Ichika ran as fast as she could. As she kept running, she heard metal clunking becoming louder and louder. She knew that she was thumping loudly through the chamber, so she had no doubt that Kokichi could hear her. Ichika turned a sharp left in a big, green, open chamber, and she saw him. Standing several meters in front of her. Kokichi's expression read pure shock and terror, but only for a moment, as it was replaced with a grin that was probably supposed to be malicious but ended up being lacklustre.

"Oh? I didn't think that'd anyone would have the balls to chase after me. What are you gonna do? Kill me?" He gasped, still gripping his shoulder. "Oh wait a minute, that's right! Do you have beef with me after I stole your title from you, little miss traitooorrr?"

"..." Ichika sighed. "Of course you knew."

"Puh-lease. It was *hardly* that hard to figure out. You should've been more careful with your secrets missy."

Ichika clicked her tongue. "I could say the same with you, you fake."

"Oh boo hoo, I'm not you masterminding boss." Kokichi glared at Ichika. "You can try and kill me, but I would advise against it." His grin fell sinister. "Your precious boss isn't in control of their precious Exisals anymore and-"

"I don't follow anyone." Ichika stated plainly, crossing her arms. "I'm not the masterminds puppet. I'm on your side."

"Haah?" Kokichi scrunched up his face with disgust. "Lying to my face? You've got some serious balls, you skank." He spat. "Go and crawl back to your little friends who you've used and betrayed, why don't ya?"

"...I haven't betrayed them. Well, yet anyway because..." Ichika's face softened. "What if I can prove that I'm on your side?"

"..." Kokichi glared at Ichika with a dark smile. "Bullshit. You can't seriously expect me to-"

"For gods sake, just listen!" Ichika barked and pulled out a stick. She pressed play and two voices started playing.

***

Ichika turned around and smiled while pressing the record button in her pocket. "Well hello, Miss mastermind! You finally came to visit me here." She gasped. "Oh! Would you rather me address you by your name? Shirogane-san?" Her face broke out into a smug grin.

"..." Tsumugi just glared down at the smirking girl. "Listen here. You need to stop coming here before I take actions to prevent you from ever returning here."

"Awww why?" Ichika pouted. "Why can't I come here anymore? I'm not doing anything..." Her grin fell dark. "Oooh wait... Are you mad at me for lying to you? Sorry darling, but I just needed to get info outta ya."

"You're a real pain in the ass, lying to me like that." Tsumugi snapped. "First Ouma, now *you*. You do realize that little message of yours could backfire on you now."

"Huuuh? Whatever do you mean?" Ichika tilted her head.

"I know you wrote that not just to fool me, but to attempt to halt Ouma's plan." Tsumugi clicked her tongue. "You realize that he might not stop like you want."

"Yeah, it's a 50/50. Maybe he'll do the smart thing and realize his plan to usurp you won't work with a traitor, or he'll do it anyway." Ichika shrugged. "Regardless of which path he chooses, don't worry your pretty little head! Everything will work out fine~"

"You're lying, you know it won't turn out fine." Tsumugi stomped up to Ichika and grabbed the collar of her shirt, pulling her close and glaring dangerously at her. "With everything you've done to my killing game, I should honestly dispose of you right now."

"Oh really? If they're such an inconvenience, why don't you just remove them?" Ichika hummed before her innocent face broke out in a wide, sinister grin. "Oh wait! You can't because *they'd* hate it! They're too invested in what I'm doing, aren't they!?"

"You little-!"

"What's wrong!? you gonna dispose of me the way you disposed of Akamatsu-san!? You gonna pull the same trick again!?" Ichika laughed, grabbing Tsumugis wrist. "I'd like to see your plain blueberry brain try!"

Tsumugi gritted her teeth and let Ichika go. Ichika huffed and brushed herself off, still grinning up at Tsumugi.

"You better watch yourself. You're putting yourself in a lot of danger." Tsumugi growled. "Especially after that little stunt with the card key."

"I know." Ichika's face fell. "Do your worst. When I die, I'm bringing you and this filthy excuse of a game down with me. I promise."

***

Ichika clicked the off button on the voice recorder.

Kokichi's face was blank. "So... It's the plain jane who's behind everything, huh?" He looked at Ichika with an empty expression. "How long have you known." His voice was so flat, it sounded like an accusation.

"A while. As I said, I'm on your side-"

"What else have you planned. What have you done to this killing game."

"..."

"...Did you really write that message for the sole purpose of stopping me?"

