Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Hello! （╹◡╹）
The fanfic is post-game of Dangan Ronpa v3 and by that it also means this is my take on the universe!

It is not necessary at all to read this, it’s more of a bonus rather than an essential part of the plot itself.
Basically this is the information given to all those that want to participate on the virtual reality of Danganronpa
And since this is something all the characters technically already know I am not confident in my ability to get it through without saying it explicitly.

・・・・
• • •

𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐝:

Welcome to the Danganronpa ⌖ experience!

•The VR game of Dangan Ronpa comes with many risks, it is a killing game after all. Every sensation you’ll have and all your thoughts will be real or rather the thoughts are real for the persona you have crafted

[Details on sensation experience are at the end of this article]

What is a persona?

•A persona is the character you shall play during the experience, it will be the person you write it to be and regarding the writing of a persona itself there are more details ahead.

•Your persona comes from over a thousand questions and descriptions. The company gives this format to all the participants so most details of the persona match real life.

Why?

•Well, due to previous incidents regarding the game the further a persona is from an actual participant’s life the harder it will be for said participant to re integrate themselves into society, things such as identity-crisis, impostor syndrome and much more are very likely to happen.
I shall give you the following scenario as an example: If a cop who has always respected the law out of nowhere found themselves with the memories and the body of a criminal they would be horribly confused, even more so if they remember the format of which they were created, are they not real? Is their whole life a lie? Every person they loved and cherished doesn’t even exist? Every ability they have could be fake.. what if they don’t actually know all the laws from memory? Every hardship endured.. for what?
This questions can dissipate and in some cases eventually reach answers thanks to the therapy provided by the program, but there are still many risks and variables that can permanently affect the participant’s mind.

Further details:

•During the interviews no private information is given, just names and motivation to join the game, this helps to discard people that are either mentally unstable or simply not viable to participate in the game.
|_ When we say mentally unstable we do not mean the persona (it can be crazy if the participant chooses to do so even if we strongly advise against it)or issues as anxiety.
We mean people that wouldn’t be able to handle the situation and difference of identities after the game is finished.

•Your real name must be part of your persona as to not completely separate the identities.

•Depending on how you died and other injuries you may have developed due to the game your physical body can be affected, apart from the mental toll of said injuries every single sensation has to be genuine which is why this is an extreme game beyond mental aspects.
The pain must be real to ensure the personas don’t realize the fakeness of their world.

•Before you “die” you will be disconnected of the VR, this will happen exactly a second before your brain acknowledges the fact you “died” even if you had given up hope in your brain you still are alive.

And if you have any problems or complains regarding this there are multiple other realistic games for you to try that aren’t extreme nor include murder.

We hope you have a unique experience with us!

Welcome to the family :)

Chapter Text

 Chapter 1

Now that you’re gone

I just feel alone

“If that is what you see fit boss!”

Hearts seemed happy. 

Everyone could notice the fear in her voice.

“God- did you even put any effort at all??”

Jack was mad, it was rather easy to tell.

Everyone knew he was scared as well.

“Help me to write more accurately then!”

Joker wasn’t helping this time,  he rarely did when the problem was concerning his safety him.

“Okay then…Crybaby in a best case scenario and…do you really want me to answer the worst case scenario…?”

That made them laugh, even though no one knew what the question was they could still imagine, and Clovers always knew how to make them laugh.

And for a second, for the tiniest second, they laughed, unworried, happy, careless…until the second ended.

•

•

“Calm down everyone, it is just a stunt, a flashy one at that”

Diamonds appeared calm.

They all knew better.

“Diamonds does have a point, we have done multiple dangerous acts previously, as long as Joker doesn’t endanger himself more than needed this act can happen, rather beautifully at that”

Something else had seemingly caught Queen’s attention, something else in the corner of the room, she and Diamonds were sitting next to each other.

Comforting each other.

“A way more risky one it is!
You all know he won’t be cautious!”

King was sitting on the floor, he wasn’t looking at anyone’s faces, he didn’t dare to.

“But..if boss thinks it will be good for us…”

Ace made everyone stop on their tracks

He was supposed to be the smart one.

“Yeah, you have to trust your joker ya’ know?”

There were murmurs, sighs, silent and no so silent protests, no one on the team was on board with this. 

Except him.

“It will be interesting and helpful to us, we just have to make sure he actually takes care of himself”

Knight broke the silence

“We will help you make the most accurate information possible” 

“Then what?”

Spades-even if his words were filled with judgment-carried on, no one was truly onboard but all of them were ready to make the journey as safe as possible. 

We don’t agree, never will, but we’ll stand by your side. 

“And then you scatter, hide, and wait for me!”

Now all the noise was back.

..don’t worry..

I promise I’ll find you

And we promise we’ll wait

.. / .--. .-. --- -- .. ... . --..-- / .-- . / .--. .-. --- -- .. ... . -....- / -. --- / -- .- - - . .-. / .-- .... .- - / .-- . / .-- .. .-.. .-.. / -... . / - --- --. . - .... . .-. / .- --. .- .. -.

