Dangan Ronpa: Dungeon of Infinite Hope

By Lolitafreak88

Chapter 2: Creed of Life

Regarding the Talent Development Plan machine, there was a thorough explanation about how stats and abilities were earned on the side. Essentially there were several boards with each square having a different symbol and thus yielding different effects. Himiko remarked how similar it was to a series of magical party games featuring characters from Nintendo, one of Chiaki's favorite game companies. A blue square would grant the benefits of 'Stats Up' which would increase everyone's stats by 3 should they land on it with a maximum of 99 boosts. A green square would grant the benefits of 'Events' in which the choices or scenarios you obtained would grant significant stat boosts but only in one category. A pink square would grant the benefits of 'Friendly' which apparently was the biggest selling point of this mini-game as it portrayed events between different Ultimates while giving several high stat boosts depending on what event played out. An orange square would grant the benefits of 'Talent' and would yield talent shards of your choice to start selecting skills and the amount was triple the amount you got on a dice roll. The squares with Monokuma's face on them were 'Despair' squares and would reduce your stats as a penalty. There were also several boards with different sizes and square layouts which could be strategically selected to prioritize trying to land on more of one kind of square. Stats, Talent, Friendship, and the elusive Future board which was apparently in such high demand that it became a default Board. There also existed 'X2' versions of the Stats and Talent squares which would grant twice the bonuses. A traditional session of playing Talent Development Plan would let you play through three boards as well.

"Which squares to prioritize is the tricky part. That's what Atua says." Angie said upon finishing her reading of the notes.

"I feel stats are the best way to start going for the first round and then you adapt based on how much of a gain you got. After all it's not guaranteed you'll always land on the blue squares on the 'Stats' board." Kirumi theorized.

"Talents are what we need to get skills… so that might be our second goal. Friendship and Event squares seem fine and dandy but they are the most optional ones." Ryoma added.

"Nyeh, but I'm kind of curious now to see what these 'Friendship' events are like." Himiko admitted.

"... Himiko raises a point. How would our Mastermind go about making 'Friendship' events for all of us? Is there perhaps some sort of fictional narrative for them or are they based on real events?" Kirumi looked apprehensive now.

"Atua won't accept blasphemy. Besides, if they happen to be of real events then that's totally ok. We shouldn't let anything that didn't happen get to us, right?" Angie asked.

The other three felt Angie was correct on this. The possibility of the smallest detail in this strange scenario to be a metaphorical knife for Monokuma to stab and twist into the hearts of the participants was rather high. So if these 'Friendship' events were scornful and negative then that meant it was probably intentional on Monokuma's part and was best ignored. As they continued to read, they found that the main goal was to reach the 'Goal' space by pasting or landing on it before the semester ended, which allowed you to take an 'exam' for a chance to get bonus talent shards and stats should you defeat all the adversaries. This would accumulate into a final Graduation Exam against three sets of rather powerful foes for the chance to get three chances of bonuses.

"It seems friendly AI will be assigned to us randomly out of the three categories and our classmates to join us in these excursions." Kirumi noted.

"I don't know if I want Kokichi helping me though… he might sabotage me as a prank." Himiko muttered with slight annoyance.

"I don't think these AI will be real. Just mandatory help to have a full team participate in exams." Ryoma reminded her.

"Oh my! It says here that there's a chance that our classmates will show up on the board and if we land on the same square as them, we'll earn bonus stats and a card to help reap benefits from the Board based on which student it is. How divine!" Angie looked satisfied.

"The Monokubs will also occasionally pop up to offer a free card or a chance at a Surgery which will potentially give a great boost to your stats and talent shards. Should the Surgery fail though and you will find yourself setback in stats. A Success Card can guarantee any Surgery opportunity will turn out successful if you have it on hand. That sounds fishy to me… Since when did Hope's Peak Academy offer surgeries?" Himiko asked.

"Perhaps since the Ultimate Nurse enrolled?" Kirumi offered.

"There was also an Ultimate Pharmacist as a I recall. I saw her often with a confectioner who had sweets Atua would've loved a box of. They vanished at some point during the year…" Angie recalled.

Ryoma shared Himiko's thoughts on the matter. Why would there be something like a 'Surgery' offered in this board game based entirely on Hope's Peak Academy to begin with? It implied some sort of drastic change and if there was somebody he had seen who looked like they had gone through a drastic change it was Hajime. That could only mean these 'Surgeries' hold some dark implication about Hope's Peak Academy itself, Ryoma concluded in his mind. Still, he had no evidence to support such a conclusion and it wasn't important in terms of what he and his friends were trying to do now. He let the girls think about the Surgery as more of a positive rather than a negative. Kirumi did seem to notice Ryoma's forlorn expression somewhat, having grown accustomed to Ryoma's state of mind more than her other classmates out of respect for his demeanor and concern for him wanting to feel like he had a future. She cleared her throat and continued reading what appeared to be the last rule of the Talent Development Plan,

"Finally, if you do not reach your goal in time, you will be forced to go to the exclusive Despair Course in the next round and won't be able to attempt the exams. This board is not entirely a punishment but contains the most Despair squares and should be tread very carefully. That's all there appears to be…"

"It seems like a lot of fun!" Angie seemed chipper and excited as she held her hands over her head in clasped prayer.

"Fun is not really what I'd describe being forced to play this Angie… but I can see what you mean. I wanna build a lot of magical power in this game." Himiko remarked, incapable of hiding her excitement.

"There's an unfortunate lack of a list of skills so ultimately I will need to see the skills for what they are and then transcribe them and their effects for future reference." Kirumi added.

"Well I'm going to focus on a strong offense. Angie, Himiko? What are you two going for?" Ryoma asked thoughtfully.

"I wanna be a very powerful mage. But I also think that something that could help you guys would be nice. Nyeh… why wasn't I Intellect?" Himiko shook her arms in slight frustration at the fact her class was not suited to cast spells as much as Kirumi was.

