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Chapter Seventeen: Hello Despair Academy, From One Hope to Another

The end of Hope, and the beginning of the greatest Despair. They had been fooled since the beginning, and now, they had to pay the price. A Devil under the guise of a true beauty, whose only aspiration was to inflict chaos and pain upon others. Death, suffering, grief, loss, betrayal… There had been plenty of those already, and the worst was still to come, for the Mastermind wasn't done quite yet.

The world wasn't enough. As long as Despair had not taken away the last remaining traces of Hope, it wouldn't be enough. Hope didn't have its place in the world of the Ultimate Despair, for Hope was boring; the easy choice, filled with love, friendship, and happiness.

But the end of Hope also marked the beginning of another. It was a chance to start over, and to avoid the mistakes of the past, even if the cost ended up being high. Hope never ended, and when you thought it had disappeared, it would always come through when you needed it the most, for those who continue to believe until the bitter end are always rewarded by Hope.

Even when it seemed hopeless, there was still a reason to believe, somewhere. The pits of despair seemed insurmountable, but with enough determination and trust, the one true Hope was at the end of the road, waiting to be found. It wouldn't be easy to grasp, and Class 78th's deepest despair was still to come, but as long as Makoto Naegi stood alive, no despair was impossible to defeat.

An Ultimate Despair against an Ultimate Hope. It had never been a fair match, and never would be. A true genius, capable of analyzing any given situation in a split second and find a way to make it as despairful as possible: that was the Ultimate Despair. An average high-school boy, with a boundless optimism as his main trait, and who just wanted the best for everyone: that was the Ultimate Hope.

Two visions of the world meeting at the summit. The stakes had never been this high, and a true showdown of Hope vs. Despair was about to begin. They'd forget, but that didn't mean they would lose. Some things are meant to never be forgotten.

Hope is one of them.

Makoto woke up and yawned loudly, feeling that while he had gotten a good night's sleep, it had been a short one. A smile tugged his lips as he recalled the reasons of why it had been so short.

Yeah, last night was truly special… He recalled, still feeling the warmth of an intimate moment around him. I still can't quite believe Kyoko and I made love, but it did happen… Wow… Who would have thought?

He let out another yawn before getting up from his bed. That was when he realized something - or rather someone - was missing.

"Hey, where's Kyoko?" he asked himself out loud. "She must have woken up before me, I guess… She did say she was used to shorter nights than most."

A note on his desk confirmed that.

"To Makoto,

I woke up a little while ago, and I went back to my room to take a shower and dress up. I'll be waiting for you at the dining hall to have breakfast with the others. Last night was truly special, and I can't wait to talk to you about it.

Love,

- Kyoko"

Makoto felt his heart getting warmer as he read his girlfriend's note and felt a blush coming to his cheeks, but since he was all alone, he didn't fight against it. He felt a little embarrassed, but he knew this was a secret between him and Kyoko, and this made it even more special.

Better take a shower myself and join the others in the dining hall and have breakfast. He thought, collecting his fancy clothes from the day before and putting them in his laundry basket. He grabbed his usual hoodie and everything he needed to dress up more casually and entered his bathroom.

He placed his clothes on the counter and stepped inside the shower, before turning it on, the water heating up quickly and enveloping him in a warm and pleasant bubble. He had thoughts of his girlfriend, of his classmates, of his parents and sister outside, and they all put a smile on his face. The world was in despair, but he wasn't, and some positive thoughts under a warm shower did him a lot of good.

He lathered his body in shower gel and his hair in shampoo - a kind Kyoko loved the smell of - before turning the water on again and feeling all the sweat from his lovemaking session with the lavender-haired detective go away.

After a few more minutes, Makoto stepped out of the shower, before quickly dressing up and trying to dompt his rebellious antenna, to no avail.

I feel cleaner already! I'll have to wash my bedsheets, though… He thought, a guilty smile of pleasure on his lips, as he realized that moreover the sweat, his bedsheets were most likely dirty with something else… It did leave him with a question, though.

Does that mean that Kyoko and I will sleep together on a daily - or rather, nightly - basis now? He wondered, as he absentmindedly stepped out of the bathroom and went to his desk to grab something he always kept on him. He quickly put it in his hoodie pocket. I wouldn't be against it, but I feel like some others could… The Ultimate Moral Compass' face flashed through Makoto's mind. Well, if Kyoko brings it up then we'll talk about it, but if she doesn't, then I'll just let her do what she wants.

Satisfied with that, Makoto checked that he had everything he needed before going to meet his classmates, before opening the door - which had obviously been left open when the Ultimate Detective had left the room. He quickly checked his e-handbook - 10:29 AM, which was rather late, even for him - and went out, though he saw no one in sight.

"Guess they are all at the Dining Hall already…" he sighed, regretting not waking up a little sooner to see his friends. Though he had needed the sleep. "Better hurry, or else Taka will be ma-"

Suddenly, the Ultimate Lucky Student felt a force press against his mouth, not strangling him, but the surprise most definitely made him gasp for air. Strong pressure was applied from behind him and pulled him back until he was pushed to the ground and heard a door close.

His door.

"*cough* *cough* W-What the… *cough* What the hell?! *cough*" upon realizing he was back in his room, Makoto quickly stood up in a panic. "W-Who's there?!"

"It's me, Makoto."

He quickly turned around and noticed a black-haired girl in her white blouse and black skirt, and Makoto's mind went numb.

"M-Mukuro?! What the hell are you doing?!" he asked, recognizing the Ultimate Soldier standing against the wall, making it impossible for the Luckster to evade her.

He tried to approach the door but quickly had to stop.

"Don't move, Makoto," she ordered him, her tone completely emotionless. "You can go sit on your bed if you want, but nothing else. Throw me the key to the room, too."

"W-What…?"

"The key!"

He saw her take a knife out and quickly obeyed. He took the key out from his pocket and threw it to the soldier, who caught it easily before closing the door in a second.

"Good. I can't have anyone disturbing us." she said, putting the weapon away, before adding lowly "Though I doubt there could be anyone there to disturb us…"

"W-Why are you here, Mukuro?! And why in the world did you lock me in there?!" he asked frantically, growing more and more nervous by the second as the girl stood still, stoically.

"I'll explain, Makoto, I promise." she first said, her eyes turning a little kinder, though her voice did not. "But first, I want you to tell me honestly what you think of me."

"H-Huh? Where did that come from?!" Mukuro, what the hell is going on?! Am I still dreaming or something?!

"Just… Just answer the question, Makoto." Mukuro said, ignoring him. "I need an answer."

And so do I… He took a deep breath, trying to recompose himself from the bizarre turn of events the day had taken, before speaking up. "Well, you just assaulted me, which wasn't cool, but… you're a nice girl Mukuro, and a good friend. You aren't the friendliest one of the class, but you've certainly made progress, and I'm glad for that. But now, you need to tell me what's going on."

His voice was surprisingly firm and assertive. He didn't know why, but he didn't feel intimated by the Ultimate Soldier anymore.

"I see… Is that really how you see me, Makoto?" he quickly nodded, urging her without saying it to get to the point. "Then I'll answer your question. I'm here to kidnap you."

"…"

"…"

"… Come again?"

"I've been asked to abduct you and the others, and that's why I'm here," she repeated.

"W-What… WHAAAAAAAAT?!" Kidnapping?! Who the hell would want to kidnap us?! AND IN HERE OF ALL PLACES?! "M-Mukuro! T-There are only the seventeen of us here! W-Who…?!"

The words died in his mouth as the dots connected to form an ugly picture.

"N-No, d-don't… Don't tell me…" N-No… There's no way… NOT HER! "N-No… I-I TRUSTED YOU, MUKURO!"

The Ultimate Lucky Student broke into tears as he felt a terrible betrayal hurt him to his core. He trusted the Ultimate Soldier as much as he trusted anyone of his classmates, but he was starting to feel like he'd been played, and that hurt him more than any stab wound the girl could inflict him.

For her part, Mukuro closed her eyes and remained silent. Only the sound of Makoto's tears was echoing through the room, as the Ultimate Lucky Student's spirit quickly gave away.

"H-How… How could you betray us, M-Mukuro…? BETRAY ME!" he yelled, standing up and pointing at the soldier accusingly. "I was the first one to befriend you, and what do I get as a result?! BETRAYAL?!"

"M-Makoto…"

"SHUT IT, MUKURO!" with an uncharacteristic force, Makoto shouted at the Ultimate Soldier, and he was seriously considering trying to attack her, if her talent didn't make his death the only outcome. The only time he had been this angry was when Kyoko's grandfather had insulted his parents, months ago. Right now, he was feeling the same rage, the same hatred, which darkened his heart and threatened to take away his good soul. "You began to hate Kyoko because the two of you had a crush on me, but now I see that this was nothing but another lie! You know what, scratch what I said earlier! You're a horrible and back-stabbing person, Mukuro!"

"M-Makoto… *sob* P-Please stop! I can't take it anymore!"

When the soldier opened her eyes again, she was crying as much as her crush, if not more, and her voice was so strained, she didn't even sound like herself.

"IT WASN'T MY CHOICE!" she cried to the top of her lungs, making both of their eardrums hurt. "I HAD TO DO IT!"

"M-Mukuro…?" What the hell is wrong with her?!

"I… I don't want to hurt you, Makoto! BUT I HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE!" Mukuro screamed and broke down entirely, her tears dampening the floor of Makoto's room at a rapid pace.

"W-What do you mean 'you had to do it?!'" the lucky student quickly asked, feeling amidst all his anger a lot of confusion. Mukuro's words didn't make any sense to him, and he desperately wanted some answers to his question. I've been betrayed, but I'll at least get my answers! "Talk to me, Mukuro!"

