Danganronpa: Once Upon an Smiling Priest

So this is it huh?

The prestigious Hope's Peak. Mhm. Interesting... I do suppose it would look a little strange given the entire point of this building.

My smile grew a little more than usual as my long silver-white hair gently swayed in the wind. My brown skin shone softly as I raised my head higher to take in Hope's Peak in all its high-class dystopian glory.

"I wonder if I'll find you here too? My wouldn't that be an interesting encounter." A soft chuckle escaped my ever-smiling lips. "I wonder what kind of people I will meet here. Their ideals, hopes, dreams." My smile grew a bit more. "Their beliefs. And of course, as always." I clutched the cross that hung from my neck as I gave a silent, unknowable prayer or rather prayers. "I'll stick to my role, helping those that need my guidance from the sidelines."

I tilted my head to the left, musing over the structure of the building. I did the same with the right. "I hope they have a section for prayer and worship." A sad smile made itself known on my face. "A good few schools that my students attend have those. And given that this is the most advanced school in the world they should have at least one... right?" I looked on in contemplative thought not minding my surroundings.

As I thought in silence I heard a few soft flaps of wings next to me. Opening my eyes slightly letting the world see my dark crimson eyes once more I looked in the direction of the flap to see a few butterflies; their wings coloured red, yellow, orange and blue respectively.

"My, my." I hummed in whimsy. "Trying to cheer me up again?" I asked raising an eyebrow at their antics. "There's no need to do something like that my friends!" A warm bright smile beamed from my face as I spoke; the butterflies began to dance quite lively hearing that I was fine. "I'm quite fine, I was just thinking." I let out a soft chuckle as I closed my eyes once more, shielding them from the world as I heard light footsteps approach me from behind.

Turning halfway around I met the person approaching me. A young high school-aged girl of average height and a very skinny figure, a bit too skinny some might think. Her pale skin shimmered slightly under the Sun, her red eyes stagnant - almost no sign of life was found in them.

She wore a white lace bonnet with one white ribbon on each side with a smaller ribbon tied at the bottom of her head. Her hair was black and had been styled into two large twin-drill pigtails. She wore a gothic Lolita-style outfit, consisting of a white blouse with a long-point collar, a black jacket with a white ribbon lacing down the sleeves, fastened by a simple white ribbon across her chest to reveal her red tie and a many-tiered skirt with white lace.

A bit too much for my tastes though I'm not exactly one to judge.

"Oh my." This is quite an encounter. "Hello there, it's been a while, Mrs Ludenburg." I smiled softly at her to which I heard a light chuckle escape her lips. "Haven't I told you to call me Celes Oberon-san?" Another chuckle was released from her lips.

Did she? Mmm, oh I can't remember. It's been so long since I've seen her in my sermons. "Oh, apologies Celes." My face shifted into a mix of sadness and a bit of shame. I'm usually great with my memory.

"It's been so long since I've seen you that It seems I've forgotten that." A sad smile formed on my face. "Such a shameful display from myself."

I lifted my head as a brimming smile once again formed on my face. "I'll make sure to correct this misdemeanour on my part from now on, yeah?" I finished as I lifted my hand to let two of the butterflies, a silvery checkerspot and a blue monarch, land on my snow white gloved fingers.

"Hoho, it seems you've gotten used to those insects that follow you around huh?" She looked me up and down as she said that. Insects - bugs of all kinds crawled up my garments. Some simply to be near to me, others, like a few species of beetle climbed up me simply to roll down my clothes gently and begin the cycle again. Effectively to play upon the clothes I wore.

A light chuckle escaped my lips upon hearing that. "I suppose so, though I've gotten quite popular with all kinds of animals and not just insects." I used my other hand to shyly scratch my cheek. "Though I'm still the most popular with insects."

Another chuckle escaped her mouth when she heard me and just like always her right hand had come up to cover her mouth. "I suppose you are hehe." Her hand dropped as she gave a... puzzled look. "Are you sure you're the Super Highschool Level Priest and not the Super Highschool Level Entomologist?"

I stood in silence for a brief moment before letting out a hearty laugh. "Who knows? Perhaps I am." I smiled brightly at her.

After tilting my head to the right I asked Celes if she wanted to head in after spotting a purple or lavender-haired figure. "Yes, I do believe we should, it would be a shame if all we did was talk outside and not meet our peers." She said finishing with a small smile.

Motioning, I let Celes walk ahead of me. In the grand scheme of things it mattered not who was ahead or who was behind, however, it was still a nice thing for me to do—and given Mrs Ludenburg's... personality. I'm sure she enjoyed the sentiment.

As we passed through the gates I was able to get a better look at the lavender-haired girl who was looking around with some amount of curiosity.

Strange, I don't recall seeing her pass me. Though then again I always have my eyes closed so who am I to say such things? And It's not as if I've needed them to see. Not for a while now at least. Though... it would be incorrect to call this sense of mine sight.

Mmm. Oh well! Moving on.

Huh?

The world is...twisting? Distorting perhaps?

I wasn't sick and - Oh... my mind is going.

'Well, let's see where this goes.' I thought as everything faded into darkness.

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Ugh.

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 ...Ngh...

I can't feel anything. It seems my body's totally and completely numb... how unfortunate.

Oh, what's this? Do I feel something? 

Well, even if it's at a snail's pace it's something. Heh. It's enough to make me laugh if I could move my mouth. A shame I'm stuck on a cold wooden desk, at least the thing's starting to get warm now since I've been resting on it for a bit now.

