Danganronpa: String Theory (DrV3)

4.25 - An Intuitive Keen Aberration

A/N: The above art is my own work and for my own use only!

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"We don't have anything yet...shouldn't Gonta have already heard us by now? We've heard everyone else except for him so far," Kaede sighs, opening a supply closet in a classroom full of overgrown vines and dust.

That's right, Gonta hasn't responded to any of our voices. I think it's started getting even colder on top of that- as proven by Maki and Himiko running into us red-faced and shivering. They had just come to tell me they were calling it quits for their own safety, which I totally understand.

In fact, nobody but me will be able to stand an investigation in this weather. The others don't have the stamina or weather-proof clothing that can handle the snow. They'll sooner drop just like Rantaro had after being locked in Kirumi's lab.

"How are you feeling, Kaede?" I decide to change the topic, making the blonde glance up and blink curiously. "Like, are you cold? I know it's getting worse out here, so if you think it's too much for you..."

"N-No! I'm alright, I can do this. I can keep going," Kaede says as she closes the closet, dusting her hands off and rounding a couple of the classroom desks to reach me. "I want to help, at least. Maybe if I do, the others won't be so afraid of me. And I won't be either..."

I tinker with the end of my braid, eyeing her for any signs of shivers. Although she does look cold, with her breath visible in the contrasting air, her trembling is minimal compared to how Himiko's and Maki's was.

Ding-Dong, Bing-Bong!

Our expressions, still locked on each other's face, stiffen and warm with sudden horror.

The immediate response is the flavor of bile rising to the back of my throat. If I wasn't shaking before, I am now, even grabbing the edge of a desk to steady myself so I don't fall.

Every muscle in my body is crying and telling me not to turn my head. It tells me not to look towards the monitor, one which should not have been able to power on in a power outage. I don't want to have to confirm something so awful to one of the kindest in our ranks. Gonta, who has wanted nothing except to help others, sometimes even at the expense of what is best for the group, is far too earnest to deserve a fate of foul play. He's not perfect, but he means well.

I don't want to find his body.

"Ahem! All you'se bastards, listen up! The weather can now be called 'unstable', so we're reporting a Blizzard Warning that will remain in effect until who-fuckin'-knows-when! Take caution while outdoors and don't die to the elements, or you'll be ruinin' our perfect killing game! Ya hear?!"

"As if they couldn't tell already? You just wanna scare them now that Gonta has disappeared!"

At the sound of Monokid's voice blaring through the monitor, Kaede and I both let out heavy sighs of relief. I swallow down the bitter flavor in my mouth, though it lingers when I give my lips a dry sweep with my tongue to uselessly hydrate them.

Even if this isn't a Body Discovery announcement, we still can't find Gonta.

My efforts to keep my lips moist only serve to chap them even more.

"Bah! How'd you get in here, traitor?! Monophanie, why ain't this Ugly Apologist tied up?! MONOPHANIE!"

"Monophanie's not here, BOZO. She probs got tired of your yapping about 'Ugly this' and 'Ugly that'! Frankly, it is annoying! Why're you so obsessed with-"