might be slow! Sorry :——

"Shall we finally get started? We've all gathered here for the Flashback Light, yes?" Kiyo advised

"Yes... so, have we all decided what we're going to do?" Keebo asked

"Obviously, we're gonna use it. We might be able to remember something new" I said

"Like the true purpose of the Ultimate Hunt.." Himiko wondered

"Well...we don't know for sure if it's got anything to do with why we're trapped here.." Shuichi said

"Don't gimme that wishy-washy bullshit! Of course it's got something to do with why!" Miu yelled

"Hey, instead of arguing, it'd be way faster to just use it, y'know?" Kokichi suggested

"Wow, he actually says something smart" I joked sarcastically, earning a side eye from Kokichi

"But but, no matter what we remember, you can't think about wanting to leave this place. If you think like that.. we'll just be repeating ourselves." Said Angie

"Let's just give it a try. Shuichi, go for it." Shuichi nodded to Keebo and then flicked on the flashback light, and once again the world warped.

My mind went blank and eventually, I started to see an image. It looked like a funeral...for all 17 students who were forced into this killing game..even me. Before anything else happened, I was snapped back into reality. But I still couldn't wrap my head around it, why was I at my own funeral?

I rubbed my eyes as they adjusted back to the lighting and looked around to see everyone also had a startled expression on their face.

"Wh-Why was I...at my own funeral?" Shuichi was the first one to speak up

"A funeral..you saw that too, shuichi?" I asked

"It would appear that we all remembered the same thing." Kiyo stated

"But what the fuck does it mean!? Why was I watching your guys' funeral!? A-And...why was I there, too!?" Miu panicked

"It's weird... I only saw the funeral. Nothing else.." I added

"Maybe we... already dead!?" Gonta shouted, clearly frightened

"Ahaha! No way!" Kaito laughed. "Geez....this is so stupid, I couldn't help but laugh. I mean, there's no way that was our memory of our funeral..."

"Then what was it?" I asked

"It was probably...a memory of our school festival or something." He replied

"I think that's the stupidest thing I've heard all d—"

"Think about it. If that funeral was real, there's no way we'd still be alive!"

"But aren't we all from different high schools? Why would we have a school festival together?" Tenko added, backing up my point.

"Th-That's... we'll probably remember something else about it later." Kaito said, looking unsure. "Anyway, there's no way that funeral was real! There's no mistaking that!"

"You're right..if we think about it logically, that's clearly out of the question.." Keebo stated

"Unless what Gonta said really is true..maybe we are all dead. Unless this just isn't real and I'm dreaming..." as soon as I said that, I felt a pinch on my cheek. I turned around to see Kokichi

"Nope! Not dreaming..." he smiled while I just eyed him. "Whaaaaat? I was just checking.." he said as I just laughed at his reaction.

"Anyway, this was a real disappointment.." Kokichi complained

"We didn't find out anything about the Ultimate Hunt. Just some weird memory." Himiko added

"No, I'm not talking about the memory. I'm talking about you guys.."

"What?" Shuichi questioned

"Oh, no! It's nothing! I'm just lying again, so don't worry about it!"

"Then why say anything in the first place..?" I quietly commented to myself. Shortly after we all ate our meals and then returned back to our rooms.

——

It was the next morning and we were all told to assemble at the gym. Once I entered the room, a familiar atmosphere surrounded me...it was the same way when we went to the library after Rantaro's class trial. The place was still all clean, as if nothing ever happened.

The sound of talking filled the room while some people were still arriving.

"Hey guys, am I sleepwalking or something? What's she doing here?" Kokichi asked, obviously talking about Maki. "Oh, I see! I'm hallucinating! After what Maki said before, there's no way she'd be here!"

"Don't say something so stupid. You'll never get to know her better if you never talk to her!" Kaito said

"Maybe everyone would prefer that! Maybe everyone would prefer that this dangerous killer stays far away from us!" Kokichi laughed, "of course, I wouldn't prefer that at all!"

"He's right. Murder and death have no place in a peaceful academy life." Angie said

"Peaceful..? We're literally being forced into a killing gam—" I was cut off by Himiko

"Nyeeeh...it's just like Angie said."

"Yeah...it's just like Angie said." Tsumugi spoke up. I was going to say something but then Gonta rushed into the room.

"Everyone! It serious!"

