What is "Despair"?
What is " Hope"?
What is the t-t-t-t-t-r—uth a—n at- is... Danganronpa?
"Uh, I guess I should start with an introduction."
" My name is Shuichi Saihara, I'm the Ultimate Detective. Well not really, it's a long story. Currently I-"
"Shuichi what are you doing?" A dark blur crossed my vision as I noticed the video camera I was using to record was missing. " M-Maki I was just documenting what happened here, I felt it was the right thing to do. I tried to explain myself to the girl who now held my camera. " Do you really think anyone will believe this video anyway? We just experienced it our self, and I can hardly believe it."
I should explain what's going on, it's a long story so I'll just give you basics. The girl with me is Maki Harukawa the Ultimate Assassin. Me and 15 other students were locked into the Ultimate Academy for Juveniles, and we were forced into a killing game until there were only 2 remaining. Well it didn't exactly go like that. We managed to expose the mastermind behind the killing game, with Maki and I managing to escape. Well and one oth-
"Nyaaa, Shuichi its no good."
And one other. Another girl started running up with short cut red hair and donned with a hat that's reminiscent of one of those old videogame wizards. Well I guess that's appropriate she is after all Himiko Yumeno the Ultimate Magician.
"That's Ultimate MAGE Shuichi!" Himiko shouted at me all red in the face. She sure takes her magic seriously. Well anyway its just the three of us now. With the Academy in total ruin after another one of our friends Keebo tore it apart. The only thing left being the giant hole in the wall that caged us in the academy.
"Nyaa, I went all around the Academy Shuichi. But all the buildings are blocked with big rocks there's no way we can get in. I guess Maki was right staying around was a waste of time." Himiko took off her hat to cover her face with it. " Well this is actually perfect, now that were all here we can go over everything again."
"Go over? What do you mean Shuichi?" Maki threw down the camera in the rubble that was once the Academy. " We already know what happened, Tsumugi already explained it. Everything here is a lie, our talents, our personalities, everything." Maki had a sullen look on her face as she was speaking.
" Well yes, that's what Tsumugi claimed at least. That's actually why I wanted to go over things again. Because if what Tsumugi said was really the truth then that brings somethings into question. And there are tons of mysteries left that her explanation didn't clear up. So, if we go through events from the very beginning we might be able to make events clearer. I mean for now the only place we can go is through the damaged wall but... I really don't have a clue what's really on the other side of that wall." I looked down raising my hand to my chin in puzzlement.
" If that's what you really want to do, I wont stop you." Maki closed her eyes as she plumped down on a nearby rock crossing her legs. " Yea Shuichi, don't worry with my magic I will definitely uncover the truth." Himiko had a wide grin on her face as she picked another piece of debris to sit down on. " Very well, let us begin."
" It apparently all started as a pet project for the mastermind, Shirogane Tsumugi, the killing game that we know the one from Hopes Peak and Jabberwock Island, were apparently fiction, some sort of videogame. Tsumugi was seemingly inspired by these games and decided to turn reality into fiction, to make her own " real life fiction". We were a part of that series 53rd generation. We seemingly came in for auditions... But I can't believe that. After the 16 of us were selected they implanted memories with the Flashback Light, a device that can send in memories that never happened and make you believe them. Now according to Tsumugi this was used to make us "fake" Ultimates and before we were just regular high school students. But as of now there's no way to confirm what she said. That's how we were forced into the killing game. Any objections so far?
Both Maki and Himiko shook their head. "But we ended the killing game, right Shuichi?" Himiko put in.
" That's true Himiko. In the final class trial, we managed to argue with the "outside world" and ended the killing game. Finally, Keebo managed to blow open a hole through the wall with some sort of self destruction ability. Which brings us to the present, where its been an hour or 2 since the killing game ended."
" Nice job summarizing Shuichi, buts that's stuff we already know. What exactly are the problems you have with those events?" Maki stared me down with those roundish red eyes.
" Nyaa, yeah Shuichi explain yourself." Himiko pointed her index finger at me with an uneasy look on her face.
"Several things stand out to me. First of all, Tsumugi said she was part of "Team Danganronpa" and they were behind all the killing games. But why would the head of company personally take part in the games? Secondly Tsumugi herself was the Ultimate Cosplayer so its clear not everything was fabricated at the very least Ultimate's DO exist. Finally, and most importantly what is Danganronpa? Its clear this organization is huge if it has the resources to supply the killing game with all the equipment here. Especially these huge Exisals and all of Keebo's weapons. Without a doubt we haven't heard the last from these Danganronpa team."
Everyone looked down as I was explaining my hypothesis to them, I was thinking of what I could say to lighten the mood, but then Maki spoke up.
" Then what can we do now? Its clear we can't just stay here at the Academy its completely destroyed. It seems the only option for us is cross the wall." Maki looked up with a determined look on her face.
"Nyaa, wait a minute guys. If Tsumugi really was the founder of Team Danganronpa, then wouldn't they come here? They cant just leave her body here. We could just wait for them to come and question them then." Himiko offered her thoughts.
" No, I don't think so. If this Team Danganronpa really were invested in Tsumugis life they wouldn't have let her die in the first place. Perhaps Tsumugi wasn't as highly ranked in the organization as she was saying. Either way, I don't think anything can be accomplished if we just stay here. So, we will just have to brave the journey to the other side of the wall."
