Chapter One: Escaping from Hell
"Come on, where is it?" Shuichi Saihara whispered frantically as he opened one of the drawers of the 15-seated van they had stolen from Team Dangaronpa. It's been two months that he, Maki Harukawa, and Himiko Yumeno had woken up from the killing game and discovered that the whole game was a virtual simulator for other people's entertainment. There, they were reunited with the other contestants of the killing game; Kaede Akamatsu, Angie Yonaga, Gonta Gokuhara, Kaito Momota, Kirumi Tojo, Kokichi Oma, Korekiyo Shinguji, Miu Iurma, Rantaro Amani, Ryoma Hoshi, and Tenko Chabashira.
The reunion it follows was very teary and emotional. People ran into each other and hugged and cried. Kaede, who's been permanently mute from the strangulation from her execution, lifted her arms up with a gentle smile just for Shuichi, who ran into her arms. Maki cried rare tears into Kaito's arms for a long time. Himiko was hugged furiously by Tenko and Angie, who was proud of the way she survived all this time.
But soon the reunion was cut short because of Tsumugi Shirogane walked in with 15 or 20 nurses, doctors, and the bodyguards with her, a smile on her face.
The atmosphere went from heartwarming to anger towards Tsumugi and Team Dangaronpa for their trauma, for their fabricated past and talents, and the killing game they were forced into for other people's entertainment. Maki give angry glares at her, Miu started cursing at Tsumugi, and the rest stay silent.
"Hey, where's Keebo?" Mui asked after her cursed-filled rant was over. The others were confused as she was.
Where is he anyway?" Tenko asked from the group pile of her and Angie hugging Himiko.
"Keebo's getting rebuilt as we're talking and will be fully operational in three months. As for the rest of you, there's so much work to be done. This was one of the best seasons of Danganronpa ever!" Tsumugi cheered.
"What do you mean 'there's so much work to be done,'" Shuichi pulled away from Kaede's hug gently to confront her. "I thought we'd ended the killing game. I thought we'd ended Danganronpa forever?" he demanded.
"Nope, turns out the fans were so thrilled about the ending that they demanded another season. And you all gonna come back for it!"
"You're kidding," someone muttered. Everyone turned to the source of the voice. Kokichi Ouma was sitting in his wheelchair, close to Gonta and Kirumi. The press must have paralyzed his legs, and they later learned that he may never walked again.
"You're kidding," he repeated. "This can't be real. You can't force us back into the killing game. We can just leave. Let's just leave. Come on Gonta let's-."
One of the bodyguards got in the way of Kokichi wheeling out the room.
"How naïve," one of the nurses whispered to Tsumugi.
"Of course not," Tsumugi said with a sigh. "You have three months of hospitalization, therapy, and physical training to rejuvenate your muscles. Then you'll be called to dozens of conventions, interviews, and parties. The media loves you. They're going to hold a countdown to when you're discharged and done with therapy. You're already stars!"
"You can't do that!" Maki yelled, roughly pulling away from Kaito. "We didn't sign up for this!"
"But your past self-had other plans!"
"Our past self?" Kirumi intrigued.
"Yes," Tsumugi said flatly. "All of you, in fact. Your past selves all signed contracts, signifying that you'll be stars in the danganronpa industry for the rest of your lives."
"No... this.. this is too much, we can't..." Shuichi whispered hoarsely. "It's all just a big joke..."
"It's not," Tsumugi insisted. "You all signed a contract with me, and now your lives are going to be run by us. You've brought the industry so much success! And you're all so famous now, shouldn't you be happy?"
"No," Shuichi barked. "I'm not happy, we became famous because of killing. That's disgusting! You should be ashamed of-!"
Someone grabbed his hand and he turned around to see Kaede looking at him with a concerned look on her face. Despite her being mute, Shuichi understand that she didn't want him to get in trouble. He calmed down and smiled at her, ensuring her everything is okay.
Tsumugi clapped her hands. "Well, I'll leave you to get accustomed to your new lives. The hospital staff is going to take great care of you, don't worry. Towa hospital was specifically designed for the aftercare of Danganronpa contestants. They're used to all of this." And with that she turned away and walked off, to only atua knows where.
And now all of them were trying to escape from the facility. All thanks to Kokichi Ouma, the former Ultimate Supreme Leader.
Kokichi, with all his faults, doesn't seem to want to be into the public eye and back in the killing game as the rest of them, and was trying to bust them out, albeit being disabled and in a wheelchair. He had been stealing documents about his fellow 'comrades' past lives before signing for Danganronpa and reduce that the facility was in Kamikochi, Japan. Shuichi's uncle, Kudo Siahara, was living in Tokyo, Japan, about three hours and thirty-seven minutes. It was the closest place to go to. The others were too far away as far as they could tell.
The escape started when Miu making sure that Keebo doesn't have a camera in his eye. Keebo talked to her about what the outside world is about in real life. Mui, in return, give him updates that could help him in their escape and help him blend in.
The next step was Maki, who have to pickpocket every guard, nurse and doctor's wallet to gain some money for the road ahead of them, gas, clothes to blend in, snacks, and drinks. Miu also had to make the cameras and the lights were off by the time they started to go their grand escape. And Shuchi and Kaede had to make sure that their operation wasn't spoiled or discovered by any of the Team Danganronpa.
Then September 21, 2066, happened. The day of the escape that went really went expect for one thing.
There was no key in the 15-seated bus with a wheelchair lift anywhere.
"Shit, where is it?' he questioned out loud as he desperately tried to find the keys. The door slid open and Shuichi grabbed the stun gun he stolen from the guard Maki knock out. It was enough to immobilize and stun them, but not enough to kill them. He was relieved to see Kokichi being wheeled in by Kirumi, Gonta, Miu and Keebo.
"What the fuck are we waiting for! Kaito, Himiko, Kaede, Angie, Maki, Tenko, Korekiyo, Ryoma and Rantaro are making their way into the front of the hospital?!" she yelled. Shuichi slammed his hands on the wheel and turned towards Miu.
"I would, if not having keys at the damn-" Keebo went to the front of the bus and opened the visor. The keys went out and landed on Shuichi's lap.
"Um, thanks Keebo," he mumbled as he started the van up.
The bus started up and leave the parking spots and headed towards the front of the hospital. The minute the bus was in front, Kaede, Kaito, Himiko, Angie, Maki, Tenko, Korekiyo Ryoma, and Rontaro went outside and entered the bus once Shuichi opened it. Kaede smiled at him, who smiled back at her.
He put the bus into drive and speed out of the hospital as fast as the bus could. As they were driving, Kokichi, who was sitting in the back because of his wheelchair, turned around and pointed to the hospital. "Look, someone's mad! And I'm not lying!"
Everyone (with the exception of Shuichi, who's was driving), turned to see several guards and Tsumugi running towards them.
They watched as the spots get smaller and smaller.
"So, what do we do now?"