Despair Arc: Execution Failed?
by WiiFan2009 is a completed Alternate Universe fic set between Episode 10 and Episode 11 of Side:Despair in Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School.
Junko Enoshima executed the Ultimate Gamer, Chiaki Nanami. This was done as the final catalyst for throwing all of Class 77 into despair. But what if Chiaki survived her execution, and was found by Makoto and Kyoko before she succumbed to her wounds?
Can be read here on FanFiction.net, or on Archive of Our Own.
There are major spoilers for the source material.
Despair Arc: Execution Failed? contains examples of:
- Alternate Universe Fic
- And Your Little Dog, Too!: All of Class 78 react in horror when they learn that their loved ones were being targeted by Junko and Mukuro. Makoto takes it worse when he learns that his family was targetted.
- Battle in the Center of the Mind: A recurring trope throughout the story. Hajime vs. Izuru is the most focused in the story, while Mikan vs. Despair!Mikan is a big driver of the plot.
- Curb-Stomp Battle: While Sakura does take some damage, she quickly deals with Mukuro during their battle.
- Despair Event Horizon: Class 77, Izuru/Hajime and Chisa have already crossed this by the time the story begins, after Episode 10 of Side:Despair. Hajime tries to escape, but Izuru keeps him in check mentally. But when they hear the news about Chiaki surviving her execution, a small glimmer of hope allows them to combat Junko's despair.
- Earn Your Happy Ending: Class 77 and Class 78 go through a lot in order to stop Mukuro and Junko, but they all make it through without Ultimate Despair being born, preventing millions of lives being lost, and none of the two classes suffering losses.
- Everybody Lives: Due to Ultimate Despair as a group never coming to fruition, no one dies in the fic.
- Fighting from the Inside: Two relevant cases. One between Hajime and Izuru throughout the story, and in Chapter 4 when Mikan tries to convince her Ultimate Despair to help Chiaki.
- For Want Of A Nail: If it weren't for Kyoko and Makoto finding Chiaki while she was still alive, Side:Despair would have played out like it would.
- Greater-Scope Villain: The Steering Committee was already this in the series, but in this fic, they insisted that Junko gets enrolled into Hope's Peak.
- Hope Springs Eternal: Chiaki's survival, when blurted out by Mikan, has given a small spark of hope within Class 77. It's this very hope that breaks the despair of what Side:Despair was setting up, and ultimately prevents decisions from being made that allowed the Tragedy to occur.
- "I Know You're in There Somewhere" Fight: Chiaki tries to convince her classmates of happy memories and their purposes in order for them to break out of their despair. It works. She even helps Hajime repress Izuru.
- I'm Crying, but I Don't Know Why: Izuru's reaction to Chiaki's death is the same in Episode 10 of Side:Despair. But this story gives more explanation, with Hajime awakening within Izuru's mind, clinging onto hope that she is still alive.
- Jekyll & Hyde: In Chisa's case, her rehabilitation didn't heal her completely due to the lobotomy. She still has a side of hope and despair, and it takes the Neo World Program to fully help her.
- Laser-Guided Karma: With overwhelming evidence against the two for all the conspiracies and horrible things they have done, Junko and Mukuro are imprisoned.
- And when their heinous actions are brought to public attention, the Steering Committee get apprehended for all the inhumane acts they pulled on the Reserve Course students.
- Not Quite Dead: Junko thoroughly believed that Chiaki wouldn't survive her execution, but due to the spears missing her vital organs, being found by Makoto and Kyoko, and being saved by Mikan, she is saved before she can expire from her injuries.
- Not So Stoic: While Izuru has shown little emotion (shock and tears streaming down his face) in Side:Despair, here, he certainly expresses more emotions when fighting against Hajime mentally.
- Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right!: Jin is for the idea of making sure Junko and Mukuro get the justice they deserve, even if his actions are negatively seen by the Steering Committee.
- What If?: Chiaki survived her injuries and was helped by Makoto, Kyoko, and Mikan?
- What the Hell, Hero?: When Hajime represses Izuru, Nagito wastes no time chastising the Reserve Course student for agreeing to the Kamakura Project.
- You Can't Thwart Stage One: While Class 77 and 78 have happy endings, this trope comes into full play when you remember that the Student Council and others who died in Side:Despair are dead. The Biggest, Most Awful, Most Tragic Event in Human History has been thwarted, but the Tragedy of Hope's Peak hasn't. Yasuke Matsuda being referred to in past tense, also means that Danganronpa Zero had already happened.
