Author's Note: No FTEs for Shinji. Don't worry about it. Not important. Let's get to the game. I also apologize for the shortness of the FTEs, but as they are optional this time, they involved much less action and group interactions. I still hope you deeply enjoyed the ones you read. Now let's finish this prologue! :D

Prologue: The Games Will Now Begin

-?-

Monokuma was in a dark room sitting across from a mysterious silhouette, likely of the mastermind not in the game, "That's right, the Shinji we captured was a fraud. Er, rather... A different one. And he escaped, so we're down to seventeen. Such an odd number."

The other person chuckled, "Is that so? So our readings were correct... They traveled here through a time machine... And that is why I'm here... Science is bullshit."

"Yeah, but hey... How can we lobotomize for talent or despair? How are you alive in the first place, haha! You should be dead, you despair-loving monster..."

A smile appeared in the silhouette, "I'm well aware. And he went to save the others from the previous game?"

Monokuma nodded, "I suppose so... Regardless, we can continue our game. They won't be able to ruin it in time, and our hordes of Monokumas are endless. What do we do about the odd number, though? It's so... odd."

"You know what to do already, you damned bear," The person responded angrily.

"Alright, alright... Don't get mad, Jun-"

The silhouette cut Monokuma off, "Say my name and die. We have no idea who might be listening in."

Monokuma frowned, "Awe, okay... We'll talk more later. Lunch, it'll be great! Now I have to play the execution game! Upupupupu!"

-Naoya's POV-

The feeling of moving was what brought me to my senses. I tried to stand, but my legs were weak. The room, or wherever I was, was darker than I thought possible. I heard the sound of an engine running, or something... Suddenly, light flooded the room and I clutched my face in desperation, nearly shouting in pain as my eyes took forever to adjust. Everyone around me was similarly blinded as we tried to gather our bearings. We were in some gigantic room that was empty. I noticed portholes on the side. Was this a boat? We weren't rocking, though. It felt more like... Like flying?

The entire thing we were in stopped, knocking some of us off our feet, knocking us into the ground, hurting ourselves, "Sorry, turbulence on airships is pretty bad, upupupu!"

In front of the seventeen of us, a giant monitor lowered, and that damned bear appeared, "Howdy guys!? Are you excited!? See, the prologue usually has an example execution, right? We forgot to do that! So now we'll make up for lost time!"

"An execution... But we didn't do anything!?" Hiro yelled in anger, annoyed at the casual way Monokuma mocked our situation.

Monokuma laughed, "Well, we have seventeen players. A good killing game has to be even! And since that idiot Romantic found a way to escape, we have to thin the herd!"

Kotoko sighed, "This is... really happening to us?"

Michi shouted, "That's not fair, Monokuma! We didn't break the rules! Why are you cheating?"

"Talk to me like that again and it'll be you I gut." Monokuma's claws extended.

Sho jumped in front of her, "I dare you to try. I'll fuckin' deck you mate, swear on me mum!"

Monokuma laughed, "Ah, what it's like to be kids... Now, I asked my boss who, and she suggested the last one to join. Since Shinji left, Sheena should obviously be punished."

"What!? Me!?" Sheena screamed in protest, "Why me!? I've spent my whole life trying to undo death!"

"Sucks for you, huh?" Monokuma showed up in the center of the room and sixteen stands. A chair arose below Monokuma alongside a big red button. I knew that button intimately, "Sheena, about your friends I killed... You'll be reunited at last!"

And without another word, he hit the button and the screen came up in new font.

The Ultimate Biologist's Final Autopsy!

A chain shot out from behind us, wrapping around Sheena's neck, arms, and legs. Like that, defenseless, she was slowly dragged across the room screaming the entire way through the door.

The screen changed again, and she was now bound to an operating table as several machines were placed precariously above her; saws, blades, knives, scalpels, anything you might find in a surgeon's tool set. She was screaming to be let go, but as a doctor Monokuma ran up beside her and that familiar music started playing, I already knew she had no hope.

