Of the sixteen students at the Ultimate Academy, only three were left alive. So far, a paranoid voice whispered in Shuichi Saihara's head. You can't be sure of what lies outside the dome.
With the mastermind discovered, the seeming truth of their situation revealed, and Keebo's sacrifice to set the rest of them free, Shuichi, Maki, and Himiko looked out to whatever was to come next.
What comes next.
It was impossible to really think about. The killing game they'd been playing had only lasted...what? A week? Two weeks? The only two weeks of your entire life. Shuichi didn't know if that was really true, some part of him still hoped there was some other explanation for all that had happened.
"Hey Shuichi, are you gonna just stand there?" Himiko called, breaking Shuichi out of the trance he'd been in, staring at the light coming in from outside. Blinking his eyes to get a better focus, he realized both the Ultimate Magician and Assassin were looking at him expectantly, and he felt embarrassed for wasting their time.
An apology was on his lips, but then he swallowed it. Better to try and kick old habits, right? "Let's go." Lightly running to catch up with them, together they all headed towards the hole. Even as they got closer, the bright lights on the other side made it impossible to make out any details. Going completely blind, Shuichi volunteered to just jump out first.
That had been a bad idea. He ended up falling for a lot longer than he was expecting, landing roughly on his hands and knees. Nothing felt broken, but he still cried out in pain. His mind immediately started trying to analyze how long the fall had been, when he heard Maki ask, "Are you okay?" To most, the way she said the words would convey disinterest in the answer, but he'd come to know Maki well enough to know she was concerned.
"I'm fine!" he called back up to her, and as he turned his attention to the direction of her voice, he began to understand part of their situation. The dome that had surrounded the city was genuinely enormous, and the light that had blinded them from it was not something shared over the whole surface, but instead was being focused directly on the large tear in the structure's material. Judging from his perspective, Shuichi guessed from where he'd fallen to where he landed was about a twenty foot drop, and made sure to let his friends know.
Apparently Maki was pretty experienced in making jumps from that height, because she soon came tumbling down, landing in a perfectly executed roll that left her completely uninjured. That done, she turned back up to where now only Himiko waited and extended her arms out in front of her. "Your turn Himiko, I'm ready to catch you."
There was a short pause before they heard anything back from inside the dome. "A-are you sure?" Maki didn't say anything to that, but did start emanating an aura of menace that even Himiko could feel from where she was. "Okay, okay, I'm coming!" Sure enough, Shuichi watched her jump out as well, and as promised Maki made sure to catch her. Himiko turned to look at Shuichi as Maki set her down, telling him, "Normally, I'd just cast a Fly spell, but I'm out of MP right now." How Himiko continued to put up that fantasy even after all they'd been through, Shuichi didn't know, but he wasn't able to ridicule her for it either. Anything that helped keep her sane was something he was happy to support.
Now that they were now all out of the grounds of the Ultimate Academy, once and for all, they were able to take stock of their surroundings. The dome appeared to be contained in some larger building. The rest of the interior reminded Shuichi of the scale of a military flight hanger, or a studio for shooting films, but on a magnified scale. The spotlights that were aimed at the hole they'd come out of were unmanned, so Shuichi guessed they were likely operated from some kind of remote control. In point of fact, there didn't appear to be any people in the room at all.
What there did appear to be was an exit, a set of double doors not more than fifty feet away, on the nearest wall. Hope and doubt warred in Shuichi's chest as they all walked towards the doors, only for them to suddenly open on their own when they were halfway there. A man came running out, huffing and puffing.
Based on his receding hairline and sagging cheeks, this was someone rapidly approaching middle age, and from his expensive suit and briefcase Shuichi deduced him to be some sort of civil servant or businessman. Clearly, he was not an athlete. Once he caught sight of the three teenagers, he took a second to pause and catch his breath before jogging over to them. They didn't know what to make of him, the first actual adult they'd seen since they'd woken up in the academy. He didn't appear dangerous or malicious, just very winded.
