It's been a while since Shuichi left, I finished training with Tenko and freshened up before Shuichi came back to get me

"Y/n, you ready?" Shuichi asked, just barely entering the lab

"Yup! Bye Tenko, cya later" I waved goodbye and left with Shuichi

"So, did you find anything?" I ask

"Well.. I did run into Miu and Keebo... they found her research lab and uh...well.... I saw some things..." Shuichi stuttered saying the last part of his sentence

"Things? Like what...?"

"Uhh... let's just say.. Miu was doing maintenance on Keebo's body.."

"Oh..."

——

After walking with Shuichi for a while, we discovered the 4th floor, Tsumugi, Gonta and Korekiyo were there as well.

The 4th floor was very.. creepy. It was really dark and looked old, but other than that we found the Ultimate Anthropologist's lab. The room was also quite big, and it almost looked like a museum.

"It's so wonderful, my face contorts with glee. Not even university labs are so well-stocked." Kiyo looked around in amazement

"Yeah, it does look pretty cool!" I agreed and looked around with the two. I found myself looking at a gold katana, it looked incredible.

"Kehehe... You were drawn to that katana, I see. However, it is merely coated with gold leaf." Kiyo approached me

"Ohh, so it's not made of gold.."

"That said.. that katana has immense anthropological value. In certain rural areas, katanas used to defeat generals in wars are worshipped as gods.. That is one such katana. It is an extremely precious relic necessary to spread—" before Kiyo could continue rambling on, a certain someone interrupted him

"Whoa! That's a super cool katana! I wanna take a look-see!" Kokichi had randomly showed up and grabbed the katana from the case

"Wait, you mustn't touch it without—"

"Don't worry, I'll be super careful with it! ...Would I lie to you!?" Kokichi smiled

"Yeah.." I said quietly. Kokichi went on to unsheathe the sword, despite Kiyo's warning.

"Now this katana is the real deal. It's even gold-plated for that authentic look! Hmm, I see.. it could also be used as a murder weapon.." Kokichi stared at the sword

"What is Kokichi doing with a katana!?" Shuichi had finally joined the conversation..

"Kokichi... that is an extremely precious relic. Please do not treat it so lightly, or... I will tear out your nerves." Kiyo threatened

"Okay, I get it... Please don't make such scary threats..." then Kokichi slid the sword back into its sheath and gave it to Kiyo. "Ew! My hands are all sticky! That gold plating flakes off so easily! But I guess that's what makes it an authentic katana..!"

"Well it is very old, of course the gold plating comes off easily." I added

"Please do not touch things without permission. These are all precious relics. If you do so again, I will tear out your nerves." Kiyo threatened once again

"I get it.. The scary threats really aren't necessary.." Kokichi made a pouty face, but quickly stopped when he noticed I wasn't reacting. "Your just gonna let him threaten me!?" He whined

"Yeah, it's very entertaining actually" I laughed lightly, and next thing you know.. Kokichi was chasing me around the room trying to cover me in the gold flakes that were on his hands. Shuichi tried to stop it, but that didn't work so he just kept looking around, Kiyo just ignored us.

——

After Kokichi decided to give up, we all left Kiyo's lab and continued to look around the 4th floor, Kokichi joining us.

We came across another room and this time, the door seemed to be all colourful. However when I tried to open it, it was locked.

"I guess we can't go in" I say

"But why is it locked? The other ultimate labs weren't locked.." Shuichi questioned

"Oh, by the way...this lab has some kinda rear entrance at the end of the hallway, but that was locked too." Kokichi added

"If both doors are locked, how are we supposed to get inside?" Shuichi asked

"Nishishi! Don't give up just yet. I have a secret techn—" Kokichi was interrupted by the sound of the lock turning and the door opened

"Yahaah! Can I help you?" It was Angie

"Angie!? You were in here?" I ask

"I feel weird chatting out here, so let's all go inside already, okay?" Kokichi suggested, to which Angie welcomed with open arms.

The room was very messy, paint all over the walls & floor, and lots of other artsy things and carving tools everywhere. It was definitely the Ultimate Artists lab.

"Well this is..something..! Why was this room locked though?" I asked and as if on cue, the Monokubs showed up

"Oh, yes.. Angie's the kinda girl who can't focus on her art unless she's alone." Monophanie explained

"Mhmm! I must shut out all people and noises so that I can be one with the great Atua. Nyahahahaha! Atua is much too shy to be one with me in front of people! So any room where I'm gonna make art needs to have a key, but.. I'm surprised the Monokubs knew that. And these are all my favourite art supplies and sculpting tools, too... how did you know?"

"WE-KNOW...EVERYTHING-ABOUT-YOU-BASTARDS. BECAUSE-WE-WANT-TO-BE-YOUR-FRIENDS." Monodam said

"I don't wanna be friends with you." Kokichi whined. "I'm only interested in Monokuma. I don't wanna get friendly with knock-off products."

"WHY...WOULD-YOU-SAY-THAT? WHY...DO-YOU-HATE-ME? I-WONT-FORGIVE-ANYONE-WHO-REFUSES-TO-GET-ALONG-WITH-ME!" Monodam complained

"N-Now now, Monodam... we haven't given them the key to this room, have we? Okayyyy, here it is. But there's only one key, so don't lose it." Said Monophanie, however much to everyone's surprise, Monodam took and ate the key. Shortly after the Monokubs left.

"So does that mean we can't get the key? What the hell...?" Kokichi complained

"But I'm only gonna lock this door when I'm inside working, so I don't care if I can't open or close the door from the outside." Angie said

"Oh, that should be fine then." I say. Soon after, we all looked around Angie's lab. Kokichi stayed with me most of the time while Shuichi was alone or with Angie.

