Hopeful to learn more about what's happening around me, Akahana and I locked eyes for a quick second before nodding and rushing back to the door that led to Valley Views, Asuyo and Shizuka close on our tail. It was a quick, silent jog. The only sounds present were the stampede of footsteps and Asuyo's panting, trying to steady her balance as she ran in those outlandish high heels, all the while trying to maintain her speed.
In a matter of minutes, us four were met by a few others, locked outside the entrance to the Sierra Resort, the familiar rustic building that housed my awakening. One last pair of people rushed through the wooden corral door and met us at the resort's patio, making the doors open automatically and silently, a contrast to how creaky they were earlier today.
"D-Did you guys do that?" Chigusa asked, embracing her straw hat close to her chest.
Yori turned around and tilted his head. "Did something happen, Chigusa?" Figures the blind one wouldn't notice the door opening.
"The door opened, Yori" Frances pat Yori's shoulder, still acting as his human walking stick. "And no one's on the other side." Yori mouthed an 'oh' and nodded, turning back to the hotel.
Hesitantly, and surprisingly enough, it was Kikyo to venture inside first, as the rest of us just stood there, bewildered and rooted to the ground by our very own confusion. "Helloooooooooo?" she looked around as she called for someone "Is anyone here?"
It didn't take long before another one of us went inside as well. "How raro..."
"Is something the matter, Master Inubarashi?" Yuki was the third to go in, and by now, the remainder of us were already woken up from our daze, or at least, woken up enough to step inside the building, being greeted with the central heating of the main entrance - a contrast that Riou seemed pretty happy about. Can't be too easy being shirtless with all this wind running amok.
"Si, Herr Batora! There is no one ici!"
Sure enough, as far as we could see, there was no one visible from the main gate. But that doesn't really mean the room was empty, right...? Right.
A white blur came from behind the reception desk, rushing up before curling into a ball in the air - I believe that would be a somersault - and landing perfectly on the wooden counter he came from, boasting the posture of a professional gymnast. The appearance of said gymnast, though, was what threw us all into a confused frenzy of questions. It was a teddy bear colored half white and half black, the colors divided by a vertical line cutting the bear into the two halves. The eye on the white side was a black bead, similar to normal teddy bears, and the eye on the black side was a pulsating, red scar that lit up. Out of his stubby paws, protruted three metal spikes he used to wave at us.
"What the hell..." Asuyo whispered to herself, eyes widened by what was in front of her. The other fifteen of us shared similar expressions of disbelief, even the expressionless Eita.
But the surprises were nowhere near over. "Hello, everyone! Welcome to the Walled City of Anghern! I see you've all met, yes?"
"Y-You can talk!?" Yatarou's camera was right in front of his face as he tried to snap a shot of the situation, but immediately fell back down to his chest after he heard the robotic, evil voice of the bear.
"Yes, I can talk, Mahiru wannabe." he mocked before bursting into a malicious laugh.
"Mahiru?" Kiyo tilted his head. "Who the hell is that? Not a litterer, I hope."
The bear shook his head and sat down at the edge of the counter, legs dangling off. "You'll find out soon enough. But enough babbling! I am Principal Monokuma, head of Hope's Peak, and I welcome you all to Hope's Peak Academy's MKG activity, that will take place here, in the deserted walled city!"
Eita raised his hand, accidentally bumping it against Yuzuru on the way up. Expected since there realy isn't much space between us. "Excuse me, Monokuma, what is this MKG?" his voice was monotone as always.
"That's Mister Monokuma to you all." he glared. "But we'll get to that soon enough. Anyway, that was a great question! What is the MKG? Any ideas?" he looked around waiting for someone to guess out the acronym - which never works.
"Mono Kuma's Grapes!" Yuzuru was the first to try and guess, being only replied to by sixteen raised eyebrows. Well, the bear doesn't have eyebrows, but you get what I mean.
"No, no, no, jeez..." the bear shook his head as he slapped his forehead with the tip of his arm. "Nothing of the sort. And Monokuma is one word, dumbass."