"You can still presumably gain a lot of Intellect through items and the Board Game. I wouldn't count your dreams of being a strong Mage out yet." Ryoma gave Himiko words of encouragement.

"Ryoma's right! I for one will prioritize what Atua believes is the best skillset for the Ultimate Artist!" Angie remarked, rubbing herself.

"Which is?" Ryoma was torn between annoyance at her making it about her and flusteredness at her agreeing with him as opposed to her God.

"Something to help enlighten everyone and keep them within Atua's guidance. I don't really know how to describe it in the game terms Himiko is more familiar with." Angie admitted humbly.

"Probably a support in that case. I'm going to be more of a utility mage. Ryoma's on his way to becoming a rogue or an assassin. Kirumi, what are you going to aim for?" Himiko asked the Ultimate Maid her strategy.

"Ideally a best of both physical and magical prowess. I do agree that some utility would be vital should one of us were to fall in battle so a skill that'd allow me to keep my masters steady and strong would be vital." Kirumi said with determination.

"You don't really have to call us your masters anymore… friends would be fine."

"*Chuckle* That is true. It's fairly hard to break the habit when selfless devotion can be applied in this scenario. Were this for some more relaxing activity then… well…" Kirumi looked a little anxious all of a sudden.

It was true that she was not as much of a social butterfly as one might guess based on how she played off and attended to the other students students would suggest. It was rare for her to engage a conversation directly without having first been prompted by some command, order, request, or in general one of her 'masters' speaking first. Ryoma could relate in the harsh semblance of prison life that a careless word or trying to start a conversation in a tense environment was recipe for disaster. Maids in the past would likely have had been punished in some ruthless or painful way for speaking out of line in the eyes of their 'noble' masters. So what Kirumi was trying to say but realized she couldn't was that she wouldn't address her classmates of three years as 'masters' if they were in a casual environment. But being a maid was always going to be central to how Kirumi lived after what Ryoma could assume based on her stories and caliber. Why did she throw herself into becoming an Ultimate who follows others to begin with? He was thinking suddenly. As these thoughts came to fruition, Angie, once again displaying a strange sense of analytical empathy, looked to Kirumi and clasped her hands in prayer.

"I think it's possible to relax and still call us your friends rather than your masters Kirumi. If you went to serve Angie on the island, we'd never address you as a servant and you could have a lot of fun with all of us."

"...! T-that's a very kind offer Angie… truthfully I may have other priorities before coming to your island but perhaps I would come to visit you someday if you and… Atua… needed my assistance." Kirumi blushed, surprised at the candid offer.

"Nyahahaha! It's a deal! Well then, I'm going to go play the Talent Development Plan and see what it's all about. Byeonara!" Angie gleefully skipped away to go try the machine after finishing her piece.

Kirumi sighed in a tired fashion and attempted to recompose herself by adjusting her body language as Himiko looked to be following after Angie, presumably to watch her friend play it before playing it herself afterward. Ryoma seized the opportunity to gesture to Kirumi to sit at the benches with him. Kirumi nodded with a small smile and the two rather serious Ultimates sat down, prepared for a cordial chat while the Variety students tinkered with Monokuma's invention.

"Long day…" Ryoma began.

"I'm intent on proposing that we only go through half of the floors today, up until we reach the elevator and activate it. Then we would come back here, get a night's worth of sleep, and wake up tomorrow to finish the five remaining ones off. Although I'm a bit worried about what Angie might have in mind… sweet as she can be, manipulative is what I'm used to her being." Kirumi looked down at the table with reservations.

"So you've noticed too…" Ryoma grimaced.

"I'm not really the kind of person who should settle into a religious lifestyle as deeply as she does. Perhaps it could be seen as atheism but I'd prefer to simply keep my own beliefs out of the public eye nor let it disrupt my work as a maid. Her descriptions of her home and god are uncanny to me and suggest she's the one who created this belief system." Kirumi confessed.

"... Considering she was recognized as an Ultimate at some point by the public, I'm starting to think this belief system was already in place on her island. She might of helped it to grow and she certainly wants it to grow." Ryoma put his hands in his pockets.

"And if it does grow… well, I suppose that seems to be a dream of hers." Kirumi folded her hands in her lap.

"Still, she uses Atua's influence as a status, to make her opinion relevant and that she should be in charge. If she tries to make the students we wake up to follow her orders, there'll be a divide and drawn lines. I can see it as a possibility now and I don't want it to escalate to that point. It'd be troublesome…"

"It'd at least be more of a distraction than an asset as Angie would believe. Not everyone would want to follow her advice and some are very adamant about her. Miu and Tenko in particular would be the most suspicious ones out of our class." Kirumi noted.

There was a silence as the two Ultimates considered the ramifications of their discussion. It was right to be wary of her but in some sense, were they just putting more paranoia into this situation themselves? Himiko would've disapproved of this gossiping and even Angie would probably feel hurt that her 'friends' and one of whom she just encouraged quite genuinely were distrusting her. Kirumi and Ryoma exchanged quick glances before nodding to themselves. They decided they needed to keep it between themselves for now. If Angie was showing signs of exceeding her ambitions, they'd likely have to address Himiko or more preferably, a student they were able to wake up with the hopes of curbing it before it got out of hand. Things were quiet for several minutes, save some excited gasps from Angie and Himiko. From the sounds of it, they had come across one of the Friendship Events.

"Ah! This was the time I tried to explain to Hiyoko the wonders of Atua! It's a shame she didn't see the light... and still doesn't."

"Nyeh, I've never been fond of her trickery but she did seem to appreciate my magic shows."

"Do you know what she means by psychoelectric though? I've never heard the term before."

"I think it's like some kind of lifestyle or description for a really special person."

"It appears these Friendship Events are positive in nature then." Kirumi looked to be cheered up by seeing the two chatting casually.

"That's a relief. I don't think any of us could handle any more mind games…" Ryoma mused softly to himself.

