Danganronpa: Locked Doors of Despair

Prologue Part 1: Of Contortions, Keypads, and Charisma

[A/N] Okay guys, so I had an idea... instead of everyone just meeting like they normally do... I figured they could be segmented off and have to do a challenge before they even all meet in order to establish everyone's characters early. I like this idea. But it'll make for a slightly slow-paced prologue. I'm sorry. I hope you enjoy despite that! I promise that the killing-game goodness will arrive shortly!

Edited as of 12/2/22

Azumi

I have never been to camp before. I suppose camp is not quite the word I'm looking for. It is a month-long "enrichment program" designed to assist students with extraordinary talents further develop their skills and meet people who they may want to collaborate with! Supposedly, there will be well-known mentors from all of our fields, innovative workshops, and state-of-the-art equipment. It frankly astonishes me that I attracted enough attention to be granted this privilege. Surely, there are other people my age more worthy of my title. But my ringleader said that I absolutely earned it, and that attending would build my confidence. So here I am, outside the immaculate building. Some of my family members are going to move my stuff inside for me so that I can explore at my leisure. But I can feel a tingling in my toes and a hint of lightheadedness.

Come, Azumi. Center yourself. All will be well. I take a deep breath as I repeat the mantra in my head. I arc my shoulders back a bit and then run inside, gently hitting my feet against the warm stone until suddenly it becomes cold tile, and the sun is replaced by a high roof so expansive and dome-like that it feels like it could be a planetarium. My breathing starts to shudder in awe. It's all so gorgeous. Majestic, even. I try to soak it all in until my vision starts to fill with black dots and my head starts to pound. You must lie down. You're about to pass out again.

But before I can act on that thought, I wake up somewhere else. A frigid, dark warehouse. I am surrounded by my luggage. Or at least, I think that's my luggage. I cannot see very well. I stir a bit, feeling a smidge fatigued. "Ah! You're awake! Are you okay?" a soft voice calls out to me. His silhouette is vaguely blurry.

"I'll be alright. This has happened before. But could you tell me where we are?"

"Unfortunately, I don't know. I was unconscious up until a few minutes ago. You seem remarkably unconcerned!" he comments.

"You fainted, too? Then perhaps this is not so normal. Do you often faint?"

"This would be my first time. We should eat a little. Regain our strength. I have a bag of snacks right here. We can split a banana and some pistachios. And you need water, of course," he offers, pulling food out of a brown paper bag. "I'm Tozen, by the way. Tozen Chiba. Ultimate Nutritionist, at your service."

"Oh, thank goodness, you ARE here for the enrichment program. I am Azumi Hirabayashi, the Ultimate Acrobat. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance!" We eat a little and wait for our bodies to adjust. Then, strengthened a bit, we stand up and look for the light switch. He finds it after a while of groping at the wall. I blink frantically, adjusting to the fluorescent lighting.

There is a metal door. I run over to try and open it, but I realize that there is no doorknob, and it is significantly heavier than I expected. "Might I have your assistance?"

He comes over and pushes up against it as well. We both push with our full strength, and it does not budge. "It probably opens from the other side. There must be another way out," he decides, looking around.

The warehouse has high wooden rafters, and at the very top on the ceiling, I can make out a trapdoor. There is a rope ladder attached to it, but it is snagged on something. "Up there! The scaffolding!"