A/N: Beware: Lots of Dangan Ronpa spoilers, particularly pertaining to my choice of protagonist. The victims and culprits will not be the same as in DR. Even if the ship is tagged, its probably going to be at most just heavily implied [edit: I lied, Mukuro/Kyoko is gonna be endgame af] & none of them are very prominent until later. Hope you enjoy!

Edit: At the time I began this, there was hardly any Mukuro content. There's slightly more now, I would consider this a heavy re-imagining and re-interpretation of her character, her personality changing with the change in her environment.

Ships:

Mains: Mukuro/Makoto & Mukuro/Kyoko (Like how Makoto was close with Sayaka and Kyoko)

Others: some background implications of Leon/Sayaka & Makoto/Sayaka, lots of implied one-sided feelings on Mukuro's part towards other characters (especially unrequited Mukuro/Sayaka!), Kiyotaka/Mondo, subtextual Hina/Sakura (implied unrequited?), unrequited Toko/Byakuya, and more!

Friendships: Despair Sisters, Hiro & Mukuro (!), Mukuro & Makoto, Mukuro & Sayaka, Mukuro & most characters tbh, Kiyotaka & Mondo, Sakura & Hina (These two verge on romantic but it's more on the subtextual side)

Warnings: some depictions of violence (this is Dangan Ronpa so it's on the more cartoonish side), major character death!, dark humor, future genderqueer characters, sapphic/wlw protagonist, queer protagonist, emotional manipulation

Prologue

The building stood before me, taller and much more intimidating than I had ever imagined. The sun, climbing high in the sky as the day moved onward, caused it to cast a dark shadow over me as I gazed upward in awe. Kibougamine Academy, or as it more commonly known as, Hope's Peak... It was said that attending was a near guarantee for success in life. Students do not apply, they are recruited. Only the best of the best had the chance attend. And, to my utter amazement, I had been recruited for this upcoming class for my talents as the Ultimate Detective.

In a place like this, there had to be at least a few good mysteries worth solving. Naturally, as any good detective ought, I had made sure to do plenty of research beforehand. The forums on the school website had all but ensured me that my class was full of all sorts of fascinating characters.

An Ultimate Moral Compass rumored to be a pushover?

A swimmer who does not attend a single practice?

An Ultimate Good Luck who had marks more outstanding than the majority of the supposed "gifted" students?

A gambler whose luck knows no bounds?

As intimidated as I was by the whole process, I was itching to meet my classmate. What sort of secrets would I uncover at my stay here?

Well, at the very least, I knew I had one mystery worth uncovering-Junko Enoshima.

If truth be told, I had always been curious about my baby sister, but to think that she had grown up to become a Ultimate Pop Sensation was almost unfathomable. And to discover the truth in this way? To be reunited like this, recruited by the exact same exclusive private school?

It had seemed too crazy, too farfetched to be the truth, like a scenario straight out of a cheesy movie or a bad fanfiction. On the other hand, she sounded so happy when she wrote to me that I desperately wanted to believe her, despite my doubts. I mean, it wasn't every day you received a letter from a superstar-who also happened to be your long lost sister.

Of course, upon this new development, I did my usual poking around. Mother had always been unusually cryptic about my past. Well, perhaps not so unusual for her. Privacy just seemed to be a Ikusaba family trait. Still the truth was never hidden from me for long. As far as I could tell, it was, indeed, the truth.

Junko Enoshima, Ultimate Pop Sensation, was my baby twin sister.

Still standing outside the schoo, I hugged my arms close to my chest, trying to get a grip as I took slow, deep breaths. I did not want to show it, but I was nervous. It was more than just my classmates I had to impress; it was my sister, too.

Maybe I was being ridiculous. It was uncharacteristic for me to care so much about what others thought of me. The job of a detective was to be invisible, after all. I would be professional and nothing more. Being impressive? It never seemed important before, but this was my sister after all—my family. It was as if I was sprouting a new and unfamiliar desire to gain her approval.

What would she think of me? Would she be happy to have me as a big sister?

Or would I be a disappointment?

Well, the only way to find out would be to press forward. According to the orientation letter, new students were supposed to gather in the entrance hall at 8. I was a little early, but in the end, I decided it would be better to wait inside. It was definitely a step up from waiting by the entrance, standing outside the gates like a lost child.

I opened the large, intimidating double doors—fit for such a large, intimidating school—and took my first steps inside my new school.

I took my first step into the empty hall and then...

Everything went black.

When I finally woke, it was to the sight of an unfamiliar and otherwise empty classroom. It was dimly lit, but in my stupor I could make out the steel plates bolted to the walls-to tired for the panic to set in just yet. Before confusion could fully take hold, I noticed, out of the corner of my eye, a note on one of the desks.

Cautiously, I picked it up, taking note of the hastily scribbled handwriting. There was something ominous about the note, but it was the only clue I was given in an otherwise empty room.

"Welcome to your new life at Hope's Peak Academy! Meet in the entrance hall at 8:00 for a welcoming ceremony! Don't be late!"

Strange.

I weighed my options. On the one hand, there was something clearly suspicious about this cryptic message. On the other hand, what else was I to do? I was still weighting my options when I checked the clock. It was already five after 8.

Well, it's the only lead I've got so far.

My decision was made. Having no other indications of my circumstances, I figured I better head over to the entrance hall.

Outside the empty classroom, the corridors were about as dimly lit as the classroom, giving them an ominous feel. The hall was silent, except for for the sound of my footsteps against the tile floor. I walked slowly and cautiously, for fear of getting lost, but my tardiness did not escape me. Still, I wanted to take note of my environment. I needed to know my surroundings, just as a safety precaution.

When I opened the door to the entrance hall, I was greeted by the faces of confused and disgruntled students.

