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Chapter Text

While everyone looked at each other warily, wondering if anyone would actually take Monokuma up on his offer, Snake shook his head before speaking.

Snake: What are you doing? We need to get Izuku to the infirmary. We need to be sure all his wounds are treated and healed.

Ethan: Right, I'll go check the infirmary. If they have a stretcher, then we can get him in without-

Izuku: It's okay, don't worry. I've been through worse. I can handle it.

Leon: Hey, calm down. You can't move that much; it could be dangerous.

To everyone's surprise, Izuku began to get up with some difficulty, despite Snake and Leon's attempts to convince him to stay lying down. Once he got up, it only took Izuku a moment to regain his balance and stand comfortably.

Izuku: See? Since my quirk makes me break my bones because I don't know how to use it well, I got used to the pain and how to fight with broken bones. This is nothing.

Natsu: You break your bones when you use your magic?!

Izuku: They're quirks, but if you want to call it magic, then yes.

Nate: That doesn't sound better

Rin: At least he's okay, that's all that matters.

After Izuku showed he was okay, the other people began to calm down and discuss what to do next.

Ethan: Now that we have that matter resolved, we need to come up with a plan to escape from here.

Nathan: But how will we do that without being discovered? There are cameras all over the school.

Tanjiro: Cameras? What are those?

Leon: Right, you come from a time when technology wasn't very advanced.

To answer Tanjiro's question, Rin pointed to one of the gym's cameras and began to explain what they were.

Rin: They're those things mounted on the walls. You can see through them using technological equipment without having to be present at the locations where they're mounted. Think of them as eyes that the people behind this use to monitor the school.

Tanjiro: I see. Usually, I'd think something like that could only be done by demons, but you've already shown me that technology isn't magic, but science.

Nathan: I didn't see any cameras in my dorm's bathroom, so maybe we can discuss our discoveries in one of the bathrooms.

Tobias: Good idea. However, I don't think we'd all fit inside a dorm bathroom. They're too small.

Snake: Okay, while you discuss how to get out, I'll take Izuku to the infirmary to check him out.

Izuku: B-but I already said I'm fine.

Snake: In war, you learn that it's better to be safe than sorry. I'd rather be sure than have you end up dying from a wound that could have been treated. Now let's go.

Izuku: Okay, I'll see you guys later. I'm sure we can get through this.

With that said, Izuku and Snake got off the stage and left the gym to head to the infirmary, leaving everyone else behind to come up with a plan.

Leon: (I hope he's okay. Not even on my riskiest missions have I been injured like that. I can't think of what happened for him to be able to shrug it off that easily.)

Nate: Don't worry, the kid's in good hands. I also have some medical experience, but I think Snake can handle it. He had formal training unlike me.

Yagami: I agree. For now, we should check the school one more time. Even if we didn't have much time last time, Monokuma just opened a new floor. There might be clues there about how to escape.

Harry: I don't think we'll be that lucky. Monokuma wouldn't have handed us those kinds of clues on a silver platter, especially if Izuku didn't need the infirmary since could recover from his injuries on his own meaning there was no reason to open a new floor. It doesn't hurt to try, though.

Seth: No need to be so pessimistic, Hank. As long as there's even a small chance we'll find something, I'm sure we will.

Harry: Name's Harry. I like your optimism, though.

Seth: Harry, right. Sorry, it's a little hard to remember the names of 16 people you met recently.

Carl: Hey, where do you think you're going?

At that question, everyone turned around to see Carl approaching Conor, who had a look of panic as he raised his hands as a symbol that he didn't want to fight.

Conor: I-I'm just going to explore. Trying to find a way out so we can all escape.

Carl: Really? Then why were you trying to sneak away without anyone seeing you? That’s damn suspicious in my opinion

Ash: Are you saying he was trying to escape from us?

Harry: It's possible he was afraid of what we would do and that's why he tried to sneak away.

Tanjiro: Yes, I can smell his fear now. He's terrified, I don't think he has bad intentions.

Natsu: If he has nothing to hide, then he shouldn't be afraid.

Ethan: Ha, I haven't heard that phrase in a long time. Let me tell you, that's not true. I was framed for a murder and had to run away so I wouldn't get arrested. Besides, he's already painted a target on his back with how he acted earlier. I wouldn't be surprised if he thought someone cough Carl cough would attack him.

Carl: Are you seriously taking his side? This asshole has traitor written all over him. Don't try to make me look like the bad guy.

Ethan: I'm not, but the kid is right to be afraid of you. Especially after what happened.

Carl: You're shitting me? You were the one who started the fight. Don't pin the blame on me!

Nate: Woah woah, calm down. There's no need to fight now, we don't need any more trouble.

Carl: Hmp. Whatever, I'll go explore, but I've got my eyes on you.

With that warning, Carl left the gym to go explore the school.

Conor: Thanks for helping me.

Ethan: Look, kid. Don't get us wrong. We stood up for you because we think giving you a chance is the right thing to do. However, we don't exactly trust you after everything you've done.

Conor: Yeah, I guess it's fair.

Delsin: Don't worry, Conor. I'll give you a hand. I've helped people who've done worse things get back on the right track. If I could do it, then there's nothing stopping me from helping you.

Conor: Really? Man, I can't believe this is really happening. You just moved up in my favorite characters list, Delsin.

Delsin: You're welcome. In the meantime, tell me, how was I in the game of your world? Did they get all my good angles?

Conor: Hehe, well, it might take me a while to tell you what the game showed, but I guess you're cool with it.

Delsin: Of course. Now start telling. I'll listen while we search the second floor.

Conor: Sure. Man, my friends are going to be jealous when they find out who I met.

Rin: And there they go. Should we be worried?

Harry: I don't think so. Conor may not be the smartest, but he wouldn't kill anyone so quickly, especially the person we all saw him leave with.

Tobias: He also said he had regeneration, so I don't think Conor would be able to kill him or inflict a fatal wound before his injuries heal.

Nathan: I'm glad to hear that. The last thing I want is to see an execution.

Yagami: Still, I hope Delsin keeps a close eye on Conor. He knows most of us, so he might know our weaknesses.

Tobias: That's a valid concern. I'd say that when you're done investigating, we should meet in the cafeteria to go over our findings.

Ash: And what if we find information that could help us escape?

Tobias: Although I'd like to keep our tricks up our sleeves, I don't think it's possible to hide what we know from the organizers of this "game." They've most likely bugged the bathrooms to prevent us from secretly communicating.

Leon: That's a good theory. We should check the bathrooms afterward to be sure.

Nathan: This has to be a joke. First I'm trapped in this nightmare, and now I can't even have privacy in the bathroom?

Nate: It could be worse. At least they didn't put cameras like you said.

Leon: Still, we'd better go explore. The sooner we do it, the better.

Tobias: I agree, Mr. Kennedy. I'll go tell the others who left so they can come back when they're done searching. Good luck.

With that goodbye, Tobias left the gym once more to explore the school.

Leon: (I should go too. Getting to know the lay of the land will be a big help in the future. I'll go visit Izuku once I get to the second floor.)

Tanjiro: Um, sorry to bother you, but I don't think I'll be much help. I don't know how most things work around here.

Ash: I forgot you came from a time without technology.

Seth: I guess I have the same problem, but not as bad, I hope.

Natsu: Yeah, my world mostly uses magic to make things work. Without magic, I don't know how to make most things work.

Rin: For God's sake. Okay, I guess I'll have to be the teacher. Follow me, I'll teach you what you need to know. I hope it's not too much.

Tanjiro: Thanks very much, Rin. I'm sure you'll do great.

Seth: Thanks, man. I wonder how most things work without magic.

Natsu: Don't worry, we have some similar things back home, just powered by magic. I don't think it'll take me long to get used to it.

Ethan: Heh, I'd usually volunteer, but I don't want to be the teacher. I don't think I have the patience those guys have. By the way, don't you need help too, Harry?

Harry: Oh no, even though I know how to use magic, I grew up in a world where technology ruled. I'll be fine on my own.

Rin: Well, I'm glad I don't have to teach anyone else.

Leon: (I hope Rin does well. Being a teacher isn't easy, but if he has trouble, he can ask us for help. I should go explore now; I didn't have time to do so before Carl brought me to the gym.)

With those thoughts in mind, Leon set off to explore the school grounds. He'd already inspected the gym while introducing himself to the others with Izuku and hadn't found anything of note. As he walked through the hallways, he saw that the previously closed stairs were now open. He considered going up to check on Izuku, but put it aside for now to explore the first floor.

Leon: (I hope he recovers. His reaction time was good enough to save Conor from those spears. Maybe I should ask him to train me. Ha, how ironic considering I'm the adult.)

Passing the stairs, Leon noticed the dorms once more, now recognizing each person on the plaques. If all the rooms looked similar to his, then there was nothing of importance, so he kept walking until he found his first destination. A room that seemed to be a laundry room

As he entered the room, he noticed several posters that said things like: "To avoid being caught, you must have clean clothes," or similar things. The phrases only made Leon snort.

Leon: (These sure are some motivational posters. What's next, training to be able to kill with one hit?)

Putting the posters aside, Leon began searching the washing machines to see if they contained anything that could be dangerous. There seemed to be nothing, but Leon noticed that the laundry room had everything needed to clean bloody clothes.

