Danganronpa: A Hope-Filled Despair-adise

by RobertHawkinz

Eighteen students relocated by Hope's Peak are trapped on a mountain-side resort where they are forced into a horrible killing game. Now they struggle against Monokuma's successor, and perhaps the last member of Ultimate Despair is hiding in their group. Will they unite in friendship to escape together? Or will they all succumb to motives and murder before they can be saved?

1. Prologue: Resorting to Drastic Tactics

Author's Note: Due to my recent obsession with Danganronpa, I'm writing a story for it! Since I'm working to make this equivalent to its own game in terms of content, it will feature Daily Life, Deadly Life, the trial, Free Time Events, and possibly Special "Item-Activated" Cut scenes or Side Stories. Please note that this story will feature adult language, suggestive themes, dark topics, and if done right, lots of emotions. There will also be many references to sources outside of Danganronpa, and even parodies of characters from other series involved.

Hope's Peak Academy was renowned across the world for inspiring in its students a drive for success and an environment to furnish their self-interests like no other. Everyone knew the famous saying; once you graduated from Hope's Peak Academy, you were set for life. The school basically guaranteed success.

As one can imagine, everyone would kill to go to a school like that. However, there were no entry exams or prior testing. There were only two requirements to attending the school.

The first was that you had to be a currently enrolled high school student. Easy enough.

The second required you to be the best at whatever you do. This requirement was much more vague. People have been chosen as an Ultimate: martial artist, baseball star, fan fiction writer, Fashionista, Programmer, Hacker, Bodyguard, Musician, Coach, Breeder, et cetera. Many attendees of the school were already notably famous, such as pop star Sayaka Maizono, the Ultimate Pop Sensation, or Mondo Oowada, the infamous biker gang leader who put fear into the hearts of mortal men.

Getting chosen to go to a school like that is absolutely terrifying. Being surrounded by people like Byakuya Togami or even Celestia Ludenberg would make anyone feel inferior and worthless. Depending on your talent, you could expect some severe self-esteem issues.

I guess I should introduce myself now, then. I am one of those people whose talent is rather lacking, if I do say so myself. In fact, it's downright awful. My name is Shinji Kizami, a proud and only child to my loving parents, an accountant and a restaurant chef. Ever since I was a kid, though, I always got into some kind of trouble or another. Not to say I was a troublemaker, I just didn't fit in well...

My ultimate talent is actually the most pathetic thing you might have ever heard of. At least Komaeda was the Ultimate Lucky Student. He was a millionaire due to his sheer luck. Here I am, the lowly Ultimate Romantic. Does that sound like garbage? Crunch! Add it to the pile of things in my life I'm ashamed of.

Ultimate Romantic? What am I, the star of a Touko Fukawa novella? I'm certainly not as sexy as a fisherman, as anyone could tell. Could barely stomach reading her book, to be honest.

As for how I look, I'd say I'm relatively average height, standing at a comfortable 5'10'', or 78 centimeters. Being raised abroad for a couple years, the Imperial System has a bad habit of popping up in my head. And what a stupid system at that, but I digress. My black hair is never kept long for long before I'm forced to get it cut, so my hair usually ends up short and somewhat spiky towards the back. Since my life mostly consists of going to school and staying home alone, I am also not physically adept, though that could be said of many internet lurkers such as I. In other words, I'm not very fit. I also do horribly in higher temperatures, and the cold suits me just fine.

My black shirt is usually covered in my black and white hoodie, since I was never much for uniform or tradition. Lately, I've found myself wearing brown slacks, since they just feel more presentable than jeans. I distinctly remember getting chewed out by a buff young man with fierce, red eyes and the most intimidating of eyebrows for violating the dress code.

All that being said, what my talent is means far less excitement. I'm a romantic; as in, I'm very emotional. Wow. Amazing, right? How am I the Ultimate at feeling? Is that even measurable? How would Hope's Peak research it?

I assume what they really mean is they selected me due to my unique view on life, as my own circumstances are rather boring in comparison to many other students. I don't have anything to offer the world, and I would have turned them down if not for my friend's insistence.

That's how I eventually found myself sitting at a desk in a dark room. Barely able to see, I was primarily concerned with how I got there. I stumbled to my feet and walked towards the wall, feeling around for a light switch. Where...Where...Where is the light switch!? Where is it!? Flick!

The light turns on. I turn around and notice the drab yellow wallpaper, and I began counting the desks. I counted a total of eighteen, and this surprised me. I had been told that classes in Hope's Peak were always set at around sixteen, but there were rumors of expanding the numbers beyond that to accommodate less typical Ultimate talents. Perhaps people like me?

I focus more on the door in front of me. The wooden door looked like the sliding ones in any school, though this was designed without windows in it, an odd design choice. What if I hit someone sliding it open? Nah, no one would be leaning on it. That wouldn't be proper etiquette in a school like this.

"Ah!" A yelp rang out as I slid the door open, apparently ramming it into someone by some horrible mistake of my own doing. The boy who let out the squeak was now on the floor, rubbing his head, as if I had assaulted him just now.

The young man was shorter than me, and he had long brown hair tied up into one distinctive ponytail. What stuck out to me was how he wore a very flashy white jacket lined with fur over his gaudy shirt depicting Sayaka Maizono on it in a rather risque bikini. His blue eyes faded over as he stood up. I noticed he had huge gashes on the side of his face, as if he was clawed by a feisty cat."S-sorry! Satoshi said you were still asleep in there. I sorta just...blanked out, hahaha!"

I disregarded this guy for a moment to take in the surroundings. We were in an open courtyard, and the nearby picnic tables suggested it was some kind of outdoor cafeteria. He noticed my search, "Yeah, well, we all woke up in that classroom. We figured it'd be best if we searched around. None of us remember going in that room. I mean, last I recall is the train taking me to Hope's Peak."

I thought about what he said for a moment, "You know, that goes for me, too."

"Wow, really, dude?" Every word he said sounded sarcastic, and it was beginning to piss me off, "Satoshi figured that one out. Nice try, not Protagonist!"

"And why did you wait here while everyone else is investigating? You like bothering strangers?" I quipped, not giving him much thought.

He laughed heartily, though, and I wondered if I had misjudged him, "Hah, not unless you're a girl with fine fine assets, my bro. Although my charm has failed me constantly since I got to this place. For an Ultimate Womanizer like Takumi Adachi, this is unacceptable!"

Ultimate Womanizer? That's a talent? When was being a man whore a talent? I ensured not to voice my thoughts and instead replied, "Nice to meet you, Takumi. My name's Shinji Kizami."

"And what's your talent, man? Or do you not remember?" Takumi said it in a joking manner, and I felt as if I heard the laughter of a high-pitched person somewhere nearby. Takumi paid it no mind though, so I disregarded that noise for the time being.

I shook my head, "Well, actually...Maybe it's best if I don't tell you. You might misuse my powers for the greater evil."

Takumi's eyes shined, "Woah, bro! You gotta let me know! What, are you like a MILF magnet or something? Can you help me get some? I've been striking out like a blind batter at a softball game! Or Kuwata's pitchin'."

"Kuwata?" I asked. Never heard that name before, except that he was a student, one year my senior.

"You mean you don't know!? Leon is like, my spirit animal, man! He became a baseball star just to get the chicks, dig? I love that kind of dedication!" he placed both arms flat along his chest, fists curled up under his chin as he daydreamed, "'Oh, you can strike it into my batter box any time, Leon'...Oh, what a beast!"

I slowly took a step back, as if the amount of testosterone would consume my soul. This guy seems like he eats a diet of Man Nuts, "So, any idea where we are? This is definitely not the school. Although with an outdoor cafeteria..."

Takumi nodded excitedly, "Oh, yeah, bro! This place is like a, fine resort! There's stairways leading up to the top of that mountain there!" he pointed to a large mountain behind the building I emerged from, and had the sun been in a different position in the endless, blue sky, I might have noticed the shadow creeping along the ground sooner, "They're caged off, though. Says something about how they unlock after a trial has passed."

A trial? What is this, Ace Attorney? Or do they mean tests of endurance, strength, and skill? Could Hope's Peak have a test to better assess our abilities? "Well, Takumi, you've been very helpful. Surprisingly, even. Do you know where the others might be?"

He put his right index finger to his nose, itching it as he replied, "Probably around. Just explore, look for them. Get out more, you look pale, dude. Girls do not dig pale guys."

"Twilight begs to differ!" I coughed, once, twice, very quickly, to disguise what I said, "Yeah, uh, I'll take your advice."

Takumi nodded, "Alright, see you later. Make sure to give me all the deets on your talent, though. Maybe we can make ourselves a harem! I'm gonna go hide my stash. Can't let the teachers find it day one, am I right? Hahaha!" Takumi ran off towards what seemed to be a small hotel with cottages outside of it. I had a feeling like he was going to ruin everything.

I decided to very reluctantly follow Takumi towards the cottages and inspected them all. In front of each one was a picture of someone's face. The nine girls were situated on the right side, and the boys were sentenced to the left side.

