Chapter 3

## The Execution

The lights shine down on the lonesome cowboy being forced to stand tall in a makeshift old western town. He blinked almost taken back by the lights but as he got used to the almost unbearable light shining down on him his thoughts finally began to start. This was humiliating….standing in front of his classmates in this mock western town. He wanted to be back out there by Tetsuo's side not in here being stared down by the eyes of the targets. Sure none of these things were *really* watching him but they loomed overhead as if to taunt him. Scattered all around him were fairly obvious targets and a gun lay neatly in front of him. Monokuma stood several feet ahead of him with a semi cowboy attire going on. Arrow knew this gun, it was his very own gun...the one he always used. Now it lay before him ready to fire away for what was probably the last time. Why did he have to shoot these targets? It was supposed to be an execution what was the point of this...shitty show for others to watch. Though it slowly dawned him...this was all based around his talent just like the others had been. He clenched his teeth, as if he'd keel over and die right here like everyone else. Surely Monokuma was gonna shoot at him or bring something out to shoot and all he had to do was...shoot back and take it down. Though it was hard to think about that now as the targets drifted back into his mind. Was he going to have to shoot them? That would be too easy yet...maybe it was that simple. After a few moments of eerie silence a siren erupted completely shattering what silence had been there. An old carnival looking meter loomed above the Monokuma and seemed to suggest that the objective was to fire at the targets that surrounded the cowboy...it was the exact conclusion he had just come to. Without hesitation he picked the gun up and turned to take aim at the first target nearby. He wore a confident smirk, he wasn't one to be doubted as his draw and aim were one if the deadliest there was. He fired and hit a bullseye which caused the meter to begin to rise. He huffed figuring this mini game would be a breeze but as he turned to take aim again he felt the horrible sting of a bullet ripping into his lower leg. With a whimper of pain his gaze shot down to where the horrible sensation was coming from and low and behold...there was a bullet wound. The shot he fired had come right back at him yet...it registered as being shot anyways. How was that possible? His own bullet...he felt dread set in. This game suddenly wasn't so easy when his enemy here...was himself. That damn meerkat didn't even move. He...he was going to take himself down. It wasn't fair he didn't...mean to kill Nikita he wanted to take it back but...suddenly more thoughts began to settle in. Was this punishment for far more than he originally thought? Perhaps it was simply karma for the other lives he had taken. Maybe this was why his bullets back tracked and ripped into him without any momentum lost. Maybe it was just an unlucky shot, he had a lot of lucky yet unlucky shots so surely this was just a painful coincidence. He finally shook those thoughts aside and quickly fired at the next target and the next. He had taken out three already and was ready for the fourth but suddenly two more burning sensations dug into his right arm and shoulder. His horrified gaze peaked over at the two new bullet wounds and he had to bite back a cry of fear as he realized he couldn't stop as the timer counted down the last few moments he had left to fight for his life. He can't believe he was basically taking himself down...but he couldn't stop. Despite the pain...despite the fear and everything in him screaming to stop he couldn't fight his own natural reaction when in a life or death situation. Fight...he *just* had to fight it but how do you fight yourself it didn't make sense still. All that training to take down even the smallest and fastest of bandits was now being used to damage his own body. These bullets struck tendons, joints, and even nearing bone with the last one but he wouldn't...no he couldn't stop now it was too late to even turn back on this the meter had already began rising which means he could win this. Without thinking he quickly began firing right and left taking out each target and watching the meter go up. He was in excruciating pain as he bit down on his tongue to concentrate on just getting through this. As each bullet hit the target and simply reflected right back into him and burrowed into his body he could feel his reaction time slowing. Their precision never wavered as they found a way to burrow and strike at important things within his arms and legs but at least they kept the bullets from coming back and finding their way to dig into his chest and through his heart. That was what mattered, if it didn't kill him or strike anything important he *had* to keep going. The pain was all through his body now but pure adrenaline drove him forward as he took out what he thought was the last two targets. As the bullets ripped into his side and stomach he glanced up at the meter, his heart pounding only to see...there was a tiny sliver still open. What? How could that even be? He clenched his teeth tightly as he numbly grabbed at his side with his open hand. His throat had a horrible copper taste as blood began to crawl upwards. Those last few bullets had truly done worse as one launched through his ribs and aimed right into a lung. The other found its way deep into his stomach where blood simply dripped out continuously. His breathing grew shaky as he glanced around at all the shattered targets trying to figure out what he missed. Finally his terrified gaze landed on the Monokuma that stood in front of him now with a small target on his stomach. Of course...his final target was something that had real thoughts...spoke real words just like a human. Sure this thing had been cruel to them but how could he draw on something that could feel fear? No he had to stop thinking that...he was letting the past drag him down he had to do his best to shove those thoughts away as they did him no good to fear what this creature thought in its final moments. What would he think in his last few seconds of this life? This sudden thought caused his blood to run cold as he stared