"..." Ichika nodded. "I figured out what you were doing once I deciphered your message on the rock after the third trial."

"Ooooh, so you figured that out a while ago..." Kokichi hummed.

Ichika rubbed her eyes in frustration. "Ughhh, this wasn't supposed to happen. I shouldn't have taken that gamble that you'd stop, now you've just isolated yourself more!" She glared at Kokichi. "You do realize that this hasn't stopped the killing game? You've merely halted it."

Kokichi had a strained smile on his face. "And that's better than letting the games continue, isn't it, sweetie?" He growled through gritted teeth. "And what do you care if I'm isolated?" His smile fell to an evil smirk. "Isn't that the perfect ending for the villain? The villain who's done nothing but lie and inflict pain, hm? If you're really not on the masterminds side, and you did give two shits about everyone here, then that means you cared about that vulgar cum slut, didn't you!? I killed her and you *still* insist on following me!?"

Ichika crossed her arms and sighed. "Say what you want, I'm still not leaving you alone. God, I knew getting thought to you would be hard. You're my friend so-"

Kokichi burst out laughing. "Hahahahaha! *Friend!?* Are you delusional?" He grinned menacingly. "Remember, this *friend* killed your dear Iruma-chan. I use and throw people away at my will!" He laughed. "You've gotta be a real dumb fuck to think I'd *ever* be friends with you."

Ichika tilted her head. "...You're scared aren't you?"

"What."

"I can hear it in your voice. It's wavering. You can lie as much as you want, but the bigger the lie, the harder it is to tell." Ichika smiled softly.

An Exisal behind Kokichi stamped its foot on the ground, a dull thud reverberating throughout the room. "Shut the hell up. Don't make assumptions about me." Kokichi's grip around the remote in his hand grew tighter. "If you don't go and skaddale on back to your moping friends, I'll crush you against the cold floor. You'll be nothing more than a worthless puddle on the floor."

"..." Ichika sighed and walked closer to Kokichi, whose eyes immediately widened. Kokichi took a step back out of reflex and Ichika stopped in front of him, about an arm's length away from him. "Alright then. Kill me."

Kokichi's eye twitched. "What."

Ichika just smiled. "Kill me. Look, I'm right here in front of you, unarmed, hands in the air." She held her hands up so Kokichi could see them. "If you are as horrible as you claim, then kill me. After all. I know the truth, don't I? Are you really going to let me 'skaddale on back' to the others? Especially with the evidence I have proving that you're not the mastermind?"

"You are *so* fucking annoying." Kokichi gritted his teeth. "Why don't I just lock your stupid ass up along with this idiot?" He pointed at Kaito.

"Oh, so you're not going to kill me?" Ichika smirked.

"The games over! God, you are so fucking stupid!" Kokichi yelled suddenly, taking Ichika by surprise. "Hahahaha! Oh man, Gokuhara-chan is even smarter than you!" He let out a laugh that was most likely meant to be intimidating but ended up being lacklustre. "How long have you deluded your pea brain into thinking we're friends, huh? Even if I'm not the mastermind, I'm still the villain in this story-"

"Yet you don't want to be, do you?" Ichika cut him off. "I know you despise this killing game as much as I do. I know you hate the killing as much as everyone else."

Kokichi pointed accusingly at Ichika. "What do you know about m-" His eyes widened at what Ichika pulled out of her pocket.

Ichika held a kubs pad in her left hand, the screen flashing the words 'Ouma Kokichi's motive video'. "A lot more than you think."

"...So you did watch it, you nosy bitch." Kokichi growled.

"What, and you didn't watch mine?" Ichika scoffed.

"..."

"I don't care what you say, or what you do. I'm not leaving you." Ichika gave Kokichi a soft look. "We're both in the same boat. Hated by the Mastermind and being hunted down by her while trying to take this disgusting excuse of a game down." She held her hand out to Kokichi and he stared at it.

"..." Kokichi slapped her hand away. "What the hell... You really are dumber than Gokuhara-chan, huh?" He attempted to laugh, but it got choked up in his throat. "You seriously can't expect me to-"

"Yeah, I don't." Ichika chuckled gently and reached her hand out again. Kokichi stared at her, then her hand completely dumbfounded. "That's why I'm willing to wait for you. I didn't come after you just because I knew you were lying. But because we're friends, aren't we? Remember what I told you when we were in my lab? I told you I'm your friend... And that *wasn't* a lie."

"..." Kokichi fell silent, scanning her face for any signs of a lie, but found none.

