Survival In The City: The Third Despair

Disclaimer:
Danganronpa is owned by Spike Chunsoft and Lerche

Hello and welcome to a new Danganronpa fic, in which it will be another experimental one. You are probably wondering, why another Survival In The City tag? Well, an idea popped in my head after accidentally discovering about a hidden script called Danganronpa: Another End, and after reading it, it was somewhat similar to Danganronpa IF, except that the mastermind is willing to let the 15 students peacefully escape Hope's Peak Academy, but with a catch.

As stated at the Danganronpa wiki, the 15 students can only leave if they are willing to LOSE their talents, and this made me come up with an experimental plot as I find it intetesting on what would the 15 students do once they escape, and how would they survive at the outside world that has become dystopian, once they are stripped of their talents.

While Another End is only a bonus item found from the first Danganronpa PSP game that never got a physical form, I nevertheless decided to give this a try to see if readers would like this new experimental fic, and if the reception is good, I would prepare the next chapters in advance.

As stated by the title, it will be quite different from Survival In The City II, and it will have an experimental twist. As shown in the games and anime, the Despair Sisters started all this, which are Junko Enoshima and Mukuro Ikusaba, and that they are identical twins. However it was never stated in either the games or anime why they have different names despite being siblings by blood.

Since the Danganronpa wiki site does not have an answer, I decided to create an origin story so as to EXPLAIN things.

Second, a THIRD DESPAIR? Since we all know that Enoshima is the true despair and Ikusaba is just a pawn, what does this mean? Is there someone beside Enoshima running things here? You'll find out soon as the answer will be shown in this first chapter.

Third, as usual, the 14 students will check on their loved ones, and would soon started a gauntlet on what to do next. Since Ikusaba is just a pawn, she would play an important role in this story.

Fourth, there will be two pairings here:

- Yuta Asahina x Junko Enoshima

- Makoto Naegi x Sayaka Maizono

Okay, while the Naegi x Maizono pairing will be standard, I decided to do an experiment by doing a secondary pairing. Since Yasuke Matsuda died, this leaves Enoshima single, and decided to pair her with an unlikely boy…which is Yuta Asahina.

Okay, why Aoi's younger brother? Well, I find him cute, and while he is better paired with Komaru, I decided to pair him with Enoshima for the CUTE FACTOR.

Okay…if Enoshima will be Yuta's PARTNER, then where does this leave the MASTERMIND thing?

Read on to see why…

Lastly, the Class 78 members are aged 16 here…

Well, enjoy!

Ch. 1: Prologue

Hope's Peak Academy.

The scene shows that Japan has descended into chaos due to the mastermind induces despair via rioting by making it appear that Hope's peak is engaging in a secret experimenting, which caused the Reserve Course students to riot and the footage was caught on film, released it to the masses and this caused the people to riot all over the streets.

This lasted for a year which resulted in Jin Kirigiri to persuade the 16 remaining Main course students to barricade themselves inside the academy until the streets calmed down and they all agreed. However, none of the students and Jin are aware that he culprits are among them. And as the months passed, Jin was secretly killed and the students were sedated, and brainwashed to forget their past year as classmates, yet they retain their talents.

However, the mastermind decided to spice things up and have a Monokuma robot confront Naegi.

Monokuma: "Aaah, look who's here. It's you. I see, I see... Who are you again?"

Naegi: "I'm…Naegi. Makoto Naegi."

Momokuma: "Oh, right, right. I remember now. Naegi. And it just so happens I remembered something I shouldn't have. I don't want to beat around the bush—you came here because you wanted to see the "True Ending" right?"

Naegi: "...Huh?"

Monokuma: "…Oh, so it's like that, huh? You already finished the game at least once, and yet you came back here for no reason… In other words, you're just totally fed up with the "ending to the story" huh?!"

Naegi: "I-I have no idea what you're talking about… I've had no idea this entire time…"

Monokuma: "It's fine, it's fine. I get it—you don't have to say anything. I've got a spirit ready to serve wrapped up in my stuffing! My job is to satisfy unsatisfied customers! Hup-to! …So that's why I'm giving you this.

Naegi: "W-What the heck is this...?"

Naegi glanced at the object where a few moments later, he realized what this is.

Naegi: "A k-key...?"

Monokuma snickered at the boy's response before telling him something.

Naegi: "Seriously, what have you being going on about this whole time?"

Monokuma: "However, there are two things I need to warn you about. First, if you don't collect all the hopes, that button won't work! You gotta share the wealth! Then second, the True Ending is...in other words, True Despair! It's nothing more than "the end of the world"! Nyohoho! If you don't want to end this world, it'd be more prudent to avoid using that button! But do whatever you want! Buhyahyahya!"

