Danganronpa: ReProgrammed

All-Star Apologies: Part 14

True to her statement, Taeko dragged Mukuro and Kyoko into the bathhouse to take a bath together, while Chihiro, Makoto, Mondo, Taka and Byakuya all waited for them in the cafeteria. After about half an hour, the girls returned and everyone gathered around the table.

"Took you long enough," Byakuya snarked "we don't have an awful lot of time left you know?"

"Relax," Taeko smiled "we should have enough time for at least a discussion before we're made to leave the cafeteria."

"On that note, let's begin our discussion," Taka began "first and foremost, what's the deal with this Hope's Peak Academy Administrative Office? And why are they making us kill each other?"

"Alter Ego cited this incident that happened a year ago as the cause of everything." Taeko recalled.

"He called it...The Biggest, most Awful, most Tragic Event in Human History," Mondo recalled "but what the hell does that mean?"

"Just from the sound of it, it was probably something pretty big..." Makoto considered "I'm trying to remember. Was there anything major that happened a year ago?"

"Um...I'm not sure..." Taka thought "anyone else?"

"I don't watch the fuckin' news..." Mondo growled "reporters annoy the hell out of me..."

"I cannot think of anything either..." Taeko added.

"Unfortunately...no..." Byakuya concluded "what about you Ikusaba?"

"I wouldn't know..." Mukuro said "I've been out of the country for a long time...I only came home in the last 2 months."

Byakuya's face clearly said that he didn't believe her, but thankfully, he didn't start a fight and kept quiet.

"Remember what Alter Ego said though?" Chihiro said "Hope's Peak Academy was forced to shut down because of the incident. Hope's Peak, an Ultimate Academy that's been open and accepting Ultimate's for over 100 years already. If it had to be closed down for the first time in it's long prestigious history, then the incident must either be really big, really bad, or more likely, both."

"It also means that the incident itself must somehow involve the school in some way..." Kyoko added.

"I don't particularly want to think like this..." Taka said "but even if we're students of the academy, we shouldn't be the only class in the school. You don't think that all of the other students were part of a mass murder scheme, do you?"

"I'd say you're grasping at straws, but honestly, given the nature of this place, I'm inclined to believe you," Makoto thought "but at the same time, a tragedy of that scale would be littered all over the news. I searched the internet thoroughly before I came to the academy, and I found nothing of the sort."

"On top of that, there was no news coverage stating the academy had been closed down..." Chihiro added "it's all too strange for me..."

"What if there was a cover up!?" Mondo theorized "it ain't outta the question, is it? Corrupt governments cover up military secrets all the fucking time, don't they?"

"Mondo has a point..." Taeko chimed in "covering up the entire incident does seem to be in the realm of possibility."

"Personally, I would like to have a strong word with the public officials!" Taka snapped "they don't seem to have put any effort in routing the cause of the incident! It's as if they're sitting around doing nothing!"

"Regardless, there's only one thing we can really try and do at this point in time," Kyoko said "if he really is related to the incident, we need to find the headmaster. All we need to do is find the headmaster...and have him tell us everything...I'm sure of it...!"