That's All From Toku

**That's All From Toku** is the name of Jin Toku's execution, as featured in Danganronpa: Until Proven Guilty.

## Sequence

*Excerpt taken from Chapter 8 of Danganronpa: Until Proven Guilty*

The noise rings through my ears, as shackles fall from the ceiling, clamping around Jin's neck. His face drains of all colour, a look of pure horror on his face, as he reaches out for me. Desperate to survive. The chain drags him away, as he's slowly pulled into the distance.

"Please move to the left side of the room in preparation for the execution." Monokuma says, followed by his distinct, cackling laughter.

A screen lowers from lord knows where, revealing what can only be described as a recording studio for a giant. A large podium stands in the middle, topped with an enormous record player. And there, tied to the needle, scrambling for his life is Jin. Though he's far away, I feel close enough to match the fear in his eyes, as it blends with complete confusion at the scene in front of me.

Music begins to play without warning, an unfamiliar, jazzy tune. The insufferable whine of trumpets blares through the speakers, sending its vibrations humming through the ground. My gaze is transfixed on Jin, with no idea how this will end. All I know is that he dies here.

This is the end of Jin Toku.

As my mind dwells on those words, my heart sinks. A man who's golden heart was hiding behind layers of desperation. A craving for someone to love him. A yearning. He murdered someone - yet every moment of this torture is undeserved. I watch him wriggle, trying with every last breath to scramble out of the rope. His arms and legs flail violently, attempting to free himself.

The record spins, and I can feel the dizziness churning in my stomach. It continues for too long, painfully long, as every second begins to feel like hours.

Until.

One arm breaks free from the rope, and scrambles to untie around him. Limb after limb, he lets himself free from the prison he's confined to. For a moment, I see him hesitating, pondering on whether or not to make the jump. It wouldn't be fatal, but perhaps the damage done could slow him down severely. Words burn in my stomach, itching to be released. But I can't say them. They will never be heard. They'll never reach Jin. *'You can do it, Jin!'*  Is what I pray to scream, hoping with every ounce of my energy that my cries will be heard. That this whole nightmare could end with just the strain of a lung.

He jumps. Almost as if he heard my internal cries.

Landing arm first, he lies helpless in a crumpled heap on the record's surface. All energy has been drained from him, his palms red raw from rope burn. Round and round, the record doesn't seem like it wants to stop. But he's free. Free from the height, free from the rope. And yet my heart still races uncontrollably. Haruka collapses to the floor, not even daring to look at the screen once. Just pressing her palms against her ears, muttering something over and over. I wish I could do the same, shut my eyes and pretend this is all some elaborate fever dream. But I can't look away, my eyes plastered to the screen, never once breaking contact. The music stops to a blaring halt, leaving the room lingering in painful silence. Jin pants heavily, as if he hasn't noticed the sudden stop.

He won. He survived. He beat Monokuma. He lived through the execution. He can leave and we can pretend this never happened. Go back to being friends. Living side by side in this university, making the best of things.

Until the needle descends.

Time seems to slow down in the moment. As if we're being taunted by the universe. Yet Jin still lies directly under the needle's path, and doesn't move an inch.

"Move!" I hear Tory yell in desperation, though her words only bounce off the screen and back into the room. An empty cry for help.

He doesn't move, only lying exhausted on the record's grooves.

Slowly. Slowly. Slower. The needle moves down, and further down. Until the very prick grazes his skin.

*Slash*

The sound of metal slicing through flesh fills the room, blaring through the speakers louder than the music could ever be. Blood splatters the screen like some morbid theatre curtain, and I instantly feel the pit in my stomach grow immense.