Danganronpa: Beyond Broken Chapter 7: Prologue: Part 4, a dangan ronpa kibou no gakuen to zetsubou no koukousei fanfic

(A/N) - AHHHHHHHHH! THE FINAL PROLOGUE IS HERE!

Honestly, it's been such a ride to even get to this point! Both my real life and online life have taken some interesting turns! I never expected so many things to happen to me this year, and I never expected so many people to be interested in my stories! I made some new writing friends, and I also made some new connections in the real world. I feel as if everything is falling into place for me, and this chapter is one of the final pieces I've been desperately wanting to place!

With this chapter, the end of the prologue is near! Our last few characters are introduced, and I love them to bits! This was my first time planning a story like this, so I had to make sure the chosen characters were essential in future chapters and the story's overall "feel." I hope you enjoy them just as much as I did writing them!

A lot of stuff happens in this chapter, so... it's LONG... but I hope you take the time to really connect with the characters and delve into some of the clues I left. There's also some very graphic disturbing imagery depicted later on, so if you get queasy or aren't into all of that stuff, please skip the section titled "The Ultimate Example." Other than that, I won't hold you back anymore; please enjoy this chapter!

(Prologue 4)

(Their Aforementioned Destiny)

Current Objective - Head To Auditorium

Location - Eastern Sector

There were a billion words to describe what we just heard.

Some might call it disturbing. Others would pass it off as odd. For me, the announcement was nothing short but horrific. Though the voice was long gone, the words of which it spoke crammed itself into the crevices of my thoughts until it was all I could hear. To have such a voice, it was almost an achievement of how fast it destroyed my hopes.

With tense movements, I strained myself to look around and see my peers share a similar response. Oroka's face was as white as snow, with her legs shaking so much they most likely would've snapped if Takumi wasn't supporting her. Even though the enthusiast's eyes were just as wide as my own, he seemed to be standing tall with only a slight trickle of sweat dripping down his face. Beside him stood Hemi, who only seemed slightly ratted by the news. He was fiddling with the pens in his pocket, which was masking most of his fidgeting.

The only person who didn't appear too bothered by the broadcast was Satoshi. He simply crossed his arms and pressed his finger to his chin, his suit slightly tugging against his cubby skin as he did so. Even then, he didn't speak, which allowed the stillness in the room to linger. The silence was poison for my aching heart, forcing my throat to close as I struggled for air.

It hung heavy in the cafeteria for what seemed like hours until Hemi's voice cut through the air, "um... that was clearly... something..."

"'Something...?'" I repeated as my body tensed up," does anyone know what the hell that was?"

"It was an announcement addressing our situation," Satoshi replied, "but I must admit, it was a rather unusual one. As a Diplomat, I've met my fair share of unique voices... but I've never heard one quite like that."

"Gee bro, you think?" Takumi remarked as he produced a nervous grin, "it sounded like one of those creepy stuffed animals you'd find at the toy store."

I shudder a bit in response as a vague memory of one flashed through my head, "ugh... I... unfortunately, know what you're talking about."

"Right!?" Takumi exclaimed, "like the ones with those buttons on them that make these weird sounds...?"

"I-I remember those," Oroka confessed, "I got nightmares from those t-things all the time. I still do a-actually, so I already have a bad feeling about t-this."

"You didn't already get that from the stupid amnesia and the strange titles we got?" I questioned. All I got back from Oroka was a shrug in response.

"A-Anyway, the voice aside, the announcement said we'd be 's-sprayed with bullets' if we didn't go to the auditorium... which... isn't good... r-right?"

"Yeah, it's very concerning if they're serious," Hemi voiced, "and it seems likely that they were."

"Really?" Takumi frowned, "it was weird, but they sounded like they were sarcastic rather than serious."

"Can we be sure it's a joke?" Hemi questioned, "don't get me wrong. I like jokes, but this seems far too extravagant for my liking."

"No, kidding," I said after trying to rack my brain for answers, "god... do you think the person who brought us here and the voice on the speaker are on in the same somehow?"

"It's definitely a possibility," Hemi noted, "whoever is in control of this is willing to use lethal force if necessary, and the announcement we heard made it clear that's exactly what they intended to do if we don't join the others."

"That's really... really bad man," Takumi groaned as he gripped onto his beanie and pulled it down against his hair, "are we gonna be stuck in this knock-off version of high school or something? I wasn't exactly the best when it came to grades."

"It's not a confirmed possibility just yet mate," Satoshi reassured, "while this is a unique situation, this only reveals the presence of an authority figure on campus."

"Yeah, it confirms there's an authority figure with a very twisted sense of humor and god awful bear puns," I sighed, shaking my head to ignore the fear in my chest.

Takumi frowned and scratched his head, "I'm with Mei on that, and honestly, it sounded more like a child if anything. Like, they tried to do dark humor, but seriously messed up yo..."

"But there's some truth to Satoshi's statement," Hemi reminded, "if the speakers here are operating, that means someone has access to a functioning PA system... and whoever it was on the speakers doesn't sound like anyone we've met so far. So it's only logical in an academic environment to think that there's an adult nearby."

"Are you suggesting that it's a teacher then?" I questioned, "how could you drew that conclusion after hearing that?"

"Perhaps it's not the faculty of this place," Satoshi corrected, crossing his arms tightly, "but I feel it's to believe that whoever is behind the speaker has some knowledge over our situation, don't you think?"

"Like… they have answers?" Hemi breathed, "like actual answers?"

Answers. It's the only word that gives me any sort of hope in this situation, "it… could be possible… I guess…"

"Is that how you really feel mate?" Satoshi questioned, looking into my eyes, "it'd be best if you give further input for your decision!"

"Well… we could go and see…" I uttered, "there's really no point in just standing here…"

"Yeah, that's the best course of action!" Hemi agreed, "as long as we stick together, we can definitely find out what's happening!"

"Right!" Oroka and Takumi chimed in.

"Splendid! The cooperation I see is outstanding!" Satoshi laughed, his heavy accent slightly rattling my bones, "now then, it's of our best interest as a group to investigate this mysterious voice!"

"It seems that's the plan Stan!" Takumi joked, completely abolishing his once nervous attitude.

"U-Um… okay then…" Oroka said, "since me and Takumi know w-where the auditorium is… f-follow us everyone…!"

"You heard the girl!" Takumi grinned, "just leave it to Oroka and me!"

Everyone started to look a little more hopeful toward the situation now, and though I still had some doubts, I decided it would be best not to voice them. Besides, if we could just find some sort of reason for all of this... some kind of logical response that could explain away all these concerns, I would for sure be a lot happier at least.

With Satoshi's words carrying us, we mustered enough courage to leave the dining hall and enter back into the decaying school. The cold air from the dining hall cut off almost immediately, being replaced with a humid stillness that drenched my already ruined uniform.

Finally, the time had come for us to head to the auditorium.

The group took position as we followed Oroka and Takumi to the unknown destination. Hemi lingered a tiny bit behind me, occupied with something on his tablet that he couldn't stop staring at. Up ahead of me, everyone else seemed to be discussing something in great detail. Satoshi was doing most of the talking since Takumi was telling jokes. Oroka simply listened in with an overwhelmed expression as they did this, sticking close to Takumi and leading the way with her map.

They seemed to be getting along quite nicely, so much so that I was almost tempted to join them. But after watching them for a bit, I decided to stick in my own little spot.

Inhale…

Exhale…

I followed the group with quiet steps as I glanced around at the vegetation. The glow the plant once had were now dimming into shallow husks of leaves and vines. While they still attained their smooth structure, somehow, they looked far more sinister than how they did previously. I don't know how, but they appeared darker, somehow crowding around us without much care for control or space.

This really did seem like the wild. Only a small glimpse of human habitation remained, and even then, it was slowly being taken over. I wonder, if this place used to be a nature reserve of some kind, or maybe this school was built near one…

Okay Mei, now you're just acting stupid. What kind of nature reserve has a school in the middle of it? You're acting up over nothing...

Shutting myself up, I decided to count the remaining profiles I had left on my monopad. There wasn't much at first glance, as it seemed like I had most of the profiles updated with their info.

Let's see… there's Haru... Camilla... Elayah... Koemi... Eio... Dorobo... Runa... Satoshi... Shin... Takumi... and Oroka. Including Hemi and me... that's thirteen people so far.

So… who are the last three?

I pondered over them before I noticed the noise of shuffling feet had stopped. Doing so myself, I looked up to find everyone standing in a three-way intersection. There was a right and left hallway open to us, but it appeared there was a room that made the left hallway just out a little bit. That huge room had two fancy double doors that were positioned away from each other. In between the doors was a large glass window, where a red curtain blocked the view to the other side. Only the plaque above the doors that read "Library" indicated what the place actually was.

Seeing the bolded words above the door made my heart skip a beat.

"There's a library here?" I exclaimed before trying to open one of the doors.

Of course, I shouldn't have been too surprised when it wouldn't even budge open, but it was a huge punch to the gut anyway.

"Are you kidding me?" I whined, "I really wanted to check out some of the historical sections."

"Did you actually want to check right now?" Hemi asked, slightly puzzled, "I mean, I wouldn't mind doing some light reading after all this, but we should probably check it out after we attend the meeting."

"I know that," I sighed, "but… the doors look so fancy and cool, and what if it has a fireplace? I know schools usually don't have those, but maybe it has some nice armchairs? I need to call dibs on that spot before-"

Mei! What the hell are you saying in front of these people?! Please shut the hell up!

I quickly silenced myself up before coughing into my hand, "I-I mean… you're right… we should um… hurry up…"

"Aw, Mei, you have a dream reading spot in your head?" Hemi questioned before smiling brightly, "that's so adorable! What's your ideal reading time-?"

