"Hmm, yes. This appearance suits you well, wouldn't you agree?"
"..."
"Oh, don't give me that look. I know you didn't want to come here, really I did. But I couldn't think of anyone else. You have outstanding potential... No. Not justpotential. You're unequivocally qualified!"
"..."
"You may gjrigw-=rwro30t94ri3jilightinifneginmadarkniegnu4 you're worthy. You're the beacon we need to guide us forward toward a brighter future. Make the Futures of Society something to be proud of. Give it your all, Kuroki."
Prologue: And Then, The Beginning
POV: Kuroki Saimatsu
"... Kuroki!"
My eyelids sprung back. They weren't closed, just weren't working. Or, to be more precise, I wasn't paying attention to what they showed me: one foot of mine stepping in before the other upon a polished brown concrete floor. Now, my view shifted toward the person who called me.
"You okay? You've been spacing out a lot lately," Hanako pointed out.
"I'm fine," I assured. "Nothing to concern yourself over."
"What? So there is something. Come on, spill it! You can tell me what's bothering you."
"It's really nothing; focus on the matter at hand."
"Mrah, lame! Well, as long as you're sure you're okay. Guess I can't expect my luck to give me everything today."
"Your luck?"
"Yeah. Not to sound arrogant or anything. I'm just so happy! Not only are we finally getting some answers, but we can get them without dealing with any dark hallways this time!"
Alright, she had a point. When we opened the Dining Hall's doors, none of us expected to meet an illuminated hallway. Every light inoperable before was now not; a miracle, perhaps? Whatever the case may be, our days walking in endless darkness were over. It would surely had been a hassle moving around with such an enormous group. But-
"You shouldn't rely too heavily on this chance for answers. We still may come out of this empty-handed... If we come out at all."
"D-Don't say stuff like that with your smirks, please! I want to keep this good mood up!"
"Hmph. If you say so. By the way, how long is she going to do this?"
First time, okay, understandable. But must she always required an escort? When I looked at her, Emi immediately averted her eyes toward the ground, an active recurrence each time my eyes landed on her.
"Why should it matter?" Hanako replied. "She can hold my hand for as long as she wants."
"But won't she become a hassle by doing this again and again?"
"I wouldn't mind. She was lagging behind everyone else too; I couldn't just leave her like that. It's important we stick together, right?"
"I suppose so. But still-"
"Look, it's no big deal. Heck, we might not even be here long, anyway!"
"Hmm? You sound so sure of such a wishful possibility. Especially since we confirmed our complete entrapment."
The first thing we did upon celebrating the gracious return of Shinzai Academy's lights was properly searching for escape. We tried the front door, of course, but as expected, it wouldn't budge. Same with all the other doors that would lead outside. We then banked our hopes on the windows, but we couldn't lift them even a little, including our strongest members! Our investigation left us no choice but to do what Monokuma wanted.
"Hey, if the possibility of us coming out empty-handed exists, then the possibility of everything else working out in our favor should exist here too, right?"
"... Well, at least you at least tried your best to sound convincing," I shrugged.
"Huh? Hey, what's that supposed to mean, Kuroki?!"
"Heh. Nothing."
I could hear Hanako pouting as I turned my head forward, looking at the rest of the group who conversed and walked ahead. Everyone here... They all attended Shinzai Academy, correct? If so, they're likely Ultimates too. Just like Emi, and Hanako, and...
"Hanako. Answer me this, would you?"
"Huh? Sure. What's up?"
"What's the last thing you remember? Before we woke up here, I mean."
"The last thing I remember? Um, it was me attending my last period class."
"Is that it?"
"Yeah. That's it."
"The very last memory?"
"Mhm."
"Are you absolutely sure?"
"Yes! Geez, how many times do I have to say it until you're satisfied?!"
Why though? It wasn't like we spent our entire days in class, so her last memory should be an event at home, no?
"Hmm. You've been talking with the others, correct? Did you ever asked about their memories too?" I continued.
"Oh, no. The idea never crossed my mind, actually... Kuroki, is it the same for you too? Do you not remember much either?" I shook my head in response, which caused her face to lower. "I see. What about you, Emi?"
"… H-Huh?! Yes?" Emi yelped.
"What's the last thing you remember?"
"Oh. U-Um, I remember leaving class to use the bathroom. Is that okay?"
Hanako gently nodded and faced forward; the sadness on her face became more apparent. "It's really true then. We all have amnesia."
"Yes. It would seem so," I concurred.
Not a fact I wasn't already privy to, though. It still didn't give me any answers! Before our departure for the Auditorium, I consulted that girl; Tsukiko, was it? Since she leeched onto me so much, I asked her the exact same question and got a very similar answer. Based on the results I got from those three, our memories should have ended at a certain point: performing an action in school.
So why? Why not me too? Then again, the results could be specific to only those three, but it was still a significant number. I searched my memories, but besides me conducting regular student duties in class and a few others outside of the classroom, every memory I experienced throughout the past year came up as a blur. But more importantly, I didn't-
"Uh, excuse me."
A voice calling behind us came between me and my troubled thoughts. Me and Hanako turned our heads, finding a gray-haired boy wearing black earbuds in his ears speed walking toward us. In fact, he looked oddly familiar.
"Are you talking to us?" Hanako asked.
"Yes, I am," the boy answered. "I think this is yours, right?" The boy took his hand out of a pocket of his black cotton hoodie and held it as a fist out to Hanako. He opened it, revealing what laid inside.
"Wha- wait, that's… How did you get it?!" Hanako exclaimed, surfing fingers through her purple hair.
Laying in his palm was the same rose hairpin always attached to Hanako's hair. However, a crack ran through the middle.
"I stepped on it when I went to the Kitchen for some food. I may have cracked it. Sorry."
"Ah, no, it's okay. Thanks for bringing it back," Hanako said, retrieving her hairpin.
"How did you leave it in the Kitchen?" I asked.
"It must have fallen off my hair after I bumped into Melissa. The back seems damaged too. Aw, I really liked this one!"
"Hmm, it doesn't look too badly cracked. You might still be able to use it," I suggested.
"You think? I'll try it on, then!" Hanako tried clipping her cracked hairpin back in her hair. Her fingers slipped out of it multiple times, but… "Yes! I got it! Though, just barely. I'll have to be real careful with it from now on."