The black-haired girl fell to her knees, crying her heart out. Makoto could have seen that as a moment of weakness he could use to get away, but for some reason, he just couldn't bring himself to do it. Sure, there was still the possibility an attempt at escape ended with him getting stabbed to death, but with Mukuro's guard down like this, it was a doable feat.

No… the reason he couldn't bring himself to do it was Mukuro's mental state. Her desperation reminded him too much of someone.

"I… I… NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

"LEAVE ME ALONE! I'M SICK OF YOU!"

Kyoko… She was the same when she broke down in front of her father and her grandfather back then… Just thinking back to his girlfriend's breakdown back then made him want to cry, but he managed to hold strong, just like he had then. And I was the one to help her because I thought I was the only one who could help her…

"NO! I'll go get her! I think it's been made extremely clear that I'm the one who understands her best! You've hurt her enough already!" the Ultimate Lucky Student had shouted back to the trio of Jin and Fuhito Kirigiri, and Koichi Kizakura.

Kyoko calls me an Ultimate Hope, but what kind of hope is it that I'm letting myself be taken away by thoughts of hate and anger? What would Sayaka have become, had I not been there to listen to her?

"What the fuck is there to explain?!" Makoto had yelled at the Ultimate Pop Sensation, his former feelings for the girl having been put in danger. "You fucking tricked me! Playing your 'pure and kind girl' act on me like I was some sort of puppet! What the fuck do you want to explain to me?! What?!"

I snapped at her back then, and I regret it to this day. I'm here to help people as much as I can, and when I thought I had learned from my mistakes, I do the same thing again! He cursed himself for not learning from his mistakes, before recalling the way he had handled Sayaka's despair.

"S-Sayaka…" the boy had whispered, gently placing his arms around her in a soft hug. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that. And I'm sorry I let myself doubting you. I… I thought you were using me when I just couldn't see the pain you were going through… I should be the one apologizing, Sayaka."

"I'm sorry, Mukuro."

"H-Huh…?" the Ultimate Soldier weakly looked up and saw Makoto's eyes. "W-What…?"

"I said I was sorry, Mukuro," he repeated, feeling his usual self come back. "I snapped at you before giving you a chance to explain yourself, and I shouldn't have done that." he bowed. "I'm sorry."

The girl dried her tears slowly before she could utter another word. "Don't be… Please don't be, Makoto…" she begged, standing back up, though her knees were still throbbing. "You don't have to apologize to someone like me…"

"M-Mukuro…?" She's completely out of it… "Please explain to me. I need to understand!"

"I… I've committed misdeeds even you couldn't forgive me for…" the girl said, and Makoto could feel her regain some composure. "You're right: you trusted me, and I betrayed that trust… I don't deserve anything, and your pity even less."

"I don't want to pity you," Makoto stated, as he, indeed, didn't look like he wanted to pity anyone. "I just want to understand. Tell me what happened, Mukuro, and tell me every detail, even if takes hours. I'll wait."

"Y-You… You want to know the story…?" she seemed surprised. "B-But… But why?"

"Because it'll make me learn. Learn what made you do this, and what I can do to avoid it in the future." the Ultimate Lucky Student told her assertively. "But I need your side of the story, Mukuro."

"… V-Very well…" after a moment of silence and a long and deep breath, the soldier continued to speak. "W-When Junko and I enrolled at Hope's Peak… she already intended to plunge the world to despair. She investigated the school in meticulous detail and learned of the Kamakura Project. She asked me to help her get to Kamakura when he awakened and managed to get through to him, somehow…"

Izuru Kamakura… The so-called Ultimate Hope created by the Steering Committee to generate artificial hope… The project that led to his awakening - the Kamakura Project - was funded by the tuitions of the Reserve Course…

"And then, she made the Student Council Massacre happen and set Kamakura up to take the blame." Mukuro resumed her explanation, unaware of Makoto's thoughts. "With this, she was sure that the Reserve Course would revolt, as Hope's Peak had created a murderer with their parents' money. This… was the Tragedy of Hope's Peak Academy."

Junko set Kamakura up to be the mastermind behind the Student Council murders? And she did that to trigger a revolt among the Reserve Course…? T-That's… That's insane!

"But she wasn't done, which meant I wasn't either." the soldier said. "To feel some more despair, she used her boyfriend's - Yasuke Matsuda - technology to inflict amnesia to herself. That was when I disappeared, and Ryoko Otonashi took my place. In fact… I was never really gone, but was just disguised as my sister…"

"W-Wait… T-Then that means?!"

"Yes… the one who saved you from the Madarai brothers back then… was me."

M-Mukuro saved me…? She… she saved my life?

"You weren't a part of Junko's plan back then, so I could save you," she told him, leaving Makoto baffled. "And then, after she did what she wanted… she killed her boyfriend, so she could feel more despair… It was at this moment that Kyoko was put off the case by the Headmaster."

Yeah… The Principal prioritized her safety and put her off the case back then… Could she have solved it if given some more time? Could she have figured out who had masterminded the Student Council Massacre? And did Junko really kill her own boyfriend just to feel despair…? What kind of madness is this?!

"Finally… before we sheltered ourselves because of the Parade, Junko killed Chiaki Nanami, the Class Representative of Class 77-B to make her classmates fall to despair. They died, apparently, so that didn't completely work out, but it another one of the crimes she committed. That I committed…" she sighed.

J-Junko… killed Chiaki…? And just to make her class fall to despair?! That can't be true!

"After that, on the night of the school party, after everyone was gone, Junko ordered all the parading students to commit suicide, and we were separated from Kamakura." the soldier continued her tale. "The Principal sheltered us here soon after, and this leads today, as Junko asked me to kidnap all of you. I already kidnapped the thirteen others, and you're the last one."

Makoto stayed silent, trying to make sense of all the information he was given. It was a lot to take in, and processing it was the hardest part. He couldn't say it didn't make sense, mainly because he suspected it was the truth, but also because nothing seemed contradictory with what Kyoko had told him.

"That is the truth of what I did, Makoto," she added, looking absolutely miserable. "The truth of how the Tragedy began, and how I took part in starting it. I think you understand now why I don't deserve your forgiveness. What I did is beyond forgiveness, and my betrayal is something I'll never truly recover from. I did all this for Junko, but the only one who made me doubt her plans… was you, Makoto."

"I… I was?"

"Yes. The way you smiled at me… the way you came to chat with me, even when you had much better friends than I…" a small and nostalgic smile came to her lips. "Soon enough, I had fallen in love with you, Makoto. And when Junko's plans began, the way you showed hope and never gave up… it made me question my part." Mukuro said, the smile turning into a frown. "There were nights I thought of giving up and telling you the entire truth, but there was a reason I never did."

"R-Really?" he asked, curious what that reason was.

"Kyoko." she simply said, biting her lip. "I hate her, Makoto. She always got in the way. She made you fall for her, and she was always trying to stop my sister, although she never knew who was behind everything. She took away the boy I love, and tried to stop my sister! I hate her, Makoto! But deep down… I know why you love her. She changed for the better, while I failed to do so. She never betrayed your trust, while I'm about to kidnap you to fulfill Junko's plans.

"She… probably made you feel things I never would have been able to make you feel, so I definitely understand." she continued, looking sad. "I thought of killing her multiple times, but you're the reason I never did it, Makoto. I know you love her more than anyone, and I just couldn't take her away from you. That was my only unselfish action since I came to Hope's Peak, though I know it doesn't amount to much…"

It didn't make any more sense, honestly. Learning that he had been the closest out of anyone on the entire planet to actually preventing the Tragedy - and unknowingly so - was something he had not expected, and neither was the fact that his girlfriend had been on the visor of the Ultimate Soldier for quite some time now.

But this only begs more questions… She said I was the last one she needed to get, but doesn't that mean she got everyone else? But if that's the case, then… how did she get Sakura?! Or Kyoko, for that matter?! And what about the Principal?! Did she kidnap him too?!

"Anyway, you're free to hate me, Makoto. I have never hated myself more than now for having to force you into this, but I need to do it." Mukuro said, interrupting Makoto's train of thought, and not giving him a chance to thinking about the many questions he was asking himself more.

"W-Wait!" there was some panic in Makoto's voice as Mukuro took a step forward, which seemed like one step closer to death for the Ultimate Lucky Student. "M-Mukuro, we can talk about this!"

"We can't, Makoto! I can't abandon Junko again!" she exclaimed, and stopped on her tracks. "I've let her alone for so long… I can't betray her again! Even if it costs me my life… I need to help her!"

"No, that's wrong!" Makoto shouted, pointing a shaking finger at the girl. "I know you and Junko went through a lot, and you have my compassion for that, but… you can't do this anymore, Mukuro! This Tragedy has made enough victims already, and you have the power to put it to an end!"

"It's too late, Makoto! I've got the blood of millions on my hands; I'm over redemption!" the soldier argued, looking quite shaken up. "I am a monster, and I am not even smart like Junko is! I've come to accept that, but I'll bloody my hands even more if it can help Junko! I'd kill you for her, Makoto!"

"M-Mukuro!" I'm not getting through to her! "I can - we can help you and Junko! No one's over redemption, Mukuro! Not you, not Junko, no one! But this madness has got to stop!" he exclaimed, getting more and more frantic by the second. "I know the world hasn't been kind to the two of you, but what will destroying it bring you?! Revenge?! Mukuro, you need to think about this!"

"I don't want revenge, Makoto! I just want to help my sister!" the girl repeated, once again getting quite emotional as she took another step forward. "I don't care what happens to the world as long as Junko gets her despair! Trust me, if there was another way around this, then I'd take it!"

