Prologue 0-1
Enter a World of Survival and Horror
Day 01, 8:45 PM
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As the car rumbled down the poorly paved road, the driver squinted as they tried to make something out up ahead. The night was that kind of dark, where the lack of light seems to suffocate you. The driver had their headlights and high beams on, but that barely felt like enough to handle this kind of sea of inkiness.
What the driver saw was a town sign, faded and chipped and old. The sign said:
WELCOME TO THE CITY OF
PENJAR
Please stay awhile, you'll appreciate a cozy town!
The shapes of the letters were still there, but the paint had faded or chipped away across the sign. It seemed intentional, because the last line read out just by the paint alone as the light reflected off of it:
Fle e while you c a n
"Wow, how inviting," the driver grumbled to themselves as they carried forward. The car bumped and tossed a little more, then the drive was quite smooth. Though the lights from the car were starting to lose their usage, as a thick mist was forming in front of the vehicle.
After one block into the town, the mist was so thick that the driver didn't want to dare driving any further. Noticing there were parking lots on both sides of the road, with hotels next to them, they pulled into one of them.
It was empty, devoid of all vehicles. The lights weren't working, the only lights from the moon above and the car's headlights. The parking lot's floor was stained and chipped like a well-worn lot would be, but also had the crusty look and feel of a long-since abandoned area.
The driver stepped out of the car after parking, greeted with the stale and slightly damp smell of concrete. The mists that had filled the road were not as thick inside the parking lot, but the area was terribly empty and more than a little creepy. The door slamming shut on the car seemed to echo forever.
As the visitor to Penjar walked out of the lot and glanced down the road, the mists slowly flowed down the street and sidewalk. Walking through it, it seemed to curl and move to allow someone to pass through it. A swift flick from the human's wrist sent it "splashing" through the air, then down into the river of it all.
Trying to shake this off, the person walked up the sidewalk some, eyeing the buildings. It was the usual kind of road, with a hotel, a few buildings of varying business, and a car lot at the far end. Each building was old and dilapidated, the paint peeling off, the windows crusty. It definitely felt like a town that time and people had forgotten for God knows how many years.
As the guest of this ghost town walked down the road, they saw that one of the buildings, a hotel, contained light inside; it had been hard to notice, the time-faded windows and dreary curtains blocked most of it while the moonlight was reflecting off of the mists quite a bit.
Approaching the hotel, the neon sign near it flicked, ever so briefly. "BEDS AVAILABLE" blinked a few times, and the person arriving tilted their head in confusion. For one brief moment, it looked like some of the letters were glowing only… the 'AVA' part, the second 'B' mostly lighting up…
"BE WARE"
A disgusted sigh came from the person as they shook their head and pushed this notion aside. It was just their mind playing tricks on them, who wouldn't be chilled in a time-ravaged town like this?
Still, it was worth investigating. They walked up to the main door and tried it, slightly surprised that it opened. Stepping in, the smell of uncared interior met their nostrils, not a very pleasant one.
The lights were on, showcasing chairs and a sofa that had sheets and cushions on them as a once-pleasant waiting room. The front desk was in ruins, the counter having caved in; possibly some wild animal broke the foundations? It was a bit odd, since everything else appeared fine (but very old) in the lobby.
The person sighed as they glanced down one of the hallways, seemingly to the rooms of this small-town hotel. They shrugged and decided to see the condition of those rooms, probably just as bad as the lobby but still worth a look. The floor creaked as they walked towards the hallway, passing by the couch…
Then the couch moved upwards and greeted them.
"Hello there~"
"AAAAAAAUGH!"
"WAAAAAAAAH!"
Both women shrieked and jumped up a few feet, the one on the sofa underneath the sheets climbing to the head up against the wall. After their heart rates finally calmed down, both took a moment to study the other.
"What the hell," the woman who had entered just a minute ago declared, thrusting a gloved finger at the sofa girl, "was that for?!"
"I didn't do it on purpose," was the girl's response, red eyes wide in surprise. "You just woke me up, and I saw you. I forgot I kind of had a few blankets over me."
Noting that there were about five sheets at least scattered about, the gloved woman scratched the back of her head. Her dark blue hair resembled a waterfall, especially with it draped on her shoulders clad in white. "You still came up quite suddenly."
"Yeah, this place has made me sleep really lightly," the crimson-eyed black-haired gal said as she climbed off of the sofa and stood up. She stretched, her back cracking and her joints popping. "Ohhhh yeah, that's better~ I've definitely slept and passed out in weirder areas and positions though, not all that bad."
"Say what? No wait, never mind that," the white-clad lady declared. "Who are you, and what are you doing here?"
"Now now, don't you think I have the right to ask you the same thing? I mean, this isn't exactly a place you just stroll into."
The blue-haired woman sighed in irritation, then crossed her arms. It had to be done underneath her large breasts, to prevent them from noticeably bouncing as she huffed in annoyance. "I don't like having to explain myself to someone who nearly gave me a heart attack. If you would kindly?"
"Oh fine, fine," the only slightly-taller gal said, then grinned and placed her hands on her hips. "Hello there, new acquaintance, I am Anzu Amika."
"Anzu, okay then. My name is Saiko Kobayashi, and I'm here on official business, you could say."
"Really? Who with?"
Saiko pursed her lips, then sighed again and rubbed her temples. "Okay, maybe not official. But I feel like I need to be here, due to my profession and responsibilities. Maybe coming here was a mistake?"
"What do you do, may I inquire?"
Anzu stepped forward, and her dyed blue bangs bounced playfully as she tilted her head to the side. Saiko noticed that this gal was definitely lacking shame, what with her thin summer blouse showcasing her cleavage and bra, a tattoo of a heart visible on her right breast. Everything about her seemed to showcase a really playful tomboy, except for how very pale this girl was.
"Listen," Saiko spoke, having to glance up just a little as even this short tomboy was taller than her stature, "I'm a forensic investigator, and I am here in this city because I think there is something to be discovered here."
"You too?"
Saiko almost reeled back in shock as she stared at the tomboy. Anzu merely blinked her crimson eyes and giggled, clasping her hands together. "By any chance," the forward gal said, "were you a student at Hope's Peak Academy too?"
"'Too'? Wait, I feel like I am missing something here."
"You see, Saiko, I am a graduate of Hope's Peak Academy too. And I also came to this rather hideous town for some answers."
Saiko stared at her, then huffed and said, "Okay, perhaps you should explain in greater detail. I do not like vague talk as if we're trying to hide something from someone listening in."
Anzu laughed, then walked towards the center of the lobby. She held her hands out, as if appealing to an audience. "Let me spell it out for you, my dear!"
"Over two years ago, the world was affected by The Tragedy. This event started at Hope's Peak Academy, where the Reserve Course and people around the large school for highly gifted students started to riot. No one quite knows what started it, but what is known is that Despair was involved.
What is Despair? We do not know, but it seems to be a plague of sorts. Victims of this epidemic usually catch it by witnessing some of the worst events they could possibly imagine, and thus they start to commit atrocities of the same caliber. It is like witnessing that kind of sadistic cruelty forces someone to become part of it.
The moment the riots started around Hope's Peak Academy, it spread like wildfire throughout the world. Every civilized continent was overrun with people who were affected by Despair. Millions died in the manner of one year, and more would continue to die in horrific murders.
