Disclaimer: Hey! I'm AngelPines, Angel to my buddies, and I have no clue how I ended up getting hooked onto this fandom.

I stumbled across it during one of my many escapades around YouTube, and me being the person who enjoys plenty of violence and hurt/comfort, picked up on it immediately. It suited my specialties in writing, and I decided to try it out. This is a mix of the anime, game, and manga, so dialogue varies time to time, with a few other things. Not everything is exactly the same. But hey! It's a fanfiction. Nothing's ever written in stone.

Another thing: I don't do swears. So those are also edited a bit. Now that I've ranted enough... let's get this show on the road!

"Speaking"

Thinking

"Reading"


"Hey, uh, J-pssssssssssh? So, what do you think? Is it adorable or what?"

"Oh, shove off. You know I've been working on this project for weeks. It's the most advanced thing this school's ever seen."

"Psssssshhhh-J-psssh? Y-you're kinda scaring me. I-I don't like this game anymore. Maybe we should just stop-hey! No, g-give him back! J-pssssssssssh!"

"Please, it's not meant for what you're planning! All this talk about despair and stuff, it-it isn't right-pssssssssshhhh!? What is that thing you're holding? What are you-no. J-pssssssh, please, no! No! J-PSSSSSSSHHH!"


Darkness. That was the first thing I picked up on. Could just be because my eyes were closed, but that's besides the point.

My head was buzzing, and I couldn't quite say why. Should I… open my eyes now? I wouldn't really accomplish much laying here. Wherever 'here' was. So… here we go! "Eugh… o-oh, man." Everything was spinning, and the feeling of vertigo was hard to ignore. Slowly, ever so slowly, I moved the heavy weight of my arms under me, and began to push upwards. Blinking back the crud in my eyes, I looked down. "I'm… in a classroom?"

I was passed out in an empty classroom. Huh. No wonder my face felt so sore. I was laying lopsided on my head on the desk. Running a hand on my cheek to try and get feeling back into it, I tiredly looked around. "Hmm… huh?" Security cameras? Metal plates on the wa-were those the windows!? Jumping upwards-and almost falling flat on my face doing so-I rushed to the wall, and tried to grip the surface. My grip didn't do scratch. All they did do, was hurt my skin and make it red and sore. "What's going on here?"

Looking around again, I spotted a folded piece of paper sitting neatly on a desk at the front. Moving over towards it, I opened it up. The writing was not perfectly neat, and there was a childish drawing of a building in the top corner. "Hey there, new kid! The next semester is about to start! As ya embark on new beginnings, this school will become yer new world! Gather in the gym at 8 for the welcoming ceremony." School? I don't remember signing up for a new school. Or… wait. Wh-what was I doing before I woke up? Was I d-drugged or something? I-my mind is all... blank. Why can't I recall anything?

"Hmm... 8, huh?" Turning to the clock, I saw it was almost said timing. "Best to move along then." Maybe I can get answers if I go. Moving to the door, I slid it open to reveal a darkened hallway, lit up by purple lighting that suited the odd colored walls. "Hmmm." If this were to be a school, then there should obviously be more 'students' here too. "The main hall, perhaps, would be as good a choice as any to start." The gym should be in that direction too.

As the lights changed from purple to green the further I walked along the first floor, part of me wondered who it was that brought me here, and where he was. As much as I was aware, I was a perfectly normal person. "Is that it?" I spotted an ajar door, but it was by far not what I was looking for. Strong, heavy locks surrounded almost a vault-like door, with machine guns hanging above it, stationed at the ready. Holy c-what's going on here?

In terms of who I was expecting when I heard voices, I didn't really prepare myself for more people my age. Adults, I was ready for. People of authority. But while this group was certainly… diverse, in appearances, it was clear we were all around the same age dynamic. "Whoa, there's actually one more of us?" A tall boy with spiky brown hair remarked in the back. "Guess this makes sixteen then."

Sixteen? "Are you alright?" A girl with blue hair asked, standing beside a boy with light brown hair and a green hoodie under a black jacket.

"I… I don't… know?" I wasn't sure. I was also unsure of how much I should talk to these people. I didn't know them, so they were strangers. Strangers were not to be trusted until a bond was formed, and then we could be called friends. "Do you know… where we are?"

