"Hope's Peak Academy," I muttered to myself. "An academic institution that brings with it the best of the best when it comes to every form of study imaginable."
My eyes swept over the campus with hidden delight. "Heh, it's even more imposing than I anticipated. But I guess that's to be expected with the sheer amount of Talent that's walked in and out of these walls."
I readjusted the shoulder strap of my bag and rubbed my hands together. "Ah, I can't wait to meet everyone and see how incredible they all are. New life, new me!" With a wide smile and the excitement of a toddler, I pushed open the door.
I chuckled to myself, taking a step forward into a brand new-
Suddenly, everything around me slowly began to warp. Colors and shapes began to twist and blend together to form something indiscernible.
It felt like the entirety of my body was being pulled down by an invisible anchor.
A confused gasp left my lips, an all-too-familiar pounding sensation drilling itself into my brain as I struggled to stay upright. "W-what is... t-this...?"
The unmistakable image of the floor loomed closer and closer even as I dug my heels into the floor and tried to prevent myself from passing out.
But it was all for naught.
I couldn't do anything about it. Not a single thing. Fear gripped my heart with an ice-cold vice, my eyelids drooping despite my internal protests...
A moment later, my vain struggle ceased itself and everything faded to darkness.
~~[Butterfly Effect]~~
With a start, I jolted awake, nearly slamming my head onto the floor.
"W-what happened...?" I mumbled, eyes widening as my brain processed what had happened to me.
Did I pass out? It sure as hell felt like it. But if so, how and why? I didn't feel tired before going inside Hope's Peak. I felt ready to take on the world, if I had to be honest.
Certainly wished that feeling stayed, instead of the lingering thoughts of trepidation running throughout the mind at the moment.
Breathing in and out for a few seconds, I planted my hands onto the floor and pushed myself up onto my feet. My eyes flitted through what I assumed to be the classroom I had been sleeping in before stopping on one peculiar thing.
The windows had metal-plating barricading them. All the ones I could see. Aka, every single window in the classroom. Not to mention the security cameras that were in the corner of the room, barely out of sight and out of mind.
Those were just plain unnerving.
I knew that this was a government funded private institution, but seriously? Were metal-plated windows so necessary here? The same goes for the security cameras. The most talented and skilled students attend Hope's Peak Academy, all of which are rarely matched in their respective fields by non-Ultimates. What would even necessitate such precautions anyway?
I shook myself free of those thoughts and went over to one of the windows. With a frown, I lightly knocked the back of my knuckle onto the metal plating. Tapping noises echoed throughout the room as I repeatedly hit the metal to test a little mental theory of mine.
'Interesting. Reinforced metal plating? They really went all-out with this, huh? I can't tell what type of metal it exactly is, though one thing for sure is that it'd take a lot of force to pry them off. Something I can't do-at least not without some preparation to gather the necessary equipment.'
With that suspicion solved, I moved over to the door to leave the classroom and explore more of the place.
'Maybe I can even find the meeting hall and not be late for once in my life.' I thought, a sardonic sigh leaving my lips.
An odd sensation unbefitting that of what I expected tore through my thoughts as I looked down at my hand. Ripping the paper off of the door knob, I narrowed my eyes as I read through the childish and otherwise unassuming pamphlet.
"Starting today, this school will be... your entire world?!" I exclaimed in confusion. "Alright, I definitely need some answers, and they better be some good ones... or else."
Crumpling the paper into a ball and tossing it into a nearby bin, I crept out of the classroom and into the hallway. Eerily, it was empty and silent. Purple lighting and shadows filled my vision as I wandered throughout the halls. The atmosphere was completely unbefitting of the reputation Hope's Peak had garnered throughout its lifetime.
'Is Hope's Peak full of weird cultists? Did I step into the wrong building? Are they really obsessed with RGB lights? Maybe a cult obsessed with RGB lights? Either way, this is strange.'
As I turned the corner, my eyes locked with another person. Brown eyes and spiky brown hair with an ahoge, an unassuming presence, and overall an average build that fit the visage of a normal teenager.
However, appearances could be deceiving.
"Hey, you," I began, "you're finally awake. You were trying to enter Hope's Peak Academy too, right? Walked right into the main entrance, just like me, am I correct? Or are you a kidnapper, ready to finish off what you started?"
"Wha-? No no no, I'm not a kidnapper or anything. Though with what happened to me earlier, I think I was also kidnapped. Er, I hope I wasn't at least," the boy answered, placating my worries.
With that, I could definitely tell that this guy was not my kidnapper. Well, I wasn't exactly a super genius or anything, though my intuition was telling me that he wasn't threatening. Quite the opposite, really.
He radiated an aura similar to that of an egg, but I didn't know why. Maybe it was the hair...?
"Heh. Sorry for the accusation. In that case, I guess it wouldn't be too far off to assume that you're a Hope's Peak student like I am?" I extended one hand forward, "the name's Nanashi Dokoda. I'm the-"
"Ultimate Freerunner, right? I've seen your videos, they're amazing! Everyone I've seen on MeTube has amazing tricks and routes, but you elevate them even further while also not breaking a sweat! I mean, who would've thought about using live-moving missiles and bullets as platforms!?" He cut-in, admiration clear as day as he gushed on and on.
I visibly wilted, my thunder stolen from me. "A-ah, yeah. Though, I don't think anything I've done is too impressive. Unless you're crazy like me," I said, muttering that last part, "a-anyway, what's your name?"
"Ah, my name is Makoto Naegi. I'm the Ultimate Lucky Student. Even if it's not too much of a real talent," Naegi said, grabbing my hand with his own and slowly shaking it.
Eh? Well, that's no good. Where did all of that energy go?
"Naegi-san," I started, "First off, you have a great name! I mean, it's rather eggcellent! Secondly, don't look so glum. Luck is definitely a valid Talent and don't you think otherwise, alright? Luck is applicable in so many situations that it's crazy."
I tore my hand away from the handshake before he could butt in with his own come back. "Anyway, we should probably head over to the main hall. I don't know about you, but I certainly don't want to end up late. You coming with, or-?"
Shaken out of his thoughts, Naegi nodded with a slight smile on his face. "Y-yeah, that's a good idea, Dokoda-san. Let's go."
With that said, the two of us set out towards the main hall, accompanied by oddly comfortable silence. Thankfully, it didn't take us too long to find the door to the main hall. As the one first to approach the entrance, I opened the door to the main hall, and the both of us were greeted by fourteen other students.
Sixteen in all, including Naegi and I.
"Woah! Two more new kids?" said one of the students, pointing at the both of us.
"More students? Then that means you guys are also-?" Naegi asked.
"Yep. We're all new here. Today's supposed to be the first day of class," another student answered.
'This was... beyond strange. It was almost like fiction at this point, if I had to be honest.
"My name's Makoto Naegi. Sorry I'm late. A bunch of stuff happened, and then all of a sudden I was just... asleep," Naegi explained.