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Wait, what?!

I immediately stood up knocking my chair over causing a loud thud to echo out into the room I was in and further.

My brain was fully alert, as much as I didn't want I had opened my eyes. Even with my strange sixth sense, I needed to make sure to be aware of my surroundings.

My eyes narrowed - focusing on the scenery around me as my hand rummaged through my garments looking for...

Nothing. it seems that my pockets are empty. Strange...

"They're not with me, mhm... that would mean that..." I hummed in thought for a few seconds before coming to a realisation "Wait!" I looked around me in surprise before stopping, a giant beaming smile coming to my face.

A maniacal laugh resonated from my mouth before I spoke. "It's so quiet! Not a cricket or insect in sight!" I yelled in joy, tears threatening to stream down my face though I quickly wiped away any tears that might have formed. "I can finally have a peaceful night's sleep. O' what a blessed day. Praise be! An offering must be given post haste." 

I continued to smile before a realisation made me drop it just as quickly as it had formed. "Odd... the insects have never left me ever since that event." I brought a still-gloved hand to my chin as I mussed in thought. "Even when I was kidnapped they still followed me... how very odd."

I stood in silence for a bit thinking it over before speaking. "Oh well!" I said with a giant smile on my face. "That's a problem for future me." A smile still beaming on my face before eventually dropping once I heard the familiar sound of flapping wings.

Looking in the direction of the noise I found the culprit, or rather culprits. A silvery checkerspot and a blue monarch fluttered innocently towards me. The same ones that were perched on my fingers when I met Celes at the front gate. Looking at them I couldn't help but let out a sigh at their antics. "I suppose I should have expected you to still be with me huh?" I asked not expecting them to respond to me in any meaningful way. "I guess it only makes sense. Ever since I met them you two have followed me endlessly."

Ignoring whatever It was that they were trying to say to me I brought my focus to the situation in front of me.

To be frank, there was no one. Not a single soul around me. Not even a tool or device designed for inflicting pain. Just a strange empty classroom. One big enough to hold at most 20 students. Oh? did I arrive early for class? There were, for some reason, multiple chalkboards; one in front of me directly underneath a clock with the others in the back of the class. Near the upper right corner was a TV.

Now! Onto the most interesting thing here.

Instead of where the windows of your typical classroom were, there were metal plates bolted and sealed in their place. So escape is impossible huh? Oh? and a security camera... strange indeed.

Indeed! A security camera stared at me from the comfort of its corner. I knew Hopes Peak had a huge budget but... something's just weird about this. The TV and camera would make sense given how... high-class the school is - given our titles, but the plates are just weird.

I was going to investigate the plates before noticing a note on the desk I was sleeping on.

[Hey there new kid! The next semester is about to start.

Starting today this school will be your entire world.

Please be in the main hall at 8 o'clock sharp!]

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My my! What a threat.

I kept my smile present as I read the paper. Most will not be able to read between the lines but I could tell the intent behind these words. I've gotten used to such things. It comes with the territory of being an all-encompassing priest.

Checking the clock on the wall I decided to make my way to this supposed main hall. As much as I'd like to check those plates carefully, seeing as they were giving me a lot of freedom for a regular kidnapping. I'll do as I'm told for now and simply exit the stage when needed. Just as always.

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As soon as I left the classroom, I was met with a weird sight. The most notable of about it was the illumination, the lights in the hall were a glowing purple. Besides that, a few meters ahead of me was a signboard with the label 'Despair Hotel' and it seemed that on its left it led to another hallway, probably to this 'Hotel'.

"Well, at least my kidnappers have some taste in colour. As obnoxious as the lights are getting." I spoke to no one in particular, my ever-present smile beaming as bright as ever.

However, I wonder why a place called the 'Despair Hotel' is in Hope's Peak. My my, how ominous.

Looking around I decided to walk down the opposite corridor humming absent-mindedly. As I strolled through the corridor, I decided that while I didn't have time to do a deep search of the place, I had enough to quickly check if every classroom was locked on my way to the main hall.

And, of course, none of them budged, which in a way, was kind of a relief. It meant that I wasn't missing much when I was focusing on meeting my destination, wherever that was.

At the end of the corridor was a big red door, which like the rest of the classrooms, didn't budge. How boring. Giving it a quick frown, I let it be before taking another turn to my right and moving on humming a different tune to keep myself occupied.

'Oh?' I opened my eyes slightly at the change in lighting. The once head-aching purple had been replaced with a vomit-inducing lime green. "Nevermind, I take back my compliment of their choice in colours."

Closing my eyes and with my arms behind my back, I continued on my way as if I was on a midnight stroll until I was met with an A/V room that was, unsurprisingly, locked. Oh, joy! Further on, there was another door, this one however was unique. Well not really. It looked the same as all the rest; well except for the yellow tape all around it with the message 'KEEP OUT ' repeated on its sides.

If they don't want anyone getting in, putting tape that explicitly tells someone to stay away would only entice them further. I shook my head in disappointment. Just have the door locked like the rest, it's like you're telling everyone "Hey there's something really important in here!". This is surely a Chekhov's gun situation. Sighing in disappointment I continued on my way until I came across a set of double doors with an exit label a few meters to my left.

"I guess this is the main hall. Welp, no time like the present." I said, though not before taking notice of a set of stairs to my right that were being blocked by a metal gate some meters ahead.

Welp, let's go see why they wanted me in the main hall.