red as he tried to come up with an excuse, but couldn't think of anything to say.
Cameron noticed. Obviously. “Do you wanna... go get something to eat? I think a few people stayed behind in the kitchen, so we can Probably snag a snack in there, if you’d like."
"Hmmm..." Gleen began fidgeting with his fingers, unsure if making a trip to the kitchen at that moment was actually worth it. "I actually... Am not used to eat near a large group of people. Last time I checked, there were many in the kitchen. I think I'll be waiting a bit more..." That explained why he was still hungry after breakfast. He probably didn't feel much comfortable eating with everyone else in the dining hall.
"Oh... well, if you're hungry, I was going to the dining hall next for pictures anyways. Want me to grab you something while I'm there?" The notion was friendly, and Cameron was glad he could make it around Gleen. He seemed put-off by large crowds, a trait that Cameron once shared until he fully came into his 'Ultimate' talent. He understood what it was like to want to not be seen, or in Gleen's case, simply stay alone in one spot and enjoy yourself there.
"If that is the case, then I would be grateful if you'd bring me something when you're back from your trip to the kitchen." Gleen widened his eyes slightly, raising both hands to the height of his chest as he shook them in denial. "But only if you are planning to go to the kitchen! Please, no need to get out of your way for something like that." It was clear that he did not want to cause any trouble, but would be really thankful if Cameron did that for him.
"No, really, it's okay. If I'm in the Dining Hall, I'll be in the kitchen inevitably, since it's so close. So, what would you like? I think they have a few snacks, or I could make something." Cameron close his hand and put it to his chest, proudly. "I can make a mean mini-omelet."
Seeing how Cameron was acting was convincing enough to prove Gleen that he was eager to be helpful. "Yes, an omelet would be great." The scientist nodded his head with a small smirk growing on his face. "This makes me think... That I can't just sit here while everyone is doing their best to solve this case. Even if just a little... I think I have an idea on how to be helpful." He smiled as he stood up, holding his book in between his right arm. "There's something that I need to do. Let's meet here in twenty minutes, does that sound good?"
"Yeah, that sounds cool. I'll see you then!" Cameron smiled, then raised his hand, and walked out of the room, waving at the other as he left. He'd made a friend, he thought, as he turned to see where he was walking, clutching his camera as he walked towards the dining hall, and inevitably, the kitchen.
Kitchen - Cameron's Free Time Event (Part 2)
Stella, Juliet and Jack were all in the kitchen taking notes of what ingredients and utensils they could find. Stella was focused on organizing them while Jack was accounting the numbers and Juliet was cleaning the dishes.
Since between the three Stella was the one who had the most experience when it came to kitchens, she was the one handling the overall organization of it. She was standing on her tiptoes to have access to a drawer located above the sink. "I usually like to organize recipients by sizes, shapes and colors. Since they're all the same size and shape, I think we can organize them by the color of their lids. From left to right, Red, Green, Blue and Yellow." Stella explained eagerly while adjusting the recipients. They were made of glass with plastic colored lids. Inside them could be found different seasonings, such as salt and sugar. "This way, we won't accidentally put the wrong seasoning in the food and ruin what could potentially be a splendid meal." She closed the drawer as Jack silently clapped his hands.
"So methodical." The assistant complimented.
Meanwhile, Juliet didn't seem much interested in all that. "Yeah, bravo." She muttered with a pinch of irony.
Taking note of his surroundings, Cameron stepped into the kitchen as the three were working tediously, and stopped to see if they could be of any help. "So... hi, guys. I was, uh, wondering if I could make something in here, if you're not busy. Something with produce, if that's alright.
"Was that pile of pancakes not enough for you?" Juliet smiled, drying his hands and walking to the other side of the kitchen. "The floor is yours."
"Thanks, Hanna Montana," jaunted Cameron playfully, walking forward and looking in the cooling machinery for eggs, as well as onion, butter, and dishes to cook with. When collecting his ingredients and method of frying, Cameron took the camera off of his head, and placed it on a corner of the counter Juliet had just hopped off of, to make sure it wouldn't short-circuit or wet during his mini-omelet. While washing his hands and turning on the stove top, he looked over at Stella, and smiled, hoping to make some small talk while he was there. "I heard you earlier when I walked in. Sorry, I don't think I caught your title earlier, but you sounded passionate about being in a place where you make food. Who taught you all that, anyways?"