"You and careful? Those are words I'd never expect to hear in the same sentence," I chuckled.
"Wha- What do you mean?! I'm always careful!"
"Interesting. I hope you'll show that side of yours more often then. Perhaps you'll be a tad bit easier to handle."
"Grr. If you have a problem with me, just say so!" Hanako pouted again.
As if on cue, we heard a small laughter. It came from where the gray-haired boy walked, who covered a fist on his mouth, eye closed, and a slight smile. When he opened his eye and noticed our glances, he ceased all those body languages. He put his hand back in his jacket pocket and looked away.
"Hey, thanks again for recovering my hairpin," Hanako said.
"No problem. I only found it by chance," the boy replied, scratching his cheek with the finger of the same hiding hand in his pocket prior.
"Right. Say, what's your name?"
"My name? Crest. Crest Sato."
Name: Crest Sato
"..."
"... What?" Crest asked.
"Oh! Sorry! But, uh, is that it?"
"Yes? Oh, did you want my year too? A first year."
"No, no! Heh heh, my bad! Everyone else told me their ultimate talent too, so I thought you'd also..."
"An Ultimate Talent, huh," Crest's eye wistfully lowered toward the ground.
"Uh, it's okay if you don't want to tell me! I guess it is a little person-"
"I don't have one."
"Huh?!" Hanako cocked her head. "Um, sorry, what did you say?"
"I said I don't have an Ultimate Talent. Unlike everyone else, I'm normal."
"Are you serious? So, you're not a Shinzai student?"
"No, I am. Just like all of you."
"But that can't be right. Shinzai Academy only accepts Ultimate Students, don't they?"
"Hanako, do you not know about Shinzai's alternative entry program?" I asked.
"There's an alternative entry program?!"
"Yeah, there is," Crest reaffirmed. "I gained acceptance through the Future Rewards Program."
"I'm... lost. What's the Future Rewards Program?"
"A system in place to allow non-Ultimate students within our society a chance to study here at Shinzai Academy," I added. "It's a once a year program using standardized testing rather than evaluating someone based on their clear cut talents."
"Whoa! I didn't know a something like that existed in our school!"
"I'm curious how you didn't know about it when everyone else does. There are even some non-Ultimates in our classes. For being a social butterfly, you're not at the top of your game," I remarked.
"We've only been in this school for 3 months!" Hanako pouted once more. "I'm not paying attention to every little thing, ya know!"
"Anyway," I continued, "to pass the Future Rewards Program test is no laughing feat. The program strives to evaluate the potential of someone becoming an Ultimate, so the test itself is infamous for being extremely difficult."
"Is it? Wow, and you passed it, Crest?! That's amazing!" Hanako praised.
"It's not really a big deal, honestly," Crest replied, scratching his cheek with his finger again. "I didn't score too high compared to the other applicants who passed this year."
"Even so, you still passed! You must have some incredible, awesome hidden talent! Maybe the Ultimate Test Taker?"
"Fat chance. If anything, I'd be the Ultimate Lucky Student. Though that doesn't sound anywhere close to being an incredible talent."
"You're the Ultimate Student," I clarified. "That's the temporary talent the academy bestows upon passing applicants, correct?"
"Yeah, but it's a pointless title. There's no guarantee I actually have an ultimate talent. It'd be better if the Academy didn't label me with it."
"With that said, where is your uniform? All students enrolled via the Future Rewards Program must abide by a dress code," I added.
"You got me." Crest shrugged. "I woke up without them."
"W-Without them?! You mean..." Hanako asked, her face beginning to reddened.
"What? N-No! I had the clothes I'm wearing now when I woke up!"
"Oh, phew!"
Crest shook his head and I was SO compelled to join him. He then took his hand out of his jacket pocket again. That time, however, he fished out a black phone which he hit the power button on the side, lighting up the screen. "11:15. Damn, it's late."
"Wait, back up," Hanako exclaimed. "11:15?! We've been here for that long?"
"We did spend quite a lot of time in the Dining Hall," I remarked.
"Last time I checked my phone, it was nine on the dot. Been about two hours since then," Crest added.
"Wow. It's crazy how time flies, isn't it?" Hanako remarked. Suddenly, her face turned from curious to one who struck upon a shocking realization. "Wait a minute! Phones... Why didn't we think of this sooner?! We should call someone for help!"
Hanako immediately stuffed a hand into her mini skirt's pocket and pulled out her own phone. Her phone looked to be the same model as Crest, except it was pink in lieu of black and a water pot key chain dangled off it. Hanako pressed the power button on her phone. When the light hit her face, the perky expression she carried quickly vanished.
"What? What's going on?!" she yelled.
"What's the matter?" I asked.
"My phone, it's not getting any signal."
"Oh yeah! Ours didn't-"
"Get any signal either!"
A - no - two voices sprung into the conversation. Two indistinguishable females appeared before us. Same pink hair and eye color, same fair skin toned faces, matching clothes comprising a pale pink cardigan sweater and a navy blue skirt with white stripes traveling across it, resembling waves on water. Both even wore wide smiles across their faces when approaching us.
"Yeah, nobody's phones can get any signals," Crest continued. "It was the first thing me and the group I woke up with did before anything else."
I pulled out my own grey phone. When I turned it on, my eyes instantly darted toward the top right corner of the screen. Indeed. No bars.
"No way. This doesn't make sense," Hanako's hands shuddered, barely holding onto her phone. "I've always gotten signals while in Shinzai before... We are in Shinzai Academy, right?"
"If not, whoever brought us here did a phenomenal job creating such an accurate replica," I answered, scanning the possibly replicated brown walls of our school.
"I... was hoping you'd deny it. Oh, man."
"It'll-"
"Be-"
"Fine!" The twins simultaneously assured.
"They haven't harmed us so far. So-"
"They might still have a use for us or something!"
"Uh, I guess that's slightly more reassuring?" Hanako said, an awkward grin forming across her face.
"Hanako, unlock your phone," I requested.
"Huh? Um, okay." Hanako swiped a finger against her phone's screen and the oddly less compacted lock screen expanded throughout its switch to the home screen. Not only were my suspicions confirmed, but it slapped another shocking expression onto Hanako's face. "No way, you're kidding me! Where are my apps?!"
