[center][img]https://pp.vk.me/c629402/v629402929/42f75/a5jFkd2weKs.jpg[/img][/center] Junko's pupils dilated upon seeing the results of the vote. “I-I lost!?” Just seconds ago, Junko gave everyone the option to vote Hope or Despair. Of course, what everyone was really voting on was if they would all leave hope's peak academy to go live in some wasteland (formerly Japan), or live in harmony in hope's peak. The catch with the second option was that Makoto would have to go through a painful execution. Fortunately, changing their minds was as easy as yelling the word “hope” at them. Which was good, because being just a normie, it was all Makoto could really do. “Of course.” Kyoko looked square at Junko. “Hope and despair are just two sides of the same coin. Once Makoto revealed his true talent, there was no way you were going to win.” Kyoko took her hands and placed them together. “Because even if one side of a coin is face down, it's still there, waiting, until it's face up.” Byakuya sneered. “It's like I said, I always win. As soon as I decided to stop fighting my classmates and decided to fight you, your defeat was as sure as death.” “Yea!” Aoi was pretty down a few minutes ago, but she perked right up. “There's no way we'd abandon Makoto like that! I mean we almost did, but, um, hope!” Genocide Jack laughed. “The only reason why I didn't vote for Makoto was because he's not a cute boy, and I only kill cute boys.” Hiro was quiet. “I uh, actually just pressed the wrong button. I know the other one had a thirty-percent chance of working out.” “Well.” Junko looked around. “Um...” A crown appeared on her head. “Your queen hereby decrees that the lot of you shall be expelled from the kingdom post haste! Though before you depart, the royal decree dictates that you shall all watch one last punishment!” “You're going to go through with it?” Kyoko raised an eyebrow. “Because that really screws with my coin analogy. I mean the whole point was-” “Actually!” Junko butt in, now sporting a ponytail and glasses. “Analogies are not designed to be taken that far. Hope and despair are two concepts that are far too complex to be chained to the simple idea of a coin. An analogy is just a teaching aid, and shouldn't be looked at further than the original example. You wouldn't use hope and despair to pay for groceries, no more than Makoto and I are two parts of anything.” Kyoko started to tear up. “B-but my analogy...” “It was weak, like your father.” Kyoko remained silent, but her stare told everyone “I can't wait for this bitch to kill herself.” “Well!” Junko had abandoned her ponytail and glasses for her normal look, or as normal as Junko can get anyway. “It's really been a blast you five, but I think it's time to go out with ten-thousand baseballs, a trip in the death cage, firetruck impact, excavator smashing, and finally some good ol- fashion compacting!” A red button popped up in front of Junko's console. “Oh, this is some fearsome despair right here. Nothing like I've ever felt before! I wish the entire world could feel just a fraction of this despair.” Her hand hovered over the button. “It's punishment tiiiii-” “No!” Makoto threw his hand into the air. Junko's hand was hovering over the button.“Eh?” “Um.” Makoto fret his brow. “I don't think you should kill yourself.” Junko laughed. “But this was part of the agreement, wasn't it? Besides, living is so fuckin' boring!” “Exactly!” “Eh?” Junko raised an eyebrow. “I need an explanation, at the very least an analogy!” “Well...” “Yes, Makoto?” Junko was gritting her teeth. She was flexing her fingers, only barely managing to keep her palm off the button. “It's just.” Makoto sighed, but quickly steeled his resolve. “We never agreed to anything! And since we beat you, I think it should be up to us what happens to you!” Junko chuckled. “Really? The way I see it everyone in this room wants to kill me.” “Well...” Makoto looked away from Junko. “That's... That's not entirely true. Because...” “Ugh.” Byakuya made one of his insufferable expressions. “Stop squirming like a lowly worm and say something!” Makoto squinted his eyes as tightly as he could. “I love you, Junko Enoshima!” “Tch!” Byakuya pushed his glasses further up his nose. “You're a full-on cuck, Makoto!” “N-no!” Aoi's skin was turning red. “You got all of my hang-out events! You agreed to be my boyfriend! I mean,” Genocide Jack placed a hand on her chest. “I actually find this display oddly endearing. I might have to kill Makoto after all!” Hiro just squirmed like the embarrassing coward he is, making those weird “aiyeeyeeEEEeeeee!” noises. Kyoko's cool exterior cracked a little. “Makoto, do you know what you're saying? How can you possibly love Junko after everything she's done? You know almost nothing about her, aside from the fact that she's nearly caused the genocide of the human race.