Chapter Text

[Location: ???]













I wake up, getting out of bed with a yawn. “Wow, feels like I slept like the dead,” I muse, feeling more awake than usual. Oddly, my door is open. “Strange, I know I closed it last night,” I blink, before shrugging it off. “Monika probably woke up before I did. Guess she wanted to see if I was awake yet. Dunno why she didn't close the door though.” I quickly get dressed and make my way out of the room. The hallway is unusually dark. “Damn, I guess it's still dark out... That's going to be fun to walk in,” I groan, before noticing the door to the guest room is closed.













“...Why did she close her door but not mine?” I decide to head over and knock on the door. “Hey, you awake in there?” I ask. No answer. “...Welp. Maybe she's downstairs,” I shrug, walking over to the stairs and heading down. It's still dark. “You uh... making breakfast in the dark, Monika?” I ask, hoping for a response. Still no answer. “Geez, either I woke up before she did, which is unusual for me to wake up so early, or she left without saying a word.” I'm starting to feel a bit uneasy, but I walk into the kitchen.













“Since I'm up, I might as well get some food going,” I sigh, walking over to the stove. It's then that I notice that the clock isn't on. “Fuck, the power's out...” I grumble, making my way over to the cupboards, looking for cereal or something. I find a couple boxes of Pop-Tarts, so I open one and pull out a couple packs. “Heh, even as an adult, I can't resist the taste of these.” I pause, getting an idea. “Sayori would probably love me coming over and bringing her some,” I chuckle softly. “Well, why not?” I grab another pack from the box, making my way over to the door. “She probably doesn't have power either, so...”













Heading outside, the street is dark, the lights all being off. “Damn, looks like it's the whole street.” I sigh and walk over to Sayori's house. “Hey sleepyhead, guess who's here with breakfast?” I grin as I knock on the door... I don't get an answer. “She must really be sleeping in... Well, I...” I put my hand on the doorknob and turn it. The door opens. “...Why didn't Sayori lock her door?” I ask myself, concern seeping into my voice. Looking into the house, it's dark. “Hoo boy, here goes...” I mumble, walking inside.













“Sayori? I hope you're awake, or else I'm really gonna feel awkward doing this...!” I laugh awkwardly, making my way to the stairs. Gee, the architect for this neighborhood sure was lazy. All these houses look pretty much identical in terms of layout. I walk up the stairs and over to a door which I assume leads into Sayori's room. I knock on the door, feeling uneasy. “Hey, you awake, sleepyhead?” I call out, but don't get an answer. I decide against my better judgment to open the door...













(Monika's POV)













I slowly open my eyes as I wake up. I feel... different, but I'm not sure how. I didn't experience the colors or the noises tonight... It has to be Michael. Him being here must do something to prevent that from happening. I smile as I get out of bed, quickly getting dressed so that I don't miss any opportunity to spend some time with him today. As I walk out of the room, I notice that his bedroom door is closed. I guess he's still asleep. That's pretty cute~! I'll just have to surprise him with a nice healthy breakfast...













I make my way downstairs and into the kitchen. I start looking around to see what ingredients Michael has, but it doesn't seem like he has anything. Well, except a box of something called 'Pop-Tarts' on the counter, which looks open. Confused, I look in his freezer to find... Frozen foods?! That's not very healthy at all, Michael. It's a good thing I'm here to make sure you have something good to eat~! A sly grin creeps onto my face as I get an idea. I'll just code in the best breakfast ever! That should definitely impress him. Hopefully I don't screw it up...



















Let's see, what would Michael like? I ponder this for a bit. I don't think he wants something super fancy... I know! With some effort, I manage to code in some buttered toast. That... really isn't much. I should add some eggs, too. It takes me a while, but I manage to code in some scrambled eggs! It still isn't enough though. Something's missing... Oh, he also needs a drink too! I quickly code in a glass of orange juice. Now it's perfect! Michael will be so surprised when he wakes up...