"It's hard for me to tell who taught me to cook, since I began when I was a very little girl." Stella smiled sweetly, leaning against the counter.
"You still look little to me." Muttered Jack with a playful grin on his face.
"My family owns a chain of cafés. We're specialized in serving breakfasts, but we're open from morning to evening. They're both chiefs, and I've grown up amongst other chiefs, so I learned a bit from each of them." She turned around while explaining, checking the cupboard. "But my talent isn't about cooking! I'm actually a barista. And regarding that, I must give all the credits to my grandmother. She's the one who made me fall in love with coffee and brewing. Whenever I serve a cup of coffee, it reminds me of my childhood days when we used to harvest coffee beans together." She hummed softly. "I was not always fond of those memories, though. But tragic events can bring in new learning experiences."
Cameron listened dutifully as he cracked the eggs into a bowl, and poured them into the pan with a few onions. Stella was certainly passionate, he thought, which made sense for her title, after all. But at the mention of something tragic... “Do you... wanna talk about it? I’m no psychoanalyst, but it’s always good to get things off your chest, if you’d like."
"Hmm, those events don't bother me anymore. They helped me grow into the person I am today. Though since I've probably made you feel curious about it, I think I should at least explain what happened." Stella ran her fingers through her hair as she leaned her body against the sink, taking a small break from her organizing task to do some chit-chat.
"Does it have drama? I'm all for the drama." Juliet muttered while leaning in closer, seemingly interested on her story.
"Kinda." Stella retorted with a small chuckle. "So, when I was very young, I used to go to spend summer vacations on my grandparents' farm. My parents would drop me there under their care, and I'd have freedom exploring the nearby woods alone as long as I didn't go too far. I've always had a lot of fun climbing up on big rocks and hopping over water ponds, but there's this one specific day that things didn't go all right. It was after lunch, and I was climbing up this one big rock atop a plantation of cocoa beans trees. I was—"
"Wait, where's the details?" Juliet interrupted, crossing her arms. "How was the weather? Which day of the week was it? You can't just drop some background story without all the details!"
Stella sighed, rolling her eyes. "I don't remember all those details. I think I was only eight, therefore so many years have passed since then. In order for me to tell this story in such details I would either need to have a very good memory, or I'd probably have to lie." She had a friendly chuckle while explaining that to Juliet, but then glanced back to Cameron. "So, I was at the top of the rock. I sat right on the tip and was just enjoying the breeze. That was until my body slipped and I began falling right onto the ground. The only reason why I had no fatal injuries was because right below the rock there was a growing cocoa tree, and I fell right on top of it, with its bole in between my legs. My weight was enough to break the tree, but it at least softened my fall and I only ended up with a broken leg." Stella didn't really seem to mind telling that story. It didn't seem to make her sad at all.
"Wait. So you fell right on top of a big stick, sliding it in between your thighs?" Jack covered his lips with his hand as he made that question.
"Ewww! Gross! I was only eight! Don't word things like that!" Stella backed away, crossing her arms.
"So, how exactly did that bring you a learning experience? Was your lesson just not to climb on big rocks or something?" Juliet furrowed her eyebrows as she made that question.
"Ah, that's not just it. My learning experience came from having to be an energetic child with a broken leg. I can finish telling this story to you guys later. For now, we should finish this task." Stella hummed, checking another drawer on the cupboard."