"P-Please be quiet Hemi or I will strangle you," I stuttered back.

"A-Ah! O-Okay then…!" Hemi said, slightly pale, "but again, don't feel ashamed to admit it-"

I instantly locked eyes with a certain someone and almost shouted their name, "u-um… Oroka! Are we at the auditorium yet?"

"A-Ah!" Oroka yelped, now realizing the spotlight was on her, "u-um... w-well… yeah… b-but-"

"Don't worry Oroka. I can take it from here," Takumi said with a grin and some finger guns.

"O-Oh… okay then… T-Thanks Takumi…" Oroka said with a small smile.

"No problemo!" he laughed, "anyway, it's just around the corner in this intersection. If you all just follow me~."

Takumi continued ahead, turning around the corner and disappearing from view. The four of us quickly caught up to him to find ourselves in a long hallway with more doors leading to the library on the left. To the right of us were even more windows covered with those same stupid metal sheets. Broken benches were situated along the walls, and above the one at the end of the hall was a torn poster. And right next to that poster was a red door with barred up windows. As we approached it, I noticed the words "Auditorium" and "Gymnasium," written above in bolded black letters, just like with the library.

"Wait... so does it double as both an auditorium and gymnasium?" Hemi asked, "I thought it was just an auditorium…"

Oroka turned toward us and slightly looked down, "oh yeah… w-well… from what we've seen so far, s-some rooms here have multiple purposes... so... I assume the same holds true here."

"It appears we've arrived then," Satoshi commented, "does anyone wish to share their thoughts before we proceed?"

"I just want to figure out what's happening now," I blurted out, "as long as we get that, I'll be fine. Unless it's something… crazy…"

"Mei took the words right out of my mouth," Hemi admitted, "I'm kinda curious myself over why all this is occurring. But, I have this strong feeling that everything will be resolved once we go inside!"

"Yo, I feel the same way!" Takumi agreed as he grinned, "even though this whole thing was kinda messed up and slightly exhausting, we're finally gonna get the answers we need!"

And that was the problem, at least with me. I couldn't help but wonder if we would really get the answers we were searching for, or if we'd just be left with more questions?

"B-Before we go in... should we wait for e-everyone else...?" Oroka asked, her eyes pressed with worry as she fiddled with her glasses.

"I feel as if most of them are already behind that door," Satoshi said, "but it wouldn't hurt to wait for the others remaining nearby!"

"Actually, I feel like I'd die from the suspense dude," Takumi confessed, "I don't see much of a point in staying out here."

"Interesting," Satoshi said, crossing his arms, "then what do you feel is the best course of action everyone? Shall we wait here or venture forth? Let's discuss this in thorough detail!"

Before we could answer Satoshi's question seriously, a sudden sound flooded the halls and caused us all to turn around quickly. The noise was a mix of crunching leaves and echoing steps, which grew closer until two people revealed themselves.

The pair consisted of a pale girl, who was having a very one-sided conversation with a taller boy beside her. Whatever she was discussing seemed to excite her, as her voice was interwoven with a warm tone that lit up the dark halls. Unfortunately for her, the man she was accompanied didn't seem that interested as he yawned a bit with his free hand. The attitude almost reminded me of Eio, but unlike the sleepy Nephologist, the man emitted a strangely prestigious vibe, similar to that of Runa.

At that point, I was unable to observe them any further, as Satoshi instantly lit up at the sight of new faces, "ah! New people! It's a pleasure to meet you both!"

The girl, who up until now had been both talking and tapping on her monopad, suddenly looked up and began to smile, "ooh! I didn't expect to see so many other students here, but the more, the merrier! Heh! Hello there everyone!"

The way she spoke simply radiated positive energy, so much so that my brain immediately started to hurt upon hearing it. It reminded me of Elayah and Shin. Although with a little less... screaming involved.

"H-Hi there!" Oroka gushed as she tried to hide her red cheeks.

"Oh! Nice to meet you!" Hemi added with a friendly smile.

I didn't say anything, but I offered a tiny wave. The second I did so though, I started to wonder if that made me look like a shy nerd or something.

"Yo! What's going on you two?" Takumi asked, grinning all the while, "I don't believe we've been introduced yet!"

"You're right; I definitely would've remembered such a diverse bunch!" the girl chuckled, "but then again, pretty much everyone here is unique, right Matsuo?"

She gestured to the boy beside her, who didn't seem too keen on meeting anyone at all. It could be inferred that the individual was Matsuo, which Oroka didn't seem to understand, "I-I'm sorry... you're... M-Matsuo?"

"Are you stupid?" Matsuo said sharply, with a hint of raspiness in his voice, "she literally gestured to me when she said that."

Oroka was forced into a state of stunned silence and quickly turned pale, "I-I…"

"Hey! What the hell was that for man?" Takumi demanded, instantly exuding a confident persona, "she was just confused dude…"

"Which is was I suggest you pay more attention in the future," Matsuo suggested, looking away with indifference, "just to avoid making stupid mistakes like that again, got it?"

"O-Oh… okay… s-sorry…" she whimpered.

"It's okay, he usually gets like that," the girl clarified, "that's just Matsuo for you, being the big ol' grump that he is."

Amane slightly chuckled at her joke, but Matsuo paid no attention to it and sighed wearily.

"Whatever. My full name is Matsuo Nakasone. And I'm apparently known as the Ultimate Danseur."

Matsuo Nakasone

Ultimate Danseur

The Ultimate Danseur...

Wow, whoever was keeping us here was really branching out with the titles. But surprisingly, when looking at Matsuo, the title seemed to compliment his appearance perfectly. His posture and face evoked the same feelings I felt when looking at Runa, one of elegance and prestige that seemed to linger around his lithe figure. His body was limber and graceful, yet it also appeared to be strong and lean as well. Then there was his outfit, which wasn't as complicated as I thought it'd be. He wore a simple gray t-shirt with a V-neck covered up with a casual navy blue blazer. With that, he had on black jeans accompanied by a leather belt and dark brown chelsea-style boots.

Looking back at his face, I noticed that his physique made him look a bit older than everyone else in the room. He had an oval face shape with pointed facial features like his nose and strong jaw, which held a little facial hair. His eyes were similar to mine, bright sea blue, though they were noticeably sharper. His expression was a combination of "I'm completely done with everyone" and "god, I wish I were in bed." Above his pointed eyebrows lay his slightly wavy jet black hair, which was done in a medium cut and had shorter sides. Unlike Amane, his hair wasn't done as neatly. It looked rather messy and tousled instead, with strands sticking out and twirling together. Everything about him, even down to the clothes, seemed fitting for a dancer, minus the sarcasm of course.

Or maybe all dancers are like that. I haven't seen too many personally.

"Fascinating," Satoshi approved, "it must be hard work to be a dancer. I certainly wouldn't know how to accomplish such a feat."

Um… that much is definitely clear.

"How about you miss?" Satoshi suddenly said, turning to the other girl, "do you mind telling us your name?'

"Sure thing!" the girl smiled, "allow me to introduce myself!"

"My name Amane Watanuki! Someone here went ahead and gave me the title of Ultimate Augmented Reality Developer, which I guess applies to me somehow. But anyway, I hope we can get along!"

Amane Watanuki

Ultimate Augmented Reality Developer

Amane's positive attitude almost distracted me from her title. Ultimate Augmented Reality Developer... it's not a word people hear every day, and for it to be tied to a ball of sunshine like her heightened my curiosity.

"U-Ultimate... wha...?" Oroka tried to say, looking completely confused, "s-sorry... I have n-no idea what that i-is."

"You're still lost?" Hemi asked, looking over to Oroka with concern.

"That's perfectly fine!" Amane chirped, "I'd be happy to explain it. So, basically, augmented reality is when you impose a digital image or element over a real-life environment to create an interactive experience. Think of it as like, an overlay or something. And as a developer, I create stuff just like that! In fact, I bet some of you have probably used at least a few of my applications!"

"Splendid!" Satoshi commented, "you must be well known within the tech industry then!"

"Well, I suppose you could say my name has been thrown around a few times," Amane admitted, "in all honesty, my creations are far more popular than I am, which I'm totally fine with."

"O-oh... I see... a-and you're the best a-at it...?" Oroka asked.

"Well, not exactly," she revealed, "at least I think so. I mean, I'm mildly flattered someone thinks I'm *that* talented, but honestly, this whole "Ultimate" thing is just really confusing. I haven't been able to come up with any logical theories."

"The same goes for us," Satoshi answered, frowning slightly, "though I have reason to believe it's nothing too concerning. After all, it seems like most of us here have some sort of association with our titles."

"Some more than others," Takumi commented, glancing around at the rest of us, "honestly, the whole thing still doesn't make sense."

Takumi was right about that. Half of the people here didn't seem to really fit their talent. Even Amane, although her fashion sense was definitely better than mine. She wore a black leather jacket worn over a yellow and white floral sundress. It had a halter neck and an A-line skirt, which traveled down a few inches above her knees. For footwear, Amane wore a pair of black boots extending up to a few inches below her knees. The boots were pretty thick, with 1-2 inch wide heels.

As for her physical appearance, Amane had dark blue hair, which was cut into a short, somewhat curly pixie cut with asymmetrical bangs swept slightly to the left. Her face was heart-shaped, with rounded cheeks and a sharp chin that gave her a... babyface for lack of better words. Similar to Runa, she had bright yellow eyes, which held a strong liveliness to them. She stood a little taller than most of us, but she was also close to Takumi, and Hemi stood a little bit taller in comparison. Her pear body shape gave her a skinnier, more petite upper body, and a well-built lower body, with wider hips and legs. Overall, she looked very bright while also retaining a somewhat playful persona around her.

