Hello, and welcome to my first Danganronpa fic! First, I'd like to thank you for checking this story out. I really hope you'll like it!
Second, I'd just like to address a few little tidbits about this fic. This story will not necessarily be parallel to the canonical events that occur in the original game, meaning that characters who die or are the murderers in the actual game may or may not be the victims or culprits in this fic. Also, no spoilers, but to those of you who have completed Super Danganronpa 2, you may notice that a certain character will be present in this story, even though, canonically, it would be literally impossible for them to be there. But this is an AU. A non-Despair AU at that! At least for the most part. With my cruel mind, our poor Super High School Level students will be subject to all sorts of embarrassing misfortunes.
Also, I'm no genius. I love mysteries and adore trying to figure out a good 'whodunnit'. But actually coming up with a good mystery for others to solve? That kind of thing isn't exactly something that comes easily to me. So, while I assure you that I will try my very best to come up with interesting and logical cases for you and our characters to solve, I cannot promise that the quality of these mysteries will be on par to that of the mysteries from the original games.
Anyways, I believe that's about enough out of me. Please enjoy the misadventures of this School Life of Mutual Pranking!
Danganronpa: Camp Life of Mutual Pranking!
'Hope's Peak Summer Camp for Talented Individuals. A small, secluded camp nestled in the heart of Jabberwock Forest, is a safe, peaceful environment for gifted high school students to spend their summer, honing their unique talents alongside other talented young adults, building bonds and special skills that will last a lifetime.
Blessed with the serene beauty of Lake Mirai, the majestic grace of Mount Hope, and the natural, refreshing air of Jabberwock Forest itself, CHPTI has it all for those seeking to escape the hustle and bustle of city life for a while or those just looking for a quiet place to practice their talents!
With our accommodating facilities and friendly, supportive staff, parents need not worry about their children wanting for anything! From the superbly stocked Mess Hall to the rustic, yet luxurious Grand Cabin, we guarantee that our talented guests will be living in paradise!
Due to the small size of Camp Hope's Peak and our selective admission process, available slots are limited for our summer program. However, we here at CHPTI believe that, by the time our campers part ways, our small gang of diverse individuals will have become a close knit family! Campers will learn from one another as well as their instructors, sharing their unique backgrounds and talents with one another to form everlasting bonds and experiences that will stick with them for life!
Our streamlined enrollment process is quick and painless, though highly selective, meaning that only the most talented of individuals will be joining us here. Don't be discouraged though! A talent is a valuable and unique gift that everyone has, whether they've found it yet or not. And no talent is useless or something to be ashamed of! Whether you're a Super High School Level Pianist or a Super High School Level Traffic Cop, you'll find that all kinds of talents are welcomed here!
A talent is a one of a kind ability that sets you apart from your peers. It's a special gift that makes you, well, special! So, this summer, we invite you to the great outdoors! To meet a variety of new and interesting friends! To grow as a person! To find the true potential of your unique talent! And, most importantly, to have fun!'
Hajime Hinata sighed and looked up from the pamphlet, turning his attention from the colorful images on the paper to the real deal just outside the window.
He felt an uncomfortable twist in his stomach as trees blurred by in a green and brown haze, the early morning sun rapidly flashing through the branches as the loud, hulking bus he was riding in trudged through terrain it was obviously unaccustomed to.
Hinata knew this feeling in his stomach. Unfortunately, he was all too familiar with it, especially as of late. Anxiety, nervousness, trepidation. It went by many names, but they all meant the same thing, all produced the same effects. The shaking of hands. A slight line of sweat on the forehead. A torrent of wild, pessimistic thoughts which constantly warned him that something perhaps - no, probably - no, DEFINITELY will go wrong.
It was an incurable syndrome, he knew. No amount of self assurances or calming thoughts would clear those damned butterflies from his stomach. However, like a fool, he tried anyways, though all of his attempts were always in vain. He finally quit after he got light headed from too many deep breaths.
He had then turned to the pamphlet for the place he was currently on his way to. At first, it was just something to do during the long bus ride to the camp site, something to distract himself from his jittery nerves that only seemed to grow more skittish with every mile that distanced him from civilization and brought him closer to his destination set deep within the wilderness. However, he quickly realized that it only made him more nervous. Still, most likely due to boredom, he couldn't stop rereading the stupid thing over and over agin. Besides his clothes and toiletries, a couple of video games that he had already beaten long ago, and a few manga volumes that he had finished before reaching the halfway point of his journey, he hadn't packed anything else to entertain him on the long trip.
'Heh,' Hinata chuckled internally. 'Kind of ironic, really. I'm sure the other campers probably packed interesting things having to do with their talents, like instruments or sports equipment or something. Meanwhile my stuff shows just how boring and plain I am...'
