Chapter Text
The giant building towered over her, protecting her from the sun’s rays. Soft wind brushed her cheeks as she stared at the black and white emblem displayed proudly on the building’s bricks. In fact, the entire building stood tall and proud, as if it were the center of the universe. It was almost intimidating.
Hope’s Peak Academy. The school known for cultivating the best and only the best. They say that anyone who graduates from this school will be set for life. At least, that’s what she read in the online forums. Hell, she did so much research on the school she could’ve attended under the title of Ultimate Researcher or something. There was also information about who would be attending with her, but she kind of skimmed over that part.
A weird mixture of pride and anxiety swirled in her chest. The thought of attending school alongside some of Japan’s best was enough to make her head spin. She worried no so much about fitting in, but about not making too much of a fool of herself. After all, even if she was attending a school meant for elites, she was still the same old (Y/N) (L/N).
She had prepared almost meticulously the previous night. Her leather satchel, old but trusty, was neatly packed with pencils, pens, and notebooks. It hung on the coat rack by the door, ready to be slung over her shoulder and rested on her hip. Her dark brown slacks were neatly pressed and hung up, as well as her cream-colored blouse. A dark brown ribbon hung over the shoulder, later to be tied into a neat bow under her collar. Her tan flats were clean and polished, practically shining from toe to heel. Her room was practically bare, as most of her stuff had been shipped to her dorm. She did not rest until she knew everything was in place.
Good thing she wasn't the type to get stressed easily, right?
(Y/N) glanced at the acceptance letter in her hand for what was surely the tenth time that morning. There was a meeting for new students in the main hall at 8 o’clock. She folded the paper back up and stuffed her hands in her pockets, looking around her. It was a surprise to her that she had come this early. Perhaps all of her excitement had made her a bit too eager. No one seemed to have arrived yet. She didn't know if she should've been relieved or disappointed. It was only the first day and she had woken up pretty early. She was definitely not ready to socialize with new people.
It would be best to go straight to the main hall, she decided. There were bound to be some people at this point. ‘Okay, let’s do this,’ she urged herself taking deep breath. Gathering all of her courage, she marched into the academy. Into the new life that would soon await her! The journey that would-
A wave of fatigue struck her all too quickly. The moment she reached the doors, her vision began to twist. Colors and objects swirled and mashed together. Her head and eyelids felt heavy, her throat dry. She fell to her knees, trying to recollect herself, clutching her spinning head. The twisted illusions faded to black. It was too much. Too much. Too much. Too much.
But she'd learn to take much more.
-PROLOGUE - WELCOME TO DESPAIR ACADEMY-
You’ve fallen asleep in class many, many times before. The feeling of a hard, flat surface was so familiar to you, you could probably live using it as a bed. No wonder why it didn’t bother you at first when you awoke from your rest, merely groaning and snuggling further into your arms. Wait… rest? You immediately rose from the desk you were sitting in- where did you find a desk?
“W-What the hell?” you muttered, taking in your surroundings.
You sat in a small classroom. The floors bore an intricate brown pattern while the walls were painted a sickly yellow color. What stood out most to you, however, were the huge metal plates decorating the wall beside you. Was that... where the windows were? Upon further inspection, you noticed a surveillance camera pointed towards the center of the room. A chill ran down your spine. It wasn't that peculiar to have cameras in a classroom, but there was something about this one that rubbed you the wrong way. You had never received such bad vibes from a mere classroom. The musky scent that idled throughout the room made you feel sick to your stomach.
Turning your attention back to the desk you sat at, you noticed the small puddle of drool you left. You grimaced and wiped it off with your sleeve, before spotting something else. A small pamphlet sat on the corner of your desk. When you opened it, you saw that someone had written on it sloppily in crayon:
Hey there new kid!
The next semester is about to start. Starting today, this school will be your entire world.
'Well if that isn't ominous as fuck I don't know what is,' you thought, tossing the pamphlet to the side. You glanced around the room once more, trying to ignore the growing dread in the pit of your stomach. How did you get there...? Did someone carry you here after you passed out? If that is the case...
'Is this classroom... a part of Hope's Peak?' you pondered, 'That would be the most likely explanation, but...'
You stared at the metal clad windows. Leaning over, you grabbed one of the bolts and pulled at it. It didn't budge. Standing up, you grasped it tighter and pulled as hard as you could. No dice. You hissed and looked down at your reddened hand. That was a bad idea. What were they there for? When you first got there, you could see through the windows just fine! Why would a school need to bolt up their windows? This was more reminiscent of a prison than a school. You huffed and glanced at the clock. It was a little past eight.
"Maybe I should go to the main hall," you muttered. It was only a bit past the meeting time, maybe you weren't the only one there.
"Yeah, I'll just go find someone else, and then maybe I'll get some damn answers," you decided.
Slowly opening the door, you peeked into the hall. And you thought the classroom was creepy as hell. The old fashioned corridor was illuminated by a purple light that you would honestly think was cool if not for the situation at hand. Right now, it was just creepy. You reluctantly stepped out into the hall, closing the door behind you. The sound of your footsteps bounced off the walls as you hastily tried to find the main hall.
'That's weird... surely I would have run into someone by now...,' you thought, looking over your shoulder. You just wanted to get out of this creepy ass hallway. You walked down a hall with green lighting and noticed a pair of large glass doors. A sigh of relief escaped you when you realized they were the doors to the main hall. You cautiously pushed one of them open, poking your head inside.
'Huh,' you thought, 'Guess everyone's already here.'