Chapter 3: Teacher
*Start recording*
The new students seem to be acclimating well.
That is true. However, there does exist one more concern.
And what is that?
Who is to teach them. This is the most spectacular crop of students since the 44th class. We cannot allow them to go to waste.
I quite agree. Which is why I had planned to instruct them.
Shoma?! Are you certain? But you have not instructed a class since...
Since the 44th, yes. Please, trust me to know what must be done. I will not allow this class to go the way of those students. They are our last hope.
So be it. Let the light of hope...
...blaze into a utopic inferno.
*End recording*
About a half hour after orientation, Makoto walks into classroom A, still about 10 minutes early for the first of his classes. Having spent the prior 30 minutes unpacking and exploring, he feels relatively prepared for whatever could be coming. However, given that this was the first class, it wouldn't hurt to continue preparing. After all, one only had one good chance to make a first impression. And so, he continues to observe and mark down details about the room, searching for any hints of what was coming. As he does so, a tall black-haired man steps out from behind a curtain. The man seems to move with a controlled grace, every step carefully chosen and directed. Even his clothing, a black suit and silver tie, seems to radiate a threatening aura. And his voice, dry, calm and cold, merely expands his presence.
"Observing your surroundings to get a leg up on the competition? You've clearly got the right idea." The man smiles slightly at Naegi.
"Why, of course," Naegi replies with a smirk, "How else am I meant to excel?"
The man's slight smile becomes a predatory grin.
"I said you had the right idea. Excelling requires a far, far better implementation of that idea. You are Makoto Naegi?"
The youth nods in response, and the man inclines his head before sitting down at the desk at the front of the room. Makoto looks at the man for a few more seconds, before the man motions to the rest of the room.
"Go on, keep examining. If you truly wish to win, you can't allow things such as this to distract you. I promise, once the class truly begins, your curiosity about me will be satisfied."
Naegi nods, and continues looking around at the room. And, more particularly, the bewildering number and assortment of tools and items at the back. Everything from well maintained katanas to an ivory chess set seems to be lined against the back wall. A few minutes later, the remaining students file in and take their seats, and the man stands, motioning for Naegi to sit. He does so, and the man stands and begins to speak in a calm tone.
"Hello, 78th class. I will be your teacher for the duration of your time at this academy. Now, before I introduce myself, I'd like to get a few things out of the way. Would each student stand up and say their name and talent?"
First, an attractive black haired girl of average height stands up confidently.
"I'm Sayaka Maizono! SDHS Idol!"
Next, a taller, slightly fitter black haired girl rises gracefully.
"I am Mukuro Ikusaba. SDHS Mercenary."
After her, a tallish pink haired boy gets up, grinning childishly.
"Kazuichi Soda. SDHS Mechanic, at your service."
*Timeskip containing many other characters from Danganronpa 1 and 2 because there really wasn't much of a reason to include them explicitly. *
After Sonia Nevermind, the SDHS princess, takes her seat gracefully, the Akayamas stand up.
Chinatsu motions to herself. "I'm Chinatsu Akiyama, the SDHS Weaver. And he-"
Yousei cuts her off. "I can introduce myself, 'Natsu! I'm Yousei Akiyama, SDHS Snake Charmer."
After they sit down, Makoto stands and introduces himself.
"And lastly, I am Makoto Naegi. SDHS Rationalist."
Once Naegi returns to his seat, the man at the desk rises.
"Pleased to meet you all. Now, my name is Ryusei Shoma. As I do not currently attend this school, I have no specifically assigned talent. Now that we've gotten the introductions out of the way, it's time for another slight administrative matter. Everything you have ever been told about this school is a lie."
He is met with a classroom full of confused eyes and a few people who seemed thoughtful or understanding. He marks down those who seem to understand as students to be watched. Unsurprisingly, that group contains the rationalist, the detective, and the snake charmer. Surprisingly, it contains the mercenary, and he makes a note to watch Ikusaba in future. After marking the results of this test, he continues speaking.
"Now, I realize this may be confusing for some of you, so I shall be more precise. Every piece of promotional material the school put out was faked. Every picture? Staged. Every testimonial? Written by handpicked students and heavily censored. Everything you have ever seen or researched about this academy was meant to provide you with the illusion that this was merely an illustrious school."
Akane Owari cuts in confusedly.
"If it isn't a school, then what else is it?"
