Digital Trigger Survive [Digimon/Danganronpa]

Hiya folks! I've decided to bring this project to this site. The reason this story was made is simple enough, I enjoy both Danganronpa and Digimon and I figured why not combine the both of them together? Plus I decided to include two OCs into this story but they're kinda like self-insert characters. Also I won't deny it, the opening is similar to one of my other stories, sue me, I'm lazy. Anyways, enough of that and here's the story!

---

Daniel opened his eyes and saw the stars dance. Floating flecks of white light swayed and curled lazily towards an inky black oblivion before him. He felt calm, relaxed, on that dreamy cusp between waking and sleeping.

He breathed in, filling his lungs with cool air that spread throughout his limbs, lifting him into wakefulness. Only then did he notice he was on his back. With care, Daniel pushed himself up to a seat. The ground beneath him was made of light, white and blinding, and nothing more, but it was firm under his hand. Stars in the form of tiny fuzzy orbs emerged from the solid light and drifted upwards. Daniel frowned and looked around. The light didn’t extend to the edges of this void world; this platform was the only tangible space.

The dreamy wonder wore off quickly at the realization. Void. Alone. He was alone in a potentially endless world of dark. How did he get here? This felt too real to be a dream; his imagination wasn’t that good. Daniel started breathing hard, but he fought down the panic. He stood up with noticeably more effort than before and looked around. The platform was a lot smaller than it seemed sitting down, but to his immense relief, he saw a darker shape in between the floating lights laying sprawled out on the platform. He knew that shape better than his own.

Daniel rushed over and gave the figure’s shoulder a firm shake.

“Mateo!” he urged. “Mateo, wake up!”

Daniel’s older brother groaned. “Figh mer miniz,” he grumbled and rolled away from Daniel.

“Mateo!”

“Whaaat?!” Mateo sat up fast and slammed his head into Daniel’s jaw. The boys yelped out and cradled their injuries.

“What’d you wake me for?” Mateo griped. “I was having a nice…dream…” His dark brown eyes went wide as he surveyed their surroundings, quicker on the uptake than Daniel had been.

“Dan,” he said carefully, “where the hell are we?”

“I dunno,” Daniel replied as he helped his brother to his feet. “I just woke up a few minutes ago.” He frowned. “Or at least I think it was a few minutes ago. It’s kinda hard to get a sense of time…”

“And you’re not hurt, are you?” Mateo asked, giving his brother a serious look over. “Not nauseous or dizzy or anything?”

Daniel shook his head. “No, I’m ok.”

Mateo’s face relaxed somewhat, then he turned his attention to the void. “Do you remember anything from before you woke up?”

Daniel thought hard. “I…don’t. I think I was…” Scowling hard, he took off his green beanie and ran a hand through his black curls. “I don’t remember anything.” He dropped his hand with a huff and looked up at Mateo. “You? You said you were having a dream?”

“Yeah, I remember dreaming, but not what it was about.”

“Sounded like it was pretty good.” Daniel put his beanie back on and grinned mischievously up at his brother. “I bet it was about—”

“Hey,” warned Mateo, but he was grinning when he punched Daniel in the arm.

“Ow! I should’ve let you sleep. All you’ve done since waking up is hit me.” Daniel joked as he rubbed the arm that got hit.

Mateo smirked as he pointed his thumb towards him. “And I’ll do it again! Assert my older sibling dominance.”

Daniel snorted and rolled his eyes, but he was smiling along with him. A few moments pause as the gravity of the situation sobered them again.

“Maybe we died,” Daniel said abruptly.

Mateo groaned. “Don’t say that.”

“I’m serious!” Daniel moved to the edge of the platform. “Maybe we had an accident or something, and this is the afterlife.”

“Shitty afterlife.” Mateo joined him by the edge and peered down. Nothing but darkness farther than the eye could see, and none of the floating lights were there to help illuminate things. The depth made Mateo’s head spin, and he placed a hand on Daniel’s chest to gently push him back from the edge.

“Well, if we’re not dead,” Daniel said, “maybe we’re asleep? Or I’m asleep and you’re just a figment of my imagination, and the real you is somewhere else.”

Mateo raised his fist. “Want me to hit you again and find out?”

“No thank you.” Daniel replied with a deadpanned tone.

Mateo straightened and moved back towards the center of the platform. Daniel followed.

“I could be wrong,” Mateo said and rubbed the top of his head, “but I feel pretty real, and I’m guessing you feel real too, so I don’t think either of us are dreaming. Doesn’t explain how we got here, but considering the circumstances, we really only have one option.”

“What’s that?”

Mateo cupped his hands over his mouth and shouted, “HEY! Is anyone out there? Hello?!”

His own words replied, but that was it.

Daniel cupped his hands too and shouted, “Can anybody hear us? Hey! Hello?!”

The boys kept shouting and screaming into the nothing, but their echoes were their only answer. They screamed until their voices broke, but still the nothing only yawned back at them.

As the last “Hello?” bounced around and faded, dread settled in Mateo’s chest. “We really are alone,” he murmured. He looked at Daniel, whose eyes looked at him with growing panic. Mateo squared his shoulders and hardened his resolve. “It’s going to be ok,” he said with conviction. “We’ll get out of this, don’t worry. We just need to think—”

The void exploded. That’s the first thought that the boys registered as an overwhelming white light flooded their vision. Daniel let out a cry of shock. On reflex, Mateo grabbed his brother’s shoulder.

The light assailed them for an eternal second before shrinking into three faceless forms. They seemed to jut out of the platform like lumpy stalagmites, but they swayed gently. Mateo wasn’t sure if it was a trick of the light or not.
Mateo and Daniel were rooted in the spot, possibly by fear, possibly by the force of these three figures. Daniel tried to gulp, but his mouth was dry. Mateo kept his firm grip on Daniel’s shoulder, but it took a lot of effort to bark out,

“Who are you?” The figures didn’t move or speak.

Mateo ground his teeth. “Who are you?” he demanded, louder.

“Why are we here?” Daniel said, suddenly feeling bold.

Again, the figures didn’t answer. However, one began to shift. An appendage—a hand?—reached out and from it emerged an orb of the same light as the figures. The orb drifted straight for the two brothers. Mateo’s grip tightened, but they didn’t move.

As the orb drew near, it separated in two. The two halves started to shrink and take a more rectangular form.

Mateo and Daniel reached out a hand as if in a trance. The light broke off the rectangles like a shell, floating away to reveal twin black devices that dropped right into their waiting hands.

Daniel turned his over curiously. “Cell phones?” he said. They were about the same size and thickness of a normal cell phone, only with raised, thick plastic on both sides, possibly to protect the device in lieu of a case. However, a difference between them was the thick plastic’s color. Mateo’s was the color dark blue while Daniel’s was white.

“How do you turn them on?” Mateo asked, looking for a button.

“I think it’s—”

Suddenly the screens flicked to life. There was no brand or anything on startup like they’re used to, and it loaded the home screen much faster than their devices in the real. The wallpaper was a solid black. Eight apps lined the bottom, six of which were obscured by chains and a lock. At the top, no signal.

“Of course,” Mateo muttered.

The time was visible, but the internal clock was clearly broken—the digits flickered past, and a few times Daniel thought he saw symbols mixed in with the numbers.

“What is this?” Mateo asked the figures, holding up his device. Again, they did not respond.

“Hey look!” Daniel said. “I got a signal!”

Mateo checked his phone. Sure enough, all bars.

Just then, both of their devices chimed in unison. A text message.

Mateo and Daniel glanced at each other. Mateo shrugged. Daniel furrowed his brow slightly and nodded once. The two tapped their phones together.

Daniel took a deep breath and hesitantly, but hopefully, looked down. The breath rushed out, and his shoulders dropped.

“It just says, ‘SURVIVE,’” he said with a slight tremor in his voce. “What the heck does that mean?”

“I don’t know,” Mateo said dazedly. He looked up and for the first time, Daniel saw that his brother was afraid. “But mine says, ‘FIGHT.’”

As soon as the word left his mouth, both devices blazed with a white-hot light that consumed their surroundings. Daniel cried out and fell back. Mateo shouted for his brother and lunged towards him before the light swallowed them both, but it was too late. The ground fell out from their feet, and they lost consciousness.

---

Daniel opened his eyes again. There were no dancing stars to greet him.

He sat up and groaned. Every muscle in his body protested at the movement, and his head throbbed.

“Matt?” he mumbled and turned as much as his splitting headache would allow. Something crrrrunch’d under his hand, startling him. “What the hell?” he murmured as he lifted his hand and a dried, broken vine fell away from it. There were more; an entire tangle of vines snaking over and through what looked like stout wooden bookshelves.

Daniel’s head spun, and his heart drummed painfully in his chest.

“Don’t panic,” he whispered to himself, slowly rising to his feet. “Don’t panic. It’s fine. Everything is going to be fine. Ok. First step: what do we know? World of darkness, weird light people…” He patted himself down and felt the familiar shape of a cellphone in his back pocket, and he didn’t need to pull it out to know it wasn’t his. “Strange device thing with a message from an unknown number. And now I’m here….” Daniel turned in place. “Where is here?”

“Here” appeared to be a very, very rundown library. Daniel ventured to guess this was a school library; there weren’t any signs or posters or any other written indication, but there were several sitting spaces and desks for studying, and more of the squat shelves than the tall ones like he remembered from his school’s library. The few windows were broken with massive vines and tree branches growing through and stretching up to the ceiling, giving the impression that most of the roof was held up by foliage. Vines broke through sections of the wall and spilled out onto the floor, snaking around, over, and through the furniture. Many of the shelves closest to the walls were toppled, spilling books and magazines all over the place. The parts of the floor that weren’t covered in vines, grime, and debris revealed aged and chipped hardwood.

Occasionally Daniel would see sparkles of rainbow light out of the corner of his eye, but he chalked those up to a concussion because they disappeared whenever he tried to look at them directly.

Most of the standing shelves were bare except for a thick layer of dust; the books that didn’t have a home were strewn about the library, abused, and forgotten. their pages flung about like trash. Daniel picked up one of the discarded tomes near his feet and ran a hand over the stained buckram cover. There was no title on the front, no text along the spine either.

He thumbed through the pages; they were all blank. All of the nearby loose pages and open books were blank, too.

Swallowing hard, Daniel gently put the book on a shelf.

“Conclusion,” Daniel said mournfully. “I have no idea where I am.” A shock ran through his body. “Oh God. I have no idea where I am.” He started pacing. “Crazy dream. Beings of light. Mysterious object. Waking up in a place that I don’t know.”

Daniel clapped his hands on his forehead. “Oh God,” he said. “This is an Isekai.”

That’s it. That had to be it. It’s just like any other Isekai anime he’s ever seen. The dream he had, it had to be real: he could still feel where Mateo’s head slammed into his jaw, and there’s the device in his pocket. And now he’s in a world unlike his own…

The prospect of adventuring in a new world of wonder and magic thrilled him for all of thirty seconds before the horror set in.

New world meant new dangers, and he’d seen enough anime to know that nothing in his life could’ve prepared him for anything from the realm of fiction. Monsters, psycho killers, zombies, demons—Oh God, what if he turned into a slime?!

“Stay calm,” Daniel said to himself, definitely not calm. “Stay calm.” But how could he? He didn’t know how to fight. And then there’s the message from the phone: SURVIVE. Survive what? Visions of massive creatures and their many rows of teeth and their devil horns and their daggers for claws and oh God oh God oh God—

Daniel put his hands on his knees and fought to catch his breath. His heartbeat hammered in his ears, and a prickling sensation washed over his scalp and fingers. “It’s ok,” he gasped. “It’s ok. You’re fine. Everything’s fine. We’re not going to die. We’re not going to—”

Something grabbed his shoulder. Daniel yelped, grabbed the book closest to his hand, and swung at his attacker.

“Woah WOAH!” Mateo jumped back and grabbed Daniel’s wrist. “Chill out, it’s just me!”

“Mateo!” Daniel almost collapsed with relief. “You’re here!” His face fell. “We’re in trouble. This world—we need to find a way out. There could be monsters, o-or demons or—”

“Easy,” Mateo said soothingly, rubbing Daniel’s back while he tried to compose himself and not hyperventilate.

“You’re gonna make yourself sick. Now, take a deeeep breath.” Daniel gulped in air and caught it in ballooned cheeks. “Now let it out slooooow.” Daniel pursed his lips and let the air escape.

“Feel better?”

“Uh-huh…”

“Good.” He smiled. “I haven’t seen any monsters around yet, so at least for now, we’re safe. In fact,” Mateo surveyed the room, “I don’t think anything’s been around here for ages.”

“Yeah…” Daniel shakily put the book back on the shelf. “Matt, I don’t think this is a dream.”

“I don’t think so either.” Mateo agreed.

“I think we’ve been Isekai’d.”

Mateo rose a brow. “We’ve been what now?”

“Isekai. It’s a genre of anime or manga where someone is transported from the real world to some fantasy or sci-fi world. Or sometimes it looks like the real world, but there’s something a little different about it. Either way, this isn’t the world we know.” Daniel explained.

“Hm. So how screwed are we? You’re the weeb here.”

“Depends on the kind of world we landed in.” Daniel scratched the back of his head and looked around. “I don’t recognize this place from any anime I’ve seen. The books are all blank, so those aren’t going to be much help.”

“Gotcha.” Mateo scratched at jaw. “Well so far it’s just looking like the world’s worst library.” He grinned. “Maybe we’ll just have to fight some giant bookworms or aggressive old ladies. Nothing too scary.”

“This isn’t funny!” But Daniel couldn’t help a smirk. “This looks like a pretty typical school library, probably high school—”

“I take it back. This is a nightmare.”

“—but I don’t get why it’s overrun with plants. It looks like it’s been around for a hundred years or something, but that doesn’t make sense since the architecture is so modern…” Daniel sighed. “I have no idea where this place is, why it’s abandoned, or who abandoned it.”

His face fell further. “I’m sorry I couldn’t be more helpful.”

“Nah, don’t worry about it.” Mateo ruffled Daniel’s hair, messing up his beanie. “We’ll figure it out eventually.”

Daniel readjusted his beanie. He wasn’t convinced, but he wasn’t up for arguing. “Either way,” he said finally, “there’s probably more to the building than just this library. We can find a way out, maybe even find some students or teachers.”

“Sure,” Mateo said as he started walking, “though to be quite honest, I hope we find the cafeteria first.”

“How can you think of food at a time like this?” Daniel said in exasperation, trailing behind.

Mateo shrugged. “What? Just because we’ve been itchy-guy’ed—”

“Isekai’d.”

“Whatever. Doesn’t mean I can’t get hungry. Besides,” Mateo held up a finger, “isn’t that rule number one of survival? First find food, water, and shelter. We sorta got the shelter part, so now we just need to find food and water. Then we can come up with a game plan for getting back home.”

Daniel thought for a moment. “...That sounds reasonable,” he said hesitantly.

“Of course it does! I’m the picture of reason. Have I ever steered you wrong? Don’t answer that,” Mateo finished quickly. Daniel barked a laugh anyway.

“Wait a minute!” Daniel halted and slapped his forehead. “I’m so stupid! Why didn’t I think of this sooner?” Mateo watched in confusion as Daniel reached into his back pocket.

“Do you still have this?” he asked, holding up the strange device from their “dream.”

The older boy’s eyes widened, and he started searching his clothes. “Uhh…yeah! Here it is!” Mateo found his in his own back pocket and tapped on the screen. “You think these will tell us where we are?”

“Hope so and better yet, they’ll tell us why we’re here.”

Daniel clicked the front facing button, and the screen lit up. The home screen was the same as before—black with the eight app buttons—only this time the clock read 5:00. Daniel wasn’t sure if that was morning or evening, but it was something.

Daniel jumped when out of nowhere, his phone rang. The Caller ID said “MATEO ORTIZ.”

Daniel looked up at his brother incredulously.

Mateo pressed a button on his phone and the ringing stopped.

“Looks like we can call each other,” he said. He tapped a few times on the screen, and Daniel’s phone went pling! “Oh good, texting works, too. I tried responding to that message from before, but it keeps telling me that there’s a connection problem and I need to try again later.”

Daniel opened the notification and responded to Mateo’s grimacing face emoji with a skull and crossbones. As he pressed the back button, the message from the dream glared out at him.

SURVIVE.

What did that mean? Is he just supposed to survive the school for a certain amount of time? Or was something after them? But why did he get “SURVIVE” while Mateo got “FIGHT?” Mateo was strong, for sure, and he never shied from beating up the older kids who bullied Daniel growing up, but if this world threw something at him that he couldn’t handle…Daniel’s mouth went dry.

Mateo eyed his brother knowingly. “Just as well,” he said breezily, pocketing his phone. “Getting info spoon-fed to use would’ve been too easy, I guess. We’ll just have to find another way to get answers.”

“Y-yeah,” Daniel said, smiling weakly. “We’ll find something else….You know what? Let’s go find that cafeteria. I’m starting to get hungry, too.”

Mateo clapped. “Yes! Great idea. This place is really giving me the creeps.”

With that, the two set off again. The library was a lot bigger than they initially thought, made more mazelike by the dense network of vines, toppled bookshelves, and collapsed parts of the building. Mateo pressed on without much trouble, only stopping to give Daniel a hand when he needed it, but a few times Daniel lingered to study the ruin. Once Mateo stopped at the top of some rubble to check on Daniel only to find him staring at a large hole in the wall, face looking a little pale.

“What is it?” Mateo asked.

“This hole,” Daniel replied, almost absently. “It looks different from the others. And look at how the shelves are wrecked.” Daniel turned his fearful gaze to Mateo. “I think something broke through here.”

Mateo shifted uneasily. His brother’s tone chilled him almost as much as his words. But he couldn’t show that.

“You think?” Mateo said offhandedly. “It’s possible, but I doubt it. I think we would’ve seen something that big already.” Mateo flashed a reassuring smile and continued down the rubble pile. “This place is just really old. Don’t think too much about it or you’ll freak yourself out again.”

“I didn’t freak myself out that time,” Daniel grumbled. He followed but not without casting one more worried glance at the wall.

Mateo surveyed his surroundings. The only way forward was through a section of tall bookshelves that were almost obliterated by a section of collapsed ceiling. Mateo hesitated. The space was narrow, but still big enough for them
both, and he figured the places where wood held up concrete wouldn’t fall on them if it had lasted this long. If not this route, then they’d have to double back a good ways and find a different one.

Mateo glanced back to make sure Daniel was faring ok without him before ducking under a couple bookshelves resting against each other. Daniel watched him go with no small amount of trepidation, but his attention quickly turned back to not slipping and breaking his neck on slabs of concrete.

“Hey look!” Daniel heard Mateo call. “I think I see the exit.”

“Really?” Daniel quickened his awkward clambering over the rubble to join him. Mateo pointed. Through the shelves, Daniel could barely make out two wooden doors that were largely splintered and barely hanging on by their hinges. A pit settled in his stomach, but he kept it to himself. The two started for the exit—then froze.

It was soft at first, a low moan that made the hairs on the back of their necks stand on end.

“Get down!” Mateo hissed and dragged his brother into a crouch. They didn’t move, didn’t dare to breathe.

The sound came again. This time it was louder, followed by a whimper of pain.

Daniel and Mateo looked at each other. It sounded human.

Over there, Daniel mouthed, pointing to the line of wrecked shelves to their left. Mateo nodded. The brothers slowly rose to their feet. There were gaps in the bookshelves, some just enough to see through. Daniel and Mateo bobbed and dipped to look through each one until:

“Dan!” Mateo hissed.

Daniel rushed over. Mateo moved so he could look.

Daniel’s heart skipped a beat.

On the other side of the ruin were two teenagers in student uniforms. Both rested with their backs against the shelves, heads lolled forward. One was a girl with a curtain of red hair cascading over her face and shoulders. The other was a boy in a baseball cap that obscured his features, but Daniel could tell by his hands that he was very pale.

The boy’s fingers twitched and he let out another moan.

“Mateo,” Daniel said in a shaky voice.

“Wait here.” Mateo rushed over to a lower part of the wreck and climbed over. Daniel was frozen in place, staring in horrified disbelief through the gap at these two people who should not be here, who could not be here.

Daniel knew them, oh yes, and their presence alone turned his blood to ice.

Mateo hopped down from the wreck and rushed to the students’ sides. They looked sixteen, about Daniel’s age. He immediately checked their pulses, sighing with relief at the faint beat in their wrists.

He gently shook their shoulders.

“Hey,” he said. “Wake up.”

The boy responded first. He lolled his head around, groaning, then looked up at Mateo. Mateo saw just a glimpse of his blue eyes before the kid dipped his head to hide behind his baseball cap.
“Where…where am I?” he murmured.

“Not sure,” Mateo said gently. “My brother and I woke up here a little while ago, same as you. Are you hurt?”

The boy swallowed and, wincing, shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “My…my head kind of hurts…and I feel sore…but I…I think I’m ok.”

Just then, the girl made a small noise. Mateo took her shoulder again and gave it a gentle shake. The girl was a little harder to rouse than the boy, but when she came to, she gazed at her surroundings with dazed, uncomprehending eyes.

“Where am I?” she asked, voice almost too soft to hear.

“I’m not sure,” Mateo said. “It’s some kind of library, maybe in a school or something. How are you feeling?”

“Mmm,” the girl said absently. Mateo was worried. He wasn’t sure if she sounded like that because of head trauma or if that’s just the way she is.

“Do you two remember your names?”

“Yeah,” the boy said. “My name is Shuichi Saihara. Do you know how we got here?” Shuichi asked as he looked around, seemly troubled.

Spoiler: Shuichi Saihara

“Sorry, unfortunately we just woke up here ourselves.” Mateo replied, clearing his throat and turned to the girl. “What about you? Do remember your name?”

For some reason that got the girl’s attention. She blinked furiously, as if to clear the mist in her eyes, and looked directly at Mateo for the first time since waking.

“I don’t know,” she said calmly. “I don’t know who I am or why I’m here.” Mateo’s worry deepened. She could have a concussion, or worse.

“That’s not good,” he said but still kept his voice calm and light. “Do you have your wallet on you? Maybe some ID?”

“Ask if she has a notebook,” Daniel’s voice came weakly from behind. Mateo turned to give his brother a questioning look and froze. What little of Daniel’s face that could be seen through the gap in the bookshelves was deathly pale, his brown eyes wide and lined with fear.

Never had he seen his brother look like that.

“Daniel,” he said, trying to keep the waver out of his voice. “How do you know—”

“The notebook,” Daniel repeated, more urgently. “Does she have a notebook?”

Mateo hesitated. He turned back to the girl. “Well?”

The girl felt around her clothes. “I don’t think I—Oh! Here’s this.” She picked up a thin white notebook from beside her. On the cover were some symbols written in black marker and a pen clipped on the edge of the cover.

“‘Ryoko Otonashi’s Memory Notebook,’” she read. She held up the book for Mateo to see and smiled. “Ryoko Otonashi! That must be my name.”

Spoiler: Ryoko Otonashi

Mateo’s eyes slid uncomprehendingly over the symbols. It looked like Japanese. “I’ll take your word for it,” he said finally. “This book’s the only one with any text on it, so it must be yours.”

Ryoko eagerly flipped through the pages then pouted. “It’s blank,” she complained.

“You know who we are,” Shuichi said, “but we still don’t know your name.”

“Oh, right. My name is Mateo Ortiz. Over there is my younger brother Daniel. Say hi, Daniel.” Mateo turned to give his brother a smile. Daniel didn’t move. Mateo turned his smile to the students. “Excuse me a moment.”

Mateo stood and moved to the gap. “What’s going on, Dan?” he said. “You look like you saw these guys kill a man.”

“I know them,” Daniel replied in a hushed tone. “I know them, and I know where we are. Mat, we gotta get outta here right no—” SCREE!!

“Attention all students!”

The group jumped at the sudden sound. A voice, a low distorted voice that almost sounded like a kid pitching his voice down in a poor imitation of an adult, echoed over a scratchy PA. The sound bounced over the desolate library, giving the illusion that the voice came from every surface.

“The mandatory entrance exam is about to begin. Please report to the gymnasium for further instructions. Failure to do so will result in an immediate failure!”

“Entrance exam?” Shuichi said, helping Ryoko to her feet. “What entrance exam?”

“Maybe we should head to the gym?” Mateo suggested.

SCREE!!

“Hehehehe! Gotcha!” A high pitched voiced cackled maniacally. “There is no entrance exam, sillies! That was a prank! And you fell for it! Ha!”

“What the hell is with this guy?” Shuichi grumbled.

“But that’s ok!” Everyone’s attention snapped up to a tall bookshelf behind Shuichi. “Because what I have in store is going to be a lot more fun!” The group watched in horror as a cluster of books slowly slid out on their own until they tumbled to the floor. Mateo muttered a curse under his breath and stepped aside to avoid being hit.

In the books’ place now sat a small TV filled with static.

“But I’m getting ahead of myself…” the voice continued.

The static cleared.

‘Oh no,’ Daniel mentally moaned.

“I…am…Monokuma!” declared the horrific monochromatic bear face on screen. One half was white with a cute round eye and the snout of a normal teddy bear. The other half was black with a twisted grin splitting the face in two and a bloody red slash for an eye. “I’m the headmaster of this school. Nice to meet you all!”

“Mono…kuma?” Ryoko said confused, but Mateo thought this time she sounded a little nervous. Shuichi paled at the sight of the bear.

“‘All?’ you might be thinking,” Monokuma continued. “That’s right! All! There are more students in this school than just you—each of you so full of potential, so laden with the hopes of this world.” He sighed. “You’ll have plenty of time to get to know each other later. For now, just BEAR with me as I explain the rules of the game.”

“This is bad,” Daniel muttered. “Really bad.”

“Now you’re probably wondering, ‘Game? What game?’ This is a fun one, I promise! You and your fellow students will be participating iiiiiiin….” Drums rolled as red curtains enveloped the screen and then pulled back to reveal big golden letters that read—

“A SURVIVAL GAME!” Monokuma cried joyously while canned applause cheered in the background.

Daniel’s heart plummeted to his stomach. SURVIVE burned at the forefront of his mind.

This is what the message meant.

Monokuma’s face reappeared on the screen. “I was originally planning a Killing Game,” he continued with a small twinge of regret, like he’s thinking about reconsidering, “but then I had the best idea for a Survival Game! Oooo, I’m so excited for what’s in store. You all are going to be divided into groups of four students. I’m not gonna tell you how many groups—that’s a secret surprise for later. You will then compete against the other groups in a series of challenges. Last group standing will get to go home! Yay! How exciting.”

“Daniel,” Mateo said evenly, placing his hand on the edge of the gap but not turning his eyes from the TV. “Get over here now.”

“One more thing!” Monokuma declared. “The first challenge is to find the rest of your group and get to the safe zone. Challenge begins now!”

“Safe zone?” Ryoko said. “Where is—”

“Good luck, kiddos!” Monokuma said gleefully. “And try not to get BLOWN AWAY!” The screen blacked out. The group stood in stricken silence, breathing hard.

Then they heard it.

A dull rumble in the far distance.

Another, closer.

BANG!!!

An explosion ripped through the center of the library. Books and wood and pieces of vine and concrete were sent flying.

The teens screamed as the world crashed around them. The blast knocked Mateo, Shuichi, and Ryoko off their feet. They slammed into bookshelves before crashing to the floor.

Daniel cried out. Mateo looked up just in time to see the precariously balanced rubble buckle and collapse on his brother.

“DANIEL!” Mateo screamed. He scrambled to his feet and flung himself on the rubble, tearing into it as fast as he can.

“I’m alright!” he heard and almost wept with relief. Shuichi and Ryoko hurried over and helped push one of the shelves away, revealing Daniel crouched underneath. He coughed then yelped as Mateo yanked him by the arm and crushed him to his chest.

“I’m fine!” Daniel protested, muffled by his brother’s shirt. “Matt, I can’t breathe!”

Mateo held him out at arm’s length and looked him over. “Are you sure you’re ok?” he demanded.

“Yeah, just some scratches.” Daniel winced as he picked a splinter out of his arm. “The shelves absorbed most of the impact.”

“We need to leave,” Shuichi coughed. Ryoko stood behind him with her hand on her head. Dust and smoke from the explosion billowed over to them, reducing visibility to almost zero and making it hard to breathe.

“Hopefully the explosion cleared a path to the exit,” Ryoko said. “I don’t hear any more bombs, so we should be able to—”

RROOOOOOOAAAAARRRR!!!!!

Everyone blanched.

It wasn’t a bomb.

They turned slowly towards the source of the explosion.

Thud.

Thud.

Footsteps, and they were heavy enough for the group to feel through the floor. Through the thick rolling smoke emerged two glowing purple eyes, impossibly high up and impossibly large. And they were getting closer.

Thud.

Thud.

A primitive part of their brains seized up in fear; like a mouse caught under a hunter’s gaze, they were paralyzed.

Thud.

Thud.

The smoke cleared.

Ryoko covered her mouth. Shuichi’s mouth stretched in a soundless scream. Mateo trembled.

“Oh God,” Daniel whispered.

Massive body.

Rows of teeth.

Devil horns.

Sharp claws for tearing.

It was everything he feared and worse.

Worse for the reality of it, yes, but so much worse for knowing exactly what it was and how impossible it is to exist here, in this place already filled with impossibility.

The creature was T-Rex in shape and size but with long spikes down its green and pinkstriped hide and two thick dark horns with red bands jutting out of its back and towards its face.
Its shoulder was emblazoned with a skull and crossbones. Its eyes glowed an unearthly purple.

“A….A Digimon?!” said Daniel.

Spoiler: Tuskmon

The beast raised its massive head and pulled its lips over its glistening white teeth. It breathed in, nostrils flaring, then—

RROOOOOOOAAAAARRRR!!!!!

The horns on its back began to glow a hellish red. It charged.

“HORN,” the beast growled, “DRIVER!”

“GET OUT OF THE WAY!” Mateo screamed as he grabbed Daniel by the shirt and yanked him through the only opening in the wreckage. Ryoko grabbed Shuichi’s arm and pulled him along with her.

By a hair’s breadth did they avoid the rampaging monster as it plowed through everything in its path. Concrete and wood flew up like dandelion fluff.

The teens watched as it crashed headlong into wall and ripped a hole in it like it was made of Styrofoam. On the other side, they could see hallways and what might be classrooms— the Digimon’s horns gauged deep lines into the sides of the walls as it went.

The four fought to catch their breath.

“That was a Digimon,” Daniel explained between gasps. “Tuskmon. But it doesn’t make sense—the only way Tuskmon is here is if we’re in the Digital World.”

‘Which shouldn’t be possible if characters from a completely different series are here too!’ Daniel thought to himself.

“What do you mean?” Shuichi asked.

“There’s no time,” Mateo interjected. “There’s our exit, but how do we get around the monster?”

“We need to let it charge at us again,” Ryoko said. The boys looked at her incredulously, but she stared at the hole. “If we can dodge at the right time, it’ll keep going while we make a break for the hole and get out. But we have to time
it just right.” She leveled a steely look at them. “Can you do that?”

The boys nodded, Daniel a beat slower than the rest. Mateo leaned over to look.

“It stopped,” he informed. His eyes widened. “It’s turning around!”

“Get into position!” Ryoko shouted.

The group scrambled to their feet and stood in the middle of the wide path Tuskmon carved out. The monster turned awkwardly in the cramped hallway, cracking the walls in places. “On my signal,” Ryoko said. They readied themselves.

Its eyes locked on them, and it growled.

“HORN,” it lowered its head and the horns once again glowed red, “DRIVER!” It charged.

Daniel’s knees shook violently, but he held his ground.

Tuskmon thundered towards them. The light from its horns colored the room a fiery red. Mateo ground his teeth. Daniel balled fists.

“NOW!” Ryoko yelled.

They dove in different directions just as Tuskmon barreled past. The monster destroyed the other side of the library, but the teens didn’t focus too long on it.

“Come on!” Mateo shouted as they scrambled to their feet and rushed towards the hole.

Daniel pumped his legs as hard as he could. His chest burned but he kept going.

Suddenly he heard a cry behind him. Daniel ground to a halt and spun around.

It was Shuichi, on the floor and hunched in pain. Daniel glanced up past him and saw Tuskmon slow to a stop, beginning to turn. Daniel flinched and rushed over to Shuichi. “Shuichi!” he said, kneeling next to him. “What happened?”

“My ankle,” the boy said through gritted teeth. “I twisted it on something.” A roar shook the room. Shuichi paled.

“What are you doing?!” Mateo demanded. He and Ryoko were almost to the hole, but stopped when they realized the other two weren’t following.

“Shuichi’s hurt!” Daniel shouted back.

Mateo cursed. Tuskmon was facing them again, and with a jolt Mateo realized that it was lowering its head again.

“We don’t have time!” Mateo shouted, hating the words but already resolved. “We need to go, now!”

“I’m not leaving him behind!” Daniel bellowed. Shuichi’s eyes widened. For the first time in a very long time, he didn’t notice that his eyes weren’t hidden under the hat—he looked up at Daniel full in the face. Daniel leveled his gaze at Shuichi, fear given way to determination.

“I’m not leaving anyone behind,” he said firmly.

Daniel helped the boy to his feet and wrapped one of Shuichi’s arms around his shoulders. Mateo cursed again and ran to them.
Ryoko followed, making a noise of impatience. “We don’t have time,” she said under her breath. Mateo agreed, and he didn’t care if that meant he was a bad person.

Much later, when they look back on this moment, they’ll realize that Daniel’s actions saved their lives.

SCREEEAAAAAAAHHHH!!!

Mateo clapped his hands over his ears. The screech tore through the air with such force, it felt like his insides were being stabbed. Ryoko fell to her knees, covering her ears, and screamed.

Mateo whirled around and felt the blood drain from his face as another Digimon stalked though the hole. It was a mix of shark, airplane, and pterodactyl. Its body was plated in dark steel armor; its piercing eyes, glowing purple like Tuskmon’s, glared out from slits in its angled steel face mask. Its wings were like a fighter jet’s. The underside of its face, its neck, and its three toed talons were leathery and lavender-colored—only exposed parts of the creature.

“That’s Pteramon!” Daniel shouted.

Spoiler: Pteramon

The monsters leveled its wings at the group. The whir of plane engines hummed through the air.

“MISSLE STORM!” it screeched. The ballistic missiles under its wings fired, aiming straight for the teens.

Mateo grabbed Ryoko’s arm. Daniel opened his mouth to scream, but choked as Mateo grabbed his arm and hurdled the three of them both out of the way.
Daniel’s grip slipped from Shuichi’s body, and Shuichi’s arm ripped from Daniel’s shoulder.

“NO!” Daniel shouted.

Shuichi shouted in pain as he landed on his bad ankle and collapsed to one knee.

Time slowed.

Daniel watched in horror as Shuichi slowly looked up, moving as though in water, face contorting in terror and pain. He threw up his hands, opened his mouth—

BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOOOOOM!!!

Hell’s fury rained down in the library, obliterating everything it touched. Daniel, Ryoko, and Mateo screamed. The whole room shook. What remained of the ceiling shattered and plummeted towards them.
Tuskmon roared in anger and staggered backwards.

Mateo was already moving. He threw Daniel and Ryoko over his shoulders in a fit of superhuman strength and ran.

“SHUICHI!” Daniel shouted. But when Pteramon took flight, clearing the smoke, all he could see were splintered wood and deep craters where the boy used to be…and a blackened baseball cap drifting to the floor before it became nothing more than pixels floating in the air.

Daniel choked down the lump in his throat.

Shuichi’s gone. But he can’t be. Shuichi was one of the main protagonist of the Danganronpa series. Daniel knew it so well. How can he be dead?

It’s impossible, but it’s true.

Just like everything else in this world.

Panic seized Daniel’s chest. If the main character isn’t safe from death, then none of them were.
They were going to die here.

“No no no no no,” Daniel moaned under his breath.

Mateo jostled him. “Hey, stop that,” Mateo barked. “I know it’s hard, but we’re still alive, and that means we still have a chance. We can cry when we don’t have a bunch of dinosaurs after our asses!”

“Look out!” Ryoko shouted.

A slab of concrete slammed into the ground a few feet from Mateo, knocking the three sideways into a broken desk.

“Everyone ok?” Mateo rasped, fighting for air. The other two groaned but were largely unharmed.

Daniel peeled his eyes open. His vision swam, but there was no mistaking the two massive forms that lumbered towards them. To his left, Ryoko looked around wildly, no doubt searching for a way to escape, but from the look on her face, there was none.

“We’re going to die,” he whimpered quietly. “We can’t win.”

Mateo gritted his teeth and pushed himself up. They couldn’t die here. They wouldn’t, not while he still had some fight in him.

He glanced at his brother’s face, dirty, pale, on the verge of panic.

A flame sparked in his chest.

“Mateo,” Daniel said, watching in disbelief as his brother staggered from the rubble out into the open, facing the two Digimon. “Stop. What are you doing?!”

Mateo’s body shook, but his resolve was iron. He jerked the phone out of his pocket. The screen came on immediately.

Mateo gripped the device in his fist and glared down at the monsters.

Tuskmon snarled and lowered its head.

Pteramon’s mouth seemed to twist into a sneer and its engines whirred.

Mateo held the device up to his mouth.

“I don’t know if you sons of bitches can hear me,” he growled to himself, “but you better listen up. You brought me and my brother into this hellscape and caused us a whole mess of trouble, so the least you can do is help us out!”

The screen brightened. The device warmed in his fist, warming until it grew hot, but Mateo only tightened his grip.

“I don’t care what happens to me,” he snarled, louder than before. “I don’t care what it costs. Right now, all I need—” He pointed the device at the monsters “—is the power to protect MY BROTHER!”

The device burst into radiant light. Beams shot out in every direction, flooding the room.

The Digimon roared in surprise and staggered back.

Mateo clasped the device in both hands. The device burned and vibrated, but he hung on. Energy wracked his arms, shot through his body, but he hung on. Power built and churned and grew and crashed over and through him, but he hung on.

Just when it almost grew to be too much, Mateo roared in defiance—and a new roar joined his.

A dark purple beam of light exploded from between his hands towards the Digimon and created a shape in the center of the library. It grew and grew and grew into a new shape—two legs, claws, a tail, and a massive maw topped with three piercing horns.

The light faded but its brilliance took the form of a new Digimon: blue skin with black stripes, claws and teeth that shone like polished pearls, head covered in a black colored skull-mask with bull horns and a snout spike.
Ryoko and Daniel gaped at the sight.

“Another one?!” Ryoko despaired. “How do we fight that?!”

“No,” Daniel breathed. Tears started welling in his eyes. “We don’t. That’s…That’s…”

The new Digimon turned to look at the trio. Its one visible eye was gold—not glowing— intelligent, and—most importantly—protective.
The monster nodded once, then turned back to its foes.

Mateo and Ryoko could only stare in shock, but Daniel broke into a wide grin and jumped to his feet.

“That’s—! That’s—!”

The Digimon stamped one foot in defiance of its adversaries and roared.

“GREYMON!!”

Spoiler: Greymon

 

“Hmm? What’s going on?” Makoto murmured weakly as he began to slowly lift his head from a wooden desk. Makoto peeled his head from his folded arms, stretching the stiffness from his muscles and shoulders, and blearily blinked the sleep from his eyes. A spot on his forehead throbbed painfully where his head laid on his arms. How long had he been asleep?

The last thing Makoto Naegi remembered was the towering edifice of Hope’s Peak Academy. From the front gates, the building stretched impossibly high over him, piercing the sky, and seeming to part the clouds around it. Makoto remembered feeling awed and uneasy. He had closed his eyes, took a deep breath to calm himself…and woke up here.

But where was here? Makoto’s eyes still struggled to focus. The room looked like an average classroom: plain beige walls, tiled ceiling and floors, a small TV in the top corner over the teacher’s desk, a large green blackboard taking up most of the front wall, and rows of empty school desks.

The only noticeable difference from the norm were all the plants. Fake vines covered most of one wall creeped onto the others. Some of the ones stapled to the ceiling must have fallen because the floor was strewn with more vines and some of their fallen leaves.

Makoto rubbed his eyes again and surveyed the room again with clearer vision.

What a dump. Broken and cracked floor tiles. The desk he sat at was covered in the thin layer of dirt. And now that he’s really looking at them, some of these plants looked pretty lifelike…He reached down and picked up a leaf near his foot. It immediately crunched in his hand.

Makoto jolted.

It wasn’t fake. None of them were.

