Dangan Ronpa:return to Despair Academy

The Harsh Truth

We took a seat at the table, and I was able to take in the setting.The long table in the dining hall was the center of the large room, with smaller round tables surrounding it.The floors were bright red and tiled.Three of the walls were tan with a few doors leading to,presumably, the kitchen and into the hall.The fourth wall...

"Are those real trees?!"I asked without thinking.

It was Akihiro who answered me."I highly doubt that fiend would allow us to see the outside world.More than likely this is but a painting, or some wall paper."

My shoulders drooping, I took my seat in between Minako and Yoshio.

"Alright!Now that everyone is here we can begin to discuss our findings!"Kimiko stood at the head of the table, her powerful Ultimate aura becoming palpable to the point I was squirming in my seat."Our team will go first!"she continued.

"We investigated the main hall"Satoru started."There we learned the meaning of Monokuma's 'minimal restrictions'as mentioned in the e-Handbook.The doors to the infirmary and garbage room appear to be locked."

Figures the little devil would lock the infirmary.

"Well, we also figured out what the restrictions meant."Yoshio spoke up.Satoru looked a little offended at being interrupted but made no move to stop him from giving his report.

"We searched the hallway outside of the dormitories and found a set of stairs.But there was a metal gate keeping us from going up."

"Monokuma showed u-up and t-told us that we would b-be able to use them s-someday."Tomoko piped up, still hugging her clarinet like Maiko hugged Monokuma.

"So that means there should be a way to open the gate!"Fumiko injected.

"What could be up there?I mean it wouldn't be important-"Aya went on.

"Like the kitchen."Fumiko added.

"-because the bear wants us to-"

"-kill each other.So making something unattainable that we need-"

"-would kill us off instead.Not like there's much we need other than food-"

"-water-"

"-shelter-"

"-a bathroom-"

"-and some means of entertainment."they finished together.

It took us a few seconds to realize they had stopped talking,as you could never tell when they were done.Satoru looked as if he wanted to make some rude comment, but several people, myself included,gave him a look that said not to bother with them.So instead he turned to Yoshio.

"Is that it?You found a set of stairs, which we can't use,so essentially you have nothing."

"Well we would have had more time to look but...we got a bit distracted."he mumbled rubbing the back of his neck.

"Y-yeah it c-couldn't be helped."Tomoko squeaked,shrinking into her seat and becoming ever smaller.

"Well what was SO important that you couldn't properly investigate?"Kimiko glared daggers at Yoshio and Tomoko,turning the full wrath of her Ultimate aura on to them.

Tomoko appeared to be attempting to slink under the table, her face bright red.Yoshio looked thoroughly uncomfortable and,from the looks of it,contemplated his odds of running away.

"It wasn't their fault,it was Maiko's!"Minako spoke up."She stole Tomoko's clarinet and they tried to get it back!"

"Now hang on!"Maiko stood up and looked at Minako fiercely."I was having fun, and Yoshio only stood up to me because Tomoko had no hope of getting her clarinet back.If she had just let me have my fun they still could have gone searching for clues.So all in all..."she pointed at Tomoko, who could now only be seen as a head sticking out from under the table."...it was Tomoko's fault."