"No! There is another way around this, Mukuro!" I can't give up! If I can change Mukuro's mind, then I've got a chance at making Junko change, too! "Because what will despair bring to the world?! What will it bring to you?! You know as well as I do that the Future Foundation is fighting the Tragedy, and they'll restore harmony one day, and all you and Junko did will go to ash! You'll only be remembered as a criminal who killed millions, if not more, but it's not too late, Mukuro! There's still hope for you! And there's still hope for the sixteen of us, all together!"

She stopped again. She was not less than fifteen feet away from him, but Makoto could feel his muscles tighten with nervousness as the Ultimate Soldier stood there, unreadable.

"N-No… M-My only hope… My only hope is you, Makoto! You are my shining hope, the symbol of enthusiasm that has made my life so much better whenever I felt down, but…" she paused, taking a deep breath. When she spoke again, her tone was clearer and less emotional. "Junko's despair requires me to abandon that hope, so I will. I'll give her my hope to turn into her despair because I owe her that."

"M-Mukuro…"

The Ultimate Lucky Student was conflicted. He was certainly happy to learn that he had been someone other than Kyoko's hope, but to know that Mukuro was ready to cast it aside only for her sister's despair's sake… made him quite uncomfortable.

"Screw despair, Mukuro! I'll make Junko believe in hope if I need to, but I certainly won't let you intentionally become a monster!" he exclaimed.

"You can't do that, Makoto! My sister can't feel hope the way you and everyone else does! You need to have seen the bottomless pit of despair with her to understand how she is, and only I have done that!" she refuted, taking another step forward. "If you are the Ultimate Hope, then my sister is the Ultimate Despair! And she can resist hope as much as you can resist despair!"

"No, that's wro-"

"It's not wrong, Makoto!" Mukuro cut him off abruptly.

"It is, Mukuro!" the Luckster disagreed, raising his voice a tad more. "I can feel despair as much as anyone on this planet, Mukuro! The reason I'm able to keep moving forward, even when despair seems like the only option is because I believe in everyone and the future we can create for ourselves! That's the true nature of hope, and that's how I fight against despair! If my friends fall down, then I'll help them up; and in return, I know that if I fall down, then they'll help me up! That's how hope works, and no one is immune to that, even Junko!"

"You don't know that Makoto! I know why you are on the side of hope, Makoto, and believe me, seeing you being this hopeful every day makes me happier than you can imagine, but you've never seen what Junko went through!" the black-haired girl told him with great frustration. "Despair is her way of life, and she cannot see it any other way! If you could change her, then I'd let you, but even you can't! That's why… that's why I need to ensure her happiness by helping her plunge the world into despair! I'm sorry, Makoto, I really am… but I can't let you get in the way."

"But I don't want to get in the way of anyone, Mukuro!" he assured her, placing his hand on his heart. "I don't care what happened, I know you, Mukuro, and I know you aren't a bad person! And I say you can find happiness another way! And Junko can too, I'm certain of it!"

"I'M NOT A GOOD PERSON, MAKOTO!" she screamed at him, and rushed in his direction, grabbing him by the collar. "I AM A FUCKING MONSTER, AND YOU SHOULD HATE ME!"

"M-Mukuro…" it didn't even feel painful, to be held so strongly by a trained soldier. If Makoto felt any pain, it was the emotional kind. Everything he had told Mukuro, he believed it with all his heart. "I don't hate you, and I doubt I ever will. I don't hate anyone, Mukuro. Yeah, perhaps there are some people I like less than others, but I don't have it in myself to hate people. What you and Junko have done is something even I doubt I could forgive you for, but you can still find atonement, Mukuro.

"I made an assumption when I first met you, and I was terribly wrong." the Ultimate Lucky Student added, referring to his first encounter with the girl, on the first day of school. "I thought your title made you a heartless monster, but now I know better." he took a deep breath, knowing his next words would probably hurt, but they had to be said. "You're not Kyoko, and you never will be. I love her more than I do anyone here, and no one will ever be able to change that. Not you, not Junko, not any of my friends… the bonds I share with her are unbreakable… but that's also the case with each and every one of my classmates; you included, Mukuro.

"I'm shocked by what you have done, and I'd be lying if I said I'd be comfortable being sheltered with you now that I know everything, but that doesn't take away the person I've seen you be, and deep down, the person that you still are. Whatever the path you take, Mukuro, make sure it brings you happiness, and I'm sure your hope will make it everyone's happiness. I trust you, and I know that maybe I didn't get a chance to change your mind, but with enough time, you'll see that I'm right.

"I certainly don't hate you, and I hope that whatever happens, you'll be able to come out of it stronger and that the moments this class shared together with you, all the classes with Ms. Yoshida, the school trips, the parties, the bonding moments… I hope they'll make you a happier person, because you deserve happiness, even if what you partook in brought a lot of despair to the world. I'm your friend, Mukuro, and if you ever hear me say otherwise, then please slap me, because that'd be wrong of me to say."

He looked at her with a hopeful smile, even if his neck began to hurt and that he could feel the upcoming despair getting closer and closer. But as he looked at a friend, he knew that whatever the Ultimate Fashionista had planned, and whatever her sister had agreed to help her with, they'd make it through, and if not in this life, then in a happier one.

And then he was dropped back to the floor and caught in two strong arms into a close hug.

"T-Thank you, Makoto." Mukuro simply said, as Makoto smiled and returned the hug - a friendly one, but a hug that carried as many emotions as his words had. Suddenly, the boy felt a cloth press against his mouth, and slowly began to lose consciousness. "Whatever becomes of me, please know that you're the first person who ever cared for me, and that… I love you, Makoto. I'll always be grateful for everything you've done for me, and I know that even if Junko tries to make you fall to despair, then you'll stand back up again, stronger than ever. And you're right… perhaps I'll be there to see the world you build…"

She pulled back, removing the cloth imbibed with chloroform she had pressed against her crush's lips, and smiled at him - an honest-to-goodness smile, that while he wasn't completely conscious, made Makoto feel at peace.

"I love you, Makoto, and even if you don't love me back, that won't change. And please don't change either… this world needs an Ultimate Hope like you, as much as my sister needs her Ultimate Despair.

"Goodbye, Makoto."

And with the sound of Mukuro Ikusaba's soft sobbing, Makoto felt his eyes close for good, as he drifted to sleep, with hope for his friend, who perhaps had lived a life full of despair for the greater part, but who he was glad had at least found her tiny bit of hope in the time they'd spent.

Where… Where am I…?

The Luckster opened his eyes, and as he felt his consciousness fully come back, was surprised not to recognize where he was. It took him a few more seconds for the dots to connect, and he realized he wasn't in his room anymore, but somewhere else he had no recollection of ever going to.

O-Oh yeah… Mukuro made me go unconscious, didn't she…? He remembered, the faint odor of the chloroform still on his lips. But where am I…?

The boy stood up, and finally realized something rather important. He was standing in an unknown and colorful room… but he wasn't alone.

Thirteen people stood up at approximately the same moment as he did, and they all looked confused, at least for those Makoto had the time to see before things went awry.

"H-Hey, where the hell are we?!" he heard Leon shout, completely lost, and whose eyes looked for his girlfriend.

"W-What the fuck is going on here?! That's not my fucking room!" Mondo added with an angry roar. "Who the hell knocked me out?!"

Oh, so maybe the others didn't see Mukuro knock them out…? The lucky student wondered, as more of his classmates expressed their confusion.

"Who knocked us out? I think the answer becomes quite evident if you notice who's missing among the sixteen of us."

Makoto immediately recognized this voice as Kyoko's voice and noticed her standing on the other end of the strange room, and if Makoto didn't know better, he would have thought she was as composed as ever.

"H-Huh…? Someone's missing?" Hina asked, glancing around the room.

"Ikusaba, and Enoshima." Byakuya finished for her, but looked suspiciously at everyone, nonetheless. "I'd wager one of them is our suspicious attacker. And maybe even both, for someone like Sakura."

"Indeed… I was attacked by two people, but they wore masks, so I couldn't identify them." the martial artist gave a nod of confirmation. "But why would Mukuro and Junko attack us?"

Makoto quickly walked to his girlfriend, who spoke up again. "I think we'll get our answer soon enough," she said, looking completely emotionless - as she used to be before opening up to the others.

As the Luckster covered the last few steps separating him from his girlfriend, he couldn't even think back to the moments of bliss they had shared the night before, and it pained him to see her so stoic again.

I'm sure she figured everything out… and it must be hurting her more than she lets on… He thought, before getting to her and quickly embarrassing her in a tight hug. "Kyoko! Y-You're alright, aren't you?!"

"Makoto." she pulled back from the hug and looked at him seriously. "I am relatively unharmed, even if my arms and legs hurt from hits I took. Are you alright?"

"Y-Yeah, I think I am…" he said, differentiating the physical and mental aspects. He was fine physically, apart from being grabbed by the collar, but there were remnants of the pain he felt for his soldier friend and what she had got herself involved with. "You've figured it out, haven't you?"

"Yes, I did…" she sighed in frustration. "And I curse myself for not seeing it sooner when it was blatantly obvious… That's all my fault…"

"Hey, we couldn't have known, Kyoko!" Makoto reminded her. "We were focused on surviving; we couldn't have imagined that the culprits were among us! Don't start doubting yourself, Kyoko! You had your issues when the Tragedy began, and we thought we were safe as long as we were here, so this can't be your fault!" If there's one person who fought to find the truth more than anyone, it's you, Kyoko, so you can't blame yourself! "Junko fooled all of us, and we all fell for it! The only important thing right now… is that we get out of here, so we can escape."

"M-Makoto…" she muttered and went mute for a few seconds. A smile appeared on her lips. "Yes, you're right. We did our best, and while this might seem like failure, we can't give up as long as we stand alive. Thank you, Makoto. It's good to know you're here to help me put away my negative thoughts."

