Start of Chapter One

Chapter One Part 1:

The only sounds crowding over the stadium as we left it were footsteps and the static of the surrounding surveillance equipment. Everyone seemed so… introspective. Maybe my own inner conversation was happening with everyone else, even with those on questionable moral grounds like Kure or Kabuto. Despite our collective sadness and hopelessness, that perspective, at least, was assuring.

Remembering what happened at the opening ceremony, I warned the other students at the stadium's entrance door about the possibility of the trap respringing, "Everyone, I know it might not be a pleasant thought to bring up, but we should be careful about exiting the stadium. I don't think we're breaking any rules this time, but everyone should stay out of the door's line of sight again just in case if the trap resprings."

The other students obliged as I slowly opened the left entrance door to the lobby. As the moments passed by, I felt more and more relief that that awful sound didn't repeat itself. Before I knew it, the door had been fully open. There was no trap to be seen this time.

I assured, "Okay. I think we're safe now." We then filed in the lobby, one after another.

Once everyone was there, Todd spoke up, "So… what now?"

Wakao answered, "I'm not sure. I feel like so much just happened there. I don't even know how to start explaining any of it myself."

Yajima blurted, "Well why don't we let bee boy explain that garbage?!"

Morihei agreed, "Yeah, it does seem strange that Kabuto would preemptively know about the trap."

Mizu concurred, "You must spill thy truths, dear heathen!"

Several seconds passed afterwards without a sound. Then Ueno joined them in suspicion, "Kabuto, it is reasonable to stay silent when questioned like this, but all of us need to understand how this place works, and it's likely correct to assume that you know more information about this than we do. It is in your best interest to tell us what you know."

Kabuto responded, "I don't know anything. It was only intuition. That should be easy for you to figure out."

After we all looked at each other for a brief moment, Kure lashed out, "Ugh! Shitty, half-baked answers won't get anywhere. He's no use!"

Mizu acknowledged, "'I don't know anything.' Blasphemous!" as others glared at Kabuto in skepticism.

It did seem like a non-answer, but my gut instinct said otherwise. Kabuto could be right. He actually might not know more about this place than we do. We just had to connect the dots.

But that would have to wait because some of the students were already reading through the e-Handbooks that were handed out.

Ide pointed out, "I apologize for barging in, but I see that the e-Handbook has some information on the university rules."

Sunada claimed, "Well that should make for primetime discussion!"

Matsuno asked, "Ide, could you read out the rules for us?"

Ide responded, "Yes, ma'am. If any of you would like to follow along, it is the option at the very bottom of the menu when the e-Handbook turns on."

Ide then read out the following:

"Rule #1: Murder is allowed here! If a murder happens and at least 3 students find the victim's body, a class-led investigation will begin. This investigation will last a few hours.

Rule #2: After the investigation, a class trial will occur. You are not allowed to skip the class trial.

Rule #3: If the murderer, otherwise called "the blackened", is exposed at the end of the trial, only they will be executed.

Rule #4: If the blackened is not exposed, everyone else is executed and the blackened will graduate, which means escaping the university's premises.

Rule #5: If someone were to help another commit a murder, only the person dealing the killing blow will become a potentially graduating blackened. The accomplice will get no additional rewards.

Rule #6: If separate murders occur with two potential blackened, only the first and living murderer becomes the blackened.

Rule #7: Intentionally destroying university property will result in execution (Don't play it off as an accident, I can tell!)

Rule #8: The bedrooms can only be opened with the student's respective keys.

Rule #9: The bathrooms are gender-assigned. Going into the wrong bathroom will result in execution.

Rule #10: You can explore any open area in the school. Barriers placed in inaccessible areas are sturdy enough to replace punishment by execution. You're welcome!

Rule #11: Additional rules may be added later for clarification."

It didn't take long for the other students to react.

Matsuno cried, "M-…murder?! Executions?! Accomplices?! It's all so much!"

Hatsu exclaimed, "Who would ever put themselves in this position? I couldn't even imagine it!"

Morihei said, "W-We can just ignore most of these rules, right?! They shouldn't sustain themselves for us.

Wakuri spoke up, "That's hopefully true, but I don't know what Monokuma is thinking. I'm not sure if he'll allow himself to murder someone outright, but he could indirectly set one up for a class trial. My point is: always be on the lookout."

Faces of unease and disgust followed. Wakao then said, "Man, this just really sucks. I feel like I've failed myself by being in this position."

Sunada said, "Yeah, I think we all do."

Ide then pointed out a feature in the handbook, "If you could excuse me for a moment, I would like to inform you that the school map is laid out when you select the top option on the menu."

As the other students were viewing the map on the handbook, Todd said, "For being a scam, this place does have a lot of things one would expect a decent university to have." He paused and looked through the map before finding something there, "Ah! Some of these rooms I haven't been to yet!"

Suchi declared, "Yeah, the superstore, factory, and bedrooms just up n' appeared!"

Wakao claimed, "I also think the entrances to these places were locked before! Could they be open now?"

Yajima shouted, "Ooooh, the superstore! I wonder what kinda goodies they got in there!"

Ueno noticed something about what Suchi said, "I also see on here that there's a factory, right? Does anyone know what Monokuma could be using that factory to produce?"

Suddenly, we heard a loud, "Poof!", and looked down to find that Monokuma had instantly showed up.

He announced, "Hiii, you all! Did you miss me?"

Sunada jumped back, "Ah, it's an apparition! Where's my ghost-killin' equipment when I need it?!"