I nodded, following him up. "I'm Nanashi Dokoda, and the same thing happened to me as well."
"Wait, you too?" An older student with locs-styled hair asked.
A girl in a gothic lolita dress twirled one of her hair drills with a finger. "Well, things just keep getting curiouser and curiouser..."
I blocked out the rest of their chatter as I examined everyone in this room. There was no doubt about it within my mind. This was a room full of Ultimates.
Some part of me was relieved, yet at the same time I was even more apprehensive than before. Where were the teachers? Where was the principal? Why were the halls vacant and devoid of other students? Why were the classrooms refurbished with defenses and technology enough to rival an apocalyptic bunker?
I hated that I was presented with more questions than answers. I hated it all. Even more than that time in the dark place when I-
"Dokoda-san, are you listening?" I blanked my thoughts out as I focused on what this loud guy with Target eyes was saying. "Your tardiness is unacceptable! Surely you were aware the meeting was to start at 8 A.M. sharp! To be late on your first day is unspeakable! I must report you, and you must accept your due punishment!"
'Ah, yeah. How about I just... don't?' I thought with annoyance. 'Seriously, does this guy have a stick up his ass or something? I'm not going to bother listening to someone who's just going to yell at me the whole time, even after I've explained myself. I mean, it's not like I could control how long I was knocked out for or anything.'
"Everyone just calm down! Listen, why don't we all go around and introduce ourselves?" A tan-skinned girl suggested.
'Well, this situation is less than ideal for such, but getting the names of people would be nice.'
I cleared my throat and everyone's eyes fell onto me. "I wouldn't mind doing some introductions. It'll be nice to know everyone here before we get started on what exactly happened. After all, how are we supposed to talk to each other if we don't even know something as simple as our classmate's names?"
"Okay, so let's get introductions out of the way, then we can move on to whatever else. Sounds good?" A blue-haired girl affirmed.
As everyone began to spread out and introduce themselves to each other, I sidled up to Naegi. "Hey, since I'm already here, I hope you don't mind me sticking with you. You're the only person I've met so far, yeah?" I explained, looking off to the side.
"Ah, it's not a problem. I know your name, and that's better than nothing. Let's get going." Naegi said, walking over to the nearest-
'Oh, you've got to be kidding me! This guy's first?!'
"I'm Kiyotaka Ishimaru. I believe in bold simplicity! Let's work together on our educational crusade!" Ishimaru proclaimed, bowing down at the waist.
"Nice to meet you, Ishimaru-san." Naegi replied.
I stiffly nodded. "Nice to meet ya too."
"Anyway, you can call me Taka. You said your name was Makoto Naegi, right? And you, your name is Nanashi Dokoda?" he asked, pointing at the both of us, "Those are good names, strong names! You should thank your parents for giving you such an excellent name. And to keep that name from losing its value, you must devote yourself every single day! Life is worth putting every ounce of effort into it! Right? Right!" Taka exclaimed with vigor.
'I get what he's trying to say, but god damn is he overbearing.' I thought flatly. 'Guy needs to take a chill pill or something. It's way too early in the morning to be so loud, Ultimate Moral Compass or not.'
I abruptly cleared my throat, cutting him off from speaking any further. "Anyway, it's nice to meet you, Taka. Also, sorry for being tardy or whatever. We'll see ya later."
He nodded, his posture firm as a statue. "No problem, Dokoda-san! Make sure to be more vigilant in the near future!"
With that done, we both walked over to the next person.
A girl with purple braided hair and round glasses in a long-skirt dress. Someone who, for the life of me, was oddly familiar. I rushed over to get a better look and... Wait a minute-
As I approached her, she seemed to perk up. "N-Nanashi? I-is that you?"
"Toko? Is that you?! God, how have you been?" I almost yelled, eyes wide in astonishment as I practically sprinted over to her. "It's been, what, seven years since we've last seen each other?"
Man, I never thought I'd see my childhood friend again, and in Hope's Peak no less? What a lovely coincidence. It was a while back, around my elementary school years, but my family had to move away due to my father's company moving to Shikoku.
'Are there any more surprises you'd like me to give me a blast from the past with, Hope's Peak?'
"Dokoda-san, do you know her?" Naegi asked, finally catching up to me.
"Know her? Why, we've known each other since we were kids!" I explained happily, draping an arm around Toko's shoulder and pointing a thumb towards the both of us. "We were inseparable before I moved away, she and I. Two peas in a pod! It was like a story from a fairy tale, believe it or not. Oh yeah, I was even her editor and proof-reader for her first published book!"
"E-eh? W-wha-? Y-your arm is touching my s-should-" Toko murmured, face flushed red.
'Is that steam leaving her ears? What the hell?'
I backed away, stupefied as she composed herself and turned to face Naegi. She eyed him up and down, and suddenly I just knew that she was judging him on appearance alone. Her finger fidgeted with her hair as she glanced off to the side. "N-Not that you'll remember my n-name anyway, but... I'm T-Toko... Toko Fukawa."
"E-er, Makoto Naegi. I'm the Ultimate Lucky Student." Naegi said.
Silence ensued, and it was blatantly clear that she was getting more and more nervous with every second that passed. "Wh-What? I-It's not polite to stare, you know. Stop staring at me like I'm some filthy creature!"
"W-what-?" She cut him off before he could even finish, "I-I know what you 'just' thought...! You just thought you've n-never seen such an ugly woman. You just th-thought it was sooo funny...!" Naegi blinked, silently staring at her. "Don't bother trying to l-lie to me! I know it's true. Otherwise, you... I know you can't stand looking at me! Wh-Whatever, I don't really care. I'm used to it..."
"Uh, right... Anyway, I'll catch up with you later, Toko. We need to meet the rest of the students here." Toko nodded as I grabbed the silent and equally dumbstruck Naegi by the arm towards the next student; a blue-haired girl in a white school girl uniform.
"Hi, I'm Sayaka Maizono. I look forward to getting to know you both!" Maizono greeted the both of us. A moment later, she stared Naegi in the eye before giggling to herself. "I'm not a doll, you know. I'm alive."
'What? Where did that come from?'
"Huh? Did you hear me?" He asked in shock and embarrassment.
She gave him a serious look and said, "I'm psychic."
Naegi let out a "Huh?" of confusion as I flatly said "What", glancing back and forth between the two for an explanation.
Maizono held her serious expression for a moment longer before breaking down into a fit of laughter. "I'm kidding! I just have a really good intuition."
'With how far-out some Ultimates and their Talents are, I don't think I can really doubt that.'
"Ah, sorry if I scared you. I didn't mean it." She clarified.
"E-eh? It's fine, but..." Naegi said, putting his hands up in assurance.
"Huh? Hey, by any chance..." she trailed off, in deep thought. "...Yeah, it must be. I'm sure of it. Hey, Makoto. Did you go to-"
Suddenly, a white figure appeared out of nowhere. "Jeez, you guys! How long do you plan to waste our valuable time with this ridiculous back-and-forth!? Self-introductions are for introducing yourself, not bumbling through a bunch of idle chit-chat!" Taka chided.