"You've been scared this whole time, haven't you?" His breathing hitched ever so slightly. "It must've really stung when Saihara-san told you that you're alone, huh?"

"Shut up you liar." Kokichi clenched his fist and gritted his teeth, turning his head to the right so he didn't have to look at Ichika. "Stop lying, I hate liars... You *don't* care about me, you're just here to-"

"Ouma-san." Ichika cut him off and gave him a soft look. "I wouldn't be willing to join you and then... I guess become a real traitor to help you if I didn't care."

"...What?"

"I'm on your side. I left everyone else. Why would I abandon everyone else if I didn't care about you." Ichika said softly, her hand still outstretched to Kokichi. "You don't have to be lonely anymore."

"..." Kokichi look down at the ground, face obscured from Ichika's view.

"You don't have to do this alone anymore. I'm here for you. You aren't alone anymore. Let's be lonely together." Ichika spoke quietly and softly as if she were speaking to a frightened animal.

Kokichi said nothing in response, his head still cast downwards and Ichika still unable to see his face. Ichika opened her mouth again but then noticed a drop of water fall from Kokichi face. She pulled her hand back slightly as she watched the small boy's shoulders shake ever so slightly and heard the quiet sniffles that followed the shaking.

"Hey..." Ichika raised her hand above Kokichi's head and rested her hand in his hair. He flinched slightly at the touch, but let her hand remain. Ichika stepped closer and pulled him into a hug.

"Is this okay?" Kokichi tensed up slightly at the motion but eventually melted into the hug. He let out a choked sob and then he wrapped his arms around Ichika tightly, clinging onto her as if she were a lifeline.

***

Ichika and Kokichi were both walking to the hangar in silence. They walked through the green chamber and came to another big, green roller door. They opened it and it led right into the giant concrete hallways that Ichika investigated with Kiibo and Shuichi earlier. Ichika closed the roller door Kokichi and the Exisals came out of and when rolled down, it looked exactly like the concrete wall.

Ichika hummed to herself. Must be for easy access to the exit for the mastermind...

Finally making it to the hangar, Kokichi used his remote to line all the Exisals up in their stations. Ichika pulled the shutter down and turned to Kokichi.

"Hey, sit here." Ichika pointed at the metal stairs that led up to the control panel for the hydraulic press. "Let me patch up that wound."

"Awww, you gonna care for me again?" Kokichi giggled, sitting down on the stair. "Aren't you just sooooo dear, sweetheart."

Ichika narrowed her eyes at him with an annoyed expression, opening her bag around her waist. "I could always let you bleed out."

"Yeah, but you wouldn't." Kokichi grinned smugly

"Yeah yeah." Ichika rolled her eyes and removed his scarf, it falling to his lap.

"Hey! Be careful with that." Kokichi pouted while Ichika pulled his shirt down his shoulder a bit to reveal his wound, carefully patting away the blood present with the cloth that she pulled from her bag. "I'll have you know that's an important relic to my organization! If you damage it or get blood on it, I'll have to kill your family." He grinned cheekily.

"Mmhm..." Ichika nodded, too busy and focused on fixing Kokichi's wound. She finished wrapping his shoulder up and pulled his shirt back over his shoulder. "There. Try not to move your shoulder too much."

Kokichi put his scarf back around his neck and looked at his now patched-up shoulder. "Huh, forgot that you're actually kinda good at this."

"What's that supposed to mean." Ichika's eye twitched slightly and Kokichi just snickered.

Kokichi stared at the girl with a raised eyebrow. "...?"

"Why are you staring at me like that." Ichika flicked some of her hair and grinned. "Admiring how adorable I am?"

"Ha! You wish, you're only half as cute as me, not even." Kokichi giggled, looking up at Ichika with mischievous eyes. "But arent you gonna, I dunno go Momota-chan stupid on me and punch me for last trial?"

"..." Ichika's face fell as a small melancholy smile spread on her face. "I... I don't have a right to criticize you for that. Yes. I am mad but... I'm in no position to condemn you since everything that ended up happening can be traced back to me."

"Oh, I guess you really aren't that stupid, huh?" Kokichi sighed, looking off to the side. A grin then spread across his face. "But oh well, the same applies to me now doesn't it, nee-heehee."

Ichika coughed into her hand. "Well anyway. We have more important things to do now." She looked up at Kaito who was still dangling in the air "What do you plan to do with Momota-san?"

"Oh, I was thinking I could tie him up and send him to the black market. I could make some easy cash." Kokichi grinned.

