Danganronpa: Boiling Point

Chapter 37: Under Lock and Key

"Now, leave that door alone. It's locked for a reason," Monorakun warned.

Kyoko regarded Monorakun. "Why don't you want us in here? Is that the way out of here, perhaps?"

Monorakun shook his head, his red eye still lit up. "Don't be ridiculous. No, that's not the way out."

"Then it must be through that roof entrance, right?" Kyoko challenged.

Monorakun signed, and I sensed annoyance. "No. It's just a roof. Unless you think you can survive a leap from that height, and you won't, there's nothing interesting up there."

Kyoko gazed at Monorakun with disbelief.

Monorakun crossed his short arms. "What, want me to prove it to you? I can, ya know, but only if you agree to leave this room alone. Deal?"

Kyoko looked over at me quizzically, as if considering the offer given to us. I shrugged, unsure how to respond to this request.

Kyoko returned her attention to Monorakun. "It's a deal. Show us what's on the Roof, then."

Monorakun grumbled to himself. "Follow me, then, and get your E-Handbook out, Kyoko."

Monorakun led us back to the stairway leading to the Roof. There, Monorakun's face split partway open, and he pulled something black and silver out from between his nose and right eye. It looked like a USB adapter of some sort.

"Here, plug this into the charging port. Afterwards, turn on your Camera function, and select the red icon."

Kyoko did as instructed, as I looked over her shoulder, and afterwards, her E-Handbook was no longer showing her camera, but a feed from...somewhere else. Showing only the two of us, and the hallway behind us.

Monorakun noticed my confusion. "So, is it working?" He started looking left and right, and the screen started moving as well. It was then I understood; we were hooked into Monorakun's vision, somehow. "It should be broadcasting what I can see out of my right eye. My black one."

"Yes, it's working. Now what?" Kyoko asked.

"Now, you watch the screen, and I will be back," Monorakun answered. He then scaled the gate, barely squeezing his body through before laying it flat against the gate so he could wiggle his head through, and scampered on all fours up the staircase. There was barely enough room at the top for him; there was no way any of us, not even me, could fit through that crack.

Returning my attention to Kyoko's E-Handbook, Monorakun was nearly up the stairs, before sliding a door sideways, to the right, and taking the last step up. Monorakun was now standing on the roof of The Ultimate Talent Enhancement Center.

It appeared to be almost flat, but was likely just at a low angle so the water would not puddle up. It was a grey and black material that I could not quite recognize, not a metal or wood, and spanned the entire length of the roof. There were a few large machines, with a fan spinning inside each of them, sitting on the roof too. I figured those must be the air conditioning units, or something equally important.

Monorakun began scurrying along the perimeter of the roof, even gazing down at what would be a certain death, or severe injury, from that height. Sidewalks went out into the grass all the way around, and while there was an emergency ladder for getting off the roof, there was an old, rusty-looking lock on it.

Monorakun held the lock in his hand, looked directly into the keyhole, and lamented, "I don't actually know where the key is to this lock. It's not anywhere in this building, as far as I know."

He then let go of the lock, resumed looking around for us, then returned down the stairs and over the gate to us. Kyoko unplugged the adapter and handed it to Monorakun, who plugged it back into his face (I apologize, but I truly have no better way to put this!), and then sat down.