'You know, this interjection is oddly convenient and strange considering how long I was talking with Toko earlier. But then again, he does have a point.'
"Y-you're right." Maizono said, turning to the both of us as Taka walked off to speak to Toko. "Sorry, you guys. Let's talk later on, alright?"
"Sure thing," I said, walking off with Naegi to the next student.
A guy with fire-red hair, goatee, and a punk-ish look met us with a wave. "Yo! The name's Leon Kuwata. What's up?" Kuwata said.
"Nice to meet ya, I'm Nanashi Dokoda." I said.
Meanwhile- "I'm Makoto Naegi. But... you? Seriously?" Naegi whispered with disbelief.
Kuwata stared at Naegi, confused. "Eh? What's wrong?"
"N-nothing, I'm just surprised. I figured with you being the Ultimate Baseball Star and all..." Naegi said, his voice trailing off.
"What, were you expecting some kid with a shaved head?" Kuwata asked with slight disappointment.
'Well, I gotta agree that this guy definitely doesn't look like the Ultimate Baseball Star.' I looked him over again as he began gesturing dramatically. 'Seriously, I thought he was the Ultimate Punk Rock Vocalist or something with how he looked. Then again, I probably shouldn't judge ultimates based on how they look. The way I dress doesn't even make sense considering my own Talent...'
"-This new version of me that's chasing after my dream is, like, super cool to the max!" Kuwata exclaimed.
"Uh, yeah. Good luck, bro! I'm sure you can do it if you try your hardest!" I agreed, rapidly nodding my head even though I had no idea what he was talking about.
"You know it!" Kuwata affirmed with a confident smirk, walking off to introduce himself to the others.
"Well, he was definitely interesting..." Naegi commented as we walked towards another person.
A rather rotund guy with rounded glasses analyzed the both of us with a sharp gaze as we stopped before him.
"'Sup, I'm Nanashi Dokoda and my friend here is Makoto Naegi. What's your name?" I asked.
"I... am Hifumi Yamada. But if you want to call me by my nickname, "The Alpha and the Omega!" I don't mind," he proclaimed proudly.
'What even...? There is no way in hell I'll call you that. My chuuni days are long behind me, and I vowed that I would never open that set of doors ever again.'
"The words of such idiots mean nothing to me. I am like Van Gogh-utterly unappreciated in my time." Motivated by an unknown force, the hamster continued his speal, "I am a soldier, serving night and day to destroy all preconceptions about fanfiction. I'm sure if you were to observe my work, Mr. Naegi and Mr. Dokoda, you would comprehend its greatness immediately," he began to breathe heavily, a faint blush on his cheeks, "for my work is filled with deepest meaning-it's about embracing our basest urges..."
A shiver went down my spine as I took a step back. "Aaaaand it's time for us to leave. Let's go, Naegi-san. Oh, and see ya later, Yamada-san."
'Not.'
"That was weird. And kinda gross," Naegi remarked.
"You're not wrong." I let out a snort as we walked towards the next student, a somewhat imposing guy with a pompadour-style haircut.
"Name's Mondo Owada. Nice to fuckin' meetcha," he said with a gruff tone.
"Same here," I said, waving my hand as Naegi replied with a quiet "Nice to meet you, too."
"Damn straight," Owada said as he walked off toward other students.
Well, that was short, at least?
We walked off to the next available student; a short tan-skinned girl wearing a red tracksuit jacket and shorts with brown hair that defied gravity.
As we stopped, she greeted the two of us. "Heya! I'm Aoi Asahina! But my friends just call me Hina. Sup?"
"I'm Nanashi Dokoda, the Ultimate Freerunner," I said, before gesturing towards Naegi. "And he's Makoto Naegi, the Ultimate Lucky Student."
"Sure, sure, got it," she said, "Here, I'll hammer it into my brain now." She began... writing into her palm with her finger? "Makoto Naegi and Nanashi Dokoda, Makoto Naegi and Nanashi Dokoda, Makoto Naegi and Nanashi Dokoda..."
'I... have no idea what she's doing. Maybe Naegi-san might know what she's'-In the corner of my eyes, I saw his confused expression. 'Okay yeah, nevermind. He's just as clueless as I am.'
"Um, what are you doing?" asked Naegi with a puzzled expression.
"You don't know?" Hina said, surprised. "If you wanna remember someone's name, you gotta write it on your hand three times!"
I blinked. "I'll be honest, I have never heard of that in my entire life." From the way that Naegi nodded, he had never heard of that either. "Though, I'll keep that in mind for the future." I noted.
'How would that even work, anyway?' I considered. 'Would it just be a matter of repetition and rehearsal? Ugh, I wish I knew more about Psychology. I bet there's something in there about memorization.'
"-figure it out later and write it down. Anyway, glad to meet ya!" Hina said.
I stiffly nodded as Naegi nervously replied, "S-sure, same here."
After that, we walked over to another student. A short girl with brown hair dressed in a green jacket and brown skirt.
She fidgeted with the hem of her skirt as she shyly said, "Hello, nice to meet you. I'm Chihiro Fujisaki." A small scarlet hue formed on her face as she continued to introduce herself. "Sorry, I get kinda embarrassed whenever I introduce myself like this," she explained. "Anyway, I hope we can get along."
At her display, I couldn't help but smile back. "Same here, it's nice to meet you." Naegi echoed my response as the three of us stared at each other.
"Hmm?" Fujisaki's eyes gained a slight glint. "Maybe it's just my imagination, but have we met before?"
Eh? I'd think that I'd remember someone as remarkable as her...
"Erm, I don't think so," Naegi clarified, "We just met for the first time. That's why we both said 'nice to meet you.'"
She blushed in embarrassment. "Oh yeah, good point. Sorry."
'Why are you saying sorry? With that sad expression you have, you're making me want to feel sorry! For some reason, I want to give you a hug too!' I rapidly thought.
"Hey, so listen," she continued, "I-I'm really sorry." What?
I raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Uh, what are you apologizing for, again?"
Fujisaki shuffled in place. "Well, you seem upset." She stared at the both of us in the eye. "The both of you must be mad at me, right?"
"Nope," I replied at the same time as Naegi quickly echoed, "No, not at all! We were both lost in thought about something, right Dokoda-san?"
I quickly followed him up, "Yeah, it had nothing to do with us being upset." I nodded in affirmation. "The opposite, honestly."
She smiled. "Oh, good. I was afraid that maybe you didn't like me." She practically beamed with how happy she was. "I'm glad!"
As she laughed, I noticed something odd. At first, I thought it was my eyes tricking me, but I examined the bottom of Fujisaki's neck a little more closely and-
Ah. I didn't expect that.