"You're welcome, Kyoko," Makoto said with a light blush, temporarily forgetting the ordeal they were currently going through. "I think we should investigate this place, right? Chances are, we're still within Hope's Peak, wouldn't you say?"

"Yes, most likely." the Ultimate Detective nodded in agreement before pointing in a direction. "There seems to be an elevator door over there. It's locked, but maybe with enough effort we can force it open."

"Yeah, let's go!" That's the spirit, Kyoko! The Luckster thought with a smile, as they rushed towards what appeared to be an elevator. Some other details, like the circle of stands, the throne standing over the room, and the screen on one of the walls, were put aside, to eventually be investigated later.

The potential opening had already got the interest of some of their classmates, as the Ultimate Martial Artist and her swimmer friend, as well as the Ultimate Affluent Progeny and his novelist fangirl who were all standing near it, with Sakura trying to force it open.

"Curse! This door won't even budge!" she exclaimed, looking quite frustrated, and panting. "It must be meant to be opened via a remote because it is definitely not openable by a human being! I'm afraid this won't be an exit for us…"

She did try again, but got the same results, even when a sobbing Hina joined her in her efforts. Meanwhile, Byakuya simply watched the scene unravel, frowning - which meant that Toko was frowning, too.

"Piece of junk," he said, his voice bitter. "To be outsmarted by plebians like Enoshima and Ikusaba… What a shame…"

"Hey, we can't give up yet!" Makoto reminded him, actually grabbing his shoulders, and shaking him, which cause the Togami heir to sigh. "Perhaps there's another way we haven't found yet!"

"I'm afraid this is not the case either, unfortunately."

"H-Huh?" the small group turned around and noticed Celeste and Hifumi standing there, the Ultimate Gambler looking quite distressed under her emotionless mask. "C-Celeste! What do you mean?!"

"Leon, Sayaka, Hifumi, and I have conducted a short investigation of this room and haven't found anything worthy of note," she said, with the Ultimate Fanfic Creator nodding weakly in agreement. "The curtains on the walls do not hide any potential exits, and both the throne and the stands aren't suspicious either. Perhaps a more throughout investigation would help us more, but I'm afraid we might not have the time for that."

"Hm… Quite right…" Kyoko nodded, looking pensive, with her eyes closed and her hand on her chin in deep thought. "Considering what she's done, I doubt Junko would give us any way out. And I have a feeling this screen won't remain turned off for very long, I'm afraid…"

The lavender-haired girl pointed to the screen in question, which was still off.

Does Junko plan to use that as a way to communicate? Makoto wondered, noticing some speakers set up on the walls, too. And why did she trap us here in the first place?! So we'd starve? I mean… she has already killed so many people with the Tragedy, so this wouldn't be over her, but…

Seeing him in thought like this, Kyoko addressed her boyfriend with a short "You're thinking the same thing, right? That Junko wouldn't be pleased with just killing us right off the bat."

"Y-Yeah…" he confirmed, as Kyoko took his hand and led him a few feet away from the rest of the group. "Mukuro told me her sister craved for despair, so I think she has something much more complicated and diabolical in store for us… But we need to stop her!"

"W-Wait, you've talked to Mukuro?!" Kyoko questioned, her eyes widening in surprise. Makoto nodded, not understanding why she was so surprised. "Before she knocked you out, right?" another nod. "Hm… I see… Could you tell me everything that happened after you woke up this morning, Makoto?"

"Yeah, sure. So, you see…"

He told her the entire story on his end, from waking up and seeing she wasn't there, to finding her note and going to shower, to heading to the Dining Hall and being pushed back inside his room, to Mukuro's explanations, to his attempts of changing her mind.

The Ultimate Lucky Student made sure to tell her every detail, as he knew if someone could piece out something important from a little detail, it would be the Ultimate Detective. He trusted her more than anyone, and he believed in her.

"So, was this useful?" he asked hopefully, but a headshake from Kyoko dampened his mood.

"Unfortunately, I don't think so…" she said, looking quite down herself. "She pretty much told me the same things when she came to get me…"

"Wait, so you got to talk to her too?!" She didn't mention that! Oh God, considering what Mukuro said about Kyoko… "I-I'm afraid to ask…"

"It didn't go well, no," she confirmed it before he even got a chance to ask. "We fought, and while I managed to get her to talk while we were landing blows, she got me." she sighed. "I wouldn't be here otherwise… I made the mistake of underestimating her…"

Kyoko stepped out of the bathroom with a content smile on her lips, recalling the pleasure of feeling her boyfriend close to her - the closest they could possibly be, actually. It was her first time, and she didn't really know what to expect, but she wasn't disappointed with what she got.

I definitely wouldn't mind doing this again soon… She thought, grabbing her e-handbook on her desk. It definitely felt better than doing it by myself, and I think that whatever I do with Makoto HAS to be amazing. This boy really makes you do things you never would have done, doesn't he, Kyoko?

*knock* *knock*

Her lovely train of thought was interrupted by a couple of knocks on her door, which got her wondering about who could possibly want to talk to her so early in the morning, way before the time for breakfast. They had all gone to bed late the night prior, and if she was able to wake up pretty easily in the early morning, she doubted her classmates could do the same.

Though a cup of coffee would do me some good right now… *sigh* Let's see who's there…

She placed her handbook in her pocket before opening the door, at the same time it knocked again.

*knock* *knock*

"Yes, I heard you the first time- AH!"

She jumped back quickly, and took a few steps back for safety as the person standing on the other end of the door was someone she wouldn't have expected.

"W-Who…" she muttered, as a masked person entered her room, with a knife in hand. The door closed with a loud *BANG*, and Kyoko realized she was trapped. "Who are you?" the detective asked, only needing a second to get calmer, even in her situation. Chances were, she could take whoever was wearing that mask on in a fight, so she wasn't scared.

"…"

She was met with silence. But a silence that spoke volumes, as she was able to concentrate on her mysterious assailant's movements instead, and particularly, on their fighting stance.

W-Wait, I've seen someone train with this fighting stance before! She realized, and in an 'eureka' moment, the dots connected, though the realization didn't please her at all. "Ikusaba!"

She exclaimed that as she got into her own fighting stance, ready to attack or to be attacked at any moment.

The other person sighed and removed their mask before throwing it on the floor, indeed revealing the Ultimate Soldier underneath it. Kyoko hmphed, and narrowed her eyes on the other girl, saying, "You didn't do a great job of going incognito, I have to say. Wasn't disguising a part of your training, Ikusaba?"

"Shut it, Kirigiri," Mukuro said, holding her knife threateningly. "I can't kill you, but perhaps you'd be up for a torture session?"

The lavender-haired girl actually chuckled, taunting Mukuro, before she went serious again and the last dots connected. "You can't kill me, because that's not what she asked of you, am I wrong?"

"I don't have to tell you anything, Kirigiri." the soldier said before adding, "Now, either you come with me without a complaint, or I'll have to force you. I personally don't mind."

"Hmph, bold of you to assume you can beat me in a fight, Ikusaba." Kyoko declared, looking at her current enemy with venom in both her eyes and her voice. "But you can still try and see where it'll lead you. Trust me, I'm much tougher than I look." And besides… if I'm right, then I *can't* lose against you!

This triggered something in the Ultimate Soldier, as she lunged forward and towards the Ultimate Detective, and punched in her direction with her free hand. A strong and hateful punch, but Kyoko managed to parry it with her arms, though it was in the nick of time.

The detective girl began to analyze her opponent as the first few blows were exchanged, and realized that whatever she said, she would need to destabilize Mukuro if she wanted to have a shot at beating her.

She's weak mentally, especially if I hit where it hurts. She thought, dodging another punch, and trying to land another, but it missed. "When did that absurd plan for a Tragedy got into your sister's head, Ikusaba? And when did you begin to be her mere pawn?"

"Grr… Shut your mouth, Kirigiri!" the soldier growled and tried to tackle Kyoko's legs, but the detective avoided it with a quick and swift jump back, before landing a powerful punch right in Mukuro's right cheek, which disarmed her of her knife. "Oww!"

Good, one hit… Kyoko was glad to learn that if she frustrated her opponent and got on her nerves she could find a weakness in her fighting stance, but she remained cautious, which proved to be the right thing to do when Mukuro got back into the fight a second after being hit. She was trained to kill people, but not to outsmart them. I have interrogated criminals my entire life, so that's one thing I have the ascendent on…

"The Student Council Massacre, the Steering Committee's deaths, and let's even throw the attempt on my life with that falling desk into the mix… that was all you and your sister, right?" she asked, as their fight resumed. "And you simply went along with it, because you're very influenceable, right?"

"I'M NOT INFLUENCEABLE!" this time, Mukuro's anger increased her speed and strength tenfold, as her knee connected with Kyoko's belly.

"OWWWW!" FUCK! THAT HURT! The detective got on a knee, and the pain prevented her from moving. She felt the soldier lunge at her once more. What the hell am I thinking?! Get back on your feet, Kirigiri! She stood back up, and through the pain, dodged the trained soldier by sliding to her left, and threw a kick that got Mukuro off-balance.

"F-Fuck…" the soldier muttered as another of Kyoko's kicks, this time hitting her other leg, got her to fall on the floor of the detective's room.

Makoto's girlfriend didn't miss a beat and took a hold of the soldier on the floor, as the black-haired girl tried to struggle against her grip. She got one wrist pretty easily with her dominant hand but found herself being pulled towards the floor too.

