Different Paths (Danganronpa)

Ch 1: Realizing I'm Nothing

Everything was like usual. Yesterday, the day before, everyday. Everything in the Reserve Course is normal. There's no change in anything.

Everyone is average and no one is extraordinary, like the Ultimates in the other building.

The next day went by smoothly. She wasn't late, and there wasn't any interference in the entrance.

Although she didn't see Sato the whole time, she thought nothing of it.

This day, though, because Sato wasn't around, Sayaka decided to eat somewhere else outside of the cafeteria.

It was only lunch so this time she decided to go to the fountain near the main building's exit. The last time she checked there was a bench there so it wouldn't hurt to go.

So with that in mind, she went out of the Reserve Course grounds and walked by memory towards the fountain.

She reached it and luckily, no one was there. She smiled as she excitedly went there. The water wouldn't be able to splash to her hair so she should be fine sitting there to eat.

When she reached the bench she sat down and started to munch on her sandwich. She always liked sandwiches that her mom made for some reason.

While she ate she didn't notice a shadow forming on the stone ground.

"Hello." a man's voice started. Sayaka hummed, but didn't actually answer. The man, she assumed, sat down on the bench beside her, but slightly far away as to not invade her personal space.

She continued to eat. "So what is your name, young woman?" he asked, and this time Sayaka looked up.

It was an old man with white hair, a mustache, and a beard. And he was staring at Sayaka.

"Oh!" Sayaka cleaned her mouth with her sleeve and bowed in respect at the old man. "Um, hello, sir. My name is Sayaka Maizono, and, uh, if you're wondering, I'm from the Reserve Course."

The man nodded while humming. "Yes, but you did not need to tell me which you're from. Anyone, Ultimate or not, can stay here. This is the exit, after all." he said with a small smile.

Sayaka laughed awkwardly at her stupidity and nodded.

She looked down. She could feel the old man stare at her in confusion.

"What's happened to you, dear? What are you down?" he asked, and Sayaka shrugged, this time looking up.

"I don't know, gramps." she said, closing her eyes. "It's just... well, it's nothing." she said, opening her eyes and smiling at the old man. Although it felt forced.

The old man didn't seem to believe her, but smiled anyway, starting to stand up. "Good luck on solving your problems, then." he said.

But before he started walking again, he turned his head around. "But remember. Talent doesn't define everything about you."

After that, he finally walked away.

Those words hit her hard. Did he read my mind?

Wait. She watched as the old man was now no longer in sight. Wait... I didn't ask for his name!

Sayaka sighed at yet another failure. Conversing was never a trait of hers to begin with. She was a shy girl if you didn't know who she was.

She finished her lunch, threw the foil covering it on the trash bin beside the bench, and stood up.

She started walking to the Reserve Course building again.

Lunch was probably over, anyway. And she didn't have anything to do back on the bench. Plus, I didn't want some cocky Ultimates telling me off if they saw me.

She doubted that the old man's words mattered at all.

While she walked though, she overheard a conversation from around where she was. Maybe on the corner?

She walked around the corner of the building and yes, she saw that brown-haired boy and another man, that seemed to be asking him about something.

"Are you sure?" the man asked him, and the brown-haired boy nodded.

"I am." he answered verbally. The other man sighed, but nodded.

"Very well. But please understand that you cannot change your decision after this." the man continued, and the brown-haired boy continued to nod.

Sayaka finally left once the man started to walk to her direction.

What was that conversation about?

Sayaka thought to herself. She shrugged it off, though, her curiosity proving too weak to keep on wondering.

She was sure that was supposed to be a secret. Well, it's none of my business.

She entered the building and returned to her boring, normal class.

Lunch wasn't over, it seems, but she didn't really mind.

She sat down, and looked out her side's window again.

-----

"I did it." Hinata said, on the same bench Sayaka was on earlier in front of the fountain but with another person with him.

"...you did? That's good." a pinkish-haired girl said, seemingly occupied with a video game on her game boy.

Hinata smiled, and even his ahoge seemed bright. "Yeah." he answered.

The girl nodded, and a smile also crept up her face. She looked up at him. "So you won't go complaining about being talentless again?" she said.

Hinata seemed offended as he looked taken aback. "Hey! I wasn't complaining!" he sighed, before the smile returned.

"It's nothing, really. I just changed my mind all of a sudden. Now that I think about it, I should've just rejected their offer right then and there." he said, brushing a hand through his hair while looking up at the sky.

"Thank you, Nanami-san." he said, and the girl looked up at him again.

"It's because of you and your words that I realized talent doesn't define my personality."

-----

The man that confronted Hinata from earlier saw a blue-haired girl speed-walking towards the Reserve Course building.

The man watched as she entered.

The bosses never said anything about the chosen being male or female, he realized.

With that in mind, he took a radio-like device from his pocket. He pressed a button, kept his finger there and said a few words.

"I think I've found a new subject."