These thin, jagged vines snaked around the room from the windows, which he now noticed were mostly broken. The ones “stapled” to the ceiling were actually woven in and out of the grid holding the tiles in place, in many cases breaking through the gritty material. The walls that looked beige through sleep-laden eyes now were clearly white that had aged horribly with splotches of yellow and brown stains here and there. Cracks lined the walls, interrupted by spots where the paint flecked off, and the floor was missing tiles in a few places. Cobwebs stretched underneath the little TV in the corner, the sight of their residents giving Makoto the creeps. The uneasiness he felt before the gates of
Hope’s Peak Academy rushed back in full force. He jumped up from the desk and rushed to the broken windows.

The chair clattered to the floor, the aged wood cracking, but Makoto didn’t register the sound. He tore at the vines that curtained the window, flinching as dirt and leaves sprinkled down on his head, and stuck his head through the hole in the glass.

A cold pit settled in his stomach.

A dense forest of impossibly tall trees pressed up against the school, their vines clawing up the side of the building. It was hard to tell how far up he was; maybe three stories? Four?

Beyond the trees lay miles and miles of rolling hills, stretched out to the horizon under an overcast sky. To his right (so hard to tell direction without the sun) he could make out some mountain peaks, but given the size and haze, it was impossible to tell how far away they were.

Makoto wondered if he was still half asleep because strange rainbow lights danced on the treetops for a moment before fading. He rubbed his eyes again. The lights still flickered, but not as often. A trick of the light, probably.

Regardless, no matter how much he craned his neck, there was not a spot of civilization to be seen.

With a shuddering breath, Makoto stepped back from the window.

“This isn’t happening,” he said, dread tightening in his chest. “This is just a dream. Yeah, that’s it. I wasn’t actually at the Academy this morning. I’m still in bed, asleep. I should wake up before I’m late.”

But he knew the truth. Everything was wrong, so terribly wrong. Was this even Japan anymore? As far as he could tell, there was no writing in the classroom that hinted at a local language.

Makoto stepped backwards and stumbled over a broken piece of flooring and into the chair he broke earlier. The ache in his scraped hand and battered hip forced him to accept the reality that this was not a dream, that he was very much awake.

He took a deep breath in and a longer breath out. ‘Not really feeling so “lucky” now’ he thought ruefully, fighting the panic that threatened to take hold. While he doubted his situation has something to do with his winning enrollment at Hope’s Peak, Makoto started to wish that someone else had been more “fortunate.”

He picked himself off the ground. Something fell out of his pocket and hit the floor with a dull clatter. Makoto slapped his pocket on reflex and looked down.
It looked like a phone—small, black, and rectangular with a glossy surface. Sturdy orange plastic protected the sides; Makoto thought it was a case, but when he picked it up and examined the back, the plastic only covered the sides and seemed fused to the device. He clicked home button, the only button he could find on the device, but nothing happened.

He frowned. ‘Maybe it’s voice activated?’ he thought as he gave the screen a few experimental taps with no success.

Before he could try anything more, his thoughts were interrupted by a soft scraping sound.

He froze. The room was silent.

Pocketing the device, Makoto slowly surveyed the room, trying to keep his hands from shaking, but there was nothing out of place. He let out the breath he didn’t realize he was holding.

“Just the wind,” he muttered to himself. “Or maybe just the building settl—” Another scraping sound, followed by a muffled groan.

The hair on the back of his neck stood on end. He dropped into a crouch and scuttled over to the teacher’s desk.

‘Oh God,’ he thought, heart racing a mile a minute, ‘please don’t be haunted. Please, please, please don’t be haunted.’

When there wasn’t a sound for another few minutes, Makoto mustered the courage to peek around the desk. The classroom still looked the same…until a shape in the corner moved.

Makoto stifled a yelp but didn’t move.

The shaped moved again, creating the scraping sound. Another groan.

Makoto inhaled sharply and crept closer. The groan sounded more human this time, and sure enough, what Makoto originally dismissed as a shadow, or a clump of vines was the slumped figure of another student.

He inhaled sharply and rushed over.

“Hey,” Makoto said, giving the student’s shoulder an urgent shake. “Hey, are you ok?”

The student groaned again. Her uniform didn’t have any distinguishing marks—just a white blouse, thin red bowtie, and a dark skirt—but it looked like it could be from Hope’s Peak. A small bit of hope sparked inside him. While he wouldn’t wish this strange situation on anyone, it would be nice to have a fellow classmate to work with, especially if she was good enough to get into Hope’s Peak.

‘Well, good enough to get in on merit and not luck,’ he couldn’t help thinking.

The girl’s head lolled up, her steely grey eyes struggling to focus on him. Her hair fell in black slashes over her face, and the top of her head was lightly flecked with graying dust from crumbling ceiling tiles.

“Who’re you?” she mumbled.

“My name is Makoto Naegi,” he said. “What’s yours?”

Spoiler: Makoto Naegi

Her eyelids slowly drifted shut…and then flew open again, suddenly alert. She stared at Makoto; he wasn’t sure if it was shock or horror. But the look was gone as soon as it came as the girl’s expression hardened, and she turned her attention to the room. “Where are we?” she asked flatly.

“I don’t know,” Makoto replied. “I woke up not too long before you….Hey wait! Don’t sit up so fast, you might—”

“I’m fine,” she said and brushed off his attempt to help her. She glanced at his face again, this time in a way that made Makoto feel like she was studying him.

He squirmed under her gaze for a few seconds before he finally said, “My name is Makoto Naegi.”

Her face didn’t change.

He swallowed. “Um…your uniform. It’s Hope’s Peak, right? That’s the school I go to. Or will go to. Classes haven’t actually started yet for me. It was supposed to be my first day today, but, um, well…” Makoto felt his face warm as her expression remained emotionless. “I’m rambling. Sorry. I didn’t…It’s just all this…it’s a bit—”

“—much,” the girl concluded. Her voice was surprisingly gentle. She finally released him from her gaze and moved around the room, studying their surroundings.

“My name is Mukuro Ikusaba,” she said. “I go to Hope’s Peak, too.”

Spoiler: Mukuro Ikusaba

Makoto beamed. “T-that’s great!” His face fell. “Wait, I don’t mean that it’s great that you’re stuck here, too, I just mean—”

“I know what you mean.” Not sparing him a glance, she pushed aside the chair at the teacher’s desk and started searching through the drawers.

“Right…so, um, what’s your talent?”

“Ultimate Soldier.”

Makoto gulped. “So, like,” he stammered, “like you’re good at fighting and survival and stuff?”

Mukuro picked up a thin pointed piece of metal, probably the remains of a letter opener, studying it carefully. “Among other things,” she replied coolly.

A chill went down his back. “Oh,” he said, trying his best not to sound intimidated.

“That’s…that’s cool. Didn’t think that was a thing they’d give to a student, but hey, um, I’m sure that means you’re really strong and smart.”

Mukuro glanced up sharply. Just as quickly she bowed her head, so her hair covered her face, but Makoto thought he saw red on her cheeks.

“It’s better than my talent,” he said, leaning against the wall. “I’m the Ultimate Lucky. Not much of a talent, winning a lottery.” He kicked a rock absentmindedly. “I still can’t believe it. Getting into Hope’s Peak, I mean. Even when I was standing at the gates this morning, I thought I was dreaming. But then I woke up here, so maybe it was just a dream.”

Mukuro paused her rummaging to look at him. “You don’t remember how you got here?” Makoto shook his head.

“I was in front of the school, looking up at the sky.” He frowned. “I think I remember getting ready to walk in…but it’s like I blinked and suddenly I’m waking up over there.” He nodded to the now shattered desk. “What about you? Do you remember anything?”

The soldier lowered her head again and closed the desk drawer.

“No,” she said finally. “I don’t remember anything.”

Makoto eyed her. She didn’t look at him as she continued to investigate the room. She was a professional, that much was obvious, but he still found it hard to believe that, title or not, she actually had real combat experience. They were just kids, after all.

Or maybe…

Makoto opened his mouth. SCREE!!

Makoto yelped. Mukuro’s hand flew to her hip, only to realize there was nothing there.

“Attention all students!” rang a voice that sounded suspiciously like a kid trying to imitate an adult. “The mandatory entrance exam is about to begin. Please report to the gymnasium for further instructions. Failure to do so will result in an immediate failure!”

“What the?!” Makoto cried. “How can they have an entrance exam in a place like this!”

Mukuro didn’t say anything as she kept her gaze towards the intercom.

Makoto wrung his hands. “Maybe we should head to the gym,” he said. “It could help us figure out—”

SCREE!!

The students clapped their hands over their ears.

“Hehehehe!” the voice in the PA giggled fiendishly. “Gotcha! There is no entrance exam, sillies! That was a prank! And you fell for it! Ha!”

“What the hell is going on?” Mukuro muttered to herself. Without taking her eyes off the TV, she moved closer to Makoto’s side.

Makoto balled his hands into fists to keep from shaking. The voice had lost its fake tone and now squeaked in singsong, but something about it sent a pang of fear through his chest.

The little TV in the corner sprang to life with a crash of static, sending the spiders scurrying.

“But that’s ok!” the voice continued from the TV speakers. “Because what I have in store is going to be a lot more fun! But I’m getting ahead of myself….”

The static cleared. An inhuman face filled the screen – half white, half black, and white muzzle squished in the center. The face almost looked like a teddy bear’s, but there was nothing cute about it. The white half had one dull, beady
black eye, while the black half had a ragged red slash for an eye, and a twisted, toothy grin carved almost up to where Makoto guessed the ear would be.

“I…am…Monokuma!” the thing said theatrically. “I’m the headmaster of this school. Nice to meet you all!”

“All?” Makoto asked.

“‘All?’ you might be thinking,” Monokuma continued, making Makoto flinch. “That’s right! All! There are more students in this school than just you—each of you so full of potential, so laden with the hopes of this world.” He sighed dreamily. “You’ll have plenty of time to get to know each other later. For now, just BEAR with me as I explain the rules of the game.” He giggled again.

“Game?” Mukuro wondered.

“Now you’re probably wondering, ‘Game? What game?’”

Mukuro glowered at the screen, trying to figure out the situation. “This is a fun one, I promise! You and your fellow students will be participating iiiiiiin….” Drums rolled as red curtains closed on the bear’s face and then pulled back to reveal the words in bright, chunky letters:

“A SURVIVAL GAME!” Monokuma cheered while canned applause sounded in the background. His face reappeared on the screen. “I was originally planning a Killing Game, but then I had the best idea for a Survival Game! Oooo,
I’m so excited for what’s in store.”

The words “Killing Game” sent a shiver thought Makoto’s body, and Survival Game didn’t sound much better.

“You all are going to be divided into groups of four students,” the headmaster continued.

“I’m not gonna tell you how many groups—that’s a secret surprise for later. You will then compete against the other groups in a series of challenges. Last group standing will get to go home! Yay! How exciting.”

“What?!” Makoto and Mukuro shouted.

“What do you mean ‘get to go home’?” Makoto said shakily. “What happens to the groups who lose?” His voice rose to a cry. “Are you going to trap us here forever or kill us?”

“Makoto! Get ahold of yourself.” Mukuro places her hands on his shoulders.

“Look at me.” She rounded on him so that her face was inches from his. “We aren’t going to lose,” she said in a low voice, “not to this stupid bear and his stupid game.” Her eyes burned with furious determination. “Not while I’m around. So, pull yourself together because we are getting out of this. Alive.”

“Yeah, but…” Makoto rubbed the back of his head and winced. “What about the other students? We can’t just leave them!”

“We’ll figure that out later,” she huffed and turned her glare at the screen. “Right now, we just need to focus on surviving.”

Makoto nodded. Any reservations he had about her were gone; he’s really glad that if he was stuck in this nightmare with someone, it’s someone who qualified as the “Ultimate Soldier.”

“One more thing!” Monokuma declared. “The first challenge is to find the rest of your group and get to the safe zone. Challenge begins now!”

“Safe zone? How are we supposed to know—”

“Good luck, kiddos!” Monokuma said gleefully. “And try not to get BLOWN AWAY!”

“What does that mean?” Makoto cried. And then the building exploded.

The room shuddered. Makoto grabbed the wall for stability. Mukuro bent her knees to keep her balance.

Cracks in the walls stretched out and dust and bits of tile rained from the ceiling, but thankfully the room remained intact. Makoto covered his face and coughed, while Mukuro pressed her blouse over her nose.

The rumbling stopped, and the dust settled.

“Are you ok?” Makoto coughed.

Mukuro didn’t answer. Her eyes darted around the room like she was looking for something, when they finally rested on the window. She squinted.

“What is it?” he asked.

She opened her mouth to say something, then stiffened.

Mukuro lunged at Makoto, yanking him into her arms with surprising strength. Makoto cried out as she darted to the side just as the ceiling collapsed.

Debris flew in every direction. The screech of metal and the crunch of breaking concrete barely masked the bellow of some great beast.

“What the hell is that?!” Makoto coughed. Mukuro’s grip on him tightened.

At the heart of the dust cloud, a dark humanoid shape rose up. Makoto’s mouth fell open as his eyes traveled higher and higher up the impossibly large figure that towered over them, all the way up to two glowing purple eyes. The sheen of white fangs parted in the gloom, and the figure emitted a low growl.

Mukuro jumped to the right. Milliseconds later, a thick white javelin buried itself in the wall. Makoto screamed as bits of blackboard flew in all directions.

The rush of wind blew away the dust cloud. A clawed hand ripped the javelin—which they could now see was actually a femur from some massive creature—out of the wall.

The hand belonged to a giant, yellow ape that glared down at them. The fur on its forearms and around its face were marked by red starburst patterns. The parts that weren’t covered in fur—the face, chest, fingers, ears, and toes—revealed dull, weathered gray skin. Its pointed ears swiveled around, but before Makoto could wonder what it was listening for, Mukuro was already on the move, still carrying him bridal style. She leapt over chunks of broken ceiling like a gazelle and rushed out of the door.

Spoiler: Apemon

Makoto watched in horror as the ape creature crashed through the wall, too big to fit through the doorway, and chased after them.

‘Oh God. Oh God. Ohgodohgodohgod—'

Under the burble of Makoto’s frantic thoughts, his mind furiously tried to understand what’s happening, try to think of a way out.

The ape drew back its weapon arm and roared, “Bone Strike!”

“Look out!” Makoto cried.

Mukuro glanced back just enough to see the ape hurl the bone. Her expression hardened. Makoto felt her shift his weight in her arms.

“What—”

She hurled him with almost inhuman strength.

Time slowed for Makoto. Or at least it felt like it. One moment the world was a whirlwind of chaos and fear. The next...

He saw each rotation of the bone javelin, saw it arc upwards at the last minute.

Mukuro’s arms were still outstretched, mid-throw, and her face…her face was still like stone, but her eyes glistened with something like a mix of fear, pain, and—Makoto’s gut twisted— resignation.
The bone plowed into the ceiling.

Makoto’s mouth stretched wide, screaming Mukuro’s name, but all sound was lost in the thunder of concrete, steel, and wood.

He slammed into the floor. The wind flew right out of his lungs. He tumbled over and over, landing face down and gasping for air. Debris settled over him like a blanket.
“Mukuro,” he wheezed, daring to look over. A pile of ruin stood where she used to be.

Makoto whimpered. His entire right side throbbed with pain, and his vision flickered; even so, he steadily pushed himself to his feet. He had to get away before the monster got him, too.

The bone wheeled back to the ape like a boomerang, which it plucked out of the air with one hand. It leveled its cold, purple eyes on him and sneered.
It took a step, and then another.

Makoto whimpered and started limping as fast as he could in the other direction. The ape kept its steady pace. It was a ways away, but they both knew there was no need for it to rush.

A soft cough behind him. Makoto stopped in his tracks. He turned.

The dust had settled enough for him to see, buried under the rubble, a pale face and a shock of black hair.

“Mukuro!”

Makoto didn’t think. He just shuffled as fast as his bad leg would allow and fell at the base of the rubble, immediately digging at the pieces around her. “Makoto?” she mumbled, bleary-eyed.

“Just hang on!” he said. “I’m getting you out!” His shoulder screamed in protest and his fingertips bled, but he pressed on.

“Makoto, stop.” Her voice was stronger, clearer. “You have to get out of here.”

“I’m not leaving you behind!”

“Forget about me!” she yelled, the force of it sending her into a coughing fit.

Makoto ignored her. He spared just enough time to look up at the ape. It still walked at an almost indifferent pace, but it was so much closer now, its face still twisted into a sneer. It bounced the bone on its shoulder. Makoto’s breath hitched as he fell back on his knees and worked even more furiously. “Makoto, listen to me,” Mukuro rasped. “You don’t have time. I’m a soldier—soldiers die all the time in combat. But you need to keep living. Go! Before it kills you, too.”

“You’re not dead yet,” he hissed. “Just hang in there a little longer—”

A gust of air broke against Makoto’s neck. He froze.

His heartbeat hammered in his ears as he slowly craned his neck up.

The ape towered over them, nostrils flaring and teeth bared. Makoto panicked.

“Don’t,” he whispered. “Don’t kill us.”

The ape unshouldered the bone and grasped it in both hands.

“Please.” Tears pooled in his eyes. It raised the bone overhead.

Makoto squeezed his eyes shut.

“Get down!”

BOOM!

Makoto’s eyes flew open just as a large slab of concrete slammed into the ape. It staggered back with a pained roar.
A dark blur flew past him, vaulting itself over the rubble, and rammed its foot into the ape’s face with a crunch!

The ape flew back and landed with enough force to shake the hallway.

The blur, now clearly a very burly man in a brown suit, landed bare-footed on the rubble.

Footsteps clapped behind Makoto. He turned and saw a girl slide up beside him. Her skin was tanned, and her brown hair was pulled into a tight ponytail that stuck out from the top of her head. She wore a red tracksuit jacket with a school logo he didn’t recognize. However, with a start he spotted the Hope’s Peak logo on her shorts.

Spoiler: Aoi Asahina

She put a hand on his shoulder and looked him up and down, her soft blue eyes filled with worry.

“I’m glad we made it in time!” she said breathlessly. “Are you ok?”

“M-my friend—” he mumbled dazedly. The girl looked down and gasped, her blue eyes going wide.

“Gonta!” she cried up at the man. “We need your help!”

The burly man in the suit hopped down, landing in a crouch beside them. His long driedmoss colored hair cascaded around his body in a wild tangle, and his suit threatened to rip over the strain of his bulging muscles. Contrary to his mountainous physique, he wore dainty round spectacles over his fierce red eyes and a light green bug container across his chest, like the one Makoto used to have as a kid.

Spoiler: Gonta Gokuhara

In any other situation, Makoto would have been at awe at the sheer size of the student in front of him.

Gonta quickly assessed the situation and grunted.

“Stand back, Aoi,” he said in halted words and a voice that was surprisingly young. The girl took Makoto by the arm—his bad arm, unfortunately, he stifled a whimper—and took a few steps back.
Gonta felt around the crevices directly around Mukuro then, finding purchase, grabbed at the rubble. Just before he was about to lift, Aoi gasped. Gonta looked up sharply.

The ape had picked itself off the floor and was currently rubbing its head. Blood pooled from its mouth, and one of its fangs was broken.

It locked eyes with Gonta and growled.

Gonta growled back.

“I’ll take care of these two,” Aoi said, calm despite the terror in her eyes. “Gonta…please be careful.”

The man nodded once. “Gonta understand,” he said. “Gonta will keep everyone safe. Now hurry!”

“Right!”

The big man leapt over the rubble and charged at the monster. Aoi and Makoto once again went to work on the rubble. His whole body ached at this point, and he struggled even with the smaller pieces, but Aoi did her best to encourage them both.

“You’re doing great! Just a little more—M-My name is Aoi, once we’re safe, you guys will have time to rest. Don’t give up! We just need to a little more…”

Gonta jumped up and slammed his fist into the ape’s face.

The ape saw the impact coming and braced itself. It staggered back just a step and used the momentum to take a swing at Gonta with the bone. The wild man moved to the side to avoid it.

He darted forward, moving around the creature. He snapped his foot at the weak point on the back of its leg. The creature roared and sank to one knee. Gonta dug his fingers into the monster’s back fur and hauled himself up, sitting on the ape’s broad shoulders and yanking at its delicate ears.

The monster howled. It dropped is weapon and pawed furiously at its head, desperate to knock the wild man off, but Gonta’s legs squeezed tightly around its neck.

With a snarl, the beast tumbled forward. Gonta cried out as he was crushed, his grip failing. The ape landed on its feet and knuckles. In one fluid motion, it grabbed the bone it had dropped earlier, spun around, and drove the bone down on Gonta.

“BONE HAMMER!”

But Gonta had already found his feet. Just before the monster could bludgeon him to death, Gonta grabbed the bone with two hands.

The bone held. Gonta grunted under the strain. With a growl, the ape pressed down harder.

Veins bulged in Gonta’s neck and arms. His face reddened. The floor cracked underneath his feet.

The ape smirked, almost impressed.

Gonta gasped as he saw the ape pulled back its free hand.

Gonta saw it. There was no time. SLAM!!

The ape’s fist hit Gonta’s chest like a bullet train. Every bit of oxygen rushed out of Gonta’s lungs as he hurled through the air, past the rubble, and crashing into the wall at the end of the hallway.

“Gonta!” Aoi cried as she ran towards his body.

The ape bellowed and thumped on his chest with a meaty fist before turning its attention back to Makoto. “Run!” Aoi screamed.

But he couldn’t. As terrified as he was, Mukuro was still trapped, and he couldn’t leave her behind.

The ape started towards him.

Makoto picked up a plank of wood and brandished it with shaky hands.

“Makoto, please,” Mukuro begged. “Go, before it’s too late.”

With a yell, Makoto hurled the plank at the monster. The ape caught it in one hand and crushed it like a toothpick.

Mukuro and Aoi kept calling his name, but he didn’t listen. Makoto quickly searched for something else to throw, but most of the remains were either too big or too far away.

“Run, Makoto!” Mukuro practically sobbed. “You don’t stand a chance.”

“I know,” he said hoarsely. “But you risked your life to save mine. I can’t leave you.” Finding no weapon, Makoto balled his fists and glared up at the monster.
“I’ll do everything in my power to protect you!”

Suddenly, white light burst from his jacket pocket. It started as a beam, then fanned out into a radiant bubble that enveloped him and Mukuro.

The bubble burst. White beams of energy surged out, knocking the ape off its feet and flinging away some of the debris, but Makoto and Mukuro were unharmed.

Shielding his eyes from the brunt of glow, Makoto watched in awe as the light, sparkling with flashes of rainbow like he saw earlier, rushed about him like warm water, pooling before him into a tall pillar of white.

The air sung as the pillar slowly collapsed in on itself as if sculpted by an invisible hand.

Makoto slowly lowered his arm, mouth agape. Aoi, cradling Gonta in her arms, stared in disbelief.

A warrior’s helm covered most of its face. Golden hair flowed down its back, almost to the floor. Leather and gold armor adorned parts of its white body, and in its fist was a long golden staff. As the last of the light died, six brilliant wings unfurled from its back.

An angel.

The ape uttered a low noise, more like a groan than a growl.

The angelic creature pounded his staff on the floor twice, creating a bell-like tone. It twirled its staff of gold before brandishing it with both hands.

Makoto’s never seen any creature like this, never imagined anything like this could be real. Of course, he hasn’t—nothing he’s experienced in the last…however long he’s been awake has been anything like his life before he stood at the gates of Hope’s Peak.

But he for some reason, he knew he felt safe with this creature. Despite what his eyes were saying, his heart felt like calm and warmth. The feeling swelled up inside him, forming a single sentence, along with a name.

“Please help us! Angemon!”

Spoiler: Angemon

 

Kaede awoke in darkness and struggling to breathe. She panicked. Her lungs fought against her ribcage and the force that pressed against her chest, and her neck crunched in an awkward position. It took a moment to realize the force against her chest were her own legs, folded up to fit this cramped prison. Kaede wriggled a bit to give herself more room to breathe, but the more she wriggled, the more hopeless her situation became.

A whimper escaped her lips, and she immediately berated herself. Panic will get her nowhere, she thought, and she needed to get out. Kaede slowed and deepened her breathing as much as possible considering the restrictive space.

Then she started wriggling again, this time with purpose. Under her folded legs, her fingertips brushed against the coarse fabric and the zipper of what she hoped was her backpack. A bit more feeling around and she could tell she was in a metal box. Now that her eyes adjusted, the darkness shrunk back from very faint light filtering in through three narrow slits in the metal.

‘A locker?’ she thought. Hope sparked in her chest.

It took some time, but she managed to free the arm closest to the door and start slamming on it. The first few impacts did nothing but hurt her hand. She almost stopped for fear of causing permanent damage and ending her musical career; but then again, she couldn’t play piano if she starved to death in a locker, so she kept pounding.

Just when she thought the bones in her hand would break, the door flung open. Kaede tumbled out with a yelp.

Pain shot through her wrist when she tried to catch herself. Her arm crumpled under her weight. The momentum carried her legs over her head into a clumsy summersault, landing hard on her back. Her backpack plopped on the
floor by her head moments later.

“Ow,” she groaned. Every part of her body ached, especially her head and wrist. She blinked against the painful white of the fluorescent lights, waiting for her eyes to adjust once again, and then looked around as best she could without turning her head too much.

She was in a school gym locker room—or at least she guessed it was in a school. It was dingy and gray, lined with metal lockers stacked on top of each other against three walls. A line of stacked lockers divided the small room in two.

Kaede had been trapped in one of the top lockers; currently the door creaked listlessly on its rusted hinges, the sound dampened in the closed space. Speaking of damp, the humidity in the room was oppressive; already her skin felt sticky in the muggy air.

But what confused Kaede the most were the thick vines and branches growing in, around, and through the room. They uproot floor tiles, run through the ceiling, and even knocked over several lockers against the back wall. When

Kaede felt well enough to push herself into a sitting position, her good hand dug into a bed of moss.

“Where am I?” she wondered aloud.

Spoiler: Kaede Akamatsu

“Hey! Is someone out there?!.”

Kaede jumped with an EEP! Heart racing, she twisted around with her hands clutching her chest. “Who’s there?” she demanded in her best authoritative voice and prayed the other person didn’t hear it crack.

But there was no one.

“I’m in here!” came the voice again. Kaede just noticed it sounded muffled, maybe a bit groggy, and very grumpy.

She rose to her feet and looked around.

“I don’t see anyone,” she murmured to herself. “But I know I heard something…”

A loud curse and a violent BANG right by her ear nearly made her fly out of her skin through her scream. She whirled around and stared wide-eyed at the locker right behind her, which happened to be right next to the one that trapped her earlier.

“I’m in here, goddammit!” the distinctly male voice barked from the metal prison, followed by a lot of aggressive shuffling. “Piece of shit locker, ain’t got the room to fucking move…” The shuffling continued, followed by some
incomprehensible obscenities.

Kaede snapped out of her shock just long enough to be scandalized by the filth pouring out of the locker. She may not be a prude, but there were things said that would surely make a sailor blush.

Another bang. “You gonna stand there gawkin’ like an idiot, or you gonna help me out?” Kaede’s jaw dropped, then promptly snapped shut to cut off her scathing retort. Vulgarity aside, the aches in her joints and the blood dribbling down her injured hand reminded her of her own recent imprisonment.

“Hang on,” she said, rushing over to the door. “I’ll get you out.”

The shuffling inside stilled as she fumbled with the door. It wasn’t locked, but rust stymied her efforts. The stranger on the inside helped best as he could by banging on the door while she pulled until eventually—

Kaede yelped and fell back on her butt. The door flung open and slammed on the other lockers. The clang echoed around the room painfully.

An arm and a brown pompadour flopped out of the locker.

“Finally,” breathed a boy about her age, wriggling to get his head a little more free. The boy was crammed in there worse than she was, practically on his back and twisted up like a pretzel to fit, and his bulk didn’t help at all. His arm was the only part of his body that wasn’t rendered completely immobile, not that it did any good from this angle.

The guy squirmed some more before craning his neck towards her and saying, “So you gonna help?”

“Oh, right.”

Kaede stepped forward, willing but unsure how to help. In the end, she grabbed his free arm and the back of his collar and pulled.

“Ow!” he howled. “Motherf—watch the hair, will ya?”

“You want to get out, or not?” she snapped. The boy grumbled.

Taking that as a victory, Kaede tightened her grip, braced one foot on the bottom locker, and heaved with all her might. The boy reached around and pushed against the side of the locker. A slight budge.

“It’s working!” she gasped.

“Well don’t quit now,” he said through gritted teeth. “Keep pullin’!”

The pair tugged and pushed and strained until all at once the boy popped out of the locker like a champagne cork.

For the third time in almost as many minutes, Kaede crashed to the floor. The boy landed hard across her chest, knocking the wind out of her. The two groaned. “Are you ok?” Kaede asked as he painfully picked himself up.

“Yeah,” he grunted back and extended his hand to her. Kaede looked up in surprise—a gentlemanly act from someone so profane—and took it. “You?”

“Yeah, I’m ok.” She winced as he grasped her bad hand. In the struggle, she forgot all about her pain.

The boy noticed and quickly let go. Kaede was surprised by the concern in his eyes.

“I’m ok, honest,” she said and checked her hand. A scratch, angry red against her pale skin, stretched along the side of her hand from heel almost all the way up the side of her pinky knuckle, but the little bit of blood dried already and
it didn’t look very deep. “Just a little scratch up from breaking out. I was stuck in the one next to yours.”

“I know. All that banging woke me up.” The boy gripped the back of his neck and cracked it. “Come on. We need to get that cleaned before it gets infected.” He kicked the lockers.

“Damned things probably got all kinds of disease.”

While Kaede dusted herself off, she studied her new companion carefully. His face seemed to be etched in a permanent scowl, and thick black eyeliner accentuated his piercing violet eyes. His skin was tan, and he wore the trademark black overcoat and baggy pants most biker gang members wear these days. At any other time, she would’ve found him intimidating, but she wouldn’t forget how remorseful he looked when he inadvertently hurt her injured hand.

Much to her disappointment, however, he studied their surroundings uneasily, thick brows knit together. She’d hoped that he’d have some idea of where they were, but he looked just as lost as her.

“Gotta be in a school,” he grunted, confirming her fears. He paused, then cursed. “Shit. This sure as hell better not be Hope’s Peak, or I’ll be pissed.”

Kaede turned. “Did you say Hope’s Peak?” she asked.

“Yeah.” Mondo turned to her. “You know about it?”

“Know about it? I go there!” She beamed. “My name is Kaede Akamatsu. I’m the Ultimate Pianist.” She said the title with no small amount of pride.

“Oh yeah? Small world.” He commented. “The name’s Mondo Owada, the Ultimate Biker Gang Leader.” Mondo looked her up and down. “I don’t know much about music but sounds like a good talent. Looks like it suits you, too.”

Spoiler: Mondo Owada

Kaede thought his title fit him to a tee, but she couldn’t find a polite way to say so. “I probably shouldn’t say this,” she confessed, “but I’m really glad I’m in this situation with another Hope’s Peak student. Kind of relieved, actually.”

Mondo grunted. Kaede wasn’t sure if it was in agreement or derision. She decided not to press it.

“So,” she said while he checked the bathroom for a sink that wasn’t broken, “do you remember how you got here?”

“Nope,” he replied matter-of-factly. “I was at the front gates of the Academy when I just…blacked out. I don’t think I was attacked, but…hey, this one works.”

Kaede poked her head inside. All of the sinks were either broken or missing pipes, but Mondo was standing in the shower. Water dribbled weakly out of one of the showerheads. Mondo quickly stepped out so Kaede could clean her wound and leaned against the wall with his arms folded.

“The same thing happened to me,” Kaede said. “Front gates, like you, then it’s like I blinked or something, and I woke up here.” Kaede stared at the water as it circled down the drain. Red seeped in, dark and swirling. Kaede’s gut prickled.

“I don’t think it’s a coincidence that we’re both Ultimates,” she said a little absently. “Maybe there’s a reason we’re here.”

Mondo rose a brow. “You think we were kidnapped?”

“It’s possible.”

Mondo stood in silence.

Kaede took her handkerchief and wrapped it around her hand.

“Ok,” she said, “I’m ready.” She looked at the bathroom stalls. Seemed there were a couple toilets that still had water in the bowls. Kaede pointed and said, semi-jokingly, “If you have to go, do it now.”

Mondo glanced at the toilets, looked away, then snapped his attention back as if he just had a horrifying realization.

“Wait,” he said, “this ain’t the girls’ locker room, is it?”

Kaede blinked. “I don’t know,” she said. “Maybe. I don’t see any urinals. Why? It shouldn’t matter since we’re the only ones here.” As far as we know, she thought.

“Doesn’t matter,” he snapped, marching off in a direction. “It’s the principle!”

Just before he turned away, Kaede caught a glimpse of the red coloring his cheeks. She giggled.

The boy rounded on her. “And what the hell is so funny?!”

Kaede jumped and held up her hands. “Oh nothing!” she cried, then covered her smile with one hand. “It’s just a little funny that someone like you is embarrassed to be in a girls’ locker room.”

His face reddened more. “Yeah, well, it ain’t decent,” he spat and continued his march out. “Situation or otherwise. Now get your stuff and let’s go.”

“Stuff…?” She looked back and saw her backpack lying on the floor behind her, contents spilled everywhere. Her heart lurched. How could she have forgotten?

Kaede fell to her knees and quickly gathered her things: pens, papers, notebooks, cellphone, pencils—she stopped.

Cellphone?

Kaede removed the cellphone from the backpack. It wasn’t hers. Hers wasn’t this small, and it definitely didn’t have a white plastic guard on the sides.

Her heart leapt. This wasn’t her phone, but maybe…the hope died when she found she couldn’t turn it on. Figures.

“What is it?” Mondo asked.

Kaede held up the device. “I found this with my belongings. It’s not mine, and I’d hoped that we could call someone with it, but it won’t turn on. Do you have one?”

“Nah, I ain’t got—what the hell?” Mondo stuffed his hands in his coat pockets and pulled out a device exactly like Kaede’s only with dark green edges instead of white. “This ain’t mine,” said Mondo. “Too fancy.” He tapped the screen, scowled, tapped it again, and then banged it against the wall. “Damn thing’s busted!” he shouted.

With a sigh, Kaede tossed her phone back in the bag. Might as well hang onto it.

“Well, if we can’t call for help,” she said, “we might be able to find other people. Maybe they know a way out?”

“Won’t know until we go,” Mondo replied, fidgeting impatiently. “Are you ready?” Kaede nodded.

“Good. Let’s get outta here. And make sure you stay behind me.”

“Why?”

“Because we don’t know what’s out there. If things go south, I won’t allow a girl to get hurt.” He threw a thumb over his shoulder at her. “That’s a man’s promise.”

Kaede arched an eyebrow. Again with the chivalry; it didn’t seem characteristic for someone titled “Ultimate Biker Gang Leader,” but she appreciated the gesture all the same.

The two reached the exit, but when Mondo tried to open it, the door wouldn’t budge.

“Is it locked?” Kaede asked, panic rising.

“Nah,” Mondo said. “Somethin’s in the way. Back up a sec.”

Kaede moved out of the way. Mondo took a few steps back then, with a growl, kicked the door.

Something slid on the other side. Mondo kicked again, this time breaking the door and dislodging whatever blocked it. He shoved his way through, clearing a way for Kaede.

The room opened up to a large gymnasium in worse shape than the locker room. The wood floors were cracked in most places, completely gone in others. Patches of grass cropped up in between the boards and in the bald places on the floor. The windows that lined the upper part of the walls were broken, vines and branches pouring in from outside. Vines all over the place; one of basketball hoops and backboard had fallen off completely. Most of the metal and plastic of the bleachers were rusted and cracked; the wooden foundation in some rows had collapsed into splinters.

“I don’t like this place,” Mondo said.

“Of course not,” she said. “It’s a dump. I don’t think anyone’s been here in decades.”

“No.” Mondo’s tone gave her pause. He pointed his chin at the bleachers. “Look at ‘em. And look at the flags. The walls. ” He nodded to each one.

Kaede followed his gaze. To her, the row school banners were in tatters and decayed too much to tell who they represented, and the walls were lined with large cracks. The bleachers were cracked and falling apart, with some spots missing their seats entirely. Mondo shook his head, as if sensing her confusion. “Look closer.”

She did. At first, she still didn’t get it. But the more she looked, the banners looked less tattered and more shredded, the cracks less like cracks and more like massive claw marks. Even the bleachers, where sections of seats were missing—she realized that the seats were actually crushed, forming craters in the stands.

“I’ve been in enough fights to know what the aftermath looks like,” Mondo said. Kaede thought she heard a tremor in his voice. “But the damage looks too big to be just people. Even a gang battle wouldn’t…” Mondo chewed his lip.

“We need to leave.”

“The gym?”

“The building. Now.”

Mondo gripped her by the arm and started dragging her to the exit. “Mondo! Hang on!” Kaede cried and struggled to free herself. “Let’s just talk about this. Maybe it’s not like tha—” SCREE!!

The pair froze. Kaede stifled a cry of fright.

“Attention all students!” echoed a strange voice over the PA. “The mandatory entrance exam is about to begin. Please report to the gymnasium for further instructions. Failure to do so will result in an immediate failure!”

“Entrance exam?” Kaede looked around. “But we’re in the gym already, and there’s no way this is ready for anything, let alone an entrance exam.”

Mondo took a few steps back towards Kaede. His entire body was tensed, a caged wolf ready to spring, and he surveyed the area through eagle eyes.

“I don’t like this, Mondo,” she said, subconsciously dropping her voice just above a whisper. “There’s nothing here.”

“I don’t like it either,” he muttered back. “Door’s that way, and I don’t see any cameras. If we can get out before—” SCREE!!

Suddenly, the ceiling rumbled, and from on high descended a large four-sided jumbotron, hailed by a chorus of ear-splitting squeals. Whatever mechanism used to roll the rig down clearly hadn’t been used in many years.

“Hehehehe!” The giggles bounced all over the gym, doubling, tripling, quadrupling them. Kaede thought that if she had to listen to it for too long, she would go insane. “Gotcha! There is no entrance exam, sillies! That was a prank! And you fell for it! Ha!”

The screens sputtered to life, glitching and popping in places. A black and white bear face glared down at the gym with its evil red slash for an eye.

“But that’s ok!” the voice boomed from hidden speakers within the gym. “Because what I have in store is going to be a lot more fun! But I’m getting ahead of myself….”

The bear—Monokuma—explained that this was a Survival Game, that there were others in the building, that they were being split into groups of four, and the last group standing gets to go home.

Kaede stood frozen in place, barely able to process the psychotic bear’s words.

“Who the hell do you think you are?” Mondo shouted at the screens. “You let us the fuck outta here right now or I’ll come up there and—”

“Mondo!” Kaede shouted. Her hands and lip trembled. “It can’t hear you,” she said, more quietly.

“We don’t know that,” he growled. “That son of a bitch could have mics and cameras all over the place. Don’tcha, you Oreo-lookin’ motherfucker?!” Mondo looked around wildly and stuck out both middle fingers. “Can you see this Huh?! Why don’t you come out and fight me like a man?!”

“Mondo!” Kaede wrung her hands.

“One more thing!” said Monokuma. “The first challenge is to find the rest of your group and get to the safe zone. Challenge begins now!”

“Wait,” said Kaede, “where’s the—”

“Good luck, kiddos!” Monokuma cheered. “And try not to get BLOWN AWAY!” “What the hell does that—”

His words died in the sudden series of explosions that ripped the gymnasium apart.

Kaede and Mondo screamed as they were sent flying by a concussive heat wave. The dried, brittle wood of the gym floors and bleachers burst into flame immediately. The flames leapt up on a sudden updraft and devoured the vines tangled in the ceiling. In moments, the two students found themselves in the pits of hell.

Mondo slammed into a wall. The air rushed out his lungs, and he collapsed to all fours coughing and gasping. From the corner of his eye, he could see Kaede laying on her side, fair hair fanning around her face. His chest tightened.

“Kaede!” he rasped.

The girl stirred and lifted her head. Blood streamed from her nose, and already purple bloomed under her left eye. Relieved, Mondo crawled to her side and helped her to sit up.

The fire raged around them, pressing in closer. At the heart of their nightmare billowed a cloud of dust and smoke, its undulations aglow in the light of the flames. A foreboding dark shape, vaguely humanoid, loomed.

Mondo and Kaede gripped each other tightly. “Kaede,” Mondo whispered, “can you stand?”

Kaede, who never once tore her frightened gaze from the creature, nodded quickly. The two, still gripping each other, cautiously rose to their feet.

