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Come Out Alive

Chapter One: Dame

A/N: Next chapter Naegi goes Tsuna searching.

Dame: Hopeless

Monokuma: Forsaken Bear (mono means one but it could also mean lonely or forsaken)

Kami: God

Yada yada: "so and so" ; "yeah, yeah"

Kon'nichiwa: Hello

mina: everyone

Summary: "Come out alive." That was all they had to do. Survive, and their wish will come true. Time Travel!

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN DANGAN RONPA NOR KATEKYO HITMAN REBORN IN ANY SUCH MANNER OR WAY

UNEDITED

In order to find my friends, I have to pretend to be this woman's son... Naegi thought. I can't navigate this world by myself... Still, it doesn't stop me from feeling as bad as hell about doing so, though.

During the taxi ride from the hospital to Naegi's new place of residence, Naegi had learned a lot from Nana's nervous chattering, though he wished she hadn't been so jittery since it only served to make him feel more guilty about deceiving this apparently gullible and innocent woman.

Naegi's new name was now Sawada Tsunayoshi, or simply Tsuna. He was the "son" of Sawada Nana, your typical house mom, and Sawada Iemitsu, a oil digger who worked overseas, and thus was hardly ever "home." Naegi lived with his "mother" in a small town called Namimori which was, heartrendingly, miles upon miles away from Tokyo.

Oh yeah, did he forget to mention that he's thirteen? He had been 17 when he entered Hope's Peak, so that would have made him around 18 when Junko... died, meaning he not only somehow underwent plastic surgery when he lost consciousness, but also manage to de-age 5 whole years. My blood type, at least, is still A, so that's something.

He went to a place called Namimori prep, which was for students between the ages of 12 and 15. Though children after age 12 usually started Junior high school (or middle school), Namimori was slightly different in wanting to provide as many students as possible a higher chance to leave Namimori and pursue an education elsewhere.

The reason for this? Naegi wasn't so sure, though Nana mentioned rumors of a shark biting the students who chose to stay and continue learning in Namimori, which was roughly 70% of each grade.

I wonder if the shark has anything to do with the tragedy, Naegi pondered when he noticed the shivers and frightened eyes of the taxi driver when Nana had mentioned it. I should look into it later on...

As a result, the prep school was seen as a higher elementary level school and thus perfectly acceptable by other schools to which students would want to apply to.

"Of course, you won't need to worry about a thing, since they're just rumors! You'll be fine when you enter the middle school!" Nana chattered on.

Naegi's eyes narrowed. The way she worded that sentence sounded suspicious. "Excuse me?"

"Hmm?" Nana blinked at him. "What's wrong?"

"What did you mean by that?"

She looked at him confused. "I meant that you won't have to worry about any sharks because they certainly aren't real, so you don't have to worry when you enter the middle school."

"You mean... the one in Namimori."

"Yep! Tsu-kun's going to stay with me for a long time to come!"

"..." Naegi chose not to say anything and simply nodded. His eyes narrowed though, as Nana continued talking. She doesn't think I'm smart enough to get accepted elsewhere? No, she's saying Tsuna wasn't smart enough to get out of this town...hmm... a shark which scares even the education department, a peaceful town trying to get its children to leave...

A week ago, Naegi and Nana went shopping in the market when she asked him to head over to the shop across the street to get a bag of bread while she bought fruit. On his way back, Naegi had been sent flying by a red car that had continued to run on passed his body without slowing down. The police are still trying to find the car and the car's owner, but according to eyewitnesses, the car and the driver had already left Namimori, and since nobody managed to get a picture of the car's license, the likelihood of finding the assailant was low.

A mysterious red car that cuts through the middle of a busy market place and immediately runs out of town... why was Tsuna the only one effected? Naegi's eyes lit up and he turned to look at the woman besides him. "M-mom?" He asked. "Was I the only one hit by the car? You said it was very busy on the day of the... accident.

Nana frowned, thinking. "...No, actually. You were the only one hit... how strange, out of all the people that- that drunk could chose to hurt, he dared lay his hands on my precious Tsu-kun?!" She screamed, angrily. The taxi driver stopped the car suddenly.

"Ma'am, please, either keep your voice down or leave! I do not want to get in a car accident!" The driver hissed, his hands shaking. Naegi looked at the driver sympathetically.

