Chapter Text
Standing before the great doors of the High school just made it more intimidating.
Hope's Peak Academy, the school where greatness and success is guaranteed if you graduate, the catch? You had to be an outstanding individual with a talent, and ultimate ability, a Super High School level ability.
Well, if he could tell people, his past was certainly the most interesting part of him, he wouldn’t call being Lucky really a talent… but adding his background, he could start seeing the connection.
Mondo Owada was the Ultimate Lucky Student, if he could recount his life events and point one moment in specific that made him feel lucky, it was his and his brother’s accident. The worst night of his life turned around by the luck of the damned, if he could go back in time he would’ve tried and stopped if only so Daiya didn’t lose that leg, curse this luck of his, he really didn’t want it.
Combing a hand through his hair, he breathed in, checking his phone for the time, 6:50, probably the first time he’d ever arrived early to something, he cursed his brother under his breath for that, making his way to the school, feet dragging until he reached the entrance, the door soundless as he stared at the school hallway, empty of people, maybe they had gone to the gym? Or anywhere else probably, who would stand there like a bunch of losers.
He actually felt like sitting down, or laying down, his eyes blinking for a moment while supporting himself on the wall beside him, shit, was he sick? Maybe he shouldn’t be here, go home maybe and tell Daiya he wouldn't do it, not like his apprenticeship was going sour right? He didn’t need this school, maybe tell Takemichi to go with him and grab a smoke, yeah that would be better, better than being here-
A cold shiver ran through his spine as he woke up, palms resting on the table as he pushed his body up with a shuddering breath, this didn’t feel right, fuck he told Daiya this was a bad idea, he knew, he should’ve listened to Takemichi and know this was probably a ploy to steal his kidneys, did he still have his kidneys? He lifted his shirt, no scar, good. He let out a sigh as he stood up and kicked the chair a little bit away, god were the walls always this ugly? Like an orange that decided to become an interior designer, god dammit, what even was up with those windows? Bolted shut with some kind of metal plate, the more he stared at that room the worse he felt, good thing he decided this was clearly bullshit.
Leaving the class room and being treated to even more weird colors, he sighed again as he walked to what seemed like an exit, the sign certainly seemed to say that right? Pushing himself through the door, the sight was not what he expected.
He counted at least 10 other people, all of them in some level of uniform as they stood around and talked amongst themselves, what the fuck? Was this all a practical prank? Yeah probably, laugh at the loser that got in through a fucking lottery.
“Ah! A mysterious appearance!” A white uniform teen approached, heavy frame approaching very rapidly as he took a bow in his direction “Greetings! My name is Hifumi Yamada but you may call me Yamada”
He blinked, feeling now a little uncomfortable as the others got quiet around him and stared at the scene, shit, now it seemed rude to just walk away towards the door.
“Uh, Owada, Mondo Owada” He rubbed the back of his neck, taking a few steps back as Hifumi nodded with a bright smile.
“I see, Mr. Owada for curiosity, did you fall asleep upon your arrival to Hope’s Peak?” Okay now he wanted to rush to the door, he simply gave the other a court nod as he fixed his glasses upon his answer “I see… So it wasn’t a coincidence”
“Wait what-”
“I will go search for our missing classmates!” He was left with the question on his throat as the other made his way out of the entrance, no one replied, well, no one but a girl with a high ponytail who replied with a “Come back quickly!” to the retreating figure of the hall monitor.
What the-
“I apologize for Yamada in advance” a large woman, taller than Mondo by at least a head spoke to him, she was wearing a baseball uniform, long white hair falling on her back as she stretched her hand “Sakura Ogami, Ultimate Baseball Star”
Kind of… odd to introduce yourself with your title, but at least it wouldn’t leave him in the dark about what anyone did “Mondo Owada, Ultimate Lucky Student” He accepted the hand, both of them gripping it at the same time as the other seemed to have a shine to her eyes.
“Strong muscles, perhaps you’ll do as a training partner” Yeah probably not, he wasn’t here to make friends.
