Finally cross-posting this from ao3. Slowly... very slowly... Danganronpa fandom is pretty dead here ngl
The first thing Saihara Shuichi realized upon waking was the suffocating darkness. His head touched what he deemed the ceiling and his back the wall. He slowly reached forward. Before him was also a wall, and judging by the sensation in his hands, made of metal.
Shuichi spread his arms as wide as they could go, feeling for the space around him, calculating the distance in between.
33in x 26in x 26in.
A few dust particles entered his nostrils and he sneezed. All the while, it was getting harder and harder to breathe. Instead of feeling overwhelmed with fear however, as would any normal person, Shuichi felt the red hot determination to survive. A single phrase, spoken in an unfamiliar voice, rang in his head.
"You're it."
And he slammed his arms forward.
The wall before him caved and he tumbled out face-first onto the ground. The pain surprised him, but not as much as the surroundings. Here he was, lying on the floor of what seemed to be a dimly-lit classroom. Which wouldn't have been a big deal, save for all the weeds springing from the ground and covering the thick layer of dust over everything in sight. It was like a scene out of an apocalyptic film.
"That was a totally lame entry."
Shuichi whipped his head up.
Standing on the opposite side of the classroom was a boy in white and a checkered scarf. From this angle, he seemed shorter than average, and his eyes were the deepest shade of violet Shuichi had ever seen. A grin played on the other's lips, and Shuichi couldn't find it in himself to look away.
"Cat's got your tongue?"
"Um… N-no…" Shuichi cringed at his inability to talk like a normal human. He pulled himself off the ground. Patted the dust off his behind. He scanned the surroundings some more. A few windows lined one side of the wall, but they were all blocked by thick metal bars.
"I'm… Saihara," he said, if only to make up for the blunder just now. That's what people usually did when they met new people, right? Introduced themselves?
"Woah, aren't you trusting, giving out your name to a stranger just like that," said the shorter boy, drawing his brows together.
"Huh?"
"What if I'm the one who brought you here? Are you sure you want to tell your abductor your real name?"
"You're my abductor?"
"Nishishi! I'm not. But I could have been."
A blink, and he was just a few paces away from Shuichi. How did he get here so fast?
"Or, maybe I'm lying! Maybe you're the one who brought me here, and you gave a fake name so that I'll drop my guard!"
"I didn't! I woke up not knowing anything just like you."
Suddenly, Shuichi registered an unfamiliar weight on his left wrist.
A sleek wrist watch coiled around it. The screen was dark. He shot a glance at the other boy. He's just standing there, staring at him, a grin tugging at the corners of his lips.
Shuichi averted his gaze. After he felt around the sides of the watch for a few seconds, his fingers brushed against an area that seemed to slightly protrude. He pressed down on it.
The screen burst into life.
A myriad of colors zipped through the screen, blending and mixing into each other like a fever dream. Shuichi glanced at the other boy. Seemed he also turned on his watch after noticing what Shuichi had done.
Shortly after, the colors faded, until only a white background remained. Then, flashing on the screen was a string of ominous words:
|| Fun Team-building Exercise||
[Escape the room or die~]
For a moment, Shuichi could not process the words.
The wrist watch beeped, and a new string of words took the place of the former.
|| MonoWatch V.3 ||
[Easy to use and indestructible! Do not attempt to remove! If sensors pick up any foul play, the Happy Cubs neurotoxin will be administered, with death advancing in mere minutes! Failure to pass the "Fun team-building exercise" will result in one dose!]
Then the text vanished, replaced with a countdown of sixteen minutes.
"Uh…"
"Don't just stand there looking all dark and handsome. Let's look for a way out!"
The boy's words thrust Shuichi out of his thoughts. They formed an unspoken agreement to check opposite areas for any clues.
Shuichi headed for the door first. Or at least, what seemed to be a door. He didn't expect it to open. Sure enough, it's bolted shut. There's not even a doorknob. The more he inspected it, the heavier his heart dropped. It didn't even have hinges, as if the door were merely painted on.
