Nothing again. He had expected this though; there was no real reason why there should be anything of value here, and the only reason he went here in the first place was to make sure he didn't miss anything. Still... Something told Steven that it was almost time for the Trial, and there was no way he was going to be able to check the entire rest of the building. Similarly, though he still held out hope that they would win this last Trial too, it was possible that they would lose too. If that happened... No. He couldn't, he wouldn't let the Despairs win. Sodika, Kyle, Sven, Cezia, Erin, Isaac... Their deaths would NOT be in vain! It was time to prepare for a plan B, just in case the worst would come to pass. Even if they lost the trial,even if they would die, he would not allow Norio to fall to despair! Which meant he would need to find a way to keep Norio's spirits up even beyond the grave... Maybe he should gather a few items from everyone for him? Yes, that would work; even if they could no longer fight this battle in person, then at least they would join Norio in spirit.
Steadfast, Steven headed back down to the first floor and headed through everyone's dormitory. First, he headed to Sodika's dormitory -- or rather, the storage room it was now --, and after some searching found a backpack very similar to hers. "Sodika... I'm sorry for mocking you," Steven spoke to the air. "All I can pray is that your death wast fast enough for you not to realize you were killed by the one person you trusted." So cruel. It was all so cruel...
Next up, Kyle's room. There, Steven picked up one of his video games and put it in the backpack. "Kyle... You always were the silent one,weren't you? I guess that's what would draw Sodika to you; you were one of the few people who wouldn't ridicule her. Unlike myself,even... Though, of course, that's just based on the few days we were together in here. I wish I'd gotten the chance to really know you. ...Well, know you again, I guess. Turns out we were together for quite a while before we got here, and that our memories were wiped. Know this though. I'll never forget you again."
Going down his list, the next target was Sven's room. "Sven... I pity the poor hall monitor that had to stop your antics," Steven sadly smiled. "Judging by what you did in here, I'm betting you would've burned down Hope's Academy within the first week or something." Speaking of fire, he would've taken the lighter from Sven's room, but it wasn't there anymore.Of course, Norio already has that. Never mind that then. Instead, Steven took a book from Sven's desk, which was apparently something about anarchy.
After that, Cezia's room. "Cezia... I would've loved to see more of your paintings. I'm just sad that you never got the chance to show the world your talents. I know you would've become a legendary artist, if... if-" Steven bit his cheek, trying in vain to fight back tears. No, he couldn't break down now; he had to keep going. Here, Steven pocketed a few of Cezia's brushes and pencils, then stopped for a moment. Given how Norio reacted to what happened, was it really a good idea to force him to remember this? ...Maybe, maybe not. Still, he could not allow for Cezia to be forgotten; not when she too had willingly risked and given her life, just like all the rest of them.
Fifth, Erin's room. "Erin... I'm afraid I don't know a whole lot about you. I just... I wished I had protected you more. If only I'd stayed at your side, if only I'd seen just how afraid you were. I could've helped you, I should've helped you. ...If you had even trusted me, that is. You wouldn't have, would you? Maybe you had already fallen to despair the moment you entered this building. I guess that's why you weren't supposed to be here; Norio knew that you weren't strong enough. So then, why.... Did the Despairs force you to go here, maybe?" Shaking his head, Steven too Erin's math notebook and put it in the backpack.
Isaac's room... "Isaac. ...I still don't get it, you know? Why did you do it? Was it truly just because you were bored and wanted to get ouy? Or was it lke I said, that you killed someone so that others wouldn't have to, and did you just not want to admit it out of pride or something? I thought we were going to work together... I don't blame you though, not anymore than I blame myself. ...Did you know that we all signed up for this voluntarily? Which means that in a way, we were all killers, for if it weren't for all of us, none of us would have died. It's ironic, isn't it? Here I was thinking that if we just banded together, we could defeat the psychopath. And then it turns out that we were working together, but that we are the psychopaths. ...It makes me wonder just what kind of past I have. I thought myself to not be able to kill someone at all, no matter the reason -- yet here I am, voluntarily taking part in a killing game. Strange paths doth take the hands of fate, what have you?" From Isaac's room, Steven took a blade that was hidden beneath Isaac's pillow.
Steven doubted for a moment whether or not he should go to Tanami's room -- after all, Tanami was still alive. Maybe he could convince the kid to give up Kibi and Nibi just before they were punished? ...No, he couldn't risk it. Quietly, he entered Tanami's room too, then took what seemed to be an unfinished puppet from Tanami's desk.
Finally, he put his own magnifying lens in their too. Typical how he ended up never using it. Not that it mattered though; at least there was still this final use for it. There. That should do it. Now let's just hope that Norio doesn't need it.
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