Leon: (If it weren't for the fact that we need to wash our clothes, I would try to restrict access to this place. I wonder if Monokuma planned for this and all the other rooms to have items to aid in the murder plans.)

After that search, Leon decided to take one last look, unable to find anything else before leaving.

Leon: (Well, at least we don't have to worry about having clean clothes. I wonder what else is in this place.)

After leaving the laundry room, Leon walked through the hallways until he found something very interesting. It was a door with a sign that said "storage room", something that immediately caught Leon's attention.

Leon: (A storage room, I wonder what it has. From what little I saw of Monokuma, I'm sure there are weapons in there. It's best to check it out as quickly as possible.)

Once he entered the storage room, Leon saw several shelves containing boxes of all sizes. He also noticed that the warehouse was large and that there were several boxes that didn't have labels or anything indicating their contents. In the middle of the aisle, Tobias was searching through the boxes, so Leon approached to talk to him.

Leon: I see you've already started investigating. Did you find anything important?

Tobias: I'm afraid I've just begun my search. I managed to talk to those who had left about the meeting in the cafeteria, so you don't have to worry about that.

Leon: I hope things won't get out of control. Considering Carl and Ethan's rivalry, we might have to play it cool.

Tobias: I don't think we have to worry about that. I'm sure Ethan and Carl will know how to keep a cool head while we discuss our findings. The worrying thing is what's in these boxes.

Leon: Let me guess, Monokuma put weapons in here? Wonder if he put a flaming sword or something. With everything we've seen so far, I wouldn't be surprised.

Tobias: While I admit a flaming sword like in a video game would be an interesting sight, the weapons I found are average. There were also several boxes containing things from different areas. For example: This box here had a gun, but also fertilizer and a fairy tale book.

Leon: (Now those are stuff that don't mix. I wonder what else is in all these boxes. We'll have to organize everything to make an inventory list.) So I guess that's why the boxes don't have labels? Because their contents are so varied?

Tobias: I'd guess so, although there's also the possibility that Monokuma simply didn't want to help us find the weapons to make it harder to keep track of them. Besides, not all the boxes here are unlabeled; some have labels indicating their contents.

Leon: I didn't expect that (I wonder what I could find here).

With that thought in mind, Leon approached one of the boxes and opened it to see its contents. Inside was a music player, a hose, and some screws. Leon just snorted before taking the music player.

Leon: (I see what Tobias meant. Hell, even if these things seem harmless, they can be used to commit murder if used intelligently. At least I hope this player has good music.)

Tobias: Now you saw it for yourself. I'd ask you to help me organize the inventory, but I don't want to slow you down in your investigation. I know you didn't have time to see the school, so I advise you to go. I'll take care of this.

Leon: Okay, thank you very much for your help.

Once he had nothing else to do at the storage room, Leon left to think about his next move, but now he had another concern.

Leon: (I know Tobias seems trustworthy, but like he said, we haven't even known each other for a full day. He could even try to find the necessary elements to commit a murder without anyone suspecting, although I don't think he'll do it on the first day. I'd better do my own inventory list once the meeting in the cafeteria is over.)

Shaking his head, Leon headed toward the last place on the first floor, where the meeting would be held: the cafeteria. Upon entering, he saw Rin with his group, showing the others what was in the kitchen and how it worked. Since there was nothing interesting in the eating area, Leon decided to go into the kitchen to see what they were doing.

Tanjiro: Are you saying this box can keep food fresh and preserve it longer than normal? Amazing!

Natsu: Wow, you know almost nothing about technology. I wonder how people of your time fight demons?

Tanjiro: Well, most don't, to be honest. Demons are a rumor or a legend for most people; only people who have seen a demon in person believe in their existence.

Natsu: Really? That reminds me of dragons. In my world, they exist, but they're considered myths. Everyone was surprised when they found out I was looking for one.

Rin: Really? Let me guess. You were trying to kill him because he destroyed your village or something.

Natsu: What?! NO! Igneel was the one who raised me and taught me magic. I would never hurt him!

Rin: Oh, sorry for the misunderstanding. It's just that those kinds of creatures are usually um

Natsu: Usually what?

Seth: Calm down, Natsu. I'm sure he's not trying to talk bad about Igneel. Also, you'll have to tell me what it was like being raised by this "dragon" you're talking about. I've never heard of those creatures before.

Natsu: Oh, sure, I have no problem. Although I'd like to know how to use the kitchen's machines first.

Leon: I see technology class is going well.

Tanjiro: Ah, Leon, nice to see you. Rin was showing us how to use the machines to make food. You know that box called a microwave can heat up food that's gotten cold without burning it? That's incredible, isn't it?

Leon: Ha, you look like a kid learning his first steps toward becoming independent. No offense.

Tanjiro: No worries. I know I'm not the smartest when it comes to this, but I'm ready to learn.

Suddenly, a loud noise started coming from the kitchen, causing Natsu to cover his ears and everyone to turn to the source, which turned out to be Seth standing in front of a blender.

Seth: What's this noisy thing? All it does is making noise.

At this, Rin just groaned before going to turn off the blender and hitting Seth on the back of the head.

Rin: It's a blender, and you're using it wrong. You have to put food in it, otherwise it won't do anything.

Seth: Really? And why does it make that noise? It's so annoying! It doesn't make sense.

Rin: Ugh, Tanjiro is supposed to be the one who's from the taisho era. Why are you the one causing the most trouble?

Seth: I'm not.

While the two were arguing, Leon began inspecting the refrigerator and everything else in the kitchen. Everything seemed stocked, but it wouldn't last long for 17 people, which worried him.

Leon: (I should say something, but I'll wait for the meeting so we can all think of a solution. Even if they eat something by then, how much could they eat?)

Leaving that aside, Leon noticed that Tanjiro was trying to calm the situation and that Natsu had somehow joined in the argument.

Leon: Okay, that's enough. We don't have time to fight, especially when we have a meeting soon.

Natsu: Oh, I forgot. Well, Rin will have to hurry up and teach us how to use some things.

Rin: Aren't you supposed to have robots in your world? Why do you need me to teach you?!

Natsu: Hey, it's not my fault robots also work with magic! Almost everything in my world works with it, so this technology is strange to me.

Seth: I understand. When Rin said there were no flying broomsticks in his world, I was also very surprised.

Rin: It's not my fault. If I had the chance to use magic broomsticks, I would.

Leon: Heh, I wonder what Jill's face would look like if she saw something like that. I bet she'd think it was a trick or that witches were real.

Seth: Hey, witches are real!

Leon: In your world, but not in ours. I'm sure half the world would start praying if the existence of witches were proven. They wouldn't let children out if they thought they could kidnap and eat them.

Natsu: What kind of stories does your world have?!

Seth: Some that aren't too different from mine. We have those kinds of ridiculous stories too.

Tanjiro: At least yours aren't as bad as mine. Believe me, there are stories that make the witches in your tales seem harmless.

Leon: I'd like to hear them, but I have to go explore the second floor. I'll see you at the meeting. You might want to wait until then to eat.

Tanjiro: Okay, our class isn't over yet anyways. Good luck, Leon.

With a nod, Leon left the cafeteria and let Rin teach the rest of his impromptu class while he headed to the second floor.

Leon: (I hope Rin teaches them well. While they're strong in their own right, those kids have a distinct disadvantage in not knowing how things work around here. They could be easily fooled or even killed due to their lack of knowledge.)

Now on the second floor, Leon didn't have a second thought before going to the infirmary to check on Izuku. As expected, upon entering, he saw Snake checking on Izuku with another unexpected guest.

Ash: Oh, hello, Leon. Did you also come to see if Izuku was okay?

Leon: Sure, I guess you came for the same reason.

Snake: That's right. I must admit I wasn't expecting company so soon, but I can't complain. Ash has a catchy optimism, though I wish he didn't distract me so much.

Ash: Hey!

Izuku: Haha. In any case, I think you've done everything you had to, right?

Snake: Yeah, I must admit Harry's magic worked wonders. You've almost fully recovered, from what I can see.

Izuku: Yeah, I'm really sorry for worrying you. I usually end up getting hurt while fighting or trying to save others. Recovery Girl hates it when I don't take care of myself, but I'm getting better at using my Quirk.

Snake: If those injuries were worse than the ones you got, then I'm not surprised. You should be more careful next time; we don't want to lose you so soon.

Ash: Yeah. But now that you're recovered, we can explore the school together! I wonder what the other rooms are like.

Izuku: I feel like I'll have to do it alone because I haven't seen much yet. As soon as I left my room, Carl took me and Leon to the gym, so I still have to explore the first floor.

Leon: You know, you don't have to do that. I can tell you what I discovered during my searches.

Izuku: Oh, thanks a lot, Leon. I'll go see the places myself later, but I guess I can accompany you.

Ash: Can I join? I'm experienced in this kind of things. In the Hall of Chivalry, I had to escape a maze with traps set up by Wikstrom.

Leon: I have no idea who that is, but of course. The more the merrier.

Ash: Yes! I can't wait to see what we find.

Snake: I hope you don't forget to check the infirmary before you leave. None of us have done that yet.

Leon: Really?  Weren't you supposed to be treating Izuku?

Snake: Yes, but I didn't have time to do a thorough inspection. Maybe I missed something.

Ash: Well, I didn't see anything, just medicine, a stretcher, and first aid kits.