My curiosity had once again arisen.

What was going on? Where these my classmates, the incoming 78th class?

The boy nearest to the door let out a relieved sigh, "Oh! Looks like that must be everyone then! So then... That makes 16 of us in total." He was short with messy brown hair and an ahoge, and he was dressed in a white uniform.

"Did you wake up in an empty classroom, too?" asked a tan girl with a high ponytail and knee brace.

The tall blonde next to her sneered. "Well, that was obvious. We all did."

I didn't answer, too overwhelmed by the bombarding questions and new faces.

The first boy shook his head, obviously wanting to avoid any conflict. "Never mind that. Let's give the newcomer their space. Well..." He looked around before turning back to me. "I think since you're late, introductions are in order."

He held out his hand, smiling with a warmth reached his light green eyes, and was so genial it was almost comforting.

"I'm Makoto Naegi, Ultimate Moral Compass. Pleased to meet you!"

He seemed nice enough, and it was a relief to know that despite the talent here, not all the students were quite so cutthroat. I'd heard about Makoto. He was one of the less frequent mentions on the forums. The athletes and stars obviously were the ones who got the most attention. Being a good student wasn't much fuel to stir gossip. He was rumored to be impossibly sweet, but also a bit of a pushover. Still, there were anecdotes about his skills in conflict resolution. I could see where the people were coming from. He gave off good vibes.

Still, I was hesitant to let down my guard too soon.

But there was something about the way he smiled.

I took his hand tentatively, nodding curtly. "Mukuro Ikusaba. Ultimate Detective."

"Neat!" said Makoto. "Well, I'd better give everyone else an opportunity to introduce themselves as well." He turned to the student beside him. "Leon!" And just like that, he was gone.

Although I didn't want to admit it, I was slightly disappointed. After all, he seemed like a nice kid. I wouldn't have minded having a chat with him. Still, I supposed there'd be time for that later. Before I even really had time to register his absence, he was shortly replaced by a boy with flaming red hair.

"Hey! The name's Leon Kuwata! Nice to meetcha." He flashed a wide grin.

Leon Kuwata?

"Wait, so you're that prodigy swimmer everyone's been talking about?" I realized that my incredulous tone probably sounded rude, but his appearance had me taken aback.

At first glance he hardly seemed to be the typical student athlete type. He had an athletic build, lithe, but tough, ideal for a swimmer. Still, upon further inspection, something was definitely off. With his spiked hair and a goatee, leather jacket, and multiple piercings, he looked much more like a punk than any jock I'd ever seen. (Although to be fair, I didn't exactly have the traditional middle school experience). Still, underneath all the rocker edge, you could still make out a pretty, boyish face and a winning smile.

I could appreciate his aesthetic, even if it walked the line between being cool and trying too hard. . Then again, what did I really know about style? I certainly had none.

He seemed a bit put off by my response, as I'd predicted. "Did you expect some revved up jock? Nah man, I hate swimming. That's why I came here, so I could have a fresh start."

I introduced myself as well. He seemed friendly if a little apathetic, but that was the general response I expected. He'd done the quick glance up and down, and I knew I'd been dismissed, but it didn't bother me. He talked, and I was listening absentmindedly.

"So I want to start this band. What do you think? I got the look, right?"

I nodded. Day one and he was already going on about his dream (which was apparently to become a musician), but I didn't mind. It was kind of funny actually. He was telling me about his bass when I felt a light tap on my shoulder.

I turned to face a gorgeous girl with long, silky blue hair, accessorized with an ornate pink bow.

"Leon, give the girl a break, she just got here. Don't tell me you've already confessed that you hate swimming! You only just met her!"

She giggled, turning to address me.

"Pleased to meet you! I'm Sayaka Maizono!"

Her uniform was modified—skirt on the much shorter side with a loose tie around her neck, and... was that a bralette peaking through her shirt? Her clothes definitely made a statement-the lace, the thigh-highs, the hair pins. Cute, but also confident. Detailed, but not over the top.

Something about her face seemed oddly familiar...

"I've seen you before!" My calm composure was broken as the realization hit me. I had definitely seen her somewhere. The long blue hair, the wide, earnest bright eyes, the delicate ivory skin. "You're all over the magazine covers! That would make you... Ultimate Fashionista?"

Sayaka laughed once more. "Guilty!"

I sighed, like an idiot paying no mind to how my admiring gaze would come across.

She was certainly very enchanting. Stunning, even. I was suddenly very self conscious of my own appearance, something I usually paid little mind. But in comparison to her, I did feel a bit like a shrinking violet. If she noticed my reservation, she did not acknowledge it.

"It has been so nice to meet you!" said Sayaka. "By the way, I just wanted to say, I love your hair!"

"Really?"

"Yeah! It is so sleek and easy. It's very 'in' right now."

I flushed, stuttering a thank you in response. It certainly didn't compare to hers, but who was I to deny praise from a model?

We engaged in small-talk for a little while longer. She was very easy to talk to; on the other hand, just being the same room made my self-esteem take a serious hit.

However, since I knew I could not spend too much time on any one person, I reluctantly moved onto the next student: a boy in blazer uniform over a green hoodie.

He had heavy eyebrows in a perpetual scowl and short, inky-black hair. "Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mukuro Ikusaba! My name is Kiyotaka Ishimaru, but you can call me Taka! Let us work together on our educational crusade!"

His scowl shifted, replaced by a huge, beaming smile. That definitely made him seem more approachable, but it didn't affect his speech, which was still very deliberate and, well, assertive.

"You are the Ultimate Detective, are you not?" He spoke in an intense manner, loud and too the point, for a moment I too overwhelmed to speak.

I managed a response. "That would be me."

I racked my brain to see if that name rang any bells. Kiyotaka Ishimaru...