“ Even Junko was stunned, if but momentarily. “Tch.” She smiled. “Love is an awfully powerful word, yet I have no strong feelings about it. Love has brought hope and despair to the people since the beginning of time.” She lifted the back of her hand up to her mouth. “But love is not just a feeling like hope and despair is, it's something... mutual. Even if you love me, what makes you think I love you?” “This should prove it!” Makoto looked through his E-handbook. “You like despair, but in order to feel despair, one also needs hope.” “Yes Makoto.” Kyoko pushed her hair behind her ear. “We covered this in my sublime coin analogy.” “Junko chose to execute me over everyone else because she liked me the most! This way, even if her plan did work out, she would lose someone she cared about. It's the same reason why she killed her sister!” “That's kind of twisted, like my eyes.” Genocide Jack spread her arms. “But I also kind of see where he's coming from.” “N-not really!” Junko placed a hand on the back of her neck. “I didn't really... I mean, maybe...” “W-what!?!” Hiro babbled. “You mean you-” “Please shut up Hiro” Kyoko folded her arms. “I may hate Junko, but I'm sure she can give exposition without you interrupting.” “B-but.” Byakuya growled. “How did you even survive this long?” “Anyway, Makoto's right.” Junko lowered her arms in defeat. “Ever since my boyfriend snapped* and tried to kill me, I've always been looking to restore that connection. My sister and I... We both liked Makoto. I kept my distance though, because I knew watching Mukuro be happy with Makoto would bring me even more despair. Makoto wasn't just the ultimate hope.” Junko looked away from everyone. “He's my hope.” *[i][sub]Junko had a boyfriend in DR0, Yasuke Matsuda. Part of her plan involved doing something so heinous that it would erode his love for her. She ended up killing him, but only after he tried to kill her first.[/sub][/i] Shock and awe, the room was quiet, save Hiro's weird wine he does when he's nervous. “Whatever!” Aoi shouted. “All your 'love' means is that you are too selfish to kill someone who ended the world! I think I speak for everyone when I say we think Junko Enoshima deserves to die!” “Well, I'm sure you do.” Makoto held his chin. “But just because most of you want her dead doesn't mean she should be killed!” “Geez.” Aoi balled her hands into fists. “You're definitely going to have to explain that one!” “Well, I mean look at Byakuya. If we all thought he deserved to die, he would still think his life was worth more than the rest of ours.” Byakuya grit his teeth. “Perhaps not as much with recent developments, but when I was still the ultimate prodigy, you were all definitely beneath me.” “So that's more or less what I'm talking about.” Makoto leaned on his podium. “Just as a thought experiment, If you had a room with say, sixteen kids, and all but two of them were evil. And when I mean evil, I mean they were murderers, rapists, the very worst kind of evil. You can kill either all the bad kids or all the good kids.” Makoto stood back up. “what would you vote?” “T-to kill the bad kids obviously!” Hiro stammered. “That question was rhetorical, Hiro, but thanks for being honest.” Makoto looked at the rest of the room. “So you would kill the larger number of people if you could confirm they were evil. So what I'd like to ask is what makes you think we're any better than she is. I'd argue some of you are worse!” “So.” Kyoko did not look very pleased. “You're really so delusional that you think you can prove everyone in this killing game is more evil than you and Junko?” “I don't know, but...” Makoto's fists tightened. “I have hope.” Junko folded her hands over her chest. “Makoto...” [youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwEifIlYYo8&ytbChannel=null[/youtube] “First I'll start with the five murderers.” Makoto waved his hand in front of himself. “Leon could have walked away without killing Sayaka, he was evil. Mondo killed because Chihiro made him feel like less than a man, he was evil. Hifumi Killed because he wanted a waifu, he was evil. Celestia or whatever killed because she wanted a vampire harem and a castle, she was VERY evil.” Genocide Jack giggled. “But surely their victims were innocent, right?” “No, that's wrong!” Makoto looked away from everyone. “Sayaka might have been a waifu, but she betrayed my trust because she was evil. Chihiro tried to seduce Mondo and I with his lies and trap body, and is therefor evil. Kiyotaka