"And it also appears these Friendship Events detail events from throughout the school year. I've certainly fulfilled a lot of requests so I wonder what events would be chosen for me." Kirumi reminisced.

There's a thought, Ryoma thought in regards to himself, what Friendship Events would I have? Rarely did Hoshi think selfishly or about things that could turn out nice for once in his life. He had spent time with other athletes, with customers at a stand, with playing tennis, with studying, and with his own direct classmates. A lot of interactions that had been much smoother and more endearing than anything in prison. In particular, he hadn't been abused by anyone, nor would he let any abuse be tolerated here. He could also appreciate Kirumi's almost innocent excitement about seeing what would be featured in the Talent Development Plan game when she played through it.

"Any in particular that stand out to you?" He asked.

"Well… there was the one request I had where Byakuya, Celeste, and Sonia wanted me to serve them at a private tea party. The three of them really did appreciate my level of servitude and success as a Maid." Kirumi recalled.

"... Well two of them are probably used to having a lot of servants at their beck and call. The third though… she's a wild card. She can be normal when she wants to be but I've also heard she puts on a persona." Ryoma looked pensive.

"... Yes I have to agree with you there that whenever I've encountered her, she speaks as though she herself is a princess or a noble. Her dreams are connected towards reaching such a benevolent status with her earnings as a Gambler. Still I can't help but feel there's a reason for such." Kirumi explained.

"... *Sigh* On second thought we really shouldn't be gossiping about people who are asleep and who we are tasked with saving." Ryoma suddenly felt a bit embarrassed after hearing Kirumi's in-depth analysis.

"Perhaps I should tell you then how the tea party went instead?" Kirumi offered.

"A story wouldn't hurt. I imagine Angie and Himiko are going to take some time after all." Ryoma leaned on his arm as her stared at Kirumi clearing her throat.

-Flashback-

The idea for the tea party was Celeste's as she was interested in having a cordial, elegant affair amongst Ultimates she considered 'A-rank' or higher. Judging by her qualifications, only Togami and Sonia fit the bill due to them being heirs of power and Ultimates of high status. Togami seemed irritated at Celeste's haughty assumption of herself being 'A-rank' but with Kirumi offering her legendary brewing skills and service, he begrudgingly agreed. Sonia was enthusiastic about the idea, having never had a true tea party outside of her kingdom of Novoselic. Considering the cafeteria in which Celeste and Togami liked to consider their own domain was a public space, Kirumi offered that they instead use some of the campus grounds of Hope's Peak Academy. Sonia was the one to suggest the fountain as Hajime and Chiaki had often frequented there and it had enough space around it to prepare a nice table setting. Celeste and Togami agreed for the weather had been perfect for outdoor activities lately and hopefully make it easier to spot intruders for Kirumi to shoo away.

The tables and chairs were chosen carefully by Kirumi to be seamless yet fitting for an outdoor affair, settling on steel chairs with elegant curves in the design with floral pillows to add comfort and contrast to the seats. The table was a seamless white wood table with a circular shape and a black table-cloth to appeal to Celeste's gothic taste while also expertly hiding any stains or spillage that might happen. A lavish vase of fragrant hydrangeas, blue roses, and chocolate cosmos was to be in the center of the table as decoration. Much of these furnishings had been found and provided by Hope's Peak Academy when Celeste proactively asked them for permission to reserve the fountain area. With Togami's influential and Sonia's regal status amongst the guest list, they permitted it as a recreational activity for cultivating knowledge and hope among the three of them. Kirumi was asstounded that it seemed almost miraculous the lengths Hope's Peak Academy would successfully go to make something worthy of an Ultimate student. Could you imagine how they would celebrate someone's birthday? She had thought when setting the table setting up.

For the teas, she prepared a small selection of them, as well as Civet Coffee per Togami's request. Royal milk tea was Celeste's request as the Ultimate Gambler considered the drink something of a status symbol as well as a pleasant beverage. Sonia was the only one to not make any requests on food or drink (None of them seemed particularly picky about the food offerings) and so Kirumi prepared Ginger Tea. For the tea party foods, she made sandwiches, scones, eclairs, chocolate fondant, an assortment of French cheeses with crackers, and some fresh fruit. Kirumi always found that cooking meals and baking desserts was one of the more fun parts of being a maid as it was able to bring satisfaction to her masters and praise for her service. Selfless devotion had many rewards after all. The last crucial element to a tea party was the tea set, and Kirumi decided on separating the teacups by color for each guest. Black with a calculated poker symbol pattern for Celeste, a beautifully bronze teacup for Sonia, and a sharp forest green cup for Togami. The specially made teapots that contained the beverages had the Hope's Peak Academy insignia beautifully painted upon them. After setting some garden parasols to provide shade for the guests, the Gambler, Princess, and Affluent Progeny arrived and the tea party commenced. Tea and coffee cascaded like waterfalls into the cups, foods were eaten with only the best of table matters, and conversation striked up rather quickly with Kirumi waiting until it was permissible for her to speak.

"Amazing! Every pastry is so fluffy and moist. The tea and coffee is of the finest sweetness and bitterness respectfully. This kind of tea party must be what those dreaming of being Alice have wished for!" Sonia remarked with a sparkle in her eye.

"Ehehehe. I fancy myself more of a Queen of Hearts than an Alice Sonia. But truthfully you never fail to impress Kirumi." Celeste idly bestowed her praise before sipping her Royal Milk tea.

"Humph, fairy tales are not at all an accurate representation of what a tea party is about. There's much more emphasis on making an impression and not appearing a fool as someone of status and noble upbringing." Togami, never one to take it easy, seemed to be lecturing the two girls.

"Yes, it is true in Novoselic I've had to be trained in proper etiquette for things like military drills, balls, and speeches… I'd say it helps but it can be a bit stifling at times." Sonia confessed.

"If you aren't trained in your position you are destined for failure. In the Togami Corporation, training is self-taught… otherwise you are deemed a dependent and are no worthy heir." Togami opened up much more easily here than whenever he was with any other Ultimate.