"Crap! Furthest from the ladies! What a drag!" I heard Takumi lament his fortunes further down the way, and noticed mine was nearest to the girl's side. The girls are lucky I'm not anything like Takumi.

"Hey, you! Are you trying to creep on us, too?" I turned to see a beautiful girl standing before me. I took a step back, almost involuntarily, and I stumbled a bit and fell onto the hard tile. This girl before me sported a cherry red sweater, and it matched her red hair, longer in the back, though her bangs were cut to where they could conceal just her right eye. Her black miniskirt just echoed my thoughts of how confident she must be in herself, and her stockings only confirmed that. She was dressed like she was about to make some guy lucky, more than go to a school. Her green eyes looked me over, as if assessing my worth, "Well?"

I stuttered as I tried to respond, "Uh, um, n-no! I just woke up and I was checking out the cottages...I wasn't doing anything weird. Yet."

"Yet?" She spoke with a very serious attitude, "Do I have to discipline you, too? I might have hurt Takumi more if he hadn't started telling me to hit him harder," she visibly shuddered, sickened by his antics, "Well?"

I stood up very slowly so as not to set her off. She was an Ultimate, and for all I know, she could murder me. Repeatedly, "I-I'm just a...Well, my name is Shinji Kizami. I guess I slept in, but I don't mean you harm. If you want me to leave, I-I'll-"

The girl burst out laughing, and as she snickered at my reaction, I noticed just how beautiful she looked in the sunlight. I finally understood what Ultimate really meant, and Takumi's fixation made sense now. This girl was dangerous. And I had to admit, I liked it.

"Wow, jeez, calm down! I'm not going to kill you, man! Yeah, I punished Takumi over there, but he asked for that!" She pointed in his direction, and we heard rustling.

"Dude, my stash! My limited edition Big Tits, Cosplay Girls Magazine! It's gone! Damn, knew I should have unstuck those pages..." I gagged at the thought of what horrible things Takumi had done with that magazine.

The girl smacked her own face with her palm, letting out an exasperated sigh, "I am so done with his attitude, right now. We're locked in some kind of, of resort. We don't remember how we got here or why we're the only ones here, and he's concerned about spanking material!"

I nodded, "Well, a man is a man after all. Though he takes it a bit far..."

The girl wrapped her arm around me, "Oh, is that so? Do you like magazines? Or are you into hentai? Maybe you like to use your good old imagination and fantasize about every hot girl you meet in the most carnal of ways..." She said this as she placed a hand over her heart, and I knew she had just made herself jiggle on purpose, "Am I on the menu?"

"Maybe you are Takumi's type. So forward..." I tried to rebuke her, but the blush on my face clearly betrayed my true thoughts, "Uh, so yeah. I don't mind tellin' you my talent. Takumi'd probably misinterpret it though. I'm...The Ultimate...Romantic."

I said this, my face eyeing the ground in shame, "Oh, a touchy, feely kind of guy? You like to experience romance along with your daily dose of fanservice, hm? Must be a visual novel lover, I bet." She laughed at her own joke.

I stepped back, raising my voice slightly, "I'm not just a bleeding heart, okay! And visual novels are a wonderful experience for more than just the adult content, thank you very much!"

She laughed again, "Calm down, Shinji. I understand...I sort of like them, too," She said that last part under her breath, as if she was scared as to how I would react.

"Then maybe we can discuss that later, you know? But first you should introduce yourself. I don't want to call you Girl whenever I meet you," I said, trying to maintain my dignity, though I knew that had already failed me.

"Shinju Sakyubasu at your service! No, really, that's my last name. Dad changed it himself, and he's a bit of an ass. Then again, I think I could pull the part of a Succubus, huh?" she posed as she placed her right hand on her cheek, her body bent with her left hand on her hip in the sassiest way possible, "Like this?" she then put her hands behind her back and puffed her chest out towards me, "Or maybe this?"

I could barely react to this properly, so in a high-pitched voice I shot back, "Yeah, you could! Can you stop? It's embarrassing!"

She laughed at me once more, and I began to dislike how amusing I was to her, "Fine, fine. I'm the Ultimate Poet, in case you cared. I write fiction and other things in my spare time, when I'm not reading or watching shows, or playing my VNs. Although I certainly do enjoy the, ahem, more adult nature of them. Hahahaha!"

I felt calmer already, as the worries of the past mounting up faded away. If she was here, acting so casually, how could this situation be so bad? Maybe I just needed to be a little hopeful, "Nice to meet you," I extended my hand to shake hers. I thought to myself she might be joking so much to comfort me in this insane and bizarre scenario.

She instead decided to hug me. Bringing me closer, she pressed herself tightly against me. I could feel the finer curves of her body as she looked at my reaction, and I began to fear I might have a bloody nose. Before I knew it, the hug was over, "Oh, s-sorry. I uh...I'm a hugger. Handshakes seem too formal. I mean, we're classmates! We are going to be seeing a lot of each other in the near future, right!?"

Noticing how embarrassed she looked, I optioned not to call her out on her hug, as I had to admit, I enjoyed it thoroughly.

"Dammit!" Takumi shouted aloud, "Already!? My title means nothing here!? I get beaten, and you get to feel that finely tuned body on yours!"

Shinju rolled her eyes, "He's special, Takumi. He's not in it to stick it. Plus, he's more my type than a guy like you!"

She put emphasis on the last word, and Takumi just hung his head in shame, "Man, just you wait! Soon, I'll be drowning in pu-" Before he could finish that sentence, a small bird flew past his ear, and he freaked out, passing out to the ground, unable to retain his dignity. He quickly regained his composure, or tried to, and ran inside, "Damned birds!"

As Takumi fled inside, Shinju nodded in the direction of the ramp leading up to an elevated courtyard area, "Ultimate Tamer, two-o'clock."

The girl walking towards us was very oddly dressed. Her long, blonde hair extended far below her shoulders, and it waved back and forth in the hot, summer breeze. She was wearing a black coat, covering her body tightly, and she had an annoyed expression on her face. Her grey eyes were what stuck out to me, as did the scar running across her lips, as if clawed by a magnificent beast.

"Shinju, really? First you cling to Satoshi, and now you try to seduce the new kid?" She spoke in a surprisingly deep and serious, almost melancholy tone.

"Sorry, Koneko. I was a vewy bad girl, wasn't I?" She spoke, blatantly mocking her companion, who did not take kindly to her jests.

The girl, whom I now noticed was sporting what seemed to be cat ears peeking out from her hood, rolled her eyes, "Can you not play games with me? Or him? Lord knows you might tease the wrong person."

"It's alright, miss. She isn't bothering me, though I'm not used to getting treated like...that. My name's Shinji Kizami, the Ultimate Romantic...Crap title, huh? My talent blows..." I said solemnly, condemning my own fate to a boring existence.

The girl, Koneko, slowly tilted her head, like a curious dog, "No, it is not so bad. Perhaps being an emotional person will be of use to you. At the very least, you are more mannered than Takumi. He's made a poor impression on all of the girls here, and I'm certain a few of the guys distance themselves from him. My name is Koneko Sakai, the Ultimate Tamer. My older brother was the Ultimate DNA Manipulator, and he managed to get many esteemed awards. As for myself, I found myself working with a Gundham Tanaka very often in my line of work. The Ultimate Breeder, he's now known. Unlike him, I don't breed animals. I just tame wild ones, or those hurt by humans."

I had the brief image of a depressing commercial about puppy mills and sad music in the background as someone showered love and praise on a full grown Golden Retriever. Damn you, Sarah McLachlan!

"This guy here is like my double! Almost the same name! Amusing, isn't it?" Shinju poked me in the side, already acting as if we had been friends for twenty years.

"Just don't call me Moron Boy," I said, blankly staring at her, "That's a really cool skill, Koneko. Animals are, they're nice. Sometimes better than people, if you know what I mean."

Koneko didn't respond for a moment, and she looked away, listlessly, as if lost in a daydream, "Y-yes. I understand what you mean."

Shinju clapped her hands together, "You wanna meet the others, right? Right? Well, I can accompany you!"

"Seems she's taken a liking to you. Try not to keep us awake at night. Takumi might die of jealousy," Koneko said that with such a straight face I was uncertain whether she was joking or not, but I quickly decided she had to be. Right?

Shinju pulled me along, and I barely managed to wave her off, "See you later, Kone-ko! Stop pulling so hard!" As Shinju dragged me away, I could have sworn I saw Koneko break into a smile, the first I had seen from her. Perhaps it was my imagination?

As Shinju and I walked up the ramp way, I saw a yellow camera situated on an edge, probably following our every movement, "What's with Big Brother?" I pointed to the camera. Getting watched made me feel uneasy.

Shinju scratched her head, running her slender fingers through her soft hair, "Well, we assume it's to keep watch. They're everywhere except our personal cottages. A note said the headmaster doesn't wanna know what awful things we teens get up to in the privacy of our own rooms. I'm sure he directed that at Takumi, mostly."