Doctor Kuma ran forward, an excited look on his face as he grabbed a scalpel and shoved it directly into Sheena's stomach. She screamed in agony as blood started shooting out from her body. Her agonized screams continued, and I looked away, falling to my knees, vomiting onto the floor.

I closed my eyes hoping it would be over, and when I opened them, I... I was on that table. I looked down at my bound body, at the gaping hole in my stomach, as Monokuma brought down a circular saw and slowly entered it into my chest cavity, grinding my insides like a fucking smoothie. The pain was unimaginable, and I felt my entire body shudder one last time...

The feeling of moving was what brought me to my senses. I tried to stand, but my legs were weak. The room, or wherever I was, was darker than I thought possible. I heard the sound of an engine running, or something... Suddenly, light flooded the room and I clutched my face in desperation, nearly shouting in pain as my eyes took forever to adjust. Everyone around me was similarly blinded as we tried to gather our bearings. We were in some gigantic room that was empty. I noticed portholes on the side. Was this a boat? We weren't rocking, though. It felt more like... Like flying?

And then it clicked, "No... No! I... that..." Sheena was in danger! I had to stop Monokuma!

And everything played out the same. The announcement, the threats, and then his choice.

I stepped in front of Sheena, "Monokuma, no! Take me instead! I won't watch you do this!"

"Oh? But Naoya, she was chosen... I have her execution set up and everything..." Monokuma chuckled evilly, "Why protect her? Is this what young love is?"

"Cut the bullshit!" I shouted, my voice cracking, "Why does it have to be her? I'm volunteering! Take me down! Or do you fear me!?"

Monokuma silenced himself before opening his little bear mouth, "Would you protect the girl who raised your mother from the dead?" My heart stopped, "The reason that monster came home, asking if you were okay, gargling her words as her flesh fell onto you... That was Sheena's fault. She experimented on dead corpses, desecrated them, toyed with them, all for her own selfish wish to bring her sister back to life. Was that really worth protecting?"

I stood there, entranced. I asked, "Is what Monokuma said true!?"

Sheena didn't answer at first, but when I yelled the question again louder, she spoke, "I might have... It's not impossible..."

I couldn't believe those words. I still felt the feeling of my dead mother, holding me, falling apart, crying, telling me through ruined vocal chords as best she could that she was sorry she ever left.

I turned to Monokuma, "Do you think I'll let her die because of that!? I won't give in to your fucking life ruining motive, you cunt!"

Monokuma sighed, "Stubborn, eh? Well, it's good that you're not my boss." And he slammed down on that button.

I turned and ran towards Sheena, pushing her out of the way of the oncoming chain. The chain moved, following her, wrapping around her. I grabbed the claws and tried to follow them, but another chain wrapped around my neck, pulling me off it and nearly killing me with the force. As I slammed onto the hard cold metal floor, all I could hear were Sheena's screams before I passed out, clutching my bruised neck.

I awoke in my room a sleeping Kotoko next to my bed. I felt my throat, still sore from the chain that gripped my life and made me relive all of my happiest memories. And then my thoughts turned to Sheena... I wasn't able to save her, was I? I reached for my handbook in desperation, turned it to the students tab... and dropped it in horror. When I went to her page, not only did it ex her out as deceased... I saw what was left of her. And I began crying. What else could I do?

"Remember Naoya... Tomorrow the game begins. And you have no control here. Understand? Good..." Monokuma's voice traveled into my brain, though I couldn't tell from where or why. I just silently thanked Kotoko for bringing me back and fell onto my pillow, crying myself to sleep.

Tomorrow would be our first day in the killing game; our first real day. Shinji had abandoned us; he was listed as Missing. Sheena was dead, and I knew exactly how she died, how horrible it was...

I couldn't let this happen again... I'd rather die than go through this pain... We just met her yesterday. We literally had no time with her... Why did she have to suffer!? What did she do to deserve that!? I forgave her!

...Brooding won't help me. I just have to sleep. Tomorrow, we'll plan our response. I had faith the others would know what to do. We just... We had to...