"Your apps?" Crest asked.
"Yes! I see nothing. My home screen is completely empty! Is this a bug?"
"Just as I thought. I discovered my phone's the same when I investigated it further," I stated, showing my empty screen.
"Us too!" yelled the twins, both raising and waving a hand high up in the air.
"What the heck? This is way too extreme for a factory reset. What on earth happened to my phone?" Hanako asked, her hands shuddering even more.
"I'm assuming everyone's phones are the same," I inquired the twins and Crest.
"Yep! Including ours — Shingora's, Taroko's, and Ultear's-"
"Phones show nothing either!"
"I guess so," Crest replied. "I haven't checked my home screen yet, so I didn't know this until now."
"Emi, is your phone the same too?" Hanako asked.
"I… I-I don't own a phone," Emi sadly replied.
"Oh, alright. Thanks!"
It looked like our memories weren't the only ones tempered with. Not only were our apps gone, but someone had removed every other information — except the time — entirely. Blocking our signals made sense, but why go through the trouble of meddling with our phones beyond that?
"It's connected, isn't it?" Hanako softly said, gazing at my contemplative expression while I looked over my phone. "What's going on? Why go to such lengths to keep us here? Better yet, why doesn't anyone remember anything? How much of us did they mess with?"
"We'll have to bring these questions to Monokuma and hope he has our answers," I proclaimed.
"Yeah, let's hope so. Argh, can't stop thinking the worst, though! I need a distraction!" Hanako's worried eyes then sprung opened and darted straight at the twins. "Oh, wait! I don't think we've introduced ourselves yet! I'm Hanako Ume, the Ultimate Florist. This here is Kuroki, and the girl holding my hand right now is Emi. Oh, and this is Crest who we met a bit ago."
"Mhm! We've gotten fastly acquainted-"
"With you guys already!"
"You have?" Hanako asked.
"The twins woke up alongside me in the Dining Hall," Crest explained.
"Right!" Hanako nodded. "Ultear told me you guys, Emi, Taroko, and Shingora were together at first. But I don't remember me and Kuroki ever meeting you two until now."
"Wait, we might actually have encountered them before," I said. "Did you two by chance saw us on the 2nd floor?"
"DING, DING, DING, DING, DING! Correct!" the twins exuberantly replied simultaneously.
"When we spotted you two we-"
"Wanted to talk, but then you screamed-"
"And ran away for some reason."
"Hold on. Are you saying the figures we saw upstairs were you two?" Hanako asked.
"Uh huh! We were figures hidden-"
"Within the shadows of this dark night. Our names are-"
"Maka!"
"Koto!"
"And together we make the Azuri Sisters, AKA, the Ultimate Twins!"
Names: Maka and Koto Azuri
Talent: Ultimate Twins
"I-I see. Um, sorry about running away earlier. I wasn't trying to be rude, but it was so dark that I couldn't... Well..."
"It's okay!" Maka and Koto cheerfully assured, simultaneously.
"We didn't take it personally. Besides-"
"It was hard to see in there without a flashlight. Those-"
"Were some confusing times so-"
"Your reaction was understandable!"
"Oh, yeah! Sure was!" Hanako laughed, yet I swore I heard a surreptitious sigh of relief under it. "But wow, you seriously can become an Ultimate for anything, huh. You guys' and Neil's talents are the most unusual ones I've seen by far. Not saying it's a bad thing!"
"It is a strange talent, yes-"
"But it's more for show, if anything."
"For show? What do you mean?" Hanako inquired.
"Well, for starters, we could take-"
"This Ultimate Twins schtick all the way-"
"And make ourselves look exactly like each other to a T!"
"But that'd be confusing even for us."
"Example, as you can see, Maka has long braided hair and a green ribbon on the braid," a twin clarified, pointing toward the other named Maka.
"And Koto there has short twin-tails and wears blue ribbons on each tail," Maka added, pointing back at Koto.
"This way, everyone can differentiate us!" Maka and Koto proclaimed.
"I see," Hanako said, placing a thumb and finger on her chin. "But if you didn't get your talent because you two looked alike, what exactly does the Ultimate Twins mean?"
"Anything!" both twins replied.
"Heck, we can probably-"
"Have any talent we want!"
"Any talent?! Is that even possible?" Hanako asked.
"In a technical sense, yes!" Koto answered.
"Our talent is a jack of all trades kind. Which means we-"
"Can perform any task perfectly!"
"As long-"
"As we're-"
"Together!" Maka and Koto finished, pumping their held hands together energetically up into the air.
"Wow! You guys sound like a real life dynamic duo!" Hanako praised.
"No. T-T-They may be the most powerful duo in existence!" A meek glasses boy hauling a backpack on his back had barged into our conversation. Fumiko bestowed on him the title "The Friendly Neighborhood Annoying Nerd", Yuuto. "One alone is weak, but t-together they can be anything! They live as the weak, fight as the weak, and take down any task in t-their way as the weak! Born with nothing, only to realize they can do anything! At least, that's how I-I see the backgrounds of a real dynamic duo."
"Oh, Yuuto! Long time, no see!" Hanako greeted with a wave and a smile.
"Ah! H-H-Hello, H-H-H-Hanako," the boy greeted back, both cheeks glowing a rosy pink, and covered his eyes under his red hat for whatever reason. When I glanced at Hanako, she narrowed her eyebrows and gave me a disgruntled look which I interpreted as "Don't ask".
"Ugh, what a nuisance!" A voice rose and the owner suddenly thumped Yuuto directly atop his head with a chop of their hand. Speak of the devil; it was the lavishly dressed girl, Fumiko. "We didn't come to them to bring about unsavory amusement, idiot! Focus!"
"OW! Y-Y-You didn't need to h-hit me!" Yuuto exclaimed, tearfully rubbing his head.
"Fumiko, you came too? Did something happen?" Hanako inquired.
"Actually, where did everyone go?" Crest mentioned.
I looked ahead once more and noticed the group walking ahead of us before were, indeed, no longer in sight.