"And you are... the Ultimate Lucky Student?"

He bristled. I seemed to have struck a nerve with him, and I couldn't help but wonder what I had done wrong.

"Yes, I am the Ultimate Lucky Student. But I will have you know, Mukuro, that I fully intend to prove that I deserve a place at this school along with all the other talented students! It is shameful having to rely on such a thing as good luck."

I privately wondered if it the glare was because he was annoyed or if his eyebrows were perpetually fixated into that intimidating scowl.

"Well, Taka—"

Before I could get in a word, I was interrupted by a booming voice.

"Taka? As in Kiyotaka Ishimaru?"

A tall, muscular boy in a white tank and a jean vest came forward, sporting the most ridiculous haircut that I had ever seen. If truth be told, it held more of a resemblance to corn than to actual hair, since it was bleached on top and styled way too far in front of his face with liberal amounts of hairgel. It would have been laughable if fear of his reaction didn't hold me back. He seemed jovial enough, but it was better not to push my luck. "Mondo Owada, Ultimate Martial Artist."

His focus was more on Taka than myself although I must say, I hardly minded. I wasn't particularly keen on diverting his attention.

At once, Taka became rather flustered. "That sounds familiar, but I—"

Well, whether Taka remembered Mondo or not, I certainly knew who he was. Checking out the forums, I noticed that Mondo had gained quite a reputation for himself as a mixed martial arts fighter, taking the title from his brother while still in his teens. The guy was strong, sure, but more than that, he was quick-thinking and good on his feet. However, his impulsiveness had gotten him into some trouble, both in and out of the ring. According to the discussion forums, the guy apparently had quite a temper. It was best not to piss him off. All posts on him contained heavy warnings: do not cross him.

While I could see why someone would want to take heed (for the time being) Mondo remained in good spirits. He laughed, slapping Taka on the back, probably rather hard since it seemed to throw Taka off his center, his eyes bulging as he coughed and struggled to stay upright. Catching a better glance at his person, I noticed Mondo's arms bore lots and lots of bandage tape. "What, ya don't remember me? Middle school? You're a sixer ain't ya? From Sixth Black Root Middle School, class two?"

Realization seemed to dawn over Taka, and he suddenly seemed very embarrassed, going red in the face. "Yes! Yes, of course! How could I have possibly let it slip my mind."

Mondo turned to face me again, for once acknowledging my presence. "Ya should'a seen this kid! He had a competitive edge strong enough to rival mine!"

That would explain Taka's earlier behavior quite a bit...

The guy certainly seemed eager to prove himself.

Mondo sighed, obviously disappointed about something. I was immediately on edge. I had a feeling that this guy was somebody I did not want to let down. "Aye... It's a shame. You're smaller than I remember, man. Looks like you're not fit to be my sparring partner."

Well, it was disappointing for Mondo, maybe, but a relief for myself. He hadn't even seemed to consider me as an option, which I found odd, but there was no way I was going to question him.

Thankfully, I was saved from a response by a voice that came from behind. "If you are in need of a sparring partner, perhaps I can be of assistance?"

I turned to face whoever had spoken, and to my surprise, it was a slender girl with long hair of an indiscernable silvery lavender color, dressed all in black. Her expression, completely devoid of emotion, was familiar to me.

It was an expression one learned to master when dealing with secrets.

However, my job was secrets. I wondered what hers could be.

Before anyone could reply, she continued. "Let me know if you are interested." However, as she said this, she didn't look to either Mondo or Taka. Instead, her eyes met mine, and she smirked, glancing me up and down. She turned to leave the conversation almost as suddenly as she had entered it, Mondo and Taka trying not to gawk. As she walked away, she said, in a voice quiet yet full of authority, "Kyoko Kirigiri, Ultimate Soldier. Looking forward to it."

I took a liking to her immediately.

Looking back to Mondo, I could see he seemed sheepish. "Well, that was weird."

"Sure." I nodded, agreeing despite my intrigue. Zoning out of our conversation, I continued to stare in Kyoko's direction. There had been no mention of a Kyoko Kirigiri on any of the message boards.

A voice, male by the sound of it, and in a rather haughty tone, punctured the silence. "Is this going to take much longer, or are you planning to keep me waiting like this all morning?" It was the tall blonde in square specs from earlier. His arms were crossed, his posture upright and defiant, his gaze scathing. He wore a button up shirt and tie under his black hoodie. Everything about him, from his broad shoulders to his cross expression to the large headphones around his neck, read "disdain."

I tried my best to remain polite. "Apologies if I have kept you waiting, but there are quite a lot of people in here to meet."

Standing face to face, for some reason he seemed even taller than I remembered.

"Hmph." He seemed disgruntled.

I waited from him continue, but he said nothing.

"Excuse me? I'm afraid I-"

"You are excused."

I was beginning to get fed up with this guy. "I don't believe I caught your name. Mukuro Ikusaba. And you are?" My tone was a little more forceful than was usually necessary, but he wasn't the only one whose patience was being tried.

"Bore someone else with your questions." He began to take his leave. "I'm done here. Byakuya Togami. Ultimate Programmer."

Yep. Another common name from the forums. He'd invented countless programs and was a pretty infamous hacker in the tech world. I knew shamefully little about computers or programming, but I supposed at least he had the intelligence to back up his air of superiority. Not that it was an excuse. He definitely had his fans, though. Maybe if they knew who he really was, they'd change their tune, but then again, maybe not. Techies could be devout.

A petite girl with short hair approached me next. She spoke to me in a feeble voice, so low that it was practically inaudible.

"Sorry, I didnt catch that?"

"Oh! I'm sorry... I said that it's nice to meet you. My name is Chihiro Fujisaki."

They way she said it, it was like she was almost ashamed of herself. I felt a little sorry for her.