"I can't say I envy that but if it would be what it would take to fulfill my dream, why not learn a bit of politics and management?" Celestia remarked.

"You certainly have the potential to make connections as a Gambler Celeste. Shady they may be but that, your marvelous mind, and your wealth would make you a bonafide 'black horse'!" Sonia remarked eagerly.

Celestia raised an eyebrow whereas Togami sipped some coffee. Kirumi closed her eyes and held back the urge to chuckle at Sonia's misuse of the early 19th century slang. Sonia was by far the most personable of those born into an organization of influence and power and it was what allowed her to quickly become one of Kirumi's favorite mas… friends to serve. Compared to Celeste's indulgent self-mindedness and Togami's division of who could stand with him and who couldn't, Sonia addressed the other Ultimates as friends rather than subjects as one might assume a more strict princess to be. Not that Togami and Celeste didn't possess intriguing qualities that Kirumi wanted to help hone but Sonia definitely shined as a social presence and relatable young woman.

"The term is 'dark horse' my dear Sonia." Celestia corrected her in a tone that was the slightest bit patronizing.

"Oh you are right. Thank you for correcting me Celeste. While we are on the subject, how did you train to become a Gambler? Wouldn't that require memorization of different hand strengths and being able to perceive other player's emotions and the flow of money?" Sonia asked curiously.

"... Truly it comes to the ability to deceive and play your opponents as well as you might play yourself with a poker face. Still, luck is the ultimate deciding factor in what can assist or even secure your victories. Why else do you think two Ultimate Lucky Students would be present at Hope's Peak Academy?" Celestia leaned forward as she usually did when she wanted to make a firm point.

"They are here because Hope's Peak Academy had a lottery and they were picked. I suppose you'll ramble about how that is a part of luck too right?" Togami challenged Celeste.

"Tch. I suppose you catch on too quickly. Unfortunately Togami is right Sonia, that is the point I was intent on stressing. Luck is of undeniable significance in deciding your hand and your ability to win. Granted, the ability to deceive and communicate facially and verbally without any faults is essential too. With that, my skill with the art of lying is unparallelled. Even in the face of your gremlin of a classmate Kirumi." Celeste eyed Kirumi with one of her poised if subtly haughty smiles.

"Kokichi you mean? Over the semesters I've grown to become accustomed to his tricks. It's also become much easier as of late to distinguish his honest comments from his lies." Kirumi offered.

In truth, she rather disliked him at times for his insistence on being disruptive and often instigating conflict whether it was a 'robophobic' comment towards Kiibo or getting Kaito riled up or manipulating Gonta. Still, she wanted to believe that as the Ultimate Supreme Leader, he held potential worth serving. Furthermore she wasn't sure outright expressing her dislike for Kokichi in front of these Ultimates would be a very kind move on her part. Although I do wonder what Celeste's take on him is, Kirumi realized as she recalled that he and the Gambler had encountered each other several times before. Thankfully, Sonia changed the subject with a question of her own. This question, to Kirumi's surprise, was directed towards the Ultimate Maid herself.

"While the subject is high on the horizon, I wanted to ask something of you Kirumi. What kind of training did you undertake to become the Ultimate Maid?"

Kirumi looked slightly uncertain at first, folding her hands as a sort of nervous habit. Celeste and Togami didn't betray any sort of reaction with their neutral expressions, looking to Kirumi with a normal amount of expectation. Kirumi was rarely asked by her masters to disclose the specifics of her training since with agencies like the one she had been a part of before becoming an Ultimate, it was common knowledge what capabilities a maid or butler would have. This time she was being asked to recount the origins of her training and even motivations for becoming a maid. Kirumi considered her history to not be a tragic one compared to some of the other Ultimates whose talents were either not ones they wanted, had brought about misfortune or conflict, or who generally had dark events in their lives. With this comparison in mind, perhaps it was alright to answer Sonia's excited question. Kirumi cleared her throat eloquently and stood with attentiveness and composure.

"Very well Sonia. I shall tell you how I grew to become the Ultimate Maid." Kirumi said.

"Thank you." Sonia nodded politely and listened carefully.

"In truth my interest in the profession began as a young girl in which I would frequent the library to read about occupations in the hopes of finding something that could be my dream. My parents liked for me to do chores around the household and I quickly grew to develop responsibility and a sense of routine when it came to things like cooking and cleaning. In particular, the role of a maid came to me when I read about the Victorian era and I was intrigued by the mystique, prestige, and importance of the maids that would be served during that time." Kirumi began.

"Indeed. The Victorian era was simply indulgent and elegant. It's a shame that the era we are in now is full of riffraff and rather plain taste…" Celeste looked wistful.

"Taste should not compromise functionality or sustainability. The Togami Corporation doesn't need outdated architecture or values for it's foundation. It's constantly progressing. Regardless, it was an era that brought about developments in the way society and upper class society in particular functioned." Togami added.

"I soon learned in some parts of the world and in some upper class societies, maids were still being hired and I thought it'd make a proper role for me. I've always enjoyed the sensation of being depended on and helping others progress and make positive change for themselves and the world around them. I also enjoyed the opportunity to advise and use my own perspective to lead them into utilizing their full potential. As I grew up I participated in a variety of clubs from sports to sewing to cooking and even doing research on things such as self-defense, economics, and politics so that I may best suit any future client. You could say I was a bit of an overachiever." Kirumi chuckled.

"Amazing! Participating in a variety of school clubs… you must've been popular amongst your classmates!" Sonia looked delighted.

"Most of the time I was open to tutoring some of them and helping others, but I also learned valuable lessons about not letting myself be misled or tricked into service. It came in handy coming into high school and soon I was able to apply as a maid for part time services. The quality of my work as a maid and the unconventionally high praise from my masters soon caught wind of Hope's Peak Academy and I was eventually recognized as an Ultimate and allowed full-time service as a maid with payments and benefits for me and my family. That brings us to today on this beautiful day and us having a tea party amongst Ultimates." Kirumi finished her story.