"What you did, Ikusaba…" she began to pant, as she tried to remain in a proper position to have the advantage. "I won't ever forgive you… As the Ultimate Detective… and as Makoto's girlfriend." I didn't want to go there, but I can't afford to lose this fight, so I'll land low blows if I need to! "He'll hate you once he learns the truth, Ikusaba!"

"D-Don't… Don't you talk about Makoto!" she exclaimed, regaining some strength, though she was also beginning to pant and sweat. "I've done my best to protect him, even when the Tragedy began!"

"You've done none of that! You put his life at risk with your stupid plans and your sister's madness, so don't you dare say you've protected him!" she landed another punch right in Mukuro's nose, and got the same sound of pain. "You lost the right to consider yourself one of his friends the day you thought of destroying the world! I don't care what Junko's plans are, I WON'T LET YOU GET TO MAKOTO! TAKE THAT!"

She landed punch after punch, overpowering the Ultimate Soldier completely, as she pulled her fist back to prepare for her final blow, she felt her felt being empowered by something.

I should have seen it… But I'll put an end to it now! She thought. "IT ENDS HERE! DIE!"

Her fist got on its way towards Mukuro's face as Kyoko kept her knee on the soldier's upper body to pin her to the ground strongly. She honestly thought she had won - the thought of her boyfriend being in immediate danger making her surpass herself in terms of strength.

"NO!"

However… It didn't exactly go the way the Ultimate Detective wanted. In fact, it was the exact opposite, as the Ultimate Soldier broke free with her arms and parried the punch before it was even a real threat to her, and pushed Kyoko with surprising force.

The Kirigiri detective lost her position of dominance and was instead overwhelmed by her enemy's sudden power, and her arms had to take a few hits as she quickly found herself stuck on the floor, unable to move freely.

"I… I won't let anyone get in the way of Junko's plans… ESPECIALLY NOT YOU!" Mukuro swore and threw a strong uppercut, and when Kyoko tried to kick her away with the heels of her boots, it backfired. The other girl slid to the right to avoid the detective's kick and grabbed her tightly by her tie, before standing up and holding her in the air.

"A-Argh… C-Can't… b-breathe…" Kyoko weakly muttered as she felt her brown tie choke her. N-No! I… I had her! She tried to swing her legs around to reach Mukuro's legs but to no avail. It was getting harder and harder to think straight, and after thirty seconds of being choked, Kyoko tried one more time to punch the soldier, but her fist was easily caught by the former Fenrir member.

"It's over, Kirigiri." the black-haired girl told her, not even tauntingly. "But you're right, the true Mastermind wasn't me, but my sister. Nevertheless… I'll do whatever it takes me to help her achieve her goals, whatever anyone might think. I hate you, Kirigiri, and if it wasn't for Makoto's love for you, then I would already have killed you. I don't deserve him, and that's something I came to accept. I won't hurt him, but you've been a pain to my sister for too long, and now you'll see what defying her means."

She released her tie a little bit, which allowed the detective to breathe a little easier, though she was still firmly held.

"Perhaps Makoto's hope reached you, but it won't be of any use to you now," she said before her eyes darkened. She took a cloth from her pocket while keeping her hold on the Principal's daughter. "Any last words, Kirigiri?"

As the detective realized this wasn't a battle she was going to win, she was still able to smirk at her greatest opponent, and the only one who to ever win a fight against her. She knew this was going to be a tough battle, and she wasn't enough to defeat the best soldier in the world.

My last words? This isn't the end, Mukuro Ikusaba. Perhaps you've won this round, but hope will always triumph against despair. Our current situation seems hopeless now, with the Mastermind among us, and even if I made mistakes that caused us to be in this situation, contrary to you I can at least look back and think of him as I say…

"Hope moves forward."

"A-And you were only 'relatively unharmed' from that?!" Makoto's eyes widened as he stood there, dumbfounded. "K-Kyoko, are you sure you're alright?! That sounded bad!"

"I'm fine, Makoto, no need to worry about me." the detective told him, as she finished telling her story, which was quite different from her boyfriend's tale. "That's a fight I shouldn't have lost, but no need dwelling on the past. We need to focus on what we'll do next… but first I think you have a speech to deliver, Makoto."

The girl pointed to the rest of their classmates - sans the two sisters, obviously - who were all gathered around the stands, with each of their faces looking quite grim. They looked demotivated, and without much spirit to look for either a way out or at least for a plan.

They're thinking of giving up… Makoto realized and frowned as Kyoko stood by his side, holding his hand. They think we're done for, and that only despair awaits us… But that's wrong.

"Hey, commoners, you aren't actually thinking of giving up already, are you?!"

"H-Huh?" both Makoto and Kyoko reacted to the loud comment coming from the group not too far away.

"I've endured your presence for fifteen months now, and I've made sacrifices none of you have made during this Tragedy, so I don't want any of you plebians to give up a fight against that novice Mastermind!" that voice belonged to Byakuya Togami, who, to everyone's surprise, gave the class his version of a motivation speech, though not exactly the kind Makoto was thinking of. "I'll get Enoshima's head, even if I have to die for it, but as much as it pains me to admit it, I'll need your help! We still aren't in the same league, but I feel like my greatness has rubbed off on you all, and no one worthy of being acquittanced with a Togami has the right to give up a fight!

"You are all looking pathetic right now! I was told this school taught Ultimates, not mere weaklings! You are commoners, and nothing will ever change that fact, but show some dignity and fight Enoshima like Ultimates!" the Ultimate Affluent Progeny continued, pointing at his classmates successively, as the couple looked from afar. "Makoto taught us to keep hoping, and even if he's incredibly foolish, if I learned to trust in his words, then you must have, too! Look at Kirigiri! She was basically human emotionless trash before, and even if she knows how much I dislike her, look at how much she changed!

"I'll keep moving forward until the day I can claim Enoshima's life and restore my family's name to its greatest, but meanwhile, I don't want classmates I never chose to put shame on my good name, so raise your heads and fight! Feel free to do whatever you want with your miserable lives after that, but at least show me you're more worthy than you let on! I'm going to give this hunt for this miserable Mastermind my best. If you value your lives, you'll put everything you have into this! That is how our world works nowadays, and until I rebuild it for the better, then we have no choice but to stand it!"

Makoto smiled. Kyoko did too.

"Remind me to ask him why he needed to take a shot at me, will you?" she asked with an amused smirk as the blonde boy finished his speech and lowered his finger.

Makoto chuckled. "Yeah, I'll keep it in mind." Byakuya… That's who you really are, isn't it? That's your way to care for everyone, and even if I wouldn't have said it this way, you're entirely right, my friend.

"So, shall we go and see the others?" the detective asked her boyfriend, looking fondly at their classmates who began to successively raise their heads again. "While this was a pretty good speech, I think they still need you."

"Yeah, let's go." squeezing his love's hand a bit, the Ultimate Lucky Student began to walk towards his thirteen other classmates, proud they were able to keep on hoping, even if their situation was far from ideal. I'm not sure you need me, but I need you all, so rest assured I'll be by your side for as long as I can.

However, with a couple of feet separating the couple from their classmates, a sound echoed throughout the room and got everyone's attention.

"Test, one, two; test! Can you hear me?"

They quickly understood where it was coming from, and it didn't take them more than a second to look up to the large screen hanging high on a wall, and see that while it had been off this whole time, it wasn't anymore.

Makoto and Kyoko stopped on their tracks, a determined look entering the former's face as they noticed the figure of Junko Enoshima on the other side of the screen, speaking into a mic. They all tensed, whether they wanted it or not.

"And… we're good! Goooooood morning, everyone! I hope you all had a great and refreshing start to this wonderful day! Oh, wait… I'm being told that you were all abducted, actually!" she began with, feigning ignorance. "Well… that sucks…" the Ultimate Fashionista added with her depressed persona. "But don't worry guys, I'll come and save you all! Oh, but now I'm being told that I was the one who asked for your kidnappings, so I guess I can't really save you… Well, then… I guess it sucks to be you!"

"Get to the point, Enoshima." Kyoko calmly said, eying the blonde on the screen.

"Oh, Kiri! How's it going?" Junko greeted the detective and asked with a smile. "Muku told me the two of you had fun earlier, is that true?" seeing she wouldn't get an answer to the obvious taunt, she continued. "Well, even trash can have its uses, and I guess Muku's is fighting!" she turned around on her seat and exclaimed, "Good work, Muku!"

"To the point, Enoshima!" the Ultimate Detective repeated, this time with more force, and Makoto felt her hand grip his harder.

"Yeah, sorry, sorry… Oh, just one last quick question, then we'll move on okay?" Junko said, giving the class her cutest (and fakest) smile. "My dear Kyoko… do you like rockets, and space, and stuff? Like, I don't know… don't you ever dream of blasting off into space and seeing just how pretty the stars are?"

Makoto saw the frustration in his girlfriend and was about to answer for her when the Ultimate Detective actually replied.

"I don't know what you mean, and I doubt I want to know. I won't give in to your poor taunting, Enoshima, if that's what you want to know." the lavender-haired girl told her, keeping her cool.

"Hmph, you're missing the point, but I digress. You want to know why I gathered the fourteen of you here, right?"

"Yeah! What are you planning to do with us, Junko!" Hina asked, having visibly composed herself since Makoto last saw her helping Sakura. "Why would you kidnap us?!"

"Oh, c'mon! That's an easy one!" the Ultimate Fashionista told her happily. "Because I'm the one and only Mastermind behind the Tragedy, that's why!"

The students who had not already figured that out - the Ultimate Swimming Pro being one of them - all gasped, but before they could say anything, Junko continued to speak.

"The one who fucking plunged the world to despair by starting a worldwide protest that brought chaos… was me, Junko fucking Enoshima!" she said in her punk persona. "Oh, by the way, we're live in front of the entire world, so I'll allow myself a quick message, alright?"