After they gave him time to settle his lungs enough, he extended a hand to them, which none of them took. He let out a breath at that, before putting his hand away and telling them, "Right, we don't have a lot of time. I'm Chikoi Muranaka, and I need you to sign some papers." He opened his black leather briefcase, pulling out three thick sets of papers and handing one to each of them, along with a pen. With no nearby writing surfaces to use, he held up his briefcase as a substitute. Maki and Himiko didn't seem to understand what to do with it, looking from the packets to the man and back, but Shuichi knew immediately what it was: a contract. Part of his expertise as the Ultimate Detective meant he knew how to read through them, at least partially, even if he didn't completely understand legalese. While he did that, the man started to say, "My employer and I want to extend our sympathy after your trying ordeal, but it really is important that-"
Before he could finish whatever else he was about to say, Shuichi cut through his words. "According to the logo on page 79, you represent Team Danganronpa. Is that correct?" The man could only weakly nod at that, but before he could raise a word in his own defense, Shuichi kept talking. "I don't think we should sign this. Based on what I can glean so far, this is a binding legal agreement that, if signed, would prevent use from pursuing legal action against Team Danganronpa for any reason."
"Do you want to die?" Maki asked immediately, freezing the lawyer on the spot. Even if it wasn't directed at him, Shuichi shivered at the freezing cold gaze she was giving the man, and the sheer lethality it implied. If this Chikoi had seen any of the show they'd apparently been a part of, he would know just how real her threat could be.
Far less terrifyingly, Himiko handed back her packet and told him, "You heard Maki, we're not signing them!" From what he could tell, Shuichi didn't think Maki minded Himiko piggy-backing off of her death threat.
Sweat was starting to really pour down Chikoi's face now, but before he could say anything more, they all heard the sound of a lot of footsteps moving quickly, and he snatched the contracts back and hid them in his briefcase. He even took the pens.
The three teenagers prepared themselves for what was coming for them now, trying to believe they were ready for anything. What actually came through the doors was not security forces in Exisals, or a legion of Monokumas, as their imaginations had begun to speculate. Instead, it appeared to be a bunch of normal people. Many of them were carrying television-quality video cameras, others microphones. They swarmed Shuichi and his friends, pushing the lawyer out of the way, and began to ask him questions.
"Hello, Shuichi Saihara? This is Nippon Television, can you tell the viewers at home how you're dealing with the revelation that you are, in fact, a fictional character?" asked an older man with a nearly bald head, his voice coming out practiced and precise.
The question poked and prodded one of the subjects Shuichi had been doing his damndest not to think too much about since it was told to him during the final class trial. Searching for words, all Shuichi could say was, "Oh, well, um, it's very hard..."
Meanwhile, a woman almost as young as they were was grinning brightly and holding a mic in Himiko's face, asking, "You're Himiko Yumeno, right? I'm your biggest fan! What happened to Tenko was so sad, I cried watching it!" Even with all the sensory overload bombarding Shuichi, he could still make out Himiko's body go tense as the reporter said that, at the excitement in her voice. "I'm a reporter for TV Asahi, and I wanted to ask: do you wish you had died in the ritual instead of Tenko?" For perhaps the hundredth time that infinitely long day, tears began to well up in Himiko's eyes.
On Shuichi's other side, a foreign man struggled to ask, his Japanese clearly coming out roughly, "Good afternoon Maki Harukawa. I am news correspondent for American broadcaster. Do you think killing game was good or bad?" Perhaps it was a cultural barrier, but the sheer aura of menace that Maki was flooding in the reporters' direction did not seem to affect him at all.
"Enough!" Someone shouted, though her words were barely audible in the din created by so many people trying to talk at once. Then, even louder, she said, "I said that's enough! I am a representative of the Public Prosecutor's Office, and you will all be quiet now or be forced to leave!" That got their attention, and soon the many reporters were more than happy to step aside and shut their mouths. Now, Shuichi found himself facing a woman who could have been in her mid twenties, her late thirties, maybe even somewhere in her forties. Her appearance was somewhat youthful, but clearly marked by hardship and experience. The fact she stood and moved with a sense of absolute authority helped add to her indomitable quality as well. Her short black hair reminded Shuichi a little of his own, and for a second he remembered his dream, once upon a time, of getting the chance to work hand-in-hand with someone of her office. A dream planted by the same people who created the rest of your memories.
Amazingly, one of the reporters was brave enough to speak up. "Are you here to actually arrest them for escaping the show?" It was the woman who'd been talking to Himiko, and it was unclear from the energy in her tone if she was happy at the idea or scandalized by it.