This disease, or whatever it is, is known as Despair because those who have been affected by it but cured described it as such. There was no joy in their hearts, no care for others, not even themselves. It was as if the entire world was just a cold, horrible, lightless void, and the only way to feel something, anything, was to cause as much sadistic pain as possible. Once would not be enough, a hundred times was not enough.
When Despair spread across the world, eventually there would be a light to shine through. Organizations in Japan, America, and Canada came through with a cure for Despair, agents willing to put their lives on the line to save civilization. There were rumors that the Japanese organization known as the Future Foundation consists mostly of Hope's Peak Academy students, staff, and graduates.
After all, the most talented and incredible members of generations would be the ones to stop the worst of circumstances. And while we are not members of that organization, there is a part we are meant to play here.
You see, even though Despair has all but died out entirely, the Killing Games have continued. Televised broadcasts of cruel games of murder and mystery were sent across the world, Despair the headline for each one. And the scale of how big these murder games showcased that while Despair and those embroiled in it, some of them quite willingly, they are highly connected.
A space station, a moon base, a floating island? Such feats would take the efforts of the most powerful nations, but the members of Despair took control of each one. How is Despair so powerful, so resourceful, and so destructive?
Millions died during The Tragedy, possibly a billion in total across the world. Those who lay in hiding are still able of committing world-threatening atrocities. It's even next to impossible to detect someone being affected by Despair until it is too late.
So why are you here? What is Penjar? And what do you hope to find here?
The answers… will come in due time!
Anzu finished, and curtsied. "There. Does that clear up everything for you, my dear?"
Saiko blinked, her mouth slightly agape in surprise. Then she shook her head, and declared, "Wh-what was all that for?"
"You wanted to know why I would be here? Because I, like you I would guess, am here because we found some kind of clue on what caused The Tragedy, what made Despair."
The raven haired gal chuckled, politely covering her mouth for a moment before she stared at the confused lady in front of her. "Actually," she said, "maybe I should reintroduce myself to you, since we're both graduates of Hope's Peak Academy.
"Hello there, Saiko. My name is Anzu Amika, the Ultimate Adult Actress. It is a pleasure to meet you~"
There was a silence, then Saiko found the most appropriate word to use. "What."
"Oh, perhaps I should explain that too. You see, my title was the Ultimate Actress when I was registered to Hope's Peak Academy. I am actually a pretty good actress, and I have been performing since I was a little girl. Some say I was so good that they thought I was literally the character.
"But I kind of fell into hard times before Hope's Peak, which I got to enter when I was eighteen. I don't regret it all that much, because I took to my new field like a champ! And thus, I was a bit of a queen of the underground, a leader and pioneer of acting in erotic films."
"Really now," Saiko said, deadpan expression and voice. "You're going to be proud of the fact that you did porn as a Hope's Peak Academy student?"
"Like I said, I'm not ashamed, though they gave me the title of Actress, I just tacked on the adult part when dealing with people who'll find out eventually. Like, say, a detective as you said you were."
Chuckling again, Anzu reached forward and booped Saiko's nose with the tip of her finger. "And I'm guessing I'm talking to the Ultimate Forensic Investigator?"
Saiko rubbed her nose, and then shrugged. "Okay, fine. But why the hell are you here? What's a porn star want with this mysterious town?"
"Rumors spread throughout the adult film industry very fast, it is its own gossip ring. I lost a lot of friends and coworkers during The Tragedy, the world was not kind to the men and women who did erotic entertainment."
Anzu sighed and tugged at one of her blue bangs. "When things finally settled down, I heard from this one gal who survived an encounter with a frenzied Despair cultist. She said that there was a town that meant a lot to them, and this cultist dropped a map where it was located. She wanted nothing to do with it…
"But I did. I want to find out what happened, and how to stop it," the pale actress said with confidence. She placed a hand over her heart and said, "And I felt if I find out anything, I'll let the authorities know. No sense going to them without any proof."
"No proof? What about the map?"
"I, um," she stammered, "lost it, when I got here. It vanished on me, as if its purpose was fulfilled."
"Or you were just really clumsy," Saiko said with a frustrated grunt. "I would have liked to see that map."
"Well how did you get here?"
"Not much to tell about that," Saiko said, as she reached into her pocket. She pulled out a bag containing a lot of lollipops, plucked one out, and started to suck on the treat. "I, along with some other colleagues of mine from Hope's Peak Academy, found something a while back…"
"Really? What was it?"
"I would rather find out if they arrived in town yet, I thought I would be the last one to the party. You see…"
Day 01, 9:01 PM
South-Eastern Border Entrance of Penjar
"During an expedition into one of the cities ravaged by The Tragedy, my fiancé and I found this."
The young man held up a journal, offering it to the person standing in front of them. This person gratefully accepted it, and started to rifle through the pages.
"Oh I should have introduced myself by now, my apologies. I just was so surprised to find someone here, someone else from Hope's Peak, that I forgot to!"
"That's fine, I think we're all a bit distracted right now," the woman holding the journal said as she fanned away some of the mist that had floated in front of the pages.
"Anyway," the tall man said with a smile, bowing slightly, "my name is Isaac Bellamy, and I am the Ultimate Reporter."
He adjusted the beanie on his head, which had the news station NHK logo upon it. It was fitting for the field look he was definitely aiming for, with his leather jacket, tank top and jeans, and work boots. There was also a touch of stubble on his chin, completing the slightly grizzled appearance.
"And this," he said, as he wrapped his arm around the lovely lady next to him, "is my wonderful fiancé!"
"Hello," the Indian woman said with a polite but shy smile. She leaned up against Isaac for a little extra support, and said, "My name is Hara Pathik, and I was the Ultimate Explorer. Though most of the time, I just end up making sure this fellow here doesn't get in trouble."
Isaac laughed aloud, and said, "Well, I mean, we both have the same passions, what can I say? We love to go out there and find the answers, see the sights, do the right thing, you know?"
The person holding the journal nodded, glancing down at the drawings of fairly disturbing macabre. They sighed and glanced back up at the couple, smiling a bit and saying, "You two look just adorable. Tell me, did you meet in Hope's Peak Academy?"
"Sure did! We kind of hooked up there, and we've been working together ever since," Isaac said, grinning proudly.
Hara lifted a hand to her necklace, which had an engagement ring around it. It was quite fancy looking, compared to her clothing that was definitely the apparel of someone who would be legging it through tough terrain and times.
"When Isaac, Saiko, and myself found this journal, we wanted to find some answers," she explained. "I told Isaac I wasn't going to let him go alone, no matter what; you have no idea how hard it is to get him to change his mind."
"Hey, if I wasn't stubborn, I wouldn't be a good reporting, sweetheart!" Isaac protested. He laughed it off, and then stared at the person holding their find. "So, what was your name again?"
He pulled out a notepad and a pencil, ready to take notes. The woman reading the journal took a second to realize she was more or less being interviewed, and said, "I am Pyrrha Poole, and I am the Ultimate Romance Writer. Thank you, by the way."
"For what, letting you see the journal?" Isaac asked, as he scribbled down notes.
"No, for showing me what a sweet romantic couple can look like," Pyrrha said with a joyful laugh. "A Hope's Peak Academy couple, it's SO romantic! I have always wanted to see something like that happen, I mean, I am sure there have been couples before, but I haven't met anyone who got married! Or engaged, but you get the gist of what I'm saying! So…
"How'd you meet? What was it like? When was this? Have you met each other's families yet? Do you plan on honeymooning at some far off place because of your talents? Are you-"
"Whoa whoa whoa," Isaac exclaimed, stopping his writing as the romance writer went off like a bullet train. "Calm down there."
