Part 1:

Chapter 3:

Coach A appears to be fairly similar to Coach C. It is filled with rows of seats and tables between them. However, it seems to be a generally nicer place. Despite the continued presence of the metal sheets bolted to where the windows are supposed to be. The key differences seem to be headrests on the chairs and lamps on the tables. A quick glance around reveals that this is the First Class carriage. I don't quite understand how this is worth the extra cost.

Ticket prices aren't what I need to be focusing on. I don't think I even paid to be on this train.

At the far end of the carriage is what I've been looking for. Another door. This being Coach A means that it should lead to where the train's driver is. In front of the door is a rather large looking man. He would be one of the tallest people I'd ever met had I not recently encountered Hakuro. He also has broad shoulders that give him an imposing appearance. He could probably handle himself in a fight. In fact, he intends to. Based on the scabbard hanging from his belt, at least.

I inspect his appearance more as I walk down the aisle towards him. He stares back at me through gaps in his sand-coloured hair. He wears a red cloak over an old and scruffy tunic. His attire reminds me of generic characters from Western-inspired fantasy. His arms remain folded the entire time and his expression does not change.

"None shall pass," he says as I come to a stop a short distance from him.

"What?" I ask in bemusement.

"None shall pass," he says again.

"Why not? I need to find the driver…" I begin.

"None shall pass," he says yet again.

"No, I'm sorry, I need to get through so I can find out what's going on here," I say.

"Then you shall die," he says and pulls a wooden sword from his scabbard.

"What the…?" I gasp. My words catch in my throat and I stumble backwards. I grab onto a chair to support myself as the man holds his sword at arm's length, pointing it directly at my neck.

"Sorry, I love the Black Knight sketch," he says and lowers his sword, "I would never raise my blade to a maiden unless she were to be proven a witch."

I don't respond. How can I? This man's actions are nothing short of baffling. If I knew what this 'Black Knight sketch' was, then maybe I'd understand. As it is, it's nothing I've ever heard of. I elect to stay where I am, out of range of that sword. Even if it is made of wood.

"Fear not, milady, for I am Lancelot of the Knights of Valour, bearer of the Ultimate Knight title and I am your humble servant," he says proudly. He kneels before me, propping himself up with his sword. This, somehow, managed to get even weirder.

His claim is questionable at best, so I decide to consult that tablet device I found in my room. Just like when Yui and I introduced ourselves to Keigo, a profile has appeared on the screen. To my surprise, it does indeed say that he is the Ultimate Knight.

"It says here that your name is Koji Datsuke," I say and point to the profile.

"What manner of treachery is this?" he cries out and gets to his feet. He stares at the device in my hand as though I were presenting him with an alien monster.

"Uh… I don't know," I say.

"Fair maiden, do not be taken in by such lies, I am Lancelot!" he declares.

"Right, ok," I say. I don't want him to continually spout this nonsense until I accept it, so I'll just play along for now.

"And what name might I know you by, maiden?" Lancelot asks.

You can stop calling me 'maiden' for a start. "Izumi Mizushima," I say.

"Ah, Miss Mizushima, I am now in your service. No more do you have to fear for your life as I will guard it as if it were my own," Lancelot declares. Every word that comes out of his mouth is loud and ridiculous. If anything, I think I need a knight in shining armour to protect me from him.

"That's nice and all…" I say. I must admit that I am a bit flustered by all this attention. First Ayato and now Lancelot. "…but could you tell me why you're blocking my way?"

"Of course!" he says, "It's locked."

"Locked?" I repeat.

"Yes milady, I too came this way in search of answers, but this is as far as we can go," he says.

"I see, so you don't know what we're doing here either?" I ask for confirmation. I should have expected as much. His initial actions must have been some kind of joke.

"Alas, it is true," he sighs. He hangs his head in shame. "I apologise that I can't be of more use to you, milady."

"Heh," a voice behind me says, "Ain't it obvious, boss?"

I turn around to see another tall man with tanned skin and spiky black hair. He smirks at me and his eyes look me over from top to bottom.