"Hope's Peak Academy, I assume," a girl with lavender hair added. Quiet, just like me, and she seemed to be on the analytical side just as much as I was. Trying to pinpoint what was happening around us.

"And you are?" A boy with rectangular glasses, and an air that screamed 'I'm important so leave me be, peasant', asked snidely.

"My name? I-it's… Matsuko. Matsuko Hirota," I replied, putting more emphasis at the end. Strangers made me nervous, but I didn't want to let this person think of me so lowly. "Might I… have yours?"

"We already di-did introductions!" A girl with two dark brown braids said, glaring at me. "She can j-just go ahead and play catch-up!" I frowned at her, but the boy standing beside her, a teen with a pristine white uniform, put down her idea.

"We had already done so several times for each person who joined us. One more time is highly acceptable." I sent him a thankful look, and examined his appearance. He stood straight, almost like was constantly at attention. "I'm Kiyotaka Ishimaru, but you can call me Taka." His red eyes were unnatural, but also intriguing. "I am the Ultimate Moral Compass."

"Ultimate…?" What was that supposed to mean?

"Your t-talent," the braided girl said, picking up on my mumbling. "I'm T-Toko Fukawa: Ultimate Writing Prodigy."

"Writing," I repeated, smiling at the idea. Books was something I took to heart, and the idea of being so successful at a young age was impressive. "That's really cool." The faint smile she gave, despite trying to hide it, showed I said the right thing.

"Hi, I'm Sayaka Maizono. I'm the Ultimate Pop Sensation." The blue haired girl was definitely more cheerful than some of the others, having a pleasant smile on her face.

"Yo! The name's Leon Kuwata." He was dressed as a rocker, with many piercings, rings, and his beard was in a ponytail. Not someone I would partake in a conversation with on a regular basis, but he seemed… nice enough? "Ultimate Baseball Star."

"I am Hifumi Yamada, but you call me by my nickname 'The Alpha and the Omega'! I don't mind," a large teen said, adjusting his glasses. "If that does not give it away, I am the Ultimate Fanfic Creator."

"Okay… nice to… meet you." As long as he wasn't one of those creepy writers, then I'm fine with speaking to him. Writers of all kinds are fine, but it depends on their personalities. Hifumi was just… pushing some weird buttons.

"I'm Aoi Asahina!" A girl with tan skin in sport shorts and red jacket greeted. "But my friends just call me Hina." Wow, she's a ball of energy. "I'm the Ultimate Swimming Pro." So my assumption with sports was correct.

"I'm Chihiro Fujisaki," a quiet girl said. She had short light brown hair, soft green eyes, and was probably the second smallest person here. I… I was the smallest, at five feet. "The Ultimate Programmer…" she looked at me curiously, and I gave her a shy smile. She seemed to be on the timid side, and the small action seemed to make her happy as she returned the expression.

"It's nice to meet you, Chihiro," I replied. I turned to the lavender haired girl, seeing her looking off to the side in thought. "Uh…"

She turned to look at me, keeping her stoic expression. "My name is… Kyoko Kirigiri. Don't bother asking about my talent."

"O-oh. Um, alright." I was shot down quite quickly, and it was evident I would not be getting any more out of the mystery girl that was Kyoko.

"Hi!" A strawberry blonde cheerfully said, smiling at me. Her hair was pulled up in two large pigtails, giving me a peace sign. "I'm Junko Enoshima. Charmed, I'm sure! I am the Ultimate Fashionista!" Not going to lie, this girl was kind of intimidating. Not sure why, but…

"Name's Mondo Owada," the boy, Mondo, said after Junko was done. Not sure what got my attention most about him. His choice in hairstyle, or the fact this guy towered over me more than everybody else. His shirt was low enough to reveal his muscular chest, and it was easy to tell that I wouldn't ever wanna get into a fight with him. "Ultimate Biker Gang Leader."

