Ugh....my head
"Is this him?"
"Yes."
voices? great lefty you finally cracked!
"Are you sure about this?"
"We don't have a choice if we don't do this then everything we've done and everyone that died will have been for nothing."
"....."
"I know...I'm not happy about this either."
"But he's-"
"Hey.....HEY......*Spat*"
"Owch, who did that?" My question was answered by a a light blue hand and my jaw instantly hit the ground. "RAINBOW DASH!"
"Heh, that's my name, feel free to wear it out." The superstar athlete said with all the ego of someone who had never lost a game."By the way why are we in a classroom, Isn't it the weekend?"
"Ummm...."
"Rainbow did you find anyone else?" A rather harsh voice from the hall called.
"Yea, and get this gilda he's a fan."
"Really?"
"Yea he completely freaked when he woke up and saw me." I can already feel a slight blush forming this is-wait!
"Did she just say someone 'else'?"
"Yea, why..."
"How many others have you found so far?" Just to be sure I'm not overreacting I look around the room for a window....and a knot settles into the bottom of my stomach the windows are covered...with a heavy steel plate.
"Bout thirteen others, oh the window thing yea I was curious about that too."
I almost shot out of the room. "Hey easy, what's got you worked up."
"We gotta find the others QUICK!" I didn't even check to see if they were following me I ran through the empty school desperately trying to locate the gym and finally found it.
"Whoa! where's the fire?" 'If only this was a fire that would be simple.'
"Seriously dude were you on the track team or something?"
"Introduction time!" A pink haired girl with a uncanny resemblance to bubblegum cotton candy had said.
Pinkie Pie
Ultimate Party Organizer
"Oh yea, I totally forgot about that, well you already know my name."
Rainbow Dash
Ultimate Soccer Player
"Guess I should introduce myself, names Gilda."
Gilda Hawking
Ultimate Biker
The others had noticed and were coming over.
"Howdy pardner, Name's Applejack but ma friends call me AJ"
Applejack Apple
Ultimate Farmhand
"A Pleasure to meet you, Rarity belle at you service....Hmm"
Rarity Belle
Ultimate Fasonista
"Ummm....hi..."
Fluttershy
Ultimate Animal Breeder
"You must be the new guy, I'm sunset, nice to meet you."
Sunset Shimmer
Ultimate Exchange student
"I swear you look familiar, did you transfer out of crystal prep. too?"
Twilight Sparkle
Ultimate Programmer
I was speechless sixteen years and the only girl I had ever really talked to was my mom....that counts right? Anyway after they had finished introducing their selfs I noticed a trio of girls standing apart from everyone else sense everyone was avoiding them I figured I would go and introduce myself."Hi I'm-"
"Don't care."
Adagio Dazzling
Ultimate Manager
"Come on at least this one is talking first."
Sonata Dusk
Ultimate Background dancer
"Don't mind them I don't, Aria blaze by the way."
Aria Blaze
Ultimate Opera singer
'Not exactly what I was expecting.' "Nice to meet you ms.-"
"Do you know why we are here during spring break?"
'Cause someone has a big ego and is in desperate need of a boyfriend/girlfriend/ social life/has a death wish.' "Sorry I just woke up here,just like you."
"How did you know that?"
"What?"
"That we woke up in here, nobody has told you that yet, well?"
'Crap not even through introductions and I'm already making myself a target.' "I didn't I just assumed that you woke up here I mean who would go to school on a Saturday, right?" I tried to pathetically laugh off my mistake.
"Saturday, It's Wednesday."
'Way to be obvious, ok clearly whoever is responsible didn't do a good job on messing with our heads, I can work with that.'
"You should probably introduce yourself to the others."
"Others?" Aria pointed me in the direction of another group of teens this one seemed to mostly consist of males with two girls among them ."Right, thanks."
As I approach I can over hear some of their conversation.
"Your sure."
"Yea flash there's no way to get those plates off without some sorta wrench."
"Ok, time what did you find?"
