Danganronpa 2 : of the elite

Chapter 4: Infected Bonds (Part one)

The morning light of Jabberwock Island did little to lift the dark cloud hanging over us. Fuyuhiko had been released from the hospital with an eye patch covering his left eye. He was more subdued than ever, the weight of Peko's death and his injury pressing heavily on him. As we gathered in the dining hall, the atmosphere was somber.

"Are you feeling okay, Fuyuhiko?" Hajime asked gently.

Fuyuhiko nodded, though his eyes didn't meet Hajime's. "I'm fine. We need to focus on what's next."

Chiaki looked concerned. "If you need more time to rest-"

"No," Fuyuhiko interrupted, his voice firm. "We can't afford to waste time. Monokuma's not going to wait for us to catch our breath."

Nagito, ever the harbinger of unsettling insights, leaned back in his chair. "Despair continues to test us, revealing our true selves. Perhaps this new day will bring another challenge?"

Before anyone could respond, Monokuma's voice crackled over the intercom. "Good morning, students! I have a special announcement! Head to the central plaza for your next motive! Puhuhuhu!"

The announcement sent a ripple of dread through the group. We exchanged uneasy glances, knowing that Monokuma's motives were becoming increasingly dangerous. We headed to the central plaza, bracing ourselves for whatever twisted game awaited us.

In the plaza, Monokuma stood beside a large, ominous-looking machine with several vials and syringes attached. Monomi was there too, looking more anxious than ever.

"Welcome to your next motive!" Monokuma greeted us with his usual twisted cheer. "Today's theme is a little something I like to call the "Despair Disease!'

Monokuma pointed to the machine. "This delightful contraption will randomly infect some of you with a 'Despair Disease' that makes you act the opposite of how you normally do! Isn't that fun? The effects will last until you can figure out how to cure it, or until someone... well, you know the drill by now."

Monomi stepped forward, her voice trembling. "Please, don't let this motive cause more harm! We must find a cure and stay hopeful!"

Monokuma smirked and snapped his fingers. Robotic arms grabbed Monomi, dunking her into a tank of dark liquid again. "Enough with the hope talk, Monomi! It's time for despair!"

As we stood in stunned silence, the machine began to whir and beep. Syringes filled with a strange, glowing liquid shot out, and several of us were injected before we could react. Nagito, Ibuki, and Akane were the first to show symptoms, their personalities shifting almost immediately.

Nagito, normally unsettlingly calm and cryptically optimistic, began to act fearful and paranoid. "Stay away from me!" he cried, backing away from the group. "You're all trying to get me! I know it!"

Ibuki, who was usually cheerful and energetic, became lethargic and withdrawn, sitting on the ground and staring into space. "What's the point?" she muttered. "There's no music left in the world..."

Akane, typically brash and confident, became shy and timid, avoiding eye contact and muttering apologies for everything.

Hajime looked around, his expression tense. "We need to get them to the hospital. Maybe there's something there that can help."

We hurried to the hospital, a relic of the new island Monokuma had opened up. The building was eerily quiet, the stark white walls and sterile smell adding to the sense of unease. Mikan, the Ultimate Nurse, immediately took charge, directing us to bring the infected to the treatment rooms.

"I'll do my best to help them," Mikan said, her voice shaking slightly. "But this disease is unlike anything I've seen before. It's like their personalities are completely reversed."