ShopDreamUp AI ArtDreamUp
Deviation Actions
The following prologue is intended only for mature audiences. Viewer discretion advised
(In other words if you're under 16, don't read. In fact, if you're under 16 what the heck are you doing on DA anyway? Do you're parents know you're here?)
(Also, I wrote this thing with a general idea of what I wanted to do, but no set script and I didn't copy/paste this from MS Word. This was all on the fly).
Ever have one of those moments and you don't seem to understand how you got where you are right now? Well, that's how I feel right now, except my case is pretty extreme.
"Nngh," my head, I groan as I slowly regain consciousness. I pick my head up. My arms are folded on the desk in front of me. Desk? I look around. Did I fall asleep in class? However, the classroom appears to be empty. And...are those iron plates where the windows should be? There are no lights on and the only source of light is a beam of light coming from underneath the door to my right.
"Where am I?" I ask myself aloud. And then...as my head throbs, another important question lingers on my lips. "Who am I?" Pushing the chair back, I stand up. I can't remember anything about myself, but whoever I am I'm only about five feet off the ground. My voice sounds pretty high pitched, but judging from other sensations in my body, I'm pretty sure I'm a guy. Also, I feel a little chilly, but I guess that's to be expected given my shoulders aren't covered. I'm wearing a tank top.
With no other choice, I stumble out through the closed door and into a hallway. There are different colored lights showering down onto the hallway. To my left there's a gate covering a corridor with a sign that says "Despair Hotel" next to it. What kind of place is this? I find myself thinking.
As I stumble around in a daze, I find myself with a throbbing headache, but then I hear voices coming from further down the curving corridor. They appear to be coming from a large lobby like area. I wasn't prepared for what I saw when I stepped into what I assumed to be the building entrance. The building was covered in a large metal, vault-like door and two machine guns were mounted from the ceiling, aiming down at the ground. What in the world?
"Looks like there's another one," A condescending voice says. I look down from the guns at all the people standing around who appear to be the same age. There are fourteen of them in total. Including myself that'd make fifteen. I look towards the source of a condescending voice. Standing to my left is a really tall guy with blond hair, blue eyes, glasses and a black business suit.
A loud, commanding voice states what I'd figured only a moment ago. "With him that makes fifteen." The source of the voice was a young man with purple hair, large eyebrows, red eyes and a white uniform of some kind. He certainly looked important.
"J-just h-how many more a-are there?" A girl in the back with pigtails and glasses stutters.
From the crowd a much shorter guy walked up to me. He was wearing a blackish-green hooded sweatshirt and had brown hair with a single cowlick standing up. "Hey, are you all right? You look kind of out of it." His voice was filled with concern.
"Huh?" I found it difficult to form a coherent sentence.
"Um, you're a student at this school, right?" he asks me.
"School?" Are we at a school?
"Gosh, he seems more out of it than Kyoko," A girl with tanned skin, wearing a red jacket says.
"I...uh..." I stutter.
"Did you wake up in an empty classroom like the rest of us?" the guy with brown hair asks me.
"Y-yeah," I said. "Where are we?"
"Huh? You mean you don't know where you are?" the brown hair guy asks, looking both shocked and confused.
"That's a first," the tall blond guy says, looking down. "The rest of us at least remember that this is Hope's Peak Academy."
A flash runs through my mind and my head throbs. I clutch the side of it with the palm of my hand. "Ungh."
"H-hey! Are you okay?" the brown haired guy asks me.
"I...don't...know," I grunt, rubbing my head. "But...I...remembered...something. I...I'm a student here at Hope's Peak. Today...is supposed to be my first day. I'm the Ultimate....Ultimate..."
I wrack my brain for answers, but it's no good. I can't recall it.
"Ungh," I grunt.
"H-hey, just take it easy," the brown haired guy tells me. "Kyoko's got amnesia too."
"Which one of you...is Kyoko?" I asked.
"That's me," a calm feminine voice echoes. I look to my left. A girl with long pale-purple hair is stood in a purple jacket. She hair purple eyes and heeled boots. She wore gloves like those detectives in crime dramas, the really aloof ones that get hired as private investigators. Wait, have I watched crime dramas? I guess I must've seen a couple if I can make the comparison. "I'm Kyoko Kirigiri," she says. She approaches me. "How bad is your memory?" she asks.
"Um, let's see," I tried to wrack my brain for anything, but nothing was coming to mind. I couldn't remember a single thing about myself. Family. Friends. Hobbies. It was all...blank.
"The look on your face says everything," Kyoko says with an emotionless stare. "This is worrying. What's two plus two?"
"Four," I answered. Come on, everyone knows that.
"What's the capital of this country?" Kyoko asks.
"Tokyo."
"Do a couple of jumping jacks," Kyoko commanded.
Not willing to make a fuss, I did precisely that, my elbows brushing up against my hair as I threw them up over my head.
Kyoko seemed to smirk. "Well, it would appear your muscle memory and your cognitive thinking are working just fine. You seem to have it worse off than me. You have amnesia and not a mild case either. You say you can't remember anything about yourself, but your educational history and physical coordination seems to be in proper working order." She gives me a concerned look. "You're sure you can't remember your name?"
"No," I tell her. "But...ugh...wait...something's coming to me. The letter...D."
"Does your name start with D?" the brown haired guy asks me.
"No...at least...I don't think so. I think...I think my talent starts with D."
"Well then, for the time being, let's call you D," Kyoko says. "I think that will be sufficient until more of your memory returns."
"D, huh," I reply, looking down and putting a finger on my chin.
"You don't like it?" Kyoko asks me.
"We could always call you Tri-Hair," the blond guy chuckles. "It would go with that ridiculous hair cut you're wearing."
"Huh?"
"Hey!" the girl in the red jacket exclaims. "Don't be a jerk!"
"Let's be honest, when he walked in, his hair was the first thing we all noticed," the blond guy said.
"W-well y-yeah, but you don't have to judge him for it!" the girl retorts angrily.
"What's wrong with my hair?" I ask.
"Nothing wrong per say," the brown-haired guy tells me, but...you should really look in a mirror later.
I say nothing.
"Well, as fun as this is, perhaps we should all take the time to introduce ourselves to this newcomer," the blond guy states. "I'm Byakuya Togami, Hope's Peak Academy's Ultimate Affluent Progeny."
The air about this guy felt...nostalgic in a way. It was like...I knew someone like him in my past. But it felt cold...distant.
I looked at Kyoko, but she said nothing and glanced towards the guy with brown hair who had been talking to me. She seemed to have no further introductions to herself.
"O-oh? M-me?" The brown haired guy stutters. "Well...I'm Makoto. Makoto Naegi, I'm Hope's Peak Academy's Ultimate Lucky Student."
"Lucky student?" I ask.
"Apparently Hope's Peak held a drawing with eligible students from all over the country and my name was chosen out of thousands of people. Other than that, I'm pretty ordinary compared to everyone else. Although..."
"What is it?" I ask.
"Well...I'm sorry if this sounds rude, but...it's a little reassuring to have someone else shorter than me in the group. Everyone's so tall that, me being this height and the normal guy out of the bunch...it's a little intimidating."
I laugh. "Oh come on, Makoto. I'm sure they're all nice." Huh. I wondered why I said that. I had no reason to suspect such thing, but...do I just naturally believe in the good in other people.
"Well then, I guess we're gonna get along really well. What do you say, D? Friends?"
"Friends," I reply, shaking his hand.
I go over to the girl in the red jacket. "You really can't remember your name?" she asks me.
"No, sorry," I tell her.
"Well, don't worry, Big Sis Hina will take good care of you, D," she said, sounding a little fired up.
"Big Sis Hina?" I ask, sounding a little flustered.
"Ah, sorry, I should introduce myself. I'm Aoi Asahina, most people call me Hina for short. I'm Hope's Peak Academy's Ultimate Swimming Pro." She smiled. "Don't you worry about a thing, D. I have a little brother and you kind of remind me of him a little. I mean, you two are about the same height." She laughs. "But seriously, let's go swimming later when we get out of here, okay?"
"Um, okay." She seems like a nice person. But what did she mean by getting out of here?
I turn my attention to the girl in the glasses. "What?" she snaps.
"I'm...sorry?" I ask, not sure what I did to make her mad.
"S-stop it. Don't look at me like I'm some sort of filthy creature!" she shrieks.
"I-I didn't..." I stutter.
She looks nervous and averts her gaze from me. "N-not that you'll c-care to remember, but...it's Toko by the way. Toko Fukawa. Hope's Peak Academy's Ultimate Writing Prodigy."
"Y-yeah, okay," I slowly step away from her. I didn't want to get yelled at. Next to her was a girl with long blue hair wearing a white blouse and a blue skirt.
She smiles at me as I turn to face her. "Hi," she says. "I'm Sayaka Maizono, Hope's Peak Academy's Ultimate Idol Singer."
"Idol Singer?" I reply. I know the concept, but my memory. Ugh. I can't remember seeing a single one perform.
She laughs with a smile. "Don't worry, you'll remember."
"Huh?" Did she just read my mind?
"I'm psychic," she says.
I gasp. Psychic abilities?
"Just kidding," Sayaka giggles. "I just have really good intuition." I sigh with relief. Yet, for some reason, the idea of someone having telekinetic abilities doesn't seem so strange to me.
I move onto the next person. It would appear I am not the shortest person in this group. Standing before me is now a girl in a green dress. She has blonde hair. "H-hello," she says.
"Um, hi," I say, turning a little red.
"Um, I'm Chihiro Fujisaki. I'm the Ultimate Programmer."
"What type of things do you program?" I ask.
"Well, I know I got into Hope's Peak Academy for making a groundbreaking AI, but..."
"What is it?" I ask.
"I could've sworn I helped make something else, something really important, but for some reason...I can't remember."
"Maybe you dreamed it up?" I suggested.
"Maybe," Chihiro says. "But...when I look at you...I can't help but feel that what I worked on and you are...connected somehow. Like...maybe you and I have met before."
"Huh?" I sounded really surprised and my face probably matched my confusion.
"I-I'm sorry," Chihiro apologizes, looking dejected. "Never mind."
"No, it's okay," I tell her.
I turn around only to almost smack straight into a really tall guy next to me. He was wearing a leather jacket and had a pompadour that reminded me of a corn cob. "Hey, watch it!" he exclaims.