Nana took a deep breath, and glanced at their surroundings. "I- I apologize," Nana said before digging into her pocket. "How much was it? Me and Tsu-kun can walk the rest of the way- it isn't that far away, so Tsu-kun won't get tired, and he needs all the fresh air he needs!" Nana was rambling again, but neither Naegi nor the driver said anything after the driver told her the amount. Naegi opened the door and slid out of the car, followed by Nana. Nana continued to tell him some weird tidbit of gossip, but he was only half listening. Instead he was wondering:

Why was only Tsuna hurt?

Perhaps Nana's memory was all jumbled up. From what he had seen from the taxi window, this town was hardly crowded, at least not to Tokyo's standards. Busy to Nana might be 50 people at best here. If so, it wouldn't be surprising that only Tsuna was hit.

Naegi shook his head furiously, jogging a bit to catch up to Nana who had entered girl gossip mode and had begun walking ahead of him. I'm over-analyzing this! Damn it, me, you're finally free! Stop acting so paranoid!

But no matter what he tried to tell himself, Naegi just couldn't shake off that unsettling feeling that something was seriously wrong with this picture- well, other than the fact that I'm hijacking someone else's identity...

"We're here, Tsu-kun!" The woman- Nana- said cheerfully as the two of them stood in front of a square-shaped house. "Welcome home!"

It was a squarish, two-story house with a couple of trees and bushes planted on the small front yard, though the second floor seemed to be smaller than the first floor. It was surrounded by a low wall, but still tightly packed along the corner of the block. White walls with a red roof, it looked like the perfect house you would find a woman like Nana Sawada in.

"I'm surprised that you didn't trip once, though," Nana said, looking at him with proud eyes. "I'm so happy!"

"Am I usually... clumsy?" Naegi asked, curiously.

Nana nodded vigorously. "You're- maybe even were- very clumsy, always fallig at least once! Of course, I don't think any less of you because of that. In fact, I think that's what makes my Tsu-kun so adorable! Chiasa, that lady down the street, agreed with me too!" Nana said with such a determined and fired up expression that Naegi was once again rendered speechless. She proceeded to point down the street to a old woman wearing glasses smiling toothlessly into space as she water her plants with a green hose. "There was this one time when Tsu-kun had to sing in front of the school in 2nd year and he-"

"Er- M-mom, can we go inside and continue this story? My feet are starting to hurt," Naegi intervened. He was not going to let Nana talk about perhaps a very embarrassing moment in Tsuna's life in public. Though he could see no one, his instincts (honed by Monokuma) told him someone was watching them, and it was making him very uncomfortable.

"M-mom," dammit, will I ever stop stuttering the word to her? "I... need to use the bathroom... Where...?"

Nana smiled at him brightly. All that talking she had done seemed to have completely dissolved all her nervousness. He had a sneaking suspicion his docility and willingness to call her "mom" played a significant role in that as well. She pointed to the door farthest down the narrow corridor.

"The last door facing us is the door to the bathroom. Take as long as you need. I'll be in the kitchen if you need me- oh! See that?" She pointed to the doorway to their left. It didn't have a door so Tsuna could see a square mat (is everything a square here?) and a chair. "Go through that doorway and you'll see another door leading to another room- the dining room and kitchen. I'll be making a good and healthy brunch for you, so if need anything just holler, okay?"

"Yes, thank you, m-mom," Naegi bowed briefly before heading straight to the bathroom. Nana's smile faltered slightly.

It was as if Naegi couldn't get into the bathroom soon. He closed and locked behind him and exhaled deeply. Damn, this is exhausting, he thought. I'm thankful, sure, but where does she get all that energy to talk on and on...

He went over to the sink ran the water and splashed it onto his face in an effort to clear his head. "I need to find the others," he mumbled to himself for perhaps the hundredth time. "I have to find them soon and then... I don't know, go somewhere, somewhere far, far away.

Naegi sighed, depressed, as he bumped his forehead onto the mirror. "But if the others are like me, how am I supposed to even recognize them?! They could be anywhere in the god damn world!" Not to mention that I have to go to elementary school again... Ugh, why did I have to land with a child's body? Why couldn't it have been an adult? Lady Luck sure likes to screw me over, that's for sure...

"NO!" Naegi said suddenly, standing up straight and slapping his cheeks. "Now is NOT the time to be depressed!" I need to make do with what I have! "I need to plan... first thing first, I need to write down everything I know about Tsuna and then find some sort of access to the internet."

Determined, he walked out of the bathroom. He made his way to where the kitchen was with relative ease. It's going to take a while to adjust to living in such small living space- not that I'm ungrateful or anything! "M-mom," Naegi asked. The woman hummed. "Where's my room again?"

