Danganronpa: Komm Susser Tod

Prologue, Part III

Prologue: Setting the Stage, Part III

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Out of what must have been shock, Homura was quick to drop the teddy bear she held in her hands. It landed on its feet, but instead of collapsing face-down like how I would expect an inanimate stuffed toy to do (because of gravity, obviously), it straightened itself and stood up. We were all now gathered in a circle, surrounding this strange creature. And when it spoke, it spoke with the same unusual voice me and Mamoru heard over the intercom.

Bear: (cough cough) Welcome, one and all, ladies and gentlemen! I do hope we have a most wonderous game! Upupupu~

Masato: A-a game?! Do you mean job, sir?

Bear: Thanks for calling me "sir", but no. I am the overseer of this game you are all to play! I'm everyone's favourite headmaster - Monokuma! That's the name!

Mamoru: Huh. Thanks a lot.

Monokuma: And all games have rules you have to follow. All of you have to follow. Now excuse me a second while I just get some important packages for all of you...

Monokuma rushed back to the stage, barging past a few students without even so much of an apology. But before any of us could even think about just abandoning the gymnasium, we were hearing a rather obnoxious sound - the squeaking of wheels. He was now wheeling out a cart, with 16 small packages on the top.

Monokuma: Catch 'em!

It didn't take long for Monokuma to begin throwing those packages towards us. Some, such as Shouko and Tetsuo managed to catch theirs without breaking a sweat. Others, such as Chie and Mamoru were far more clumsy, the package they got fumbling out of their hands and onto the floor. I just barely managed to catch mine, and when I inspected it more closely, the packaging had my own name on it.

Reiji: Hmm? Why does this have my name on it, I wonder? Did you plan on us coming here?

Monokuma: Go on. Open it up.

Chie: Alrightie then, croak!

Shouko: Why should I even bother doing so-

Monokuma: OPEN IT UP!

I was hastily tearing up my package; and inside were a pair of small objects. The first was a key, with a nametag (once again with my name) attached to it. The second was what appeared to be a translucent, cyan card, that quickly activated upon touch to a home screen.

Monokuma: Thank you, thank you all for making it much easier for yourselves! For you see, the key you all hold in your hands will be the key to your own personal dorm room.

Kira: Thanks for that.

Monokuma: And the card is an e-Handbook! Or Electronic Student Handbook, but that's a tongue-twister, so let's just go with e-Handbook because it'll get through your goldfish brains better. Anyways, they can do all sorts of nifty little things! It can display a map, your personal info, and above all, the rules! Go check 'em out, upupupu~

I had already done as he asked me to - and the rules read exactly as written:

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Rule #1: Students may reside only within this place. Leaving campus is an unacceptable use of time.

Rule #2: "Nighttime" is from 10PM to 7AM. Some areas are off-limits at night, so please exercise caution.

Rule #3: Sleeping anywhere other than the dormitory will be seen as sleeping in class and punished accordingly.

Rule #4: With minimal restrictions, you are free to explore this place at your discretion.

Rule #5: Violence against headmaster Monokuma is strictly prohibited, as is destruction of surveillance cameras.