"T-That's why we're here," Yuuto replied. "We've almost reached the Auditorium, s-s-so-"
"They sent us to inform you slowpokes that you're lagging behind. Hurry it up!" Fumiko interrupted and immediately thereafter spun around, flipped locks of her absurdly long hair at us, and walked away alongside Yuuto.
"Oopsies, sorry about that!" said Koto.
"Let's get going, guys!" Maka added, and the two skipped off, hand in hand, together with Crest silently picking up the pace behind them.
"Wow, how embarrassing!" Hanako chuckled. "How engrossed were we in our conversation? Let's not keep them waiting, Kuroki, E-"
Hanako suddenly got cut short when Emi ripped her hand away and began running ahead by herself. She then halted in her tracks. For a moment, I noticed her tiny body shivered.
"What's wrong with her?" I asked.
"Emi? What's the matter?"
"... Ultimate Prop Maker," Emi uttered.
"Huh?" said Hanako.
"It's my talent. The Ultimate Prop Maker."
Name: Emi Nanako
Talent: Ultimate Prop Maker
Emi turned around and stared at us, as if awaiting something, while we just blankly stared back. As the few silent seconds prolonged their stay than necessary, Emi rubbed a hand on her arm and darted eyes down at the ground as per usual.
"E-Everyone else told each other their talents, right? So, I thought I'd share mine. But if you didn't want to know, you can just forget this ever-"
"Aheh heh," Hanako placed a hand on her mouth, now curling into a smile. "It's nice to meet you too, Emi!"
Emi's body responded in a twitch with her jaw dropped. Like she just got told the most mind-boggling news in the world. Emi swiftly turned around again, detecting her hand from her arm.
"I-I'll go on ahead. Don't keep us waiting!" Finally saying her piece, she ran forward to rendezvous with the others.
"Hmph… Perhaps she can take care of herself," I stated.
"Ha ha, Emi's so cute! She kind of reminds me of Seto," Hanako said.
"Your little brother? He still hasn't grown out of his shyness?"
"It's understandable. He's still young."
"And in his last year of middle school. I already feel sorry for the child when high school comes around," I remarked, holding a cheeky smirk and walked ahead myself.
"Hey, I'm not letting you take a shot at my siblings too, ya know!"
"Yes, yes, how about you do your stopping while we walk, hmm?"
I walked even further ahead, forcing Hanako to give chase after letting out a grunt.
Auditorium
"There you guys are! What happened to you?!" Shingora shouted.
Hanako and I finally caught up with the others who now stood outside the Auditorium's gigantic brown and gold studded double doors.
"Sorry, got distracted!" Hanako clapped her hands together in an apologetic form.
"It's fine. What matters is that we're all here," Ultear affirmed.
"Monokuma should be right behind this door, yes?" Jiro asked.
"Absolutely!" Maka and Koto answered.
"Awright, let's do this! I'm ready to bust in there!" Yama declared, punching his fist together while he eyed intensely at the doors.
"Remember to exercise caution, everyone," Taroko warned. "We don't know what's awaiting us in there!"
"Please, we'll just use Melissa and Yuuto as meat shields against whatever's thrown at us," laughed Fumiko.
"I-I-I-I get Melissa, but why me?!" exclaimed Yuuto.
"Get behind me too, Yuuto. Ya look a tad squishy to tackle anythin' rough," Melissa ordered.
"I merely made a joke. You sour sorts must have no sense of humor. Hmph!" Fumiko pouted.
"And y-you were talking me down for s-spreading unsavory amusement...!" Yuuto quietly mumbled under his breath.
"Okay, everyone ready?" Shingora notified, scanning our faces. Hanako and I answered by nodding, and the others confirmed their fortitudes as well. "All right, LET'S HEAD INSIDE!"
Immediate to his earth shattering shout, Shingora grabbed both handles on the brown metal doors and zealously pulled them. The metal doors creaked as though shrieking in agony and opened up wide; the heavy bang via the collision between the doors and walls welcomed us into Shinzai Academy's grand Auditorium. Before we stepped inside, a few of us peeked into the place, most likely to assess its security.
I suddenly felt a pull on my arm and tiny stings radiated as their nails sank into my clothes. I looked over at the person doing it and understood why she did, considering that even looking in it from the outside, we found the Auditorium completely enveloped in darkness. Expecting all lights in the school to be fully operational again was too much, I suppose.
"Follow me, everyone," Shingora gestured a hand forward and readied his flashlight.
We all started moving forward behind him, as commanded. Shingora turned on his flashlight and shot a light into the dark room, then moved forward himself. After setting one foot inside, a booming flick ran through our ears and with it appeared a light within the Auditorium. Spotting the light above the stage, shining the dust particles around it, left us obviously perplexed. If that light could turn on, why were the others not? Shingora's head jerked and swiftly turned from side to side.
"What is wrong, Shingora?" Ultear asked.
"Do you guys not hear that?" he answered.
"H-Hear what?" Hanako queried.
"Huh? Wait a minute! I hear something too!" yelled Tsukiko.
One after another, the others heard a distinct sound, including me. It was a piano melody. A soft and slow one; each key flowed smoothly into the next, attempting to pull at every heart string within each individual here. The melody - faint at first - grew in volume and as my gaze stayed fixated on the stage, I noticed something rising beneath it.
"Hey yo, what da fuck is dat?!" yelled Yama, who bolted inside the Auditorium. Fortunately for us, Shingora was close and fast enough to grab both his beige shirt and orange jacket collar; a croak escaped Yama's mouth as he pulled him back. "S-Shit, dat hit harder than last time!"
"Don't rush in there on your own!" Shingora demanded, and turned his head toward us. "Everyone, stay together."
We nodded and proceeded behind Shingora; Hanako still gripped her hands on my arm. Guess I was her escort now.
As each person entered the Auditorium, more lights flicked on. The first level lit up, allowing me to once again see the familiar silk red carpet we trod upon. We headed down on what felt like a steep hill in between rows of fuzzy maroon seats that'd fit in well at a movie theater. I heard the second level's lights flicked on, which if I remembered included groups of tightly compacted seats placed in a left section, a right section, and a middle section.
The main point of interest, however, was the something rising even higher and revealed itself to be a piano, not really surprising anyone. Of course, someone played it; conjecturing up the slow melody. They were small, chubby, and half of their back was white while the other black.
