August 22nd, 2013

Two days after end of the Hostage Situation of Mutual Killing

An engine whirred over a flat landscape, a trail of dust visible in the wake of the vehicle. Down the road rumbled a large van, the windows wide open, the doors and sides covered in metal plating. It was far from a luxurious vehicle, but it was among the most reliable transports in Future Foundation's fleet. The black logo emblazoned on the side said as much.

After a few minutes, the vehicle pulled into a camp of various tents and quick constructions, all sorts of folks mulling about. Curious eyes turned towards the van as it slowly moved through the paths, making its way towards a building in the distance. Said building, reaching three stories high, had seen better days. Several of its walls had crumbled, opening it up to the heavens, though it still stood. A number of armed men surrounded it, keeping its valuable contents outside of the hands of pilferers.

The van ultimately did not reach the building, instead turning to a set of white tents near the entrance, parking in front. Two of the doors stepped out, and two burly men, each clearly in possession a pistol, stepped out. One of them opened up a door, and the well-guarded occupant exited the vehicle. He was well into the middle of his lifespan, his dark blue hair grey on the edges, his bangs parted over his gray, left eye. He was rather casually dressed, donning a white dress shirt, a black tie, and black jeans. He loosened his collar in response to stepping out of the car and into the summer sun, before one of the men entered the tent, leaving sight.

As the man waited, a few onlookers watched him, their faces conveying a mixture of interest and disgust.

Sanada Shinzo was well aware of it. He, the 45th Class Super High School Level Debater, was the face of this country when it fell. But the captain did not go down with the ship; he managed to survive. Even after two years of chaos, he managed to live. To the onlookers, he only offered a photogenic smile and a wave. He accepted his status as 'unscrupulous devil': as one of the cornerstones of Future Foundations leadership, he acted as the face of the organizations's sins and mistakes, willingly taking the blame for any missteps, for nothing could be worse than his final month as Prime Minister.

As equally unscrupulous tabloids once shared, it was a well-known fact that he was an 'M'. His late ex-wife had revealed that much.

After a few moments, the burly man returned, giving a nod. With a sigh of relief, Sanada crouched down and entered the tent, letting his eyes adjust to the slightly darker area.

As he looked around, he saw a few chair and tables, populated by the current members of this base: or rather, most of them. The angelic Asumi Haruka was unhurt, luckily, but Urushibara Itaru had his arm in a sling. Katsuragi Seijiro, a living fossil, had a few bandages around his balding head. Taiyoshi Nijiko was also in good shape, not having arrived until after the situation had been resolved. Oonishi Eiji was also unhurt, standing in front of the table.

Looking around, Sanada noted, "I imagine Mahiro is still healing up?"

Eiji nodded, "He ate some solid food today, so he's well on the road to recovery."

With another smile, Sanada nodded, "Well, that's good to hear. So, about that report..." Crossing his arms over his chest, he muttered, "Our foes, Uzatei and Tachibana, dead. Kinashi lives. Mikage is comatose. Ishihara is deceased. Oonishi Mahiro is out of commission. Alter Ego is safely on your servers until we can reconnect her. Mizunoe, Nagasaki, Furugori, Ichijou, and Saruta are functioning, and their memories are restorable…but even so, what a mess this has been."

Oonishi smiled, before beginning, "Yeah, it has been really Unlucky, you could say, but…I think some good's going to come out from it. If we can save even one member of the 79th Class from Despair…"

Sanada nodded, before adding, "However, there was one other thing: Kirigiri Kasumi is deceased as well? Her granddaughter will be devastated." Despite his words, Sanada seemed rather...amused?

Eiji blinked, before replying, "Well, probably. It's hard to tell with her sometimes."

Sanada chortled, "And yet, imagine my surprise when I received a call from the supposed ghost herself!"

Outside of the tents, a short while away, a small dock held host to a farewell party, the medium sized boat holding a handful of people on the edge of its frame. On the dock itself, four mismatched men and women stood close by, having one last conversation.

The oldest among them, the bearded Ichijou Mitsuzi, wearing a black yukata underneath a regal looking haori coat, a wooden cane in his thin hands, rattled from the deck of the boat, "Don't you worry about us. We'll be fine."

Mizunoe Fuyuko, her curly auburn hair tied into a loose bun, wearing a dark green pair of jeans and a deep purple shirt, grumbled, "Worry? About you?"

Next to her, the pudgy Furugori Yasuo, black overalls holding up his pants, his short, black hair, gray on the burns, laughed, "You're only walking into the arms of some of the worst criminals in history, what's the worst that could happen?"

Nagasaki Ayumi, wearing a long, green coat over a white undershirt and blue jeans, a scar running down from her ear to her neck, muttered, "Don't joke like that."

Saruta Bimaru, the tired looking man wearing a lab coat, his black hair also tinted with gray, a curl still dangling over his forehead, noted, "Or is it you who's worried about us?"