The reception to her story appeared to be quite interesting from what Kirumi noticed. Celeste was eyeing her with a mix of pity, indifference, and perhaps even envy. Togami was still frowning but his eyes were soft and judging Kirumi calmly as opposed to scornfully. Sonia's was a sense of happiness but also longing as the Princess stared seemingly beyond Kirumi towards the horizon. From what Kirumi knew so far, the first and third reactions were complex but understandable. Celestia Ludenberg was an alias from what the Principal had allowed Kirumi to read about in accordance to serving her classmates and the girl behind the mask probably did not have a pleasant life before assuming the alias. Sonia had more than anything wanted to live or at least experience a more normal day-to-day life without the pressures of princesshood. Celeste seemed to be uneasy with Kirumi's normal past while Sonia admired Kirumi's normal past. Togami seemed to be showing some respect for her work ethic being consistent throughout her life and that was why he was not looking at her harshly or even scoffing as he usually did whenever he heard another Ultimate's story.

"I'm sure your family must be very proud of you." Sonia said.

"Thank you Sonia. I can't help but imagine that I completed their unconditional request of seeing me succeed with my actions."

"And getting to live a normal life even as you were working so hard to perfect your maiden's heart. It's very crackalackin!" Sonia pumped her arm in excitement.

"Sonia please." Celeste frowned slightly at the Princess.

With as much as Celeste desired to feel like royalty and become a princess of her own castle, it seemed as though Sonia's wish for being normal was a slap in the face to her. At least that's what Kirumi noted with a somewhat uneasy expression. Kirumi would've likely lectured Celeste at this point were it just between them but with Sonia and Togami in the area, it would've been a bit too risky. Togami's narrow eyes were directed at something that wasn't Celeste or Sonia and he grunted, leading the three girls to look his way.

"Kirumi, a request please." He said simply as he grasped his coffee cup.

"Yes Byakuya?" Kirumi responded.

"We have uninvited guests sneaking about around those bushes over there. Dispose of them immediately." Togami ordered.

"Do you recognize them?" Kirumi asked not only for the additional information but also to better figure out how threatening these guests were.

"One is an eyesore with putrid breath and an unhealthy obsession with me-"

"Toko Fukawa yes?" Celeste interrupted with a much more 'Celestia' expression on her face. Amused and calculating the situation as something entertaining to her without being as sympathetic.

"... Indeed. That is her."

"I'm sorry you have such a devoted follower. I'll do my best to protect you with my wisdom!" Sonia looked unusually supportive.

"Humph. That is a reckless offer Sonia. I'm more than capable of dealing with her. The other one is that greasy plebeian from your class Sonia." Togami scoffed.

Sonia's expression lost some of it's shimmer as she frowned and then looked down in an awkward silence. Kirumi was fairly certain of who fit this description best in Sonia's class (Barring Teruteru who had somewhat impressed Togami with his cooking skills though who had demonstrated his usual behavior which repulsed the Heir). Kazuichi Soda. The Ultimate Mechanic. Someone with a rather stereotypical and premature crush on Sonia Nevermind based on her appearance matching that of his ideal girl. He was a kind-hearted young man but a bit flighty and one who was passionately living his school life much like how Kaito did. That could lead into trouble just like Kaito's aggressive tendencies could be. For this situation it was Sonia's discomfort and adding along with Toko, the Ultimate Bookworm, watching Togami without his consent, that encouraged Kirumi it was necessary to follow this request.

"I'll encourage them to depart the area peacefully. I refuse to use violence on two of my friends. Where do you see them?" She asked Byakuya.

"Those bushes past there." Byakuya said, pointing towards said hiding place.

Kirumi nodded and with one more look at her Masters, viewing Sonia who was slightly recovering her confidence by drinking tea and Celeste who seemed amused by the whole affair, went to fulfill said request. She looked through the bushes and quickly found Toko and Kazuichi who were grumbling amongst themselves and so intent on watching their respective objects of desire that they didn't notice Kirumi. Kirumi decided it was best to interrupt whatever ramblings they may have been up to with the clearing of her throat. Toko and Kazuichi noticed her and reacted with somewhat exaggerated surprise.

"Eek! T-the maid… a-are you here to punish us or something?!" Toko snarled.

"I mean that wouldn't be half-bad but we weren't doing anything wrong!" Kazuichi looked intrigued by the prospect, much to Kirumi's displeasure.

"It's abundantly clear you two are continuing to spy on Togami and Sonia. It's not against the rules to be eyeing other people but this is a private affair for Togami, Sonia, and Celeste so I'm afraid I need to ask you two to leave." Kirumi held a surprising amount of anger that was growing within her.

She felt it was not ideal for anyone to be ogled at like some sort of trophy or work of art. Sure there were talents like Junko's modeling and Sayaka's idol performances that emphasized them being the center of attention but in a daily life when they weren't working, they too had a right to privacy. It also seem a detriment to both Toko and Kazuichi as individuals to be so stuck on trying to win over or gather the attention of two other Ultimates, rather than focus on using their full potential. She was hoping at this point the two of them could… as Miu would crudely but accurately put it, start thinking with their heads rather than their genitals. Toko looked mildly bothered by Kirumi's order but Kazuichi's reaction was a bit more surprising. He looked genuinely hurt despite Kirumi speaking rather politely.

"Humph! Y-you're lucky y-you are so talented… that Master trusts you with your knowledge and domestication… b-but just know that you aren't ever going to be his b-bride or someone who can s-seduce him easily! Master will not fall for such gimmicks!" Toko pointed at Kirumi angrily with some inaccurate accusations.

"I have no intention of seducing anyone Toko. Please go before you make a scene." Kirumi waved her hand dismissively.