"So wait... your talent implies you work with tech, right?" Hemi asked, which prompted a nod from Amane, "have you been able to find anything out with that tablet then?"

"That's a negative," Amane said, "I thought I could look into it, but I've never seen technology like this before. I haven't been able to inspect or tamper with it in any way. I even got a warning about being shot down if I continued messing around with it."

"Just like with Dorobo when he tried to open a locked door," Hemi muttered beside me.

"Dang, that sucks bro..." Takumi mumbled

"It's definitely a shame, that's for sure," Amane agreed, "I figured I could find some sort of digital footprint or clue on there. Maybe then I could've tried to contact someone, but I couldn't get anything, which totally blows."

Amane lowered her tablet and crossed her arms, most likely thinking about something, "still... it's a good thing we found each other. We're all Ultimates apparently to this... monopad, which is good! Well, I mean, it's not since we're here, but still, that means you're all just like us!"

"Exactly, at least now we can trust each other," Hemi said, "as long as we work together, nothing can stop us!"

The dancer muttered something under his breath after Hemi said that and then turned to us, "enough with the pleasantries already. You all came here because of the announcement from earlier, right?"

"That's right," Satoshi answered, "as soon as it finished playing, we made our way here as soon as possible."

"Oroka and I mostly lead the way," Takumi said with a grin, "after all, we practically know the place inside and out. It's all already in the back of our heads!"

"Y-Yeah!" Oroka chimed in, although she didn't sound as confident as Takumi did.

"So, this is where the auditorium is?" Amane asked, which everyone then subsequently confirmed, "then what's everyone standing out here for? Are we waiting for someone else to show up?"

"We were just about to discuss that matter," Satoshi confessed, "although, considering how no one has shown up during our conversation, we may be the last ones here."

"If that's the case, I'm just gonna get this over with," Matsuo said as he walked through the door with no hesitation. His prestigious aura quickly vanished, and he was gone without a trace.

"Dude!" Takumi gawked, "hold on a sec; you can't just go in without us!"

Takumi then followed Matsuo inside, and immediately Oroka trailed behind him with a nervous look on her face.

"Well then, it appears we're all heading inside," Satoshi observed, "let us discover the mystery of this school together, shall we?"

"Agreed! See you all in there!" Amane exclaimed with bright eyes.

Both Amane and Satoshi ventured past the door together, leaving just me and Hemi outside in the hall. The absence of any voices allowed my ears to detect the shifting of leaves and grass movement. It was almost tranquil to be away from everyone now. It gave time for my mind to really wonder what was happening.

But even then, I had no answer to give myself. Nothing was satisfying enough to answer this bizarre situation. What exactly brought me to this point. What was waiting for me in the future? I just couldn't predict it.

"So, this is it then…" Hemi said, his voice hesitant as he readjusted his glasses, "I almost can't believe it… we're finally going to get answers."

Glancing over at Hemi's hazel eyes, I noticed he was looking over at me as well. I wonder if he was just as confused as me. Maybe even a little scared. I feel like that's the first time I've ever seen him like that…

Seeing how this would be one of our last moments alone, I spoke my next few words quickly, "wait, before we go, I wanted to ask you something. I know this may sound weird, but... I haven't had a chance to ask you how you've been holding up."

"I beg your pardon?" Hemi asked, looking quite puzzled over my sudden shift in tone.

"Well..." I continued, a little frazzled myself, "this whole time you've been helping Elayah and me out... but I don't think I've made an effort yet to check on how you're doing. Are you… like… okay?"

Hemi seemed a little flustered before smiling brightly, "that's very kind of you, Mei. In all honesty... I guess you could say I feel conflicted right now."

"About everything?" I question.

"Partially," he admitted, "this whole situation... in all honesty, it's something I'd never expect to take part in. I mean, I'm pretty unassuming overall. My life outside here isn't anything special. I'm decent at school. And after meeting most of everyone here... they're all so lively and different compared to me. I just can't keep up with them… I feel like I'm going to explode half the time."

"I definitely know how you feel with that one," I said, "it's… definitely overwhelming."

"Overwhelming might be an understatement for me," Hemi admitted, "I just feel… out of place compared to everyone. To wake up here... and with such a talent assigned to me..."

His talent...?

It took me a few seconds to realize what he was talking about, "oh! Are you talking about your ultimate title? The... Ultimate Predecessor?"

"Correct..." he said with a frown, "I... have no idea what it means. Everyone else we've met so far has had some pretty unique abilities and talents. But... Predecessor? I can't even begin to comprehend the meaning of that. What exactly does that mean...? And my status..."

I almost forgot about our assigned status. If I remember correctly... mine said, "Irreplaceable." What it meant was entirely beyond me, but it seemed tailored specifically for my eyes only. The... monopad... said we couldn't share our devices, so it seems like everyone's status is different. If so... I wonder what Hemi's? He seemed really concerned with it...

He was quiet for a few seconds before closing his eyes and sighing, "you know Mei... this may seem silly.. but... despite the context of that announcement... I wonder if that voice has actual answers behind this."

"Do you really think that?" I asked, "all it said was that it had news to share... but that doesn't necessarily mean it's good..."

"True... I can't automatically assume it's anything positive. But... even then, we'll know more than before. And I truly believe things will turn out better, at least better than they are now."

After talking for a bit, he seemed to relax. Just knowing that he was okay and slightly relaxed, reassured me.

"That's a hopeful message," I admitted, "it's... hard for me to see that... but I'm glad you see things that way... no matter how cheesy it might be."

We both laughed a little bit at my last comment.

"Thank you Mei," Hemi said with a smile, "before we head in, how about you? Is there anything particularly wrong, Mei?"

"You could say that..." I admitted, "I mean... all of this is wrong, but... I guess I'm just a little panicked right now. Now that I think about it... I feel like I've always been a little panicked."

With a sad chuckle, Hemi commented, "you and me both. But I know we'll get through this as long as we work together."

"I don't think you'd want to work with me," I blurted out, "I'm... a bit of a mess."

"That's totally okay with me," Hemi reassured, "we can be a total mess together. At least then, it'll be... comforting to know we're on the same side."

The same side...

...

"Yeah... I find that comforting to..."

Hemi smiled and raised out his hand for me to hold. I was a bit hesitant, but I eventually took it. They were warm and soft, and our fingers locked closely together.

"Together?" he asked.

...

"Yeah, let's do this..."

For the first time in a long while, the anxiety building in my chest flowed away, and I actually felt... okay with what was to come. Me and Hemi looked toward the auditorium door and opened it, ready to face whatever future fate had in store for us.

!-Monopad Profile Updated-!

Congratulations! You've unlocked of...!

(Amane Watanuki)

Ultimate Augmented Reality Developer

Gender - Female

Age - Eighteen

Height - 5'5" (166.37 cm.)

Weight - 123 lbs (55.7 kg.)

Blood Type - B+

Likes - Seafood

Dislikes - Power Outages

...

Congratulations! You've unlocked of...!

(Matsuo Nakasone)

Ultimate Danseur

Gender - Male

Age - Eighteen

Height: 6'0" (182.88 cm.)

Weight: 164 lbs (74.3 kg.)

Blood Type - AB

Likes - Black Coffee

Dislikes - Loud Noises

...

As soon as the doors opened, the massive auditorium interior quickly revealed itself to us.

...

But after taking a glance around, I guess you could say this place was more reminiscent of a classic Japanese gymnasium instead. I guess that's what it meant when it said both "Auditorium" and "Gymnasium" above the door.

Looking around, I noticed It was in the shape of a large rectangle, with a curved ceiling that revealed huge metal beams. There were only a few plants and vines strewn about, but it was nothing serious like other locations. In fact, things looked a bit cleaner. The bright wooden flooring was polished with an orange look to it, which allowed the faded white lines of a basketball court to stand out all the more. The gymnasium's actual equipment was nowhere to be seen, although I could guess they were hidden in some sort of storage room either nearby or backstage.

Speaking of stage, there was a huge platform with a podium of some kind placed in the center. It had large red curtains by its side, hiding the backstage area where I could see a glimpse of some unstable looking stage lights. Hanging above the stage was a huge hook that was holding something... large. A curtain was over it, so I couldn't quite tell what it was. It looked like a big box that was holding something, maybe confetti since there were balloons around it. There was nothing in front of the stage.

I guess whoever made that creepy announcement just wanted us to stand around and wait. Which is exactly what everyone was doing.

A total of twelve people were wandering around in the gymnasium. Some were checking the place out, while others were just making do with small talk. A few familiar faces popped up like Shin, who was talking excitedly to Takumi, Satoshi, and Oroka near the stage. Matsuo was a bit away from them, trying to ignore Amane who was still tapping away on that monopad. From what I can see... it looks like everyone has gathered. Even Haru was there, although he was standing far away from everyone else and silently looking around.

But somehow, it still felt a little bit empty without a certain few people.

"I don't see Elayah," Hemi noted, "and I don't think Runa or Koemi are here either."

"Yeah," I agreed, not finding them around, "I can't find Dorobo or Eio either."

Runa, Koemi, Dorobo, Eio... and Elayah. I wonder what's taking them so long…

"I suppose we'll just have to wait for them," Hemi casually, "and while we do, we can introduce ourselves to the last person we haven't met yet."

I nodded in agreement and began looking around the crowd of students. There was still one more person we needed to meet according to the profiles. They had to have come here too, right?

I quickly scanned the area to find Camilla near the back. She wasn't alone this time though, as she was talking to another girl I've never seen before.

