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It wasn't until the reverberations of Monokuma's laughter had died away completely that anyone dared to move, and the first movement was in Orange Hair rushing over to where Baggy Jeans was on the floor, panic in her eyes. "Oh, God, are you all right? Can you stand?"

Baggy Jeans took a deep breath through his clenched teeth, then adjusted himself so that he was squatting shakily on his heels. "Yeah, I'm all right," he grunted. "Just gimme a minute."

"Should we see if we can find a first aid kit or something?" Pigtails asked as she tentatively approached and offered a hand up, which the boy accepted.

"I dunno," he answered. "What are you supposed to do for electric shocks, first-aid-wise?"

"Um, CPR if you're not breathing, but, you are, so I guess that's not necessary," Pigtails said. "And I think check you for burns? Are you burned where you were touching the bear?"

"My foot feels okay," Baggy Jeans said, hesitantly testing it on the gym floor, "So probably not."

"Can't electrocution also mess up your heart or something?" Gatsby Cap asked. "I thought I'd heard that before. Not sure, though. Hey, anyone here the Super High School Level Nurse?" A few people shook their heads no. "Super High School Electrician, maybe?"

"I'd think a Super High School Cardiologist would be best able to answer your question," Antenna Headband said, and a glance around the gym told her that no one of that title was there either.

The girl in the bucket hat cleared her throat and put her hands on her hips. "All right, if we keep this up, we're just going to be wasting our time for weeks trying to figure out what our classmates are. There's no good that comes from not knowing your troop. I'd say now is as good a time as any for some introductions – get that out of the way, nice and efficient. All in favor?"

She received a few mumbled assents, which she chose to interpret as enthusiastic agreement. "Excellent!" She straightened her back and brought her hand up to the brim of her hat in a salute. "I'll go first. "I'm Oshiro Yuina, Super High School Level Scout?"

"Scout?" asked Pencil Skirt, tilting her head ever so slightly in curiosity. "Wait, you mean, like on the committee that picks students for Hope's Peak?"

Yuina rolled her eyes. "No, like Girl Scouts. Top ranger in Japan, thank you very much. So, if it's true this whole situation is going to end up all survivalist, you'll do well to have me on your side if I do say so myself."

"Of course," Pink Dress said drily. "If an emergency comes up that requires s'mores and friendship bracelets, we'll know who to turn to." Yuina opened her mouth to retort, but the other girl cut her off, addressing the room at large. "Kita Chinatsu. Super High School Level Violinist. Perhaps some of you have seen me perform before? I'm with the New Japan Philharmonic, after all." She looked around, and narrowed her eyes when she received no response. "Really? None of you at all?"

"Guess none of us are really the orchestra-going type," the boy with floppy brown hair said with a shrug.

"Fantastic," Chinatsu sighed. "And to think I was promised a cultured student body when I was invited here. What are you supposed to be, huh?"

"Oh, me? Super High School Level Sailor. Oh, and, um, name's Hachiro Ito. I didn't say that already, did I?"

"You didn't," Orange Shirt replied. "Hey, mind if I just call you Prep School instead?"

Ito's brow wrinkled in confusion as he turned to her. "What?"

"Oh, you know. If you're a Super High School Level Sailor, you've probably been sailing since you were a little kid, which means your family probably owns a boat, and every family who owns a boat sends their kids off to those fancy elite boarding schools their whole lives, no exceptions."

After a pause that confirmed her guesses, Ito asked, "So you're, what Super High School Level Detective?"

"Not even close," she answered, shaking her head. "Nakajima Kumiko, Super High School Level Pyrotechnician."

"No kidding?" Goggles asked, turning to her in surprise. "They invited someone here just for being obsessed with fire?"

He was close enough to Kumiko that she only had to take a step to punch him in the arm. "You're thinking pyromaniac, genius. I'm a pyrotechnician; I control the fire. You know, fireworks, effects for shows, that kind of junk." She offered a grin. "Although, I'd be lying if I said I didn't get a kick out of the stuff, but that ain't my title. Your turn, stretch. What are you?"

"Hashimoto Osamu," he answered. "Super High School Level Aviator."

