Dangan Ronpa: The Mutual Life of Killing in the City of Despair

Chapter Two: Friendship, Hope, Love, Despair, and Death- Part One

It was the ride up the elevator that was the hardest. After the trial, we all clambered into the elevator. Monomi had been waiting for us, and she tried to cheer up as many of us as she could. Me, Hotaru, Hoshimi, Reiko, and Isamu were the only ones not standing near Monomi.

Isamu was on the floor crying. "Why... Takeo, why?!" He screamed. Reiko had squared down and began to pat his back. "Hey, Isamu. You'll be okay. We're still here, and we will be tomorrow. I believe it." She reassured. Isamu looked up, tears running down his face.

"Takeo... he wasn't a bad guy!" He yelled. Before anyone could say anything, the elevator came to a stop. The gates opened revealing the best sight I've seen in a week. The gates that surrounded the apartments... was gone.

"Are... are we free?!" Kazuko asked. Before Monomi could answer, she smiled. "The gates are gone, so that must be what it means!"

Everyone gasped and took off running, trying to escape the building that would forever traumatize us. We ended up on a large street that curved into a L-shape, with the apartment complex being attached to the top part of the street, and the lower part being cut off by a curve.

However, that didn't stop any of us. We ran down the street, past building after building. We rounded the curve... and someone screamed. The rest of the road was cut off by a gate. We were sealed in after all. Kazuko wailed and began trying to climb the gate. Monomi gasped and grabbed her by the waist.

"Please Kazuko, that's against the rules!" Monomi said. Kazuko flailed around in her arms. "Please Monomi-sama, let me go!" I squatted down and grabbed her arms.

"Hey, Kazuko-chan, we're still stuck here, but we have to work logically to think of a way out. We can't climb the fence, Monokuma would attack us. I think we should explore the area instead." I said. Kazuko stopped flailing and looked down.

"You called me your close friend!" She cheered, hugging me. I stumbled, but kept my balance. "What?" I asked. She pulled away. "Chan usually is used for close friends. Unless... you think of me as your lover?" She said, smiling.

"Well, yeah Kazuko. We're close friends." I said. She grinned. "Thanks Tatsuo-chan!" She said. "But you're right. We need to explore this place." I nodded.

"Alright. We should split up into pairs." I said. Isamu stepped forward. "Fuck that! I'm going by myself." He said, walking off.

"Uh, okay then." Mitsuo said. "Maybe we should just explore without any formality." He said, running off to a building that said "Laser Tag!" in bright, neon colors. Before I knew it, everyone had left me there, save for Reiko.

"Hey, Number Two..." She said, walking over to me. "How are you doing?" She asked. I frowned. "Not good. We're still stuck here, and it's getting scarier and scarier every day." I said.

"Why's that?" She asked. I put my hand on my hip. "That first week where nobody could hear us, two people died in the first two days we were here, and now that psycho bear is trying to create some kind of city for us... its so... unnerving and strange." I said. She put her hands on my shoulders.

"Listen Aisho. I know you'll survive this. We all will. I don't think they'll be any more murders. I don't think anyone here could commit murder." She said. I nodded.

She smiled. "Now, go and check out some shops." She said, turning to walk off. I smiled and placed my hand on my shoulder. Why was it, even after she had left, I could feel the warmth radiate thought my arms? I could feel myself smile as I walked into the first building I saw.

I gasped as I saw the inside. It was a place I could call home. The library. Bookshelves filled with novels covered the walls. Comic books lined the back of the store. Beanbag chairs lay scattered out across the room. A few tables were placed around too.