After taking in a sharp breath of air, the prosecutor closed her eyes and squeezed the bridge of her nose. "I'd hoped to get here before the peanut gallery," she murmured, though whether it was to herself or to the Ultimates, Shuichi didn't know. Opening her eyes once more, she fixed the reporter who'd chimed in a hard stare. "There are no plans at this time to arrest these teenagers or charge them with any crimes. That said, if you want to know more, contact our office through the proper channels, and we'll let you know when we want to make a statement." Then, she turned her attention fully onto Shuichi and his friends. "Come with me." There was no question in her words as to whether that was an option for them to follow. They were coming with her, that was it.
To Shuichi's surprise, it was Maki who stepped forward to follow her first. "..." Maki didn't say anything, but even as they all walked out of the room, into the unknown once again, Shuichi felt like he had a pretty good idea why Maki was so ready to follow someone else for once. It meant getting away from those reporters, and no matter how tough she liked to appear on the outside, Shuichi had a feeling that this was not a great time to be prodding Maki with probing questions.
The way out of where they were required following an exact route through what felt like a labyrinth of hallways, though in Shuichi's dazed state that might have been a fabrication of his exhausted mind. Then they reached an elevator, where they climbed up and up and up in silence. Apparently, the Ultimate Academy...set? Yes, Shuichi thought, that was probably the best word for it, the 'set' had been on the 5th basement floor. Once at ground level, they saw a lot more people walking around, all of whom stared at the teenagers following the prosecutor around. Many of them looked guilty, though Shuichi couldn't tell if his brain was putting something that it wished to see.
Soon, they'd reached what looked to be a large lobby, and the branding everywhere that read 'Team Danganronpa' gave Shuichi a big clue as to why none of the office workers they'd seen had been very interested to talk to them. Several lawyers were waiting at the door to the outside, and tried to talk to the woman they were following, but she ignored them all.
The outside sun...it was blinding, at first. The artificial sun Shuichi had been used to was nothing like the real thing, and he stood there with Maki and Himiko for a few seconds, admiring actually being outside, in the middle of a large city it seemed. "Ahem," the prosecutor cleared her throat, before nudging her head in the direction of a nearby car. It didn't look like the kind of thing one usually pictured a government prosecutor driving. It wasn't new, or sleek, or black. It looked at least ten years old, with fading red paint and of an affordable model. She got into the driver's side, and they all got into the back. Maki and Shuichi took the window seats, with Himiko in the middle between them. As they drove out onto a busy street, the woman decided to talk to them. "First things first, let's introduce ourselves. I'm Moriko Masa, and as I'm sure you've already guessed, I work for the government."
Hesitantly, Himiko told her, "I-I'm Himiko Yumeno, and I'm the Ultimate Magician..." She didn't sound as sure of herself as she had before they'd all found out they couldn't really trust anything they thought they knew about who they were.
Deciding to go next, Shuichi said, "And I'm Shuichi Saihara, the Ultimate Detective. It's a pleasure to meet you." He was trying to push his paranoia, anxiety, and soul-crushing despair as far down as he could and speak as professionally as he could, though he wasn't sure how well he was succeeding at that.
"Why do you want us to introduce ourselves? Don't you already know who we all are? What we all are? What we've all done?" Maki's voice was still chilly, and her eyes didn't waver from their driver's reflection in the rearview mirror.
To Shuichi's surprise, Moriko let out an annoyed groan, getting over to a left lane for an easy turn before telling Maki, "Yes, I know who you are. Still, it's polite to introduce yourself to people you're meeting for the first time, even if they already know a lot about you. But if you'd rather lash out at me, go ahead. I can take it." That answer seemed to earn a modicum of Maki's respect, even if it didn't get her an introduction. Turning her attention more to all three of us in general as she waited at a red light, Moriko asked, "So, what do you want to know?"
That was a big question, and for some reason, Shuichi's friends turned to him to answer it. Still, he didn't have to think too hard to know what he wanted to ask. "What can you tell us about 'Danganronpa'?" After all, their only source of information on the topic thus far was the mastermind who'd framed Kaede for murder, along with committing dozens of other terrible acts.
The car started moving again, and they had to wait for an answer as Moriko focused on the road. When once again traffic had slowed their car to a stop, she ruffled her hair with one hand and said, "Ugh, not what I was hoping you'd ask." That piqued Shuichi's curiosity, though as he was about to learn, there was not much to sate it at that time. "As disappointing as it might be to hear, I'm not a Danganronpa fan, so there's not a ton I can tell you."
