if it's your tale or mine

Chapter 1
Kaede & Makoto

(Uploaded on October 11, 2018)

Notes: This fic is set in an alternate version of Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony, based off the demo version's premise of having Makoto and Hajime basically 'guiding' the new protagonist(s) around. (As for how they got there, don't ask.)

The timeframe for this fic is around Chapter 1 – after the motive is revealed, but prior to the murder. Makoto is rooming with Kaede; Hajime is rooming with Shuichi.

The title is derived from the lyrics to Blink of an Eye, a Sonic fan song. (Because why not?)

[Kaede]

Dormitory – Kaede's Room

Monokuma's a bit of a jerk.

I realize that's pretty obvious at this point, but seriously—not giving Makoto and Hajime their own room just because it's 'inconvenient' for him is just… ugh! It makes me hate this Ultimate Academy and this whole Killing Game even more than I already do. Especially when slotting them into this 'game' isn't as 'inconvenient' for him to do at all! Sheesh!

Though, if I'm being honest… I am glad for Makoto's presence. Along with Shuichi (and Hajime, I guess), they've been a kind of sturdy rock for me to hold onto – or maybe it's the other way around, in Shuichi's case anyway. It's hard enough being a leader when you have people like Miu and Kokichi and Angie running about – and that's not even mentioning the whole time limit thing Monokuma's imposed on us.

…one day. That's all we have right now.

One more day before we're all executed.

One more day until all our lives—my life, my friends' lives—are over.

One more day until Monokuma finally wins.

"H-Hey…" Makoto's voice suddenly broke through the silence of my thoughts. "Are… Are you okay there, Kaede?" I looked up at him from my bed; he seemed pretty worried based on his expression. "Is something bothering you? I've been trying to get your attention for a while, but…"

"N-No, it—it's fine!" I tried to soothe him, waving my hands in the air. "I—I was just thinking, t-that's all!" I must've been pretty deep in thought, if what he said was true. Hehe… It's—kinda embarrassing, huh?

"Well, that's alright," Makoto said, a little relieved. "Everyone needs a little time to think every now and then. I remember I had moments like that back at Hope's Peak." He sat down next to me, a fond smile perched on his face. "I can't imagine that this whole situation hasn't been tough on you, too."

"You're not wrong there." I frowned. I tried not to think about it, but my mind just kept coming back to Monokuma's twisted motive. We only have a little over twenty-four hours left. Twenty-four hours. I don't think I've ever been so terrified of a single number before.

I can tell everyone else is a little anxious, too. Kaito's having trouble staying upbeat, Miu's language is getting increasingly more vulgar, Tenko's looking more nervous and ready to fight… The time limit's hanging over all of us, and Monokuma knows it.

"Are you worried about Monokuma's motive?" I blinked in surprise – Makoto had hit the jackpot right on the dot. Then again… it's not exactly that hard to guess, given everything's that going on.

"…yeah," I admitted. "It's just that… we know that Monokuma has the power to execute us all if he ever wanted. I mean, you saw those Exisals." I think even Gonta would have trouble taking one of those things down, and he's practically superhuman! "We really only have our plan to catch the mastermind of this game, but… will it really be enough?"

"It will be!" Makoto proclaimed confidently. "This is our hope to save everyone! There's no way it can fail – you and Shuichi are the ones who came up with it after all!" His bright, optimistic character could've actually dwarfed mine, really – I thought I was pretty outgoing, but for a supposedly 'ordinary guy', he's really good at helping us all. (He's a lot like me, in that regard.)

Even so though… "But… what if our deductions are wrong? What if there isn't a mastermind at all?" I wanted to hold this back, I really did, but… I—I just couldn't. My hands started shaking, completely against my will. "What if—what if nothing happens and we, we just…! …we just die?"

My brave front—the one I constantly put up in front of everyone, the one I keep up despite all my fears—finally began to fall apart. I was scared. I was really scared. I… I don't think I've ever had my whole body shake this hard.

Everything just came rushing to me.

The locker.

The Exisals.

Monokuma.

The time limit.

The plan we concocted.

And all the hopelessness we're facing.

All at once, I just felt overwhelmed. Were… Were we destined to just die here? Die in this prison for the whims of a twisted, demented bear? Die here, never to see my friends and family again?

…is this my fate as the Ultimate Pianist?

"…I'm scared, Makoto," I quietly confessed, clutching my right arm as tightly as I could. (I still kept tremoring, though. I just couldn't stop.) "I don't want to die. I want to live, with everyone else, and survive this killing game. I want to keep playing piano, and keep being friends with everyone, and, and…"

I closed my eyes. "…I just… don't want to die here."

Silence filled the room again. I… I hadn't thought that I'd release all of my feelings just like that. This whole Killing Game has really gotten to me, huh? Somehow, I… I feel a little better, though I'm still pretty nervous over everything.

…I wonder what Makoto thinks about all of this.

"…I had a friend, once," he suddenly stated. I opened my eyes and turned toward Makoto, whose face was deep in thought—like mine had been earlier. "We didn't get to know each other for too long, but… I'd like to believe we were pretty close." I think this was a story from his own 'game'; he and Hajime hadn't really said a lot about their own respective Killing Games, so this was pretty new. "I tried to keep both our hopes up, but eventually, she wasn't able to take it anymore. She lost hope… and sometimes I wish I could turn back the clock and give it all back to her."

"That's… That's sad," I replied. Momentarily, I wondered what she was like. Was she nice? Was she musically inclined like me? "What… What happened to her?"

"She… She died. Murdered, actually."

Oh.

Oh.

"…I'm—I'm sorry about that," I said. I… I didn't know that had happened.