"Monokuma!" Hanako exclaimed, finally releasing her tight grip on my arm.
As though someone scripted it, the piano fully ascended onto the stage, succeeding Hanako's call. When it did, the melody came to an abrupt halt, and we all stood still. I didn't speak. Hanako didn't speak. No one spoke, not even Monokuma. Where should we start? Questions? Reactions? Or perhaps action? Whatever was the correct approach, we most certainly weren't prepared for what came next!
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH! WAT! DA! FUCK?!" screamed Yama.
What the hell?! My ears felt like they're being wildly scratched from the inside; my lungs juddered in tandem! We had no choice but to cover our ears, but the excruciating knife of resonance still found openings and continued their stabbing! The melody, it unexpectedly transformed into a head exploding, abrasive, and most despairful noise I'd ever heard!
Was that what awaited us here? To suffer a noise that'd go on for eternity?! Thankfully not. The painful noise made one last screeching key before finally meeting its end. The pianist — Monokuma — jumped off the piano's seat and graciously bowed to us, his makeshift audience. The Auditorium's blood red curtains travelled toward each other and came together, signaling the performance's end and with it, Monokuma's appearance.
"Are... Are my ears still on my head?" Neil dazedly asked.
"If I knew this would happen, I would have... I would have preferred they lopped off my ears before coming into this atrocious concert!" Fumiko shouted, fiercely. "And where did Monokuma go?! How dare he attempt to destroy my perfect ears and leaves to tell the-"
"Thank you, thank you!" Monokuma popped up right in front of Fumiko, startling and tripping her to the ground. "I'd like to thank you all for listening to my most ambitious piano recital yet! I call this piece 'A Fitting Demise'. Hope you enjoyed it!"
"W-W-Why you...!" Fumiko pulled out a fist full of needles and propelled herself forward toward Monokuma. He successfully dodged the coming slash in the most insouciant leap backwards I'd ever seen.
"Uh uh! Hands off the celebrity! Or else you'll be in biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig trouble!" He snarked.
"T-This is Monokuma?!" Shingora exclaimed.
"Hanako has informed me of your characteristics, but seeing you in the flesh feels so... surreal," Ultear said.
"Yep, yep! I am the one and only, Monokuma! You guys want my autograph? I'm happy to-"
"Absolutely not, you boorish waste of nature! I hope your career sinks into the deepest ends of the Earth alongside your moronic head!" screamed Fumiko, a vein popping out her forehead.
"W-Whoa! Ha ha, tough crowd." Monokuma sweated.
Great. Being annoying was a common trait of his, after all.
"Hmm? Kuroki, is something wrong?" Hanako asked.
"No, I'm fine," I replied.
"Oh? Did you not groan just now?"
"Hmph. I wouldn't surprise myself if I accidentally did let out a gr-"
"Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh..."
What in the world? Me and Hanako looked nearby where the groaning emitted from. The person making them was Emi. But it didn't seem to be a groan of despair seeing as her eyes were not only those of pleasure, but she also drooled?!
"Brr!" shivered Monokuma. "M-My skin just crawled. What is this sense of uneasiness?"
"Ha! What a cute teddy bear," Emi joyfully whispered.
"Aww!" Hanako gushed. "She likes Monokuma. They're both so adorable, aren't they?"
Genuinely, what about that thing made it so irresistibly charming to you two?!
"Cut this tom foolery already," Taroko commanded. "We've got questions for you, Monokuma."
"Questions? Sure, anything for an adoring fan!" Monokuma happily said.
"An adoring fan? Hmph," Taroko smirked. "Well, whatever your answer is will determine if I stay one or not."
"Puhuhu! I best answer to the best of my ability, then!" Monokuma, in a perky penguin like walk, made it back atop the stage. He stood there awaiting our questions. "Take a seat. There's plenty to go around."
"I won't be needing one, thank you," Taroko fixed his necktie and sauntered over toward the stage where Monokuma stood. "Answer this if you would? Monokuma, are you the one responsible for our mysterious wakings here in Shinzai Academy? Additionally, are you also the reason we have no memory of events prior to our awakening?"
"Ooh, hitting me with the hard questions all at once? You're not one to beat around the bush, are you? I won't either then. Yes, as you have deduced, Mr. Suit and Tie, I am the one responsible for everything. Including your imprisonment."
Monokuma has, hmm, I suppose the most appropriate saying now was that he dropped the mic. The air in the atmosphere quickly turned cold and I could imagine the sixteen heartbeats here going off at once.
"I see. Just as we suspected, you kidnapped us!" Taroko strongly stated.
"Puhuhu! Kidnapping is such a strong word. I think a better word would be… redeem. Yes, I simply redeemed you guys."
"Redeemed us? I ain't never remember asking ya weird hide fer help!" Melissa complained.
"And um, sorry, back up for a bit! What do you mean by imprisonment?" Hanako nervously asked.
"Oops! Did I let that slip? Oh well! Now's a good time as any to explain our little game with that cat out of the bag." Monokuma deviously smiled.
"L-L-L-L-Little game?" Yuuto stammered.
"To make a long story short, you guys are never going home! Welcome to Shinzai Academy; your new home indefinitely from here on out! But I'm sure some of you have already guessed that by now."
Monokuma specifically said that while shifting a gaze to Ultear, who shot back a defiant glare. Once more, the air grew colder. Monokuma's words, like a well-sharpened machete, had cut all relaxation and merriment cleanly off. And so, the reality of our situation sank deeper into something more serious.
"W-W-W-W-W-W-Wha-WHAT?! WHAT NONSENSE ARE YOU SPOUTING NOW?!" Fumiko vociferated.
"We're s-s-s-s-s-staying h-h-h-h-h-here?!" exclaimed Yuuto.
"Wow. I have to say, this is an interesting turn of events," Tsukiko remarked, giggling softly.
"Even I wouldn't stoop to these ill quality jokes. This is just downright in poor taste!" Jiro criticized.
"Huh. Is this a novel way of telling us we're being used for ransom? If you're trying to be funny, no one's laughing," Taroko glared at Monokuma.
"Good thing I'm not joking, then! I've already set your futures in stone to remain confined inside the Academy's walls. Don't worry, I'll take good care of you as if you were my own kin!" Monokuma giddily smiled.