Blackjack stepped forward and let out an award-winning glare. "Tell us what it is, already. Stop beating around the bush."
"Well, well, someone's an impatient bitch!" Monokuma cackled. "But fair enough... welcome to Hope's Peak Academy's next... Mutual. Killing. Gaaaaaaaame!" he announced, confetti raining on it after being shot out from the poppers behind the reception.
When did he set all of this up, anyway? And h-? Wait a minute.
"Killing!?" I shout. He... It? Can't be serious... right?
Monokuma nodded assertively before being cut off by Kikyo. "Killing? As in murdering?"
"Thanks, Captain Obvious." Monokuma was just the one to voice all our thoughts. "Yes! You're gonna kill each other, starting today!"
"And why would we do such a thing?" Akahana rested her head on the tip of her thumb, just as she was when I found her at the sundial.
The bear giggled to himself. "I'll tell you that later. Wouldn't want you distracted while I tell you the rest of the details!" he took out a big book out of the topmost drawer of the reception desk and plopped it down in front of him. "Now then... I've told you my name... who I am... where you are... Ah! Next up, we'll talk about your Electro-IDs! Unlock those so I can explain everything to you, idiots!"
Reluctantly, everyone slid their handbook out of their pocket or wherever they had stuck it in, and unlocked it, being greeted by the familiar main menu. Except... something was off. "Hey! What happened to the pet game!?" Kiyo sounded quite annoyed.
"Did you really think I'd let you stay on your phones all day, playing with some dumb virtual pet!?" Monokuma brought his hands up to his outward belly button and just laughed for a while. "Oh, that's rich, janitor boy! Absolutely rich!"
"What did you just call me...!?" he stopped for a while before ran forward, hand clenched in a fist as he rushed to punch the bear, who swiftly dodged the incoming attack.
As he landed back in safety, the bear's voice turned more serious. "I wouldn't do that if I were you... As for why, I was just getting to that."
Defeated but still furious, Kiyo took his stand back in the middle of us, receiving a comforting pat on the shoulder from Chigusa, which he just bumped away, making the Gardener apologize lowly.
Well, that was rude.
"As I was saying!" Monokuma jumped back on the desk and sat down where he was before. "The pet game is now unavailable, and it's been replaced by the rules and regulations option! I believe you're all familiar with it, yes?" I recall hearing about something like that... in the paper I read upstairs, back in the Eagle Suite. "Would someone like to read the rules aloud for the rest of the class?"
A bit of hesitance struck everyone, but eventually Yatarou raised his hand. "I can do it, I guess." With that, everyone clicked the rules and regulations option and saw the window open, revealing a list of rules numbered from 1 to 9.
RULES AND REGULATIONS
Rule #1: All violence against Principal Monokuma is prohibited and will be punished accordingly!
Rule #2: Destruction of any video camera, monitor or speaker is prohibited and will be punished accordingly!
Rule #3: Night Time is a designated time between 10pm and 7am where all students should sleep. All doors will be locked during Night Time and must be unlocked using the Electro-ID. Should this happen, the Door Usage History of the building entered, will be updated.
Rule #4: All students must sleep inside the Sierra Resort's rooms, as to respect the staff's availability. Anyone sleeping outside will be treated as someone sleeping in class and will be punished accordingly!
Rule #5: Some doors are locked and must not be broken into! During investigation time, all doors aside from the central plaza doors will unlock.
Rule #6: A student that kills one or two other students, and convinces all others that someone else is the culprit, will graduate, and therefore be able to leave Anghern! Killing more than two students is prohibited, as to prevent winning by mass murdering the class. After each murder, a Class Trial will be held where all students must debate in order to discover the blackened. If successful, the culprit will be punished.
Rule #7: After three students discover the body of a deceased student, a Body Discovery Announcement will call all students over to the scene.
Rule #8: All students that attempt to escape by other means will be punished accordingly.
Rule #9: Principal Monokuma has full reign over the rules. He can add, change or remove rules at will.
