Fanganronpa: The Ultimate Killing Game

Monokuma's bored

The curtains rise on the same wooden stage as before. A Hope's Peak banner is hanging on the back wall. Monokuma sits in the center, shaking his head from side to side, smiling gleefully at his audience.

"Ahem, so.... By now you've noticed that the killing game has begun, but... there's still room for a little laughter!

"It seems our newest students, already so full of despair, still have some hope of escape! Puhuhu.... So when will it begin? When will their hope begin to die? Is it time yet? Is it time?!

"Such heart-pounding excitement!!"

The lights start to fade, and Monokuma and the stage disappear into the darkness, the crimson glow of his eye winking out.

- - - - -

     I woke up to the sharp beeping of my watch on the nightstand. Alright, let's get back on track! I spent a good hour stretching and squatting and doing everything I could from my room. Alright, that felt great! Now for a light cool-down jog. I'll jog to the gym and finish there!

     I jogged down the hall, working up an awesome sweat! I headed through the gates at the end of the living area to run through the school area- and heard a noise. It sounded like metal hitting metal, a dull ringing sound coming from up ahead. Could it be.... Is there someone outside the hatch? Are we finally getting rescued?! I quickened my pace, running into the main hall. Finally.... We're finally free-!

     And there was Sakura Ogami, surrounded by large throwing weights, hurtling them one by one at the hatch. Each one got progressively larger, but she threw them all with ease, arcing them towards the hatch and hitting it every time. The hatch wasn't the one taking the damage though- it was the weights, becoming more and more misshapen. "Sakura?"

     She stopped, turning her head slowly. "Hina. What are you doing in here?"

     "I heard noise and thought- well, I thought maybe it was a rescue team, but- what are you doing in here so early?"

     "I am combining my morning training regimen with an attempt of escape," she responded, picking up another weight. "Unfortunately, it hasn't been working out very well. I may need to find new weights in that strange shop across the hall." And she threw the weight at full force towards the hatch. It crashed in, a ringing noise echoing throughout the room and into the hall, and it fell to the ground, a little more bent than before.

     "Jeez, what is this thing even made of? To destroy your weights like that," I wondered, stepping closer. "All this doesn't feel real, does it?"

     "It does seem unnatural," she agreed. "Perhaps I've done enough damage for one morning." She started picking up her weights, stacking them in her hands as best she could.

     "Here, let me help!" I tried to pick up one of her smaller weights, but it was heavier than I thought it'd be, and the odd shape didn't help. "Are you gonna take these back to your room?"

     "I am. Thank you, Hina." She walked to the open doors. I followed her.

     After a bit of lugging weights around, we eventually got them all back to Sakura's room semi-intact.

     "Whew! If I didn't have an awesome sweat before, I sure do now!" I could feel my entire body becoming sticky. I probably smell awful! That's so embarrassing....

     Sakura lifted one of her arms, bringing her face up to it. She immediately grimaced, lowering it again and turning her face away. "Indeed. We still have several minutes until morning. I wonder if the bathhouse water runs during nighttime...."