Ḏ͎͘o̪̜͇̘̻̝̝ ̶y͔̝̳͙̙ͅo͍̣̲̭u͎͔̝̣̘ ̢͇rȩ͓͇͓͈̹̲͖a̼͉͙̩ḻ͚͉͘ļ͍̺̻͈͕͍̰y͕̟ t̻̻̟ͅh̳͓̭͈͕̕i͝n̝̻̭͕̺̝k͉ ̢͚̹͚t̸̲̘h҉a̡t ̮͉̰͕͢h̳̹͇̙̲e͍̳̙͡'҉̹̩̻̠̗l̵̟̫͓̱̘l͉ ͔̮̫ḙ̣͖̦̤͖͘v͈͘ͅe̴r ̼̠̫̤͠l͜o͏̼v̭͎̝ḛ̼̟͜ ͉͇y҉o̲̗̱̙̝̖̯͜u̞̪̣ ͍͓̣̹̜ͅa̭̘̦̺͞f̫t͙̲ȩ͕r̫̮̳̩̯ ̢̺̯̩̥w̻̳̞̠h͚͝a̯͕̝̼̪͝ͅṭ̳ ͅyo̴͍̼̟u͍'̝͓̣̹̦͍̙vḙ̵͔̦̭ͅͅ ̧͖̥d̨̲̤̙ͅo̝̣̜̙̠̭n̥͎̭e̳̟̦͇͖?͙̳̤̘̟













I frown as that thought runs through my head. He seemed so upset that he lashed out at me yesterday... He said he'd rather that a relationship happen naturally, but that it wasn't out of the question... No. I can't despair. I just have to try my hardest! He'll surely come around eventually, right? I tell myself that, but I'm not really sure. I hope Michael wakes up soon...













(Michael's POV)













...Nobody's in the room. It feels completely devoid of life, and it's honestly pretty unsettling. “Geez, now I just feel really awkward, Sayori!” I laugh nervously. What the fuck is going on? I feel like someone's behind me, so I turn around, thinking it's Sayori. But nobody's there. “Okay, now I'm just uncomfortable,” I mutter as I close the door and walk back downstairs. Deciding that there's no point in sticking around, I leave Sayori's house and walk out onto the street.













The darkness is encroaching; it feels like an eternal night, threatening to consume everyone and everything. ...Am I suddenly the last person in the world? The thought makes me shiver. I know I like being alone, but that's ridiculous. Surely there have to be other people here... Right? I walk down the street, glancing around at my surroundings. No cars go down the street, no people can be seen, and it's just so dark. I steel myself as I keep walking. I honestly don't even know why I haven't just gone home and back to bed. Then again, I've always had a morbid sense of curiosity.













W̜̮̟͕̲̦͔͝h̸̥̞̤̦͍̯o̱̭̞̣̜ ͘k̲̲̫͔͉͠n̬͎̣͡o͖͉͓̪͚̱͡ͅws̢̝̺͕̜,͎ ̰͖͇̟m͙a̢y̪̺̳̟b҉͎̯͎̩ḙ̷̙ ̺̦̱̪̘̦̣I̢'̵ḽ̯͘l̡͔ ̛̭͎̦͎͉j͕u̹̱s̱̣̼̰͉̱̳t̝̟̖͔ͅ ̝̱k͍͇͍i͈̩̫͕͢l͏̝̬͓̟͚̺l̗̤͇͖̗͘ ͍͡m͢y͟ṣ̗̖̺̦̤ͅe̮̣̥͞l̫͍̩f̭͈͖̪̰̻͉.ͅ













That thought comes out of nowhere, but I think nothing of it. I'm used to such negative thoughts like... that. Finally, after what feels like an eternity I see the school building come into view. “Well, there's something familiar,” I sigh, somewhat relieved. I walk over to the school, opening the door and entering the building. By this point, I don't even question unlocked doors. I wander the halls for a bit; the school is as devoid of life as the rest of the neighborhood. For no particular reason, I decide to head upstairs to where the clubroom is. Who knows, maybe there I can make sense of this situation...













The stairs creak in the empty school as I climb up to the third floor. I hear my footsteps echo as I walk down to the clubroom. Strangely, there's... light coming from inside? Surprised, I quicken my pace, walking over to the door and opening it without thinking. I'm not prepared for the sight that graces my eyes. Standing in the room is... a figure. I can't make them out, they're totally indistinguishable. But they're not the only one in the room. Sayori's corpse hangs lifelessly from the ceiling, Yuri's corpse lies on the floor, with those all-too-familiar stab wounds, and Natsuki appears to have had her neck broken. Monika was on her knees, sobbing in front of the figure. Oh... Oh god...