I couldn't believe it, they were already looking for a exit....this doesn't bode well.
"Ummm....Hey I'm kinda new here so."
"No problem but we should learn each others name, just in case someone gets lost, by the way mine's Flash, Flash sentry."
Flash Sentry
Ultimate Community leader
"Bulk biceps, but my friends call me snowflake, HAHAHAHA!"
Bulk Biceps
Ultimate Body builder
"Right, Timeturner whooves here and this is my sister ditzy."
"Nice to meet you Mr. stranger!"
Timeturner Whooves
Ultimate Mechanist
Ditzy Whooves
Ultimate Lucky
"Now that our introductions are out of the way why don't you-"
"THAT'S WHERE I SAW HIM!" Twilight had suddenly yelled loud enough that she had everyone's attention.
"What do you mean twilight? did you go to crystal prep. with him?"
"No of course not! I would have fought the transfer every step of the way if he was."
"I take it ya like the fella."
"Well no this is the first time we've met, but I've been reading his novels for ages!"
"Wait! he's a dweeb!?!"
'Might as well get this over with' "If I may, my name is Left Shift and it is my pleasure to meet all of you."
Left Shift
Ultimate Author
"Hey isn't that a pen name?"
"Well...Yes, but I'm kinda not allowed to use my other name so Left Shift I am."
"EEEEHE! I HAVE READ EVERYTHING YOU'VE EVER WRITTEN!"
"No."
"Huh?"
"You haven't read everything I have ever written, just what was published."
"Impossible, out of the 3,572,164 books in my room 1,452 have your name on them and a additional 348 are co-authored by you!"
"Wow I'm impressed." Twilight starts to beam at the praise...maybe I should have stopped there.
"Most people can't find one tenth of my work little along a fifth." She immediately goes wide eyed.
"O-only...a....fifth?" She sits down and begins rocking.
"Hey!"
"Not cool dude."
"I'd hate to see how you handle critics, if this is how you treat fans."
'Great, open mouth insert foot, maybe I can explain' "I-I didn't mean to hurt your feel-"
"Can it!"
"Rainbow.."
"Don't rainbow me you heard what he said to twi, that was just-"
"Out of curiosity dear how much do you talk with others?"
'Huh?' "Well, usually....hardly ever and then it's just my publisher and immediate family and most of that's over the phone."
"You don't know much about talking to others do you?" I shake my head this was the longest conversation I had had sense elementary school.
"I see, for future reference it's rude to undercut someone elses accomplishments like that even if what your saying is simply a fact, understood."
I nod "I'm sorry." before anyone else can say or do anything a spotlight comes on and a black and white bear jumps onto a podium that we all somehow missed.
UPUPUPUPUPU! welcome students to your brand new-
"Yea, can I cut you off there and skip to the part where you tell us the obvious part." I don't really feel like letting this guy finish his speech honestly he started rubbing me the wrong way sense he showed up."Or would you like me to tell them for you."
"Huh? you know this guy lefty."
"No, but I know of him, his name's monokuma and he only appears when-"
When there's a killing game to be had and let me tell you this one is gonna be the most despair enducing school life of mutual killing yet! UPUPUPUPU!
Everyone else was slack jawed and pale faced.
"But that..."
"That can't be..."
"No..."
"Somebody wanna fill me in on what's going on." Figures that Rainbow dash wouldn't know.
"I'll attempt to explain, about thirty years ago, back when this school was called Hopes Peak Academy a bunch of students were trapped in the school and were forced to live there until they fulfilled a certain condition."
"And that was?"
"They had to kill one of their class mates and get away with it." we all turned to flash as he said that dreaded statement, I quickly refocused the conversation to the relevant point.
"At any rate after several class trials the students were able to defeat the mastermind and escape to the outside world...for what it was worth."
"How do you know all this, I mean this stuff isn't easy to find."
"That's because all records of the event known as the tragedy were erased, it only exist in the minds of those that lived it now."
"But your a teenager?"