"He's so not used to being the one interviewed," Hara said with a giggle, playfully pushing his shoulder.
"Sorry, sorry," Pyrrha said, blushing as she ran a hand through her hair, the red waterfall braids appearing to be a crimson waterfall. She adjusted her clothing, which also looked like a hiker's get-up, except for a rather splendid cloak that she had on. "I just get so excited over romance, I forget what I am doing at times!"
"Well, what brought you here, Pyrrha?" Isaac questioned. "You didn't come here to Penjar for romance, I am guessing?"
"A bit of a tip I overheard in the writer's community. You see, there were rumors that to create the greatest tragedy of written works, you'd have to follow Despair, but I'm not for that; however, I am interested in how to conquer it, how love can shine through~!
"So I kind of felt around in the writing community until I found directions to this… town," she said, glancing down the forgotten roads with mists combing through them. "I wanted to see what I could do, and what I could create as a result."
"Well, we definitely found something here," Hara remarked, also glancing around. "The only question is… what exactly?"
They stood in silence for a few seconds, and during that brief time, they could hear footfalls. They were heavy, almost intense, as they were coming from around a corner. When the owner turned around it, the three of them almost jumped in astonishment.
The young lady appeared extremely pale at first, but then they realized that was face paint. What looked to be ritualistic scarring was actually thin black diamonds painted over her eyes. She was wearing mostly white and gray, her dark hair done up in a long, messy ponytail.
When she saw them, she rolled her eyes and strolled forward. No one spoke, waiting for her to say something, but she never did.
"Um, hello?" Isaac said to the frowning lady. "Can we help you?"
The woman shook her head.
"You don't live here," Hara asked, "do you?"
The woman shook her head again.
"Are you single? Do you require any advice on how to find a proper match?" chirped Pyrrha.
The mysterious woman made a face of confusion, glancing at Isaac for an explanation. Instead, Isaac cleared his throat and said, "You wouldn't happen to be from Hope's Peak Academy too, would you?"
She shrugged, then pulled something out of her pocket: a business card. Isaac read it out loud, " 'Ignatia Nazario, Ultimate Mime.'"
Taking back the card rather abruptly, the mime tucked it back into her pocket and started to walk away. Hara called out, "Wait! Shouldn't we stick together, if we're all here looking for answers?"
Ignatia didn't respond with anything but a shrug, as she walked off down the misty road. The three graduates stared in confusion, until Pyrrha said, "Wow, she certainly is dedicated to her craft, isn't she?"
Day 01, 9:06 PM
Eastern Border Entrance of Penjar
"What kind of crap is this?!"
A horrible cracking sound echoed throughout the surrounding area, amplified by whatever acoustics were provided in the derelict town. The small, dead tree that had been kicked broke in half and crashed down to the ground.
"I traveled all this way for a place that looks so fucking dead, not even hobos would want to move into it? What is this shit?!"
He huffed angrily, adjusting his rather casual clothing. It was a rather stark contrast to the lady who was standing nearby him, wearing a very regal jacket with a highly pronounced and pointy collar. Even their colors were different, with the young man in orange and dark blue, her in cyan and white.
"So then," the lady said, "not even going to introduce yourself, are you?"
"I'm not here for pleasantries," he snapped, glaring over at her. "Though I am wondering why someone who looks like she stepped out of a king's court is here."
The young lady laughed, covering her mouth before flipping her blond ponytail back dramatically. "Crystal Wilson, the Ultimate Military Adviser. I've been handling Despair ever since it started around Hope's Peak Academy, and I am here to find a few answers for myself… since I doubt anyone would believe me if they saw this town that something important was here."
"Sounds all really fancy and above my pay grade," the guy grumbled. "Well whatever, I'm-"
"Blake Shokyaku, the Ultimate Pyro," she finished for him. Crystal merely raised an eyebrow when she saw his flustered expression. "Do you really think you would not be noticed by a military tactician when you were at Hope's Peak Academy?"
Blake stammered a bit, then growled. "What, you wanted to hire me for my usage of fire? I heard the army does love napalm, but my speciality is more with Greek fire."
He flexed his arm, showcasing the tattoo he had of flames that raced up and down that strong bicep. Crystal shook her head, tsk-tsk'ing at this.
"Heavens no, but I was quite aware of people of interest and concern in the classes around me, and you caught my attention… mostly because you had to be escorted off of school premise multiple times to go back to prison."
"Hey, I did my time, blondie," Blake shouted angrily. "What, you think I didn't deserve to be there? I have a perfectly legit job now, I help out in preventing fires too."
"Even if that is true, you are the last person I expected to see in a place like this. What on Earth would bring you here to find out more about the Despair that ravaged our world?"
"Just goes to show you, you don't know everything about everyone, lady," Blake said. "Anyway, I don't need your help or your commentary, so if you'll excuse me-"
"Excuse me."
"GAAAAAH!"
Blake nearly leapt three feet in the air as there was not one, but two people standing nearby him most suddenly. Crystal didn't so much as flinch, but watched in amusement as Blake gaped at the two new persons near him.
They were rather startling to see in person. The male was wearing a full-face mask that resembled a fox, his clothing a regal combination of black and white, the cloak resembling fox tails as well. He was leaning on a black cane, gently pulling his large black ponytail behind his back.
The woman who stood next to him silently seemed a bit more impatient. She had her arms crossed in a huff, lips pursed and eyes rolling behind her upper-face mask that resembled an owl.
Both of their clothing was so astonishing, it had been the reason Blake had reacted the way he did. She had on a red belly shirt with a black vest, a white cowl on top of her wildly colored hair, and black pants and boots. The skin visible was covered in tattoos, resembling owls at every part.
The man's black 'n white shirt and suit were like something of a gentleman's attire at a fancy costume ball. When he lifted his fox mask, however, the tattoos of fox whiskers on his face proved it was more than just an elaborate costume.
"Am I to believe," the fox-themed male said, "that both of you are also Hope's Peak Academy students?"
Blake's expression and clenched fists were much more saying, 'I am going to flatten you weirdly dressed freaks.' So it was Crystal who spoke. "That is correct. Forgive me, I do not remember you two."
"That is quite alright, my dear, but I am sure I would have remembered you; that is one smart jacket you are wearing, I must say."
"Designed it myself, but I get the feeling that it's nothing compared to what I am seeing on you two. It's very impressive."
"Why thank you, my dear lady, but I have not introduced us. My name is Yejoon Nahm, known in some cases as Yeou, and I am known as the Ultimate Male Artist. The gender part is simply because my dear counterpart and blood relation here was accepted shortly after."
"Oh, you just have to mention that you were excepted first, didn't you?" the gal snapped, her eyes shooting daggers up at the tall artist. "I am so going to get you for that."
"I await with great anticipation," Yejoon said with a teasing smile. "But maybe you should introduce yourself too?"
The gal sighed, regarding both of them. "My name is Jin Nahm, though sometimes I go by the name Olppaemi, that's just for art shows and such. I'm the Ultimate Female Artist, but you can leave out the female part. I'm so much more the artist than he is, he's just a showy showman."
"You're just a couple weirdos, is what you are," Blake spat out. "What's a couple artists want with a town like this, anyway? You cannot be here for the same reason we are!"
Jin growled, placing her hands on her hips as she glared right back at Blake. Yejoon hummed as he glanced over at Crystal, and asked, "I don't know, are we?"