"I never asked for another mom, dumbass! Quit screwin' around!" Yama shouted.
"Is this place even-"
"The real Shinzai Academy?" The twins asked.
"Obviously! You think I'd go through the trouble of making a whole spanking new school?! I wouldn't do it even for my enjoyment's sake!" Monokuma angrily replied.
"Enough," Ultear coldly said, making her way near the stage. "I think we've heard quite enough. I demand you show us the exit post haste."
"My dearest apologizes, madam, but the gentlemen you see before you suffer from a disorder that makes him unable to change his mind once set," Monokuma mocked.
"Interesting. If so, this means you're our enemy. Did you honestly expect us to comply with these conditions so willingly?"
Ultear unsheathed the wooden sword she carried at her waist and positioned it over her head, a stance replicating historical swordsmen. She always had a specific aura and a voice so gentle that both combined erased any tension in the air. Now, the aura has changed to one seeking, if I had to wax exaggeration, death.
"Hell yeah! Now we're talkin'! Save bits of this chump for me too, eh!" Yama said, cracking his knuckles and stepping up beside Ultear.
"Gosh darn it, now y'all got me in a fightin' mood! Let me get the first strike in, will ya?!" Melissa pleaded, looking antsy to release a ferocious energy burst at a single misstep.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! N-N-Not that I'm s-scared to take you guys on! B-But let me at least finish what I have to say first!" Monokuma urgently said, sweating profusely. "If you don't like the idea of staying in the academy, you can leave; but there are requirements. They're rather simple, in fact!"
"You're those types of kidnappers?! Hey, I like you already, Mono-dude!" praised Tsukiko.
"Why don't we listen to has to say before we take matters into our hands? Violence won't solve anything," suggested Shingora.
"Wat?! No way! Why should we waste our time waitin' on this freak show-"
Yama's complaint got interrupted by Ultear placing a hand on his shoulder. Shw sighed and sheathed back her wooden sword. "All right. What is this 'requirement' that'll let us leave this place?"
"I'll be glad to explain, as thanks for calming down," Monokuma said, smiling again. "Here in Shinzai Academy, we work to build a perfect harmony; a haven for students. A harmony where everyone can laugh, learn, and enjoy one another's company. Sounds good, right? Sounds like the best place ever, right? Well, unfortunately, there are those who despise our harmony and wish to disrupt it just because they feel like it! And now, we ask, what happens if someone irreversibly broke said harmony?"
"And how would this harmony become permanently broken, exactly?" I asked.
"Well, for example... If one person murdered another."
"E-Excuse me?" I returned.
"You heard me. You see where I'm going with this? If you want out, you'll have to kill someone here! Simple, huh?!"
I... I heard a squishing sound in my head. Did my brain went dead? Everyone else's did too, it seemed; once more, silence settled in. To hell with the mic, Monokuma just dropped the biggest bomb in his arsenal!
"W-W-W-W-W-W-W-W-W... WE H-H-H-H-H-H-H-HAVE TO KILL EACH OTHER!" Yuuto screamed.
"Ha ha, wh-what type of sick joke is this?" Jiro queried, although his face looked a tad blue.
"A joke reekin' of manure, I say! The hell you mean kill someone?!" yelled Melissa.
"What ploy are you trying here, Monokuma? We've grown tired of your horseplay," Taroko warned.
"No horseplay whatsoever! No tricks. No jokes. I'm being one hundred percent serious! You want to leave? Get your hands dirty and kill! Once you've done that, you'll have to make it through one more obstacle: the Class Trial!" Monokuma replied.
"Class-"
"Trial?" the twins inquired.
"Yep! Once you guys discover a body, the spotless — you guys — will gather to find the blackened — the killer. After you've discussed the clues you've assembled, you'll figure out who the blackened is among your spotless classmates. Vote correctly and the blackened alone will face punishment personally handed out by me, and the spotless students will continue their lives in harmony once again. But, if you vote a spotless student as the blackened, the true killer will meet the requirements to leave this Academy and I'll punish the remaining spotless instead. Again, simple, huh?"
"May I ask, what exactly is this punishment you speak of?" Ultear inquired.
"Why, it's execution."
"Execution?! You can't be serious, can you?!" Shingora exclaimed.
"Argh! How many times do I have to say it?! No, I'm not lying about anything! I'm a bear after all, and bears don't tell lies!"
"Y-You can't expect us not to question news like that! Why do you want us to kill each other?!" Hanako shouted.
"Yeah! We're friends! There's no way we'd do something so messy and dangerous to our friends!" yelled Neil.
"Friends? You guys are friends now? Puhuhu, nonsense! You guys aren't friends; you're enemies! Enemies who'll outsmart each other for your own benefit. That's just how your minds work. By the way, you have no restrictions on how you want to kill, so go nuts! Let your brain come up with as many sick methods to use against your opponent! Bludgeoning, strangling, stabbing, burning, drowning, electrocution, grinding; use anything to make this bloodbath of a game more fun!"
"Please." Taroko shook his head. "Okay, say we're taking this game of yours seriously. If no one kills anyone — ever — what will happen?"
"The answer's obvious. If no one kills, that means you've all accepted the idea of spending your whole lives in Shinzai Academy. Starting from pesky teenagers, to dry to the bone elders, to breathing your last breath on your deathbed."
"That's it? I'm failing to unravel the logic behind your plan nor its end goal. And the setup of this game is incredibly loose, seeing how much freedom we're given. Especially considering there's nothing stopping us from rebelling against you."
"Rebel? Impossible. No one's rebelling against me!" Monokuma claims, holding a confident smile.
"Oh yea, smartass? FUCK DAT! NO WAY IN HELL AM I TAKIN' THIS SHIT ANYMORE!"
From his shout to his propelling kick forward, Yama was nothing but noise. His kick gave a powerful thump to the floor, launching himself straight toward the stage, and leapt over Taroko at a height you'd expect in a professional basketball player. Even before he landed with his head facing down, I knew nothing could stop that heated boar in its state.