Mizu yelled, "I knew it! This is a fallen being! We shall kill him and allow Satan to judge his eternal fate!"

Monokuma shook, "Eeeeek! Students here already want me dead?! How awful!"

Settling the conversation, Ueno asked, "Why are you here?"

Monokuma answered, "Actually, it was to answer a question you had! About that factory, it's for the brand new and brilliant Kumabots!"

Puzzled, I asked, "Kumabots?"

Monokuma explained, "This is the construction site of my own society! Thousands of me's! How awesome is that! Since they're mostly introverted, they shouldn't bother you guys too much in your free time."

Wakuri said, "Ah, so that's how the gun was moved while we were in the central stadium."

Ide obliged, "That's a very good point, sir."

Morihei added, "Does that mean they could have altered our memories?"

Monokuma replied, "I don't even think I remember the answer to that. Sorry about that! Now, since the robots form their own society, that means they can be consumers, so you're all allowed to have part-time jobs!"
Kure mumbled to herself, "And that's a quick application to the fucking newspaper department."

Wakao said, "Wait a minute, Monokuma! Didn't you say all of the amenities were going to be free?"

Monokuma answered, "All of the NECESSARY amenities, puhuhuhu! Being a student means you gotta work hard to play hard! And that means earning the stuff you want, including the superstore items, which can conveniently be seen with the third link on the handbook menu. Thank the mighty Monokuma for that!"

Yajima cried, "Aww! I'm starting to agree with Kure, this place fucking sucks! I wanna go home!"

Todd concurred, "Yeah, I think most of us have been wanting that by now."

Monokuma happily barged in, "Well, there absolutely is a way to go home! All of the information is in the handbook! Hehehehe! As a side note, the Kumabots ARE considered university property, so damaging them will result in total execution! Also, your room keys are inside the handbook. Just pull them out to retrieve it. Genius, right! Anyways, I gotta bear-bounce outta here. Seeya!" And just like that he disappeared again, leaving all of us in a state of disarray and bewilderment.

Ueno spoke up, "Despite Monokuma's arrogance, I think we're making good progress on understanding the surroundings. However, I recall having some questions about what Monokuma said during the opening ceremony that we should explore. These questions primarily involve our memories and something Monokuma mentioned about a 'sixteenth student'."

Wakuri answered, "Those would be helpful to know, but I haven't been able to conjure information about either topic other than what we already have."

Todd said, "Unfortunately, I'd have to agree for now. All we can assume is that messing with our memories helped get us in this terrible situation. Who could have done this to us, though?"

Sunada replied, "I'm assuming it's caused by someone with a lot more power than we have. How spooky!"

Mizu exclaimed, "Treasonous! I will ask thy Overlord to undo this immediately."

Wakao was visibly angered, "Mizu, cut that shit out! We need real answers to these questions! But… just as Todd and Wakuri said, we just don't have those right now."

Todd lit up, "Ah! I'm glad you recognize me-."

Suchi immediately interrupted him, "Shut yer damn trap! Yer gonna be feelin' real pain if ya keep impedin'!"

Todd became stunned, "Aaaahahahah."

Ide spoke, "If we have no more information on our memories, can we discuss who the sixteenth student is?"

Hatsu quickly responded, "I can go try to find them if you guys would like since the new rooms are open!"

Morihei commented, "Well, that would be helpful since you're probably the fastest runner alive, but I suggest we all help you on this one."

Most of the students nodded in agreement with Morihei's suggestion.

Suchi said, "But how exactly should we help out? Splittin' up sounds fine ta me!"

Ueno confirmed, "I suppose that's okay. More ground can get covered this way. I suggest we should all meet up in the all-purpose court in front of the bedrooms since I think most of us are understandably exhausted."

Kure immediately suggested, "I'll get the bathrooms. You can get other areas."

Todd told Kure, "Well that was rather quick don't you thi-."

Kure interrupted, "Silence!"

Todd reacted, "Aaaahahahah, I'm still getting chewed out! Thanks for somehow making me relate to Monokuma." After a shiver, he said, "Me, Osada, and…," He looked over at Wakao, with Suchi staring him down with an admittedly chilling face, "Ugh… and Matsuno will check out the bedrooms in the backyard."

Suchi said, "Sounds good ta me! Wakao, Moreihei, and I'll check out the dinin' room fer anythang!"

Hatsu spoke, "Ide, Yajima, and I can look around the superstore!"

Wakuri declared, "I'll be in the health center."

Mizu exclaimed, "I shall reside in the pastures where I will prepare blood sacrifices."

Yajima snapped at Mizu, "You can't even do that, dumbass! Did your fish brain pay attention to the rules?"

Mizu replied, "Well then, I shall conduct my invocations onto thee!"

Sunada said, "I guess that leaves me with the bookstore then. Not bad!"

Unexpectedly, Kabuto spoke up, "I'll be outside near the bedrooms. I think the fresh air will be of good use."

Ueno claimed, "I will be looking around the hallways and the general area. I should make it back to the court in time before you all finish looking for this student. In the meantime, this should provide an opportunity to grow closer with those you're with and rest from today's events. Use this time well. I wish you all luck."

We all left the lobby on that note. Although I kept this to myself during the conversation, I highly doubted we would find the sixteenth student, especially today. I didn't even know if there was a sixteenth student at all; Monokuma could have just been teasing us. Even if this search was for a small, unlikely cause, Ueno's words rang true. I also believe this will ease a lot of the tension between us all right now.