Day 01, 9:20 PM
North-Eastern Border Entrance of Penjar
"You're here for WHAT?"
The lovely lady in red laughed at the rather astonished reaction she had received from the other gal. With a brilliant smile and a rather sensual coo, she reached forward and placed her hand on the shorter lady.
"Relax, my dear, I was only teasing. I had thought this was just going to be a small town, according to my sources, not some hideous ghost town. I didn't know that a cutie-pie like you would be here alone, but I mean you no harm."
The shorter gal sighed in relief, but still looked very tense. She quickly adjusted her clothing, which had the appearance of a proper school uniform; the blazer she was wearing was a bit more official than that, something more like what staff would wear.
"Okay, sorry, I kind of overreacted. But I have to say, upon hearing you say you came here to steal my heart, and looking at you, I think I know who you are."
"Oh really now?" the glorious looking gal said, taking a rather elegant pose. Her red cheongsam dress gleamed in the moonlight, giving her quite the flourish with the mists swirling around her long legs clad in black stockings and red stilettos. "And who am I?"
"I am going to guess… Angelique Angolmois, the Ultimate Opera Singer. I went to Hope's Peak Academy too, and you had quite the reputation… and voice."
"Oh my darling, you are most kind! You saw me perform?"
"A few times, yes. It was amazing! Though I do kind of know a lot of the history of students at Hope's Peak Academy, due to my own talent."
Angelique stared up and down the girl, admiring her dyed mauve hair, cute features, and the professional school look to her. She smiled, and said, "I'm guessing something that has to do with librarian?"
"Close, but I am Shinobu Takahashi, the Ultimate Historian. I am rather knowledgeable about a great many things, as well as the history of Hope's Peak Academy."
"Beauty and brains, what a catch to find out here in the middle of nowhere," Angelique said, stepping closer to the now quite nervous Shinobu. "So what brings a lovely thing like you out here then? I am guessing something that has to do with Hope's Peak Academy?"
"Yes, and the Tragedy. You too, I would imagine?"
"Yes, I hope to find some answers."
"Me three!"
Both Shinobu and Angelique cried out and jumped back (which was very impressive for Angelique with her high heels). Someone had snuck up on them, which was incredibly startling because this person was anything but subtle looking.
This clown was wearing azure and yellow all over, from his jester hat to his insanely gaudy and frilly shirt and pants, and big ol' jester shoes. The patterns on his clothing were a spectacle of themselves, and that wasn't counting for his face. His make-up, resembling a Jack O' Lantern on his face, his clown nose, and his eyes which a pure solid azure on one side, and yellow on the other.
As he leaned forward, his orange drill-like bangs bounced around with his movement. "I'm telling ya, ladies, this is the place to be for when you want answers! My travel agent, hoo boy, he's going to hear from my lawyer about this as soon as he graduates from law school!"
Shinobu and Angelique just stared in astonishment. Neither of them had ever been approached like this before, ever, and certainly not by a clown.
"But I'm telling you right now, girls and more girls, this ghost town looks so dead, that even the ghosts have packed up and moved to a new place! We might even find spooky scary skeletons here, don't that put shivers down your spine!"
He lifted his knee and slapped it, then proceeded to fall over backwards, roll around, and get right back up on his feet. Adjusting his hat, he said, "And now I should introduce myself before I start to look silly, shouldn't I?"
"I'm Odelios Shintani, the Ultimate Clown! Haha, and what an audience you've been! Put 'er there!"
He extended his hand towards the two ladies, who simply stared at him. An awkward silence followed, then Odelios said, "There's no joy buzzer, that's the one prop I didn't bring with me. C'mon, I don't want to look ridiculous here."
"Are you intentionally trying to scare them," a voice behind Odelios said, "or are you normally this thick?"
A rather handsome man walked up from behind the impressive collection of blue, yellow, and goofy. This man was dressed rather normally but definitely for movement, with a scarf, riding gloves, and a sash on over his regular clothing. The scar across the bridge of his nose, as well as the marking of a spade on his forehead that was a combination of tattoo and scar, were rather intimidating.
Though one who wasn't intimidated was Angelique, who ran over and threw her arms around the man in a big hug. "Yitro, my dear friend! I am so glad to see you are alive! Where have you been, my dear?"
Yitro chuckled and hugged her back, then looked her over. "You still are as amazing as ever to behold, glad to see you're alive too."
"Oh Yitro, you still have that charm to you; you shouldn't keep wasting it on me, though."
Giggling in joy, Angelique turned to see the other two were watching in confusion. "Oh, I'm sorry dears. This is Yitro Stana, the Ultimate Swordsman. He was my classmate throughout Hope's Peak Academy!"
"Really now?" Odelios said, grinning and it being so much of a grin with his make-up. "Way to go, dude."
"First off, no, Angelique and I are just friends," Yitro said. "And secondly, I'm sorry to say, Angel, that I'm not the Ultimate Swordsman anymore. That… is something that I have left behind."
Angelique covered her mouth in astonishment, then said, "Yitro, dear, what happened to you? Please, tell me."
Before he could speak again, there was a howling roar in the distance. It was rather unsettling, like a monster that was making its rounds around the ghost town…
Day 01, 9:25 PM
Northern Border Entrance of Penjar
The roar of the engine died down, as the rider came to a halt right in front of the old-school bar with large, time-crusty windows. The motorcyclist pulled the helmet off of her head, and placed it on the bike's seat. She blinked as she stared at the derelict building, and chuckled.
"Might as well see if they got a damn drink in this ugly-ass t'oon," she said before heading on over to the front door.
When she opened it up, there was a faint flooding of light, which hadn't been able to penetrate the filthy windows. The lights were dim but working, and they illuminated the inside of the pub.
There was a man and a woman seated at a table, as if they were casual customers in this ghost town. From behind the counter was another guy, working with the tools like a barista. The three all turned around as one when the biker pushed the door open.
"Wow, another person?" the woman said, correcting her glasses as she stared at the biker. "This is becoming quite the pattern, just how many people got a tip about this place?"
"Maybe that theory you were talking about earlier is true?" the man seated at the table asked. "Though I doubt four people would make it 'common knowledge'."
"H-hello there," the young man behind the counter stammered, smiling shyly at the lady. "Would you like some coffee? The stuff here still works!"
"Coffee? Made here? Whatever grounds they have here ain't gonna be worth shit, man," the biker declared. "Well, I mean, did you bring your 'oon?"
"Y-yes, but it's all rather instant stuff, if that's okay?"
"Honey, you think I'm gonna get picky in a place like this? You just do your thing!"
The biker walked over to the table next to the two seated, and sat down in the chair while quickly leaning back on it. Kicking her thick boots up on the table, she crossed her arms behind her head. "So… some of you look a little familiar. Especially you, handsome."
She pointed at the seated young man, who almost flinched at receiving such attention. "Um, I don't recall seeing you before, m'lady, and I am certain that I would remember someone who looked like you."
The biker laughed, rubbing her cheek where a scratch scar was rather prominent. Her bright green hair shimmered in the faint light as she shook her head. Pulling off her leather biker's jacket, she set it on the chair's head as she leaned back further on the chair.
"Sorry, but I recognize an accent like that anywhere, handsome. You're from Novoselic, aren't you?"
The man ran a hand through his curly black hair, trying to calm himself down. With a deep breath, he said, "Yes, I am Ken Kishi, the Ultimate Cavalryman. I assume you went to Hope's Peak Academy then? I know that I wasn't the only one from my country who went there."