The creature roared a bloodcurdling roar, banishing the dust and smoke. Even from this distance, it towered over the two students, arms so long its massive fists dragged along the ground. Its muscles rippled and coiled under its purple patchwork flesh, giving the hideous impression that the skin was sewed together and pulled tight over its body. Studded black leather strips wrapped around its forearms, metal plates bolted into the backs of each hand, and ragged grey pants held up by an armored belt were its only covering. Bits of bone jutted out in places across its chest and arms, including a massive spike protruding from each shoulder, and a human skull adorned the armored belt.
Its huge claws and teeth were blood red; Mondo wasn’t sure if that was their natural color or the stains from its last kill.

Spoiler: MadLeomon

The lion-like beast tossed its shaggy black mane, hellish red eyes glinting. Its lips pulled back further, a grin that sent shivers down their spines.

“Finally!” it snarled in a deep, gravelly voice. “I’ve finally found you, humans!” Mondo’s blood turned to ice.

“It talks?!” Kaede said. The beast’s hand lifted. Mondo’s instincts took over.

“Move!”

Mondo flung himself and Kaede to the side just as the beast’s claws ploughed into the floor right where they stood milliseconds before. Pain exploded across Mondo’s back. Wood fragments sent flying from the attack. They didn’t even see it move.

He didn’t stop as he held onto Kaede’s hand for dear life, he ran as fast and as hard as he could out of the gym and into the hallway.

“Where you are going, human?” the beast laughed. “What about fighting like a man?”

Mondo heard it charge after them, a crash of stone telling him it broke through the gym’s small doorway, but he ground his teeth and didn’t dare look back.

The beast quickly gained ground. Mondo could feel its hot breath on his neck. Dammit! Mondo thought. Dammit! Dammit! It’s too fast. I can’t keep this up for much longer. I can’t—

Just then, he felt the grip on his hand tighten. Mondo spared just a glance back.

In that short glance, he saw Kaede’s face, violet eyes wild with fear, face pale and bloodied, tears streaming down her bruised cheeks. He felt her fear because it mirrored his own, but something in his chest steeled.

A man’s promise, he thought.

Renewed energy flooded his aching body, it was a gamble but he had to take it. He stopped for a moment, surprising Kaede and in a quick movement, Mondo grabbed her before placing her over his shoulder. He then put his renewed energy to use and his feet flew. Running faster than he ever had in his life. Mondo tore through the halls of this godforsaken school.

At first, the heavy foot falls behind them seemed to fade…but only for a moment. The beast picked up his pace. It laughed.

Mondo’s heart filled with dread, but he refused to stop.

“Mondo,” Kaede gasped. “It’s—It’s getting closer!”

“Don’t…give up,” Mondo panted. “We just…need to…”

The beast roared. It sounded only a few feet behind them. Any second now, it’ll lunge, reaching out with its massive hands, and tear them to shreds—

“FIST OF THE BEAST KING!” CRASH!!!

A ball of flames in the shape of a lion’s head slammed into the beast. It bellowed in pain and careened into a wall.

Mondo and Kaede slowed to a halt and whirled around.

Another beast almost identical in form to the one that pursued them jumped back appeared from an adjoining hallway. The new beast was the same height and build, orange skin crisscrossed with scars. Instead of metal plates or studded leather, it had several belts wrapped around one forearm and across the back of its hand. Its claws were black instead of red. The posture was also different—where the first one was wild and monstrous, this one stood tall and regal. Its golden mane was flowed in gentle waves, and its sky blue eyes were serious and focused.

Spoiler: Leomon

The first beast fumbled to its feet and roared in defiance. The golden beast’s tail flicked impassively.

Enraged, the first beast lunged.

A blur flew over Mondo and Kaede’s heads and landed in between them and the monsters. It looked like a very muscular man, but Mondo swore he saw a miniskirt before the man flew at the beast with a mighty battle cry.

His foot connected with the beast’s face, interrupting its attack and sending it sprawling further down the hall.

The newcomer landed in a crouch, then rose to full height. The first beast sat up with a grunt of pain and got to one knee. It growled at them both.

The golden beast rumbled something to the newcomer. The newcomer glanced up at it and then turned to the students.

Mondo realized with a jolt that the man was wearing a miniskirt, and he wasn’t a man at all. She had long white hair that reached almost to her knees and tough tanned skin. Her face was stern and angular with a hawkish nose and piercing ice-blue eyes. Scars raked across right shoulder and across her face. The sleeves of her top were ripped to make room for her huge arms. Though she wore a high schooler’s uniform, she was taller than most grown men.

Spoiler: Sakura Ogami

While the golden beast turned to face their attacker, the woman approached and extended her hand. “Are you both alright?” she asked. Her voice, deep as it may be, was surprisingly soft for someone with so many hard edges.

For a moment, Mondo couldn’t speak, partially from exhaustion, partially from shock, mostly from awe at the woman’s strength. “Who are you?” he breathed at last, placing Kaede down.

The woman adjusted one of the bandages on her forearms. “I am Sakura Ogami, Hope’s Peak Academy’s Ultimate Martial Artist” she said.

Kaede gasped. “We’re from Hope’s Peak, too!” She shook Mondo’s arm. “I knew it couldn’t be coincidence.”

Sakura’s frown deepened. “We can discuss another time.” She looked over her shoulder at her partner. “For now, it’s best to stand back and let me and Leomon handle this monster.”

“Leomon?” Mondo stared at the golden beast. It unsheathed the sword strapped to its lower back and readied itself while the first beast finally got to its feet.

“You can’t fight that thing!” Kaede cried. “You’ll be killed!”

“Worry not for us.” Sakura cracked her knuckles. “We are capable enough to hold it back while you both escape.”

“Maybe...Leomon can,” Kaede insisted. “But you should come with us.”

“No.” Sakura put a hand on the girl’s shoulder. “I would not be worthy to call myself a martial artist if I did not use my talents to aid others. Now go.” She nudged them down an adjoining hallway. “We shall catch up with you soon.”

Before Kaede could object again, Sakura moved to Leomon’s side. “Are you ready?”

“I am,” Leomon growled.

The beast snarled at them both. An eerie purple glow enshrouded its fists. It swung, roaring, “Fist of the Fallen King!”

With each punch, purple energy in the shape of twin lion heads blasted towards them.

Sakura dodged to the side. Leomon drew back his own fist, glowing in golden light, and roared, “Fist of the Beast King!”

He slammed his fist into the purple lion’s head. The two energies struggled against each other before finally cancelling each other out. The resulting shockwave tore the hallway apart.

Sakura tuck-and-rolled into a crouch behind some rubble to avoid the worst of it. Kaede and Mondo threw themselves to the ground further down the hallway. The wall near where they stood before Sakura pushed them blasted apart, revealing the dense jungle outside.

“Leomon!” Sakura shouted and ran towards the impromptu exit. Leomon didn’t spare a glance behind. He slashed at the beast, egging it on, then sprinted backwards.

“Running away, are you?” the beast sneered. With a snarl, it lunged onto all fours and gave chase. Mondo shielded Kaede with his body, but the beast didn’t notice them.

More like it doesn’t see us as a challenge, Mondo thought ruefully, but the shameful, cowardly part of himself still felt relief.

“Mondo,” Kaede said. “Are you ok?”

Mondo shook himself. “Yeah, I’m fine.” Even though his arm burned from all the cuts and scrapes, and his head spun. “Are you—”

“Nothing serious,” she said. The bandage on her hand was red. Kaede saw him glance at it and casually moved her hand out of sight. “We have to help them!”

“I know,” Mondo said. “But that monster. It’s so strong. I’ve never fought…I’ve never seen… No! There’s gotta be something we can do.” Mondo balled his fist. Kaede’s eyes widened. Big words, but there was no mistaking the tremor in his hands.

Mondo knew it, and with a noise of frustration—and perhaps disgust—he punched the ground.

“We ain’t gettin’ anywhere just sitting here,” he said.

Kaede nodded once. “Right.”

The two ran back into the hallway and watched the battle rage on outside. Dense jungle closed in on them, almost pressing against the building itself. From here, there were no seeing the tops of the trees and they seemed impossibly wide; even so, the fight between these three ferocious creatures carved a small clearing of toppled logs.

Sakura and Leomon fought like eagles tearing apart a gazelle. Sakura would dart in, land a powerful strike to the beast’s face, then dance away to avoid its claws; and while the beast was busy with Sakura, Leomon would lunge forward and slash at its back, its legs, its neck.

The beast bellowed in rage and frustration. Its claws glinted a hellish light as it ripped through trees and earth like paper, but always missing its true targets.

Sakura spun to avoid a slash. She used the momentum to launch a kick straight for the beast’s gut.

The kick landed, but the bark under her standing leg was slippery, and the attack wasn’t as powerful as it could’ve been. Sakura took only a heartbeat to catch herself, but that’s all the beast needed. A hammer-like fist shot out and slammed her right in the torso.

Sakura crashed into a tree behind her and slid down. The tree groaned and keeled forward at the crater left by the impact.
Leomon inhaled sharply and darted past the beast.

Sakura, dazed and winded, rose shakily to her feet. The specks in her vision cleared just in time for her to see the massive tree hurtling towards her, but not fast enough for her to react. A roar ripped through the air.

“LION SWORD!”

Sakura threw up her hands, but the tree fell around in her in perfectly sliced sections.

Leomon landed next to her, sword gleaming.

Sakura dipped her head at her partner. Leomon nodded in response. The golden beast leveled his steely gaze at his adversary.

“Enough of this, MadLeomon,” Leomon said in his deep, rolling voice. “What quarrel have you with these humans?”

The deranged creature barked a laugh. “Quarrel? None. These weaklings are beneath me. I’m only here to fulfil my mission.”

“What mission?” But MadLeomon only laughed again.

“Heh, it doesn’t matter for you,” it sneered. Its voice grated on their ears like the scraping of two rocks. “You’re quite the fool Leomon, and bigger fool for thinking you could come against me.”

“Enough! We won’t allow you to bring harm to my fellow classmates,” Sakura snarled. She bared her teeth, as much of a beast as the other two. “We end this. Now.”

“I couldn’t agree more.” MadLeomon raised its hands over its head. Its claws glinted in the fading light, a sickly purple-ish mist rising from its skin.

“Venom,” it growled, “SHOCKWAVE!”

It slammed its fists into the ground.

The earth flew up in all directions. Deep fissures spread out across the clearing, carved by waves of purple energy.

Sakura and Leomon sprang high into the air in opposite directions. The energy wave passed right under them. Mondo grabbed Kaede and dragged her behind rubble as the wave slammed into the school. The wall and debris shielded them from the worst of the impact.

Leomon landed on a fallen tree. He lifted raised his sword, but just as a fire started to blaze along the edges, he heard Sakura cry out.

He whipped around. Sakura was curled in on herself, down on one knee and clutching her shoulder and waist. Her body trembled, and her breath came out in labored gasps.

“Sakura!” Leomon cried, but as he rushed towards her, his body was wracked with stabbing pain. The golden beast collapsed.

MadLeomon laughed. “You fools put up a decent fight, I’ll give you that. But you were doomed from the start. Thanks to some modifications from my master, everything on my body is poisonous to the touch, including my attacks.” Its claws glowed like embers. “The moment you made contact was the moment you lost this fight. Now die!”

MadLeomon rushed at Sakura. The martial artist managed to stand, unsteady. Her vision swam. The pain and poison flooded her senses and restricted her breathing, but she willed her legs to support her.

Eyes shining with bloodlust, MadLeomon pulled back its hand.

Sakura raised her fists and met its snarl with one of her own.

Kaede jumped out from behind the rubble, shouting, “Sakura!”

MadLeomon swung. The light from his claws ripped red arcs into the air.

“NOOO!!”

Just before Sakura was shredded, Leomon slammed into her.

MadLeomon’s claws sunk deep into the golden beast’s flesh. Leomon bellowed, his mighty roar sharp with pain.

Sakura tumbled head over heels and barely stuck the landing. Her legs gave out; she sunk to her knees, screaming, “Leomon!”

With a noise of annoyance, MadLeomon drove his claws in deeper before ripping them out. Leomon cried out and collapsed.

“Pathetic,” MadLeomon growled, shaking his claws. Blood splattered across the broken trees. Small red pixels emanated from the splatters, floating upwards until they disappeared.

“Leomon!” Sakura shouted. Tears pooled in the warrior’s eyes.

Kaede and Mondo were too stunned to move. They could only watched in horror as this demonic monster heaved their protector up by his noble mane. Leomon’s growl sounded more like a choking whimper. He clutched his chest, the same red pixels oozing from between his fingers. He could do nothing to stop MadLeomon, but still he met his opponent’s gaze with fierce determination.

“What a waste,” said MadLeomon. “You chose your battle poorly.”

Leomon chuckled once. “I chose honor,” he rasped. “I chose rightly.”

Lights danced at the warrior’s feet. At first, they looked like golden versions of the pixels radiating from Leomon’s blood. But as the gold pixels faded away, so did Leomon’s feet. Then his ankles, then his knees.

Slow but surely, Leomon was fading away.

Leomon’s sky blue eyes drifted over to his partner. Sakura stared back, matching his determined expression even as the tears flowed freely down her cheeks.

“Sakura,” he said. “I’m sorry. Our time was short, but I have never met a warrior with your nobility and strength.” The glowing particles climbed up his waist.

“Leomon…” said Sakura.

Leomon’s eyes softened. “I hope you can forgive me for not protecting you better.”

“No,” Sakura choked. “You have no need to beg my forgiveness. I—” She dug her fingers into the earth. “I couldn’t have asked for a better partner!” Leomon smiled wanly. “I’m glad.”

His chest went next. Where his heart should’ve been, a small round orb of white light materialized from a cluster of pixels, which absorbed some of the ones nearby. As it grew, it elongated into the shape of an egg the size of a basketball.

As the pixels crawled up his shoulders and neck, Leomon closed his eyes and sighed.

“Take care of yourself…” were his last words, hollow and echoing, the last of the pixels fading on the wind. The egg hovered for a few seconds longer before racing off into the sky. Sakura bowed her head and sobbed.

MadLeomon chuckled and flexed its now-empty fingers. “What a waste,” it repeated under its breath.

“Bastard,” Sakura spat.

MadLeomon lazily rested its gaze on her. “A lot of spirit from someone who is already dead,” it said.

With a growl, Sakura jumped to her feet and raised her fist. “I’m not done ye—” She gasped.

Her fist radiated glowing golden pixels, floating up and away, taking her flesh and bone with them. She could see the little ones and zeros in each cube.

“No…” she whispered.

MadLeomon bore its fangs in the approximation of a smile.

“You’re finished,” it chuckled. “It seems your bond with that weakling has doomed you. Unfortunately for you, I doubt there is any afterlife for humans in this world.” The beast turned his back and walked towards the school.
“Farewell, foolish human. Now I hunt uninterrupted.”

Mondo and Kaede took a step back. Kaede caught herself before she tripped on a piece of concrete.

“We have to run,” Mondo said. “We have to get out of here.”

“Where?” Kaede replied quietly. Tears flowed from her eyes, now vacant with fear. “There’s nowhere to go. It’s too fast, too strong. We’ll never escape.”

Suddenly MadLeomon pitched forward with a grunt. Sakura grappled its neck with both arms. One of her hands was already gone, the other almost there, and she’d lost both legs up to the knees.

MadLeomon broke her hold easily and threw her into the trees. Sakura caught a branch with one hand, clumsily righted herself, and leaned back on her leg stumps with her good arm holding onto the branch.

“With the last of my strength,” she growled, “I will stop you!”

With a savage yell, she pulled back even more and flung herself at MadLeomon.

MadLeomon turned, claws ready…and then relaxed its stance.

Sakura pulled back her fist and swung at its face.

MadLeomon watched her, almost bored, as she evaporated just before the blow connected. The particles of light flowing towards the sky.

The clearing fell quiet.

“Foolish human.” The beast turned back to the two students. “Anyway.”

Kaede’s hands flew to her mouth. “Sakura, no.”

She wept. How could this have happened? How could they hope to escape the monster that so easily destroyed two powerful fighters, one of them a monster himself?

This has to be a dream, she thought frantically. It must be a dream. I need to wake up. I need to wake up! I need to wake up!

But this wasn’t a dream. There was no waking up from this. And as the beast grew closer and closer, she knew these were her last waking moments.

“I don’t want to die,” she sobbed quietly. “I don’t want to die.”

A hand rested on her shoulder. She jumped and watched as Mondo walked past her. His face was as stone carved in the visage of an angry warrior from ancient times.

“Mondo,” she said. “Where are you—”

“Kaede,” he said, stopping a few feet ahead of her. There was no tremble in his voice.

“I’m sorry. I was weak and pathetic, and I sat back while someone else fought my battle for me. Their blood is on my hands, and I will never forgive myself for letting it happen.” He balled his fists. “But I made a man’s promise, and dammit to hell, Mondo Owada would rather die than break his promise!”

A light blinked on from Mondo’s pocket.

MadLeomon paused and narrowed its eyes.

Unaware of the light, which steadily grew, Mondo jabbed a finger at MadLeomon.

“Do you hear me?” Mondo shouted. “I am Mondo Owada! And I would rather die than break my promise! So you wanna fight, you big piece of shit?! Then come on! FIGHT! ME!” The light burst forth, enveloping the small hallway and spilling out into the clearing.

Kaede cried out and cowered with her arm covering her eyes. Even MadLeomon had to turn away from the intensity.

But Mondo only squinted to protect his eyes. He wasn’t afraid of the light; in fact, he felt like he knew it, the being that took form in front of him. He knew every spine and spike protruding from its chiseled body. He knew the white bandages binding its arms and legs, the metal helm covering its reptilian face.

And he knew its name.

Mondo beamed like a man reunited with his childhood friend.

The light died, and Kaede lowered her arm to see a new creature, made entirely of yellow rock, standing between them and MadLeomon. The beast took a step back and growled.

“Not so tough now, are ya?” Mondo jeered. He looked up at his new partner. “You ready to kick some ass?”

The creature bellowed, the sound of boulders thundering down a mountainside. Mondo pounded his fist into his other palm.

“Then let’s do it!” he roared. “GOLEMON!”

Spoiler: Golemon

 

The ape beat his chest and roared a challenge at Angemon. The angel merely buffeted his wings in response. Makoto, still in awe at the creature’s sudden appearance, snapped out of it just enough to return his mind to battle.

“Gonta and Mukuro are in trouble,” he said to Angemon. “We need to take this thing down, and fast.”

Angemon nodded once, then turned to his opponent. The yellow ape bore his fangs. “You dare stand before me?” he roared. “I am Apemon, King of the Jungle! Bow before your superior!”

Angemon whirled his golden staff around his body and brandished it defiantly at Apemon. With a roar, the beast lunged with his javelin. Angemon deflected the attack and rammed his fist into Apemon’s gut. He staggered back with a grunt, holding his stomach.

Before Apemon could recover, Angemon swung with the gold staff. The staff cracked across the ape’s face. Teeth clattered to the floor and dissolved into red pixels. Once more, Angemon didn’t give Apemon time to recover; he moved in a barrage of white and gold, far too fast for Makoto to follow. Apemon, fueled by anger and pain, regained his footing and fought back with a flurry of his own. Bone and gold clanged together. Where Angemon practically danced in this duel to the death, Apemon charged and swung like a demon. At first, Makoto thought this was desperation, but very quickly he realized there was a method to the madness. Each wild blow was deliberate, almost precise, and very soon, Angemon showed signs of fatigue.

Sweat rolled down Makoto’s face. He could feel Angemon’s fatigue in his limbs, and he sensed that Angemon wanted—no, needed—to end the fight soon.

I have to help him, Makoto thought, but how? Logically, he knew there was nothing his feeble little body could do against the might of Apemon…Makoto almost laughed at the thought. Logic ceased to exist the moment he woke up in that dingy classroom. Nothing made sense anymore.

Makoto heard a shuffling behind him. He spared a glance back. Despite the crushing weight, Mukuro clawed and wriggled against her stony prison. And up ahead, he could see

Gonta, now awake, slowly lifts his head with Aoi’s help.

Actually, there’s one thing that was crystal clear: he had people to protect. They had people to protect, he corrected, glancing at Angemon. Ever since the angel appeared, Makoto has this sense that he was no longer alone in his own mind. Oddly enough, it was comforting, and he found himself drawing closer to that mental bond, letting it broaden and deepen until suddenly he saw the fight through different eyes. Not only could he follow Angemon’s rapid moves, he understood them, and saw his partner’s strategies, his strengths, and weaknesses. The more he released himself to the flood of information, the more he knew Angemon—and he knew exactly what to do.

Apemon struck left, right, left. Angemon bobbed and weaved, then struck out for

Apemon’s face. Apemon saw it coming. He parried with the bone then, in an imitation of Angemon’s very first strike, punched the angel right in the midsection. Angemon slammed into the wall behind him, but he recovered quickly in time to avoid Apemon’s Bone Hammer.

The impact obliterated the wall, revealing the ruined classroom inside. Angemon danced out of the way while Apemon backed out of the classroom.

A spark shot through Makoto’s mind.

“Now, Angemon!” he shouted. “Heaven’s Knuckle!”

Angemon’s fist glowed an unearthly orange light. He drew back. Apemon turned, too slow— SLAM!!

Angemon’s fist plowed into Apemon’s chest. Makoto thought he heard a crunch.

Apemon cried out in pain as he was sent hurtling through the room he just destroyed, plowing into the desks, and crashing through the wall on the other side. The top half of his body hung limply out the newly made hole in the wall.

Makoto cautiously stepped into the room, Angemon right behind.

Apemon’s body slowly disintegrated into yellow pixels, starting from the feet. It didn’t take long for it to disappear completely; in its place, a large, glowing egg. Makoto took another step forward, but before he could get close enough to touch it, the egg zipped away, disappearing into the blue sky.

“What was that?” Makoto muttered to himself.

Angemon brushed a knuckle against his shoulder, snapping him out of his thoughts.

“You’re right,” he said. “We gotta get everyone out of here.”

Makoto rushed to Mukuro’s side. The Ultimate Soldier was pale, mouth set in a determined line, but alive.

“Just hang on,” he said. “We’ll get you out in no time.”

Mukuro glanced up at Angemon with no small amount of suspicion. Makoto couldn’t blame her.

“It’s ok, he’s a friend.” Makoto looked up at Angemon. The angel nodded once.

Mukuro didn’t say anything, but she didn’t fight him either as the angel gingerly lifted the rubble and helped her to her feet. Mukuro took a few shaky steps forward and almost stumbled. Makoto caught her.

“Thanks,” she mumbled and shot a glance at Angemon. The angel dipped his head, then walked towards Gonta and Aoi.

Makoto moved to follow, but as soon as Angemon’s back was turned, Mukuro held him back. “Are you sure you can trust him?” she whispered.

“Positive,” he replied firmly. “I’m not really sure how to explain it, but…I have this feeling.”

“Feelings betray you.”

“Not this one. It’s like…it’s like we have a connection. Like I’ve known him all my life, but also not. I don’t know how to explain it,” he said quickly when she gave him an incredulous look. Mukuro still wasn’t convinced, but she didn’t say any more about it.

Gonta was standing by the time they regrouped, supported by Aoi’s shoulder. The big man looked like he’d been hit by a train, but he still had a big smile plastered on his face.

“Gonta never seen might like that,” he said to Angemon. “Gonta impressed.”

“I’m surprised you were conscious for that,” Makoto said.

“Gonta sturdy. Big ape hit a little harder than expected, but nothing to be worried about.”

Aoi clucked. “It’s not nothing!” she berated. “You could’ve been killed! Are you sure you’re ok to move?”

“Of course.” Gonta patted her head. “Calm, little bug. Gonta fine.”

Aoi’s face reddened, but she still looked peeved. “I’m not a little bug. And in any case, even if you’re good to walk, let’s avoid any more monsters.”

“Digimon,” Makoto said suddenly. Everyone turned to him. He scratched his arm sheepishly. “They’re called Digimon,” he explained. “At least, I think so…” His eyes slid up towards Angemon, who nodded once.

“How do you know that?” Mukuro asked. She said it in the most neutral tone, but there was no mistaking the edge in her voice.

“Like I said,” Makoto shrugged, “we have a connection.”

“And does this connection tell us where we are and why we’re here?”

“N-no,” Makoto admitted, face growing redder. “It’s not like that. I just know bits and pieces about Angemon, maybe some things that he knows. It’s not comprehensive, but I think the more time passes, the more I learn about him.”

And the more time passes, he thought, I get the feeling he’s learning more about me.

A sense of affirmation filtered through Makoto’s mind.

“We should get out of here,” Mukuro said. “The longer we sit around, the more likely another enemy Digimon will attack.”

“Plus there might be other survivors,” Makoto said. “I just hope we get to them in time….”

---

Elsewhere, Daniel and Ryoko gaped in awe of Greymon. The Digimon stamped his great feet and roared. Tuskmon roared a challenge of his own and lowered his head. A warning shot through Mateo’s mind. “Take cover!” he shouted.

The three humans threw themselves behind a bookshelf as the two dinosaurs Digimon charged at each other, slamming their great heads together and sending a shockwave through the library. Mateo cringed at the phantom feeling of bone scraping on bone, the mental image of Greymon’s helm deflecting Tuskmon’s horns. He leaned around the bookshelf to see Greymon grappling Tuskmon by the massive horns twisting around from his back. Greymon bare his teeth from the strain, but for all his strength, his opponent at the advantage of size. Greymon dug his feet into the floor, but Tuskmon still pushed him back inch by inch.

“Where’s Pteramon?” Daniel said.

Mateo looked around wildly. No sign of Pteramon, but in the state the library was in, there was no place for it to hide. That must mean…

Mateo’s head snapped up. Pteramon swooped around, getting into position, and fired another round of missiles.

“Greymon!” Mateo shouted and shoved his companions to the side.

The Digimon understood immediately, even before the quick glance at Pteramon’s and the humans’ positions. Greymon tightened his grip on Tuskmon’s horns and threw Tuskmon into the line of fire. Tuskmon’s roar cut through the room before it was lost in an explosion of fire and smoke.

Mateo, Ryoko, and Daniel fell to the floor, covering their eyes and ears. When the noise died, Daniel peeked and saw Tuskmon lying in a crater, moaning in pain, as his body dissolved into tiny glowing data pixels until all that remained was a rounded shape Daniel knew was a Digi-Egg. Daniel watched as the egg flew out of the room.

Pteramon shrieked in outrage and swooped down towards the humans.

Daniel, eyes still fixed on where the Digi-Egg vanished, opened his mouth to speak, but garbled a hurk! as Mateo yanked him by the collar and rushed him and Ryoko out of the way.

Greymon sprang up at Pteramon, forcing it to veer off course or else get shredded in Greymon’s teeth. The pterodactyl circled around. The missile launchers under its wings reloaded, and Mateo could see it taking aim.

Ever since Greymon appeared, there’s been this lingering sensation of…other…in the back of Mateo’s mind. It’s like he’s not the only one in his brain anymore. No, that’s not quite right. It’s more like…he didn’t know he was the only one in the room until he heard someone at the door. And at the same time, he knew the other person was also in a room of their own. Mateo inwardly shook his head. That didn’t make any sense; the point is a mental connection of some kind formed between him and Greymon the moment his phone began to glow, and now he could sense Greymon’s presence, his thoughts, and feelings—and he got the feeling Greymon could sense his. That part scared him the most, he thought, this feeling of having his inner being exposed.

It’s ok, he thought in a thought that wasn’t his own, though it was more like a feeling. We’re partners. You can trust me.

He looked up sharply to see Greymon staring at him from the side. The blue dinosaur blinked.

You can trust me.

Mateo returned his attention to Pteramon. Like a falcon toying with its prey, the Digimon darted around, swooping down and then pulling away at the last minute before it could get too close to Greymon. Fear crept deeper into
Mateo’s heart, and he subconsciously moved towards the “door,” slowly immersing himself in that mental bond with Greymon. Words, images, feelings flooded his mind; the more he learned about his partner, the more their thoughts synchronized, the more his hesitation melted away.

Mateo and Greymon’s eyes followed Pteramon, studying its movements. Suddenly the erratic movements became so obvious; Mateo, with Greymon’s instinct and his own wit, waited for the right opportunity.

Once more, and for the last time, Pteramon swooped down.

“Now!” Mateo barked. “Mega Flame!”

Fire erupted from Greymon’s maw. Pteramon screeched in pain as the fire stream engulfed its body. Behind him, Daniel and Ryoko shielded their eyes from the light of

Greymon’s attack, but Mateo stared on.

When the flames died, all that remained of Pteramon was a single glowing egg.

The egg flew away, presumably to join Tuskmon’s, taking the last of Mateo’s energy with it. He sank to his knees, staring wide eyed while he caught his breath. He was vaguely aware of Daniel and Ryoko coming up and crouching down on either side of him. The trio sat there for some time, feeling the weight of silence in the center of the destroyed library.

“What is going on?” Ryoko’s rasping whisper broke the silence. “What were those creatures? Where is this place?”

The brothers looked at her, then looked at each other. Mateo’s eyes held a hundred questions, but Daniel’s could only return worry.

“We don’t know,” Mateo said, turning back to Ryoko.

“That’s not true,” Ryoko said. “Earlier, your brother said 'Digiworld’ and ‘not if you’re here.’ Sounds like you have at least some idea of what’s going on.”

“Well,” Daniel said slowly, “we…well you see….”

“What he means is,” Mateo said quickly, “there’s a lot to talk about, and none of it is going to make sense right now.” The crunch of rubble collapsing echoed from somewhere in the library. The trio froze, but when no other sounds followed, Mateo continued, “We should focus on getting out of here first. After that, I promise we’ll tell you everything we know.” He shot Daniel a look that said, And you’re going to have to fill me in first.

Ryoko studied them both for a few moments before nodding. “That sounds…fair enough. But first…” She slipped her hand into her backpack, pulled out her notebook, and began to write. “What are you writing?” Mateo asked.

“What happened,” she explained, not pausing from her work. “For some reason, I feel the need to get everything down.”

“Now?” Mateo sighed in exasperation. Daniel put a hand on his arm and shook his head once. Mateo sighed again. “Alright, but hurry.”

While Ryoko wrote, Daniel and Mateo looked over Greymon for any injuries and generally process his existence. Daniel in particular brimmed with excitement, momentarily seeming like the last thirty-odd minutes never happened.

“This is so cool,” he said, circling around the Digimon. “He’s huge!”

Mateo stood quietly, absentmindedly patting Greymon’s leg. The Digimon didn’t mind the attention, gently obliging when Daniel reached to hold one of Greymon’s claws in both of his hands. The battle ended, Mateo once again retreated back into the depths of his own self, but he felt more comfortable allowing the passive stream of Greymon’s consciousness to brush up against his own.

“You think I’ll get a Digimon of my own, too?” Daniel asked in that joking tone Mateo knew meant he was hiding how much he really wanted it.

Mateo shrugged carelessly. “I dunno, man,” he said. “Maybe this is a ‘chosen one’ type situation.”

Daniel scoffed. “No way you’re the ‘chosen one.’”

“Says the one without a Digimon.”

“If you both are done,” Ryoko said, coming up behind them, “we should get out of here.”

“Absolutely right,” Mateo said. “Let’s get going.”

The human trio and their Digimon companion walked towards the exit. When the others stepped out into the torn-up hallway, Daniel lingered a moment. The library wasn’t exactly the sparkling center of learning when the brothers first arrived, but the aftermath of the Digimons’ ferocious battle reduced the space to smoldering piles of ash and rubble.

“I think,” said Daniel, “we should try to avoid fighting as much as possible. Anymore and we could bring the whole school down.”

Mateo stopped and looked back at the library. “Fair enough,” he said, though he couldn’t help but to think of the message on his phone.

The group wandered around the hallways, searching a way out of the building. The pace was slow, painfully slow; Greymon struggled with fitting through the relatively narrow space without causing damage that would draw attention to their location, and their frayed nerves caused them to flinch and freeze at every noise. Rumbles and crashes echoed through the halls, sometimes sending tremors through the floor.

So, when Mateo rounded the corner and nearly ran smack into a guy in a long overcoat, one can forgive the absolutely ridiculous, Chihuahua-esque noise of surprised fear that burst from his mouth.

The stranger jumped, startled, then smiled…only to let out a pained yelp as Mateo’s fist knocked the smile right off his face.

“Oh shit!” Mateo said, lunging forward to catch the guy before he fell to the floor.

“Sorry, man, you scared the crap outta me!”

“Damn! Got quite the right hook there, pal,” said the guy, massaging his jaw. The guy was a couple inches taller than Mateo, though with a narrower build, and had light olive skin that complemented his purple-ish hair and eyes. His hair stuck out from the top of his head and down across his face, and his chin ended in a pointy goatee. He wore a purple blazer over a white long sleeve dress shirt over a t-shirt with a red brushstroke pattern on it. His dress pants matched the blazer in both color and untidiness. The ensemble was odd enough has it is, but when the guy moved, Mateo could see a galaxy painted in the underside of the coat.

Mateo’s companions rushed over at the sound of the commotion at the same time a new Digimon burst onto the scene clutching two girls, one under the arm and the other over the shoulder. The Digimon was muscular and bipedal with mostly lavender skin. A patch of white stretched across his chest, up his neck, and over his long, crocodile-esque face, which was half obscured by an eyeless steel helm reminiscent of a shark’s fin. From under this helm poked a ragged mane of straight, black and red-tipped hair. Metal plates of armor were bolted all over his body, including the tip of his thick, tapered tail, and it wore green cargo pants. Its bare feet consisted of three large spikes for toes; similar spikes made up the three fingers at the end of each arm.

Ryoko and Daniel gasped, Greymon growled and lowered his head, the boy cursed and took a fearful step back, the new Digimon bared its teeth and growled back, ready to attack—

“Hold it!” shouted Mateo. He held out his arms towards both parties before things got ugly. “No one move. Greymon, put the fires out, buddy, we aren’t under attack.”

The flame licking out from between Greymon’s teeth sputtered out, but he still eyed the new Digimon warily. The newcomer Digimon, on the other hand, relaxed completely.

“Jeez.” The new guy put a hand on his chest and exhaled slowly. “I think my heart stopped five times in the last thirty seconds. Still,” he stood straighter and smiled at the group, “I’m glad to run into more friendly faces. Especially you, big guy.” He nodded appreciatively to Greymon. Greymon responded with a pleasant grunt. “My name is Kaito Momota, the Ultimate Astronaut,” he continued. “This one here is Strikedramon.” The Digimon grinned a toothy smile.

Mateo and his group introduced themselves.

“Nice to meet ya,” Kaito said. “Even nicer to have a nice monster on our side.”

“Digimon,” Daniel corrected reflexively.

“What?”

“They’re not monsters. They’re called Digimon.”

Kaito raised an eyebrow at him. “And how do you know that?”

Daniel reddened. “Um, well…”

“Greymon told me,” Mateo interjected smoothly. “We have a…I guess a mental link? A connection.” He patted the large Digimon’s snout. “I can kinda tell what he’s thinking and feeling, sometimes I get bits of information. Don’t you and Strikedramon have that?”

“Well yeah.” Kaito scratched the back of his head and looked to the side. “I mean, I kinda get stuff like that, mostly attack info, but—”

“A-hem!” The girl under Strikedramon’s arm lifted herself up, tossing her long blonde hair out of the way. She glowered at Kaito. “Aren’t you forgetting something?”

Kaito rolled his eyes. “That’s Miu Iruma,” he explained with all the longsuffering of a saint.

Miu waited a few moments, and when Kaito didn’t say anything more, she made a noise of disgust and said, “That’s it?! What kind of boring introduction is that?!”

“Who cares?” Kaito shrugged. “You’re just another sidekick anyway.”

“Sidekick?” she practically screeched. “I saved your life! If it weren’t for my superior intellect, you and that other one would totally be monster food right about now.”

Miu wore a pink sailor uniform with a big aquamarine bow, but she modified it with black leather straps around the arms and down her legs. Mateo’s first impression was that they were used to hold tools or something, and he refused to think about them further.

“Who is she?” Mateo nodded to the girl slung over Strikedramon’s shoulder. Thankfully, she wore black leggings under her skirt.

“Oh, her?” Kaito shrugged. “No idea. She’s completely catatonic, ain’t said a word since I found her and Miu. See?” Strikedramon turned so they could see her face. Twin silver braids dangled on either side of her pale face, red eyes dull and listless as they stared at nothing. Her black uniform was covered in rips and burns, and blood tricked down her arms and across her face. Mateo glanced at Daniel; as he thought, Daniel recognized her, too, and said nothing.

“Never mind that!” said Miu. “Who cares about her or the new people? You said you’d get me outta this damn school. I am NOT risking my valuable brain in this shithole.”

The building rumbled. The vibrations rattled the floor and up through their feet. Whatever it was, it was close.

“We can talk more later,” said Ryoko. “I don’t know about you, but I’d like to avoid another fight until we can find somewhere less cramped.” Greymon grunted in the affirmative.

Another rumble, this time more violent and accompanied by a dull roar. The tremors shot through his soles and rattled his bones. It was really close, possibly right under their feet. “Mateo,” said Daniel, tugging on his sleeve.

“Wait.” Mateo held out a hand and listened. Greymon lowered his head and stared at Mateo intently. Mateo pressed his ear to the floor.

“What are you doing?” demanded Miu, very loudly. Ryoko shushed her harshly. The group watched in silence and ever-growing dread as the rumbles and roars intensified.

“It’s not just the one,” Mateo murmured after a time. He stood. “It’s not just the one. There are at least two.”

“Are you serious?!” Daniel cried. “We can’t fight two at the same time.”

“Chill out,” laughed Kaito. “We got two monsters of our own. We can take ‘em!”

“No, we can’t,” said Daniel.

“Actually,” Mateo cut in, “from the sound of it, I think they’re fighting each other.” He looked around. “I think…I think that’s our chance.”

“To do what?” huffed Miu.

“To bust out of here. I didn’t want to before because it would draw attention, but if I’m right, then those Digimon would be too distracted to come after us.”

“And if you’re wrong?” Ryoko asked.

Mateo met every eye watching him. If he’s wrong? Then they fight. Some of them might even die. But that’s the reality now, isn’t it? Fighting and probably dying. The image of Shuichi’s burnt cap resting on a pile of ash persisted in his mind. Yes, this was the reality now, and it won’t stop until he can get Daniel and everyone else out.
And that meant having to take a few calculated risks.

Mateo snapped his attention to Greymon. He didn’t need to ask to know they were on the same page.

“I need you to make us an exit,” Mateo said pointing to the wall. “Straight through, all the way to the outside. We don’t stop until we’re free.” Greymon bared his teeth and nodded.

“Are you nuts?” Miu demanded. “We can’t just start ripping holes in the building! We don’t know the structural integrity of—”

Greymon plowed through the wall, Mateo and Daniel hard on his heels. Miu and Ryoko screamed in surprise. Kaito whooped and took off after Greymon.

“C’mon Strikedramon!” he laughed. “Let’s get the hell outta here!” Strikedramon roared with the same wild energy and raced after his partner, heedless of how he jostled his two charges.

“Slow down!” Miu whined. “I’m gonna be—hurk!” She covered her mouth with both hands.

Wall after wall fell, and none could slow Greymon’s charge. He crashed through each like they were made of paper, and his considerable size made the way completely clear of rubble for his human compatriots.

“I’ll say this,” Daniel shouted breathlessly to his brother. “Definitely faster than before!”

“Right?” Mateo laughed despite himself.

Greymon crashed into a classroom and almost immediately through the other side—the one with windows. Alarm bells rung in Mateo’s head. Incoming!!

There was no way he could slow his momentum, but he could see the trees before them. The shortest way is often the simplest, if not the stupidest.

“JUMP!” cried Mateo.

Mateo hurled himself into the trees. Branches cracked across his body, shredding his hands and face, but he landed on a sturdy one and gripped the one above for dear life. The whole tree rocked as Greymon crashed through the branches until he finally hit the ground; Mateo sensed, with relief, that he was unharmed. Behind him, Daniel and Kaito screamed a curse and a few seconds later, Mateo heard him land just as clumsily to his left. Miu just screamed; even after Strikedramon landed nimbly on a branch a little ways above them, she screamed and flailed.

“That was so stupid,” Daniel panted. “So stupid.”

Kaito looked around. “Where’s the red head?”

Mateo twisted around. His blood ran cold. “Ryoko?” he called. “Ryoko?!”

“There!” Daniel pointed towards the building.

Their exit was on the second floor of an impossibly tall brick building. Peeking through the hole, pale and wide-eyed, was Ryoko. Mateo cursed.

“Ryoko!” he shouted. “You gotta jump!” She shook her head and took a step back.