Snake: There were also more medical instruments like thermometers and stethoscopes. I haven't checked those desks yet, though.

Seeing where Snake was pointing at, Leon walked over to the desks and opened them to check them. What he found surprised him greatly.

Ash: What are those things?

Leon: They're our medical records

Izuku: R-really? How did they get something like that?

Snake: I hate to say it, but if they managed to set this up and bring us from our worlds, then getting our medical records isn't that difficult.

While looking through the records, Leon picked up Izuku's folder to see it. He instantly noticed how the document had additional sections that his world's didn't have, like a section for his quirk.

Leon: (I guess that makes sense. If quirks can alter your biology, then a section on how they affect you would be necessary.)

Returning the document to the desk, Leon addressed the others.

Leon: I think it's best not to read them, just in case. They might have information that makes us easier targets. We should lock them away.

Snake: You're right, it's better to be safe. If we want to beat Monokuma, then we have to think ahead of any potential killers. Maybe there's a lock in the storage room.

Ash: Well, I don't think there's anything of value in my medical records, but I have no problems with that.

Izuku: There's a storage room? I don't want to imagine the things that could be in there.

Leon: Yeah, I'll have to tell you on the way. In the meantime, we should go check out the other rooms.

Ash: Great, I can't wait to see what's in them. I'm sure not all of them will have dangerous things.

Izuku: Depends on what you call dangerous. Many mundane things can be lethal if you use them correctly.

With that, the trio left Snake in the infirmary while they headed to the next room, with Leon telling the others what he discovered during his search. The storage room part left the others worried, but before they could answer, they had reached a door and opened it to see what was on the other side.

On the other side of the door was a library. Several tall shelves were scattered throughout, filled with books of different colors. They were all divided into sections to make it easier to find a particular book. There was a ladder against a wall and several areas where you could sit and read the books. Ethan and Harry were also in the library reading some books.

Ethan: Ah, I see the kid's already recovered from his injuries. Wish I had that ability.

Izuku: It's nothing special, at least not where I'm from.

Harry: Well, I'm glad to see everything turned out well. We found some books that are interesting, although there isn't much to see in this place other than the books.

Ash: Woah, this library sure is big. It reminds me of when I battled Lenora.

Harry: Sorry, who? First time I've heard that name.

Ash: Oh, she's the Gym Leader of Nacrene City in the Unova region.

Leon: Gym Leader? I didn't know you trained before you ended up here. Though your training isn't very noticeable, no offense.

Ash: I'm not the one who does the workout, though in that occasion I did do it with my pokemon to prepare for the battle. I forgot to mention, but I was referring to Pokémon Gyms, where Trainers go to battle the Gym Leader and their Pokémon to earn badges.

Harry: First time I've heard of something like that. I'd like to know more about that later, if you don't mind.

Ash: Of course not. It's not too difficult to understand either. I'm sure you'll remember the rules soon enough.

Leon: Leaving aside sports or whatever the category of Pokémon battles is in your world, what have you found in the library so far?

Ethan: Like the wizard told you, there isn't much to see here. Some of the books here are interesting, but some are boring, and I'd rather not read most of them.

Izuku: I wonder if there are books from different worlds. Um, do you know if there are manga?

Harry: I remember seeing a comics section and a manga section there. By the way, I managed to find a part of your life in one of them.

Izuku: R-really?!

Harry: Yeah, it was in a manga called "My Hero Academia." However, I decided not to read it in case it showed moments of your life that you don't want other people to see.

Izuku: O-oh, thanks. I'd forgotten about that.

Leon: (So Conor was telling the truth. We ARE fictional characters in his world. This must be the manga he was talking about.)

Ash: Wait, does that mean there's stuff about me here too? I wonder if I'll find a story about myself.

Ethan: Bad news, kid. I found several mangas about your world; it wasn't difficult since their titles are "Pokemon." The problem? You don't appear in any of them.

Ash: Really? That's disappointing. I was hoping one would tell my story of how I became a world champion. I'd like to relive those memories.

Izuku: Isn't it better this way? Now no one will see things you don't want them to see, like your embarrassing moments.

Ash:...You know what? You're right, it's better this way.

Leon: (Wow, his face is all red. I wonder what he remembered.)

Ethan: By the way, the volume I opened was about Unova. I haven't read much of it, but I do know there was a boy named N who was on some group  called Team Plasma that wanted to separate humans from Pokémon. The scene is about the bastard fighting a girl, and after she fell off a Ferris wheel, he left her on the ground while he took her Pokémon, saying he would defeat the champion or something-

Ash: WHAT?! That can't be true.

Izuku: A-are you okay?

Ash: Oh yeah, sorry. The thing is, N is my friend, and I met him during my journey. I know he used to be part of Team Plasma, but he left before they started attacking cities or people. What you said doesn't make sense.

Harry: It's normal for there to be several stories about the same characters or worlds, but with differences. That happens a lot with comics or when a work is adapted. The manga must have been about a different version of your world.

Ash: Oh. That makes sense.

Leon: (Woah, I didn't expect him to react like that. Ash definitely believes in his friend.)

Izuku: By the way, was there a book about your adventures?

Ethan: Not for me. I looked through some shelves with topics that might be about me, but no luck. It's different for Harry, though.

Harry: That's right. Ethan managed to find one of my books very easily.

Leon: Really? Was he really lucky or something?

Ethan: Nah, it's too easy when the name of the book is "Harry Potter." When that's the title, it's too easy to find, and he doesn't have to worry about me reading it.

Izuku: I guess for the same reason you wouldn't read about us. To respect his privacy, right?

Ethan: Ha, you're wrong, although that's part of the reason. There's no way I'm going to read 8 BOOKS about his adventures. Do you know how long that would take? They're not small, just so you know.

Leon: (Really? Harry's adventures have enough story to fill almost a dozen books?) Aren't you a teenager? How do you have so many adventures in such a short time?

Harry: The same could be said of you, Leon. I don't know you, but I'm sure you have plenty of adventures in your daily life.

Leon: Well, there's a reason for that. I am the ultimate agent, after all.

Harry: And I'm the wizard chosen to take down the Dark Lord, You-know-Who, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, aka Voldemort. Who do you think is most likely to go on adventures to save the world?

Leon: Okay, you win this one.

Izuku: I'm still surprised. 8 books? I guess it would be hard to summarize your adventures.

Harry: Even if I wanted to, I couldn't. I haven't even experienced what all these books say.

Ash: What?! So how do you know they're about you if you haven't experienced everything written in them?

Harry: Well, they all have details about my adventures since I discovered I was a wizard. There's no mistake in them; it's almost as if the writer was there the whole time.

Izuku: I see, but how can you not know everything that happens in the books?

Harry: Because I haven't experienced some parts yet. Before I was kidnapped, I was trying to find Voldemort's Horcruxes to destroy them. However, the seventh book says I managed to kill him.

Leon: So you're saying that, based on the chronology of the books, you belong before the end of the seventh?

Harry: That's right. I won't lie; it's strange to see how my adventure ends, but I'm happy to know I'll succeed.

Izuku: But what if you already know all this? Wouldn't knowing or believing you know what will happen change the future?

Ash: I don't follow. If his books already tell his entire adventure, how would that change anything?

Ethan: Well, those books are already outdated. None of them mention a killing game.

Leon: I thought you said you wouldn't read them.

Ethan: And I didn't. Harry and I just started opening the books we're sure take place during or after his time and started looking at random pages.

Harry: I know it's not the best method, but it was the fastest. We still couldn't find anything that looked like this.

Ash: I guess that makes sense. Ugh, I wish I had a prophecy from Olympia now. Even if it's bad, I'd at least try to do what I could to prevent it.

Ethan: And who is this Olympia?

Ash: The leader of Anistar City! She's a Gym Leader from Kalos. She has the power to see visions of the past and future. She even had one of mine about danger approaching, though it made one of her apprentices think I was a threat and attack me. At least it made me a little more prepared for what would happen next.

Ethan: So a con artist who isn't a con artist. Reminds me of all those so-called psychics in Metro City.

Ash: I don't think she'd like to know you called her that.

Ethan: She can't hear me, so it's not like it's a problem.

Izuku: Incredible. It's like Mr. Nighteye's quirk. I wonder how many tragedies she managed to prevent.

Ash: I don't think she can use her power at will. From what I remember, visions come to her and she can't control them. Some are even vague enough to confuse people, which is why Carrie thought me and my friends were a threat.

Izuku: Oh, so it's like a less powerful version. I understand, thanks for telling me. sigh I wish I'd brought a notebook from my room so I could write everything down and not forget anything.

Leon: Heh, well you can always go back to your room to pick one up and ask us all again.

Ethan: If you're going to do that, ask Harry the questions. I don't want to repeat everything I said.

Ash: That reminds me, Harry. Is that "He-who-must-not-be-named" thing what they call Voldemort in your world?

Harry: That's right. It's like a taboo in the wizarding world. Even my friend Hermione wouldn't say his name until I gave her the courage to say it.

Ethan: I'm surprised one guy can cause so much fear. Did he commit a holocaust or what?

Harry: Well, he's the cruelest Dark Wizard in my world. He committed murder, robbery, and even created a younger memory of himself that tried to kill several students at Hogwarts. When it became known that he was back, a second Wizarding War literally started against him and his group.