'I should probably be more shocked, but we all have our secrets.' I internally remarked, as she giggled in happiness. I have no business in why she is dressing or acting like this, since what she decides is up to her and her alone, but if she ever comes to me for help I definitely won't turn her down.
As Fujisaki's gaiety died down, I asked, "You're the Ultimate Programmer, right?" She nodded and I went into a bit of a thinking pose. "Well, would you mind giving me some lessons in programming? I was interested in it when I was younger, though I couldn't really grasp the concept too well." I elaborated.
To my surprise, she didn't object. "O-oh! Sure! I wouldn't mind at all!" She gave me a determined look. "I'll make sure you come out knowing more than before! That's my promise from me to you!"
I smiled. "I'll take you up on that, Fujisaki-san."
"Anyway, we'll see you later," Naegi said as we walked away, the Ultimate Programmer waving her arm in the air shyly before turning to face another student. He turned to me in faux-surprise. "Programming, huh?"
I playfully punched his shoulder. "Yeah, I never thought I'd be into that type of stuff either. Unfortunately, I never really understood it as much as I was interested in the concept, so I wanted to try and revive my old dream."
He let out an 'ah' of understanding as we both stopped at the next student. A lavender-haired girl with pale skin and an unmoving expression akin to a mask. We waited for her to say something, but silence was the only thing that greeted us. A few moments passed by, and the silence still awkwardly ensued.
'Well, this is just riveting. An absolutely fantastic conversation we're having here.' I snarked mentally. 'The silence is practically deafening with how profound it is.'
Breaking the ice, Naegi hesitantly asked, "Er, can we get your name?"
"My name is... Kyoko Kirigiri," she said with a tone that tolerated nothing but absolute finality. For the third time since we walked up to her, the sorrowful song of silence gripped the conversation.
Naegi sent me an indecisive glance, unsure of what to do or say. Rolling my eyes, I cleared my throat, Kirigiri's attention falling onto me.
"Well," I started awkwardly, "it was nice to meet you, Kirigiri-san. We'll finish meeting the rest of the students now." She stiffly nodded, apparently in deep thought if her response was anything to go by.
On that awkward note, Naegi and I moved on to the next person. Almost immediately, I recognized who the girl with blonde pigtails was.
"Hiii! I'm Junko Enoshima. Charmed, I'm sure!" she greeted, an impressively fake smile meeting my eyes.
"Nanashi Dokoda. It's a pleasure," I replied. Really, it wasn't much of a surprise. You'd have to be crazy to not know who the Ultimate Fashionasta was. Seriously, she was everywhere. Magazines, billboards, and much more. If you could name it, she'd probably be on there in some way. Though, in the back of my mind I couldn't help but think something was off here besides the more obvious things-
"...I feel that it doesn't match up to reality," Naegi murmured, bringing my doubt to the surface. Ah, did he notice too?
"Huh?" Enoshima gave us a confused stare, before a moment of realization hit her. "Oh, are you talking about my cover photos and junk?" She raised two fingers to form a peace sign, a wide smile on her face as she relished the reaction the two of us had. "Ahaha, well of course! Those are totally photoshopped."
"Photoshopped?" Naegi, you know you don't have to sound so distraught at that, right?
Seeing his current expression, she elaborated further. "Yeah, you know-edited to hell and back. With like, computers and junk?"
I glanced back at Naegi. "Oh, so they aren't real..." Geez. It looked like reality was crumbling around him with how shell-shocked he was.
"Come on, don't act so surprised! You're gonna make me all depressed." Enoshima began twirling one of her pigtails with a finger. "It's totally normal these days to photoshop the crap out of cover photos. If you're surprised by that, you'd be totally blown away by a certain dangerous little diva-"
"Well, I don't think photoshop was needed, Enoshima-san. I mean, freckles are pretty cute. They add a sort of unique charm to you," I interrupted offhandedly, a hint of a blush forming on her face at my remark. "Don't you agree, Naegi-san?"
Shaking himself out of his surprised state, Naegi flashed her a smile. "Y-yeah! I don't know why they'd photoshop those out, they make you even more beautiful!"
The blush on her face spread like wildfire. "R-really? O-oh, uhm. Thanks," said the fashionista, refusing to look either of us in the eye after our combo attack. After that, it devolved into silence.
With nothing more to say between the three of us, Naegi and I set off to meet another student.
They were the most overwhelming person in the room; someone who radiated an intense aura and had an equally impressive physique that, despite being littered with scars, immediately garnered my respect.
Anyone who was proud to show off their hardships could gain that from me, at least. It was definitely far more than I'd ever display to the world.
"I am Sakura Ogami," the white-haired girl firmly stated, turning to face Naegi. "Hey, you," she inquired.
"A-again?" he whispered with deja vu, as Ogami began to poke and prod at his body. "Um... what are you...?"
"Muscular quality and quantity is right around that of an extremely ordinary high school student..." She trailed off in disappointment, moving away from him before he could give a response. "Hmph. What a shame. You're not at all fit to act as my training partner."
From the expression on Naegi's face after hearing the not-so-surprising revelation of a normal teenage boy having a normal physique, he looked far more relieved than anything else.
Then again, I don't think most normal people would be ecstatic in training with someone as strong and skilled as her. Momentarily entertaining the humorous idea of Naegi sparring with the Ultimate Martial Artist, I imagined a scenario and internally grimaced at the thought. Four hundred wins against many other fighters was nothing to scoff at. Especially considering her fame for competing and winning in martial arts tournaments all over the-
With surprising speed, Ogami gave me the same treatment that Naegi received, though from what I could tell the Luckster had already left without me. It took all of my willpower and discipline to not react in surprise or respond with any sort of counterattack as she lightly prodded at my limbs and muscles with surprising skill and accuracy.
After an agonizing examination, Ogami finally stepped back, a surge of satisfaction and surprise in her expression. "Impressive. I must say, your muscular quality and quantity is beyond that of even the most well-trained and top-ranking athletes I've had the honor of facing."
She was able to grasp that much from simply prodding at my body? She truly is worthy of the title of the Ultimate Martial Artist.
She nodded to herself, making her mind up on something. "You are more than capable enough to be my training partner."
'Training partner, huh?' I pondered. 'I wouldn't mind training with the Strongest Human alive. I rarely get opportunities to test myself against Ultimates of her caliber, not to mention that I've rarely encountered anyone who was well-versed in martial arts. Unfortunately though, I don't think our current circumstances would grant much in the way of training...'
"Erm, thanks, I guess? I'll keep that in mind for the future," I finally answered. Ogami nodded in assent, turning to listen to Hina and what she was saying as I moved away.
With that over and done with, I caught up to Naegi, who had just finished introducing himself to a pale girl dressed in a gothic-lolita dress.
'Is she the Ultimate Vampire or something?'
A curious sparkle, something that honestly further added onto my hypothesis of her being the Ultimate Vampire, left the edge of her eye as she turned away from Naegi to face me. She brought a hand up to cover her lips, though if it was to cover her amusement or for something else I couldn't tell. "I do not think we have been introduced. I am Celestia Ludenburg, the Ultimate Gambler. If you don't mind, I would prefer for you to call me Celeste."