"A training facility," Shoma responds, voice now a good deal colder, "where we will forge you into the next lights of hope. In order to facilitate this, I have devised two simple goals for you to follow for the next 4 years. Goal 1 is simple, comparatively speaking: outperform your classmates. This goal can be accomplished merely by honing your own talents. Goal 2 will be extremely difficult for all of you, and will require you to work as a unit: outperform me."
Naegi looks at the man with a more evaluating gaze. They needed to outperform him? That didn't seem incredibly impossible... Shoma notices his gaze and smiles darkly.
"Oh, and before I forget to tell you, here is your first lesson: I will outplay you. I will outfight you. I will outthink you. If you test me, you will not win. Would anyone like to test that?"
Sakura Oogami stands up rapidly, body already settling into a fighting stance.
"I would be honored to face another in a warrior's challenge. However, Shoma, I warn that I am not so easily felled."
Shoma backs up to one side of the room, and beckons Sakura forward.
"Nor am I, Oogami."
Sakura walks to the front of the classroom, and immediately lashes out at Shoma, who quickly parries the blow. Soon, they are a blur of strikes and blocks, which soon resolves into Shoma calmly standing atop a pinned Oogami.
"How?" she asked, "Your left arm was weak!"
"No, my left arm was moving in a way which made it seem like I was attempting to disguise weakness. Learn to interpret the evidence given you based on the caliber of the person you fight!"
He moved off of her, and she returned to her seat, shoulders slumped.
As she sat, he turned to the rest of us.
"I could likely destroy any one of you in your own chosen arts with the same ease. It is for this reason that you will need to form groups to defeat me. Choose groups however you wish, only remember this: groups must be 7 or less."
He falls silent, and the room erupts into movement, students running back and forth forming groups. In the back corner of the room, the Akiyamas and Kirigiri approach Naegi. He turns to them.
"I accept your requests to form a group. However, we shall need to cover more skill areas."
Yousei nods.
"We are lacking in martial fields. Also, it would be helpful to have someone with advanced engineering skills."
Kyouko stands up, peering around the room, before she focuses in on someone.
"I shall attempt to recruit Ikusaba. Naegi, Yousei, one of you should go find Fujisaki."
They nod, and after a brief whispered conversation, Yousei stands up and moves away. After they leave, Chinatsu turns to Naegi with a confused look on her face.
"Ok, I understand why everyone else makes sense in this group. But why me? What do I offer?"
Naegi turns to her and regards her seriously.
"A few things: first, I honestly have no idea what Shoma is planning to do with us. Any talent could be useful. Second, like your brother, I would assume you have hidden depths. Third, if you can weave that well, it shouldn't be much of a stretch for you to make, say, camouflaged garments or something similar. Does that answer the question?"
Chinatsu nods, satisfied. A few seconds later, Yousei and Fujisaki return. When Naegi asks Fujisaki about her participation, the mousy girl just nods, not trusting her own voice. A few seconds later, Kirigiri walks up to the group with Ikusaba following close behind. Once they return, Naegi addresses the group as a whole. There's no better time to say what's on his mind.
"Now, if we are to be a team, we need a name, as it were. Given our skill sets, I suggest something simple. Something that indicates that when we strike, the attack is quick, surgical, and impossible to predict."
After a few seconds, Ikusaba speaks.
"Then let us be known as...the scalpel."
The remainder of the group nods. A few seconds later, Shoma speaks from the front of the classroom.
"All of you seem to have found compatriots. Excellent. The first true test of your potential as units will be at 6 am tomorrow. That gives you 14 hours. Use them well. Any final questions?"
As the other groups begin to file out, Naegi pipes up.
"Yes. Why all of this?"
Shoma turns toward him, his expression now more intense than ever.
"Look at the world around you. It is weak, ineffectual, disunified, and led by the worst of leaders. It is in desperate need of a new flame. This academy exists to light that flame. To kindle the fire of hope."
End of Prologue
A/N: And this marks the last chapter in the introductory sequence. The next chapter(which will hopefully be out sometime this week, I love winter break) will take place after a large timeskip and mark the beginning of the story proper.
About changes to the school: Yeah, there's a reason I didn't mark this as a single point of divergence. Although I suppose it technically could be...but I'm getting ahead of myself.
Please review(or leave a fav or follow, if you are so inclined)!