Danganronpa: Fallout

Prologue Part 2 - The Wasteland Ranger

"This can't be real, can it? The world couldn't have been destroyed... right?"

Makoto kept saying that to himself as he waited in the medical center. Miss Kimura hasn't been back in over half an hour, he thought. What could be taking her so long? Maybe it's my sister? Poor Komaru. I'm grateful that I have her with me. Even if my parents... aren't here, or my old classmates, she's still here. For now. I wonder what she's going through. She can't be taking this very well, I imagine. I hope I get the chance to talk to her soon.

The lucky student kept trying to get his mind off of the dread-inducing thought of the world becoming a desolate battleground. He searched for things to look at in the med bay, even things that he didn't know about. His eyes caught sight of a poster, portraying a family of four smiling happily while an atomic bomb exploded behind them, heading into a vault with a cartoonish human mascot giving them a thumbs up. He read the words aloud.

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"There won't really be a nuclear war... right? WRONG . After years of researching the political and military instabilities of our planet, Vault-Tec analysts have concluded that the odds of worldwide nuclear armageddon occuring this decade are 17,143,726 to 1. Now the good news! The Earth may be destined to die, but you don't have to. By reserving some space now in one of our vaults, you and your family can survive the initial atomic bombings, and whatever horrors that are sure to follow. Contact a Vault-Tec representative today to reserve your seat for your future. Not just any future. A better future... underground."

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"I guess, in my head, I knew something like this was bound to happen. But I never wanted to admit it..."

Geez, that's depressing . Makoto found the possibility of survival beneath the surface somewhat hopeful, yet bleak. Having to spend years of his life underground, barely any time outside of the shelter, spending his time in the confinements of such a place. It was better than death, but it felt like he was a caged animal in a zoo. Sure, the enclosure workers feed you and keep your pen clean, but there's only so much space you can access. I only hope the people in this vault are nice, he wondered. It'd be great to make more friends. That would make this situation a little more bearable.

There was knocking at the seal door. No words. Makoto heard the sound of oxygen hissing as the steel seal door opened and lifted up. A teen about the same age as him, maybe slightly younger, walked through to face him. What caught the lucky boy's eye was the jumpsuit the stranger was wearing. He had fine black boots, which seemed normal, with blue jumpsuit pants, matching with a blue long-sleeve jumpsuit vest with two golden stripes running vertically down at the middle. And then there was his hat. The dark brown cowboy hat that covered his wavy lime-green hair, and ear piercings. Makoto had sworn he'd seen a hat like that in a dozen American western flicks before.

"Who are you? And w-what are you wearing?" Makoto was trying to suppress the urge to giggle at the boy's outfit.

"What, you've never seen a vault jumpsuit before?" The stranger's voice was deep, yet oddly soothing.

"N-no, I haven't..."

"I figured you might say that. Considering we didn't see you or Komaru in jumpsuits when we found you. I think we're getting sidetracked about my outfit." The stranger approached Makoto closer and reached out his hand. "Name's Rantaro Amami . I used to be known as the Ultimate Adventurer , but all the other dwellers call me the Ultimate Wasteland Survivor ."

"Wasteland... Miss Kimura mentioned that word... wait, hold on... if Miss Kimura was an Ultimate, and you're one as well-" Makoto was in the middle of connecting the dots before being interrupted.