W-What…? The entire world… is watching? Makoto noticed his girlfriend sharing his look of confusion. Does that mean… she hijacked the airwaves, somehow?

"This is a message to the Future Foundation, and more particularly, to the esteemed Kyosuke Munakata and the old man running this joke of an organization, who I know must both be pretty mad right now…" she grinned at the screen. "How's it been going outside? Doing much recently? Surely you didn't expect that one, now did you? Nah, you definitely didn't! But don't worry, I'll be focusing on my dear classmates for a little while, but that doesn't mean I forgot about you! You're free to try and come to Hope's Peak, by the way, but I have a feeling you won't be welcomed by a cheering crowd… Well, that's all I had to say for now. Bye!"

"Hey, you fucking weirdo, don't leave us hanging like this!" the Ultimate Biker Gang Leader shouted at the screen angrily. "You're lucky to be a girl or I would have destroyed your face already!"

"Ha! I'd like to see you try, Mr. Gentleman-who-doesn't-hit-girls!" Junko rebutted immediately, before adding "Or perhaps you'd like a little secret of yours to be revealed as a little teaser to what the fourteen of you will be doing soon? You know, about trucks and all?"

This shut Mondo up, as he looked at the screen with his eyes filled with terror, and his legs began to shake.

"B-Bro, what's wrong?!" Taka asked, as Chihiro looked up to her best friend with a frightened expression.

"H-How… How did she…?"

What was that all about?! I'm confused! Makoto thought, but remained silent, as he waited for the right moment to chip in. And what was that about a teaser?!

Kyoko stared at the screen with a determination of her own, though the Ultimate Lucky Student didn't question it.

"Oh, it doesn't matter," Junko said and dismissed it, just like this. She then went to her royal persona and placed a crown on her head. "We think we were talking about what we have in store for the lot of you peasants, are we wrong?" she didn't get an answer, as everyone was either listening closely or making sure their loved one(s) was (were) alright.

However, the one who spoke up next wasn't the fashionista, but someone else entirely.

"I suppose you want us to die, so you can get your dose of despair, is that correct?" Celeste asked, and looked very much composed, though Makoto could see through her mask, just like earlier. In reality, there was some panic in her expression - the one Makoto had been about to try and remove when Junko interrupted them.

"You can always try that, Junko, but there's no way we'll die!" Leon chipped in and said.

Sayaka agreed with a wide smile, "Yeah, we've come too far to die now, and Byakuya was right! We're Ultimates, and we need to show the way, so we can build a better future for the world!"

"H-Hey, what's that talk about death, guys?!" Hiro asked, panicked. "I-I don't want to die any time soon! My predictions say I'll live until I'm 219!"

"You… might want to reconsider your prediction, Hiro…" Sakura said, though she also smiled and added, "Though I can assure you that you won't die. The death of one of my classmates… THAT WOULD BE UNFORGIVABLE!"

Her roar made the entire room go quiet, as the Ultimate Martial Artist's force was as strong in her voice as it was in her muscles.

"Puhuhuhuhu…" the silence was broken by Junko's disturbing cackling. "You're being awfully optimistic by saying 'one of my classmates' you know? I certainly don't plan to kill one of you! Well, I don't plan to kill anyone…"

Some let out a sigh of relief when the Mastermind said that, though the others were not buying it.

There's a catch to that, I'm sure of it. The Luckster thought but remained silent for a while longer. Considering what led up to the Tragedy, she'd be willing to do anything to get her despair… and to say that she was among us all this time… All these moments she asked me about my views of the world… that was to test me, I'm sure.

"And that's because you'll be doing the killing!"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"W-W-W-WHAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!"

"What the hell is she saying now?!"

"What kind of nonsense is this?!"

"You're overexaggerating, Enoshima." Kyoko asserted, as respectively Hifumi, Leon, and Byakuya all had their reactions, among others.

"Oh, trust me, I'm not!" the fashionista said with confidence. "I mean, it wouldn't be fun to kill you, right? It's much more fun to see you die at your own hands, to see the distrust, the doubt, the betrayal… and the greatest despair!"

And as if her words were a spell, an anxiety-inducing silence filled the room, as the fourteen Ultimates eyed each other suspiciously.

"Ah, that's what I want to see!" the blonde added. "Puhuhuhuhu… That'll be fun!"

"…"

"…"

The others are letting her get to them… He looked to his side and noticed Kyoko, whose bangs were hiding her eyes completely. And Kyoko's no exception…

"You're absolutely insane, Junko."

The Ultimate Lucky Student finally spoke up and directed his most serious glare at the screen, and he didn't back down when the Mastermind gave him a glare of her own.

"What you did… I can't even put a word on how horrible it was," he told her, as a few others looked at him curiously. "There'll be no forgiveness for what you did, Junko, even from me. But you have a chance to back down, and if you don't take it now… it'll be too late to change your mind then. You try to cause distrust among us, and even if you found a way to get to us… we'll just rise up from the ashes once again."

"Puhuhuhuhu… That's a bold assumption, luck boy! Well, not so lucky right now, I suppose…!" she smirked at him, to which Makoto simply smiled, not giving her an inch of ground to work with, nor a single sign he might be falling to her despair. "You can't stand up from the pits of despair, luck boy. Once you've gone there… it's over, and it's over for good. I mean… look at our dear classmates! We haven't even begun, and they already look so depressed; isn't that so amazing? Accept it, Makoto, there's nothing you can do! Despair is life's unpredictability, and one you can't avoid!"

"NO, THAT'S WRONG!" the boy shouted, pointing accusingly at the screen. "Life can be unpredictable, but that's not despair! Unpredictability is when you meet someone by chance and they become your friend! Unpredictability is when you're an average guy without much going for him and you find yourself among a group of fifteen Ultimate Students who become your best friends! Unpredictability is when you find the girl of your life among these fifteen friends, and you want to be by her side at all times when you never fell in love before! That's unpredictability, Junko! I found hope in the unpredictability of life, and I know it was the same for everyone here!"

"M-Makoto…"

"Oh, will you stop with your boring hope, already…?" Junko asked and pouted, visibly unhappy that the Luckster was putting up such a good fight. "Despair is already among you all, and there's nothing you can do about it! So accept your defeat, luck boy!"

"I think not, Enoshima."

That voice came from Kyoko, who looked to the Mastermind, with a newfound spirit in her eyes.

"Perhaps we made the mistake of letting despair infiltrate us, but you're forgetting one little detail, and it'll put the nail in your coffin once we get to you," she told her and smirked. "If you're the Ultimate Despair… then we'll just defeat you with the help of our Ultimate Hope. You fought to destroy hope, Junko, but that won't be enough. It'll never be enough. As long as our Ultimate Hope stands among us, then you'll never have what it takes to take us down! And one day, I'll be on your tail, and when I do… you can be sure I won't repeat my mistakes."

"Quite right," Byakuya added, readjusting his glasses. "You might put me through whatever you want, Junko Enoshima, but you will always be nothing more than a frustrated plebian. You're nothing next to a Togami, and I'll ensure that you die by my hand. You have my word on that."

"Kyoko… Byakuya…" Thank you guys…!

"Ugh, and now both the detective and the prick joined the luck boy…" Junko let out a long sigh. "That's boring… Well, I think I've waited long enough for my despair, so as a little reward for having to listen to your boring hope speeches… I say we let the game begin!"

She pressed a button, and white gas began to come out of the speakers.

"Makoto Naegi… it's time to see just how long you'll be able to lie to yourself." the Ultimate Despair told the Ultimate Hope. "Soon enough, you'll realize that Despair is the only choice, and you won't even remember Hope. Mark. My. Words. Now though, time to sleep! Sweet dreams, everyone! Sleep tight, because when you wake up, you'll be in for a lot of despair!"

The monitor turned off as soon as she finished uttering that threat, leaving Class 78th in a moment of confusion. It all seemed unrealistic, and it honestly was. Learning that one of their classmates was the Mastermind behind the Tragedy, and being clueless as to what she planned to do with them left a bad taste in their mouths… especially when she promised them they'd soon be killing each other.

"G-Guys… what should we do now…?" Sayaka asked, and Makoto could see she was clinging onto a small hope amidst all their despair. "I… I don't feel so good suddenly…"

"Y-Yeah, me neither…" Leon agreed with his girlfriend and wrapped a protective arm around her, though Makoto knew he needed the closeness as much as the Ultimate Pop Sensation did. "I'm having a bad feeling…"

"M-Me too…" Chihiro weakly nodded and sobbed faintly. "I don't ever want to distrust you guys… b-but Junko is scary…"

"Yeah, that chick is mad!" Mondo added furiously and remained close to the Ultimate Programmer. "D-Driving us to kill each other… How the hell does that even work?!"

"Killing each other… is most definitely not acceptable in a school environment but…" Taka trailed off, his usual enthusiasm and passion when it came to the rules partly reduced. "It's obvious she doesn't care for rules and order… I… I have this weird feeling, too…"

"Mr. Ishimaru is right…" Hifumi said, freaked out. "Ms. Enoshima's genius stat was higher than we all thought, and I fear she's a villain we won't be able to defeat… like a final boss the game designers made unbeatable."

"Our chances of survival… are slim to none, in our current situation." Celeste chipped in and said with a grim look on her face. "My dream… is about to be taken away…"

"Even with our strength, we weren't able to prevent Junko from plotting against us…" Sakura regretted, her fighting spirit completely gone. "I have been useless to you, and I feel miserable."

"I-I-I don't wanna die! M-My predictions never said anything about k-killing each other!" Hiro said in a panic, shaking violently. "A-Anything but death!"