"Stop picking on Master Takumi, he's not thaaaat bad," A voice startled the both of us, and we turned to see a tall young man, who towered over me by a few inches. The man had slick black hair and scars all across his face, as if he had been through war or the like, and his build was unnaturally terrifying. His outfit was very fancy, black stripes on a suit with a rose placed above his white dress shirt. His black slacks and dancing shoes matched his outfit perfectly. His deep voice was exactly what I expected.

Shinju stomped her feet on the ground, "Yoshikazu! Don't go spooking us!"

Yoshikazu only nodded in response, "I understand, Mistress Sakyubasu. I will abide by your request," he turned to me, "Excuse me, Master, my name is Yoshikazu Shinozaki. I am the youngest in a long line of butlers, dedicated to bringing glory and pride to the shogunate families. As the Ultimate Butler, I will do my best to accommodate all of your needs."

I was surprised by how kindly he articulated his thoughts, "You can just call me Shinji Kizami. Or just Shinji. I don't have a need for such formalities."

"No!" he raised his voice, which caused me to jump in fear, "It is the duty of a butler to treat everyone in his company with the utmost respect at all times! Anything less would be a disservice to my family name!"

Shinju laughed, "Yoshikazu's a bit forceful, and he might look scary, but he's a teddy bear at heart. He's also very helpful, and he has even offered to use the kitchen inside that cafeteria you were at to make us our daily meals. He doesn't trust strangers to do it."

He bowed in reverence, "I thank you for your words, Mistress Sakyubasu." he turned to me and bowed once more, "And you, Master Kizami. If you have any requests, you must merely ask."

I tried to find a proper response, "I, I'll do that. Thanks. Have you discovered anything about the environment?"

Yoshikazu forcefully nodded, "Yes, let us move at once!" Yoshikazu hurriedly ushered us into the nearest building, which seemed to be a lounge. There was a cafe in the back, with blenders, espresso machines, and even a soda fountain. He motioned for us to sit down at a table in the center, and placed a large hand-drawn map upon it.

"What is this?" Shinju asked, not expecting such fine details on a map written on the back of a small poster.

Yoshikazu pointed, "Here are the cottages next to the cafeteria, where I will appropriate meals at morning, noon, and night, at 7 AM, noon, and 5 PM sharp. Up this ramp, you have this building, the cafe and lounge. Around this perimeter, we have a community bathhouse, with separate locker rooms and a pool. Next to that are the bathrooms," he motioned to the far side, furthest from the red x on the map, "There's also a two-story library on the middle right side. Down from that is an arcade, along with a healthy collection of quarters for us to play to our heart's content."

"What's this in the middle?" I pointed to the center, a large rectangular box labeled "Important".

Shinju answered, "It's a stage. I think that is where the headmaster will announce things, and the like."

Yoshikazu nodded, "Well said. This building up north from here is a small pharmacy, with basic amenities. For some odd reason, there are also mysterious, unlabeled bottles. To protect you all, I boxed them up and hid them away."

"That may have been a good call. Unlabeled medications could potentially be very dangerous," I agreed with Yoshikazu's quick thinking, and I gave him a thumbs up, "I'm already very impressed by your work, Yoshikazu. You are certainly an Ultimate."

Yoshikazu blushed, and I wondered if he got complimented very often, or if his masters only took his talent for granted, "Thank you, sir. Finally, this red x is a gateway leading to a trail of stairs heading further up the mountain. No attempts made by any of us have done anything to even make it budge."

I slowly got to my feet, once again extending my hand, in an attempt to shake Yoshikazu's, although he shook his head, "Well, in either case, I'm very grateful for your help, Yoshikazu. I'm the Ultimate Romantic, in case that matters. It would be preferable of you not to mention that to Takumi, I fear he might think ill of me."

Yoshikazu grunted in acknowledgement of my request, and he stumbled off, very quickly, "Ah, it's almost noon. Tootaloo, it's time to make food!"

As Yoshikazu quickly sped off, I wiped some of the sweat off my brow. It wasn't too hot, but I didn't do well in heat whatsoever, "Well, he's very kind. And helpful. Hope he relaxes, on occasion."

Shinju grabbed my hand, "So wanna go exploring, or wanna make some drinks first? You look a bit sickly."

I eyed the cafe, "Is it alright for us to use them?"

Shinju laughed, "Yeah, we got a note telling us we could use the facilities as we need. Maybe this is some kind of school trip. My heart throbs at what kind of things await us here!"

Another mysterious, high-pitched laugh in the distance.

Shinju and I made our way over, and she quickly began fixing herself an espresso.

"Shinju! Protein drink! Stat!" Shinju opened the small refrigerator and slipped out a large protein drink and quickly threw it behind her, not even looking.

I turned to see an extremely fit-looking young man wearing no shirt, boxing gloves, and green track pants catch it, his hand moving so fast I could barely watch it. He had red hair with blue and white highlights, giving him an oddly patriotic look, though not for Japan, certainly. Before he said anything, he opened the bottle and quickly slurped down the contents. As each gulp of drink traveled down his throat, I noticed he was covered in sweat, glistening off of his pecs and abs. He finished the drink and tossed it into the trash. He cracked his neck, followed by his knuckles.

"'Sup, new meat. What are you, anyways, the Ultimate Hibernator? Wasting such beautiful sunshine!" he talked down to me, his suave voice not befitting of his looks. He sounded like an aristocrat, but an aristocrat who boxed?

I stumbled over my thoughts as I tried to respond, "Ultimate Boxer, I presume? My title is the Ultimate Romantic, but it's worthless. You can just call me Shinji. Shinji Kizami."

"A pathetic title befitting a weakling like you," he shot back, "My name is Akihiko Tanaka, and I am the greatest boxer to grace the lands. Hit me up if you want to train like your life depended on it. Or you need me to knock you flat. You won't last as long as a training dummy. It's unfortunate we have no access to a gym, so I suppose shadow boxing must suffice for now."

Shinju scoffed, "Akihiko, cut the crap. He's not like Takumi. Been on his best behavior, so far."

Akihiko chuckled at this, and his former persona faded away, "Got you, didn't I? As a boxer, people expect me to uphold some kind of personality. My persona is that of my status, an aristocratic boxer bred for success. Truth is, though, I'm the best at what I do because of dedication and hard work, though my boss doesn't seem to think so."

His former voice changed to a much more country-styled tone, one with its own unique eccentric style. I tried to laugh a bit, but I was too nervous, "S-sorry. I don't get out much. I might take you up on that offer, though. Training from the Ultimate Boxer sounds like it would do me a lot of good."

"Shucks, yes it will! Oh, wow, that was a bit excessive. Must keep up appearances, you know. Only Shinju knows I'm actually like this. I haven't gotten to know the others too well. Then again, when she draped herself over me, it was hard for me to keep up my facade," Akihiko said this with red cheeks, and he must have been reflecting on her past actions.

Shinju drew up her finished espresso, and settled at the nearest table, legs crossed, "My methods are quick to getting people to talk, you know. And it's not like I sleep around. My blood is perfectly acceptable to use to summon the Dark Devas of Destruction!"

Akihiko laughed, "Hah, you a virgin? I can't belie-"

Shinju shot him a dangerous glare, "You may be fast at boxing, but you know what my nails can do."

"Is that why Takumi had cuts?" I queried.

Akihiko nodded, "So Takumi grabs her ass, right? And she tells him to let go. And the bastard says, 'Make me!' The poor man was screaming in agony. 'Oh not the face! Not my perfect face! My modeling career is ruined!'"

"He's a model?" I legitimately was surprised. He was a harbinger of fashion? And looking good!?

Shinju sipped from her cup, "Maybe now he can get more rugged roles. Show everyone the 'I don't take no for an answer' look that any lecher would be proud to have."

As she said this, two new people walked in, both girls. The girl on the left had short, brown hair, and she was wearing a typical school uniform, a sailor outfit, as if it was necessary. Her brown eyes settled on me, though I could not discern the intent behind them. She stood in a very dignified way, like a noble might.

Next to her, her companion looked much more jovial and kind. Her long black hair trailed behind her, and her face offered a radiant light of kindness that any would desire to bask in. She had a mole above her upper lip on the right side, and her large blue eyes scanned over me in a much less intrusive way. She was wearing a purple sundress, and she had a locket around her neck, made of gold. Or at least painted that color.

Shinju noticed where I was looking, and she took another sip of her drink, not even moving an inch, "Nari, Emiko. Welcome back!"

One of the girls ran up to me and quickly grabbed my hand, shaking it wildly, "Nice to meet you! I'm Emiko Norita, and I'm the Ultimate Babysitter! Obviously, I work best with children, but I've been told I put forth a relaxing atmosphere that calms those around me. Even grumpy Nari warmed up to me!"

Nari, the other girl, groaned, "Don't call me grumpy. I just hate wasting my time."