"Oh? You got something to say, boneh-"
Monokuma couldn't even finish his sentence as Yama flung his head up to shoot what I assumed was a fierce scowl at him, stunning Monokuma. Yama launched himself once again and — utilizing the speed he built up plus the preemptive opportunity opened to him — he threw a fist at Monokuma. A metallic thwack echoed throughout the enormous Auditorium and before anyone even had time to process what happened, we saw Monokuma flying backwards and crashing into the piano he played prior, tipping it over in the process and sounding multiple differing pitched piano keys, bringing forth a warped cacophony.
"Yama! What the hell are you doing?!" shouted Shingora.
"Hah! How's dat, ya chew toy! Ready to stop ya bullshit or am I gonna havta force it out using these two hands!" Yama yelled at the slumped Monokuma.
"... Puhu... Puhuhu! PUHUHUHUHUHUHUHUHUHUHUHUHUHU!"
He cackled after being punched? Or perhaps the punch itself wasn't as strong as it seemed, since Monokuma got back up on his feet without any problems. But what truly got my attention was his current expression. It only appeared to be his usual mouth curling unnaturally close toward his red eye, but something about it was different. As if his face had hardened. Eerily hardened.
"What the fu- did ya brain go whack or sumthin'?"
"Puhuhu, sorry! I'm just excited now! You couldn't have had any better timing, Yama Atsuki, the Ultimate Gangster."
While the confrontation between Yama and Monokuma commenced, I caught some slight movement out of the corner of my eye, initially attracting it via a mechanical noise. I turned my head, spotting a yellow security camera. No surprise Shinzai Academy put itself under tight surveillance, but was it always that overt? I was certain its cameras weren't so conspicuous. Nonetheless, it pointed straight at Yama. Was there a person behind it watching these events unfold…? Wait-
"Yama! Move out of the way! Now!" Taroko urgently shouted.
"Eh?! Why? I ain't done ye-"
Too little, too late. I detected another oddity of the security camera. Right under the lens were holes, and those holes began spinning rapidly; each glowed a fiery orange, before-
ATAATAATAATAATAATAATAATAATAATAATAATAATAATAATAATAATAATAATAATAATAATAATAATAATAATAATAATAATAATAATAATAATAATAATAATAATAATAATA-
They fired. My ears vibrated intensely due to the proximity between myself and the camera; the pungent smell of gunpowder now hung in the air and stung my nostrils. But those were nothing compared to the worst of them all: the sound. The foulest of liquids splashing onto the stage, followed by the sound of flesh — mimicking a wringing wet paper towel — being torn bit by bit in quick succession. The bullets themselves were avidly chewing his skin away; now the stage gained a new red coating to adorn its slick, thick black surface.
Eventually, the gun fire slowed down and the holes' spinning reduced until they finally came to a complete halt. Now the air in the Auditorium got even colder, no, tighter. So tight it could probably choke someone under its unbearable pressure. No one said a word to what we just witnessed. Yet, the silence felt so fragile; a single sweat drop hitting the ground might easily break it, but in lieu of one was...
"A-A-A-A-A-A-AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH…!" Yuuto screamed to as far as his lungs could carry.
"O-Oh dear," Jiro covered his mouth and swapped his blue tone to green.
"Holy... crap. That's a… ghastly scene, all right." Tsukiko commented, who was the last person I ever expected to see so shaken up.
"No way," Emi's voice trailed off into a mere squeaky whisper and she collapsed on the floor, leaving her in a shivering state.
"You're... You're kidding, right?" Hanako said, whose terror was the most I'd ever seen on her face.
When we woke up in the Academy, I doubt anyone anticipated our predicament could go to such extremes. But none of our shocks came closer than Yama's, the target. He must be the most shocked after seeing the situation escalating that high; his strained face and the blue shades he sported prior fell on the stage's floor, revealing his shuddering forest green eyes.
"W... W-Wha... Wha da... Hell...?" Yama croaked weakly, hanging on to what little breath he had left.
"Oh no. This can't be happening," Ultear denied, her eyes shaking and mouth continually agaped. "S... Sh... Shingora!"
The most shocking development amidst our entire revelation and event by far was no doubt Shingora getting shot full of holes and now laid on top of Yama in a growing pool of blood! I barely noticed him leaving where he initially stood. He must have noticed the security camera fast enough and took immediate action to protect Yama, but because he did that-
"Ah, it's about time I quelled my trigger-happy mind!" Monokuma exuberantly sighed. "I've been wanting to use the guns in these security cameras for SO long now! I'm glad it was sooner rather than later!"
None of us paid any attention to Monokuma's remark. Instead, many of us rushed toward stage. Some climbed onto it and some used the stage's stairs, but ultimately, we urgently gathered around Shingora and Yama.
"Shingora! Shingora, can you hear me?!" Hanako cried, slamming knees down onto the ground near his body.
"W-We should get-"
"Yama out first, shouldn't we?" The twins suggested.
"Y-You bet! I'll get em out!" Melissa announced. She crouched near Shingora's body and put out both her hands. Her hands froze in place however, leaving them blatantly shaking in the air.
"Be careful! Don't flip him over, Melissa!" Ultear ordered.
"I got it. I-I'll be as gentle as a sheep... F-Fergive this gal fer what I'm 'bout to do, Shingora!"
Melissa gripped both hands and stiffened her frightened expression. She took a deep breath in and then out. Once those were done, Melissa re-opened her hands and shoved them under Shingora's body. Finally, she lifted him with all her might; even clutched onto his arm, ensuring he wouldn't flip over during the lift. Melissa glanced over toward us; a signal to act, I presumed. Taroko nodded and hurried over to where Yama stuck out. He crouched, grabbed both his armpits, and pulled Yama toward him, successfully getting him out, albeit in a bloody mess.
"Yama, are you okay?!" Taroko quickly asked.
"Y-Yea. I think I'm goochie..." Yama breathed heavily. His eyes stayed fixated on Shingora and weren't looking to be turning away anytime soon.
With our first goal accomplished, Melissa gently put Shingora down in the exact same position he fell in, minus the Yama. Ultear crouched down and began surfing her eyes across Shingora's body. Even went as far as physically touching him.
"Shingora, is he... Is he really dead?" Neil hesitantly asked.
"Dead? No! No; Shingora's... dead?" Hanako's lips quivered, and she shut her eyes.
