Identity V x Danganronpa

Chapter 9 -Flashback-

Aesop's P.O.V

     As we headed inside our room, it actually didn't feel so dark anymore when I turned on the lights. I had never seen anything so clean in my life. There were beds on the left side, while the other one on the right side with a single mattress and pillows/blankets. The floor and the wall were also split into two different colors: Blue and Grey, signaling the room is spaced in half. 

     I put down my embalming kit on the table on my side of the room while Eli went over and sat down on his chair. "So, you were going to tell me something?" I asked. 

     "Oh yeah, almost forgot about that," Eli said as he pet his owl. "Well, I was gonna ask you the same question everybody else was going to, Aesop."

     "About what?"

     He tilted his head curiously, "What happened back there?" 

     I hesitated, afraid to remember the last round with that hunter. But of course, I didn't want to tell Eli about this, so I turned down that question immediately, "Nothing happened," I replied, a bit nervous, "We lost and that's the end of it, I'm sorry."

     There was a moment of silence. . . 

     "We all saw what happened back there," Eli began, facing my direction from where he sat, "But if you don't want to tell me, I understand. Since you know," he faltered, "Everyone's really worried about you."

     I don't want to tell him or the others, but yet-- I don't want to hide it any longer. Since the beginning, I didn't think hunters could talk. Wasn't that a rule made by Monokuma? That we're not supposed to interact with them? I didn't do that, which was a good thing that I ignored him, and made my way to escape. Although, it still counted as a loss on our side. So we're basically even now, hunters and survivors. 

     "You promise ... not to tell the others?" I asked before I could stop myself. 

     "If you insist," My roommate said, then turned around to glance at the Monokuma clock on the wall, "Although, I think another time would be the best, it's getting kind of late though."

     I nodded, "Fair enough," I said as I reached over to the bathroom, but when my hand reached over to the door knob, I stopped. "I'm going to take a shower," I quietly told him.  

     "No problem, I'll wait for you afterwards," Eli responded and I relaxed a bit as I went inside the bathroom. 

     Curious as to whether or not I should ask Monokuma for some changes of clothes, I noticed there was a letter on the table sink. It read: Check cabinet. Going out to check the cabinet, I found out that there were many duplicates of my clothes . . . 

     Turning on the hot shower, I got inside the tub carefully, and sat down. The water felt so warm, it made my mind relaxed deep into thought. And then I remembered--

     (Flashback-- the middle of the game)

     "Kurt, behind you!" I can hear Tracy yelling less than a mile away while I was still decoding. 

     Then a moment of silence as I realized they had been hit down. As I looked at the other direction, I noticed a red glowing mark chair. Immediately, I stopped what I was doing, and summoned a coffin. It was either Tracy or Kurt. . . 

     Finally making up my mind, I went with Tracy since she was the only survivor I met along the way, and had recognized her appearance. Drawing the image out, I instantly summoned her back from the chair with a few moments of waiting. 

     Getting out of the coffin alive, I healed her as best as I can. Although, I can hear Kurt begging for help. Norton told him he was coming. Leaving it to him to save our teammate, me and Tracy decoded the cipher together until we realized we had only a cipher left. We were almost about to make it out alive. 

     Unfortunately, that hunter decided to go into the picture realm. And before I knew it, Norton was terror shocked trying to rescue Kurt. After the hunter was putting Norton in the chair, both Kurt and Norton were gone. It was only me and Tracy left. 

     Tracy was terrified, and I can't say the same for myself. "We have to split up," she whispered to me. "Being together will only make it worse."

     I nodded as if to agree and she ran off. But in reality, I disagreed. . .

     Though, it was strange I never saw the hunter myself, I could tell it was only just the beginning for me. Quickly running over to the other cipher, I started decoding as fast as I could. "Focus on decoding!" I told Tracy in my mind. No response. 

     "Sorry," was her answer, and I turned around to watch the rocket chair flying away, leaving me alone. And I couldn't blame her. 

     As I was decoding, I could feel myself trembling. Not that the hunter was near me, but he had already entered the photo realm again. If he can guess where I am, I don't think I could even stand a chance!

     . . . 

     25% decoding progress. Come on!

     . . . 

     50% decoding progress. Keep it going!

     . . . 

     75% decoding progress. Almost there!

     . . . 

