Chapter Text
Izuru Kamukura gained consciousness.
It lifted a hand, pushing open the lid to the pod, and sat up. Its vision quickly adjusted to the brightness of the real world and focused in on the three figures standing near the pod half warily. Kamukura registered that it had awoken previously, very briefly, but had been put back under by the local anaesthetic used in the large machine housing the Neo World Program (lidocaine, by the light feeling of dazedness and the lack of cooperation from its limbs that accompanied its awakening that would be far worse on anyone else).
“Hinata?” One of the figures called to it, hazel gaze furrowed with worry. Makoto Naegi. One of the very few people who would ever think to call it that. Then, tentatively, “Kamukura..?”
Kamukura gave a small nod, barely an acknowledgement, before plucking the IV from where it had been implanted in the crook of its elbow, and pulling the electrical receptors from where they were placed on its temple. It pushed itself to its feet, stepping out of the pod as two of the figures take a cautious step backward. Makoto, however, did not have any preconceptions about Kamukura, and stayed put.
“Ah, are you sure you’re alright to stand yet?” He asked, hands raising and hovering slightly, as if overtaken by the desire to assist it, but not knowing exactly what would help or hinder. Kamukura gave another nod, a firmer one this time in response.
“That’s great, I’m glad you’re doing fine! Kyoko and I had some movement issues after getting out, but I’d suppose something like that wouldn’t affect you.” Makoto laughed, what on anyone else would have been a suspicious topic change or an obvious attempt to put Kamukura at ease, but it doesn’t even have to look at him to know that the statement was more of an attempt to connect with it than anything else, something inherently Makoto Naegi.
“Makoto!” Byakuya hissed, Kyoko watching in silent disapproval, and Makoto flinched in mild surprise, sheepishly turning to the pair that were flanking his sides. Kamukura used the distraction to silently slip away from its pod, towards the main machine hooked up to the 18 pods.
3 of the pods appeared to have a different build to the rest and were likely built for the sole purpose of the Remnants’ rehabilitation, something that Kamukura had briefly noticed as it had been rushed into the program by the trio and some of Byakuya’s workers. One of those pods was the one that Kamukura itself had resided in, and it subconsciously considered whether that factor was one of the many that allowed Hajime Hinata’s consciousness to resurface as it approached the Neo World Program.
“I didn’t think it’d be that big of a deal to tell him! It’s not like he’s going to use it against us, right, Kamukura?” Makoto responded to the accusing tone, turning around with a hopeful expression to see Kamukura pulling a USB it had hidden from within the folds of its hospital gown and plugging it into the large machine.
“Hey! What the hell do you think you’re-“ Byakuya started, before being cut off by several of the display screens blinking on, the bright white cutting through the relative darkness of the room.
The friendly face of Alter Ego appeared on the screens, its visage disfigured from being comprised of several screens, and its digital face simulating a worried expression.
“Um, sorry to interrupt, but there’s been a foreign intrusion into my files, and-“ it began apologetically, before Byakuya interrupted.
“Shut. It. Down.” Byakuya ordered it, and Alter Ego nods, its face blinking out of view, but the screens remaining on. The blonde teared the USB out of the Neo World Program’s drive and stomps it underneath his polished leather shoe as Kamukura watched blankly, before crossing his arms, glaring at Kamukura over his glasses.
“I told you he’d be unstable, Makoto. You always see the good in people that’s never there. He’s probably just installed another copy of Enoshima’s AI, and all of our risks were for nothing.” Kamukura’s gaze flicked to Makoto, whose face held betrayal. He had been betrayed many times by people who he thought were friends, was it so hard for him to deal with what he thought was betrayal from someone he hardly knew? Makoto’s expression then closed off, an attempt to conceal the previous emotion. He had by now likely realised that people were all too eager to take advantage of how much he cared, and Kamukura was capable of making an educated guess that there were many more than simply Sayaka and Junko. Makoto hesitated briefly, before addressing it.
“…Kamukura, we woke you up because we decided that you’d either be the most or least stable of the group, and that you were to most likely to help us wake the others up, if you were cooperative.” Makoto seemed to expect a response from Kamukura. It was not terribly inclined to give one. Alter Ego’s face popped back up on the screens, digital tears beginning to form in its digital eyes.
“The intrusion seems to have spread through my files, but it’s not seeming to destroy anything, I just can’t get it to stop or slow down.” The artificial likeness of Chihiro Fujisaki announced, and it took only one tenth of a second for Kamukura to notice its own small digital resemblance flick up onto one of the other screens, but it took the trio about 8 seconds.
