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Act Four

Move Forwards, to The Future.

"There's never only one choice to make... There's no way I'll allow things to end this way. The future everyone has created for us should have more possibilities than that. Let's leave this place with confidence, and from there we can just create it on our own. ...The future that we want!"

- Hajime Hinata

Cold.

So cold.

As soon as Makoto turns on the taser, darkness completely overtakes his vision as a disturbing feeling fills his body.

Why is everything so cold?

Where am I?

The dark was suffocating. He couldn't even tell if he was closing his eyes or not.

Am I dead? Is this what awaits us in the afterlife?

Makoto is freezing. But there wasn't anything he could really do about it. He was floating - floating in empty space.

Hey, there's an interesting thought. Maybe he was in space for some reason.

Dark.

Everything.

...

It feels so bad.

...

I want to die.

The 31st Killing Game.

Makoto wakes up on a desk. On it, a cheaply made pamphlet was on it. The room that this desk was in has secure bolted windows and a camera. Around him, several more desks are there, though those are empty.

For a second, Makoto just looks around, bewildered.

Then, he promptly vomits on the floor next to him.

Everything was spinning - What the hell was that void he had experienced? It felt like he was in there for hours...

An extreme sense of nausea had replaced his usual headache - why though?

Makoto, panting for air, takes one more look around. Sure enough, it was the classroom he had woken up in for the past thirty or so time loops. Steadying his trembling hand, he picks up the pamphlet and looks at it.

"The next semester is about to start. Starting today, this school will be your entire world."

"I'm back..." Makoto mutters to himself.

Panic starts to whell up inside of Makoto's heart. Did the time machine malfunction? Was he truly stuck here forever? Did his gamble fail?

No. It's too early to assume that. Calm down. CALM DOWN.

Makoto starts slowly walking to the main hall while trying to calm his nerves.

Maybe there won't be any time loops this time. Maybe we will be able to go outside. Yeah, that's what will happen. I'm saving my friends for the last time. Then, we all leave together.

Gathering up the rest of his courage, Makoto moves forwards to meet his classmates for the 'first' time.

"Let's put it to a vote, then." Mukuro, who had been staying silent ever since Junko woke up, suddenly speaks up.

"Is there anyone here who would like to let Junko live, and STAY inside of this building?"

"..."

"Is there anyone here who would like to let Junko live, and go back into the outside world?"

11 hands shoot up right away - Makoto, Kyoko, Chihiro, Mondo, Ishimaru, Yamada, Sakura, Asahina, Sayaka, Leon, and Hagakure.

"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDD-"

"Is there anyone here who would like to kill Junko and then go back to the outside world?

After a small delay, 3 hands go up - Byakuya, Celeste, and Toko.

"... Fine. I would like to see nothing more then for Junko to pay for her crimes. I suppose it doesn't matter if she lives or dies." Byakuya recluclantly concedes.

"How nice. I share the same exact sentiment." Celeste giggles softly.

"I-I'm just voting for whatever Master Byakuya votes for..."

"You guys made your choice, huh? I have to admit, I'm happy that my sister won't be a casualty... Even if she betrayed me, I still love her. I'll make my way down there." With that, Monokuma shuts down, falling limply onto the floor."

"Oh yeah!" Chihiro suddenly gasps. "I forgot to mention that Alter Ego finished with the files... But I guess that doesn't matter now, does it?"

"We should analyze them later anyway." Mondo responds.

Kyoko gives a small smile. "Then it's time. Let's face the outside world once again."

"NO NO NO!" Junko thrashes around, biting at her binds. "My beautiful despair! I won't even taste the despair of death?!"

Sakura sighs, picking up Junko in one arm. "You will atone for your sins, Junko Enoshima."

He does it all again.

Everything the exact same. Sayaka, Leon, Chihiro, Mondo, Celeste, Yamada, Ishimaru, Sakura, Mukuro... For the umpteenth time, Makoto saves them all from dying horrible deaths.

But for the first time in a while, Makoto held true Hope within his heart. This was the last time he would be doing this. The time machine would have HAD to worked. He wasn't trapped in a time loop - he was free.

Makoto held on to the Hope that this was true. It was all he had.

Once again, Makoto stands in front of the locked door, remote in hand. Surrounding him are all of his friends. This was the final test - would he finally be free from this nightmare?

Steps echo behind Makoto and the other students.

"Oh, Mukuro! Are you ready to go?" Makoto asks expectantly.

Blushing slightly, Mukuro nods.

"Oh my FUCKING god, sis. Will you just ask him out already? Aren't soldier supposed to be BRAVE?" Junko snickers, still being held by Sakura.

"J-Junko!"

Makoto pats Mukuro on the shoulder, causing her to flinch slightly. "Just ignore her, Mukuro."

"R-Right..."