Ah, the Ultimate Gambler. That certainly took the wind out of my proverbial sails. Then again, in spite of her honest display there, a nagging feeling in me still begged to be itched.
I didn't know why, but my intuition was screaming to me that what she just said wasn't her real name. The way she glanced off to the side to not meet my eyes, to her polite but forceful tone, and how, if only for a brief moment, the mask of regal decadence she wore shifted imperceptibly to showcase a more... insecure side.
All of that contributed to my current suspicion. But despite what my mind's alarm bells screamed at me...
"Celestia Ludenburg," I said to myself, testing the weight of the words on my tongue. "I see. A rather unique name, definitely European." I performed a slight bow. "I am Nanashi Dokoda. It's nice to meet you, Celeste-san."
I was definitely curious, that was a fact in my mind. Though there was no reason to poke people for their secrets when there were far bigger fish to fry.
At least not right now.
The curious sparkle in her eyes grew at my response, and a chill ran down my spine at the smile which inched onto her face. "To say my name with such confidence. And with the right accent too... How interesting. I look forward to getting to know you better, Dokoda-san."
"I hope we can talk later as well, maybe over a game or two," I replied uneasily, grouping up with Naegi again. I definitely did not want to talk to her alone, if I could help it.
After waving goodbye for now, we walked toward another student. A tan-skinned guy with loc-style hair and a slight stubble who was holding what looked like a crystal ball in his hands.
"I'm Yasuhiro Hagakure-Hiro for short! Take it easy, yeah? I know I will!" He let out an easygoing laugh as I glanced around the room.
Okay, no offense to that remark, but I don't think I'll be taking it easy while there's guns mounted in the walls that look ready to fire at us at any given moment. Seriously, I'm wondering how literally nobody has pointed those out yet.
"Ahh... Okay, I give up." Hiro adopted a thinking pose, turning to face Naegi.
The Luckster's eyes widened. "Huh? What happened?"
"I saw it. I looked right at it... Seriously, I totally saw it!"
"...Saw what?"
"A guardian angel with a crazy perm chasing after Bigfoot running off with a skyfish in its mouth. And that guardian angel... is YOUR guardian angel!" Hiro proclaimed, a serious expression set in stone as he turned to me. "For you, I saw a love-struck two-headed demon with twin blades chasing after a sprinting bunker! That demon... is a dangerous SUCCUBUS who's out for YOUR life!"
His hands went into the air and moved erratically as he described... whatever the hell was going on in his mind, I guess. Was he high or something? I didn't wanna be that guy, the type that judged people based on their appearance, but he definitely looked the part if I was going off of dumb stereotypes...
Hiro's expression settled down as he crossed his arms. "Nah, I'm just kiddin'. But hey, we should grab some brewskis sometime and get real deep into Lemuria and its civilization."
Naegi blinked. "What? We're not allowed to drink! We're in high school!"
Heh, that never stopped me. Ugh, all of this talk about drinking got to me. Now I'm craving some good old eggnog cocktails. Sake would be nice too.
Hiro sheepishly scratched his arm. "Oh, I'm actually 21. I've been held back a few times, see, and... well, it's a long story."
"Sounds like an interesting tale. Anyway, we'll see ya later, Hiro. Maybe you can tell us about that story later," I replied, giving a wave as Naegi and I walked over to meet the final student.
"Name's Byakuya Togami," the standoffish heir stated.
I hate this guy already. Just from those three words alone, I can already tell that he's going to be a pain in the ass. Even more than Taka.
"Nanashi Dokoda." I greeted as Naegi replied, "Hi, uh... nice to meet you."
Awkward silence ensued as Togami ignored the both of us. Lovely.
He steeled us with a heavy glare. "We're done with introductions, right? How much longer are you going to stand there? Go away. I'm sick of looking at you," he said, waving his hand flippantly.
With that harsh send off from the Affluent Prodigy, it turned out that he was right. Everyone had finished talking to each other and all of the introductions were finished. We all grouped together, though I made sure to go towards the center.
It would be easier for me to move people around from the middle of the room than if I were standing off towards one side in case bullets started flying from the mounted guns.
"Okay, time to get down to business," Togami declared. "This is no time to stand around making friends like a bunch of dull-eyed baboons."
Naegi nodded. "Oh, that's true. I think someone said something about a bigger problem or something?" He looked at the other students with inquiry. "What was that about?"
"Well, you see..." Maizono began. "Makoto, you said a bunch of stuff happened and then you were "just asleep", right? Well, the same is true for all of us."
"What? Seriously!?" he incredulously asked.
"Just after each of us got to the main hall, we lost consciousness. And when we came to, we were somewhere here in the school! That's what happened to you right?" Kuwata summarized.
'It is rather strange that it happened to every single one of us.' I pondered. 'I get it happening to some of the others, but all of us? I find that rather hard to believe...'
"And that's not the only thing. You saw where all the windows in the classes and hallways were, right?" Taka added. "Instead of normal glass windows, it was a bunch of big metal plates! What's that about!?"
"Plus, all my stuff's missing! Even my cellphone..." Enoshima commented.
'I see you've got your priorities set straight, Enoshima-san.' I thought. 'Though, I am kinda sad that I don't have my GameGirl Advance on me. I almost finished Gala Omega without any continues...'
"Yeah, you're right. I haven't seen my PDA anywhere, either..." Fujisaki added.
'That makes sense, at least. After all, out of everyone in this room, she's the last person you would want with any kind of electronic device if the whole class was kidnapped for whatever reason.'
Undeterred, Taka continued. "And then there's the main hall here. The front exit is completely blocked by some giant metal hatch. But there wasn't anything like that when I first got here! What the heck!? What's it doing there!?"
Uncertainty filled the room as everyone processed what the Ultimate Moral Compass brought forth.
'Did... did they forget about the machine guns mounted on the walls?' I thought flatly.
"Maybe we got caught up in some kinda, like, you know... crime or something?" suggested Enoshima hesitantly.
With a furtive look, Kuwata added, "What, like... a kidnapping? You think maybe someone grabbed us and hauled us off and we're not actually at school?"
"Come on, don't think like that. Cheer up!" Hiro said with an easygoing smile. "I bet this is all just part of the school's orientation procedure. Yeah, I'm sure that's it! So I'm just gonna take it easy for a little bit." He elaborated.
At his suggestion, Fujisaki gained an expression of relief. "Oh... So you think they wanted to do something to surprise us?"
Like sheep to a slaughter...
"Huh. Well if that's all it is, it's nap time for me," Kuwata remarked, scratching the back of his neck tiredly. "I was up way too late last night, so I could use a little shuteye."
...they all began to lower their guard without considering other factors.