He directed his attention to the windows, where the other boy was standing. Those metal bars truly left an impression on him, and not the best kind. In hopes of finding anything that could slice through the bars, Shuichi stumbled his way to the teacher's desk.
As he tore through the drawers, hands shaking and heart thrashing against his chest, his ears caught the other boy's words:
"We're on the sixteenth floor. Guess we're done for, huh?"
And his heart dropped even lower.
All of a sudden, realization struck him. "No, that's wrong," said Shuichi.
The other boy turned to him. He quirked a brow "Oh? So we're not gonna drop dead in… 9 minutes and 45 seconds?"
"...It wouldn't make sense for them to give us a task that we can't complete. What's the point of them kidnapping us then?"
"Maybe they just want to see the looks of despair on our faces once we discover there's no way out. Look up there."
Shuichi shifted his gaze in that direction.
"A camera. Those guys must be getting off to this!"
"I-I admit that's a possibility… But… it would be quite a boring show if that's the case." Shuichi's gaze fell upon the shorter boy. For a second, he's afraid the youth crashed like some sort of computer program. His face was entirely blank. It seemed eerie, especially in the dim lighting.
Then he stuck a hand out. "Ouma."
"...Saihara." Shuichi took his hand.
It's rougher than he had expected, a few callouses sprinkled here and there. Ouma tightened his grip.
It didn't hurt. Rather, Shuichi found it faintly grounding.
"Alright then, Saihara-chan! I'll believe in you… for now!"
"T-thanks, Ouma-kun..." Shuichi fell into his thoughts. Organized them. The windows were barred. They were sixteen stories up. The door was fake and the lockers and desks held absolutely nothing of use. Where could they go from here?
He cast his gaze to the ground. There was nothing of suspect: just regular floor tiles one would see in any classroom. For a second, Shuichi had hoped there would be a hidden trapdoor or something under the tiles, but there didn't seem to be a hint of that.
If not the ground, then —
He looked up.
Attached to the ceilings were flush rectangular lights. A few vines had climbed a wall all the way up. The longer Shuichi searched the ceiling, the faster his heart pounded, until at last, he caught sight of what he had been looking for.
"There! The vent!"
Just a glance, and it was evident that the opening was wide enough to fit a person. The only problem was how high it was.
Ouma whistled. "Great job, Saihara-chan! Now we just need to build a tower up."
"Y-yeah.."
Easier said than done, though. For when Shuichi attempted to push one of the student desks to the vent, it wouldn't budge. No matter how much he exerted himself. A whiff of suspicion in his heart, Shuichi made for another desk.
"Hnghh!" Sure enough, it wouldn't budge either. In an instant, he dropped to a crouch. And what he had discovered shocked him.
The legs of the desks were all nailed to the ground.
Shuichi whipped his head toward a chair. It was also nailed down.
"Man, the teacher's desk is completely nailed into the floor," said Ouma as he approached Shuichi and then some, crossing into his personal space as his head hung over latter's shoulder. "Looks like it's the same thing here, huh?"
"There's got to be a way."
"I hope so," said Ouma. "Well, we've got…" He made a show of checking his wrist watch. "Five minutes and 34 seconds left to think of a plan. Man, we're cutting it pretty close, aren't we?"
Noticing the grim expression on Shuichi's face, Ouma blinked. Then he burst into a huge smile. "Oh, oh, how about this? You go over there, right under the vent, and I can climb on your shoulders. I'll remove the grill, crawl inside, then pull you up!"
"Ouma-kun, I don't think—" His eyes widened. "T-that… might actually work."
"See? I'm a genius! You have to obey my orders now!"
"But wait. We don't have anything to open the vent grill with. The only things in those desks and lockers were notebooks and pens."
"Oh, did I forget to tell you?" Ouma had the audacity to look ashamed. "I actually found a Phillips-head screwdriver in my locker."