"Up the stairs, first door to your left~," Nana informed her "son."

"Thanks," he told her, quickly making his way up the stairs. He stopped when he was half way and turned his head back to the living room entrance. He shook his head. "What a strange person... not at all like my mom," Naegi said sadly. He felt a lump grow in his neck as he continued to make his way up to his "room."

Mom... He had been so focused on his friends, he had forgotten about his parents and sister. I don't know where they are either. Please, Kami, let them be safe... They had to be safe...

Broken sofa, shattered glass, small specks of blood on the floor.

He shivered at the memory of the recording, Monokuma's first motive. I need to get home... I need to go back to my real home...

But if the others were somewhere around this town? If that were true, it would be counterproductive to leave so soon. Leaving now would also not be feasible. Nana had no reason to take him to Tokyo. Especially if it's to find some broken down, abandoned house, Naegi thought glumly.

His new sleeping quarters was definitely smaller than his dorm room. It had blue wallpaper and a blue carpet. A TV with a book shelf to the TV's left stood to one side, while a single bed with a green pillow and lime green sheets laid along on the opposite wall. A desk sat under a single window with curtains which were also green. On the right side of the TV a dresser with five rows of drawers stood.

Naegi immediately started searching through the drawers on the desk, finding paper, assignments and writing utensils, but he couldn't find a laptop. He soon gave up on the cabinet and went over to the drawers. He opened the first one, but only found neatly stacked clothing. He searched the next four drawers:

1st drawer: clothing

2nd drawer: clothing

3rd drawer: clothing (mainly sweaters and hoodies) and textbooks

4th drawer: school supplies

5th drawer: stacks of video games and game consoles

Thank god Tsuna seemed to like video games as much as Naegi did. They seemed rather interesting too, if the titles were anything to go by- "No! Stop getting distracted, and find a laptop!" He scolded himself. He started digging through the 5th drawer hoping to find a laptop, tablet, phone- heck, even a flip phone would do!

Unfortunately, his search was fruitless. There was nothing that he could use to connect to the internet, nothing.

...At least I have pen and paper... I can start on that list... Tsuna also has a TV so I should be able to see the news daily... He sighed. But the news won't be helpful with telling me about the past. The best I can do be on a watch out for any information on the Tragedy...

Naegi supposed he could ask Nana if they had a laptop, but he was reluctant to do so. For all he knew, she would probably think him a spoiled brat. If he needed her help, he had to show her he was a hard-working, dedicated... "son."

He also didn't think she would be the best person to ask about the Tragedy. Naegi had no idea why he looked the way he was, how much time had really passed by leaving Hope's Peak, why he was now five years younger, nor why this town- Namimori- seemed so... peaceful... so untouched by the supposed "end of the world."

It was strange, to take Nana's word, how much he seemed to trust Junko's claims about what had happened to their world. Perhaps it was nothing, but he couldn't shake off the feeling that Junko was telling him the truth. It was as though deep down, within the memories he so cherished but could not remember, he knew that the world as he had once known it was over.

Could this be an elaborate plot by Junko to make us feel as though we've escaped? Naegi thought. The pinkette was able to erase two years worth of memories, after all. Maybe he and the others were stuck in an endless dream, a coma, thinking they'd all escape when in actuality they were even more helpless prisoners, struggling to find each other-

Naegi growled. Why won't these negative thoughts just stop! "This is ridiculous!" He hissed.

Because Monokuma's still holds powerful influence over your mind, even now, a small voice in his head said. Some "Super Duper High School Level Hope" you are, being so weak as to fall to that bear!

"Tsu-kun! Lunch's ready! Do you want me to bring it up?" Nana's voice drifted up.

"No, it's okay! I'm coming!" Naegi said, closing the drawers before getting up to enjoy his "mom's" cooking.

"Tsu-kun," Nana said after Naegi finished eating one of the best meals in his life. "I know you just got out of the hospital, but I'm afraid you have to start attending school tomorrow."

"W-what?" Naegi asked. "So soon?"

Nana looked at him sadly. "I tried asking for more time but that baka principal won't give it to me!" Nana hissed, her eyes narrowing as a dark expression clouded her face. "He said a week was enough for Tsu-kun to 'get back on his feet' and that if I didn't send you to school, he'll put a black mark in your book."

What a jerk, Naegi thought. "Can't you sue him or something?"