Yatarou's voice died down after rule #9, and he was only greeted by silence. Unaware of what he just read, he skimmed the text once again and shuddered.
"That's that, everyone!" Monokuma announced, yawning. "I've got some headmaster things to do, so see y-"
Asuyo stepped forward. "Wait! You never answered Akahana's question! Why would we kill each other!?"
"He did answer." Akahana said, quick and simple. "The rules say the reason. If we want to leave, we have to kill someone."
The bear chuckled lowly. "Sounds like Miss Prosecutor over there gets it already!" he looked among us and watched as the expressions of confusion faded and filled themselves with despair. "Oh, the despair! The distrust among you all! I can sense it, and it's making me sooooo excited! Now, does anyone else have any more questions?"
Yuzuru was the one to raise her hand. "I do. What's up with these report cards? There's this star thing on the corner of it."
"I thought you'd never ask!" Monokuma was filled with joy. "Those are places for Despair Shards! As you grow closer and closer to each other, you can get the MKG's special Despair Shards! After getting enough of them, you'll gain... nothing at all! It's only a way for you to grow stronger bonds, just to watch them fall apart when someone dies or betrays you... oh, I can already feel the despair!"
"W-Wait!" I raised my voice and stepped forward, my back turned to the fifteen students behind me, who were now full on crazy with all the information that was dumped on us. This all sounds like some stupid videogame, or some premise for a movie or something... maybe it's all a dream? No. It all feels too real.
We ended up staying in silence for a good few minutes before Asuyo stepped forward and took a stand behind the reception desk, thrusting the drawers open in search of something. At her third attempt, her face lit up as she took out a big paper and unrolled it onto the table, revealing a blueprint of the floor above us, the rooms. "Just what I was looking for!" she beamed, eyeing the various rooms. "Everyone, gather 'round. It's time for us to finally organize our living space!"
In a few seconds, we gathered around the desk and watched as Asuyo was lost in thought, scribbling on the paper with one of the pencils she took from the holder that stood on the corner of the desk. "What are you doing...?" Chigusa asked, leaning in a bit more.
"Dividing the rooms upstairs, of course! Girls will stay on the flower rooms, and boys will stay on the bird rooms. That way, it'll be more organized, and easier to find people! What do you say?" the silence that ensued showed no one was particularly opposed to the idea, although I thought it a bit unnecessary. Still, whatever floats the Landlord's boat, I guess. "I'll take that as a yes, then! Okay then, let's see."
The final line up of room/student pairings didn't change too much from the initial one. I did stay in the Eagle Suite, which, if you were wondering, was opposite Shizuka's Hawk Suite and next to Kiyo's Swan Suite. Yuki took the Dove Suite, Riou took the Peacock Suite, Eita was in the Owl Suite, Yatarou in the Penguin Suite, and finally, Yori in the Crow Suite. As for the girls, a.k.a. the flower rooms, Blackjack took the Poppy Suite, Frances was put into the Petunia Suite, Chigusa specifically asked for her to be in the Tulip Suite (tulips are her favourite flower), Kikyo got the Lily Suite, Yuzuru went for the Rose Suite, Akahana was put into the Carnation Suite, Asuyo herself into the Daisy Suite, and finally, Maruko took the last room: the Sunflower Suite.
"Is everyone okay with this division, as is?" Asuyo asked before closing the room debate.
A collective nod made her nod back and roll the blueprint back into the drawer, wiping her hands of any dust and putting them on her hips. As I looked at everyone, I could feel the tension. I just felt like everyone was seriously either thinking of murdering or being murdered... I just hope my gut's wrong. Horribly wrong.
"I believe we should all establish a few agreements among us." Akahana broke the silence. "To ensure our own safety, of course."
Everyone showed their curiosity as they turned to her, making her the new star of the show. Yuki couldn't take the Prosecutor's silence anymore. "Master Nakajima, please, be sure to hurry on giving your suggestion! We are all waiting."
"First of all..." she started, not even giving so much as a glance in Yuki's direction. Rude. "We should all meet in the morning. Every morning, before our day begins. That will ensure everyone is okay."