Kirigiri Kasumi, dressed in a long black coat, the base of which fluttered about near her ankles, a pair of sunglasses over her blue eyes, a black, wide brimmed hat over her long hair, replied, "Of course. Just less so."

From the front of the boat, the bored sounding pilot asked impatiently, "You folks ready!?"

"One more moment, please!" Came a voice from beyond the dock. Kirigiri looked over, eyes widening for a moment as she looked at the man with dark blue hair. The others had a bit more intense reaction as they saw the aged ghost. The worst was Nagasaki, who bared her teeth, reaching into her pocket.

Holding up his hands defensively, Sanada insisted, "Now, now, I mean you no harm."

Kirigiri asked, "Sanada Shinzo, I presume?"

The man nodded, "We've met, even if you fail to remember." Looking at Kasumi closer, he asked, "What I fail to get, however, is why you fail to remember."

Kirigiri sighed, beginning, "I didn't explain it well enough? My apologies. Upon my death, my memories were dumped from whatever files that were on that machine. The same fate befell Mikage Naoki. However, the others, Ichijou, Saruta, Furugori, Minami, and Nagasaki, only need to wait until Katsuragi and Alter Ego figure out how to restore them, as Uzatei did during the Trial." Bitterly, Kirigiri explained further, "In other words, the Kirigiri Kasumi you have known is dead. All that remains is the physical remnant, stripped of her seventy years of life."

Sanada nodded, "Ah, I'm starting to see. You do seem dressed for a funeral, after all."

Kirigiri glared through her sunglasses, "Do you really?" She sighed, "When I was told of all the tragedies that befell this world, the ones that affected me the least were those of my own. My missing husband, my dead son...when I was told about them, the ones sharing had their voices full of pity and sorrow directed at me, yet when they shared their own tales, I felt for them even more, because they didn't try to butter me up. It just hit roughly, and quickly." Looking away again, she muttered, "How can I face my granddaughter like that? To her, I'm better off dead."

Frowning slightly, Sanada pointed out, "She's quite the Sleuth, you know. She might be able to track you down if she so chooses."

Kirigiri replied, "If she's half the Sleuth I am, and I have no doubt she is, then maybe she'll realize my reasoning as she discerns my location."

Sanada shrugged, "Fair enough." Looking at the boat, he asked, "Now, where were you going, if I may ask?"

Kirigiri nodded, "You may." She answered, "The Talents of the Field Trip of Mutual Killing...they also have their companions trapped in a comatose state, just like Mikage Naoki. If they've made a breakthrough, or if Mitsuzi-kun and I can help them make one, we may be able to restore him to life. After Katsuragi finishes restoring memories, he plans on joining us, provided that it's safe."

Sanada nodded, muttering, "That's a long way to go for a simple apology."

Kirigiri shook her head, "It's the least I can do. Even if he can never be the 'himself' of yesterday, he can move on to a different tomorrow, I think." Glancing at Ichijou, she finished, "I would also like to see him very much Alive, thank you."

The boat pilot cleared his throat loudly, and Ichijou laughed, "Well, let's get this show on the road!" Reaching over the boat, he clapped Furugori, Saruta, and Nagasaki on the shoulder once each, before saying, "Take care, you guys."

Saruta smiled, "I pray to meet you again, Ichijou-san."

Furugori added, "It's been something else."

Nagasaki nodded, "Thank you for...everything."

Meanwhile, the other two women had a brief staring contest, their minds racing over the remnants of their rivalry. Kasumi finally admitted with a smile, "You know, you're a lot smarter than you look, for a brute."

Fuyuko scoffed, "And you're a lot stronger than you look, for an old twig." Their biting words held none of their previous bitterness this time, though there was more than a hint of mutual respect.

With one last smile, Ichijou and Kirigiri nodded, before heading below the deck. The engine of the boat rumbled to a start, and began to head off into the sea.

Sanada smiled, "Well, never too old for an adventure, I suppose?"

Saruta chuckled, "Old?"

Furugori laughed, "Mentally, they're about the same as they have been."

Sanada's eyes widened, and despite himself, he gawked as he realized, "Ah! Ichijou didn't restore his memories?"

Nagasaki muttered, "Why would he?"

Mizunoe nodded, "Living like that surely is frightening, but is always easier when you have someone in a similar...situation."

Sanada blinked in awe as he watched the boat go off, mystified. In amusement, he chortled, well aware of the irony, "Such is youth, I suppose..."

Around the same hour, in the waters near Muroran, a sizable boat bobbed in the waves as it cut through the water to the once great city. From the piloting deck, a man stood, watching the port through a set of binoculars. His skin was tanned by the sun, and his brown, curly hair was covered with a Navy cap. He also wore the white uniform of the sailor.

Putting down his binoculars, Samidare Konami, the 70th Class Super High School Level Sailor, and the Admiral of Future Foundation's fleet, watched the port town in the distance, praying it was abandoned, and not full of the wretched remnants of Despairing men and women. He was relieved, however: he and his crew, plus one extra, had been spending the last weeks checking out former ports for any unusual signs, and they were finally arriving at their destination. They were lucky that they were so close, and they could only pray that they had reached it before Kinashi Ririka had.

