Second prologue! No worries there won't be a third. I just needed two parts to show both sides of the situation. I apologize for the wait. :P I hope my attempt at characterizing Junko was not despairingly futile...

Disclaimer: I don't own Puella Magi Madoka Magica or DanganRonpa

[Prologue the Second]

There were times where Jin Kirigiri doubted his extent of power over the students of Hope's Peak. There was reason for this, for he, a man that was merely a tad above average, presided over a school where the student body was made up of the world's brightest individuals. And, given the freedom students got within the academy, Jin's dream of a strict, disciplinary school of higher education should've been shattered long ago.

The moment his daughter brought it to his attention that a suspicious white creature had shown up on campus, Jin had it caught and sent to its office. It was now pacing back and forth on the Headmaster's rug, not speaking.

I would like your cooperation, Kirigiri Jin.

The headmaster startled as the voice suddenly sounded in his head.

"Wh—?" He looked to see that the white cat-like creature had its red gaze focused on him.

He talks? With his mind? Jin put past his momentary shock and immediately donned on his usual stern expression.

"Have we met before?"

No, replied the creature, but I have already done you a favor.

"If you had, then I would've remembered I owned you something," Jin turned away from the creature and began to shuffle the papers on his desk. The year was drawing to an end and he needed to make sure the students were well situated for next year. He did not need to be distracted by the lies of some stranger.

I believe I need to properly introduce myself to you. My name is Kyubey! And yes, we have met before, Kirigiri Jin. It was part of our contract for you to not remember me but its nothing you should ponder over now. My only order of business here is the register a student.

"What are you scheming?" From his desk, Jin turned to stare down at the creature suspiciously.

If monotonous voices could change, then Jin was pretty sure Kyubey's did just then. I presume the one named Enoshima Junko have contacted you about me already? If so, you will not believe in her lies.

"Enoshima… Junko," Jin mumbled. He recalled seeing her name somewhere on the student transcripts. Ah yes, there it was. She was the Ultimate Fashionista. He studied her photo.

"I most certainly have not but you speak of her as if you know her well. What vendetta do you have against her?"

Thank goodness! Kyubey spoke in mild relief. There's no need to worry. I most certainly am not associated with Miss Enoshima in any form or way. But I fear that your outright concern for the well being of the academy's future students, though honorable, is too naive. Humans can be quite unpredictable— Kyubey flicked his tail dismissively when Jin started to open his mouth in protest. But that's an entirely different matter. We must hurry and get right down to business 'else it may be too late. Would you please get a registration form ready?

Jin was surprised at the creature's forwardness but did as he was told.

Let's begin. Kyubey spoke after he had got himself situated. Her name is Sakura—Sakura Kyouko.

"Why, she has the same name as my daughter!" A fond smile slid onto Jin's face as he jotted down the Incubator's words.

Really? Kyubey sounded surprised in the moment and then, as if he had forgotten all about his original purpose, he asked, Would you please tell me more about her—that daughter of yours, I mean?

Jin found his wrists tied up uncomfortably in a chair and blindfolded. His first thought was to freeze and try to discern his surroundings.

Through the partial light let in by the webwork of the fabric around his eyes, he could tell he was in a gray room with perpendicular walls. It was quiet, too quiet. He shift his weight on the chair and was rewarded by a loud thudding sound of the chair leg against the floor. Jin listened closely to the reverberation. There was no one here, but that didn't mean the room was empty. The door was not within his sight, which meant he had to facing away from it.

The door opened with a bang and a set of footsteps strolled leisurely inside. The dull clacking sound indicated that the intruder wore heels— wide ones that weren't so high off the ground.

In a situation like this, Jin thought that it would be best to speak up first. After all, if his captor had wanted him dead, he would not be here. "W-what— who are you?"

His answer was a short burst of laughter.

Enoshima Junko was happy.

Satisfied.

Joyous.

Exuberant.

Supercalifragilistic.

To put her purpose to light, she was enjoying the best feeling of all: despair.

"Enoshima Junko, Ultimate Despair 'tis me!" The strawberry blond caterwauled and promptly burst into another fit of psychotic laughter.

"You're Enoshima—!? Ultimate Despair? But I thought you were the—"

Jin was immediately brought back to the first time the name had been mentioned to him.