Hinata tore his gaze away from the window, slowly glancing around the bus. Nobody else was there. He was the sole passenger. The only other person in the vehicle was the bus driver, who hadn't proved to be much of a conversationalist, which was alright with Hinata. He didn't want to distract him anyways.
Somehow, Hinata's anxiety grew even more, twisting his stomach into an even tighter knot. He wished there was at least one other person on the bus, another camper that he could talk with. Although, at the same time, he was glad to be alone. It was a strange paradox, one with no particularly preferable side to it. He wanted to get to know at least one person before getting to camp so he could have the advantage of being acquainted with someone else before he got there, therefore not being completely alone to fend for himself in the awkward sea of introductions that was sure to follow. But, at the same time, he was relieved that he wouldn't have to meet another camper just yet, especially one on one.
Because then he would truly see just how inferior he was to them.
Hinata wasn't talented or gifted, he knew that. He realized all to well just how average he was. But when he received the pamphlet for Camp Hope's Peak for Talented Individuals, something within him changed. It was gradual metamorphosis. At first, he had actually scoffed when he saw the brochure in the mail. Him? Talented? It was almost as if some sadistic committee member for the camp had sent him the brochure to taunt him, to remind him how infuriatingly plain he was.
However, his cynicism had evaporated at least somewhat when he noticed a certain section of the brochure.
'We realize that our brochure may discourage some readers with its specific wording. Some may believe that they just don't have a talent, that they are completely and utterly unremarkable. Well, that's just not true! Everyone has a talent, even if they just don't know it yet. That is why we have reserved a slot on our admissions program for one self proclaimed 'average' student who wishes to discover their own talent, to find what truly sets them apart from their peers. If you've ever thought of yourself as untalented or completely normal, then we encourage you to join our program this summer so that we can prove you wrong! We guarantee that by the end of your stay at Camp Hope's Peak for Talented Individuals, you will have discovered something about yourself that you can take absolute pride in, a unique ability that sets you apart from the flock!'
Hinata remembered shaking his head. It sounded ridiculous. These people were just blowing smoke, too deluded by their strange obsession with talent to realize the truth of the matter. Some people just didn't posses any special skills. People like him.
But...
What if they could help him? What if this odd camp could really help him find his calling in life?
'Whatever.' Hinata had thought, flipping over to the admissions page. 'I might as well apply. If I don't get in, I don't get in. I'm sure there will be tons of other talentless losers like me applying, so the odds of me being accepted are low anyways. If I'm not accepted, I'll just take it as Fate telling me to just accept my lot in life.'
These negative thoughts pursued Hinata for the weeks after he sent his application. He couldn't shake the pessimistic plague that surrounded him, though, somewhere deep inside, he could feel a small shred of hope that he would be accepted, though he never paid much thought to it.
Which is why he was surprised when he received his acceptance letter in the mail just a few weeks later.
Which brought boy back to his present situation. Sitting alone on a bus, traveling to a remote location where, for the next few weeks, he would be surrounded by several specially skilled peers intent on honing their known talents while he floundered to discover his own.
Needless to say, he wasn't exactly brimming with confidence.
7Z7Z7Z7
Hinata took a deep breath as his feet met natural ground for the first time in over three hours. Lugging his suitcase closer to his side, he gazed up at the crudely carved wooden arch that read "Camp Hope's Peak for Talented Individuals".
'Kind of a mouthful, really...' he thought to himself.
Turning back to the bus he had stepped down from, he addressed the driver, who had simply stopped the vehicle and opened the doors for Hinata after they had reached their destination.
"Excuse me," he said. "Would you happen to know the layout of the camp grounds? Would you be able to direct me to the main building or...?"
The heavyset man simply let out an animal-like grunt and pulled the door operation lever. The doors swung closed immediately, causing Hinata to take a step back in alarm. Then the bus roared to life and trudged off further down the long, lonely road, leaving the teenager alone.
'Wow, rude.' Hinata scowled. 'I mean, I would be cranky too after driving down a crappy old road for three hours, but he didn't have to take it out on me!'
It was then that Hinata realized that the man had been pretty gruff before they had parted ways as well. He hadn't said a single word to Hinata since he got on the bus, and the high school student had really never gotten a good look at the man's face. He had always had his cap pulled down rather low.
Shrugging off the odd behavior of the rude man, Hinata turned back to his present issue.
"Well," he said aloud. "Guess I should just find my own way there."
With one final deep breath that (surprise) did nothing to calm his nerves, Hajime Hinata stepped forward under the archway, officially entering Camp Hope's Peak for Talented Individuals.
Well, I hope you enjoyed the first chapter! I'm planning on starting the next one soon, where we'll be meeting the other characters and getting the plot started up with a little help from a certain bear.
Until then, thank you for reading, and I hope to see you back for the next chapter!