" We have to see what's on the other side, for the sake of all our friends that died in order to end the killing game. For all the tears we shed mourning the loss of our friends. For Rantaro, Kaede, Kirumi, Ryoma, Kiyo, Angie, Tenko, Miu, Gonta, Kaito, Keebo, and yes even you Kokichi. We won't give up here we might have ended this killing game, but we cannot stop until Team Danganronpa itself is gone."
" Nicely said Shuichi. One thing I know for a fact that Tsumugi lied about is that your definitely not a coward. You showed us the way past all the class trials and I know if Kaito... If Kaito was alive he would definitely believe in you even now. So, I will follow you. I mean without me a sidekick like you would be lost right?" Maki flashed me a small grin as she was pledging her allegiance to me.
"Nyaaaaaaaa, well it doesn't look like I have much of a choice here. I really don't want to be myself. Well no need to worry, if we get in trouble we'll just have to use my magic." Himiko produced a large grin on her face.
"Nyah, I guess this makes us the Ultimate 3 Musketeers." Himiko's big grin turned into a smaller smile.
" The Ultimate what?" I had to voice my objection to that term.
" Nya, yeah why not? We need a cool name for our team, right? Like one of those old school superhero anime."
"Whatever it doesn't matter anyway, does it? We should start heading out now, I want to get going before it becomes too late." Maki shut us both up with one of her death glares, a glare so cold it still sends chills down my spine.
" Yosh! Lets go." Me and the others took our first step towards the giant hole in the wall, little did we know... no we couldn't have known... That the despair we found at the Academy pales in comparison to what we would discover in the "outside world".
" Hehehehehehehehehehe. So, these are the brats that killed Tsu Tsu. I guess that's what I get for letting that idiot handle things this time. She fucked up the whole game. Were going to have to use the blackout lights, goddammit. You think you stopped the killing game? No, no, no, no, no, no, no,no,no,no,no,no.
" Fuck That. Come to me and I'll show you something greater then "despair" I'll show you hell."
The Next Day:
" Wake up, wake up Shuichi."
I felt my world shaking a soft touch gripping my arm. I tried to steady my vision and saw blood red eyes looking down on me. I realized it was Maki, I got up on my feet from the bed of foliage I constructed yesterday night.
Well I guess I'm getting ahead of myself. When we the 3 musketeers walked over the wall in the Academy we found something quite unexpected. All around us were hundreds if not thousands of trees a giant forest. All we could see for miles was trees and so many leaves we couldn't even see the bare ground. We walked for what seemed like years yesterday, but there was no break from the never ending visage of great oaks and elms. We decided to pitch up camp after we noticed the sun went down, luckily this seems to truly be the outside world. We passed by many wildlife animals and bugs all things missing from our isolated world in the Academy. Yes, this was truly "real life". There was plenty of berries around to stave off our hunger and the bed of leaves we made were actually pretty comfortable all things considered.
" We should get a move on Shuichi, if we walk most of the day hopefully we'll find some hint of civilization. Then I guess we will then start our search for this Team Danganronpa."
I saw Maki go over to a nearby berry bush presumably to gather berries for breakfast.
" Yea, If what Tsumigi said is true there might actually be a Team Danganronpa outpost nearby. I find it hard to believe that TD would let one of their members to participate in the killing game without any backup close by. Did you wake up Himiko?" I started looking over our miniature camp but couldn't spot the mage anywhere.
"No, actually she was up even before me. She told me she was going to go farther out and scout a bit." Maki explained with her back still turned to me.
" By herself? Isn't that too dangerous?" I couldn't believe Himiko out of all of us would do that. " I offered to go with her but, she insisted to go by herself. Shuichi, the way she was acting was different. She seems much more determined than she ever did at the academy."
As Maki was finishing her thought, we heard the rustling of the nearby shrubs. Poking out was the tip of the magic hat that was part of Himiko's attire. Then the magician came into full view... and blue in the face?
"NYAAAA, guys I think I'm gonna be sick."
That's when we felt it. The feeling that can only be described by the word "Despair". Chills ran through my entire body, from my head all the way to my toes. Until eventually my whole body became numb. My vision was getting blurry but, I saw Maki drop to the ground the berries in her hand littered the ground. I noticed something protruding from the back of her neck, so I tried moving my hands to the back of my neck to see if I could find it. It was no use I couldn't move my arms at all. My vision was getting worse and worse. The last thing I remember were black boots all around me, someone was kneeling down next to me. Until the only thing left was total darkness.
"Himiko Yumeno Number 14: Ultimate Magician"
" Maki Harukawa Number 15: Ultimate Assassin"
" Shuichi Saihara Number 16: Ultimate -"
" Welcome, to hell."
Author Note: I just finished Danganronpa V3, and holy cow is it amazing. I decided I just needed to get my thoughts down for the aftermath of that game. I decided to just lay the groundwork in this chapter, but next chapter I can reveal all the new "Ultimates" and hopefully everything works out. I already have most of the cast planned out, but if anyone has cool suggestions for Ultimates feel free to suggest. Anyway, thank you for reading my work I hope you comeback for more.