Kumiko laughed. "See, now, don't pretend I'm the only one with an exciting title."

"Are you even old enough to get a pilot's license?" Ito asked.

"I am, yeah," Osamu answered with a nod. "You only have to be sixteen. And up until then I barely ever flew planes, just built them, and did a lot of hang-gliding and stuff. Though, okay, I did pilot a couple of times before I got the license…"

Purple Bow eyed him suspiciously. "So, we've got an illegal pilot, our Super High School Level Arsonist over there – " ("Hey!" Kumiko snapped.) " – Any other criminals here I should know about?"

A low chuckle came from Ear Guages, who slowly lifted his hand into the air with a smirk. "Guess that's my cue. Miyamoto Koji, Super High School Level Thief, glad to make your acquaintances."

"Wait, are you serious?!" Chinatsu cried, jumping to turn to face him. "Come on, there's no way that's your actual title!"

"Really, o ye of little faith?" Koji asked. He raised his brow as he dipped a hand into his pocket and pulled out a bracelet made of a string of tiny pearls.

Chinatsu stared at it, then down to her bare wrist. Her eyes shot back up and she spluttered wordlessly for a moment before barking out, "How did you – ?! Why did you – ?!"

"Oh, relax, I'm giving it back, aren't I?" Koji said, casually tossing it back to her. "And it's just costume jewelry anyway – it barely weighed anything. What'd it cost you, five hundred yen, give or take?" Chinatsu just scowled viciously at him as she put the bracelet back on. "I just wanted a little challenge, that's all. The school would approve. After all, they brought me here to see what sort of tricks I had up my sleeves. Apparently there's a market for skills like mine. Trust me, I'm definitely not the first criminal to be a Hope's Peak student."

"True," Paint Splatters spoke up. "I can vouch for it. Tsukuda Rikuto, Super High School Level Graffiti Artist. Although, I have to say, I'm not all too thrilled about the title. 'Graffiti' has such a negative connotation, see. I hardly even ever paint on buildings that are clearly in use. My stance, though, is that art that is making a statement about the world has a right to be out where the public can see it, and it's a ridiculous bit of bureaucracy that demands that only works that are directly commissioned by local government have the right to be on public display. It's a blatant limit to free expression. So, all right, if some people choose to see my art as a so-called 'crime' then that's their prerogative, but I don't think –"

"So!" the girl with the thin braid interrupted, clapping her hands together to cut him off. "If you don't mind be cutting the lecture short, I believe we were in the middle of introductions. I'm Maeda Tomomi. Super High School Level Playwright."

"Maeda…" the boy in the red sweater said slowly. "Have I heard that name before?"

"Have you followed Hope's Peaks forums and such before now?" Tomomi asked. When he nodded, she continued, "Well, the Super High School Level Actress from the class above us headlined one of my shows last year. An Afternoon in Ardor. Kateigaho International called it one of the most poignant dramas of the last decade," she added, hoisting her chin up and smiling proudly. "And what's your title, hm?"

"Oh, um," the boy brought a hand up to sheepishly scratch at the back of his neck. "I'm Hisakawa Kazuki, and I'm, uh, Super High School Level Luck." He finished the sentence in a low mumble.

Purple Bow snorted, bringing a hand to her mouth to try, and fail, to stifle her laughter. "Oh, God, don't tell me they're still giving out that title?" she said through a giggle. "Honestly, it's such a joke. They might as well assign someone to be Super High School Level Random Passerby."

"Hey, knock it off," Muscular Blond said, crossing his arms. "Every ultimate title is welcome at Hope's Peak, even the stupid ones."

"Gee, thanks," Kazuki said dully. His cheeks had gone a shade of pink at the girl's laughter, and darkened even more at the other boy's attempt to help. "What are you, anyhow? Your title so much better than mine?"

"A thousand fold, yes," she replied. "I'm Ando Misaki, Super High School Level Figure Skater."

"Wait a minute, I know that name!" the blond said, eyes lighting up. "You were in the last Olympics, weren't you? For the ladies' singles?"

Misaki's lip turned up into a slight smile. "I was. I take it you liked my performance?"

"Did I! You were great, you should have gotten the gold!"