"Sure did. My name is Kimiko Hashiriya, the Ultimate Biker Gang Leader. You're definitely not dressed like one, but I kind of can tell by your accent and looks that you are Novoselic; it's very distinct, eh."
"So's your accent," Ken replied, a small smile on his face. He straightened out his plain hoodie, which did look rather unusual on someone who was quite fit and strong looking. "Canadian, right?"
"That's my home, eh," Kimiko said with a smile. She glanced over at the woman seated at the table with Ken, and asked, "And what about you, cutie?"
"Oh please stop the ridiculous flirting," the woman said with a roll of her eyes. "My name is Futaba Imajuku, and I am the Ultimate Anthropologist. It's my job to watch and observe, not to get involved, so I don't need you coming onto me."
"Then why are you seated at a table with handsome here?" Kimiko asked.
"That's different! Do you know how hard it is to find someone from Novoselic these days? Their country, my apologies Ken, is gone, and their culture needs to be remembered! I just wanted to talk to him and gather what I could!"
Ken sighed heavily, and ran a hand through his hair again. He then rested it on the handle of a broadsword, still in its scabbard, that Kimiko had managed to not see due to her previous angle.
"I'm more of a Japanese citizen than Novoselician nowadays, m'lady," Ken said to Futaba. "My apologies, I just don't have much enthusiasm talking about home. I'd much rather try to find out what I can here. To get information of this place was a miracle in itself, I refuse to let it go to waste."
"I understand, but that's why I am here too," Futaba said, then glanced over at Kimiko. "Though I have no idea why a punk like you would be here."
"Nice knowing you too, four-eyes," Kimiko replied with a cheeky grin, then she glanced over at the counter. "And you, cutie-pie!"
It took a few moments before the young man making coffee realized that Kimiko was talking to him. When he realized this, he stammered out, "Oh, h-hi. Um, well, I managed to find out about this place by someone I knew, and that's why I'm here. I… I just want to know if I can find some answers to what happened to the world, especially the Tragedy."
"Hon, we all do, but what's your name, what do you do?"
The young man adjusted his clothing, which was actually rather brightly colored like glossy paint samples. He still sounded nervous, especially with a biker gang leader questioning him. "M-my name is Drake Flare, and I was the Ultimate Cartoonist."
"A cartoonist came to a place like this... gosh, you got some balls, kid. And come to think of it, you look kind of young," Kimiko commented, scanning him over. "Are you even eighteen?"
"Y-yes, I am! I was actually… well, I kind of raced through Hope's Peak Academy, was only there for two years when I was younger. I was actually in the last class that graduated before… before all that bad stuff started to happen."
He finished the coffee and brought the mugs over to the three. Kimiko drank hers down quickly, the lack of a kick to the drink clearly bothering her, but she shrugged it off. "Thanks, kid. I appreciate it. But do you have any clues to this place? Because that's why I'm here, eh."
"Not really," Drake admitted. "I think we're all a little lost…"
Day 01, 9:31 PM
North-Western Border Entrance of Penjar
"I AM SO LOST!"
The frustrated screams and grunts of an angry woman echoed down the misty streets, as well as the upset ripping of paper and stomping of said object on the floor.
"Lead me to a wild goose chase to this place that wouldn't even be a proper setting for a horror movie! It looks like you could get tetanus from simply staring at this place for too long!"
More angry huffing followed, as well as a swift kick to something metal. Then there was a strained cry as the one doing the kicking had thought that the old mailbox would be knocked over, but it had only refused her angry attack by standing firm and leaving her quite perturbed and sore.
"Aw, anteaters," the young lady cursed, sitting down and rubbing her leg. She sighed as she watched the map she had shredded in anger flutter away in the wind, having destroyed her hint of where this place would be. With an angry groan, she muttered, "Well, at least it cannot get any worse."
HONK! SCREEEEEEEECH!
There was barely any time to react as she saw headlights suddenly pierce the mist and come straight at her, as well as the several tons of metal that was a car. The woman shrieked and did what someone who is about to be hit by a car should do: hold their hands up in the hopes that would stop a vehicle from running them over.
Instead of being road kill, the lady was spared when the car swerved, spiraled, and then smacked up against a tree. The lady sat there, in shock, as the driver pulled their very angry self out of the car.
"… hijo de puta, what the fuck is wrong with you, you dumb broad!? Sitting in the middle of the road! I should have run your dumb ass over, look at what happened to my car!"
The tall and wiry man stomped over to her, intimidating her all the more. His sleeves were rolled up, as if ready for a fight, and she spotted a tattoo of what looked like a couple skulls on his arm. With his green eyes blazing, his stern face tightened in a furious glare, she felt it would be best to explain herself to this very angry man.
"… I kicked a mailbox, and it didn't move," she started. "And then when I was nursing my leg, I sat down here, and-"
"Dios mio, I so do not want to hear it!"
The man reached into his pocket and pulled out a flask that had a couple skulls much like his tattoo printed on it. He opened it up and downed quite a bit, as he ran a hand through his hair. "God damn it, I knew it was a mistake coming here. Not one minute into this… what the fuck is up with this town, anyway?"
He started to wander off, not looking at the woman or his car. As he continued to drink and ramble, footsteps could be heard approaching.
"What happened?" declared a young man who suddenly came from around a corner, along with another man right behind him. He glanced around at the surrounding area, trying to find out if he had indeed heard a car crash of sorts.
The one who had spoken was wearing a black trench coat, as well as a nice looking suit and tie with his pants and boots. He was also wearing a utility belt, something that kind of stood out amid his apparel.
Next to the young man was a rather stern looking soldier type, also wearing a utility belt. The blue-haired man was dressed in black camo clothing from his shoulders down to his feet. When he was done surveying the scene, the blue-haired man sighed as he leaned against a mailbox.
"Do I even want to know what happened here?" he asked.
"Are you hurt?" the black-haired man inquired, extending a hand to her.
The young lady winced as she pulled herself up. "I… may be looking at a lawsuit, but I'm fine nonetheless."
She brushed herself off, which gave the men time to notice how oddly dressed she was. Her vest was black, her shirt was white, her pants her red. She also had on a cravat, which covered up what would have been rather impressive cleavage with how much her top was stacked. The lady also had on a brown fedora on top of white 'n black hair.
The lady was so much of a contrast to how stern the two men were dressed, that even her dark tan skin made her look completely different from the two Japanese men.
"Um, well," the raven haired man said, "perhaps we should introduce ourselves. Hello, I'm Shuuya Yukimura, known as the Ultimate Bounty Hunter."
"And I'm," the blue-haired soldier said, "Takeo Onishi, the Ultimate Mercenary. Looks like you unfortunately picked the wrong two people to get involved when you caused an accident, lady."
The young lady groaned and rubbed her arm, still feeling rather embarrassed and ashamed. "Um, well, I can afford it, so I don't have to make a run for it. Anyway, about introductions, I am Fiora R. Stenton, and I am the Ultimate Movie Maker! I have to say, I didn't think I would run into other Hope's Peak graduates here too! How fascinating-"
"Hey, speed bump bitch!"
The driver of the car stomped over, wiping his mouth and exhaling forcibly. "Don't try to lie to these people, I know who you really are!"
"Wh-what?"
"Yeah, there's no mistaking that stupid look of yours and that name! You aren't a movie maker, you make some of the dumbest, pieces of shit movies ever made! Trust me when I say that your work is basically what a bunch of people watch when they get drunk at a film festival…"
He laughed and poked her chest, adding, "You've been known as the Ultimate B-Movie Maker, ever since you graduated from Hope's Peak!"
