Monika's Return

The Harsh Reality

Neptune POV:

I quickly realize that there is no pudding in Monika's Reality. I wonder how long it will be before I get out of here. Is there even a way out? I begin to walk out of the school into the street and run into Sayori, who looks oddly happy.

"Your name was Neptune, right?" Sayori asks me. "Yep! But you can call me Nep if you want." I say to Sayori. I contemplate asking her if she has any pudding back at her house, but then I think of a better question. "Hey Sayori, why are all of you here in Monika's Reality? Aren't you guys her friends?"

Sayori looks at me with a warm smile on her face. "I believe that I can show you, Nep! First, let's find Natsuki. She knows how to look at Monika's more detailed memories." We immediately set off together to Bradley's house, since that is where I saw Natsuki last. Yuri and Natsuki where still standing outside of Bradley's door. "Natsuki, we need your help!" Sayori screams. Natsuki turns around and sees us running towards her.

"Geez, you scared the heck out of me Sayori!" Natsuki exclaims to Sayori in frustration. Sayori then explains to Natsuki the question I asked her earlier. Natsuki begins to appear more and more sad as Sayori continues to explain. I feel as though I should not have asked that. After all, that is a pretty personal question. I begin to believe that I should have just stuck with the pudding question instead.

"Yea, that may be a good idea. It will help Neptune to better understand ourselves and Monika." Natsuki says. Almost immediately, my vision begins to grow blurry. After a few moments I can't see anything. Then, I find myself back in the literature club room at the school. I begin to feel frustrated because I keep getting transported back here every time I leave. However, I quickly realize that this is not the literaturr club room I had run out of. This time, there are people present here.

I see Natsuki, Yuri, Sayori, and Monika all looking in my general direction. It seems as though I have grown quite popular! Unfortunately, I realize that's not the case when I turn behind me and see a boy walking into the room.

I turn to my right and realize that Natsuki is standing right next to me. "It's me, Neptune. I'm showing you Monika's memories. As you can see, we were all big fans of Bradley. Well, most of us anyway." Natsuki says as though she is trying to cover something up. "Anyway, this is when Bradley first joined the literature club. That big dummy..."

My vision begins to grow blurry again. After the usual blackout, I find myself standing before a desk. On the desk is a sheet of paper that appears to have writting on it. "Take a look at that paper..." Natsuki says to me. It appears that I have no choice but to read it.

"I pop off my scalp like the lid of a cookie jar.
It’s the secret place where I keep all my dreams.
Little balls of sunshine, all rubbing together like a bundle of kittens.
I reach inside with my thumb and forefinger and pluck one out.
It’s warm and tingly.
But there’s no time to waste! I put it in a bottle to keep it safe.
And I put the bottle on the shelf with all of the other bottles.
Happy thoughts, happy thoughts, happy thoughts in bottles, all in a row.

My collection makes me lots of friends.
Each bottle a starlight to make amends.
Sometimes my friend feels a certain way.
Down comes a bottle to save the day.

Night after night, more dreams.
Friend after friend, more bottles.
Deeper and deeper my fingers go.
Like exploring a dark cave, discovering the secrets hiding in the nooks and crannies.
Digging and digging.
Scraping and scraping.

I blow dust off my bottle caps.
It doesn’t feel like time elapsed.
My empty shelf could use some more.
My friends look through my locked front door.

Finally, all done. I open up, and in come my friends.
In they come, in such a hurry. Do they want my bottles that much?
I frantically pull them from the shelf, one after the other.
Holding them out to each and every friend.
Each and every bottle.
But every time I let one go, it shatters against the tile between my feet.
Happy thoughts, happy thoughts, happy thoughts in shards, all over the floor.

They were supposed to be for my friends, my friends who aren’t smiling.
They’re all shouting, pleading. Something.
But all I hear is echo, echo, echo, echo, echo
Inside my head."

"This was one of Sayori's poems. She kept her emotions bottled up for the sake of others. She  showed all of us love, but neglected to save some for herself." Natsuki states with a sad tone. I turn around and realize that I am in Sayori's room. I notice that Sayori is laying on her bed crying, while still attempting to smile.

"Prepare yourself, Neptune. What happens next will shock you. I'm warning you that these next memories are going to be very graphic, so I understand if you don't want to see them." Natsuki states. "No, please show me. I want to know. I want to see for myself. I know that sounds wierd, but you are offering me a chance to have the best understanding of what happened and how to help, so please show me the other memories." I say to Natsuki.

"Ok, but don't say that I didn't warn you..." Natsuki says to me, appearing to be alittle disturbed. I soon find myself before the door leading into Sayori's room. For some reason, I begin to feel a strange chill. I turn around and see Natsuki behind me looking down the hall worriedly. I look back at the door and conclude that Nastuki does not want to see what's in Sayori's bedroom. I gently open the door...

My eyes widen as I look into Sayori's room. What I see before me immediately throws me into shock. "That's.... No... B-but..." I attempt to say something, but cannot find the words to say. "This is why we are here, Neptune. We made mistakes that costs us dearly. Granted, Monika did greatly influence us to make these decisions. Monika used our weaknesses to her advantage and drove us all to the breaking point." Nastuki says to me in a very serious tone. "She wanted to get rid of us so that she and Bradley could be together forever. Now, would you care to see any other memories?"

I continue to stare at Sayori. I can't believe what I am seeing or hearing. I forget all about pudding and the trivial matters back at Gamindustri. "No, I think I've seen enough. I understand now. Thank you, Natsuki. This must have been very difficult for you." I say to Natsuki in a serious tone while continuing to stare at Sayori. I black out again and then find myself infront of Bradley's house with Sayori, Natsuki, and Yuri. They all look at me sadly, and I begin to grow sad myself. As I look at them, I try to think of ways to get everybody out of Monika's Reality, a place where they are constantly reminded of why they are here. Then, it hits me.

"Hey, I think I know how to get us out of here once and for all..." I state to the girls with confidence.