Toko gave one last pining look to the direction Togami was in before she walked away, shoulders slumped and head down. Kirumi was relieved to see her leaving without too much of a fuss by Toko standards (Rumors about some other Toko who had a long tongue and freaking out a few classmates notwithstanding) but Kazuichi hadn't said a word nor had he left. The Ultimate Mechanic was a sensitive soul despite his grunge appearance and reminded Kirumi of Kaito at times so she wondered if she needed to make sure he was alright with leaving.

"Kazuichi?" She asked.

"Ugh… I mean I guess you have a point about leaving a private affair. It's just… I always seem invisible to her. I can only really get Miss Sonia to notice me by answering whatever it is she asks of me or by trying to be friendly. I can't remember a time we had a meaningful conversation y'know? That breeding bastard keeps hogging all the one-on-one time with Miss Sonia too. I can only watch her from the horizon at this rate…" Kazuichi sounded a bit sad.

Kirumi winced slightly as she could feel his emotions brushing against her rather roughly. It appeared he was trying to find an opportunity to make an impression on Sonia but from what Kirumi heard from the Ultimate Princess herself, his impressions thus far made her not want anymore from him. Of course Sonia wouldn't entirely neglect a dear friend of hers but she was prone to disliking Kazuichi at times and thus it didn't convince Kirumi of him and her being an adequate couple. So Kirumi ultimately tried to ask a more open-minded question to him.

"Kazuichi? Isn't it possible Sonia isn't the one for you? If you really are looking for romance I'm sure that trying to-"

"But she's my dream girl! A beautiful, elegant, and charming blonde princess straight out of my fantasies! I… I don't think I'll get someone like her again in my life." Kazuichi spoke out passionately.

"Isn't such a narrow view distracting you from opportunities on meeting somebody else?" Kirumi offered.

"... I guess… but I don't want to just give up on something amazing that could happen for me. I wanna have a family someday and here at Hope's Peak Academy I can pursue my ambitions and have the best shot of finding a partner. I'd like it to be Miss Sonia-"

"She may not want that Kazuichi. It's time you should consider her feelings in the matter as well. If you truly understood her feelings, you'd know Sonia's here to enjoy living the life of a normal high school student and has yet to declare that she's looking for a partner." Kirumi spoke a bit harshly, tired of hearing Sonia addressed by the informal 'miss'.

Kazuichi flinched and suddenly looked quite angry at Kirumi, bearing his sharp teeth and staring at her. He then cried out,

"You don't know anything about pursuing love yourself Kirumi! Like Toko said, if you were really interested in the slim Togami you would go for him but you just idly follow his orders and respond to his statements. You don't make any moves!"

"I am not interested in Togami…" Kirumi resisted the urge to blush out of embarrassment at Toko's words being believed to be truth by the Mechanic.

"Whatever. Point is you shouldn't try to break down a man's hopes and dreams so thoroughly! I'm going now but I won't just let go of an opportunity for a perfect partner Kirumi. I mean I guess I'll take your advice into consideration and listen to her more but I'm still going to be myself. Wish me luck!" Kazuichi seemed to calm down with a resolute tone in his voice.

Kirumi felt uncomfortable with this in a number of ways. He sounded so possessive of Sonia, considering her a 'perfect partner' and addressing her as 'Miss Sonia'. He also showed no intent of stopping his advances on her, using logic that someone like Kaito used more favorably to defend it. Worse, he hadn't even said one word about any other projects or being open to opportunities for romance in other areas beyond just one individual. It felt as though whereas Toko seemed to recognize some of her advances weren't effective but at least was shown to care about her works of literature, Kazuichi was here at Hope's Peak Academy to have a good time and pursue a girl. It was this kind of behavior that if Kirumi had seen it being done by one of her previous masters, she would have advised them to do something more productive. Yet she was trying not to make the other Ultimates look at her as solely an advisor, much less a mother, so there wasn't much else to say. The Ultimate Mechanic left and thus she had fulfilled her request. It all felt so hollow to her though as it just meant Sonia would no doubt come to her again about Kazuichi being a bit too creepy in his feelings for her and Toko would likely be seen around a corner watching Togami. The matters of the heart was something she needed more experience in being able to advise properly on and yet it was not something she could see in the near future for herself.

-Flashback Over-

"Love is a messy topic… I'm not surprised you were uneasy." Ryoma commented.

"Thank you for understanding. It's now the end of the year and unfortunately I'm not sure how things have turned out. Fortunately I have been alerted to a more positive bond between Kazuichi and Sonia but I fear this situation won't help promote that should they awake. Kazuichi is prone to suspicion and may act recklessly." Kirumi shared some more of her fears to the Ultimate Tennis Pro.

"I think he'll be alright if we clear things up with him." Ryoma suggested.

"How can you be so confident Ryoma? He is fairly persistent… I also fear I'd just upset him again." Kirumi said with regret.

"If you really want to help someone Kirumi, sometimes you got to give them tough love. You don't think I've been given tough love over this year because people I cared about wanted me to appreciate life more? I think it's worth a shot." Ryoma clenched his fist with toughness.

Kirumi said nothing but she did smile at him. Kirumi, for all her perceived flawlessness was still young and lacked the acute ability to help with more intimate and emotional matters. She had often tried to keep herself from assuming all duties of her masters due to the fact that a previous master had lost much of his potential and capability by relying entirely on her. Ryoma's advice wasn't to baby Kazuichi, but to maybe be more strict on Kazuichi should his distant demeanor or ambitions consume him. Kirumi felt it'd be a learning opportunity for her progress on selfless devotion and as refining her talent and thus was touched.

"Now onto the earlier story... from what I gather you just practiced whatever you could that would make you stronger as a maid and it led to you becoming an Ultimate." Ryoma reflected.

"Well of course. I would never be so bold to claim I was born with said talent… or that some god gives me talent. It's a matter of work ethic for my situation."

"And you had a normal life before all this. I'm sure if some of the others heard this, they'd think of you as more human and less of a robot like I've heard some of them say." Ryoma said seriously. Clearly Ryoma had felt a bit protective towards Kirumi about these comments based on his tone.

