Ding dong bong bing!
"A body has been discovered! Everyone, please report to the gym!"
Kiyotaka "Taka" Ishimaru, the Ultimate Moral Compass, could barely hear Monokuma's announcement over his own shock. He stood in the middle of his classmate's room, staring at the horrifying sight before him.
Makoto Naegi, Ultimate Lucky Student, who they had heard scream not too long ago, was passed out in the doorway to his bathroom.
And in the bathroom itself, was the bloodied corpse of Sayaka Maizono, Ultimate Idol Singer, slumped against the wall, a kitchen knife sticking out of her stomach.
The only other person standing in the room was Kyoko Kirigiri, who had yet to tell anyone what her Ultimate Talent was. Her face was dark and calculating as she observed the scene.
"Go get someone to help you carry Makoto," she said abruptly, causing Taka to jump. "Then get to the gym."
Taka had no idea how to respond. He simply nodded and dashed out of the room.
…
About an hour later, Makoto groggily opened his eyes, wincing at the gym's bright overhead lighting. Suddenly, he jolted back up. "Wait, Sayaka! I-"
"Don't bother running to her," Byakuya Togami, Ultimate Affluent Progeny, interrupted him. "It's already been confirmed. Without a doubt, she's dead."
Makoto could barely think. Just a few hours ago, Sayaka had come to him, scared half to death, asking for help. When they had switched rooms for the night, he was sure she would be safe. But now…
"What… what are we doing here then?" Makoto yelled. "Someone killed her! We have to-"
"Trust me, we don't want to be here either," Leon Kuwata, the Ultimate Baseball Star, interrupted, scratching the back of his head. "But the damn bear wanted us all here for some reason."
"Oh god, he's gonna k-kill us all, isn't he!?" Toko Fukawa, Ultimate Writing Progidy, barely managed to say.
"I wouldn't think so," Hifumi Yamada, the Ultimate Fanfic Creator, tried to reassure her. "I feel as though he would find it much more thrilling to kill us all slowly, so we may yet have a chance to-" He was cut off by Toko screaming in terror.
"C'mon, this… this is still a prank, isn't it? They're just hazing us, right!?" Yasuhiro "Hiro" Hagakure, the Ultimate Clairvoyant asked, giving a half-hearted chuckle in an attempt to mask his mortal terror.
"Why the hell do you still think this is all a fuckin' joke?" Mondo Owada, the Ultimate Biker Gang Leader, who had helped Taka carry Makoto, yelled. "I saw her with my own eyes, she's fuckin' dead!"
At that moment, Kyoko finally reentered.
"Took you long enough," Byakuya sneered.
"I was simply taking a look at the scene," Kyoko said, showing almost no hint of emotion.
"Do you really think it is such a good idea to keep Monokuma waiting?" Celestia Ludenberg, the Ultimate Gambler asked, she herself showing a slight smile of amusement.
"I understand, but there was…" Kyoko began, before she was cut off.
"Puhuhuhu!" a laugh rang out in the gymnasium. On the stage set up before them, a black and white bear they all knew and despised appeared almost out of thin air. "About time someone showed some bloodthirsty initiative!"
"It was you, wasn't it!?" Aoi "Hina" Asahina exclaimed, her hair standing on end in rage. "You killed Sayaka!"
"Sorry to disappoint, but the rules of the game state that I can't bloody my own paws unless someone breaks a rule and requires execution!" Monokuma, the Killing Game Master, reminded them. "And that means that Sayaka was murdered by one of you!"
The fourteen remaining students eyed each other, panicked.
"You… you mean, one of us killed a friend?" Chihiro Fujisaki, the petite Ultimate Programmer said, shaking like a leaf.
"I would hardly consider us friends," Byakuya scoffed. "But I certainly wouldn't put it past any of you."
"So… what now?" Leon asked. "Someone committed murder, so doesn't that mean whoever did it gets to leave?"
"Oh, if only it were that simple," Monokuma answered. "It's time for the bread and butter of the Killing Game: the investigation and Class Trial!"
"Class… Trial?" Makoto asked.
"The rules are simple!" Monokuma began gleefully. "After each murder, I'll give everyone a certain amount of time to investigate, gather evidence and alibis, try and cover up any secrets you might be keeping, yadda yadda. Then, I'll gather everyone for a Class Trial! In the Class Trial, it's your job to figure out whodunit by presenting your findings and theories, and once you've reached a conclusion, you'll all take a vote! If you vote for the correct killer, that student will be punished for disturbing the peace, and the rest of you will be allowed to continue your school lives as normal."