That's a thing? Who would want that as a talent? Never mind that. Just four more left. I turned to a tall teen, at least a few inches taller than Mondo, and wow, was she ever jacked! Arms, legs; everything about her screamed that she was a fighter. The scars on her right arm and across her face were adding to the intimidation factor, plus her steely gaze and curiously white long hair. But she still seemed more polite than some of the others here. "I am Sakura Ogami."

"Pleased to meet you, Sakura," I said, trying to contain a nervous shiver. Her eyes… they could cut through steel if she tried.

"I am the Ultimate Martial Artist." Ah, that makes a lot of sense. The next person, probably the one I would end up never stop hearing about, was the rich boy.

"Name's Byakuya Togami. It would be wise for you to remember that I am the Ultimate Affluent Progeny." Yep. Yep, I can probably guess why. Most of these people seemed to have their qualities, their talents, for things that they do. But him? It's his family that's carrying him. He had more power than I would ever have. "We're done with introductions now, right? How much longer are you going to stand there for? You are as bad as him." He cast a look at the boy who stood beside Sayaka, and he frowned at the insult.

"Ah, lay off the shrimp," the porcupine haired boy said, smiling down at me. "I'm Yasuhiro Hagakure-Hiro for short! I'm the Ultimate Clairvoyant!"

"Really?" I couldn't help asking. "How much truth is there to that?" Hiro smirked, pleased at my interest and rustled the top of my hair.

"I'll tell ya later, short stack." Okay, are the short jokes going to continue here? I turned to the second last person; a gothic lolita girl. Red eyes studied me, and unlike Taka's, it was easy to tell that these were contacts.

"I am Celestia Ludenberg, the Ultimate Gambler." Her accent was thick, but what it was, I couldn't quite tell. It was certainly not from around here, but perhaps somewhere in Europe? "But if you don't mind, I would prefer for you to call me Celeste."

"Very well," I nodded. I turned to face the boy Byakuya made that comment on earlier, and smiled. "May I have your name?"

"Makoto Naegi," he grinned. "Nice to meet you. Guess you could call me the Ultimate Lucky Student, I guess." He guessed? Did he not have a clear talent before arriving here? "Anyways, what's yours?"

"My… ultimate, you said?" I paused to put a hand to my chin in thought. "I am… not sure. Sorry, but… I cannot really recall much of what happened before I woke up here. Everything's all… blurry."

"Geez, and I thought being knocked out was bad," Hiro remarked. "Can't recall a thing, can you?"

"Nuh-uh." I shook my head. "But… I'm sure it will come back to me." I was half-confident. It didn't really matter what it was I came to this school for, but knowing it might be useful later down the road.

"Okay, time to get down to business," Byakuya said, drawing all of our attention. "This is no time to stand around making friends like a bunch of dull-eyed baboons." I frowned at his comment, as did a few others. "From what we have already established, we are still in the school."

"But are ya sure this isn't some weird kidnapping?" Leon asked, giving him a look.

"I bet this is all just part of the school's orientation procedure," Hiro said. "Yeah, I'm sure that's it! So I'm just gonna take it easy for a little bit." Relaxed guy, isn't he?

"Oh… so you think they wanted to do something to surprise us?" Chihiro asked, holding a hand to her chest.

"Huh. Well if that's all it is, it's nap time for me," Leon said. "I was up way too late last night, so I could use a little shuteye." Tension seemed to slowly evaporate, like everything really was just some dumb prank. But then… a bell rang through the school, and we all looked up at the wall. A monitor was set up, and we could see a silhouette on it. But… whatever it was… did not appear to be human.

"Ahem! Ahem! Testing, testing! Mike check, one, two! This is a test of the school broadcast system! Am I on? Can everyone here me? Okay, well then…!" The voice, clearly male, by the sound of it, seemed out of place with our current situation. Playful, unconcerned… it worried me. "Ahh, to all incoming students! I would like to begin the entrance ceremony at… right now! Please make your way to the gymnasium at your earliest convenience. That's all. I'll be waiting!" With that, the screen shut off, leaving us sixteen teenagers in a mix of confusion and nerves.

I glanced around at everyone, and made the first move. While it may have been important to listen to their opinions, it would be highly unwise to leave this person… thing, waiting. For whatever agenda he had, it would not be wise to ignore his request. "… see you all there." Before they could say anything more, I exited the area and headed straight down the hall. Across from me was a flight of stairs, but unfortunately, there was a large metal gate blocking access. To my right was the gym's door, and I slipped through that into another waiting area, and then into the gym itself.