"I can understand that," Cameron blurted out, having nearly completed the dish he had been making for quite some time now. "Or at least, the part where you learn something better through a painful experience." He knew that now was probably not the most startlingly appropriate of times to bring this up, but Stella had shared something personal, and he thought he should repay that kindness. "It was less about learning a lesson, and more about learning what kind of life I'd be living from the time I was awarded the title of Ultimate. I was in middle school, and my photographs had been passed through a few many hands then. People started talking about me more and more, so I joined the newspaper club to avoid their targeting, and have something to do. Of course, I was saddled with the photojournalism aspect, and in my need of something different, and I went out looking for a story." Cameron looked down, the smile fading slightly from his lips. "I found it in an old neighbors backyard. They'd been gone for a few months on vacation, but people had been reporting strange occurrences around the house. I had written quite a bit about my research, and went to the locale to actually get the pictures, when I found the corpse of their labradoodle lying under the doghouse. They'd forgotten to hire a dog sitter, and it had been trying to den for itself before giving up and dying without sustenance. I felt sick. It was the first corpse I'd ever seen, and yet, I felt like I couldn't just cower away from it. I felt I had to do it justice, and find out exactly how it had died. So I did research on blood spatter and entomology, and I figured out the date and the cause. I did get some photos, but not of the explicit things." Cameron looked up at the three again. "That's where my interest in true crime photojournalism began, right after I won my first award for best story.
"Gosh, what's up with all these depressing memories? Don't tell me you have one sad story linked to how you got your talent too, Jack?" Juliet seemed to be bothered with Stella's and Cameron's story.
"Well, in actuality—" Jack was about to say something but Juliet cut him immediately.
"Oh, no, no! That's enough! It's already way too depressing to be stuck here without my consent with no cellphone or internet and having to deal with a psychopath teddy bear. I swear if I have to spend one more day here under these conditions I might go crazy and begin talking to those surveillance cameras!"
Jack blinked a few times at Juliet's comment, immediately getting what was going on. "I see. So social media abstinence has been bothering you." He wondered aloud, making Juliet turn around with her arms crossed.
"I can deal with it. It's just that— Actually, I don't feel like talking about that right. Let's just get back to finish our job here. And please! Happy thoughts. Let's cheer up." Although it has only been for a day, being unable to access the internet was clearly stressing Juliet, even if she didn't want to admit it. For now, she was trying to keep her mind busy to keep herself distracted.
The chatter between the four of them was enough for Gleen to finish doing whatever he needed to do at his dormitory room. He was currently waiting for Cameron to come back and bring him some food in the classroom. While minding Stella, Juliet, and the very uncomfortable-making Jack, the photojournalist grabbed his omelet, two plates, some silverware, and walked out of the Kitchen, waving at the barista as he left
Classroom C - Cameron's Free Time Event (Conclusion)
After venturing himself in the kitchen, Cameron now armed with food and appropriate equipment to eat comfortably with, trying not to hit his camera with the porcelain, popped his head into the Classroom, and looked around. "Gleen?" He muttered.
"Hey! Cameron! Come in! I want you to check out this cool axolotl fact that I found in my book." Gleen was sitting by the wall, right under the classroom surveillance camera. "Did you know that when a male and female Axolotl want to mate, they dance a waltz? The book even have a picture! You have to see this!" There was something very awkward going on there. Gleen was being very energetic and loud which was nothing like how he is usually. It was easy to notice that he was acting, and he sucked at that. Nonetheless, as soon as Cameron approached his desk, the scientist slipped the book over its surface, a bookmark indicating the right page that should be opened.
Due to the positioning Cameron was currently in, the surveillance camera would only be able to record his facial expressions, but not capture what's inside the book. As the photojournalist checked the marked page, he could find a notebook page slipped in with Gleen's handwriting. The following text was written:
"We're being watched. Pretend you're reading a really cool fact about Axolotls.
I figured we shouldn't just wait for help to arrive. I'm sure there's something we can do. That is why I looked up to the resources in my room and came up with a plan. Have you noticed the two locked doors by the entrance hall? I think the one behind all this might be hiding there. With the materials I have, I can develop a system to tell us if someone has been walking in and out of that room, using some invisible powder that shines when exposed to UV light I might be able to prepare everything tonight when everyone is sleeping. I don't want anyone else to know about this plan as it might compromise it, but I need your help to put it in practice.
If everything goes according to my plan, I'll be able to set the trap on the floor tomorrow. I'd need you to give me some time by keeping Monokuma distracted, keeping him away from the surveillance camera.
If you believe you can cooperate with that, please give me a signal. Once again, be careful with the surveillance camera."