She sighed, defeated. "No, I tried, but the attorney said that you could only get an extended leave if you were unconscious for more than a week..."

"...Should I have stayed unconscious?" Naegi asked, confused.

"NO!" She exclaimed immediately, getting up from her chair, walking over to Naegi and giving him a fierce hug. Naegi stiffened "No, no, I'm glad you're awake- I'm not glad that you're being forced to go to school so soon, but I'm glad that you aren't in that coma anymore!" Tears started forming in her eyes. "Oh, Tsu-kun, you don't know how worried I was for you! I visited you everyday, praying to Kami that you would wake up soon, that you wouldn't leave me! I wanted you to wake up, Tsuna- oh God, just seeing you on that bed, not moving even a little bit- I couldn't take it, Tsu-kun! The doctors told me that longer you slept, the more likely you w-would-would d-d-DIE!" Nana broke off in to sobs.

Great job, Naegi. You made her cry, Naegi scolded himself as he awkwardly patted Nana on the back. He sighed.

Naegi gulped as he stood in front of the partially open door to his new classroom in Namimori prep school. The teacher had told him to stay out side and out of sight until after he calmed everyone inside. Naegi had found this strange since Morimoto-sensei could have probably done that even with Naegi in the room.

This was the last class in the day. Nana had managed to get the principal to allow him to at least come in late today. He had been reluctant, but eventually conceded on the condition that "Tsuna" didn't make it a habit to come in late.

Only a day had passed by since he was released from the hospital, and yet he was perhaps even more confused than when Monokuma first ordered them to murder each other, and that was saying something. At least I don't have to kill anyone... I hope...

"Class, class, settle down!" Naegi heard his teacher, Morimoto-sensei, tell the class. "One of your classmates has returned to us after being in the hospital in a coma for a week!"

"EH? Someone was in the hospital?!" Someone called out.

"Is that person okay?" A more feminine voice shouted afterwards. Naegi sweatdropped.

They didn't notice when one of their classmates disappear for a week? He thought. I guess Tsuna doesn't stick out that much... at least a few of them seem concerned at least.

The teacher sighed wearily. "Come in Sawada..."

There was silence when Naegi pushed passed the door and went to stand by the side of the teacher's desk.

"Sawada has lost some(most) of his memories and as such will have an obviously larger learning deficiency from now on. Because of that, I expect you to treat him fairly and kindly, yada, yada... you get the drill. Sawada, you sit in the third seat from the window in the second row."

(A/N: *GASP* What's this? A main protaginist who doesn't sit next to the window?! Shocking. Really shocking.)

Naegi frowned, irritated by the teacher's lack of words. Is he always this rude? Naegi thought. Maybe it's a personality quirk... He bowed to the class. "Kon'nichiwa, mina," Naegi mumbled.

A boy snorted. "So, wait, the one out was Dame-Tsuna? No wonder no one noticed."

...huh?

"Sawada, get to your seat," Moromoto-sensei snapped. Confused, Naegi walked over to seat. Unfortunately, whatever stupor the class was in seemed to have lifted.

"What? Are you saying Dame Tsuna actually survived?!" The same girl who had spoken up before said. "Why couldn't he have just died?"

"Yeah, it's not like anyone would have missed himn" another boy snickered. "I bet his mama cried when he woke up instead of kicking the bucket."

Naegi clenched his fists in anger but didn't say anything, not even when he tripped and fell to the floor when someone stuck out his leg.

"What's wrong? Still clumsy," the boy jeered. "You gotta look where you're going or else you'll find yourself in a coma again!" The class laughed though as Tsuna took his seat he really couldn't see the joke in it.

"Alright, guys, it's time for a mini pop quiz," the teacher drawled once everyone had calmed down again.

"Awwwww," was the general saying.

The Vocab Quiz and Naegi's answers:

1. occasionally: once in a while
2. vaccinate: treat with a vaccine to produce immunity against a disease (Medical dictionary in infirmary)
3. successor: someone who inherits something (Ugh. Togami)
4. zucchini: a green, smooth-skinned summer squash (thank you Asahina)
5. accord: grant or give someone something (monokuma's rewards)
6. accurately: do something with few mistakes (Kirigiri)
7. eccentric: being unconventional and slightly strange. (Ishimaru...mina...)
8. acclimate: become accustomed to a new environment (boy do I know it)
9. ecclesiastic: a priest or member of the clergy

Final Grade: 100%

Teacher comments: ... :| Wat.