Still, Chihiro Fujisaki? Now that was a name that rang a bell.

"Fujisaki? So that means you're the Ultimate Affluent Progeny? Heir to the entire Fujisaki Conglomerate?"

This meek little girl was to inherit that economic superpower?

And what was up with these "Ultimate" titles? "Ultimate Affluent Progeny"... Would calling her an "heir" really have been so difficult?

"I'm sorry... I'm not exactly what you were expecting, where you?" She looked close to tears.

"No, no, not at all!" I reassured her, not wanting to cause a scene. "I'm just a little surprised. I expected the heir to the Fujisaki conglomerate to be more like Ultimate Prick over there." I nodded in Byakuya's direction.

To my delight, she giggled, her mood cheering up considerably. Practically everything about her was adorable, from the multitudes of ruffles on her umbrella skirt to the suspenders to the impeccably tailored off-white cardigan. The ensemble was simple, but seemed deluxe. It was almost sickeningly sweet. "Thank goodness! I thought perhaps that you didn't like me!"

It had been quite some time since I had heard anything about the Fujisaki family. I knew they had a son, but I didn't remember anything about a daughter. The forums had very little information on Chihiro Fujisaki. She was rumored to be very brilliant and to have accumulated a fortune of her own, independent from her family company. Unlike most of the other Ultimates, she had been homeschooled for most of her life. However, apart from that, she mostly kept out of the public eye.

Seeing her petite, fragile figure, I could understand why she would want to keep to herself.

We exchanged a few more words before I parted ways. She was by far one of the more approachable people I'd met. Still, I did need to finish introductions.

I wondered how much more I would have to go through because all these over-the-top personalities were more than a little exhausting.

I approache a reserved-looking girl in braids next, and she stuttered her introduction. "I'm T-Toko. Toko Fukawa... Ultimate Fanfic Creator..." Everything about her attire was oversized; she wore a seifuku with a large, baggy skirt, and huge, round glasses with lenses made her eyes seem equally huge.

As she spoke, she avoided my eyes, fiddling with the tie around her neck in a nervous gesture. Instead of traditional scarf or a bow to go with her uniform, she wore a brightly patterned tie with assorted pins. They seemed to be merchandise for shows I certainly did not recognize. Anime, cartoons, dramas, stuff like that.

From what I knew of her, she has a pretty large following in many large fandom communities. Toko was famous for her "hurt/comfort" fic and other... popular genres. But I'd seen some of her tamer art. She was very talented, I would give her that.

Although, I supposed saying that Toko Fukawa was famous for her fic was not entirely accurate. Rather, her pseudonym, "SunWitch RavenWay", was famous. She'd been publishing anonymously for years, and only fairly recently within the last few years had she finally opened up to the public after much speculation.

"So you write fan-fic?" I asked her, despite already knowing the answer. I was trying to make polite conversation more than anything else.

"Y-Y-Yes. And I d-draw fanart. N-not that—not that you'll even bother t-to remember."

"Well, that's pretty presumptuous of you, don't you think? I've seen your work. It's quite good."

My response seemed to have caught her off guard. Her stuttering worsened, eyes wide.

"Th-th-that's not what—that's not—that—that's not what I... W-Why are you—you asking m-me this? Is this an attack? It's b-b-because I'm ugly, isn't it? Not like a girl like you would have much room to talk..." She grit her teeth, glaring at me in anger and frustration.

Surprised by such sudden hostility, I tried not to let my hurt slip through. I generally thought of myself as someone with a thick skin, but the accusation still stung. I made a mental note about saying anything she could possibly take the wrong way. Perhaps it was just bad first impressions, but the girl had a bit of a possible persecution complex, probably a good thing for me to want to remember. I didn't want to step on anybody's toes. Furthermore, I didn't want to upset her.

Not wanting to belabor our introduction even further, I quickly attempted to detach myself from her presence.

In my haste to get out, I accidentally bumped into a large boy with glasses. "Pardon me, Miss Mukuro Ikusaba. Allow me to introduce myself! Hifumi Yamada, Ultimate Writing Prodigy. You would do well to remember it." Getting a better look at him, I could see he had short brown hair with a pointy ahoge, and was dressed in a casual cardigan and button-down. Despite the fact that we were in a school, he was the only one with a backpack.

Meeting my eyes, he smiled at me through puffy cheeks.

I quirked an eyebrow, mildly amused. Looks like I'd run into another ego. At least this one was polite enough...

"Hmm..." He scrutinized me, leaning in and squinting behind his thick-lensed glasses. "What sort of character are you, Miss Mukuro Ikusaba?... Black hair, impassive, humble appearance. You seem like the strong silent type!" He pointed a finger at me triumphantly. "A character as such would only feel at home in a noir murder mystery!"

I allowed myself a small chuckle. "Well, you aren't wrong."

He grinned, obviously pleased with himself.

"Although," he added, and I braced myself for more. "If we were in a noir, I do not think would be a Femme Fatale... For that you would have to be attractive and mysterious!"

I sighed, but said nothing. There always had to be a catch. Sixteen students of incredible talent, yet none of them could have a normal conversation with kids their own age.

That was probably too harsh. After all, the guy was a famous novelist. At the very least, that was impressive. His romance novels were always best-selling hits, climbing to the top of the charts. He'd received plenty of awards and praise, but with his fame he's always acquired a decent number of critics as well.

I'd been sucked into an unwilling long-winded and one-sided conversation with Hifumi when I made eye-contact with a tall, muscular girl who stood across the room.

Possibly noticing my distress, she approached me, cutting in between me and Hifumi. "I do not believe we have met."

"Right!" I squeaked. I was intimidated by her large frame, however grateful I was at her intrusion.

She addressed Hifumi. "Pardon me, I would a moment to introduce myself to the new student."

