Danganronpa: Until Proven Guilty

Chapter Two - 3: Anarchy

The fresh air hits my face as the two of us leave the building, a deafening silence hanging low over our heads. Pebbles spring out from under our feet as we try to walk, our paces matched as we gradually make our way around the campus.
For some reason, I feel as if I should have my arm around him, half-heartedly embracing him as we meander across the pathway. Some sort of empty comfort. But his already trembling hands would probably crumble at the slightest touch from fear.
I sigh, taking in the early afternoon air. My stomach only fuelled by coffee, I feel a hunger growling inside me. But is it too late to eat now? Dinner will be in a few hours, would I spoil it by having a snack?
Surely not.
"K-kihona?" Mamo looks at me, fluttering his eyelashes, "You're walking in mud."
As I snap out of my daze, I look down at my feet. To my dismay, he's right. In the midst of my thoughts, I've managed to wander right into a muddy patch of grass. Mud creeps up onto the soles of my shoes and I groan in disbelief.
That's gonna be fun to clean.
Avoiding any further dirtying of my shoes, I step out of the grass with caution, holding onto Mamo for dear life.
"Thanks," I say, brushing off my skirt.
Before Mamo even has the chance to respond, a sharp yelling cuts him off. A feminine voice, with that sharp, familiar accent, screaming obscenities at Lord knows what.
"W-what's that?" Mamo trembles, ducking down beside a wall as he shelters his head.
"Calm down," I sigh, peering round the wall, "I'm sure it's nothing, these guys just ye-"

But it's not nothing.

Charlotte seems to be surrounded by a small gathering of people. Immediately, I see Yashira, Kuroko, Haruka, Kohi and Mitsuharu gathering around her. And another presence, a presence that instantly sets my chest alight with fear, the pounding in my heart growing stronger with every pulse.
Monokuma.
"Jesus," I inhale sharply through my teeth, turning back to Mamo, curled up in a little hedgehog ball, "Looks like it's pretty heated over there. Monokuma's with them. Maybe I should check it out."
Mamo looks up at me, "I-I'm not going, not if the bear's there. I'll go find Shiro."
"Sure thing," I say, "Was fun talking to you th-"
And yet before I can finish, he's halfway down the path, far out of earshot.
Upon his sudden exit, I dash over to the fence, their yelling growing louder and louder as I join the group.
"What the hell's going on?" I almost yell, fiddling with the sleeves of my shirt.
"Kihona!" Haruka sighs with relief as she sees me, "Maybe you can talk some sense into her."
"To who?" I raise an eyebrow.
Haruka points to Charlotte, who's burning blue eyes are fixed dead on Monokuma.

"Look 'ere, lass," Monokuma sighs, leaning against a rogue rock on the grass, "I've told you already, there's no point yellin' at me for all this shit! Don't shoot the messenger, I tell ya."
"Are you kidding me?" Charlotte spits, balling her hands into fists, "You're the exact one who's responsible for all of this. Jin and Minato died because of you."
"Charlotte," Yashira sighs. Perhaps the first time she's used her full name since we got here, "You've gone way too far, chill out for a sec."
Charlotte shakes her head, not taking her eyes off the bear, "Who's controlling you? Who the hell is behind all this? I don't like your game, bear. No one fucking does."
"She isn't wrong, though," Kohi prods his fingers together, staring at the floor.

"Well, too bad!" Monokuma giggles, "You're never gettin' out! Never, never, never! You're stuck 'ere, until death do us part!'
Mitsuharu simply stands there, watching as if he's completely unamused, completely unfazed by the scene in front of us.
"M-maybe you should tone it down a bit, Charlotte," Kuroko plays with her hair, "Have a cup of tea. Or a cookie."
"I want to make the tea!" Kohi beams, grabbing her arm.

Charlotte glares at the fence, hesitation flashing over her eyes. She looks back to us, then Monokuma, over and over again, desperately asking herself what to do. The bear only screams more and more at her, repeating the same phrases that only cut deeper every time he speaks.
'You're never gettin' out! Never, never, never!'
'You're stuck 'ere, until death do us part!'
"Charlie," Yashira grinds her teeth in her mouth, "Please, you're being dumb. Stay quiet, you could get hurt."
"She's right," Kohi cries, "You can't be violent against him or he'll kill you!"
Charlotte glares at Kohi, swiping her multicoloured hair from her face, "Nah, he can't hurt me. He's just a bear, dammit."
Mitsuharu clenches his fists, "Did you not see what he did to Jin? Are you brain dead, or what?"
Once again, Charlotte looks at her boots in defeat, as if she's lost in those bright yellow laces. Thinking.
"Fuck this," She utters, her voice almost wavering with repressed tears, "I'm not taking this anymore, I'm out. Fuck the bear, fuck this shit, and fuck you guys!"
"That's not very nice," Kuroko whimpers, "Please, Charlotte, stay with us."
"You can't get out!" Yashira almost screams, grabbing Charlotte's wrist, "Please, for fuck's sake, calm down."
Charlotte shakes her head, yanking herself free from her tough grip, "I'm going, and just you try and stop me."