     90% decoding progress. Just a little more!

     But just as when the photo realm disappeared, my heart pounded in fear as I instantly took my hands off from the cipher. I was lucky enough to not get terror shock, though I can feel the blade of the sword hitting my back really hard. It took all of my might and willpower to run away. 

     Looking back at the hunter, I could tell he was French because of his fancy, white wig. He also wore a blue coat with golden patterns near the front and the end of the tails/coat. The tip of his sleeves were loosely white and not to mention that his skin was very smooth as the sun reflected on his face. His eyes was mysteriously all blue, as if taking one look at him was just enough to scare others away. 

     As he was making his way towards me with his fancy, black boot, I ran behind one of the walls. Every step he made was very easy to detect where he's at, but even so, it scares me to think what'll happen if I surrendered right now. 

     Just as I was about to hide, I can hear his voice saying, "Come on out~ I know you're here," his voice sing-song. Since when do hunters do that? Try to lure their victims with their voice? I think not. 

     I trembled as I made a huge mistake of my life, I ran. . . 

     Hearing my footsteps, he immediately chased after me. His lips were curled into a smirk as I did my best to kite him. "G-get away from me!" I wanted to scream so badly, but my mouth refused to utter a single word. 

     Struggling as I ran, I could feel the pain on my back. If he hits me one more time, I don't think I can survive this! Just as when he was right behind me, I flinched as he drew his sword in front of me, stopping my tracks. 

     I hesitated. If I kept running, his sword would surely slice my neck. Instead of saying anything, to plead or to beg, I said nothing. Remembering Monokuma's rules, I didn't want to risk interacting with this hunter. 

     Feeling the grip on my shoulders tighten with his other hand, I waited for him to take me down so I could join the others in the manor, but instead, he whispered something in my ears. . . 

     My eyes widened in surprise and I felt like the world around me shattered into a million pieces, but still, I did not respond back. Was he telling the truth?

     He chuckled, glancing at the dungeon ahead of us. "Go before I change my mind."

     I felt the pressure on my neck was gone as he let go of me, and I quickly ran towards the open dungeon. Just as I reached over there, I turned around to notice that he wasn't following me anymore. 

     The hunter was standing there, waiting for me to leave. But the more I hesitated waiting, the more my heart began to race. 

     "Please don't forget my name's Joseph," the hunter added, and I nodded before jumping inside the dungeon, and the round was over. . . 


     Feeling myself diving under the water, I held my breath as I let the water sink me in. Even so, I'm glad Monokuma hadn't spoken a word about that incident. Just thinking about him touching my shoulder was enough to drive me into shivers. 

     Pulling myself out of the water, I dried myself with a towel, and got dressed. Making sure the area around me is clean, I got out of the bathroom. Curiously, I glanced around the room, wondering where Eli had gone too. Had he left this room when I was in the shower? Before I was about to guess where he's at, I heard someone outside. 

     Curious as to who was out there, I slowly pushed the door a little open just in time to hear a familiar voice saying, "Fine, I'll go see to it." It was Eli!

     But then I faltered. See to it? See what exactly? And who was he even talking to? That's when I got a little bit closer on the edge, and my heart stopped. It was Monokuma...? What was he doing out there with Eli?

     "Good, then it's settled," Monokuma chuckled, "Puhuhu, you really are lucky to be here!"

     "I don't see why not?" Eli replied back, then softly asked, "When do you want me to do it?"

     "Tonight's the best time, under the cover of darkness, you'll do what I had asked you too," Monokuma responded with a smile, "And don't forget not to tell anybody about this."

     I watched as Eli did a quick nod, and that's when I realized their conversation was over as he was about to go back into the room. Immediately, I went back into the bathroom, pretending I wasn't done yet changing. 

     Waiting for a few minutes, I pretended to get out like it was my first time. "Oh, finally done already?" Eli asked, as if he was waiting in the room for a long time for me to finish. 

     "Hmhm,"  was all I could mumbled before I hesitated, wondering whether to ask him what he and Monokuma had been discussing about, but I don't think right now would be an appropriate timing now that Eli had gotten up from his seat, and was about to head over to the shower room. 

     "You smell nice," Eli complimented me as he passed by me, and I quickly forced myself to look away from his gaze, embarrassed. 

     Nobody has ever complimented me like that. . .