Chapter Text
The last thing he remembers is the cold.
It was cold in the Exisal hanger that day. He remembers that much, anyways. That and the pain.
Those damn arrows. That damn bear. That damn killing game. The press crushing him faster than he could think, but not fast enough for him to not feel the crunch.
Kokichi's eyes fluttered open. He looked around. People in lab coats, assorted collared shirts and ties, clipboards at the ready along with several machines filled the sterilized room. But...he died, right? He was crushed by that press, right? Everything felt off. But before he could think anything else, his ears filled with the sound of Gonta's yells.
"GONTA NOT SICK! PLEASE LET GONTA GO!" Gonta's eyes darted towards Kokichi. "KOKICHI, HELP GONTA! WHY PEOPLE KEEP GONTA LOCKED HERE? GONTA TRUE GENTLEMAN, GENTLEMAN NOT BAD!"
About 3 doctors whipped their heads towards the purple-haired trickster. They all squinted, observing him carefully. He hadn't really had time to think about what to do, what to say before the doctors approached him.
"Finally awake, hm?", one of the doctors (The head one, probably...) said.
"...Why am I alive? Wasn't I killed? Wasn't Gonta...?" Kokichi questioned, unable to take in what was going on well.
"It's simple. The Killing Game, the participants, the world you lived in...It was all fake. A lie. Team Danganronpa...you and the other participants were put into a state of sleep in order to upload your bodies' consciousnesses into the simulation. We've been monitoring you for a few months now."
"A...few months? But I thought the Killing Game lasted only, what, a few weeks to one month?"
"Young man, I'm sure you're well aware of this, but...you and many others were killed in the simulation. The survivors, your friends Himiko Yumeno, Shuichi Saihara, and Maki Harukawa, were able to instantly leave the simulation and alert the proper authorities. We've kept you and the other survivors in stasis in a smaller medical facility until we could find a proper way to bring you out or until Team Danganronpa told us and their charges were lightened."
"How...how long...?"
"You were put into the simulation about a year or so ago. Team Danganronpa had to prep your characters, your backstories, even perfect the simulation to whatever plot their killing game needed. It took time for them. And it took time for us to bring you out. You're one of the last few to come out, the survivors having awakened about 1 month ago."
"..."
"You must have many questions, Mr. Oma. We'll be able to answer all of them in due time. But for now, we recommend you try taking some time to collect your thoughts. Take a walk around the facility, but try not to veer off too much, alright?"
"...Alright. Thanks, Dr...?"
"In due time, Mr. Oma. In due time."
Kokichi leaned forward, attempting to take in the weight of his body. Nothing felt different on first glance, but...had the simulation done something to him? Maybe it was just the age thing. He decided it was best not to think about it for now. What would be best is to follow Dr. In due time's advice, and see what the outside world had to offer.
His steps felt cold, but soft on the hospital floor. He lurched forward, and began slowly walking out the patient door.
"There's a private cafeteria nearby, Mr. Oma. I recommend stopping there if you're hungry."
He nodded before opening the doors to the patient room and exiting. Most of the beds were empty anyways, sans Gonta (poor guy was still in shock), Kee-boy, Tsumugi, and Kaito. The hospital was pretty bland in comparison. Hallways were either desolate as fuck, or crawling with more doctors (except that were treating actual people, REAL PEOPLE-...people).
The cafeteria wasn't far from him. He was hungry (hadn't had a real meal since before he camped out in the hangar ), and could use a bite to eat. Maybe even run into some of his ex-classmates, as much as they probably didn't want to see him.
To tease them like usual. Like the Killing Game never happened. He opened the doors of the private cafeteria and could see two tables.
The left table was empty. The right one only had one occupant: Himiko. Her hair was fiery red like before, but there wasn't a wizard hat in sight. She wasn't wearing the uniform either, just a basic hospital gown and a jacket to keep warm. She was barely picking at her food, looking sleepy as usual but with a bit more clarity in her eyes.
(I would think she's more adjusted to this reality than me. It's only been a month since she woke, right?)
Himiko seemed to not notice the purple-haired boy walking over, or didn't care. He couldn't tell. But he could try cheering her up. After all, they all deserved a laugh after that farce of a killing game, right?
"Well, well, well, if it isn't the ugly witch of the west? Got any tricks to pull over my eyes?"
"Nyeh...? Kokichi finally woke up? Oh boy..."
"Hmm? You're NOT excited to see me up and at it? Well, that's just m-m-mean, Himi!", Kokichi piling on the act, crocodile tears and all.
"You're not fooling anyone with that act, "Ultimate Supreme Leader". And besides, I've got better things to do then deal with your antics."
"Nishishi! And what would those "better things" consist of? Practicing tricks?"
"They're not tricks, they're magic! And...uh...living here."
"Welp, you've gotta deal with me too. Besides, I'm not even the one you need to be worrying about. Seesaw McWincest lives here too, y'know." wink
At the mention of Korekiyo Shinguji, one ex-Ultimate Anthropologist, Kokichi could see Himiko's face grow red. Not out of a blush, but more of a...bitter, angry red.
"Nyeeeeeeeh...if that...creep comes towards me, I don't think I'll be able to hesitate about casting a curse on him."
"Whaddya gonna do? Show him an ugly mole or two?"
Himiko grumbled. "Cast the curse of "Always-wrongly-cooked-steak" at him."
"Ooh, sounds scary!"
He leaned forward, eager to see her expression to only be met with...sagging eyes, and a haggard face. Very un-Himiko like, and yet so familiar.
Himiko raised her head, a bit surprised to see the Supreme Leader in such a...Kokichi-like state. She would've thought that he'd be a bit more hesitant/reserved upon finding out the game was a lie. But this was Kokichi, she knew he always had some sort of omniscient third eye that knew more than he let on.
"Kokichi...if you don't mind me asking...what's up with you?"
"Whatcha mean, Himi-kimi-kins? Is there something off about me? Am I suddenly 100% hotter?"
"No, no...it's more like...well, you seem to not really notice the condition we're in, that's all."
At the mention of this, for a split second Kokichi's face neutralized. No laughs, no smile, just blankness. But as fast as he dropped the act, he started right back up again, almost like some sort of animatronic.
"Himiko, Himiko, Himiko, what will I ever do with you...? I've cheated death hundreds of times with DICE! We went on-"
"None of that was real, Kokichi. DICE doesn't exist, and...our histories don't either. We just...have to accept our new reality, sooner rather than later." She straightened up slightly in her chair, looking a bit more engaged. Kokichi meanwhile, edged back a bit. He looked down, and for a moment, Himiko thought she saw a hint of forlornness, a bit more of him absorbing his reality.
"...Can't we just keep lying, just for a moment longer? Just...living in bliss, jabbing back and forth like before?"
"W-What are you-?" She sputtered out, but couldn't get a word in before he pointed at her and said:
"Doesn't that bother you that you're so ready to ditch what was so important to you? Pretty hypocritical to look down on lying to yourself when you did it so often, y'know. And pretty rude to throw the wake-up call on your Supreme Leader, just like that. But I suppose that's how magicians fool the audience, right?" He hissed.
"I was just-"
She couldn't get a word in before he got up, and stormed off back to his room.
Kokichi...I guess even he's not as well-adjusted as I thought he might be. But...are any of us, really? Nyeh...these questions are too much of a pain right now.