“Why?” Her voice cracked. “Why would you do this?! I... I never wanted this...!”







“Y͏̠̹̳̝o͙̗̗͠u̬̦͟ ̻͙͇m͏͕͓̱͚̥a͍̦͚͉̰d҉̩̱̠̥̝̰͖ȩ͉͈̜̯̱ ̨̭̰̙̯̰y̮̟̻͈͍̰o͓̰̝u̪̖ŗ͈͙̰ ͎͚c̮̩̞̦͇̪̰͡h̜̙͈o͙̫͇̝̠͎͟ͅi̳̭̭̭͙̫͕͟c̦͈͇̮e̪̺͕̦̲̫̺,͕̻̹̗̫ͅ ͖̱̼̼͜Mo͈̭̩̣̟̦͙n̠̜̦͎i̵͚̙͔̼k̠͉͙̥̮̞͝ͅa.̵̪̰̣̼ͅ ̫̻T̢̘̱̯̬̣̪̠h̬̟ͅḙ̝͈̯̠̠ͅi̙̬̝̹̭͚͔r̙̜͎̗͉̜ ̣̹͝ͅb̗̕l̗̺̳o͞o̜d̶̻̭̰̟ ̴i͍͖̠͔̫̙ṣ̵͉̱ ͉͇o͡n̹͟ ̣̟͍͞y͇͖͈̯o̪͎̤͚ͅu͇r̦̹͚͎͙̱ ͖͇̬̝h̩͍̳͙̠a̘͉n͏͈̰̻̯d̵̩s̛,” the figure said in a foreboding voice.







“I didn't even do anything to them this time...!”







“Ar̻̩͚̘̭e̶͇͚̼̜̟ y̺̼o̖u̶͕̝͈̘̜ ̜̯̫͍̭̼ͅr҉̙ͅe̸̮a̟̩̻̻͙͇͍l̝͜ͅl͖̥͟y̖̩̣̩̜̮ ̨͍̺͓͎s̗̝̹͝o̸̩̝̭̭ ̺̺f̹̣̗͖͙͇̗o̖̥͜ọl͕͕͙ͅi̠͕̯͞sh̶͔͈̻̟͓͖ ͕̙̠̞͡t̩̪o̵͉̦̣͇̩͚̻ ̢̺̪͔t̹̟̪̟͖͕͎h̶̪̭̪̺͓i͜n͎̣ͅk̡̰̦̭ ̯̲͇ṯ̩̰h̤̟̞̞͟a̝̳͓̭̞ͅt̩̖͘ ͚̱̦̬͎̳͘t҉̩̲̤̭͎̮͍h̡̟̙̗̞̼̠̤e̳̘̲̳͓ ̯̠̙̙͠s͎̬͓͈̗̱i͎̥͖̞̜͓n̬̱̼͈̥̤͢ͅs̙̥͠ ̤̪̮̙̳̖̱o̸̙͈f̫ ̞̹tḫ̭̗͚̤̖̰e̜ ̜̳̰̼p͖̠a҉̩͇st ̙̭͖̥͍̩̦͟a̩͙̖ͅr̷e̢̗ ̴̻s̠̬̦o̵̻ ȩ̖̲ͅa̵̬̠̮ͅͅs̝̦̫͙̤i̩̦̳͍͎l̘̼̤͍̙̮̟y̸͚͖̯̬͙̖ ͍͇̻͕͡f̵͍̫o̷̯̠r̼̥̺̯͙̫̹g̮͕̩̟̼̮͝i̙̝v̮e͕̹͎̤̮͖n̛̘ͅ?̴̠̣̹”







“I... I...” She looks so broken right now, even more so than when I lashed out at her... I clench my fists in anger. Who the hell is this asshole and why is he tormenting these poor girls?!







