Author's Note: Hello everyone! I'm super, super excited to be posting my first Danganronpa fanfiction. I'll be posting the first two or three chapters right away to give you all something of a taste of the story, but I plan on posting roughly one chapter per week from here on out.
This story will take place in the "School Mode" version of Danganronpa 1. Rated M mostly for language as well as some sexual allusions/references. There will be spoilers for the first game.
Hope you all enjoy reading!
Also, disclaimer: I do not own Danganronpa.
Chapter 1: Day 1
Togami Byakuya was many things. He was intelligent, capable, good-looking. He had a fortune of funds in his personal bank account that would last him several lifetimes, all gained through his own cunning. He saved his strength for the moments he needed it and could read people with ease. He was fluent in multiple languages, proficient in a majority of common instruments, and a competent pool player. He was the ultimate of ultimate students.
He was not a fool. But walking the corridors of Hope's Peak Academy with the animatronic bear Monokuma's words floating in his mind, he felt dangerously close to one.
He should have seen the signs that this had been an elaborate ruse. Perhaps there never was a Hope's Peak Academy to begin with, although that didn't seem possible. His contacts at the Togami Corporation, his family's pride and joy and his future inheritance, would have warned him of it. Something would have tipped somebody off, advising him to stay away from the cursed building. Yet here he was, walking past Asahina Aoi, the Ultimate Swimmer, and the monstrous Ogami Sakura, the Ultimate Martial Artist, both of whom were grunting as they tried to pull one of the metal sheets off the barred windows. He looked down at his provided e-Handbook once more and followed the path to the library, replaying the surreal morning's opening school ceremony in his mind.
"This is nonsense," he thought to himself as he slid open the wooden door to the library. Fortunately none of the other students had chosen to come here, though that didn't surprise him. After all, he doubted there was enough brain matter in any of their heads to appreciate the use of a good book. Shutting the door behind him, he reflected on Monokuma's words and looked up at the security camera in the corner of the room.
"How does this happen to me? How did I get stuck with this group of commoners and be ordered by a robotic teddy bear to make copies of him as some sort of back-up plan for whatever ridiculous idea the creator of that monstrosity has in store for us?"
Approaching the security camera, he frowned in confusion. It was the fourth security camera he had found...and the fourth to be offline. "Whoever designed this must truly be as depressed as they claim to be, to have set all this up only to let it sit." As he waved his hand in front of the camera, he saw no lights, no indicators that it was running. "So we have someone who clearly established this place as a trap, but then they lost their nerve and now have us doing their dirty work for them." He sighed in frustration and crossed his arms over his chest. "What nonsense."
Still, Togami couldn't deny the reality before him. After the bear had made its demands, the students had scattered about the school, looking for possible escape routes or clues as to why they had been lured here in the first place. So far, they had found nothing. Nothing but a front door that was barred and armed like a military complex, windows plated shut, a few classroom doors that were locked tight, and a warehouse full of food, clothes, and other essentials that supposedly would last them for an eternity. It was as though what the bear said was true, that they were honestly expected to work for the next 50 days, making whatever fantastical creations he requested, in order to be released from this school-turned-prison.
So Togami decided to use his best asset: his mind. With the cameras off, he could browse through the library at will, seeking answers on this school and the obvious prank being played. He turned his back to the camera and did a swift lookover of the room. The bookshelves were dusty, as were the few tables that were neatly arranged, indicating significant disuse. As he approached the far shelf, his gaze wandered along the spines of the novels, and he couldn't help but smirk at the collection. "At least they had the decency to provide us with some entertainment," he observed as he slid his fingers on the spine of one of his favorite classics. "Perhaps I'll bring a few books to my room tonight."
The thought drained the little bit of happiness that had entered his mind. "My dorm room. I'll be staying here tonight...and, according to Monokuma, the next 50 nights." Anger suddenly coursed through him, motivating him to move from bookshelf to bookshelf, scanning the contents for anything that could assist him in escaping this hellhole. As he moved, he saw the collection declining in value, until the last bookshelf contained nothing but popular, almost trashy, manga series. Turning on his heel, he walked back across the library and approached the desk along the far wall, where a single laptop sat. "Please have some sort of information for me."
Luck wasn't on his side. He clicked the power button and growled at the black screen. "No power. Of course not. Whoever planned this probably set this here just to get our hopes up." He glanced back up at the security camera and glared. "When I get out of here, whoever plotted this will rue the day."
Turning once more, he quickly approached the nearby doorway, half-expecting it to be locked. Instead, he turned the handle with ease, and he blinked in surprise as he opened the door to reveal a decently-sized closet. "Now this is curious," he thought aloud as he stepped inside. A musty smell washed over him, and for a few seconds, he held the door open, allowing the room to breathe for perhaps the first time in years. But as he inspected the room, a sense of nostalgia began to fill him, for the closet clearly served as an archive of sorts. The sensation increased in strength as he finally closed the door and approached the walls, which were lined entirely with bookshelves. Scanning the tightly-packed shelves, he worked to avoid the books and odd ends on the floor. It reminded him of home, of the crowded library he was privy to, and a small smile crossed his lips at the thought of returning to reality.