Celeste spoke up. "And by punishment, we take that to mean…"
"Yep," Monokuma answered. "The best part of any Class Trial: Execution!"
The room went dead silent, until one person spoke up.
"And if we vote incorrectly?" Sakura Ogami, the Ultimate Martial Artist asked, her voice thick with dread and stoic anger.
"Then I'll execute everyone besides the killer, and the successful blackened will graduate and leave Hope's Peak Academy scot free!"
Everyone's blood went cold. Earlier, they had assumed that simply committing murder would allow someone to leave, but now the game wasn't so straightforward. If you wanted to leave, not only would you have to kill a fellow student, you would have to outsmart every other student, as well as be willing to sacrifice them all to ensure your freedom.
Everyone had the same thought: the game was sickening.
Where they varied was whether or not they were willing to play.
"You think we're all just gonna go along with this!?" One student cried out at last.
Monokuma cocked his head, perplexed. "Huh?"
Junko Enoshima, the Ultimate Fashionista, stared the bear down in a rage. "No one wants to play this sick game! If you want us to kill each other, you're out of luck!"
Every other student said nothing. Either out of fear or apathy, they let the scene unfold.
"What's this?" Monokuma's left eye began glowing red. "Are you actually trying to rebel against me? I am your headmaster!" He leapt off the stage and began waddling angrily toward the students. "It's my job to snuff out any reb- URMPH!"
He was cut off by Junko's boot slamming into his stomach, pinning him to the floor. "Grumyah!" He sputtered.
"Are you enjoying yourself now?" Junko asked, smirking.
"Are you?" Monokuma asked, eerily calm.
Everyone's eyes went wide as they all realized what had just happened.
"Violence against Headmaster Monokuma is against school regulations! You've committed a serious violation!"
She was going to be punished.
She was going to be executed.
"Help! To me, Godly Spear Gungir!"
It all happened so fast. Only a few noticed, but numerous holes appeared in the walls and ceiling. None of them dared move a muscle.
Except one.
"JUNKO, LOOK OUT!"
In almost an instant, sharp metal poles fired out of the holes, all aimed at where Junko was… or rather, had been.
Makoto had rushed forward and knocked her out of the way, leaving all the spears to stick into the floor where Junko had stood before.
Everyone, now including Monokuma, was speechless. "I… You…"
Makoto groaned as he slowly got up, offering a hand to a shaken Junko. "Hey… are you okay?"
Junko said nothing as she took his hand.
"This… this wasn't supposed to…" Monokuma stuttered. "…Forget it. I'll let you off with a warning. None of you ever try a stunt like that again. Your investigation starts now."
And with that, Monokuma vanished.
Junko could barely react to anything. She was stuck in her own head. Many thoughts entered her brain, but one stood out more than any.
"I should be dead right now."
She didn't notice everyone suspecting Makoto, as he tried desperately to explain why Sayaka was in his room last night.
She only barely noticed Hina nudge her. "Hey, we're all leaving."
"I… I just want to… stay in my room for a bit…" Junko said weakly.
Hina rubbed the back of her head. "Well… I guess that's fine. I'll let the others know, yeah?"
Junko nodded, and started off back to the dorms. She passed Byakuya investigating the hallway, with Toko trailing behind him like a lost puppy, as well as Makoto talking with Kyoko.
She finally made it back to her room.
"This wasn't… supposed to happen."
Author's Note: Man, it's great to be back. This story is gonna be a lot different than what I write normally, in more ways than one. For one, this is gonna be much gorier and adult than a lot of the stuff I've written, because… well, murder, so here's your content warning. Basically, this story is my take on the whole "Danganronpa but something happens and the death order is changed" concept, which I haven't seen a lot of for the first game. This was inspired in particular by the Danganronpa V3 fanfic Three-Point Shot, by RandomRex6 over on AO3. So there's my recommendation for you.
Also, if it wasn't obvious, aside from Mukuro surviving, the first case plays out the same, so expect to see Leon get pummeled by baseballs next chapter. After that though, things will be MUCH different. See ya!
Students remaining: 14.
Dead: Sayaka Maizono.