Emiko laughed, "See? She even refused to greet the others at first, but I got her to open up and live a little!"

I was once again clueless on what to say. Each Ultimate was so uniquely different, and I had no idea what to expect, "Well, nice to meet you, Emiko. My name is Shinji Kizami, and it's a pleasure to meet you both," I tried to smile my best, but I was quickly shot down.

"Yeah, you look so happy to meet us," Nari interrupted Emiko's next attempt to blurt something out, "I'm Nari Kawasaki. The Ultimate Tutor. I'm not qualified to be a teacher yet."

Emiko laughed, "We get along so well because she's a total softie. She distances herself from older people, but she really likes the younger kids. She's so much kinder in a classroom or working with younger people!"

Nari yelled, "Emiko, stop psychologically evaluating me! Keep your trap shut!"

Emiko laughed, "It's fine, Nari," Nari continued to glare at her, so Emiko conceded, "I'm a psychology nerd. I found it amusing, but when I put it into practice in my babysitting job, it took off. I can calm down any rowdy kid and save someone a night of sleepless agony!"

Emiko finally let go of my hand and ran over, pushing Nari closer to me, "Come on, introduce yourself! You know you want to!" She sang aloud the last part.

Nari quickly shrugged her off, and she looked me over up close, a disappointed look on her face, "I suppose we're classmates. Don't expect me to like you. Or talk to you. Although if you get into trouble academically, I might be willing to help you. As long as you don't make it sound creepy."

"Takumi?" I asked.

"Takumi," Emiko confirmed, "He asked Nari for some private lessons. Not sure why Nari refused him, though. Isn't studying alone a better environment?"

"Emiko! Studying was not on his mind!" Nari quickly shot back, blushing, both from embarrassment and anger at Emiko's oblivious nature, "As long as you don't try anything, I might deign myself to help you. So keep your act together!"

Nari quickly grabbed a vitamin water drink and walked out, exasperated, "Catch up to me when you can, Emiko!"

Emiko quickly followed, "See you later, Akihiko-kun! Shinju-chan! Shinji-kun!"

"Well, that was enlightening," I could barely contain my exhaustion. These people were helpless, huh?

Akihiko laughed once more, "Well, you're popular, huh? Nari hasn't offered to tutor a boy before. You're the first to make a good impression on her. Take advantage of that, hahah! Melt that tsun tsun down!"

Shinju grumbled under her breath, though I dismissed it.

After she finished her drink, we made our way to the pharmacy, where we encountered a man stocking up on things, placing them into his box, "Uh, hello?"

The Ultimate turned to me, his blue eyes full of fear, his blond hair slicked back with his own sweat and blue highlights running through it. He was gathering what seemed to be pain medication, though I couldn't fathom why. He stood up, at least 6 feet if I had to venture a guess, only outmatched by Yoshikazu's height.

"Takeshi, what's wrong? Stocking up? What, you got chronic pains?" Shinju asked, tilting her head, finger to her bottom lip.

Takeshi stepped back, closing the box behind him and bringing it around, carrying it. The box had to be pretty heavy, weighed down with all those allergy medications and supplies, "I do not need to be interrupted. Out of my way!"

"I just wanted to introduce myself to everyone, Takeshi." I tried to reason with him.

"No! I refuse to be toyed with! Trust no one, ever! Especially a shady fuck like you!" Takeshi quickly became angry and irrational, sending hurtful words my way.

"Takeshi, calm down!" Shinju attempted to calm Takeshi, who refused.

Takeshi laughed it off, "Yeah, right! Out of my way, slut!" Takeshi pushed his way past both of us, but I grabbed his shoulder, refusing to let him get away with that last remark.

I grabbed him and forced him towards me, using every reservoir of strength I had within me, "You apologize to her, right now!"

Takeshi shook me off, dropping his box, and he threw a punch, "Back off, you autist!"

I took the punch directly to my right cheek, but adrenaline pumping in my blood gave me the power to push past such a trivial matter. I brushed it off, even though it stung quite painfully, "What are you doing!?"

Takeshi swung again and Shinju took the blow this time, trying to stop his fist. Instead, he elbowed her in the face in retaliation. That was the last offense. As Shinju wiped her face off, checking for blood, I moved in.

I lunged, sending my fist deep into his gut. Takeshi coughed heavily as my blow landed, and I stepped back. He stumbled to his knee, coughing heavily.

"You're bleeding..." Shinju wiped a streak of blood off of my face, and I realized the ring on Takeshi's finger must have cut me.

Takeshi finally stopped coughing, and he just breathed heavily, "Fuck, man...No one else threw a punch!"

I grabbed Takeshi by his collar and lifted him up, using all of my strength, "Apologize to the lady. Now."

Shinju sighed, "It's alright, Takeshi's just like this. Threw a punch at Akihiko, and even Emiko. They both dodged, though."

"Fuck no! If we're going to be classmates and get along, I'm not puttin' up with this bullshit!" Takeshi tried to claw his way out of my grasp, so I brought his face closer to mine, "You want to leave? Then say it."

He tried to pull himself away and I let go, using his own momentum to send him sprawling, crashing hard onto the tile floor, "Damnit! I'm sorry! Fuck this!" He quickly grabbed his box and ran out of the pharmacy. I wiped blood off of my cheek to confirm what Shinju said.

Shinju laughed a bit, "Were you trying to avenge my honor? Like a hero in shining armor? You are a romantic, huh?"

"Sh-shut up! I just don't like people hitting innocents like that," I could barely contain my disgust with Takeshi's attitude.

Shinju poked me in the chest, "You didn't retaliate until he hit me, though. Suspicious isn't it? He didn't hurt me, I was just surprised."

I covered my mouth with my hand, thinking of what to say, "Regardless, that wasn't okay. So what's his problem?"

"No idea. He won't reveal his talent. When he woke up, he tried to flee, and only after much prodding did he give us his name. Takeshi Kurosawa. From a family of law enforcement and Shinto priests, I hear," Shinju stopped as she looked around, "No one else is here, or they would have made themselves known. We should move on."

I sighed. Takeshi had a look of true fright when the two of them walked in. What made him so paranoid? So confrontational? I was curious, but I opted to ignore him for now. Prodding him for information wouldn't get me anywhere except into more violence, and I heavily disliked such tactics.

Before we could leave the room, however, the door burst open, and we were greeted by a couple of new Ultimates; a boy and a girl.

The boy had very short hair, cut to maybe an inch or less. Oddly, the front hair was lighter than the rest, a mix between black and brown. His black-rimmed glasses gave him a bit of a nerdy look, but I was certainly not one to judge. His shirt depicted some adorable penguins dancing, and he was wearing everyday jeans. He had a smile on his face, as if he had no care in the world, and I felt like he would be a laid back dude.

The girl next to him also wore glasses, the round-rimmed kind. She had long pink hair groomed into a ponytail, and she was slightly shorter than the boy, Shinju, or myself, though she was crouched. She was wearing an over sized hoodie that reached down to her knees, in almost comical fashion. The green hoodie left an impression, due to the bagels lovingly woven into the design.

As soon as they noticed us, the boy greeted us first, quickly taking initiative, "Oh, Shinju! Is this that last guy? Finally wok-...Wow, you're bleeding. What happened!?" He gave me a concerned look, and I mentally relaxed. Finally, someone normal!

"Takeshi hit me and cut me with his ring, that's all," I calmly replied.

The girl, who was carrying a notepad with her, frowned upon hearing this news, "He attacked someone else? How violent of him! Why is he like that?"

The boy suggested, "He's crazy bananas, probably."

I wiped my cheek again with my right hand and extended my left, "Name's Shinji Kizami. I'm the Ultimate Romantic. Boring title, huh?"

The girl shook my hand, smiling, "Nice to meet you. I'm Shizue Koga. Hope's Peak allocated me the role of Ultimate Cosplayer. Obviously, I'm not doing it right now, but people say that once I gear up in my homemade costumes, I get so in character that it legitimately shocks people into being unable to move from my skill. I love dressing up, but it's distracting, and I don't really act like myself. Hahaha!"

Meanwhile, her companion stared at me fiercely, as if suspicious, "You related to a bastard named Yuuya?"

I thought about it for a moment, feeling that it was quite familiar to me, "Oh, I think so! He's...a cousin of mine. Never met him, though. Heard all he does is fight with his siblings, though. I'm an only child, though, so...I don't know the feeling."

"Well, alright then. Had to check," he adjusted his glasses, "My name is Nico...I'd prefer you call me that or Nico B. My... real name's a secret, hehe! Plus, it's not really needed, and I'd rather people not try to find out where I live, hahaha!"

I nodded in understanding, "Yeah, I can imagine. So I assume if you have a nick, you're some kind of...secretive Ultimate talent holder?"

Nico laughed, "Well, it's more like my fans don't know my real name, so were I to be included in any kind of story, all they'd have to go by is Nico! Hahaha!"

I wondered what that had to do with us calling him Nico, but I shrugged it off, "I don't mind callin' you Nico. You seem like a nice guy, so let's just leave it at that."