Looking below, he saw his anxious crew mate, maintaining his firearm once again. The boy's skin was also tan, as he adapted to life on the sea. His hair was bleached blonde, and his skin was dotted in various scars. He wore baggy, black shorts and a white, short sleeved shirt, a brown backpack, full of objects, lying down next to him.

Putting his pistol back in the holster at his hip, Saitou Shiro muttered firmly, "Kinashi...if you touch a hair on their heads, I'll end you."

He couldn't explain his burning desire to rescue the 79th Class. Maybe it was just hope that they could reinforce Future Foundation. Maybe it was just spite at Tachibana and Kinashi, who had gone to such lengths to find them. Maybe he just wanted to meet Katsuragi Yumi's sibling.

Whatever the reason, he would find them, and take them from whatever hopeless place they were locked in. Even if he was a screw up, even if he was up against an enigma of a girl, he had to try, dammit.

He made a promise to never lose Hope. they were alive: he could feel it...

At an unknown time, yet another boat careened off into the distance, not a hint of land in sight. This vessel was fairly large, but ruined, covered in rust and grime. It had been made serviceable, however, a number of masked men supporting the only Talent they had left, mulling about the deck as they worked.

As much as that girl hated Talent, and being called Talented.

As much as that girl hated Hope's Peak, Future Foundation, even Super High School Level Despair.

Standing near the bow of the ship in meditation, Kinashi Ririka, donned in her white kimono and black hakama, accented by her short, red hair, was in thought. She knew they were wrong. She was rather Untalented. They simply couldn't see it because of how pathetic they were, how inefficient they were at using their body and mind as Kinashi Ririka did. To herself, the girl muttered in thought:

"All of this for sixteen children. Sixteen 'swallows'. For what purpose did you keep them hidden away for so long, Enoshima Junko?"

"I really need not ask: to make them Despair obviously. I can only pray you did not leave them in an unmanageable state. I need those children, so unaware of the new world, for my doing."

"After all, every ruler needs an army."

Overhearing, one of her minions nodded, "At your service, my Queen."

Biting her lip, Kinashi turned on him, glaring, "I am Kinashi Ririka! Now leave me."

Swallowing, the mook nodded, "Y-yes, Kinashi-sama."

Pleased, Kinashi tuned back to her sea view, breathing in the salty spray as she stood. She muttered, "No, not them of course. To kill Talent, one must be Talented. But alas..."

"Surely you will not be as stubborn as your dear little sister? For your livelihood, I would Hope not, Katsuragi Yaichi..." The words felt bitter on her lips, the name of that Dreamer.

TO BE CONTINUED IN DANGAN RONPA: HOPE'S FREEDOM IS DESPAIR'S REWARD PART 3: THAT HOPELESS PLACE

And here we are: Despairingly Displaced has come to an end, but the series is not over yet: we have one more installment to go!

Before I talk about that, I have some gifts to read at your leisure!

First up, and most important, is the Fashion Designer's True Historied Past, detailing his meeting with Enoshima with none of the lies that filled Future Foundation's ears. I also think it's nice to read alongside the normal version, just to see how different they are. There is a mild language warning (of noooo an f-bomb how horrible) and a less mild ephebophila one: pastebin(.com)/uijvB3Za

Next up we have Design notes and the last of the characters: pastebin(.com)/BP7YQJHW

Next, I have my thoughts on the fic's conception: what did I have in mind with all the twists? How did I come up with some of the characters? What was cut or otherwise considered? Find out here, if that interests you: pastebin(.com)/diiaM8yq

If you're curious about the sequel, when it may happen, and how to be notified as soon as possible, check out this one: pastebin(.com)/fkBuvGsz

Next up, I have some of my reference material, if you were curious! It's the Class Listing: each of the characters in their respective Classes in order, to help you figure where they are in relation to each other. Here: pastebin(.com)/MPQZWYBD

And lastly, I have a character poll! Who was your favorite character in Despairingly Displaced? I wanna hear it! strawpoll(.me)/2241451

And I do believe that's everything. Thank you for reading! If you want to see more of my stuff, I highly recommend going into the Sequel pastebin and follow one of my avenues (FF .net, AO3, or Tumblr)! See you next time!

Also, as of October 2014, I went back and made a couple changes to account for stuff I learned from finally playing/reading DR2, DR0, and a few AE spoilers. Haneyama Ayaka and Kirigiri Fuhito had their appearances changes, the Computer Enigineer's Historied Past was changed significantly (for the worst, unfortunately, I may go back and redo it one day) and the name of the Secret Volume, Volume 0 was changed. I also added the official designation of 'Hostage Situation of Mutual Killing'. Not a whole lot, but I thought it was worth mention, so thank you for reading or even rereading!