The ponytail girl soon jumped from beside her, a bright smile and quick grab of his hand after Sakura let it go “Aoi Asahina! Ultimate Programmer and very much pleased to meet you!” She let go of his hand, seeming to start to write something in her palm “O…wada, Mondo”
“The fuck are you doing?”
“Ah! I’m sorry, they say if you write the name in your palm three times you’ll never forget it” she laughed, a very bubbly and cheerful one.
“Right…” He took a step back, looking at the other people around, shit, now he’d seem like an even more jerk if he decided to leave without talking to the rest right? Where the fuck was the door either way? Couldn’t be that far right?
“Um, excuse me…?” He jumped a little, scaring himself as the person gave another jump.
A short girl, shorter than the programmer even, strawberry blonde short hair and a sort of cape like vest over her figure, seeming to carry a messenger bag as well.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you… My name is Chihiro Fujisaki, Ultimate Writer” she seemed nervous, he got that impression from most people, and he gruffed out his name and talent as well “um… you look nervous”
“Don’t want to be here” He replied curtly, the other just nodding.
“Sorry, I understand… I don’t know how some seem so relaxed about it” He paid close attention, aside from the two girls he’d talked with before and Yamada, the others he truly saw relaxed were a girl with long and high pigtails and a black haired one sitting close to her.
Another person was a silver-haired girl who seemed to be talking with a blond boy with rectangular glasses, both of them appearing calm enough, in fact if Mondo could guess they even appeared to be childhood friends who were just catching up, they looked like rich kids if Mondo could guess.
But at least there weren’t others stuck in that everything is fine mentality thank god, maybe they were the sane ones.
There was a girl with a black maid like dress, at least from what he could tell, glasses covering her face as to pig and swirled pig tails rested on her hair, she seemed gothic from what he could tell, but her attitude appeared frisky, biting the nails of her hand while looking around, paranoid much in his opinion, but considering everything now he wasn’t so sure if that was an incorrect reaction.
Lastly was a very posh girl, long blue hair falling straight on her back and a knee high skirt, she seemed to possess a company logo or something over her uniform, and he felt almost compelled to scoff at her until he saw how she played with her hair, twirling it around with her fingers while staring at the direction of the exit.
Right! The exit, he gave a sigh of relief until his eyes landed on something weird.
A large, round metal door covering the exit.
“Say… Chihiro, that wasn’t always there right?” His head almost snapped to look nervously at the other, and his expression probably wasn’t that pleasant considering the other seemed to coward a little back “Right?”
“Um, it was here when I arrived… I think, since everyone arrived” Fuck.
“...Shiiiiit” He felt his back land on one of the walls as he fell on the ground sitting, so they were most likely stuck.
His curse word seemed to attract a little bit of attention, while Chihiro kneeled down beside him he spotted the glaring eyes of the goth and the worried glance of the blue haired girl.
"Hey, are you alright?" The voice of the other tried to ground him, working enough to really only give a nod and another sigh “um… sorry to be bothering you”
“It’s fucking fine” Replying back, he gave a little wince when seeing the other flinching a little back from his words “Shit… sorry, didn’t mean to bite ya, just wanted to go home” He tries relaxing his legs, letting them extend on the floor as the heavy breathing finally escapes his lungs “What the fuck…”
The question rested unwell, not even finishing as he stared at the suddenly arriving figures. Yamada was back, accompanied by three other teens.
The fiery head of one was a good visual point, not the tallest, wearing some wooden sandals that seemed to clap with each step he took, the school uniform he was meant to wear with torn off sleeves, seeming to be in conversation with the shortest of the group.
The appearance was enough to catch Mondo’s attention.
A long black coat, with white and green embroidered across it, one side of his hair swirling a little bit up from underneath but falling on the head, despite his extras, and almost rugged like appearance, he had a buttoned up uniform. As if trying to trick your eyes away from the clear bosozoku walking amongst them. That kid seemed familiar, his jacket did at least. The kid’s eyes fell on him for a moment, before approaching the two rich kids in quick paces.