Nico nodded, "Uh...Thanks for that? Wow, most people tend to try and dig deeper. I understand my Penguins are curious, but... Oh, right. This must make no sense. I happen to have been awarded the Ultimate Title...that I don't think I really deserve!" he laughed at this, though it sounded nervous, "Uh, anyways. The Ultimate Rising Star. What they mean by that is, I suppose, that I've been slowly making headway in terms of popularity on YouTube. I mean, I really am proud of what I've accomplished, but more than anything, I'm just glad to make people smile, even if it's only a bit every day."

Shinju shrugged, "Youtuber, huh? Gaming?"

"Well, yeah. I try to do things that are less popular, or really meaningful to me, I guess. Honestly, I play all kinds of games, but some are certainly more popular than others. Ace Attorney, mystery games, and sometimes some very...fucked up games, if I'm honest!" He laughed again, but I could tell he was serious.

Shizue nudged Nico, "Hey, we came to get Pepto Bismol, right?"

Nico seemed startled for a moment, "Oh, right! Ate too many bagels again! Dang, but Yoshikazu makes some great food! They were so delicious, I could practically taste the hope!"

Shizue laughed, "Plus, you could fake a murder."

"True. Everyone knows blood looks like Pepto Bismol, am I right?" Nico made a joke, but it was a bit dark, "Let's not talk about murder, though. This's a fun resort! Sounds like a great place. Can't shake the feeling I'm forgetting something, though."

Shinju nudged me, and I was reminded we had others to meet, "Well, Shizue, Nico, we'll talk to you later. I have to meet the others. We can hang out later, for sure!"

Nico and Shizue both nodded, "Sure thing!" Shizue gave me a thumbs up, and we passed each other.

I stepped outside, and just then I noticed another new student walking along, sliding himself into the library. Shinju noticed him as well, and we both summarily decided to follow him. Before we went inside, we noticed a girl follow him inside, very stealthily, and we exchanged curious glances with each other.

As we followed her inside and the door creaked open, she let out a shriek as we surprised her, and she ran off towards the upper floor, scattering papers discarded on the stairs all about.

The boy we trailed walked over to us, not very amused, "Shinju, scaring Hanako again, I see." He wore an orange and red scarf, and his dark green hoodie masked his colorful grey design on his black shirt. He wasn't very lean, but he didn't look out of shape. His glasses were clouded over, making me very curious as to whether he could see with them or not. His short black hair was messy, but he paid it no mind.

"Hey, Kenji. Know why she's following you?" Shinju asked, giving her sassiest pose a try.

Kenji sighed, "I don't know." his voice was a bit scratchy and nasally, "Maybe I look like a lost dog to her or somethin'."

I extended my hand, "Greetings, Kenji. I'm Shinji Kizami, the Ultimate Romantic. It's a lacking title, is it not?"

Kenji shrugged it off and shook my hand, his grip tight, "I'm watching you. Walking around with this one. You could definitely be a part of something larger."

"Like the school?" I questioned him.

Kenji shook his head, "Of course not! The Illuminati, of course! Everyone knows they pull the strings! Them and those dirty feminazis..." He shuddered, "Tumblr is a dark place."

"Redditor alert," Shinju quipped, a smirk on her face.

"Quiet, you! For my introduction!" Theme music from a Super Sentai show started blasting in the background, and Kenji began doing pose after pose, "I am the one and only! The omega and the alpha! The pun-producing punisher! I am...Kenji Amagi! And I! Bring! The Fire!" He posed, his right knee on the ground, his left bent as he knelt forward, as he raised one hand above him like a holy object, his other across his heart.

"Kenji Dork boy here is the Ultimate Fire starter. As in, he's been able to produce chemical reactions to cause fires never successfully done before. Some call it a curse, considering how many home accidents he's had. Legend has it, he lit a bowl of milk and cereal on fire!" Shinju said this, all with a sarcastic tone.

"I'm a cereal killer! Look out! Loominati and crazies stand no chance! Once they face my burning wrath!" Kenji posed again. What the hell is this guy?

I noticed that the girl from before was watching over us, and I motioned towards her, "And you, young miss? I'm Shinji Kizami. Nice to meet you as well!"

She ducked behind the railing, and Kenji chuckled, "But seriously, Hanako Ikeda up there is the Ultimate Maid. Works with Yoshikazu, hence her maid uniform. Frilly as all hell. Not my style...Probably."

Shinju and I gave each other an odd look, "Well, Hanako, it's nice to meet you."

Hanako reluctantly started walking down the stairs. She seemed very timid, her long black hair flowing in the wind from the open library door. Her maid uniform was indeed frilly, and a beautiful shade of lavender where the white met with the vibrant, subtle color.

"Oh, going to greet us in person this time? How auspicious of you!" Shinju teased her, and she noticeably flinched at her remark, slowing down before continuing.

"Shinju, be nice. She's not draping her body over people like someone else we know," I joked at her expense, earning myself an elbow in the ribs and a sarcastic glare.

Kenji nodded, "That's certainly true. Satoshi, Akihiko, even Daisuke..."

"Daisuke?" I asked, "Satoshi is your like, leader, right? Who's Daisuke?"

Kenji replied quickly, "I was with him up until a moment ago. He decided to investigate the bathhouse and the locker rooms. Checking for cameras, I guess."

"Then that is our next destination," Shinju grabbed onto my arm, already trying to pull me away.

Hanako finally reached the bottom of the stairs, giving me a fearful look, "I just...Bye."

I bowed to her, similarly to what Yoshikazu did, "I mean you no harm, my fair lady. As an Ultimate Romantic, all I can really do is feel. If you ever need someone with which to discuss your woes, I'll certainly give you any time you need. Normally, I'm a loner, but it's time for me to change."

Hanako nodded instead of vocalizing a response.

Kenji laughed, "Hahaha! What are you, an Ultimate Counselor?"

We left Kenji and Hanako to their own devices and quickly made our way across the lot, heading towards the bathhouse. Operation: Locate Daisuke had begun.

As we headed over towards the bathhouse, we noticed two people talking next to the arcade. Deciding it was on the way, we both stopped over to greet them both, "Hey, fellow Ultimates!"

The girl was happy to see us, apparently, as given by her posture while she ecstatically waved to us, along with her giant grin. She was wearing a plain white dress and red heels. Hope she doesn't run in that. Her white hair was tied up into twin tails, and she merrily waved to the both of us, "Hey, what's up, guys!?

Shinju waved back weakly, "We saw each other a few minutes ago, Kibou."

Her male companion shrugged it off. He had short brown hair, his hazel eyes to match. He was about as tall and me, and our eyes met, "Greetings, young friend. I imagine you've finally awoken and Shinju here is giving you the nickel tour!" He wore a very simple school uniform, clean and neatly pressed very recently, probably by Yoshikazu.

"Yeah, met almost everyone. Just three to go, if there are eighteen of you," I confirmed, "I assume 18 since that was the number of desks in the classroom we woke up in. I counted while I was stumbling about. Nice choice by the way, leaving the door closed."

"I told Takumi to leave the door open a crack so you could see," he said with a furtive look on his face, "Did he mess that up?"

"He was sleeping against it. Hit him when I opened the door up," I calmly replied, "He also left the lights on when I left. Anyways, I'm Shinji Kizami."

"Well, that can't be helped. I'll scold him later. My name is Satoshi Hondo, and I'm the Ultimate Student Council President. Nice to meet you," he gleefully shook my hand, "Not the first, so I was told in my letter. Hope to meet my counterpart, but rumors on the grapevine say he died in an accident."

I rubbed the back of my head, unable to properly respond, "That's grim...What kind of accident?"

Satoshi shrugged, "No information was ever released by the school. Likely it happened on campus and they hid the details so as to not discourage us from joining their gracious Academy!"

"You sound proud of it." I noted.

"Pride? Hah! I have admired Hope's Peak for years! Now I get to attend it! All I gotta do is get the hell out of here. Unless that note left behind was true. Supposedly, the Headmaster left it." Satoshi passed the note to me, and I read it to myself.

'This is your headmaster! Due to recent accidents befalling the former headmasters, Jun Kirigiri, and Monokuma, I will be your new leader. You have all been brought to this island for a social experiment run by the school as requested by me! I will greet you all by the stage in the center of the courtyard at 2 PM sharp! You may use any of the amenities found here to your heart's content! Everything is provided and paid for by the organization known as Ultimate Despair, the proud manager of all of Hope's Peak's current endeavors.'

I looked up at Satoshi, "Ultimate Despair? Hell is that?"

Satoshi took the paper back from me, folding it into his pocket, "None of us have any clue. Nothing about it has been found in any of the school documents left in the library. Whatever it is it's a relatively new supporter of the school, and it's clear that they have significant power, since they have gathered us all here and rented out a resort just for us."