"S-sorry," I say to him. Weird. I figured I should be more intimidated by this guy, but...for some reason his presence feels nostalgic too, but unlike Byakuya...it's different. His tall presence feels...almost reassuring somehow. I wonder why.
"My name is Mondo. Mondo Owada. I'm the Ultimate Biker Gang leader."
"B-Biker Gang," I gasp. Now I was intimidated.
"Hah, you sound like you're ready to run back to your mama with your tail between your legs. Listen, scrawny, just don't piss me off and you and I won't have a problem."
Somehow, I gathered, that was easier said than done.
"Do you enjoy bullying those weaker than you?" A voice says as another strong presence steps up behind me.
"I wasn't bullying the brat, I was givin' him a warning," Mondo said, his voice getting irritated. He then snapped at the person behind me. "But you're starting to piss me off, Sakura."
I turn around. There was a tall, muscular almost demon of a person standing behind me. I found it difficult to tell if they were a man or a woman. I mean, the skirt should be a dead giveaway, but those could just as easily be really sturdy muscles on her chest.
"Then would you care to challenge me?" Sakura asks, her voice calm, but stern. It was a deep voice too, rather deep for a girl if she even was one.
"Tch," Mondo walked away.
"Pay Mondo no mind, D," Sakura says to me.
"N-no, th-that's okay, I didn't really think he was trying to be mean. I appreciate the concern though," I tell her. "And...you are?"
"I'm Sakura Ogami, the Ultimate Martial Artist."
There was a long pause between us until Sakura finally answered the question she presumed to be on my lips.
"I'm a woman," she tells me me.
"O-oh...right."
"Makoto gave me the same look of confusion. I presumed you too were curious."
I say nothing. However, I nod at her.
"I pray for the safe return of your memory, D," Sakura says to me.
"Ah, th-thank you."
There were only four people left. Three guys and one girl.
I decided to approach them all at once just to kind of get it over with. The girl was wearing a french maid outfit and had curly twin tails. She looked sophisticated with the way she carried herself. The other three guys were the guy in white I'd heard speak earlier, a rather obese guy with glasses and a guy who looked every bit as punkish as Mondo, except his hair was red he was dressed all in white. Mondo wore predominately black.
"I see someone cares to make efficient use of introduction time," the guy with the big eyebrows says. I can't get over those thing. "My name is Kiyotaka Ishimaru. I'm the Ultimate Moral Compass. As long as I'm here, this class will not fall into disorderly conduct."
"Sup?" The redhead stated, tilting his head back. "Name's Leon Kuwata, Ultimate Baseball Star."
"My name is Hifumi Yamada. Designation: Ultimate Fanfiction Creator," the obese man says in a dramatic fashion. His overbearing voice then became very nasally. "Mr. D, I don't know how to say this, but I feel like you have an appreciation for two-dimensional art far beyond those around us."
"Huh? I...do?" It seemed strange, but for some reason I got the feeling that two-dimensional art, or maybe artwork, did have something to do with me. But what?
"I would be happy to show you some of my writing later," Hifumi says. "Perhaps it will jog your memory."
"Oh please," the girl says. "As if D would be interested in your nonsensical drivel."
"Um, you are?" I ask her.
"My name is Celestia Ludenburg," she states calmly. "You can call me Celeste. I'm Hope's Peak Academy's Ultimate Gambler."
For some reason the word gamble also seemed to resonate within me. Gamble. 2-D. Mondo's tough and reassuring presence. Chihiro feeling like she knows me. Byakuya's cold and distant nostalgic presence. What did it all mean?
"Excuse me? Are you listening?" Celeste asks, her expression rather...scary as her red eyes bore into me like the devil peering into my soul.
"I-I'm sorry. I was...thinking," I blurt out.
"I doubt someone in your condition has much to think about, but I will repeat myself. I'm feeling rather generous today. I asked if you and I have met before."
"Huh?" Her too?
"Miss Ludenberg are you acquainted with Mr. D?"
"No. I've never seen him before...yet I can't shake this feeling as though there is a bond between us that I cannot describe."
"And I'll mark us with a special bond."
I clutch my head again. What...was that? I saw something...for a minute I definitely saw something. It was fuzzy, but I definitely heard a girl's voice. And she said, I'll mark us with a special bond. What bond? What was she talking about? Who was that voice? Ow! Ow! OWWW! My head!
"D, do you need to lie down?" Kiyotaka asks me. "You're starting to sweat."
"N-no...I-I'm fine," I tell him. "I thought I heard a girl's voice, but it didn't belong to anyone here."
"Maybe it belongs to our little spy," Byakuya suddenly says.
"Spy?" Makoto and I exclaim at almost the exact same time.
"Indeed," Byakuya states. "Someone has been watching us since the moment you started to introduce yourself to everyone. I thought it was cute how they thought they were hiding so well, but nothing escapes the notice of Byakuya Togami!" he declared.
Sakura appeared to be shocked. "How did I...miss this?"
"Sakura? What's the matter?" Hina asks her.
"This...blood lust...I thought it was coming from Mondo, but...I've never felt this before. Such cold...controlled blood lust. Until Byakuya said something...it was hidden from me until now."
"Whoever's there show yourself, or I'll drag you out here with my two hands!" Mondo exclaimed.
"I...wasn't trying to spy."
The voice didn't match the girl in my memory as a tall woman with black hair in a brown skirt, wearing fingerless gloves and a white blouse stepped out into the entryway.
"I thought I'd been captured by the enemy, but when I heard you all talking about Hope's Peak...I just...listened. I'm...not terribly good with people," she says nervously. She was holding a knife with a serrated edge.
"Eeek!" Hina exclaims. "She's got a knife."
"I-it's for my own protection," the girl stutters. "I-I don't...I don't want to have to use it...I think."
"It's all right," Makoto tells her. "None of us are going to hurt you if you don't hurt us. Who are you?"
The girl took a deep breath and stated calmly but clearly, saluting. "My name is Mukuro Ikusaba, Fenrir 1st Branch, Second Battalion of Alpha Pack." She removed her hand from her head and dropped it firmly at her side. "I am Hope's Peak Academy's Ultimate Soldier!"
"Ultimate Soldier?" Makoto asks.
Mukuro merely nods.
"Tch, you don't seem so tough," Mondo scoffs.
"Care to try and see?" Mukuro asks him. "Because I can tell you right now," Mukuro's eyes flashed like a hungry wolf sizing up its prey. "you would lose."
Mondo gulps and takes a step back.
"And with her that makes sixteen," Byakuya says, chuckling.
"You sound like you're enjoying yourself," Kyoko says.
"I just find all of this truly fascinating," Byakuya says, continuing to chuckle.
I didn't see what was so funny about the situation.
"You don't need to reintroduce yourselves to me," Mukuro suddenly says. "I...heard everything when you were talking to D. However, there is still one thing I do not understand."
"What's that?" Makoto asked.
"How did we get here? More importantly why are all the windows covered up?" Mukuro asks.
"We've all been wondering the same thing," Leon states. "Last thing any of us remembers is walking up to the door to the main hall and then light's out. Next thing any of us know we're waking up somewhere in the school. Same for you, I take it?"
"Appropriately similar," Mukuro answers stoically.
"Ah, now that you mention it, I remember that too," I say. It was coming back to me. I walked straight up to the front door and then I lost consciousness.
"I don't like this one bit," Mukuro states. "This school suddenly feels like a prison, like we've been captured...or worse."
"Let's not start making assumptions," Kyoko suddenly barks out. "But I won't argue that you might have a point, Mukuro."
Just as we were all wondering what to do next a school bell rang through the hall. And on the monitor on the wall with speakers on either side of it, static appeared and a voice chimed through from the other side along with the silhouette of a bear. "Ahem! Ahem! Testing, testing! Mike check! One, two! This is a test of the school broadcast system! Am I on? Can everyone hear me? Okay, well then!"
Words failed to describe my feelings towards the voice I was hearing. It sounded so innocent, childlike even against a dark and grim situation.
"Ah, to all incoming students. I would like to begin the entrance ceremony at...right now! Please make your way to the gymnasium at your earliest convenience! That's all. I'll be waiting!" The broadcast then ended.
"What the...what the heck was that?" I exclaim.
"Well then," Byakuya says, turning to leave. "If you'll excuse me."
"W-wait a sec! You're just gonna do what it says?" I ask. It really sounded like a trap. Trap. Yet another word that seemed to resonate within me.
"But of course," Byakuya replied and then walked away.
"Man, I was totally looking forward to taking a nap. Sucks about your amnesia D, but I'll see ya later. Maybe you can ask a teacher about it after the ceremony," Leon says as he walks away.
"Hey, wait a minute!" I exclaim, watching as practically everyone left the area. In the end, only Makoto, Sakura, Kyoko, Mukuro, Sayaka and I hadn't yet walked away.
"This...this doesn't seem right," Sayaka says nervously.
"Agreed," Mukuro nods. "This announcement sounds like a trap."
"Sometimes you have to spring a trap," I suddenly start to say without thinking as if such a statement wasn't new to me. "As long as you gird yourself for it, you can...overcome it?"
"You don't sound too sure about that," Makoto says.
"No, it's just...for some reason...I feel like I've believed that sort of thing before, you know?"
"Whatever the case, we gain nothing by staying here," Kyoko says to us all. "Let's go. But let's stick together for now."
"Agreed," Sakura says. "Nothing ventured, nothing gained, but there is strength in numbers."
Nodding to each other, we all walked to the gym together, forming up with the other students. I stood between Mukuro and Sakura feeling safeguarded, but also pretty scrawny and pathetic.
As we stood there suddenly a strange bear-like...monster I guess popped out from behind the podium. It was white on one side and black on the other.
"Huh? A...teddy bear?" Chihiro states awkwardly.
"I'm not a teddy bear," the bear monster says. "I am Monokuma! And I am this school's headmaster!"
...
I was going to question it but for some reason I felt like I'd seen stranger things in my past.
"Nice to meet you all!" Monokuma continued.
"Wh--? WAAAAAAAAH! That teddy bear can talk!" Hifumi exclaims, having a delayed reaction.
"C-calm down," Kiyotaka says, though he looked nervous, "I'm sure there's just a speaker inside it."
Monokuma looked angry. "I told you already, I'm not a teddy bear. I'm Monokuma! And I'm your headmaster!"
No matter how many times he said it, it still felt surreal.
"Waaaaah! It moved!" Hifumi shouts again.
"Seriously man, calm down," Mondo tells him, fed up with Hifumi's outbursts. "It's probably just a remote control toy or somethin'."