While I was with Kokichi, we spotted another door in Angie's lab, but it wasn't the same one we used to enter.

"Hm? Another door..?" I questioned

"This door is super crappy... I'm guessing this is the rear entrance. See? It's got a sliding lock just slapped on here." Kokichi pointed to the lock

"But.. the door that we came in from didn't have a sliding lock, why would they both be different?" I asked and Angie made her way over to us.

"No, no. It's perfect that they're not the same. Symmetry is a western beauty ideal. They like symmetry and the golden ratio and such.. but I think asymmetry and partition functions are more beautiful."

"Oh, okay.." I responded and headed to Shuichi, and of course Kokichi was following behind me. "Finished looking around?"

"Yeah, I still haven't found that Flashback light though..so I think we should go and try to find it" Shuichi responded. And so we all left Angie's Ultimate lab.

——

After exploring some more, we discovered a passageway that let to the computer room. It had a giant green computer in the middle of the room.

"Oh, look! A treasure chest!" I pointed to the treasure chest and walked over to it with the others following me. As I opened it, I saw another Flashback light.

"Oh! You found the Flashback Light! Wooow! Looks like you are pretty dependable." Kokichi looked at me with a smile

"Yeah...thanks?"

"Anyway! Give that to Shuichi so he could bring it to the dining hall, Y/n, you come with me to get the others." Kokichi instructed.

I gave the Flashback light to Shuichi and not even a second after, Kokichi grabbed my hand and ran off to get the others, leaving Shuichi behind.

"Woah, your hands are so cold! We should definitely hold hands more often, I could warm them up" Kokichi chuckled and held my hand a bit tighter. My face became red and I looked away with no response to his comment

——

"Shuichi! Is it true that you've found another flashback light!?" Keebo asked

"Well, Y/n found it, not me—"

"So Kokichi wasn't lying! I'm stunned! Startled! Shocked!" Tenko exclaimed

"Seeee? I told you I wasn't lying. Good thing too, cuz I don't want my pants on fire." Kokichi joked

"I want to start talking about what we're going to do, but Kaito isn't here yet.." Tsumugi said

"Maki's not here either" Angie added

"Oh, Maki's not coming. I didn't invite her." Kokichi said

"Huh? You didn't invite her? But I thought Y/n was with you...surely she would've wanted Maki to come too?" Shuichi questioned

"I tr—" I was cut off by Kokichi speaking

"Forget about that killer. Hey Miu, Kee-boy, did you guys see the computer room on the 4th floor?"

"Computer room, you say? Go onnn..." Miu said

"Oh yeah, there was a big computer on the 4th floor. Would you take a look later? You or Keebo might know something about it, right?" I responded, completely distracted from what I was going to say before.

"I'm sorry. I'm not very computer savvy." Said Keebo

"Oh...is that so..? That's...unexpected." Tsumugi commented

"I have been meaning to ask, but... Keebo, what is your talent, exactly?" Kiyo asked

"Well...I can do all sorts of things. Oh yes! I'm pretty good at one-man comedy shows, if I do say so myself!" Keebo answered

"Kee-boy's existence is the only ultimate thing about him. Other than that, he's got no talent." Kokichi said

"I just told you! I'm good at one-man comedy shows!"

"I don't really get it, but we just need to check out this computer room, right?—" said Miu

"Hey! Thanks for waiting!"

"Kaito! And.." Shuichi looked over to the two people who entered the room

"M-Maki!? Why is Maki with you!?" Tenko shouted

"Well, when Y/n and Kokichi came to tell me to come to the dining hall, just before they left y/n told me to get Maki to come too. I guess she knew that Kokichi wouldn't invite Maki. And plus, this is about that Flashback Light, so everyone should be here, yeah?" Kaito explained

"Woww y/n! You know me too well. But I still can't believe you went behind my back to invite a professional killer!" Kokichi pretended to act hurt

"...I'm leaving." Maki stated, but Kaito gripped her arm before she could leave.

"Didn't you say you wanted to take down her mask or whatever?" Kokichi asked

"Yeah, I'm gonna take down her mask as a murderer. I just can't believe a girl like her is capable of killing people in cold blood.." Kaito replied

"Have you...killed anyone before?" Keebo asked Maki

"...yes." Maki paused for a bit before she spoke up again. "When people learn my Ultimate talent, they get the same fear in their eyes that you all have.. eventually...that fear will turn into hate. And then someone will try to kill me because they're afraid I'll kill them first. Whenever someone learns me real identity, they try to kill me. It happens every time. Always." Maki explained

"Hmm... You've lived a pretty sad life, Maki. Oh...poor, poor Maki, I feel so sorry for you. I think I'm about to cry.." Kokichi faked his empathy, then his expression went back to normal. "Because of everything you've been through, human life has no value to you now, is that it!?"

"C'mon! She's an assassin, not some murderous fiend! Even if she did kill someone, that doesn't mean she thinks it's okay to—" Maki interrupted Kaito's speaking

"Hey, can you let go of me now?" She asked and he let go of her. Maki sighed, "I knew you wouldn't believe me. That's why I kept it a secret...and tried to avoid you guys as much as I could. But someone who doesn't know how to mind his business kept dragging me places."

"Huh? Are you talking about me?" Kaito asked

"However, I'll say this. I have no intention of killing any of you...unless one of you tried to kill me first. Having said that...you probably won't believe me anyway. So..you guys mind your business, I'll mind mine, and we'll all agree to avoid each other. Please...just pretend I'm not even here." Maki then left. She seemed a little sad in the last bit.. I felt bad for her.

——

A/n: sorry this chapter took so long to come out! I was rlly lazy this week 😭 but it's a longer chapter so I hope it'll be fine :)