"D-Do you really... think someone... might...?" Chigusa could barely show her surprise, all the while muffling herself by covering her mouth with her left hand.
Akahana was quiet for a bit, but that silence was short-lived. In an instant, she showed Chigusa a concerned look, making the Gardener look down and twiddle with her thumbs. "I'd like to trust everyone, believe me, Chigusa. But I am simply making it so everyone can be a bit more at ease. Every morning, we shall meet in the resort's kitchen at around 8am, so we can see if everyone's okay." she paused "One more thing, I'd like to ask you to not move during the designated Night Time. I'm sure all of us will thank you for letting us sleep without being afraid of a murderer roaming the halls."
The general consensus seemed to put most of us at ease, although the rest were still a bit skeptical about what to think and feel. I still sensed distrust among us, even if it wasn't prominent... and it scared me.
Soon enough, the main lobby was almost empty. Only me and two other people stayed. Akahana said she was going back to the sundial and would appreciate it if no one disturbed her, so my less-than-ideal trip across Valley Views to find someone I could hang out with was... well, fruitless.
My eyes immediately darted towards the Estimator, Eita Kurogane, who was methodically going upstairs, mirroring Riou who was going towards the pool area.
I should check that out sometime soon. Now... should I hang out with someone?
Hang out with Eita?
[Yeah, sure] [Oh, heeeeeell no]
Eita: Why are you following me?
Tsukushi: I just... I just wanted to hang out with you, I guess.
Eita: And what makes you think that I would like to spend time with you?
Tsukushi: Damn... no need to be rude, you know?
Tsukushi: Well... do you?
Eita: Yes. It'd be pleasant, I guess.
Tsukushi: What was the point of- Oh, forget it.
Eita: I was just about to sit down in the lounge and read. Care to join me?
Tsukushi: Oh, sure... let me just pick a book.
Eita: Bless you, Hananari.
Tsukushi: Excuse me, what? I didn't sn- Ah... Ah... Achoo!
Tsukushi: These books are really dusty... How did he...?
Eita: Would you like to talk about something in particular?
Tsukushi: Well... I guess it can't hurt to know you better. We barely spoke at the diner, after all... Tell me about... your talent?
Eita: It all started when I was very young. I could predict the immediate future by calculating the consequences of current actions. It all came to me like lines, numbers and grids floating in front of me. That ability was eventually found out by the academy, and they invited me to join them this year as the SHSL Estimator. Setsune entered alongside me... I hope she is okay...
Tsukushi: Setsune?
Eita: Pay it no mind, Hananari. Just a careless slip of the tongue. Anyway, that is that. That is how I entered the academy.
Tsukushi: That's pretty cool... you're sort of like a fortune-teller in a sense.
Eita: I would prefer it if you didn't make that comparison. I am the SHSL Estimator, and that is that.
Tsukushi: Sorry for that. Might I ask why?
Eita: I'd rather you don't ask anything regarding that. If at all possible.
Tsukushi: Sure, sure... whatever you say. That talent of yours sounds pretty cool, though. That must be why you caught onto this situation before us. You did say you felt danger and death coming, back at the diner.
Eita: Maybe my talent had to do with it. Or maybe it's common sense. In any case, Hananari, I would rather be left alone now. Not to be rude, I just feel like reading a bit. By myself.
Tsukushi: Oh... that's okay, I guess. Enjoy your reading.
Eita: Wait, before you go... I'd like to apologize for my rudeness back at the diner. If it's any consolation, please take the third book from the left, on the second row of this bookcase. I managed to peek at the title, and it just so happens to be my favourite book. Give it a read sometime, you won't be disappointed.
Item Obtained!
'iSaac'
The story of a boy named Isaac who was sucked into a digital world, only to be charged with solving the many riddles that it had to offer him. According to the reviews on the back cover it's 'a fantastic mix of mystery and science that's bound to get readers enthralled from the very beggining'. It also happens to be Eita's favourite book!
Eita Kurogane
Despair Shard obtained!