"How dare you compare me to a child's plaything," Monokuma says looking at the ground, "You've cut me deep. Deeper than the Marina Trench." Monokuma put his hands on his stomach. "My remote control system is so complex even the folks at NASA wouldn't be able to comprehend it. Ah, but don't make me say stuff that might destroy NASA's dreams!" Monokuma shouts, arms thrust into the air in anger. "I couldn't bear that."
"Bear that? Really? You are...unfortunate," Celeste states, making comment of the pun.
"Now then, moving on," Monokuma continues, ignoring her. "We really must hurry and get started. Everyone stand at attention and bow! Aaaand Goooood Morning!"
"GOOD MORNING!!!" Kiyotaka thunders bowing lower than ever necessary, head almost hitting the floor.
"Well now, I see someone's awake today," Monokuma states, looking pleased. "If you like that, then you'll just loooove what I've got planned for this unforgettable entrance ceremony. First, let's talk a bit about what your school life here will be like. Make no mistake, you few students are the representations of the hope of the world! And to protect such splendid hope, you will live a communal life together solely within the confines of this school. Everyone will live in harmony together and adhere to the regulations of this school until you all grow old and grey and die together. There is absolutely no time limit and no means of leaving the building. None! Nothing! Zilch! Nada! Ze plus ro! I've made certain of that this time." Monokuma gave only a little chuckle as I couldn't help, but wonder what he meant by those last two words.
"Wh-what did he just say?" Toko stutters, looking as flabbergasted and dismayed as I probably did. "Until the day we die?"
"Don't worry! The budget in this school is funded by one of the largest corporations in the world so it won't ever run out. There are all sorts of common conveniences and even a few," Monokuma giggled, "special goodies hidden throughout."
"That's the least of our worries right now!" Sayaka exclaims.
"So then, you've taken us captive?" Mukuro asks.
"Wha-wha?" Monokuma asks, tilting his head and looking confused.
Mukuro strode towards the so-called headmaster. "You're the enemy and you've built this special prison for us. Torture with familiar surroundings is better than the sharp-objects and pointy-things approach. I...remember being told that before. But we've never set foot in this academy so if you think you can torture us with it, you're wrong!"
"Are you going to try and stop me, Miss Ikusaba?"
"You've taken our possessions, cut off all means of communication to the outside, sealed all the exits, and you plan to keep us here for your own ends without telling us anything. But you made one fatal mistake," Mukuro said and suddenly pulled her combat knife out of her pocket, brandishing it as she crossed her arms over her body. "You left me my knife."
"M-Mukuro, maybe you shouldn't do anything rash," Makoto suggests.
"Y-yeah, what he said," I add.
"As the only soldier here, it falls upon me to protect civilians. Who do you work for?"
"Work for? Ah, that soldier brain, it is so very disappointing and narrow-minded. I'll say it one more time so that even your feeble mind can understand it, Miss Ikusaba. I am Monokuma and I am Hope's Peak Academy's Headmaster!" Monokuma barked at her.
I never thought the knife would drop from Mukuro's hands the way it did. She covered her mouth. "Hope's Peak...put us in here?"
"Jeez, you're just now catching on? I've said it three times already! I'd say it a fourth, but that's a bad luck omen." Monokuma giggles. "But yeah, the school is responsible and you're it's students so there are no civilians, no enemies and no hostages, Miss Soldier. I'm glad you dropped the knife already because I would've asked you to drop it just now otherwise. Puhuhu Puhuhuhuhuhuhu!"
Staying as composed as she could, Mukuro picked up her knife and sheathed it. She then said nothing as she strode back towards where Makoto, Sakura, Kyoko and I were standing. "Mukuro?" I call out to her, but she doesn't respond to me.
"Anyway, before that unwelcome interruption," Monokuma continues. "Honestly, you all decided to attend Hope's Peak Academy and now you're having second thoughts. What's with that?"
I can think of several things.
"Oh, but you know, I guess I lied a little earlier. There is one way to get out of this school."
Everyone's attentions were grabbed, including mine as Monokuma spoke those words.
"R-really?" Toko asks.
"As headmaster, I've crafted a special clause for those of you who would like to leave. I call it the Graduation Clause!"
I sigh. That wasn't a clause that's an actual student thing.
"Now then, let me tell you about this fun little rule."
Why do I get the feeling we're not going to like it as much as you seem to? I wonder.
Monokuma continued to chuckle to himself before speaking. "In order to maintain the harmony here, we run on a communal life style. And if someone were to disrupt that harmony, they and they alone would be allowed to leave the school. That, ladies, gentlemen and those of indeterminate gender, is the graduation clause."
"What do you mean by disrupt the harmony?" I ask.
"What? Isn't it obvious?" Monokuma asks. "I'm talking about murder of course."
"M-Murder!" Again, Makoto and I appeared to be in sync.
"Stabbing, strangling, bludgeoning, crushing, hacking, drowning, igniting, how you do it doesn't matter. Make it a gore fest, make it bloodless. Whatever you want. You just have to kill someone if you want to leave, it's as simple as that."
For a moment, I felt an intense blood lust. And it was coming from Mukuro. She appeared to have marked every single one of us for death and she was deciding which one of us would be her prey. However, as though I could see the cross-hairs she was creating with her eyes, I suddenly saw her eyes fixate on Monokuma once more.
"Do you count?" Mukuro's pitch was at an all-time low.
"Huh?" Monokuma asks.
"You're just a piece of machinery, but if I kill the person controlling you, would that count?"
"Well, I suppose it would, but there's one problem," Monokuma responds.
"Oh, and what's that?" Mukuro wanted to know.
"Violence against the headmaster is strictly prohibited," Monokuma retorts.
"You won't be able to prohibit anything once I've torn you apart," Mukuro said, taking out her knife once more and crossing her arms over each other.
"N-now, now, wait a minute, Miss Ikusaba. I'm the headmaster and therefore your superior. Are you going against orders?"
"Your orders were to kill someone and I've picked my target. I kill you. I get to leave. I get help. Seems pretty straightforward."
"Yeah! You tell him!" Mondo shouted. "I've had just about enough of this fuckin' horseshit! I'll hold him still! You cut his fuckin' head off!"
Mondo and Mukuro then began rushing Monokuma in a tag team.
"Wait a minute, guys!" I exclaim suddenly, but my tiny voice didn't carry as Mondo grabbed hold of Monokuma and with a swift slash of her knife Mukuro sliced the head in half, exposing the wires beneath.
"Guh!" Mondo suddenly exclaims as Mukuro stood on the other side of the podium. "Hey, watch it! You almost cut my hand!"
"I don't make mistakes like that," Mukuro says, turning to look at him and putting the knife away.
"D-does this mean that's the end of it?" Makoto wonders aloud.
However a sudden beeping from the remains of Monokuma alerted us all. Without even hesitating, Mukuro kicked Mondo's wrist. And before he could utter, "Ow, what the hell?" She had jammed her fist through the opening in the head, grabbed some sort of spherical object and stabbed her knife through the center of it before hurling it into the light fixtures at the ceiling. The object shattered apart with a loud CRACK!
"Was that a bomb?" Even Byakuya seemed fazed by the situation as Mukuro dusted her hands off after putting her knife away.
"I guess whoever made that wasn't the Ultimate Pyrotechnic," Mukuro says with a satisfied smirk, actually producing a decent movie-like one-liner.
"Perhaps not, but if you thought you could get rid of me that easily, perhaps you forgot that bears have 10,000 lives."
"No way!" Mondo exclaimed as suddenly the floor opened and another Monokuma appeared, picking up right where the last one left off.
Monokuma laughed. "Ah, Miss Ikusaba, you truly are the Ultimate Soldier, but too bad for you, your efforts were in vain."
"Piece of shit!" Mondo roared, looking angrier than I'd ever seen him. "If she hadn't acted, you could've killed both of us!"
"Well yeah, you did violate school regulations, but I guess I'll let you both off with a warning for now. Be more careful in the future."
"So destroying your drone is pointless," Mukuro said and jumped off the podium walking nonchalantly back towards Makoto, Sakura and me. "Rest assured, I will find your real body soon enough and that one will not come back after I've stabbed it through the chest."
"Trying to play the hero won't help you, but you've always been like that, haven't you?" Monokuma chuckled. The way he talked to Mukuro it was almost as if he knew her somehow. No, that couldn't be it. That seemed rather illogical. "Oh and this sounds like a good time to remind you of the surveillance cameras installed throughout the facility. If you break the rules, I'll know and you won't be getting off with just a swat on the butt from your headmaster's paddle, especially for upstart young soldiers that think that can spark mutiny against their commanding officer!" Monkuma bared his claws at all of us.
I was certain of it then. Monokuma definitely had it in for Mukuro and I doubt it's because she destroyed his other body and has threatened to kill him.
"You are not my commanding officer!" Mukuro barked, pointing rudely.
"No, but I'm the closest thing in the building to one," Monokuma laughs, posing with a giddy smile, paw behind his head.
Mukuro didn't respond.
"Anyway, to commemorate your joyous little entry to our school, I have a little something all for you." Monokuma suddenly held up a handful of small electronic devices. "This is the Hope's Peak Academy official student handbook. This handbook is absolutely vital and you only get one so don't lose it. You'll need it to access all of the facilities here at this school. And because it's fully digital, naturally we call it The e-Handbook. Whenever you boot it up, it'll always display your name. Make sure you always have the right one."
"Our names?"
"Oh that's right, you can't remember your name, can you D?" Monokuma asks, chuckling. "Sorry, but since you can't remember your name, I can't give you your handbook. After all, I wouldn't want to give you the wrong one." Monokuma then laughed maniacally.
"Hey! That's not fair! How's he supposed to access the school's facilities?" Hina snapps.
"Well then, he'd better remember his name fast," Monokuma states, "Or our dearie deary D will find himself very vewy sor-wy."
Hina growls, but then looks over to me and says, "Don't worry, D, you can ask to borrow mine if you need something. I meant what I said before, I won't let you down."
"Y-yeah, thanks, Hina," I respond. For some reason, I was starting to feel nostalgic towards Hina too. It was a tender type of nostalgia, like I know a girl who treats me similarly to the way she's behaving now.