Izuku: A WAR?! Are you telling me that just because a wanted person reappeared out of nowhere was enough to declare a war?

Harry: Yeah, he was that bad. Am I the only one here who knew someone that dangerous?

Leon: No, in my world there was someone, Wesker. A megalomaniac who wanted to conquer the world using biological weapons. Those viruses created very dangerous zombies, which caused many deaths in several countries. The bastard even had genetics that allowed him to become stronger when he was injected with one of those viruses.

Ethan: ZOMBIES!? You've got to be kidding. I had to face a cult that could control people using machines, and even then, that's more sane than what you just said.

Ash: Um, what are zombies?

Izuku: Y-you don't know?

Ash: It's the first time I've heard of something like that. I guess animals aren't the only ones that don't exist in my world.

Harry: Well, it's easy to explain. You know people die, so imagine zombies like that. However, they're in a state between life and death; they're alive but dead at the same time.

Ash: Ugh, I don't think I understand you.

Ethan: Here's a better explanation. They're people who've lost the ability to think and are almost dead. They're no longer human and eat people out of hunger.

Ash: THEY WHAT? S-so you're telling me they eat people, regardless of whether they're babies or adults?

Izuku: Yeah, I advise you not to overthink it. It would be horrible to think about what happened.

Ash: Y-you don't have to say it. Let's change the subject, please.

Leon: (He looks like he's about to throw up; I shouldn't have mentioned the zombies) Sure, sorry if we scared you. There's nothing here that's useful for murder, right?

Harry: Well, there are plenty of mystery stories here. I suppose it's for both murderers and future investigators to use during the trial and investigation phase.

Ethan: Let those wannabe killers read those books. It won't do them any good. I'll catch them without breaking a sweat.

Leon: That's a bad idea. Even if you could catch them, that would still mean someone would die, and that could be you.

Izuku: Besides, there's a chance you could be the killer and try to throw us off. I-it's not like I'm saying you're a killer or-

Ethan: It's okay, I get it. Even then, it's almost impossible for a killer to get away with it. You have me, Leon, and Yagami. It would be almost impossible to kill all three of us at the same time, plus this place is very small. Chances are a witness might see the killer walking away from the crime scene than he escapes unnoticed.

Ash: I guess you're right. I don't see how anyone could slip past with all the people here.

Izuku: But there are other ways to kill without having to be in the same room as the victim, like poison.

Leon: That's right. We should figure out what to do about this once we're done investigating this floor. Between the books and the weapons in the storage room, it's too dangerous to do nothing.

Harry: There are weapons in the storage room? I should have see it coming. Monokuma can't wait for someone to die.

Ethan: Wait. I know you had to investigate, but you didn't leave the place unsupervised, right?

Leon: No, Tobias offered to take care of it.

Ethan: TOBIAS!? Of all people, you left TOBIAS in charge of a place full of weapons?! Are you crazy?

Leon: (I didn't expect that reaction. What's gotten into him?)

Izuku: What's wrong? Tobias seems like a good choice to leave the weapons under surveillance.

Ethan: Maybe for you, but I'm sure he's hiding something. My instinct tells me he's dangerous.

Harry: I agree. I also think he's hiding something. I don't know what it is, but he can't be trusted.

Ash: But judging a person based on a feeling alone seems too harsh.

Leon: Ash's right. You shouldn't be so harsh on Tobias when he hasn't done anything yet.

Ethan: Well, I'm not going to take any chances. I'll go to the storage room and make sure he hasn't taken anything. Bye.

With that said, Ethan returned the book he had taken and headed for the exit, leaving the others in the library.

Leon: (Well, I hope that doesn't end in a fight. I think we've seen everything there is to see here.) I think it's time to go. We still have a few more rooms to explore.

Ash: Yeah, I'd rather get this over with as quickly as possible. I don't like this situation at all.

Harry: See you then. Find a way out if you can.

Izuku: Even if we don't, we'll try to create one. That's what heroes do

After saying goodbye to Harry, the trio left the library and saw how many rooms they had left to see. There were two rooms in the hallway. What caught the trio's attention was that on one of the doors there was a sign that said "file room." Curious, Ash entered first, and Izuku and Leon decided to follow him. Inside, there were several filing cabinets with a large computer on the left, with options to view the files of all the participants, and at the end, there was a large basket with several stacks of papers on it. Also in the room were Delsin and Conor, looking through the files in the filing cabinets, and Nathan, who was playing with the computer, and about to view his own profile. Once they noticed the newcomers, they stopped what they were doing.

Nathan: W-woah, Izuku healed already? I knew Harry's magic was very good, but I didn't expect you to recover so quickly.

Delsin: I'm not surprised. My powers allowed me to heal from bullet wounds, so I knew as soon as I saw Harry healing him that there was nothing to fear.

Conor: I wish I had thought the same, but it doesn't help knowing that he doesn't have regeneration like you do.

Ash: Wow, you sure know a lot about everyone here. Are we really all just game characters in your world?

Conor: Uh, not really. I already said that some, like Izuku, come from manga, or in Harry's case, from books, although there are several games about his world. The truth is, not all of you come from games.

Ash: So what am I in your world? I must appear in the games because according to Ethan, I'm not part of the manga.

Conor: You actually come from the anime, although I don't watch it. You hardly appear in any game, and in the only one I know you're in, you're not even a rival, just an NPC who doesn't appear again after a few lines.

Ash: Oh, come on! So how did you know so much about me if I barely appear in the games? It's impossible for you to have known if I have so little time in the games.

Conor: The reason is because even if I don't watch the anime, it's very popular in my world. Many people even started freaking out when you won your first league after all the ones you lost.

Ash: You mean the Orange League? That was the second one I participated in, don't exaggerate.

Conor: Oh, I didn't know about that one. Honestly, there isn't a game about the orange islands, so I guess a lot of people don't take it into account.

Izuku: What does that mean?

Conor: That people claim Ash has a streak of losing leagues spanning six regions. They even nicknamed him the league loser.

Ash: Ugh, you've got to be kidding. I don't want to be remembered for that.

Leon: (That's a lot of lost leagues. Now I see why Ash managed to win the championship at such a young age. He must have worked really hard. I wonder how long it took him to get to where he is.)

Izuku: Don't worry, you can always learn from losing. Besides, you're already the world champion; all that effort was worth it.

Ash: I guess you're right, but being called a league loser still bothers me.

Conor: Hey, there are worse things. A lot of people kept saying the Alola League wasn't considered an official league.

Ash: REALLY?! Did they want me to keep losing or what!?

Conor: If it makes you feel any better, no one complained about you winning the world championship. Everyone agreed that after more than 20 years, you deserved to win a league.

Ash: But the Orange League counts.

Leon: (It certainly seems to be taking its toll on his confidence, I should cheer him up...wait a minute.)

Izuku: T-TWENTY YEARS?! But Ash is a kid!

Conor: I don't know how long it took in his world to win the championship, but for fans, the anime took more than 20 years until Ash finally won.

Ash: It didn't take me THAT LONG.

Leon: (Phew, for a moment I wondered if he was one of those characters who looked like a kid but was thousands of years old. At least I can confirm that he doesn't surpass me in life experience.)

Nathan: So many years? Some people really wait a lot. Wait, so what medium do I appear in? Video game or anime?

Conor: Well, I know you're the male player character in the games and the protagonist of the anime, even though it doesn't have many seasons.

Nathan: Really? I'm the protagonist!? I can't believe it, that's awesome!

Leon: (He certainly seems very happy to be the center of attention. I wonder if he realized that this might mean a lot of people saw some of his embarrassing moments.)

Nathan: So which medium am I from? The game or the anime?

Conor: Um, I'm not sure, but I have an idea. Did you have an argument with a yo-kai that looked like an old woman because it made Katie fight with her friend Sarah?

At the question, Nathan lowered his head, his face turning red, although it was hard to tell if it was from embarrassment or anger. The atmosphere also seemed to change a bit, as he seemed to have a dark aura surrounding him.

Leon: (Woah, is this what characters feel when one of them has a sudden change of emotion? This is really new to me, what happened to him?)

Nathan: I know what Yo-kai you're talking about, and I did fight her, but not...for the reasons you mentioned.

Conor:...Well, then you're from the anime. Congratulations, you have more screen time.

Nathan: I guess-WAIT! Are you telling me people saw me fighting that Yo-kai? Even the...reasons why I did it.

Delsin: Hey, are you okay? You look like you're going to faint from embarrassment any moment.

Nathan: I-I can handle it, just answer me.

Conor: I think so? I haven't seen the anime so I don't know. It can't be that bad, though, right?

Nathan: Speak for yourself. You don't have the risk of people seeing YOUR embarrassing moments.

Delsin: Come on, dude, you don't have to be so pessimistic. I'm telling you, after we finish investigating, I'll get you some drinks and everything will go away. What do you think?

Nathan: I don't see why not.

Leon: I'm glad to see you're recovering from whatever was affecting you.

Ash: By the way, I know it's not the best time, but are you taking Conor with you?

Delsin: What kind of question is that? Of course I will. Once you get to know him, he's a great guy.

Conor: Thanks for the vote of confidence, although I'm surprised you decided to help me even after what I said.

Delsin: Hey, you played my game, right? You know I'd support good people. Even after what you said, that's not so bad compared to what some of my friends did. Hell, Fetch killed several people and I still helped her become a better person. If I can do that, then I'll have no problem helping you improve.

