AU: Dangan Ronpa: I noticed that for all the resources Hope's Peak had, there was one resource missing: a robotics lab and an accompanying machine shop. So the question becomes what if Hope Peak's Academy had a Machine Shop/ Robotics Lab on the first floor?
"Fellow students, what did you find?" Ishimaru seemed determined to step up as leader in their newly minted circumstances.
"The doors are unbreachable." Oowada said.
"No, duh. We figured that out." Celeste snarked.
"There was a barricade leading up to a second floor." Asahina said.
"Just as thought, we're in a closed system." Kirigiri said.
"Meaning?" Fujaski said.
"Meaning we're trapped, dude." Leon said. He put his hands in his hair. "There's no way out. ARGH!"
"Well, I'm sure the fifteen of us can figure out something." Naegi said.
"Asahina and I found something interesting." Oogami spoke up. "I found a machine shop filled to the brim of tools and spare parts."
"What?" The other fourteen looked shocked.
"It's actually more of a robotics lab. But, yeah." Asahina said.
"It really wants out to jump straight to murdering each other, huh." Enoshima said.
"Apparently, so." Maizono said, with a whimper.
"Hey, all fifteen of us will get out of here." Leon said, giving Sayaka a thumbs up.
"Hate to break it to you guys, but I don't think all fifteen of us will make it out of here." Celeste said.
"And why do you say that?" Yamada replied.
"Because there are far too many people for this to work. This group as a whole is not getting out unscathed." Celeste said. "And that's before you take into account that, in theory, this is supposed to be a zero-sum game."
"What do you mean, 'supposed to be a zero-sum game'"? Oowada said.
"Only one of us can graduate. That's THE limiting factor. But I doubt very much that even if someone murders another person, Monokuma will just let that person out."
"Wh-wh-at-at makes yoouuu say that?" Fukawa finally spoke.
"Yeah, I don't get it." Hagakure said.
"What she's saying is that this is a game, and actually committing murder is the bait." Togami said. "If you murder, there's going to be a second phase that you'll have to beat. Undoubtedly, very difficult, too. Monokuma doesn't want anyone to actually be able to leave."
"Like a second phase of a video game boss?" Yamada said.
"Yes, sure. If it means you idiot will understand, it's like a second phase of a boss fight." Togami drearily replied.
"Say what!" Ishimaru said. "How dare you treat this like a game?! This is no game. All of our lives are at stake here!"
"But to this mastermind, this is just a game. And in order to win against the mastermind, you have to think like the mastermind." Togami replied.
"You say this like you're going to win beyond a shadow of a doubt." Kirigiri said.
"Of course, I'm going to win. The only question is: who else , if anybody else will be joining me at the conclusion of this psychological experiment gone horribly wrong?" Togami said.
"Psychological experiment?" Naegi said.
"Yes, the only realm in which this sick scenario even begins to make any sort of vague sense is a psychological experiment. We may very be well be in a variation of the Stanford Prison Experiment."
"Stanford Prison Experiment?" Maizono said.
"The Stanford Prison Experiment was held in 1970s. Its results were less than promising for humanity's nature." Celeste interrupted.
"Why? What were the results?!" Ishimaru almost shouted.
"The results were basically that if you give human beings power over other human beings, they will most likely abuse that power."
"What?!"
"Yes, so Togami's extrapolation may be correct here. We may indeed be in a psychological experiment."
"No. You're wrong." Kirigiri said. "Even if your reasoning is correct, and this was supposed to be a psychological experiment, I think it's been safe to say that it's been hijacked."
"But indeed something is wrong here. Normally, you have to give your consent for these sort of experiments. Do any of us give remember giving any sort of consent to the living together portion of this?"
Enoshima bit her lip. She remembered, but if she said so, it would blow the plan out of the water.
"Of course not! Who would agree to something like this!" Kuwata raised his fist.
"So that settles it. This is a variation of kidnapping." Ishimaru said. "Now we move onto potential ways that this mastermind could have hijacked Hope's Peak.
"That's comforting." Enoshima snarked. "We're either in a psychological experiment or the school has only been straight-up hijacked."
After a few minutes of silence, Ishimaru decided that the meeting should end.
"This meeting is adjourned. Oogami, could you tell me where is the machine shop?"
"Sure. It's next door to the incinerator." She said, as she left with Asahina.
"Naegi, could you accompany me to the machine shop?"
"Okay, why? Is it because I'm the only other guy still here?" Naegi said, gesturing to Fujaski and Enoshima.
Ishimaru folded his arms.
"YES!"