"And my mother is 46 years old and was part of that."
"Wow..."
"No wonder you got problems..."
"I think the monkuma thingie wants to say something." pinkie pointed out.
Yea good times, anywho you got the jist of it you are stuck here until you kill someone, but there's another fun twist as your first motive I'll unveil how each of you is connected to the killing game.
"You honestly expect us to turn on each other just like that." Flash had voiced his challenge boldly....I was as pale as a ghost
'If they find out...if they find out...'
---Lefty's imagination---
"I knew there was something wrong with you!
"To think I wanted your autograph!"
"Y'all got some nerve showing yer face here!"
"Why was someone like you even allowed to attended school!?!"
"Quick let's lock him in the boiler room!"
"Lefty....Lefty....hey left shift you in there....."*SLAP* The stinging in my cheek brings me back to reality.
"Owww, what was that for?" I say while rubbing my cheek...until I notice that I am not standing...and the roof looks different."Where am I?"
"Oh your awake...wish I knew that was all it took yesterday!"
"Huh?...Who are you?"
""That's right you were unconscious when we first met, I'm coco pommel, It's a pleasure to meet you."
Coco pommel
Ultimate Maid
"It's nice to- wait did you say pommel, as in fine pommel?"
"You know about daddy?" Those eyes are going to follow me the rest of my life. 'However long that is.'
"Yea, he use to work for my...father..."'Damn it! I can't keep let this stuff slipping out!' "How is he?"
"Dead...two years ago, how do you not know that?"
"He worked for my father."
"That doesn-"
"I haven't seen him sense I was six."
"Oh, I-I'm sor-wait! your Left shift, correct?"
"Y-yes?" I cringe slightly even admitting that made me uneasy...
"There was a part of your fathers will-"
"Wait, that can't be right! there's no way the head of the togami group can croak and nobody hear anything!" I had to disbelieve it, if he was dead then...
"I will not argue that point with you, it's not my place to question you...merely to serve."
"What are you-"
"Your father wished for fine pommel to act as your butler upon his death...as he is dead the responsibility for your well being falls to his next of kin, in other words-" I was still trying to process the fact that the man that made my young life miserable had thought enough to leave me something let alone my own butler...well maid but still this is the kind of thing reserved for messed up romance novels...I get the feeling that somehow moms actually behind this."Master?" coco looks at me with concern reflected in her large eyes.
"I'm fine, but you shouldn't call me that."
"But-"
"I was raised by a single mother who supported us however she could, I'm use to a lower standard of living, calling me that just makes me uneasy. I'd truthfully prefer that we actually get to know each other and it's lefty by the way."
"Yes ma-I mean lefty..." coco appears to be stunned by the words.
"What's the matter?"
"Nothing...it's just going to take awhile to get use to saying that."
"Right, anyway how long have I been out? Have they found anyone else?"
"Only three others, a street vender, a concert cellist and a Dj also you have been unconscious for almost twenty four hours."
'Not as bad as it could be.' "Have you heard anything else?"
"Not much the group is split on what to make of you passing out but the popular theory is that you are a pansy." 'I just bet that gilda is responsible for that.' "Miss hawking, sparkle and mister sentry have all expressed a concern for your condition...though for different reasons." 'That was-WAIT!!!'
"Did you just say miss hawking was concerned?"
"Ummm.....yes she said she thought you may have been....well......contagious." '......that....actually makes sense.'
"Oh, we should probably find the others and let gilda know that she can't catch anemia."
"Wait Ma-lefty the fuzzy thing gave me this, he said you would need it when you wake up." coco presented me with a smooth metal bracelet that had a dark section on it.'And I'm really gonna put this on.'
"I...think I'll pass, coco."
"I'm afraid 'we' do not have that option, sir."
"Why's that?"
"The door won't open for us until you put the bracelet on..." I just then realized what she meant she had been in here tending to me sense yesterday...which meant...I grabbed the thing up and slammed it onto my wrist as swiftly as I could and turned to face the camera in the room.