“I got her!” Kaito said. “Strikedramon!”

The Digimon plummeted from his perch, earning more screams from Miu, gently lowered both girls to the ground, and then sprang back up the tree and through the building to collect Ryoko. While he did that, the boys shimmied their way cautiously down the tree. Mateo and Kaito landed on their feet, but the last branch broke under Daniel’s weight, and he fell on Mateo.

“Ow!” Daniel groaned. “Thanks for breaking my fall.”

“Can you get off me?” grunted Mateo, but his brother didn’t hear him.

“Look over there!” he said, pointing. Mateo pushed him off and stood. He cursed.

A huge, lion-like Digimon gripped a yellow golem-like one by the throat and hurled him into the trees. They were far enough away to have not noticed Mateo and the others, but they were close enough that it was only a matter of time.

“Get moving,” Mateo ordered, pushing Daniel and Miu deeper into the forest.

“Wait!” Daniel protested. “There are people there!”

Sure enough, a boy with a pompadour and a girl with long pale hair rushed out of a massive hole in the building. The boy’s black overcoat whipped behind him, and he shouted something at the yellow Digimon. The Digimon growled—even at this distance, it sounded like an avalanche—and charged at the dark Digimon.

“That’s MadLeomon,” Daniel said fearfully under his breath, then louder, “We have to help them!"

Mateo hesitated, then said, “Fine. But you and the girls hang back.”

“But—”

“No buts!” Mateo turned to Kaito. “You ready?”

Kaito smirked and gave a thumbs up. “Like I’d let my sidekicks do all the work.”

Sidekicks? No time for questions, Kaito and Strikedramon were already charging towards the fray, Kaito yelling. Mateo rolled his eyes. “Let’s go Greymon, before they get themselves killed.”

Greymon roared and stamped his feet, then charged. Adrenaline surged through Mateo’s veins as Greymon’s fury flooded his body. All at once he was swept up by the thrill of battle, and his own war cry mingled with his partner’s.

MadLeomon lifted his mighty snout in the air. “More?” he mused in his low rumble. His maw twisted into a sneer. “Finally. Now this will get interesting.”

“Don’t ignore me!” Mondo shouted. “Golemon! Rock Punch!”

Golemon rolled to its feet with more grace than its rocky body belied and lunged. MadLeomon ducked, grabbing Golemon’s arm, and heaving the Digimon over his head.

“Now! Sulfur Plume!”

MadLeomon’s eyes widened, and he threw Golemon—too late, the smoke stacks on his back burned bright then exploded face-melting flames. MadLeomon howled. Golemon twisted in midair to land on all fours.

“Atta boy, Golemon!” Mondo cheered.

MadLeomon snarled. Suddenly he sprang backwards—narrowly dodging Greymon crashing down on his head.

“Strike Fang, Strikedramon!”

Strikedramon flew into the air, momentarily hidden in the glare of the sun, reappearing in a headlong plunge with its metal helm glowing white hot. MadLeomon rolled out of the way, but Strikedramon’s meteoric crash slammed MadLeomon with shockwaves. This time MadLeomon had no room to recover—Golemon was on him in seconds, slamming MadLeomon’s face over and over with his fists. MadLeomon kicked furiously at Golemon’s underbelly before vaulting him up and overhead, driving him right into Greymon.

While the four Digimon tore into each other, Mateo and Kaito ran up to Mondo and Kaede.

“Are you guys alright?” Mateo panted.

“Yeah,” Mondo replied. “You guys got here just in the nick of time.”

“Good. I’m Mateo. This is Kaito.”

“Mondo. This is Kaede.” Kaede gave a small wave and a weak smile, eyes locked on the battle.

Greymon darted in to clamp onto MadLeomon’s leg. MadLeomon’s kicks did nothing against Greymon’s black helm, so he curled around and sunk his claws into Greymon’s haunch.

The forest trembled at the force of Greymon’s pained cries. A stream of red pixels bubbled out of Greymon’s side. MadLeomon’s claws glowed an evil purple, and thin dark veins forked out from the wounds in a sickly contrast to Greymon’s blue skin. Now free, MadLeomon twisted his legs out of the way and drove his claws in deeper.

Greymon bellowed again. Mateo staggered. Pain radiated through his side, stabbed into his mind. On reflex, he pulled away mentally from his partner. The pain eased somewhat.

Strikedramon and Golemon swooped in and clotheslined MadLeomon around the neck and stomach. The dark beast’s claw ripped out of Greymon’s side. Red pixels rushed out. Greymon staggered to the side, shaking his mighty head as if to clear it.

“Shit,” Mondo hissed. “That monster’s got this poison ability. We…we saw…” He clenched his fists and ground his teeth.

“One touch,” Kaede said quietly, “and you’re dead.”

Mateo’s heart twisted. “You can’t be serious!” he breathed. “Greymon—he can’t be—”

“Matt!”

Mateo whirled around to see Daniel and Ryoko run up to them. “I told you to stay back,” Mateo snapped.

“I’m not leaving you and Greymon,” Daniel shot back. “Besides, I know more than you.”

He surveyed the battle, brow furrowed. “This looks really bad.”

“That’s all you can say?!”

“Hey, I just got here!”

“Will you two idiots quit bitchin’?!” Mondo shouted. “What the hell do you mean you know more?”

Before Daniel could respond, Strikedramon slammed into a tree not far from them and slid to the ground. MadLeomon swung a fallen tree at Greymon, who caught it in its jaws. At Mateo’s call, Mega Flame flew from Greymon, incinerating the tree; however, MadLeomon brushed off the inferno with one hand.

“That’s it, Greymon!” Daniel shouted. “Kick his ass!”

But the Digimon was looking worse for wear. They all were, except for MadLeomon.

Where they were fast running out of steam, MadLeomon was barely winded. And the marks on Greymon’s side were growing…

Suddenly the building exploded on either side of the group. They screamed and covered their heads. Mateo and Daniel looked up. They couldn’t believe what they saw.

On one side, a giant purple bear Digimon burst from the dust cloud, charging towards them. Mateo’s heart flew into his throat as the bear jumped…and flew over their heads! Right into MadLeomon, plunging its heavy claws into MadLeomon’s back.

Another shape flew out of the smoke, visible only by the dusty disturbances in its wake, darting in a zigzag fashion through the trees. The bear flung itself off, staggering MadLeomon; the blur spun in midair and sliced down MadLeomon’s back. The momentum slowed just enough to see a giant foxlike Digimon with a massive jagged blade for a tail.

“That’s Grizzlymon and Reppamon!” Daniel cried.

“Atatatatatatata!” a booming voice shouted. A linebacker of a man charged out of the smoke and jumped into a tree. He was clad in a black blazer and light blue joggers and sported the most impressive sideburns Mateo’s ever seen. The linebacker laughed. “Great work team!”

Another guy, much lither than the first, appeared on a branch just below him, arms folded. He, too, wore a black blazer, this time with black slacks and boots. The lower part of his grayish face was wrapped in a flowing maroon scarf, and his black and white hair flowed up into a curl. “An impressive display,” the second newcomer mused in a surprisingly deep voice. “However, I expect nothing less from the Immortal She-Demon of the Eternal Night! Now tear into this foul beast, my she-demon! Once more, Spinning Sky-fissure Slash!”

Reppamon darted around the battlefield once more at a blindingly fast speed and sprang into a summersault. Once more, the thunderbolt-shaped blade tail sliced down on MadLeomon, but the beast was ready this time. He spun out of the way at the last moment, and Reppamon’s attack sliced a tree in half.

“How disappointing,” a voice said from the other hole in the wall. “And here I thought we wouldn’t be needed in this fight.”

Mateo, Mondo, and the others turned. A finely dressed, bespectacled boy with sandy blond hair and piercing green eyes emerged from the dust and smoke, surprisingly untouched by the dirt. At his side, a girl in a very modest maid outfit with short-cropped ash-grey hair, one shock of her hair covering the left side of her pale face. The two were flanked by two Digimon— a short wizard, face mostly obscured in its dark cape and hat, and a black metal centaur sporting a giant missile.

Daniel groaned.

“However,” said the male newcomer, “while my timing was impeccable, as usual, it seems that my evaluation of the situation was incorrect.” He adjusted his glasses and glared at the group. “It seems that even your four monsters are incapable of taking one measly creature.”

“Excuse me?” Mateo demanded at the same time Daniel breathed, “Digimon.”

“You heard me,” the boy sniffed. “But fear not. I, Byakuya Togami, will lend my assistance.” He snapped his fingers. “Kirumi, if you don’t mind?”

The maid bowed. “Right away, Master Togami. Black KnightChessmon and I are here to serve.”

The metal centaur bowed its noble head before galloping off into battle. It leveled its giant dart, poised like a javelin, and thundered towards MadLeomon. Strikedramon and Grizzlymon, currently locked in a joint effort to grapple
MadLeomon, saw the incoming attack and sprang out of the way. Too late to dodge, MadLeomon braced himself, then grabbed the lance just before impact. He heaved. KnightChessmon was yanked to the right, but it kept a firm grip on the dart.

Byakuya turned his back on the group. “Consider this an act of mercy. Next time I won’t be so generous.”

“You ass! You didn’t even send in your own Digimon!” Kaede protested.

“Of course not. Why would I when its only purpose is to act as my bodyguard?”

“Why you pompous piece of—” Mondo growled, taking a step forward, but Kaede held him back.

“Besides,” Byakuya said, still back turned. “I have other obligations.”

Just then, a group of frightened students emerged from the hole Byakuya and Kirumi created. They gawked at the fighting titans, faces pale and smeared with grime. Most of them were injured and bleeding; not one of them had a Digimon partner.

“There are so many…” Ryoko mused absentmindedly.

“They’re in danger,” Mateo said. He glared at Byakuya. “How could you bring them out here? They’re going to get killed!”

Byakuya turned a venomous eye on Mateo. “And what, let them rot in a school infested with monsters?”

(“Digimon,” muttered Daniel.)

“Do you know what they have seen? What sort of nightmares we have endured in just the last few hours?” Mateo glowered but said nothing. Byakuya sneered. “I thought not. You’re either an idiot or a sadist if you think staying in that hellhole is better than being out here.”

Mateo grabbed Byakuya’s collar and snarled in his face, “What did you say to me?!”

“Matt, stop!” Daniel grabbed his arm. “I know he’s a jerk, and he’s got his head so far up his own ass he’s peeking through his bellybutton—”

“Excuse me?” said Byakuya.

“But we can’t start fighting each other!” Daniel gripped Mateo’s arm tighter and turned to Byakuya. “Mateo has a point—it’s not safe out here for all of them. Greymon and the others are doing their best to hold back MadLeomon, but…”

Just then, Greymon collapsed. Mateo and the group snapped to attention. Greymon, Golemon, and Strikedramon now had the same black and purple veins twisting around their claws, faces, arms—every part of their bodies that came in contact with MadLeomon.

A dark purplish mist emanated from MadLeomon’s glowing claws. Mondo paled.

“We’re doomed,” he said hoarsely. “That’s the attack that took out Sakura and Leomon. He slams his fist into the ground and sends out a toxic shockwave. And even if it doesn’t hit, then its poison will. It said every part of its body is poisonous.” He choked. “We’re all done for.”

“No, we’re not!” Daniel snapped but sweat beaded at his temple. “There’s a lot more of us and just one of him!”

“Even if we can dodge it,” Mondo shouted and threw a hand at the students cowering in the trees, “they can’t!”

“Then we have to get everyone to safety first.” Everyone jumped as the strange skunkhaired boy suddenly appeared beside them, the linebacker jogging up behind. The skunk boy crossed his arms again. “Fear not, pathetic mortals, for I, Gundham Tanaka, have emerged from the pits of hell to save your unfortunate souls from the doom that so plagues you!”

“Another weirdo?” Mateo despaired under his breath.

The large student laughed and clapped Gundham on the back hard enough to make him wheeze. “This guy, amiright?” he boomed. “But he’s right, it’s our job as the strong to take care of the weak. Name’s Nekomaru Nidai, by the way.”

“The school is out of the question,” Daniel said. “How about deeper into the woods?”

“Where other Digimon could be lurking?” Kaede asked.

“We’ll send an escort,” Mateo chimed in. “Some of us with Digimon partners will go with the group to protect them while the others keep MadLeomon occupied.”

“And who, pray tell, do you suggest goes with the group?” asked Byakuya in the most challenging tone possible.

Mateo thought for a moment. “Byakuya and Kirumi, was it? You two and your Digimon go. Same with Gundham and Nekomaru,” he said at last.

Kirumi put a finger to her chin and thought. “I’ve already been given instructions to fight,” she mused. “However, my duty is to serve all, and this will indeed serve many….Very well, I shall aid the party in the forest.” Byakuya bristled but said nothing.

“Mondo, Kaito, and I with our partners will stay and fight. If that’s ok,” Mateo added quickly, turning to them.

“Hell yeah!” Mondo punched his hand. “I ain’t about to run from a fight!”

“Neither shall I!” Gundham protested.

“Same here!” Nekomaru shouted.

Mateo winced. “Here’s the thing, if it’s true that MadLeomon’s body is poison, then Greymon, Strikedramon, and Golemon are already infected. Your Digimon hasn’t been, so it would make sense for the healthy ones to pull out of this fight and protect the ones without Digimon. Just in case…well…” The words stuck in his throat.

Gundham studied him with his heterochromic eyes. “I see,” he said finally. “You, too, feel the true bond with your hell beast. I respect that. Fine, we shall escort the weaklings to a safer location. However,” he pointed at Mateo, “you better defeat your opponent and join us on the Plains of Asphodel, where we may strive for Elysium together. There is no dignity in a life wasted.”

Nekomaru nodded once. “As much as I hate to admit it,” the big man said, “and I really hate to admit it, but a true leader knows when to support his team and when to trust them to take care of things on their own. We’ve only just met,” he grinned, “but you got guts, kid.” Mateo couldn’t help but return the grin.

While the others called their Digimon back and ran over to the stray Ultimates, Mateo turned to Daniel and put a hand on his shoulder. “You’re going with them.”

“What?!” Daniel knocked his hand out of the way. “Hell no! I’m staying with you!”

“No, you’re not.”

“If this is about—”

“This isn’t about you not having a Digimon,” said Mateo, moving Daniel away from the other students and dropping his voice. “And yeah, it’s kinda about you being my kid brother.”

Daniel scowled. “But this is mostly about the fact that you know so much about the Digital World and wherever the hell those kids came from—”

“Danganronpa,” Daniel said.

“Exactly. You know all this stuff; it’s going to be super valuable if we want to get out of here in one piece.”

“But this is all so different! There’s no Hope’s Peak or Ultimate Student or killing games in Digimon!”

“But at least you have something.” Mateo put his hands on both of Daniel’s shoulders. “Dan, look at me. You’re the most valuable player out of all of us. Maybe that’s what the messages on our phones mean. I gotta fight, but you gotta survive.” A loud crash drew their attention for a moment before turning back. “Go with the others. Keep the group together. And try not to let Byakuya get too full of himself.”

Daniel snorted. Mateo grinned and ruffled his head, once again messing up his beanie. “Fine,” Daniel said. “But if you don’t make it back in ten minutes, I’m coming back for you. I don’t care what you say.”

“Deal.” Mateo pulled Daniel into a tight hug before pushing him towards the rest of the group. Daniel took one look back at his brother before breaking into a run to catch up with the others. Once the group and their Digimon guards vanished into the woods, Mateo returned to the fight.

And it was going badly.

The Digimon flagged from both combat fatigue and the poison creeping its way through their systems, sapping their strength. It took a toll on the humans as well; Mateo swayed involuntarily and struggled to keep his focus.

However, MadLeomon, though battered and bleeding pixels, still had plenty of fight in him. The beast laughed.

“How pathetic!” he jeered. “Even against six opponents, you had no hope to take me down. And now you split your forces? Pathetic! You should’ve been less concerned about those weaklings, but then again, you’re all going to die anyway.” He threw back his head and laughed. Greymon struggled to his feet. His yellow eyes were dull with pain and exhaustion, but he still pressed on. Tears pricked at Mateo’s eyes, and he balled his fists.

“Just so you know,” Mondo said, “when the Digimon dies, so does the human.”

“I don’t care,” Mateo replied, which surprised both of them. “I don’t care. As long as we can give the others a chance to escape, I don’t care what happens to me.” Greymon rose up, fierce determination flickering in its eyes, and growled.

Mondo and Kaito stared at Mateo, impressed. Then Mondo chuckled and rubbed his head.

“Jeez, you’re too much, you know that? Got me feelin’ like a chump. At the same time…” He grinned. “Now you got me fired up! Yeah! Live or die—I ain’t going down without a fight!”

“Same with me,” Kaito declared with a smirk. “After all, what kind of heroic Luminary of the Stars would I be if I let all the sidekicks have the glory?”

“The who and the what now?”

Greymon charged, head down to strike MadLeomon with his horns. MadLeomon caught them and redirected them so he slammed into Strikedramon. Only Strikedramon’s quick reflexes saved him from being impaled. Golemon dived on MadLeomon from above, slamming down on MadLeomon. The beast crashed into the ground, then slowly picked himself up. Golemon gripped his head, trying to crush the Digimon’s skull. MadLeomon scratched at

Golemon’s body, but they grated against the stone surface with a painful squeal. Eventually MadLeomon got a good enough grip to fling Golemon off.

Golemon, Strikedramon, and Greymon circled MadLeomon. He eyed them all with smirk. The mist rolling from MadLeomon’s claws thickened, and the claws themselves glowed a hellish light.

“This has been fun,” he said, slowly raising his fists. “But all good things must come to an end.”

“Get out of there!” Mondo cried.

“Venom…” growled MadLeomon.

The humans shouted for their partners, but to no avail. The Digimon braced themselves but did not flee. They could not flee.

“…SHOCKWAVE!”

MadLeomon brought his fists down. Thunder cracked overhead.

“HOLY ROD!”

A golden staff crashed into the torn battlefield right in front of MadLeomon, burying itself in the ground and sending the beast flying back.

They all looked up.

The heavens opened, and from its radiance descended a divine being of light and justice. Feathers mixed with broken glass and brick drifted down to the earth. Mateo and the others shielded their eyes, awed. Even MadLeomon gaped at its brilliance.

Six snow white wings unfurled. An angel garbed in royal purples and golds lighted onto the mangled clearing. It held out a hand. The golden staff flew into its palm, flashing in the sunlight as the angel spun it around its body.

A girl in a red jacket, a wild man in a neat suit, and a girl with dark cropped hair jumped down from the angel’s arms. From his back, a boy with scruffy brown hair hopped down and ran over to the group.

“We saw you from the window,” he said breathlessly. “This was the fastest way down. Are you guys ok?”

The trio couldn’t speak for a moment, too stunned were they by the angel’s sudden appearance. “Who are you?” Kaito breathed.

The boy smiled sheepishly. “Oh, sorry. My name is Makoto Naegi. It’s nice to meet you.”

---

Introductions and explanations were brief. Makoto quickly understood the situation and had Aoi and Mukuro help Gonta to join the rest of the Ultimates deeper in the woods.

“Are you sure you can stand on your own?” he asked Mukuro. The Ultimate Soldier nodded. Makoto wasn’t convinced, but he didn’t argue. “Ok, we’ll meet up with you all soon.” They departed.

MadLeomon, on his feet once again, bare his teeth. “How touching. And dramatic. One more weakling will not save you.”

“What a nice guy,” Makoto grumbled. Mateo scoffed.

“Mateo,” Kaito said. “I have an idea.” He glanced at the others. “It’ll take all of us, though.”

The four listened. This could actually work.

Sensing the momentary lull in the fighting as the humans relayed the plan to their partners, MadLeomon lashed out fast as a striking viper at all four Digimon at once. All but Strikedramon evaded the attack; the blow struck Strikedramon across the face. MadLeomon pounced on the weakness. Angemon swung his rod, knocking MadLeomon out of the way towards Golemon, who beat on the beast with his fists.
Strikedramon slipped out of the way, circling around the clearing to stand between the fighters and the humans.

“Alright, Strikedramon,” Kaito shouted. “Let’s do this!”

Once again, Strikedramon sprang high in the air. Its metal helm glowed white-hot, creating trails of light as it twisted around.

“Strike Fang!”

Strikedramon plunged headfirst to the earth. MadLeomon, fending off Golemon and

Angemon, spared a glance up. He smirked. That trick isn’t going to work twice. Glowing purple veins opened around MadLeomon’s body, emitting the foul poisonous mist. Angemon and Golemon sprang back to avoid it.

“Prepare to die!” MadLeomon laughed.

There was no slowing Strikedramon’s descent. But he didn’t want to.

“Now, Greymon!” Mateo shouted. “Mega Flame!”

Greymon roared another inferno—this time at Strikedramon. The Digimon spun, gathering speed and the flames around him, creating a burning tornado.

MadLeomon’s eyes widened.

Strikedramon struck MadLeomon at the collar bone between his shoulder and neck. The flames incinerated the mist on contact, and they protected Strikedramon from the poison surging under MadLeomon’s skin.
MadLeomon’s pain ripped through the trees, felling the nearest ones, and echoed out for miles. Somewhere deep in the forest, the second party froze and looked around wildly for the source of the bloodcurdling sound.
Finally, Strikedramon’s pointed helm broke the skin; it came down like a guillotine, separating the arm from the shoulder. Red pixels gusted from MadLeomon’s torso. The humans whooped and cheered as MadLeomon staggered back, clutching his injury.

The cheering died when they say that MadLeomon still stood, not dissolving into a Digi-Egg like the others. MadLeomon bore his vicious teeth and snarled. “This isn’t over, weaklings.” He threw back his head and howled. Then he turned and ran.

Explosions rocked the school once more. Digimon broke out of various parts of the school. Mateo and the group braced for another attack, but the Digimon formed a small pack and raced after MadLeomon. As soon as they all disappeared into the forest, as soon as their thunderous footsteps went quiet, Mateo and his group let out a shaky sigh of relief.

“We did it,” Mondo said. Then he burst into laughter. “We did it!”

Mateo rushed over to Greymon, who had sunk to one knee and panted heavily.

“Hey,” Mateo said, sinking to his knees beside him. “You’re going to be ok, right? You’re going…”

That’s when he noticed the black veins had a purple sheen to them. Just so you know, when the Digimon dies, so does the human.

A cold sweat broke out on Mateo’s brow. He swallowed. “You’re going to be fine. There’s gotta be a healer or an antidote or something or…”

Greymon nudged Mateo with his snout and leveled one tired eye at him. Mateo stared at it, trying to read the Digimon’s emotions, but the link between them was too painful to touch.
Greymon blinked slowly. Then, he started to glow.

Mateo’s heart raced. “W-wait! Hold on!” He grabbed onto Greymon’s arm, desperate to keep him from fading. Greymon closed its eyes. The light overwhelmed his body, shrank…and slipped into Mateo’s pocket.

Mateo knelt there, frozen with his hands out, waiting for inevitable doom.

Nothing happened.

He looked at his hands.

Still there.

Slowly, he reached into his pocket. The phone glowed brightly for a few moments, too bright to look at, before finally the light faded, and the screen showed a tiny pixelated room. Sitting on the carpet in the middle of the room was a pixelated orange dinosaur, snoozing peacefully.

All the tension rushed out of Mateo’s body at once, and a relieved laugh burst from his chest. Collecting himself, Mateo rose to his feet and turned to the others. Looks like he wasn’t the only one—everyone had their phones in their hands, lights slowly fading, and astonishment written in their expressions. Their Digimon partners were nowhere to be seen.

Mateo put the device in his pocket.

“Is everyone ok?” he asked. They nodded. He nodded back. “Good. Let’s hurry up and find the others.”

 

When the cacophony of destruction stopped, it took everything in Daniel to not run back to the clearing where his brother—hopefully—was still with Greymon. Gundham and the others who had Digimon stood at the ready between the group of trembling and out-of-breath students and the fighting in the distance. Though the noises had stopped, no one dropped their guard.

Mukuro stood with the line of Digimon, hand ghosting over her hip. Old habits die hard, it seemed.

Daniel couldn’t stop glancing over at her. She had her back to him, but he knew enough about her to know she was aware of his looks.

The forest was quiet, too quiet for too long before finally, Gundham spoke up. “Someone approaches.”

Everyone tensed.

Another few minutes passed before Mukuro’s posture relaxed. Then the tension left the Digimon, too, and just a few moments after that, Mateo and the others appeared from the brush.

The students let out an audible sigh of relief.

Daniel rushed over to his brother. The older boy looked worn and sported a few new cuts, but otherwise, he seemed ok.

Mateo gave him a wan smile, “We won. Well, sort of.”

“I’m glad you’re ok,” said Daniel. He looked around then worriedly back at Mateo. “Where’s Greymon?” he asked. “He didn’t…”

“No.” Mateo patted his pocket. “Almost, though. But he’s fine, and the other Digimon went back into the phones. I’ll show you later.”

Daniel nodded and walked with his brother back to the rest of the group.

From the corner of his eye, Mateo saw Ryoko breaking away from the group and walking towards him. He paused while Daniel went ahead.

“Hey,” Mateo greeted, scratching the back of his head. “How are you feeling?”

“A bit tired, thank you for asking,” Ryoko replied before she tilted her head. “And you are…?”

Mateo was a bit surprised by her question. “What—”

“AH-HAHAHAHAHA!!”

Wind rattled the trees as a terrible, awful laugh echoed around them. Everyone jumped, a few students cried out in fright, and the whole group instinctively pressed in closer to each other. Mateo stepped right behind Daniel and hissed, “What the hell was that?!”

Daniel let out a shaky breath. The blood froze in his veins. “It’s him,” Daniel whispered.

“Where is it coming from?” someone cried.

Everyone looked around, trying to find the source of the bone-chilling laughter, but to no avail.

Suddenly, the ground rumbled under their feet. The Digimon, with startled noises, began to glow and shrink back into their partners’ Digivices. They immediately pulled out the devices in bewilderment. Byakuya swore and grumbled,
“Useless,” as he stuffed it back in his coat pocket.

A narrow beam of light erupted from the ground in front of them. The students closest to it yelped and jumped back, while the more battle-ready among them like Nekomaru, Mondo and Kaito stepped forward with fists raised.

The light sliced a sizeable ring through the ground. A steel column rose, still with the patch of grass and dirt on top. The scream of steel scraping on steel, all too much like a beast being tortured, hammered on their eardrums despite their attempts to block it out.

The earthquake ceased when the column halted with an ominous CLANG.

No one moved. The column, which now revealed to be a tiered tower that stood higher than Gonta and twice as wide at the base, loomed over them. The laughing stopped, but it wasn’t comforting.

Just then, a black and white blur sprang up, flailed its little arms and legs, and then landed at the top of the tower.

The Ultimates gasped.

Daniel groaned.

It was Monokuma.

“Pu-fufufufu!” the teddy bear giggled. “It’s so nice to see all of you! Congratulations on making it to the safe zone! You all did a great job at surviving such harrowing encounters. I couldn’t be prouder………….NOT!”

The last word rang out like a gunshot, causing several students to flinch.

Monokuma stamped his little feet and snapped, “You all suck! What an awful turnout this is!” He sighed. “I expected so much more from you Ultimates, and yet maybe five or six of you were actually entertaining. Even worse, I wasn’t expecting so many of you to die so easily.” He sighed another more exaggerated sigh. “Ah well, let’s take a look at the highlight reel in commemoration of all the poor, pathetic weaklings that didn’t make it out.”

The middle section of the tower slid back to reveal a TV screen that clicked on. A symbol with Monokuma’s face spun for a moment before switching to footage from inside the school.

The footage was ghastly. Clip after clip of students dying in horrific ways flashed before them. One being ripped apart. Another burned alive. Two in the jaws of a ferocious Digimon.

And the sounds…

In the top-left corner of the screen displayed the name and picture of the victim whose grisly end showed on the screen. Mateo tensed when he had to relive Shuichi’s final moments.

Mondo ground his teeth and Kaede teared up at Sakura’s final sacrifice. A few students had to turn away and cover their ears.

The scene changed. Daniel inhaled sharply. The screen only showed a raging inferno and the drip of molten glass, but the name in the corner read “Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu.”

Daniel squinted his eyes as he felt there was a shadow within the flames. But he couldn’t help but glance at Peko. If she saw the screen, she gave no reaction.

The video ended with all of the victims’ images displayed in rows. Fifteen young faces staring at them, X’s appearing over their faces in a ripple effect, accompanied by cute little animated bears and enemy Digimon dancing around the edges.

The whole sight made Daniel nauseous.

“There you have it, folks!” said Monokuma. “The first round is over. To be honest, I’m quite disappointed with how many of you died. I wasn’t expecting such a low number, and even then, the rest of you survivors are still sooooooooooo weak.” He began pacing his perch. “I’ve decided that if this is to continue to be remotely interesting, I’ll have to—” The bear froze. Very slowly his head turned to look out over the crowd.

“Hold on now,” said Monokuma.

A hole opened up in the side of the topmost tier, and a long-crooked telescope sprang out. Several students ducked to avoid getting smacked. The comically large lens stopped inches from Daniel and Mateo.

“Well, well, well,” crooned Monokuma, peering into the end of the telescope. “This is an interesting development.”

He pulled away from the eyepiece and glared down.

“Who the hell are you?”

Daniel tried to swallow, but his throat was dry. Mateo glared back, refusing to answer. Monokuma’s glare deepened.

“This is a private affair,” he informed them in a clipped tone. “Only Hope’s Peak Academy students are allowed to attend. Well?”

Daniel opened his mouth, glanced up at his brother, then closed his mouth again.

Monokuma continued to study them through his lens for what felt like an eternity. Then he shrugged.

“No matter,” the bear said, suddenly indifferent as the telescope snapped back into the tower. “What’s a few randos in the grand scheme of things? Besides…” A twisted grin split his face in two, and his red eye gleamed. “You all are gonna need all the bodies you can get.”

With that, the demonic bear clutched his belly and laughed the same chilling laugh from before.

“I’m sick of this piece of shit,” Mondo growled. He stomped forward and shouted, “Hey asshole! You’re the reason we’re here, aren’t you? Send us home right now!”

“Ah-ah-ah.” Monokuma waggled a finger. “Only the winners of this survival game are permitted to go home. And before you interrupt me again,” he said, cutting Mondo off, “do remember that I have a hundred scary monsters just WAITING to tear off all of your cute little faces. M’kay?”

Mondo closed his mouth and glowered.

“Good. As I was saying, I’m changing the rules a little bit. Instead of breaking into groups of four, I’ll allow you to break into two groups of seventeen. Your unsatisfactory performance in the first round proves that you can’t handle being in groups that are too small. You need all the strength in numbers you can get.

“When one group loses all of its members, whoever is left of the other group gets to go home.”

Daniel almost shouted something but caught the words before they left his mouth. But what then? he wanted to ask. We break into groups, and then what do we have to do?

“I can see the confusion in your eyes,” said Monokuma. “You’re wondering what you have to do once you break into groups.”

How did he know that?!

“Fear not, my little duckies, the answer is simple enough for even your tiny little brains: you just have to survive. That’s it. I really don’t care where you go or what you do. Whatever you need to do to outlast the rest of your competition. You have three days to decide your teams. Otherwise, there’s going to be consequences.”

He said the last word as if it had a sweet taste, and he let it hang over the students.

Mukuro took a step forward and leveled her steely gaze on Monokuma. “And what happens if, in those three days, we don’t have thirty-four students left to divide?”

“Y-y-yeah,” stammered a red-headed boy—Leon, the Ultimate Baseball Star. Sweat dripped from his temple, and he trembled. “You’re just gonna send more monsters after us. Most of us won’t even last those three days!”

A wave of fearful chittering swept over the students. Several girls cried out in fear. One student burst into tears.

Monokuma rolled his eyes and sighed a longsuffering sigh.

“You guys are sooooo helpless,” he complained. “I’m getting real tired of always doing you favors. Fine! I promise no monsters will come after you during the three days. If you die, it’s your own damn fault.” He crossed his chest and held out a paw. “Scout’s honor!”

The students stared at the paw. Monokuma paused, looked at his palm, then held out the paw again.

“You can’t tell,” he said, “but I’m making the Scout Sign.”

Silence.

“…Anyway…Oh! And one more thing.”

Monokuma pulled a remote from behind his back and pressed the singular red button.

Click.

The entire school exploded behind them. Several students were sent sprawling into others. The screams were completely washed out by the blast and subsequent roar of falling stone and metal. Heat pounded on their backs.
Panic washed over the group. Many took off running, flowing around Monokuma’s tower as he howled with laughter.

“Son of a bitch,” said Mondo, scooping up a rock, “I’ll kill that bas—”

“No!” Daniel tackled Mondo just before he could throw. “He’ll kill you!”

Mondo shoved Daniel away and snapped, “Get off me! He killed all those people! I can’t just—”

“And he’ll kill you, too!” Mateo snapped back, moving his brother behind him. He stabbed a finger in Monokuma’s direction. “That thing just blew up an entire goddamned building at the push of a button—you think he won’t do the same to you?” Mondo glared but said nothing.

Mateo turned his wrathful gaze on Monokuma.

“Whatever it is,” Mateo said, not taking his eyes away from the top of the tower, “it’s clear that it can kill us whenever it wanted, without effort and hesitation.” Mondo’s gaze flicked to Monokuma, then lowered.

Daniel tugged on their sleeves. “We need to leave,” he said. “The fire’s already spreading to the trees.”

Mateo’s eyes lingered on Monokuma for a moment longer before running off with Mondo and Daniel.

As he passed, Daniel’s eyes flicked up to Monokuma. The bear stared back at him, completely devoid of life or emotion save for the fiendish red glow of his left eye. A shudder ran down Daniel’s body, and he forced himself to look away as he raced off after his brother. Thirty-four students tore through the woods like hell was on their heels. Unfortunately, this is only the beginning. There is no running from hell when you’re already in it.

“Stay together, everyone!” Nekomaru shouted. Most of the students were sprinting for their lives, but he maintained an almost leisurely jog, staying close to the middle like a sheepdog protecting its flock.

“Gimme a break,” Mondo muttered. He carried Peko on his back while also keeping an eye on Kaede.

“Come on, you guys, pick up those feet!” Nekomaru cheered. “You all act like you’ve never run a marathon in your life!”

“Will—you—shut—up!” panted a boy in a yellow jumpsuit. “Not—everyone—is—oh, forget it.”

Kazuichi, thought Daniel. The Ultimate Mechanic. He couldn’t remember all of their names right away—it had been a while since he played one of the games—but some things were slowly coming back.

Nekomaru’s laughter boomed. “Don’t worry, I’ll whip you into shape in no time! A team is only as good as their weakest member, after all.”

“Now—is not—the best time—for—Did you just call me weak?!”

“Guys!” cried Aoi. “Slow down a sec!”

Daniel, Mateo, and Nekomaru looked back to see Aoi slowly falling farther and farther behind as she helped a limping Gonta struggle to keep pace. Sweat created a sickly sheen on his brow, and his breath came out in ragged gasps.
Every breath hurt him, but he pushed forward with fierce determination.

Daniel and Mateo started to slow but Nekomaru ground to a halt, pivoting expertly on one foot, and raced off toward the back without losing any momentum.

“You two keep going,” he called over his shoulder. “I’ll take care of these two. Just keep running, and don’t stop!”

Can’t argue with that, Daniel thought. His lungs burned, his throat ached, and at any moment his legs would give way. Stopping wasn’t an option; if he stopped, there was no starting again.

On and on the Ultimates pressed on through the woods until finally, the trees began to thin, and the dense wood opened up into a vast rolling plain.

Daniel slowed to a jog then stumbled to a stop, doubled over and fighting for air, beside his brother and the rest of the students who made it there first. As before, Daniel was a little surprised to see Ryoko still sticking with Mateo.

The rest caught up shortly, until Nekomaru and Aoi were the last to walk out with Gonta between them.

“Is…Is that everyone?” Mateo asked.

They stared at the trees, waiting for someone—and hopefully, not something— to emerge.

But there was nothing.

For good or for ill, there was nothing.

They all breathed a collective sigh of relief. A tense hush settled over the group as they caught their breath and waiting for their hearts to calm down. Some sobbed quietly; most were just numb.

“It’s getting dark,” someone finally said. “We should make camp.”

Daniel looked around. Standing straight with one hand on his hip was a narrow-framed boy with feathery blond-green hair and eyes. Daniel wracked his brain for a name, but between the chaos of the day and the exhaustion, he couldn’t recall.

Thankfully, Mondo rose up and glared. “And who the hell are you?” he demanded.

The boy only smiled placatingly and said, “My name is Rantaro Amami.”

“Mondo Owada. We aren’t making camp.”

“And why not?”

“Because,” Byakuya interjected in clipped tones, “it’s too dangerous. We need to keep moving, put more distance between us and the forest as quickly as possible.”

“And I don’t suppose you can see in the dark?” snapped Sayaka, a girl with long blue hair that Daniel immediately recognized.

“Hehe, please! You virgins might have that problem, but I don’t.” Miu giggled and pulled some goggles over her eyes.

“Little miss pop star is right,” Rantaro continued, then grinned in her direction. “No need to act so surprised—you’re Sayaka Maizono, right? My sisters love your music.” His smile was easy, almost disarming. Sayaka smiled back.

“Anyway,” he continued. “It’s going to be night soon. It’ll be more dangerous if we wander around in the dark.”

“B-besides,” a small girl—Chihiro—said in a smaller voice, “M-Monokuma said he wouldn’t send m-m-monsters after us.”

Several students started shouting.

Byakuya rolled his eyes. “Do you honestly believe that demon bear would keep his promise?” he said over the noise, quieting it a bit. “There could be a swarm of beasts charging after us right now, and we wouldn’t stand a chance against them.”

He turned and addressed the entire group. “We can’t stop now. We need to keep going and—”

“But we can’t!” Makoto shouted. “Many of us are still injured; they could barely keep up as it is.”

“Then leave them.”

Everyone gaped, but Byakuya’s eyes were cold and grim.

“Leave them,” he repeated. “You heard the bear—this is survival of the fittest now. Those who can’t keep up will help slow the monsters down so the strong have a chance to live.” Everyone flew into a frenzy of anger and panic.

“You bastard!”

“Typical of a degenerate male.” Another voice spoke up.

“How could you be so heartless?!”

“Please, please, please, I don’t want to die!”

“Damn you!”

“We can’t leave the injured behind!”

“The monsters are gonna kill us all!”

“Who says you deserve to live more than the rest of us?!”

“ENOUGH!” Mateo roared.

Everyone flinched and locked eyes with him. Mateo met every one of their gazes boldly, but to be honest he wasn’t sure what to do with their attention now that he had it.
Thankfully, Mukuro stepped up beside him and addressed the crowd calmly.

“Whether or not Monokuma’s word is good,” she said, “behind us is empty plain for who knows how many miles. If his Digimon are actually after us, then we would have no shelter. We could leave the injured behind, yes—” several protested but she kept going “—however, even Monokuma acknowledged that right now, our best strength is in numbers. If more die now, it’ll be easier for the rest to follow.”

No one had a response to that. Mukuro waited for more objection, then continued, “This space is still too open. We’ll make camp at the tree line. I’ll lead a team to forage for food. Those with Digimon—” her eyes searched for Mondo, Kaito, Gundham and the rest, then finally landed on Makoto “—and anyone else who’s able will take turns keeping watch while the rest sleep.”

A lanky girl with stringy purple hair and a medicine back strapped across her chest stepped forward. Her lip quivered, and she wrung the strap said, “Um, h-hello.” She flinched at the sudden attention and wrung the strap anxiously.
“M-m-my n-name is M-M-Mikan. I’m the U-Ultimate N-Nurse, so, um…” She squeezed her eyes shut and blurted out, “i-if you’re injured, please gather together so I can take a look!”

Makoto smiled. “That’d be great, thank you.” He turned to the others. “It might be a good idea for everyone to get checked out, even if you think your injuries are minor.” Mukuro nodded once.

With that, everyone was dismissed. Several of the injured congregated around Gonta, who finally reached his limit with Aoi still at his side.

While everyone dispersed, Daniel took a step forward to talk to Mukuro. Mateo’s hand shot out and held him back.

Not a heartbeat later, a tall shadow glided past just a few inches from Daniel’s nose. The shadow’s hair fell over his back in a swampy black curtain; the top half of his face was only patch of sickly pale skin showing through the military uniform and bandages. A black mask with a zipper across the mouth covered the rest of his face. A chill ran down Daniel’s spine. Korekiyo.
Mateo gripped Daniel’s shoulder tightly. He didn’t need to know the guy—instinct more than made up for experience.