Hifumi, perhaps equally intimidated, nodded and hastily backed away.

"I apologize for interrupting," she said, shaking what was supposed to be my hand. However, with the amount of unintended force, it felt more like my entire arm.

"It's no trouble," I said, although when she let go, I took a moment to flex my fingers, and massage my wrist, making sure the thing still worked.

"Sakura Ogami, Ultimate Biker Gang Leader."

From my research, she was another one of those Ultimates most people warned to "Stay Away!", but she wasn't really what I had expected of a gang leader at all. At first glance she was intimidating, certainly, what with the scar across her face and large black embroidered coat, but I was surprised. She nothing but polite and reserved. Her long white hair fell down to her waist, such a pretty note in an otherwise intimidating lady. She'd gained respect from her gang as well as other biker gangs through the country, and now I could see why.

She definitely had a commanding presence. Just her voice alone commanded authority.

Another girl that I'd spotted chatting to Sakura earlier approached us, introducing herself to me. She was a stark contrast to Sakura: smiling, tan, curvy and muscular, athletic in both build and attire, and very pretty, with a pony tail that practically defied gravity. "Hiya! Sakura, who is this?"

"Hello, Hina. This is Mukuro Ikusaba. She is a detective."

The girl's eyes went wide. "That is so cool! And I see you've already met Sakura."

"Yes, do you two know each other?"

Sakura shook her head, and Hina laughed.

"Actually, no! Is that what you thought? We just met."

I was surprised. The way they seemed to bounce back and forth of each other, it was like they already had an established rapport. Like they'd been friends for years.

The girl smiled at me. "I'm Aoi Asahina, Ultimate All Star! But my friends just call me Hina."

Her talent would not have been difficult to guess. Simply put, she was quite a ball of energy.

She chuckled, fidgeting awkwardly. "Hehe... What was your name again? Must've slipped my mind," asked Hina.

I smiled patiently as I responded. She frowned and muttered something quietly to herself, apparently deep in thought. I parted with the two of them. Seeing Sakura and Hina together, I realized I was already the third wheel, and that I'd better be on my way.

Sakura Ogami and Aoi Asahina were definitely two names I recognized. As an athletic star, I could see why recruiting Hina was a must. The real puzzle was trying to work out why the school would recruit an outlaw biker, even the best one in the country.

In the end I figured the school must have its reasons, so I decided not to dwell on it further, at least for the time being.

Still, Sakura's recruitment continued to be odd. Hina on the other hand was a figure growing in popularity in the sports crowd. It was not a surprise to me at all that she was here. She and Leon seemed to be clumped together a lot, labeled as the "rising stars". While Leon Kuwata was the prodigy swimmer, Aoi Asahina was famous for being dedicated as well as multi-talented. Oh, and their good looks didn't hurt either. Neither of them were particularly my type, but I could see the appeal. Hina, after years of jumping from sport to sport, finally settled on softball, earning her the title "Ultimate All Star". While everyone was anticipating for Leon to eventually compete in the Olympics (something that seemed more and more like a dwindling possibility after my conversation with him), Hina was already being scouted for the big leagues.

Still, so much of the conversation surrounding Hina was dominated by her looks. It was kind of depressing. Female athletes already got less recognition than male ones, but Leon was recognized for his talent; Hina for her appearance.

My train of thought was interrupted when I remembered my goal. My eyes fell upon a deathly pale girl with red eyes and impossibly long black hair with severe bangs. I shook my head, clearing my thoughts. Introductions, right. Introductions.

Still, I was hesitant to approach her. Something about her was ominous. It wasn't really anything physical, even though she was somewhat gothic. The girl wore an elegant, flowy, loose dress consisting of many layers and fabrics, all dark in color. It was like a costume, very ornate, very over-the-top. She looked just like the animatronics in those glass boxes, the ones that supposedly tell your future. It was more her air than anything else.

"Mukuro Ikusaba." I kept it short.

"Greetings, Mukuro Ikusaba. My name is Celestia Ludenberg, but you may call me Celeste." Her smile, while on the surface appeared perfectly normal, had a strange, eerie feel to it.

"Pleased to meet you."

I decided not to address the name. It certainly wasn't Japanese, but that would be a question for later, if at all. It probably would've been in poor taste to ask, especially right off the bat.

"The pleasure is all mine," said Celeste. "I am the Ultimate Clairvoyant, as you probably already guessed. Would you care to know your fortune, Miss Ikusaba? I see quite interesting things in your future." She giggled behind her hand, the nails black and filed into sharp points, her slender fingers covered in rings. Her laughter seemed innocent enough, but the sound was positively unnerving.

I definitely wanted to move on.

Next was a boy with dreads that stuck out in practically every direction. Judging by his face and barest trace of stubble on his chin, he seemed much older than the other students. His black coat hung loosely over his shoulders, and was embroidered in great detail. His entire existence looked as if it disobeyed the laws of physics. "Hey!" He put up a hand in a small wave. "I'm Hiro Hagakure. Just Hiro though, 'right? Good ta meet you, Mukuro! Ultimate Gambler, that's me! Take it easy, I know I will!" He grinned hugely.

He was yet another familiar name. Hiro Hagakure, high school student who was known for robbing thousands, even millions away from unlucky gamblers in a single night. He was quite infamous in the underworld for leaving a trail of destruction in his wake. One of the more ridiculous rumors claimed he'd never lost a single bid. The strategy he used to leave everyone in the dust was a topic discussed at length within the forums. No matter how much discussion and thought was put into it, not a single person could figure it out.

He was truly a curious case for me. One of the few students who had already managed to spark my interest.