Smiling, Cameron didn’t miss a beat, not breaking his facade and placing the omelets on a nearby desk. Sitting down as if to read closer, he read the next few lines, and was immediately enthralled. Gleen had a plan, which not only could save them, but maybe reveal the mastermind behind the whole Game. Snickering, as if he had read something funny, he looked straight at Gleen, and nodded, giving him a thumbs up from under the desk.
Once the deal was settled, the Green haired male nodded his head happily, taking the plate of food as his stomach could be heard rumbling again. "Ah~! Thank you! I really needed that. I owe you this one." Without further ado, Gleen began digging into the food. He did take his time to thank Cameron multiple times regarding the meal. Just like that, the two of them grew closer to each other.
Auditorium - Anastasia & Erina's Free Time Event
'Who does that weird goth girl think she is?! Ordering us around like that.. Who gave her the right to tell us what to do. Maybe she wants us in our bedrooms at night so it's easier for us to get killed without witnesses...' Anastasia walked into the auditorium with a storm of distrust thoughts in her head. 'I need protection. I need to form "bonds" with people that could help me in potentially dangerous situations... That Jacob guy, he seemed competent enough. I could offer my body in exchange.' She entered the massive auditorium, a scowl formed on her face as she noticed Victoria. Though, after figuring out she might be useful too, the prophet proceeded to execute her bonding plan. "Those pancakes almost put me back to sleep. It's amazing that both of you want to work out immediately after breakfast!" She called out to them with her meek voice.
Jacob and Victoria both turned to Anastasia right after hearing her voice. While the latter put a friendly smile on her face, Jacob had a determined grin on his.
"How can I not feel PUMPED UP after taking in so much sugar into my body?" He bumped his two fists together, Victoria simply shaking her head in the back before stepping forward.
"This big guy here was very unquiet after breakfast. Seems like he has hyperactivity. I was also getting bored by staying put myself, so we decided to waste some energy."
However, an auditorium didn't look like the appropriate place to be exercising.
"Even if we don't have a gym in this school, this auditorium still have a lot of space. Ohh, let me GUESS! Have you come here to EXERCISE too?" Jacob maintained that grin on his face as he waited for Anastasia's answer.
Meanwhile, Erina, who was eager to lose some mass, was peeking behind the corner waiting for an opportunity, now with this sudden statement made, she makes her appearance with stars in her eyes and an exultant look on her face. "Yeah! Let's do that! uh... Arabella, Jake and Gloria right? Lets all exercise together!" Erina said, though idiotically forgetting their names like the creator of her does, she excitedly yet somehow gently, pulls Anastasia by hand to run around the auditorium.
"G-Gloria?!" Victoria muttered in a dramatical tone while Jacob bursted in laughter. "I'm Victoria and—"
Before she could say anything else the brown haired male bumped his fist on her arm playfully. "Never mind all that. Let's get down to business. How about we begin with some push-ups?"
Victoria sighed at being cut off, but decided not to argue on it. "Alright. But you guys will have to help me with fencing practice later."
By that point, Anastasia was infuriated by the fact that someone else decided to hang around the auditorium, being a threat to her plans. There was something about Erina that she thought was absolutely repulsive. "E-exercise?... Oh, yes, I love working out!" She laughed nervously. 'I hate sweating. I can't let that airhead out do me, I have to play along for now' She thought in silence while mimicking Jacob's stance.
"Really? I didn't expect you to be the kind of person to be into it." Victoria stretched her arms above her head "Well, the more the merrier! We won't get stronger by hiding in fear from that weird bear thing."
As she said that, Victoria dropped her body to the ground, standing on her feet and hands. Jacob did the same right after, and without wasting any other second, the two of them began doing push-ups in synchronicity.
"Oki doki! >
" Erina said eagerly, while putting her cardigan and hair clip to the side and getting to the ground to do mediocre push-ups. She struggled a bit, because her arms are as thin as pasta, but she managed. ]
'1......... 2........' Anastasia counted her push-ups in her head. That was torture for her. There was no way she was going to keep up with everyone. Sweat started trickling down her forehead. After about five, she had lost all her strength and collapsed on the ground with her face planted on the floor.