Kibou, who had been silent for a while, interrupted us, "Wait, wait, wait! I need to introduce myself, Satoshi!" Satoshi groaned, but Kibou ignored him, "My name is Kibou Iwata, and I am the Ultimate Reader. I can speed read at over twenty-three thousand words a minute due to my photographic memory and mastery of the language. I can read and comprehend at a 99% retention rate, and I understand fourteen different languages." She spoke disturbingly quickly, like a rapid-fire machine gun spewing words.

Satoshi added, "She's also undeniably peppy and clinging to me. I mean, I am the group leader, but must she be so restrictive?"

"Senpai, that's not fair!" Kibou pouted at him, "He and I went to school. He was always such a nice and kind Senpai, so when I got pushed up a grade, it was like a dream come true to be near him!"

I mentally groaned. Shaking off my self-deprecating thoughts that popped up, I congratulated her, "That's amazing, Kibou. I wish I had a talent like that. I'm just an Ultimate Romantic, though."

Satoshi laughed, "Well, that dispelled the last of my worries. I figured you might be something dangerous. Takeshi's confrontational, Koneko and Akihiko barely talk to us, Nari insults us, Takumi's a lecher, and the eighteenth student keeps her distance."

"I do not wish to waste words," The four of us turned and noticed Koneko standing before us, "Yoshikazu asked for me to begin gathering everyone for lunch."

Satoshi nodded, "Ah, I must be off. A leader's got to set a good example. Make sure not to be out too late meeting everyone. Talk to you later, Shinji, Shinju." Satoshi ran off towards the cafeteria.

"Wait for me, Senpai!" Kibou fled behind him, nearly tripping in her heels. I figured that would happen.

Koneko watched them go, silently, before turning back to us, "You might have to give up finding Miss Eighteen. She's been avoiding us all pretty effectively. I will see you both back at the cafeteria. I must round up Kenji and Hanako next."

"Try not to scare her off," I added, making a small joke.

Koneko smiled back at me, "I'm not Shinju, you know." Koneko walked off, seemingly in a better mood, though Shinju gave me another glare for finding her reply amusing.

"Uh, let's go find Daisuke! Right?" Shinju ignored me and huffed a sigh as she turned around stomping off towards the bathrooms. I quickly followed behind, though she deflected any attempt I made at conversation.

On our way to the bathhouses, we were stopped by one of the last three students I had yet to meet. Honestly, I was getting excited after meeting so many colourful people, whose personalities either clashed or mixed well together.

The girl that stopped us had long purple hair, and her serious expression caught me off guard, considering how happy-go-lucky so many people here were. She was not as laissez-faire as the rest, indicated by her traditional blue kimono. I also noticed she had arrows in a nicely fit pack on her back, so I quickly gathered what her talent was.

"Hello, new student. I was told by Koneko you were searching for the last three students to meet, and she sent me your way. My name is Mayumi Okishima. You may call me Mayu for short, as I find my full name to be a bit embarrassing," she bowed to me, and I returned in kind, figuring that she had to be a more traditional person, "Ultimate Archer, at your services."

Sparkles could have been flying out of my eyes as I excitedly balled my hands into fists, "Really, that's awesome! In the untamed wilderness, hunting giant beasts. Fending off criminals with nothing but wood and steel! So classic!" I noticed she was giving me an odd, almost annoyed look, as if she couldn't decide whether to slap me or crush my fabricated illusions of what the Ultimate Archer would live like.

Shinju laughed at my expense, "Wow, what a nerd! This isn't medieval times, you know!"

Mayu chuckled, calming down from her earlier confusion, "I must say, I wouldn't mind living as he said. Sounds like a robust and exciting life style. I never was allowed to do much outside of my family's estate. I was home-schooled. As such, I know very little of literature or...things of fun. Shinju has been kind enough to offer to teach me in these regards. Takumi did as well, but I sensed impure thoughts from his intentions."

"Perceptive of you. I think his only problem, really, is how one-track he's being. He-" I was cut off by Shinju, who finished my sentence for me.

"Just needs to stop. Tone it down a bit, at the very least," Shinju sighed, "I suppose every group has some weirdos."

"I'd like to talk more with both of you, but I must make my way to the cafeteria. Yoshikazu got fussy the last time I refused his kind services of knitting me a leather pack for my arrows. So kind of him," Mayu smiled as she waved us off, and I realized she was far less intimidating than she initially came off as.

We finally entered the bathhouse, where I saw him. The person before me, whom I assume was Daisuke, was broad and fit, though not as much as Akihiko. He was dancing to himself, headphones on and beats playing, wearing what hilariously contrasted with his body; a cheerleading outfit.

"Daisuke!? Daisuke!" Shinju called out to him, but he was unable to hear her, "Daisuke!"

Daisuke fumbled on his last move and his headphones fell out. He noticed us and turned off his MP3 to properly greet us, "Shinju, welcome back. Come to join me on my dancing practice, or you want to hold me close again?"

Shinju grumbled once more, "Give a couple guys a hug and suddenly you're a piece of meat. Why do I even bother...?"

This only earned her the boisterous laughter of Daisuke, who beamed, "Oh, I kid, I kid. You know I like you, darlin'. And who's this young man? He's certainly cute. Did you claim him already?"

Daisuke gave me a mischievous look, but I didn't take any offense from it, "Hi. My name is Shinji Kizami, and I'm the...Well, I'm the Ultimate Romantic. Not much of a title worth anything."

Daisuke laughed, "Dude, are you kidding? That's awesome! Means you don't get too hyped up over it. A cool talent seems nice and all, but the pressure's intense, man. People with our level of skills usually tend to crack under the pressure. Make mistakes, or bad choices. You're much less inclined to do that."

"I never really thought about it like that...I guess people with talents have to deal with constant expectations. From themselves, their families, their teammates. Maybe I got lucky, then? I guess?" I never had thought about my talent as a gift before, but, as Daisuke pointed out the freedom of thought it allowed me to have, I realized it might not be so worthless after all.

Daisuke chuckled, his face full of glee, "'Sides, it makes you a whole lot cuter," he held out his hand, and I gladly shook it, without the hesitation I had shown some others, "Name's Daisuke Ichijou, the Ultimate Cheerleader. I'm also a damn fine dancer, and you can take that to the bank!"

Shinju nudged me in the side, "I'll head to the cafeteria. You can try and find Miss Eighteen if you want, but I wouldn't get my hopes up."

As Shinju walked off, Daisuke stopped talking for a while. He went noticeably quiet, "Daisuke, you alright?"

Daisuke seemed startled when I spoke up, "Oh, uh, yeah! Just thinking about my sister. Shinju reminds me of her, is all. In a good way, I mean. Anyways, I guess it's time for Yoshikazu to treat us all to lunch, am I right? A bit late, but as to be expected. Good luck finding that other girl, she's a slippery one."

Daisuke patted me on the back, causing me a bit of pain, though it was likely not his intention. He flipped his headphones back on and began dance-walking towards the cafeteria, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

Without anything better to do, I decided to search for that mysterious eighteenth student. Everyone else had already given up hope of catching her, even Kibou, which surprised me. What kind of person was she? Even Takeshi was more approachable?

I walked around the bathhouses quickly, but upon finding nothing, I walked outside into the still blazing sun. I felt as if someone was staring at me, and it sent a shiver down my spine despite how hot it was outside. I looked around, and it was then I noticed a small area filled with trees on either side, a very sparse park planted at the base of the mountain between the bathhouse and the gate. I noticed birds flying about amongst the trees, chirping happily. At least there is some form of life on this island, besides us...

I then noticed a tiny kitten nearby. It was brown, with black stripes all over his back. He seemed to be maybe six months old, and he was adorable. Remembering my "training", I got down on my knees and began to whisper to the kitten, who quickly took notice of my presence. I had no idea how the cat got here, or what kind of life it lived, but I didn't care about the finer details.

The cat looked at me, fear in his little yellow eyes, as expected. Humans were lumbering oafs compared to such fragile and fuzzy beasts. Despite this, he seemed to be relatively tame, as he did not flee on sight. I waited there, knelt into the finely cut grass, staring at this cute little kitten.

Once again, I felt like I was being watched, but I actively ignored it. I continued trying to talk to the kitten, ensuring him I meant the little creature no harm. After a while, he didn't move, so, defeated, I got up and left.

But I didn't give up. I walked down into the pharmacy and looked around. Surely enough, or maybe oddly enough, there was a section for pets as well, and it included food. Finding a nice can of wet cat food, I snatched it and took with me a small bowl as well.

I quickly headed back to the edge of the park, and noticed the kitten was now sitting under a park bench, warily watching me. Reminding him of my intent, I opened the can, knowing the smell, if anything, would attract the cat. Hoping the birds would leave the poor kitten alone, I filled the bowl with what the can had inside, and pushed it as far towards the little cat as I could. Throwing the can into a nearby recycling bin, I began my trek back to the cafeteria. Can't leave a baby kitten starving, can we?