Leon: (...what?)

Izuku: YOUR FRIEND DID WHAT?! Isn't that illegal!? How is she not in jail? Why would you help her?

Delsin: Okay, bad choice of words, but I swear Fetch is a good person deep down. She went through so many things that led her to do what she did, but she's getting better with my help.

Leon: Many people in the world go through horrible things, but not everyone end up becoming serial killers or gang members?

Delsin: Fetch isn't a gangster; she hates those guys! She's more like a vigilante, even though the DUP made the public believe she was just another serial killer of the bunch.

Ash: I still wouldn't feel safe around her.

Delsin: It's okay, I wouldn't force you to become her friend anyway.

Izuku: Vigilantism is still illegal. Even if you don't use your powers, it's very dangerous. No matter the excuse, vigilantes must be stopped.

Delsin: Well, you'd have to arrest me then because I'd count as a vigilante considering that during my adventure in Seattle, I took down several drug dealers on my own.

Izuku: Y-you what? I don't want to arrest you, but I don't approve of your actions.

Delsin: And I won't force you to choose a side, but let me tell you, sometimes you have to break the law to do what's right. What I did went against the laws that gave the DUP their powers, and yet it all ended in a better world when I finished what I had to do.

Leon: Even so, the law shouldn't always be broken, even if it's for a better world. That argument could be used by many extremists to commit horrible things

Delsin: No arguments for that, man. I admit you're right there.

Nathan: Can we change the subject? All these revelations are making me uneasy.

Ash: I'd like that too. My head is hurting from so much information.

Conor: I guess it makes sense that this would happen to you when you don't know the stories beforehand.

Leon: (He's not surprised at all; he certainly knows everything that happened in our worlds. I wonder what else he knows.)

Izuku: So what did you find?

Delsin: Nothing for now. We were just going through some stories in these filing cabinets.

Nathan: What's in there, by the way? I heard you laughing a lot, but I couldn't hear what you were saying.

Conor: Oh, these stories are fanfics. You know, what franchise fans write because they like those shows.

Izuku:....

Leon: THAT is what is in all these filing cabinets?

Delsin: That's right, believe it or not, you're looking at a library full of fan stories about us.

Ash: Woah, how many stories are about me?

Leon: (I'd be lying if I say I'm not curious about what people think of me, but now isn't the time.)

Nathan: Stories about us? Does that mean people write about me?

Delsin: Yes, several even have you as the protagonist. There are many more about you than me for some reason.

Nathan: Can I see some? I can't wait to see how they portray me. I wonder if there's one where I'm a cool yokai hunter or something.

Ash: I'm also curious, what do I do in the fanfics where I appear? Do I face stronger trainers than in the world championship?

Conor: You, my good friend Ash, have the privilege of... being shipped with all your female friends.

Leon: Pfft.

Nathan: With all his friends?!

Ash: What!? Come on, that can't be all there is to me. And what do you mean, all my friends? There's no way I'm dating Iris or Misty.

Delsin: The cliché of lovers fighting is still alive, you know? Maybe they have hidden feelings for you.

Ash: Nah ah, never! There are no feelings for each other, just friends and that's it.

Izuku: I guess I should have expected that. A lot of people write about their favorite couples.

Leon: Look on the bright side, at least they don't make fun of you for losing leagues in those fics.

Delsin: Well, that's 50/50, actually.

Ash: I changed my mind. I don't want to know what they write.

Leon: So, what about that computer? I see there are profiles about all of us.

Delsin: Ah, that computer seems to have information about all of us. We decided not to look at each other's profiles for now.

Izuku: So what was Nathan doing?

Nathan: I just wanted to see my profile to see what it said about me. Since it's mine, there was no problem with that.

Izuku: I don't think it's a good idea to do that with other people here. What if it has information that would put you in more danger?

Leon: I agree. It's not a good idea to look at that with all the possibilities of what it contains.

Delsin: Well, it's not like we'll know what's in the profiles if we don't see any. This is the best way to know what they have.

Conor: I agree. Besides, I already know the abilities of almost everyone in the building, so that doesn't change much.

Ash: I don't think there's much risk either. If we see very dangerous information, then we just close the profile, right?

Leon: (This won't go well, they don't think about all the risks this could bring in the future)

Nathan: Then the majority is on my side, thanks guys.

Nathan then turned to the computer and opened his own profile, revealing the information it contained to everyone present.

Participant 6

Name: Nathan Adams

Abilities: None on his own. His watch allows him to see Yo-kai and summon them to fight for him. However, if he doesn't have their medals, he can't do the latter.

Lifestyle: He's a normal teenager with nothing else to highlight other than his ability to interact with Yo-kai.

Comments: Why did we choose him? There are so many more interesting people than this nobody.

Conor: I didn't expect that last bit.

Nathan: Not even the people behind this find me interesting.

Leon: (That was definitely a blow to his confidence, poor kid)

Ash: Don't listen to them, Nathan. You're great on your own.

Delsin: What Ash said. Don't listen to what these psychopaths think of you. Their opinion is wrong.

Nathan: It's not that. Although I'm upset by the comment.

Conor: So what's the problem?

Nathan: Even though they think that about me, they still chose me for this killing game! WHY?! If I bore them so much, then why didn't they just leave me alone? I would have preferred that to being trapped here.

Leon: Right, that's a good reason to be angry. But we should focus on getting out first before solving those little mysteries.

Nathan: I guess...

Suddenly, the papers on the basket fell to the floor, catching everyone's attention.

Conor: AGAIN?! You've got to be kidding me.

While he was complaining, Conor walked over to the end of the room and started picking up the papers with Izuku's help.

Izuku: So this isn't the first time they've fallen?

Conor: No, ever since we got here, these papers keep falling, and we have to pick them up over and over again.

Delsin: Leave them. There's no reason to pick them up if they're just going to keep falling.

Ash: Isn't there anywhere else to put them?

Nathan: Not that we know of. All the filing cabinets are full, and putting them on the computer keyboard only makes them fall faster.

Delsin: Which is why I decided not to bother picking them up.

Izuku: But we can't just leave them like that. Maybe we can leave them somewhere else.

Delsin: Be my guest, but for now, I'd rather keep investigating.

Leon: But you were reading fanfiction before we came.

Delsin: Knowing about hypothetical scenarios is important for our survival.

Leon: (I'd like to argue, but he's right. Even if they're hypothetical scenarios, they're about us, so maybe there's some truth to them. Still, I'm sure he just reads them for fun.)

Ash: What's in those papers, by the way?

Delsin: Oh, um, how do I say this without scaring you?

Conor: They're pictures of us.

Ash: WHAT?!

Delsin: Conor!

Conor: Hey, it had to be said sooner or later.

Leon: Pictures of us? You mean the ones in the media where we appear or-

Conor: No, these photos seem to be from your daily life. Parts that don't appear in any game or anything in my world.

Leon: (So they were investigating us, that makes sense. Even if they had access to all the information about us in Conor's world, we still have our lives outside of the media.)

Ash: I had no idea about that. I never imagined someone was following me.

Conor: Well, Team Rocket tricks you with their bad disguises, so it's not that surprising.

Ash: Hey! I'm not the only one fooled by them; almost everyone falls for them.

Conor: That just proves they're fooled by bad disguises, too.

Ash: Ugh.

Leon: (Now that I think about it, I had a feeling someone was following me. I should have been more cautious instead of shrugging it off as just paranoia)

Izuku: We're done. Do you know if there's anything else of importance here?

Delsin: No, we already told you all about this place. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go look for stories about me. I wonder why there seem to be so few.

Nathan: I'll go to the cafeteria. I'm a little hungry. See you later.

After saying that, Nathan left the room, leaving the others. Delsin began browsing through the files in a filing cabinet, and Conor joined him, laughing at some story they had found. With nothing else to do here, Leon and his group decided to head to the last room they had left to explore.

At the end of the hallway was the last door that had the word "theater" on it. Already knowing what to expect, Leon opened the door and entered with his group. There were several rows of seats overlooking a stage with large red curtains and lots of props. The place was very luxurious and large, resembling a normal theater you'd find in the city, so it was surprising how much was inside the building. Leon soon noticed that they weren't the only ones there because on the stage was Carl, who seemed to be arguing with Yagami and Nate. Deciding that it would be best to intervene before a fight occurs, he approached the stage with Izuku and Ash.

Nate: Look, it's not like we want to keep you in a cell, but we need your cooperation.

Carl: And if it means I can get out of here, then I will, but I'm not going to have a babysitter breathing down my neck every damn second.

Izuku: Sorry to interrupt, but what's going on here?

Yagami: I-izuku? You really healed?

Izuku: That's right. Harry's magic helped me a lot. It's like Recovery Girl's quirk.

Nate: I'm glad to know you're okay. I was so scared when I saw what those spears did to you.

Ash: Can we not talk about it? Just remembering it makes me want to throw up.

Nate: Sure. We just wanted to express our relief.

Leon: What were you arguing about, anyway? It sounded like you were about to fight.

Carl: The thing is, these two have been following me since I got to the second floor and they won't leave me alone.

Yagami: It's just a precaution. We don't know you, so you might try something. No offense.

Carl: No one in this building knows the others, so why am I being restricted even more than everyone else?!