It was like everything about him was designed to throw me off. He was in high school, yet appeared to be thirty. The black coat looked luxe, so ornate and detailed and unique, but it also had obvious patch-work. His manner was laid back, almost like a stoner, but his laugh was enthused. He seemed nice enough, but there was a glint of mania in his eye. He gesticulated with his arms, but his coat never left his shoulders. He clearly had money, but his jewelry looked like the hemp bracelets from a yoga studio.

And then there were the shoes.

The most ridiculous, decadent display of wealth in shoes with a gold-plated toe that made them seem like armor or scales.

Oh, the questions in store...

"Ultimate Gambler, is that even legal?"

He laughed. It was loud and boisterous, shoulders shaking up and down. He was absolutely jovial. "It is for me, dude! I'm twenty-one! Not that it even stopped me much before, yeah?"

A twenty year old still in high school?

"Aye, well don't say it like that..." He sighed in dismay. "The way I see it, this school is my chance to start over, yeah?"

I hadn't realized that I had spoken my thoughts out loud. Before I could stop myself, I flushed a light shade of pink, thoroughly embarrassed. I muttered a quiet apology, wanting to sink right through the floor and disappear. However, he seemed hardly phased by my words or embarrassment, his good nature hardly deterred at all. Nevertheless, I excused myself to go, trying in vain to regain my composure.

That was when I heard a girl's voice behind me.

An unfamiliar voice.

The sixteenth voice.

The last student I had yet to meet.

"So, sis, what on earth took you so long?"

I turned.

"Junko? Junko Enoshima?"

She laughed, the sound pleasant and melodious. She was everything and more. "That's right! And you're my big sis, Mukuro Ikusaba! Don't tell me that I'm mistaken, that'd be embarrassing."

Somehow she managed to be simultaneously intimidating and yet completely charming. Her appearance seemed to be taken straight from the cover of a magazine or an idol book: strawberry blonde hair; expressive blue eyes; a white, even smile; smooth, porcelain skin. She was just the ideal Ultimate Pop Sensation. Such a contrast to my own appearance: heavily-hooded eyes—despite them being the same shade of blue; my short, black and bob-cut—practical but plain; and lastly my sallow complexion and permanent dark circles, appropriate only for a very sleep-deprived Ultimate Detective.

Before I knew it, I was being crushed in a tight hug. "I've always wanted a big sister! It's so good to finally meet you!"

I smiled awkwardly as I tried to return the hug. "It's nice to finally meet you as well. It has been quite some time." That was the understatement of the century, but it was the best I could do. As pleased as I was to meet her as well, I'd never been good at handling affection—not that I received much in the first place.

Before the two of us could even attempt to catch up, a high pitched noise rang throughout the room, painfully sharp to the ears.

"Mic test, mic test. One, two three."

Looking around the entrance hall I could see the same anxious and perplexed look on everybody's faces.

"What's going on?" asked Junko, her tone hushed.

I shook my head in response, unsure myself.

The voice came again, only now we could detect that the source was from the speakers set up in the corners of the hall.

"There is an assembly in the gym. Everybody head there straight away!"

It did not take long for the sixteen of us to congregate in the gym.

Waiting in anxious anticipation, we looked around, taking in the scenery as some of us spoke in hushed whispers about our suspicions.

I was-Well, we all were-beginning to get rather antsy, waiting for something—anything—to happen when at last...

Something sprang out from behind the podium.

Black and white, rather small, and looking exactly like a teddy bear, it would have been completely comical under normal circumstances. Instead, my only reaction was the chills.

"A toy bear?" Makoto asked the question that surely was on everyone's mind. His confusion and anxiety was apparent on his face. It mirrored the rest of our expressions.

"I'm not a toy! I'm Monokuma, your new headmaster!"

The voice came from the thing standing at the podium, whatever it was. Ridiculous, high-pitched, & almost amusing, as if from a kid's cartoon. Instead, it was grating.

At hearing the toy speak, several of the students gasped.

"The stuffed toy talks?" cried Hifumi in shock.

However, some students, like Byakuya and Kyoko, remained completely impassive.

"I told you, I'm not a toy! Listen up, you bastards! As your new headmaster, I've come to the conclusion that this school is way too boring. So... This year, we're doing things a little differently."

It's single red eye flashed dangerously.

"Who are you? What is the meaning of this?" Kyoko's voice, cold and intimidating, broke through the silence, the one person brave enough to challenge him.

"I told you, I'm Monokuma! I'm the headmaster of this school, and I have a very important announcement."

Whatever this was, I did not like the sound of it one bit.

"Starting this semester, you guys are going to be spending the rest of your lives here."

What?

My thoughts were echoed aloud by several people in the room. Looking around, I could see the anxious expressions of nearly everyone.

"Ahaha, good one!" Hiro laughed, and some of the others shot him disbelieving looks.

Perhaps he did believe it, but the sound wasn't convincing. I got the feeling that deep down, he knew the truth. Or, well, maybe he really was an idiot.

Truly, it seemed too outlandish to be true, yet something about the bear's behavior, despite his light, airy tone, told us that he was completely serious.

At this, it's tone became more irritated, clearly antagonized. "I am serious! Welcome to the rest of your lives!" Monokuma paused dramatically. "Unless of course, you want to graduate."

Graduate?

"G-graduate?"

Next voice to speak up was Toko's nervous stutter, voicing mine and everyone else's thought aloud.

As promising as that sounded, there had to be a catch.

"Yes!" said Monokuma. "Graduation is such a special time in a person's life. It really quite the ceremony! I remember mine like it was only yesterday." If it was a joke, it didn't land. "However, each student must meet the qualifications! That's just the way things work around here. So... In order to graduate, you have to kill someone!"

Dead silence. It was as if a hush fell over the students.