One at a time behind me, the students trickled in. Though, I decided to focus on other things. Such as my own appearance. It wasn't essential, but as I couldn't remember much prior to waking up, it would be wise to have an idea to what I last wore before coming here. I had a white button-up shirt with a dark red lab coat over it. The coat was unbuttoned, hanging freely from my petite frame and almost hitting my knees. I also had on a pair of black jeans, which might have been to mimic dress pants but these were much more comfortable to work in. I tapped my short black boots on the wooden floor, testing their durability. "Hmm." I reached up to the top of my head, feeling a set of goggles with the strap holding my short scraggly light pink hair back. Lowering my pale hand, I paused to look at my skin. Faint traces of scaring covering it, and there were noticeable calluses. What did I do to cause these?

"Oh. It really does look like an entrance ceremony," Makoto voiced as he entered behind everyone else.

"See? Told ya! It's totally normal entrance ceremony stuff," Hiro confirmed.

"Hey there, howdy, hello!" We all looked around, hearing the same voice from before come out of the speakers. "Is everyone here? Good! Then let's get things rolling!" How excited it was sent chills down my spine. It was creepy, and it sent warning bells ringing from how happy it was. How could one be happy, when we're all trapped in here?

As one, we all turned to face the stage, where a podium was set up bearing the school's insignia. Then, out of nowhere, out from possibly a trapdoor of some kind, a black and white object flew out from behind the stand and onto the top of it, right in between a glass of water and a microphone. "Huh? A… teddy bear?" Chihiro murmured beside me. It looked like it. Velvety fur, but not anything really fluffy. One half was a normal cutesy white bear, but the left side… it was black, with a large fanged smile and a disturbing red eye that bore the same jagged style as the school's logo. It had an odd little pot belly, and a belly button that stuck outwards. Weird toy, but… okay, I really couldn't shake that off. It's weird. Just that half-fanged grin made me uneasy.

"I'm not a teddy bear." The same voice from the speakers said, and to our shock, the bear stood up on its hind legs, dusting itself off. "I… am… Monokuma!" Uh… how hard did I hit my head? Bears don't speak. I'm pretty confident in that logic. "And I am this school's headmaster! Nice to meetcha!"

"I think I'm losing my mind," I whispered to myself, but loud enough for a few students around me to hear. Whatever this thing was, it definitely raised my nerves to a whole new level. Something about it just… filled me with dread.

"Aah! I had a nightmare just like this once!" Hifumi shouted.

"Young man, some respect, if you please. Mon-o-kuma. Your headmaster." The voice was so out of place. So carefree. Whatever feelings I had before all took a turn to outright fear, and I cautiously stepped back from the bear. The bear, Monokuma, must have been some form of highly advanced machinery. That was my only assumption. With how smart it replied, I could only guess some serious programming went into it. "Now then, moving on! We really must hurry and get started…" started? Started on what? "Everyone, stand at attention and bow! And… good morning!"

"Good morning, headmaster, sir!" Taka repeated, giving a deep bow.

"Y-you don't have to s-say it back," Toko said, fiddling with her fingers. I understand that he followed the rules and all, but that's a bit much.

"Ah, that'll have to do, I suppose. Now then, let us commence with a most noteworthy and memorable entrance ceremony!" Monokuma announced. Monokuma… monochrome bear. Ah, his name was a pun. "First, let's talk a bit about what your school life here will be like. Now, ah, make no mistake-you few students, so full of potential, represent the hope of the world." That's… nice, but you're making it sound bad? "And to protect such splendid hope… you will all live a communal life together solely within the confines of this school." That's n-wait what!? "Everyone will live in harmony together, and adhere to the rules and regulations of the school. Ah, now then… regarding the end date for this communal life… there isn't one! In other words, you'll all be here until the day you die! Such is the school life you've been assigned!"

Assigned? Assigned!? I didn't sign up for anything! "Oh, but fear not!" Monokuma continued, oblivious to our concerns. "We have quite an abundant budget, so you won't lack for all the common conveniences." How does that make us feel any better!?

