Please read at least the second section (days 1+2) before judging too much. Actually, the strong point is probably gonna be the trials so at least see the first murder.

The intro is kinda rushed because it's not particularly necessary. Also, I wanna get to the good stuff, sue me.

Honestly, I am going to expect you to already know

Chapter Text

mic check

the letters, words keep fluttering around my mind, forming, becoming…

the world is… paper—

my head — empty.

places, everyone!

i am blank — the white screen projected upon…

…

lights!

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

I woke up staring at a blank white screen. Did I fall asleep in class again? Dammit. I still feel… sleepy. I lacked any time to think, though, as a projector shot bright lights onto the screen. I squinted, Plain black letting — lucida grande? — appeared on a white background. It read:

'Please remain calm. Welcome to the stage of Yamaku Academy.'

What the heck does that mean? Fortunately, I don’t have much time to dwell on it as the words change with a click.

'Each one of you is here for a reason. Despite complications, we hope you enjoy your final semester of high school. Do not attempt to leave the building.'

Now things were weird. What kind of message was that? The whole thing was just… out of this world. Complications? And I’m here for—

*RIIIP*

A load tearing sound permeated the room, as a black and white teddy bear launched itself through the projector screen.

“Welcome, welcome! I am Monokuma, and I will be your headmaster for this semester of killing!”

THAT woke me up. What am I looking at? My head turned and hastily scanned the room for anything more tangible. People. Students. Behind me was a classroom, full of desks, full of students — 12 others if I counted correctly. Alright, that doesn’t really help me understand what’s going on. Supports the theory that I fell asleep in class though. I returned my gaze to the teddy bear — Monokuma, who was standing in the hole in the screen, apparently waiting for any kind of reaction. None came.

“Oh come on! If everyone’s already super depressed, I’m out of a job!”

To my left, a brown-haired boy about my age spoke up, “What the hell is this? Wow, I’d think a school for the disabled would be a little less tasteless with their jokes.”

“This is no joke young man! And I’m afraid you’re not here for schooling—”

“Oh, good. I was almost rather perplexed,” sighed an older-looking girl in the back with flowing purple hair.

“No! Be confused! Be afraid! For I, the glorious and widely-adored Monokuma am here to sagely guide you in the art of despair! Now, before there are any more rude interruptions: the rules. First off, nobody here is allowed to leave the school! Rule number two! If you want to leave the school, you must MURDER a fellow classmate!”

The bear began pacing back and forth, “Don’t think it’s *that* easy though, rule number three: One who murders a fellow student is designated as the blackened. After a short period of time after body is found, I will hold a CLASS TRIAL for everyone to debate and vote on who the killer is! Rule number four: If the trial correctly determines the blackened, the blackened alone will be executed! But if the blackened evades discovery… they are freed and everyone *else* will be executed! Upupu! I have given each of you a student handbook with which you may review the rules at any time, along with any updates to the rules and a few other nifty features. There's a few other minor rules, so I recommend you look it over. Now, I’ll leave you all to explore the school for yourselves now. Buh bye!”

“Hang on,” a pissed-looking girl in the back asked, “you just drop all that info on us and walk away? Just what makes you think we’re gonna kill each other?”

“Aha! Excellent question! I will return in a number of days to provide you all with... a motive. But now, I really gotta go do bear things. See you around!”

And with that, the evil entity of inspiring enmity known as Monokuma introduced himself and departed. The room was quiet for a bit. It was a lot to take in, to be fair. Well, for me it was. I really wasn't sure what to think. Was this some kind of joke like the other boy said? Nothing adds up, even if it is a joke. Or maybe I'll just need to accept things at face value. After all, I can't imagine why I would be here at a school for the disabled. I found myself agreeing with pink girl too. I don't know any murderous high school students. At least, not yet anyways. But I'm not too worried. It's not like I had much of an attachment to my old high school anyways. Or, much of anything. As much as I hate to say it, maybe something crazy happening in my life wouldn't be too bad. Beats sitting around watching anime.

“Hey, um… you! Yes, you! The one who always buys me food but whose name I can't remember!”

“Hm…?”

I turned around to see that mostly everyone had already left, presumably to explore the school. All except Sayori, my clumsy childhood best friend. She wore a red bow in her hair and a bright smile on her face, along with a school blazer she refused to button.

“Oh, good morning Sayori.”

“Hmmf! How come you can remember my name but I can't remember yours? We're supposed to be best friends!”

“Dunno, probably because you never pull your head down from wherever it floats off too. Just so you know, it's—”

My name.

[My name.]

What? What is it? Why can't I remember my name? It's my own name for God's sake! I'm… I'm… Wow. Maybe there really is something wrong with me. Maybe that’s what Monokuma meant by “here for a reason.” I focus. Hard. I have memories of the past. Of Sayori. But my name just… sounds like... st.atic...n.oi.se..

“Huh? Ehehe… can you really not remember either? Oh… oh you. The e-handbooks Mr. Monokuma gave us have a map of the school and also a list of all the students here! Your name should be in there.”

“We got handbooks?”

“Yeah, we did! Remember?”

“I think I fell asleep…”

“Ehehe, it looks like I'm a bad influence on you.”

My focus shifts to the desk, and I pick up a black tablet that apparently I had been resting my head on. I tap a button and the screen lights up. With Sayori’s help, we navigate to the student list. For some reason they aren’t alphabetized, so it takes me a little while to find it. Emi Ibarazaki, “Misha” Mikado, Yuri, Shizune Hakamichi…

“M.C.?”

“It’s just my initials?”

“Huh. That’s funny. Hey! They forgot my last name!”

“Which is?”

“Uh it’s... uwa! Why… why can’t I remember?”

“Clearly something weird is going on.”

“No shit sherlock.” Both of our heads turned to the boy standing by the door, leaning against the wall. “Ah, sorry. I’m just pissed off that somebody thinks they can screw with us like this. First time back at school after months in the hospital. What a warm welcome. This was supposed to be my first day of my new life.” He sighed.

“Oh, sorry about that.”

“Yeah. It blows." He looked at his feet. I wasn't quite sure how to respond. "Anyways, crappy introductions aside, I’m Hisao Nakai.”

“At least you got your name down. More than I can say. Call me MC I guess.”

“And I’m Sayori!”

“I was thinking I would feel more at home in a library, so I was gonna go looking around. You two wanna come with?”

“Sure. Sayori?”

“Of course!”