Jacob and Victoria seemed to be competing for who could do the push-ups faster. They stared at each other and didn't show any sign of being tired, but they did stop when they heard the sound of someone falling.
"Anastasia!" Victoria hopped off the ground and helped the prophet up, holding onto her arms. "Did we go too fast? I'm sorry, you could have done it on your own pace!"
"Anastasia!?! Are you alright!?!" Erina was confused at the fact that she suddenly collapsed and faceplanted into the floor like that.
"I-It's alright! I think I'm going to watch you all from the sidelines this time if that's okay" Anastasia said sitting up on her knees. 'I can't breathe... I hate this. I hate all of them. I can't wait to get out of this horrible place... I have to continue pretending to get along with everyone.' The prophet forced herself to smile despite wanting to kill everyone at that given moment.
Jacob crossed his arms as he tilted his head to the side a bit. "You're not really used to exercising, are you?"
Listening to him say that, Victoria knocked her elbow in a fast speed against his sides. Jacob held his groan back but it was clear that he felt a sharp pain from it. Despite all that, Victoria maintained a friendly smile on her face as though she did nothing wrong. "It's fine, Anastasia. I feel like in actuality, you just wanted to hang out with someone. Aren't I right? I can understand that. In a situation like this, I wouldn't want to be alone either." She sighed, holding her own hands together. She had totally mistaken Anastasia's intentions. "You kinda remind of myself, you know?" With a pat on Jacob's back, Victoria went back to the ground, resuming her push-ups.
'..... What?' Anastasia felt confused. They weren't going to make fun of her? Mock her? Point out her physical weakness. Anastasia supposed she could spare them if she ever decided to kill. Her liking had grown a little for the people that was in the auditorium.
Deposit Room - Anastasia's Free Time Event (Part 2)
Since Anna was on the cleaning duty, she decided to organize the deposit room and see what kind of things she'd find there. The easiest route probably would have been asking someone for help but for some reason there wasn't anyone else in the room.
After finishing her attempt at exercising in the auditorium, Anastasia wandered throughout the facility to familiarize with it. A scowl formed on her face as she peeked inside the deposit room. Suddenly, she could hear the sound of footsteps. It was hard to notice where it was coming from since there were so many boxes scattered around the room. Those footsteps became louder and louder, right before Anna creeped behind Anastasia with a bat on her hand while she had a defensive posture.
"Oh, it's you." She muttered, revealing herself. She lowered the bat and relaxed her body, looking at the other girl. "What are you doing here? The deposit room is the perfect place for a murder, you know."
Anastasia let out a cry. She stumbled onto the ground and backed away swiftly as she saw a figure holding a bat. "I-I just wanted to explore everything in this building! Why are you here, huh?!.... With that bat in your hand...."
"Oh, this?" Anna glanced at the bat, an awkward smile on her face as she placed it on the ground. "This is just for self-defense. If someone who seems dangerous approaches me, I better have a way to defend myself. But you don't seem like a threat to me." She took a final glance to the bat before turning away. "This is also to keep that assistant guy away. He's got a creepy aura around him." Anna took her student e-handbook out of her pocket, checking something on it. "As for why I'm here, I'm trying to figure out this Special Courses thing on the e-handbook. You see, this one last app?" Anna flipped her student e-handbook around, showing the Special Courses app, the one whose icon was a sheet of paper with an A+ written on it. "You see, when you open this app, it says something about the Ultimate Maid's Course and an Ultimate Cook's Course. Although we're all Ultimates in here, I don't recall anyone with those talents. Doesn't it sound like a riddle? If the mastermind really wants to treat this crime as a game with a set rules, it only makes sense to me that the Special Courses are some kind of riddle. Maybe it has something to do with the third way to graduate that Monokuma mentioned?" She shrugged. "The Ultimate Maid's Course has an icon with stacked boxes next to it. The only place I can think of to search is this deposit room. Maybe there's a secret hidden here? Maybe there's nothing..."
Anastasia stood up from the ground and dusted her clothes. "A riddle? Why would that bear go through all this trouble? Is he controlled by some psychopath?" She asked herself more than anyone else. She took out her tablet and followed the same steps as the dollmaker. "Maybe if we clean, cook, and do our chores like we're supposed to, is he just going to set us free?" The prophet asked Anna this time, peeking into the nearby boxes.