"That's the least of our worries right now!" Sayaka shouted.

"Yeah, what the hell? You're saying I have to live here forever?" Junko said. "You're screwing with us, right?"

"I am not screwing with you! I am no, liar, of that you can be 100 percent sure. Ah, and just for your information… you're completely cut off from the outside world."

"Figured that out already," I muttered, casting an anxious glare at Monokuma. Robots are just that. Robots. But I was certain our 'headmaster' wouldn't like being addressed as such. Judging from the AI, and the vocals its speaker is producing, calling the bear a him would probably be a safe bet. I blanked out for a moment, until Makoto exclaimed what I had already pieced together.

"So all those metal plates all over the school… they're here to keep us trapped in here!?"

"That's exactly what they're there for," Monokuma confirmed. "No matter how much you may yell and scream for help… help will not come. So with all that in mind, feel free to live out your life here with reckless abandon!"

"Come on, what the hell is this?" Leon asked, sweat on his brow. "I don't care if the school or whoever is behind it all, this is just a really bad joke."

"Yeah!" Mondo shouted. "Cut this crap out! It isn't funny anymore!"

"Unbelievable," Monokuma complained, an odd faint red glow noticeable around his face. Is that from… his eye? "You keep saying this is a lie, or a joke. A bunch of skeptics, all of you. But I guess you can't help it, huh? You all grew up in an age where you're taught to doubt your neighbor… well, you'll have plenty of time to find out whether or not what I say is true." He put his paws to his mouth, almost giddy. "And when that time comes, you'll see with your own eyeballs that I speak the undeniable truth."

"Having to live here forever would be… quite the problem," Celeste, holding her hands to her chest, said.

"Come, now. What's the matter with you all?" Monokuma tilted his head, looking puzzled. "You decided of your own free will to attend Hope's Peak Academy, didn't you?" Maybe, I frowned. I don't remember signing up though. "And now, before the entrance ceremony is even finished, you've already decided you want to leave? Oh, but you know… I guess I did forget to mention one thing. There is one way for you to leave the school…"

"R-really?" Toko stammered. We all had a twinge of hope at that. There was a way out? Seriously?

"As headmaster, I've crafted a special clause for those of you who would like to leave! I call it… the Graduation Clause! Now then, let me tell you about this fun little rule. As I mentioned, in order to maintain an environment of harmony here, we rely on a communal lifestyle. And if someone were to disrupt that harmony, they and they alone would be allowed to leave the school. That, my students, is the Graduation Clause!"

"What do you mean by 'disrupt the harmony'?" Byakuya asked. Despite his calm facade. It was clear he was just as angry as the rest of us. Cold, and cunning, and thinking this all over for any way to get out. "Enlighten us."

"Puhuhu… well, you know… if one person were to murder another."

… what?

What?

"What!?" I shrieked, stumbling back. Was he-did he just-murder!?

"M-murder!?" Makoto shouted, as everyone began shouting at the word in alarm, our hearts racing. Murder!? H-he wasn't being serious, was he!? Th-that's awful! Who in their right mind would kill someone, another living being, just to leave!?

"Stabbin', stranglin', bludgeonin', crushin', hacking', drownin', ignitin', how you do it doesn't matter." Why are you being so freakin' casual about this!? "You must kill someone if you want to leave. It's as simple as that." He chuckled darkly. "The rest is up to you. Give it your all to achieve the best outcome in the worst way possible."

A shiver ran down my spine, and I knew we were all thinking the same thing. If we wanted to leave… we would have to do the worst possible thing a human could do: kill another person. It-who cares if it was for survival, it was still wrong!

"Puhuhu. I bet that got your brain juices flowing!" Monokuma laughed, holding his stomach. "Beats the heck out of a human catching a salmon, huh? Like I said before, you guys are the hope of the world. But you know… taking that hope and seeing it get murdered creates a darkened shadow of despair. And I just find that so… darn… exciting! The adrenaline… it's a head rush, I tell ya." Good lord, we're trapped by a sadistic homicidal teddy bear. He's practically getting high on this.