"You know something?" I ask, my voice filled with hope. Finally, someone who seems to have some information. I am so desperate to find out more.

"Of course, we're trapped in the most confined living space for one reason only. To fall in love. We are the world's hope, after all. Our only means of escape is to find true love so that we may lead to the next generation of hope!" the man declares. He then stretches out an arm and points directly at me. "And you are the target that I have chosen! You will not be able to resist the charms of the Ultimate Handsome Devil!"

I am taken aback yet again. What is it about me that men on this train seem so into? As for that Ultimate title, all I can think is 'not another one'. I look over him. He does have an athletic build and shows it off with his tank top and sleeveless, fur-lined jacket. There's a tattoo of what appears to be a crocodile's head on his shoulder. As for his face, maybe the title isn't as ridiculous as it sounds… Still, it depends on who's judging.

"And what business do you have approaching this fair maiden?" Lancelot asks, gripping his sword and standing just behind me.

"I am Axel Wakahisa and I think this chick's cute, what's it to ya?" the man says.

"I have sworn to protect her," Lancelot says and moves to stand between Axel and myself, "If you wish to approach her then you must prove your worth."

This seems to be going in a worrying direction. I really shouldn't have men fighting over me. I'm not attractive in any way… Lancelot raises his sword. I'm not really sure Axel has actually done much wrong by flirting, but it seems like, if this goes any further, he could get seriously hurt.

"Hey, boss, cool it," Axel says and holds up his hands, "I was just messing."

The cheeky grin on his face isn't going to get him off lightly. Lancelot grips his sword tighter and surges forward. However, the wooden blade never makes contact with Axel. Lancelot stumbles forward, wide eyed. He doesn't know what just happened. His sword lies on the floor just behind him. Next to it is an arrow.

"Cease this at once!"

Everyone's attention turns to the far end of the carriage. A sharp-looking man wearing traditional clothing stands there holding out a sleek black bow. The bow is massive and the obvious source of where the arrow came from. That was an amazing shot to disarm Lancelot without him even realising it.

"Cheers mate," Axel says sheepishly.

"You are welcome," the man says and bows. His voice is so quiet and respectful after his assertive introduction.

"How dare you defend this fiend?" Lancelot shouts, "Have you no sense of justice?"

"I would rather see you fight with honour," the man says, "I shall not stand by as you attack an unarmed man."

"Who would dare to question the honour of a Knight of Valour?" Lancelot asks.

"Allow me to introduce myself, I am Yuuhei Kazama, the Ultimate Kyudoka," the man says.

"Ah, a martial artist, should've known," Lancelot says.

That explains a great deal. Yuuhei's traditional garbs definitely fit the image of one trained in martial arts. It is rare to see those sorts of outfits otherwise in modern Japan. As for his art, I remember hearing about Kyudo at high school. The Eastern style of archery. Looking at Yuuhei fills me with such regret. He is a reminder of a traditional Japanese way of life. I have grown up with a much more Western-influenced lifestyle. I start to feel as though I have betrayed the culture of my country. I wonder if Lancelot can see this too. He definitely has been influenced by Western ways. Even if a little differently. The name he goes by is English. Alone that is enough to see the influence on him.

"How might I address you three?" Yuuhei asks.

"Lancelot. Knight of Valour, Ultimate Knight and sworn protector of Miss Mizushima!" Lancelot says proudly.

I try to hide my face with my hands, but there is no escaping it. Lancelot isn't going to stop this.

"Uh, hey, I'm Axel," Axel says. It seems to be a bit awkward for him. He's stuck in the middle of the most bizarre confrontation I've ever seen.

"Izumi Mizushima," I say, slowly retreating the hands from my face.

"A pleasure to meet you all," Yuuhei says. I find that debatable after accusing Lancelot of having no honour.

"Oh, we're doing introductions now, are we?" someone else says, "I might as well join in then."

As it turns out, there was someone else in the carriage the entire time. A rather tall girl climbs out of a chair somewhere in the middle of the carriage. She has brown hair tied up in an exceptionally long ponytail and matching coloured glasses. The rest of her appearance gives away her main interest and presumably her Ultimate talent. She wears a sleeveless green jacket covered in pockets and fishing lures and carries a large fishing pole in one hand.