wide eyed at the creature ahead of him. It was like things were slowed down as he stopped to...really consider that. Would he think of his parents? Sylvester? Theodosia? Or…would his mind linger to Tetsuo. The boy was standing out there watching him play right into the execution...like some dumb dog. This meerkat basically had a gun to his head and watched him frantically fire away like a madman as if he had a chance...but he would still try. He refused to stop fighting even if he was just bringing his death upon himself sooner. With only two seconds left on the clock he scowled and took aim at the small creature. He fired without a second thought and he felt a surge of joy as all that fighting might've been worth something but...the bullet never reached the small meerkat. Instead a flag stuck out of the end of the gun's barrel and all it said was "BANG!" as if it were some kind of cartoon. For once Arrow couldn't fight back his real emotions and thoughts. He shakily whispered desperate 'no no no's under his breath. As Monokuma let out that squeaky laughter he desperately tried to shake the flag out and fire again but he heard that dreadful ding of the timer. No...no it wasn't fair he was the best gunslinger there was he couldn't...he couldn't just *lose* like this. It wasn't fair, it just wasn't fair! He fought...he...no, he had played right into what the meerkat wanted. He didn't have to even really lift a claw as his own desperation for survival blinded him and in those moments he had taken himself down for this freak. He was the executioner...he was his own reason for death but why. Why did he have to be the one that pulled the trigger on his own life. His shoulders slumped as he began thinking it over. It was like a taste of his own medicine. Yeah how does it feel to taste the pain of your own bullets, he thought bitterly to himself. He felt like how any of his victims did when they were at the mercy of him...scared and confused. He just couldn't believe this...no he wouldn't believe it. He *would* win and live to see another day. He had to see another day with the globetrotter...he just had to. He glanced back to the bear and grimaced. Why...the last target was right there it wasn't fair. He wouldn't just let this be. He was either going down with this bear or he'd kill it and set himself free but he didn't want to kneel and admit his defeat. With a painful movement of his arm he threw the gun aside ready to step forward but before he could make it far the doors to the jail building behind him swung open and inside were flames roaring high. He stopped for a moment to glance back over his shoulder at the now open jail doors and what lay inside. There was nothing to be seen beyond the flames that were consuming the inside of the building with little wavering in its intensity. He shakily felt his mouth hang agape. Think...c'mon think he couldn't let this sudden outburst distract him but...he feared what fire could do to a human...what a fire could do to him if he happened to fall in. His lip quivered as he forced himself to not beg for an end to this nightmare. He was forgetting the task at hand. He shook his head and forced his gaze to move from the jail doors and land back on the meerkat in front of him. He began to stalk forward again but a lasso shot out from the flames and caught the cowboy midway towards Monokuma and jerked him backwards towards the flames inside. His eyes widened as the rope harshly jerked him back and pain tore through his body. He could feel blood rising in his throat but despite the taste and the pain he desperately reached out. Part of him hoped that someone would grab his hand to save him or that maybe he could catch onto something. In the end...his hand only found air. They were outstretched as far as he could and they shook violently from the damage to his muscles and tendons. He didn't want to go. He wanted to go home not into these puts damned for hell most likely.  The flames that were engulfing the inside grew hotter as he grew closer he could already feel them scorching a few hairs on the back of his head. Without thinking he opened his mouth to let out please of forgiveness but it was too late as he was dragged back into the flames that quickly began to burn at the cowboy. The burning sensation was unbearable as he fought against the rope to get free. He tugged and tugged fighting to reach the door and for a moment he did. He let out a raspy fit of laughter thinking he could make it as he reached a hand to clutch the door frame and for a moment...he had it. His knuckles were losing color as he held on with a fierce grip. He could make it...he could-those thoughts were cut off by the door suddenly slamming shut causing him to jerk his hand back and simply be dragged back further in the flames. Behind the doors of the jail hidden in those flames, howls of pain began to drift out. Though none of that would be heard in the end as a cheesy western song began to play, drowning out the cowboy's pained screams and cries of forgiveness. Finally the cowboy drew quiet and the flames died down. With that the meerkat giggled watching as the building could no longer stand after the flames destroyed its inner structure. It began to fall down and within the rubble a figure lay barely able to be seen within the buildings remains but...maybe it was for the best. The body was left in horrible condition from the intense flames. The cowboy had been right...his final thoughts had been to Tetsuo. Even in his moments of pure agony he had thought of what could have been...he had tried to call out for him but nothing he screamed out would be heard over that obnoxious music...or maybe someone had heard even the faintest of sound of his cries. The melody began to slow and faded into silence as the cowboy's execution was over...he had faced his own judgement in this execution and in the end brought upon his own cruel demise. The meerkat's ear twitched as it stared at the scene in front of it. It slowly turned away to face the distance as if it was staring into the distance and the meter was pulled back up and replaced with a sign that wrote 'The End' in that familiar font used in just about every cowboy movie. It didn't matter though as it was all over, the cowboy was left behind in the debris in the end.