Kamukura made eye contact with the artificial intelligence, before gesturing to its own face. It didn’t think that two of it would bring any kind of reassurance to the three Future Foundation members. Its AI responded in kind, its features shifting to more closely resemble Hajime Hinata within the 8 seconds it took Byakuya and Kyoko to notice it, Makoto taking a few moments longer, still appearing to be hung up on Kamukura’s betrayal. The render of its face, now with Hajime’s cropped hair moves to occupy a singular screen near the several displaying Alter Ego, and Kyoko’s expression widened subtly in a mixture of surprise and alarm.
“Kamukura. What did you put into the Neo World Program?” Kyoko asked, and Kamukura had no intention of answering.
“I am World Destroyer.” The intrusion to the Neo World Program replied in its stead. “Izuru Kamukura created me with the intention of assisting you if it was decided that the Remnants of Despair were worth saving.” ‘If Kamukura decided they were worth saving,’ went unsaid. Kamukura then procures a second USB, and Byakuya immediately moved to grab it from the long-haired Remnant, but Kamukura dropped the USB before he could confiscate it, promptly crushing the small device underfoot with a note of finality.
“That was the instance of myself that was made in the event that the Remnants of Despair were corrupted by Enoshima,” the AI remarked, its infliction unemotive. “Izuru Kamukura and I will cooperate with you in waking the other Remnants of Despair in a stable condition. I require further access to the Neo World Program in order to help you. I am more than capable of accessing it myself, but that would take too much time, better spent elsewhere.” The likeness of Hajime Hinata seemed to address both Alter Ego and the trio. “Please grant me the permissions so that we can help you achieve your goals.”
Kyoko and Byakuya both looked at each other, having a silent debate about the pros and cons. Makoto glanced at both of them, but appeared to be left out of the internal conversation, before speaking firmly to Alter Ego.
“Alter Ego, please give access to the Neo World Program to World Destroyer,” he requested, the artificial intelligence that had seemed to be buffering up until that moment moving to respond.
“Makoto, you idiot, don’t tell it that! It’s named World Destroyer for god’s sake!” Byakuya berated him, pushing him aside to stand between him and the screens. “Alter Ego, continue trying to get rid of the intrusion,” the heir instructed.
“Um, I know it’s probably not my place to say this, but I think World Destroyer is actually being truthful? I mean, there’s nothing in its files that indicate maliciousness, and it doesn’t seem to be made to corrupt the consciousnesses of the others the way Enoshima’s AI was,” The AI offered tentatively.
“If it makes you feel safer to give me access, then I can allow Alter Ego access to my own files, so it can delete me if it feels that I’m a danger,” World Destroyer reasoned. “That way you’ll get the most benefits with the least risk.” Byakuya shot a look at Makoto, before sighing reluctantly.
“Well, I suppose we won’t get anywhere on the comatose Remnants without your help. Alter Ego, give it access,” the blonde gestured dismissively to the screens, and Chihiro Fujisaki’s visage nods, the tears in its eyes seeming to evaporate as it nodded cheerfully before disappearing. A small loading bar appeared on one of the screens, illustrated with a chibi Alter Ego carrying files across to the other side of the loading bar. The room remained in relatively tense silence, which the occupants were almost all too stuck up to or not particularly inclined to break. Apart from one, of course.
“Kamukura..” the Ultimate Hope broke the silence, looking into the pair of red, target-irised eyes. “You haven’t said anything this whole time. Are you… okay? Is something wrong?”
It simply stared at him in response. World Destroyer spoke up in its stead.
“Izuru Kamukura is likely experiencing some backlash from the resurrection of Hajime Hinata’s consciousness. I am unaware of the exact outcome and the status of Hajime Hinata’s consciousness, but once I gain full access to the Neo World Program, I will be able to discern it from the consciousness and brainwave logs. The only thing you need to do is wait for this to be overcome. It will not impede progress.”
It will not impede progress.
Izuru almost disliked the way the artificial intelligence sounded like its teachers from Hope’s Peak, which was saying a lot for the Remnant who had not come to dislike anything in all the 6 years of its existence. It supposed it would fix that aspect of its personality if it had the time.
Makoto looked at the digital recreation of Hajime Hinata with uncertainty, but Kamukura couldn’t detect any distrust in his expression. His gaze flicked back to Kamukura, now holding more worry than any other emotion.
“And… you’re sure that you don’t need help? There’s nothing I can do?” He asked, almost seeming to want there to be something to help it with, and Kamukura nodded. This was something that it had brought upon itself, and as World Destroyer has said, it will pass. Makoto could surely find something else to assist with while Kamukura was awakening the Remnants.
The loading bar displayed on one of the screens finally fills, and Alter Ego’s proud face replaced it.
“I’ve finished adding permissions and giving World Destroyer access to the Neo World Program.” World Destroyer nodded and took a long pause as it seemed to scan through the files and logs, before turning to address Kamukura.