"Shiki Rei, Ultimate Fisherwoman," she says. Called it.

There is an awkward moment of silence in the carriage as we all look each other over. We have all introduced ourselves. Where do we go from here? We are in such an odd situation. We can't exactly just jump into casual chat. There is something more going on here. I try to articulate a way of making this the topic of discussion when someone beats me to it.

"A train full of Ultimates. What exactly are we doing here?" Shiki says, "What was it you said, Axel, dear?"

Our attention turns to Axel. He seems surprised by being called 'dear', but still has a smirk on his face. I think he likes being the centre of attention.

"Yeah, we're stuck in here until we all fall in love, right. You know, we're supposed to be symbols of hope, so if we all get together, our kids'll be even more hope-filled," he says.

I don't really like that idea. I'm really not prepared to be thinking about becoming a mother yet. Nor do I like the idea of having to choose someone from the people on this train. Obviously, my first choice would be Keigo, but I don't know if I could ever win him over…

"I see…" Shiki says cautiously. I think she's having similar thoughts to me. "How do you know this when seemingly no one else does?"

"Well, you know, it's obvious. Load of cute chicks and eligible guys trapped together, what else could it mean?" Axel says.

I decide to bring out that tablet device again. It really is sounding like he might just be a pervert. I want to know if he really is the Ultimate Handsome Devil. And, if so, why would Hope's Peak Academy have both that and the Ultimate Playboy. The profiles of the people I've met since Lancelot come up and I take a closer look at one in particular.

"Axel Wakahisa, Ultimate Liar…" I read out.

Axel looks like my words were a bullet through the heart. The game is up. Lancelot is snickering beside me while Yuuhei looks at Axel with disgust. I look back at the profile and start wondering how much of the detail provided is actually true. If he's the Ultimate Liar, maybe he managed to trick whoever put together these profiles. The name seems to me to be the most obvious potential lie.

"That's a relief," Shiki says.

"Yeah, you got me," Axel says, "I was lying. It wasn't a guess, I'm actually in on it, that's why I know."

"I'm not sure what to believe," Shiki says.

"Nothing," Yuuhei says, "This man has no honour if he can so freely deceive people in such an environment. This is a time for unity and transparency."

"You're right," Shiki says, "I think we should try and gather everyone together to figure out what's going on."

Nothing can prepare me for what happens next. An electronic bell rings through the carriage and speakers all around us flare into life.

"Ahem. Testing, testing," a voice says over the speaker. It is unlike anything I've heard before. It is high-pitched and sounds childlike and playful. And yet… it sounds more sinister than anything I've ever heard before. "Attention! Could all passengers make their way to the Standard Class seating located in Coach C. The conductor is about to pass through the train to check your tickets!"

The announcement cuts off after that. We are plunged into silence once again. Only this time there is a visible anxiety on people's faces. Shiki seems the most affected. She stares off into space and starts fiddling with her fishing pole.

"How convenient," Lancelot says, breaking our silence suddenly.

"What do we do?" Axel asks.

"We should go," Shiki says. I can tell that she's putting a brave face on now. She suggested that everyone gathers together and, now that opportunity has been afforded to us, she has to follow through with it.

"We don't have tickets though, do we?" I ask.

"Maybe we'll get thrown off, then," Lancelot says, "I wouldn't mind that."

Yuuhei turns and leaves the carriage without hearing or saying another word. Lancelot and Axel follow behind shortly after. I am left alone with Shiki. I can't seem to find the courage to move. That announcement was so creepy. It has shaken me to the core. It isn't helped by how well timed it was after Shiki's suggestion.

"You're scared, aren't you dear?" she asks.

"Well, yeah," I say, "This whole thing's just…"

"I understand," she says, "We should still go, though. You don't have to worry, we're all here with you."

She's right. I'm not the only one going through this. I think everyone must be a bit shaken by the turn of events, but have ways of hiding it. Shiki offers me a hand and leads me out of the carriage.