might have tried to act all proper, but he was annoying, loud, and belittled everyone, making him evil.” “H-his logic is flawless.” Hiro stated the obvious. “And my sister?” Junko called weakly. “Even her.” Makoto sighed. “I liked her but... she was a mercenary. Mukuro was evil.” Aoi was still all fire and brimstone. “W-well, you can't call Sakura evil.” “I can, and I will.” Makoto answered with a sorrowful tone. “She was allied with the mastermind from the very beginning. She was prepared to kill someone to start the killing game. If not for Sayaka, she most certainly would have done something.” Makoto lifted his head and locked eyes with Aoi. “Because she's evil.” Byakuya chuckled. “Well good thing all the evil ones died then. I guess we were fortunate that we survived.” “No...That's...That's wrong.” Makoto leaned against the podium, clearly weak from having to go on. “Yasuhiro wanted to sell my organs to pay his loan sharks, clearly evil.” “Wait, you got all my hang out events?” “I hoped it would make you a better character, it didn't.” Makoto went on. “Aoi, you wanted to kill all of us because you're gay for Sakura. Toko, you're a serial killer. Byakuya, you've been such a dick I don't even think I need to say it. And Kyoko, you risked getting us all killed, and almost got me killed. I'm only alive because of alter ego. You're just as bad as Byakuya. And you're all evil.” “Hmmm...” Kyoko held her chin. “Your logic is flawless Makoto. I don't think any of us can refute your logic. I'd like to add that you are definetly not 'evil.' You're a little boring, but not evil.” She grinned. “But how do you plan on proving Junko isn't evil? She may not have killed anyone in the killing game directly, but neither did Sakura. Surely if someone threatened to kill your parents-” “Yea, you're right, Sakura was innocent.” Kyoko's eyes widened. “Wait what?” “You bet she is!” Aoi screamed. Makoto smiled. “I mean, it was just an analogy, right? It's not like my example reflected reality perfectly in every way.” “Damn you...” Kyoko grit her teeth. “So while Both Junko and Sakura had evil plans, it wasn't like they forced anyone to do anything. I mean honestly, the whole thing smelled pretty fishy. We disappear, then our families disappear, and nobody notices?” Makoto shook his head. “You'd have to be Leon or Sayaka levels of stupid to not realize something was going down. If anything, Sakura is proof Junko isn't responsible for any of the killings.” “But what does it all mean?” Kyoko folded her arms. “Junko is still the one who put this killing game in motion.” “She gave us free food, a place to sleep, and plenty of waifus and husbandos to romance.” Makoto slammed his fist into the podium. “She may have baited some of us into killing, but she was't the one who plunged the knife into Sayaka's chest, no more was she the one who hammered Hifumi's stupid face. Those were all choices we made. Junko didn't turn anyone into a killer, she simply brought those desires to the surface.” Kyoko squint her eyes. “So you don't think she's responsible for the calamity?” “The calamity?” He shook his head. “It's not like Junko showed everyone a despair video** and then they magically started killing each other. If a wife cheats on her husband, and the husband murderers the wife out of passion, you don't blame the wife do you?” **[i][sub]In DR0, the despair video was far less potent, and you had to watch it hundreds of times before it could take effect. It was not the sole reason the calamity happened, and it was more a device the despair gangs used to turn people they had captured to their cause.[/sub][/i] Kyoko grinned. “Actually, I just remembered something. My, forgetting that in a time like this would have been embarrassing.” Hiro opened his mouth. “What wa-” “Quiet Hiro, I'm getting to it!” Kyoko giggled. “As I was saying, Junko killed her sister in cold blood. Surely that makes her 'evil' just like the rest of us?” “Well Kyoko.” Makoto stood up straight. “I can see there's only one way to make you see things my way.” He took a deep breath. “HOPE HOPE HOPE HOPE HOPE HOPE!” Kyoko cackled. “DESPAIR DESPAIR DESPAIR!” “HOPE!?” “DESPAIR!!!” “hope hope HOPE HOPE HOPE!” “DESPAIR!?!?!?” “This should prove it... HOOOOOOOOOOOPE!” “DESPAIIIIIIR!” Kyoko sighed. “Well, I guess that was some pretty strong logic. I can't think of anything to say to refute it. I concede.” “I must also rescind my previous argument.” Byakuya groaned. “Perhaps Junko deserves to live after all.” “I-If it means Sakura isn't evil, I'm all for it!” Aoi nodded. Genocide Jack folded her hands under her chin. “If master thinks it's true, it must be so!” And for once, Hiro knew his place. He didn't make a peep. “He's right though.” Junko looked genuinely sad. Not her fake sad she used during the trial. “Mukuro did horrible things when we were children, things that turned me to despair. After ruining me, she left to become a mercenary. There must have been a small part of her that wanted to make amends, but I knew it was only a matter of time before she did something like that*** again.” ***[i][sub]There is nothing to support something like “that” ever happened in Danganronpa, aside from the fact that Junko detests Mukuro.