“An interesting compromise,” Korekiyo said to Mukuro. His voice came out in a dispassionate croon. “But futile in the long run, I’m sure you are aware.”

Makoto flinched, but Mukuro regarded him coolly. “Do you have a problem?”

“Not at all.” Korekiyo’s expression softened into what was assumed to be a smile, but there was no life in his yellow eyes. “I seek merely to observe. This is a very interesting situation we find ourselves in, anthropologically speaking. But if I may make a suggestion….” Korekiyo bowed a little to get eye-level with Mukuro.

“Tribes on the brink of extinction from an external threat have two options,” he said, “fight and win, or flee and live. You can’t do either if there is dead weight holding you back.”

Mukuro met his gaze evenly. “Duly noted.”

The two studied each other carefully, yellow against grey, until finally Korekiyo straightened with a chuckle.

“I look forward to seeing the beauty such circumstances will bring out of you,” he said as he walked away.

Mukuro, Makoto, Daniel, Mateo, and Ryoko watched the strange shadow-man leave.

Makoto shuddered. “This is going to be a long three days,” he muttered. Mukuro turned to Daniel and Mateo.

“You looked like you wanted to talk to me?” she asked.

“Me? Oh, um, I don’t…” Daniel blinked away the trauma of seeing Korekiyo in the flesh. “Oh right, I wanted to help set up camp, but I don’t know what to do.”

Mukuro nodded once. “I’ll show you, and you can teach the rest.” She turned to Mateo. “You look capable. You can help me find food.”

“That works for me,” Mateo said, wincing inwardly as his empty stomach twisted.

Once Daniel learned what he needed to learn, he set off to find others to help create campfires and makeshift sleeping spaces. Already, Mikan worked her way through the group, starting with the most obviously injured, like Gonta, then onto the less severe injuries. Some flat out refused treatment, like Byakuya and Gundham, though for very different reasons.

“Thankfully, most of the injuries are minor,” she reported to Mukuro as she gathered her foraging party. “Mostly minor scrapes, cuts, and burns, though Gundham said something about a curse tormenting his soul. Thankfully I woke up in the nurse’s office, so I grabbed whatever I could fit in this bag.” She opened her bag to show the miscellaneous medical supplies inside. “However, I don’t want to use them up too quickly in case I can’t find something like this again, so even if we’re only staying here the night, we should find clean water, ideally herbs that can fight infection. Maybe I should come—”

“No,” Mukuro said sharply, causing Mikan to shriek and flinch back. “I have some experience with field medicine, but you’re the only real medical professional we have. You’re too valuable to lose.”

“V-v-valuable?” Mikan turned bright red.

“Don’t let it get to your head.”

In addition to Mateo, Mukuro chose three others for the foraging party: Rantaro, an energetic girl with wild hair named Akane, and her almost exact opposite named Sonia. Where Akane was wild, direct, and flashy with her…figure (it took everything in Mateo’s power to keep his eyes up), Sonia was dainty, calm, and modest. She resembled a princess so much, Mateo casually questioned why she joined the foraging party.

“In my kingdom,” Sonia explained, “it’s required that all royalty have a deep understanding of a variety of subjects, including botany, diagnostic and holistic medicine, and foreign law. That last one won’t help us at the moment, but
it’s nice to mention!”

“Oh I s—wait, did you say royalty?”

“Mm-hm! I am Sonia Nevermind, heir to the throne of Novoselic, Ultimate Princess of Hope’s Peak Academy! Oh, but please, I am but a normal foreign exchange student and expect to be treated as such!”

A genuine princess huh? Never thought I would ever meet one in person.

Before they left, Mateo walked over to where Aoi tended to a resting Gonta, with Ryoko trailing behind.

“Hey, um,” he said to Aoi, “I know you’re helping…Mikan?...with the wounded, but do you mind if Ryoko hangs out with you?”

“Sure,” said Aoi. “Is she ok?”

“Um…” Mateo looked down at Ryoko, who stared back blankly. “I think so. She seems to have some memory trouble. I’m worried she hit her head really hard.”

“Oh well I’ll make sure Mikan takes a look at her then.”

“Thanks.” He led Ryoko a few steps away and asked, “Are you going to be ok on your own for a bit? Not to treat you like a child or anything, I just mean…well, you kinda…um…”

“Seem lost?” she finished. “I do seem to have forgotten a lot lately.”

“Well, not just that—you seemed to forget about me completely when we separated at the school, even though I was only gone a few minutes.”

“I see. Yes that is strange.”

Mateo waited for her to elaborate. When it became clear he’d be waiting a while, he asked, “Well, do you know who I am now?”

“Of course. You’re…” She paused, thought a moment, then pulled out her notebook and skimmed the first few pages. “Mateo,” she said finally and smiled brightly. “And your brother is Daniel.”

“So that notebook—”

Ryoko turned the book so he could see. Both pages were covered in neat, cramped writing detailed the events leading up to their flight through the woods.

“I write it all down here before I forget,” she explained, “and then when I read it, I’m all caught up again on whatever I’ve forgotten.”

“Sounds like a pain.”

“It is what it is.”

“But wait, if you forget things so quickly, why do you keep following me around?”

“Well, I—” She thumbed through the notebook again. “I don’t say explicitly, but from what I gather, it’s because we know each other and because you have something called a Digimon, which is a good thing? Either way, it looks like sticking with you is my safest option for now.” Her brow furrowed. “That’s ok, isn’t it? I’m not bothering you?”

“N-no, you’re fine! I just wanted to be sure.” He cleared his throat. “So, are you going to be ok with Aoi for a little bit?”

“Who?”

One re-explanation later, Ryoko confirmed that she’ll be fine while he’s gone.

“I have some writing to catch up on anyway,” she said, holding up her notebook.

“Please do.”

---

The sun sank over the plains, casting an orange glow over the landscape. The shadows of the trees stretched back deeper into the woods, creating an ominous twilight atmosphere for the hunting party. Rantaro gave them a crash course about what’s edible, what isn’t, what to avoid, and how to search for water and animal tracks before sending them off in different directions.

“Don’t go too far,” Mukuro ordered. “Stay within viewing distance of at least two others.”

They set off. It quickly became apparent that their situation was worse than they originally expected.

There were no animals or animal tracks, so meat was off the menu for that night, and even Sonia had trouble identifying some of the plants they encountered.

“I’ve never seen anything like this,” she explained to Mukuro, Mateo, and Rantaro, holding up a fern-like plant with thick, dark veins and light spots. “None of these plants seem right. I’m not even entirely sure what’s safe and what isn’t.” She looked up at them with distress.

“Where even are we?”

Mateo didn’t have an answer, at least not one he was willing to share.

Just five minutes later, they had to send Akane back to camp early because she kept eating any berries she found.

“But I’m hungry!” she complained as Sonia scolded her.

“Well, we’re going to find out soon enough if those are poisonous,” sighed Rantaro, his smile not quiet hiding his uneasiness.

In the end, they collected as many of those berries as they could carry and prayed they were edible. By some miracle, Mukuro found a small brook not too far from camp and filled her flask and canteen to the top.

The party returned just as night fell, drawn by the light of a few campfires. Most of the students were clustered around these fires, but a few exceptions hung about either at their own fire, or entirely in the shadows.

“You’re back!” Daniel said, running up to them. “Did you find food?”

“That depends,” Mateo asked. “Where’s Akane?”

“Over there.”

Mateo looked to where he was pointing. Akane sat with Nekomaru, Aoi, and Gonta around a campfire, laughing and talking loudly.

“Then yeah, we found food.”

While Mateo, Rantaro, Sonia, and Daniel (taking Mukuro’s haul) rationed out the berries to the rest of the students, Mukuro delivered the water to Mikan.

“Hang on,” Kazuichi complained from where he sat, Digivice in hand, “what about the rest of us? I’m thirsty, too!”

Mukuro leveled a cold glare at him, making him wince.

“Wounded first,” she deadpanned. “If you’re thirsty, I’ll show you where to find water.”

“No thanks, I ain’t going out there, not at night,” Kazuichi grumbled under his breath and went back to fiddling with the device. His companions, Miu and Chihiro, stifled their giggles.

Daniel knelt by Kazuichi’s fire and handed him his share. “Here, this might help with the thirst.”

“Thanks,” Kazuichi replied.

Daniel sat down completely and started eating, saying, “So, what are you guys doing?”

All three had their Digivices out. Kazuichi surrounded himself with little tools, Miu mostly had strange looking devices hooked up to the device, and Chihiro simply tapped on the screen.

“We’re trying to see if we can figure out how these things work,” Kazuichi explained. “But they’re indestructible. No matter what I do, I can’t seem to open the damn thing.”

“Piece-a-shit ain’t takin’ any feedback from my scanners,” Miu snarled. “If I had a lab, I’d unlock this baby and everyone would practically be kneeling before my genius.”

“I’m also having a hard time hacking into it,” Chihiro admitted. “I can do enough to see that all of ours have the potential to house a…what do you call it? Digimon? But I can’t see any more than that. I can’t even access these locked apps.”

Daniel frowned. The Digivices must be really complicated if the Ultimate Mechanic, the Ultimate Inventor, and the Ultimate Programmer have a hard time figuring them out. “Maybe we’ll run into someone who can help?” Daniel said, pulling out his own device.

“There’s gotta be somebody who know how to work a Digivice around here.”

“A what now?”

All eyes were on him.

Daniel panicked when he realized what he had just said.

“A Digivice,” he repeated, hoping he sounded innocent. “That’s just a name I came up for them. Since the monsters are Digimon, then these devices are Digivices.”

“Sounds lame as hell,” Kazuichi scoffed.

“I like it,” Chihiro said with a sweet smile. “Digivice. It has a cute ring to it.”

Chihiro, you are the greatest.

“I don’t care what we call ‘em,” gripped Miu. “I just wanna see inside!” She shook her Digivice with enough vigor to potentially scramble its internal components. “Why won’t you fucking work, dammit?!”

“What’s going on?” Mateo asked, sitting beside Daniel. Ryoko wasn’t far behind. Daniel explained the situation, and the Ultimates introduced themselves.

“You have a Digimon partner, right?” Kazuichi asked. “Can we see yours and see if there’s a difference?”

“Um, sure.”

Mateo hesitantly hands over his Digivice.

Kazuichi took the device and started fiddling with it.

Miu and Chihiro leaned in close to him to get a better look. Kazuichi tried to stay focused on the task, but the closer the girls pressed into him, the less interested he was in the Digivice.

“It doesn’t look that much different to me,” Miu huffed and pulled away, much to Kazuichi’s great disappointment. “Let me see if I can—”

“Absolutely not,” Mateo said and snatched his phone back before Miu started breaking out the hammer. He checked the screen, gave a small smile when he saw his partner still dozing, and pocketed the device.

Miu fumed, “Ugh, fucking virgin! Always interrupting the flow of progress! Listen, not only am I the hottest chick your little virgin eyes will ever see, but I’m also known as the Ultimate Inventor. So let me work my magic here!”

“You really have no filter, do you?” Mateo replied.

With a small smile, Daniel left the two to argue amongst themselves as he slipped away.

---

After a quick talk with Mikan, Daniel found Peko sitting apart from the rest of the group, sitting listlessly against a tree. Her red eyes stared deep into the darkness of the forest. Daniel wondered if she was waiting for Fuyuhiko to catch up. Her ration sat untouched in her lap.

Mikan said that physically, she’s alright, but that her mind was in shock.

“Hey Peko,” he said sitting beside her. “How are you?”

No response.

“Are you hungry?” He gingerly picked a berry from her lap. “It’s not much, but they’re really sweet.”

Still no response.

“….I can get you some water, if you’d like?” He waited, but still, she didn’t move. Daniel sighed.

“I know this doesn’t mean much coming from a stranger,” he said, “but whatever happens, I don’t think Fuyuhiko wouldn’t—” Peko’s eyes snapped to his.

“How you know that name?” she rasped.

Daniel flinched. “Monokuma showed us. Not just him. Everyone who died in the first round….I’m sorry.”

Peko sank back into herself and turned away.

“It’s my fault,” she whispered. “I heard a sound…the greenhouse…there was no way out…and in the fire…I-It was too strong…” Peko’s hands began to shake, and tears welled in her eyes. “I’m sorry…I’m sorry…”

Daniel gripped her shoulder and said her name, but she was already gone, sinking back deeper into the horrible memory, whispering to someone she’ll never see again.

Throat tightening, Daniel gave her shoulder one more squeeze before turning and walking away.

“You seem to know a lot about our situation.” Daniel jumped and looked around wildly.

From behind a tree stepped out none other than Kyoko Kirigiri. There was no forgetting her. Her lavender hair framed her impassive face, and while it was impossible to tell what she was thinking or feeling, Daniel couldn’t help feeling his entire soul was laid bare under her gaze.

He swallowed.

“I-I’m sorry?” Daniel asked.

Kyoko tossed back her hair with a gloved hand. “I said, you seem to know a lot about our situation. You said some interesting things since Monokuma gathered us in the woods. I’ve actually been meaning to talk with you about it.”

“You were spying on me?”

Kyoko shook her head. “Not at all. I’m just…observant.”

It’s true. Nothing escaped Kyoko’s notice, nothing overlooked or dismissed as irrelevant. Daniel wondered if she remembered her Talent. He didn’t know how to find out without seeming more suspicious.

“If you’re talking about Peko,” he began slowly, “I learned about her and Fuyuhiko, the guy she was with, from the one who found her, Kaito.” Kyoko’s expression didn’t change, of course.

“I see,” she said neutrally. “And what about the Digimon?” Daniel’s heart leapt.

“What about them?”

“You sounded like you knew about them from before we woke up here.”

“Well, everyone who has a Digimon partner—which includes my brother, by the way— has a mental connection or something with their Digimon, so he told me what he learned.”

“I haven’t collected enough information on your brother to say one way or another if this is all new to him, but even so, you’re always one step ahead of the curve.”

Daniel floundered. “Well, that’s not—”

“Look, I’m going to save us both a bit of time.” Kyoko took a step forward. Daniel took a reflexive step back. “I can tell you’re lying,” she continued. “I advise against it. So, tell me the truth—who are you?”

Ice-cold panic swept through his limbs. There was no way he could tell her the actual truth: how do you tell someone that their entire world is a work of fiction in yours? Even then, at this point Daniel was two steps from an existential crisis about the nature of reality and whether or not it’s possible for his world to be just as fictional as hers.

Thinking about it made the panic worse, and the longer he stood there gaping like an idiot, the longer she stared at him with those impenetrable eyes, waiting for an answer. Whatever he said had to be as close to the truth as possible.
Otherwise, he’d find a permanent place on her “not to be trusted” list, which could be worse than just telling her the truth. Daniel took a deep breath in and sighed it out.

“Alright,” he said. “You got me. I…My brother and I…We’re…We’re investigators.”

Kyoko arched an eyebrow. “Investigators?”

“Yeah. Well, not official ones, more like Paranormal Investigators but for Digimon specifically. When we were young…we actually had a run-in with some Digimon.”

“Is that right?” Kyoko’s gaze sharpened. Daniel didn’t hesitate. He knew the story well enough.

“When we were kids, we woke up one night to our computer acting really strange. It was on and filled with strange code. We thought we’d been hacked or something, but then this egg came out. That egg eventually hatched into a Digimon that soon became Greymon.”

Kyoko’s eyes narrowed. “Your brother’s Digimon?”

“He didn’t come out fully grown,” Daniel laughed nervously, continuing the story he borrowed from a certain movie. “He was just a little guy. Eventually he grew up and later evolved into Greymon when another Digimon appeared in our city and attacked in the middle of the night. I have no idea where it came from, but Greymon protected us.”

Daniel dropped his eyes. “In the end, they wiped each other out. After that, we spent years trying to learn more about what happened, see if we couldn’t find more Digimon or at least find out more about them. Some people online had similar experiences, and we learned some things from them. We even theorized that there was a whole world filled with Digimon, but we never found any evidence for it. Until we ended up here, of course.” Kyoko ruminated on this information for a moment.

“If that’s true,” Kyoko said, “why isn’t there any video recording of the fight, or any other experiences? Surely two giant monsters going at it in the middle of a city had to have drawn attention.”

“There probably was video,” Daniel explained. “But from what I understood, practically any electronic devices were acting up or got corrupted. I think it has something to do with whatever electronic signals the Digimon naturally gives off. People came forward with what they saw, but without hard evidence, authorities just wrote off the damage as a gas line exploding and the resulting fumes causing a mass hallucination.”

Kyoko stood silently while she thought about what he said. Daniel tried to keep his face neutral, but inside he was quaking.

Finally, and to his immense relief, Kyoko said, “All right. I can believe this…for now.”

She turned her eyes to him. “Whatever the case, it looks like we’ll be relying on you for information on these creatures.”

“I mean, it’s not like we know everything—”

“True, but you know more than the rest of us.” She smiled, not unkindly, and walked past him. “I look forward to working with you, Daniel.”

Daniel watched her join the rest of the group in stunned silence. He still wasn’t sure if she actually believed him, or if she was just filing away his lie for later.

Either way, he hoped and prayed that he hadn’t accidentally made an enemy of the Ultimate Detective.

---

Daniel found his brother sitting around a different campfire with Ryoko, Mikan, Sonia, Rantaro, and a boy with a scratched and dirt-covered face, yet impeccably white uniform. Daniel couldn’t for the life of him remember his name.
The uniform guy jumped and snapped to attention in greeting. Daniel returned with an awkward wave.

“Welcome back,” Mateo said and slid over to make room for Daniel. “How is Peko?” “Still out of it, but she managed to talk a little bit.” Daniel sighed. “I don’t know the full thing, but I got enough to know that she watched someone she really cared about die to save her.”

“The poor thing,” said Sonia, pretty eyes filling with sadness. “Is there nothing we can do for her?”

Mikan shook her head. “She’s fine, physically,” the nurse explained in her quiet voice, “but her mind is too shaken from the trauma she experienced.” She started tearing up. “I wish I could do more, but for now, all we can do is keep her safe and comfortable, and hope that she comes out of it soon.”

“Especially the second one,” Rantaro said. “We need everyone up and moving as soon as possible. Having to carry people’s going to slow us down too much.”

“Are you suggesting that we abandon the injured?!” the uniform guy demanded.

“Keep it down!” Rantaro looked around with a grimace. “I’m not saying we abandon anybody. I’m just saying it’d be best for everyone if Peko could move on her own. Mondo’s already dead asleep from carrying her through the woods.”

“Among other reasons,” Kirumi reminded him evenly as she served Daniel a small vial of water. “Do remember that we’ve all been through quite a lot today.”

“You’re right.” Rantaro gave another one of his winning smiles. “My mistake.”

“So, um, Kirumi,” said Daniel. “I’m surprised you’re not with Byakuya right now.”

“The young master has retired for the evening, therefore I assisted Mukuro with fetching water for everyone. It’s lucky that Mikan took all those spare test tubes from the clinic.” Daniel spat out the water.

“Th-they’re unused!” Mikan said quickly. “N-n-no need to worry!”

“Oh good,” Daniel said and took another sip, jamming his elbow into Mateo’s side as he howled with laughter. Sonia and Ryoko giggled at their antics, while the uniform guy guffawed loudly.

“I’m sorry, I forgot to introduce myself,” Daniel said to the group, but really aimed it at the uniform guy. “I’m Daniel, Mateo’s brother. I remember catching some of your names before, but I don’t think I’ve met you.”

“How rude of me! I am so terribly sorry!” The uniform guy leapt to his feet again and bowed. “I apologize for my rudeness. I am Kiyotaka Ishimaru, but please, call me Taka. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Kiyotaka Ishimaru… Oh. Oh.

Daniel managed a smile. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, too, but you don’t have to apologize. Manners and such kinda go out the window in situations like this.”

“Absolutely not!” said Taka. “Manners make the man, as the saying goes. Regard for the rules and common decency are what separate man from animal; they should not be so easily disregarded in the face of hardship, no matter how dire the circumstances!”

Daniel’s grin broadened. “You got a point there—” Pling!

Pling!

Plingplingplingplingpling—

Suddenly, little pinging noises went off all throughout the group as thirty-four Digivices. “What the hell?” Mateo said as everyone pulled out their phones.

Daniel opened the message app and saw a new message popup underneath the other two.

Unlike the first message—“SURVIVE”—which came from “Anonymous,” this message came from a name that was made up entirely of constantly shifting symbols.

“What the hell?” Mateo repeated again and showed his brother. “Is yours the same?” Daniel shakily opened the message on his phone. Yes, it was the same, the same as everyone else’s in the camp.

“GO NORTHWEST. SAFE PLACE. FIND BABA AND JIJI.”

---

A buzz of activity rippled through the camp. Most people were on their feet, pale faces lit by the glow of their Digivices.

“What the heck does that mean?” Kazuichi shouted. “Go northwest?!”

“It’s obviously a trap,” Byakuya said.

“Maybe not!” shouted Sayaka. “Maybe someone’s trying to help.”

“Just think for a second, who in the world would help us right now? Who is there to help us?”

“Yeah!” Akane chimed in and punched her fist. “We’re on our own out here. I saw we go in the complete opposite direction! Fight anyone named Jiji or Baba!”

“NO!” another voice shouted.

“This is the will of Atua! We must go northwest!”

“It’s a trap!”

“It’s our only shot!”

“It could be a way home…”

“It could be the dark forces seeking to tempt us to our dooms.”

“I can’t trace the signal or see where the message is coming from,” Chihiro called out. “There’s definitely some kind of encryption, but there’s nothing I can do to break it.”

“It could’ve come from Monokuma, for all we know,” said Kaito. “Who knows what will happen if we go there?”

“We can’t stay out here forever either!” Daniel chimed in. “At least this gives us some direction.”

“You stay out of this,” Byakuya ordered.

Daniel was taken aback. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me.” Byakuya pushed aside some people to glare down at Daniel. “We all saw how Monokuma reacted to you and your brother in the forest. You’re not supposed to be here. You’re not even Hope’s Peak students.” He gave
Daniel a once-over and sneered. “Not that it’s any surprise.”

“Hey, back off,” Mateo growled and got in Byakuya’s face, putting himself in front of Daniel. “You got a problem, take it up with me.” Byakuya’s eyes narrowed.

“Or what?” he asked coolly. His hand drifted towards his coat pocket.

Mateo snapped out his hand and grabbed Byakuya’s wrist.

“Uh-uh, asshole,” Mateo growled. “If you wanna do this, then you’re gonna do it like a man. No hiding behind your Digimon.”

“Unhand me, you—”

CRACK!

Pain exploded through Mateo’s skull. He staggered back, clutching his head and groaning.

“Matt!”

“Young master!”

Mateo felt Daniel’s hands on his back, but it took a few seconds for the stars to clear from his vision. When they did, he first saw Byakuya clutching his head as well with Kirumi checking on him. He would’ve snickered, but then he saw Mukuro glaring down at both of them. “You boys have too much energy for this time of night,” she said calmly. “Calm yourselves, or I’ll break your skulls.”

By then, the others gathered in a tight circle around them, so Mukuro took a step back and regarded them all.

“Whether or not the message is a trap is irrelevant,” she said loudly. No one spoke against her. “Right now, we sleep. Whatever we decide can wait until morning.” Everyone stared at her in shock.

Mukuro’s glare hardened.

“Didn’t you hear me? I said bed. NOW.”

Everyone scrambled to their sleeping spots.

Mukuro snapped back around and jabbed a finger at Mateo and Byakuya. “Both of you. First watch with me and Leon. No arguments.”

Mateo and Byakuya shot each other one last glare before doing as Mukuro said.

---

“GOOOOOOOOD MORNIIIIIIIIIIING!!”

Nekomaru’s voice rang out like the world’s most obnoxious gong.

Daniel, like many others, peeled themselves from the ground, groaning and complaining. The inside of his mouth tasted like death, and his body felt like his body fell from the Empire State Building without the decency to go splat.

“RISE AND SHIIIIIIIIIIINE!” Nekomaru called out.

“I’m gonna kill him,” Kazuichi grumbled as he staggered to his feet.

“Not unless I kill him first,” Mondo grumbled back.

“No one’s killing anyone,” Makoto said in tired exasperation.

Suddenly Ibuki, the Ultimate Musician, and Akane whooped and cheered. Behind rambunctious duo, Korekiyo sat curled into a ball, glaring daggers at the girls and massaging his temples like every word was a spike to the brain.

“Hell yeah!” Akane roared, throwing her fists in the air. “Get pumped!”

“Woooooo!” Ibuki crowded, doing the same. “I didn’t sleep at all!!”

Mateo groaned and covered his ears. “Maybe a little killing,” he mumbled.

They weren’t the only ones up early: Daniel saw Taka, Mukuro, and Kirumi working their way around the camp, checking up on everyone and rousing the stragglers. Daniel was glad to see that Gonta was up and moving. He is a lot better than he did last night.

“D-Do be careful,” Daniel heard Mikan say as he passed. “You may feel ok now, but your ribs are still broken. Try not to push yourself too hard.”

Gonta grunted gratefully. “Gonta appreciate help. Gonta feel much better. Few broken bones not hurt Gonta.”

During breakfast—more berries and water—they once again discussed the strange message from last night and their next plan of action.

After much arguing, Makoto suggested they put it to a vote.

“We shouldn’t split up just yet,” he reasoned. “Figuring out who should be on which team is going to need a longer conversation than what we can afford being out in the open like this. We need to decide on where we’re going first.
So, all in favor of going northwest?”

After some hesitation, nineteen hands went up. Makoto counted and double counted just to be sure, then nodded.

“Majority rules,” he said. “We head northwest.”

The race wasn’t that close, but that didn’t stop Byakuya from turning an accusing eye on Mateo and Daniel.

The campfires were scattered, all belongings carefully collected, and as much evidence of their presence as possible were erased. Nekomaru carried a still-unresponsive Peko on his back, assuring the others that “She weighs practically nothing, I’ve worn heavier jerseys.”

Once everyone was ready, Mukuro set off in a presumably northwestern direction.

Thankfully, Monokuma was true to his word, at least for now. The herd of survivors walked over the plains for a full day, a whole day out with practically no place to hide and nothing to slow down an enemy, but they encountered no Digimon the whole trek.

If not for the looming threat of imminent death and the fact that they were mysteriously ripped from their homes and thrust into a world largely foreign from their own, the hike would’ve been very pleasant.

The rolling green hills stretched far as the eye could see. From the way they came, the peaks of purple mountains crested over the sea of green forest. The weather was perfect, just the right amount of warm sunshine and cool breeze.
Daniel never realized how bad the air quality back home was until he took in the fresh air—and he didn’t even live in a big city.

Tinges of pink and orange started to color the sky when they first saw the smoke. A short ways later, they could see the village.

At Mukuro’s barking command, everyone crouched down behind a hill. Mukuro, as well as Daniel, Mateo, and a few other brave souls, crawled on their bellies up the hill and looked out on the village.

It was small, just a cluster of stone and straw huts, what looked like a farm, and a few little gardens.

“I don’t see anyone,” said Mateo, squinting.

Mukuro didn’t say anything. Her eyes were locked on the village.

“Oooooo,” Miu said, telescopic goggles over her eyes. “You guys aren’t gonna like this.”

Mukuro held out her hand. It took Miu a second to notice. She sniffed. “Absolutely not.”

Mukuro stared at her.

Miu stared back.

The two stayed motionless like this for several moments before Miu clucked her tongue in disgust and rolled her eyes.

“Fine,” she griped and handed the goggles to Mukuro.

Mukuro surveyed the situation.

“Well, this complicates things a little,” she said and passed the goggles to Makoto, much to Miu’s chagrin.

Makoto gasped.

“Digimon!” he said and handed the goggles to Daniel. “But they don’t look like the monsters that attacked us.”

Daniel took a look. At first he couldn’t see anything, but then a little pink blob with long ears hopped into view, followed by several smaller blobs of various colors and appendages. “Woah!” Daniel breathed. “Those are Digimon In-Training!” He was very aware of Kyoko’s eyes on him as he explained. “They’re basically like toddlers; not quite babies out of the egg, but still too young to fight.”

“How do you know that?” Makoto asked.

“Mateo and I actually have experience with Digimon,” Daniel said quickly, before Mateo felt the need to come up with a cover on his own. He gave a brief summary of what he told Kyoko, promising to tell them more later.

“So if they’re just babies,” Miu said, slow grin creeping along her face, “then it should be really easy to take them out.”

“We’re not killing babies!” said Makoto.

“Uh, guys,” Kaito said from the end of the line. “I think there are some bigger ones.” Immediately they passed the goggles back to Daniel.

A larger humanoid Digimon made out of what appeared to be cardboard boxes waddled from around a building and started herding the In-Trainees somewhere else.

“He’s just a Rookie,” Daniel said. “That tall one is Bakomon.”

True to toddler nature, the littles were thrilled by the attention from Bakomon and interpreted his frantic gestures as play. Daniel chuckled as the In-Training Digimon scattered, leaving Bakomon flustered and panicking.

“Oh gimme that!” Miu stomped over and ripped the goggles from Daniel’s face. “These aren’t for sight-seeing!”

“That’s exactly what they’re for,” Daniel complained.

At the base of the hill, distress brewed among the Ultimates.

“I knew it was a trap,” Leon said. “That village is crawling with Digimon.”

“But they’re just babies!” Ryoko said. “What harm can they be?”

“Where there is baby, there is mama and papa,” Gonta said grimly. “We must be careful.”

The image of two giant Digimon rampaging to protect their young sent several students into a panic.

“Hush!” Mukuro hissed at them. “They haven’t spotted us yet.”

“We need to leave,” Byakuya said. “We never should’ve come here.”

While the group argued amongst themselves, Mateo turned to Daniel and asked, “What are the odds that these guys are friendly?”

Daniel shifted. “Fifty-fifty, I think” he said finally.

“Cool. Works for me.”

Mateo jumped to his feet and started down the hill. Ryoko followed him without hesitation.

“Matt!” Daniel called.

“Get back here,” Mukuro ordered. “We need to do more reconnaissance.”

Several others tried to call him back, but it didn’t do any good. Mateo paused long enough to call over his shoulder. “We came all this way, we might as well check it out. Besides…”

Mateo gave his Digivice a quick check. The little pixel dinosaur was awake now and seemed to be rearing to go. Mateo smiled.

“If anything happens,” he continued and waved the phone at them, “I got Greymon. Now you all can sit here if you’re too scared. I, on the other hand, smell bacon.” Daniel rolled his eyes and took off after him.
One by one, the rest of the Ultimates slowly crept up the hill and followed after him.

The little Digimon stopped their play as the group approached. There were more Rookies than they originally saw—a giant bee-looking one and another that looked like a cross between a rabbit and a frog with many feathered tails.

The In-Trainees squealed and ran behind some of the buildings, while the Rookies sprang forward and growled. They barely came up to Mateo’s knees, but the action was enough to make the students halt.

“Woah woah,” Mateo said, throwing his hands up. Ryoko and Daniel did the same. “We’re not here to hurt you. We’re lost and could really use some help.”

“Help you say?”

Mateo and Daniel looked up.

Two shapes leapt from the tops of the buildings and landed between them and the Rookies.

One was a little old man with Hobbit feet, a staff with a large paw on the end, and a silvery white beard and hair that covered his entire head. The other was a little old woman in ceremonial garb with a broom gripped in her witch-like
claws.

Several of the students let out a shriek of fright.

“Don’t be alarmed,” the little old man-mon said, raising a hand. “If you come in peace, then peace we give to you.”

“We are Jijimon and Babamon. Welcome to our village.” The little old lady-mon welcomed.

 

“Well? Are ya goin’ to just stand around gawkin’? Or are ya goin’ to introduce yourselves?” demanded the one called Jijimon.

Most of the Ultimates were too stunned to do anything but “stand around gawkin’,” but thankfully Kaede recovered quickly.

“Hello,” she said with a winning smile and took a step forward. “We’re sorry to bother you, but we’ve been running around in the woods all night, and we could really use some—”

“My goodness! You all look awful!” exclaimed Babamon. She bounced over to Nekomaru and scrutinized the vacant-eyed Peko. “This won’t do at all, not at all. Introductions will have to wait—you children come with me, I’ll get you all sorted.”

“Oh, thank you, but we—”

But Babamon wouldn’t hear of it. She bustled the battered and worn teenagers away to one of the huts, shepherding them while they shuffled on like spooked sheep. Jijimon brought up the rear, while the Rookies and In-Training Digimon bounded alongside the students.

The hut was the second largest in the village, but even then, it was barely taller than Nekomaru. The doorway was rounded, and in lieu of a proper door, a ragged dyed curtain covered the entrance. Kaede noted that most of the other huts didn’t even have that much.

Babamon flung open the curtain with her stick. “In you go, dearies,” she said. “Worst ones first—I only got so many beds.”

Most of the Ultimates hesitated to step into an unfamiliar space after what they’ve been through, but thankfully, Nekomaru didn’t think twice before stooping through the short doorway and stepping inside. “Cozy!” his voice boomed from inside.

Seeing that Nekomaru didn’t immediately meet an unfortunate end, the other students started to filter in, supporting the more gravely injured ones among them, though Gonta needed some encouragement from Aoi.

Kaede peeked through the window. The space really was cozy: there was enough space for nine beds, which were really just straw and grass in wooden frames, covered in blankets of similar geometric patterns as the door curtain.
Sturdier straw mats, almost like tatami, covered the floor. There were a couple stone shelves crammed with bottles and boxes of what looked like medicines, tools, and other supplies, and at the center of the room was a cylindrical stone stove.

Kaede imagined that it warmed the room really well on cold nights. A light tap on the shoulder startled her out of her daydream.

“S-sorry,” Mikan said, retracting her hand quickly. “B-but y-you sh-should come, t-too. I w-want to check on your h-h-hand.”

“Oh, um, thank you.” Kaede followed her inside. At Mikan’s anxious gesturing, Kaede found an empty bed, surprised at how plush it felt, and watched as her peers filtered in and out of the hut while Mikan and Babamon checked injuries and changed bandages. It became pretty clear that this was the designated “sick hut;” Babamon darted about, going from beds to shelves, balancing on her stick whenever she needed to reach the higher ones, coming back with some item or another.

Babamon examined the wrapping on Sayaka’s arms. “This your work?” she asked Mikan. Mikan flinched then, collapsing into herself, nodded once.

Babamon grunted. “Not bad, considering what you had at your disposal.”

Mikan flushed cherry red at the compliment. “Th-th-th-thank you!”

Thankfully, only a few Ultimates needed to take up semi-permanent residence in the sick hut. Gonta and Peko, of course, were put on bed rest. Tsumugi had an ankle sprain made worse by the flight and an ugly thigh wound in the beginning stages of infection. Mukuro, despite her unflappable demeanor and how easily she pushed and managed the group, finally started to show signs of strain. With zero concern for modesty, Mukuro peeled off her jacket and top for Mikan to tend to the myriad of cuts and bruises blackening her skin; she looked like she had a house fall on her, and the fact that no one could tell beforehand only heightened Kaede’s respect for her.

Likewise, Ibuki had multiple shards of glass in her side that didn’t get treated before because “I kinda forgot they were there. Whoopsie!” so that needed emergency care.

Chihiro was also ordered to rest for a while; the constant running, stress, and exposure to smoke and the elements took a harder toll on her frail body than they realized.

“I’m sorry,” she whimpered to Mikan as she handed her another blanket. “I’ll get stronger, I promise.”

“No no, d-d-don’t worry about th-that,” the Ultimate Nurse said with surprising firmness. “J-just worry about g-getting better.”

Everyone else was well enough to get shooed out of the hut by Babamon and into the waiting facial hair of Jijimon. Kaede and her freshly bandaged arm stepped out of the hut just in time to hear Jijimon declare, “Good! Now that y’all are cleared by the missus, we got work to do!”

“Work? What do you mean, work?” groaned Leon. “We’ve been running pretty much for two days straight!”

“Not to mention nearly dying trying to get out of the school,” Kazuichi chimed in. “Can’t we just rest for one night?”

Jijimon harrumphed. “There’ll be plenty of time for cryin’ about your sore feet or your sleepy faces over supper. Right now we got beds to set and vittles to get. Now snap to! Night comes quickly ‘round here, and we don’t wanna get caught in it.” He banged his stick on the ground and waved it at the students. “The fellas are gonna come with me to do a bit o’ heavy liftin’. You lady-folk are gonna go with Babamon and wrangle up some supper.”

Just then, Babamon stepped out of the hut, saying, “What’s this now? Putting them to work already? Ah well, can’t be helped. We’re not exactly prepared for so many guests at once. Come along, dearies. To the garden.”

Several of the In-Training Digimon let out little whoops and cheeps of excitement as they bounded after her, a couple of the Rookies chasing after them. Bewildered at yet another turn of events, Kaede and the other remaining female students followed Babamon towards the outskirts of the village, while the boys raced off after Jijimon, who didn’t bother waiting for them.

Now up until this point, things have been…well not quite normal, but at least somewhat within the realm of Kaede’s comprehension—you know, once she wrapped her head around the terrifying monsters and talking teddy bears.
Trees were trees, grass was grass, that sort of thing. Even the berries they found in the woods didn’t look like they couldn’t be found in her home.

The food growing in Babamon’s fields was not normal. At all.

For one, this is a really big garden, more like a plot of farmland. Clumps of shoots with long narrow leaves stuck out of the ground in rows in one section of the garden, while bushes with bright colored beans dotted another part.
There were twisting vines sprawled over the ground and grew dark purple orbs in between their pale, rabbit-ear-like leaves. Mushrooms with rocky caps grew beside the thin irrigation canals weaving around the plants. The closest
thing to normal were the small copse of apple trees in the corner, but even then—

“Why are they squishy?” Aoi asked as she placed another apple in the basket on the box Rookie’s head.

“Those are Meatapples, dearie,” Babamon cackled. “They’re raw right now, but they firm up when cooked.”

“Meatapples? Raw?” Aoi dug into the soft skin of the Meatapple with her thumbs and screamed. “What the heck?!”

“What? What is it?” Sonia, Tenko, Kaede, and Kyoko rushed to her side. Kaede gasped. The outside of the fruit looked like a normal green apple, but on the inside, the apple’s flesh was….actual flesh. Beef, by the looks of it.

“What the heck?!” Aoi repeated. “What kind of place is this?!”

“I dun shee wha’ th’big deal ish,” Akane said with her mouth full, a half-bitten Meatapple in each hand. “Ish jush meat.”

“Ewww, spit that out! It’s raw!”

“No! Get yer own!”

“Ladies, please!” Sonia said as Aoi tried to wrest the fruit from Akane’s grip.

Kaede sighed and stomped over. “Will you two cut it out!” she said, exasperated. “Be polite, we’re guests here. And Akane, stop eating everything! We’re all hungry, too, you know.”

Aoi released Akane, who took the opportunity to stuff the rest of the Meatapples in her mouth and swallow.

“Fair enough,” she said, ignoring Aoi’s exclamations of disgust.

Elsewhere, Daniel, Mateo, and the rest of the available boys were helping Jijimon take down the thatch roofing on one of the houses and move them to the biggest building in the village: the dining hut. The plan was to clear enough space in the dining hall to lay down the thatch, now repurposed into sleeping mats. This is where the boys will sleep. Even though there are more girls, the boys take up more space, and because most of the bed-bound patients were girls, it made more sense to house the girls there. It helped that the beds were large enough.

“B-but Gonta not lady,” the big man had protested. “Not gentlemanly to sleep in room with ladies!”

“Well, we can’t have you on the floor with the guys,” Aoi huffed. “I bet they flail around in their sleep. Plus, it’s not like you’re going to do anything to us, so…”

“Never! Gonta never do bad things to ladies!”

“Good, so it’s settled then.”

Gonta hadn’t looked sure. His face suddenly turned bright red. “Wait. Gonta no have to…share bed with lady, too?”

Tenko had barked a laugh. “As if!” she said. “You’re about as big as four degenerate males. You get a bed to yourself.”

Back with the housing team, Makoto, Nekomaru, Kazuichi, and Rantaro were in charge of stripping the thatch, while Gundham, Kaito, Kiyotaka, Nagito, and Mondo moved the dining hall’s big circular stone tables out of the way. No one was sure where Byakuya or Korekiyo went.

“Easy go there, boyos,” Jijimon said. “Don’t wantcha hurtin’ yourself on the first night, now do we?”

“Maybe you should come up here and help,” Kazuichi grumbled then yelped as another piece of straw stabbed into his hand, and he barely caught himself before he fell off the ladder. Beside him, Nekomaru hopped onto the roof with ease, rolled a whole row of thatch in one arm, then hopped off without breaking a sweat. Kazuichi, Makoto, and Rantaro watched with awe. “Well that’s not fair,” Kazuichi grumbled.