Yet as he began a more thorough search, his smile quickly evaporated. No… It wasn't just the size or shape of the room that was eliciting nostalgia. As he read the spines of the folders, books, and binders, he realized he was recognizing a shocking amount of material contained within the shelves. "And this...these aren't just documents available to the public to look at on a whim!" His breath hitched in his throat as his gaze landed on one particular file. "Holy shit...what is this doing here?!"
He slowly, very slowly, pulled the file from the shelf. Opening it, he was immediately bombarded by grotesque and horrific photographs. Images of blood, of men being killed in a brutal fashion. Scissors stabbed into their arms and neck, their bodies suspended as though crucified, and the words "Bloodbath Fever" written in the victim's blood on the walls behind them. The victim's names were written, along with a description of the crime scene, next to each photograph. Flipping through the pages, Togami's eyes widened as the truth looked him square in the face. "This is… This is an authentic booklet. Just like the one in my family's library. But how did-?"
He slammed the binder closed and smiled cruelly. "This may have just gotten interesting… If the person who orchestrated this whole event is powerful enough to own this information and more, then they may just be a worthy opponent after all." He slipped the binder back onto the bookshelf and exited the archive, making a mental note to check for more information later. As much as he hated to admit it, his stomach was reminding him that he had spent most of the day walking the hallways of the school, and he would need sustenance if he planned on staying up well into the night to continue his research.
But as he stepped out of the archive and closed the door behind him, the sound of the library door opening caught his attention. He blinked in surprise upon seeing a shorter boy enter. The boy looked around and smiled widely when his gaze landed on Togami. "Togami!" he exclaimed. "There you are! We were looking all over for you!"
It was Naegi. Naegi Makoto.
Togami scowled at the commoner boy. "Why would you be looking for me?" he asked.
Naegi seemed undeterred by Togami's tone, however, for he continued smiling as he took a step forward. "A few of the others have started making dinner. I went to find you to ask about joining us."
Suddenly Togami wished he didn't have a stomach. He went to automatically decline the invitation when he felt his insides grumble, causing his scowl to deepen. "Fine, I suppose I can spare a few minutes to eat whatever you all consider food," he remarked. Naegi's smile widened at his response, causing Togami to quickly add, "Not that this makes us acquaintances or whatever you may think. I simply need to eat to ensure I have the energy necessary to get us out of here."
Instead of taking the hint, Naegi waited for Togami to approach before leaving with the Ultimate Affluent Progeny. Togami closed the library door shut and began following the brown-haired boy down the hallway, taking note of the boy's light step and mannerisms. The hood of his green hoodie underneath his black school jacket bounced ever so slightly with each step, particularly as they descended the stairs. "What a fool," Togami thought to himself. "He seems so eager to please everyone, having been the first to bring up the idea of working together to solve the puzzle of this school. Yet why is he even here?"
"Naegi." The boy stopped and looked back with wide, brown eyes.
"Hmm?"
"Why are you even here? What is your talent? Why were you chosen to come to Hope's Peak Academy?"
Seeing the boy blush confirmed Togami's suspicions that Naegi didn't deserve to be here. But the answer was even worse than he anticipated. "I, uh… Well, I got lucky."
"'Lucky'?" Togami repeated.
"I was chosen at random to come here," elaborated Naegi. "They have me down as the Ultimate Lucky Student." To back up his claim, Naegi pulled out his e-Handbook, which distinctly showed his name and title. "Apparently they choose one average student each year to come...and I was chosen." Chuckling and still blushing, he added, "Not that I feel like I'm lucky right now… I mean, what with being stuck here and unable to get out."
Togami didn't know whether to feel stunned, angry, or disappointed, but the combination kept him from sending a scalding insult the boy's way. "This idiot simply arrived on a whim from the Headmaster, who may have indeed contributed to setting up this charade." He watched as Naegi smiled and continued walking down the stairs, with Togami taking a second before following along. "He has no real talents, no calling, just an average student who got picked by lottery. What an absolute mockery of this school's reputation and credentials."
As they passed the plated windows, Togami had to wonder if the school even had a reputation anymore. Certainly not in its current condition.
"Yoo, you found him!" a female voice cried out. Togami turned and looked to see Asahina and Ogami smiling and approaching the two. "Hey Togami!" Asahina excitedly waved at them. "Ready for an ultra dinner the likes of which you've never had? There's so much food in the warehouse! I think there actually might be enough for us to eat for 50 days, just like Monokuma said!"
"We'll see about that," Togami muttered, having no doubt that the food the others considered 'ultra' was nothing more than basic course meals at best. He slowly followed the trio to the dining hall, noting how Naegi immediately began chatting with the two girls.
He needed to get out of here. His sanity and reputation demanded it. And, as if to prove his point, the first thing he noticed upon entering the dining hall was a bear standing on the central table, hands on its hips and a wicked grin across its face.
Monokuma. The bear from the morning's opening ceremony.
"Alrighty, you've had your fun exploring! Now your days of backup creation have begun!"