A Future to Call Our Own

Chapter 10 - Oh, Look, It's Raining Outside

Chapter 10
Oh, Look, It's Raining Outside

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Hajime

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The next morning, I woke up early. I don't know why I did, but I did. I put on my clothes before daylight had begun to rise, and I took a walk. Nagito didn't wake up, or just decided not to say anything whenever I left.
I don't know what all he knows now, either. Maybe more than me.
Of course with this looming threat of this AI in my head continuing to block out any of thought, I've been worried sick over now what he knows. I was restless all the time I slept last night. Two hours at the most.
I found myself in the Future Foundation's building. Mikan was walking past me, greeting me with a smile. I still continued to forget she couldn't speak.
She took out her pad of paper, writing something down on it, showing me. It read: "What are you doing up at this hour?"
I shook my head, "I don't know. I can't sleep."
She gave a sympathetic expression, nodding her head, placing a warm hand on my shoulder before she went back off down the hallway, stepping out of view.
I found myself understanding her situation a lot more now. This continuous threat of an AI Junko possibly about to control your mind any second.
Suddenly I heard another pair of steps walking behind me, and I turned around, seeing Makoto.
"Oh, Makoto? You're up now, too?"
"Huh? Oh, Hajime, hello. Yeah, it's been a bit difficult for me to rest lately. I've personally been trying to figure out how exactly to remove the AI Junko from your mind," So it really was there. "But, nonetheless, I'm sure we will be-rid of every last bit of despair soon."
Maybe it was just the dim lighting in the hallways. Or the lights on the hospital doors. Or maybe a reflection, somehow, from the pristine floor . . .
But I saw it again.
The flash of swirls. An evil smile.
Completely full of despair.
Makoto walked past me then, placing a hand on my shoulder before disappearing the opposite way.
I left as quickly as I could, placing my hands on my forehead. It's just delusions. I'm having hallucinations.
Out in the street, I heard two laughs. A child's laughter.
Around the corner of the Future Foundation Headquarters, a Monokuma kid in a dress came skipping towards me, giggling as they approached me. "Hehe!"
The child held a square object in her hand, handing it out towards me.
I couldn't see what it was in the darkness. I could just make out the shape of it.
My fingers touched it, just barely. I was reluctant to grab it, and now I know why.
So, what was it?
What were those delusional images and faces I was seeing?
I . . . I don't know how it happened.
Souda Kazuichi, I should have never doubted you.
Because of your skills with technology, you've made the greatest thing just from a touch of a button, and sent it all the way here to me.
Oh, how corrupted you are.
My former companion, a one time friend.
Now my trigger, for a life of control.
And control by him, and him alone.
. . .
I went unconscious. I don't know what was happening. Was I being controlled by an AI Junko now? Getting all the information I knew from the Future Foundation, breaking into all the apartments, smashing every single AI, or corrupting them to be exactly like me?
I wondered, if possibly Kazuichi had been corrupted like me. Junko probably saw him as useful, since all of his knowledge with technology, being the Ultimate Mechanic, after all. Though he wasn't the Ultimate Programmer, he could still program pretty well enough to make everything work. Just as he was able to make the ability of mind control. Controlling me. Doing his work. Or Junko's work. Whichever you prefer.
This must be what Nagito was worried about. Maybe this is what he knew. Maybe he did possibly know of this AI lodged in my brain. Hajime Hinata is shut down for now. Only Izuru is active. I don't know if Nagito knew this or not. Maybe Kazuichi had tested his mind control on me before this Monokuma kid gave me this device. Nagito probably knew something was wrong, that's why he was acting strange, asking me what all I liked about him . . .
I must have said things to make him react as he did in the simulation. Not as close. Just thinking of me as something much above him, not deserving to be around some 'piece of filth' like him.
I . . . I want to wake up.
Wh-What's happening to me?
. . .
Maybe everything's okay?
There's a small chance. But it's there, right? That's what Chiaki said for me to focus on . . .
But, all I can focus on is this strange state-of-mind I'm in right now. I feel myself awake. But, I don't, at the same time. One with Izuru Kamukura, huh?
I really just . . . don't understand.
Why does it have to be me?
Why do we all have to be here . . . ?
Nagito . . . Where is my Nagito?
I . . . I need to wake up. I need to.
Maybe if I just concentrate enough. Just hold my thoughts still. Hold these thoughts in my head, just let them sit. Focus. Focus . . .
It's not working. It's . . . It's not working.
I can't seem to do anything.
Makoto, Kirigiri, Chiaki, Nagito . . . someone's surely noticed, right?
Or have I been controlled to completely abandon this place and move to where Kazuichi is? Or an army of AI Junko's somewhere underground?
Maybe meeting with the Ultimate Imposter? Or . . .
W-Wait.
No, this can't be their plan.
This . . . This can't be.
. . .
The Ultimate Imposter . . . replaced Hajime Hinata?
Ah, I understand it now . . .
Place an AI Junko in my head, activate Ultimate Despair, replace Hajime Hinata with the Ultimate Imposter, be controlled for the rest of my life, having no escape. No knowledge of what is happening in the outside world. No idea where I am. No idea what I'm doing . . .
Nagito, he can tell that difference, right? He . . . He would be able to tell it's not me. Even if the Ultimate Imposter completely changed his whole body shape to look exactly like mine.
That . . . Must be one of the reasons why I was in a coma.
Another masterful plan by the princess Junko.
Oh, Junko, my dear princess . . .
How creative you honestly are.
. . .
A vital part in this whole ordeal?
It seems unreasonable. Completely ballistic. Something I could never imagine myself doing.
But there are memories of myself as Izuru. Myself having my emotions completely removed. My thoughts, feelings, sensations altered completely . . .
But I finally had the chance to get all of that back. And I did. The Future plan had succeeded. I was finally myself again.
. . . All of it is . . . gone?
Just thrown away, being forever forgotten?
But I'm still here. I'm talking to myself in my head. Hajime Hinata is still here, in this subconscious, just as Izuru was with me. Now I'm not in control . . . And I suppose neither is he.
Whoever is the mastermind behind the mind control is. The only person I could think of is Kazuichi, himself, being controlled by an AI Junko.
. . .
But . . . What's happened to Hajime Hinata?
Where . . . Where is he now?