Could that girl be the last person missing from my monopad? Counting everyone I've met so far, it comes around to fifteen, so just one more person will make it sixteen. And since she's a girl, eight girls and eight boys would be an even distribution for the profiles. It has to be her then…

Hemi seemed to notice my intentions to fill out the last profile since he quickly followed me over to Camilla and the mystery girl.

The girl in question was slightly darker than Camilla, though her toothy grin revealed a dazzling bronze glow that made her pop out from the crowd. Though she stood shorter than everyone besides Elayah, everything about her appearance seemed designed to draw your attention in. Her angular, sharp blue eyes seemed to shoot through the crowd, and her rich black was a cutout above the rest. It was cleanly cut just above the collarbone for the most part, but her fringe consisting of three sections is subtly longer. Her hair is parted neatly, with one section falling partway down her right eye and reaching her shoulder. Another, much smaller strand fell in between her eyes, cut at eyebrow-length, and the rest of her fringe falls to the left, framing her diamond-shaped face. A Solid upside-down triangle juts out from where her hair parts, and a strand on the left side of her hair curls upwards. Her hair as a whole is a diagonal box cut, which stands shorter at the neck.

Besides her physical appearance, her outfit was just as noticeable. She wore a pristine school uniform, nothing like my own, which was a little dirty and worn out. The uniform itself consisted of a white button-up shirt, tucked into a double-breasted, silver button up blazer with a school logo I've never seen before on its breast. She had on a light blue tie, with an image of a raven pierced by two blades on it dangling over that. Her blazer has cinched sleeves and white buttons on the cuffs. The pleated skirt she wore was a darker shade, reaching halfway down her thighs. She also had on knee-length socks with white christian crosses on their hems and silver slip-ons that seemed to highlight her socks blue fabric. To finish it off, she threw on a dark grey trench coat atop her school uniform. Somehow, she was able to make it rest over her shoulders like a cape.

As we approached her, Camilla's gaze suddenly shifted in our direction, "look what we have here... it looks like you two lovebirds got around relatively well."

"Camilla!" Hemi exclaimed, "it's so good to see you again!"

"Likewise," she uttered with a smirk, "I apologize for my early departure. I wanted to see what I could find and introduce myself to everyone-"

"Finally!" the mystery girl interrupted, "it seems as if the unmarked duo I've been searching for has finally revealed themselves to me! Come now and introduce yourself quickly. Time is of the essence!"

…

Ummm... what?

I looked over at Hemi, who had the same look of bewilderment on his face, "I'm... sorry? What do you mean by that...?"

"It's exactly as I said," she announced, "I wish for you to introduce yourselves to me in a quick manner! In fact, while you're at it, would you please inform me of your name, profession, and the last thing you remember before waking up here. It would be a great help to me."

Not only did this girl's... posh... accent throw me off, but her sudden enthusiasm rubbed me the wrong way. I've met plenty of people just like her, but there was something weird about her style of speech.

Maybe it was just from the forced accent she's putting up with…

Unsure of what to do, Hemi and I quickly introduced ourselves and informed her of everything we knew, which honestly wasn't much. She didn't seem to care though, and only looked in our direction when Hemi mentioned his title.

"Predecessor? How strange," she commented, holding up a fancy looking pipe of some kind, "tell me, what's the last thing you remember? Even if it's something seemingly pointless, I want to hear it. Now then, spit it out for me."

Everyone's eyes slowly turned to Hemi, which caused him to blush slightly.

"A-Ah... well," Hemi started, scratching his cheek out of instinct, "that's... kind of hard for me. All I can recall is being in some sort of room with my parents. I think I was in my dining room… and then I... blacked out."

That's... vague. But pretty much everyone remembers blacking out, so there isn't anything surprising there.

"Hm, interesting," the girl said, now taking out her monopad after we were registered, "your cooperation is much appreciated. I will ponder this revelation as I investigate. "

"Wait, revelation?" I repeated, "what exactly is this 'revelation' that you're investigating?"

"You don't need to worry your little tootsies about that!" the girl said with a smile, "after all, I will soon unveil the mysteries plaguing this school once it's my time to shine! Until then, you should all bring any or all clues you find straight to me and do whatever else you see fit."

"I'm not sure I follow," Hemi chimed in, "you say that… as if it's your mission to investigate this."

"But of course it is! After all, I am Mariya Yakumo! And it is within my talent as the Ultimate Detective to solve every mystery that crosses my path!"

Mariya Yakumo

Ultimate Detective

So her title is the Ultimate Detective…

In all honesty, she seemed to fit the role. Both her appearance and personality complimented the title. But she seemed a bit… different from most. I assumed detectives were just mysterious, but she seemed to take her role far more seriously than others.

"So you're a detective?" Hemi asked, "that's impressive! Have you done detective work outside?"

"But of course, I've solved multiple cases!" Mariya bragged, "but no need for applause just yet. I simply do this for the love of detective work. So… only applaud me when it's my time to shine! Of course if you can't resist yourself, I will accept applause any other day, minute, or second."

Wow… she was definitely full of herself…

"I believe that is all the time I have for conversation!" Mariya concluded by some imaginary clock in her head, "I will now look into the other students for info, but please do inform me if anything comes up. Even if you feel it's minuscule!"

And with that, the detective left us with a final smirk, leaving me and Hemi alone in the company of Camilla.

"What a colorful girl," Camilla voiced with a smooth tone, "she truly embodies the determination of the Ultimate Detective."

"Well, I guess colorful can describe her," I chimed in, slightly weirded out, "anyway… it's nice to see you again Camilla. Have you met everyone yet?"

"Not quite," Camilla answered, "for now, there's just one more profile for me to update, most likely a boy... but considering the number of people I've met here, the total strikes me as... off."

"Off?" Hemi repeated, his eyes a little wide, "what do you mean by that?"

Camilla looked over to us and then smirked, "it's probably nothing. After all, I probably shouldn't worry you two about that. You've seemed to relax a bit more after our first encounter. What did it exactly?"

"Well, we're still a little nervous," I admitted, causing a tiny tug at my heart to form, "the announcement didn't sound pleasant…"

"Ah, right, that old thing," she said, crossing her arms, "it's definitely a pain to be here. I would much rather explore this place more. I've recently combed the entirety of the second floor."

"The entire second floor?" Hemi gawked, "we haven't even finished our exploration of the first floor yet…"

"Heh, I assumed that was the case," Camilla said with a smile, "you don't need to worry though. There isn't much important down here. Just an art room, library, gift shop, and some sort of lab. Other than that, every other room was either locked, or just some worn down classrooms."

Interesting, so there are many more places me and Hemi haven't found yet. And there's still a second floor? God, this school is even bigger than I thought.

"It sounds like you've had a pretty lengthy expedition," Hemi commented, "it must be a shame to have to postpone it for this."

"Indeed," Camilla agreed, "in all honesty, I probably wouldn't have attended if they didn't threaten my life. But I guess it's not all bad. I was actually interested in the present they would give us."

Oh yeah, the present. The announcement said it was going to give us something if we came here. But what was it exactly? My best guess was that it was in that curtain covered box that hung above the gymnasium. It looked way too out of place for it to not be something important.

"Well whatever it is, I hope it means we'll get some answers," I blurted out, "we've only been in this place for at least an hour and I already hate it here."

"Has it really be an hour since this all started?" Hemi asked, "I honestly haven't been keeping track. All the clocks in this school are broken."

"It definitely feels like it's been an hour," Camilla answered, "but who knows? Anything could happen in this place the more I think about it."

I looked over at Camilla as she twirled a strand of her hair. Her posture was relaxed and confident, exuding a certain aura of strength I haven't seen in many people. I wonder what was going on through her head. Was she nervous? Indifferent? Relaxed? She gave me a different flurry of emotions that combined into an undetectable pattern.

What was she thinking?

Unsure of my feelings, I opened my mouth to speak to her, "what do you think is going to happen Camilla?"

She started at me for a moment, the smile never wavering from her face, "I'm not quite sure. But again, there's no need to panic over this. If we're patient, the truth will reveal itself to us. At least that's my theory. Everything could go to hell in two seconds."

Despite her attitude, even she's unsure about this whole thing. What is going on?

As I pondered the thought, a bunch of voices suddenly erupted near the back. When I turned around to see what was causing it, I found the last group of students entering the gymnasium.

Leading the pact was Elayah, who much to no one's surprise was screaming with glee as she dragged Runa behind her. The poor girl looked stunned at Elayah's strength as she stumbled on her heels. As soon as they came in, Koemi followed behind with a hazy look to her eyes. And once she stepped in, Dorobo and Eio finally made an appearance.

"It looks like they've all arrived," Camilla commented, staring at the group with an intense look, "hm… do you two know that silver haired boy? I believe I haven't met him yet."

"Him? Oh, that's Eio," Hemi answered, "he's… a bit of a heavy sleeper."

Camilla eyed Hemi for a moment before smiling, "then I guess we already have something in common. I'll go ahead and greet him then. You two take care."

And with that, Camilla quickly left us behind, approaching Eio who seemed like he was halfway to sleeping on the floor.

"I guess that's everyone then," I said, sighing a bit afterword, "to think there'd be so many people… how in the world did we all end up here?"

"I'm not entirely sure," Hemi declared, "but didn't Camilla say something about the total being off? Was she perhaps… talking about the number of people here?"

"The number of people?" I repeated, "but we met everyone here, right? Including us, there's sixteen. So how could the total be off?"

I didn't have any time to theorize about it before someone suddenly tapped my shoulder.

"Excuse me?" the person said.

The voice that registered in my ears was one I had not heard of before. The volume was slightly average, yet soothing in manner, with a slightly high-pitched tone that had an encouraging and soft feel to it.

It was a voice that belonged to no one we had met before, and this fact caused me to turn around to find myself staring into dark green eyes of another girl.

