Terror Infinity Side B

Chapter 25, Dangan Ronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

At this time a group was climbing down railroad tracks as a makeshift ladder down a dark hole leading into the sewers. This group; Shin, Komaru, Sachi and Drake (Some difficulty with just one arm and all) were slowly climbing down and once they reached the bottom they let out a sigh of relief. After the battle with Jin/Magician Monokuma their teams current goal was to follow the plot and rejoin with the Resistance in Hopes of coming together to confront the out of control children. They took a different route to return to the sewers and ended up facing a few difficulties, yet by working together they overcame them. Especially Komaru who has become especially motivated. After acquiring the last two Kotodama (Word Bullets)s, BURN and LINK, her fighting potential with the Megaphone Hacking Gun reached its peak and even alone most threats from the Monokuma became negligible.

Sachi: "I can't believe we have to go back and work together with those incompetent adults. Also, I can't believe we let that blue haired kid go."

Drake: "It couldn't be helped, or what? Did you want Komaru by herself to stop those Monokuma Kids from retrieving him? We should just be happy nothing happened to her when our leader was dealing with his friend and the two of us who were incapacitated don't have a right to complain."

Komaru: "...Hey, guys..."

Sachi: "What is it?"

Komaru: "Well, we've been walking around these sewers so long... Do you think it'll be okay?"

Drake: "What do you mean?"

Komaru: "Like, is this smell gonna stick to me forever? I'm starting to worry I'll never get it off... Ah, sorry Sachi! I guess you don't want to hear this when earlier you slipped and fell into the river of sewage fighting that Beast Monokuma! Sorry!"

Sachi: "...I told you never to talk about that. Do you want to become my practice partner for my latest *healing* acupuncture technique? You'll feel so good that you'll be leaving your body behind as your soul-."

Komaru: "Sorry, sorry! Please forget what I said about your smell!"

Sachi: "!!!"

Drake: "Hey, hey hey! Calm down Sachi before you kill us all. Also, Komaru, I'm surprised."

Komaru: "Huh?"

Drake: "I mean... even after Shin ended up confessing everything to you. About us, this world, and everything else you wanted to know... I'm surprised that you are... well, okay with staying with us. You've also resolved yourself to fighting the Warriors of Hope and Monokuma Kids to the bitter end."

Komaru: "..."

It was as Drake said.

After Shin returned from his battle with Jin and regrouped with Komaru he kept his promise to her and revealed everything. Who he was, who Drake and Sachi were, what they were doing here, how his defeated comrades kept disappointing out of thin air, the word of Dangan Ronpa itself, and her own role within Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls. Shin told Komaru everything without holding back and not caring for the thousands of points deducted from the Spoiler Penalty. At first Komaru couldn't believe a word that Shin said, yet seeing how serious he was and after thinking about everything that happened and how unreal everything going on was... she couldn't deny the possibility of his words being true.

Komaru: "...Well, I don't have a choice. I hate that you all lied to me, but you had your reasons. I understand that you did what you had to do and I know that I have to help you for my own future as well. That's why I can forgive you all and don't see any reason to start a conflict with you."

Drake: "I see. Then... why are the two distinctive slap mark on out leaders face, young lady? With his Muscle Density just how many times do you slap him around to leave such long lasting marks?"

Komaru: "Ah, come on. It really wasn't that bad and I apologized to Shin already. I may have went too far, but if I didn't at least do that there was no way I could continue to be with him. It was to clear the slate for our future together as well. Isn't that right Shin?"

Shin: "...Yeah. I'm really happy that you've fallen for me Komaru. Really... happy."

Shin had a blank expression on his face as he spoke to the others and rubbed his checks where Komaru slapped him repeatedly. Shin recalled just how did he end up with Komaru join in his harem. After telling Komaru everything he was slapped repeatedly for his lies, but once she had finished she had calm down and reached a conclusion. Know knowing Despair was waiting for her if she stayed in Towa City and what happens to her afterwards she had two options.

The first was leave Towa City.

Komaru was told that in the original plot she had a comrade in Toko Fukawa and they stayed in Towa City to help with the aftermath of the final battle against Monaca Towa the leader of the Warriors of Hope, but thanks to the involvement of Team Japan Toko and Komaru had not bonded, so once everything is over she will be alone. Komaru didn't like the idea of staying in Towa City alone without anyone's support, so she would leave Towa City and join her brother Makoto, but this had its downsides as well. She learned that Makoto would be involved in more incidents. Also, the world itself is designed to keep falling into Despair and Hope must fight against it. Lastly, Komaru herself despite unable to believe it was the heroine of a game in the Dangan Ronpa series in spite of being average, so she could end up being dragged in more events in the future.

