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FIFTH RIDE ✦ ACCIDENTAL VIDEO / ACTION [DANGAN HOUSE]
[Have you ever wanted to see a biker gang leader be domestic? No? Well turn off your 'Gears now then.
Mondo has taken over the kitchen today, so anyone in the Dangan House has probably been unceremoniously shoved out by one of Mondo's smaller Pokémon. The biker gang leader himself is currently almost unrecognizable; his hair is down and tied out of his face and he's sporting a cute apron with Pichu and Pikachu patterns all over it. His shirt, pants, and shoes are the same, so that might be a clue to those who know him, but otherwise he's definitely looking pretty different today. It seems that one of his Pokémon has gotten bored and has decided to film him since the angle is a little low.
There's a small radio sitting on the kitchen counter blasting horrible rap music with far too many cuss words in it, which Mondo is happily singing along to. Beside said radio are quite a few different trays full of... cookies. Holiday-themed cookies. Little trees and snowmen are all over the place and they actually look pretty good, all things considered. Mondo is currently elbow-deep in dough - it looks like he's actually making these things from scratch rather than a box mix. He'll occasionally glance at a recipe, but he seems to know what he's doing.
After a moment of this, Mondo finally seems to notice that the 'Gear is in his Scrafty's hands and he makes a mad fumble for it, only for her to leap out of the way.]
Get the fuck back here, Ryder!
[Hope that didn't break anyone's eardrums... Also his reputation may or may not be ruined completely now. Whoops.]
[After that... embarrassment Mondo can be found packaging the cookies up in little bags. They're holiday-themed bags too; clearly he's gone all out for the season. He's still singing along to the terrible rap, but he seems to be in a good mood despite the hilarity from earlier.
If he catches sight of you, you're probably going to be handed a bag of cookies. Yes, even you Togami and you, Celes.
The cookies inside are actually pretty good! They're not burnt or anything and Mondo seems incredibly proud of himself for something like this. Come taunt him/demand cookies/wonder where in the good hell he got that apron?]
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[She makes a soft noise in the negative.]
The problem is that it caught attention in the first place. If I were truly living up to that requirement I'm supposed to meet, that never would've happened.
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[There we go, that clicked it into place.]
I guess I can see where that'd feel like a failure, but do you really regret coming to the school any? Sure, the shit that happened is something everyone hates and that shit was fucking disgusting but...
[He pauses, frowns, and doesn't seem inclined to continue for a moment. Mondo fidgets while he tries to figure out how to delicately word what he's trying to say, then shrugs and gives up.]
I don't regret it any, y'know? I wouldn't have met Ishimaru or any of you guys. Sure, Togami's an ass and Celes is... Celes, but I don't regret meeting you guys and getting to know you all here. If we hadn't gone to that fucking school, we never would've gotten that chance. So I guess what I'm trying to say is that there's some good that's come from it, y'know?
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[To her credit, she delivers it a lot more gently than she might've otherwise — it's not the bold and accusatory tone she'd so frequently used during the classroom trials, but something quieter, and laced with more sympathy.]
Can you really say you don't regret it at all?
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But the answer to Kirigiri's question comes to him surprisingly quickly and when he turns back to her, he's grinning.]
Yeah. Obviously I regret what I do - or well, what I'm gonna do - but do I regret choosing to go to Hope's Peak? Nah. Not at all.
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...and maybe it's going to be okay.]
Mm. That's more of an answer than I can give.
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[He falls silent after that's out there, glancing away. It's certainly not good that he died, but at least he didn't have to watch the majority of his classmates die. Maizono's and Kuwata's deaths were more than enough for him.]
...Hey, uh, Kirigiri? This is gonna sound awkward as shit, 'specially 'cause I haven't exactly gone through it yet but...
[He chews on his lip for a moment, clearly torn between continuing and just dropping the subject.]
...Look, I know you're pretty good at figuring shit out. I don't really know how the investigation or the trial went - the one for Fujisaki's murder, that is - but I'm pretty sure you helped figure it all out, right?
[He falls silent again, staring down at the counter top. When he speaks up again his voice is much quieter.]
...Thanks. For figuring it out. For not letting me get away with that shit. I'm not saying I want to die or anything like that, but... I couldn't live with myself if I'd gotten away with something like that, y'know?
[Something seems to occur to him and he glances up, looking worried.]
Ah, and could you keep this to yourself? I don't want Ishimaru hearing this and worrying about me. I'm okay, I just... wanted to thank you, I guess.
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And what do you even say to something like that, really?]
...
[Well, actually. Maybe she does know.]
That moment, when you say to yourself, "It's more important that I live, even if it means someone else will die"...you're right. It's hard to live with that.
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[He laughs awkwardly and stares down at his hands again.]
I'm sorry I put you guys through all that shit.
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[She shifts her weight a little, shoulderblades pressing back against the door of the fridge.]
You must've talked, when you both were here.
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[The question is rhetorical though and Mondo laughs. The sound is sharp and self-deprecating.]
Yeah. 'Course he forgave me. Kid couldn't hate anyone if his life depended-- shit.
[What an awful thing to say. He winces and presses onward.]