"Sure, lend it out or whatever. Anyway, your handbooks are of pretty nifty design, they can withstand impacts of up to ten tons, resistant I know. Plus, they'e completely waterproof. You could take it with you on a trip to Atlantis and it would still work. It also contains all of the school regulations, so make sure you review them thoroughly. Ah, but don't worry, nameless person, as long as you behave yourself, you're unlikely to get in any trouble." Monokuma chuckles as he looks at Hina. "And I'm sure your pwecious big sister is more than willing to help you out."
"H-hey! Don't make fun of me!" Hina snaps.
"Well anyway, this entrance ceremony is getting really boring, so, like, I'm gonna bounce or whatever. Everyone enjoy their school life. Oh, but Sayaka, be a dear and stay out of the kitchen area, especially away from the knives." Monokuma began chuckling again. "It wouldn't do for things to be boring, don't you think? AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" And then, without a word, Monokuma left.
"So...everyone...how would you define what we just experienced?" Kiyotaka suddenly asks.
"How? Why? I don't understand any of this," Leon replies.
"We have to live here forever or kill?" Toko growls, clutching her head and looking like she was going to bang it against the nearest wall in frustration. "It doesn't make any sense!"
"Everyone calm down," Mukuro and Kyoko now say simultaneously. Mukuro and Kyoko glance at each other and then Mukuro took a step back, indicating she was going to let Kyoko continue speaking. "Recall what Monokuma said. We have two choices. We can either stay here or we can kill someone."
When it seemed Kyoko had finished speaking, Mukuro started before anyone else could start freaking out, "I've seen things like this before in the Middle East. Everyone just remain calm. They want us to lose our composure and our wits and start attacking each other. In fact, it wouldn't be inconceivable to think they're filming it and sending it to the real Hope's Peak Academy to issue demands."
"You mean this is REAL?" Hifumi shouts, freaking out.
"I said, calm down!" Mukuro barked.
"E-easy f-for you to s-say," Toko stutters. "Y-you're a carrying a knife. Y-you don't have to worry about someone murdering y-you!"
Mukuro opened her mouth to speak, but quickly closed it. Toko had a point. After what we just witnessed, Mukuro seemed pretty well-off. If she decided to kill any of us, there wouldn't be a thing we could do to stop her.
"Fake! It's all gotta be a big joke! It has to be!" Leon shouts.
"It doesn't matter if it's real or fake," Byakuya says calmly. "What matters is if anyone is seriously considering all of this."
"What do you mean?" I ask.
"Just look around." That was Byakuya's only response.
Only then did I take note of everyone's confused, scared, distrusting faces. It only then dawned on me. None of us were friends. We were strangers, barely acquaintances. And while I didn't think I could ever do something as horrible as murder, that didn't mean the others weren't willing to try. And that thought...terrified me.
I was jarred from my thoughts when Kyoko spoke. "So? What are you all going to do now? Are you going to spend the whole day glaring at each other?"
"R-right! She's right!" Kiyotaka began shouting. "Sometimes even if you're nervous or afraid, you just have to step forward!" Kiyotaka's face contorted in anguish. "To forget such a simple fact...I can't forgive myself! I feel so ashamed!" He then made a fist and declared boldly. "Please somebody hit me! I can't forgive myself! Somebody hit me! Please punish me!"
"If you have time to yell about it, you have time to do something about it," Mondo says, ticked off.
"Perhaps, but what is the mission exactly?" Hifumi asks
"We seek a way out," Mukuro states calmly, arms folded. "Even if Monokuma says it's impossible, that's no reason to not try at all. I for one intend to comb back every inch of this school for some kind of hint or clue that may help us escape or lead us to Monokuma's controller. I suggest everyone take a moment to look at the school regulations."
Immediately I walked over to Hina since I didn't have mine so I could look over her shoulder. She held it down by her chest so I could see too as she turned hers on. There was her name, Aoi Asahina.
"Say, Mukuro, are you the leader of some kind of team?" I ask her.
"Me? N-no. Not at all. I have very little leadership experience and I'm the worst in my pack--or unit as you would call it in more common military organizations--with social situations. That's why I always fight on the front lines and don't negotiate for hostages."
"Well, it's just, you're barking out orders like you know what needs to be done," I tell her.
"Th-that's..." Mukuro stutters
"I don't mind listening to you, for now," Byakuya said. "A soldier is a symbol of authority. Rest assured though if you plan on betraying us, I will be the first to cut you down sharply."
"I..."
"I agree with D," Kiyotaka says. "As Class Representative of this school, I declare that Mukuro Ikusaba's voice should be heavily considered in decision making processes related to this bizarre situation."
"What? N-no! S-someone like me. I-I can't..."
"To be fair, it is because you are so calm and composed in this environment that you stick out as a voice of reason. Rest assured I do not think you are qualified to be a leader," Celeste says.
"That's not very nice, Celeste," I tell her.
"No, she's absolutely right about what she says," Mukuro responds.
"Enough stalling. While you were all chatting I managed to pull up the regulations." He began reading them aloud.
1: Students may only reside within the school. Leaving campus is an unacceptable use of time
2: Nighttime is from 10pm to 7am. Some areas are off-limits at right, so please exercise caution
3: Sleeping anywhere other than the dormitory will be seen as sleeping in class and punished accordingly.
4: With minimal exceptions, you are free to explore Hope's Peak Academy at your discretion.
5: Violence against Headmaster Monokuma is strictly prohibited as is destruction of the surveillance cameras
6: Anyone who kills another student will become "blackened" and will graduate unless they are discovered.
7: Additional regulations may be added as necessary
I was a little worried about six, but as long as no one killed anyone we didn't have to worry about it, right? And what the heck kind of regulation is number seven?
"Goddammit this is some bullshit!" Mondo shouts. "I'm not gonna let some bear control me!"
"Then by all means, stumble around and do as you wish," Celeste giggles playfully. "Personally I would love to see what happens when someone breaks one of the school rules."
"You know, when I was a kid, my older brother used to pound something into my head. A man keeps his promise no matter what."
"My word is my bond."
My head starting swimming again as this time a deep, thundering voice echoed in my head, kind of like mine, but...deeper. Okay, it was nothing like mine.
"H-hey! D!" Hina was calling out to me as my body started to stumble forward. She caught me with her arm. "Oh my gosh! Are you all right?"
"I...don't...know..." I say, really not sure this time.
"Guys, I'm gonna take D to his dorm room. You guys can all explore the school," Hina says.
"Uh, okay," I hear Makoto say. I hear more muffled voices as Hina escorts me out and into the dormitory area past the cafeteria and down a long corridor. My head was swimming like it'd been stuffed with cotton. The corridor looked like it was...twisting, like one of those swirly ice cream cones.
When I reached the door to my room, there was a key in the lock waiting for my use. I could hear Hina talking, but I couldn't comprehend her words. She was getting all blurry. Even the nameplate above my door was fuzzy, but judging from Hina's expression and the words coming out of her mouth, she was sure this was mine. She ushered me inside and held the door open.
I stumbled inside. On my bed sat a belt with a single pouch and under the bet were boxes of what I guessed were trading cards, but neither of those things had my attention. On the table, something gold and shiny was pulling me towards it like some sort of metaphorical, maybe even a metaphysical magnet.
Life is funny sometimes, like a puzzle you could say. And just like a puzzle, sometimes all you need is one piece to see the bigger picture.
As I step towards the glowing thing on my dorm table, my footsteps echoing in my head, I reach out towards the glowing golden object and grasp hold of it. And, suddenly, a glowing gold light gave off from the single piece. And I remembered everything
My past. My hobbies. My family. My friends. It all came flooding back to me in one fell swoop. And, most importantly, I remembered my name.
"Yu...Yugi," I say aloud. Grasping hold of the gold piece in my hand, I declare triumphantly. "My name is Yugi Mutoh! I am Hope's Peak Academy's Ultimate Duelist!"
(OHHHHHHHH SNAP! Yup, in case you didn't figure it out sooner, this is Yu-gi-oh crossed with Danganronpa. If you're a Danganronpa fan, you probably noticed two notable changes I made to the original script including Mukuro Ikusaba's participation and Yasuhiro Hagakure's notable absence. I just...retconned Hagakure in favor of Yugi. I mean, if you're the Hope's Peak Academy steering committee and you're deciding between a clairvoyant with a 30% success rate and the KING OF FUCKING GAMES I think you know who you're admitting to your school. Plus, Hagakure's last free time event made me lose all likability towards this guy and really what did he contribute besides unneeded, boneheaded comic relief? Also, his last free time event made it sound like he sneaked his way into Hope's Peak illegitimately or something so, no. You reap what you sow Hagakure. Enjoy being the mafia's bitch or selling your organs. Your mother must be so proud of you
But anyway, yeah, coming soon: Yu-gi-oh: Hope Vs Despair! (title pending). I'll see you all with the project when I finish outlining it and deciding how to tackle it. I'm debating anachronic order or to go linear and let you make guesses when we tackle DGR canon, but...ehhhhh, I'll figure something out. Anyway, as always, from all of me, to all of you, let your hearts stay human and your wrath draconic. Ja ne!)
(In other words if you're under 16, don't read. In fact, if you're under 16 what the heck are you doing on DA anyway? Do you're parents know you're here?)
(Also, I wrote this thing with a general idea of what I wanted to do, but no set script and I didn't copy/paste this from MS Word. This was all on the fly).
Ever have one of those moments and you don't seem to understand how you got where you are right now? Well, that's how I feel right now, except my case is pretty extreme.
"Nngh," my head, I groan as I slowly regain consciousness. I pick my head up. My arms are folded on the desk in front of me. Desk? I look around. Did I fall asleep in class? However, the classroom appears to be empty. And...are those iron plates where the windows should be? There are no lights on and the only source of light is a beam of light coming from underneath the door to my right.
"Where am I?" I ask myself aloud. And then...as my head throbs, another important question lingers on my lips. "Who am I?" Pushing the chair back, I stand up. I can't remember anything about myself, but whoever I am I'm only about five feet off the ground. My voice sounds pretty high pitched, but judging from other sensations in my body, I'm pretty sure I'm a guy. Also, I feel a little chilly, but I guess that's to be expected given my shoulders aren't covered. I'm wearing a tank top.
With no other choice, I stumble out through the closed door and into a hallway. There are different colored lights showering down onto the hallway. To my left there's a gate covering a corridor with a sign that says "Despair Hotel" next to it. What kind of place is this? I find myself thinking.