The third stranger just seemed to beeline straight for him, and the sudden weight on him seemed to startle Chihiro even more. He wasn’t even better, eyes blinking for a moment staring at the large mane of woven brown hair that covered his vision, arms hugging him tightly… Oh fuck-
“Hiro- Hiro you’re squishing me” Almost hearing the other sniffing, he separated from himself and cleared his eyes with the sweater sleeve he always wore, good, he didn’t seem to be crying anymore either, which was even better, he was free to hold the other’s shoulders and grip him tightly was finally letting the panic expression shine in his eyes. Out of everyone in the fucking country, Hiro was probably the last person he wanted to even see here.
“The fuck are you doing here!? You told us you were going to a concert in Kyoto!”
“Yeah about that…” He laughs, holding the other’s forearms as if trying to get him to free his shoulders, it doesn’t work “Uhm, remember mom told you I had a surprise planned for all of you? This was… kind of it, and then Daiya told me you got accepted into it as well and well-”
“And you thought showing up to the school and then turning out it was fucking class room was a good idea?” He gripped harder.
If it was a normal situation, he could even see the funny side, now he just feels desperate. The last thing you want is for your brother-in-law to show up in this situation.
“Mr. Owada I don’t think Mr. Hagakure’s shoulders appreciate that!” Yamada’s voice brought him, almost snarling at the hall monitor before letting Hiro go, the older man seems to agree, wincing a little and rubbing the spots with his palm as he just smiles back to the hall monitor and telling him he was fine, the eyes of the remaining strangers falling back onto him, he was sure many were already murmuring about him.
“We’ll talk later”
“Mondo-”
“Just go make chit-chat dude”
Can’t have a stranger attack the Ultimate Idol he supposed.
He jumped again when the smaller hand of Chihiro fell on his shoulder, her worried expression as he shook his head “Just family stuff” he murmured, standing up and walking away while the others just seemed to watch, the large vault like door in his vision.
What seemed to be guns pointed watchfully at them, a dread lumping in his throat at the sight.
“T-they seem to be active” He hears a frail, almost whisper like voice, the girl with large pigtails and goth like clothes spoke beside him, she moved quietly, red eyes unfocused on him “...Probably not a good idea to mess with them”
“Who are you?” That seemed to grab the other’s attention, the very casual question almost enough for her to bite the nail she currently had in her mouth.
“Huh? Oh… Um, Celestia Ludenberg, Ultima-”
“You’re the Ultimate Fashionista!” The boy with a woven jacket spoke, causing her to let out a tiny scream as he approached rather crudely “I’ve seen you in covers… though, I expected you to look-”
Like poison and ice, she seemed to quickly “W-what? So everyone needs to look the same in each picture they take?” She rolls her eyes, pointing accusatory towards the teen “I-I’m telling you they are nothing but self centered pigs changing the way natural beauty looks!”
“...Um-” He couldn’t get a word in, her scoffing before walking away with her head raised high “...Jeez, didn’t expect her to react like that, couldn’t even ask to sign a magazine for my sister”
“Hey chicks can be a mystery” He scoffs, hiding his hands on his sweatshirts pockets while the other just laughs.
“Man you’re right, oh! I apologize, my name is Makoto Naegi, Ultimate Biker Gang Leader” Mondo laughed.
Makoto didn’t laugh.
The other had to take a moment to catch himself, it was certainly a surprise, whoever the leader of the Lucky Clover’s was, he wasn’t expecting it to be a short teen with a clearly oversized jacket.
Damn, they let everyone be gang leader’s this day huh?
“Hey! Don’t laugh at me! You don’t want to know what happened to the last guy that did”
“What, you sent him crying to his mommy?”
“...Wish seeing his mommy cry was possible” Okay, that didn’t sound like a joke, he spoke straight staring back, his fists didn’t even tremble.
Alright he could respect him enough, simply giving him a nod.
“I see, I’m-”
“Mondo Owada, I- I heard when you introduced yourself to the girl” The other shifted for a moment, eyes gazing away before he nodded “See you later Mondo!” With that he skipped away, returning with the two rich kids.
Weird kid.