"Ouma-kun!"
"Geez, I'm sorry, alright? Toootally slipped my thoughts." From a pocket, Ouma retrieved the screwdriver. "Now up, up!"
It wasn't difficult hoisting the other boy on his shoulders. Ouma was light, almost concerningly. The only thing that bothered Shuichi was how close to choking he was with those legs locked around his neck.
"Ouma-kun, n-not so tight...please. It's hard to breathe."
"Hang in there, Saihara-chan! Almost done."
As if on cue, the grill fell to the ground with a clang .
"Sweet!" Ouma hopped from Shuichi's shoulders, hands grasping at the edge of the vent. He pulled himself in. "Nishishi! So long, sucka!"
"W-what?! Ouma-kun!" Shuichi's face paled, cold sweat clinging to his back. The other boy was out of sight, swallowed by the shadows of the vent.
The moment his feet almost collapsed beneath him, a familiar purple-haired head popped out.
"Got you good, didn't I?" Ouma reached out a hand. "Jump and hold on."
Shuichi didn't have to be told twice.
He was hit with a sense of wonder at how easily the other boy seemed to yank him up. Adrenaline still pumping through his veins, Shuichi burst into laughter as soon as his whole body was in the vent. He was so deep in his own world that he did not notice Ouma giggling as well.
Amidst their laughter, a notification sounded. Smiles still plastered on their faces, Shuichi checked his wrist watch. Immediately, he grew sober at the words.
||Team Wolf Teamwork Success!||
[5 Monokuma Credits obtained!
Next mission: Head to the solarium.]
Following that, the screen changed into something resembling a GPS system, pinpointing where they should head next. It's a welcomed feature, what with how many twists and turns there seemed to be in the ventilation system.
For a while, silence stretched between them, thick and heavy. But as with most things, Ouma smashed it open with a sledgehammer. "As payback for before, I'll introduce myself properly. Ouma Kokichi, Ultimate Supreme Leader, at your service!"
Right. Shuichi almost forgot about the near heart attack the other boy had given him. Key word, almost. A strained smile spread across his lips. "Saihara Shuichi. Ultimate Detective."
"A criminal and a detective working together. We make for an unlikely duo, don't we?"
"Y-you're a criminal?!"
"Well I am the leader of a criminal organization that boasts over 10,000 members. What do you think, Mister Detective?"
"I think… if that's true then you're more amazing than I thought."
"Right?~"
Eventually, the GPS pointed them to another grill. After unscrewing and pushing it open, the two boys dropped into a room that resembled a classroom. A wave of relief washed over Shuichi as the door actually moved when he pushed it.
It led to a long hallway. On one end stood a wide door, a large bronze plaque hanging above it that read "solarium." At the other end of the hallway stood what seemed to be an elevator. But just like the windows prior, thick metal bars spanned from the ceiling to the ground, obstructing their way.
Left with no other option, Shuichi and Kokichi made their way toward the solarium. As soon as they pushed open the door together, they're met with the sight of a window spanning the length of an entire wall across from them. It's barred, of course. And it was pitch black outside and cloudy; not a star was in sight.
They're not the first ones who had arrived. Fourteen other people stood in the room, all about the same age as Shuichi and Kokichi. Shuichi noticed that they all had on a wrist watch too. Most seemed to be grouped in twos, but a few stood by themselves.
Maybe it was because he shared a near-death scenario with Kokichi, Suspension-bridge Theory and all, that he felt closer to him than the others. Not to mention, Shuichi would be lying to say he was the most confident person. Unsure of how to approach the other people to begin with, he tugged his cap down to cover his eyes.
Kokichi stared at him meaningfully, before breaking into a grin. "What, are you shy, Saihara-chan? Don't worry, you can stick with me! I'll be your knight in shining armor!"
