DanganRonpa: Prepare for Despair

"It's fine. I understand that you're upset, hell I'd be more than a little pissed myself. But I'm not going to hurt you. "What do you say we go back to the dorms and see if Alex came down here to his room, if he hasn't then we can go back to the cafeteria and sit down, maybe drink some coffee. He wasn't sure if it would help her to be alone with him right now but unless they found Alex, she'd have to deal with it. He'd stay as close to her as she was comfortable with though. He wanted to protect her even if she didn't trust him. He felt the itch of the cuts on his knuckles and remembered his promise to her. "I promised I wouldn't hurt anyone, remember? That includes you."

Alicia nodded. "I want to make something." She knew that they had to find Alex and that Felix wasn't going to let her out of his sight, she'd go with him, but no matter what their search turned up she wanted to go back to the kitchen and just cook or bake or whatever. The kitchen was a place she could feel safe. "After we find Alex, or if we don't, I just want to be in the kitchen afterwards. Okay?"

"Whatever you want. I'll stay in the cafeteria instead of joining you in the kitchen if it makes you feel more comfortable," he said. Then he led the way back to the dorm area to see if they couldn't find Alex in his room.

"No, I... I would like it if you joined me." She had surprised herself by not lying. She really couldn't imagine being by herself after everything that had happened. "You know, only if you want." She had to make up her mind, she couldn't keep flip-flopping between wanting him around and suspecting him of trying to kill her. "I trust you Felix. I've trusted you enough to lie in your defense, enough to let you in my room at night, enough to not look in your folder, I can trust you though this. Fuck the bear, I don't know why I listened to him in the first place. I'm sorry I panicked." She felt reckless and stupid and relieved but not scared. Not anymore. She was back in control of her emotions.

Maybe you shouldn't, Felix thought to himself. After all, Alicia didn't know what was in that folder. No one did except him and the bear. And not for the first time, he found himself cursing the fact that he couldn't remember anything that had happened before he woke up in the auditorium. "That would be good, maybe we could bake a cake or muffins or something," he said.

"Sounds like a great idea." Alicia smiled.

"...Was it something I said?" Monokuma pondered as Felix rushed out of the room. It hopped down and ran outside after the two to see the gate closed, "Oh yeah. That." It said nonchalantly.

"Oh yeah, this! What's going on here bear?"

"It's just a gate. Dunno why yer freakin out." The bear put it's arms behind it's head. "But do you really feel like the kitchen is the safest room fer ya? You said you were attacked there didnt you?"

"I was alone then, this time Felix will be with me. Being alone is dangerous, not the kitchen." Alicia said confidently.

Liam grit his teeth. "It's too tough anyways," he grunted. He slammed his fist on the door out of frustration. "No sense just standing here, let's see what else isn't locked here."

Devin had nothing to say. He stared blankly at Leit's motionless form.

Heather nodded and walked over to the computer room, the door opening same as before, "Who do you think went through this much effort? To keep us here, I mean."

Julie stood quiet for a moment, "Devin..." She said quietly before clearing her throat, "We...we need to start our investigating. If we can't get the body announcement to ring, it'll be up to you and me for the trial." She knelt down next to him, "We gotta fight. Leit wouldn't want you to die. And I don't think you did this."

"The bear would be my first guess." He stepped into the room after her. "Alex is a possibility, since he's vanished. Leit, too, given his suspicious actions in the library."

Devin looked blankly up at her and nodded, he looked back down at Leit. "I can't believe it... It still... hasn't sunk in yet." He shook his head and clenched his jaw. "Okay."

Heather and Liam looked around the computer room. Nothing was missing, more that it looked like things had been moved around slightly. "Someone's been in here at least." Heather noted.

Julie stood up, "We still have the rest of this floor to explore." She headed towards the door, "This also explains why we've been locked on this floor. Whoever the culprit is is keeping us secluded from the others." She walked out into the hallway. "The only question is, how?"

The bear shrugged, "Whaaaaatever." It pulled a key out from behind its back and tossed it to Felix, "There. A key to the room, as requested."

Felix caught the key and looked at the bear. He didn't honestly think he would come through with it. "Let's go," he said to Alicia.

"What room? Why is he giving you keys?" Alicia followed Felix.

"Alex's room. I asked him earlier if he would do it for me, I didn't think anything would come of it though," Felix replied as he rounded the corner to the dorms. "I figured I'd knock first though, just in case."

"I'll trust your eye for detail."

Devin lingered a moment, before following her. "Could be the one that controls the bear, wanting some last sick pleasure."

Heather walked around the room for a moment, poking around and moving pieces of furniture around, "Someone moved these tables and chairs. For what reason, I cannot say."

Julie shook her head, "I'd like to think so. Unfortunately it's not likely." She crossed her arms, "For one thing he already let Leit go once. If he was going through the trouble of killing him, then he would probably just use the torture device that he had waiting, not a subtle method like this. For another, the bear would have no reason to leave you unconscious. Or lock us up here for that matter. We have no power over him and he wouldn't fear anything from us."

Liam sighed. "I see. Nothing else?"

"Oh... Then they must have found the bear's control room."

Felix paused for a second when he got to Alex's door before raising his fist and knocking twice.

Heather turned towards Liam, "No. Nothing else."