"What the hell are you talking about!? To kill each other is… it's…!" Leon tried to speak, but the words were caught in his throat.

"To kill each other is to kill each other. I'm sure there's a dictionary here somewhere if you need it," Monokuma waved him off.

"We know what it means, that's not the problem! Why do we have to kill each other!?" Hina shouted desperately.

"Yeah! Stop blabbering on with all this nonsense! Just let us go home already!" Looking from Hifumi to the bear, I knew we had crossed a line. I could see from where I stood, that jagged red eye was glowing, much more than it was when I saw it before. He leered down at us from his spot on the podium, and even though he could only stand at roughly my waist, the robot was doing enough to paralyze me with terror.

"… blabbering? Blabbering, blabbering, what do you mean blabbering!? Stop blabbering on about blabbering on!" Straightening up, his eye slowly began to fade to its normal brightness. "You guys just don't get it, do you? 'Let us go, let us go'! You keep on saying the same thing over and over and over and over…! Listen. From this moment on, this school is your home, your life, your world. Got it? And you can kill as much as you wanna kill! So go ahead, go on a kill-kill-killing spree!" Why!? Why are you encouraging this!?

"Chihiro," I whispered to her, almost shaking. "I-I think I'm gonna…" her doe eyes widened, and she helped me over to the wall so I could lean against it. Breathing deeply with shaking legs, I smiled thankfully at her. Things… th-they were going to get better, right? This was all a jo-

"Listen up! This crap's gone way too far! You want us to kill our classmates!? What the hell kinda joke IS this!?" Mondo shouted, voice rumbling like thunder.

"Joke? What, you mean like your hair?" I snorted softly at the comeback, but the stress of the situation still weighed greatly on me. The teen roared at the insult, and before we knew it, he launched himself straight at Monokuma, as fast as a bullet with the momentum of kicking off the floorboards. He locked onto his target, and hoisted the bear off the podium from the stage, holding him by the scruff of the fur around his neck.

"Gotcha, you little piece of crap! I dunno if you're a toy or a stuffed animal or whatever the hell! Either way, I'm gonna rip you to shreds!" Monokuma waved his arms around, trying to break free.

"Waah! Violence against the headmaster is in violation of school regulations!" As if that was going to do him any good.

"Shut up! Let me outta here…" his next words were so low, I couldn't make out his threat. But it was clear to me, and the rest of us that he would be willing and ready to pummel the stuffing out of Monokuma to get out of here.

That's when… the beeping started. Eyes going wide, I forced myself to my feet. If… he is a robot, then… oh no! "Throw him!" I screamed, grabbing his attention before the teen or anyone else could say anything. "It's a bomb! He's going to blow up!" That startled him, but when he heard the beeping get faster, he quickly threw the bear as hard and as high as he could...

… and Monokuma blew up over our heads, disintegrating the robotic parts and leaving the strong smell of gunpowder in the air. A painful ringing was in my ears, but it could have been much worse. The teen… h-he could have been blown to bloody pieces. "It could have blown my face off!" Mondo exclaimed, frozen in place. This... this was really happening, was it? This wasn't a joke. This was... real life. Holy c-we're all trapped in here with our lives on the line.

"But you know," Chihiro said, looking at me, seeing my pale face. "This means that the teddy bear's been destroyed, right?"

"I told you, I'm not a teddy bear! I'm Monokuma!" B-he just-b-b-come on! How many of these things are around the school!? He stood on the podium, and that grin on his black side seemed almost taunting.

"You son of a-you seriously tried to kill me just now!" Violations equal punishment… and I guess… the punishment is murder.

Monokuma's eye flashed dangerously, and three sharpened claws poked out of his paw, sending a very clear message. "But, of course. You did violate one of the school's regulations, after all. I'll let you off with a warning this time, but you'd better be careful from now on. Any naughty boy or girl who violates my rules won't get off with just a little swat on the butt. We'll forego the written warnings, in favor of instant corporal punishment."

"H-hey… so does this mean there's like, a bunch more of you around somewhere?" Junko asked anxiously. That's what I would like to know. If this was going to be a regular thing, then were there backups around here?

