Day 1: Another train ride (Pregame)

He yawned, still not sure if he was tired or just bored. His right knuckles were hurt, pinching back a lively sensation upon his brain, a reminder of the purple marks over that piece of skin. A reminder of the many punches he gave during today's high school routine. Lately, violence felt dangerously different than when he was educated about it by his parents as a child. Rather than a perilous, adrenaline-fueled challenge to authorities, it became a norm. He was good at it, he had guts, resolve and a pretty straightforward way of seeing this rotten world known as society. It also was a way to gain some bonuses, to make a day easier at the cost of others. Sometimes, he thought about feeling bad for them. But was someone feeling bad for him? That last thought crossed his mind, while he mostly jumped into the train.

"Bah."

Looking around, only grayish silhouettes of people. More pawns over this twisted table. He tried to pass through them and get near another door, pushing them away kind of harshly in the process. Not even an apologizing or sorry word coming from his mouth, not even a worried expression nor a look to them. Just passing harshly. Yes, he could wait here, stopping, checking his phone, thinking about his own things or whatever, but he found a certain joy on acting like that. Just doing small things to mess with people, and perhaps make someone to notice him, to get irritated by him and start an scene. Getting the spotlight. He adored that. World felt like a TV screen lately, and he just needed to be a star.

He stopped just while arriving to the next door, but not because of his previous intention. Someone felt less gray for a moment. A girl, probably around his age, probably returning home from another common day at school too. Dark hair, collected into two long pigtails. Her red eyes seemed vibrant, focused, and something agitated inside him. That sight wasn't focusing on the outside world, like he was doing. Her phone's screen... even with the quiet concealing of her auriculars, he could recognize what she was looking with a stone-cold expression but a passionate stare. He approached, being near her, at her back. A hand tapped her left shoulder a couple of times before staying there.

"Danganronpa 52, huh? I watched the finale on prime time... an illegal download?"

The girl wasn't even flipping out or getting scared by his sudden appearance, touching and words. Instead, she just turned, blank for some seconds, and with the same serious expression she took off an auricular, pausing the streaming with a small touch of her finger.

"It's been online for some months. This is just... my favorite chapter."

The guy looked down at her again, with the expression of a predator satisfied with his prey. However, that was only a lingering thought, as this girl wasn't even hesitating. Those red eyes followed his scan, looked over his expression and didn't show any fear. He was kind of detesting it, or perhaps getting enticed, provoked by it. She stopped being partial gray and regained a complete color. She was his same kind.

"It's like you're waiting for one of those kidnappings. Do you think you can become a star?"

"... I don't get your point. I wouldn't try to be on the spotlight, if that was the case. Which is not, by the way. This is only entertainment..."

"That sounds so sketchy for a girl with burning eyes. I bet you would kill someone if the situation goes your flow. You don't need to lie."

The girl closed her eyes for a moment, trying to not grit her teeth too strongly. Another annoying freak. This was like when other idiots thought they could do whatever they want and bully her.

"I hate assumptions, and you're like everyone with them... I also hate killing. Won't be associated with anything like that. I'm the type that only dirties her hands if I need to defend myself. And believe me, I've washed them a lot of times, if you know what I mean."

"Ouch. Hehe. A tough one, huh? A delinquent in the streets, but a good girl in the sheets? That doesn't suit your ty-..."

He was silenced, her right elbow impacting against his stomach and making him back a little, a real ouch coming out from his lips, this time. She knew how to hit simple and clean. He grabbed one of the upper bars and, clearly angered, returned forward, almost touching her back.

"What do you think you're doing? Wanna get in a problem?!" The guy yelled, his stare being solid serious now.

"I got into one without even asking, as usual." The girl returned, not swallowing any of his stupid, vapidly aggressive returnings. However, those last words made the seemingly delinquent stop for a moment, separating just some inches and grabbing firmly to the upper bar below her.

"As usual... You don't look the type that would get into that kind of stuff, doll." Somewhat of a malicious-looking grin, and then the girl sighed again while rolling her eyes, burnt out by his comments. "That's so typical. It's clear that you're just another idiot. I won't even remember you. Ah, and don't call me doll. Do you want to earn another one of these?" She said, preparing her elbow again.

"That's false! Actually, if I get into that game, you'll remember my name. Forever. It's only natural, as I... I'm born for that." The girl wasn't even curious, but she didn't want another bunch of minutes needing to deal with an aggressive weirdo, especially physically. She decided to respond, instead. "You were born to kill, right? Too many action movies and delusions. You should grow up, seriously. This doesn't work like that."