Fiora whined, gripping her fedora. "No no no, don't spread that title around! Are you telling me even in a ghost town in the middle of nowhere, I cannot escape it?!"
"You seem rather… observant," Shuuya said, eyeing the man who had revealed Fiora's secret. "I'm going to guess you're a detective too?"
"Listen bounty hunter, I'm sure you've seen some shit, so forgive me I don't want to identify myself in such common terms. I…"
He sighed and took another swig of his flask, before continuing. "My name is Emanuel Salmuera, and I will only go by the title of Ultimate Bête Noir. Don't fucking forget it, just like this bitch here shouldn't forget that she's gonna have to pay for what she did to my car."
Emanuel walked back towards his vehicle, leaving the three behind as if the conversation was complete. Shuuya just stared in silence, as Takeo glanced over at Fiora.
"B-movies, huh?" he asked. "Wait, that name! Were you the one who made that movie about zombie cavemen and sabertooth cats?"
"Um… maybe."
"I saw that on an inflight movie, that was some of the funniest shit I've ever seen in my life!"
Day 01, 9:31 PM
Western Border Entrance of Penjar
"This has got to be the freakiest shit I've ever seen in my life."
The young lady walked through the road, trying to see if there was a building, or anything at all really, that didn't look like a rundown rotting piece of crap. It didn't seem very likely, because every building was as close to collapsing as the next.
She huffed, pulling her goggles down over her eyes to see if that had any affect as she tried running down the road. The mist bounced off her goggles, but it was just as slow as when it flowed down the street.
"This is a bust," she grumbled as she pulled the goggles back onto her head. "Nothing fun or exciting here, might as well…"
That was when she spotted a figure standing in a clearing of dead grass amid the buildings. This figure was reading what appeared to be a bulletin board, and it was a very feminine figure. Intrigued, the goggles-wearing gal walked forward.
"Heyo~" she called out, immediately catching the attention of the one reading the board. "Looks like I'm not alone out here! Wow, what are the odds, huh?"
As she approached, she noticed that the feminine figure was definitely a female, because of how incredible her curves and looks were. It was like she was approaching a supermodel, with one of the most beautiful frames and faces she had ever seen… as well as some of the most interesting but odd apparel.
The beauty was wearing a puffy, long sleeved white shirt with a black leather corset over it. Her short, dark red skirt was just enough for modesty, and her boots and stockings covered her long legs. On her head of raven hair was a dapper top hat with steampunk goggles around them.
"Hello," was all the goggles-wearing gal could say when she came close up to this incredible sight.
"Hello yourself, darling," the lady said, a winning smile spreading across her face. She twirled an umbrella in her hand before spearing the tip into the dead grass. "I must say I didn't think I would run into someone all the way out here, as well. But that leads me to think…"
She tapped her painted lips with her long nail, before speaking again with a more serious but just as sexy tone, "You are also aware that this place may contain some answers to what caused the Tragedy?"
"Sure did, gorgeous. I actually had to do a ton of favors and such to get here! I heard there was action, and I came for it! But…"
She stared at the fancy beauty, and asked, "Okay, I give up, why on Earth are you dressed up like that?"
"Wait, you don't know me? Well, allow me to clear that up then!"
The fancy beauty struck a fabulous pose, which had her chest sticking out, her hat tilted forward, and her arms posing with her umbrella. "I am Hikari Tetsuhime, the Ultimate Steampunk Model~ Huzzah, my darlings!
"… You can applaud now, sweetheart."
The tomboy did so, clapping as she took more time to stare at the incredible figure of the lady posing for her. Hikari also took the time to notice just how fit the other gal was.
With an athletic build behind casual workout clothing and a jacket, the purple haired girl definitely had some kind of sports theme going on. Her nose ring in the left nostril definitely gave her a punky look, while the goggles on her head painted a much more clear picture.
"Aha, an athlete of the snow and slopes, I am guessing?" Hikari said, reached forwards to trace the outline of those goggles. "I'm afraid this place isn't really fitting for that, however."
"Yes, I am Aka Fuyu, known as the Ultimate Skier. But you know what? After finding you, I don't care that there are no slopes here. It is a much more interesting place with a person like you here."
"Oh, you flattering female you! Yes, I could tell you were a skier when I saw you, you definitely look like a skier! Now normally, I'd ask a clever girl like you for coffee but… I very much doubt we can find a Starbucks in this place."
Aka shrugged and said, "I'm pretty sure you can find one anywhere. You wanna know how many slopes I've been on where the rest cabin had a Starbucks?"
Hikari giggled, then she noticed movement from behind Aka. She gently pushed her new acquaintance to the side, as a sudden rush of worry made her concerned about what was going on behind Aka's back.
Who it was didn't appear intimidating, and her fears vanished as quickly as they came. It was a young man dressed up in a black tunic and shorts, with a rather impressive scarf around his neck. Between his rather unique clothing and messy black hair with blonde tips, Hikari found herself thinking someone from a Renaissance festival had found them.
Though the staff he was carrying that appeared to be made out of fake bones, with a bony hand clenching a fake emerald in as the head, was a rather intriguing item.
"Hark!" the young man declared, approaching the two women. "I knew I heard voices, and lo and behold, there they are! My my, I truly didn't expect to see such people here…"
Before either of them could comment, he reached over to Aka, near her ear. She flinched slightly, before his hand came back with a gold, circular object in his fingers. "Aha! No wonder you didn't hear me coming up, you had a chocolate coin in your ear! Oh well, who am I to question someone's traveling habits?"
"What now?" Aka replied, confused.
Hikari chuckled, and walked over to the young man. "Now now, you shouldn't just come up on two women and shock them like that. Even though you don't look that threatening."
"Oh my poor wounded ego, I shall vent my frustrations on a pillow later, only for it to laugh at my attempts because I am not remotely threatening," the young man said, laughing and leaning on his staff.
"My, aren't you the funny one! I am guessing we have another performer here, huh?" Hikari said with a charming smile.
"I guess so, you two definitely look like the kind of people who know quality talent! I am Ishiku Shyre, and I am the Ultimate Magician! And while I don't know the one who has chocolate coins in her ear, I have heard of you, Miss Tetsuhime."
"I am so very flattered to hear that, my dear! Though I don't really do magic, so I don't know if we're in the same circle."
"It's all about the performance, my dear! The stage presentation! You simply dazzle people with how you roll, how you flow, how you go-go-gadget gizmos!
"Though I must confess, I haven't actually… seen you perform," Ishiku admitted sheepishly, his tan face reddening some. "Your performances are always sold out."
"Hehe, tis the curse of being one of the few in my field. But I think we should skip the small chat, as we are all here for a purpose."
Hikari and Ishiku nodded, but Aka seemed a touch distracted. When the two stared at her for a response, she said, "Oh sorry, I was just thinking if I had my skis right now with Hikari's umbrella and Ishiku's staff, we'd look like a fantasy adventure party."
Day 01, 9:31 PM
South-Western Border Entrance of Penjar
The last entrance to the city was the most quiet, as there was currently only one soul amid the mists and cruddy buildings. This man was seated on a bench that was old and creaky, but still sturdy enough to use. He was staring up at the sky, the stars clear and bright; they were the only things shiny to be seen in the town.