“I̪s̻͖̳̹͉͠ ̝̜͖̗̙ţh͙̞͇̻͇i̘̫̲͙̠̝̙͡s̛̲̭̮̖͈ ̘͇͡r̭͓͚̲̣e̜̬͈͜ͅa̢̤̘͖̪͉̱ll̛̫̱̟̖̯y̶ ̡͓̩͔̭ͅh͉͚̰͓̹̜ͅo̧̯͚͕ͅw̡̪͕͕̘ ̢̮̠t̙̥͡h̛͓̻̠̝͇͕i̶͈̖̪̞̪͈ṣ̺͖͔͉̥̱ ̛̥̱̖w͚̱͈͚͓͙͡o̵͓͚̠̰ͅͅr̝̻̪̥̗̯̖l̙d̹̟̮͚̤̼ͅ ͙w̪̫̥͉̕o̪͕͙̪̗r͡k̡͓̲̰̫̬͖̺s?̩̝̱͖̣” The figure sighs. “P̸̬͕̜̥̮a̛t͕͕͇͎̜̝͔h͖̖͎̻̠̰̤̕e̱͞t̕i͙̹̲͎̘̞̞c̤̬̤̝͍ ̭̲̥̬̙͉͡ͅg̹͚͜ḭ̱̖͢r̲͉̟l͙̩̼̜.̖̲͡ ̵̲̦̬̦ͅY̛o̼̝̪͓͍͙̱͡u̫͕͇̼̘̪͠ ̳̦c̼̰̳̩̥̳a͔n̵̤̼̱̗̗̖'̰̖̣t̻̩̤͎̮͖ ȩv͙͈̬̖̳͍ę̠͖n̸̤̯ ̢̬̳p͖͎̘͚͓͖̭l͙̫̱̞͖a͏̞͚̲̳̜͖̥y̵̱̹̠̗̻̻͉ ҉̟̖̭̖g̸̞̘̺o͇̰̮̫̕d̺͖͖͉̫͓ ̧̘̠̪͉̪̯̪r̶̹̬̖̜ͅi͈̫̩̟̮͘g̸̟̘̬̯̜̘h̷̪̯̹͙̯̣t͙̗.̵”







Monika looks up, her eyes red with tears. Then, she notices me and gasps in shock. The figure turns around to face me. I get an uncanny sense of deja vu; I feel like I should recognize him, but... nothing.







“A̤͍h͕̬͚̜̝̯̕ͅ,͕̞ ͍͍̳͓a̷̼͕̠͈n͈͞d͈̗͟ h͔͔̝͓̝͟e̼̰r͉̪̫͍̦e̵̲͔̺̖ ͙̳̣̪͜he͍͉̗͞ ͍̳̱͉̻̭͍is ̫̖̝̕n̸͖̦͖o̦͈̙̝̘̟w.͈͖͉̦͍͙ ̦̹̯͈͉H̭̰͖͓̤̺e̤͚̦̘̫͓̩l̡̳̫͕̗͕̼̭l͈̱̲̭o̻͕̖̻̱̟̦ ͎͔͓̬̟M͏̖ͅi҉͚͖̬͚c̮̣̼͖̭h̯̼a͓͔̳̯͇̺͈e̼͚̻l̼,” the figure greets. “I̡̦ ͡m͓͉̘͉u̡̯̻̺̫s̥̯͚̦̳̝̬t̶͓̦̘͓̮̭ ̴̟ap̭̯͎̭̖̞o̹̫̼̯͠ͅl͚̱̱̙͡o͎̯̲͍g͈͍̮͇͔̤͈i̝͎̟̲̱̪̘͢ẓ̮̖̼͕̭e̻̬̘͇̪̣͖͡.̪̻̠ ̠͔͞Y̸̻̳̹ͅo̼̲̟͕̤̖ͅu̟̦̞̺̺̱̹'̶͈̟͈̫ͅr̝̜̰̳̻̩ͅe̢̦͕̼̣̯͇ ̣l̛̯̙͕a̭t̠̤̫͕̙̖e͈͕ ̻̭̺̳͓͠t͕̳͍͚͘o̧̝̯̖͉̞̖ ̢̗t͕̺̻h̨̠̺͓̹ͅe̪͚̳̰̪̳̻ ̜s̮͍̞h҉̲o͈ͅw̸̜̭̠͇̲͍̫.̛̜̱̰̙͔͈͔”







“What the fuck?!” I exclaim. “Who the hell are you?!”







The figure chuckles. “W̫͎̜̳o͏̖̻̟u͏l̝͞d̤̺n̶͖'͚̖͎͘t̻̭ ̵͍y̺̱̻̩o̹̕u҉̻͇ ̸̳̪̤̻̙l͉̲̦̰͕̬i̸̟̱k̳͚e̩̣͈͘ ̲̠͈̬t͏̣̻̩o̷͖ ̱k̙̩͇͖̲̤n̛o̴̗͍͉w̡̩̤̬̙̥ͅ?̝̹̮” He grins at me menacingly.







