Hello! Before you start reading, I would like to tell everyone that this story is not only spoiler-filled for the entire Danganronpa anime, but it also has several mentions of death and suicide (but then again, this is Danganronpa), to warn those who get triggered by such things. In any case, I hope you enjoy this! - Element
Aoi Asahina found herself in a garden of colorful flowers under a cloudless sky.
"What...what is this place?"
"Asahina-san! Come join us!" a cheerful, familiar voice said.
The Super High School Level Swimmer turned around to see five people: Mukuro Ikusaba, Chihiro Fujisaki, Sayaka Maizono, Celestia Ludenburg, and the most important person of all, Sakura Oogami.
"What are all of you doing here?" Aoi asked.
"We're all having a tea party in this lovely garden, of course! That's why we asked you to join us, Asahina-san," Celestia said. "After all, you are our friend, are you not?" Aoi nodded, and then walked over to Sakura.
"Sakura...I..." Aoi started to say. Soon, she wrapped her arms around her friend in a hug. "I really miss you."
"As do I, Asahina-san," Sakura said, smiling and hugging her friend back.
After a little while, the two let go, and the six friends headed to the table.
"So, Asahina-chan, how are things going over there?" Sayaka asked, sipping some tea.
"Not too well, to be honest," Aoi sighed. "We had a trial for Ikusaba-san, and...Naegi-kun..." Mukuro cringed when Aoi said her name.
"What? Did something happen?" Chihiro asked.
"He...got executed, but he somehow survived. He's in the trash dump right now."
"Wha- How dare they! Naegi wouldn't hurt a fly!" Sayaka yelled.
"Which is one of the many reasons why your plan to frame him would have failed, if you had actually killed Leon," Celestia said.
"Never mind that! Is he okay, Asahina-chan?"
"At this point, we don't know if he's alive or dead, unfortunately."
"That is really too bad..." Sakura said, sighing.
"Ah, you haven't had anything to drink, Asahina-san! Here, let me get you some tea!" Chihiro said, standing up and heading towards the tea stand.
"There's no need to be so polite, Fujisaki-chan!" Aoi said, standing up, then realizing what she had just said. "Um..."
"It's okay, I don't mind being called -chan. Oh! What kind of tea would you like, Asahina-san?"
"Um...Is there some donut flavored tea over there?" The group smiled and laughed a little at her statement.
"Well, it seems you haven't changed, Asahina-san," Celestia murmured.
"The teapot we're using apparently can change flavors on its own, so we've all just been having our favorite type of tea," Chihiro explained. "So yes, there's some donut tea." Chihiro poured Aoi a cup, then handed it to her. Aoi blew on the tea, then took a sip.
"Is it good, Asahina-san?" Sakura asked.
"This...it tastes exactly like a nice, warm donut!" Aoi said, smiling in a cheerful manner.
"That's great!" Sayaka said.
"Now that's all settled, why don't both of you take a seat?" Celestia asked.
"After Chihiro and Aoi sat down, the six friends started to talk about light things. Sweets were scattered over the table, everything from donuts to petite-fours, tsundere flavored cookies to chocolate bars, cake to ice cream, and even chocolate covered strawberries were at the table. Everyone was having a wonderful time, especially Aoi and Sakura, who were enjoying the opportunity to be best friends again.
"So, Sakura..." Mukuro said, "We never found out how you died. I mean, we know that Chihiro was hit over the head with a dumbbell, Celestia was executed in a witch burning, Sayaka was stabbed in the stomach, and I was killed unexpectedly by the mastermind. Of course, Aoi's still alive, so that's figured out. But..." Mukuro was interrupted by extremely loud sobs. Mukuro looked over in the direction of the crying, and saw Aoi, crying into Sakura's chest.
"I...I should have..."
"It's alright, Asahina-san. It's all past now."
"No, it's not okay! I...I should have been there for you!"
"What...What happened?" Sayaka asked.
"I believe Asahina-san still feels guilty over my death, despite it not being her fault," Sakura said. "You see, the truth is...I committed suicide."
The entire table stared at Sakura.
"You...killed yourself?" Chihiro said, genuinely shocked.
"I was revealed as a mole, and I didn't want everyone fighting over me when we should have been working together to get out of this...school, if I may call it that," Sakura said.
"I see...I'm sorry I asked, I didn't mean to upset anybody," Mukuro said.
"It's okay..." Aoi said. "I...I just reacted badly to it, that's all."
"Speaking of questions...I don't remember having you at our school, Ikusaba-san," Sayaka said.
"Well, I try not to be too conspicuous, Maizono-san," Mukuro said. "After all, I am the Super High School Level Soldier at our school."
