SDRA2 Redux: Trouble on Jabberwock Island

Chapter 5 Part 2

POV - Mikado

Oh hi there, readers! You might have known who I am from the minute you read the prologue of this story! But you probably need a refresher.

I'm Mikado Sannoji. The Ultimate Bounty Hunter. When I received my acceptance letter to Hope's Peak Academy, I didn't expect to meet thirteen other students, much less get told by this monochrome bird about how we are trapped on this island forever... unless we kill each other.

After the first class trial, we found him. Teruya Otori, the fifteenth student, who we found washed up on the beach. The one they call the Former Ultimate Merchant. Should we watch out for him?

So it was no longer just the 14 of us on this nightmarish island. No. I was now stuck on a mysterious island with fourteen other kids my age.

9 of us are already dead... but I'm determined to protect the remaining survivors, no matter what!

Anyways... onto the story!

Indeed, I woke up rather refreshed. Alas, there was no thinking on an empty stomach. I got out of bed and headed for the hotel's restaurant.

Most of us were already there when I arrived.

Two students were having a rather unusual conversation as I sipped my own coffee...

"Well, it can't be helped, I suppose," Teruya sighed, standing up to take his dishes to the Kitchen. "Nothing to do but escape."

"Easier said than done, I'm sure," Syobai frowned, picking up his own dishes by his side as he followed.

After putting my own dishes away, I decided to roam around for something to do. My wandering eventually brought me to the Starbucks, where I saw Syobai sitting there.

"Syobai...?" I tilted my head, somewhat surprised to see him here.

"Ah, Mr Sannoji," he replied, nodding.

"What are you doing out here?" I asked, sitting down beside him, but not before getting a coffee. Syobai sighed wistfully.

"Just... thinking, is all."

"Oh. Anyways... there's something I need to give you."

I gave Syobai the coffee.

"Wh-What?! Where did you get this...?! I mean... it's pretty cool. I *guess* I'll take it off your hands if you don't want it..." was all the detective could say as he sipped the coffee.

"I didn't know if you would like it..." I admitted. "Anyways..."

"Let me guess... you want to hear all about some of the worst cases I've ever investigated as a detective?" Syobai raised an eyebrow.

"Er... well..."

"It's alright," He shrugged. "It's only natural that you're curious. Just let me know if you start feeling nauseous and want me to stop," he smiled slightly, a dangerous gleam in his eye.

"O-Okay..."

"Let's see... there's quite a few stories to tell, where shall I start...?" Syobai put a hand to his chin. "...Yes. Weirdest, stupidest, and worst. Those are usually what people ask me for."

I remained silent, leaning forward in my seat.

"Weirdest would have to be the day a group of hikers went missing, leaving their corpses naked." Syobai started.

My eyes went wide. "...W-What...?"

"On the first night of February 1959, nine ski-hikers died mysteriously in the mountains of what is now Russia. The night of the incident, the group had set up camp on a slope, enjoyed dinner, and prepared for sleep—but something went catastrophically wrong because the group never returned. On February 26, searchers found the hikers' abandoned tent, which had been ripped open from the inside. Surrounding the area were footprints left by the group, some wearing socks, some wearing a single shoe, some barefoot, all of which continued to the edge of a nearby wood. That's where the first two bodies were found, shoeless and wearing only underwear. The scene bore marks of death by hypothermia, but as medical examiners inventoried the bodies, as well as the other seven that were discovered over the months that followed, hypothermia no longer made sense. In fact, the evidence made no sense at all. One body had evidence of a blunt force trauma consistent with a brutal assault; another had third-degree burns; one had been vomiting blood; one was missing a tongue, and some of their clothing was found to be radioactive."