I saw a pale female, just like Amane, who had a triangle shaped face that held short, ebony-black hair. It hung loose in a wavy bob, partially covering a faint scar on her left cheek. Though she looked slightly scrawny, she showed no signs of malnourishment, and actually appeared somewhat robust in style, although not noticeably so.

Her appearance was more creative than most. She sported a black-and-white, vintage cross-back Japanese apron dress, which had ivory-white sleeves and a long black apron with etched lines of rolling wave spirals. Underneath the dress, she wore black work boots and grey leggings. The most interesting part of appearance though was the necklace she had on, which braided with a gray colored rope bearing sperm-whale teeth.

Her style reminded me of the other students trapped here, completely unique and tailored to her own ideals. She blended in perfectly with the rest of the students around her, but… that statement itself was a contradiction. In fact, her standing there at all was completely wrong, because then what would that mean for the profiles Hemi saw?

"It's just as I thought," he said, "there are other blank profiles here. Fourteen excluding us to be exact."

So what does that mean then…? Were the profiles wrong?

As I pondered this, the unknown girl stared at me and Hemi with nervous eyes before bringing up her monopad, "um… hello there. I… don't believe I've introduced myself to you two yet."

Her words snapped us back into reality, quickly provoking Hemi to say, "o-oh… u-Um… hello there! Uh… we… haven't seen you around before… are you an Ultimate to…?"

"That's correct. My name is Naoko Tachibana… and I'm the Ultimate Scrimshander, according to this thing anyway."

Naoko Tachibana

Ultimate Scrimshander

The Ultimate Scrimshander. A field both completely exotic and somewhat tricky as well. But this confirms it then. Not only does she have a monopad, she also has a title that quickly updates onto the profiles.

So how in the world is this right?

"Wait… you're a Scrimshander?" Hemi commented, "so you work with bones and ivory correct?"

"That's true," she answered, "it's something I've been interested in pursuing ever since I was young. However I never expected working in such a field would cause me to end up here of all places."

"You definitely dress the part," I blurted out, "is that necklace real by any chance? Isn't that illegal to own?"

She looked around the scenery with nervous eyes, "actually, I was allowed a permit to own such a thing, so it's perfectly fine. And most of my work focuses on land animals anyway, so I'm not violating any of those guidelines."

She held her shoulders tightly and looked back over to us, "anyway, do you guys know what's going on here? I doubt you do since everyone I've met has trouble remembering. But on the off chance that you might, can you tell me something?"

"Unfortunately we don't know," Hemi answered, "in fact, now we're even more confused than before. We thought there were only sixteen people, but meeting you now makes it seventeen."

"Really?" she asked, glancing over at the growing number of students, "that's definitely bizarre. According to my… monopad… I'm supposed to meet one more person, but I've never seen you two before. Are you both Ultimates as well?"

"Indeed!" Hemi exclaimed, and we both quickly introduced ourselves, along with our titles.

"Nice to meet you both," Naoko said, slightly smiling, "you have interesting titles… just like me. It seems that we're all a part of this strange meeting then."

"If you have a monopad and title, you usually are," I muttered, "but that's beside the point. Did your monopad update with our info?"

"Let me check," Naoko responded, quickly pulling up her tablet and tapping away, "… yes, according to this, there are seventeen profiles on it-"

"Wait, what? " I interrupted, quickly pulling out my own monopad to confirm the statement. Sure enough, Naoko was the last profile updated in the monopad, which meant it came to a total of seventeen profiles in all.

"This doesn't make any sense. Hemi, there were only sixteen profiles before, right? That's what you counted up."

"Yeah, I'm positive there were only sixteen profiles," Hemi answered before adjusting his glasses, "unless… the number changed for some reason? Perhaps to house the total number of every person here?"

"It seems that's the case," Naoko replied, "I don't know all the details, but I think everyone concluded that this monopad updates when new info is presented. So I'm guessing it adjusted once I met you two. Which is why before there were sixteen profiles, but now there's seventeen."

"So that's why Camilla said that," Hemi stated, "she was confused because the total number of people here didn't match the total number of unmarked profiles. For some reason, it suddenly changed."

"I know I keep saying this, but why?" I asked, feeling my anxiety grow, "it's so… stupid just to have one number and then suddenly change it to another despite what was there before."

Neither Hemi nor Naoko could provide an answer. They looked just as lost as I was. Not only that, but everyone around us seemed just as confused at the presence of an extra student.

"How odd," Satoshi remarked, "it appears there are more people than we originally thought."

"You mean there's specifically one more girl here than guys," Dorobo commented, "that shit is so unnecessarily annoying."

"Yeah, it's WAY off!" Elayah stated, chopping the air with her arm for some reason, "as a natural perfectionist myself, I hate when things are just a little bit disorganized! I strive for order and peace!"

That's definitely not true...

"But if that's the case, does that mean we haven't met everyone yet?" Runa asked, with her arms crossed, "it might be possible that there is another person here.."

"It definitely feels like we've met everyone," Amane said, "but I guess Runa is right. There could be someone else we haven't met yet. Maybe a boy?"

"I think… this is everyone…" Eio mumbled.

"And how can you be so sure?" Dorobo asked, looking slightly agitated.

"It just… *yawns* feels like it..." Eio answered as he rubbed his eyes.

"Dude, are you seriously yawning at a time like this?" Shin asked, "I mean, I love my naps as much as the next guy, but you gotta get more active! Pump some iron into that body of yours! You'll never know when zombies will strike from behind if you're sleepy all the time!"

"Thanks… *yawns* but no thanks…"

"So this is the cast," Mariya grinned, crossing her arms, "I have to admit, this is definitely a welcome change from the usual collection. Now all that's left is to see if the mystery can hold up to the same standards."

"What exactly are you on about?" Matsuo questioned, looking just as annoyed as Haru who stood a bit away from him, "this isn't something to enjoy. We were kidnapped against our will and have no idea what's happening. It's possible we've been involved in something horrible."

"Yo, let's calm down everyone," Takumi chimed in, "maybe this isn't… exactly what we think it is."

"But Matsuo is right," Koemi said, "we have limited options for escape, and none of us remember anything that transpired before our awakening."

"W-Well… u-um…" Takumi stuttered, "yeah that's true. But I mean, maybe we're just totally overthinking this. It's possible it's not… entirely bad. Right dudes?"

"That's exactly what they want us to think!" Shin spoke, "there's definitely some sort of group behind this, or maybe a corporation that's using us for experiments!"

"Right… w-with all these labs… f-funding would be expensive," Oroka observed, "m-maybe it's l-like Shin said… they're t-trying to m-make us super soldiers…"

"Or mutant zombies!"

"O-Or… s-secret spies…!"

"Or-"

"Will you two shut up," Haru insulted, "I'm losing brain cells hearing you speak such nonsense. Keep those ugly mouths of yours closed for good."

"… s-sorry…" Oroka whimpered, causing Takumi to comfort her instantly.

"H-Hey… what's with the hostility?" Shin asked, "I know we've literally haven't known each other for a good long while … but still, there's no need to-"

"Just shut up and listen," Haru said, "there's something laughing."

Laughing…?

Though we didn't want to listen to Haru, we did as we were told and quieted down. And the second we did…

We could hear something… giggling.

Instantly, everyone quieted down as the giggling echoed throughout the gym, becoming more and more noticeable until it was eventually overpowering. The sickening noise continued for a few moments more before something else roared above it. It sounded mechanical, as if multiple gears were shifting and cranking something huge.

"What the heck is that?" Hemi asked as the noises mixed together.

"It's coming from that crane…" Camilla commented, "look up…"

The rest of us looked toward the ceiling to see the curtain covered box being positioned above the center of the gymnasium. Elayah moved a bit out of the way as it hovered over top her, but all it did was swing on the hook from the slightly rusty crane before going still.

Now that the box was directly above the center of the gym, we could see a… hatch of some kind, or maybe some sort of trap door. It looks like it's supposed to open outward and reveal something, but it was shut tightly. And even weirder than that, I noticed it darkened a little at the bottom, as if something were-

"MWHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Come one, come all! Welcome to the most thrilling moment of your pathetic lives! It's the moment you've all been looking for! My BEAR-y exciting entrance!"

God, there's that annoying voice again… but this time… it wasn't staticky. In fact… it sounded as if…

Everyone slowly turned toward the podium, me and Hemi included as we started as the block of wood with wide eyes. My heart was beating as the laughter grew louder and louder, until eventually, it boomed into the most chilling cackle I've possibly ever heard.

And the thing that produced it suddenly hopped up and plopped itself upon the podium before our very eyes. And what we saw was…

A white and black teddy bear…?

"Sorry to keep you all waiting!" the bear laughed, "I was taking care of some very important business! But now I've finally arrived!"

…

"What… is that thing…?" Hemi questioned, "is it… some sort of robot…?"

"Bro… it looks like a stuffed animal…" Takumi observed, slightly puzzled.

"How rude!" the bear growled, "I'm practically a world renowned celebrity at this point! My name is known all over the world! I mean, you've got to at least recognize this buueaaautiful face of mine!

Face…? Looking at his face… all I could focus on was his creepy looking eye that was glowing red. He was wearing a long doctor's coat for some reason. But somehow… as everyone began murmuring about the bear's sudden appearance, I couldn't help but feel a sense of familiarity upon seeing it. For some reason that face looked…

"Wait a second…" I started, quickly pulling out my monopad, "your face is on the loading screen of these tablets. S-So… does that mean you manufactured these?"

"Of course I did sweetheart!" he cheered, which I shuddered upon hearing it, "ya sure got a quick eye, but you're right on the money! I couldn't just leave you all in the dark! What kind of example would I set as your Overseer if I didn't?"