Naegi: "What...was that...? True Ending, End of the World... And then..."

Makoto Naegi: "...this switch? I feel like I've seen it somewhere before...Guess it's just my imagination."

-x-

The scene then shifts at the entrance hall of Hope's peak, where Naegi meets with 14 other students, who turn out to be members of Class 78, and they are gathered and Naegi is surprised to see them here.

Naegi: "E-Everyone... Why...?"

Sayaka Maizono: "Um, well... Monokuma told us. About that..."

Sakura Ohgami: "That we could leave with Naegi if we cast aside our "hope"."

Naegi: "...What?"

Chihiro Fujisaki: "That's...the condition for getting to leave here."

Mondo Owada: "That guy's only got interest in us if we're hopeful SHSLs.."

Kiyotaka Ishimaru: "In other words, if we all forgot our "Super High School Level" paths...he doesn't care if we leave or not."

Hifumi Yamada: "Your back can't change into your stomach, you know..."

Byakuya Togami: "I do not care. That is because I am perfect. Even if I throw away my position as the heir to the Togami Conglomerate, I will still without a doubt succeed."

Celestia Ludenberg: "You've got SHSL Confidence...don't you."

Sayaka Maizono: "Being an idol was my dream, but... But more importantly, my precious group mates are out there. So I… I want to try my best once more, with them! Even if we aren't idols, I want us to do our best together!"

Kyoko Kirigiri: "There is more than one path... Even if one path is closed off to us, we can follow a different one. Real despair is not being able to move forward."

Toko Fukawa: "As long as we keep moving forward, we'll be able to find hope. So going forward itself is hope."

Yasuhiro Hagakure: "How come you guys are stealin' the show? Quit chewin' the scenery!"

Sakura Ohgami: "Makoto, press the button. What you hold in your hand is the hopeful key to our future."

Makoto Naegi was silent at what he just heard, and he mentally pondered on what he should do and what his next move would be.

"The thing... I'm holding in my hand...The key... The key of hope... "

Kiyotaka Ishimaru: My dream was to become the Prime Minister and correct the morals of this country, but...ït's fine! I'll aim to be a farmer from now on! I'll correct the country's morals from an agricultural viewpoint!"

Celestia Ludenberg: "I'm really in trouble, aren't I...I lost my quick and easy way to make money.I suppose it can't be helped. I will sell my own handmade clothing to make money. However, they will be expensive. That is because they will be made with my love. Ufufufu...

Byakuya Togami: "I...that's right...I suppose I will go traveling for a time…It wouldn't be a bad thing to see that world first hand…"

Sakura Ohgami: "If you take fighting from me, I have nothing left...Therefore, I will continue fighting...However, fighting is not limited just to that of the physical body. From now on I shall engage in a spiritual fight… My fight within my own self...that is the path I shall walk."

Aoi Asahina: "I've decided! I've decided on the name "Asahina Doughnuts"! Eh hehe, everyone come and buy them, okay? I'll make sure to offer you great service.

Mondo Owada:"So the crazy times are over...I'm retirin'...Guess I'll become a carpenter or somethin'...Hey, big bro...In a bit... That's okay, right?"

Chihiro Fujisaki: "This is...a good chance for me...I want to train both my heart and my body! I want to train more and more, to get stronger! If I do that, I'd like to meet with you all again...when that happens, it will be as my real self. "

Leon Kuwata: "Isn't this lucky?! Cause now I can quit baseball fair and square! I'll go from model to voice talent, and snatch a chance at becoming a household name!"

Toko Fukawa: "I-I...F-For right now, I want to be in love...T-Then...I want to have a happy married life...W-Who was that?! Who just laughed?! I-I-I-I'll kill you!

Sayaka Maizono: "I'm going to talk to my comrades and decide what to do next. But no matter what path we take in life, we will always be precious friends to each other. That's why I'm fighting alongside you. So long as we're together, there's nothing we can't do!"

Hifumi Yamada: "I've decided once and for all to set my sights on being a thief! With the free use of my magic, I'll be able to go around stealing gems. There is no need for me to tell you any more than that!"

Yasuhiro Hagakure: "I'll...uh, do that...Yeah...um, that...Ahahaha! I'll figure something out!"

Kyoko Kirigiri: " I...I suppose first I need to start by searching for something. What I should do... What I can do...Reset everything in my life so far...Yet, I look forward to that."

