A Clay Assassin: A Danganronpa After-Story

Chapter 9: The Stage is Set!

Opening my phone, I texted the same to Shuichi and Himiko. Both were initially responding with mixed confusion, but the former figured out what happened today and agreed. I explained to them how nice and warm everyone had been, and how I felt that we should take this chance. After some persuasion, I was able to get everyone on board.

The next day, Father had me call the Team Danganronpa office. I told them how I felt. I could hear audible celebration on the other side, causing the same sly grin to form on my face.

"Thank you so much! We'll start in 10 days!! Make sure you're prepared. Mr. Saihara and Ms. Yumeno have already agreed as well. I'm glad you all accepted." The voice came from the same watched man who had proposed the offer initially.

"Oh, wait! What about my parents?" I shakily mentioned, i probably should've asked that first.

"Of course, they'd come along. We'd provide food and lodging for all of you, don't worry."

I told Mother and Father the news. They both held each other's hands, almost dancing in joy. My mother, more elated than I've ever seen her get, spoke: "Ah, I'm so excited! We'll all have so much fun together~"

The next week and a half seemed to pass like a breeze. I was able to gather with Himiko and Shuichi over the next weekend, too! School was no mind, as it didn't really matter to me anymore.

The night before we were supposed to leave, I got a phone call from the watchless man before. He told us to meet at the address of my school. This, he said...

...was the original site of Hope's Peak Academy. He said following the first killing game, it had been rebranded. My shock was incredulous.

He explained that this school was the model for the original killing game, and there we would meet a special surprise guest, and later hold an assembly in front of who were shortly my classmates.

The ride to my school felt familiar. Father was in a phone call with his office, listening to the work he would pick up while we were away. He told me he would drop me off and return for the assembly, and then tour with us from then onward.

Himiko was standing outside, with her (I assume) her parents not far away, both respectively in a phone call. Faint sounds of directions and "where the cameras should go" echoed from within the interior of the school.

"Ah, hey Himiko! Are you excited for today! I'm a bit nervous myself, but I can't wait to get this started!" I giggled.

"Hey, Maki! I sure am! I can't wait to impress the students with my magic!" Himiko formed her typical sweet smile towards me, locking her fingers around hers and jumping slightly.

So she hadn't lost her talent, huh? I wonder why she didn't, and I did. Did I do something wrong? In any case, Shuichi soon arrived and stepped out of a black stretch limousine, dressed in a void black spring coat.

"Maki! Himiko! You guys ready to get this show on the road?!" Shuichi exclaimed to us, tilting his head to the left in waiting. Both of us exclaimed we were, all of us laughing together. It was nice to relax so casually with both of them, with no threat of execution or murder hanging over anyone's heads. Things had finally changed for all of us.

The two men who showed up at my house, with 4 other men I had never seen, were inside, beckoning for us to enter. They led us to a room behind the assembly hall, which was spacious, filled with lights and cameras, and contained a miniature room to the side that was being used as a temporary dressing and makeup room for the 3 of us, as well as our special guest that he mentioned. He led us to a snack bar, where the 3 of us shared some water and miniature sandwiches similar to the ones I'd had not too long ago.

Time passed fairly quickly, and soon it was time for us to get prepared for the assembly. He said afterwards, we'd have an interview and then dinner.

Just as Shuichi, Himiko, and I were directing ourselves to the waiting room, the "special guest" mentioned appeared from within. Her hair was long, separated into straight, thin, blonde strands. She wore a pink sweater vest reminiscent of a school uniform, though much more snug. She walked with an air of dissidence, seeking to avoid any attention to herself, yet her figure seemed to provide the opposite. Her fingers were slender, painted with a glossy pink polish at the nails.

This girl, once alerted to our presence, quickly walked forward and introduced herself as Koeda Akamatsu.