“Attention! If I may have everybody’s attention please!” the voice of Yamada rang through the enclosed space, whatever conversation they were having was just drowned away by the Moral Compass’ words “Okay! Now that introductions were done, I wanted to ask if we all had experienced the same phenomena as each other, that is, falling asleep and waking up in a classroom”
Many just nodded, other’s with verbal agreements, he just stayed silent, Yamada seeming to carry the conversation by himself.
“I see, well then this is irregular of the highest caliber! No way Hope’s Peak would be responsible for all of this right?”
“Well it very much seems like they were!” The redhead replies, huffing and crossing his arms as the rest of the class turn to him “I mean- We get kidnapped and put into a classroom? And at school? If they weren’t responsible for this, why keep us in school?”
“Imbecile, maybe it is just so they can keep us better controlled” The rich blonde kid spoke, a scoff to his words as he seemed to adjust his glasses, he had an almost posh like tone “Of course, a simpleton such as you would not be able to know this-”
“So… why keep us then?” Another new voice, cutting off the rich kid, Mondo could tell it was from the blue haired girl, her tone almost demanding, he couldn't help but grit his teeth a little bit, great, another stuck up rich kid.
"Maybe it's all just a big prank?" Hiro's voice doesn't even sound so sure, scratching the side of his face while laughing.
"Yeah! That's gotta be it! A big prank!" Mondo wasn't even sure the bubbly voice of Asahina could be of much help.
"It's not funny" The silver haired rich kid finally spoke, cold, a cold voice that made everyone shiver "Yamada is right… this is highly irregu-"
Everyone's thoughts were interrupted by a sudden ringing, the speakers coming to life as a strange voice spoke.
"AHEM, students of Hope's Peak Academy," cheery and loud, the voice rang across the entrance “You are required to head to the Gym for the entrance ceremony! Please make your way quickly! Hurry up children, chop chop!” The sound is suddenly cut off, everyone stays quiet for a while until voices seem to be filled mostly with relief.
“Thank god! I was getting kind of scared” Hiro’s voice rattles his mind, staring a little flabbergasted at the other before Asahina nods with him, echoing his relief.
“Yeah… that means everything is alright and it was the school, right Yamada-san?”
“W-well, I guess it had to be a school thing”
“How imbecile do you have to be to even doubt that?” The rich kid seemed to speak again, scoffing “Honestly the lot of you”
One by one many start walking to the gym, Mondo can’t, his feet suddenly stuck to the floor, some stragglers hanging around as well, the silver haired girl, that boy Makoto, the giant woman that was Sakura, most surprisingly, the blue haired girl and even Chihiro. Weird-
“Yo Mondo dude, you coming?” Hiro’s voice snaps him back, the students that moved now almost fully out, the other’s words making him rumble a short ‘go ahead’, leaving him with the stragglers with just a thumbs up.
He sighs, walking over to the shirt girl and tapping her on the shoulder, the appropriate jump that followed just made him huff a sorry.
“No… it’s not you Owada-kun, just… Why guns?” She points out the two large weapons aimed at them, almost as if watching “It’s just… not the kind of security system you’d expect in a high-school… maybe in a spaceship or something like that… oh! Or a heavy armored bunker”
“Guess this school really is for rich kids huh?”
“I assure you other ‘rich kids’ schools do not possess this level of security” His head turns back, Chihiro and his own eyes landing on the blue haired girl, an almost angry expression while looking at the heavy guns “Not even private ones built just for one family, it’s almost… odd”
“Sorry who the fuck are you?”
She looked almost taken aback, eyes widening before her face returned to a resting expression, absentmindedly looking away “Sayaka Maizono, Ultimate Affluent Progeny and the Heir of the Maizono corporation” that last part almost seemed to be out of a script.
He knew about that corporation, heard mostly, her name didn’t really sound.
“My father doesn’t like my presence to be known” He shivered a little, blinking and looking at her with a slight panic as if she almost read his thoughts, she just smiled “Ah! I apologize… it’s because i’m psychic”
“Sayaka-san! We’re going to the gym!” Makoto screamed, damn did that guy already make friends with everyone or what? The silver haired girl just paid them a glance before the two of them left the entrance, Sayaka just raising a hand to wave goodbye.