"N-no… That's okay—"
"WHAT?! So you can't stand to be near me? HOW MEAN!" And Kokichi burst into tears, snot and all running down his nose as he wailed to oblivion.
Flustered, Shuichi attempted to ignore the gazes converging on them. "C-calm down, Ouma-kun! Y-you're making a scene—"
"Wow, you totally fell for it! Don't tell me you actually thought I was crying?"
"You… weren't?"
"Of course not! Do Supreme Leaders even have tear glands?"
"I think everyone does…"
"I lied again! Geez Saihara-chan, you're really gullible, you know?"
"What's with all the noise. Damn these degenerate males!" grumbled a girl with two long, braided pigtails. She glared at the two of them, hot enough to burn. By her side is a sleepy-looking girl with red locks, a witch's hat complimenting the look.
"Gonta is worried." A tall, largely-built and bespectacled youth approached them. "Are you okay?"
Pretty soon, the others crowded Shuichi and Kokichi, save for the few that stood alone: a masked boy with long hair, a girl with crimson eyes and dark hair pulled into twintails, and a boy even shorter than Kokichi with a listless gaze.
A blonde girl broke from the crowd, a warm smile gracing her lips. "Hi there. I'm Akamatsu Kaede. I hope I'm not interrupting anything."
"Ah, no… Saihara." Shuichi looked down, once more tugging at his cap. He snuck a glance at Kokichi. He appeared to be pouting.
"Why don't we share information?" said Akamatsu. "Maybe we can figure out how we got here if we pool our brains together."
A boy with crazy grey hair bounced on his feet. He appeared suspiciously like an android. "I think that's a great idea!"
"I don't really mind. Got nothing to say anyway," said the shortest boy of the bunch.
"I'll go first since I'm the one who proposed this. My name, like I mentioned before, is Akamatsu Kaede. And I'm the Ultimate Pianist. I woke up in one of those classrooms in a locker. Amami-san was in the locker next to mine."
The Amami-san in question raised a hand. Hair a tinge of green, an amiable smile on his lips. "That's right. The windows were barred, but I could tell we're far from the ground. The door opened easily enough though."
One by one, the students introduced themselves and described the moments after they roused. Turned out, they all woke up in a locker in a classroom with one other person. But none of them mentioned a locked door and having to escape the room. Shuichi glanced at Kokichi. The other party wasn't looking at him. So either some of them lied, or Kokichi and Shuichi were special.
"And then there were these tacky wrist watches on us that all said 'head to the solarium,'" said the girl known as Iruma Miu. "Sorry to say this guys, but no chick would ever want to bang you if you're wearing one of these."
The girl with a plain appearance, Tsumugi Shirogane said, "They'll inject a neurotoxin into you if you tried to remove it."
"I tried to banish it with magic but I'm out of MP."
"That's okay, Himiko-chan! Just the thought counts!"
Apparently, that wasn't the case, because Kokichi butted in. "Geez you're so useless that you can't even magic us out of here. And you call yourself an Ultimate Magician."
"YOU SHUT UP UNLESS YOU WANT TO DIE!"
Shuichi found himself with his arms around Kokichi's waist, yanking him backwards from Chabashira's deadly grasp. Meanwhile, the other boy laughed it off as if it were a hilarious joke.
All of a sudden, the projector from the ceiling flashed on, painting the wall across from it in vivid colors. Not a moment later, Shuichi heard a giggle that he would never forget in this life.
"Upupupupu~!"
Displaying on the spacious wall was now a teddy bear with a deranged appearance. Half of its body was a brilliant white. The other half, dark as the abyss. Its dark half sported a jagged crimson eye that seemed to peer into Shuichi's soul.
"Welcome to the Ultimate Academy of Gifted Individuals! I'm your headmaster, Monokuma!" Following that grand introduction, the bear leaped out of the wall and stepped into reality.
Screams filled the room.
"Zip it! Unless you don't want to keep your legs." An eerie, high-pitched giggle escaped from its lips.