At last, Chihiro asked in a quiet, feeble voice, "Kill each other? But—"

"Cutting, stabbing, smashing, burning, poisoning, choking, doesn't matter how! All that matters is that in order to leave this place, that's what you have to do! As long as you don't get caught of course." Monokuma was positively gushing with excitement. It was nauseating.

Mondo clenched his fists, his jaw set in anger. "'Ey, what the fuck do ya think you're playing at? Cut the crap with this sick joke!" He looked ready to pounce.

"Joke? Are you sure you aren't referring to your hair?" Monokuma asked, in such an mocking tone that would have been laughable-under different circumstances.

Mondo face began to burn red in embarrassment and frustration. But as his hulking figure approached Monokuma, his rage was legitimately terrifying. In that moment, I was ready to believed every single terrifying rumor about him. No doubt I was right in assuming he was not someone to cross.

"Listen here, you—"

Before he could do anything, he was cut off by Makoto, who had (either bravely or foolishly) stepped up and was barring the way between Monokuma and the fighter with a panicked look on his face.

"Mondo, please! Let's not overreact! We must'n't fight!"

It occurred to me just then how much smaller Makoto was than Mondo.

Unfortunately for Makoto, Mondo seemed far from calmed. Rather than mellowing out, his attention simply averted from Monokuma to the hall monitor. "You tryna tell me what to do kid?" He practically screamed in the kid's face.

Makoto waved his arms frantically in front of him, trying to backtrack. "No! No, that's not what I—"

There was a sickening smack, and before anyone realized exactly what had happened, Mondo punched Makoto so hard he fell to the ground with a loud thud. He lay still on the ground, clearly blacked out.

"At least it was a short trip to the ground," I heard Junko say quietly, snickering. I considered chastising her, but in the end, I let it go, too shocked to truly have the voice to speak.

"Makoto!"

Sayaka rushed to his side, shaking him and quick to check if he was alright. Seeing that he was still breathing, she allowed a sigh of relieve, but she didn't leave his side.

Hina glared at Mondo. "What the hell is your problem?" she asked indignantly.

Before he could respond, Monokuma's laugh rang throughout the hall.

"Puhu! Puhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhu! How exciting! Look, if you bastards are really so resigned to spending the rest of your lives here, then why don't you just kill somebody?"

Hina stood defiantly before the small bear. "Forget it! Nobody here is killing anyone!"

I was impressed by her bravery, and her stubbornness.

Monokuma stopped laughing. "Is that so? Well, we'll see, won't we?" His red eye flashed dangerously once more. "Listen, as much as I'd love to stay and chat, assembly's nearly over! I've provided you all with special electronic ID cards just for you. On them you'll find all the rules and regulations, make sure to read them carefully. Breaking a school rule can lead to punishment. And punishment means the need for drastic measures to enforce school policy."

He raised his paw, unveiling three sharp claws.

"And we wouldn't want that, would we?"

He laughed once more, and with that, he jumped back behind the podium and was gone.

For a painfully long moment, there was nothing but silence.

At last, it was broken by Sayaka, her voice tremulous. "S-so what now?"

For a minute, no one said a word.

Then, "Isn't it obvious? We wait for someone to die." The answer, cold and matter-of-fact, came from none other than Byakuya Togami.

The chilling words sent a shiver up my spine.

"How can you say that?" Hina's anxious voice was loud in the fearful silence. Her expression was disgusted.

"I could happen. We cannot simply rule out the possibility, no matter how much we may wish to," stated Kyoko, rational and cool under pressure.

There was something impressive about how calm she remained about the whole thing, but also something eerie.

Chihiro sniffed. "This is awful, how are we ever going to escape this place?" she said, her voice cracking as if she where near the brink of tears.

Sayaka stood up, moving to comfort her. "Don't worry Chihiro, I'm sure the cops are out searching for us."

Byakuya scoffed. "You're seriously going to rely on the cops?"

"I-I'm sorry, I..." Chihiro stuttered.

"Hey, leave the kid alone!" Mondo snapped, his temper firing up again. "Want me to teach you a lesson?"

Byakuya rolled his eyes. "Yes, exercise more pointless violence. That's sure to be extremely productive."

"Mondo, relax. Chihiro is fine, and Byakuya is right. We don't need anymore trouble."

For being a fairly small girl, Kyoko's presence commanded a lot of authority.

Byakuya turned away, heading towards the exit. "I've heard enough. You people are making my head hurt, it positively boggles the mind." He left without another word.

I could see that Mondo and Hina were seething.

Hina even moved to follow him, but Sakura Ogami put a warning hand on Hina's shoulder.

"Just let him be for now."

Hina grit her teeth in frustration, but relented nonetheless.

Leon piped up. In all the tension, I hadn't notice him grab his handbook. He raised a hand to make a point, clicking through the handbook and not looking up from the screen. "Uh, guys? I'm skimming through the rules, and what do you think number 5 means? 'If he is not betrayed by his classmates'?"

Celeste answered, also clicking through her e-handbook. "I should think that it means that the culprit cannot let anyone else find out about the murder." She answered so casually, it felt out of place associated with such a dark topic.

I snatched mine up, clicking through the rules to confirm it with my own eyes. Sure enough, it was there.

"Yeah but... They—whoever 'they' even is—don't seriously expect us to kill each other, right?" said Hina. "Surely nobody here is that desperate... right?"

"Even if it isn't meant to be serious, there could be someone stupid enough to believe it... and desperate enough to try." Celestia's words were harsh, but we all knew it was the uncomfortable truth.

Silence.

I decided I would be the one first one to break it.

"Well then, what do you suppose we should do?"

Her response was unnaturally cheerful. "Why adapt of course!" She smiled. "I'm certain we can manage to live together without any issues, I do hate it when I predict misfortune." She sighed, her positive attitude shifting almost immediately to one of resignation.