Strolling back to where I had started my little adventure today, I didn't even notice the shadow of someone approaching me from behind. Once I noticed the sound of footsteps that weren't my own, I stopped, hesitant to turn around, "Did...Did I do something wrong?"

When I didn't get a response, I turned around, slowly. And I saw her. The Eighteenth student. She had short blue hair, and if wasn't for her black skirt and dark red blouse, I might have mistaken her for a certain hero I knew of. She also had deep blue eyes, which seemed to pierce my very soul. She wore no makeup, not in the slightest, a sharp contrast to some of the other girls, and she even stood as if she was ready to fight or flight. Had I set her off somehow? Did she just naturally dislike me?

I hated when what I wanted to convey wouldn't form words in my mouth, so I stumbled through an introduction, like I often had before, "H-hey there. Um...My name is Shinji. Shinji Kizami. You can call me whatever. I'm the Ultimate Romantic. Awkward, right? No real skill here."

The girl didn't respond to me, just looking me over, assessing me by whatever strange thoughts she had in her mind, "...Why did you feed that cat?"

Her question caught me off guard. So she was the one monitoring me? "Well, I've had plenty of cats in my life. Poor thing was too scared to come to me, so I figured I'd leave him some food. Might as well, right? He's a cute little bugger."

"Really?...What do you hope to gain out of feeding that cat?" She calmly asked, in a very low, almost monotonous voice.

"Hope to gain? Like, a reward? Bah...He's a kitten. He couldn't fend for himself in his position here. I'm not gonna let him starve," I spoke as if it was obvious. What was up with this girl?

"...Hm. You are much different than my brother. I am unsure of how to proceed," She said this in a very soft voice now, as if remembering something painful, "In case the others are concerned, I didn't introduce myself because it won't matter. I'm the Ultimate Thief."

"Ultimate Thief? So like, bank vaults and jewelry stores?" I was attempting to make light of the situation, but she didn't seem amused.

She sighed, "Perhaps. However, my talent is morally wrong, and as such, many people treat me with disdain equivalent to garbage. They believe that I'm a cutthroat thief who takes whatever pleases me, with no care for others."

"A careless cutthroat wouldn't have investigated me about a kitten," I shot back, trying to destroy the negative image applied to her.

For a second, she seemed to soften up, but it quickly faded away, "At lunch, I will formally introduce myself to the others. I know they'll reject me, but it's best to get that out of the way."

"I don't know, this group is pretty varied. I'm certain someone will like you for more than your talent," I tried to remain hopeful.

"Everyone who ever befriended me before just wanted me to steal for them. Friends and family...Since then, I've been outcast from my family, forced to live in shame, and they even stripped me of my names, burning me from their official records." The melancholic tone in her voice struck a chord in my heart.

I thought for a moment, before blurting out, "If they do, then screw 'em. I'll still talk to you. I don't have anything to my name I value, so it's not like you could harm me if you wanted to."

I wondered if she would be surprised by my promise, but she acted as if she had brushed it off as futile talk, "...You can call me Granberia. Considering my entire name was stripped off of me, I don't really mind, but I have grown fond of that name."

Wait a freaking minute. I know that reference... Instead of calling her out, I nodded, "Sure thing, Granberia. No problem. I could walk with you if you'd prefer that?"

She turned and began walking off, "Well, are you coming?" I was honestly surprised she accepted my offer, so the two of us walked back towards the cafeteria. We noticed everyone had already been seated, and the time was now around 1 PM.

The others glanced towards us. Some were shocked, others uncaring. The first to complain, though, was as expected, "Bro, are you serious? You won the loner chick over? Damn! Why isn't my talent working here? Is it bad mojo!?"

"It could be you're a slobbering moron who objectifies women as things you can play with," Granberia shot back, giving him no room to flee, "My name is Granberia, and you all may know that I'm the Ultimate Thief. I already know about the rest of you, through my observations. Then again, you don't hide well."

"Feisty, huh? I like that in my prey!" Takumi said this with a dirty grin on his face, earning a swift punch in the head from Shinju.

"Calm it, pervert!" She slapped her hands together, pretending she was wiping Takumi grime off of her, "I hope your stupid doesn't rub off."

Nico chuckled, "It might! He's certainly a special kind of Ultimate..." Takumi glared at Nico, who was seated beside Shizue, but he shrugged it off, "Just being honest, man."

Shizue flicked Nico on the back of his head, "Be nice!" He gave her a confused look, and she pouted, "Please?"

He sighed before giving in, "Jeez, alright. One of the only normal ones here with similar interests," he thought about what he said for a moment, "Not to say I dislike anyone here...Well, there are a couple, but I can look past that."

Takeshi sneered at him, but said nothing.

Granberia sat at the far end of the table, away from the others. Uncertain how I should act, I sat across from her. Daisuke slumped down next to me, wrapping his arm around me, "So, how did you do it? How did you crack the cold there?"

Akihiko joined in his jeering, "Yeah, man. The tsundere, the quiet girl, the loner, and the seductive chick. You've got some kind of talent."

I shrugged, blushing, "I don't know...I'm just empathetic, is all. It's hard for me to mask what I'm feeling. I guess people like that honesty."

Yoshikazu quickly walked over and laid out our food before us. He had prepared western-style burgers along with a side dish of miso soup, both of which smelled divine, "Wow, this is amazing!" Emiko exclaimed, slurping down her soup as fast as she could manage.

Yoshikazu nodded in acknowledgement, "I used the finest ingredients I could find in the kitchen, I assure you."

Kibou put some food, a bit of cooked omelette that Yoshikazu had made specifically for her and Satoshi, and pushed the fork near his mouth, "Open wide, Satoshi!" Satoshi, embarrassed, reluctantly did so, and she proceeded to spoon feed him.

Nari rolled her eyes and sat next to Kenji, who was trying to convince Hanako not to flee, "God, get those lovebirds away from me. Now is not a proper place or time."

Kenji turned to Nari, "Oh, you," he said that last word with a bit of disgust.

"What did you say, hm? Could you speak up?" Nari said, giving him a very intimidating glare.

Kenji adjusted his glasses before clearing his throat, "Oh, it's the raging Tutor, hard off from her latest period. What, mad about your breasts or somethin'?"

Nari dropped her spork onto the table, "What!?"

"Yeah, you. Salty as the ocean in here, huh? With all the blood and anger here...You should stuff it. But am I referring to your mouth? Or the tampon you clearly forgot to use?" Kenji grinned maliciously.

Every fork dropped to the bowl. Nari herself had frozen, and all of us had a foreboding feeling of despair. Nari finally responded, "Hanako? I'm sorry."

Hanako was surprised that Nari was speaking to her, "W-w-what f-for!?"

Nari stood up, clutching the spork in her hand ever so tightly, "For killing this stupid bastard!" Nari began chasing Kenji with the plastic weapon in her hand, lunging for him, though he managed to dodge and weave in between her thrusts.

"Hah, you wanna stab me!? The great Kenji Amagi!? Try harder, wench! I am too pro fo-" Kenji's gloating ended abruptly and prematurely as Nari's knee landed straight into his groin, sending him to his knees, as he made a high-pitched cry, like a dying puppy. Kenji Owned Count: 1.

Turning around, Nari tossed her spork into the trash, was handed another one by an unfazed Yoshikazu, and proceeded to begin eating her meal, all while Hanako fretted over whether to help Kenji or not.

"How do you brush off this craziness, Yoshikazu?" Satoshi asked, trying to redirect the conversation somewhere more inclusive and less hostile.

Without skipping a beat, he continued making his rounds, handing out the food he had made, making sure there was a wide variety for a multitude of tastes, "I am the Ultimate. My family has been doing this for centuries. I am no stranger to surprises. My ancestor once fed the warlords that had conquered the area and decapitated his former shogun. On the same night, and before cleaning up the mess."

"That's morbid..." Kibou was kind of disturbed by this fact of trivia.

After that odd exchange, we sunk into silence as we all ate our meals and awaited our fated meeting with our headmaster. Little did we know...How could we have ever known...

The clock struck twice at 2 PM, and immediately, Yoshikazu, Nico, Shizue, Daisuke, Akihiko, and Kibou, led by none other than Satoshi, hurried themselves over to the stage. After a long minute of silence, Nari, Kenji, Hanako, and Mayu all followed along. A sharp smack rang out as Takumi was once again harshly rejected by Koneko. In shame, Takumi fled towards the stage, his cheek a shade of red.

Takeshi sat alone, not talking to anyone or making a sound. I approached him, a bit reluctantly, "Takeshi, you coming? Look, I know it's not exciting, but I don't know what the headmaster might do if we refuse to come."

Takeshi slammed his plate of leftovers into the garbage and stormed off, "I know, I know! Fuck off!"

"Seriously?" I mumbled to myself, still annoyed by how flippant he was.

"Don't mind him," I turned to see Granberia, who had been closely watching my encounter, "Takeshi's wall will wear down over time. We should head over as well."

