Torment and Lies (New Danganronpa V3 x OC)

[6] Motive

"Everyone! Gather 'round!" Angie chirped, waving her arm around to get all the students attention. "We all here? Good! Then let's bow our heads and pray to God."

"You're a real pain in the ass, ya know that!?" Miu barked. "Just tell us what you fuckin' want!"

"Alrighty then, check this out." Angie showed the other students what seemed to be a flashlight.

"That is a peculiar-looking flashlight..." Kiibo commented. "So, what of it?"

"Umm, I dunno what it is either. I inspected it pretty good..." Angie clapped her hands together. "Nyahahaha, but in the end I couldn't figure it out."

Shuichi gave Angie a skeptical look. "You couldn't?"

"So I asked someone for help."

"...You don't mean-"

Without warning, Monokuma popped up in front of Angie and grinned at all the bewildered students. "If somethin' has you worried, just let Monokuma take care of it! If you don't know something, I'll tell you. If you need help, I'll help you. If you don't like something, I'll fix it." Monkuma looked down sadly. "So don't get rid of it... Please don't get rid of... me."

Gonta hummed. "It's awfully bad when a lady who acts like that tries to prey on you..."

"Huh? Do you know that from personal experience?" Tsumugi asked.

"Tell us, Monokuma. What is this flashlight?" Angie inquired and gave Monokuma an expectant look.

"Why, that's a Flashback Light." Monokuma responded.

"A... Flashback Light?" Korekiyo repeated.

"That flashlight doesn't shed light on darkness, it sheds light on your lost memories."

"Lost memories...?" Ryoma parroted.

"You guys seem concerned that you couldn't remember how you came to this school... But if you use that Flashback Light, you can remember everything!" Monokuma grinned.

"What...? With this light?" Shuichi asked in disbelief.

"So it's your fault we don't remember why we were kidnapped, huh?" Kaito growled.

"What did you do to us, and how did you steal away of memories?" Kirumi interrogated.

Monokuma tilted his head. "Hmm, maybe if you use the Flashback Light, you'll be able to remember that, too."

"...I don't believe it." Maki sighed. "No way will this flashback will recover our memories."

"I bet there were a lot of naysayers and skeptics when the telephone was invented, too. For your information, the Flashback Light can treat various symptoms of memory loss. Its light emits stimulates the basal ganglia and hippocampus. Not just that, but physical-" Monokuma paused then let out a small sigh. "Phew, I didn't realize how boring it would be to explain. Basically, it works like that..." Monokuma then hopped away without saying another word.

"Hey! Don't just give up explaining after a sentence!" Kaito barked after Monokuma.

"So... What should we do?" Kiibo asked.

"What should we do...?" Tenko repeated. "You mean, should we, or should we not use the flashlight?" Tenko vigorously shook her head. "No way! I refuse! It reeks of fishiness!"

Gonta nodded. "Yeah. I don't believe a flashlight can bring back a whole memory."

"Well, why don't we ask someone who knows machines?" Ryoma said. "We've got the Ultimate Inventor right here."