"It's no trouble at all. Ryoma… you reminded me that I should try harder to keep in touch with my family and friends even after we've all graduated. I owe a lot to their dedication, support, compliments, and their trust in me. Such wisdom will also help me have a brighter disposition when confronting these Dungeons alongside all of you." Kirumi said, looking much more determined than she had been when scrutinizing the Talent Development Plan.

"Same here. We'll show them what we got." Ryoma gave Kirumi a thumbs up.

Ryoma was feeling a bit of envy about Kirumi's idealistic life as it was something he had before and relished in but lost in the most tragic and messed up way possible. He still couldn't deny though that seeing Kirumi talk about herself and tell her story in a way that was so natural and so easygoing like that of Kaede was really reassuring. Kirumi always felt like some delicate but useful operative as a maid but she showed traits of earnestness, interest, and fleshed out emotions that made her seem all the more stronger. He needed that strength as a comrade and as a strength would inspire him to be more confident and powerful as an individual. So he allowed his heart to feel a bit of genuine optimism that he hadn't felt so far in this prison-style situation. Granted he would still remain on the side of caution but he felt that the four of them could get things done.

"We're all done now!" Angie's voice suddenly sounded much closer to the Maid and Tennis Pro as the Artist and Mage appeared beside them.

"I think we both did really good. They have a lot of skills but some of them seem kind of useless so we only got the most useful ones…" Himiko said afterward.

"Was it particularly difficult? Anything to add onto what we already know?" Kirumi asked.

"Most of the Cards you can get help with movement by allowing you to move a certain number of spaces, doubling movement, or even warping randomly to another spot or course. Others can protect you from Despair squares and double the amount of benefits you can get from a space. It's a lot easier to apply for yourself than how I'm making it sound."

"And we were able to receive Atua's divine blessing by getting good stats and skills!" Angie added, posing in the manner of an infomercial advertiser.

"Can you tell us what these are?" Ryoma raised an eyebrow.

"Yes! I have 289 Influence, 331 Focus, 84 Strength, 119 Defense, 184 Intellect, 341 Fortitude, 157 Agility, and 105 Luck. My skills are Fighting Spirit Lv. 9, Ultra Defense Lv. 9, Ice Freeze Lv. 9, Cure Condition Lv. 10, and Ice Power Up Lv. 8. Atua will endure a number of skills with his divinity and be able to cleanse your mind with his guidance." Angie gave her stats with her usual emphasis on Atua.

"So what can you do?" Ryoma wasn't buying it.

"Oh well. Fighting Spirit is a revival skill and it allows me to revive a fallen teammate in battle. Ultra Defense gives me greater defense for one turn as a protective measure. Cure Condition allow me to purify everyone of all status ailments whereas Ice Freeze is Atua's method of smiting with Ice Power Up increasing it's effectiveness. Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to go pray." Angie remarked as she skipped over to another bench and began her routine.

"And what of you Himiko?" Kirumi, who had dutifully taken notes once Angie had started explaining, moved onto the Mage.

"Nyeh… I have 188 influence, 367 Focus, 109 Strength, 139 Defense, 231 Intellect, 373 Fortitude, 198 Agility, and 174 Luck. I wanted Intellect to be my highest stat though…" Himiko pouted.

She's really taking this seriously, Ryoma thought with slight worry. He didn't want Himiko's imagination to run amok simply because he felt it would land her into danger or make her have too high of expectations. With Monokuma's emphasis on 'despair' it seemed like a dangerous mentality.

"I think your stats are fine Himiko. I know Tenko wouldn't want you to worry about that when you already have flawless magic." Ryoma offered, feeling slightly guilty inside about using Tenko's name like this.

"I suppose you are right. I just feel I'll be a nuisance though if I can't bring the pedal to the metal when it matters most. My skills are good though. Recover Influence LV 10, Ultra Defense LV 9, Ice Freeze LV 9, Energize LV 10, and Ice Power Up LV 4. I can heal everyone at once and give them a buff that lets them use Awakening Skills faster." Himiko explained.

"How do we find out what Awakening Skills we possess though?"

"I'm not really sure, maybe it's some instinctive sort of thing where we just automatically know what it is and when to use it when we can unleash it. Like a surge of magical power coming forth at a time of need."

"That's not a definitive answer to the question but I suppose it's a possible explanation. In the meantime, can you tell me the list of skills?"

"Sure Kirumi…" Himiko said.

Recounting the list of skills revealed a startling variety in them. Three major elements compromised the offensive skills, Electric, Wind, and Ice and there were also a variety of debilitating status conditions to apply on enemies. Poison was straightforward but ones like Curse made them rather curious as to what their intended effects were. Physical skills differed from defensive ones that could help you endure attacks for yourself and your allies to high-risk damaging attacks that sacrificed life for powerful damage-dealing. Utility skills varied from barriers against the respective elemental attacks to healing abilities to status curing. Finally there were some passive skills with interesting properties like increased damage at max health and more gold and treasure gain. The one odd usable skill was Fog which seemed designed to reduce the amount of enemy encounters and make progress quicker. There seemed to be a somewhat well-rounded mix of builds that were possible and Kirumi seemed set on which build to make for hers as she finished writing down the list of skills and their effects.

" I believe I shall go try my hand at the Talent Development Plan game. My build should emphasize what I proposed I would be." Kirumi proposed.

"No one's stopping you. Good luck." Ryoma said.