We return to Coach B where two people are waiting for us. One of them is Nami. The other is a girl I don't recognise. She is quite short with porcelain-like skin and mahogany coloured hair in a pigtail. She is dressed relatively normally in a typical school uniform; a navy blazer and skirt, a white shirt and a cute red ribbon. I also notice a golden pin, shaped like an apple, on her blazer. She smiles at me when she notices my approach.

"How did your search go?" Nami asks.

"Not well," I say, "we can't go any further forward than the next carriage."

"I understand, did you hear the announcement?" she asks.

"Yeah, we're heading there now," Shiki says.

"We will join you," Nami says, "Akari here was just looking for some food."

"Hi," Akari says with a wave, "I'm Akari Suzuki, the Ultimate Cosplayer! Nice to meet you!"

"Hey, I'm Izumi," I say. I can't help but smile back at her. Akari's smile has brightened things up. Our situation still nags away at the back of my mind, though, and I know we'll have to go through to the next carriage soon. She seems to be even happier at the sight of my smile. I'm impressed that she can remain so upbeat. It's reassuring to have people like her and Yui who can fill me with such happiness with just a look.

"Ok, let's go Izumi," she says.

As Akari turns around to lead us out of the carriage, I notice her hair again. The style seems familiar. Despite being a different colour, it reminds me of one of my favourite anime. It's the same style as Ranma Saotome. I wonder if that's intentional. She is a cosplayer, after all. My mind quickly drifts away and I quietly chuckle to myself, "Heh, pandas." Another smile appears on my face as I start remembering the antics of Genma.

"You recognised it!" Akari says gleefully as she turns back to face me. I guess I was right.

"Yeah, I'm a bit of a fan," I say.

"Who's your favourite character, I could do a cosplay for you," she says.

I think for a moment. It's a bit sudden to try and think of a favourite character, but the decision isn't difficult. "Got to love Ryoga," I say.

"Yep yep! Ryoga it is!" she says and skips off into the next carriage.

I follow her into Coach C. It is a lot busier than before. Everyone seems to be gathering in here as the announcement told them to. A few people, Hakuro and Hanbei most notably, look like they'd rather not be here. Chances are that curiosity got the better of them. A couple of people are talking to each other and making introductions.

There is only one face I can see that I don't recognise. A mature looking girl with blonde hair tied up in a bun wearing a smart black vest over a white blouse. I approach her as she leans over someone on a seat.

"Miss Yukihira, it is time to wake up," she says as she gently rocks Yui.

"Ah," Yui says and lets out a yawn that is surprisingly loud for someone so small, "Thank you Ayaka. What's happening?"

"It appears we may be about to find out what's going on," the girl, Ayaka, says.

Yui just blinks at the girl. I notice that she is still wearing the origami glasses she made. They somehow managed to stay on her face while she slept. She then notices me standing next to them.

"Hello Izumi," she says.

"Hey Yui, good sleep?" I ask. Yui nods and the glasses fall off her face and onto the table in front of her. So much for those.

"Oh, hello, are you a friend of Miss Yukihira?" Ayaka asks me directly.

"Yeah, I'm Izumi Mizushima, Ultimate Memory," I say.

"A pleasure to meet you," she says, "I am Ayaka Goto. I was accepted to Hope's Peak Academy as the Ultimate Secretary. If there is anything you need, please don't hesitate to ask."

Ayaka holds out a hand in greeting. I am about to take it and respond when something changes. I can't say another word. A cold shiver runs up my spine. I freeze in place. The source of the chill is the same voice as the announcement. This time, it sounds like it's in the room. I think… it's laughing.

"Puhuhuhuhu!"

Author's Notes: Ok, so there was a gap between this and the last chapter, but I'm sure you can forgive me since some people never get this far with their stories. I was busy. Might as well be a bit of a warning that updates might not be the most regular thing. I'd rather do them right than just throw them at you as soon as I can. If I can get a chapter done quickly though, it will be up when it's done. Anyway, introductions are done, some more detailed than others, admittedly, and now it's time for Mr Monokuma's Train Journey of Despair to begin!