Danganronpa: Reincarnation

I Won't Let You!

"So.... you're going to help us...?" Gonta asked. He was confused. "...Sir?"

"Yes." Byakuya replied. He then turned to walk away, silently ordering the children to follow him, which they did without question.

The walk was quiet and incredibly awkward. The students didn't say anything and just stared at the floor, following the directions of Byakuya's expensive leather shoes.

"So... you're gonna help us?" Himiko asked, shattering the silence.

"Yes." Byakuya replied.

"... How are you...?" Kirumi asked. No one was used to talking with the famous and cold businessman. He was amazing, smart and incredibly resourceful, but also materialistic and supercilious. Byakuya Togami's presence was one that demanded respect, but also struck fear, so anyone talking to him had to be mindful of their words in order not to tick him off.

"Yes."

Everyone sweatdropped. Clearly, Byakuya wasn't listening and didn't care, so they turned to the princess. She had a grave expression, but at least she was more approachable than her blonde "friend".

"Where's Tsumugi?" Rantaro asked. "She was the mastermind, right? Shouldn't she also come with us? We can like... force her to help us or something."

"Tsumugi is still being interrogated," Sonia replied. She sighed at everyone's confused faces. "There are too many mysteries surrounding this killing game, Tsumugi is one of them."

"Whaddya mean?"

"Tsumugi wasn't brainwashed... but something was interfering with her brain, manipulating her thoughts and actions. The effects wore off almost immediately after she got out..."

"Huh..? Tsumugi was a victim?" Kaede said in surprise, Rantaro being equally shocked. It was no big secret that those two held disdain towards Tsumugi, but if she was as much a victim of mind control games as they were, it would change their circumstances entirely.

"So Tsumugi wasn't the actual mastermind?!" Kaito shouted, earning an annoyed glare from the tall entrepreneur in front of them. "Wait then who is?"

"Junko fuckin' Enoshima..." a new voice said, coming out and slamming the door behind him; Hajime Hinata. "And possibly..."

"Don't you even dare think about it." Byakuya cut in, glaring at the shorter male, who glared back with slightly shaken defiance.

"Can you blame me?! Hopes Peak is ruined, ONCE AGAIN MIGHT I ADD, and another killing game was hosted. Junko's an AI, she couldn't have done this without a physical body to help her, he's the only suspect left!" Hajime yelled. The students were confused.

"HOPES PEAK IS RUINED?!" Miu shrieked.

"Not physically," Sonia told her. "It's the people in Hopes Peak. Everyone's fighting for reasons we know not of. It's not just the students and staff either, many of the people in Japan have started acting... totally out of character. It's chaos and calamity out there." 

"Izuru told me that he examined the brains of multiple victims," Hajime informed everyone. "All of them show signs of brainwashing. Remember that museum heist a while ago? Remember what was stolen? The mirror-"

"Hajime... Izuru..." Byakuya said. He then looked up and glowered down at Hajime. "I demand silence."

Hajime pressed his lips into a tight line, but kept his mouth shut.

"Hajime," Sonia said, cutting through the intense atmosphere. "Are you done screaming at the executives yet?"

"Hah!" Hajime laughed, but his voice held no happiness nor humour. "Those assholes won't budge. I'll never be done yelling at them 'til the day they drop dead."