[/sub][/i] “Alright.” Makoto adjusted his shirt. “So, now what happens.” “Well.” Junko placed a hand on the side of her head. “I was going to basically subject myself to the last five executions. That would have been totally cool, but it seems like I have to live now.” Makoto counted everyone. “Well, there are the five of them. So if you really insisted on using it...” “Hey! That's a good idea!” Junko lifted her hand over the red button again. “Man, this feels really strange. I was so sure I was going to be the one to die, even before this trial began!” “H-hey now!” Hiro pointed at Makoto. “It was a joke, okay? I would have left you enough organs to function! I just wanted two of your kidneys!” “It's punishment tiiiime!” And so the punishments began. Hiro was bombarded with ten-thousand crystal balls shot out of a baseball launcher. Byakuya was strapped to a cart and subsequently shocked into Togami poupon. Genocide jack was almost burned at the stake, but a fire truck smashed her to bits. Aoi was compacted by an excavator. Lastly, Kyoko had some after school lessons under a trash compactor. [youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34YpaW02Kn8[/youtube] “I felt their deaths were unnecessary, but it's not like they didn't have it coming.” Makoto sighed. “Well, I guess the killing game is over, how do you feel?” “I don't know.” Junko was hugging herself. “With my analytical mind, I saw this going in one of two directions. But it's taken a third direction that I didn't even expect.” She hugged herself tighter. “Who would have thought Makoto would have tried to rescue me at the end?” “Heh.” Makoto blushed. He wasn't really use to people showing him gratitude. “So um, your despair urges. Are they still there?” “I appear to have been thrown into some kind of despair limbo.” Junko's hands slid over her heart. “My ability to analyze the world has been ruined. I use to be ten steps ahead of everyone, Everything use to be so predictable, from the words coming out of your mouth to my own actions. But now I feel like I've been dropped into a completely different territory. Everything feels new and foreign. It scares me but...” She looked at Makoto. “So does despair. For once in my life, despair and chaos look so much more boring than everything else. This, I can't understand it.” Makoto grinned. “Well, what did you want to do now?” “I-I don't know.” She closed her eyes. “I feel like I need to collect myself, but I also feel like that will never happen.” “Well, it's not a choice you have to make by yourself.” Makoto took Junko's hand in his own. It startled her into opening her eyes, but she calmed right down. “The world destroyed itself because of despair, but now it's up to hope to build it back up again.” He pulled Junko closer to himself. “A better word, one where thirteen out of sixteen children aren't murderous fiends.” Junko nodded. “I like the sound of that. Hope might just become my next obsession.” She half closed her eyes. “That includes you too, you know?” “Heh...” Makoto went to screatch the back of his head, but was able to stop himself from doing so. “You know, there are going to be a lot of people out there who aren't going to be happy about what happened. They're going to insist you're a criminal, that this is all your fault.” Junko slid her thumb over the back of Makoto's palm. “With you by my side, I have a feeling it will all work out.” Makoto simply smiled in response. In truth, he was a little scared too. Maybe this was all part of Junko's plan to win the killing game, or maybe she would simply revert to her old self down the line. She was definetly going to make Makoto's life more exciting. But when he held her hand like this, he knew that somehow, everything would turn out okay if he just hoped. [hr] Shona scanned the last few lines of the story before looking over the edge of the manuscript at Davis, who was looking very pleased with himself. “Well?” He raised an eyebrow. “What do you think?” Shona folded the story in half. “I suppose it wasn't painful to read, but writing is clearly outside your area of conquest.” “O-oh, um, okay.”