"To be honest, Maizono-san, we didn't know about Ikusaba-san until around the trial where Naegi-kun got...excecuted. It was almost like we weren't supposed to know about her until the end..." Mukuro balled her hands into fists under the table as Aoi said the last sentence.
"So...I know this is a weird question again, but..." Aoi started, looking down.
"What is it?" Celestia asked quietly, keeping a serene expression on her face.
"Yeah, it can't be that bad, Asahina-san," Chihiro piped up, smiling cheerfully at Aoi.
"I wanted to ask...how are all of you doing?" Aoi said.
The other five people looked at her for a second, then smiled at her.
"What are you talking about, Asahina-chan? That's not a weird question at all!" Sayaka said.
"That's right. It's actually a good question," Mukuro said.
"It is only natural to want to know if your friends are doing okay when you have not seen them in a while, Asahina-san," Sakura added on.
"Well, to answer your question, Asahina-san, I am doing quite well! I wasn't quite expecting death to be this...peaceful," Celestia responded politely.
"I'm also doing well, Asahina-chan! I mean, I do miss my friends, but I'm glad I'm out of Hope's Peak," Sayaka replied.
"I'm doing well as far as being dead goes. By the way, have you guys found-" Chihiro started to ask.
"Yes, but...Alter Ego's original computer got...executed to say the least," Aoi said.
"Wait, original computer?" Chihiro asked.
"Alter Ego managed to get into the system and save Naegi-kun from being executed," Aoi explained to the group.
"Ah! That's wonderful! I'm glad I was able to help out..." Chihiro said, smiling.
"You helped out quite a bit by creating Alter Ego, Fujisaki-chan," Aoi said.
"I'm...feeling puzzled," Mukuro said. "I've honestly tried to figure out why I died at such an odd time...But it seems like I don't have all of the puzzle pieces to figure it out, unfortunately."
"That's too bad," Chihiro said, sighing quietly.
"S...Sakura-chan? What about you? How are you doing?" Aoi asked her close friend.
"I'm doing just fine, Asahina-san," Sakura said, wrapping her strong arms around her friend in a warm, kind-hearted hug.
"Oh my, is it that late already?" Celestia asked aloud, checking her silver pocketwatch. "Well, I'm sorry to say it to you all, but I must be going now. It was nice to see you again, Asahina-san," Celestia said, giving Aoi a quick hug.
"It was nice to see you too, Celestia," Aoi responded.
Celestia did a quick curtsy, then left down the path near her seat, one that Aoi hadn't quite noticed before.
"Unfortunately, I must go as well," Mukuro said, pushing in her seat. "I hope we'll meet again, Asahina-san, under happier circumstances."
"I hope to see you again as well, Ikusaba-san. Make sure to solve that puzzle, alright?"
"Alright, Asahina-san," Mukuro said. Then, she left just as Celestia did.
"I have to go too, Asahina-chan. It was nice to talk to you again!" Sayaka said, waving goodbye. Aoi waved back.
"I think I can stay for a little while longer," Chihiro said. "It is getting late though."
"I will be able to stay a little longer as well," Sakura said.
The three friends that were left finished off the sweets, and made quiet small talk for a while before Chihiro stood up, pushing his chair in gently.
"It was nice seeing you and being able to dine with you, Asahina-san, but I must go as well," Chihiro stated. "Goodbye."
"Good- Wait a second!" Aoi said, a sudden realization dawning on her. "Why...Why is everyone leaving the tea party?!"
"Well, Asahina-san...you can't sleep forever," Chihiro said.
"Wait...What?! Are...are you saying?!"
"We should have told you earlier, Asahina-san, but...this is a dream. A dream that you will soon wake up from," Sakura said, frowning a little.
"But...what if I don't want to wake up?! What if I want to stay with you, Sakura-chan?!"
"There's no reason for you not to come back, Asahina. We'll wait for you."
"That's right! Me and Sakura and the others will come back when you're sleeping, so you can see us again!" Chihiro said.
"I think it's almost time for you to wake up, Asahina," Sakura said, hugging her friend.
"Goodbye, Asahina."
"Ding-Dong! Ding-Dong! It's seven o' clock! Time to get up!" Monokuma announced.
Aoi opened her eyes to her dorm room.
Where...? Oh, yeah, I'm still at Hope's Peak. And that was...
Aoi sniffled a little. She wished it wasn't a dream, that Sakura was with her, along with everyone else. But in any case, she had to get up and get started on her day.
That's what Sakura would have done, and that's what Sakura would have wanted Aoi to do.
Getting out of bed, then doing her hygiene routine, Aoi knew that she would see her friends again, more and more in her mind.
And that was what would push her through today.