As I stumble around in a daze, I find myself with a throbbing headache, but then I hear voices coming from further down the curving corridor. They appear to be coming from a large lobby like area. I wasn't prepared for what I saw when I stepped into what I assumed to be the building entrance. The building was covered in a large metal, vault-like door and two machine guns were mounted from the ceiling, aiming down at the ground. What in the world?
"Looks like there's another one," A condescending voice says. I look down from the guns at all the people standing around who appear to be the same age. There are fourteen of them in total. Including myself that'd make fifteen. I look towards the source of a condescending voice. Standing to my left is a really tall guy with blond hair, blue eyes, glasses and a black business suit.
A loud, commanding voice states what I'd figured only a moment ago. "With him that makes fifteen." The source of the voice was a young man with purple hair, large eyebrows, red eyes and a white uniform of some kind. He certainly looked important.
"J-just h-how many more a-are there?" A girl in the back with pigtails and glasses stutters.
From the crowd a much shorter guy walked up to me. He was wearing a blackish-green hooded sweatshirt and had brown hair with a single cowlick standing up. "Hey, are you all right? You look kind of out of it." His voice was filled with concern.
"Huh?" I found it difficult to form a coherent sentence.
"Um, you're a student at this school, right?" he asks me.
"School?" Are we at a school?
"Gosh, he seems more out of it than Kyoko," A girl with tanned skin, wearing a red jacket says.
"I...uh..." I stutter.
"Did you wake up in an empty classroom like the rest of us?" the guy with brown hair asks me.
"Y-yeah," I said. "Where are we?"
"Huh? You mean you don't know where you are?" the brown hair guy asks, looking both shocked and confused.
"That's a first," the tall blond guy says, looking down. "The rest of us at least remember that this is Hope's Peak Academy."
A flash runs through my mind and my head throbs. I clutch the side of it with the palm of my hand. "Ungh."
"H-hey! Are you okay?" the brown haired guy asks me.
"I...don't...know," I grunt, rubbing my head. "But...I...remembered...something. I...I'm a student here at Hope's Peak. Today...is supposed to be my first day. I'm the Ultimate....Ultimate..."
I wrack my brain for answers, but it's no good. I can't recall it.
"Ungh," I grunt.
"H-hey, just take it easy," the brown haired guy tells me. "Kyoko's got amnesia too."
"Which one of you...is Kyoko?" I asked.
"That's me," a calm feminine voice echoes. I look to my left. A girl with long pale-purple hair is stood in a purple jacket. She hair purple eyes and heeled boots. She wore gloves like those detectives in crime dramas, the really aloof ones that get hired as private investigators. Wait, have I watched crime dramas? I guess I must've seen a couple if I can make the comparison. "I'm Kyoko Kirigiri," she says. She approaches me. "How bad is your memory?" she asks.
"Um, let's see," I tried to wrack my brain for anything, but nothing was coming to mind. I couldn't remember a single thing about myself. Family. Friends. Hobbies. It was all...blank.
"The look on your face says everything," Kyoko says with an emotionless stare. "This is worrying. What's two plus two?"
"Four," I answered. Come on, everyone knows that.
"What's the capital of this country?" Kyoko asks.
"Tokyo."
"Do a couple of jumping jacks," Kyoko commanded.
Not willing to make a fuss, I did precisely that, my elbows brushing up against my hair as I threw them up over my head.
Kyoko seemed to smirk. "Well, it would appear your muscle memory and your cognitive thinking are working just fine. You seem to have it worse off than me. You have amnesia and not a mild case either. You say you can't remember anything about yourself, but your educational history and physical coordination seems to be in proper working order." She gives me a concerned look. "You're sure you can't remember your name?"
"No," I tell her. "But...ugh...wait...something's coming to me. The letter...D."
"Does your name start with D?" the brown haired guy asks me.
"No...at least...I don't think so. I think...I think my talent starts with D."
"Well then, for the time being, let's call you D," Kyoko says. "I think that will be sufficient until more of your memory returns."
"D, huh," I reply, looking down and putting a finger on my chin.
"You don't like it?" Kyoko asks me.
"We could always call you Tri-Hair," the blond guy chuckles. "It would go with that ridiculous hair cut you're wearing."
"Huh?"
"Hey!" the girl in the red jacket exclaims. "Don't be a jerk!"
"Let's be honest, when he walked in, his hair was the first thing we all noticed," the blond guy said.
"W-well y-yeah, but you don't have to judge him for it!" the girl retorts angrily.
"What's wrong with my hair?" I ask.
"Nothing wrong per say," the brown-haired guy tells me, but...you should really look in a mirror later.
I say nothing.
"Well, as fun as this is, perhaps we should all take the time to introduce ourselves to this newcomer," the blond guy states. "I'm Byakuya Togami, Hope's Peak Academy's Ultimate Affluent Progeny."
The air about this guy felt...nostalgic in a way. It was like...I knew someone like him in my past. But it felt cold...distant.
I looked at Kyoko, but she said nothing and glanced towards the guy with brown hair who had been talking to me. She seemed to have no further introductions to herself.
"O-oh? M-me?" The brown haired guy stutters. "Well...I'm Makoto. Makoto Naegi, I'm Hope's Peak Academy's Ultimate Lucky Student."
"Lucky student?" I ask.
"Apparently Hope's Peak held a drawing with eligible students from all over the country and my name was chosen out of thousands of people. Other than that, I'm pretty ordinary compared to everyone else. Although..."
"What is it?" I ask.
"Well...I'm sorry if this sounds rude, but...it's a little reassuring to have someone else shorter than me in the group. Everyone's so tall that, me being this height and the normal guy out of the bunch...it's a little intimidating."
I laugh. "Oh come on, Makoto. I'm sure they're all nice." Huh. I wondered why I said that. I had no reason to suspect such thing, but...do I just naturally believe in the good in other people.
"Well then, I guess we're gonna get along really well. What do you say, D? Friends?"
"Friends," I reply, shaking his hand.
I go over to the girl in the red jacket. "You really can't remember your name?" she asks me.
"No, sorry," I tell her.
"Well, don't worry, Big Sis Hina will take good care of you, D," she said, sounding a little fired up.
"Big Sis Hina?" I ask, sounding a little flustered.
"Ah, sorry, I should introduce myself. I'm Aoi Asahina, most people call me Hina for short. I'm Hope's Peak Academy's Ultimate Swimming Pro." She smiled. "Don't you worry about a thing, D. I have a little brother and you kind of remind me of him a little. I mean, you two are about the same height." She laughs. "But seriously, let's go swimming later when we get out of here, okay?"
"Um, okay." She seems like a nice person. But what did she mean by getting out of here?
I turn my attention to the girl in the glasses. "What?" she snaps.
"I'm...sorry?" I ask, not sure what I did to make her mad.
"S-stop it. Don't look at me like I'm some sort of filthy creature!" she shrieks.
"I-I didn't..." I stutter.
She looks nervous and averts her gaze from me. "N-not that you'll c-care to remember, but...it's Toko by the way. Toko Fukawa. Hope's Peak Academy's Ultimate Writing Prodigy."
"Y-yeah, okay," I slowly step away from her. I didn't want to get yelled at. Next to her was a girl with long blue hair wearing a white blouse and a blue skirt.
She smiles at me as I turn to face her. "Hi," she says. "I'm Sayaka Maizono, Hope's Peak Academy's Ultimate Idol Singer."
"Idol Singer?" I reply. I know the concept, but my memory. Ugh. I can't remember seeing a single one perform.
She laughs with a smile. "Don't worry, you'll remember."
"Huh?" Did she just read my mind?
"I'm psychic," she says.
I gasp. Psychic abilities?
"Just kidding," Sayaka giggles. "I just have really good intuition." I sigh with relief. Yet, for some reason, the idea of someone having telekinetic abilities doesn't seem so strange to me.
I move onto the next person. It would appear I am not the shortest person in this group. Standing before me is now a girl in a green dress. She has blonde hair. "H-hello," she says.
"Um, hi," I say, turning a little red.
"Um, I'm Chihiro Fujisaki. I'm the Ultimate Programmer."
"What type of things do you program?" I ask.
"Well, I know I got into Hope's Peak Academy for making a groundbreaking AI, but..."
"What is it?" I ask.
"I could've sworn I helped make something else, something really important, but for some reason...I can't remember."
"Maybe you dreamed it up?" I suggested.
"Maybe," Chihiro says. "But...when I look at you...I can't help but feel that what I worked on and you are...connected somehow. Like...maybe you and I have met before."
"Huh?" I sounded really surprised and my face probably matched my confusion.
"I-I'm sorry," Chihiro apologizes, looking dejected. "Never mind."
"No, it's okay," I tell her.
I turn around only to almost smack straight into a really tall guy next to me. He was wearing a leather jacket and had a pompadour that reminded me of a corn cob. "Hey, watch it!" he exclaims.
"S-sorry," I say to him. Weird. I figured I should be more intimidated by this guy, but...for some reason his presence feels nostalgic too, but unlike Byakuya...it's different. His tall presence feels...almost reassuring somehow. I wonder why.
"My name is Mondo. Mondo Owada. I'm the Ultimate Biker Gang leader."
"B-Biker Gang," I gasp. Now I was intimidated.
"Hah, you sound like you're ready to run back to your mama with your tail between your legs. Listen, scrawny, just don't piss me off and you and I won't have a problem."
Somehow, I gathered, that was easier said than done.
"Do you enjoy bullying those weaker than you?" A voice says as another strong presence steps up behind me.
"I wasn't bullying the brat, I was givin' him a warning," Mondo said, his voice getting irritated. He then snapped at the person behind me. "But you're starting to piss me off, Sakura."
I turn around. There was a tall, muscular almost demon of a person standing behind me. I found it difficult to tell if they were a man or a woman. I mean, the skirt should be a dead giveaway, but those could just as easily be really sturdy muscles on her chest.
"Then would you care to challenge me?" Sakura asks, her voice calm, but stern. It was a deep voice too, rather deep for a girl if she even was one.
"Tch," Mondo walked away.
"Pay Mondo no mind, D," Sakura says to me.
"N-no, th-that's okay, I didn't really think he was trying to be mean. I appreciate the concern though," I tell her. "And...you are?"
"I'm Sakura Ogami, the Ultimate Martial Artist."
There was a long pause between us until Sakura finally answered the question she presumed to be on my lips.
"I'm a woman," she tells me me.
"O-oh...right."
"Makoto gave me the same look of confusion. I presumed you too were curious."
I say nothing. However, I nod at her.