"I… I don't wanna die either!" Hina agreed as she cried against the Ultimate Martial Artist's shoulder. "I can't die before seeing my brother again! But… Junko is too smart! We can't defeat her!"

"T-T-The bimbo is r-r-right…!" Toko stuttered, cowering in fear. "W-W-We're all g-gonna die h-here…! A-And no o-one will even r-remember m-me!"

The gas continued to fill the room progressively, and the students began to feel a little dizzy.

"I… I cannot lose! My destiny is to rule over this world, and I won't let anyone get in my way!" Byakuya proclaimed, though his voice was shaky. "W-Whatever it takes me… I'll get out of here alive and kill the Mastermind!"

Kyoko held onto Makoto's hand tighter, and the boy could feel all her nervousness and anxiety. It was starting to dawn on her that she might be living her last hours alive, and she seemed to fare as badly as she had on the day of her family fight, when her spirit had broken entirely.

"W-Whatever happens to me… I've tainted the name Kirigiri with even more failure than before…" she said but was absolutely unable to look up, and Makoto saw a few tears fall from her eyes. "I failed… I betrayed you when I failed so many times… I am unworthy of the title of Ultimate Detective, and I… I'll pay the price of my mistakes with my life if I need to."

K-Kyoko! The Ultimate Lucky Student managed not to yell that out loud, though he couldn't prevent the shock from entering his face. What the hell are you saying?! He took her other hand and tried to look at her in the eyes, but she wouldn't raise her head. She looked completely broken, and that simple fact threatened to break Makoto as well.

The gas began to make Makoto's mind run slow, as he felt a pressing need to fall asleep. He fought through it, however, and brushed a few locks of his girlfriend's lavender hair in comfort before he took a deep breath and turned to the entire group.

"Is that how we die, guys?!" he asked, raising his voice as high as he could, and admonished everyone. "Do we die at the hands of Junko's plans, or do we keep on fighting until the end and see where it leads us?! We've all lost much already! Heck, our entire families might be dead as we speak, and there's an apocalypse going on out there! But is that a reason to give up?! How do we want to build our hopeful future all together if we aren't willing to fight our despairing present first?!"

His barrage of questions seemed to dampen the mood of his friends even more, but he didn't stop there, as he had a plan in mind.

"We're all letting Junko's words get to us! We all accepted we could die, but if I die, then I'll die a useful death, and I'll bring Junko's despair down with me!" he asserted passionately, breaking free of his girlfriend's hand to get in the middle of the circle his classmates had formed. "Death might await us, but we can make it worth something! Our destinies are for us to find, but if we continue to despair over our losses and everything that happened, how are we supposed to move forward?! I'm a mere Ultimate Lucky Student chosen by chance to be a part of this group, but you are the Ultimates of Class 78th, a generation of talented people so great, they are expected to change the world! I am no Ultimate Hope without you guys, as much as our despair is nothing if we keep on hoping!

"I need your help, and we'll make it through everything!" he added, before smiling brightly at his classmates. "Believe in me everyone, perhaps we've made mistakes, perhaps we'll continue to make mistakes, but as long as we learn from them… then hope is waiting for us!

"Sayaka! What about your dream?!" he turned towards the blue-haired pop star. "Aren't you supposed to sing for the entire world and make people feel better with your singing? Are you really willing to give up your dream, when there's still a chance for us to win the battle?"

The Ultimate Pop Sensation looked up to the boy - who she had met again as a timid, yet friendly classmate. He had helped her through her despair already, and while she would never forgive herself for breaking his heart, she knew that if there was someone she could believe in… it most definitely was Makoto.

"Y-Yes… Yes, you're right, Makoto!" she said and regained the smile that brightened the stages and made all the boys fall for her. "I won't give up! Things are looking bad right now, but I'll fight for as long as I can to make everything better!"

"That's what I want to hear!" the Ultimate Lucky Student said, before turning to the ballplayer. "Leon! What about your dream?! You've already shown your talent to the entire world, but you will never be able to show them just how much you're willing to fight for your own dreams if you give up now! Fight for your dream, Leon, and there's only happiness waiting for you!"

The Ultimate Baseball Star took some time to consider his best friend's words, before shaking his head. They had befriended each other even when they both pursued the same girl. They had spent so much time together, playing video games, chatting, talking about girls… They were best friends, if not brothers in spirit, and Leon realized that he couldn't betray the trust Makoto was placing in him.

"Yeah, you're right man!" he exclaimed, scratching his head as if embarrassed. "I can't give up until I've become a world-class musician and played the guitar alongside babe's singing! And perhaps I'll even pick up baseball again once we get through this! Thanks, Makoto!"

The Luckster smiled at his friend, wordlessly giving him all his support. "Chihiro! You found the courage to speak up and tell your secret to everyone, and you have the key to possibly helping millions of people with Alter Ego!" he told the petite programmer, who was still sobbing. "I'm on your side because you've shown just how strong you can be! But please, don't let that go to waste by giving up now!"

It took some time for the Ultimate Programmer to recompose herself, but she managed to rub off her tears, and give the boy a smile. Times had not always been easy for Chihiro, but by following the constant optimism of his classmate, she had found her strength and one that outmatched any other. She had her examples in life, and Makoto was one of them, because he'd been there since day one, and was still there so long after.

"I… I wanna believe in myself!" she said, her voice slowly getting more and more confident. "And I wanna help the world rebuild with Alter Ego and all of you! Maybe I'm not really strong physically, but I'll work as hard as I can to become stronger, and I'll do my best to help you out, Makoto!"

"Yeah, you go, Chihiro!" Makoto cheered, as he and the programmer shared a smile. "Mondo! Think about the members of your gang who watched Junko get to you earlier!" he said, addressing the biker. "They want to see their leader with his fighting spirit, the leader who made them become the first biker gang in Japan! You can't give up now, or you'll leave them behind! I know you're strong enough to pull through this!"

The Ultimate Biker Gang Leader stared at the floor in shame, letting his classmate's words get to him. Mondo cared a lot for his gang and for the values they carried. He could still see the pride in their eyes when they learned he was going to be a part of this class, and he found the truth in the boy's words: he couldn't give up. Makoto had set him back up on the right track, and he was able to give him a thumbs up.

"Yeah, that's fuckin' right!" he exclaimed with his customary vigor they had all grown accustomed to. "I had my moments of weakness, but not anymore! And if I catch that chick, girl or not, I'll pound her fucking face over and over until I feel satisfied! Thanks, man, I needed that!"

"You're welcome, Mondo." Makoto sweatdropped as the biker immediately thought of violent action, but let it slide. "Taka! Is that the vision of order you want to fight for? A world where everyone lives in chaos and without any rules to guide them? I know the world Junko created isn't one you want, and I'll - we'll help you build one where everyone can live in harmony! But you need to continue the fight, or we'll just be playing in Junko's hands!"

The Ultimate Moral Compass seemed out of it for a little while, with his eyes completely blank and devoid of emotion. He'd been shaken up quite badly, but as Makoto spoke to him, the glitter of life came back to him, and he stood straight and proudly, his hair even turning white for a split second. He was the Class Representative of Class 78th, but he had learned much thanks to his lucky classmate and showed his gratefulness the best way possible.

"You're entirely correct, Professor Makoto!" the moral compass yelled with confidence. "I can feel the hope coursing through my body! We need to ensure that our world is defined by rules and that these rules are being respected! Thank you, Professor! You made me realize that you should never give up on order!"

"Hm… No need to thank me…" the Luckster gave the class rep an eye-roll. "Celeste! You've taken on opponents who wanted you dead more than once already in the underground gambling world and you're still there! Perhaps this isn't a fight you can win alone, but it's one we'll win all together! Don't you have dreams you want to fulfill, Celeste? If so, and for everyone's sake, you gotta believe in our chances! We can beat Junko, whatever she has planned for us!"

The mask on the Ultimate Gambler's face quickly formed itself again, as she gave Makoto her customary angelic yet deceitful smile. She usually wasn't one to show her emotions, especially when they put her at her disadvantage - or at least, when she thought they did. However, in the face of all this despair, she wasn't able to keep it intact. But with the boy's words getting through to her, she was able to look up again.

"It was foolish of me to think despair was the correct choice, indeed." she gave a small bow to the hazel-eyed boy. "I do have dreams I cannot die before fulfilling, but until the day my life of prestige can become reality, I will ensure our little Mastermind gets what she deserves. There can only be one winning party at gambling, and this game is ours to win."

"Yeah, that's right!" he cheered, smiling at the gothic girl. "Sakura! You're the strongest one of us here, and moreover your physical strength, you're a girl of sound mind! Your wisdom has helped us remain all together when there were dissensions among us, so we need you more than ever now! And what about your quest to become the world's strongest person?! We need to fight Junko, and with you by our side, we can't lose, Sakura! But you can't be swayed by despair!"

The passion and strength in the lucky student's words took Sakura out of her negative train of thoughts and inspired her as she looked up to him and gave the boy a reassuring smile. Her strength was impressive, and her motivation to get even stronger by the second went unmatched. But Makoto's strength went even further than that. The way he kept getting stronger as time passed, and as he faced more and more despair simply impressed her.

"My apologies, Makoto. I lost track of what our goal was for a moment." she humbly said, also giving a bow of the head. "As for Junko… she wants to bring my classmates to despair by threatening their lives… AND THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE! I will make sure to help you stop her to the best of my abilities, and I am sure we will all come out of it stronger than ever!"

"That's the spirit, Sakura!" the Luckster smiled at the martial artist, who smiled back. "Hiro! You keep saying your predictions do not involve despair, so you gotta make sure they'll realize! The power to make your talent shine resides only within yourself, and if we continue to fight the despair Junko wants to put us through, then I'm sure a happier future than even your predictions could predict awaits us! But we have to stop being scared and even if we take hits, then we just stand up again, until it gets better!"

