Danganronpa 4-Despair Loop

16

“Wakey wakey eggs and bakey! Today I’ve got a little something for you young’uns! Please head to the gym as soon as you can!” The monitor shuts off, leaving a groggy Yuma confused. She gets out of bed and heads towards the gym as instructed. She passes by a couple of people, also heading to the gym. She pulls open the door, seeing a couple of people already there. After a while, everyone gathers in the gym.

“Why are we all here? This is pointless.” Koko sighs.

“It's obvious… We’re getting another motive.” Izumi looks down, upset.

“Wonder what he’s gonna pull out this time…” Ayane looks around.

“Is everyone here?” Monokumas voice pours out of the loudspeakers.

“Nah, we’re missing Kayden and Kokojo.” Koko glares at the loudspeakers. Yuma looks away, still hurt by their deaths.

“You kids think you’re so funny. Well, let’s present the next motive!” Monokuma pops up out of the floor.

“You really know how to tick us off, don’t you?” Yuma glares at him, upset.

“Awww… and after all I’ve done for you! You still remain disrespectful…” Monokuma looks to the floor, sad.

“You’re making us kill each other…” YUma looks at him.

“Yeah. Newsflash, we hate you.” Naoto says and Izumi shouts.

“All you’ve done for us? You got two of us fucking killed you bootleg Yogi Bear!” She starts to walk toward him, and Sayuri holds her back.

“N-now now Izumi… n-no need to make him angry…” Sayuri is straining against her.

“What do you mean?! This little bastard is the reason we’re all cooped up in this hellhole!” Izumi shouts.

“Well anyway, it’s motive time!” Monokuma pulls out 10 slips of paper, each different sizes. “This time, it’s secrets best left hidden!” Monokuma walks up to everyone, handing everyone a single different paper.

“H-huh? What do you mean?” Sayuri takes hers.

“Koko already knows my darkest secret, what you have in your hand is probably not bad at all.” Yuki laughs a bit and smirks while taking the paper.

“O-our… biggest secret?” Koko gulps, hesitantly taking the paper that was offered to her.

“Listen, if this is the time that I pissed myself last year waiting in line for ice cream, I honestly don't give a shit.” She looks at her paper. “Hah! Okay, that's a lot worse.” Izumi smiles.

“Hmph. You have to do a lot better than that.” Naoto looks at Monokuma.

“Aw really? This isn’t that bad ya know… Sure, it was a bad time, but it’s not something I would kill over.” Nao folds her paper back up. Chinatsu lets out a little gasp and stuffs her paper quickly in her pocket. Naoto walks over to her and quietly talks to her.

“How did you know this? Was it that obvious?” Yuma blushes a bit, while Koko reads hers, leaving her in shocked silence. Yuki and Miana, standing next to each other as always, read their own and switch immediately after.

        “Well, um, that’s not what I expected Monokuma to exploit… you’ve gotten over that, right?” Miana looks at her.

        “I really didn’t care… but…” She gestures to her classmates. “They won't like it.”

        “Y-YOU CAN’T POSSIBLY KNOW THIS!” Sayuri cries.

        “I… don’t think that was enough to get me to kill someone.” Yuma looks around, seeing some people's faces relieved, but others terrified.

        “...Oh. Monokuma, that was mean. Really mean, alright?” Ayane looks up, her normal smile a little pained.

        “Hey, are you alright?” Yuki walks over to Koko, who was shaking vigorously.

        “I-I’m fine!” Koko immediately hides the paper. Yuma puts a hand on her shoulder.

        “Hey, why don't we just tell our secrets now and get it over with?” Izumi says.

        “U-uh…” Sayuri looks over at Koko, who, for the first time, looks absolutely terrified.

        “The people who want to share their secrets, go ahead. But the people who don't, we can't force them. I’ll go first, and mine was apparently really obvious. I had a crush on Kayden.” Yumas face goes a little red.

        “Oh c’mon Sayuri, you should say yours! I understand Koko-nut, but why are you keeping yours so secret?” Izumi reaches for Sayuris paper, who stumbles back.

        “S-stop! Please stop!” She looks close to tears.

        “Okay, we’re sharing secrets.” Nao giggles. “Mine is I got rejected from several dancing schools because I’m so short!” Nao says.

        “That's kinda sad…” Yuma looks over at her.

        “Yeah, I know.”

        “Mine was that I used to be a stripper. Not so surprising when you’re talking to this hunk of hotness!” Izumi stops reaching for Sayuris paper and laughs.

        “Uh…” Miana visible winces. “Alright… don’t get mad… When I was younger, I was forced to make higher tech nuclear weapons for the military…” Miana looks to the ground. “A lot of people died because of the things I made.” Yuki puts an arm around her, still sort of shaking herself, and Miana smiles a bit.

        “Mine is I’ve done time. It’s not bad.” Naoto says.

        “Alright, anyone else…?” Yuma looks around at Sayuri, Ayane, Yuki, Chinatsu, and Koko.

        “You said we didn't have to, so I’m choosing not to. To be completely honest, it's just memories that are hard and painful to bring up, so I don’t want to say it.” Ayanes smile was mostly gone, replaced with a fearing, pained expression. Yuma nods and looks over at Yuki and Koko who were both shaking. She walks over to the both of them and puts her arms around them.

        “...Yuki, uh… I already know yours, right? So… why do we swap papers…? I r-really shouldn’t be doing this, since this is classified info, b-but, uh…” Koko trails off as Yuki shakes her head, Yuma stepping back.

        “Miana’s the only one who knows, and she saw the aftermath of it…”

        “I-oh…” Yuma looks at Miana for confirmation, and she nods. The people who didn't share their secrets walked out of the gym, each had a different expression on their faces.

        “U-uh, wait! Yuki!” Koko runs to her.

        “H-huh? Koko?” Yuki turns.

        “...I-I, uh… I know how you feel. This is something that could ruin me if anyone learned it… But… but this isn’t worth ending a life over…” Koko looks at Yuki, whose face becomes downcast.

        “I know. I made a promise. I can’t kill anyone here.” Koko nods.

        “...Can I tell you a secret? Y-you can't tell anyone else though. U-uh, please…” Koko stutters out. Yuki nods.