“Alright buddy, I can tell you're up to no good. You've already killed three of my friends,” I growl, taking a step forward. “I won't let you hurt another.”







“A̩̲u̵͇̲͎̗̻̪ ҉̜̜͙̱̩̳c͇̻̣̭̠o͙̗̖̻͜n̦̘͚̮̬͍t̬r̵̤̗͇a̹͉̦̲̩i͈̬͇r̡͎̬͔̘̻ͅ,” the figure laughs. “I̳̘̕'v̗͍̥̬ḙ̡͍̹͕̗ ̬̙̻̼̟̹̯a̞̠͇͉͜ͅl̥̝͉̬̞̘r̭͉͖̲̭̙ͅe̩͉͘a̫̩̞͙̘̥͖d͏̫̰̜ͅy ̵͍b̗͙̗͓ͅͅro̟̥͕̰͚̙k̲͔̣̬͇̭e̛n̶ͅ ̡̮̮͓͇͎̹h̴̫̖̳͉e̬̠͇̝͟ṟ̰͓̱̩̠̹ ̱̻͎͖̬s̟̟̣pi̱̩̟͚r̻̦͢i̮͈͘t̵̖̘̩.̘̭̳̦”







“She regrets what she did. You don't have to torment her with her past sins.”







“O͎̞h̞͇͈̩͎,̵͈̞͎̟̖̫ M̪̗͚̗̥̕i͙̣ch͓̦̫̩̬͓a̦͍̱̙̞̬ȩ͕ḻ̙͉̰͓.͇̝̣̠͍.̛̯̻.̛” The figure sighs, shaking his head. “S̯̲͔̥͓̱i̱̝̞̗̗̙̯n̫̭̠̗c̙̹̦e ̸̼͇̙̺̬̯w̷̤h͔͖̤͓̹͇͟e̸̝͔͚̮̤͍n̻̫̕.͓̗͈͓͈.̦̰̞.̸” A shadowy tendril rises up from the floor, wrapping itself around Monika and lifting her up as she gasps in fear. I grit my teeth in both shock and anger, getting ready for a fight. “.̸͔͍̲̬̹ͅ.͓̺.̬̘̝̦̭͢w̝̖̳͓e͈̠͖r̭̦̲e̖̺͖̗̙̲ ̰̣͔̘̤YO̳͓̻̜Ṳ ̧̩̯͍t̤͔h͖̳͞e̷͈ ͔̬̣̹͚͎o̹͓̫͍̦̦n̼̬͎̤̪͇e̼͔̜̟̭̝͘ ̢͓̘͖͕̭̮̖w̡h͓̜̥͖̬͉o̪ ̦͙̤͔pa͓̟̱̠̰͟s̥s̠̗̠̦̺̠̭e͇d̩̳͇̜͈̺̦ ͈̼̤̦͠j̩̻̦̫̱̣̜u̥̬̬̻̭̥d̘g̺͓͕̻m̘̙̲̦͇̗͉͜en̨t̥͍͉̜͉?͖͓̘”







I don't even think at that point, I just yell in rage and dart forward at the figure, surprising them with a hook to the face. He stumbles back a bit, chuckling. “O̤̘̥̬̬h̯̼̞̞͇͕͞,̘̱̙̣̫͉ ̛̦̭̜͍͉t͔̼h̢̺̬̰͔͚͈i͏̼̣̩͎͍̼s̬̕ ̥͔͍̕s̷̗̖̙h̜̩o̩͍̬̼̤̝͠u͚̩̥̞̬͍͉͡l̝̬d̘̳̹̕ ̢̺̦͍b͉͚͇͎͕̫e̥̫̲̕ ̩̥͠f̙͉͚̣̳̲̫u̗̝̠ͅn̠̗͇.” He then throws a hard kick to my stomach, sending me to the floor.