"There you cheap teddie ripoff now let her out now!" ...I didn't really think that through but still I got my point across I heard the door click open and we left."That..."
"That was incredible, I didn't realize you were-"
"Don't start that yet, your in trouble to young lady!"
"B-But-"
"No buts, what would have happened if you passed out while tending me, what if I didn't wake up for over a week then what? Not only would you not be there but there would have been a trial as well, I appreciate that you took such great care of me but..." coco dropped her head for the first time sense we meet...man I act like a jerk at times....heh guess that's my father in me. "Hey, look don't worry now let's find the cafeteria and fix you something to eat, what do you say?"
"I....thank you sir." I began to turn to lead when I saw coco stumble and fall.
"COCO!"
"I-I'm fine...just-"
"Just nothing your getting a meal and straight to bed miss!" I bent down and scoop her up in my arms...she feel light almost weightless in my arms. "Now which-"
"Straight down this hall and take a left at the double doors...I woke up there,"
"Good to know." And so I started down the hall with coco I couldn't help but think of what this would look like if someone walked up on this scene.
"I told you the cafeteria was oh!" ...I need to start imagining a door that leads to the exit of this place.
"Excuse us we're...well-"
"Looking for the cafeteria?"
"Why yes mister...?"
"Left shift and the young lady is coco pommel."
"Octavia melody and likewise my companion is named vinyl scratch, though she only answers to DJ PON-3 these days."
Octavia Melody
Ultimate Cellist
Vinyl Scratch
Ultimate DJ
"If you like you can follow us we were going there to get something to eat."
"Thank you Mr. shift."
"Please, call me lefty, then again you were always bad with nicknames."
"I'm sorry have we...TJ!"
"Figures you'd remember THAT name." Vinyl and coco are both exchanging confused glances."We use to live next door."
"I always wondered what happened with you and your mother."
"Short version my father happened."
"Ohh...well-"
"How does that explain anything?" vinyl had butted in. But I would rather not start talking about that particular can of worms.
"Cafeteria's this way if your still interested." I didn't even stay to hear their reply...didn't keep me from overhearing them as I walked.
"What's his problem?"
"Vinyl remember that thing we talked about the other day?"
"What does this have to do with my dub-step?"
"No dear the other thing."
"Oh that yea."
"Now would be a good time to use it." ...Following coco's instructions we found ourselfs in front of a plain looking set of double doors.
"This it coco?" she nodded feebly 'I need to get her a meal and a bed stat!' luckily there are very few people in the cafeteria when we enter. I find a spot and sit coco down."I'll get something for-"
"SOUPS' ON!"...and out walks applejack and pinkie with four trays worth of food.'enough to feed a small army' I thought to myself.
"What's going on here?" ...Somehow I even as I said it I would be regretting the question.
"Hey lefty your up!" pinkie said in what I was starting to suspect was her usual manner.
"Your looking much better than before." '...Did someone just say something?'
"How did you get out of the nurses office?" Twilight said looking me dead in the eye.
"Why ask that sugercube?" 'I should probably answer that as well.'
"Because you couldn't get in earlier could you?" Everyone turned their heads towards her with varying degrees of shock. "The only reason for that question is if you knew the door was locked, the fact that you went to check means that it wasn't yesterday, coco told me how long I was out and the door unlocked when I put this on." I held up my arm to show the bracelet, not that I needed to the things the size of my wrist and a metallic silver color. "Now if there's no more questions can I PLEASE get something for my friend to eat!?!"
"Sure thing, here you go." Pinkie placed a small pink cupcake in front of coco. 'REALLY!!!' To my surprise she starts eating it her first bite barely taking a nibble out of the miniature cake.....and another....and a actual bite....then the rest of the cupcake....I stopped counting after the 28th one...'Note to self NEVER treat coco to cupcakes...' after she had finished she just sat there for a few minutes without moving a inch.