Just then, the Rookie known as FanBeemon drifted up to his other side, grabbed an armful of straw, and then casually floated off to the dining hut.

“Well, that’s definitely not fair!”

By the time the boys were done, the girls arrived with baskets of produce.

“Who’s hungry?” Miu called cheerfully in a high, lilting voice.

“I am!” cried several of the very exhausted, very sweaty boys.

“Well, too fuckin’ bad,” she bellowed. A few of the guys let out girlish screams at the sudden ferocity and flinched back.

“This shit’s gotta cook, so piss off!” Miu sniffed and curled her lip. “And go roll in some garbage or something, maybe that’ll make you smell better.”
Makoto sniffed under his arm and winced.

“There’s a lake around back,” Babamon informed them on her way to the kitchen. “Feel free to take a dip before dinner.”

“All right!” Mondo whooped and took off running. “Last one in’s a rotten egg!”

“No fair, you got a head start!”

“LET’S GOOOOOO!”

“Gentlemen, we must not forget privacy screens! There are ladies here!” They took off. Only Daniel and Mateo hung back.

“So, wait,” Mateo said, “are they all just gonna…jump in naked? Like at the same time?”

“More than likely,” Daniel said, brow pinched. “It’s more acceptable in Japan.”

“Ah. I think I’ll wait a bit.”

“Aw come on, Matt. You shy?”

“Shut up.”

But they ended up going anyway, and to their relief, the boys decided it would be more efficient to dive in mostly clothed. Letting out a cheer, Mateo flung off his shirt and shoes, and raced up one of the large rocks along the side. He plunged into the lake, and for a moment, the world stopped. All the aches and fears rolled off his back, and he was weightless. He hung there for as long as his lungs would let him before swimming for air.

Mateo resurfaced with gasp and saw that Daniel still lingered on the shore.

“Come on, man!” he called out. “The water’s great!” Several of the other Ultimates noticed, too, and let out encouraging calls as well.

Daniel watched them, having a moment of his own. Between the succession near-death experiences, constant flight from danger, and just the overall terror he’s felt since waking up in this world, Daniel didn’t have much time to actually sit and process the fact that not only was he in the Digital World, but also in the presence of over thirty fictional characters from one of his favorite game series. A handful of them were even calling his name, calling him to join them. It was so surreal; he almost couldn’t take it.

“What’s the matter, loser?” Mondo laughed. “Scared of a little water?”

“If you cannot swim, then I shall teach you!” Kiyotaka declared.

“That’s right, there’s no shame in it,” Nekomaru added. “If babies can do it, then so can you!”

Daniel let out a laugh and shouted back, “Nah, I can swim. I’m just seeing if any of you guys end up eaten or something.”

“What?!” Several of them, including Mondo, suddenly looked around at the water in horror, which made Daniel laugh even harder before he dived in after them.

The sky’s warm blend of oranges and reds deepened into various purples. Kaede and a mouthwatering aroma called the boys from the water, hastily whisking their discarded clothes in the lake and laying them on the rocks to dry before running towards the dining hall.

What greeted them was nothing short of Nirvana.

Plates upon plates of cut fruits, bowls of what looked like wild rice topped with steamed vegetables, grilled meat cutlets in gravy. The Ultimates watched in awe as the Digimon turned the collection of strange foods into the quite possibly the most delicious feast any of them had ever seen (possibly a result of the starvation).

“Come and get it!” Babamon called.

The boys snapped out of their reverie and pounced on the feast.

“Disgusting degenerate men!” Tenko shrieked as she jumped out of the way of a soggy collision with Kaito.

Some of the other girls giggled. “It’s a good thing we got ours first,” said Sayaka.

“Indeed,” Korekiyo agreed. By this point, he and Byakuya reappeared, naturally once all the hard labor was finished. Daniel and Mateo glanced at each other and shared mutual eyerolls.

Because the dining hut had been repurposed as a sleep area—half the tables were pushed against the walls while the rest were brought outside—dinner was prepared and served outside. As the sun set, Babamon went around and lit a few lanterns around their impromptu picnic.

Those who were put on bed rest were already at the tables and served by Kirumi, Kaede, and Sonia. The Rookie and In-Training Digimon crowded around them, chattering and clambering for attention from their new friends.

“Pagumon, control yourself!” Babamon barked as the little Digimon accidentally knocked over Chihiro’s drink in its excitement. Pagumon cowed in apology, and Chihiro smiled and scratched it behind the ears.

“It’s all right,” she said. “I don’t mind at all. The Littlemon are just excited.”

“Littlemon?”

“Oh.” Chihiro blushed and scratched at her face sheepishly. “It’s just something we came up with in the infirmary. I didn’t know what to call the baby Digimon as a group, so Littlemon. Some of the Littlemon hung out with us in the infirmary, right Pagumon?”

Pagumon nodded cheerfully.

“Hell yeah, Sick Hut Squad!” Ibuki said, jumping up on her chair…and then immediately sinking back down when the sudden move pulled at her stitches.

“Th-they really s-s-seemed to like Gonta and Maki in particular,” Mikan giggled as she eyed the two. Both had Littlemon bouncing all over them, Gonta laughing and lifting three at a time in one hand, Maki dead-eyed and expressionless to their joy.

“What’s up, partner?” Nekomaru hollered and clapped Gundham on the back, knocking the wind out of him. “Where’s the meat?”

Gundham wheezed some oxygen back in his lungs before saying, “I consume not the flesh of those who were bred only for consumption. It defiles the natural order of things.” He reached for an apple. “For now, only the earth’s provision will suffice.”

“Wait, don’t eat that!” Sonia said, practically diving across the table grab his hand.

Kazuichi, who sat between them, made a strangled gasp and flushed violently when she landed across his lap.

“Those are raw,” she explained, taking the apple. “Let me cook that first.”

“Raw? Foolish girl, apples are completely safe for—what the hell is that?”

Gundham watched in horrified fascination as Sonia sliced the Meatapple, exposing its fleshy interior, and laid them on the grill. A hearty aroma wafted up. “By the gods,” Gundham breathed as four curious little hamsters peeked their heads out of his scarf, which he still wore despite not having his shirt or cloak.

“They’re called Meatapples. They grow on trees just like normal apples, but they’re meaty on the inside,” Sonia explained and handed him a piece. “I know you just said you don’t eat meat, but surely this is ok, right? It’s not technically from an animal.”

Gundham glanced at her eager smile, glanced away quickly, and then plucked the slice from her fingers. He held it up, still suspicious. One of the hamsters gave it a sniff, then gave what appeared to be a thumbs up. Mollified, Gundham popped the strange food into his mouth and chewed it slowly.

“Exquisite,” he said, face glowing as much as his gray complexion allowed. “Truly this is the work of the Dark Queen herself, a cursed fruit from her sacred gardens.”
Sonia giggled and tickled one of the hamsters between the ears. “I don’t know if Babamon would take kindly to being called a ‘Dark Queen.’”

The feast went on for a time, everyone laughing and enjoying the moment of peace.

Satisfied that their guests were settled and eating, Babamon and Jijimon joined in the merriment.

As the last of the daylight faded from the sky and the wandering survivors ate their fill, the mood settled into relaxed contentment. Some of the injured were escorted back to the sick hut, others (mainly the girls) went to take a turn cleaning off in the lake, and others more sat around chatting quietly and playing with the younger Digimon. The rest sat in quiet, allowing themselves to actually unwind a little, processing the last few days and allowing the weight of their recent experiences sink them deeper into somber contemplation.

Daniel, Mateo, Mukuro, Kaede, Ryoko, Makoto, Mondo, and Byakuya sat at the most central table with Babamon and Jijimon. Mateo, Kaede, and Mondo took the lead in explaining everything that had happened to them, with Mukuro speaking only to fill in gaps they might have missed. Daniel, Kyoko, and Byakuya listened quietly, while Ryoko wrote furiously in her journal.

Babamon and Jijimon listened to the whole thing without interruption. Their faces gave away no reaction, but then again, most of their faces were covered anyway.

When they finished, Jijimon sat back and crossed his arms.

“You kids sure have been through one heck of a nightmare,” he said at last. “It’s nothin’ short of a miracle y’all made it here in one piece. I’m sorry for the loss of your friends.”

“As am I.” Babamon gripped her stick, stitched mouth twisting in rage. “Do to such a thing to children. Unthinkable.”

“May I see one of ‘em Digi-doohickies you mentioned?”

Mateo dug out his Digivice and passed it to Jijimon. The old Digimon turned it over this way and that, tapping it against the table, giving it a good sniff.

“Give me that, you old coot.” Babamon snatched it out of his hand and gave it a similar examination, eventually tapping the screen and gasping at the little Greymon in his room.

“My my,” she said. “It’s been quite a while since I’ve seen this.”

“What can you tell us?” Mukuro asked.

“Not much, I’m afraid.” Babamon passed the device back to Mateo. “As you’ve probably figured out, your kind aren’t very common around these parts. Back in my traveling days, long before you lot I imagine, I met a few creatures like you. ‘Humans,’ they called themselves. Had something like you’ve got there, though a bit different.”

“Different?”

“Ah, this old memory isn’t what it was. I do recall they weren’t so flat.”

“Hmm…”

“What about Monokuma?” Byakuya asked. “What can you tell us about him?”
Babamon and Jijimon exchanged worried glances.

“T’be quite honest with you folks,” Jijimon said. “We ain’t never heard of him.”

“I see,” said Kaede. “So, he’s a Digimon you’ve never met before.”

“That ain’t it.” Jijimon scratched his beard. “I can’t claim to know the names of every Digimon in the world, but me and the missus have been around a while, and between the two of us, we know darn near most of ‘em. And I can say for sure we ain’t never heard or seen of anyone like this Monokuma fella. I ain’t sure he’s even a Digimon.”

Everyone’s eyes widened in surprise. Everyone but Daniel’s, that is.

“Are you serious?!” Mondo demanded. “That little shit looks like he could fit right in with you people.”

“It’s the truth!” Babamon said. “It’s possible he’s associated with one of the Cardinals from another region.”

That caught Daniel’s attention.

“Cardinals?” he asked. “Region?”

“That’s right. Each region’s leader is called a Cardinal. We humble folk typically don’t bother with the business of other regions, so I couldn’t tell you the names of the other—”

“But wait, what about the regions?” Daniel asked. The others, especially Kyoko, glanced his way; even Ryoko paused in her note-taking. “You mean like states or kingdoms or something?”

Jijimon’s bushy eyebrows lift in surprise. “Kingdoms? Shoo, I think there are a few kingdoms in some of the other regions, but…” He scrutinized their confused faces. “You really don’t know nothin’ of your geography, do you?”

“Apparently not,” Daniel replied weakly.

Babamon stood in her chair and looked up at the now-black sky.

“It’s late, dearies,” she said. “It’s clear there’s a lot we need to discuss, matters too weighty for this hour, particularly when you lot are practically asleep already.

“Let’s continue this in the morning. I have a feeling you all should be present for this.”

---

“We are here,” Jijimon said, tapping his pawed stick on the southernmost part of the map.

“We call this the Purple Region.”

It was early morning now, just after breakfast. All of the students, except for Peko, were crammed into the village schoolhouse—a relatively small one-room building complete with rows of squat stone desks, and a giant blackboard and colorful posters lining the walls. It would almost look like a regular old-fashioned human classroom if it weren’t for the fact the writing on the posters were in a language no one recognized.

Jijimon and Babamon stood at the front of the classroom on stools. Jijimon gestured before a large worn map. The whole country was divided into six region revolving around one central one. Jijimon moved his stick and tapped the center of the Purple Region. “Right about here is the capital: Digital Valley. That’s where our Cardinal lives—or at least he would if we had one.” Jijimon made a noise of disgust. “Instead we got that no-good, dirty rotten Hama and his ilk.”

“Hush now, Jijimon,” said Babamon. “He may be a lying, cheating, wretched blight on the earth, but you never know when he’s listening.” She turned to the students. “He’s no Cardinal, but he is the highest authority in the region. Supposedly he protects our borders, but it’s still not safe at night.” She snorted. “Not that it stops him from collecting taxes from us.”

“You have taxes here?” Kaito said incredulously.

“There really are only two things for certain,” Byakuya replied with a shrug.

“So wait,” Leon asked, “this is great and all, but where are we?”

Jijimon waved his stick impatiently. “I just said, you’re in the Purple Region. Here, let me start again—”

“What he means is,” Chiaki interrupted calmly, “where in the world are we?” Jijimon and Babamon looked at them, puzzled. The group blinked back.

“Are we in Kyushu, Honshu…?” Makoto supplied.

“Definitely not Kyushu,” said Sayaka. “Are there any plains in Honshu?”

“Judging by the plants we encountered ear the school,” Sonia said with growing worry, “I don’t think we’re in Japan at all. Perhaps around China? Or Mongolia?”

“No way!” Kazuichi exclaimed. “We can’t possibly be as far out as China!”

“Well, that map doesn’t look like Japan,” Tenko blurted out.

“Of course not!” Jijimon replied. “Don’t be ridiculous!” He paused, then leaned over to Babamon. “What’s a Japan?”

“Not ‘what.’ ‘Where,’” said Kirumi. “Japan is our home country. Well, at least for most of us,” she added, glancing at Daniel, Mateo, Angie, and Sonia. “Do you happen to have a map of the surrounding countries? Perhaps one of the entire world?”

“I ain’t understandin’ the question,” Jijimon said. “This is the map of the whole world. This is the Digital World.”

Everyone stared at the two Digimon, too stunned to speak. “W…What do you mean, ‘Digital World?’” whimpered Chihiro.

“You’re not saying we’re in like, a computer or something, right?” Kazuchi said with a nervous laugh. “That doesn’t make any sense.”

Mondo slammed a fist onto the table, scaring the Littlemon.

“Quit screwin’ with us!” he shouted. “We’re just tryin’ to get out of this shithole—”

“Mondo!” Kaede cried, covering the ears of the nearest Littlemon.

“—Now tell us where the fuck we are!”

“Are we in Asia? Or perhaps Africa?” asked Sonia, trying her best to keep the panic out of her voice. “Even knowing a continent would be a big help—”

“Africa?!” Ibuki shouted. “Dude, that’d be totally rad!”

“No! No it wouldn’t!” Makoto argued.

“He’s right!” Taka said. “We could be in grave danger! Depending on the region, we could be in great danger from diseases our immune systems aren’t able to handle, raids from guerilla armies—”

“Gorillas?!” Nekomaru shot to his feet and threw his fists in the air. “Never fear, everybody! I can take on a gorilla no sweat!”

Akane jumped up on her seat next to him and adopted the same pose. “Yeah! I’ll punch a gorilla right in his stupid face! I’ll punch a hundred gorillas!”

“You’re the only apes we should be worrying about,” Korekiyo grumbled, massaging his temple.

“All that aside,” Kyoko said calmly, but in very clipped tones, “I think what we’re getting at is that we’re not in any place that can be found on a map. Or rather, any maps that we know.”
She leveled an eye on Daniel. “Isn’t that right?”

And suddenly all eyes were on Daniel. Daniel felt the heat rise up his face, but he did his best to match Kyoko’s neutral expression.

Byakuya’s glare was toxic. He asked, “And what would you know about any of this?” Daniel could almost hear the unspoken “peasant” at the end of his question.

“I think,” he said slowly, “the reality is we’re not in our own world at all.” A rush of fearful muttering went up amongst the students.

“I knew it!” Kazuichi shouted. “We’re in a computer!”

“Not necessarily,” Daniel said quickly. “I don’t know much about how any of this works, but it seems to me that we’re…somewhere else. The Digital World might not be part of our world at all.”

“I see.” Gundham nodded sagely. “You suggest that we are in another dimension, cast off into a plane apart, separated by time and space from our home world, never to see the light of Sol or the glorious shadow of the Moon so long as the Fates conspire against us.”

“….Well not in those words, but sure.”

“But wait,” cried Aoi. “If we’re in totally different world, then—then—” she gasped. “Then how do we get home?!”

Chaos broke out in the mess hut. Cries of despair went up over shouts of disbelief. Many of the Littlemon fled under the tables and behind baskets to escape the uproar, trembling in fear.

“Everyone, calm down!” Kaede said. “I know it’s scary—I’m afraid, too—but we can’t lose to despair. Not when we haven’t even started the game. Let’s just keep our heads about us and figure this out; I know we can get all of us out of here if we just stay calm and work together.”

The chaos quieted, but everyone’s shared despair lingered in the air. Kaede felt it in her guts, too, but she did her best to put on a brave face for everyone.

“If there’s a way in, then there has to be a way out,” she explained. “Even if we have to play along with Monokuma’s stupid rules for a while.”

“Speaking of,” Makoto said, “we only have one more day to decide our groups. I don’t know what Monokuma has planned on ‘decision day,’ but I’m sure it’ll be really bad if we don’t have that figured out by then.”
A murmur of unsettled agreement rippled over the group.

Babamon tapped her stick on the ground. “You kids have a lot to talk about. Jijimon and I will leave you to sort this out.”

“Thank you,” Kaede said, and some others muttered their thanks as well.

“Of course. Lunch is at noon. Let us know if you need anything.”

---

“Um, maybe we should start by going around and introducing ourselves,” suggested Sayaka. “Not everyone might’ve got a chance to meet everyone; this way we’re all on the same page and knowing what we’re working with.”
The afternoon sun peeked through the windows of the schoolhouse. After Babamon and Jijimon left, the students rearranged themselves into a circle-ish shape to make it easier to see and hear everyone.
Several students nodded, particularly Mukuro, who everyone instinctively looked to.

“Finally, a vaguely good idea,” Byakuya said.

“I’ll start,” Sayaka said before a fight could break out. “I’m Sayaka Maizono, Ultimate Pop Sensation. I’m, um, not super strong or athletic, and I’ve camped once or twice in my life, and I don’t have a Digimon partner…” A frown started to form on her face, but she snapped it back into a winsome smile. “But I work hard, and years of singing and dancing have put me in pretty good shape!”

She sat down to some murmurs. Byakuya raised his voice over it all and said, “We don’t need your whole life story. Just your name, Talent, and maybe a very brief summary of anything else you have to offer.”

The murmurs turned into grumbles, but no one argued. The rest of the group went in a circle, standing as they introduced themselves.

“Hi! I’m Aoi Asahina, but you can call me Hina. I’m the Ultimate Swimmer.”

“Um, my name is Chihiro Fujisaki. I’m the Ultimate Programmer. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Gonta Gokuhara. Ultimate Entomologist. Gonta look scary, but Gonta promise Gonta gentleman.”

“M-m-m-my n-n-n-name i-is M-Mikan Tsumiki. I-I-I’m the U-U-Ultimate N-N-Nurse.”

“I’m Tsumugi Shirogane, Ultimate Cosplayer. I plainly pour my heart and soul into my costumes for love of the characters—just don’t ask me to cosplay any real people.”

“Name’s Leon Kuwata. Technically I’m the Ultimate Baseball Star, but I’d prefer to leave that behind one day.”

“I’m Kaito Momota, Ultimate Astronaut, and I hope to leave this planet behind on day.” He laughed. “My Digimon partner’s name is Strikedramon.”

“I am Gundham Tanaka, Ultimate Animal Breeder, and I, too, possess a hellbeast.”

“Tenko Chabashira! They call me the Ultimate Aikido Master, and my specialty is Neo-Aikido! I’ll use my skills to protect you, and by you I mean all you girls! You degenerate males can die in a fire for all I care.”

“Rantaro Amami. Ultimate Adventurer.”

“Ibuki Mioda! Ultimate Musician!”

“…..Maki Harukawa. Ultimate Childcare Giver.”

“Kyoko Kirigiri, Ultimate Detective.”

“I’m, um, I’m Daniel Ortiz. I, um, don’t have an Ultimate Talent but…” He glanced at Mateo. “Like we mentioned before, my brother and I know a little bit about Digimon and the Digital World.” He then explained to the group what he told Kyoko, then let Mateo have his turn.

“Mateo Ortiz. No ‘Talent,’ or whatever you call it, but I have a Digimon partner named Greymon, so I guess I fall into the ‘fighter’ category.”

“The name’s Miu Iruma, and I don’t need some stupid fuckin’ monster to be cool.” She sneered. “I’m the Ultimate Inventor, and I got more brains than the lot of you can dream of. With my genius, my team is guaranteed to win!”

“Angie Yonaga, the Ultimate Artist to most unbelievers, and my team is guaranteed to win because I carry with me the blessing of Atua, who is the true Ultimate Artist.”

“Kazuichi Soda, Ultimate Mechanic. I, uh, build stuff.”

“Korekiyo Shinguji. I am called the Ultimate Anthropologist. My extensive studies abroad have afforded me a wealth of information pertinent to survival.” His oily grin didn’t reach his eyes. “I look forward to observing how you all
behave in this Survival Game.”

“…..Oh! Um, is it my turn? One sec….” Sound of pages turning. “My name is Ryoko Otonashi. I don’t know my Ultimate Talent.”

The next girl yawned. “Chiaki Nanami. Ultimate Gamer. I’m not really interested in athletics or outdoorsy stuff, so…”

“Yo! I’m Akane Owari the Ultimate Gymnast! Count on me for kickin’ ass and takin’ names!”

“Same here!” Nekomaru jumped up and jabbed a thumb at himself. “Nekomaru Nidai, and as the Ultimate Team Manager, you can count on me and my partner Grizzlymon to whip you all into fighting shape!”

“Please don’t,” Kazuichi mumbled.

Byakuya didn’t bother to stand. “I am Byakuya Togami, heir to the Togami Corporation and named the Ultimate Affluent Prodigy. I have a Digimon partner, though ‘partner’ isn’t the word I would use.” His eyes steeled. “Don’t think for a second that I’m one of those weaklings hiding in the shadow of my family’s name. I rose above the rest of my family because I fought and clawed my way to greatness. I earned every victory, and I will not lose this game to anyone, no matter what it takes.”

Everyone immediately went on edge. Even the slowest of the group understood Byakuya’s true meaning. The tension pressed on them for a moment longer before Rantaro chuckled and said, “So much for no life stories.”

Byakuya shot him a look, but Rantaro was unfazed. The comment eased the tension, and the group continued.

Kirumi rose up and bowed slightly at the waist. “Hello, my name is Kirumi Tojo, and I am the Ultimate Maid. My capabilities include cooking, cleaning, tailoring, organizing, hunting, espionage, bodyguarding, and tutoring. Like the young master, I, too, possess a Digimon partner.” She straightened. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Did she say espionage?” whispered Tenko.

Sonia stood, smiled sweetly, and said, “I am Sonia Nevermind, heir to the throne of Novoselic, Ultimate Princess. My country expects much from its leadership, so I have been schooled in all manner of subjects, such as leadership, foreign languages, diagnostic and holistic medicine, law, forensics, and botany.”

“An interesting combination,” Korekiyo said, raising one thin eyebrow. “And why would the leader of a country have need to study forensics?”

“That wasn’t required learning,” Sonia giggled, “just a personal interest of mine.” What kind of princess is she?! the rest of the group thought.

Next was Mukuro. Without moving from her chair, she cast her eyes about the room to meet everyone else’s and said, “Mukuro Ikusaba. Ultimate Soldier.”

A chill passed over the group. There was no need for her to expound on her capabilities.

Taka jumped to his feet and gave a stiff salute.

“Good afternoon! My name is Kiyotaka Ishimaru, the Ultimate Moral Compass, but you may call me Taka! My hobbies include studying!” He bowed 90-degrees at the waist. “It’s nice to meet you!”

Mondo picked at his ear in annoyance and said, “Yo. The name’s Mondo Owada, the Ultimate Biker Gang Leader. Nice ta fuckin’ meetcha.”

Taka rounded on him. “Watch your language! It’s rude to use foul language, especially when there are ladies present.”

“Oh yeah?” Mondo leaned forward, practically pressing his nose into Taka’s. “And what the fuck are you fuckin’ gonna fuckin’ do about it?”

“Mondo, please,” Kaede said, laying a hand on his arm. “Let’s not fight. You, too, Taka.” The boys glared at each other, but at least pulled away from each other.

Kaede sighed then put on her best smile. “Hi everyone, my name is Kaede Akamatsu, the Ultimate Pianist. It’s nice to meet you.” Finally, the last person stood up.

“My name is Makoto Naegi.” He smiled sheepishly. “My Digimon partner’s name is Angemon. Truth be told, I don’t have a real Talent like the rest of you. I got into Hope’s Peak on a lottery—they named me the Ultimate Lucky.”

Another murmur in the crowd, but one dreadful voice cut through all of it.

“Well this is an interesting development.”

Makoto looked up in surprise. A figure stood up from the back of the opposite end of the circle—a lanky, wild-haired individual that sent a chill down Daniel’s spine. Some of the Ultimates jumped a little in their seats; the guy was so quiet and hidden in the back, most people didn’t realize he was there.

But Daniel noticed. From the beginning, he had seen this person slinking about the group, chatting amicably, laying on the charm and just generally getting along with everyone. To the casual observer, he seemed like one of the most chill and friendly guys around.

In reality, this was probably the Ultimate that worried Daniel the most. The speaker raised a hand and smiled.

“Yo. The name’s Nagito Komaeda. And as fate would have it, I’m also the Ultimate Lucky.”

---

“No fuckin’ way,” Mondo scoffed. “You can’t have two of the same Ultimate.”

“Yeah! That’s, like, totally dumb!” Akane said. “You can’t have two people who are ‘the best’ at the same thing! Then they’re not really ‘the best!’”

“Akane’s got a point,” Tsumugi said reluctantly. “I’ve never heard of more than one person having the same talent.”

“I have,” Kyoko replied. “But not in the same generation.”

Makoto had no idea what to say. Nagito, on the other hand, seemed completely at ease, maybe a little amused by the turn of events.

“So they have the same Talent,” said Ibuki. “Who cares?! I’m bored of this already. If it bothers you so much, make ‘em fight for the title.”

“Let’s not fight!” Gonta said. “We all friends. No need for fight when friends share.”

“Actually, that sounds like an excellent idea to me,” Byakuya said. The group looked at him in astonishment. He folded his arms and continued. “The whole point of these tedious introductions is to get a sense of what everyone’s abilities are, what they can contribute to the group. Provided that neither of you are lying—” he passed an ugly look at both boys “—then I think it would serve to find out who’s the luckiest.” Byakuya shrugged. “If both of you are equally blessed by Lady Luck, then that just means you both should be on separate teams.”

“He has a point,” Mukuro said with the enthusiasm of one who bit into soured cheese.

“A luck contest! How fun,” Nagito said. “How should we do this? Draw straws? Flip a coin?”

“Ooo! Ooo! I have a coin!” Angie fished around her pockets and pulled out a copper coin. “Atua blessed me with this on our flight from the school, likely for this very purpose.”

Angie passed it down the students towards Makoto. When it got to Daniel, he saw that one side was stamped with Monokuma’s face.

The two Ultimate Luckys faced off in the center of the circle. Taka stood between them with the coin in his hand.

“Rules are simple,” Nagito said. “Whoever calls it, wins. Any questions?”

“Sounds straightforward,” Makoto replied. “Would you like to pick first, or me?”

Nagito’s smile widened. “Actually, I want to make this a little more interesting.” Here we go. Daniel sunk deeper into his seat.

Gesturing for a time-out, Nagito moved over to Chihiro’s side and whispered in her ear. The Ultimate Programmer’s eyes widened and her jaw dropped, but Nagito put a finger over his sly grin.
“One more rule to this game,” Nagito declared to the group. “Whoever loses has to do the winner’s chores for the day.”

Makoto nodded. “A-Alright.”

Nagito stuck his hands in his coat pockets.

“Ready when you are.”

Taka nodded tersely, then flipped the coin. The crowd watched it spin in the air, light flashing, before disappearing between Taka’s hands. With great ceremony, Taka clapped the coin on the back of his hand. He eyed the boys.

“Why don’t you call it, Makoto?” Nagito asked.

Makoto hesitated, off put by the other boy’s attitude, then said, “Heads.” Taka lifted his hand.

The group held their breath.

“Heads!” Taka shouted.

“Looks like Makoto is the winner!” Akane laughed. There were a few cheers and some claps on the back for Makoto, who took it all with bewildered gratitude.

“A-actually,” Chihiro said. “I think Nagito won….” A collective “huh?!” rose up from the crowd.

“What do you mean he won?!” Nekomaru shouted.

“What did he say to you before, Chihiro?” Kyoko asked.

“Well…” Chihiro squirmed in her seat. “He told me that he was going to add the rule about the loser getting punished…and that he hoped he was the one to lose.” Everyone gasped.

“What?!” Makoto whirled Nagito. “But—But why?!”

“Like I keep saying,” Nagito chuckled, “to make things interesting.” He wore a maddening smile. “I wanted to see what would happen if that was the outcome I wanted.” He chuckled again. “That kinda begs the question, though: am I the luckier one because I got what I wanted? Or am I the less lucky because I got the punishment?”

Nagito grinned at Makoto and shrugged. “Honestly, I don’t really care. The way I see it, we both won this little contest. Guess we’re both equally lucky.”

Everyone watched, jaws agape, as Nagito returned to his seat and act like nothing happened.

Daniel’s mind raced. Obviously Nagito wanted this to end in a draw—Makoto’s true Talent aside, if anyone can masterfully weaponize luck, it’s Nagito—but to what end? What was the point in deliberately wanting to lose?

Judging from their expressions, everyone else was just as shocked and confused as he was.

“So, that’s everyone, then?” Chiaki said. “We can start figuring out who the groups are?”

“Wait a minute, there’s still one more,” Kaede interjected. “The one that’s in the infirmary right now. Um, Peko, I think…”

“Her name is Peko Pekoyama,” Daniel said suddenly. Once again, everyone turned to look at him. He forced himself not to squirm.

“You know her, Daniel?” Chiaki asked with a tilt of her head.

“N-No, not exactly,” he replied. “I was able to talk with her for a little bit when we were out in the forest. She didn’t say much, but I got her name and her Talent.” Daniel did his best not to look at Kyoko when he said this, but he could feel her eyes boring into the side of his head.

There’s a good chance that she had overheard his conversation with Peko and know for a fact he was lying, but he decided he’d just deal with the consequences later. “She told me she’s the Ultimate Swordmaster.”

This sent a ripple of impressed murmurs through the group.

“Interesting,” Byakuya mused. “An Ultimate Swordmaster would be a huge asset to a team. Then again, how good could she actually be if she ended up catatonic?”

“Hey, you don’t know what she’s been through!” Hina argued.

“Yeah, that’s not fair to say, Byakuya,” said Leon. “If things had been a little different, you’d probably be the one vegging out in bed right now.”

Byakuya snorted. “Not likely. I told you, I will win. Whatever it takes.”

The two glared at each other, but Leon was no match for Byakuya’s steely gaze. Leon broke first and lowered his eyes.

The Affluent Prodigy held his gaze for a beat longer, just to really put the lesser boy in his place, before turning it on the rest of the group.

“Now then, shall we really begin?”

 

To everyone’s credit, they had about five minutes of civil discussion before all hell broke loose. The chaos started with Kaito calling dibs on Mukuro.

“A good leader always knows to pick the best people and delegate tasks,” he said matter of-factly.

“You can’t just call dibs on a person!” said Aoi.

“I just did. Didn’t you hear me?”

“If we’re calling dibs, I call dibs on Sonia, Sayaka, and Chihiro,” Kazuichi said, throwing his hand in the air. “Actually all cute girls can join Team Kazuichi.”

Needless to say, the conversation went downhill from there. Sonia and Sayaka vehemently protested. Chihiro, on the other hand, blushed a deep red and twiddled her fingers, stammering, “M-Me?”

A few of the other girls had objections, too, but surprisingly Miu had the most to say

“You just want a harem of cute girls followin’ you around, you fuckin’ perv!” she snarled after a good few minutes of verbally flaying Kazuichi alive.

“That would be nice,” he mumbled dazedly. The poor boy was near comatose at this point, but Miu wasn’t done.

“I know your fuckin’ game, ass clown. You think you’re gonna catch some action just cuz we’re gonna die at any second right? Got some sick fantasy of some helpless, simpering damsel in distress cuddling up to you in the dead of night, sayin’ shit like, ‘Pwease howd me, im so scawed uwu!’” Miu’s squeaky mockery made Mateo snort, and he had to slap a hand over his mouth to keep from laughing out loud.

“I got news for you, pal,” she sneered and jabbed a finger at Kazuichi. “I don’t care if you don’t think if I’m cute enough for your stupid harem—”

“Wait, is that what she’s mad about?” Makoto whispered to Mukuro.

“—a limp dick piece of shit like you couldn’t handle a girl like me. I’d have you pissin’ crooked by the time I’m through with you!” At that, Mateo couldn’t contain himself anymore and threw his head back laughing. Kazuichi, on the other hand, shriveled in on himself.

“Miu, please!” Kaede said over Mateo’s hysterics. A few others were hiding their chuckles, while the rest of the Ultimates’ faces turned varying shades of red.

“Pissin’ crooked,” Mateo cackled behind his hand. Daniel elbowed him.

“And the rest of you disgusting men,” said Tenko, rising to her feet and turning a hateful eye on every Y chromosome in the room, “don’t look so scandalized just because this pervert had the guts to say what I know all of you were thinking. Filthy degenerates like you are all the same.” With an indignant sniff, Tenko crossed her arms. “I say we separate the groups into boys versus girls.”

Several arguments went up in clear disagreement. Kirumi’s voice rose above them all.

“Don’t be absurd,” she said. “The girls outnumber the boys. Even if the rules allowed for uneven groups, that’s not a fair distribution of ability and manpower. One group could have an unfair advantage over the other.”

“Yeah,” said Mondo. “Plus, there’s no way I’m lettin’ a bunch of girls fend for themselves out there. It just ain’t manly.”

“For once, I am in agreement,” said Taka.

“Excuse me?!” Tenko snapped. “We don’t need a bunch of smelly Neanderthals to protect us. I can protect them all myself! Hi-yah!” She punched the air, making Chihiro flinch. “I’ll teach you to look down on Neo-Aikido!”

Mondo snorted. The glare Tenko shot Mondo could kill the entirety of Babamon’s garden, but he didn’t bat an eye.

“Look, I’m not sayin’ you’re weak or useless or anything,” Mondo said with surprising calmness. “It’s just that boys are naturally stronger and faster than girls. A few of you might be tough, but I’m not comfortable with the rest of your chances.” He glanced at some of the smaller girls, like Chiaki and Mikan, his gaze lingering just a tad longer on Kaede. “If we have to split up, the two groups should be as even as possible in terms of strength and all that.”

“Should they?”

Everyone turned. Naturally it was Byakuya who spoke. He sat arms folded and legs crossed, a king at ease in his throne.

“I almost hate to ask,” Makoto sighed. “What do you mean?”

Byakuya regarded the other boy with cold eyes. “Why should both groups be equal if only one is allowed to walk out of this place? This is survival of the fittest; mixing the weaklings with those who are actually competent is only going to increase the number of deaths. The teams should be divided strong versus weak.”

Now that everyone protested.

“Think of it this way,” Byakuya clear voice sliced through the noise. “Each team has seventeen each. Let’s imagine a scenario where the seventeen most capable among us are on one team. Pooling their Talents together will almost guarantee seventeen survivors. They might even get out in record number if the other team has the decency to die faster.”

Several people tried to interrupt, but Byakuya plowed on. “But on the other hand, let’s say both are balanced in terms of strength, intellect, and capability. As the weak die off—and in these conditions, they will die off—the strong will be fewer in number, decreasing their chances of survival. Some might even die trying to protect or make up for the mistakes and shortcomings of the weak. One team may win, but I can guarantee that their numbers will be few.”
Byakuya paused while the logic sank in.

“If we’re talking pure numbers,” said Rantaro, mulling over each word carefully, “then yeah, having the seventeen members most likely to survive work together means at least seventeen people get out of this alive.”

“It does have a certain logic to it,” said Korekiyo.

“Easy for you to say!” Leon shouted. “You guys probably think you’ll end up on the strong team!”

“Is that an admission of weakness?” Korekiyo chuckled.

“N-No!”

“Gonta protect friends! Gonta no leave defenseless and weak to die.”

“Mother Nature is an indifferent but not altogether cruel mistress,” Gundham rumbled. “She gives life as easily as she takes away. Byakuya is not incorrect: the unchanging law of nature is survival of the fittest.”

“Are you actually thinking we should go with Byakuya’s plan?” Sonia gasped, blazing righteous indignation.

Gundham lowered his gaze and replied, “I do not accept or deny his plan, only affirm the truth in his serpentine words. The hands of Destiny will deal out our fates as the universe wills.”

“But what if Monokuma wants us to fight each other?” said Chiaki. “One team would totally wipe out the other.” She kicked her feet idly and stared off into space with a sleepy expression, but there was a tightness in her tone. A chill passed through the room.

“It’s a ‘Survival Game,’ remember?” said Angie. “Nothing in the rules says one group has to kill the other, just outlast them.”

“It wouldn’t be the first time Monokuma changed the rules on a whim.”

No one had an argument for that. Byakuya only shrugged and said, “Then it makes even more sense that we should consider grouping the strong. It’ll be merciful, really. Think of it as weeding out the undesirables.”

“How about we do that right now?” Mondo growled and jumped to his feet. “I see one undesirable right in front of me!”

It took three men to hold Mondo back from killing Byakuya on the spot. The delinquent thrashed and cursed, but Byakuya just sat there, studying his perfectly manicured fingers.

When he finally calmed down, Mondo fell back into his seat with a huff, glaring at Byakuya.

“This is out of the question!” Taka shouted. “It is the obligation of the strong to defend the weak. Where is your honor?”

“Honor?” Byakuya’s gaze was ice. “You have the nerve to talk about honor after we watched our classmates get burned alive, dismembered, impaled—”

“Stop it, please!” moaned Sayaka as she covered her ears. “I don’t want to remember!”

“No, remember it.” Byakuya locked eyes with each person individually. “Burn the images into your mind because it’s not going to be sentiment, or false senses of nobility, or any of that bleeding heart nonsense that keeps you alive. What’ll keep you alive is the knowledge that every horrible thing Monokuma did to the others, he’ll do to you if you give him the slightest chance.”

“No.” Makoto stood up, fists balled. “What’ll keep us alive is working together. Let’s say we go along with your plan. How do we decide who has the best chance of survival? This isn’t something you can prove with a test of strength or an exam or something.”

Makoto gestured to the whole group. “You can’t quantify usefulness. Everyone here has something valuable to contribute, a Talent that could come in handy, even if they aren’t an Ultimate,” he added when Byakuya eyed Daniel and
Mateo. Daniel looked away, but Mateo folded his arms and stared Byakuya down.

“Can’t quantify usefulness?” Byakuya mused. “While I can agree that it would be challenging to create an accurate assessment with quantifiable results, especially in such a short amount of time, I think we can all agree that someone like the Ultimate Soldier would be leaps and bounds more preferable to have in a fight than, say, the Ultimate Cosplayer.”

“Hey!” whined Tsumugi. “I might be plain, but I’m useful!” Tears welled up in her eyes.

“Please, Peko is more useful in this situation, and she’s practically broken.” Byakuya commented.

“Stop it!” Kaede snapped. Everyone jumped.

Clearing her throat, she took a deep breath and said more calmly, “Byakuya. I understand that in your own strange way, you’re just trying to create the best possible outcome.” Mondo and several others snorted loudly, and Kaede shot them all with a silencing look.

“But everyone here deserves as fair a shot at surviving as possible,” she continued.

“Do they?” Byakuya said.

“Yes,” Kaede replied with such firmness that Byakuya only glowered in response. “No one is more valuable than someone else. And I think you’re all forgetting something very important.”

Kaede met everyone’s eyes. Some were curious, others puzzled or guarded. But everyone was scared. The reality of the Survival Game’s rules, Byakuya’s reminder about the cruel reality they found themselves in….The students were slipping into despair. Kaede felt it herself, a constant dug on her mind, a cold chill down her neck, a weight in her chest. At this rate they would crack; she suspected that’s exactly what Monokuma wanted.

“We are all stuck in the same place, dancing to the same, twisted music Monokuma’s playing,” she said, “but that doesn’t mean we can’t do something about it.”

“It doesn’t?” Aoi asked.

“No. We have to follow Monokuma’s rules, but all he tells us to do is survive. He even said he doesn’t care what we do after we get into our groups. And I think we should all work together to find a way out of the Digital World.” Gasps went up around the room.

“Is that possible?”

“How would we do that?”

“But if this is another dimension—”

“It could be a computer program.”