Komaru's second option was one she came to after hearing about God's Dimension and was the one that she favored most. Komaru asked Shin to take her away from the world of Dangan Ronpa and allow her to follow him to the Terminal Lobby. This was a extreme choice from Shin's point of view, yet for Komaru there were three key reasons why this was a good idea.

One, the world of Dangan Ronpa is a mess. Even after the events of "The Tragedy", also called the biggest, horrific and most tragic event in human history, were mostly over with the death of Junko Enoshima, yet the world was not safe. Komaru had learned from Shin that the Dangan Ronpa series is still producing Video Games and Anime. There was no certainty that because of her connection to Makoto Naegi or her own heroine status that she wouldn't be dragged into more Despairing events, so she thought it was better to just leave the world behind.

Two, Komaru still wanted to see her brother and parents, but that had become a reason for her to want to leave the Mission World behind. Her only brother Makoto chose Future Foundation and people she had never seen over her, so their relationship is strained at the moment. As for her parents... not even Shin knew if they were dead or alive, so she had no clue where to begin to look for them.

Third and lastly...

Shin: (Komaru said that despite my lies she loved me. It had mainly to do with me saving her over and over again and supporting her through all of this, but she couldn't deny her feelings even knowing that I was protecting her because of the mission from God. In her words, my appearance before her as her savior burned my image into her heart in her time of Despair. It was basically the suspension bridge effect multiplied by 100, but she didn't seem to mind that. "Take responsibility", she said. Well, I don't hate Komaru. I may actually like her a lot... but is it love?)

Shin wondered about that as he agreed to bring Komaru back with him once the mission was finished. Like how he himself fell for girls very easily, Komaru may be the same. Shin believed that because of her two years of confinement in that apartment without human contact and then being terrorized by the Warriors of Hope and the Monokuma he would have attached herself to the first person that saved her and said something nice. In fact, her relationship with Toko Fukawa was just that, but absent an attraction of the opposite sex.

Shin: (Like a newborn bird that imprints one the first thing it sees. I took Toko's place, I acted confident, and I'm a man. That's all it took to win her over. Well, I have no room judge others for how they fall in love with others... and I also have no reason to refuse her advances.)

That was Shin's decision as he accepted Komaru confession before meeting up with Drake and Sachi. Shin did indeed hold some feeling for Komaru and he wanted to do anything to help her as they had become comrades over the course of the mission, but there was a deeper reason for accepting her. To get her to go along with his group and finish the mission. Shin still needed Komaru to play her role as the heroine of Another Episode so he could use his knowledge of the plot to predict future dangers and ultimately complete the mission and save his comrades brainwashed by the Guide.

Shin: (I feel bad that this the main reason, but I don't regret it nor am I lying to Komaru. If she wants to leave the world of Dangan Ronpa I will help her. I believe there is such a item which can do just that and I have a idea to go about without having to return to the Terminal Lobby and come back here.)

Shin still had is worries, but he put them on them in the back of his mind as he had no time to spare to ponder any further. The plot continued to move forward. Shin, Drake, Sachi, and even Komaru heard the sounds of yelling and explosions in the distance. We all realized that there was another raid by the Monokuma being carried out on the Resistance Base and they all ran through the sewer tunnels to help the adults.

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Afterwards and then some.

After Komaru and Team Japan returned to the Resistance Base and saw the Monokuma was more plaguing the adults within the base they moved to repel them. Shin still didn't want to reveal to much to Shirokuma/AI Junko who was helping them defeat Monokuma, yet even without revealing everything he could do Team Japan and especially Komaru easily took out the invaders.

Drake wielding the Pulse Rifle with one arm continued to shower the Monokuma with bullets as they charged towards him and the surviving adults. Sachi hid within the dark and whenever she appeared one of the stronger models of Monokuma would be found dead before any comrades noticed what had happened. And Shin with just Gravity and his high stats hacked and slashed with increased weight slashed of the magic sword. As for Komaru she used the full potential of the Megaphone Hacking Gun to end the lives of all Monokuma within her sight. Those that approached her were in their gleaming red eye by the BREAK Bullet. The Guard Monokuma were blow back KNOCKBACK Bullet. For the Monokuma who stepped in puddles of water splashed on the floor during the chaos were electrocuted in mass. Monokuma aiming for the lives of the cowering adults were swiftly destroyed by the rapid fire of BURN Bullet to incinerate their OS. And once things were dying down Komaru took control of a few Beast Monokuma with LINK to dispatch the remaining enemies.