The smile remained on her face, but it had suddenly gone, her eyes clouded over darkly. "Yes," she said briskly. "I should have. Well, enough about me, right? What are you?"

"Super High School Level Boxer, Mizushima Kenta," he answered, bending slightly at the waist in an almost imperceptible bow. "Good to see I've got a fellow athlete in here with me, huh? We'll probably end up doing some balance training together or something!"

"Doubtful," piped up a cool voice. The girl with the eye necklace was peering at him closely, as if studying him. "Have you forgotten what the bear told us? It is unlikely that we will be attending any classes at all."

"Oh yeah," Kenta said, deflating a little and letting his smile drop. "That's true. Well, maybe we can still find a way to go jogging together or something?"

"While inside this building?" the girl continued. She brought up her student ID and looked at the electronic map. "I suppose you could run laps in this gymnasium or something if you are pressed, although it is not nearly as appealing as having a full track. No boxing ring or ice skating rink in here either, I notice. That's a pity."

Kenta sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Man, you're just a basket full of optimism, aren't you? So, what, you're the Super High School Level Doomsayer or something?"

"Occultist, actually," she answered. "Fujioka Sora, expert in cryptozoology, mediumship, and the broad field of paranormal study."

The girl in the pencil skirt scowled at her. "That's ridiculous," she said. "All science from centuries past points to such things being impossible, and there's never been any data to support the existence of the paranormal."

Sora turned her chilly gaze onto the other girl. "Who are you?" she asked.

"Mori Asuka, Super High School Level Chemist, and I really thought this school would be academically rigorous enough to know that – "

"So you're a scientist, then?" Sora interrupted.

"Well, yeah."

"As a scientist, wouldn't you be more interested in trying to unlock the secrets of the otherworldly than dismissing them outright? Aren't you supposed to be able to adjust your world view based on new evidence and experimentation, rather than look only for the sort of evidence that supports what you know based on what little information about the universe is currently available to humans?"

Asuka simply stared increduously at her.

"Damn," Rikuto whispered, his eyes darting between the two girls in awe. "That was deep."

"No it wasn't," said the girl in pigtails, shaking her head. "It was nonsense."

Sora was unfazed by the commentary. "We're all currently being held hostage by talking toy bear. I don't think we're in any position to be skeptical."

"… Fair point," Pigtails relented with a shrug. "I suppose you have plenty of time to prove yourself right, then. Oh, I'm Yoshida Aya, by the way. Super High School Level Gardener."

"Are you really?" said the boy in baggy jeans, who was still leaning against her for support on his wobbly legs. "You know, I've always wanted to try a bit of gardening, ever since I built a gardening shed for my neighbor – I'm Super High School Level Woodworker, by the way; Minami Hiraku – but I just never found time to do it. Or, you know, the energy."

The girl with the antenna headband giggled. "Sorry, sorry," she said with a grin. "It's just, I dunno, 'woodworker' – it sounds dirty."

Chinatsu wrinkled her nose and scowled at the girl. "Seriously? What are you, twelve?"

Antenna Headband smirked at her. "Hey, it's not my fault. The double-entendre was right there, I was just saying what everyone was thinking."

"She's not wrong," Kumiko offered.

"Thank you. Back on track, though, my turn for introduction too. I'm Tachibana Satomi, Super High School Level Cyberstar."

Gatsby Cap's eyebrows shot up in recognition, and he snapped his fingers. "Cyberstar! That's where I know you from! You did that op-ed video about globaliztion of Japanese popular culture, right?"

"Um…" Satomi screwed up her eyes in thought. "Do you mean my 'Should Anime Go American' video?"

"Yeah, that's the one!" he said, nodding eagerly. "I wrote a response piece to that over on Kotaku! I'm Kawaguchi Ren, Super High School Level Journalist. Did you ever see that article?"

Satomi shook her head. "Doesn't ring a bell."

"Oh. Well, that's fine, I can just give you a rundown of it later."

"Can't wait," she said, her tone and expression saying the exact opposite.

The boy in the green-striped shirt cleared his throat. "If you don't mind not debating cultural trends right now, I'd really like to get these introductions over with. I suppose I can take my turn? I am Kuro Shimizu, Super High School Level Roboticist."