"It's fine. It was… a while back, so it's nothing too bad now. I was pretty devastated when it happened, though. I remember wondering if—if it was all just a lie, just something that couldn't be possible in this academy of despair."

I… I wonder what he means, when he says 'if it was all just a lie.' Somehow, I—I don't think I want to know, really.

"But… I remembered all the good times we shared before, and I promised to myself that I'd keep her and everybody else in my heart. In a way, you kind of remind me of the best parts of her." R-Really? That's kinda… sweet of him.

Getting back on topic, he continued, "I know this seems out of place, but… that whole thing really showed me something. Even if the world conspires to bring you to despair, even if it tries to bring your friends down with you—you should do your best to rise above it, no matter what. Keep hoping through the night, and never lose sight of it. Kaede—I think you're the type of person who can do that. You're strong, and you keep us all together better than Hajime and I can. You're really everyone's hope here, you know?"

I blushed—j-jeez, did he have to word it like that!? "I-I don't know," I stammered out, "I haven't exactly been that great. I mean, there was the Death Road of Despair," and boy, was that still painful to remember—I'm pretty sure I can still feel my nerves aching, "and everyone being so scattershot and all… I wouldn't say I'm 'everyone's hope' and all."

"No, that's wrong!" He shouted that so passionately, it was almost as if he had said that line multiple times before. (Now that I think about it, I say it sometimes too… And so does Hajime and Shuichi… Maybe it's a 'protagonist' thing? Whatever that means…) "You're a good person, Kaede! You shouldn't doubt yourself like that." He smiled a smile that honestly could've melted the Arctic. "I believe in you, and I know everyone else does, too—even if they don't show it! If we all just hope a little more, I know we'll be able to get out of here." He scratched the back of his head nervously. "T-That's what I think, anyway."

He… He really believes in me that much? I don't know if I can really live up to those expectations – or even if we'll be able to get out of here – but after hearing that… I have to give it my all to try.

I can't give up hope now. Our plan to catch the mastermind of this game may fail, and we may end up going over Monokuma's forced time limit, but I can't let that dissuade me. Monokuma can try, but he'll never be able to truly take away our unity. Our harmony.

Jeez… What have I been doing, just sitting here and feeling sorry for myself? That's not like me at all! I gotta stay determined – c'mon me, just think of a good piano song! Like… Debussy's 'Clair de Lune'! That always cheers me up! Yeah, yeah. Just let it play through your mind… (You know, I should really play it for Shuichi sometime… I think he'd like it.)

"You're right," I finally stated, putting a hand above my chest. "Here I am, telling Shuichi to be more confident in himself, when it's me that needs a little bit of that too. Heh heh… I'm kinda weird like that, huh?"

"N-No, no, it's alright!" Makoto denied, sweating a little. "Everyone needs a little bit of help every now and then! I'd know; my friends have helped me out from time to time." He smiled again at me. "Just so long as you never give up hope for yourself and your friends, I think you'll be fine!"

There's that word again. Hope. He really seems to believe in it, huh?

…Maybe I should start believing in it, too.

"Yeah. T-Thanks, Makoto," I said.

"No problem! I'm always happy to get a friend back on their feet. That reminds me… We should go hang out with somebody! I think there's still a few people about so… we should get to know them a little better!" Quickly, he got off my bed and started toward the door. "I'll meet you outside, okay Kaede?"

"O-Okay!" I agreed. I watched him open the door, walk outside, and then close it. I sat there, alone and silent, for just a little while. Nodding to myself, I slowly got out my backpack – the one I keep on me almost all the time – and opened it up. Carefully, I unwrapped the makeshift container I had made from my spare vest, and lifted the contents it was hiding out of my bag.

A single, heavy shot put ball.

I gazed into its metallic sheen for longer than I intended.

I was going to use this to help save everybody, but…

'I believe in you, and I know everyone else does, too—even if they don't show it! If we all just hope a little more, I know we'll be able to get out of here.'

…maybe I don't have to.

Shuichi's voice comes to mind, too…

'I just… wanted to tell you. No matter what.'

…he trusts me.

He must trust me a lot, since he revealed the whole hidden passageway to me and everything.

I… I can't abuse that trust. Not now.

Even if it'd help us take down the mastermind, I know he wouldn't want me to. I know it'd pain him if I did. So… I won't.

For him, I won't.

I got up, opened a drawer, and put the shot put ball in it.

Like Makoto said—I can't lose hope here. Even if it's clichéd, even if it's a little too idealistic… I'll believe. I'll believe we can get out of here, with my friends alive, with this Killing Game over.

I won't be scared. Not anymore.

With newly reinstated confidence, I closed up my backpack, hoisted it back over my shoulders, and waltzed toward the door. I'll make the most of the time I have, and never lose sight of hope.

That's a promise.

help guys

drv3 is consuming my everything

i've been trapped in this fandom for weeks

help

A-Ahem!

I haven't seen a fic yet that builds upon the 'protag-help' premise of DRV3's demo, so… here's a little two-shot to try and hopefully sate that. I don't think I could really do a full fic like this justice – I don't think I have it in me to even write a single case.

I honestly think this scenario has a lot of potential, no matter how crack-y it may seem at first – and I honestly wish there are just a little more fics out there that try it. (At least, that I've seen anyway.) I was going to just make this a one-shot, but I felt like things would flow better if I split it up into two.

As for why we don't just have Makoto and Hajime both rooming with Kaede… well, Shuichi's a protagonist too, no matter how later in the game that is. Plus, I feel like their personalities would better mesh with each other – you'll see next chapter, hopefully.

Well, that's all for now – tune in next time for Shuichi and Hajime's conversation!