"Geez, you don't need to shout."
"I might as well come along too." Enoshima said. "Beats sitting around here all day, wondering if someone's going to murder me."
"Nobody's going to murder you, classmate Enoshima."
"Damn skippy, they're not."
"And I'm to going to come along too. I'm sure there might some computer parts. Asahina did say it was a Robotics lab." Fujaski said.
"Very well, then, the two of you can accompany us."
"Don't act like you're giving us permission, who elected you in charge?" Enoshima snarked.
"Enoshima, just humor him in this early stage. You have to pick and choose your battles." Naegi said, sheepishly.
"Trust me, Makoto, I know how to pick my battles. Oh, do I know how to pick my battles."
"What does that mean?" Fujaski said.
"Maybe someday, I'll be able to explain."
"I get the feeling you may have to explain sooner rather than later." Naegi replied.
"What? Why?"
"Monokuma. I don't know how, and I barely know you, but can you promise me one thing?"
"Depends, what's your promise?"
"Don't let this explanation be a weakness for Monokuma to exploit." Naegi glanced at the cameras all around.
"Don't worry about it, it wouldn't be." Enoshima anxiously smiled.
"I should hope not!" Ishimaru interrupted.
Eyes narrowed, Fujaski commented. "Moment killer."
"What? I am not a moment-killer."
"RRRIIIIIGGGHHHTTT." Enoshima snarked.
"Incidentally, I'm not a moment-killer. What type of moment would you kill anyway?"
Fujaski face-faulted. "Ishimaru, when we get out of here, I have something to show you online."
"Online?"
"Yes, it's called , there's a page called 'Moment Killer.'"
Ishimaru paused for a moment.
"Haha. That is a very good joke, classmate Fujaski."
"Uh, Ishimaru, I don't think that was a joke." Enoshima said.
"What are you talking about? Of course, it was a joke!"
"Ishimaru, that wasn't a joke." Fujaski clarified.
"Oh. Seriously? Or are you being what they called 'sarcastic'?"
"How 'bout if we use sarcasm, we'll hold up a sign from now on." Naegi sarcastically commented.
"You have a sarcasm sign!?"
"No, of course not. THAT WAS SARCASM, MR. SHELDON COOPER."
"Dr. Sheldon Cooper." Fujaski said. "Howard's the only one without a Ph.D."
"Whatever." Enoshima continued.
"I see, so you were trying to troll me, then, Fujaski?"
"Well, first of all, I wasn't trolling you, because I was being serious." Fujaski replied.
"Shame we can't just troll the mastermind..." Naegi started. The four of them looked at each other. Everyone (save Ishimaru) of them shared the same thought.
"Or can we?"
"Oh, oh, we've got something here." Naegi said. "I think we've figured out the mastermind's greatest weakness."
"And what's that, classmate Naegi?" Ishimaru asked.
"The mastermind has locked fifteen teenagers in here. Fifteen teenagers. Fourteen of whom are supremely talented at something. Fujaski, Enoshima, Ishimaru, the machine room will have to wait. Get everybody back in here."
Within minutes, everybody gathered back in here.
"What is it, now, Naegi?" Togami said, rather bored. "I do hope this is important."
"It is. We've found the mastermind's vulnerable point. Relatively speaking. His patience."
"I see."
"Wait, how is the mastermind's patience the vulnerable point?" Hagakure said.
"Because the mastermind has locked all in here, and ordered us to murder each other." Kirigiri said. "Obviously, if no murders occurred, they're going to lose patience."
"They'll probably start attempting to provide motives." Togami reasoned.
"That being said, this strategy will be hard to employ. What if one of us loses patience and decides one of the motives is sufficient reason enough to commit a murder?" Celeste said.
At this point, Ishimaru stepped in.
"If."
"If? Are we the ancient Spartans responding to a Persian threat of war?" Togami snarked. "Because otherwise, the word should be 'when', not 'if.'"
"That doesn't matter. I think it's a brilliant idea." Maizono said, flashing a smile at Naegi.
"Anyway, is that all?"
"Yes."
"So can we leave now?"
"YES!" Enoshima said. "You know, if you didn't want to come, you shouldn't have come."
"Well, I couldn't exactly resist hearing about this mastermind's 'most vulnerable point', even though it's not really that vulnerable in the first place."
"Still, it's better than nothing." Celeste said, as everybody filed out for the second time.
"Naegi, how 'bout now we check out that machine shop?" Ishimaru requested.
"Sure, are Enoshima and Fujaski coming with us?"
"Of course."
"Yes."
"Alright, let's go."