Danganronpa V4: Welcome Back, Shuichi Saihara

Prologue: Once Again

Shuichi Saihara woke up in a daze, staring at an all navy-blue ceiling. At first, he thought this is what the outside world looked like. Someone's screams confirmed he was wrong.

"Wh-where are we?!" Himiko Yumeno yelled.

The boy looked in her direction. The young mage girl was standing up, looking around. "T-this is a classroom!"

Shuichi shook his head, getting out of his daze. Beside to him, Maki Harukawa lifted her head in alarm.

Himiko had been right, this was a classroom. It was completely navy-blue with black desks and chairs all in neat rows. A big blackboard was in the front of the room along with a black table.

"Why are we in a classroom?" Maki asked, standing up.

Just a few seconds ago, Maki, Himiko, and Shuichi had just ended Danganronpa once and for all by convincing its fans the show had to. K1-B0, their best robot friend, had broken the wall that separated the outside world from them. They walked through it hand-in-hand and were blinded by a bright light. Now, they were here.

"We should investigate," Shuichi worried. He had a feeling that he prayed was just him thinking ahead of himself.

The two girls nodded their heads as the followed Shuichi out of the classroom. A giant hallway greeted them, along with an announcement.

"If everyone could please gather at the gym. I repeat, everyone please gather at the gym."

The voice was very familiar. Himiko and Maki didn't recognize it, but Shuichi felt a chill go down his spine hearing the voice.

The three teenagers continued walking and headed to the gym. They stared at the large black doors for a minute before walking in. Before them, 13 other students stared at them.

"So there's sixteen of us in total," someone shouted out.

"Now that's a big number!" someone else yelled.

"Are you all Ultimates like us?" someone else asked.

"U-Ultimates?" Maki stuttered.

Suddenly, a floorboard fell through the floor, and out popped a stuffed bear. It was no ordinary bear, however. The left side of it was a normal, white bear. The right side was a black bear with a toothy grin and a glowing red lightning bolt eye.

"Welcome, students, to Hope's Peak Academy for Ultimates!" the bear shouted out, his voice booming.

"Hope's Peak Academy for Ultimates?" Himiko questioned.

"Yes! You 16 Ultimates have been scouted and now attend this school!"

"By scouted you mean you found out where we lived, broke into our house, kidnapped us, threw us in a truck, knocked us out, and brought us here?" someone asked.

"Exactly!" The bear laughed, way too happy.

"Ah," Himiko sighed.

"Maki, Himiko, what's wrong?" Shuichi whispered. "That's Monokuma! We're in another killing game somehow!"

"Killing game?" Maki questioned.

"Did...you guys forget?"

The two girls exchanged looks. They looked back at Shuichi and shrugged.

'Monokuma erased their memories! But...he forgot mine?' Shuichi thought. He remembered everything. He remembered his friends, the mastermind, the outside world.

"I have no clue what you're talking about, Shuichi. We were hanging out at an ice cream shop before being asked to follow some guys in suits. We did, and now we're here," Maki scratched her head as if she was confused by the way Shuichi was acting.