"You already did that by leaving out a map we could read!" Shin corrected, "more importantly, what do you mean by Overseer? Are you like the head researcher or something?"

"It's in the name pal!" the bear laughed, "maybe if you read in between the lines, you'd understand!"

"That's what I do all the time though!" Shin complained, looking slightly distressed.

"Who cares about that," Mariya groaned, "if you did make these, does that mean you're responsible for our situation too?"

"Hmmm… that's a toughie…" he said, "let me ask ya this. Can birds fly? Can leaves fall? Can a ridiculously huge Black Friday sale cause a swarm of people to crush a few employees?"

"Well, duh," Elayah answered, "I've been in one myself, but what kind of question is that-?"

"Exactly morons! Who else but yours truly could've conducted something so fabulous!"

"Fabulous?" Matsuo spoke, "do you find this run down institution fabulous by some twisted standards?"

"They say 'stick close to your roots,' so I took the phrase to heart! Both in location and tradition!"

Nothing this creature said made any sense. If anything, my brain grew even more confused upon hearing his words. It was like someone just threw together a bunch of phrases into a creepy stuffed animal and called it a day.

"Can someone explain what the fuck is happening here?" Dorobo asked, "am I somehow high again? I coulda swore I cut off crack…"

"Um… that's probably not what any of you should be focusing on right now," Naoko stated.

"I was obviously joking," Dorobo corrected with an annoyed look, "what kind of moron wants to get high off that stuff?"

"Wow. Am I really that forgettable? The conversation shifted from my glorious entrance to knock off drugs! How depressing. I might as well kill myself right now!"

"Goodness, do it and fast," Haru sneered, "you sound even more annoying in person, how expectedly disappointing."

"Oh no!" the bear cried, "my poor feelings have been completely disregarded by cold hard facts! Just as expected from the Ultimate Analyst himself!"

"Excuse me," Satoshi interrupted, stepping up in front of the group, "I understand that this is a time of confusion, but we should limit our questions one at a time to ensure a clean transaction. I will start with something simple. Might I ask for your name?"

"My name? The fact that you don't already know it is concerning! But… out of the kindness of my heart, like a flower blooming in the spring, I will enlighten all of you!"

The bear stood up on its… hind legs… or stuffed legs… or whatever… and put his paws over his weird mouth.

"Greetings participants! I am the great and powerful Monokuma! And I will be the Head Overseer of the rest of your stay within this wonderful academy!"

Monokuma

Head Overseer

…

What…?

"Head… Overseer? Participants?" Hemi groaned, "I have more questions than answers now!"

"Agreed," Camilla stated, "what exactly is a 'Head Overseer?' What do you even do?"

"What part of 'Head' and 'Overseer' don't you people get?!" Monokuma said with an angry tone, "in this present time for the rest of the foreseeable future, I, the* great* and *powerful* Monokuma will be "Overseeing" your development here at this great academy!"

"W-What?" Oroka stuttered, "I-I don't u-understand…"

"Of course you don't bobblehead! Most humans only use ten percent of their brain, but there are a few rare exceptions in the world where people only have access to one! And it appears you fit the description perfectly darling!"

Oroka yelped a bit as Monokuma shouted, "p-please d-don't c-call me that!"

"Wait a second," Satoshi said, "what do you mean by, 'for the rest of the foreseeable future?' Are you intending on keeping us here for an extended period of time?"

"OH HELL NO!" Elayah screamed, and I was half inclined to join in.

But before I could, Monokuma began laughing maniacally.

"I think you mean, OH HELL YES!" Monokuma shouted, "cause that's exactly what's happening folks! One of you probably saw this coming, but from now, till the end of time, consider this establishment your whole new world!"

Monokuma's words seemed to boom within the gymnasium as we fell silent. My throat was tied to my tongue, creating a horrible pain that grated across my insides. I can't control it. I can't make sense of it. None of this made any sense.

"Y-You can't do that! We barely even know you!" Takumi shouted, "h-how would we survive in this place!?"

"Yeah! Takumi's right!" Shin agreed, "I mean, we could easily survive here cause there's a ton of resources, but this is absurd! I still have people out there to save! It's part of my heroic code!"

"Snap to attention and listen up you human garbage! All of you will be remaining here for the rest of your pathetic lives! While you're here, we will… develop you into more proper examples of human beings. In other words, an Ultimate!"

"What do you mean by that exactly…?" Matsuo asked, "nothing you say makes a lick of sense.

"Geez, I really do have to spoon feed you all these details, don't I? Think of the rest of your life here as if you were on a football team. Obviously, you suck at the start. So, you keep failing over and over again. That just won't do though for the championships though, so I'm gonna train you to be the best you can be! The labs you've discovered are just one part of that. As you stay here, everything will be provided for you. Bedding. Entertainment. And of course, training! I'm gonna really make you work up a sweat so you can become Ultimates!"

"So," Hemi started, "what you're saying is… that you're going to be helping us become Ultimates…? I'll admit… I liked the whole… talent idea before, but now this is getting weird."

"I feel as if the word 'insane' is more appropriate here," Runa corrected.

"Um, obviously!" Dorobo shouted, "this whole thing has felt shady from the start! First those stupid guns, all those blocked off windows! And now you're saying we have to stay here? Everything you say is bullshit! There's no way I'm staying here!"

"Yeah, I refuse this outcome!" Elayah complained, "let us go!"

"Oh please, you all act like spoiled babies!" Monokuma growled, "you know, as a proud member of the Ursidae family, I had to do everything by myself! Catch my own food! Make my own bed! But all you humans are so needy! I provide you with everything, and yet you still complain! How delusional can you people get?"

"Well," Runa spoke, "when you're being told that you have to stay in what's essentially a decaying school; some people may not take to kindly to that option."

"Not just kindly," Koemi added, "some people will outright deny such a possibility."

"I'm not denying it," Dorobo clarified, "I'm just stating that there's no way in hell that I'm gonna grow old and die in this shit hole!"

"Heyheyhey!" Monokuma shouted, "I know that as the Ultimate Raider you like to defy authority, but this time, you can't run away from your problems anymore! You're all gonna stay here for the rest of your lives! And that's that!"

Is… he being serious!? We have to stay here…?

"H-Hold on a second," Satoshi continued, "I understand you wish for us to stay here… but… is it possible for us to negotiate some sort of trade? Something more valuable than us simply staying here?"

"You think I would just give up on this whole operation for some stupid deal?!" Monokuma shouted.

"Think about it, the resources you have to use up are quite costly," Satoshi pointed out, "the spending for all of this must be in the millions given the abundance of food, renovations, and planning you must've done. To do all of that, just to supervise seventeen brooding teenagers forever seems rather… foolish, don't you think?"

"Hmmm… well, you do make a fair point there," Monokuma observed, "and you all are really annoying already, so… maybe if you got rid of all your titles I'd be okay with you leaving…"

"S-Seriously?" Oroka asked, brightening up a little bit more.

"OKAY THEN, HERE! HAVE MY TITE! I NEVER WANTED IT!" Dorobo shouted, "NOW LET US OUT OF HERE!"

"You moron," Matsuo grumbled, "he's obviously toying with us, just look at him."

And just like that, Monokuma started to roar with laughter, "damm right I am! MWAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh man! The hopeful look on your faces makes me laugh! Seriously, I'm laughing! MWAHAHAHAHA!"

"It seems like it's a fruitless endeavor to negotiate further with him," Koemi explained.

"B-But-" Satoshi tried to say.

"That's enough everyone," Mariya said, "I have something I'd like to ask. What exactly do you gain by keeping us here?"

"Entertainment of course!" Monokuma laughed, "I mean, you're all so annoying, but you definitely look like the kinda bunch that would tear each other apart over this! It makes me so excited!"

"I see," Mariya continued, "so if we took that fun away, such as solving the mystery behind the person who is controlling you, then obviously it would ruin the purpose of this whole thing."

Monokuma suddenly fell silent and glared at Mariya, "what the hell are you talking about?"

"For starters," Mariya grinned, "I've been observing you and your movements quite closely, and it's just as Hemi said before, you're most likely a robot of some kind. So, it's safe to assume someone is controlling you, isn't that right?"

"I'm Monokuma! No one controls me! I'm my own breed!"

"D-Did h-he just say that…?" Oroka questioned.

"It doesn't matter," Mariya said, "all that matters now is that your just a mask, aren't you mister Monokuma? Someone is controlling you from behind the scenes, and I believe it's the missing student from the profiles list!"

"Oh yeah, what's the deal with that?" Amane commented, "for some reason, there are seventeen people, when there were supposed to be sixteen. It said so at the start of everything. And there's a large number of girls here as well. Does that mean a boy is hiding somewhere?"

"For a side character, you're good at keeping track!" Mariya complimented, much to Amane's annoyance, "but yes, that is my theory at the moment! This missing boy is the person controlling Monokuma and setting all this up! Again, no need to thank me everyone, just doing my part to help the community."

Ignoring her obvious attempts at attention, her theory did have a little truth to it. There was an uneven number of boys and girls… so maybe, another boy was hiding somewhere. Could that very person be doing all this sick stuff?

Everyone looked over at Monokuma to find him silent and downcast from Mariya's comment, "my, my! It's taking all of my willpower to hold back right now!"

"Hold… back…?" Eio muttered.

"Yes, on saying how utterly WRONG you are!" Monokuma sneered, "what an obnoxiously boring answer! Did you really think the mystery would be that easy you wannabe detective?!"

"Excuse me?" Mariya said, her eyes wide, "I am not some wannabe detective. I am the *Ultimate* Detective, obviously!"