"Umm...coco....are you-"
"Justfinethanksyouforasking,jeezit'sgettinglatecanIsaywithyoutonight?" ...there are somethings human ears weren't meant to be able to understand...a hyper coco appears to be one of them.
"Rrright, Translation someone?"
"She wants to stay with you for the night." Everyone and I mean everyone was staring at pinkie wide eyed. "What? I work in a cake shop, you gotta be able to understand rush in that kind of place."
...I decided that now wasn't the time to argue with insanity. "Boy is THAT a joke" 'Not now, damn it not now!' "I...think I need to go lay down."
"Thisway!" coco is surprisingly strong for her weight and size she drags me five steps towards the door before my mind can tell my feet to follow...it takes all my effort just to keep up with her...and by luck we stop just before we run the whooves over...
"Hey lefty, good to see you!" The blond girl that timeturner introduced as his sister greeted.
"Nice to see your well old chap, now would you mind explaining why we almost became half-siblings?" He asked jokingly.
"Sorryitwasmyfaultmastersaidheneededtolaydownandnoonereallyknowswheretheroomsareyetand-" Timeturner turned a quizzical eye to me.
"She ate a lot of cupcakes...don't ask."
"Ah! Pinkie?" I nod.
"Don't bother, you probably can't explain what happened, trust me you'll drive yourself mad trying to figure it out." well at least this wasn't as openly hostile as twilight's question. It was just then that I noticed his sisters eyes.
"umm..."
"So you noticed?"
"Huh?"
"It's ok ditzy and myself get that question alot, and no there's nothing wrong with her she just has wall eye." 'He said it was ok but...it's clearly upsetting him maybe I should change the subject.'
"hey lefty look!" As I draw my eyes in the direction that ditzy is pointing I see a set of doors with portraits on them...but they aren't of us, most of them I know...but why would there be...'Oh, you bastard!' 'hey look there's me! Awe I was so cute then! 'NO!' Please...just let me play with one of them? 'NO! GET OUT NOW!' What do you think I've been trying to do. "Hey isn't that uncle soda?" For once I'm glad for a intrusion on my thoughts.
"It does look like him and this one here...hey isn't that?" The portrait timeturner was regarding was that of a young woman with long dark hair that hung in a twin set of braids with a large set of glasses though it wasn't shown in the portrait I would bet that there's a little black book in her hands.
"Toko Fukawa...The ultimate Novelist." As if I would forget that.
"How did you know that?" timeturner asked his face slightly paled by my revelation of the mystery girls identity.
"How did ditzy know that that one was kasuichi souda?" 'As if I needed a answer.'
"Cause he's-"
"Our uncle...and your point is made mr. shift I apologize if my question was slightly aimed." 'why did he interrupt ditzy like that?' As I was about to ask the intercom came to life with a very familiar voice on it.
"Attention students, please report to the auditorium immediately. Consult your Electrobands if you require assistants...Thats the bracelets your all wearing if you dumbasses couldn't figure it out." And with that the intercom went dead once more.
"Well I guess we should go to see what our headmaster want shouldn't we?"
"Good Idea...Except...." I Glanced down both ends of the hall to emphasize my point.
"AH! Yes that does pose a problem doesn't it?" Timeturner said scratching his chin in thought.
"What does this button do?" We all turned our attention to ditzy who had some how found a button on the inside of the bracelet and had pressed it by the time we had noticed revealing a small screen that displayed several blue and red lines and a arrow pointing in the direction that coco and I had just come from.
"...Well, problem solved." timeturner said as he followed his sisters lead, me and coco followed suit.
As we were walking I finally got a chance to catch my thoughts. "Hey timeturner?"
"Doctor, please I keep looking for my mother every time I hear that name."
"Ok, doctor why didn't monokuma go over this when we were all in the auditorium earlier?" 'Cause that would have been to easy, Seriously let me OUT! it's getting cramped in here!' "I WASN'T ASKING YOU!"....It took me a few seconds to realize that I had actually said that remake, coco, timeturner and ditzy are all staring at me...like I'm crazy. "That's because you are, from the moment you were born you were-" "SHUT UP!"