"Oh, no... The colossal insect is on the other side of the wall, isn't it!?" Kokichi asked

"No, not that. Gonta went to courtyard before coming here and—" but before he could finish his sentence, the Monokubs appeared with a new motive..

"Nyahahaha! It doesn't matter what the motive is, we will not do the killing game anymore." Angie said

"Th-That's right! We aren't afraid of anything anymore!" Tenko shouted

"...Because we have Atua." Keebo added, which made me incredibly confused...since when did they believe in Atua like Angie?

"But it's no ordinary motive. This motive will inspire fear like never before." Monophanie exaggerated

"Now, for-the-motive-that-will-cast-you-down-into-the-depths-of-terror.."

"This time, the motive is a transfer student!" Monotaro and Monophanie said together. "Yep! A new student is transferring! And not just any transfer student.."

"You get to resurrect one of the four people who've died so far..and welcome them back to the academy as a transfer student!"

"We can...resurrect someone?" I asked, surprised

"The instructions for the resurrection ritual are written in the Necronomicon. By preforming the ritual as written, you can resurrect one deceased victim." Monotaro explained, and after the cubs talked for a bit, they left.

"T-There's no way resurrecting the dead is possible! It just can't happen.." Kaito panicked

"Wh-Who the fuck would believe that load of unscientific bullshit?" Miu added

"Disbelief due to a lack of scientific merit.. is simply the hubris of a scientific society. This ritual...or rather, resurrection ceremony, stems from funeral ceremonies the world over. See? They are similar, yes? The act of sending the dead to the next world is a sort of ritual. Through rumours and legends, that ritual twisted into a way to return the dead to this world." Kiyo explained

"Since you keep rambling about it, I'm guessing you really believe all that stuff, huh, Kiyo?" Kokichi asked

"Kehehe... what are you saying? There is no way the dead can be resurrected. Without a doubt, the souls of the dead exist, but they cannot be brought back to life.. Dead flesh cannot be restored, just as broken glass cannot be mended.."

"So you believe in souls, but you don't believe those could can be resurrected?" Kokichi questioned

"That...seems pretty confusing, but asking about it will just make this conversation go on forever.." I said

"I-If not even Kiyo believes it, then...there's no such thing as resurrecting the dead." Kaito said

"And if this idealistic degenerate can't believe it, no reasonable girl would believe it, either!" Tenko added

"Hmmm, you think so? I don't think it's strange for the dead to come back to life." Angie spoke up

"No one's interested in your bullshit cult!" Miu shouted

"No...wait. Lets head what Angie has to say." Keebo suggested

"Yes, Angie is free to speak." Tenko agreed

"Nyahahaha, can I say it? Yaaaay! Okay, I'm gonna say it. Cuz...that's what Atua desires." While Angie spoke, I noticed something.

Keebo, Tenko, Tsumugi, Himiko and Angie were kinda all in a group at one side of the room, while everyone else, minus Maki because she's isolated in the corner, was at the other side of the room. Usually everyone is all together, but we seem to be split today?

"So... you believe you can... revive the dead, Angie?" Shuichi asked

"Umm...I don't think the resurrection ritual can really bring the dead back to life. It's probably more like... returning the dead to us."

"...What do you mean?" I asked

"Y'know how the bodies of all the victims have been cleaned up? So clean, it's like there was never a dead body to begin with? So maybe... They were never dead to begin with?" Angie explained

"But we inspected the bodies ourselves—"

"But, it might've been a very accurate imitation!"

"If that's what Angie says... Then I'm starting to plainly agree." Tsumugi said

"I've always supported Angie.." Himiko added

"Yayy! Thank you, everyone!" Angie smiled

"What? No, wait a minute! I saw them with my own eyes—" Shuichi said, almost raising his voice

"Don't raise your voice to Angie, you rude degenerate!" Tenko yelled

"Tenko?? What the hell—" I said, almost shouting.

"Hey, you don't want them to be alive, Shuichi? You don't want the dead to be alive?" Angie instigated

"I-I do! I do want that! I wish they were still alive... Even now I think that. But no matter how much we want that.."

"Oh, wait!" Gonta interrupted them. "If everyone alive, that mean they're somewhere in school, right? So... maybe one of them write message in courtyard..?"

——

(SORRY I HAVE TO END IT HERE... I'm getting tired and if I had continued this chapter would be too long— and also more Kokichi interactions soon ;) anyway.. cya next time!)