As the man sat in silence, footfalls could be heard from afar. Despite how they were getting closer, the soul at the bench didn't appear the least bit concerned. And even when someone dressed like a soldier stepped out of the mists and into sight, the bench-sitting soul merely smiled and turned his head to meet him.
"Hello, Samson Miller," the man at the bench said, "the Ultimate Trader. I'm very pleased to see someone like you here."
Samson stared in shock for a few seconds, before he recognized the person seated there. He let out a soft sigh and ran a hand against his head because his hair was too short to comb. "Okay, who are you, how do you know my name, and why are you here?"
"Why? The same reason you are, I assume. I received word of a mysterious town, shrouded in mist and forgotten with time, that contained answers to some of the biggest questions we have. I was certain I wasn't going to be the only one who could discover such an important find, so I decided to wait a bit."
He stood up, brushing off his smart, white suit. "Okay, big mistake sitting there," he said with a laugh. "I honestly thought that it would make for a really cool entrance for the first person to show up."
"Doesn't answer all of my questions, man," Samson said, crossing his strong arms over his well-built chest. The man did appear quite intimidating in his black camo gear, from the cap to his boots, he appeared ready for action at any moment; it was a stark contrast to the man in white in front of him.
"Oh, I apologize. My name is Souma Koukai, and I went by the title of Ultimate Public Speaker when I was at Hope's Peak Academy. But for now, I am simply trying to help the world, our country, and people rebuild as a member of the Future Foundation.
"Though this is a bit of a private investigation for me, because the tip I got didn't feel one hundred percent reliable. I was afraid that if I told my superiors in the Foundation about it, they would think I was just trying to look important. Well, turns out that I might not be boondoggling after all."
Samson shrugged, and replied, "Same here, in the sense that I came to find some answers. Though I was more assured of my intel, since when I get the facts, I always make sure they're good first."
"Ever the businessman, I see. Though you appear to have your military apparel than a suit… oh I'm sorry again, I appear to be getting ahead of myself. You see, as a member of Future Foundation, I do know of all the surviving graduates that made it through the Tragedy.
"So I keep tabs on some, see if I can invite them into the fold one day. I am quite good at recruiting people and motivating them, that's more or less my job in the Foundation. You, Samson, have been on my radar for some time."
Samson chuckled and cracked his knuckles. "I didn't know I was attracting so much attention. That's cool, though, I don't mind being a hook-up or merchant for an organization like the Future Foundation. Maybe if I find something here, you can recommend me?"
Souma chuckled, and was about to speak again when the two heard something. It sounded like squeaking, wheels that were overburdened and pushing hard into the ground.
The mists were thickest around their feet and legs, so the exceptionally short figure that approached them was almost hidden until there was a waving of a petite hand. Lavender pigtails with flower ribbons on them surfaced first, then there was a clatter of a suitcase being set down.
With a high-pitched, "Hup~" the person down below hopped up on the suitcase and sat down upon it, now clearly visible. It was hard to believe, upon seeing this person, how they could be hidden from sight.
The lavender hair on their head was paired with such a feminine face, fair skin, and a petite figure. A silver lab coat with a dark gray off-shoulder shirt, black shorts, white stockings, and fancy shoes were all part of a rather elaborate dress-up. And last but not least, the person was sucking on a lollipop.
"Hello there, Souma," the lavender-topped newcomer said, glancing up at the public speaker. "Nice to see you again."
"Eisei," Souma declared happily, walking over and shaking the petite being's hand. "The pleasure is all mine to see you again in person, my old friend!"
"I'm the same age as you, I'm not old."
Samson watched the exchange, and then raised an eyebrow. "You know this woman, Souma? What would bring a little girl like her into this place?"
Both Souma and Eisei stared at him. "Excuse you, Samson," the public speaker said, "but Eisei is a man."
"… What?"
Eisei raised a hand and waved. "Hello there. Eisei Amane, and I am the Ultimate Dentist. Would you like a lollipop, or would that be an upset to your image? You do appear to have a machismo look going for you right now."
Samson listened to the words coming with a deadpan, feminine tone. He stared at the flowers in Eisei's head, his clothing, then back at Souma. "Are you sure?"
"Trust me," Eisei said, hiking up one of his legs onto the suitcase for support. "Would you perchance like to see my genitalia for proof?"
"No! No no, I don't really need to go that far."
"You have an odd way about you," Eisei said, swirling the lollipop in his mouth. "But if you could step forward for one minute?"
Samson did so, as Eisei stood up on his rolling suitcase. When Samson was within reach, the petite dentist grabbed his mouth, forcing it open and looking into his maw. "Hmmm…"
"Aaaaugh! Wha… uuhwha tha all ahh ooo oo'in?!"
"Don't bite him, Samson," Souma cautioned. "He's just performing a check-up."
"Do you floss?" Eisei casually asked as he kept the struggling Samson's mouth wide open. "You look like someone who hasn't used floss in a while. I do have some if you would like, or some dental picks. It's quite handy for someone who travels a lot like I am sure you do."
"Aaaaaugh… Oo'ma, aan ooo ell im ahh lea oh ow?"
Souma shook his head, and replied, "It's best to let him finish, or he'll just try again later."
"I'll just trust that you've been brushing too, Souma," Eisei commented. "After all, you always did have the most dazzling smile I've seen."
"Your words touch me, my friend."
"And my fingers touch this guy. Now, let's really get in here and make sure this young man has no cavities."
Souma chuckled, and opened his mouth to speak. Then there was a shrill noise that blasted from nowhere and everywhere, the sound of microphone feedback.
Eisei let go of Samson, who rubbed his jaw before joining the two in trying to see where the sound was coming from. Eventually, the feedback and clattering noises could be seen coming from old, derelict megaphones attached to buildings. The rather primitive version of a city-wide broadcast was now in use.
CRRRRRRKK!
Whiiiiiiiiiiine… CRRRKRKkkkkrrrkkk… rrrrrgh…
Kkkkkkrgkkkk… whrrrrnnn… "-can't we get a working-" bzzzzt… brrrrrgh…
"No, don't try hitting it on-" CRACK! CRRCK! RRRRRNNN!
Bzzzzz… brrrrzzz… "-ain't paying fer a new one-"
Whiiiiiineeeeeee… "If it don't work this time, trying hitting-"
Kkkkkkkrghhh… "…I-THINK-IT'S-WORKING-NOW."
"It's about bear-ly time then! Ahem ahem ahem ahem! Ahem! Ahem…"
The multitude of voices echoed around every part of the city, and twenty-eight heads swiveled and tried to find the source of the sound. As it turned out, there was a plethora of megaphones set up around the city, ensuring no one would miss the message.
"Ahem," the high-pitched voice on the megaphone declared one last time out of eighteen. "Okay, now I KNOW you all out there can hear me! I'm certain of it! Trust me when I say that even though we haven't really got every camera running, we can see you. This place is being heavily monitored!"
"HELL YEAH!" another voice somewhere behind the first one declared. "We're gonna call out the guard dogs, and the guard bees! Guard bees are really hard to train, so we're gonna get our money's worth with them!"
"We don't have any guard bees!" a third and feminine voice declared. "And these are our guests, you brute!"
"Wait, are we security?" the first voice asked. "I mean, security can still treat guests, right?"
"Oh for crying out loud, give me that, youse absent-minded slubberdegolion! Gimme the mic! Gimme!"
"No way! And I'm not a slubberdegolion! I don't even know what that means!"
"I don't either, but it fits you! Gimme!"