“We got in, right? That’s gotta mean there’s a way out.”

“We were dragged in, we didn’t just waltz in here.”

“But still…”

“Even if we were brought here and need someone else to get us out,” Kyoko said, “it’s a reasonable assumption that there is a way out, if we can find it.”

Kaede nodded. “And we’ll need everyone, not just the strongest, or the smartest. That means we need both teams to be as equal as possible.”

Several Ultimates cheered. Others stayed quiet, but Kaede could see glimmers of hope in their eyes. Byakuya’s scowl deepened. Kaede braced herself for another round with him. She didn’t need to.

“I support this decision,” Mukuro said. “Just because the situation seems impossible, doesn’t mean it is. It just means we lack sufficient data.”

Her words settled over everyone like a warm blanket. In the short time they’ve been together, Mukuro has proven herself the most capable in this horrible Survival Game, and because of that, her opinion carried the most weight out of everyone.

Kaede smiled gratefully at the Ultimate Soldier.

“What do you think, Daniel, Mateo?” Kaede asked. “You guys’ study Digimon, so you probably know more than the rest of us about this place than the rest of us.”

“Well…” Daniel squirmed in his seat at the sudden attention. “I mean...we, uh…”

“What my brother is trying his hardest to say,” Mateo said, much to Daniel’s alarm, “is that we can’t say for sure. We never found a way in ourselves.” He remembered a piece of Daniel’s cover story. “But if the Digimon could end up in our world from the Digital World, then it would make sense that there’s a way we can get from the Digital World to our world.”

The group murmured in hopeful agreement. Daniel did his best to smile and nod along but inside he trying not to be sick. This moment felt exactly like all the times he had to lie in the game’s trials in order to help people get to the truth, made more surreal by the fact that many of those characters were sitting right in front of him. Worst of all, what if this lie didn’t lead to any truth?

The rules of this world weren’t very solid to begin with, and their presence plus Monokuma’s meddling only made matters worse. Not to mention…her.

Daniel took a quick glance towards Ryoko before shaking his head and speaking up.

“We’ll have to talk with Jijimon and Babamon about this,” Daniel said, more for his benefit than anyone’s. “They did say we weren’t the first humans to come here, after all.”

Suddenly an idea sparked to mind. “The Digivices. They might have something to do with it.” Another murmur went up around the room.

“So we’re all in agreement, then,” Kaede said. “We’re going to split the groups as evenly as possible, and then come up with a game plan to find a way out of here.”

The mood of the room had shifted. Kaede practically tasted it. The tension hadn’t changed, but they were more confident, more hopeful now than when they walked in. It supercharged her, filled her with a renewed excitement and determination. She allowed that to spill out of her, fill them with the same energy she felt.

“I’m not going to say the road will be easy,” she said, “and I’m not going to say that it won’t be scary. But we can find a way to get out—together. Trust in me, work with each other, and I’ll do everything in my power to make sure everyone goes home.” She winked at Mondo.

“That’s a man’s promise.”

---

Babamon came in not too long after that, which worked great because everyone needed a break. After much stretching and groaning, Babamon gathered all of the able-bodied among them to help her and Jijimon with chores. Those who were still injured were herded back to the sick hut by Mikan.

Some, mostly girls, were put in charge of taking care of the Littlemon. They didn’t need to do anything serious; Mateo suspected this was more to keep the little Digimon out of everyone’s hair for a bit. Babamon took another group to help with farming and the Rookies’ training. Jijimon roped Mateo and the physically strongest of the group into helping him build two new huts.

Ryoko, in a sudden fit of self-actualization, insisted she do none of these things and instead walk among the groups, writing down as much as she could about the group’s activities.

“Did you really get the entire meeting down?” Mateo asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yup!” she said cheerily and held open the book for him to see. “I even got everyone’s names and Talents down.”

He took the notebook and studied it closer. “Damn. You’d make one heck of a secretary.”

“Thanks! I think.”

What talent she had for taking minutes she sorely lacked in taking portraits, however. She took the time to doodle portraits next to everyone’s name, but Mateo wasn’t entirely sure if these would actually help her later. “Wow, these are…actually pretty bad. Why do I have a unibrow?”

“That’s Gundham. Says so right there.”

“Why does Gundham have a unibrow?”

“He does not!” Ryoko laughed. Mateo looked at her in surprise. That was the first time he’s ever heard her laugh. Actually, this might be the first time she’s ever spoken above a dazed mumble. It’s kind of nice.

Mateo cleared his throat and passed the notebook back. “Don’t quit your day job, kid, that’s all I can tell ya.”

Ryoko tilted her head. “I have a day job?”

“Mateo!” Mondo called. “Come on, man, we got houses to build!”

Mateo waved at him and said to Ryoko, “You sure you’re gonna be fine on your own?”

Ryoko rolled her eyes. “Duh! You worry too much…” She glanced down at her notebook then back at him, “Mateo.”

He dragged a hand down his face. “Just be careful. And don’t go anywhere you can’t see someone and someone can’t see you.”

Ryoko quickly scribbled that on a fresh page, then gave him the thumbs up. Hesitating just a moment longer, Mateo ran off to catch up with the rest of the hut-builders.

“Here we go,” Jijimon said when they reached piles of straw, wood, and stone. “These’ll be where y’all sleep. One fer the ladies, one fer the gents.”

“But we’re only going to be here a few days,” said Kaito. “You’re going to all this trouble just for us?”

“No, you’re going through all this trouble,” the cheery old Digimon laughed. “But I appreciate the concern. We’d been planning on expanding anyway. Consider this compensation for helpin’ y’all out.”

“A fair trade indeed,” Gundham nodded.

“Great! Then get to work. If y’all get this done by sundown, Babamon might whip up somethin’ special for dinner.”

Nekomaru, Kaito, Mondo, Akane, Taka, and Mateo whooped, while Gundham simply looked pleased. Kazuichi, on the other hand groaned.

“Cheer up, pal,” Nagito said cheerfully and clapped the boy on the back. “With all of us working together, this will get done in no time! Jijimon did choose the most capable for the job, after all.”

“You’re right,” Kazuichi said and straightened. “This’ll be a cakewalk! Plus it wouldn’t hurt to look all manly and tough for the ladies—hold on, why are you here?”

“Me?” Nagito’s eyes widened. “Are you saying I’m not strong enough to build houses? Do you think I’m weak?”

“Oh, well, what I meant to say was—I just think…”

“Just kidding!” Nagito smiled. “I know my noodle arms aren’t impressing anybody. Especially next to, say, Nekomaru.”

“I mean, no one looks impressive next to Nekomaru.” Kazuichi scratched the back of his head, a wobbly smile on his face.

“You got that right. Honestly I’m just here because I lost the bet with Makoto.” He answered.

“Fair enough.”

“Are you guys just gonna stand around,” barked Akane. “Or are you gonna help?”

Kazuichi turned to say something rude, saw Akane, and choked out, “Coming! Wait, no, uh, I mean—”

Nagito laughed as Kazuichi’s face turned beet red. “You look like one of Babamon’s tomatoes!” That only flustered Kazuichi even more, and while the poor boy regained his composure, Nagito joined the rest of the group.

“Unacceptable!” Taka said as he approached. “A woman should not have to work such arduous labor!”

“Huh? Whaddya mean?” Akane asked, genuinely perplexed.

“Building a home requires a great deal of stamina and strength.”

“Yeah, I know. This’ll be great training!”

“I don’t doubt you your athletic ability, however—”

“Ah give it a rest already,” said Mondo, carrying a log on his shoulder. “If the lady wants to help build a fuckin’ house, then let her build a fuckin’ house. We don’t got all day.”

Taka bristled, then marched up to Mondo. “Don’t get me started on you. Your insistent use of profanity is unacceptable! Around ladies, no less. Have some decorum! Have some self-respect!”

“Self-respect?” Mondo gripped the log like he planned to swing it on Taka. “The hell you know about self-respect, tight ass?”

“I know your kind, Mondo Owada. Delinquents like you shirk the rules of decent society and for what? Some pretense at strength? You should be ashamed.”

“Hey man, I dunno where you get off talkin’ to me like that, but if you got a problem with me, then you better be ready to deal with it. I eat pieces of shit like you for breakfast.”

“You eat shit for breakfast?” Nagito giggled.

“Stay out of this!” Taka and Mondo roared at him.

“That’s enough!” A tall shadow loomed over them. Mondo and Taka craned their necks back to see Nekomaru glaring sternly down at them. “If you boys have energy to argue, then you have energy to work. Now hop to it!”

“He started it,” Mondo grumbled under his breath. “Stuck up prick.”

“Delinquent,” Taka grumbled back.

They both bristled like rival street cats, moments from sinking their claws into each other. Nekomaru clapped them both on the backs, knocking the wind and the aggression right out their lungs. “I see what’s going on,” he boomed.
“Looks like you boys need a lesson in teamwork. Luckily for you, nothing builds camaraderie and trust like manual labor!” Nekomaru blew his whistle, nearly bursting their eardrums, and barked orders at Mondo and Taka. The boys
jumped into action, working diligently (if begrudgingly) under Nekomaru’s strict supervision. Akane misunderstood their sudden work ethic and got so pumped up that she worked with even more gusto.

“That’s the Ultimate Team Manager for you,” said Mateo while Gundham, Kazuichi, and Nagito chuckled.

Meanwhile, Daniel absentmindedly watched the chaos of the hut-building team when a block hit him in the head.

“Ow!”

“You gotta watch out, Mr. Daniel,” said Lopmon, a bunny-like Digimon. “I called warning!”

“Yeah you did,” Daniel grunted and rubbed his head. “Sorry.” Training with the Rookies wasn’t what he expected. All they had to do was throw colored shapes towards the Rookies, who would then dodge or lob them back depending
on the color. Babamon said it was to help with their aim and reflexes, while also showing that different attacks require different responses.

“Such is the case with life,” she said with a sagely cackle. “Not all problems have the same solutions.”

Daniel wondered how much of the earlier meeting she overheard.

He glanced at the old Digimon. Babamon watched from the side, contented smile on her face as she balanced on her staff. He suspected that she thought this training would benefit the humans, too, not just the Rookies. The moment of distraction earned him another smack on the head.

“Ow!”

“Very interesting,” Korekiyo said while Daniel chucked the block. “In almost every culture in the world, play is used as a means to develop key life skills. It seems these Digimon creatures are no different.”

“Super,” grumbled Daniel. “Maybe you could help?”

“No thank you. I am content to observe for now.”

“Of course.”

The next part of the Rookies’ training centered on strength, endurance, precision, and patience. In other words, they did farm work.

“Keep it up, dearies,” Babamon called from her comfortable spot in the shade. “You’re doing a wonderful job!”

“My arms are gonna fall off,” Daniel groaned as he heaved another bushel of Meatapples up to FanBeemon. His hands were already starting to cramp from clipping the stems with shears.

“If you do, then you just gotta pick ‘em back up!” Ibuki said cheerfully and hoisted a bushel over her head.

“I-Ibuki, take it easy. Weren’t you injured?”

“Yup! But I’m all good now. A little glass ain’t gonna keep me down. Oh hey, was my shirt always this red?”

“Are you bleeding?!”

“Uhhhh, maybe?” Ibuki inspected her shirt from the outside, then took a peek inside. “Yup! That’s my blood!”

“That’s not something to be excited about. Here, let’s get you to Mikan.” Daniel set down his shears in a safe place and helped her to the sick hut. Their trek was interrupted by Tenko, who demanded to take over the job.

“Filthy degenerate male,” she growled as she “rescued” Ibuki from his “greedy, groping hands.”

Daniel didn’t have the energy to argue. On the way back, he noticed the Littlemon watch team hanging out by the lake.

That looks so relaxing, Daniel thought wistfully. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to check on them, maybe stick his feet or his entire body in the water.

Daniel first approached Maki, more for the fact she was the closest rather than out of any particular desire to talk to her. Honestly he started second-guessing his impromptu break when he saw the look on her face. Littlemon
bounded on and around her, hanging off her like ornaments on a disgruntled Christmas tree. He swallowed. Knowing who she really was didn’t help his nerves.

Too late to run now; without turning, Maki said, “Aren’t you supposed to be somewhere?”

Daniel jumped. “Oh, um, yeah. We’re working in the garden right now, but I had to take Ibuki to the sick hut because she pushed herself too hard and I saw you guys and um…” He trailed off, suddenly too aware of how much he was talking. “J-Just taking a little break. Mind if I sit here?”

Why did he say that? Had to have been a force of habit or slip up in his brain because what he actually meant to say was “Don’t mind me, I’ll sit somewhere else.”

Maki didn’t reply, but she didn’t turn him away either. That’s the best he’s going to get, and walking away now seemed rude. Daniel sat at a respectable distance away from her and pretended at relaxation. Immediately some of the Littlemon bounded over to him making noises of excitement, giving him curious sniffs, and after deciding he’s friendly, demanding pets and attention. Daniel laughed and did his best to accommodate all of them. Like little kids with their parents, every so often they would break away to bounce around Maki, like they were checking on her, before coming back to Daniel. She’d look at them with dispassionate eyes while they cheeped some nonsense at her.

“They really like you,” said Daniel.

“Children tend to like me,” she said. “It’s annoying.”

Daniel laughed, sounding more nervous than he’d like. One of the Littlemon bit on his sleeve, and Daniel spent the next minute trying to wrestle his arm away before he noticed that Maki was starting at him.

“…What?”

“You didn’t say it.”

“Say what?”

“When I said, ‘it’s annoying,’ people normally say, ‘But you’re the Ultimate Childcare Giver, aren’t you supposed to like kids?’ Or something like that.”

“Oh!” Daniel’s mind raced for an excuse. “I guess it makes sense. Not everyone likes the things they’re good at. Didn’t Leon say he hated baseball?”

Maki eyed him for a moment. Daniel felt a bit like a butterfly pinned under glass, and he almost sighed in relief when she released him with a shrug. “That’s a good point.”

“Cannonbaaaaall!”

Considering everything that happened the past few days, Daniel could be forgiven for flinging himself to the ground and covering his head to protect from actual cannon fire.

A loud splash hit the water in front of him, following by cheering and more splashes. Daniel peeked from between his arms and saw Mateo, Mondo, and the rest of the hut-building team fling off their shirts and shorts, and dive into the lake. Akane almost did as well, but she was berated by a very flustered Taka and instead just removed her jacket.

The look Maki gave him was the most pitying he’d ever got, but he could only laugh at himself. “Can you blame me?” he said, rubbing the back of his head.

“Hmph. Looks like they’re on break too.” Maki stood, sending several Littlemon tumbling off her in a chorus of delighted squeals. “I’m going to round up the others. It’s not safe for kids to swim with the big kids.”

So you do care. Daniel fought a smile; if Maki saw, she’d probably kill him.

It’s not long before the noise from the lake attracted the rest of the Ultimates.

“All right! This is what I’m talking about!” Leon cheered and threw down his rake to take off running towards the lake. “Last one in’s a rotten egg!” cried Aoi, close on his heels.

“You guys!” Kaede shouted after them. “We shouldn’t goof off right now. We’ve got work to do.”

“Let it be, dearie,” Babamon said, moving to her side. “You children have worked very hard today. It’s good to unwind from time to time.”

“I guess you’re right.” A smile tugged on Kaede’s lips. “Oh! I know! We should have a picnic. May I get some fruit from the garden?”

“Of course, dearie. It’s about time for lunch anyway.”

“Great!” She searched for a moment and called out, “Hey Kirumi, can you help me?”

The maid snapped to attention and bowed. “It would be my pleasure.”

Babamon was right; the group had worked hard that day. The work helped redirect some of the tension from the morning meeting. It wasn’t enough to completely take their mind off the situation, but it felt nice to work together for once without an immediate threat coming for them.

Kaede and Kirumi came back with lunch in tow, earning a huge group cheer. By then everyone from the sick hut joined the rest by the lack, even Peko. Mikan believed that positive social interaction, even from a distance, could help encourage her out of her comatose state. They propped her up under a tree, and because Daniel had the most luck with her, he became her unspoken caretaker when Mikan wasn’t watching her.

Daniel brought her a bowl of fruit and sat with her for a bit, making innocent comments about the others, updating her on all that happened at the meeting. She didn’t respond to any of it, not that he thought she would. He spoke carefully; he could see Kyoko on the other side of the lake, making polite conversation with Kirumi, but he still feared she would pop up beside him and hear everything.

A short time later, he found Mateo stretched out in the grass, listening patiently while Ryoko chattered on about stuff she wrote in her notebook. Daniel sat with them for a bit before Ryoko enthusiastically declared that she’s going to ask Mikan to fill her in on some details about the injured.

Mateo watched her leave, the ghost of a smile playing on his lips, before he noticed Daniel staring at him.

“What?”

Daniel narrowed his eyes and said nothing.

“Whaaat?”

“Mmmm, nothing.” Daniel flopped on his back.

Mateo poked him in the side. “Don’t ‘nothing’ me. What’s with the stink eye?”

“It wasn’t stink eye. Just watching you guys, is all.”

“Watching Ryoko, you mean.”

“Yeah.”

Mateo cast a quick glance around to make sure no one was within earshot before lowering his voice. “Why don’t you trust her?”

Daniel frowned. “It’s complicated. Long story short, she could be a really, really bad guy. Like the bad guy.”

“….Bad guy as in enemy, right? Not an actual dude?”

“Oh my god…” Daniel shook his head.

Mateo shrugged. “Just looking for some clarification.”

“Don’t start crushing on her now. You know she’s not…you know…”

Mateo only shrugged. “Seems pretty real to me,” he mumbled under his breath, twirling a blade of grass between his fingers.

Daniel sighed. Sometimes he just couldn’t with his brother.

“She’s kinda different now,” Mateo remarked. “More bubbly. Airheaded, too. Kinda like her personality finished loading or something.” He chuckled.

Daniel sat up fast. “What did you say?”

Mateo was taken aback. “Uh, it’s like her personality finished loading?”

The color drained from Daniel’s face. He stared out at Ryoko, who was chattering about something at a zenned-out Chiaki.

“You good, man? Hey, I’m talking to you.” Mateo nudged his brother’s shoulder.

“She shouldn’t be here,” Daniel murmured.

“The same can be said for all of us, Dan.”

With a frown, Daniel peeled his gaze from Ryoko. “Look, I don’t know exactly what’s going on,” he said under his breath, “but you should be really careful around Ryoko, ok? She’s—”

A shrill cry of fear rang out followed by children’s laughter, and suddenly Mikan raced by, being chased by a gaggle of Littlemon and Rookies. Daniel and Mateo weren’t sure if her cries were genuine or for the kids’ benefit—either way, she slipped and took a tumble down the slope, landing on the water’s edge in a very compromising position. The innocent Digimon laughed at Mikan’s spill and tumbled down the slope after her. Only one of the bystanders stopped laughing long enough to help her.

Daniel glanced around for anyone else, then mumbled, “We’ll talk about it later.” Mateo studied his brother’s face for a bit. Daniel was prone to get wrapped up in his own mind, sometimes needing a little shove back into the real world before he got lost.

Mateo was just debating the most effective way to snap him out of it when suddenly a soggy mess of green went SPLAT! across Daniel’s face.

“Oh shit, dude! My bad!” Leon shouted from the shore while Mondo and Akane howled.

Mateo burst out laughing as Daniel sputtered and pawed at his face.

SPLAT!

His laughter immediately ceased when water exploded over his face, knocking him over. Daniel barked a laugh.

“How do you like these babies?” Miu said, approaching from the side. In one hand she bounced what looked like a dripping ball of woven grass. The other held an automatic slingshot of some kind. Miu loaded the green ball into the slingshot. “Made some reusable water balloons out of porous materials. Just soak ‘em up and—” She fired. Mondo yelped and fell back into the water. Leon and Akane nearly pissed themselves laughing.

“That’s neat, but why?” Daniel asked, holding up the balloon that struck him.

“Workin’ on a few things. Might save your worthless fuckin’ lives later.” She shrugged.

“Riiiight….” Daniel noticed the pieces of Mateo’s balloon scattered around. He picked them up. “Hold on, this one’s an actual balloon. Is this latex? Where did you—”

Miu jabbed a finger in his face and shouted, “Don’t ask questions with answers you ain’t prepared for, bitch boy!” Throwing her golden head back, Miu howled with laughter and ran off to join the rest of the group.

“Well at least she’s having fun,” said Daniel while Mateo cursed under his breath.

Unfortunately, the fun couldn’t last forever. Jijimon called the boys (and Akane) back to work, and Babamon had her charges help her with the rest of the village chores. Daniel tried to talk with Babamon about the possibility of escape, but she was always preoccupied with something. I’ll just ask her and Jijimon at dinner.

When he, Kaede, Makoto, and Korekiyo were wheeling rotten fruit and straw out to the compost, they passed by the huts their companions were building—“were” being the operative term. They made great progress, but construction had come to a screeching halt while Mondo and Taka shouted at each other.

“Getting’ real fuckin’ sick and tired of you, man,” Mondo growled.

“And I you! Your behavior is boorish, your attitude is atrocious, your attire is sloppy—”

“My attire?! My attire is sloppy cuz I’m out here workin’ my fuckin’ ass off is this goddamn heat, jackass!”

“Even in the toughest circumstances, one should always take pride in their uniform, which you’ve disgraced long before we arrived here.”

“Hey guys, how about we all take a few chill pills before this gets ugly,” said Kaito. Mondo and Taka glared at him, and he quickly took a few steps back, hands up.

Daniel looked up at Nekomaru. “Aren’t you going to do something?”

“Nope,” the big man said, never once looking away from the fight. “There’s a time and place for interference. Sometimes it’s best for teammates to hash out their problems in the open. Keeping hard feelings buried will only make things worse later.”

“You see this jacket?” Mondo gripped the opening with both hands. “This is my pride. Every rip, stain, and burn is proof that I faced every fight and came out on top. It ain’t pretty, but it’s the uniform of the leader of the Crazy Diamonds, the best fuckin’ biker gang in Japan.”

Taka sniffed. “Being part of a criminal organization is nothing to be proud of. Rejecting on the rules that govern civilized society is an act of cowardice, and gang members are the most cowardly of them all.”

Mondo ground his teeth. “What did you say?”

“Uh oh,” said Daniel.

“I said,” Taka said evenly. “Gang members are cowards. You are a coward. You take so much pride in breaking the rules, but in reality you’re just afraid of conforming and losing your individuality. You’re so desperate to prove that you’re worth something that you don’t care about harming others.”

“Eat shit!” Mondo lunged at Taka. Daniel yelped in surprise and jumped back before he got caught in the crossfire. Kaede, on the other hand, darted between them.

“Cut it out you guys!” she said keeping her arms out. “We should be working together.”

“Get out of the way, Kaede,” Mondo growled. “This bastard wants to go, then we’ll go.”

“Yes, I agree,” Taka said. “Please move before you get hurt.”

“Don’t try to play all manly now, asshole.”

“I’m a bigger man than you are, delinquent!”

“Is that right?” Mondo sneered. “You think you’re a bigger man than me? Fine then, let’s see who’s the bigger man.” Mondo jabbed a finger at taka. “I challenge you!”

“Agreed!” Taka stuck out his chest. “Name your challenge, and I will overcome it.”

“Oooo, a challenge? Can I join in?” Akane said.

“Nah,” said Mondo. “This is between me and the egghead.”

“Don’t you have a huts to build?” muttered Daniel.

“No, no, let them,” said Korekiyo. “This could be interesting.”

“Name your challenge!” shouted Taka.

“I got an idea,” Kaede said. “You boys want a true test of manhood?”

“Yes!” they chorused.

“Then how about this: Jijimon wants to plant some more Meat fruit Trees, so who ever can bury and plant the most trees will be the winner.” She gestured to the twin carts she and the boys had been hauling around.

“Challenge accepted!” Mondo whooped and grabbed a cart.

“I will not be left behind!” Taka declared.

The two raced off at speeds no one expected considering two people struggled with just one.

On the way back, Makoto said, “Good thinking, Kaede. Not only did you turn their fight into something productive, you also got them to do a job no one else wanted.”

“Yes, a wise solution indeed,” Korekiyo said.

Kaede blushed. “Oh, it was nothing. I just got tired of them arguing, and figured this would be a good way to distract them from that.”

“That was also a great idea, getting them to take the carts for us, too,” said Daniel as he stretched his aching arms over his head. “I wasn’t sure if I could make it, to be honest.”

Kaede laughed. “I’m really sore, too.” She saddened somewhat. “If only deciding how we should group up would be so simple,” she said with a note of bitterness. The others dropped their gazes. Sensing the shift in mood, Kaede perked up and said, “But that was just the first time. Mukuro said that she wanted to resume our discussion soon. I’m hoping everyone will be too tired to argue too much. This time we’ll get some real progress done for sure!”

---

Kaede’s prediction somewhat came true. Ultimate Meeting: Round 2, as Ryoko titled it in her journal, went moderately better than round one. The energy in the room was considerably less charged than this morning as everyone draped in their seats. Taka and Mondo didn’t show up, of course, too locked in their insane challenge to notice anyone who came to fetch them.

“They’ll be fine,” Akane had said after an unsuccessful trip to the compost. “Less people to pick fights.”

After much debate, someone proposed that they should pick two leaders, one per team, to choose who’ll go on their team.

“It’ll be like team captains in gym class,” said Leon.

That didn’t sound like too bad of an idea…until it came time to actually pick the two leaders.

Mukuro was obviously the first choice; no one disagreed with that nomination.

Byakuya, of course, nominated himself. Several people vehemently protested that, but few could deny that he did have the training, composure, and intelligence for the job. “Maybe if you weren’t such a dick,” Miu snickered, and a few others snickered with her. Byakuya only glared, making Miu gulp and flush red under his withering gaze. Kazuichi nominated Sonia. “She is a princess, after all.”

“I nominate myself,” declared Kaito.

Akane rolled her eyes. “Kaito, you don’t even do anything.”

“That’s not true! Like I said, a good leader knows how to delegate."

He was shot down. A little while later, Nekomaru, Makoto (to his surprise), even Mateo were nominated.

“Me?” Mateo asked. “Why?”

“Same for me,” Makoto said. “I haven’t really done anything leadership-worthy.”

“Well, you both have really strong Digimon partners,” said Chihiro. “And you’re both really nice.”

“Yeah!” said Sayaka. “And you stayed behind to fight that big scary purple Digimon while the rest of us got away! You guys are so brave.”

Several others nodded. Mukuro spoke up for the first time that meeting.

“Leadership is more than just strength and kindness,” she said. “Leaders need to have the intelligence to make the right decisions, the wherewithal to make quick decisions, and the guts to make the tough decisions. You can’t brute force through everything, and self-sacrifice only takes you out of the war faster. Remember that.”

The Ultimates sat on that for a while. In the end, no one could decide anything, and most of the time was spent talking over each other. They agreed on one thing, however:

“This team captain thing isn’t going to work,” Chiaki said. “Even if we can pick two people, it’ll be just like gym class. All the good people will get picked first just cuz they’re good, while the rest of us are stuck as leftovers. The teams won’t be balanced that way.”

“Yeah but how are we all going to decide how to fairly divide the group?” said Sayaka.

“We’re not getting anywhere if everyone talks over each other.”

“Then we do this like Romans,” Kyoko said. “If there are too many of us, then we should elect a smaller council to do the talking for us.”

“That’ll take too much time!” Akane protested.

“It won’t.” She fished out some paper and passed it around. “Everyone pick seven people you trust to represent you. Think of the people who would not only try to make things as fair as possible, but also have the intelligence to make it happen.” She grabbed a bucket. “We meet back here after dinner and cast our ballots in this all at the same time. Then, as a group, we’ll count the ballots and see who our new council members are.”

“So anyone on the council doesn’t get a say at all?” Byakuya said. “That hardly seems fair.”

“Says the guy who’s probably not getting elected,” Kazuichi snickered to Leon.

“In meetings, if someone not on the council has something to say, they can raise their hand. The council will recognize them and allow them to speak.” Kyoko placed the bucket by the door. “The point of having the council is to streamline discussions. Too many voices means no one gets heard.” She cast a cool eye over everyone in the room. “We have until noon tomorrow to give Monokuma his answer. If we don’t agree as a group, then no one goes home.”

---

Dinner that night was considerably quieter than the previous night. Everyone was too tired and too solemn to make much conversation; many stared at their blank pieces of paper while they listless pushed their food around.

Daniel wasn’t sure what to do. He didn’t know how he felt about the council idea, but at this point, he’ll take anything to get a decision out faster. Before he made his, however, he sought out Jijimon and Babamon.

“I don’t know much ‘bout the other human folk came here, or about where they went. Jijimon explained. “I heard they said they came from another world and were fixin’ to head home, but if they ever did, I ain’t heard a word about it.”

He and Babamon sat at one of the round tables with Daniel, Mateo, Kyoko, Mukuro, and Byakuya. Daniel spotted Nagito, Korekiyo, and Maki standing in various places some distance from the table, pretending to mind their own businesses, but he was sure they listened closely.

“What about the Cardinals?” Daniel asked. “Are they Digimon?”

“Nope,” said Jijimon. “Not quite sure they’re human, neither. I ain’t seen one up close, and they don’t look too much like you folk.”

“Do you know where they came from?”

“Couldn’t say. Far as anyone knows, they appeared out of thin air, and they never said anything about where they were before.”

“Total strangers show up out of nowhere, and you let them become the governing bodies of this world?” Byakuya said scornfully.

“Of course not,” Babamon chastised. “They saved us when a horde of D-Virus infected Digimon went on a rampage and nearly wiped out the western half of the Digital World.”

Daniel frowned. “D-Virus? What’s that?”

“We’re not sure about that either,” Jijimon admitted.

“Do you know anything?” Byakuya rolled his eyes, and Kaede elbowed him and whispered, “Be nice.”

“We’re not sure how it came up,” Jijimon continued as if he didn’t hear, “but a long time ago, Digimon would randomly go berserk, tearing up everything in their path, turnin’ on friends, that sorta thing. We thought they were just freak incidents, maybe they were having a hard time and just snapped, but they all had this sickly aura about them. Some would turn into hideous, unnatural versions of themselves. Folks started calling it D-Virus.”

“So this virus caused a huge outbreak, and the Cardinals show up out of nowhere and saved you,” Mateo said.

“Yup. They stuck around, helping the Digimon get organized and what not. Folks started movin’ to the capitals, roads were built to make travel easier on those of us who couldn’t fly. Things started lookin’ a lot better than they did before, and it was all on accounts of the Cardinals.” Jijimon scowled. “Though the company they keep leaves somethin’ for the desirin’.”

“So we should talk to them,” Mateo said. “Ask them if they know a way home.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Mukuro said. “We don’t know if they’re in league with Monokuma.”

“Nonsense!” Babamon said. “The Cardinals worked very hard to make this world what it is. We don’t have a Cardinal here in the Purple Region, and you can see the state we’re in.” She gestured to the dark grasslands. At nighttime, the rolling hills seemed even more eerie.

“Even so,” Kyoko said, “we’ll need to do more investigating before we approach them.”

Daniel looked imploringly at the elder Digimon. “Are you sure there isn’t anyone we can talk to about this? Anyone who might know how we can get home.”

The Digimon looked at each other. Babamon shrugged. “Well…” Jijimon hesitated. “There is one who might know…”

“They’re coming! They’re coming!”

Mukuro immediately jumped to her feet, the rest following shortly after. Everyone else in the area jumped up and crowded together. Mondo and Taka came tearing into the village, pale-faced and crazy-eyed.

“Out there—by compost—we saw—we saw him—” Mondo panted. Taka doubled over and gasped for air.

“Saw who?” Mukuro dragged them close by their collars. “Who did you see?!”

“Digimon!” Taka wheezed. “So many!”

“DarkLeomon,” Mondo gasped. “He’s back. And he’s got friends.” Mukuro dropped them and stepped over their collapsed bodies.

“DarkLeomon?!”

“Oh God, what are we going to do?!”

“Not everyone has Digimon—”

“How are we going to—”

“Everyone listen up!” Mukuro barked. Her voice pierced the night air. Everyone silenced. “We don’t have much time. Those with Digimon—call them. Those without—grab whatever weapon you can find. Those who can’t fight, grab the injured and run east. Everyone else,” she pulled out two large cooking knives from her belt, “Get ready.”

 

The moon was big and round and beautiful, and he hated it. Too bright, not at all favorable conditions on open plains like this. He gritted his teeth. Earlier, scouts had reported storm clouds moving in this direction; rain wasn’t favorable either, but at least the clouds would’ve blackened the landscape, giving him an even greater advantage. Even without the advantage of knowing every dip and roll of these plains, he and the bloodthirsty monsters at his back could see in the dark.

Everything seemed against him tonight. Whatever inconvenient wind that pushed the storm away from the village also put them upwind—another unfavorable condition. It forced them to circle around to the opposite side of the village to avoid the risk of being detected, costing them precious darkness. And then there’s the matter of…

He irritably adjusted his goggles, using the move to subtly seek out the biggest thorn in his side at the moment. Nothing, just the dark silhouettes of the soldiers at his command.

He eyed each of his troops in turn, counting them off. Fifteen Goblimon, practically chewing on their studded clubs in anticipation. Ten Snimon, great insect creatures with wicked scythe-arms and mandibles that could crush iron. Seven Tankmon growling softly at each other in irritation when one got too close, their treads shredding the soft earth. He glared at them until they fell silent. Even the thirty Troopmon, normally the calmest and most stoic of his foot soldiers with their masked faces, tore at the ground with their clawed feet. They were impatient, itching to charge into battle. He could feel it. He was impatient, too.

He would’ve brought more, but a troop this size was already pushing his luck. He scoffed to himself. Luck? There’s no such thing. Although, as the wind once again shifted, threatening to once again put them upwind of the village, he started to think that these inconveniences robbing him of his carefully planned advantages were more than just coincidences.

In fact, they almost felt deliberate.

Hama shook the idea away. Now he was just being paranoid. No one knew about his little operation—he made sure of that.

“Hama.”

He didn’t jump, not visibly.

It appeared at his side without a sound, a wraith cut from the night Sky, crouched low just to be almost eye-level with him. Unnaturally still. Unnaturally close.
Hama schooled his expression, fighting to keep his lip from curling; he hated this thing more than he hated the full moon. Nothing about it was natural. The way it moved, the way it didn’t. Everything moved—every living thing, he should say. Even if one tried to be completely still, the body can’t help fidgeting, shifting, blinking, twitching. Same with sound; creaking, shuffling, cracking, breathing. Small things that the eyes saw and the ears heard, but the brain dismissed as irrelevant.

This did none of those things. At all. It didn’t even have a smell. Hama never realized that all things, even the most particular about hygiene, had at least a subtle scent until he met one who didn’t. One of the many things that the senses detect and the mind discards as irrelevant, only noticed in its absence.

Life has a presence. This does not.

The thing knew it, too. Hama got the impression that it liked sneaking up on people—a warped glimpse at a sense of humor that hinted at personality—which is why he refused to give it any sort of satisfaction. He kept his eyes trained on the little village in the distance, refusing to look at the creature directly.

“What do you want?” asked Hama.

“You let MadLeomon approach the village,” it stated. “That was unwise.”

Hama’s jaw tightened. MadLeomon’s impatience was only matched by his own; if Hama didn’t let his partner scope out the area, likely MadLeomon would’ve charged ahead anyway. But Hama didn’t say any of that, not to this thing; he may have been swindled into taking it along, but he didn’t owe the beast anything.

“Are you questioning me?” he asked smoothly.

“No,” it replied in that horrible rasp, not bothering to turn its head, only leveling its one lifeless red eye on him. “It’s an observation.” It spoke in a voice like a corpse’s last death rattle. Hama’s guts roiled in disgust.

“If you’re so concerned,” he said in clipped tones, “then you go.”

“No need.” Its eye slid forward. “We’ve been spotted.”

“What?!” Hama adjusted the lens on his goggles and cursed. The village was abuzz with activity. Atop a nearby hill, MadLeomon threw back his head and howled. A thrill of battle-lust surged through Hama; knowing his cover was blown, MadLeomon decided to throw himself into the fun, and Hama could feel it from here. He responded in kind by making his irritation very known, but of course, MadLeomon ignored it. He’ll have to deal with him later.

“Ready up!” Hama barked, getting everyone’s attention at once. “We move now!”

The Digimon roared, snarled, and whooped in delight. Hama turned, but that thing was already gone. He gritted his teeth, then took several deep breaths to calm himself down. A clouded mind does not serve on the battlefield, he reminded himself.

Lights flashed in the distance. Monstrous bellows echoed over the hills. Looks like the weaklings think they can fight back.

Hama grinned despite himself.

Let’s give the brats what they want.

—

MadLeomon was just a moon-cut shadow on a distant hill, but there was no mistaking that horrible howl. Cresting a hill beyond him, Mateo could see the writhing black mass whole horde of Digimon charging towards the village. He didn’t need to see the glint of steel or the cacophony of gleeful war cries to know they were hostile.

The villages plunged into chaos. Everyone scattered. Several of the Ultimates collapsed into blubbering messes and needed a good shake to snap out of it enough to run. Mateo saw Nekomaru and Aoi make a beeline for the infirmary; Babamon, Jijimon, and (surprisingly) Maki gathered the Rookies and Baby Digimon and fled.

Most of the un-partnered Ultimates tried to flee with them. They pushed and battered each other in their desperation to escape.

“Why are they attacking now?!”

“We’re supposed to have until morning!”

“Someone, please help us!”

“We’re all going to die!”

Kaede jumped on a table and shouted, “Everyone, stay calm! Those who can’t fight, evacuate to the east! Evacuate to the east!”

She could barely be heard over the stampede. Chiaki cried out as someone shoved her to the ground.

“Hey!” Kaede jumped down and helped Chiaki to her feet. “Stop pushing each other!”

“Those things are gonna kill us!” Kazuichi screeched. “It’s every man for himself!”

Growling, Mateo grabbed him by the collar and shouted in his face, “Are you a man or not?! We have to work together! Get your head out of your ass and help, or don’t make things worse!”

Kazuichi yelped as Mateo shoved him away, then scrambled and fled with the rest.

“You go with him,” Mateo said to Daniel. “And don’t say you’re not leaving. If things go south, you’re going to have to lead everyone out of here.”

“But—”

“Don’t argue!” Mateo snapped, using his full big-brother voice. “Go! Now!”

Daniel gulped and ran off.

Mateo pulled out his Digivice.

“You awake, Greymon?” he said, tapping on the screen. The little orange dinosaur Digimon gave him an enthusiastic thumbs up.

Mateo nodded. “Alrighty then, I’m trusting you.”

A button, previously grayed out, popped up on the bottom of the screen in a language Mateo didn’t know, but the meaning was clear.

“Ok Greymon!” Mateo shouted and held out the Digivice. “Let’s get ‘em!” He pressed the button. A blast of orange light sprang forth.

The ground trembled as two massive feet slammed into the earth. Greymon threw back his head and roared, drowning out MadLeomon. Mateo hauled himself up to Greymon’s shoulder and grabbed onto his horns, trying not to enjoy the awed looks on the others’ faces. In the distance, MadLeomon howled with delight and barreled towards the village. Greymon lunged forward to meet him.

“Like I’d let you take all the glory,” Byakuya scoffed, whipping out his Digivice. “Come forward, Wizardmon!”

“Black KnightChessmon!”

“Let’s give ‘em hell, Grizzlymon!”

“Come on, Angemon!”

“You ain’t leavin’ us out! Get ‘em, Strikedramon!”

“Kick some ass, Golemon!”

“Let us dance, my Immortal She-Demon Reppamon!”

One by one, the Digimon burst forth and took off to meet the enemy on the battlefield. The humans hopped off their Digimon partners just before they crashed into the attackers. With a fiendish cackle, MadLeomon lunged for Greymon. Greymon lowered his horns…and then sidestepped out of the way.

MadLeomon hurdled right into Wizardmon, who had its glowing staff outstretched.

“Thunder Bomb!” Byakuya shouted.

A ball of lightning cracked against MadLeomon’s chest. The beast Digimon roared in rage; the attack barely left a mark.

“Great teamwork, Byakuya!” Mateo shouted.

The rich boy sneered. “You can keep your sentimental cheerleading to yourself.”

Mateo sighed. So much for camaraderie. While the Digimon engaged the enemy, Mateo and the humans stayed as close as they could manage without getting in their partners’ way or putting themselves at too much risk.
Wizardmon fired more Thunder Bombs at MadLeomon. He danced around the attacks, darting forth in a zigzag. Wizardmon bounded backwards, but he wasn’t fast enough. MadLeomon lunged and swung with his glowing claws.