Apparently, Eita sees numbers and grids in front of him, and he uses those to calculate what will happen in the immediate future, only using what's happening at the time as reference. He also knows some girl named Setsune who entered Hope's Peak Academy along with him, and he's pretty reluctant to talk about her. Apparently, he has something against fortune-tellers, and gets pretty offended if you compare him to one for his 'seeing the immediate future' abilities.
I left the second floor lounge and went downstairs after saying goodbye to Eita and taking the book along with me. It really didn't strike me as all that interesting, and I probably wouldn't read it since I'm not really into books, but I guess I was just being polite. As I descended the spiral stairs for the second time today, I was met by quite the ruckus.
"Please, just leave me alone!" Yuzuru was running aimlessly around the lounge, gripping her strawberry blond ponytail next to her face, almost as if her life depended on it. She took a safe place behind the reception desk.
On the other side, was the person she was running away from, a pair of sharp, metal scissors in each hand. "C'mon, Yuzuru, what kind of assassin are you if you're afraid of a haircut!?" Kikyo mocked, trying to make the Assassin give in to her deal. "I swear I'll sneak up on you at night and cut your hair while you're asleep!"
"That'd be disobeying our agreement!" Yuzuru pointed out objectively. "I'm going to tell on you if you don't stop it right now!"
"I'm sure everyone can make an exception for me and you, don't you agree?" she giggled maniacally.
Yuzuru took notice of me going down the stairs and does the thing I wanted her to do the least. "Look! There's Tsukushi!" she screamed at the top of her lung, finger outstretched, pointing at me, much like I do in court.
This can't be good.
The Hair Stylist was immediately alerted and turned around. Right as she was about to greet me, Yuzuru made a run for it and pushes Kikyo out of the way, making her stumble and fall on her back. In an instant, she was already rushing out the front door shouting as she ran. "Thank you, Tsukushi!"
"Not so fast, Kanzaki, you're mine!" Kikyo picked herself up and took the impulse to sprint out the resort on her tail.
If I told you we were told to kill each other a few minutes ago, you wouldn't believe me judged on how happy-go-lucky Yuzuru and Kikyo were.
I sighed and shook my head, peeking down at the basement to check if Riou was still there - which he wasn't - and then moved towards the resort's kitchen, its wooden floors a direct continuation of the lounge's. In the middle of the room, was a long island with a silver sink built into it and a pair of cabinets that led to a trash bin, as well as the plumbing, should any problems arise. On the right wall, there were loads of wooden cabinets stacked with all sorts of foods, as well not one, but four refrigerators. The left wall was almost entirely made of glass, leading to a beautiful view of the garden outside the inn, as well a door leading to it. On the back, a door leading to the freezer.
"Oh hello, Master Hananari!" Yuki greeted as he cocked his head to the side, seeing me enter. He seemed to be cooking something up, quite literally. On one of the island's many seats, Chigusa sat down, tapping randomly on her Electro-ID.
"Hello there, Yuki" I smiled as I stepped towards him. "Cooking?"
He smiled back, nodded and turned back to the stove. "Indeed I am! No doubt there will be some hungry people later today. Dinner time is approaching, after all! So I took it upon myself to prepare tonight's meal. You are okay with this, are you not, Master Hananari?"
"Of course! Thanks a lot, Yuki, you rock!" I give him a quick hug and a pat on the back.
"You compliment me" he chuckles. "Now, if you so wish, take a seat near Master Takagawa while I finish our meal!" he suggested.
With a courteous nod, I turned around and took a seat right across Chigusa. Her braided hair was cascading from either side of her face, and swung lightly as her head shot up to greet me.
"Oh, h-hello Tsukushi" she greeted me politely. "How are you doing?"
"Well enough." I smile at her, and I sense her growing a little bit more at ease. "You?"
"Well enough." she mimicks my response and rests her chin on the table, tangling her fingers above her head.
Might as well try to chat with the girl, huh? She seems nice enough.
Hang out with Chigusa?