Mukuro Ikusaba: "Ever since I was a kid... I was always compared to her...My capable little sister...But, I ran away...Into a world where I knew no one and no one knew me...Yet... I was always lost...So then I came back...But... I was still lost...About if it's right for me to keep disguising myself as my sister. So...this might be my chance to change my life! To tell the truth, I've always had an interest in being a hairdresser or something like that. Ehehe, maybe I'll run off into the boonies where she won't find me and aim to be a hair stylist!

As Naegi sees that his classmates are ready to cast aside their talents and hope, and for the sake of leaving the academy, and he wondered if this is the right thing, but if this is the chance they have…

The things we would do next... The things we would do to search for hope... That is the true hope. If that's the case, then this should be hope too, right?

The scene shows that the Fifteen students stand in the entrance hall, where they await the door to open, and everyone braced themselves to see what awaits them, and as they painfully waited for the door to open, Naegi remained optimistic that things would work out in their favor no matter how risky this is, and he is confident that they will overcome whatever trial came in their way.

Maizono then held Naegi's hand, and he blushed at seeing her worried face, but he gently held her hand in return, as he nodded, just to assure to her that he will be by her side once they leave the academy, and he mentally braced himself for whatever happenes should the door open.

That's right... There's no reason to be afraid... Let's go... Let's keep going forward... With everyone... All of us, together... We'll leave here, and go on to the next thing!

Indeed, the door opened and the students slowly left the entrance and are heading to the outside world, with the first thing that came to their minds – check on their loved ones and to see what the outside worls has become.

However, Ikusaba remained, as she intend to check on her younger twin sister and to ask her what is she planning to do, since this is not what she originally intended, but then something unexpected happened when someone came wobbling towards the entrance, and Ikusaba slowly removed the wig and approached the person, which caused her to stare in surprise.

"What…?"

"…"

"This…"

"…"

"Junko-chan…?"

"…"

"What are you…?"

"…"

Ikusaba saw Junko Enoshima wobbling towards her, and when she caught her, something tells her that something doesn't appear to be right. Enoshima appeared weak…drugged. Ikusaba felt that something is amiss here as she knows that Enoshima is not like that before capturing her classmates, and when Ikusaba has Enoshima sit on the floor, she checked her vital signs to see if she is okay.

As Ikusaba gave Enoshima a scent of ammonia, it slowly brought the SHSL Fashion Diva back to her senses a little, and there the SHSL Soldie asks her what happened, and there something more confusing occurred, as Enoshima asks Ikusaba what just happened, stating that she lost consciousness after she and Ikusaba enrolled at Hope's Peak Academy and woke up just now and ended up getting lost until coming here.

This caused Ikusaba to stare wide-eyed at hearing what Enoshima just said.

"What…what did you say, Junko-chan…?"

"What just happened? After being enrolled here…someone…put cloth on my nose…then I fell asleep…"

"…"

"When I woke up…the entire school…all covered in metal and steel…all the stairways…locked in shutters…"

"Are…are you serious…?"

"What is…going on…where are the others…?"

"Junko-chan..you don't remember anything…? You set this up in the first place…"

"What…what are you…?"

By then, the voice of Monokuma is heard on the speakers, and said that things are now taken a turn, and plans changed, in which he said that he decided to kill Ikusaba and Enoshima just to PRESERVE something, and Ikusaba sensed that something is amiss, and to check it out, she undressed Enoshima's upper clothing to see if she is the real Enoshima, which she confirmed that it is her – such as her hourglass figure and breasts.

"Nee-chan…"

"Huh?"

"What are you doing?"

"To see if you really are Junko-chan…"

"I am. Now what's up with that…"

"It's fine. We better get out of here…"

"Huh? Why? What's…"

"I'll explain later…"

Ikusaba took Enoshima's hand and the twin sisters left the academy as they heard footsteps, and soon it was revealed that a dozen Monokuma robots are marching, but by the time they arrived, the twin sisters have already left the entrance.

Outside, the twin sisters are now nearing the school gate, where they saw the 14 other classmates are going their separate ways, and the 14 students failed to notice the twin sisters as they are focused on their own agendas.

To Be Continued...

Hope you liked this opening chapter, and while there is not much action here, since it is just the beginning, it did bring out a mystery.

If the one that Ikusaba is accompanying is Junko Enoshima...then who is controlling Hope's Peak Academy?

The rest of Class 78 are not aware of this, and there's no telling what awaits them once they get home...

Preview:

The next chapter shows that the Class 78 are in for a surprise...

More on the twin sisters...as they try to figure out what just happened as Enoshima could not recall the events before the Tragedy occurred...

See you in 5 to 7 weeks...