Alter (UDG x OC)

Prologue I: This Fixed World

Lying at the now-abandoned old building of Hope's Peak Academy... was Enoshima Junko's dead body.

Hirata K̶a̶t̶s̶u̶m̴i̷ and Komaeda Nagito stood next to it, staring down in silence.

While Nagito was muttering incoherently to himself, K̶a̶t̶s̶u̶m̴i̷ stood there, quietly observing it.

Naegi Makoto, wasn't it? The Super High School-Level Hope... and the one who defeated Enoshima Junko. It's like I finally have something to grasp onto.

Just a small, glimmering light...

What Katsumi was experiencing now was a feeling of detachment from the body. A lack of control, watching someone else control herself. She could also sense her thoughts and feelings clearly, which used to be a surreal experience. Now it was just part of her life. Even then, she had no idea that someone else existed inside the body. After all, she quickly caught on that she couldn't hear her thoughts.

You left me.

Despite having an emotionless exterior, those thoughts were sickening. First despair, sorrow and grief, then pleasure and happiness from those initial emotions. Only they were capable of harbouring such a mindset. That sick, twisted obsession with the true Super High School-Level Despair, Enoshima Junko, now amplified to a severe degree.

"You said you wanted me to do something, right?" Her mouth moved on its own, as usual, since she was talking.

"Ah... that's right!" Nagito said. "I'll need your help with it."

"You know perfectly well I'm not a surgeon..."

"It's fine! As long as it works in the end... I just want to relish in that... despair... first..." His last words trailed off in uncertainty.

"More contradictory than before, huh?" She sighed. "Well, it's fine... I'll do it."

"So... what about you?"

She felt her revolting excitement, until...

✵

Ah...

Katsumi felt like she was forcefully pulled into the body.

"I don't care for these kinds of things," she quickly answered. "I'll leave the rest of her to the others..."

"Ah... I see... Let's get on with it then."

—

✵

Several months had passed. He had a mitten covering his hand now.

Watching her do it with such a steady hand was disgusting.

They were sitting outside in a city. The only things she heard were screams and cries. Not only were buildings being destroyed, but several littered bodies filled the streets. She saw someone covered in rashes slowly limp out, giving a violent cough, collapsing onto the ground.

Katsumi felt nauseous, though it wasn't just from herself. It was her feelings too. A horrible sensation that contrasted heavily with excitement. The excitement of having caused all of this. The fact that she felt great from feeling horrible while still doing it was incomprehensible.