"W-what do you want?!"
The bear seemed to eye them with much disappointment. "Wow, you guys are pretty dumb. You're lucky I'm a nice guy and can bear to explain things to you." It shrugged. "You're here because you're all naughty children that need to be punished! Otherwise, you'll be having actual lessons!"
"Why are we 'naughty children'? What did we do wrong?" asked Akamatsu.
Monokuma eyed her meaningfully. A moment later, he grinned. "Noooot teeeeelling! But you've all sinned pretty heavily! Howeeeeever, in light of your ultimate talents, you have all have been sent to rehab here! A second chance, if you will!"
The boy known as Momota Kaito clenched his fists, knuckles glowing white. "What are we supposed to do?"
"Simple! Just follow the instructions on your wrist watches! They'll be ten quizzes that will test your knowledge and abilities! Pass all ten quizzes, and then you can take your Final Exam! Once you do, you can graduate and get the hell out of here!
"There'll be one quiz every week, just to keep you on your toes! Slackers get the boot, literally! I'll stomp your brains in upupupu!"
Chabashira furrowed her brows and cracked her knuckles. "What can a little bear like you do?"
"Oh, you'll be surprised. Plus, have you already forgotten the neurotoxins in your watches? Touch me, and you'll get a nice dose pumped into your pathetic veins!"
At that moment, each of their wrist watches let out a sound of a notification. Everyone checked their screen.
Rules:
1) Violence against Headmaster Monokuma is not allowed.
2) Sleeping anywhere other than the dormitory will be seen as sleeping in class and punished accordingly.
3) With minimal restrictions, you are free to explore the academy at your discretion.
4) "Nighttime" is from 10 pm to 6 am. Students found loitering in the halls will be punished.
5) Damaging the security cameras is not allowed. Anyone found doing so will be punished.
6) In order to graduate, pass all ten quizzes and take the Final Exam.
"Right now, you're all stuck on the sixteenth floor! Up here, you get the solarium (for all your sunshine needs!), the girls' restroom (damn, looks like you'll have to hold it in, boys!), and the library (perfect for you nerds!)"
"Wait, what about food? And where are we going to sleep?"
"Yeah, won't we be punished for not sleeping in the dorms?" asked Amami. "Last time I checked, there weren't any here."
"How are the guys supposed to take a big, stinking shit!" said Kokichi with a grin so wide, it almost split his head open.
"No way we're letting you in the girls' restroom! I bet you all want to peep on this gorgeous body, but too bad! You'll just have to use your imagination to jerk off your virgin dicks!"
A look of pure disgust appeared on Kokichi's face. "No one wants to see your whore body, slut."
"Hiiieek!"
"Ahem! Before I was sooo rudely interrupted. Seriously kids. You do this again and I'll be forced to punish ya!" Monokuma twirled in place. "Anyway, if you can't sleep in the dorms before 'nighttime' arrives, then you'll just have to be penalized! There are sixteen floors in total. The dormitory is on the fifteenth floor. If you want to go down a floor, that's simple. You'll just have to go from sixteen students to fifteen and the elevator will power on!"
"W-what?"
"What the fuck are you trying to say!" screamed Momota.
"Man, are you dumb or what?" said Kokichi, turning to the person in question. "Actually, don't answer that. I can already tell from the stupid haircut." Then he turned to Shuichi. "C'mon Saihara-chan! Tell them what Monokuma means!"
"It means… we can obtain access to the floor beneath us if… someone d-dies."
And the room fell in an uproar.
"How could you say that, you degenerate male! Look, Himiko-chan's scared now!"
"I-I didn't…"
Akamatsu stepped in between them. "Calm down Chabashira-san. I'm sure Saihara didn't mean any harm."
"So… In order to reach the first floor, only one of us can remain alive," muttered the one known as Korekiyo.
"Seems to be the case," said Harukawa Maki.
Shuichi watched in silence as the teenagers before him argued, their emotions rising. His heart started to pound again, so much so that he could hear it in his ears.