“The Remnants that survived within the killing game have been put under by the anaesthesia used in the program,” the AI stated. Kamukura assumed that was what had been done to it prior to awakening. “They are currently only unconscious, and I can put them straight into the waiting room when everything has been set up. The rest of the Remnants appear to be in a comatose, dreamlike state that has been enhanced by the Neo World Program, so I will be required to systematically disassemble the dreams before the waiting room can be installed.”
“Um-“ Makoto piped up, almost hesitant to interrupt, “what’s the ‘waiting room’?” The artificial likeness of Hajime Hinata turned to the brunette, almost unnerving in its unemotively in comparison to the real thing, Kamukura supposed, based on Makoto’s seeming aversion to its presence and address.
“The waiting room,” it explained, “is a digital room that was for Izuru Kamukura to talk to, debrief, and hopefully stabilize the Remnants as they leave the simulation. This will avoid potentially dangerous situations with some of the more unstable Remnants, and make the process of awakening them safer for you, as well as make sure that the Neo World Program is not destroyed while there are still people in it.” It set it gaze on Kyoko and Byakuya. “Izuru Kamukura will be able to begin awakening the surviving Remnants when you’re ready.”
Kyoko and Byakuya share a look, before turning back to World Destroyer. “We’ll have a bit of a talk first, and then you can get started.” The AI nodded its digital head in response, and Kyoko and Byakuya excused themselves from the room. Makoto begrudgingly met the gaze of World Destroyer, who had turned its attention on him after the pair had left the room.
“…you said that you’d be able to find out what happened to Hinata after you gained access to the Neo World Program, right? Can you tell me yet?” Makoto’s expression was hopeful. World Destroyer gave a nod.
“Izuru Kamukura’s consciousness incurred damage from protecting Hajime Hinata’s consciousness while exiting the Neo World Program,” it explained patiently. Makoto nodded with rapt attention as a diagram of a small green circle within a larger red circle appeared on the screen.
“Hajime Hinata’s psychological state was not strong enough to have been withdrawn from the Neo World Program, and without that protection, would likely have been trapped within the program or destroyed altogether. There is also a disjoint between Izuru Kamukura’s body and consciousness, as Hajime Hinata likely has some control over the body, but is unable to perform the necessary acts to allow the body to perform at its maximum potential. Once Hajime Hinata has recovered, Izuru Kamukura will be required to negotiate with him over control of their shared body, or the body will sort it out itself, depending on what the maximum capabilities of Hajime Hinata’s consciousness is, now that it is unassisted by the Neo World Program, and sharing the space with Izuru Kamukura’s consciousness.”
Makoto gave a slow nod in response, taking a moment to process the lengthy explanation.
“…so Hinata will be okay, eventually, right?” He asked.
“Yes,” World Destroyer answered simply. “If Hajime Hinata’s consciousness cannot support the body well enough once fully recovered, then it may be necessary to remove it and put it in a different vessel through the Neo World Program. Kazuichi Soda and Izuru Kamukura should have no problem collaborating to create a suitable vessel for his consciousness.”
Makoto paused, as if the idea of Hajime residing in a different body to his own unnerved him, although Hajime had not truly had any control over his body for a very long time. Had not truly been anything for a very long time.
“The likelihood of needing to do this is very low, however,” World Destroyer reassured him. It might not be the exact truth just yet, but the brunette didn’t need to know that.
Byakuya and Kyoko returned to the room, Byakuya disdainfully carrying a small pile of folded clothes.
“Here are your clothes. The hospital gowns are not exactly comfortable, I’d assume,” Kyoko told Kamukura, with Byakuya all but throwing the articles of clothing at it. Kamukura catches them with one hand. “Which of the Remnants are you intending to wake up first?” She asked, the question likely a test of the AI’s – and by extension, Kamukura’s – deduction skills and its evaluation of the mental state of the Remnants.
“Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu appears to be in stable enough condition,” World Destroyer answered, “and has a strong relationship with Hajime Hinata, which will likely ensure his cooperation. It is also important to remove Junko Enoshima’s eye as soon as possible.” Kyoko gave a small nod of agreement at the assessment, though becoming slightly uncomfortable at the mention of the body parts of Junko that the Remnants had implanted into themselves.
“I won’t keep you from your work then,” she dismissed.
“Please get a gurney ready, so that the eye can be removed immediately after,” World Destroyer requested, as Kamukura stepped back over to the pod it had just exited, placing the electrical receptors back in their places against its forehead. Kyoko hummed an affirmative in response, and Kamukura stepped back into the pod, hearing the quiet whirring of the Neo World Program starting up once more.
The lid shut as Kamukura laid down, and it could hear the muffled voice of World Destroyer announcing the beginning of the connection between its consciousness and Fuyuhiko’s, accompanied by Makoto saying something quietly to Kyoko that Kamukura could make out only through its enhanced hearing and intuition.
Izuru Kamukura lost consciousness.