"I pray for the safe return of your memory, D," Sakura says to me.
"Ah, th-thank you."
There were only four people left. Three guys and one girl.
I decided to approach them all at once just to kind of get it over with. The girl was wearing a french maid outfit and had curly twin tails. She looked sophisticated with the way she carried herself. The other three guys were the guy in white I'd heard speak earlier, a rather obese guy with glasses and a guy who looked every bit as punkish as Mondo, except his hair was red he was dressed all in white. Mondo wore predominately black.
"I see someone cares to make efficient use of introduction time," the guy with the big eyebrows says. I can't get over those thing. "My name is Kiyotaka Ishimaru. I'm the Ultimate Moral Compass. As long as I'm here, this class will not fall into disorderly conduct."
"Sup?" The redhead stated, tilting his head back. "Name's Leon Kuwata, Ultimate Baseball Star."
"My name is Hifumi Yamada. Designation: Ultimate Fanfiction Creator," the obese man says in a dramatic fashion. His overbearing voice then became very nasally. "Mr. D, I don't know how to say this, but I feel like you have an appreciation for two-dimensional art far beyond those around us."
"Huh? I...do?" It seemed strange, but for some reason I got the feeling that two-dimensional art, or maybe artwork, did have something to do with me. But what?
"I would be happy to show you some of my writing later," Hifumi says. "Perhaps it will jog your memory."
"Oh please," the girl says. "As if D would be interested in your nonsensical drivel."
"Um, you are?" I ask her.
"My name is Celestia Ludenburg," she states calmly. "You can call me Celeste. I'm Hope's Peak Academy's Ultimate Gambler."
For some reason the word gamble also seemed to resonate within me. Gamble. 2-D. Mondo's tough and reassuring presence. Chihiro feeling like she knows me. Byakuya's cold and distant nostalgic presence. What did it all mean?
"Excuse me? Are you listening?" Celeste asks, her expression rather...scary as her red eyes bore into me like the devil peering into my soul.
"I-I'm sorry. I was...thinking," I blurt out.
"I doubt someone in your condition has much to think about, but I will repeat myself. I'm feeling rather generous today. I asked if you and I have met before."
"Huh?" Her too?
"Miss Ludenberg are you acquainted with Mr. D?"
"No. I've never seen him before...yet I can't shake this feeling as though there is a bond between us that I cannot describe."
"And I'll mark us with a special bond."
I clutch my head again. What...was that? I saw something...for a minute I definitely saw something. It was fuzzy, but I definitely heard a girl's voice. And she said, I'll mark us with a special bond. What bond? What was she talking about? Who was that voice? Ow! Ow! OWWW! My head!
"D, do you need to lie down?" Kiyotaka asks me. "You're starting to sweat."
"N-no...I-I'm fine," I tell him. "I thought I heard a girl's voice, but it didn't belong to anyone here."
"Maybe it belongs to our little spy," Byakuya suddenly says.
"Spy?" Makoto and I exclaim at almost the exact same time.
"Indeed," Byakuya states. "Someone has been watching us since the moment you started to introduce yourself to everyone. I thought it was cute how they thought they were hiding so well, but nothing escapes the notice of Byakuya Togami!" he declared.
Sakura appeared to be shocked. "How did I...miss this?"
"Sakura? What's the matter?" Hina asks her.
"This...blood lust...I thought it was coming from Mondo, but...I've never felt this before. Such cold...controlled blood lust. Until Byakuya said something...it was hidden from me until now."
"Whoever's there show yourself, or I'll drag you out here with my two hands!" Mondo exclaimed.
"I...wasn't trying to spy."
The voice didn't match the girl in my memory as a tall woman with black hair in a brown skirt, wearing fingerless gloves and a white blouse stepped out into the entryway.
"I thought I'd been captured by the enemy, but when I heard you all talking about Hope's Peak...I just...listened. I'm...not terribly good with people," she says nervously. She was holding a knife with a serrated edge.
"Eeek!" Hina exclaims. "She's got a knife."
"I-it's for my own protection," the girl stutters. "I-I don't...I don't want to have to use it...I think."
"It's all right," Makoto tells her. "None of us are going to hurt you if you don't hurt us. Who are you?"
The girl took a deep breath and stated calmly but clearly, saluting. "My name is Mukuro Ikusaba, Fenrir 1st Branch, Second Battalion of Alpha Pack." She removed her hand from her head and dropped it firmly at her side. "I am Hope's Peak Academy's Ultimate Soldier!"
"Ultimate Soldier?" Makoto asks.
Mukuro merely nods.
"Tch, you don't seem so tough," Mondo scoffs.
"Care to try and see?" Mukuro asks him. "Because I can tell you right now," Mukuro's eyes flashed like a hungry wolf sizing up its prey. "you would lose."
Mondo gulps and takes a step back.
"And with her that makes sixteen," Byakuya says, chuckling.
"You sound like you're enjoying yourself," Kyoko says.
"I just find all of this truly fascinating," Byakuya says, continuing to chuckle.
I didn't see what was so funny about the situation.
"You don't need to reintroduce yourselves to me," Mukuro suddenly says. "I...heard everything when you were talking to D. However, there is still one thing I do not understand."
"What's that?" Makoto asked.
"How did we get here? More importantly why are all the windows covered up?" Mukuro asks.
"We've all been wondering the same thing," Leon states. "Last thing any of us remembers is walking up to the door to the main hall and then light's out. Next thing any of us know we're waking up somewhere in the school. Same for you, I take it?"
"Appropriately similar," Mukuro answers stoically.
"Ah, now that you mention it, I remember that too," I say. It was coming back to me. I walked straight up to the front door and then I lost consciousness.
"I don't like this one bit," Mukuro states. "This school suddenly feels like a prison, like we've been captured...or worse."
"Let's not start making assumptions," Kyoko suddenly barks out. "But I won't argue that you might have a point, Mukuro."
Just as we were all wondering what to do next a school bell rang through the hall. And on the monitor on the wall with speakers on either side of it, static appeared and a voice chimed through from the other side along with the silhouette of a bear. "Ahem! Ahem! Testing, testing! Mike check! One, two! This is a test of the school broadcast system! Am I on? Can everyone hear me? Okay, well then!"
Words failed to describe my feelings towards the voice I was hearing. It sounded so innocent, childlike even against a dark and grim situation.
"Ah, to all incoming students. I would like to begin the entrance ceremony at...right now! Please make your way to the gymnasium at your earliest convenience! That's all. I'll be waiting!" The broadcast then ended.
"What the...what the heck was that?" I exclaim.
"Well then," Byakuya says, turning to leave. "If you'll excuse me."
"W-wait a sec! You're just gonna do what it says?" I ask. It really sounded like a trap. Trap. Yet another word that seemed to resonate within me.
"But of course," Byakuya replied and then walked away.
"Man, I was totally looking forward to taking a nap. Sucks about your amnesia D, but I'll see ya later. Maybe you can ask a teacher about it after the ceremony," Leon says as he walks away.
"Hey, wait a minute!" I exclaim, watching as practically everyone left the area. In the end, only Makoto, Sakura, Kyoko, Mukuro, Sayaka and I hadn't yet walked away.
"This...this doesn't seem right," Sayaka says nervously.
"Agreed," Mukuro nods. "This announcement sounds like a trap."
"Sometimes you have to spring a trap," I suddenly start to say without thinking as if such a statement wasn't new to me. "As long as you gird yourself for it, you can...overcome it?"
"You don't sound too sure about that," Makoto says.
"No, it's just...for some reason...I feel like I've believed that sort of thing before, you know?"
"Whatever the case, we gain nothing by staying here," Kyoko says to us all. "Let's go. But let's stick together for now."
"Agreed," Sakura says. "Nothing ventured, nothing gained, but there is strength in numbers."
Nodding to each other, we all walked to the gym together, forming up with the other students. I stood between Mukuro and Sakura feeling safeguarded, but also pretty scrawny and pathetic.
As we stood there suddenly a strange bear-like...monster I guess popped out from behind the podium. It was white on one side and black on the other.
"Huh? A...teddy bear?" Chihiro states awkwardly.
"I'm not a teddy bear," the bear monster says. "I am Monokuma! And I am this school's headmaster!"
...
I was going to question it but for some reason I felt like I'd seen stranger things in my past.
"Nice to meet you all!" Monokuma continued.
"Wh--? WAAAAAAAAH! That teddy bear can talk!" Hifumi exclaims, having a delayed reaction.
"C-calm down," Kiyotaka says, though he looked nervous, "I'm sure there's just a speaker inside it."
Monokuma looked angry. "I told you already, I'm not a teddy bear. I'm Monokuma! And I'm your headmaster!"
No matter how many times he said it, it still felt surreal.
"Waaaaah! It moved!" Hifumi shouts again.
"Seriously man, calm down," Mondo tells him, fed up with Hifumi's outbursts. "It's probably just a remote control toy or somethin'."
"How dare you compare me to a child's plaything," Monokuma says looking at the ground, "You've cut me deep. Deeper than the Marina Trench." Monokuma put his hands on his stomach. "My remote control system is so complex even the folks at NASA wouldn't be able to comprehend it. Ah, but don't make me say stuff that might destroy NASA's dreams!" Monokuma shouts, arms thrust into the air in anger. "I couldn't bear that."
"Bear that? Really? You are...unfortunate," Celeste states, making comment of the pun.
"Now then, moving on," Monokuma continues, ignoring her. "We really must hurry and get started. Everyone stand at attention and bow! Aaaand Goooood Morning!"
"GOOD MORNING!!!" Kiyotaka thunders bowing lower than ever necessary, head almost hitting the floor.
"Well now, I see someone's awake today," Monokuma states, looking pleased. "If you like that, then you'll just loooove what I've got planned for this unforgettable entrance ceremony. First, let's talk a bit about what your school life here will be like. Make no mistake, you few students are the representations of the hope of the world! And to protect such splendid hope, you will live a communal life together solely within the confines of this school. Everyone will live in harmony together and adhere to the regulations of this school until you all grow old and grey and die together. There is absolutely no time limit and no means of leaving the building. None! Nothing! Zilch! Nada! Ze plus ro! I've made certain of that this time." Monokuma gave only a little chuckle as I couldn't help, but wonder what he meant by those last two words.
"Wh-what did he just say?" Toko stutters, looking as flabbergasted and dismayed as I probably did. "Until the day we die?"