"You don't get the point. I was born to be an star! Rules doesn't matter, society neither... It's just me and my potential! I'm gonna be famous! A lot of coward dummies just fear about these kidnappings but if I get chosen someday... I'll leave an imprint nobody's going to forget." He almost laughed proudly about his own ideas, and the girl was starting to feel pumped up by the irritation he caused, fingers pressing tighter against her own phone, blocking it and... Seeing his mad smirk through the screen's reflection. "How are you going to do it? Danganronpa is a flashy show, clearly over the top. To be triumphant here, you need to be smart, and you... You don't look like that, sorry. Not the type."

The seemingly delinquent didn't stop grinning, a hand tapping her right shoulder like he was being superior, like teaching something to her. "You don't need to be smart when you have guts! A star is the one who's able to take risks... I'm going to do it... Definitely!" For a moment, that guy looked around, giving a chance for his eyes to pay attention to the myriad of gray faces around him, and how he detested them. "I'm going to kill everyone without hesitating. I'll turn the show into a bloody mess, and rise triumphant. The audience won't forget this smile. Never. I'll become a legend..."

On that, the girl just pressed her lips together, trying to process what to say. At the end, some words escaped, naturally.

"Do you wanna die?"

Blinking, perplexed, the taller guy looked down. He was now the one being irritated. This girl seemed to have all her defenses up, not even concerned about something as crude as killing. Danganronpa really twisted their vision, but that was coming naturally. They couldn't even explain why they felt irritated about something quite normal on their lives, as twisted as it sounded. "You only say bullshit. I won't die if I kill. That's the only law one can follow! And if you think you're that smart... What would you want, if participating?"

The inner tension held by the girl reduced in a moment, somehow, as that question made her remember a lot of things. How she couldn't choose, sometimes, on how many fights she had been without even wishing it, too. What she wanted was kind of convoluted, and perhaps, the exciting rollercoaster that a show like Danganronpa ended up being was somewhat a powerful tool for evading. She didn't want to live in a fantasy, but she truly wanted a stronger heart, even if she gave whatever she could for it every day. "I would want people to forget about me. I don't want to make an scene. Like in life... I bite when I'm bitten, but if I could choose... Hm. I would want a talent that would make people fear me. Definitely. I don't need to be someone remarkable, just having the tools for not being mistreated. I'm sorry, I won't leave you any impressive mark. Probably, I would try to kill you, because you would come for me. But unlike now, it would be different..." Fist clenching, she seemed quite prepared, but at the same time, her words were hiding a certain doubt. "You sound ambiguous. I don't know if something like being powerful and unnoticeable would be encased in only one talent... But, who knows? Perhaps you will be lucky, as Team Danganronpa is crazy as fuck!" This asshole was almost making fun of her, and she was going to... respond? No, too tired for that. She would swallow that shit and curse him later. Not another fight today. She wished she could correct him every time, as he was a fool. The guy, on the other hand, insisted in trying to confirm his own vision. "However, you're wrong at something more important. Leaving without a mark? Heh, that won't happen..." It was leave a mark at you, but he twisted the meaning in his benefit. And while that happened, the train was stopping upon the next station. This weird guy wasn't even opening his window for a response.

Perhaps he was the kind of idiot that took the train just for a couple of stops instead of walking by feet for the reason of trying to catch the attention of these gray faces around him, like giving himself an excuse to shine in a darker way, to be the kind of twisted star he wished for. Now, as the doors were opening, he went bluntly, almost pushing the other girl and forcing her to grab on the nearest bar. He truly wanted to leave a mark here. She returned with a frown, and as indifference grew with his idiocy, now she was prepared for a challenge. She truly wanted to show him that she wasn't what she looked: and getting in another one of her daily problems and mistreatments was starting to feel less important. The opportunity was given, as when the guy stepped over the platform, as quick as to not let the doors close again, he turned, grinning at her and offering a thumbs up... just before turning it down, like the jerk he was, and sticking his tongue out.

"Listen, I will become a star with my own brightness! And if we coincide... I'll be sure to leave a mark on you, there's no way you will forget about me!"

The girl returned the challenge declaration with an intense stare she wished to have forever against anyone as him, and an almost smirk that could match his impression, almost squeezing her own phone at hand. "You dare. Better prepare, because I won't even let you approach me. Your delusional brightness... won't reach me."

The doors closed, and the train started to move again. As they were parting ways, their stares remained defiant of each other until their perception became blurry by the speed, like the small moment they shared.

It was time to return to a normal, boring life.