There was more struggling sounds, whacking echoes, and a reverb effect that made the megaphones around the city tremble a little. Finally, a voice that was rather monotone and stilted spoke.
"IF-YOU-BASTARDS-COULD-MEET-AT-THE-CENTER-OF-THE-TOWN, AT-THE-PLAZA-IN-FRONT-OF-CITY-HALL, THAT-WOULD-BE-PREFERABLE. THANK-YOU."
"Who the hell," came the raspy second voice, "gave YOU permission to talk!"
WHACK! Kkkkkkkkkkkknnnnnnnnrrrr…
The city was in total silence after that, Penjar feeling like a ghost town that someone aggressively tried to breathe life into it, only for it to be left with only the swirling mists again. The twenty-eight graduates around the city, exchanged glances with those they were nearby, wondering what exactly to do.
"Maybe it would be best," Souma said to Samson and Eisei, "if we do go to the heart of the town then? I mean, at the very least, that's where others will be."
"While I'd rather not follow mysterious orders from disembodied voices," Samson muttered, "I think if we want answers, that is the place to go."
"And see," Eisei commented, "if that monotone fellow needs medical attention after being hit on the head with a microphone."
Day 01, 9:45 PM
Town Hall Plaza
It took a little bit of time, but eventually all of the graduates found their way to the center of the city. The plaza was as run-down as everything else, with a dried-up fountain amid dead trees and grass at the very center. It was a rather pitiful sight, it probably meant something to the townsfolk when it was full of life.
The town hall was a rather big building, and the marble that was used to make the front of it and the pillars to support the roof wasn't as corroded and awful looking as everything else. Sadly, the rest of the building was part of that everything else, as the windows were either crusty as hell or broken, the paint all but curled off, and the front doors looking ready to fall off.
As the graduates of Hope's Peak Academy gathered in front of the town hall, between the large building and the run-down fountain, they exchanged in some conversation with the new faces.
"Hey, I like your style," Samson said to Takeo. "Tell me, do you have a good source for your military goods?"
"No, but I have a feeling you're about to pitch me something," Takeo said with a pleased smile. "Please, lay it on me, anything but crappy rations I would be interested in buying."
"There you two are," Saiko declared as she made her way over to Isaac and Hara. "We really should have gone together, I got stuck having to deal with a porn star for a half-hour!"
"You did what now?" Hara asked in confusion, as Isaac was trying very hard not to laugh out loud.
"Aha! A fellow performer!" Odelios declared as he approached Ignatia! "I have always wanted to have a partner in crime who would let me do all the talking! And," he chuckled as the mime held up a very threatening fist near his face, "I will be doing all of the walking away now, thank you, come again."
"Wait, THE Pyrrha Poole?" Yitro declared. "Oh my, I must say, I am quite the fan of your work!"
"You are? I wouldn't think a," Pyrrha started, but then smiled and said, "I'm happy to meet a fan. Do you have a favorite?"
Blake saw Emanuel taking a swig from his flask, and the Ultimate Pyro walked over to him. "Could I get a belt of that? I think I'm gonna need it with all the weirdos around here."
"I," Futaba stammered as she looked over Yejoon and Jin. "I have so many questions."
"My my, there's definitely a variety of lovely ladies around here, aren't there?" Hikari said as she winked at Aka. "You sure you want to spend all your time on lil' ol' me?"
"Oh come on, I can already tell you love the attention, Gear Girl," the skier said with a sly grin.
Of everyone present, only Ken didn't seem to want to get involved with the conversations. The Novoselician instead wandered around the area, trying to find some hint of whoever was talking to them earlier. Something was making his skin crawl, something unshakeable and awful.
"Okay, I know that those voices weren't the same as the ones that haunt me," he thought to himself as he stared at the old, dry fountain, "but there's something about them that I cannot shake. It sounds like the evil voice that was used to showcase cruel Despair across the land…"
He squat down in front of the fountain, as Fiora walked over to him. "Hey there, whatcha looking at?" she asked.
The cavalryman saw the plaque on the fountain, and reached over to wipe it clean. The words on it were a little confusing…
"In honor of Aaron Beardsley, the founder and voice of Penjar. May he rest in peace, knowing he fought the good fight to the very end."
"Huh?" Fiora spoke up after reading this. "Who is this Mr. Beardsley? This town was actually prominent enough that they could honor someone who lived and died in it?"
"That's an awful lot to gather from a simple fountain and plaque," Ken said, standing up and facing Fiora. "Don't worry, I'm sure it's nothing to worry about."
"DON'T WORRY, WE'LL GIVE YOU SOMETHING TO WORRY ABOUT!"
The megaphones in the city exploded with noise very suddenly, though the voice seemed to come from more than just them. From deep underground, up in the sky, from every crack in the run-down roads and concrete walkways, the voice blasted from there and hammered the eardrums of the living.
The ground shook, hard enough to feel like an earthquake. Someone shrieked in uncontrollable fear, though it was hard to gather who it was unless they were near them. The unnatural earthquake continued as the dead trees in plaza cracked and crashed down…
Then the fountain exploded, upwards with a blast of concrete shards and water. The way the fountain exploded with the water pouring out, it now looked like a hollowed out cave.
And five bears leapt from that cave, and landed in front of it.
The red one landed with ninja-like grace in the center. The blue eye landed on its knees and posed with its guitar. The pink one almost stuck the landing, spun around on its feet, and then fell down on its butt. The orange one face-planted, then pushed itself up and posed as if nothing happened.
The green one crash-landed on its head. It stayed there, as if it had nothing better to do than stay perfectly balanced on its flat head, facing the wrong way.
"RISE AND SHINE, URSINE~"
The chorus of five voices chimed all at once, not really in harmony but close enough. Though it wasn't their words or actions that spoke, it was the underlying tone behind it all. Every single one of the graduates could feel it, it gave them a shiver in the spine.
These bears all resembled Monokuma, the symbol of Despair, the cause of the Tragedy, the pinnacle of evil, sadism, and destruction.
And then a black 'n white bear leapt out from the hollowed-out fountain, water splashing dramatically around him as he made his grand entrance. There was a spring-loaded sound as he soared through the air, spun around, and then landed on top of the destroyed fountain's head.
"Welcome," Monokuma declared, "to Penjar!"
"I'm Monotaro, and I bear-ly mist you coming in," the red one said.
"I'm Monophanie," the pink one blurted out, "and I wouldn't mist this for any-bear!"
"I'm Monokid," the blue one screamed, "and I won't mist if I swing my guitar at your bear head!"
"I'm Monosuke," the orange one stated, "and I believe it'll be grizzly if you vape, okay?"
"…" the green one commented. "MONODAM."
"And I," the black 'n white at the top, "am their handsome and intelligent father, the master of the Killing Game, the leader of the Despair, and just all-around swell guy… Monokuma! Phuhuhuhuhu!
"But you already knew that," he suddenly stopped laughing to drop his voice as he leaned forward, malicious red eye gleaming in the dark, "didn't you, Hope's Peak graduates?"
"Phuhuhuhuhu!" declared Monotaro, Monosuke, and Monophanie.
"Phuhuhuhuhu!" laughed Monokuma again.
"Bwahahahahaha," cackled Monokid, followed with, "Ahahahaha… huh?"
That was when Ignatia ran up and punted Monokid into the air and off into the distance.
"WAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaugh…" *Ping.*
28 Students Remain in Penjar…
But this is only the start. And the start isn't finished yet.