“So… are you really a psychic?” Chihiro asked, her eyes seeming to shine with excitement only for Sayaka to laugh softly, hand waving away before starting to walk away.
“No… I just have great intuition” And when she was gone, only he and Chihiro were left.
“Best we get going, don’t want to stay here longer than I have to” He grumbled out, Chihiro only nodded.
Their footsteps echoed through the empty halls, green lights lighting their path over to the corner, they walked in silence, not like there was much to say over a short walk, conversation wouldn't take long to happen again however, when the figure standing out of the gym doors waved at them, Hiro’s smile was enough to remind him of the situation.
“Hey lil’ bro! Didn’t want you to get lost” he laughs, wrapping one of his arms around Mond’s shoulders, amazing really considering the height difference, the other just groans.
“Oh! Are you guys brothers?” Now it wasn’t groaning, he shook his head just to watch Hiro nod.
“Yup! He’s my little brother!”
“In-law Hiro, in-law”
“We’re family!”
“Once I get out I’m telling Daiya” the booming laugh of Hiro was a small comfort at least, and the three quickly entered only to be stopped dead in their tracks by the person there.
There was a boy wearing white.
White shirt, white pants, the contrast by wearing black boots, a black vest and some suspenders over it, he even had a red necktie, like a perfect uniform if Yamada wasn’t competing with him, his gaze seemed to be fix in the display case beside a wall, black and short hair almost as if hiding his face from them, however when their steps stopped that was enough for the teen to turn and stare at them. Vibrant red eyes straight at them, bushy eyebrows resting it could only be an angry expression, almost as if annoyed to be interrupted in his thoughts.
“...You were the ones that were missing, guess that makes 15 of us”
“Us?” Chihiro asked, her expression seemed almost terrified, he couldn’t blame her, it was like a demon staring at them.
“Yes, you three, my name is Kiyotaka Ishimaru” He bows to them, back straight before standing back normally “Let’s go then, I’m sure we’ll receive more information once the ceremony begins”
“Wait… what the fuck dude? What are you even doing here?” The other just stared back, flinching a little when he cursed and just shaking his head.
“I do not find acceptable your curse words, even in this situation, as for the question I was merely… exploring our surroundings, guess I must have gotten caught up to not realize you were meeting somewhere else”
“It’s not meeting it’s just fucking common sense” another weird frown, the guy just glaring at him again before turning around and without another word walking into the gym doors “Fucking… weirdo”
“That guy really seemed… intense” Hiro complains, and with only a noise of agreement from Chihiro, the three walked further inside.
The others were already there, standing across the gymnasium floor before the same cheery voice clears through the room.
“Welcome… to the 78 Hope’s Peak Academy class!”
Looking around, empty seats, an empty atrium in the back of the gym, until suddenly something launches itself from behind a lectern, suddenly sitting down on top of it.
It looked… like a very fucked up bear, perfectly split in the middle with black and white, a red left eye with a twisting smile, a friendly one right beside it, whatever the fuck it was it did to soothe his anxiety, in fact he could the pit in his stomach just getting worse, the thing just laughed with glee.
“Greetings everyone and all… I am Monokuma! Hope’s Peak very own headmaster” it seemed to pose at them, blowing them a kiss with one of its paws as it chuckled.
“Huh? A teddy bear?” Asahina’s voice was clear for everyone to hear, though it didn’t seem like whatever it was appreciated it.
“I am NOT a teddy bear! I just said I am Monokuma!”
“W-what? What even is that?” The blonde kid spoke, stuttering over his own words, Yamada seemed to be calmer, or at least, appear calmer than the rest.
“C-calm down! It must be just an… animatronic or maybe a receiver?”
His voice just left his throat, unsure if it was even good to test it out but even then unable to hold his thoughts, maybe it was the panic finally setting in, no matter what Mondo only said “M-maybe a child’s toy or something?”