Izuku: You're the only known criminal here. Your title basically confirms that you're the top gang member, so you're very dangerous.

Nate: It's not like I want to be a babysitter right now, but it's better to be safe than sorry.

Yagami: Look on the bright side. If we or someone else is with you at all times, then the killers won't target you.

Carl: I can take care of myself. I'm not a baby. If you want to take care of someone, then take care of Ash or that other kid who sees ghosts.

Ash: Hey, I don't need a babysitter! I can take care of myself.

Carl: Unless you've been through a dangerous situation like this, then you have no room to talk.

Ash: I survived several teams kidnapping me, stopped the end of the world several times, and died only to come back to life. What about you, huh?

The theater fell into a deathly silence as everyone stared at Ash in surprise, fear, or even horror. Ash, noticing the stares, began to feel uncomfortable, so he decided to break the silence.

Ash: D-Did I say something?

Carl: Y-You just confessed that you DIED and you're asking that?

Leon: (Doesn't he realize what he JUST SAID?! How can he be so calm!? No child should die, how is it that he's so calm after an experience like that?)

Nate: Ash, I know I'm not a psychologist, but I don't think an experience like that was good for your mental health.

Ash: It's okay. I barely felt anything. I didn't even realize I was dead until they revived me.

Izuku: And how come you didn't realize? What happened to you?

Ash: To sum it up, there was a battle to the death between the world's first Pokémon, Mew, and its clone. The two exchanged attacks, but I was fed up with all the violence I decided to intervene, and ended up receiving both attacks.

Leon: (That's horrible. How could he not feel anything? That must have hurt a lot.)

Yagami: And what happened next?

Ash: Well, I turned into a statue, but Pikachu's tears somehow healed me, and I came back to life.

Carl: You're not kidding, are you?

Ash: I'm not. Everything I'm saying is the truth.

Leon: (I didn't know his world was so dangerous. What else must he have endured on his journey? Where were his parents? They wouldn't have let him go alone in a world that dangerous, right?)

Yagami: Well, I'm glad you're here right now, but this situation is very different. If you die, there's no second, or in this case, third chance. No tears will save you; you'll stay dead.

Ash: Th-that... I know, but I'm sure we'll all get out of here. No one would fall for Monokuma's tricks, right?

Carl: I'm sorry to say, but not everything is rosy. Even your closest friends can stab you in the back with an appropriate incentive. Believe me, I know from experience.

Nate: Don't let the kid down like that. No one here has shown any killing intent besides Monokuma.

Carl: That's not true. I'm sure Ethan would have gone for my throat if the others hadn't come and separated us.

Yagami: I know you don't like him, but I don't think he'd kill unless he felt it was necessary. He wanted information he thought you had, so he wouldn't have killed you.

Carl: Sure. Keep defending him while accusing me of being the problem. Let's see how your biases play out, and I'm telling you, that guy is going to kill someone, and it won't be me.

Leon: (They definitely hate each other. I wonder if they'll end up at least making a temporary truce. With their attitudes, it seems like they'd break it before it even started.)

Izuku: Leaving aside what happened, what did you manage to find here?

Nate: Well, a lot of things. In the dressing rooms, you can find a ton of costumes for us. There's even a Christmas elf one.

Yagami: It had a tag that says the owner is a certain Dwight, but there's no one by that name.

Leon: Do you think he's one of the people behind this?

Yagami: No, in my opinion, I think they just took the costume to put it in the dressing rooms.

Carl: No shit, that costume is ridiculous. No surprise the owner decided to get rid of it.

Nate: Please watch your mouth. There are children present.

Carl: One of them literally died, and the other is a hero from a comic book world, and you're worried about words?

Nate: Considering Ash's reaction, at least he still has the mentality of a kid.

Ash: Hey, you don't have to treat me like a baby! By the way, what does "shit" mean?

Izuku: Um, how do I say this? Well, you see, "shit" is uuuhh...

Nate: A word you're forbidden to say from now on. Trust me, it's for your own good.

Ash: You're not my mom. I'm old enough to know what a word means.

Yagami: Ha, of course, whatever you say.

Leon: (I won't lie, seeing him pout is adorable. I wonder if he does it often.)

Izuku: Back on topic, did you find anything else at the theater?

Yagami: Well, there are a lot of props for certain plays. For some reason, some sets seem familiar.

Carl: Yeah, I know what you mean. In any case, there was nothing else besides that small closet where some props are kept.

Nate: I don't think anything here would be useful for committing a murder. The swords are fake, the props are very fragile, but they wouldn't kill anyone even if they were used to hit someone, and there aren't even any sandbags.

Yagami: I agree. Even things like the vases are made of flimsy plastic. It might disorient someone, but not kill them.

Leon: That's good to know. After everything we've found so far, it's a relief to have a place that doesn't seem to have anything that would help with a murder.

Ash: Hey, shouldn't we meet up with the others at the cafeteria?

Carl: Oh right, Tobias mentioned something about a meeting you were going to have.

Nate: I forgot. It's been a long time, hasn't it?

Yagami: I don't have a watch, but it seems like it has. Let's go before they send someone looking for us.

With that, the group left the theater and headed to the cafeteria. Upon arrival, they found nearly everyone else around a large table chatting. They'd already set up everything they needed to prepare for lunch, and the atmosphere seemed casual and relaxing despite the tense situation.

Natsu: Hey, they have arrived.

Snake: Great, we were about to send someone to get you.

Seth: Sit down. Rin's making dinner. I wonder what he'll make.

Izuku: Sure, I could use some food after everything that happened.

Natsu: You said it, I can't wait to eat.

Carl: Hey, where's the redhead?

Nathan: You mean Tanjiro? He's in the kitchen helping Rin.

Nate: Is it safe for him to be making dinner? Tanjiro comes from a time when there weren't even microwaves.

Yagami: Don't worry, he won't touch anything dangerous. He'll just be passing the ingredients to Rin.

Tobias: Since we're all gathered here, let's wait for Rin and Tanjiro to come back from the kitchen so we can start discussing our discoveries.

Conor: Wouldn't that take long? We're 17, and from what I know, it hasn't been that long since we separated.

Leon: Not to mention he had a lot of trouble teaching his group how modern life's tools work.

Seth: Don't worry, we helped him before everyone started arriving.

Leon: (Didn't you turn on the blender without having any idea what it does?)

Harry: Don't worry, I was part of the support group too. I made sure Seth or Natsu didn't screw up.

Seth: Hey!

Natsu: We're not THAT bad.

Nathan: Weren't you having trouble with the microwave? I heard you screaming in frustration.

Carl: Ugh, if the food ends up being horrible, then I'll make my own.

Rin: Don't be so pessimistic, we're done.

Coming out of the kitchen were Rin and Tanjiro, who were carrying food for the group. There was a variety of Japanese and Western dishes. Once they arrived at the table, Rin and Tanjiro served everyone else their food before sitting down.

Natsu: This looks delicious.

Seth: I agree. It will definitely be good.

Ash: Let's eat!

With that, Natsu, Seth, and Ash began eating at top speed, making a bit of a mess while everyone else watched.

Nate: Hey, slow down. You're going to choke if you keep eating that fast.

Yagami: We're not in a competition.

Ash (mouth full): But it's delicious. Is there more of this, Rin?

Natsu: Oh, this food is some of the best I've ever had. Is there more?

Seth: Yeah, more food please!

Rin: Wow, I knew you'd like it, but you're more excited than I expected. Hehe, of course, there's more, and don't worry, I'll bring it to you.

Nathan: We haven't even started eating and you've already finished your plates.

Ethan: I see you all have the habit of being big eaters. I'm glad I don't have to pay for your food.

Delsin: I don't think any conduit could be able to eat that fast.

Izuku: If you told me your Quirks are for eating quickly, I'd believe you.

Carl: What kind of powers are in your world that make that possible?

As Rin returned to the kitchen to bring more food, everyone began talking among themselves about their experiences, worlds, and friends. The atmosphere was relaxing as everyone finished their food with satisfaction, congratulating Rin for being such a good cook. Once everything seemed to calm down, Tobias stood up to get everyone's attention.

Tobias: Now that we're done eating, I'd like us to discuss the discoveries we've made in this place. Who would like to start?

At this, both Natsu and Seth raised their hands.

Tobias: Okay, but knowledge of modern things doesn't count.

Natsu: We weren't going to do that! In any case, the kitchen has enough food for all of us.

Leon: Though that's not much. I counted it myself, and even though there's a lot, it won't last. We could run out in a week.

Nathan: R-really?! Does that mean we could starve to death if we don't get out quickly?

Ethan: So we should ration the food to prevent it from running out too soon.

Carl: That's not going to work. Did you see how many of us there are? To prevent us from running out, some of us would have to stop eating.

Ethan: Do you have a better idea? If not, then don't talk.

Yagami: Don't fight. We need to focus on solving this problem before it's too late.

Conor: I don't think we have a food problem.

Snake: What do you mean, kid? You weren't with Rin's group, so how do you know that?

Conor: Well, in every Danganronpa, Monokuma always replenished the food to keep the students from starving.

Izuku: But how do we know this Monokuma will do the same? There's nothing forcing him.

Tobias: Maybe we can ask him.

Ethan: And how do we do that? No one's seen him since he left the gym.

