Danganronpa Midnight: Lantern Lament (Fanganronpa)

Purgatory 3

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Last Night

"That's right...Do that little whimper of pain again." The chess grandmaster said with a twisted smirk, holding the boy by his blonde hair that had been soaked with blood.

"...I-I..." Finn tried to speak up and defend himself, attempting to use the depleting strength he had to properly stand up. But Ryoko just pressed her heel against his back to keep him in place.

"I said..." her grip grew tighter as she clenched her teeth, getting mad. "Do it again!" Ryoko yelled, slamming down his face against the wooden table once more.

Finn began to cough on his own blood that was stuck in his throat, his nails digging into the table as the crimson substance dripped down his face and nose, distorting it. Through the choking, Ryoko smiled.

"Yess, yes! That's it...I'm going to remember that sound till the very day I die." She giggled.

"W-W...Why...?!?"

"Hm?" Ryoko paused, glancing down at her victim. "Did you say something? I couldn't hear you through all the struggling."

"I'll...I-I'll do anything." He pleaded, trying to reason with her. "I-I won't tell!"

"Oh please!" She then cackled. "Do you really think I care if the others know about this or not? In fact, I hope they do...The look of disgust on their faces will be so worth it."

"Then...I-I'll do whatever you want! Just...P-Please let me-"

"That's even more pathetic!" Ryoko exclaimed. "I don't need people to do stuff for me! Not when I can do it myself without the help of some...pawn. And just stop begging. It's making you seem even more pitiful!"

"T-Then...Then why?!?" He barely spoke.

"Hm?"

"Why are y-you like...this?" He weakly asked.

Ryoko fell silent for a moment or two, trying to process Finn's question with a blank expression. She then began to shrug.

"I don't know what you mean. I've always been like this." She firmly replied, losing a bit of the usual teasing nature of her voice. "If you ever thought the way I act was a joke, then you'll be well mistaken."

Ryoko then took a second glance at Finn's limp body and chuckled. "Well...I suppose you knew that already, considering the position we're in."

"No...N-No! I know deep d-down there somewhere...there has to be some s-sort of humanity. You...Y-You weren't always like this...Were you, Ryoko?!?" He argued.

Ryoko froze at the sudden defiance and weakened her grip for a moment, yet Finn was too frail himself to even try to move.

"I...I suppose you're right."

"H-Huh?!?"

"I said you're right, Finn." She spoke, losing all the manic laughter from earlier. "I wasn't always like this, was I...?"

"E-Exactly." He tried to appeal to her. "Just...stop. Maybe you can-"

"I've become something much better!" Ryoko realised. "I'm the best version of myself!"

"W...What?!?"

"I no longer live a life of boredom or expectations. Because...I get to have fun now!" She laughed, seeming to forget Finn was in the room as she went on about herself. "I get to set the expectations now! It's...It's amazing! A life truly worth living!"

"R...Ryoko..."

"It's just that the killing game is now an excuse for me to really...be myself and thrive. To have fun after such a mundane and pointless existence! Ah...wouldn't you agree, Mr Grey?"