"Lefty!"
"No! Don't approach him, go get the new guy."
"But..."
"GO NOW!" I hear the rapid footfall and then my own mind consumed me.
---The Trial Room, Left Shift---
When I regain my sight I am standing at a podium within a circular room its walls covered with pictures of faces some I know and others I don't it would scare me...except I've been here before."Alright, I'm here come on out and let's get this over with."
"My your impatient, I mean you haven't even looked at what I did with the cage." My oldest foe mocked from across the room."I was starting to think you didn't want me anymore." Her fake pout doesn't even disturb me anymore.
"How could I do that after all who knows each other as well as we do, My secret self, My other self, My darkest dream...My....despair"
It's my party...-Everyday life(Day 3)
Trial room, Left Shift
There standing on the opposite side of this circular chamber of dread was the epitome of my nightmares, a girl roughly my age with cerulean blue eyes and her blond hair worn in a twin set of messy pigtails and a ornate crown set at a jaunty angle. There was no way this could be anyone else I was standing toe to toe with the dark design, the mastermind of the mutual killing game, the one thing I feared....Junko enoshima.
"Ugh! why are you still dressing like that? Still hoping that if you look enough like him that daddy will take you back, oh that's just so..."
"DON'T YOU DARE BRING HIM INTO THIS!" 'Especially sense your the reason I started dressing like this to begin with.'
"Oh...daddy issues? Don't bother, I already know after all-
"NO!"
"What kind of mother doesn't know their own daughter, upupupu!" 'That grin...evil is the only word that can describe that. Alright I...I need to calm down the more upset I get the stronger j
unko becomes.'
"Hey can you hear me in there? Listen if your in there left shift, you can't just deny everything don't let whatever is in there with you tell who you are. You know what's true and what's false trust me stand up and face the truth and you can beat it."
"W-Who are you?"
"Are you talking to yourself again, That is hardly becoming of the future queen of the new world." 'She's standing there like she has already won...but what I heard was right, if I can face this then I can beat her...I can beat the ultimate despair!'
"I'm not going down without a fight!"
"Oh well, I guess if I beat you down now you won't be a problem later. Very well then have at thee!"
Periodically left shift will be forced to face off with her inner self (Who for some reason take the form of junko enoshima) and will not be able to proceed until she defeats her in a awakening debate...Oh! you never heard of those it's simply a rebuttal showdown that takes place inside someone's head now on to the fight!
Awakening Debate
Affirm
Deny
Junko- You know, it's really hard to watch you act like this. I mean didn't I teach you to respect your mother, or is that just a lesson that we skipped like potty training for mikuko.
Left- You were dead long before I was born, get to the point of your argument.
Junko- I see, your just like her, my dear sister. Oh, how I miss her at times.
Left-Try telling that to someone who doesn't know that you killed her in cold blood.
Junko You see, right there we really are the same after all.
I'll cut that claim if half!
"The same...we're nothing alike, you deceived your friends, misled those who idolized you, you even went so far as to kill your own sister and the only person who ever loved you all for the sake of despair. I'm not like that, I'm not like you and I NEVER will be, got that!"
"...alright you win....for now..." As the room slowly faded from sight I heard her add"I'm watching you..." in a somehow sickening singsong voice. When I awoke I was laying down on something rather hard, a glance around the room told me that I was back inside the nurses office but, when I try to stand up.
"AGH!" A sharp pain shoots through my right leg and before I can make another move a old man moves to the bed from somewhere I didn't see and rolls me back onto it.
