{ Mastermind Chihiro. } [ON HIATUS]

Step It Up A Notch.

Pressure that'll drip drip drip ^
I'm sorry-

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"FUJISAKI!!"

Monokuma popped up out of nowhere, startling the small boy. He squealed.

There hadn't been a death in five days, and the motives had stayed small. He had made all the drinking water warm, made the hallway super slippery, and even installed a giant fireplace in Celeste's room. But it wasn't enough for another killing, and Monokuma was mad as hell about it.

"What gives, half-pint?!" Monokuma started angrily, "I've been waiting five days, and I'm sick of it already!! We need a killing now!"

"U-uh-" Chihiro stuttered, as Monokuma grabbed a notebook off of his death. Inside were many motive ideas, all crossed out as Chihiro had thought them too cruel.

"This is a waste, a waste I tell you!" Monokuma stated as he flipped the pages, "If you can't choose a good motive for this morning, I'll do it myself!"

Monokuma chucked the notebook at Fujisaki's head and vanished, leaving the poor boy distraught. He had to come up with something quick, before Monokuma did something way worse!

Racking his brain for a good idea, he picked up the notebook which now lay on the floor. Flicking through the pages, he stumbled across quite a few dangerously daring motives.

He had to pick one, he had to! There was no other way around it, Monokuma had well and truly cornered him. So, looking down the list, he chose probably the most tame.

~

DING DONG BING BONG!

This is a school announcement, it is now 7:00AM! And as per tradition, I will announce today's motive!"

Naegi got up sleepily, the covers falling off his head. He looked a right mess, with his hair spread in random directions, eyes half-closed. He hadn't gotten much sleep last night.

"We've decided to step it up a notch today!"

Step it up a notch? The words barely registered in his mind, but just enough to make his head spin to the the screen, staring at Monokuma in his office.

"Multiple food stuffs and tanks of drinking water have been poisoned! As well as several rooms, minus the dorms and hallways, have been pumped full of toxic gas!" The bear giggled as Naegi's mouth opened in shock, "The only way to fix it is murder! Or you can all drop like flies, toodles!"

The screen flicked off as Makoto stood there wordlessly, trying to form some sort of response. The one he chose was rushing out of the room and heading to the cafeteria as quickly as he could, slipping twice on the tiles.

But when he arrived, he found Aoi and Toko, slamming the door shut, panting for air.

"Uh, guys? Are you alright?" He cocked his head, looking to the two for an answer.

Asahina pointed to the door. "Poison gas. We were sitting in there when the announcement went off, and when it ended we heard a hissing noise."

Toko nodded to confirm this. "I-It sounded like t-there was a-air being p-p-pumped into the room!"

Makoto looked at the door, and ignoring Aoi's protests, put his ear against it. He could hear the steady hissing of air, like holding down a spray can.

"Well where the heck do we meet now?" Aoi asked, sounding frustrated.

Where do we meet now? He was beginning to ponder when a timeless voice spoke behind him.

"The dorm hallway, of course."

The three turned their heads to see Kyoko standing there, Celestia in tow. Celeste.. Makoto still didn't like to be around her. Her crime was horrendous, she had said herself that she wanted them all dead. But now, she seemed quiet. Closed, like the door behind them which contained the poisonous gas of the room. He tore his mind back to reality.

"Oh, why there, Kyoko?" He didn't understand too well why the dorm hallway of all places had been picked.

She smiled slightly. "Because, Makoto, the hallways and dorms are okay. Monokuma said if himself, therefore making it the perfect safe spot."

"And if he was lying?"

Now Kyoko turned her head to Celeste behind them, hands holding her elbows. Makoto felt something off.. and it wasn't just the eerie silence that fell among them.

Aoi was the one who broke it. "I don't think he did, otherwise there'd be nowhere for us to go and he'd get bored." She sounded rather sad.

"Then it's decided! We'll go to the hallway." Makoto piped up now.

And go to the hallway they did, Kyoko leading the way and Toko nervously taking up the rear. Naegi walked behind Ludenberg, watching her with unease. Then he realised what had been so strange about her words.

Her accent was.. gone? It had vanished, like it had done when she yelled in the class trial. Had she abandoned it? But why? And what for? A million questions began to brew in Makoto's mind, before he brushed them aside. No, he wasn't going to intrude on that.

He was determined to believe that she was closed, like the door they had left behind them. But did that metaphorical door really contain the same poisonous gas, that could kill them all in an instant? Time could only tell.

And in time, it would.

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I'm sorry for being gone so long, writer's block got the best of me. But here, have this longer chapter as an apology! I added more detail to the dialogue this time, also haha foreshadowing go brrr

Also thank you so much for over 200 reads! I never thought I'd get over 50, so this really made my day. Farewell now!