Could the one named Enoshima Junko have contacted you about me already? And Kyubey's words following that: I'm worried that your outright concern for the wellbeing of the academy's future students is too much forethought and little to none afterthought.

He knew something. Jin's eyes widened and he struggled harder against the ropes around his wrists.

"Ya gonna die here, old man! End of the line for you and my sister!" Her tone had switched into something harsher Junko's eyes had dilated twice the size and she was leaning forward to meet his downcast eyes, completely ignoring the fact that he could not see here and that she was literally shoving her face against his nose.

"Who are you?" Jin leaned back, momentarily having gained enough recovery to ask the important question.

"I'm the mastermind! The Ultimate Despair! The one and only instigator of the The Worst, Most Despair-Inducing Incident in the History of Mankind!" Junko, though perfectly aware that no one could see, made a show of squatting into a flourish curtsy. "And you're gonna die."

For possibly the first time in his life, Jin Kirigiri did not know what to do. His opponent was unpredictable.

The tone of her voice changed once again, to something much more mature.

"That's right. You wanted to be an astronaut, didn't you Jin? Before all that happened."

"How?" Jin managed to choke out. How did she know?

Junko let out a dreamy sigh, ignoring his outburst. "Despair is such a wonderful feeling."

"You are making no sense." He tried to keep his voice level but his attempt to speak up was muffled by the sound of Junko rummaging through some of the objects in the room.

"Ta~daa!"

Jin heard the sound of rusted machinery scraping against each other.

"It's punishment time!"

And just as suddenly as she had waltz in the room, everything fit together within Jin's mind.

"Ahaahhahhahaaha…" This time it was he who started to laugh.

Junko stopped making noise. "Why are you laughing? It hasn't even begun!"

"No," Jin let out a sigh and stopped his laughter. "It's too late."

"What?"

"I've already set it up. It's you—you're the one this is all over for."

There was the sound of a sharp intake of breath—she was surprise.

Jin grinned, which immediately morphed into a groan as a metallic object collided with his cheek.

"What. Did. You. Do."

"Guess you'll have to find out."

The door slammed shut.

As soon as Jin was sure the girl was no longer there, he started working at his binds. She had used a hefty amount of rope, which mean there should be quite a bit of slack. He shifted, grimacing as the rope seared his wrists. The trick was to get the slack all in one place and then shimmy out of the enlarged loops. He was almost done with shifting around when a strange noise resounded in the room.

"Upupupu..." It sounded like maniacal laughter.

The door opened. Footsteps approached again and this time, Jin deduced them to belong to someone— something small. He began working quickly. If he could get out now, he might stand a chance against his opponent using size to an advantage. He had considered the fact that his opponent was armed, but the evidence he had gathered thus far with his remaining four senses vanquished the possibility. The thing came here along. There was only a single set of footsteps.

A while later, Jin heard a low humming in the background but could not identify it. He twisted in his seat. There was another loud metallic sound and this time, Jin froze. The thing may have not come armed, but that was because the whole room was the weapon.

There was a buzzing sound, followed by more of that maniacal laughter. There was a final bang and Jin shut his eyes. He hadn't realized he had been screaming until the moment he heard nothing else but his scream. Breathing raggedly, Jin strained against the fabric around his eyes. He only saw color, small but bright pinpoints of neon and electric blue. The silence had been interrupted by the sound of something powering up, which was then replaced once more by loud roaring in his ears.

"You wanted to be an astronaut, didn't you Jin?" Junko's voice echoed in his head.

Am I... in a rocket?

Junko Enoshima cautiously took a step forwards. Her heel landed next to a stray bolt that had managed to stay in one piece throughout the whole, five-second journey to space and back. She watched as it rolled away towards the bulk of the rubble, a destroyed rocket embedded point down into the ground. Holding the bear protectively in her arms, she stepped closer towards the ruins. There was a loud screeching sound as the doors to the space shuttle opened. Junko stifled a giggle as doors revealed an the inside of the rocket. It was barren except for the pile of bones that tumbled to the ground.

"Goodbye Jin Kirigiri!" She managed to shout this in between her fits of laughter. "Let's see what becomes of your beloved school now!"

Still hugging Monokuma, she sashayed away from the wreckage, all the while letting her laughter wind down. It was soon going to be the start of a new year. She told herself that she shouldn't get excited too quickly.