The 16 students meet back in the cafeteria as the voice instructed "What's going on here!?" Momo yells

"Maybe we beat the test?" Hibiki suggests. Hiroto thinks

"Would it really be a test if it were THAT simple?" He asks. Arthur rubs his head

"The only test on my mind is who called us here" The mythological expert asks. Suddenly the lights cut out, causing a high pitch scream to ring out. "Yikes! Which of you girls just screamed!?"

"...it wasn't a girl..." Ren says causing someone to laugh

"Oh man! I don't think I could even replicate that scream!".

Lights shine in front of them as out of nowhere, a half black half white bear appears.


'...what the heck?' Sakura thinks. 'That's all I can think right now...what the heck is that? A..bear? a plushie?'

"Why hellooooooo there!" The bear says with a grin "My name is Monokuma! And welcome to New Hopes Peak!"

'New Hopes Peak?' Sakura thinks

"Hang on a second" Hiroto says "Who are you? And what do you mean New Hopes Peak?"

"Hm? Well like I just said, I am Monokuma!" The bear enters a goofy pose "I am the headmaster of this wonderful school!"

"Headmaster?" Kubo asks "But your a freaking stuffed animal!"

"hey hey hey!" Monokuma roared in a threatening stance "I am far more advanced then 'a freaking stuffed animal'!" He bares his claws "Come closer and I'll show ya!"

"Just get to the point. What did you mean by New Hopes Peak" Sakura said. Monokuma looks at her

"Oh right! You see, the OLD Hopes Peak Academy was destroyed in a very bad event" Monokuma sulks.

'Bad Event?' Sakura thinks, but the bear continues

"But our insurance was sooo good we were able to afford to make an all new building!"

"I have a few questions about this building's layout" Ren says "During my charting I found no windows at all. And almost every room had a monitor and a camera inside it: including the bathrooms"

"Eww!" Ohana gagged "Wait...are you some kinda pervert who gets off to stuff like that!?"

"No no! Its nothing like that!" Monokuma said blushing. "I'll explain all of that in due time. For now, please folllooooow me!" Before anyone could object, the bear leaped out into the hall

"..." Sakura simply stares in silence "So...what now?"

"We don't have a choice do we?" Riku sighs

"Riku is correct" Hiroto says "We should just do as he says for now"


And so. the group of 16 teens follow the bear to an elevator towards the back of the building. After taking it down a few levels they enter a wide open area. Grass, trees, flowers and sunlight decorated the atmosphere as a cobblestone pathway twisted and turned throughout. '..what is this?' Sakura thinks. Monokuma laughs

"Welcome to the Living Area!" He announces "This is where you all will be staying!"

"Staying?" Sakura asked but her question was ignored by the sudden shouting of Ren

"What the hell!? How is there sunlight down here!? And grass!? and...birds! We went DOWN!" Ren yells

"Will you relax!?" Hiko snapped "Its prolly just artificial. What I want to know is what this overgrown pile of fuzz meant when he said we'll be 'staying' here!"

"I meant what I said: This is where all of you will be living for now! I took the time to mark your cottages so please head over now and get comfortable!"

"Wait!" Sakura cried but it was only heard by deaf ears as the bear vanished from sight, causing the young lawyer to sigh. Her classmates have already begun making their way to their cottages, so she follows behind and finds hers


Sakura's Cottage

She enters and sees a fair sized bed, a dresser opposite of it, a bookshelf and a full length mirror. 'Well this is cozy. But I doubt I can get comfortable here with this new information' She thinks to herself 'That bear...what did he mean by we'll be living here? We already have homes...' Suddenly...

Bing Bong Ding Dong

A bell is heard echoing as a monitor in her room flickers on, showing Monokuma at a desk "Students, New Hopes Peak has an announcement. It is now 10:00 Pm. Please head to bed and get a good night's sleep!"

"Huh?" Sakura was confused "its already that late!? How long were we knocked out!?" She sighs "Well...I guess I don't have anything better to do. The others are probably fast asleep..." She lays down in her bed and drifts off to sleep...


The Next Day

Bing Bong Ding Dong

Once again, Monokuma appears on the monitor and clears his throat "New Hopes Peak has an announcement. Gooood morning everyone! Hope your all recharged and ready to start the day! Please take the elevator and meet me in the Gymnasium! Where I will reveal the answers to your questions!"

"..." Sakura wakes up and stares at the ceiling "..so it wasn't a dream" She sighs sitting up. "Something tells me I shouldn't keep Monokuma waiting. I should hurry to the Gym" She heads out the door


Living Area

Outside she runs into Bakubaku and Aijin "Hey guys"

"Sup" Bakubaku says. "Crazy weird that bear is huh?"

"Hmph. If he attempts anything I will strike him down!" Aijin shouts holding up ninja stars "This I promise you!"

'Where were you keeping those!?' Sakura thinks to herself "Well. We should get going. Don't want to keep someone like that waiting"

"Yeah I guess" Bakubaku holds his hands behind his head. They head to the elevator where everyone else was waiting

"Hey" Riku says to Sakura "How you holding up?" He asks

"Not sure how to feel about this yet" She responds. He nods in agreement

"I didn't even sleep last night. I kept thinking about that Monokuma freak..."

"Me too" Arthur says "I keep feeling like he's gonna place a hex on all of us! A hex most fowl!"

'I don't think a stuffed doll is capable of places hexes Arthur' Sakura thinks. They enter the elevator and walk to the meeting area


Gymnasium

The 16 students enter and find Monokuma standing on the bleachers waiting for them. A table in front of them had 16 plates of bacon, eggs and toast. "Welcome welcome! I have prepared breakfast for all! Please take a plate and take a seat!" Everyone, hesitantly, does so as Monokuma brings forth a microphone "Testing. Testing. Can you hear me?"

"Yeah!" Cho yells "Get on with it!"

"Okie Dokie! Well I have news for you: I am currently planning a graduation ceremony for anyone who passes!"

"Isn't it a bit early to be thinking of graduation!?" Momo shouts as Futaba eeps

"M...momo is r...right" She squeaks out

"Well you see...I wasn't really expecting so many students here. In fact...why are there 16 of you anyway? There should only be 15!"

"15?" Sakura asks.

"Oh well" Monokuma shrugs "The point is: We're going to have a semester long game to determine who earns the right to graduate!"

"A game?" Hiroto raises an eyebrow. Riku chuckles

"Well this should be easy for me" He rubs his head "Guess my talent is useful"

"What is this 'game'" Aijin says. Monokuma laughs

"Puhuhuhu~. Its a little game I like to call..."

The Killing School Life!


Danganronpa: Despair Never Dies

Chapter 1: New Hope and New Despair

Daily Life