He wasn't mad at me. We were getting along pretty well before he... went home.
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[It's easier, somehow, to use the present tense. He is, like he's still there, like he's not dead now and has been ever since the moment he left.]
I wonder if those of us who survived shouldn't likewise be asking forgiveness from the ones who died.
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[He certainly can't speak for the others, but that's how he feels about it.]
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[She almost smiles, but again, it's one of those expressions that doesn't quite make it onto her face, and it's not a particularly happy one either.]
Every mystery we solved meant seeing another classmate die. At Kuwata-kun's trial, at yours, at Celes-san's...every time we reached a verdict, we were at least somewhat responsible for a person's death. I offered evidence that killed Kuwata-kun, and you, and Celes-san. Even if it was to preserve myself...isn't that still something that begs forgiveness?
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If you hadn't figured it out, everyone else would've died. I dunno about Kuwata and Celes, but I know for a fact I couldn't live with that shit. So... no, I don't think you need to apologize. You had to do what was best for the group and yeah, it meant someone would have to die, but in the end, the murderer deserved it, right?
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You watched Kuwata-kun's execution with the rest of us. Was it all right afterwards, because he was a murderer and deserved it?
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...No. Nothing about that was okay.
[It's the justification he's been using in regards to what he did - does? - to Fujisaki, but it doesn't really work in Kuwata's case.]
Shit, he never would've done it if it weren't for that fucking bear anyway.
[Something seems to dawn on him then and Mondo repeats that statement.]
...He never would've done it if it weren't for that fucking bear...
[It's something Ishimaru has told him numerous times before but it's never really sunk in properly. Sure, Fujisaki's death was different than Maizono's, but Mondo never would have been stressed enough to kill someone if it weren't for the situation they were in, right? He never would have snapped quite that badly.
He keeps quiet about that realization, but it looks like he's seen the face of God or something.]
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It's much easier to see them in a place like Johto, where everything is so different. But that doesn't necessarily make it better, either.]
That's how it is. To take the sort of people who could be friends, and show that even people like that could turn on each other and kill each other under the right circumstances or incentives...
[...]
There were no winners and no justice in what we did. That's why I can't say for certain that I don't regret it.
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[He tips his head again, glancing up at the ceiling in thought.]
Maybe saying I don't regret it is a bit... strong. I regret everything that happened. If there was some way for me to change what happened - or well, what's gonna happen for me - I would. But I'm really glad I got the chance to meet you all, if that makes sense?
[...]
'Cept maybe Togami.
[That might be joking.]
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If going to Hope's Peak is what caused us all to be brought here...then maybe there's something to be glad for in that.
[Speaking of throwing shade...]
I've been ordered not to upset you here, did you know that?
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[Her question throws him and Mondo's eyes widen immediately.]
Wha--? Really? Who would-- Ishimaru.
[He answers his own question with a sigh. He's not entirely sure what Kirigiri means by "upset" him - is she talking about making him angry? yeah, we wouldn't want that but mostly because he might black out and lose control or something, but it's possible Ishimaru just meant that she shouldn't say anything that would touch on the topic of Chihiro or something.]
I know he's trying, but I can look after myself. You don't need to worry 'bout upsetting me. I can take it.
[...He thinks he can take it, anyway...]
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[She gives him a quiet look.]
Is the same thing true for you? What happened to Fujisaki-kun...is that really something that would only happen under circumstances like the ones at school?
[What she doesn't say, but seems to imply, is reflected in the way they're positioned and standing — that yes, she still thinks about his strength, his power, and accounts for that because there's no telling if and when he might black out again.]
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[Mondo doesn't seem offended by the question though. If anything, the fiery determination in that statement is just how convinced he is.]
I... yeah, I've had some bad moments in the past, but I've never killed anyone. 'Sides, Fujisaki's really nice and all that. I never would've harmed him if things had been different. But between that motive and all the stress we were under... I guess I just... snapped.
[He stares down at his hands, the passion fading just as quickly as it showed up.]
My temper's shit - always has been - but I don't hurt people who wouldn't fight back. That's... that's unforgivable.
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[It means giving away that she'd noticed his reaction to it earlier, despite his efforts to smother it, but so be it.
To her credit, she's still doing a fair job at managing not to sound accusatory.]
It's not a question of what you would do consciously.
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He can't help but think back to that day he nearly smashed Ishimaru's face in. Mondo winces.]
...I wouldn't kill him. I know that much.
[No matter how angry he's gotten in the past, he's never killed. Sure, he's landed people in the hospital, but they were never in danger of losing their lives. Still, he continues studying his hands.]
I wish I could say that I'd never hurt him, but... shit, I dunno. I lose control and it's like... nothing matters anymore.
[Not even his brother.]
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There's something I did at school that I'm not proud of, either. It's not enough just to be forgiven, is it?
[...]
Fujisaki-kun wanted to change, but died before he had the chance to follow through. You...also died without having the chance to change. But in this place...we've all called it "a second chance" at one time or another, haven't we?
[She glances away.]
It's my penance, to try to change into someone other than the person who made that decision at school. Being forbidden from upsetting you has meant that I could never ask you if you've been trying to do the same.
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