Koneko and Shinju appeared on either side of her, "You are gonna tell us a bit more about you. I wanna know you better," Shinju came off a bit strong, but her heart was in the right place, "We want to be friends with everyone here. I know it's not easy, but..."

Koneko tried to simplify, "We're not exactly like the others. We don't mind your talent. As long as you respect us, we will treat you respectfully as well."

Granberia was cautious as to how to respond, so I prodded, "See? Not everyone here's so typical, right?"

Granberia eventually conceded, and I watched the three girls walk off, talking, though Shinju was definitely dominating the conversation. Dominant, isn't she? Niiiiice...What? I like what I like. I hoped that no one could read my mind.

I was about to leave myself when I noticed that Emiko was still seated at her table, as if she wasn't paying attention to what was going on around her.

"Emiko? Are you alright?" I hoped I wasn't being too nosey, as I tried to find out what the issue was.

Emiko quickly shook her head and stood up, "Yeah, no, I'm coming. I just...I sort of have a bad feeling, is all. I don't know, it'll probably pass."

"I'll go with you if you want me to," I offered.

Emiko nodded cheerfully, and we both began walking towards the stage, "You know, Nari and I have been friends for years. We've always had that dynamic you saw at the library."

"Really? That sounds nice, a stable friendship. I didn't have too many of those," I admitted, somewhat depressed by the thought. She quickly picked up on this.

"No worries, Shinji-kun. Now that we're here, we'll be able to make friendships that will stand the test of time! We're young, alive, and full of talent and hope for our limitless future opportunities!" She said all this with a dopey smile on her face.

"Ever the optimistic one, aren't we?" I had never been much of an optimist. As a pessimist, you were either always right or pleasantly surprised.

Emiko nodded, "In some ways, I have to be. I might not have made it this far otherwise..." Sensing she was referencing something particularly dark in her past, I changed the subject, and we discussed small talk as we headed to the stage.

When we arrived, we noticed that there was now a podium situated on top of the stage. Before Emiko or I could ask questions, we heard a noise, and suddenly...

Out from the podium came a giant white and black thing, which loudly slammed down on top of the podium. It looked like a small tiger, though its limbs were oddly sized in comparison to its body. More so, it looked shrunken in size, giving it an odd, almost comical look. The left side was black, and it had a large scar-like eye, glowing a deep, sinister red. The right side was completely white, and had normal teeth smiling, contrasting the deadly, sharp, black teeth on the other side.

The creature stopped moving, and Satoshi, taking the lead once more, tried to rationalize, "Wh-what is that? A stuffed tiger!? Where is our headmaster!?"

Nico gulped quite loudly, "I have a really bad feeling about this..."

The tiger-like animal moved, sitting up before standing on its back paws, bent at an awkward angle, "I am no stuffed animal! I am Monotaro, and I am your new headmaster!" The monster, or whatever it was, had a loud, somewhat high pitched voice, though it wasn't anything like the laughter I had heard earlier.

"M-monotaro?" Akihiko was so stunned he could barely utter its name.

"Fuck me..." Nico whispered it under his breath, and though I could barely hear him, I agreed wholeheartedly. This was looking pretty bad.

"Yeeees! And I am your headmaster, here at this humble resort! You eighteen students have been brought here by my dedicated friends over at Hope's Peak. And I have some very important information for you! Ahahahahaha!" He laughed, and his laughter gave me a very bad lump in my throat.

"Important information? Like why we're here? Or whatever the hell...you are!?" Satoshi was beginning to lose himself, and Kibou gripped his arm, to calm him down.

Monotaro jumped down off of the podium, "Why yes, I will. You were brought here to participate in a game, that just so happens to be the favorite of the leader of Ultimate Despair, Miss Junko Enoshima. Though she has passed on, we honor her memory. So since you guys were shipped out to this secret installation by the main school to keep you safe, once Headmaster Kirigiri was dead, we had you all wiped of some of your memories, and placed here to enjoy my little game!"

"Junko Enoshima is the leader of Ultimate Despair!? She's just a Fashionista! What kind of group is this!?" Satoshi exclaimed. He was panicking, and Kenji was tending to Hanako, who had already started hyperventilating.

Monotaro found his confusion amusing, and he laughed even harder than before, sending chills down my spine, "You stupid bastard! Let me give it to you straight!"

Behind Monotaro, a large screen was displayed, like a hologram of some sort, "I know this. The Ultimate Programmer designed this holoscreen recorder a couple of years ago!" Granberia mentioned. For someone so quiet, she had pretty interesting intel.

Monotaro nodded, "Of course! And now, you will see, the things Ultimate Despair has done!"

Pictures flashed across the screen, depicting a horrible series of murders, a killing game that had occurred in Hope's Peak Academy itself. So many young students, ones we knew, whom we recognized, were among the fallen. Sayaka Maizono, Leon Kuwata, Mondo Oowada, Kiyotaka Ishimaru, the guy I once used to go to school with, and even Sakura Ohgami, the world's strongest fighter, all killed in some sadistic game.

After the wave of information ended, something else came up, "Greetings. This is your former headmaster, Monokuma speaking!" The bear on screen was small and stocky, and he had the same design as Monotaro did, "My master, Junko Enoshima, has since passed. However, she ensured to have a backup plan for you all! That's right! Junko is dead, and Ultimate Despair was captured and detained on Jabberwock Island! All except for one. And that one is amongst you all!"

"A member of Ultimate Despair!?" Daisuke was unable to contain his fear, "You mean, a crazy psycho!?"

Monokuma faded away, and Monotaro laughed at our expressions, "That's right! The last surviving member of Ultimate Despair is amongst you...I think. Regardless! They are a horrible villain who has committed countless crimes against humanity, including slaughtering their own family, friends, and trapping you all here in my sick little game!"

"So one of us here, in this courtyard, is directly responsible for our suffering?" Yoshikazu was trying to work out the intent behind Monotaro's words.

"Exactly! Thanks to them, you can all participate in the Mutual Killing of Resort Life!" Monotaro threw a box to Yoshikazu, who opened it up, and examined the contents, "Seems to be electronic handbooks for each of my precious students! When you turn it on, it shows your full name, and gives you data on whom you've met and talked to. You can even manage a cute little pet, write down important info, and review your investigation notes which it automatically records for you! It also has a full scale map of the entire resort and the rule book for our trip!"

We each grabbed our own handbook, and upon turning it on, hurriedly made our way to the rules section.

'Rule One: Students are to live indefinitely in this resort, until they are no longer among the living or pass the graduation clause. The one exclusion is End Game.

Rule Two: Night time is designated as the hours between 10 PM and 7 AM. Parts of the resort will be closed down during this time.

Rule Three: No surveillance is done in your personal cottages, provided freely by your generous headmaster! You may sleep elsewhere, but keep anything not safe for work in your rooms, understood?

Rule Four: Those who wish to leave must become the Blackened. In order to do so, you must murder one of your fellow students and get away with it.

Rule Five: In order to get away with it, a class trial will be held after each murder. If the Blackened is found guilty, they alone will be executed.

Rule Six: If the blackened is successful in not getting caught, everyone else will be executed, and the blackened will be free to leave the resort.

Rule Seven: Students are permitted to explore to their own contentment, and no attempts will be made by the headmaster to interfere with your investigation of this resort and its mysteries.

Rule Eight: No destruction of cameras or monitors are permitted. Violence against the Headmaster will also be punished by execution.

Rule Nine: More rules can be added later, in case one of you tries to be a smart ass or pisses the Headmaster off.'

What was I even reading!? Was this even real anymore!?

Monotaro laughed at the gaunt expressions on our faces, "Oh, and by the way, execution means execution! As in, I'll freaking kill you! So if you do murder someone, try not to get caught! Karma's a harsh mistress, after all! I will show up periodically, to inform you of any new developments, or to provide you motives. So remember to get to killing! As much as you want! ...Wait!"

Rule Nine in the handbook changed to Rule Ten, and Rule Nine now read as follows: A single blackened can only kill two people, and a body discovery announcement will be played once a body is discovered by three or more people.

"Now that that is settled, have a nice day, everyone! Make sure to be careful, lest you be murdered! No one wants to be trapped here for all eternity, am I right!?" Monotaro disappeared behind the podium, his sinister laughter echoing across the large courtyard.

We all looked around at each other. Fear, confusion, apprehension, anticipation, anger, all kinds of emotions were plastered all over our faces. This is how we knew we had been thrown into a horrible reality, one we couldn't just pinch ourselves and wake up from.

This was real. And for the first time in my life, I felt fear and despair so overwhelming, I didn't know if I could even speak. But no words would have made this alright, as everyone scattered. Left alone in the courtyard, I could only stand there, in horror and disbelief. Were we really going to do this!?

Were my new friends going to die? No, worse, going to start killing each other!? Why did this have to happen!? No, no, calm down. Nothing bad has happened yet. Maybe it'll be alright, and it's just some big ruse. I knew it was merely wishful thinking, but I had to cling to something or I would lose my mind in this hellish nightmare I had been sentenced to. I had to.