Trying to look on the positive side, Shuichi gave her a feeble smile and said, "To be honest, I think we're all happy to hear you didn't watch the show." After all, that would have raised a lot more uncomfortable questions. Did you enjoy watching my friends killing each other? Are you sad to see any of us survived? Did the way we finished things ruin the show for you? Instead, Shuichi just said, "Whatever you can tell us will help."
They were getting onto a highway now, though from what Shuichi could see through his window, he wasn't sure that would get them wherever they were going any faster. Keeping her eyes on the road, Moriko told them, "Okay, so, it's this big franchise that's been around forever. My nephew is into it, I'm pretty sure. I think it started as an anime or something, but at some point they made the transition to 'immersive reality television'. Personally, I've always found the idea of watching teenagers commit murder more horrifying than entertaining, but it gets good ratings."
Well, Shuichi thought, at the very least it seemed like Tsumugi had been wrong about that. The way she'd talked about it during the trial, it had sounded like the country ran on the killing game, but here was someone who didn't care for it. Though it doesn't look like she was doing anything to stop it either. While Shuichi ruminated on that, Himiko spoke up to ask, "What's gonna happen with us?" The question almost blindsided the Ultimate Detective. He hadn't put too much thought into why exactly this prosecutor had taken them into custody.
This time, Moriko had an answer right away. Or rather, a non-answer. "No clue." Whether the pause after saying that was intentional, or a side-effect of suddenly needing to pay more attention to the road as she merged from one lane to another, Shuichi didn't know. "These are uncharted waters. You all know you're fictional characters, you know you were on a tv show, and you're out in the world. Oh, and you asserted your rights as human beings on a livestream, that too. The production company for your show is scrambling to figure out what they're going to do, but right now they're asserting they should keep you in their custody, as you're still their intellectual property."
"We aren't anyone's property." Even without looking over at Maki, Shuichi knew how intimidating she looked, as she stated what he knew to be the truth. Even if...even if they were fictional, that didn't mean they 'belonged' to anyone.
To Shuichi's outright shock, Moriko didn't even flinch at Maki's words. Instead, her eyes still on the road in front of her, she said, "I agree. While we've yet to decide what's actually going to happen to you, the prosecutor's office sent me to make sure you didn't fall into Team Danganronpa's hands. There's going to be a lot of tension between us and them, but none of that is your concern. Even if it goes to trial, you won't have to attend if you don't want to."
From the middle seat, Himiko said, her voice thicker with emotion than she probably would have preferred, "Thank you." Shuichi nodded his head in agreement, and though Maki didn't move at all, he felt that she was grateful too. "Why are you doing all of this for us?" Good question. Why is the law enforcement, who were only too happy to let the killing games go on year after year, so helpful now?
Moriko let out a long sigh. "I dunno. It's my job. It's the right thing to do. You're all kids. Pick whichever answer you want." She was getting them into the far left lane, and soon they were taking an off ramp, out of the highway and back into the city proper.
They drove in silence for a little while, before Maki finally asked her own question. "Where are we going?" Shuichi felt stupid for not thinking to ask that. As always, Maki was the one to handle practical matters.
"Good timing, you can see for yourself." The car pulled into the lot for a small motel, the kind usually frequented by those without a lot of money...or those who only wanted to use the room for a few hours. Feeling uncomfortable, they all got out of the car, following Moriko. She didn't go into the office instead climbing up the stairs to the second level, and pulling out three different keycards. She used them, one by one, to open three doors in a row, then handed each key to one of them after having used it. The rooms were far better than the exterior implied. In fact, Shuichi thought, on the inside these places looked like high class hotel rooms. "These will be your homes, until we can get something else figured out. You're not to leave the motel without authorized accompaniment, you can call the front desk to ask for anything you might want, and I'll be staying here as well. We'd generally prefer it if you just stayed inside, but you can visit each other's rooms, so long as you don't loiter outside too long." She walked up to a fourth room, the farthest from the stairs. "I'm going to be out a lot, but you can always call my room to see if I'm in and ask for my help if you need it. Anything else?" After looking back into their rooms, staring at their personal keycards, and realizing they were really, genuinely free, they shook their heads. Each went into their own room, and Shuichi had barely laid down on the bed before falling asleep on it, fully dressed. The longest day of his life was over, and he was beginning to really hope that whatever came next was worth living for.