"There, well now that your awake Let's go over the damage you caused yourself before you try to do something stupid like compete in ninja warrior,Hohohehe!" At first glance you would think this guy is way overweight, his oversized tee-shirt just managing to cover his gut yet when he walked over to get some papers, my charts I presume, he moved without a sound say for a audible pop when he leaned to pick them up. "Now let's see your Toko fukawa Jr. correct?" I nod, no point in lying about that if octavia hasn't blabbed it to half the school by now they'll find out eventually anyway. "Excellent, cause I don't think I have chart for your guest anyway,Hehe." I can feel a strange gentleness in his words...'oh, god tell me I am not THAT kind of woman!' I chuckle nervously. "Don't worry you file says to call you left shift unless you say otherwise, oh my did I introduce myself yet, I'm your on campus general care practitioner...at least that's what the annoying little spoiled brat said it was called back in my day we just called them mentors, dwayne wrightfield by the way."
Dwayne Wrightfield
Ultimate Mentor
"Yeah, You know this room use to be a old broom closet?" 'That's a strange topic?'
"N-no..."
"Well to be fair it was before your time...seems a lifetime ago to me at times, he, when did I get old?" 'Judging by the WWE shirt around 2016.' "Anyway you'll be fine bed-rest for the rest of the day and we should be able to release you on a light load restriction for a week after that you should be fine, but I do have one concern...it involves the reason you came under my care." 'Here it comes.' "Now I can't tell you to make friends but whoever you got inside you...they nearly succeeded in killing you." I was stunned not surprised, that would have been if she had left me be...like that was gonna happen, even after I beat her she still causes me trouble."Now I'm not a psycowhatchamacallit but this kind of thing is to much for any one person to handle, so I can't tell you to make friend but having a support net could help and I think I know where to start with that." I spent the rest of that day talking with dwayne about 'the good old days' turns out he use to be a recruiter for hopes peak and a good one at that, he used his ultimate mentor talent to find kids who were 'heading down a one way road' and 'turn them around before the hit the wall'. He Treated each and every one as if they were his own kid to the point that he actually kept pictures of them with him, he even listed off some sounding like a father dothing on his only child until...
"Who's that mr. wrightfield?" I asked pointing out a partially hidden picture of a platinum blond haired girl in a white button up shirt and short skirt with a hoodie.
"Oh that's..." He jumped when he saw which one I was pointing at."T-T-that's...C-" 'Why is he, wait he was a recruiter...did I just ask!?!'
"Dwayne?"
"Its-I'm ok, it's just hard to talk about her?"
"Who was she?"
"Her name was chiaki nanami, the ultimate gamer...the first I had to bury."
"I'm sorry, I didn't-"
"Don't."
"Huh?"
"Never apologize for asking a question-" He turned back to the picture where it sat on its shelf."You asked...that means you cared, never apologize because you care do that and some good may come of that day yet." Dwayne said stoically but I could still see the tear he was fighting to hold back. I kept trying to think of something that I could do to help something to take his mind off of what was obviously a dark moment in his life...and I couldn't think of anything...well ok i did think of one thing but THAT wasn't happening aside from being completely inappropriate he was what 50 something that's old enough to be my grandfather! "Hold up, I think I got something for you." he went over to a nearby desk opened a drawer and closed it after about half a second of rumedging around for something he apparently found. "Just goes to show you what a unhealthy obsession with capsule machines will get you." He said with a small smile a shadow of his former mirth returning as he gave me...
"A...medkit?"
"It's got everything a person needs to survive...and gummies....lots of gummies.....actually most of it's just candy." 'How long has he been holding this...nevermind at least he's back....kinda.'
"Thank you mr. wrightfield! I love it!" 'Technically not a lie, I do like it it's just...' The rest of the day passed silently and only SLIGHTLY oppressive still I thought about what dwayne had said and I realized I didn't even pay attention to what anyone looked like other than the obvious boy/girl even coco. 'I have to fix this, they may be the last people to see me alive and what do I want them to say about me, that I'm a jerk, that I never even talked with them, or worse what if it's reversed what if I'm the last person they get the chance to meet what if that's what happened to chiaki...no, I won't allow it even if it kills me come tomorrow I'm turning over a new leaf...I AM going to make friends with these people and we ARE going to get out of here...all of us' I leaned up slightly to catch sight of chiaki's picture. 'All of us...even you.'