'God, they really just believed the idiot's words at face-value, huh?' I thought somberly. 'I shouldn't be surprised since I know people want to think more positively than negatively, but the facts surrounding our current situation paint a very dark picture. I mean, I don't think Hope's Peak would knock out their students on orientation day and basically hold them at gunpoint all for a simple surprise.'
With that sentiment in mind, I spoke up to remind them. "Are you guys really going to forget about the-"
The sound of a bell and its jingle abruptly cut me off as it echoed throughout the room. A moment later, the monitor in the room turned on. At first, only static appeared. Then slowly but surely, a black silhouette morphed on the screen with... two round things that looked like ears?
A sickeningly exuberant voice resounded from the television screen's speaker. "Ahem! Ahem! Testing, testing! Mic check, one two! This is a test of the school broadcast system! Am I on? Can everyone hear me? Okay, well then...!"
Immediately, I was on guard. For the voice behind the screen to be so joyful yet unconcerned about our current situation...
It was obvious that they were enjoying what was going on. That alone made me wary of whoever or whatever was communicating to us.
If I had to make a quick comparison, it would be like a random person laughing when hearing news about someone being brutally murdered.
Aka, a complete and utter sociopath.
"Ahh, to all incoming students! I would like to begin the entrance ceremony at... right now!" the voice eccentrically announced. "Please make your way to the gymnasium at your earliest convenience. That's all. I'll be waiting!"
Complete and utter silence controlled the room as everyone stilled with indecision.
Surprisingly, the person who broke the silence was someone who I didn't expect at all. "What. The. Hell was that just now?" Enoshima asked.
"Well then, if you'll excuse me..." With that parting message, Togami left.
He's really full of himself, huh?
"Ohh yeah, now I get it! This whole thing was just to get us all pumped for the entrance ceremony!" Hiro said factually, though in my opinion it sounded more like a personal assumption turned into a deluded fantasy. "Man, thank god it was all a joke. I'd be totally freaked if this was real! Alright, guess I'll head out too. Wonder what they got planned for us next..." The adult student ran off, leaving us in the dust.
One by one, the rest of my classmates began to drop like flies, running after each other to not be left behind.
"Damn, I was totally looking forward to that nap too. Why'd they have to go and kill the mood?" Kuwata whined, running off towards the gym.
Fujisaki reached her arm out, scrambling to catch up with them. "W-Wait for me! I wanna go with you!"
"That is that, then. I will see you all there." Celeste said, walking out with grace.
"N-Not that anyone cares, but I-I'm gonna-" Toko paused, sending me an expectant glance. Despite her words, I could tell that she was torn on whether or not to follow those who had left.
A tired sigh left my lips. "Honestly, there's no need to delay the inevitable. Who knows what'll happen if we don't comply," I explained as I walked up to her.
God, the situation must have been nerve-wracking for her if it was making her shake in place. For extra assurance, I calmed her down the way I used to when we were kids.
With a comforting smile, my fingers interlocked with her own shaking ones as I walked with her through the entrance. Her shaking stalled, a genuine smile accompanied by a hint of red on her face as our footfalls echoed throughout the empty green hallway.
The walk there was comfortingly silent, but equally enlightening. Restrooms, a section called the "Despair Hotel", a stairway locked off by a gate, a "student store" or whatever that was, a locked door, and much more were all that I memorized as we slowly moved through the hall. There were more rooms I wanted to check out, but the rest of the floor could wait for after we finished checking out whatever was happening.
With some time to think to myself, I went back to one of my previous suspicions: the emptiness of the halls we walked in. Wasn't Hope's Peak supposed to have plenty of students with a variety of skills and Talents? Just where were they, if we were even at Hope's Peak at all? For that matter, why was the school fortified to hell and back with mounted machine guns, metal plated windows, and a vault door?
Who or what would even make the school react in such a way?
Filing those details and suspicions away for later, it didn't take too long for us to find where we needed to be. Besides it being down the yellow hall and a right turn from the restrooms, the word "GYM" was neatly oriented above the double doors leading to what was presumably the gymnasium.
Opening the door with my free hand, I immediately noticed what looked to be a room filled with trophy cases and other rewards.
"Wow, there's a lot of these here," I murmured, moving around the room towards the various trophy case displays with a critical eye, "I wonder if anyone we know has a trophy or something here. Oh! Maybe we'll have some here someday."
"I-I don't think that's likely, at l-least not soon..." Toko stared at the multitude of golden rewards with derision. "If all of the r-rewards are as gaudy as this, t-then I don't want any. T-They're so bright, ugly, and basically w-worthless paperweights. I b-bet they're all f-fake anyway."
"I think the last thing anyone wants to do is scam an Ultimate of all people, Toko." I rolled my eyes, bringing us toward the gym. "I do agree that these are pretty over-the-top, though. 'To gild refined gold, to paint the lily, is wasteful and ridiculous excess...' as Shakespeare once wrote. I think."
She let out a snort of amusement. "N-Not quite, but close enough." She took a hold of herself, staring at the door to the gym. "A-anyway, let's get going. W-who knows what'll h-happen if we're late."
I hummed in agreement. "Yeah, we can explore the rest of the school later." I pushed open the door, the both of us entering the gym as we saw... a...
'It looks so normal!' I thought, stupefied. My eyes examined everything around the gymnasium. It was like something right out of your typical highschool. Then again, I guess that just showed how unordinary all of us really are compared to something like this.
"Oh. It really does look like an entrance ceremony..." Naegi commented, echoing my thoughts as he entered after Toko and I. Soon after, the rest of our classmates who had been left behind filed into the gymnasium, their chattering filling me with unease despite the clearly cheerful mood.
I didn't know why, but something just wasn't right with this. All of us got knocked out when we entered the school, the vault door with multiple escape-prevention mechanisms, the guns mounted in the walls... Not to mention the voice from the screen that had telltale mannerisms of a literal sociopath?
That metaphysical but very real sense of mounting fear bearing down onto my shoulders suddenly felt a lot heavier.
"Hey there, howdy, hello! Is everyone here?" The voice from before resounded throughout the room, originating from the podium on the stage. "Good! Then let's get things rolling!"
Gasps and murmurs filled the room as a two-toned bear, black and white, flung itself into view.
God, if I wasn't so sure about this being a strange situation, I was definitely confident about that notion now.
Toko let out a whisper of disbelief and communicated a state of unease through her eyes. I silently met her gaze with my own unnerved expression as the bear turned to face the crowd with an annoyed look.
"Whoever asked that I was a toy or a bear, I'm not! I am Monokuma, this school's headmaster! And it's beary nice to meet you all!"
God. This was... well, impossible and frankly insane. Both the proposal of him being a bear and the headmaster. Unless something changed recently, bears couldn't speak on such a level that would allow them to communicate with humans.
There was also the matter that, as far as I was aware, the principal was human and not a bear. Unless Hope's Peak and its administration team had very recently changed headmasters, though I highly doubted that for a multitude of reasons.