Kokichi would be fucking damned, so much elaborate planning for what? His tricks never did what they were meant to, no one fell into despair enough to stop the game and neither did they actually stop the game by uniting. It was enraging. He thought and found many things but never told them, no. That would be dumb, having that kind of hope and optimism would be so dumb, if they still had hope then they would have the hope to get out, hoping that killing someone might be their salvation. Like Kaede That if he told them what he found everyone would be fine? Yeah right, those idiots would probably just want to get out more. 

The mastermind thing was an obvious lie but.. they could be among them, it was an unnecessary risk to actually share anything, even more so when that project gopher thing might have gone awry, humanity’s last hope and they were put against each other? It was fucking rigged. 

Everyone was way too dumb to be in a killing game, yet… he couldn’t help but envy them, that blind optimism and hope was what at the end of their days, brought them together, while he was left to die-well- he technically left himself die, it was always his plan to die but he didn’t think Maki would actually try and kill- assassinate?- him! He had underestimated her anger loyalty

Meanwhile on the other hand

Shuichi was everyone’s ray of light and hope, the true detective and hero of the story! A… possible ally but- Kokichi had possibly overdone it-he would only change his strategies a bit if he was given another chance,  they still worked! They-he was pretty sure everyone hated him, that part worked. But for the despair… everyone was just too dumb for that part of the strategies to work, they were too naive for this, for a killing game…

talking about naivety… there was a personified version of that wasn’t there?  

Kaito… the biggest fool… Kaito had punched him, then Kaito took an arrow for him-and- and -Kaito was just a massive hypocrite! He loved the truth but when it came to an ugly truth he refused to accept it-he would rather a world of sweet lies over the ugly truth, he-!

Oh oh.. maybe that is why he didn’t like Kokichi much, both his lies and truths were ugly.. only a few sweet…hah… took him long enough to figure out…

Never mind that-

If Kaito fumbled this plan they would both die for nothing! Kaito better have good acting skills.

.

.

.

Fine he was slightly stressed, but rambling about everyone helped.. well- not everyone.. he was ignoring those who died, ignoring those that killed, ignoring those still living but not relevant to his plan, ignoring those he killed.

But he choose to ignore them, there was a big difference between-

“Kokichi!”

Right, the press.

Kokichi quickly hit both buttons to stop Kaito’s imminent death, he got sidetracked. Focus. He would have to edit the audio late- Kaito, would have to edit the audio later, or.. they could just keep it in and.. it would fit. Kaito yelling for his life would make the cut rather obvious but the person who died would still be a mystery due to the cut itself... he would leave that for Shuchi and Kaito

“Yeesh… Space man, luminary of.. whatever- can’t deal with the plan?”

“Not when you are so close to crushing me!” 

Kokichi saw how Kaito quickly scrambled off the press… quite lucky, for all his moving around the jacket stayed put.

Crap- if Kokichi could only do the same as that jacket, dragging himself down the stairs was… hard, how hasn’t he fallen y-?before Kokichi could really finish that thought though Kaito was holding his side.. as much as he found Kaito completely ridiculous and an idiot he was.. nah.. a genuine compliment would be too much for that fool’s ego.

“Wow! What a hero~ well, a vigilante would be more fitting since you are about to kill me-”

“Shut up.”

“Eh?”

“You are an asshole Kokichi, even if you were “apparently” trying with the best intentions in mind, your way of doing it? Horrid, hellish honestly-!”

Kaito was helping Kokichi undress now, his clothes were sticking to his skin due to the blood… fuck poisoning at this point he’ll die first due to blood loss. 

Where was he bleeding from again?

“But. I still don’t want to let your last words to be lies-or heroic ones for that matter “I want to end this killing game”… that is too badass for you.”

Kaito smirked at him... that..was nice, for all his rambling and their bickering, he liked it, liked teasing and fighting Kaito, a nice feeling to have before death.

He almost laughed, he would have probably done so if the pain and the situation didn’t stop him from doing so, but they did. 
kokichi needed to hurry this up and he didn’t need Kaito feeling sad during the trial, he didn’t make Kaito hate him just for nothing.

“I see~ so the luminary of the stars is even positive when trying to kill someone, how noble!”

Kaito’s smirk fell horribly quickly, it was and was not fitting at the same time, an angry Kaito and a happy Kaito, both fitting yet not.

Not to mention Kokichi wouldn’t grant Kaito the honor of the truth so easily.. no he ... if he did, he would catch him by surprise, a last minute act, without time to process his emotions the hate would easily remain.