Her moods could shift so quickly, it was impossible to keep up.

Hifumi sighed as well, his posture absolutely deflating, "I always felt that I was written into the wrong story." He was heartbreakingly sullen. "Now it turns out I've been plopped right into the setting right out of a murder mystery novel, but it is not nearly as exciting and adventurous as I had hoped."

Toko snapped. "B-Be quiet! This isn't one of your romance novels, this is-this-this is real." She clapped her hands over her ears, shaking her head, eyes closed, muttering to herself. "This isn't happening... This isn't happening... This isn't happening.. Wh-Why me..." Her breathing was getting rapid.

"Toko, there's no need to be like that," said Sayaka, moving once again away from Chihiro to comfort. "I realize that our situation may not be ideal, but arguing—"

She was cut off by more of Toko's shrill hysterics.

"N-No shit! I don't need an airhead l-l-li-like you p-p-pointing out the obvious. Ideal? Our situation is f-f-f-f-f-far-far from-far from ideal, i-it's despicable, it's heinous, it's c-crueler than cruel!"

Surprisingly, it was not Sayaka but Leon whose temper had been ignited like a fuse. He stepped in between them, coming to Sayaka's aid. "Hey, what's the idea? Say that to her again, I dare you."

"Enough."

Kyoko's voice, usually quiet, was heard loud and clear throughout the entire gym. It had a note of finality to it that heavily implied not to challenge her. "All this arguing is pointless."

"'Right... So then what are we gonna do with 'Koto, here?" asked Hiro, nodding in the figure's direction. Makoto was still on the floor.

"Yeah, I mean we can't exactly just leave him laying here, can we?" said Junko from where she stood beside me, hands on her hips.

I thought it over.

"I think... the best thing for us to do would be to just have someone take him somewhere to rest. I'm assuming since this is Hopes Peak Academy, we more than likely have rooms."

"Yeah!" said Hina. "There's a whole row of dorms with nameplates! I passed 'em by not too long ago, on the way here!"

Sakura added, "Not to mention, Monokuma did say that we would be staying here for... quite some time. Surely there must be proper accommodations."

I nodded.

"I'll take him," said Mondo, raising a hand.

Perhaps I imagined it, but I could have sworn I detected a hint of embarrassment coupled with shame in his voice.

Kyoko shook her head. "You've done enough. I'll take him."

"I'll go with you," I said. It was almost reflexive. I didn't know what compelled me to accompany her. Maybe it had something to do with Kyoko. Maybe I was worried about Makoto.

She didn't speak, only nodding ever so slightly at me in acknowledgement.

Taka held up a hand as if to say "wait". "Hold on!"

We waited expectantly.

"Before you leave, I propose that we should all split up and search the building for a way out. Or at the very least for clues! Does everyone know where the cafeteria is?"

A couple people nodded.

"It's not hard to find," said Sakura.

"Yep!" said Hina. "It's right by the dorms. There's a sign, can't miss it."

"Perfect!" said Taka. "We should meet there in an hour." He checked his watch. "So at 9:30 we meet in the cafeteria to discuss our findings. Also I propose that we stay in groups. Just.. Just to be on the safe side"

Everyone murmured in agreement. Even so, the statement left an ominous feeling in the air.

My eyes were met by Junko's. She put on a brave face, but I sensed that she was not as okay as was letting on.

Our reunion had certainly been very different from what we had anticipated.

A/N: I want to make this somewhat interactive with my audience, so feedback is very important! You guys get to have input on who mukuro spends free time with, as well as any ships that you can feel are being implied, i will take into account your input on which direction I should go with them. Just a warning there will probably be some untagged ships & triggers because I want to keep you guys surprised. I will tag them once the trigger & ship is actually introduced into the story.

Also if I didn't go as much into detail about everything as they did in DR, its because I know you all read the original and know the basics, hope that doesn't bother anyone.

I'll be updating soon.

Full list of tags, ships, triggers since i didn't want to clutter up the intro:

Tags/Triggers/Ships! (Feel free to skip if you don't care! Or if you don't like spoilers!)

Characters:

- Protagonist: Mukuro

- Secondary-ish: Makoto, Sayaka, Kyoko, Junko Enoshima

- the rest of the 78th class (everyone is about as important as they are in the original text)

- Monokuma

Ships:

-1st: Mukuro/Kyoko (endgame), Mukuro/Makoto, Mukuro/Sayaka (unrequited-ish, Mukuro-Sayaka)

- 2nd: Mondo/Taka, Leon/Sayaka (platonic-ish/ambiguous), Hina/Sakura (one-sided, Hina-Sakura), Hiro & Mukuro (platonic)

- Others: Minor Leon/Byakuya (unrequited possibly, Leon-Byakuya), implications of Makoto/Sayaka, Toko/Byakuya* (unrequited, Toko -Byakuya), future Junko/Celeste if you squint, Mondo & Chihiro & Taka (platonic),

*Togafuka disclaimer: Sorry for people who like this ship, I find it to be a pretty unhealthy dynamic. I am tagging it so that people do know that Toko's feelings toward him does exist in-fic, but I'll just straight up admit right now that the relationship not condoned, nor is it hand-waved away & played purely for comedy.

Additional tags & triggers:

- Triggers: Much of the same triggers from the original game will probably show up here: major character death, graphic (but stylized) depictions of violence, possible future mentions of suicide, emotional abuse & manipulation

- Other tags: Despair Sisters, future genderqueer characters, wlw, sapphic protagonist, queer protagonist, other LGBT characters

- (spoilers? Sapphic Mukuro, Sapphic Kyoko, Lesbian Hina, Gay Taka, Gay Byakuya, Bisexual Leon, Genderqueer Chihiro, but lets be real most of the characters are gay as hell and if you read them that way its probably what I intended)