Monika gasps as the figure stands over me, a devious grin on his face. “N̸o͏̝͖̯̪̯ͅw̯͈̕ ͈̯͙͓̰̫ͅt̖he̺̟̪̘̤͚͞n̲̙͍̺.̹̪̲͠.̙̭̫̹̦̯.̣̱͇̻ ͉̗̤̻͓H͇̦̦͍̺̦o͉͟w̡̺̺̪̦̺̫̺ ̡w̱̖o͚̳̪͎ṳ̧̮̞͔̝l̤͍̻͘d̨͍͎͉̭ ̜̖͙̻y͇̟͇o͚u͈͓̱ ̥̘l̙̝̥͓͘ͅi̳̦̲k̠̖͕̗e̗ ̨ṯ͕̞o̢̙̬̣͕̘ͅ ̘̭͕̞͇s̻e͞e҉̺̳̬̤̹ ͖̬͘h̘͖͓͉̭i̲̝͇͟m̱̟̼͉ ͇̮̱̟̺̝ͅdi̕e̵̗̗̙ ̺̱̤̳͚͖t̺̘̙͔͉̹̬͝o͙̟o̳̭̬̥,̹̫͡ ̥͉̫͎̯̘̭͘M̧̟̤͍͔͚o̟͔̦̯̯̺n̢̙̩̭̖ͅi̫̮k̙͍͕͍͢a̯̺̞̱͍͢?̴͚͎̣”







“Hey, asshole.”







“H̦̮̟̪̜m̲̮?̤”







“Eat shit!” I yell, thrusting my leg upward into his crotch. His face contorts as the wind is knocked out of him and he stumbles back, falling to the floor. I take the moment to get up. “What was that about me dying?” I retort, walking over and putting my foot on his chest. He looks angry for a moment, but then he starts laughing. “What's so funny?” I ask, unamused.







“O̬̮͔̘̮̺ͅh̪͚̯̫̯,̷̼͇̲̘͖̪̗ ̹̲̲̼͔͙j̝ͅͅṷ̤s̫̥̼͚ṯ̣̫̲͈͠ͅ ̙͓̻t͏̻̣̲͈̻he̷̳͍͈̟ ̧̩̱̗͖̳͚f͉̰̦a̗̰͉̱̲̬͉c͟ͅt ̧̠̮͕t̬̪͙h̜̙͎̲a̻͎̰̜̦̯t̲̼̙͉͔͢ ̢̰̼̙ͅy̨̜͙o͈̬͈̗͟u̜̪̰̰̩͙͜ ̣̯̗t̷h̭̼̜̭i͔͓̭͔ṋ͙͎̰k̰͙ ͙͕̰̭͕y̗͖̣̹o͎u̵̘̹̼̘̹ ̧c̹͖͖̠͘a̮̥̹n ҉͍̬̳̗̺͍w͝i̢̥͚̪̳n.̤̹͉” I stomp my foot down on his chest, he screams in pain.







“You're nothing. I dunno who you are, but if you came here to fuck with me, you just got your ass handed to you.”







“A̦̱̜̫̱ḩ͔̻̞̬,̭̟͕̪̗ͅ ̪̠w҉͉͔͓̦͔̣e͈͚̗l͈͔̠̦̟̼͈l..͍̗.̻̱͇̺” He coughs up a little bit of blood, grinning.







“What's that look for?” I scowl at him.







“I҉̺̼ ̻̝͔͇͖̲t̸̺̣̙͕̞͈̤h͙͎̳̱i̠̱͍͎̦ͅn͘k̠̞̼̗̹̣ ̦̺i̠̤͇̫̤͜t҉̥̺̫̠̜̠̦'̬͈̘͚̕s̘͕̘̣ ̘̺̘̯t҉͉̟͕̗i͉͚͟m̼̗̝͈̤e͙̱̞ ̘̫f̸̫̬͇̹̪̤o̶͙͈̹r̙̗̻̬ ͓̠͍ͅy̫̲͙͓̙͢o̤̺̠̦̹͎͞u͍͢ͅ ̟̝̼̺̠̥t͔͎͓̱̞̠o̮̪̰͖ ̬͟w̱̱̝̣͘a̠͡ͅk̶e҉̪̪̰̞͓̗ ̣̰͕̞̞̝̠͢u͓͕̪p̖̦͍̰ ̷a̴̜͙͖n̞̮̣̝̞̼y̶͚̹w̼͚͎̜͙̞͝a͓̗͇̻̞̰y͖s̠̠̥̥̜͓̲.̱̦̞̪͞”







“Wha--”

























And then just like that, the room is filled with a blinding light.