"Don't worry! The budget in this school is funded by one of the largest corporations in the world so it won't ever run out. There are all sorts of common conveniences and even a few," Monokuma giggled, "special goodies hidden throughout."
"That's the least of our worries right now!" Sayaka exclaims.
"So then, you've taken us captive?" Mukuro asks.
"Wha-wha?" Monokuma asks, tilting his head and looking confused.
Mukuro strode towards the so-called headmaster. "You're the enemy and you've built this special prison for us. Torture with familiar surroundings is better than the sharp-objects and pointy-things approach. I...remember being told that before. But we've never set foot in this academy so if you think you can torture us with it, you're wrong!"
"Are you going to try and stop me, Miss Ikusaba?"
"You've taken our possessions, cut off all means of communication to the outside, sealed all the exits, and you plan to keep us here for your own ends without telling us anything. But you made one fatal mistake," Mukuro said and suddenly pulled her combat knife out of her pocket, brandishing it as she crossed her arms over her body. "You left me my knife."
"M-Mukuro, maybe you shouldn't do anything rash," Makoto suggests.
"Y-yeah, what he said," I add.
"As the only soldier here, it falls upon me to protect civilians. Who do you work for?"
"Work for? Ah, that soldier brain, it is so very disappointing and narrow-minded. I'll say it one more time so that even your feeble mind can understand it, Miss Ikusaba. I am Monokuma and I am Hope's Peak Academy's Headmaster!" Monokuma barked at her.
I never thought the knife would drop from Mukuro's hands the way it did. She covered her mouth. "Hope's Peak...put us in here?"
"Jeez, you're just now catching on? I've said it three times already! I'd say it a fourth, but that's a bad luck omen." Monokuma giggles. "But yeah, the school is responsible and you're it's students so there are no civilians, no enemies and no hostages, Miss Soldier. I'm glad you dropped the knife already because I would've asked you to drop it just now otherwise. Puhuhu Puhuhuhuhuhuhu!"
Staying as composed as she could, Mukuro picked up her knife and sheathed it. She then said nothing as she strode back towards where Makoto, Sakura, Kyoko and I were standing. "Mukuro?" I call out to her, but she doesn't respond to me.
"Anyway, before that unwelcome interruption," Monokuma continues. "Honestly, you all decided to attend Hope's Peak Academy and now you're having second thoughts. What's with that?"
I can think of several things.
"Oh, but you know, I guess I lied a little earlier. There is one way to get out of this school."
Everyone's attentions were grabbed, including mine as Monokuma spoke those words.
"R-really?" Toko asks.
"As headmaster, I've crafted a special clause for those of you who would like to leave. I call it the Graduation Clause!"
I sigh. That wasn't a clause that's an actual student thing.
"Now then, let me tell you about this fun little rule."
Why do I get the feeling we're not going to like it as much as you seem to? I wonder.
Monokuma continued to chuckle to himself before speaking. "In order to maintain the harmony here, we run on a communal life style. And if someone were to disrupt that harmony, they and they alone would be allowed to leave the school. That, ladies, gentlemen and those of indeterminate gender, is the graduation clause."
"What do you mean by disrupt the harmony?" I ask.
"What? Isn't it obvious?" Monokuma asks. "I'm talking about murder of course."
"M-Murder!" Again, Makoto and I appeared to be in sync.
"Stabbing, strangling, bludgeoning, crushing, hacking, drowning, igniting, how you do it doesn't matter. Make it a gore fest, make it bloodless. Whatever you want. You just have to kill someone if you want to leave, it's as simple as that."
For a moment, I felt an intense blood lust. And it was coming from Mukuro. She appeared to have marked every single one of us for death and she was deciding which one of us would be her prey. However, as though I could see the cross-hairs she was creating with her eyes, I suddenly saw her eyes fixate on Monokuma once more.
"Do you count?" Mukuro's pitch was at an all-time low.
"Huh?" Monokuma asks.
"You're just a piece of machinery, but if I kill the person controlling you, would that count?"
"Well, I suppose it would, but there's one problem," Monokuma responds.
"Oh, and what's that?" Mukuro wanted to know.
"Violence against the headmaster is strictly prohibited," Monokuma retorts.
"You won't be able to prohibit anything once I've torn you apart," Mukuro said, taking out her knife once more and crossing her arms over each other.
"N-now, now, wait a minute, Miss Ikusaba. I'm the headmaster and therefore your superior. Are you going against orders?"
"Your orders were to kill someone and I've picked my target. I kill you. I get to leave. I get help. Seems pretty straightforward."
"Yeah! You tell him!" Mondo shouted. "I've had just about enough of this fuckin' horseshit! I'll hold him still! You cut his fuckin' head off!"
Mondo and Mukuro then began rushing Monokuma in a tag team.
"Wait a minute, guys!" I exclaim suddenly, but my tiny voice didn't carry as Mondo grabbed hold of Monokuma and with a swift slash of her knife Mukuro sliced the head in half, exposing the wires beneath.
"Guh!" Mondo suddenly exclaims as Mukuro stood on the other side of the podium. "Hey, watch it! You almost cut my hand!"
"I don't make mistakes like that," Mukuro says, turning to look at him and putting the knife away.
"D-does this mean that's the end of it?" Makoto wonders aloud.
However a sudden beeping from the remains of Monokuma alerted us all. Without even hesitating, Mukuro kicked Mondo's wrist. And before he could utter, "Ow, what the hell?" She had jammed her fist through the opening in the head, grabbed some sort of spherical object and stabbed her knife through the center of it before hurling it into the light fixtures at the ceiling. The object shattered apart with a loud CRACK!
"Was that a bomb?" Even Byakuya seemed fazed by the situation as Mukuro dusted her hands off after putting her knife away.
"I guess whoever made that wasn't the Ultimate Pyrotechnic," Mukuro says with a satisfied smirk, actually producing a decent movie-like one-liner.
"Perhaps not, but if you thought you could get rid of me that easily, perhaps you forgot that bears have 10,000 lives."
"No way!" Mondo exclaimed as suddenly the floor opened and another Monokuma appeared, picking up right where the last one left off.
Monokuma laughed. "Ah, Miss Ikusaba, you truly are the Ultimate Soldier, but too bad for you, your efforts were in vain."
"Piece of shit!" Mondo roared, looking angrier than I'd ever seen him. "If she hadn't acted, you could've killed both of us!"
"Well yeah, you did violate school regulations, but I guess I'll let you both off with a warning for now. Be more careful in the future."
"So destroying your drone is pointless," Mukuro said and jumped off the podium walking nonchalantly back towards Makoto, Sakura and me. "Rest assured, I will find your real body soon enough and that one will not come back after I've stabbed it through the chest."
"Trying to play the hero won't help you, but you've always been like that, haven't you?" Monokuma chuckled. The way he talked to Mukuro it was almost as if he knew her somehow. No, that couldn't be it. That seemed rather illogical. "Oh and this sounds like a good time to remind you of the surveillance cameras installed throughout the facility. If you break the rules, I'll know and you won't be getting off with just a swat on the butt from your headmaster's paddle, especially for upstart young soldiers that think that can spark mutiny against their commanding officer!" Monkuma bared his claws at all of us.
I was certain of it then. Monokuma definitely had it in for Mukuro and I doubt it's because she destroyed his other body and has threatened to kill him.
"You are not my commanding officer!" Mukuro barked, pointing rudely.
"No, but I'm the closest thing in the building to one," Monokuma laughs, posing with a giddy smile, paw behind his head.
Mukuro didn't respond.
"Anyway, to commemorate your joyous little entry to our school, I have a little something all for you." Monokuma suddenly held up a handful of small electronic devices. "This is the Hope's Peak Academy official student handbook. This handbook is absolutely vital and you only get one so don't lose it. You'll need it to access all of the facilities here at this school. And because it's fully digital, naturally we call it The e-Handbook. Whenever you boot it up, it'll always display your name. Make sure you always have the right one."
"Our names?"
"Oh that's right, you can't remember your name, can you D?" Monokuma asks, chuckling. "Sorry, but since you can't remember your name, I can't give you your handbook. After all, I wouldn't want to give you the wrong one." Monokuma then laughed maniacally.
"Hey! That's not fair! How's he supposed to access the school's facilities?" Hina snapps.
"Well then, he'd better remember his name fast," Monokuma states, "Or our dearie deary D will find himself very vewy sor-wy."
Hina growls, but then looks over to me and says, "Don't worry, D, you can ask to borrow mine if you need something. I meant what I said before, I won't let you down."
"Y-yeah, thanks, Hina," I respond. For some reason, I was starting to feel nostalgic towards Hina too. It was a tender type of nostalgia, like I know a girl who treats me similarly to the way she's behaving now.
"Sure, lend it out or whatever. Anyway, your handbooks are of pretty nifty design, they can withstand impacts of up to ten tons, resistant I know. Plus, they'e completely waterproof. You could take it with you on a trip to Atlantis and it would still work. It also contains all of the school regulations, so make sure you review them thoroughly. Ah, but don't worry, nameless person, as long as you behave yourself, you're unlikely to get in any trouble." Monokuma chuckles as he looks at Hina. "And I'm sure your pwecious big sister is more than willing to help you out."
"H-hey! Don't make fun of me!" Hina snaps.
"Well anyway, this entrance ceremony is getting really boring, so, like, I'm gonna bounce or whatever. Everyone enjoy their school life. Oh, but Sayaka, be a dear and stay out of the kitchen area, especially away from the knives." Monokuma began chuckling again. "It wouldn't do for things to be boring, don't you think? AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" And then, without a word, Monokuma left.
"So...everyone...how would you define what we just experienced?" Kiyotaka suddenly asks.
"How? Why? I don't understand any of this," Leon replies.
"We have to live here forever or kill?" Toko growls, clutching her head and looking like she was going to bang it against the nearest wall in frustration. "It doesn't make any sense!"
"Everyone calm down," Mukuro and Kyoko now say simultaneously. Mukuro and Kyoko glance at each other and then Mukuro took a step back, indicating she was going to let Kyoko continue speaking. "Recall what Monokuma said. We have two choices. We can either stay here or we can kill someone."
When it seemed Kyoko had finished speaking, Mukuro started before anyone else could start freaking out, "I've seen things like this before in the Middle East. Everyone just remain calm. They want us to lose our composure and our wits and start attacking each other. In fact, it wouldn't be inconceivable to think they're filming it and sending it to the real Hope's Peak Academy to issue demands."
"You mean this is REAL?" Hifumi shouts, freaking out.
