Checkmate of Death (Danganronpa THH x OC)

Chapter 21: Alter Ego Love Battle

I watched as Makoto opened the locker where Alter Ego is placed, and Taka stared at it.

"Okay, so...there's a laptop inside the locker, understand? And on the laptop there's a program called Alter Ego," Makoto explained.

"How do I...talk to him?" Taka asked, his voice sounded so hoarse.

"O-Oh, um... Well, you just tell me what you want to say, and I'll type it in for you," Makoto said.

"... Do you...hate Mondo? And since I couldn't stop him...do you hate me?" It was clear Taka was forcing himself to get the words out. From his mouth, to the bottom of his heart...he forced his weakened voice to make the sounds. Before Makoto could type anything, I step forward.

"You shouldn't be doing it!"

Makoto jumped from startlement. "H-Hanako!"

"Kyoko made it very clear that using Alter Ego without permission is prohibited," I reminded him.

"I know but... I couldn't just leave him like this. Besides, maybe talking to Alter Ego will help give him some comfort," Makoto explained.

I turned my head to Taka. At a closer range, he looked so tired, probably due to a lack of sleep, and he looked a bit thin. "...Please," Taka begged.

I sighed. It honestly hurts me to see him like this, so I guess having him talk to Alter Ego would probably make him feel a bit better. "Alright," I said.

"Thank you Hanako," Makoto said and began typing the questions exactly as Taka had asked them. And then Alter Ego flashed onto the screen.

"...Do you hold yourself responsible...?" Alter Ego asked. "If Master could talk now, I think this is what he would say... Please, live your life for the both of us. It's impossible for me now, but you can still survive and escape--all of you."

"..." Taka stayed silent.

"Hey, Taka..." Makoto began, but quickly closed his mouth.

Alter Ego continued. "The one asking those questions is...Taka, right? Analyzing all available data, that's the only conclusion I can come to. Master told me how close Taka and Mondo had become. So that must be why he feels responsible..." The screen suddenly went dark. And what appeared next was... Alter Ego took the form of Mondo's head. "You're not letting yourself get crushed under the weight of that responsibility, are you!?" It spoke.

"Gh--!" Taka stiffened.

"A man's only worth as much as the load he can carry! You get it, right bro? Hell, what am I saying? Of course ya do!" Mondo said.

"Whoa!" I gasped.

"Th-That's...!" Makoto stuttered.

Alter Ego returned back as Chihiro. "I'm sorry if I startled you... That was my attempt at a simulation, using the data about Mondo that Master had given me. I figured if Taka was depressed, that's the kind of thing Mondo would have said to him..." Alter Ego switched back to Mondo again. "So you're just gonna stand there, huh? Just wait for things to get better? Just take your time and get all depressed... Take the time to indulge your regrets... You might even start walking again without realizing it. Sure, that kind of mediocre thinking might work for some people." Then Chihiro returned again. "...What if I said it with that kind of condescending tone!?"

"... Hehe... Hahaha..." Taka began to laugh.

"Taka...?" Makoto called out, as he and I turned towards him.

Taka clutched one of his fits tight and closed his eyes, showing his dark eyelids and a blue aura surrounding him. "... It's starting to sink in... The way a bucketful of water sinks into a bone-dry sponge..."