Kirumi made her way towards the machine while Ryoma and Himiko were left to awkwardly sit around on the bench. Himiko eventually settled on taking a small nap, laying her head down and softly snoring. Ryoma stared at the Ultimate Mage and wondered when was the last time he had been able to have a peaceful nap. He often had been too busy during the semester to take the time to get some extra rest and the most relaxing activity he believed was hanging around with animals. He hadn't been allowed to have such peaceful moments or even peaceful thoughts in prison which made the sight of this innocent girl napping seem very symbolic and important to him. Unfortunately it's also the calm before the storm, Ryoma thought negatively yet correctly, seeing we're about to go into a dungeon. It's smart of her and Angie to take some time to clear their minds and rest up. Ryoma was tempted to take a nap after thinking more about the positives of doing it but he felt he needed to be watching over those who seemed untainted by what the world could do to you. After a while of this spywork, Angie came over to their bench and took a seat after finishing up her prayer session. She seemed to be strangely quiet as she watched the sleeping Himiko with a warm smile. Ryoma had no reason to get into anymore talk about Atua and the sight was pleasant so he said nothing. He spent the time waiting for Kirumi to finish by reading over the list of skills. Kirumi then came over looking prepared to give the results of her session.

"I've completed the Talent Development Plan. It is a strangely entertaining experience even under this circumstances. I just hope that whatever we have earned comes into fruition. Who's to say Monokuma isn't lying about some of these details…?" Kirumi asked.

"We'll just have to rely on each other then in that case. I mean you can engage in hand-to-hand combat at the very least and Himiko can perform magic tricks-"

"Actual magic Ryoma. Himiko is very sensitive about those who do not believe." Angie corrected patiently.

"Sorry… magic. And then I can handle myself fine with… you know what." Ryoma shifted uneasily at remembering the combat effectiveness of his tennis talent.

"Atua should be able to keep me safeguarded. But, but, I'm sure Monokuma isn't lying about what he's told us. Especially after all the other things we've seen." Angie said, twirling her paintbrush.

Kirumi's body appeared to tense up as she seemed to be thinking of the grisly corpses of the student council. Ryoma felt this reaction did serve to prove Angie's theory as did the fact Monokuma seemed keen on getting them to cooperate with what he wanted. What happened here and was happening here was outlandish but real. There was no way out of it nor any use denying it.

"Regretfully yes… Well without further ado, I shall notify you of my stats. Influence 303/303, Focus 317/317, Strength 234, Defense 100, Intellect 392, Fortitude 98, Agility 234, and Luck 113. The skills I possess are Fighting Spirit LV 9, Summer Rain Fist LV 9, Zeal LV 3, Electric Paralyze LV 10, Electric Power Up LV 10. Truthfully I wanted the Sacrifice skill which would enable me to redirect the foes attacks solely to me but my stats are inadequate for durability. I'm sorry." Kirumi apologized.

"Nothing to be overly apologetic about Kirumi. We do have good back-up in Angie and Himiko to keep us healthy. Which means it's important for me to be the heavy-hitter…" Ryoma muttered as he got up and went over to the machine.

"Zeal would be an ideal skill to take if you are to succeed in that role. Falcon Kick also seems like the best offensive skill to make use of it's damage boost." Kirumi advised.

"I'll keep that in mind." He said as he turned the machine on and bit his candy.

Undertaking Talent Development Plan was uncomfortable for the Ultimate Tennis Pro as it basically was a trip down memory lane throughout the whole school term at Hope's Peak. There was some joy in reliving positive moments like helping to rescue a cat with Kirumi and Peko and then the culture festival where he directed Celeste into going to Teruteru for handmade gyoza… but the moments with Hajime stung. It only raised flags as to the who the strange figure in Hajime's place was in the coffin. That boy had gone and done something reckless from the looks of it but what…? On another dark thought, what if that person in Hajime's clothes was the mastermind? He was an entirely new face after all. Still, he didn't feel like following Angie's ideology about scoping out suspects so he tried to put those thoughts aside He could understand at least why Angie and Himiko seemed to enjoy it so much as it seemed a game fun and easy enough for them to enjoy. After finishing the game in question, he returned to the others and revealed what he had gotten.

"I have 245 Influence, 272 Focus, 225 Strength, 257 Defense, 172 Intellect, 80 Fortitude, 400 Agility, and 130 Luck. The skills I got are Summer Rain Fist LV 10, Falcon Kick LV 10, Zeal LV 10, Skill Power Up Lv 9, and Influence Up LV 1." Ryoma clarified as Kirumi wrote these details down.

"Why is it a summer rain anyway? On my island, Atua brings the rain only in the winter and spring." Angie asked.

"I'm not sure why such a name was given to the skill but more importantly, each of us have completed the Talent Development Plan and can now properly face the dungeon head on." Kirumi rationalized.

"Yeah… we'll have to brace ourselves." Ryoma pulled his hat tensely.

"Yah-hah! Himikoooooooo! Time to get up! We're all initiated and ready to fight for our friends!" Angie gently started shaking the sleeping girl.

"Ehh… *Yawn* we are? Did Kirumi and Ryoma get good runs?" Himiko asked, rubbing her eyes.

"Runs?" Kirumi asked, unsure of what she meant.

"It means a good playthrough of a game. Like… getting max stats on your first go would be a perfect run of Talent Development Plan. It's impossible though… unlike magic."

"To sum it up, we got enough power to kick some ass." Ryoma winked at Himiko and spoke confidently.

"Nyeh…! T-that's such an epic thing to say." Himiko replied, blushing strangely.

"Aww, you touched her greatly!" Angie puffed her cheeks in surprise.

"... I was going for something motivational but maybe it would've been more natural coming from Kaito or something." Ryoma muttered, feeling embarrassed at making Himiko react in such a way. It was an attempt to be more of the pillar he felt Himiko would appreciate looking up towards but he decided next time he would just be himself.

"*Giggle* It is nice that even when we are about to set off we can have pleasant moments like this." Kirumi

"Atua will be in the dark about what is in this dungeon, but He says we'll be ok!" Angie remarked.

The four Ultimates had but one step left to take before heading off into the Despair Dungeon, fetch their armor and weapons from the Armory. Whatever lied ahead of them would be full of despair no doubt but they had hope now. Hope in a god above. Hope in their creed. Hope in the talent they brought. Hope in what they were fighting for. No matter how much of a struggle the Despair Dungeon would prove, surrender was not in their mind.

To Be Continued...