Once the immediate threat was over Shirokuma came to Komaru for a request just like in the original plot. The Monokuma came through a large hole in the back of the Resistance Base blown open by the enemy and Shirokuma wanted Komaru to help seal it by having her defeat him and to activate its self-destruct sequence. Shin forgot to to Komaru Shirokuma's role in everything, so when they fought Komaru was hesitant and honestly cried as Shirokuma blew up to seal the hole in the wall... without knowing that he was further manipulating her feelings and actually wouldn't die. Shin felt like telling Komaru all of this when a adult came by to show that Shirokuma's head was intact along with its operating AI, but chose not to.

Shin was worried whether or not Komaru could lie with a straight face if he told her the truth since they still had to interact with Shirokuma. Komaru knew now about what kind of ending awaited Towa City, yet she still honestly wished to help them through this incident before leaving Dangan Ronpa behind, so she wouldn't be lying to anyone when she tries to recruit the adults of the Resistance to her cause... but the more Shin thought about it the more he believed that Komaru wouldn't be able to face the sinister Shirokuma if she knew the truth about him.

Later, Shin and the others spoke to Haiji after things had calmed down. He didn't seem to care anymore about the events of the previous day or that they escaped as he had his hands full with the recent attacks. Haiji told them that even by sealing the hole in the back of the Resistance Base the Monokuma can just continue charge from the front entrance, so they were far from safe, but just delaying the (enviable). Following the plot Shin and the others asked what they were supposed to do, yet he looked as confused as the rest of the adults and he was paralyzed by fear to even mention what he believed to their only hope because of the danger involved in trying to reach it.

Haiji: "I know I know! We... Have to do something, but..."

Komaru: "...Haiji. No matter how scared you are, there are times when you have to fight."

Haiji: "Hm?"

Komaru: "There are times when you need to stand up... and not be afraid pain or even death. Even if moving forward we encounter more Despair we won't be able to reclaim Hope if we stop here. We have to do something before we lose everything that's important! Shin, everyone, lend me a hand!"

Komaru then left the shocked Haiji. She found a large truck to stand on top of and began to deliver her grand speech just like in the original plot, but she was currently following Shin's instructions. Still, Shin didn't tell Komaru what to say word since he didn't want to incur any more penalties for spoilers, so he let a nervous Komaru address everyone. Maybe even more so than in the original plot she was more nervous and confused about what to say, but to help her along Shin, Drake, and Sachi yelled words of encouragement which allowed her to deliver her speech. Shin was then surprised that Komaru's speech was almost exactly word for word like that f8rm the game. Despite the fact that this speech was a way to win over the adults of the Resistance, but as she continued to talk her her passion rose to the surface and gave a brilliant and moving speech.

Komaru: "I, along with Shin, Drake, Sachi and everyone here, want a happy ending! A proper happy ending that's super cliché and predictable, and where everyone's smiling! I want to one day see my big brother. I want to see my parents. I also want a ending where I can go on a proper first date with my boyfriend! That kind of plain ending is what I want! What we all want, so please... Please, let's make that kind of ending a reality for all of us! Let's stand up against this Despair together!... Th-That's it... That's all I have to say. Sorry for being so loud..."

Haiji: "..."

Among all the adults aspired by Komaru's words Haiji was the most effected. Hope and courage rose within his heart and spurred him into action and told Shin and the others to wait as he makes preparations for his trump card. Right afterwards Komaru embarrassed about her speech in front of everyone.

Komaru: "...Shin... Everyone... I feel like one of those lame kids who try to motivate his classmates only to fail completely..."

Shin: "It wasn't that bad... Well, you always have a place in my harem if the whole motivational speaking thing doesn't mean work out."

Komaru: "So it was that bad!"

Drake: "No I thought that it was great... but I took some pills earlier to deal with the pain of my missing arm, so..."

Sachi: "Isn't that great, Komaru. You seek to have good appeal with drug addicts at least."

Komaru: "That doesn't make me happy at all!"

Haiji: "Hey, sorry for the wait. The preparations are done, we gotta hurry and get out of here."

Komaru: "Get out of here? Are we leaving?"

Haiji returned to say he was ready to go get his trump card to help then defeat the Warriors of Hope. Komaru and the others weren't yet told the specifics of what he meant, but Shin knowing the plot by heart knew what was waiting for them. The final part of Chapter 4 of Another Episode where Haiji had Komaru and Toko Fukawa act as his guards to escort him to pick of the ultimate weapon of the Towa Group's hidden within a secret factor. The ultimate weapon and the hope of the adults of the Resistance, Big Bang Monokuma.

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Authors Note:

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Proofread by Azarza and Deltoren.

If you ask me if Shin loves Komaru at this time the answer would be no, but their love will be one that is born in time and she will become a powerful pillar of support for our MC later on.