Ichika rolled her eyes. "And the truth is?"

"I'm gonna keep him in the bathroom. Gotta have somewhere to store the bodies." He walked over to the bathroom with the Exisal carrying Kaito.

While Kokichi locked Kaito up, Ichika scanned the hangar and went to get a closer look at the washing machine. Ichika looked to the right and saw a door, almost hidden in the shadow of the washing machine right next to it. She cautiously opened the door to be met with an olive-green room. On either side were two seats, hung up by chains connected to the wall and connected on either side of the board. Both boards had a whole load of detergent and other cleaning supplies piled up on top of them. Underneath, there was even more detergent and other washing materials, along with buckets and scrubbers.

Ichika looked back at the door and noticed it had a lock. She walked out of the room and looked around. Sure enough, there was a key with a rope threaded through a hole on the key, hanging off a hook next to the door outside of the room. Ichika took the key off its hook, closed the door to the room and used the key to lock it. Ichika then unlocked it and put the key back on its hook.

"Alright! Your Ultimate Supreme Leader is back from the dead!" Kokichi chirped, bouncing his way over to Ichika. "Oooh. Did you find something interesting?" He pointed to the door.

"I'm pretty sure it's a storage room. It has a lock and the key's over there." Ichika motioned towards the hook. "Dunno why I didn't notice it when I was checking this place out with Saihara-san and Kiibo-san."

"Huh, well, this is rather convenient for me! I now have another cell to put my prisoner in!"

"Yeah, because someone your size is able to kidnap someone." Ichika snickered.

"Are you forgetting I have robotic slaves at my service?" Kokichi smirked. "Also excuse you, me taking Momota-chan away from the others *is* kidnapping!" He huffed, crossing his arms.

"Oh, right, I'm assuming you'd want this back?" Ichika reached into her jumper's pockets and pulled out the kubs pad.

Kokichi took it and his hands. "Maaan, I should've checked the pad you gave me after Gokuhara-chan's little event that he planned."

"He planned?" Ichika raised an eyebrow. "Please, you coerced him into having that event."

"Whaat, nooooo," Kokichi let out a psh sound. "I'd never do such a thing. Anyway..." His face fell. "The mastermind."

"Hm, waiting for that." Ichika hummed. She walked over to the press and sat down on its cold metal surface, her forearms resting on her thighs. "Well, as you know, the mastermind is Shirogane-san."

"Mmhm." Kokichi nodded. "First question, when and where was this?" He motioned at Ichika's pocket, which had the recording device. "And what were you talking about?"

"Which part?" Ichika tilted her head.

"Well, when you said 'they' you mean people not here, don't you?" Kokichi grinned ominously. "You meant an audience right?"

"I'm guessing you already had a feeling we were being watched too."

"Nee-heehee, what can I say? I guess I'm just toooooo clever." Kokichi grinned, resting his arms behind his head. "But more importantly... Akamatsu-chan?"

Ichika smirked up at Kokichi. "That trick was her biggest mistake. It can be used to tear this whole killing game down."

"..." Kokichi's eyes widened before he returned the smirk. "Oooh really now? Why don't you elaborate, or else I'll have to use torture to get it outta ya!"

"Perhaps it would be easier to show you..." Ichika stood up and signalled Kokichi to follow her. "Follow me. I'll show you where I had that conversation."

"..." Kokichi narrowed his eyes. "Oh?"

"I'll walk in front. I'm not going to do anything." Ichika rolled her eyes. "You can bring a hammer if it makes you feel safer. Also, she might show up again."

Kokichi hummed. "Fine. But first, I must do some very important business. I need to crush Monokuma beneath my feet to show that I am the king of this academy."

"What in the king complex is this." Ichika sighed.

Kokichi stuck his tongue out at Ichika and pulled out his remote. "Take me to this place after I've trapped Monokuma."

"Okay, I'll come with you." Ichika walked up next to Kokichi, who grinned.

"Oh? Can't bear to be away from lil' old me?"

Ichika rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, keep telling yourself that, pretty boy. It's just easier this way."

Kokichi gasped and placed a hand over his chest. "Awww you think I'm pretty? I'm oh so flattered."

Kokichi and Ichika headed out of the Exisal hangar with the Exisals following behind them. "I'm coming with you to watch the surrounding areas. I'll be able to let you know if someone comes our way so you can hide." Ichika narrowed her eyes. "You do realize that if Harukawa-san sees you, she will *actually* kill you, right?"