"That's most likely the situation. To perform a crime of this scale, then it means we're probably under the strings of a very powerful person. It's not like you can take over an entire high school, kidnap sixteen elite students and keep then jailed like this. Someone influential must be behind this." Due to the whole amnesia issue, neither Anna nor Anastasia were able to remember the current state of the world, but the dollmaker's reasoning was what made the most sense considering how the world used to be. "But I don't think things are as simple as that. If some sick bastard managed to put us in this situation, I don't believe they would give up after we do some stupid house chores for them. But I still think there's a greater meaning to all this, so that is why I'm giving my best to find something useful here." She turned around, kneeling on the floor in order to check under some dusty boxes. "If you want to, I won't mind having you help me. Though, I won't judge if you rather wait for help to arrive. Just gotta make sure you'll stay safe."
In the end, Anastasia did spend a significant time with Anna. Though, the latter was rather quiet since she was concentrated on organizing the boxes in the deposit room. Still though, that experience had brought the two of them closer.
Dining Hall - Chris and Erina's Free Time Event
At first glance it might seem that Chris and Riley would not get along due to their distinct personalities, but the two of them could be found sat by a table in the dining hall. For some reason, Chris was teaching Riley about politics in the Novoselic Kingdom. It did make more sense when you remember Riley stated he was the kingdom's Ultimate Heir earlier in that morning.
After being done in the auditorium, Erina walked in with gleeful intent, spotting Chris and Riley and getting distracted with her task at hand. "Hi you two! Uhm... What were your names again?" She said while walking over.
"Welcome, peasant! I'm Emmanuel Nevermind! Ultimate Heir to the throne of the Novoselic Kingdom! This one here is my servant, Chris." Riley was so full of energy as he re-introduced himself like that. Chris meanwhile left a small sigh, brightening up his expression afterwards.
"Don't mind Riley. Apparently he's such a RPG enthusiast that he plays his characters even when he's not playing a RPG session." The blue haired male felt in the obligation of explaining Riley's confusing personality.
"Isn't life just one big RPG though?" Riley shrugged, glancing to Erina.
"I agree with Emmanuel Nevermind on this one! Nevermind the laws of physics, because with the power of Imagination, anything is possible!" Erina said with cocky smile. She then looked over to Chris, "Well, uh... Chris, right? Why don't you try it~?"
"The power of... Imagination?" Chris tilted his head to the side, he was unable to understand how Erina adapted herself to Riley's personality like that.
"It's no use. Chris never played a RPG before. But there's still time to change it! Come on, Chris. If you were a character, how would you describe your alignment?" Riley shook his legs excitedly at the thought of brainstorming a character for Chris.
"My alignment?" Chris glanced to Erina, his eyes begging for help. He had no idea what that meant, but he didn't want to disappoint Riley.
"Yeah! I consider myself to be Chaotic Good." Riley stated proudly.
"Aha! Me too! Though maybe neutral good is more effective in my defense... I think." Erina looked over to Chris, and with that, It began.Erina took out a pair of EnChroma Glasses, and popped out their lenses, and with that, a new character has made her appearance, now presenting! Prof, Rosell! "Now Chris let me give you a proper explanation on what an alignment is, There are three Suffixes Chaotic, Neutral, and Lawful! And there are three prefixes to go with them, Good, Neutral, and Evil. With that, there are 9 different alignments". Erina took a deep breath, and quickly explained with almost perfect clarity. "Starting from the Top~ Lawful good, Lawful neutral, and Lawful Evil. Lawful good is good person who will strictly do something because you asked them to, Lawful neutral is in which you would strictly abide to your morals, and lawful evil is in which you twist the truth into still being the truth, for example, your friend told you their Gay, they asked you not to tell their parents, so instead you tell their brother and sister, cause they didn't tell you to not tell them. In the end, your friend's parents find out and support them Unconditionally. Well, that's the ending I would hope for at least. Next, Chaotic Good, Chaotic Neutral, and Chaotic Evil. Chaotic Good is following your own morals even if they don't abide the law, say for instance, protecting someone for stealing, because their stealing to help their starving family. Chaotic neutral is a mixture of the two, most commonly used when you're just not entirely evil, Chaotic Evil is big bad devious liar, who though can have a redemption, is not always the case, in normie's words, Evil Evil. kinda like ara ara. The type who tells their friend' parents even though they told you not to." Erina was out of breath at that point. "Lastly, Neutral Good, True neutral, and Neutral evil. Neutral is a lazy man's case, this is the more problematic kind in my opinion, now with that, Lemme explain briefly, Neutral good depends on how you view the situation, Same with Neutral Evil, Most people in this world would be True neutral, which is none of the above while also being all of it. It's basically the 'I'm not like other girls' of alignments. And with that, That's all of them, if you had any problems with today's session please complain to someone else instead of me, okay~?"
