Danganronpa: String Theory (DrV3)

1.2 - Ctrl+Z!

A/N: The above art is my own work and for my own use only!

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"Hey, Prairie Dog, what are you thinking so hard about to make you do an ugly face like that?"

I jerk back from Kokichi in surprise as he materializes right next to me, but I school my tense muscles so I don't immediately scurry off towards Rantaro like I normally would. I stutter a little, before slapping both hands over my mouth to try and start over so I can speak like a normal person.

Since it takes me a bit of time to cohesively prepare my words, Kokichi just crosses his arms and watches me with an amused hum. I can practically feel him thinking about ways to make fun of me...

"Uh..." I start, fiddling with my pearl white tie that contrasts my maroon red uniform, feeling the weight of his gaze practically tear at my nerves bit by bit. "S-so..."

"...Sooo...?" Kokichi annoyingly mimics me playfully, stepping closer. At that, I take a considerate step back to let him know exactly where my boundaries are. When he smiles wider and takes another step forward, I get the gist he's telling me I have none and I shoot him a look.

"...Were you shoved in the back of a van like me before you woke up?" I ask out loud, my voice much less meek than it had come out thus far and a bit sharper as a result of Kokichi's behavior.

Kokichi's smile drops suddenly, morphing into a flat expression that I can't identify at all.

"Wait, Small Prairie? What you say? People...shove you in back of van?" Gonta pipes up from behind me, prompting me to turn away from Kokichi to nod at him.

It isn't until Gonta has spoken that the rest of the gym falls silent, processing his words at my statement. Rantaro walks back over to me with Kiibo and Korekiyo, the three other girls also joining Kokichi, Gonta and I.

"Oh! Gonta remember being tied with net! They drag Gonta into back of white van with strange picture. Something about 'Dango'...?" Gonta agrees with me, while I quickly scan my memories and... Right, I saw a logo on the van when I was trying to kick them off from dragging me in.

"'Dangan...ronpa'?" I repeat as the logo becomes a bit clearer in my mind.

"...Oh!" The other girl, the one as short as me with red hair, jumps as if remembering as well. "I remember! It did say 'Danganronpa'! I read it on the side of the van too, they caught me while I was walking to the ice cream shop!"

"Hey, I remember they grabbed me while I was out grocery shopping, but that logo sounds familiar to me too!" The girl with weird pigtails chimes in.

"So all of us were kidnapped in the same manner by the same kind of van with the same logo? Hm... Curious," Korekiyo comments mysteriously, a hand pressed to his chin. "I'm glad you managed to recall the name on the van, I never saw it clearly when they got me. Wonderfully done, Prairie."

Even though he's a bit creepy and a guy, I can't help but feel just a little proud when he rubs the top of my head gently, prompting a smile from me.

"That just leaves the question of, what is Danganronpa?" Kiibo queries, causing the lot of us to share looks with one another to see if someone has the answer. Now that's something even I can't remember for the life of me. For arguments sake, I can't even remember ever hearing it before the memory surfaced in my mind.

There's a long silence as we all ponder the conundrum, but it's eventually broken when Kokichi comments, "Uh, okay. I get how they can throw the rest of us in a van and stuff, but they managed to nab a guy like Gonta? That's too fishy for me!" He walks forward so he's next to me and looking right at Gonta with a studious leer. "Say, you're not secretly part of this 'Do-dango-mango' gang that's kidnapped us all, are you? Speak now or forever hold your peace!"