Ash: Maybe we just have to call him? HEY, MONOKUMA!

Like a summoned spirit, Monokuma suddenly appeared on the table in front of Ash, scaring him so much that he fell off his chair.

Monokuma: MONOKUMA!

Ash: AAH!

Nathan: H-he's back.

Carl: How the hell does he do that?

Leon: That doesn't matter, we have questions to ask you.

Ash: That's right. Is what Conor said true? Will you restock our food if we run out?

Monokuma: Monokuma kuma kuma

Natsu: Uh, what's he doing?

Ash: Hey, I don't understand. Answer me!

Monokuma: Mono mono noku

Seth: Is it broken or something?

Conor: No, I think he's just pretending to be a Pokémon.

Ash: Hey! I know you're a robot, so stop and talk normally.

Monokuma: Mono mono kuma kuma noku noku MONOKUMA!

Ash:...

Carl: Stop messing with us and answer already!

Monokuma: Geez, no one here seems to have a sense of humor. Okay, I'll answer. Yeah, it's impossible to run out of food in this place.

Nathan: Thank goodness. I was really scared of what might happen.

Nate: That's good. I've gone too long without drinking water in the desert, and I don't want to do it again.

Natsu: Okay, you HAVE to tell me about your adventures. They sound really cool.

Ethan: Let's leave that for later. We still have to hear about everyone else's discoveries.

Delsin: Right, you can go now, bear.

Monokuma: Aaah? Are you kicking me out? I just got here!

Ethan: And now you can go since you have nothing more to tell us.

Monokuma: You're not the one who decides that. I came here not only to answer questions but also to give you something special.

Nathan: Give us something?

Snake: If that's for us to kill each other, then we don't want to hear about it.

Monokuma: Calm down. Not everything is about murder. Have some faith in me.

Tanjiro: After everything you've done, no one would trust you.

Monokuma: Ugh, sometimes I miss those contestants, you know? The ones who cause trouble, who enjoy the game, the ones who cause fights.

Yagami: Technically, we have Carl and Ethan with us.

Carl: Hey!

Ethan: Don't compare me to him.

Monokuma: But they're still mean to me! Oh well, I guess I'll just give you what I came to bring.

Conor: You mean the E-handbooks, right?

Monokuma: Ding ding ding, we have a winner.

Rin: What the hell is that?

Monokuma: E-handbooks are the latest technology that will allow you to do anything you want, whether it's ordering weapons online, watching funny videos, getting taller and more muscular, or even getting girls.

Tanjiro: What are videos?

Nathan: So you're saying I can look like a bodybuilder?

Yagami: I'm afraid to ask this, but what do you mean by "getting girls"?

Monokuma: Upupu...UpupuPUPUPUPUPU! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU FELL FOR THAT!

Ethan: Stop messing with us, will you?! What do these E-handbooks you're talking about do?

Tobias: I think it would be better to ask Conor. Monokuma will just keep making fun of us.

Monokuma: Oh nonononono! He already ruined my presentation. I WON'T LET HIM STEAL MY EXPLANATIONS!

Natsu: Then tell us what we want to know.

Monokuma: Ugh, fine. These E-Handbooks are digital manuals that contain information about the school, its structure, and much more that will help you navigate your school life.

Nate: So can we see them?

Monokuma: Of course, they'll also contain the rules of your school life, so I recommend reading those first. Now, I summon thee E-HANDBOOKS!

Suddenly, a trapdoor in the ceiling opened, and several E-Handbooks fell out onto the table where everyone was sitting, knocking over some utensils in the process.

Monokuma: There you go, take a look, there's one for everyone in this room, upupupu.

After Monokuma said that, everyone started randomly grabbing an E-Handbook to see what was inside, with distrust clear on their faces, except for Conor.

Conor: Don't worry, guys. I've already seen this. There's nothing to worry about.

Tanjiro: Um, how do I...make this work? I don't understand.

Rin: Not again. Let me help you. There's a button there you have to press to turn it on.

Seth: Oh, I see it. I wonder what it'll do.

As everyone started turning on their E-Handbooks, they were greeted by Monokuma's laughter, laughing at some of the reactions.

Leon: (What the?)

On the screen of the E-Handbook Leon had picked up, there was the name of the academy they were at, but also something that caught his attention.

Hope's Peak Academy

Ethan Thomas

Leon: (I must have picked up the wrong one. I'll give it to Ethan-)

Natsu: Hey, what kind of joke is this? I don't understand what this thing says.

Leon: Uh?

Tanjiro: I don't understand what it says either. Are these supposed to be words?

Ash: What are you talking about? I picked the wrong one, but I still understand what it says.

Ethan: I think they're referring to the language. This is in Japanese.

Nathan: Are you sure? Because this isn't Japanese. I don't know what language it is.

Tobias: That's English. Can't you tell the difference?

Nathan: What? Of course not. I'm Japanese, I don't know any English.

Delsin: But you were speaking it the whole time, how come you don't know?

Tanjiro: Um, what are you talking about? We all speak Japanese. I would know. I don't know any English and I've never left Japan.

Izuku: How is that possible? I know some English, and I can confirm that everyone here speaks Japanese. English sounds different.

Carl: I'm not bilingual. I was speaking English the whole time. There's no way I know Japanese.

Snake: Well, I must admit this is confusing, even for me.

Monokuma: Upupupupupu

Leon: Monokuma, you know what's going on, right?

Monokuma: You caught me. Not bad for the ultimate agent. You have to keep up with him, Ethan and Yagami, or else he'll leave you behind.

Yagami: I'd rather have an explanation for what's going on than compete with the others.

Monokuma: Okay. You see, at the beginning when we were selecting you all, we realized that the game wouldn't work if you couldn't communicate with each other. So after some discussion and ruling out implanting language-translating chips in your brains because it would be too expensive.

Carl: What did you-

Monokuma: We decided to take you from worlds where your languages ​​sound the same despite being different. Simply put, people like Tanjiro were speaking the Japanese of their world that sounds like English in Ethan's world, and vice versa. Of course, we thought it would be fun if the way your languages ​​are written is different even though they sound the same, so we decided to leave the differences in writing intact.

Yagami: So basically, we can all understand each other because despite speaking different languages, you made sure they sound the same, but the way they are written is still different.

Monokuma: That's right! Now I did what I had to do, so if you'll excuse me, I have to go spread more despair, upupupupu.

With that explained, Monokuma disappeared before everyone's eyes.

Natsu: I wish I could do that.

Rin: That doesn't matter now. Who here has my E-Handbook, by the way?

Everyone then began exchanging E-Handbooks to give them to their respective owners to avoid further confusion.

Tobias: Okay, now that we all have our respective E-Handbooks, we should read the rules.

Carl: Let's just get this over with. I'm getting fed up with this shit.

Leon: (Don't blame him, I am too. I hope the rules aren't so strict so we can find a way out.)

With that in mind, Leon turned on his E-Handbook, which displayed his name before revealing the sections it contained. Leon went to the rules section to see what they said and began reading them.

Rule #1: Students of the academy must live with each other for the rest of their lives without leaving the premises.

Rule #2: Students may explore the school with minimal restrictions.

Rule #3: Violence against Monokuma is strictly prohibited and will be severely punished.

Rule #4: Cameras or any walls of the premises cannot be destroyed. Doing so will result in severe punishment (there can be exceptions for killers)

Rule #5: Monokuma has the power to add or remove rules as he sees fit.

Rule #6: The only way to leave the school is to graduate by killing another student and winning the class trial.

Rule #7: Once a body is discovered by three people, an investigation phase will begin, where the innocent people will search for evidence to discover the killer

Rule #8: Once someone is murdered, a class trial will be held after the investigation phase.

Rule #9: If the majority votes for an innocent person in the class trial, then the murderer will be the winner and will be able to leave the academy while the others are punished.

Rule #10: If the majority votes for the murderer, then he will be the only one punished, and the innocent will be able to continue living their lives in peace.

Leon: (Well, these rules don't seem so bad without counting the murder ones)

Rin: HUH?! Adding rules? Is that a joke?! What else could they add?!

Yagami: Probably supplementary rules that would make the original rules clearer.

Nate: Hey, what does it mean by exceptions for killers? Does that mean they can destroy the building?

Nathan: That doesn't make sense. If they can destroy the walls, then we could escape, right?

Ethan: I don't think killers can just break them.

Natsu: What do you mean? These rules say they can.

Tobias: It's not quite like that. The rule is more specific. It says there CAN be exceptions for killers; it doesn't say all killers will be exceptions to the rule.

Seth: But why would they do that?

Leon: Remember how some of us fought Monokuma and showed off our skills? If some had a fight to the death, then they'd probably accidentally break some walls in the process.

Izuku: That makes sense. If the killer accidentally destroys a wall while killing someone, Monokuma wouldn't want to execute them if it meant missing out on the fun.

Carl: So it's just a way to give the killers an advantage over others, of course.

Tanjiro: Hey, there's also a map in these uh books? I don't remember what they're called.

Nathan: At least that we won't get los-there's a theater?!

Yagami: That's right, I was there with the others when we decided to head here.

Nate: It has everything you need to do several shows, including dressing rooms. There's not much else, though.

Seth: Hey, what's that file room thing? What would they have there?

Conor: Oh, it's the stories the fans create about you.