“You wound me! Hurt my poor wittle heart for being compared with some trash for children!” the bear growled as it raised both of its paws “My technology is so complex that the gentlepeople at NASA can’t even comprehend it!” It cackled again “So you kids better try not to! I do not appreciate it snoopers getting caught in some… honey”
“R-really? B-bear puns?” Celestia mumbled.
“C’mon stinky! I want to get out of here!” The girl with pig blonde pigtails spoke, seeming to huff in annoyance as she raised one fist “So just let us out!”
“SILENCE! That is not a way to speak to your headmaster, young lady! Seriously, do you kids not wash your mouths? UGH unbearivable!” It seemed to fake cough, standing on the lectern once again to accommodate the microphone “Anyway! I will be giving you all a quick summary to what your school life will be about”
“W-what? School life?” Beside him, Chihiro seemed to be afraid, holding her hands together and staring at the thing almost frozen.
“Thaaaat’s right! You 15 have been selected because you’re the future’s hope! And as such, will be kept in this school for the remainder of your foreseeable future… soooo, forever”
…What? What the fuck?
It had to be a joke right? Very funny, call him surprised and turn on the lights, show him the hidden cameras and he would even laugh along. No matter how cheery the voice sounded, it didn’t sound like a joke.
“F-forever?” Sayaka spoke, bringing Mondo back from his trance to watch her clutch her chest.
“Well of course! Can’t have you kids running around the world getting hurt and losing your talents, can we? You guys will live here until you all die old simpleton deaths! And you’re also cut off from the outside world, naturally, so you won’t see your old friends and family again, too bad!”
…Cut off?
Daiya, Takemichi. Shit. No that couldn’t be right.
“C’MON MAN THAT’S NOT FUNNY!” the redhead with piercings spoke, a yell cutting through the rest as he pointed over to the bear “STOP IT WITH THE JOKE”
“I am not joking, do you not understand? You will all live here forever, so forget about escaping! Well… unless”
“Huh? Unless?” Makoto spoke this time, almost a hopeful glow in his eyes. Mondo could only grit his teeth.
“...Well there is this teeny weenie graduation clause…” It leaped from the lectern down into the gym floor “If one of you would happen to disrupt the peace, and get away with it, I would let you go”
“…What do you mean by disrupting the peace?” the cold voice of the silver haired girl was enough to bring the fucked up bear back with laughter.
“Oh that’s simple! You would just need… to murder”
“M-MURDER!?” Once again there was screaming from the redhead, arms almost going up to cover his face in fear. He almost feels envy for the other to allow himself such a dramatic reaction.
“Stabbing, strangling, bludgeoning, crushing, hacking, drowning, igniting, how you do it doesn’t matter, just murder! Murder and get away with it! Then you can leave!”
Silence,a deafening silence that he could only help stare at the bear, even Hiro seemed to tense over the words.
“The hope of the world… seeing it get murder creates such a sweet despair! No matter what you try, no matter what the only way to get out of here is to MURDER! GOT IT!?”
…Piece…
“You- you little piece of SHIT!” he roared, walking up to the bear, shoving Hiro’s arm off his shoulder to stomp over the bear “Think this is fucking funny!?”
“Owada-san!” “Mondo!” He could hear Chihiro’s and Hiro’s voice on the back ground, they didn’t matter, he just grabbed the bear’s head and raised it up as it started kicking it’s legs.
“Waah! Violence against the headmaster is against the school’s regulations!!”
“SHUT THE HELL UP! L-let us go or I’ll fucking kill you!”
“While I appreciate the murder intentions they are channeled to the wrong person!”
“I SAID SHUT THE HELL UP!” then it did.
And it started beeping.
Louder, faster, what-?
“Get rid of itt” He heard the demon’s words over his shoulder, looking back at Ishimaru who was staring back “Throw him quick!!”
He didn’t know what strength he had, quickly launching the bear to the air.
It beeped for a few seconds before a big explosion sounded throughout the whole gymnasion, a cloud of smoke not that far away, the smell of gunpowder now settling in the air.
“W-what the hell!? T-that-”
That wasn’t fake.
That couldn’t be, the smell still lingers.
What the fuck had they been thrown into?