Also, that pun was really bad. Seriously, beary? Ugh.
"Uwaah! It moved itself!" Way to state the obvious, Yamada.
Owada scoffed. "Just calm down already, will ya? There's probably someone controlling it with a remote or something."
"Hey, don't make it sound like I'm some kind of children's toy. You'll sink my feelings into the Mariana Trench." The bear let out a little tsk of disappointment, his gaze sweeping over us with a strangely critical eye. "After all, there's a control system in me that'll make NASA green with envy. So I can't bear to let you guys make such dream-destroying remarks like that about me!"
Ignoring the byplay that ensued between my classmates and the build-a-bear reject, I faced Toko to check up on how she was doing. If her face before was showing unease, then now it must have grown into full-on panic.
I put my free hand onto our interlocked fingers as she looked at me, a tinge of red burning across her face like wildfire. "Toko, you'll be fine." I flashed her a confident smile, even if internally I was a lot more disturbed than I let on. "Sure this is strange, and honestly this definitely isn't what we expected from Hope's Peak. But whatever the bear is here to talk about can't be that bad, right?"
As if to destroy any attempts of calming Toko or anyone else down, the bear's voice cut in at the worst time possible. "You will live a communal lifestyle entirely inside this school's walls from now on!"
We both turned towards the stage. If the bear didn't have everyone's attention before, he definitely did now with those words.
"Additionally, with regards to the communal lifestyle on school grounds," the bear's smirk grew imperceptibly as he spoke, almost as if he were taunting us. "It's going to last forever! For the rest of your lives, you will live in this school!"
A bunch of protests and confused remarks erupted from the students in the gym, one of them being Toko herself. "What did it just say? Live here? Forever?!"
Nonchalantly, Monokuma waved off her concerns. "Ah, there's nothing to worry about. We have a pretty big budget for you bastards. You won't lack anything, I promise that much!"
"We don't get what you mean by living here forever," Enoshima explained. "It's just a joke, right?"
At that, Monokuma jumped up in rage. "I am most certainly not a liar and this is definitely not a joke! I have great pride in that, you know!" Calming down, the bear continued. "Anyway, I should also let you all know that you will be completely shut out from the outside world. Soooooo, you shouldn't worry anymore about what's going on in the rotten world we live in!"
As he cackled away and more questioning occured, I mulled over his words. "Shut out from the rotten world we lived in"? Although not exactly an accurate description of the world as a whole, it wouldn't be too misleading to say it wasn't wrong either.
Although the world itself held many beauties, it also held a multitude of horrifying truths, all equally noteworthy and disgusting in their own right.
War. Death. Famine. Inequality. Destruction. Global Warming. All of that and so much more did we, as humans, wrought upon the earth itself. All to fulfill our selfish goals and desires for one reason or another.
"That said, it isn't completely impossible to escape the school. There is a way out of here." With his words, my classmates perked up in interest, and I found myself alongside them.
A way out? With the way he had structured this whole ordeal, it seemed like a distant impossibility, but...
"As the headmaster, I've made a very special rule for those who wish to leave the school." All of the sudden, that feeling of unease rose in my gut again. "The rule is called graduation. As students of Hope's Peak, you're all obliged to live this communal lifestyle in an orderly fashion, but in the case that someone does break the order..."
Togami gave the bear a steely gaze. "What do you mean by breaking the order?"
The bear laughed to himself, as though he was aware of a joke we didn't know of.
"That is... the act of killing another person."
Almost immediately, the mood in the room changed. A chill was in the air, one that perforated and hung around like fog that clung onto the body and obfuscated everything but what it wanted you to see. It was suffocating, the sheer pressure of utter fear and desperation which his words had brought into us.
"Beating, stabbing, clubbing, beheading, burning, suffocating, strangling, slaughtering, voodoo cursing..." The way he listed off those methods was akin to someone looking over a grocery shopping list; completely casual, but nonetheless definitive and factual, as though it were a thing to be done and nothing more. "The method doesn't matter. "Only a student who kills can leave". It's a very simple rule, isn't it?"
Goosebumps and dread ran throughout my body as my classmates all stared at each other. Some in trepidation. Some with confidence. Others with intentions clear as day, even if they weren't so clear in the first place.
Maniacal laughter rang throughout the gym as we all turned our attention to Monokuma. "Like I said before, you kids are often called the world's hope. And making such hope filled children kill each other in a despair filled situation just, well..." His left eye shone a blinding crimson, perhaps indicative of his anticipation for the events to come, as he waved his stubby arms around. "It makes my heart roar with excitement!"
Kuwata, if anything, probably shared the sentiment as the rest of us. That was to say, absolutely and totally mortified. "W-what did it say!? Kill each other? What the fuck...?"
I imagine that if Monokuma could've, he would've rolled his eyes at that very moment. "Killing each other is killing each other. If you need a dictionary I have one right here." He waved around a book, which was indeed a dictionary.
Rather convenient, that.
Hina stepped forward, confused and afraid. "We understand the meaning of the words! What we want to know is why killing is necessary!"
If I had to be honest, this was the thing I was most curious about. Why kill another to escape? What was the sole motivator for that entirely? Why not something else, other than the act of taking another life?
It really was confusing, if only because, as far as I could understand it, they had us at their heel. We were a bunch of Ultimates, so why not utilize our Talents?
I blinked out of my mulling as Owada barreled through my classmates, stomping towards the bear with a ferocity befitting a bull.
"You fucker! You better apologize right now! The time for pranks is fucking over!" The biker was like a ticking time bomb of expletives and pure rage as he stopped at the front of the group, staring down Monokuma.
The bear met his stare with silence. Then, he said something that completely set Owada off.
"Prank? Are you talking about your hairstyle?"
Like a bullet, the Ultimate Biker Gang Leader soared towards Monokuma with vengeance, his face red and somehow spitting out even more expletives than before.
Owada held the bear up in the air, violence in his veins. "I've got you now, you fucker! I don't care if you're a toy or remote controlled or whatever, I'm going to crush you!"
"Violence towards the headmaster is against the rules!" The bear stated with a squeal, though I noticed that despite this setback he was... anticipating it? Like he wanted it to happen?
"Shut up! Let us out of here right now! If you don't I'm gonna-"
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Dead men tell no tales.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
The smell of iron and ash filled my nose and lungs as I traversed the darkness.
Beep.Beep.Beep.Beep.Beep.Beep.
It was as if I was back right in that very hell from many years ago.
Beep.Beep.Beep.Beep.Beep.Beep
Clarity hit my brain like a freight train as I let go of Toko's hand, ignoring everyone's cries of confusion as I weaved through the crowd and towards the stage.
Beep.Beep.Beep.Beep.Beep.Beep.
Owada snarled. "Oi! Don't go silent now! Stop that fucking noise, you hear me? Say something, you-"
BEEP.BEEP.BEEP.BEEP.BEEP.BEEP.