"Wait!" Ultear exclaimed, who put two fingers on Shingora's wrist. "It's faint, but I can still feel his pulse!"
"He's alive?! Are you sure?!" Jiro queried.
"Not for long! His shoulder and arm are full of holes. If he doesn't get medical attention this instant, he'll bled out!" Taroko urgently warned.
"I-Is there anything we can do?!" Hanako exclaimed.
"We must take him to the second floor!" Ultear commanded. "The Nurse Office's there and I have some medical experience! I believe we can save him! I'll need some assistance bringing him upstairs, though."
"Right, let's hurry! Melissa, you were strong enough to lift Shingora. Please, help us once more!" Taroko pleaded.
As we turned for Melissa's help, we noticed her still crouched on her knees. She stared vehemently at her shaking hands — caked in Shingora's blood. Judging by the fact she kept doing that meant she might not have heard us. Suddenly, Hanako grabbed both her hands, finally bringing Melissa back to reality.
"Melissa, please, help Shingora! I'm begging you! Please!"
"Hanna... Phooey! Sorry. I'll do what I can," Melissa accepted, shaking her head.
"Good. Help us carry him to the Nurse's Office," urged Ultear.
"Lemme help too!" Yama loudly demanded, who even retrieved his blue shades. "The big lug saved my ass! I havta owe 'im back!"
"We'll help too!" the twins passionately demanded.
"Those who are coming, let's go! We don't have much time!" Taroko ordered.
"All right! If anyone needs anymore teeth-sinking questions answered, just holler my name and I'll tell what I feel like telling! Good luck!" Monokuma waved, still holding his sinister grin.
I noticed Taroko sending Monokuma a quick glare behind him before hurrying Shingora's treatment. Thanks to those who offered their help, especially Melissa and the twins, Taroko's group scurried out of the Auditorium with Shingora's body. Meanwhile, those who stayed were still reeling from what transpired.
"W-Well, that was unnecessarily messy," Fumiko remarked, gazing at the Auditorium's doors in which the others exited from.
"Haaaa, this is already off to an exhilarating start! I still feel my adrenaline rush pumping!" Monokuma joyously voiced.
"Exhilarating?" Hanako whispered under her breath. She then swiftly spun her body around to face Monokuma. There, I saw a rarity. Hanako's eyebrows narrowed deeply, her lips fiercely pursed, and her eyes shook uncontrollably. She marched over to Monokuma. "How could anyone become exhilarated by this?! You put our friend in critical condition! How could you?!"
"Hey, why are you blaming me?! I only carried out punishment because one of you brats broke the rules! If anything, it's Yama's fault for not keeping in line!"
"Rules, smools! You went too far, Mono-dude! Now I hate you," Tsukiko reprimanded.
"Hate me all you want. At least I got you guys to take me seriously from now on. I warned you, too. Don't touch me, or else you'll be in biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig trouble. Tell Yama by the way that I'll let him off the hook this time, since he clearly didn't get the hint. But if he breaks the rules again, well, I'm not the type who believes in second chances! Puhuhuhuhuhu!"
"We've taken you seriously, all right," I said. "But what I still don't get is why? Why are you doing this?"
"Ah, happy you took my generous Q and A to heart! Unfortunately, I can't tell you. Wait, on second thought, I can tell you one thing!"
Monokuma snickered under his breath. His horizontal eye then flashed a brighter red. You know, now that I had actual blood nearby, I realized Monokuma's eye was of the exact same color. Blood red.
"I want to see you break. I long to see the despair of others! The despair of your helplessness crushing your confidence. The despair of letting your paranoia creep up on you. The despair of watching you crack under this merciless environment and seeing you commit the most unthinkable, the most immoral, and the most bloodthirsty acts for survival! If I could make one analogy, you guys are the zoo animals meant to entertain me! So please, entertain; become the animals you're born to be! Puhuhuhuhu! AH-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
His usual maniacal laughter seemed like it'd go on forever. That laugh. It resurfaced memories of me and Hanako's first meeting with him. Admittedly, I didn't think much of him. I genuinely thought that bear, no, that creature, couldn't cause much harm. He annoyed me and displayed a childishly playful personality. I knew that he knew more than he let on, but I didn't sense the malice behind his flippant exterior or words until now. His laugh was ultimately a sign. A sign telling us we shouldn't — we couldn't — easily toy with the thing.
"Hanako... Do you still think Monokuma is cute?"
Hanako stared intensely at Monokuma; her brow shook angrily. She calmed these intense body languages and placed a hand on her chest. Closing her eyes, she finally answered. "No. Not even close."
"Puhuhuhu! And so, let the Killing Game begin!"
Prologue: The Beginning of the End
- E N D -
IMPORTANT Author's Note
And there we have it. FINALLY, the release and conclusion of Danganronpa V2's Fallacious Appellation's prologue! For those who read up to this point, I truly hope you enjoyed yourselves! I also want to give extended thanks to those who provided valuable feedback as well as my close friend and beta reader, Ghost. Without you guys, the fanfiction wouldn't be in the polished state that it is! But of course, I bet it can be even more polished, which will be the most frequent "updates" I'll give to this story. As for major updates:
Now that the entire prologue is done, I will transition chapter releases from a WEEKLY to a MONTHLY schedule! The reason I could handle a weekly schedule was because I had these chapters done for YEARS! I pushed myself HARD this time to release my story to the public and I can now finally continue developing it past the ideas in my mind, but it'll need time. MUCH more time.
I don't want to always keep you guys hanging though, so I set condition for myself. If by the time I reach my deadline — a month from now — and I have an ENTIRE section of the story done — which to put into perspective for the non-fandom blind, an entire Danganronpa chapter — then and ONLY then will I revert back to a weekly schedule. I'm going to try my hardest to make sure this is the consistent reality, but I'll keep you guys updated if I fail to reach that point on the day of the next chapter's release. I'm fairly confident though since I have a good idea of where I want to take the story. Now it's all up to how much time I can put into it.
Another big update is that I'll also be releasing this story on Archive of Our Own. I'll likely have it up a week from now and will be posting the link to my account shortly after this chapter's release, so you can read there if that site's your preference.
Thanks again for reading! Lets see what the future holds!