"Yeah, don't get your hopes up," Monokuma smiling, "your little sherlock act is just as fake as that prop pipe you have!"

"How dare you!" Maryia scowled, "my deductions are never wrong. You're just upset I got your stale little mystery right on the first try!"

"Sorry to break your spirit, but again, that's completely wrong!" Monokuma laughed.

"Then why are there on seventeen people?" Camilla asked, "don't tell me you just decided that was a good number to start with. Considering everything you've planned, you can't be that impulsive.

Monokuma roared with laughter, "that's exactly it plant freak! It was just a last-minute arrangement with ZERO thought put into it!"

"Wow…" Elayah muttered, "I can't believe I got kidnapped by this thing. I usually have a great sense of awareness, especially during karate matches. This guy isn't quiet at all."

"How fitting that the same phrase applies to you," Koemi pointed out.

"So… you just changed it to seventeen cause you thought it'd be fun?" Hemi asked, "are you seriously doing all this just for your entertainment?"

"There are plenty of other reasons for why you're here," Monokuma explained, "but I'd like to keep that knowledge a little secret for all of you to figure it!"

"So that's it?" I blurted out, "w-we're just supposed to stay here forever? How the hell can you be entertained from something like that?! We'd just be standing around doing nothing!"

"Miss academic over there poses an interesting question," Monokuma confessed, "before I can answer that though, I have some good news! I'm changing up the rules a little bit!"

"Y-You are?" Oroka asked, and almost immediately everyone grew silent.

"Of course I am missy! After giving it a little thought, I decided just to whip out a whole new plan to spice things up a little!"

"Again, that seems highly unlikely," Camilla muttered, rolling her eyes.

"Anyways! Here it is! I've devised a brand new, totally original, never before seen plan that's patented by yours truly! I call it, the 'Override Program!'"

"The… what whuzza… huh program?" Elayah repeated, "are you talking in like… robot code?"

"You heard me! The Override Program allows you to override the school rule of having to stay here forever! It's easy to sign up for, and guarantees you a one way trip to the outside world… PROVIDED that you don't get caught!"

"'Provided… we don't get caught?'" Naoko repeated, "what does that even mean?"

"Yeah, can you just fucking explain it already!?" Dorobo shouted, "if this means I can leave, then so be it. Just tell me already!"

"Alrighty then! To leave this academy… you must do… one teensy little thing for me! It's just a tiny… minuscule… barely inconsequential little detail."

"WHAT IS IT?!" Elayah screamed.

"If you wish to return to the world before your grandmother's eightieth birthday party and still be home in time for dinner, all I ask of you is that you kill one of your fellow participants and get away with it! Meet those requirements, and I'll let you walk right out the front door! Isn't that just so exciting!?"

…

"W-W-What a-are y-you s-saying?" Oroka whimpered.

"What do you mean by that?" Monokuma asked, "it's just as I said. All you gotta do is KILL someone! In other words, all of you have found yourselves inside a killing game!"

…

"ARE YOU FUCKING INSANE!"

"W-W-What?!"

"That's completely preposterous!"

"You're a monster!"

Almost instantly, complaints erupted within the group. Some were shouting, while others were frozen with terror. But nonetheless, everyone started arguing in a panic. Some were even laughing a little bit as the shouts grew louder. Everyone started to shower Monokuma with questions. Everyone besides Camilla, Haru, Hemi, Mariya, and… me.

"Hm, this is certainly new," Mariya grinned, "I must admit, while that robot is annoying, I've never been in a game hosted by a stuffed bear before."

"That's not how we should be thinking right now," Camilla stated, "this kinda thing doesn't just happen, there's more to the story here…"

"Even if there was, the whole thing is simply childish," Haru commented, "to murder over something this trivial. It's absolutely pathetic."

"Death isn't trivial Haru!" Hemi countered, "we have to stay calm and work together through this… right Mei?"

…

"M-Mei?"

His words were lost to me. I was simply deep in thought.

None of this made sense. This didn't make any goddamm sense! Why was this happening to me! Why was I a part of this?! I want to tell myself that the fear in my chest is simply chemicals produced from my brain. I can't. I can't. The fear tears through my body, like it's trying to escape from this sudden revelation. It pounds and pounds and pounds until I feel like my chest will explode from the pressure.

"… n-no…" I mumbled, the pain suddenly inching into my heart, "this can't be happening…"

"M-Mei?!" Hemi said, quickly noticing me, "hey Mei, look at me, it's gonna be okay. I mean, none of us would resort to killing someone!"

"Yeah! You don't have to worry Mei," Elayah agreed, "that stupid bear must be crazy to think we'd stab each other in the back! In fact, I bet we'll all work together in order to find an escape route!"

"I wouldn't be so sure about that!" Monokuma giggled, "maybe you have made up your mind to not kill someone, but can you really say the same for everyone else? Just look at their faces! I can personally guarantee you that at least a couple people in this room are thinking about doing the deed!

"Y-You're wrong!" Elayah shouted, "no one would do that… right?!"

But after looking around the room, it became clear that the unease was already planted. Seventeen different faces, with worlds and stories completely different from my own. With lives I can't possibly comprehend just yet. With motives that far outreach my own morals. Someone here… someone is thinking about it… one person is at least.

In someone's mind… in this room… someone is thinking about it.

Someone is…

Someone is planning it… aren't they?

"G-Guys?!" Elayah shouted, "open your eyes! This is Monokuma is just messing with us! He's the bad guy here!"

"Damm right," Dorobo shouted, "that little shit isn't gonna get away with this! Not if I have anything to say about it!"

"I would advise you to refrain from acting violently," Monokuma said, his glare growing red, "after all, if you break one of the rules and disturb the peace, I have no choice but to… exterminate you…."

"Rules? What fucking rules?" Dorobo asked, "I haven't seen any rules since we entered this godforsaken place!"

"Oh, shut up you emo!" Monokuma giggled, "you think you're fooling anyone with that tough guy act of yours?"

"EMO?!" Dorobo shouted before suddenly charging toward Monokuma.

"Dorobo-!" Hemi warned.

Before we realized what was happening, five different machine guns popped out of the floor and ceiling, pointing directly at the Ultimate Raider. He stopped short in his tracks, his fist barely inches away from Monokuma's face.

"Oh wow! You just barely avoided punishment! A few steps closer and you would've been blown away by these bullets! What a shame!"

"You little-!" Dorobo growled.

"Dorobo, you gotta calm down man!" Shin pointed out, "I know it's frustrating to have to deal with this, but you almost just bit the dust from a literal teddy bear! That's not how you want to go down!"

"P-Please listen t-to him!" Oroka begged.

Dorobo balled his fist tightly before backing down and rejoining everyone else, "dammit…!"

"It looks like you have some semblance of a brain in that skull of yours!" Monokuma laughed, "now that you're all listening, pay attention and listen to your Overseer! Unless you want to stay here forever, I suggest that you go ahead and kill someone however you see fit!"

"Is that it then?" Haru questioned, "I'm starting to get bored after hearing you go on that little tangent."

"Me? Boring?" Monokuma said, "how dare you! I worked hard to make sure this announcement would change your lives!"

"I-It did…" Takumi muttered, "it really… really did."

"But you didn't answer anything!" Hemi argued, "our titles, our status… nothing still makes sense! Why are we named these specific things? Why us?"

"And why only seventeen?" Camilla commented, "you're definitely unstable, but from the look of things, you've gone above and beyond to ensure we wouldn't escape. So, there's no way the number of people here just went from sixteen to seventeen on a dime. There has to be a reason for that."

"Yeah! We still need answers here!" Elayah shouted, "if you're really behind this, then what's all this about?!"

"Do you want to know what I hate more than people repeating the same things over and over again…?"

Monokuma's voice suddenly lowered to an alarming degree, and the once childlike voice that engraved itself into my ears was replaced with an almost demonic sound.

"H-Huh?" Amane said, her face looking a little pale, "did… his voice just get lower…?"

"And his eyes…" Koemi said airlessly, "they glow a crimson red that burns into the soul. His anger is slowly growing…"

"His… anger?" Runa repeated, her hand to her chest.

"She's right… I just hate it when people don't listen to me. My word is law after all. And you know, after explaining the same damm things… day after day, giving you such vital hints yet you demand for more… it's starting to get… a tiny bit annoying… y'know?"

"What do you mean by that?" Matsuo asked, "have you done something like this before?"

"Oh, plenty of times," he groaned, "but let me cut to the chase, it doesn't matter what reasons you have for being here. You're here now. You need to understand that, capiche? No more complaining, no more whining, and god forbid you try to attack me or overthrow me somehow. This new world is your reality now, and you need to accept that… because if you walk around… messing with my plans… you'll end up like them…"

…

"L-Like who?" Shin asked.

"Oopsie, I guess I said a little too much!" Monokuma giggled, quickly returning to his original state, "I mean… one of you probably knows what I mean, but I'll show it to you anyway."

"Show it…?" I blurted out, "show… what exactly?"

"The present of course!" Monokuma clapped, "it was a little bit of a last minute arrangement, but I'm so happy with how it turned out! This gift is sure to blow your socks off and give you a ton to talk about!"

"Why should we even believe anything that comes out of that grotesque mouths of yours," Matsuo scoffed.

"Because it gives a BEAR-y vital hint!" Monokuma cheered, "aren't I just the nicest bear you've ever met?"

"You're the one that trapped us here!" Elayah screamed.

"Anyways, get ready to take a good look at this new gift I got for you" Monokuma laughed, "and see this as an example of what happens when you both cross me, and when you fail at getting away with a murder!"

"Wait, what-?" I started to say.