The Ultimate Clairvoyant - still cowering in fear - didn't seem to listen much to his classmate's words, but there was still something that slowly gave him confidence. He didn't think he deserved Makoto's trust after what he had tried to do to him the previous year, but he would make sure not to break this trust again, and if he could become smarter through their fight, then he'd stand tall for as long as it took.

"Y-Yeah! A-And even if Junko tries to kill me, then I'll just flee and wait for you guys' help!" Hiro explained, taking out a crystal ball and fiddling with it. "My crystal ball is telling me that even if we fall to despair, then we'll just have to wait for a bit before we can find hope again! And my predictions are right 30% of the time, so we can chill, for serious!"

T-That's… not that reassuring… The Ultimate Lucky Student mused with a sweatdrop. Although he's got the right mindset. "Toko! I know trusting people is not your forte, but you need to believe in all of us! I know it hasn't always been easy for you, but there's still hope, and we need to look for it, wherever we can! I know your stories don't often end well, but we'll write our own, and I promise it'll be a tale of hope rather than a tale of despair! And I'm sure that if you trust enough, then you'll even find true happiness!"

The Ultimate Writing Prodigy looked distressed, if not completely panicked, and struggled to keep herself from shaking. She wasn't sociable, she didn't have many friends, and she didn't have many reasons to keep on going. A murderous fiend was living within her, and other than that, she was often alone. But as Makoto brought up her happiness, something in her changed, and she began to giggle maniacally, and to drool, making the boy realize what her motivation would be.

"N-N-Not that y-you c-can u-understand, but… a-as l-long as my M-Master is h-here… t-then I-I can't give up u-until I-I can w-win his h-heart!" she managed to say through her stuttering, and while her 'Master' looked disgusted, he didn't say anything. "O-Our l-l-love w-will be m-my i-inspiration for m-my next s-story… and it w-will be an h-happy one!"

"H-Hm, yeah, you're right, Toko!" the boy said, even if the thought of her perversion continuing for any longer made him sigh. He quickly moved on. "Hina! Where is your competitive spirit?! You're the greatest athlete I've ever seen, and it's not your type to give up before you've given it your best! Defeating Junko will be a whole new kind of challenge, but we need your cheeriness and your enthusiasm, or else we stand no chance! And what of the people you want to see again? I'm sure your brother wants you to keep going, and you-know-who will have to recognize how great you are! So don't give up, Hina!"

The Ultimate Swimming Pro was brought out of her despair by Makoto with that last remark, as he grinned at her, knowing exactly that this would motivate her. He knew her extremely well, and she was one of his closest friends ever. Her constant happiness mixed with her antics made her a very smiling person, and he knew she'd feel better if he used the right words - since he didn't any donuts for her right now.

"H-Hey! Keep that to yourself!" the swimmer exclaimed and began to pout. "But yeah, I can't give up! We have so many great moments to spend together as a class still, and I'll continue to fight until the very end so we can continue to be friends! Sorry I fell for Junko's words; but now, I feel like I could take on anyone! I need to take my energy out on someone, who wants to volunteer?"

"I… think you should keep your energy for when we face Junko…" the Luckster suggested and got a shrug from the girl. "Byakuya! I know you're not ready to give up anytime soon, but I need to ask for your trust, at least until we can put an end to this madness! I know you'll say I'm a commoner and that I'm too optimistic for my own good, and you're probably right! This is why we need an intelligent guy like you to outsmart Junko!"

The Ultimate Affluent Progeny stared at Makoto with unimpressed eyes. He had barely listened to his classmate's little speech for him and simply sighed as he finished speaking. He readjusted his glasses and crossed his arms, visibly a little annoyed.

"Do you really think you needed to tell me that?" Byakuya asked, tapping his foot impatiently. "Get to solving your girlfriend's despair; my time is more valuable than you think. The quicker I defeat this despair-addicted joke for a Mastermind, the better."

Okaaaaay… I suppose he didn't need me, then! Makoto smiled, and just as the Togami heir had suggested, moved on to the last person he needed to get out of her despair. A whole different mission for him, but the one that mattered the most.

He noticed all his classmates smiling at him, while the detective kept her head low, the most apparent sign of her despair. Makoto swore he would bring a hopeful smile back on her lips, whatever it took him.

After taking a deep breath, he began to speak. "Kyoko. When I met you, I thought you'd be a tough girl to befriend, and you were. There were times I honestly thought I'd never get you to open up to me, but giving up was never an option. I considered you a friend from the very start, and while you didn't, I never thought any less of you for it. You had your issues, and if anything, I'm glad I could help you settle them because the happy smile on your face makes you so much prettier. But right now, I feel like I'm seeing the old Kyoko again: closed off from the others, and with her stoic mask on. But I know Kyoko; I know that it's not you, and that the girl I fell in love with is hiding underneath that mask.

"Because yeah, you made me fall in love for you. The way you changed but still remained so awesome, with an amazing talent you put on display for the search of the truth… before long, I realized that you weren't simply my friend, but so much more. The warmth I felt when I was close to you, the splendid shine in those violet eyes of yours… they made me understand I loved you. It wasn't an easy thing to accept, but I trusted in the words of everyone else, and I began to trust in myself some more. And so for that, I sincerely need to thank you, guys."

They all returned a smile to their favorite Luckster, as he continued to speak.

"It took us time, but when we finally admitted our feelings for each other, I felt all my despair evaporate, and I know you did too. It seemed hopeless, but I figured that as long as you were close to me, then everything would be alright. Because everything will be alright, my love." he said, taking a few steps towards her. "It has to be, because I'm not willing to ever give you up, and I'll make sure not to ever let you down, and I'll honor the trust you've put in me by showing you the way when you need it. Our love for each other goes beyond hope and despair, Kyoko, and until the day I stop drawing breath, I'll find a way to be close to you, because you matter all too much for me.

"Maybe this seems like the end, but in truth…" he closed his eyes, as a single tear fell to the floor. "I know this is only the beginning of something greater. We're headed for the unknown, yeah, but with you, Kyoko… I don't think I can fear the unknown. The strength you give me whenever you're close to me… is one I never would be able to achieve by myself." she finally looked up, and Makoto noticed her teary eyes. "They said I was the Ultimate Lucky Student, and every time I think of you, I realize that I really am lucky. Being your boyfriend, and knowing that you love me as much as I love you fills my heart with joy, but I want you to feel this joy too, because you deserve it as much as anyone. You don't have to ever be alone, Kyoko, and if anything, I can promise you that the two of us are there to stay, whatever people might think.

"I'd die for you, Kyoko, and while I'd rather not die any time soon, if I ever need to sacrifice myself for you, I'll do so in a heartbeat." he got even closer and noticed her crying waterfalls of tears now. The others remained silent, allowing their classmate to continue with his heartfelt declaration of love. "You mean the world to me, Kyoko, and I can't stand seeing you despair like this. You've pulled through from the depths of despair once, and I know you can do it again. Think of everyone out there who loves you, and your despair will be nothing more than an old memory. Think of your grandfather, because even if his methods were questionable, I'm sure he always cared for you. Think of your Mom, because even if she's not there anymore - rest her soul - I know she's looking at you from above, and she knows this is a battle you can win. Think of your Dad, who even if he's not there with us right now must be thinking of you at this very moment, with a smile on his face as he thinks of you.

"Think of me, Kyoko, because your despair is my despair, and my hope is your hope." he was only a couple of feet from her now, and stared lovingly into her eyes, feeling the last parts of his consciousness fade. A couple of *THUMPS* made him realize his classmates were slowly but surely falling victim to the sleeping gas, but he stood still. "There's no hope for me without you, as much as there's no me without your love. And the girl I love is Kyoko Kirigiri, Class 78th's Ultimate Detective and the world's most amazing girl, and Kyoko Kirigiri looks towards the future with hope in her heart, because that's who she became, and who I know she'll forever remain.

"So please, see hope again, my love." he took her gloved hands with his and leaned forward. "For there is no despair my love for you can't heal, and I'll seek my future in lavender, for my hope is driven by your love, and no Mastermind can take that away from me. I love you, Kyoko Kirigiri, and until the end of time, I will continue to love you."

He pressed his lips against hers and felt the relief of her despair vanishing and being replaced by the hope of a better tomorrow, the one they would build together alongside their friends.

The Ultimate Hope pulled away and saw in her eyes the sweetness he sought, and the one that made his heartbeat quicker than ever. And as she fell asleep in his arms, Makoto held her close to him in a tight embrace, and stroked her hair, before he felt his own consciousness begin to fade so much his muscles couldn't hold her.

He fell to his knees and gently placed his girlfriend on the floor before caressing her cheek with his thumb, and feeling the softness of her skin put his mind at peace.

Hope can spread… as long as we don't give up… We can push forward because we have hope. Courage surges within us because we have hope. We take action and move forward - the world moves… because we have hope. My hand… Our hands… are about to open the door… the door to our future, where hope and despair intermingle.

He reached inside his pocket, and took out a plain, white piece of paper, on which was written only one word.

Hope.

Makoto Naegi fell asleep, as the first chapter of his story came to a close. Class 78th, Hope's Peak Academy; where it all began, and where an Ultimate Hope was born. Ultimate Luck never had had anything to do with it. The only thing that had driven Makoto Naegi to the Academy of Hope… was Hope itself.

For Hope kept moving forward, even when everything seemed lost. There'd be burdens, and more losses than they could imagine, but their struggle would only make them stronger. They would rebuild the world on hopeful foundations, but until then, they'd seek a new Hope, and bring down the Ultimate Despair, together.

After all, nothing could go wrong at the Academy of Hope… right?

The End