Snake: Really? I knew I was important, but as far as I know, they didn't create stories about me, although there were rumors about my exploits.

Izuku: Well, when it comes to creating fanfiction, characters are more popular than real people, so it makes sense that in his world they'd write more stories about you.

Harry: I wonder what they wrote about me. I've done so many things, so I don't know what else they'd write.

Delsin: You'd be surprised. You're like the most popular one here. Izuku seems to be second, but he's not even close.

Izuku: I-I'm the second most popular? I didn't expect that.

Leon: There's also a computer with profiles on all of us. It contains some information about our abilities and some comments from the masterminds.

Rin: Really? So what are they saying behind our backs?

Ash: We didn't look at all the profiles, just Nathan's.

Nathan: Don't remind me, I'm still frustrated by what it said.

Carl: People will say things about you no matter what, just ignore it.

Snake: I guess it's time to share my findings. In the infirmary, there are various painkillers and medicines that would help us cure various illnesses, as well as bandages and plenty of medical equipment to treat wounds. However, according to Leon, there are also medical records on all of us.

Seth: What are medical records?

Carl: You can't be serious, right?

Delsin: They're like our health history that contain information about us, like illnesses and that sort of thing.

Seth: Oh, then that's weird. I've seen some doctors in my world, but I've never heard of those records.

Tanjiro: Me neither, and I've been to the butterfly mansion where they heal wounded slayers all the time.

Rin: Oh for the love of God, sometimes I wonder how advanced your worlds are.

Nate: Now that I think about it, you're vaccinated, right? I don't want to contract a disease from your times.

Tobias: I'm afraid if they come from the past, then they wouldn't have modern vaccines, so we could also infect them with diseases their immune systems don't have antibodies against.

Nathan: Does that mean we could die from those?

Snake: There are vaccines in the infirmary; maybe we can use them to prevent that.

Leon: (That's good. The last thing I want is to be bedridden with a rare disease.)

Delsin: So what's left? Because there was nothing in the gym or our rooms that could help us.

Leon: I investigated the laundry room. There are several washing machines that we can use to wash our clothes, but nothing more, except for the Monokuma posters.

Ethan: Posters? What are you talking about? I was at the laundry room earlier, and there weren't any.

Monokuma: I put them up after the announcement. I didn't want to ruin the surprise, you know?

Nathan: AH! Where did you come from?

Monokuma: I didn't come from anywhere. I'm a ghost. No one can see me. I can even disappear just by saying "poof."

Monokuma then disappeared.

Carl: Stupid bear.

Tanjiro: Wasn't he a robot?

Carl: Bear, robot, I don't care what to call it.

Tobias: With that out of the way, I'd like to talk about our biggest problem, the storage room.

Izuku: Right. Leon said there were a lot of weapons there.

Snake: I'm not surprised. Monokuma is too excited for the killing to start not to give us weapons.

Harry: Then we can't leave that place unsupervised. Who knows what a killer could get there? We should lock it down.

Ethan: I agree. We need a plan to keep people from getting in.

Natsu: Okay! So what do we do?

Tobias: As much as I'm worried about the storage room, it's already gotten too late. We should leave the meeting here and continue discussing this in the morning.

Nathan: Are you sure? I know I'm usually asleep at this time, but I don't think I'll be able to sleep after everything that happened.

Snake: Sleep is important, that way we can think clearly and avoid making mistakes.

Tanjiro: If you want, I can stay guarding the entrance to the storage room. I'm used to staying up all night hunting demons.

Rin: In that case, let me help you. We both hunt demons, so I'd like to know more about your experiences.

Seth: Uh? But wouldn't you have to make the food for tomorrow?

Tobias: Rin doesn't have to cook all the time. Since I was the one who suggested leaving this for tomorrow, I'll be the one responsible for cooking.

Ethan: Then let me help you. You know what they say, the more the merrier.

Tobias:...Sure, I don't see why not.

Conor: Well, I'm glad to see everything's going well. Although I find something strange.

Leon: And what would that be?

Conor: Well, you see-

DING DONG DING DONG

Before Conor could finish his sentence, bells rang throughout the building, and the cafeteria television turned on, showing Monokuma drinking champagne.

Monokuma: Hey everyone, this is an announcement to let you know that nighttime has begun. Just so you know, I'm not going to restrict entry to any rooms to make this more interesting. One last thing, if you think I'll say the same thing over and over again every time it's nighttime, then you're wrong. There will be originality in each announcement. Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite.

Once the announcement ended, the television turned off.

Conor: Oh, there's the announcement.

Nathan: Was that necessary? We already have the time in our E-Handbooks.

Ethan: I don't think he cares. The guy does whatever he wants, whether it makes sense or not.

Seth: Does that mean we're done here?

Delsin: There's nothing else to do, so yeah.

Conor: This still feels like a dream. See you guys in the morning.

Carl: I'd rather wake up in my house and have this all be a dream. No offense.

Nathan: Don't worry, I want that too.

Rin: Well, time to stand guard. Come on, Tanjiro. I hope you don't fall asleep mid-shift.

Tanjiro: Don't worry, I've already been up all night some times. This is nothing.

Leon: (He seems sincere. I don't know how he can still be like that after everything that happened to him. At least he's okay for now, I hope it stays that way)

With nothing else to do, everyone headed to their rooms to sleep except for Tanjiro and Rin, who headed to the storage room to make sure no one tries to get in while everyone else is sleeping.

Leon: (I hope nothing happens to them. I know it's only the first day and almost no one would try to do anything after everything that happened, but it's still a possibility.)

When Leon was about to enter his room, he noticed Izuku standing in front of his door, lost in his thoughts, so he approached him.

Leon: Is everything okay? Sorry, I already know the answer, but you seemed too distracted.

Izuku: O-oh, it's nothing. I was just thinking about what to do. No amount of training could have prepared me for this.

Leon: I get you. Are you nervous that someone might try to kill?

Izuku: Something like that. I know I don't know much about anyone here, but I don't think they're capable of something like that. Except for Carl.

Leon: (I understand. His talent and personality make him dangerous. Maybe he's not like that all the time, and the stress is just getting to him, but considering his talent, he's too dangerous to leave unsupervised.) Don't worry. I'll keep an eye on him so he doesn't do anything.

Izuku: Are you sure? He could turn violent and attack you.

Leon: I can defend myself. I'm not the ultimate agent for nothing.

Izuku: If you say so...

Ash: Don't worry, everything always ends well. I'm sure this won't be different.

Leon and Izuku turned to see Ash, who had approached them without them noticing.

Ash: Sorry to interrupt. I just saw you talking and got curious.

Leon: It's okay, there's nothing to apologize for.

Ash: I'm glad. Izuku, don't worry. Even if Carl or some others don't cooperate with the rest, we can still get through this together. My friends and I have been in more dangerous situations and emerged victorious. If we could do that, escaping from here is possible.

Leon: What Ash said, we can get out of here. Even if someone dies, I'll make sure to protect you. That's my job, after all. Protecting people is what I do, so if you have any problems, you can count on me.

Izuku just stared at Leon before a big smile appeared on his face.

Izuku: You're just like him, you know?

Leon: Um, who?

Izuku: All Might, you're just like him. Putting smiles on people's faces, a true hero to follow. Thank you so much for the kind words. I'll stay optimistic. Take care.

With that, Izuku finally entered his room, leaving Leon alone with Ash.

Ash: I hope he's okay. What happened to him while saving Conor must have been horrible for his mental state.

Leon: Don't worry. Even if he's traumatized, we'll be there for him. If you also need help, you can ask me.

Ash: Heh, you're like Cynthia, the champion of Sinnoh. Always ready to help others if they need it.

Leon: Since when does everyone compare me to their idols?

Ash: I don't know if I would call her my idol, I just wanted to say it. See you tomorrow.

Ash then headed to his room. Being alone and with nothing else to do, Leon went to his room to sleep.

Leon: (Damn it, I'm tired. Everything that happened has left me drained of energy. It's like when I had to rescue Ashley. At least this time I could eat more than eggs)

Closing the door behind him, Leon threw himself unceremoniously onto the bed, thinking about everything that had happened.

Leon: (So I'm at the mercy of a psychopathic bear who put me in a killing game with people from different worlds and teenagers who can kick my ass without the slightest effort. I've survived worse, but that doesn't take away from the fact that several of them can kill me at any moment.)

Leon groaned before sitting up in bed. He was too tired, but he wasn't going to sleep well knowing he was being watched. While he was thinking about what to do with the camera, Leon saw the note he had found on his nightstand as soon as he woke up. He picked it up and looked at its contents again, the words now having a new meaning with the information he was given.

"To Leon Scott Kennedy, congratulations. For your acts of patriotism and service to your country to protect it, you have been granted an ultimate title. You will now be recognized as the ultimate agent, the best agent in your world. Wear this title with pride; it will be useful in your new adventure"

Leon only grumbled before crumpling the note into a ball and throwing it into the trash can in his room.

Leon: (Stupid title, that's of no use if the people who gave it to me are psychopaths playing with me. To hell with these ultimate titles! I'll find a way out and get everyone out of here because that's the right thing to do)

After that resolution, Leon felt a little refreshed. He got up and grabbed one of the sheets before throwing it at the camera to cover it. He wasn't afraid since he knew that wouldn't count as destroying it before finally going to bed and letting sleep take him.