"Wait. Then what about the Final Exam?"
Everyone looked at Shuichi.
"Monokuma… You said we can graduate and leave as long as we pass all ten quizzes and take the Final Exam."
"Upupupu! That's correct! What a sharp eye you have! When it comes down to it, you guys are still useful being Ultimates and all. So we won't be pushing you into a killing game per se."
"Only 'per se?'" quipped Harukawa.
"Exactly!" chirped Kokichi. "What Monokuma means is that going down the floors is just a luxury!"
"Food isn't a luxury, you twink! How else can I keep these beautiful twins." Iruma cradled her breasts.
"U-um, I think we are going off topic," the Ultimate Robot, Kiibo, said.
"When have I said you will starve? You just need to exchange Monokuma credits there," Monokuma pointed to a vending machine in the corner of the solarium, "and BAM! Food! Well, there's also a ton of other things available in there." Monokuma's gaze fell upon them and an unnerving grin stretched across its face. "For a price!"
"And, pray tell, how do we attain these 'credits'?" asked the so-called Ultimate Maid, Kirumi Tojo.
"Easy! By completing the daily quests. You'll see them on your wrist watch at 12 pm! And you have until 11:59 pm of the same day to complete them."
Kokichi asked, "What if we fail? Are you gonna punish us again?"
"Upupupu~ I wish…" Monokuma appeared dejected. "But luckily for you, I've been shackled with some reeeally heavy rules. This isn't even my final form! You kids are sooo lucky!"
"Wait, wait! Atua says this still doesn't solve the problem of not being able to sleep in the dorms."
"Then you'll just have to eat punishment!" said Monokuma, joy thick in his voice.
"Hold on, if we're going by what Ouma-kun said before, and heading down the floors is just a luxury…" Shuichi placed a hand on his chin. "Then the punishment for not sleeping in the dorms shouldn't be life-threatening."
"Oh? So Mister Detective was actually listening to lil' ol' me?"
Under the weight of Kokichi's strong, heavy gaze, Shuichi found his face burning. It were as though they were the only two people in the solarium.
"Losing an ear or an eye… You won't die from that. Do you really want to take this gamble, Saihara-chan?"
"I…"
"Nishishi! Juuust kidding! Hey, hey, Monokuma! So is the punishment gonna kill us or what?"
"Asking all these questions, do you think I'm your headmaster or something?" Everyone stared at Monokuma. "Ah! I guess I am! Okay, I'll clue you cubs in. No, the punishment for sleeping outside of the dorms isn't life-threatening. You won't lose a body part either or anything like that… unless you want to, of course!"
"Well! That's good enough for me!" said Kokichi.
"Wait, so what is the punishment?" asked Akamatsu.
"Hmmmmmmmmm! Not telling! Figure it out on ya own, you sinners!"
Just as Shuichi was about to ask another question, a bell rang.
"The class bell! O-oh I better go…But before that, check your MonoWatches for your class schedule!"
And Monokuma disappeared.
How... anticlimactic.
"I guess we should check out the schedule." Shuichi tapped the screen of his MonoWatch. After navigating the user interface for a moment, he came to his class schedule.
8:00 | Rise and Shine
9:00 | Breakfast in Cafeteria (ERROR)
10:00—18:00 | Self Study
19:00 | Dinner in Cafeteria (ERROR)
20:00 | Cleanup Duty
21:59 | Lights Out
22:00—6:00 | Nighttime
Any time not accounted for is break time!
The door to the solarium swung open.
Shuichi and Kokichi shared a look. Something lurked in those violet orbs, something dark and knowing.
There were many things he still could not comprehend. A plethora of questions where each answer lead nowhere. Who brought them here? What was "Team Wolf?" Why did it seem like he and Kokichi started off with more credits than the rest? Shuichi could not help but feel something else was at play here.
He braced himself and stepped through the door.