So many questions were about to rush out of my mouth, but before I could ask anything, the latch to the box suddenly opened, and my body was suddenly yanked away from the middle of the gymnasium.

My heart pounded as something wrapped around my arm and I heard a large object slam onto the floor.

*THUD*

The sound was haunting to listen to, as snapping bones and bruised skin collided into my ears. It was so disgusting that I could feel myself gag, but somehow I managed to hold it back. Wha I wasn't prepared for was the thing that Hemi tried to get me to look away from.

The thing that caused screams to ripple out through the crowd.

The thing that brought me into reality…

-The Ultimate Example-

I could feel the air in my lungs dissolve as I caught sight of it. Red and foul and pouring all over the floor. Abrupt screams surfaced amongst the crowd, but my throat was caught into a painful knot. I couldn't say anything. Feel anything but despair. Because in front of me...

In front of me...

In front of...

...

The wood was drenched in red.

It reached the tips of my shoes, showing a glint of reflection amongst my pale face. They were sprawled out on the floor. With a cracked tablet beside them.

…

It lead to a body...

...

A real... b-body...

With a jagged hole cut through the center of their head...

It was a boy…

...

I didn't know who…

…

But…

…

...

What was this...?

...

What was I seeing?

...

I... was seeing the body... of an unknown individual.

A boy with no name.

Whose face resembled the rest of us.

...

A face which held the expression of pure despair...

…

...

"W-WHAT THE FUCK!?" Dorobo shouted, which caused a ripple effect of screams to surface from the crowd.

I could feel myself losing grip, the situation becoming too much to bear as my stance slipped away. If it weren't for Elayah, I would've collapsed onto the floor after witnessing such a sight. The boy's body, it was coated in blood…

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH," Koemi screeched.

"T-They got us! They got one of us!" Shin shouted, his hands clutching his hair.

"Oh god..." Camilla uttered, staring at the body with disgust.

"I-I think I'm gonna be sick!" Elayah gagged.

Everyone started shouting, and if they weren't shouting, they were simply staring at the body.

"Take a good long look suckers! This is what happens when you cross Monokuma! To those that disobey, you'll end up like this chump on the floor! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAAHAHAA!"

I could feel myself losing grip, the situation becoming too much to bear. My stance was slipping from Hemi's grip, and I could almost find myself colliding with the floor, but both Elayah and my consciousness stopped me for a fraction of a moment.

"I-I don't understand," Satoshi said, his face dark with sweat pouring down, "w-who is this?"

"That's for me to know already and for you to figure out!" Monokuma laughed, "but who cares about that! Just know that when something like this occurs with one of you idiots, a body discovery announcement will play! Then, you'll have a short amount of time to investigate the crime scene before a trial commences!"

"But why is it like that…?" Runa asked, her face looking repulsed by the body, "does this really give you enjoyment? Seeing us figure out stuff like this?"

"Who cares about that! Just remember this… you can try to look for a way out. You can cry, and beg, and even pray to your mother! But it's time to accept the facts. This is the real world folks! And you all have been hand-selected to live in it! If you want to leave, simply kill someone and get away with it. After all… one of you is already capable enough to do it! You killed this man for me after all!"

"O-One of us… did that?" Elayah whimpered.

"W-Who was it?!" Takumi stuttered, glancing at everyone around him before pointing at Haru, "i-it was you, wasn't it? Y-You've been quiet this whole time!"

"Don't be ridiculous," Haru sneered, "to do something like this. What absolute filth."

"F-Filth?" Oroka cried, "t-that's a p-person… a-an actual p-person…"

Monokuma's wicked laugh filled the air as the bodies stench filled the room. It… was one of the worst things I've ever seen in my life…

"Well then, I say my task of traumatizing a bunch of teenagers has been completed! I'll take this as my cue to head out! Remember to look into your handbooks for the rules! You don't want to become like that mess over there! AHAHAHAHAHAH!"

And just like that, Monokuma vanished, his evil laugh engraving itself into the floor as the world fell apart around us.

"Oh my god… why… why is this…?" Koemi uttered, "w-what do we do…?"

"I'm not so sure," Mariya said, "it looks like my theory was both correct and wrong. There was another person, but I guess they're dead now, so it's not him controlling that sorry excuse of a stuffed animal."

"T-This is a dream… this has gotta be a d-dream…" Shin muttered, closing his eyes tightly.

Eio didn't utter a word, but he was noticeably more awake than before.

"All of you calm down!" Satoshi begged, "nothing will be done if we panic like this!"

"How can anyone calm down after seeing that?!" Takumi shouted, "l-let me out of here! S-Someone help me!"

"T-Takumi!" Oroka said, "p-please calm d-down! Remember to b-breathe!"

"It's no use," Matsuo sighed, "most of them have probably lost their minds at this point."

He was right. I was losing my mind, and it's clear I'm not alone. Everyone around me shows varying reactions, mostly similar to mine. Eyes wide. Mouths agape. Complaints rising. But I can't say a word… I can't… I can't.

Breathe… Mei… Breathe right now…

Inhale….

Inhale…

INHALE…

I can feel the air in my lungs, but it's like none of it registers. I'm choking. Suffocating to death. I had to grab hold of something…

But I didn't feel anything as I fell to the floor.

"M-Mei?!" someone shouted.

But I couldn't see them… all I could was darkness.

Seventeen students.

Someone was dead.

A killing game.

Trapped forever…

How…

…

How did this happen?

…

Why was everything so broken?

…

Danganronpa: Beyond Broken

Their Aforementioned Destiny

END

A girl with a book and shattered soul.

A boy whose fate is now unknown.

The beginnings are ends, and the ends are beginnings.

There's no more answer for who is winning.

What is real?

What is fake?

Do you know the seventeen Ultimate's fates?

If you have a clue.

Just wait and see.

How wrong the human mind can be...

To Be Continued In… Chapter 1 (The Fools Who Dream)

(Alive: 17/17)

1. Meizia 'Mei' Fujie - Ultimate Academic Tutor (me)

2. Hemi Kamikai - Ultimate Predecessor (me)

3. Camilla Darcia - Ultimate Survivalist (MagicDomino)

4. Elayah Mcclain - Ultimate Karate Master (intriguing)

5. Koemi Sato - Ultimate Songstress (irwegwert)

6. Runa Fridasdottir Rashid - Ultimate Harpist (TheRoseShadow21)

7. Oroka Enjinia - Ultimate Architect (CandleFire45)

8. Naoko Tachibana - Ultimate Scrimshander (OceonAstro)

9. Amane Watanuki - Ultimate Augmented Reality Developer (Lupus Overkill)

10. Mariya Yakumo - Ultimate Detective (Scissor-Snipper)

11. Haru Miyamoto - Ultimate Analyst (oddlyillregular)

12. Eio Bondai - Ultimate Nephologist (mandipokemon)

13. Dorobō Sokudo - Ultimate Raider (Professor Boo.k)

14. Satoshi Hakadoshi - Ultimate Diplomat (BIBOTOT)

15. Kenshin 'Shin' Kamiya - Ultimate Disaster Prepper (Abitat Eco)

16. Takumi Adachi - Ultimate Model Gun Enthusiast (Dispentryporter)

17. Matsuo Nakasone - Ultimate Danseur (CryazelTheRadWizard)

!-Monopad Profile Updated-!

Congratulations! You've unlocked of...!

(Mariya Yakumo)

Ultimate Detective

Gender - Female

Age - Fifteen

Height - 5'2 (152 cm.)

Weight: 99 lbs (45 kg.)

Blood Type: O-

Likes - Harpsichords

Dislikes - Being given all the answers

...

Congratulations! You've unlocked of...!

(Naoko Tachibana)

Ultimate Scrimshander

Gender - Female

Age - Sixteen

Height: 5' 4" (162.5 cm.)

Weight: 128 lbs (58 kg.)

Blood Type: AB+

Likes -Studying

Dislikes - Strict Authority

...

(A/N) - AND IT'S DONE, THE PROLOGUE IS DONE!

Honestly, this is so exciting for me, and I hope you are all intrigued for the future as well. I have SO many ideas for this cast, and I pretty much love ALL of them! As for the most recently accepted characters, here they are!

WELCOME TO THE STORY!

Amane Watanuki - Ultimate Augmented Reality Developer (Lupus Overkill)

Matsuo Nakasone - Ultimate Danseur (CryazelTheRadWizard)

Mariya Yakumo - Ultimate Detective (Scissor-Snipper)

Naoko Tachibana - Ultimate Scrimshander (OceonAstro)

I loved these characters so much, and I have so many ideas for them and their stories! It was a tough choice between many submissions, but I eventually chose the cast you see now! I hope that everyone enjoys them and their character! I tried to give everyone as much time as possible, but the word count was getting frighteningly long already, so I hope this suffices!

For those that didn't get to submit, I am so sorry I didn't get a chance to see your characters before closing submissions. I'm sure they were wonderful, and I implore you to send them to other amazing stories (maybe to some recently updated ones like TWBU, GOF, DZ, EINMH, and so on). I am very sorry that I had to reject those who actually submitted a character but didn't get in. Honestly, every submission was great, and brought many different things to the table. I really did like all of them, and of course, I felt terrible having to cut a few people off, but on the bright side, your characters aren't being subjected to a killing game, so that's something! All jokes aside, I hope you guys will find great stories to send your characters to, and if you're willing to stick around and solve the mystery, I'd love for that too!

With all that out of the way, I hope that you enjoyed the chapter! If you want, you can leave a review or join my discord server, which is still kind of a mess, but I'm working on it. I can't really estimate when the next chapter will be out, but I hope it'll be sometime soon since I have all of chapter 1 planned, and I already know who the culprits and killers are!

Until then, stay safe, everyone!