The classroom was nearly deserted, with only Naegi, the teacher and a few girls still remaining. The rest of the students had rushed out of the classroom.

"Sawada a moment please," Morimoto-sensei called out.

Confused, Naegi went up to the teacher's desk. "Yes, sensei?"

The girl snickered to her friends. "I bet he flunked it again!" She "whispered" as the girls went out the door. Naegi did his best to ignore it, though honestly he was very uncomfortable in this position. Sure, his old schools have had their fair share of bullies but he had never been one of the victims. He was more of the "grey" students who tended to fade into the background.

"Sawada, I'm trying," the teacher started, "I really am."

"Trying what, sir?"

"To protect you," he said bluntly. "When I tell you to go to your seat, go to your seat, no standing in front of everyone like an idiot. When I tell you to shut up, shut up. When I

"I'm... sorry?!" Naegi asked incredulously.

Morimoto sighed. "Look, Sawada, I know you're confused- very confused, but I'm not trying to be mean or rude. I'm simply stating the facts. Everyone here sees you as cannon-fodder, as scum, as the low of the low. The only way for you to survive and get through this is by staying as inconspicuous as you possible can."

"Which is my I sit in the middle of the room," Naegi said dryly.

The man looked up to him sharply. "You must have really hit your head hard to manage to sound so... nonchalant, but yes. If you sat in the front, you would get too much attention. Sit in the back, I can't dissuade the other students from picking on you more than they already do. Sit next to the window, you'll never pay attention. Sit next to the door, and you'll be able to slip by me way too easily."

"... The last one confuses me-" Naegi started.

"I don't care," he cut in. He sighed again. "Sawada, you suck, clear and simple. You have no friends, no one likes you, and bullies are attracted to you like moths to light. You fail at math, english, science, history and art. You have no cooking skills, your physical is horrendous- you can't even throw a ball farther than 2 feet and can hardly do one push-up, after which you're completely tired."

"W-what?!" Naegi stuttered, disbelieving. "T-that- I can't be that bad!"

"Trust-you sre. Here, take a look if you really don't believe me," Morimoto said flipping through the pages of his grade book before handing it over to Naegi. Shakily, Naegi took the book and search for "his" name. His eyes widened

30%? 43%? 21%? 12%? 11, 54, 6, 3, 0... several numbers written as clear as day next to the name "Sawada" All percents below 50, most between 0 and10. This... Is he serious?! No way Tsuna was this bad... Naegi searched the chart again. Maybe this class has two Sawada's! This guy is probably confusing Tsuna with someone else! But no matter how hard he looked there was only one Sawada- the one with the fading grades.

"Is this for real?" Naegi asked as the teacher took the book out of Naegi's hands. "You must have made some kind of mistake. H-I can't be that bad!"

"Sorry, but you are," Morimoto said not sounding sorry at all. "Now get going. The last thing I want are rumors spreading... those damn harpies," he hissed.

"W-wait!" Naegi said as he stood up and started packing away the few books on the desk into his bag.

The man snorted. "Academically, I've lost all hope for you, Sawada- we all have. Physically- you're beyond saving."

Naegi stared at him in shock as Morimoto swung his bag behind his back and made his way to the entrance.

"Oh, by the way, congrats on your very first 100. You're the only one who got one, shockingly" he said over his shoulder as he walked out the door leaving Tsuna all alone.

"Academically?"

The minute Naegi and Nana got home, he ran up straight to his room ignoring Nana's cries of confusion. He went over to the drawers and yanked the first one over. He dug into the neatly stacked piles, throwing shirts, boxers and pants all over the place until he found what he was looking for: paper.

"I've lost all hope for you."

I knew it, Naegi thought as he scooped up the messy stack of papers and dumped them onto the floor. Number one hiding spot: the drawers.

Angry red marks stared back at him zeros twelve forties-all of the grades that man claims Tsuna had recieved.

"Physically-"

Naegi grinder his teeth. The way those kids and that teacher was treating him- of course he would fail! Tsuna had no self esteem. He clenched his hands, angrily stomping on the sheets. "So they think Tsuna's no goof, huh? I'll show them!" He... I don't even know him... but I can't leave things as they are... I'll prove it- to this world that "Tsuna isn't dumb!

Yes, he had decided: He would show Tsuna hope in this world! He would show this world thay there was still for Tsuna!

"You're beyond saving."

Far far away and yet so close, a man stood at the edge of a smiled widely, his silver bangs falling in front of his face as he stared down into a lake of darkness. His smile broke into a grin.