His classmates were silent at that remark, simply staring at him without a sound or movement. "What?" Shimizu asked.

"Um, well," Ito said slowly, "It's just, uh, you're a roboticist. And, you know, we, uh…"

"We all have been kidnapped and attacked by a robot," Misaki for him. "Convenient, hm?"

Shimizu just scoffed. "Oh, honestly, you don't really think I had something to do with that? Just because it was a robot? It was a bear too, you know. Does this mean we all need to go try to hunt down a Super High School Level Ursinologist? That's a scientist who studies bears, by the way."

"We didn't ask," Misaki said flatly.

"You didn't have to." Shimizu crossed his arms. "If you're dumb enough to think that I have something to do with this just because of my title, I doubt you're smart enough to have vocabularies of a decent size."

Koji crossed his arms, raising a brow at Shimizu. "Keep it up, asshat. You keep on insulting everyone like that, you never know who's going to take that bear up on his 'graduation' offer."

"Oh, don't say that!" Orange Hair cried, shivering. "None of us are going to kill anyone!"

"Yeah, sure, we'll see," Koji said. "You haven't given us your name yet, have you, Red?"

A hint of scarlet cropped up in her cheeks. "Oh, right. I – I hadn't noticed. I'm Yukimura Kaori, and, um, I'm Super High School Level Hyperpolyglot."

"… A hippo what now?" Osamu asked.

Shimizu sighed. "A hyperpolyglot is someone who – "

"He wasn't asking you, dickwad," Satomi interrupted. Shimizu turned to her, expression murderous, and opened his mouth to retort, but Satomi cut him off with a gesture toward Kaori. "Go on, you tell us."

"Well, um, a hyperpolyglot is someone who learns a lot of languages easily."

"Isn't that a linguist?" Ren asked.

Kaori shook her head. "No, no, see, linguists study languages, like, um, their history and structure and – and, um, like how they work psychologically. I just learn to speak the languages, that's all."

"How many languages do you know?" Hiraku asked.

"Um, twenty, so far. Twenty-one if you count Esperanto, but, well, most people don't," she finished softly.

Hiraku's eyes widened. "Holy shit! How is that even possible?"

"I don't know," Kaori answered, moving her gaze to the floor. "I just pick them up easy. The Super High School Level Neurologist was going to run some tests with me once I arrived at the school, but, well, I suppose that's out of the question now…"

Yuina winced and stepped forward. "Look, let's not think about that part. I'm sure we'll all find our way out of this, no problem. For now, was that everyone? Anyone we missed?"

One hand shot up, belonging to a barrel-chested boy with large round eyes who had not so much as made a sound up until now.

"Sorry about that," Yuina said hastily, electing not to add that she hadn't even noticed him until that moment. "Go on, introduce yourself."

"Saito Ayumu," the boy said, his voice low and flat. "Fencer."

The others waited, expecting him to add some other detail as all the rest had done. When none seemed to be forthcoming, though, Yuina broke the silence with a clap of her hands. "Great. So, we know our names, we know our titles. I suppose for the next step, we should get to know the school? I mean, we've all only seen, what, one classroom, a couple hallways, and the gym so far, right? If we're going to figure a way out of here, we ought to know what we're dealing with."

"I suppose we should split into groups?" Kazuki said. "Just so, you know – no one is tempted to try anything."

"Works for me," Aya said. "I think Hiraku and I will head over and explore the infirmary."

Hiraku groaned. "I'm fine, honest. I don't need a check-up."

"Oh, just do it for my peace of mind," Aya said, starting to tug him along.

"I'll – I'll go with you!" Kaori said hastily, rushing over to grab Hiraku's other arm. Aya accepted the help, and the three of them walked out of the gym, Hiraku arguing all the while that he was perfectly fine.

Yuina put her hands on her hips. "All right! The rest of you, find your swimming buddies, and get out your maps. I don't know how big this building is, but we're gonna get to know it top to bottom. Ready?" She brought her thumb and forefinger to her mouth and let out a shrill whistle, causing several students to slap their hands over their ears. "Disperse!"