"Monokumas have been placed all throughout the school, yes." Eugh, the idea of an army of these things. "Plus, don't forget about the surveillance cameras installed everywhere." Then… he can watch us all the time, everywhere? I'm… not sure how I felt about that. "And if you're caught breaking any rules, well… you all just saw what happened, right? Puhuhu… and I won't be so forgiving with my punishment next time. So don't let it happen again! Now then, lastly… to commemorate your joyous entry into our school, I have a little something for you…" Monokuma reached from behind the podium, and threw a box off the stage, letting it slide across the floor until it rested in the middle of the group. "This is our official student handbook! Pretty cool, huh?"

They're like virtual pads. Only way to determine who's is who's to turn them on, by the looks of it. "As you can see, it's fully digital. So naturally, we call it… the e-Handbook!" He waited to see our reactions, but noticed we didn't share his enthusiasm. Well, after seeing Mondo almost have his face blown off, any sort of normalcy and excited was thrown out the window. "Ahem. Yes, well, moving on… this handbook is absolutely vital to a healthy school life, so don't lose it! When you start it up, it will display your name. Always make sure you have the right one!"

The group began passing them out, keeping their eyes-or at least one eye-on the bear while receiving their handbook. Taking mine, I slipped it into my lab coat. I had time to check it over later. "Now, this is not your everyday notebook. It has so many more uses than that! Also, it's completely waterproof! Splash it, wash it, drown it, it'll keep on ticking! And thanks to its space-age design, it can withstand an impact force of up to ten tons. Very resistant! It contains all of our school regulations, so make sure you review them thoroughly." The cheery behavior drained from him, once again serious. "You'll hear me say this a lot, but any violation of school regulations will not be tolerated. Rules restrict, yes, but they also protect. Society, for example, would be utter chaos without laws. The same thing applies here! Which is why it's crucial we have strict punishments in place for violators. Okay, well… that brings our entrance ceremony to a close! Please enjoy your abundantly dreary and possibly short school life! And… see ya!"

He leaped backwards off the stand, and just like that, he was gone, leaving us in a state of shock and disbelief. I-I still am not quite sure how to understand all this, but what I do understand, is that… is that I couldn't possibly take another life to free my own. "So, guys… how would you define what we just experienced?" Taka asked, looking around the room at everyone's faces.

"How…? Why…? I don't understand any of this…" Leon said.

"We have to l-live here forever…? Or… k-kill?" Toko added, visibly distressed. "Wh-what…? What just happened!?"

"Everyone, we need to just calm down," Kyoko said, pondering over our new revelation. "First, let's just take a second to summarize everything we just heard." What we know, is that we could remain here for the rest of our lives, or kill someone. Two choices. But, that would only free the killer. The rest of us would remain here. The process would continue, so on and so forth, until no one was left.

"But.. killing someone… that's…" Chihiro looked close to the brink of tears, and I rested a hand on her shoulder.

"We'll… think of something," I murmured. I tried, oh, how I tried to continue blocking out the rest of the conversation, but… what Byakuya said next…

"Is there anyone here who's seriously considering all this…?" Nobody could respond to that. How could they? In a group of sixteen teenagers, all with a different background and upbringing, would there really be someone… willing to test the rules? To do anything to break out? Those words Monokuma had said, buried deep into our skulls, planting seeds of doubt that had already begun to sprung. We were suspicious, and hostility was already thick in the air, choking me.

I… I didn't know how I woke up here, or… why I was even here, but what I did know was that I wasn't going to die in this forsaken school.

In the school... of despair.


My plan is to post a new chapter every month or so, whenever I have the time. However, this is mostly a test chapter to see what people think, if there's any fans that wouldn't mind seeing this idea continue. Normally I don't do M rated material, but seeing how I'm pretty good at writing gruesome material-the fans of mine on Gravity Falls can agree to that. Weirdmageddon is really messed up, and with those bleeding severed heads in the mansion… I wanted to expand my writing. For now, it will remain at T until the time to decide if it really should change.

I've already examined the story line itself, and how Matsuko fits into it all. Gotta say, the plot is really interesting once you've looked over all of the games and the anime. So many details, all fitting together into this disturbing masterpiece.

Well, until next time!

Angel