[Yeah, sure] [Oh, heeeeeell no]
Tsukushi: So, have you made any friends, Chigusa?
Chigusa: Well... I'm not too good at talking to people... but there are some... um, very nice people here.
Tsukushi: Like who?
Chigusa: Um... Yuki over there is really polite! Yatarou and Shizuka are... um, pretty cool too. They kept me company today!
Tsukushi: Did they now? That's pretty cool!
Chigusa: Yeah, haha... Yatarou, especially, he was really nice to me this morning! We talked for a while before he went to see the ducks! That must've been when you came over and we met.
Tsukushi: Probably! Hey, mind if I ask you something?
Chigusa: Oh... um... go ahead?
Tsukushi: Can you tell me more about you? Like your talent and your past and stuff.
Chigusa: Well... I guess I can... My parents are both business people and they work for a reeeally big company, so they're always busy and barely had the time to care for me as a child. I had to spend most of my time with my grandfather. He was the one who introduced me to the world of gardening, since he loved gardening himself. Ever since, I liked nature and playing and working around with nature.
Tsukushi: That's pretty interesting! I didn't know your parents were absent. Is that why you're so shy?
Chigusa: Sh-Shy? Well... I guess I am shy... but I, um, I don't think... my parents are to blame. I was never... too interested in... making friends...
Tsukushi: Why is that?
Chigusa: Oh, I'm so thirsty, aren't you?
Tsukushi: Way to change the subject...
Tsukushi: I happen to have a drink right here with me... Yuki made it.
Chigusa: Is it okay for me to take it...? I don't want to be... um, a nuisance...
Tsukushi: Don't worry, drink up. It's Yuki's special!
Chigusa: Thanks... and thanks to you too, Yuki...
Yuki: Don't mention it, Master Takagawa.
Tsukushi: Oh... almost forgot he was listening... Hope he doesn't mind I gave his tea away.
Chigusa: This is delicious! And it's iced, as well!
Tsukushi: It is?
Tsukushi: You like iced tea?
Chigusa: It's my favourite! And this flavour! It's so earthy and natural! Yuki, great job, and Tsukushi, thank you! Do you, um, mind if I keep this?
Tsukushi: Of course not, chug it all down if you feel like it.
Chigusa: Will do! But now... I feel like... I need to um, give you something... like, in return.
Tsukushi: Oh, don't worry! It's fine, really.
Chigusa: I insist! Whenever I find something that um... I think you're gonna like... I'll give it to you! As thanks, get it?
Tsukushi: Who am I to deny free gifts?
Yuki: Master Hananari, Master Takagawa, dinner is ready to be served. Are you hungry?
Offered Item!
Yuki's Special Tea
A really wei- um, unique tea Yuki brewed up. Apparently, it's iced, and the container it was in was used to keep the heat out, instead of in! Chigusa seemed to enjoy it a lot, maybe I should ask him to brew me a cup sometime... and not give it away.
Chigusa Takagawa
Despair Shard obtained!
Chigusa grew up with absent parents, because they worked at a famous enterprise and were too busy most of the time. Because of it, Chigusa grew up with her grandfather who apparently loved gardening a lot, and that's why she's got such a soft spot for gardening! She also really likes iced tea, apparently. I noticed that whenever she talked about her grandpa (and also, iced tea?) she stuttered a lot less and looked more comfortable. Same thing happened when she talked about Yatarou... I smell a crush.
ACT 0: PROLOGUE - COMPLETE!
Students Remaining: 16/16
A/N: And that's the end of the prologue! Chapter 1 will be coming at you soon-ish, so keep your eyes peeled! I decided on these two free time events at random, but now I want you guys to tell me who you want to see in the next FTEs! I'll probably have four more before the first deadly life, so be sure to tell me who you want to see using the poll I have up on my profile right now!
QOTC: If you found yourself in our students' situation, where a walking, talking teddy bear tells you to kill one of your classmates, how would you react? Would you actually do it? Tell me all about it!
Also, review replies start next chapter since we actually have something to talk about aside from introductions! Looking forward to it! Yamazaki out.