"I said, calm down!" Mukuro barked.
"E-easy f-for you to s-say," Toko stutters. "Y-you're a carrying a knife. Y-you don't have to worry about someone murdering y-you!"
Mukuro opened her mouth to speak, but quickly closed it. Toko had a point. After what we just witnessed, Mukuro seemed pretty well-off. If she decided to kill any of us, there wouldn't be a thing we could do to stop her.
"Fake! It's all gotta be a big joke! It has to be!" Leon shouts.
"It doesn't matter if it's real or fake," Byakuya says calmly. "What matters is if anyone is seriously considering all of this."
"What do you mean?" I ask.
"Just look around." That was Byakuya's only response.
Only then did I take note of everyone's confused, scared, distrusting faces. It only then dawned on me. None of us were friends. We were strangers, barely acquaintances. And while I didn't think I could ever do something as horrible as murder, that didn't mean the others weren't willing to try. And that thought...terrified me.
I was jarred from my thoughts when Kyoko spoke. "So? What are you all going to do now? Are you going to spend the whole day glaring at each other?"
"R-right! She's right!" Kiyotaka began shouting. "Sometimes even if you're nervous or afraid, you just have to step forward!" Kiyotaka's face contorted in anguish. "To forget such a simple fact...I can't forgive myself! I feel so ashamed!" He then made a fist and declared boldly. "Please somebody hit me! I can't forgive myself! Somebody hit me! Please punish me!"
"If you have time to yell about it, you have time to do something about it," Mondo says, ticked off.
"Perhaps, but what is the mission exactly?" Hifumi asks
"We seek a way out," Mukuro states calmly, arms folded. "Even if Monokuma says it's impossible, that's no reason to not try at all. I for one intend to comb back every inch of this school for some kind of hint or clue that may help us escape or lead us to Monokuma's controller. I suggest everyone take a moment to look at the school regulations."
Immediately I walked over to Hina since I didn't have mine so I could look over her shoulder. She held it down by her chest so I could see too as she turned hers on. There was her name, Aoi Asahina.
"Say, Mukuro, are you the leader of some kind of team?" I ask her.
"Me? N-no. Not at all. I have very little leadership experience and I'm the worst in my pack--or unit as you would call it in more common military organizations--with social situations. That's why I always fight on the front lines and don't negotiate for hostages."
"Well, it's just, you're barking out orders like you know what needs to be done," I tell her.
"Th-that's..." Mukuro stutters
"I don't mind listening to you, for now," Byakuya said. "A soldier is a symbol of authority. Rest assured though if you plan on betraying us, I will be the first to cut you down sharply."
"I..."
"I agree with D," Kiyotaka says. "As Class Representative of this school, I declare that Mukuro Ikusaba's voice should be heavily considered in decision making processes related to this bizarre situation."
"What? N-no! S-someone like me. I-I can't..."
"To be fair, it is because you are so calm and composed in this environment that you stick out as a voice of reason. Rest assured I do not think you are qualified to be a leader," Celeste says.
"That's not very nice, Celeste," I tell her.
"No, she's absolutely right about what she says," Mukuro responds.
"Enough stalling. While you were all chatting I managed to pull up the regulations." He began reading them aloud.
1: Students may only reside within the school. Leaving campus is an unacceptable use of time
2: Nighttime is from 10pm to 7am. Some areas are off-limits at right, so please exercise caution
3: Sleeping anywhere other than the dormitory will be seen as sleeping in class and punished accordingly.
4: With minimal exceptions, you are free to explore Hope's Peak Academy at your discretion.
5: Violence against Headmaster Monokuma is strictly prohibited as is destruction of the surveillance cameras
6: Anyone who kills another student will become "blackened" and will graduate unless they are discovered.
7: Additional regulations may be added as necessary
I was a little worried about six, but as long as no one killed anyone we didn't have to worry about it, right? And what the heck kind of regulation is number seven?
"Goddammit this is some bullshit!" Mondo shouts. "I'm not gonna let some bear control me!"
"Then by all means, stumble around and do as you wish," Celeste giggles playfully. "Personally I would love to see what happens when someone breaks one of the school rules."
"You know, when I was a kid, my older brother used to pound something into my head. A man keeps his promise no matter what."
"My word is my bond."
My head starting swimming again as this time a deep, thundering voice echoed in my head, kind of like mine, but...deeper. Okay, it was nothing like mine.
"H-hey! D!" Hina was calling out to me as my body started to stumble forward. She caught me with her arm. "Oh my gosh! Are you all right?"
"I...don't...know..." I say, really not sure this time.
"Guys, I'm gonna take D to his dorm room. You guys can all explore the school," Hina says.
"Uh, okay," I hear Makoto say. I hear more muffled voices as Hina escorts me out and into the dormitory area past the cafeteria and down a long corridor. My head was swimming like it'd been stuffed with cotton. The corridor looked like it was...twisting, like one of those swirly ice cream cones.
When I reached the door to my room, there was a key in the lock waiting for my use. I could hear Hina talking, but I couldn't comprehend her words. She was getting all blurry. Even the nameplate above my door was fuzzy, but judging from Hina's expression and the words coming out of her mouth, she was sure this was mine. She ushered me inside and held the door open.
I stumbled inside. On my bed sat a belt with a single pouch and under the bet were boxes of what I guessed were trading cards, but neither of those things had my attention. On the table, something gold and shiny was pulling me towards it like some sort of metaphorical, maybe even a metaphysical magnet.
Life is funny sometimes, like a puzzle you could say. And just like a puzzle, sometimes all you need is one piece to see the bigger picture.
As I step towards the glowing thing on my dorm table, my footsteps echoing in my head, I reach out towards the glowing golden object and grasp hold of it. And, suddenly, a glowing gold light gave off from the single piece. And I remembered everything
My past. My hobbies. My family. My friends. It all came flooding back to me in one fell swoop. And, most importantly, I remembered my name.
"Yu...Yugi," I say aloud. Grasping hold of the gold piece in my hand, I declare triumphantly. "My name is Yugi Mutoh! I am Hope's Peak Academy's Ultimate Duelist!"
(OHHHHHHHH SNAP! Yup, in case you didn't figure it out sooner, this is Yu-gi-oh crossed with Danganronpa. If you're a Danganronpa fan, you probably noticed two notable changes I made to the original script including Mukuro Ikusaba's participation and Yasuhiro Hagakure's notable absence. I just...retconned Hagakure in favor of Yugi. I mean, if you're the Hope's Peak Academy steering committee and you're deciding between a clairvoyant with a 30% success rate and the KING OF FUCKING GAMES I think you know who you're admitting to your school. Plus, Hagakure's last free time event made me lose all likability towards this guy and really what did he contribute besides unneeded, boneheaded comic relief? Also, his last free time event made it sound like he sneaked his way into Hope's Peak illegitimately or something so, no. You reap what you sow Hagakure. Enjoy being the mafia's bitch or selling your organs. Your mother must be so proud of you
But anyway, yeah, coming soon: Yu-gi-oh: Hope Vs Despair! (title pending). I'll see you all with the project when I finish outlining it and deciding how to tackle it. I'm debating anachronic order or to go linear and let you make guesses when we tackle DGR canon, but...ehhhhh, I'll figure something out. Anyway, as always, from all of me, to all of you, let your hearts stay human and your wrath draconic. Ja ne!)
Dueling Trigger Finger 116
You know, for a chapter I was really excited to put out, I'm a little disappointed I didn't know what to call the title of the chapter. Eh, they can't all be winners. https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12535168/116/Dueling-Trigger-Finger
Dueling Trigger Finger 115
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12535168/115/Dueling-Trigger-Finger First chapter of the new year and god damn this one was fun to write!
Dueling Trigger Finger 114
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12535168/114/Dueling-Trigger-Finger After a long, unexplained absence we are BACK! Lots of IRL stuff. I don't feel like getting into it. Enjoy, folks!
Dueling Trigger Finger 113
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12535168/113/Dueling-Trigger-Finger The comments for this one are gonna be somethin' else
© 2017 - 2024 draconichero18
Comments61
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In
>"And with her that makes sixteen," Byakuya says, chuckling.
>"sixteen (16).
1)D (Yugi), 2)Makoto, 3)Kyoko, 4)Byakuya, 5)Hina, 6)Toko, 7)Sayaka, 8)Mukuro, 9)Leon, 10)Chihiro, 11)Mondo, 12)Taka, 13)Hifumi, 14) Celeste, 15)Sakura.
You sure?
-----------------
The forshadowing is spread too extensively, Yugi's "nostalgic" comments are too numerous and obvious, and the amnesia subplot was handed poorly in the two cases (Kyoko's for being completely transparent about it, contrary to canon; and Yugi's for being absolutely resolved in the end). And that is whithout mentioning the tense of the sentences and spelling mistakes, but I don't like beating dead horses, as they say.
Now, with the bad stuff out of the way, I am really interested in this fanfic. I've actually read the first two chapters of DTF back on FF[dot]net, and you have my curiosity. My only gripe is, again, the foreshadowing and spelling issues, but it isn't so severe that I'll drop the fic altogether. I am concerned over Chiaki's characterization on her first scene, but I still don't know if that'll prevail in in future chapters. I'll continue reading it and offer my imput whenever something crosses me as improveable.
Later.
>"sixteen (16).
1)D (Yugi), 2)Makoto, 3)Kyoko, 4)Byakuya, 5)Hina, 6)Toko, 7)Sayaka, 8)Mukuro, 9)Leon, 10)Chihiro, 11)Mondo, 12)Taka, 13)Hifumi, 14) Celeste, 15)Sakura.
You sure?
-----------------
The forshadowing is spread too extensively, Yugi's "nostalgic" comments are too numerous and obvious, and the amnesia subplot was handed poorly in the two cases (Kyoko's for being completely transparent about it, contrary to canon; and Yugi's for being absolutely resolved in the end). And that is whithout mentioning the tense of the sentences and spelling mistakes, but I don't like beating dead horses, as they say.
Now, with the bad stuff out of the way, I am really interested in this fanfic. I've actually read the first two chapters of DTF back on FF[dot]net, and you have my curiosity. My only gripe is, again, the foreshadowing and spelling issues, but it isn't so severe that I'll drop the fic altogether. I am concerned over Chiaki's characterization on her first scene, but I still don't know if that'll prevail in in future chapters. I'll continue reading it and offer my imput whenever something crosses me as improveable.
Later.