"It's dangerous, throw it away from you!" I heard Kirigiri yell as I leapt onto the stage with grace and efficiency, sprinting towards the bomb.
BEEP.BEEP.BEEP.BEEP.BEEP.BEEP.
"Eh? Why should I-" Before Owada could question the girl any further, I shoved him aside, grabbed Monokuma as he fell from the biker's hands and then threw him into the air.
An explosion, one that was foreign yet familiar to me at the same time, rang throughout my ears as I stumbled backwards.
Miraculously, through the ringing, I heard Owada yell. "W-what?! This isn't funny, that fucker exploded!"
The familiar scent of gunpowder and ash hit me as I got up onto my feet, letting out a breath that I didn't know I was holding in.
The ringing subsided, and with it came the relieved voice of Fujisaki. "Hey, this means that the teddy bear is gone now, right?"
Unfortunately, my and everyone's hopes were dashed away as another Monokuma popped up from the stage floor.
"I told you all! I am not a teddy bear! My name is Monokuma!" He stated annoyingly.
A plethora of responses emerged from my classmates and I beheld the newly emerged bear with dread. Just how many of these damn things were there?
And what exactly did he mean by "violence towards the headmaster being against the rules" earlier?
"You bastard! You really tried to fucking kill me just now!" Owada shouted.
"Of course I did! I was serious about trying to kill you," A mischievous grin showed itself on the bear's face as his red eye twinkled that shine again.
"You did violate a school regulation after all. In fact, Nanashi also violated the regulation by being the one to throw me into the air like a bag of potatoes! However, I'm a kind bear, so that will just be a little warning to the both of you. Best be careful from now on, or you may come to regret it!"
The bear laughed at himself as both Owada and I silently realized that, had Monokuma not been so lenient, our lives would have ended there as we knew it.
"Hey," Enoshima asked dreadfully, "how many of you are there?"
The answer was both terrifying and equally as depressing as I expected it to be. "Monokumas are constructed at a special place inside this very school. In addition, there are security cameras installed in every room on campus. Don't even think about it." His grin, if anything, became delighted at the prospect of us attempting to fight back. To fail from fleeing with our lives intact when the odds were so unbelievably stacked against us. "Therefore, in case anyone does anything against the rules, they can expect severe bodily punishment!"
"Finally, to commemorate your arrival at this school, I'm giving you all a little present." The bear tossed flat, rectangular shaped objects towards Owada and I as he hopped off of the stage and handed out more to my classmates below. "It's a student identification card. Isn't it cool? It's an electronic student ID card that doubles as a handbook, and therefore its name is... "The Electronic Student Handbook", or e-Handbook for short!!"
Sitting myself alongside the edge of the stage, I tuned Monokuma out and turned it on, focusing on going through the tabs and functions of my e-Handbook.
I needed information, and hopefully this would something that I could use to my-our advantage in this school.
Regarding my personal page, everything displayed here was something that was either public information or in a public database somewhere in the world.
At least, that's what was supposed to be the case.
Yet, my eyes were glued onto one specific section.
One that chilled my blood and filled me with inconceivable shock.
For it was something that only I and a very scarce few knew about.
NANASHI DOKODA
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 172 lbs
Chest: 62 cm
Blood Type: O-
Date of Birth: December 21st
Likes: Running, Games (even the "bad" games), Reading, Challenges
Dislikes: Arrogance, Boring People, Boredom, Needless Death
Special Notes: Ultimate Marksman
Mounting dread gripped my heart as I refreshed the status screen with fervor, only for it to show the same information as before.
'Why the hell is this on here? I enrolled to Hope's Peak Academy as the Ultimate Freerunner!'
I almost threw the e-Handbook down in shock, but I held myself together. I couldn't show my surprise, or one of my many secrets might be revealed by way of accident.
At the same time though, I was furious and wanted answers.
I had to find out. Just how? How?
How did that damn build-a-bear reject know about the past I wanted to forget for the rest of my life?
"Aaanyway, with all of that said and done with, the school's opening ceremony is now complete!" Monokuma's elation, if anything, fueled me even more to seek answers. "Please enjoy your peaceful, dreary school life! Toodles!"
Just like that, the only one who held the answers to my and everyone else's questions had left, disappearing underneath the floor of the stage. Leaving us all alone in the gym to ruminate on the swaths of information he had dropped onto us.
"H-hey, everyone..." Taka started, everyone's eyes falling onto him. "How would you define what happened here now?"
Horrible. Mortifying. Deathly. Sadistic. Cruel. Unusual. Unorthodox. Disgusting. Merciless.
Despite all the words I thought of, however, none fit more than the one at the forefront of my mind.
"Fucked." I muttered to myself, rubbing my eyes with my hands. "This is so absolutely fucked."
Kuwata blankly stared at the ceiling. "I have absolutely no idea what's going on here..."
I got up and slowly made my way past the others and over to Toko who, as I had expected, was reasonably freaking out like a majority of our classmates were.
"L-l-live here? Forever? K-kill?" She murmured to herself, shuddering at the mere thought of the act alone. "What the hell? What's going on?!"
"Toko, we need to-" I began, stopping as she slowly inched herself away from me, wearily watching my every move. "...Nevermind, I guess."
I'll just have to talk to her later, when the nerves are all gone. I know Toko, and there's no way I can approach her right now. She just needed some time to herself.
"Everyone," Kirigiri started, taking lead of the conversation as everyone focused their attention onto her, "keep calm. For the time being, let's go once more over what we know. According to what this Monokuma said, we are presented with two options."
She walked towards the middle of the group, addressing all of us. "The first, live a peaceful communal life inside this school with no time limit. And the second..." Her poker face game was perfect, but despite that I could see the telltale signs of a grimace.
"In order to get out of here, "kill one of our friends", was it?" Celeste finished calmly, though through her eyes I could tell that it wasn't that simple.
Tears threatened to pour from Fujisaki's eyes as she registered Celeste's words. "K-killing... there's no way..."
"To be suddenly abducted and locked down in a place that looks like a school..." Yamada shuddered in fear, staring at everyone warily. "And on top of that, to be told to kill each other... What the hell's up with that!"
Sweat poured down Taka's face, denial in his eyes. "It's all a lie! Such foolish talk can't possibly be true!"
Togami let out a hum of disapproval. "The problem isn't whether it's a lie or not. The problem is," his gaze swept across the room, falling onto each of us with the weight of a sledgehammer, "if there's someone here who takes it seriously."
Hearing that, we all fell silent. Yet, despite that silence, the wary stares and looks we gave each other spoke volumes in spite of that.
The threat Monokuma had presented to us mere minutes ago had already begun to take hold.
Paranoia was quite possibly the worst enemy of the human mind. Clawing away slowly but surely, breaking down the foundations of sanity until all that remained was a fragile husk of man.
Taking hold in the deepest and darkest corners of our mind, it lurked in waiting.
Waiting for the opportunity to strike.
~~[Butterfly Effect]~~
Students Remaining: 16