Erina took off her Glasses and popped in the lenses, and put it back into her handy-Dandy dainty SKIRT pockets. Taking a huge sigh, and staring at Chris with a dead inside smile. She could see tension growing in Chris' face while Riley was delighted. By the end of her explanation, the blond boy was clapping his hands.
"Magnific! I see you're a woman of culture as well!" Riley's eyes seemed to sparkle with excitement. Seeing someone who knew that much about role-playing made him feel at ease. Still though, he was waiting for Chris' response.
"Ah.... Uhmm..." He scratched the side of his neck, gulping down on his saliva. It seemed like he was an elementary school student who accidentally got into a high school class. "I see." He muttered placing his hands on his thighs. He thought for a few seconds before raising his head back up, pointing his index finger of the right hand towards the ceiling. "Thank you for the explanation. Although it might have been a lot to take in, I think I've learned the basis of it. Given my educational and professional résumé, I'd say I'm more like a chaotic good person. I mean, if a client is charged for murder, I'll have to defend and make a case for him no matter what. But thinking through another perspective, sometimes I would have to lie in order to paint a new truth, one that could be favorable for my client. Would that be Lawful Evil?" Chris' eyes widened as he looked surprised to Riley. "I never knew this role-playing stuff could be applied to lawyering skills too!"
Riley's eyes sparkled with even more excitement. He wasn't expecting Chris to behave like that. "Yes, that's it! See how role-playing can be fun and useful at the same time? So, tell me all about it! What alignment do you want for your character?"
Chris didn't wait any longer before bursting out a "CHAOTIC EVIL!" with excitement to Riley. "E-eeeeh?! Chaotic Evil? Are you sure you can play a character like that?"
The blue haired male nodded his head, a serious expression on his face. "If I want this to be a true learning experience, then I might as well learn to become the opposite of what I'm used to."
It seemed like that conversation had taken a very unexpected hours, but at least Chris learned a valuable experience about role-playing that morning. The three of them certainly grew closer after that.
At a certain moment during the afternoon, Chris decided to return to his room and rest for a while. Even if he was trapped in that school, he still didn't leave his usual habits behind: He spent his mid-afternoon to early evening studying about laws.
In actuality, he had forgotten it should be time for him to go check if he could get something for dinner, but something caught his attention. The monitor on his room suddenly lit up, the footage showed none other than Monokuma.
"Good evening, dear students! This is an official announcement of the Ultimate Academy of Hope. Your dearest headmaster would like to give further instructions regarding your communal school life. Everyone, please gather at the auditorium."
And with that request, the feed was cut off. If Monokuma wanted to give further introductions about that killing game, that meant nothing good awaited him. Yet, Chris felt like that at the moment there was nothing he could do against it. Hesitantly, he left his room and made his way towards the auditorium. What he didn't expect, however, was what happened next.
As soon as his crossed the large door into the auditorium, Jacob sprinted from the wall grabbing him from behind, locking his arms so Chris couldn't fight back. Victoria also stood in front of him, holding a knife as she had a threatening stance.
"What—" His voice failed as he felt panic filling his body. Was he going to be murdered right there? "What is the meaning of this?"
His body was lifted in the air by Jacob, lowering even further his chances of resistance. Anna walked towards him with a sadistic smile. Many of the students that already were in the auditorium seemed to be confused while others looked scared.
