Author's Note:

Greetings readers,

This is my first ever fanfiction. Any comments or criticism you have are welcome to be posted if they will help me improve my future writings.
This is not a one-shot; I plan for this series to continue for (at least) several more chapters.

Regards,
JokersMaze

Tanaka-san's last words… "do not give up on life"…

… I won't give up. I'll fight until the end!

… so… Tanaka-san… please watch over me.

It was unnaturally dark when she first opened her eyes. Perhaps I've died. Sonia thought. Perhaps I am moving on to the next life at this very moment. Her thoughts were couldn't remember what had happened to her.

She felt that her body was lying flat on some hard surface. Her arms were folded gently over her chest. A pulsing noise emitted from the area and vaguely, in the background, she thought she heard voices. Amid the darkness, she made out faint lights.

Oh. Her eyes fixed on the light greeting her. I remember those Japanese shows I saw… when someone was dying, someone else would yell 'don't go towards the light'. Is this the light I am to avoid? She closed her eyes and relaxed after the lights vanished.

No, that's not quite right. If I close my eyes, the lights are supposed to stay are they not? She tested her theory, opening and closing her eyes several times. Perhaps I'm doing something wrong. I never fully understood Japanese either way. Hinata-san promised me-

Hinata. Hi-na-ta. Hinata Hajime.

The memories crashed upon her like a wave.

She remembered who she was. She remembered tying her parents up and sending them off to Junko for unspeakable amounts of torture. She remembered sending her country into civil war, laughing cruelly as mobs of civilians called for her head, only to be cut down mercilessly by guards. And most particularly, she remembered the first round of students that had participated in the despair-inducing game at Hope's Peak.

But along with that, she remembered the island. She realized now that the children she had met there were different from the ones she had known in reality. She recalled how Hanamura, right before his execution, had cried for information on what had happened to his mother and to their restaurant. Bitterly, she now knew why Monokuma hadn't said a thing.

It was because Hanamura, in his despair filled state, had cut down his mother with his own hands, and burned down their establishment soon after.

She relived the terror-filled atmosphere when they had first discovered Togami's body, the shock on everyone's faces each time another victim was found, and the twisted smile on Tsumiki's face after she had been called out at the third trial. She recalled Tanaka's bold, confident voice as he told Monokuma to begin his execution. And the way she had begged for Monokuma to spare him.

At the final trial her body had felt so heavy. She was sinking into a sea of desperation, ready to let the numb pain overtake her. She didn't want to be trapped anymore, in the endless cycle of hope and despair.

But then there was Hinata. His light had pulled them all out in the end. They chose to forcibly shutdown the New World Program, and so here she was.

Her body shuddered with the sudden realizations. She felt pins and needles all over as blood began to circulate within her. It felt so intense that Sonia hesitated before moving again.

The translucent green surface confining her quickly opened with a hiss. Cold air rushed in and mixed with the comfortable temperature of the pod. A face with greenish-grey eyes and brown hair loomed over her.

"Sonia-san? Can you hear me?" he asked. She recognized his face. He was a member of the Future Foundation, one of the three who had come in to save them.

"Naegi… san?" she whispered. Her voice was hoarse from the lack of use.

His face lit up. "Do you know where you are? What can you remember?" She sat up and winced as the prickly feeling overcame her again.

They were in a dark, quiet area. The pulsing noise she had heard earlier came from a machine in the center of the room, covered with glowing lights. Radiating from that machine were several pods that looked identical to the one she was in. Some were open and held drowsy, confused classmates.

"Sonia-san?" Naegi repeated. She opened her mouth and tried to speak but found that her voice failed her. She motioned with her hands that her throat was parched. "Ah! I'm sorry. I'll be right back, don't move okay?" Sonia nodded quietly and looked around.

In the pod to her left lay Saionji. The girl's sleeping face lacked all signs of her prior immaturity. Her hair had been untied and fanned around her in messy waves, opposing her grace as a dancer. Grimly, Sonia wondered if another sarcastic comment would ever come out of the girl's lips.

The pod to her right was open, and in it sat Souda. His hands were on his head and he seemed to be contemplating if this was reality. When she glanced at his face, his gaze shot up and he made eye contact with her.

For a moment, the two just sat there in mutual understanding, unable to speak. Then, Naegi returned with several bottles of water in hand. He opened two of them and handed them to Sonia and Souda. Sonia drank thirstily, grateful for the refreshing effect it offered. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Souda do the same.

She recapped the bottle after a short while and attempted a small smile. "Thank you, Naegi-san."

"It's my pleasure. Could you tell me what you remember?

Her head throbbed slightly. "I remember the island." Naegi looked surprised. He turned to Souda and asked if he could recall it as well.

"Well, yeah." he muttered after clearing his throat. "It's kinda strange. I thought… I thought that we would forget everything."

"You were supposed to," said Naegi. "I mean, that's what we believed would happen. The data never left the machine, so it shouldn't have been moved to your memories…" He stared at the central machine, deep in thought, then stood up straighter and turned to walk away. "Excuse me for a moment-"

"No need, Naegi-kun." Kirigiri stood behind him, arms crossed. "It is the same with all the other students as well."

Naegi relaxed. "I see…"

Togami walked over from the other side of the room, adjusting his glasses. "Well Naegi? What do you propose we do?"

"I… don't know. For now," he looked up at Sonia. "Sonia-san, can you walk?"

She glanced down at her own legs, perplexed, and shook her head. "I am unsure." Her limbs ached from the lack of movement. Naegi offered her his hand for support and she took it carefully as she gingerly stepped out of the pod. She attempted to take a step on shaky legs, and ended up falling forward onto Naegi. Souda jumped to help her when this happened, but Sonia knew that he, most likely, wasn't any better off. Kirigiri helped her steady herself, and she was relieved that she could at least stand up.

"It will be a while before your body can function properly again. In the meantime, I would recommend that you do not push yourself too hard."

Sonia nodded silently in response.

"Then, please wait here as we examine the others. We'll help you get settled in a bit." And with that, Naegi lowered her back into her pod and left with Togami and Kirigiri to survey her other classmates.

Sonia pulled her knees up to her chest. She wondered how long it would be before she could feel content again. She wanted to be back on that beach, laughing and dancing with the others, watching fireworks explode into beautiful colors against the night sky. She just wanted everyone to be there. That would be enough for her.

Looking across the room, she thought she saw a familiar purple scarf wrapped around the neck of a comatose student.

It would be a while before she stopped feeling empty inside.