“Poison Claw!”

“Holy Rod!”

A column of light crashed into the earth in front of MadLeomon, leaving a golden staff jutting out of a small crater. Wizardmon sprang out of the way unscathed, while MadLeomon twisted in the air to land on all fours.

“Same old tricks, Angemon?!” he snarled at the sky.

Angemon swooped down, reclaiming his staff, and attacked MadLeomon. Wizardmon joined the fray. While those two held off the leader, the others focused on dealing with the grunts. A battalion of Troopmon oozed over the plains, their rubbery bodies shining like a living oil spill over the hills. Grizzlymon and Strikedramon plowed through the horde, but none of their hits seemed to do much damage, some even bouncing off like rubber. The ominous drone of twenty giant wings joined the cacophony of carnage as the Snimon swarmed over the battlefield, raining down fuchsia slashes in discriminately over the fighters, yet somehow missing their allies.

“Don’t let them get to the village!” Nekomaru shouted. “Makoto, we need fighters in the air!”

“We’re a little busy,” Makoto replied tightly. Angemon narrowly avoided MadLeomon’s venomous claws, firing a beam of light in retaliation.

“I’ve got it,” Kirumi said. “KnightChessmon!”

The black knight Digimon galloped through a cluster of Troopmon. Drawing back a might arm, Black KnightChessmon flung its dart with killer precision, nailing a Snimon between the wings. The insect Digimon’s pixels hadn’t even faded before KnightChessmon launched another two darts.

“Bring these hellbeasts to their knees, Reppamon,” Gundham bellowed. “Beast Fang Frenzy!”

Reppamon’s claws blazed a savage light. She moved faster than the eye could see; one minute a troop of goblinoid Digimon was running down the hillside, jeering and waving their clubs, the next they were disintegrating into crimson cubes. A cheer went up amongst the humans, but their victory was short-lived.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Walls of fire burst behind them, taking out several of the small huts. Mateo watched in horror as the fire started to spread.

“They’re going to destroy the village!” Kirumi cried.

“Oh no you don’t!” Mondo growled. “Golemon! Take out those tanks!”

“Greymon, back him up!” Mateo shouted.

The two Digimon bellowed in the affirmative and charged at the Tankmon. But the Tankmon were ready. The seven units split up. Four tore over the plains, machine-gun bullets bouncing off Greymon and Golemon’s tough plating.
The other three used the cover to race to different parts of the field, continuing their bombardment on the village from a distance.

Greymon crunched the nearest Tankmon’s arm. Red pixels went flying, but the Tankmon wasn’t fazed. It roared in Greymon’s face and started whaling on him with his gun arm.

Meanwhile, more bombs exploded in and around the village. Mateo spat foul curses as he saw the outlines of his companions and their new friends rush around, trying to escape.

“We need to stop the missiles!” Byakuya shouted over the noise. “Kirumi, Gundham, Nekomaru, Kaito. Call your Digimon away from the foot soldiers and the insects, and redirect them towards the tanks. Makoto and I will keep MadLeomon busy.”

“If we do that, then the goblins, bugs, and weird black jellybeans will rampage the village!” Mondo shouted back.

“If the others haven’t fled yet, then it’ll be their problem.”

Mateo spun on one heel and grabbed Byakuya by the collar. “Listen here, you little shit,” he hissed in Byakuya’s face. “My brother is down there, and I—”

“—would prefer he died in a million little pieces?” Byakuya said coldly.

“No, but—”

“Then let them worry about the soldiers. There are a few who know how to fight; I don’t know about you, but I like their odds in hand-to-hand combat with a Digimon than taking a bomb to the face.”

Mateo gritted his teeth. He wanted to punch his lights out so badly, but that wouldn’t do any good in this situation. Instead, he shoved Byakuya away and said to the rest, “Fine. Let’s take out the tanks as fast as possible.”

“We still can’t let the others fend for themselves,” Kaito argued. “I’m going back with Strikedramon to back them up!”

Byakuya shouted after him, but it was too late. Kaito ran back towards the village, shouting over his shoulder for his partner.

“Leave him,” Mateo said. “Everyone else, let’s go beat the shit outta some tanks!”

“Right!”

They called out to their Digimon partners. Mateo watched Reppamon, Grizzlymon, and Black KnightChessmon hesitate before breaking away from their targets, going straight for the tanks firing from a distance. Dread settled deeper and deeper in his guts.

Tell me we’re going to make it out of this, he thought to Greymon. Tell me this isn’t hopeless.

Greymon’s confidence flared in his chest, and all doubt burned away. Yeah, that’s right. This isn’t hopeless. They can defeat the invaders.

They’ll win this before the sun rises.

—

They weren’t going to make it to sunrise. That much was painfully obvious.

Another missile rocked the village. Daniel flung himself to the ground, covering his head.

Hands hauled him up almost immediately and dragged him into a run.

“Keep moving,” Mukuro ordered.

“But the others!”

“Almost everyone’s already evacuated. We need to hurry.”

Daniel and Mukuro ran through the burning village. Babamon and a few of the Rookies lingered to douse some of the fires while Jijimon led the rest to safer ground.

A Goblimon sprang out from behind a building and swung at Miu.

“Look out!” Daniel shrieked. He tackled Miu to the ground. Without stopping, Mukuro dashed forward and plunged her knife into the Goblimon’s skull.

“Keep going,” she said with eerie calmness, not even looking as the Goblimon’s DigiEgg flew away. “Whatever you do, don’t stop running.”

Daniel grabbed a protesting Miu’s arm and hauled her up.

“You got a lot of fuckin’ nerve,” she snapped. “Who the hell you think you are, takin’ me out like last week’s trash. Tryin’ to cop a feel, you fucking virgin?!”

“I was trying to save your life!” he snapped, surprising himself a little. “Geez, would a ‘thank you’ kill you?!”

Miu’s jaw dropped, but he didn’t pay any attention to it. Smoke burned in his throat, his chest ached, and it was getting increasingly harder to see. Daniel had no idea where he was going; he could only follow Mukuro and hope she knew the way. Screams, snarls, and snorts rang out everywhere beyond the smoke, and occasionally an enemy Digimon rushed past.

Mukuro always seemed to know they were coming just before Daniel saw them, and she’d push him out of the way until they left.

His trust didn’t go misplaced. The pair broke through the smoke into clear night air. Cold smacked him in the face, and it took him a second to remember that it was summer.

They didn’t stop until they cleared the next hill. Daniel could see the rest of the Rookies and Baby Digimon huddled together, Jijimon and Maki there to calm their crying. The rest of the Ultimates were there as well. Most of their faces were streaked with ashen tears; some still wept loudly, while others were too stunned to do more than stare.

In the middle of it all, Kaede and Mikan ran back and forth, checking for injuries and rouse the shell-shocked.

“We need to keep running,” Mukuro said sliding down the hill to the group. “The more distance we can get, the better.”

“But the others. Surely we can’t leave them behind?” Sonia said, gripping tightly to a broom. As Mukuro ordered, she and several others managed to grab weapons on the flight from the village. Daniel doubted a few brooms and the odd stick would do any good.

“We don’t have a choice,” Kyoko said, appearing next to her.

“I’m not leaving Mateo,” Daniel said firmly. “But at least the Rookies, babies, and injured need to be as far away as possible.”

“What, you think you’re gonna be some big hero and go fight those monsters?” Miu snapped. “You gotta be the biggest fuckin’ moron if you think you can take on even one of those things!”

A few others mumbled their agreement. Daniel chewed his lip. “Miu, can I borrow your goggles again?” he asked suddenly.

“You wanna see your bro get his ass kicked in 4K? Be my guest.” She threw the goggles at him. Daniel raced back up the hill.

The situation was even worse from this angle. Greymon and the others fought as hard as they could, but there were too many Digimon. MadLeomon was the worst. Wizardmon wasn’t looking too hot; Angemon did his best to draw
MadLeomon’s attention while Wizardmon fell back and shrouded himself in a green healing aura. All but two of the Tankmon were destroyed, but the Snimon hovered just over the Digimon partners’ heads and slashed at them with their scythes.

Daniel tried to count how many enemy forces were left, but the scene was too chaotic, too much movement. It didn’t matter—they were going to lose.

“Dammit,” Daniel hissed. “Dammit, dammit, dammit!”

There had to be a way out. There had to be something. He adjusted a dial on the goggles and zoomed in. He scanned the area, though for what he wasn’t sure. A weak point, maybe, somewhere in the enemy’s ranks that they could exploit—“Hold up,” he murmured. “Who the heck are you?”

The goggles couldn’t see that far, but there was definitely a man standing on a hill, watching the scene. He seemed tall, average build, and Daniel thought he could see a flash of green around his eyes, possibly night vision goggles of his own. Daniel shouted his findings to the others.

“That’s gotta be Hama,” Jijimon said and banged his walking stick angrily on the ground.

“MadLeomon’s always done what he pleased, but if there’s something that ain’t look like a Digimon, it’s gotta be his partner.”

“But why?!” Tenko cried. “Why attack us?!”

“Because he’s in league with Monokuma!” Leon shouted. “That bastard doesn’t play fair. Why else would he be attacking now?”

“We don’t have enough information,” Kyoko said. “Either way, those things don’t matter now because we have to—”

“Behind you!”

Kyoko whirled around and gasped as a Snimon sprang up out of nowhere. Steel flashed. The Ultimates screamed. The Baby Digimon cried, and the Rookies threw themselves over the Baby Digimon. Jijimon and Mukuro leapt into action, but they were too far away. Kyoko crossed her arms to block, knowing they would do nothing against Snimon’s powerful scythes. CLANG!

Everyone gawked at the sight of Kyoko, laid out on the ground, wide-eyed and slack jawed, as Maki stood over her, blocking Snimon’s killing strike with a small gardening trowel. Her blank expression didn’t change an inch, and no matter how much the Snimon bore down, her arm didn’t tremble.

Daniel’s heartbeat twice, and suddenly Snimon’s arms and wings were on the ground, the trowel stuck between its eyes. The Digimon burst into data while Maki wordlessly helped Kyoko up, holding out her hand just in time for the trowel to drop neatly into her palm.

Jijimon slowed to a halt, mouth agape, but Mukuro kept running.

Three Troopmon suddenly jumped from the hill the Snimon appeared from. Maki whirled around, but Mukuro was already there with her kitchen knives. The Ultimate Soldier took out the enemies in a flash.

The group stared in awe at the two girls as they casually rightened themselves.

“Ultimate Childcare Giver, huh?” Mukuro asked, giving Maki a sidelong look.

Maki smoothed the front of her coat. “Protecting children from weirdoes is part of childcare,” she replied evenly.

“That was awesome, Maki!” a voice shouted. The group turned to find Kaito sliding down the hill. “Sorry I’m late. Strikedramon and Babamon are taking care of the ones that followed you, but a few slipped out. Are you guys ok?”

“Somewhat,” Kaede said. “How’s the fight going?”

Kaito flashed his best smile and thumbs up. “Nothing to worry about!”

Suddenly Strikedramon slammed into the ground a little too close to where they gathered, grappling with two Goblimon while more stampeded towards them. Kaito winced, feeling a blow Strikedramon took to the gut, then said,
“You guys run! We’ll hold them off.”

“It’s not going to be enough,” Tsumugi said, trembling. “Look.”

The battle had taken an ugly turn. Mateo and the others had managed to direct the battle towards the south, away from the village, but now the enemy was forcing them back, out of the path of the village, but still heading towards where they were hiding. The Digimon partners’ strength was flagging, but MadLeomon still fought with an unmatched fury, relishing every blow taken and dealt. He was strong before, but this was something else. Having to fight him while also dealing with the other enemies on the field took a major toll on the Digimon.

Meanwhile, Hama’s soldiers in the village realized it was empty and ran after their comrades locked in battle with Strikedramon and Babamon.

The Digimon protectors weren’t going to last. A collective cry of terror and despair echoed through the hills as the Ultimates watched their deaths charging towards them, sending the Baby Digimon into a panic. They blundered about blindly, crashing into each other, some nearly trampled in the frenzied attempt to escape yet too frightened to know where to go.

In the middle of it all was Kaede. Her heart pounded wildly against her lungs and ribs; she couldn’t get enough air. The noise. The screams. Someone bumped into her shoulder. She stumbled back, almost catching herself, then falling back on her behind.

And all of a sudden she was back at the school, running for her life with MadLeomon’s fetid breath on her neck as the world exploded around her. She would’ve died if it hadn’t been for Sakura and Leomon.

Time slowed, and the chaos around her slowed with it.

Maybe she should’ve died. She’s useless. No Digimon partner. No Talent, not one that could save her or her friends. Kaede’s breath strangled in her throat.

It should’ve been her. She should’ve been the one to die to MadLeomon’s poison, not Sakura. She was strong. She was fearless. She…wouldn’t have wanted Kaede to think like this.

Ice cold realization crashed through her. Sakura wouldn’t have wanted Kaede to think like this. How could you know that? a dark part of her mind thought. You barely knew her. But Kaede knew. She wasn’t sure how she knew, but she knew.

Sakura and Leomon protected them knowing that they could die. That was their choice of their own free will.

Mondo and the others were fighting to protect them now. They’re still making that choice.

Now it’s time Kaede made hers.

“Everyone!” Kaede shouted over the wailing and fear. “We need to get the injured and the young to safety, but anyone who’s able needs to stand and fight!”

“Are you crazy?!” Kazuichi shrieked.

“We don’t have a snowball’s chance against those monsters!” Ibuki shouted.

“We can’t outrun them,” Kaede argued. “Not if we all run. They’re too fast, so some of us need to hold them off while the others escape. Mondo and the others did that for us!”

“May I remind you we do not have giant Digimon fighting for us?” said Korekiyo.

“We may not have Digimon,” Kaede said, “but we’ve got fighting spirit!” She grabbed a shovel and pointed it at Akane. “Akane, you’re super tough, right?”

“You bet your ass I am!” Akane laughed.

“And Tenko, aren’t you the Ultimate Aikido Master? Are you really going to run off and let the boys do the fighting?”

“Like hell!” Tenko growled and punched her fist. “I’ll beat the crap out of any degenerate male who treats me like a damsel in distress!”

“Good! Now direct that energy at our actual enemies.”

“Gonta will fight as well,” the giant said, squaring his massive shoulders and waving off Aoi’s protests. “Gonta will not see friends injured.”

Aoi huffed. “Well if you’re going to stay, then I will, too.”

Kaede nodded appreciatively at them both. All eyes were on her, and she met every one of them. “You’re right to be scared, and you’re right to want to run away. I won’t force you to fight. But we have classmates who died so we can have a chance to live—I don’t know about you, but I’m not about to let their sacrifice be in vain.” She raised the shovel over her head. “If we ever hope to get home, we need to show that Monokuma that he can’t just push us around. If you’re not going to fight for your friends, then at least fight for your pride!”

“Yeah!” a shout went up over the group. Daniel couldn’t help but grin; even Mukuro’s mouth twitch at the corners.

A blast of fire erupted beyond the hill, followed by a Digimon’s shriek and Babamon’s cackle. She hopped up into view waving her staff down at the approaching enemy and shouted,

“You better hurry, dearies! An ill wind is upon us!”

“You heard Babamon,” Kaede shouted. “Fighters, with me! Everyone else, run!”

With a yell, Kaede raced up the hill, not looking back at who followed. For split second, she feared it was just her. But then Kiyotaka, Sonia, Gonta, and Aoi appeared at her left; Tenko, Mukuro, and Kazuichi on her right. All wore masks of determination, though Kazuichi’s was slipping.

“It’s a man’s solemn duty to defend the weak,” declared Taka, brandishing a push broom.

“Let’s give it everything we got!”

They let out a war cry as they charged at the invading Digimon. The Goblimon closest to them looked taken aback; Kaede used that moment of hesitation to jump in and clock it on the face. To her right, Aoi beat at another Goblimon with a stick. The stick broke on the third hit, but it broke over the Goblimon’s eye. It howled and clapped its hands over its face. Aoi scooped up its forgotten club and used that instead.

Elsewhere, Mukuro danced around her enemies, hacking and slashing with a sickle, throwing a seemingly endless amount of cutlery from her belt, while Tenko used the full power of her Neo-Aikido to back up Sonia and her broom.

More Snimon swooped down. Aoi was too distracted with a Troopmon to notice them.

“Twin Sickles!” one hissed and slashed at her. Aoi spun around with a gasp.

With a roar, Gonta sprang up, grabbed one of the Snimon’s legs, and slammed it down onto the Troopmon. The two Digimon yowled in surprise and pain. Gonta came down like a hairy meteor on both of them, crushing them into pixels. “Sorry!” he cried.

“It’s ok, big guy,” Aoi panted. “I’m oka—wait, did you mean the bug?!” Gonta gave her a sheepish smile.

Daniel overlooked the scene from the hill between the fighters and the fleers. Those who didn’t fight snatched up the injured and the Baby Digimon and ran farther east, Rookies racing after them. The fighters held back the enemy better than he thought they would, though Strikedramon and Babamon did the most damage. Daniel watched Kaito fight alongside his partner using nothing but his fists, both working in perfect sync. If he didn’t know better, he’d say they were having fun….actually, there’s a good chance that Kaito was having fun. Strikedramon seemed even stronger than he was before, too. Daniel wondered….

Daniel pulled on the goggles again and scanned Mateo’s fight. The Tankmon were destroyed, and a few Troopmon remained, but MadLeomon was too much to let the Digimon fall back and help.

Daniel scanned the hills. There! Just as he thought—Hama was closer, much closer than before. Daniel could see the man in greater detail: dark jumpsuit, darker hair that brushed his narrow shoulders in a feathered mess, grim set to his mouth. Daniel couldn’t tell if he was just that pale or if it was just a trick of the moonlight. Half of his face was covered in bulky goggles; Daniel wondered if they did more than see in the dark.

Why had he come closer? The battle moved somewhat, but not so much that he would be so close—one overly enthusiastic Venom Shockwave, and Hama could get caught in the blast. Daniel thought about Kaito and Strikedramon.
Maybe the closer the partners are to each other, the stronger they are? He wasn’t sure; he was sure that humans were way more fragile than Digimon. If Mateo and the others took out Hama, then MadLeomon would disappear, too.

The thought of deliberately killing another human made his stomach churn. He could never, and he knew Mateo couldn’t….but at least he could get a message along. Byakuya at least was great at making the tough calls.

But how? Daniel chewed on his thumb. He’d never get there fast enough. If only he had a Digimon!

Wait a minute.

Daniel yanked out his Digivice and opened the message app. Yes! The call history was still there, which means….

Mateo picked up on the second ring.

“Dan?”

Daniel grinned. “Who else?” The smile dropped. “How are you guys holding up?”

“...Not great. We’re barely making a scratch on this bastard, and we’re about running on fumes. Are you guys ok?”

“Mmmmm….” Daniel cringed as a club cracked over Akane’s face, and she would’ve cracked her head on a rock if Taka hadn’t caught her. “We’ve been better. But don’t worry about us—listen, I’ve spotted Hama not too far away.”

“Hama?”

“The guy behind the attack.” Daniel gave him quick directions. “Jijimon says that he and MadLeomon are partners, so there’s a good chance that if you can beat Hama…”

“We beat MadLeomon.” Mateo let out a breath. He was quiet for a moment then said, “Alright, I’ll let the others know. We’ll be over as soon as we can.”

They hung up. Just before Daniel removed the goggles, something caught his eye. He quickly zoomed in on the spot, but there was nothing. He lowered the goggles. Could’ve been his eyes playing tricks on him, but for a moment, he thought he saw a large wolf racing over the hills.

—

Mateo shoved the Digivice back in his pocket and relayed what Daniel said to the others. He surveyed the landscape. There! Just on that hill, he could see a person’s silhouette.

“Found him!” Mateo pointed.

“Excellent,” Byakuya said. “Kirumi, with me.”

“Right.”

Byakuya shouted some orders. Wizardmon sidestepped out of the way of MadLeomon’s attack, using the momentum to vault onto Black KnightChessmon’s back as it galloped past.

“Wait a minute,” Makoto said. “Shouldn’t we think about this?”

“What’s to think about? It’s kill or be killed,” Byakuya said without moving his eyes from Hama. “You think he’d show you the same kindness?”

“But we’re not like them!”

“And that’s the kind of thinking that’ll get you killed.” Byakuya turned an ice cold eye on Makoto. “You want to win, you have to start thinking like the ones running the game.”

Alarms went off in Mateo’s head. Mateo looked to find Grizzlymon and Reppamon collapsed on their sides, Angemon tending to them, while Greymon and Golemon chased after MadLeomon.

“Crap!” Mateo said. “He knows we’re going after Hama!”

“Mateo, look!” Gundham shouted.

At first Mateo had no idea what he was looking at. Far across the ravaged field, a dark spot raced over and around the hills. Mateo rubbed his eyes. It looked real, but it moved too fast and in an unnatural zigzag pattern to see what it was—the closest he could describe it was a pulsing black smudge flying over the plains, disappearing from one spot and reappearing somewhere else.

It disappeared for the last time just behind the smoldering village.

His Digivice was in his hand immediately. The phone rang and rang and rang, but no answer.

“Come on, Dan,” he whispered. “Pick up. Please pick up.”

And suddenly there were pillars of light erupting in the distance.

—

Kaede gasped for breath. Every muscle in her body screamed. Aside from Gonta’s brute strength and Mukuro’s weapons, the humans weren’t doing a thing against the Digimon enemies aside from stalling until Strikedramon or Babamon managed to get them. Even so, the horde was thinning; they were down to just a handful of Troopmon and a few Goblimon. Maybe, just maybe, they could win this.

Gonta grappled with one of the Goblimon. He twisted in preparation to throw it, when suddenly the air behind him shimmered.

Kaede gasped. In the briefest moment between the blur existing and not, she thought she saw a wolfish face and one red slash for an eye.

Gonta didn’t see it. One second he was dominating the grapple, the next he was on his back, wheezing and clutching his bleeding face, and the Goblimon rushing forward to kick and club the fallen giant.

“Gonta, no!” Kaede cried. She took a step towards him, but Strikedramon was already there, slashing at the Goblimon with its claws.

There was no time for relief: Sonia cried out as a Goblimon’s club knocked her off her feet.

“Sonia!” Kazuichi shouted and rushed over. He decked the Goblimon right in the face, then threw himself over Sonia. Snarling, the Goblimon raised its club overhead. Kazuichi and Sonia cowered against each other.

“No!” Kaede’s body made the decision before her mind did. She ran as hard as she could, no thought except to get in the way of the Goblimon’s attack before it killed her friends.

Daniel saw the events unfold from his spot on the hill. Everything moved in slow motion. The Goblimon swinging down. Kaede lunging. Kazuichi and Sonia screaming. And then a light exploded from Kaede’s pocket.

Everyone, including the enemy Digimon, whirled around. The column of silvery light blasted the Goblimon away. Kaede landed in a pile on top of Kazuichi and Sonia, and the three of them squeezed their eyes shut against the blinding light. Kazuichi and Sonia were still screaming, but Kaede suddenly felt at peace. She could hear music—it almost sounded like

Chopin’s “Fantaisie-Impromptu, Op. 66.”

Kaede opened her eyes, and shimmering in the silver glow was a Digimon. Long ears tipped in aquamarine. Crescent moons followed the curves of its powerful legs, glowing gold against its pearly fur. Pink ribbons and silvery-blue tendrils undulated from its back, catching silver in the moonlight. The Digimon looked back at her, and Kaede stared into the soft tourmaline eyes peering through the silver facemask.

And she knew. It’s just like how Mateo and Makoto described; she knew this creature, and this creature knew her. “Lekismon,” she breathed. The Digimon smiled.

Kaede helped Kazuichi and Sonia to their feet. They stared at the Digimon in awe while Kaede said to her new partner, “I wish we had more time, but my friends—our friends need help.”

Lekismon nodded once. Then it leveled a severe glare on the group of dumbstruck Goblimon before it, and raised its fists. The crescent moons on the back of its black gloves glowed brightly. Kaede felt power rise up within her.

“Alright, Lekismon,” she shouted. “Moon Night Bomb!”

Lekismon bounded forward and slammed a left-right combo. Two blue orbs rocketed from its fists and sent the Goblimon flying, one of them right into the waiting knife of Mukuro. A cheer went up through the Ultimates. Kaede beamed, dizzy with happiness.

“We’re not done yet!” she shouted. “Everyone! Keep fighting!”

Feeding off her renewed energy, the Ultimates roared and fought back with greater vigor. The enemy quickly recovered from the initial shock of Lekismon’s sudden appearance and bellowed in rage. The two waves crashed into each other once again, but this time, the Ultimates held the line.

Kaede scooped up a fallen Goblimon’s club and joined Lekismon in a violent dance, carving a line through the enemy forces. Babamon and Strikedramon cut their own paths until the three met in the center.

Another bright flash of light burst on the scene. Kaede’s head snapped up just as a giant serrated dolphin crested over a mob of Troopmon.

“Dolphmon!” she heard Aoi cry out. “Water Wave!”

Dolphmon let out a series of clicks and whistles, and a large wave vaulted over the Troopmon. The expressionless soldiers were swept away in an instant. Dolphmon bounded along the wave as it careened away over and down a hill.

Another burst of light, and the largest, most terrifying beetle Kaede had ever seen in her life shot into the air.

“Kabuterimon!” Gonta’s voice boomed over the noise. The beetle Digimon darted to and from over the wave. A ball of electricity crackled between its mandibles. Dolphmon took notice and guided the wave up and over a hill.

“Now!” Gonta shouted. “Electro Shocker!”

Kabuterimon fired. The electric ball launched into the wave, and every Troopmon burst into pixels.

“Hell yeah!” Kaito whooped, and the others joined in the cheers.

Hissing angrily, the remaining Snimon launched themselves into the air at Kabuterimon. Gonta’s partner was so much bigger than the mantid-like Digimon; with one command from Gonta, two Snimon were impaled on
Kabuterimon’s massive horn, while its four wings hummed with enough force to knock aside the others.

Three more lights burst around the battlefield; one by one, three more allies joined the field. A steel gray rhinoceros Digimon thundered through the field, Taka close behind, while Sonia cheered on a wingless dragon with harpoon-like horns as it skewered a downed Snimon, and Mikan quickly treated an injured Mukuro while a tall humanoid Digimon in an altered nun’s habit covered her with its two silver guns.

Just like that, the tide turned once again, and this time in the Ultimate’s favor. The Troopmon left over still fought on, but the remaining Snimon and Goblimon snarled in frustration and fled towards their commander. The Ultimates shouted in victory and chased after them.

“Don’t think you’re getting off that easy!” Kaito shouted.

“Cowards!” Taka added. “Fight us like men!”

The others joined in, taunting and jeering at their retreating enemy. Daniel whooped and hollered along with them. He turned to follow alongside them—and came face-to-face with a demon.

The thing was so close, Daniel only saw black, white, and a blazing red slashed through both. He gasped, and his heart stopped.

A fiendish grin split the face in two. From the corner of his eye, Daniel saw a clawed hand reach up. Daniel immediately threw himself sideways. He tumbled down the hill, managed to get his feet under him, and flew on the momentum. He heard nothing, felt nothing, but he knew that thing had to be behind him, and so he ran even harder.

The ground exploded beside him, and the Digimon was there with its claws buried into the soil. Daniel yelped and darted to the right. Again the Digimon appeared suddenly, striking the ground, and Daniel darted left. Over and over the beast attacked, just appearing with no warning and slashing at him with its massive claws. Daniel barely dodged them. The thing moved fast, faster than light, and made no sound. It just barely missed Daniel again, and a bitter pit formed in his gut when he realized that the thing was toying with him.

“Dammit,” he cried in despair. “Dammit, dammit, dammit, come on!”

The monster cackled. It attacked more frequently, left right left right, a fox wearing down a little rabbit. Daniel gasped for breath. His chest burned, his legs weighed him down. He could barely see straight, but he couldn’t stop.

Daniel shot left one more time and slipped. Dirt and grass flew into his mouth. He spat and scrambled. A hand grabbed his shoulder and flipped him around effortlessly.

Daniel’s mouth stretched into a silent scream. The Digimon hovering over him was humanoid, colored entirely in black and white. It had the head of a wolf; Daniel couldn’t tell if that was its actual head, or if it wore a wolf’s decapitated head, its eyes were alive with malice, but its twisted grin cut through the lower part of a human’s face. In the hazy moonlit night, the coloring made its flick in and out of existence—it was right there, right on top of him, yet Daniel had a hard time focusing on it. The only two concrete points on its body were its blood red eyes. Daniel’s vision swam, and for a moment, he saw those horrible hypnotic eyes hungrily staring down at him from the moon’s white face. The monster was completely still. Not a single muscle twitched; it didn’t even breathe. Daniel trembled. This was the end. He was going to die here.

“Why?” he croaked. “Why?”

The Digimon’s grin widened. It relished in his despair, drawing out this moment for as long as it could. Slowly it reached towards him, one black hand covered by a bracer shaped like a wolf’s head, each finger ending in a wicked point.

“Please,” Daniel whimpered. “No.”

The monster’s claws poked at his neck. Just a light touch, but Daniel could feel something running down his skin.

This is it. This is where I die.

Daniel couldn’t take it. He squeezed his eyes shut. His last thoughts were of home, the life he’d never see again, and his brother, who might end up sharing the same fate.

The pressure on his neck disappeared. Surprised, Daniel cracked one eye open.

The monster was no longer smiling. It looked past Daniel, over the horizon as if listening for something Daniel couldn’t hear. Daniel held his breath. After an eternity, the beast glanced down at Daniel.

Then it disappeared.

Daniel lay there for several minutes, too stunned to move while his heart hammered in his chest. His hand flew to his neck. It came away red. Daniel gulped and shakily wiped his hand on the grass.

By the time he worked up the nerve to pick himself off the ground, Kaede and the others had caught up to the rest of Hama’s forces on the battlefield and took them down while Mateo and his team went after MadLeomon, Hama sitting astride the beast. Daniel stared at the battle, numb and detached. It took him a minute to spot the rest of the unpartnered Ultimates, the ones who fled, watching long from the next hill over; it took him yet another minute to muster the mental energy to go join them.

“There you are,” Sayaka said when he approached. “We were so worried!”

“What are you all doing here?” he asked. “I thought you were running away?”

“We saw you all push the enemy back from the village,” Kyoko said, appearing out of nowhere at his shoulder, nearly giving him a heart attack in his fragile state. “Babamon and Jijimon are with the younger Digimon and the injured.
We wanted—” she glanced at the worn faces of her companions. “We needed to see this through to the end. Even if we can’t fight ourselves.”

Warmth bloomed in Daniel’s chest, and he couldn’t help but smile. Kyoko, on the other hand, looked him over sternly. “You look awful,” she said. “What happened?”

“Oh, I, uh, I was attacked by a…” Whatever he was about to say immediately was lost as Kyoko pressed a handkerchief to his bleeding neck.

“Hold that,” she ordered.

Dumbstruck, Daniel absently put his hand on the handkerchief while she dug what he eventually realized was Mikan’s medicine bag. Kyoko handed him an antiseptic patch. “Here. I assume you know how to use it?” He nodded.

“Good. Excuse me.”

Without waiting for him to speak, she left to sit with Mukuro, who was rewrapping her injured leg.

On the battlefield, Hama’s troops regrouped behind their commander, and the two sides squared off against each other. Hama was down to a fraction of what he started with, and the Ultimates had six fresh allies added to their number. Still, a single touch from MadLeomon is enough to kill, and Wizardmon’s healing spells were starting to take a toll. The battle could go either way; now the two sides were sizing each other up.

Mateo stepped up beside Greymon at the front of the pack. “You know,” he shouted across the field, “Monokuma’s a piece of shit, but I didn’t think he was shit enough to dupe us like this.”

“You filth don’t belong here,” Hama spat back. “Worthless, weak, nothing.”

“You think so?” Mateo casually looked at the fighters backing him up. “Looks like we’re strong enough to take out most of your guys. Or you got something special planned just for us?”

Hama sneered. “You’re cocky for a rat running around Monokuma’s maze. Maybe I did bring along something special, just for you brats.”

Mateo glanced past him and saw the shape just appear at MadLeomon’s side. Mateo couldn’t hide his shock when he say the wolfish face, the burning red eyes. Suddenly he felt trapped, pinned in place by those eyes. Greymon growled.

Hama must’ve seen the wolfish Digimon, too; his face broke into a wicked grin. But the grin dropped the instant the strange Digimon disappeared, not to reappear again. Hama said something under his breath that Mateo assumed was a curse.

“Looks like your something special doesn’t wanna play anymore,” he called out.

“Enough!” Hama snarled, and MadLeomon curled his lip. “I’ll finished this myself.”

Hama dug into MadLeomon’s mane. Power ignited between them, swallowing them both in a black aura. Arcs of dark lightning that cracked from MadLeomon’s body, scorching the grass where it struck but never harming Hama.

“Kill them, MadLeomon!” Hama roared. “Kill them all!”

MadLeomon threw back his head and howled. Then he charged across the field. Hama’s troops let out a battle cry and charged after him.

“Oh yeah?” Mateo growled. “You assholes aren’t the only ones who can do that!” He ran to Greymon, who crouched down, and darted up to his back. Mateo dropped into a ridge at the base of the dinosaur’s neck and thrust his fist into the air. Greymon threw back his head and roared. Mateo roared with him. Once again, he felt Greymon’s fury rush over his mind, flooding his senses—and he let it. Waves crashed against walls in his heart that he never noticed until now; Mateo, without any reservations, let them crumble.

Power surged through him, and through him, Greymon. It felt like their souls were on fire. The two shouted in one voice as they tore across the field towards MadLeomon. Behind him, the Ultimates and their Digimon partners yelled and roared as they rushed the enemy.

The battlefield quaked under the stampeding Digimon. Those on the hill yelled and cheered on their companions.

The gap shrank. Mateo gripped Greymon’s neck spikes tightly, bracing for impact.

And then, a voice tore from the sky like thunder.

“STOP!!!”

The ground heaved with a BOOM! Everyone, including MadLeomon and his allies, were thrown off their feet. Dozens of spikes shot up from the ground, cutting between each person until they were immobilized. Within seconds, a dense network of black iron spikes caged everyone on the battlefield.

A hush fell over the plains.

Mateo, thrown from Greymon’s back and now partially suspended in the air, glared at Hama, likewise imprisoned. MadLeomon snarled and jerked against his restraints, trying to get at Greymon, who couldn’t do more than bare his teeth.

Farther behind, Daniel tried not to hyperventilate. Was this the wolf Digimon’s doing? Was he about to witness a massacre? No, no his brother was out there. He couldn’t—he can’t—

“Daniel, stop!” he heard someone shout behind him, and only then did he realize he was running. Footsteps raced after him, but he didn’t slow. He had to get to his brother, had to stop whatever was about to happen.

A small hole opened up between the opposing sides.

“No no no no no no no no NO!” A familiarly shrill voice grew louder and louder as a platform raised up from the hole, until none other than Monokuma stood at the center of the battlefield. “Absolutely NOT! Unacceptable!
Unbelievable! Unconstitutional! How dare you go against my explicit instructions?!”

To the Ultimate’s surprise, Monokuma rounded on Hama and jabbed his little teddy bear paws into the man’s forehead. Hama’s face twisted in disdain. He opened his mouth, but Monokuma stuffed it with a Meatapple.

“I don’t wanna hear your idiot excuses!” the bear shrieked. “I promised these brats no attacking until the final day. And what do you do? Attack! Inconceivable! Inexcusable! Inedible!”

“But—”

“SILENCE!”

Hama, MadLeomon, and their underlings flinched. Mateo wasn’t sure if he even saw that right.

Leaving the would-be invaders to seethe, Monokuma turned on his stubby heels with his arms clasped behind his back and walked up to Mateo. The boy glared down at his captor with as much anger as he could muster, but his compromising position took away some of the impact. He doubted it would’ve had any effect on Monokuma anyway, but he still had his pride.

“Call off your monster buddies,” said Monokuma.

“Why should we?” said Mateo.

“Because I said so!” the bear snapped. “You wanna stay spiked up forever or not?” Mateo glowered for a bit. His eyes slid over to Greymon, who watched him carefully. Mateo nodded once. Greymon blinked in confirmation, and in a flash of light, he disappeared into Mateo’s Digivice. Mateo could hear the other Digimon partners doing the same.

With a satisfied “hmph,” Monokuma pulled a remote from behind his back and pressed its only button. The spikes on just the Ultimate’s side of the field sank back into the grass with no evidence they were ever there to begin with.

“Now then,” Monokuma said with tight diplomacy. “An unexpected and perhaps mildly unfortunate turn of events, but all’s well that ends well. Best of luck to you—”

“Hold on.” Kyoko stepped from the crowd and folded her arms. “You broke our deal.”

“Hm?” Monokuma turned to face her. “No I didn’t.”

“Yes you did. You promised we wouldn’t be attacked until the deadline if we didn’t have our teams. You said we’d be safe, at least from your meddling.”

“Yes, well, that wasn’t my fault. My stupid underlings decided to go rogue.”

“But you’re still responsible,” Mateo said, folding his arms like Kyoko. “A leader’s supposed to take the fall for his subordinate’s mistakes and all that, right?”

“Pffft, I never subscribed to that bologna. Why’s it my fault that an underling disobeyed an order?”

“Because you’re the leader,” Kyoko said. “Are you saying you have no control over your subordinates?”

“No, but—”

“So you do have control, and that means that you let them attack us even though you made a promise that we wouldn’t be attacked?”

“Well I—”

“So either you’re a bad leader,” Kaede said, “or you’re a liar.”

“Liar liar, pants on fire,” Akane grumbled.

“Alright!” Monokuma fumed and stamped his foot. “I’m the leader! I will take responsibility! What, do you want me to throw myself on the ground and beg for forgiveness or something? Want me to commit seppuku so you can see all my fluffy white stuffing spill out all over the place? Huh?!”

“We want you to extend the deadline,” Kyoko said. “Give us more time to choose our teams.”

Monokuma narrowed his beady little eye. “How much time?” he asked suspiciously.

“Five more days.”

“Hell no!”

“It’s only fair. You did break your promise.”

“You get ‘til morning.”

“Three days.”

“You get one day.”

“Deal.”

Monokuma harumph’d. “You drive a hard bargain, kid. One day. Two mornings from now. That’s it. No more extensions, no negotiations. Nothing.”

“That’s fine by me.” Kyoko was already walking away.

“Hey! What, we’re not even going to shake on it?! What kind of transaction is this?!” But Kyoko didn’t even turn around.

While Monokuma fumed, Miu skipped up and snatched the goggles off Hama’s head.

“Hey!” he barked.

“I know quality when I see it, and these are lookin’ pretty sharp,” Miu said, spinning the goggles around one finger. “I’ll take these as reparations, asshole.”

Hama shouted and strained against his prison, but Miu just laughed and strode away.

Monokuma didn’t even stop her. Mateo cut his eyes down at the peeved demon bear one more time before turning to follow Kyoko. The rest followed after them.

Daniel fell into step with Mateo and tapped his fist against Mateo’s arm. Mateo managed a weak smile and mussed his brother’s hat. That’s when the exhaustion hit. His muscles were so sore, but that was nothing compared to the sudden loss of energy. He stumbled, but Daniel was there to catch him before he fell. The younger brother looped the older’s arm over his shoulder and helped him onward.

“Thanks,” Mateo grunted. The two walked in silence for a moment before Mateo asked,

“That weird Digimon. The one with the wolf face.”

“Yeah,” said Daniel.

“What the hell was that? It just…appeared. I’m still not even sure what I saw.” Daniel hesitated.

“I don’t know,” he said.

Mateo looked at him sharply. “What do mean?”

“I mean,” Daniel said without meeting his eyes. “I don’t know. I’ve never seen that Digimon before. I don’t…I don’t know.”

Mateo stared numbly ahead. Unease prickled in his heart. One crisis at a time, he thought. There’d be time to deal with that later, after he had a long sleep. If he could even sleep.

As the group limped back to the smoldering remains of the village, Kaede moved to walk beside Kyoko and said, “That was really smart, getting us the extension.”

“There was no way we were going to make a decision by morning,” she said frankly.

“Not in this state. I should’ve pushed for more time.”

“We’re all tired,” Kaede said. “That one day is one day we didn’t have before. You probably saved us.”

Kyoko glanced at Kaede from the corner of her eye. “All I did was delay the inevitable. Just because we have another day, doesn’t mean picking our teams will be any easier.” She picked up the pace, saying over her shoulder, “All we can do now is rest, and hope that tomorrow is kinder.”