"Well... Does anyone have any objections? This is your last chance." Kyoko clears her throat and scans the small crowd.

"I still think that you guys should take revenge on me."

Other then Junko's scalding comment, no one else raises any objections.

"Very well."

Makoto grits his teeth as he holds up the remote.

I stopped Sayaka from trying to kill Leon...

Again.

I pushed Mukuro out of the way of the spears...

Again.

I kept Mondo's temper in check...

Again.

I managed to put a stop to Celeste's plans...

Again.

Sakura didn't try to commit suicide...

Again.

It was finally done. No one had died.

Again, and hopefully, for the last time. Makoto was absoloutely sick of that word.

'Again.'

"It's time." Kyoko nods at Makoto. "Will you do the honors?"

"Yeah..." Makoto suddenly shifts his eyes to meet Junko's.

She was grinning sadistically at Makoto. Her grin only widened when she sees Makoto looking at her.

Taking a deep breath, Makoto presses the button.

...

...

...

The door opened.

Bright lights came in from the outside world.

"Oh... OH..." Makoto starts shivering, accidentally dropping the remote in the process. Was he really free? Was this it?!

"I didn't go back in time..." Makoto pinches himself in disbelief.

Meanwhile, the other students are gaping at the scene in front of them - sure enough, the world had gone to shit. Buildings were destroyed, street fights raged on, helicopters were in the air, fires spread...

It was terrible.

But Makoto didn't care. He was free. He was free from this hellhole.

Several soldiers came rushing in to the school.

"Students of Hope's Peak Academy!" One of them says.

"We are the Future Foundation, the organization focused on rebuilding this world. Please, come with us. We shall offer you shelter and food."

No one responds. They were still too busy taking in the apparent apocalypse.

Makoto clumsily takes a step forwards. Nothing could describe the extreme sense of bliss that had blossomed inside of him. All of his hard work was finally paying off. He was free from the shackles of time!

"It is 8:59 AM in the morning, yet the sky is so dark!" Ishimaru suddenly reports, staring down at his watch. "Why is it also red?!"

"The sky turned like that when the Tragedy happened, remember bro?" Mondo responds.

"Oh! I suppose you're right. Sorry, my head is still mixed up after getting those memories." Ishimaru laughs sheepishly.

"Will you come with us?" One of the soldiers asks.

...

Makoto steps up, nodding. "I can't speak for everyone else, but I want to rebuild this world... I want to create Hope again."

"Then join the Future Foundation." The soldier says. "We were created for that purpose."

"I will." Makoto says, glancing back at his classmates. "Will you guys join me?"

...

"I promise to rebuild the world, in the name of the Togami Empire." Byakuya says, stepping forwards. "If joining this Future Foundation is the best way to do this, then so be it."

Kyoko nods and stands next to Makoto. "I would be glad to join the Future Foundation as well.

"If M-Master Byakuya is joining, then I will too!"

"Rebuild the world, hm? This sounds like the plot of an anime!"

One by one, the other students of Hope's Peak Academy joins Makoto. Makoto, who was being drained of his optimistic Hope, was being repaired. Slowly and gradually, he begins to feel things like the way he used to. Makoto's hollow soul fills with Hope.

At last, every student in the 78th class has stepped up to the challenge of rebuilding the world.

Every student aside from Mukuro and Junko, that is.

"Ugh. This sucks." Junko pouts from on top of Sakura's shoulder. "Do I really have to stay with you hopey dopeys?"

"Junko Enoshima, the person who masterminded this entire incident." The soldier states. "You will be placed under custody."

The soldier glances at Mukuro. "As her partner in crime, you will too."

"..."

"Come onnnnn, sis!" Junko starts flailing about. "Do your soldier stuff! Kill them!"

Mukuro's arm instinctively twitches towards her knife. She was so used to obeying Junko's orders without asking any questions that it was practically hard coded into her brain.

But...

She sees Makoto give her a pleading look.

...

"No. I submit to your arrest. I speak for my sister as well." Mukuro sighs and holds her both of her hands forwards to be cuffed.

The soldiers looked at each other, clearly not expecting for her to just surrender. Hesitantly, one steps forward and quickly handcuffs her. Another takes Junko from Sakura.

"Whaaaat?!" Junko snarls. "Kill them Mukuro!"

"... No."

Makoto smiles, giving her a thumbs up. Then, he looks at his friends. They were all alive. All 16 of them...

It was a tiring journey, but he had finally reached the end.

You know what? It was worth it.

At last, he and his friends could all move forwards, to the future. What lay ahead was uncertain, but that was fine. In fact, having an uncertain future would be refreshing for Makoto.

It was time to rebuild the world.

*A/N* Well, that's it. Yeah, it was super short. (I warned you)

Now that you finished this fic, why don't you read the remaster? Like I said at the beginning of this story, it's a lot better.