“And I mean, if you are criticizing my methods you should check your own, over the top optimism will get you nowhere, you know?! You were so.. desperate. To prove me wrong with Gonta.. if you are ready to tell truths to my face  and expect for me to tell you mine well, try doing what you preach first”

Yes.. that was correct, Kaito as noble as he tried to be would still be an hypocrite and even more he would get angry as hell after spouting good will.. such a crashing duality.. couldn’t help but be interesting to Kokichi.

Kaito was getting angrier by Kokichi’s words, here he was trying to help and be nice- but nooo, Kokichi always liked the hard way.. if Kaito could at least break one of the guy’s walls down-Kaito was now sure Kokichi had walls-but which ones??? The guy was just like a maze! No correct choices- not- not full walls.. spikes no matter what turn he took..It was so annoying! Kokichi being so confusing and complex and annoying and- how could he live like that?!

“You-! Ughh.. you know what? It’s no use, you are a lost-“

No. Nobody was a lost cause, even if Kokichi was weird as hell even if Kaito had an incurable unknown disease they were not lost causes.

Never.

Kaito easily picked Kokichi up bridal style as he started to cool off, he didn’t need a fight on his mind as well, the smaller boy seemingly out of energy to protest this once.

“You’re a mess..”

Not having to scold Kokichi this once felt… odd.

Kokichi.. he’s really going to kill Kokichi isn’t he?

“Oh what a surprise! You must be Shuichi’s apprentice! Should I give you an award for best unknown statement Kaito?”

Kaito was starting to freak out, he really wanted-needed-to try.. something, anything.

He was desperate.

So as he carefully lowered the smaller boy onto the press, into the needed pose for the murder, he started to do something.

“I, Kaito Momota luminary of the stars swear I shall-!”

Before even letting Kaito finish his sentence Kokichi had already groaned, rather dramatic at that, probably not wanting a “pity” speech Kokichi was perfectly in the center of the jacket.

Kaito’s jacket.
In another situation maybe, maybe they had made a bet in the casino, maybe Kokichi got dazzled by Ryoma’s skills again and Kaito had somehow won, somehow broking his losing streak, maybe Kokichi had worn Kaito’s jacket as a punishment, a jacket that was more of a coat on him, a horrid inconvenience for the ultimate “supreme leader”.

“Just kill me”

Right, Kaito forgot for a second there

“There is no need to drag it out”

That Kokichi

“And I’m not enough of a masochist to enjoy this torture so, chop chop star boy!”

Was a complete prick!

Slap!

Okay- physically assaulting someone that is on the brink of death was not a good look. 
Definitely not. 
But. But. Neither was interrupting someone during a last moments speech right?
Or punching someone twice, or making that person believe they were gonna die-

Not to mention Kokichi kind of deserved that slap- and Kaito did it on his face so the video would be fine-

Wait- did

Did-did Kokichi just snort?

“Ha-Hahaha-! Blegh-Ow-ow”

Did Kokichi Oma just-maybe- genuinely laughed? Because Kaito slapped him? 

What..
What the fuck is wrong with this guy?

“Pft- Hahahaha-”

And what the fuck is wrong with Kaito for laughing as well? 

Kokichi seriously regretted laughing at the moment, his whole body ached now, his mouth tasted coppery!! 
But it was nice. A last laugh of sorts. 
Not the last supper but it will do.
Even if he was a bit afraid of dying..
Even when his last words were gonna be heard only by a complete fool.

“Ha.. alright! Star man.”

There was an act to carry on, a play to finish.

So Kokichi put one of his best smiles on and got ready to end it all.

“This life sucked, so pretty please; kill me”

Perhaps not the most elegant last words and they were probably not the whole truth either but a half lie as final words felt..symbolic? Nope- way too sappy. They just felt nice and it was funnish -made up words always do the trick-to see the reaction Kaito had to the sentence, they were fun last words.

No more laughing, no more crying, no more nothing.No more DICE.

Kaito didn’t move from that spot in front of the press. Kaito didn’t- Is that idiot really having second thoughts now?? After everything???? Kokichi had already been dragged through a whole ass factory for this! And he didn’t thought up an incredible plan(albeit half-assed)just for an idiot to ruin it!
If Kokichi wasn’t in pain and in place he would have punched the idiot. Again.
Third time’s the charm right?

”Hey! Kaito, don’t you dare chicken out now. If you don’t push that damn button I’ll die either way~ even more so I will die an even more painful and more agonizing death!"

•

•

"If you don’t push the button your dear Maki will die as well~"

That last part seemed to finally snap Kaito out of it, good.

The guy was a die-hard "noble" hero, if Kokichi needed to remind him of those he would save for Kaito to take the shot then that was going to be what Kokichi did.

(Even if it seemed Kaito didn't needed the motivation anymore)

Sadly and unsurprisingly Kaito still looked unsure about killing Kokichi but he was moving, moving up the stairs and to the control panel.  
Moving was a good thing.
Moving was always a good thing.

Kokichi started to moved hi left hand and tried cracking his knuckles, it was a satisfying sound and feeling 

would be lying if he didn't think