Danganronpa: Equestria's Despair, Harmony's Hope

Introduction - The Final Day of Ordinary

The obnoxious sounds of the casino rang through my ears. Though my shift was over, I had yet to leave. I typically hated hanging around in this giant noise box. Instead of leaving as soon as I could though, I just stood there near the entrance in front of the golden fountain, watching the water flow out of the top and fall down the layers until it reached the pool at the bottom. I peered down into the basin, looking at my rather dejected reflection. My black-as-night mane drooped across my face, contrasting rather well against my white-as-snow fur. The expression I saw showed no elation, only depression, and my looks did nothing to cheer it up. Understandable, after all, it's hard to be happy after you learn the brother you looked up to so much is dead.

My family received the news just the other day. My brother, Danger Diamond, was a member of the Wonderbolts, Equestria's greatest flyers and aerial military. He and several other Wonderbolts had recently been sent on an overseas mission. When they returned just a few days ago however, he was not amongst the survivors. We were told by the one in charge of the mission and Captain of the Wonderbolts, Thunder Strike, that he had been killed by enemy forces along with a few others. My mom and dad were heartbroken and I didn't leave our house for a whole two days. My father, and boss, understood my situation and didn't fault me for my absence. He had another card dealer take my shift while I recovered from the emotional trauma I was suffering. I had admired my brother for as long as I can remember. He was always putting others first. It never mattered what the risk was, he was always ready to help, and I did my best to emulate his actions.

Just as I had always admired him, he had always admired the Wonderbolts. He longed to join them ever since he was a colt. He practiced his flying skills whenever he wasn't working at our family's casino. Finally, he tried out for the Wonderbolts Academy. Once he had made it in, it wasn't long before he had become exactly what he had always wished to be: a Wonderbolt. Of course, being the starry-eyed, little sister I was, I also tried out for the Academy. Unfortunately, much to my and my brother's dismay, I didn't make it in. It was the first time I had failed to follow in my brothers hoofsteps. I was absolutely crushed. My brother did his best to cheer me up, but it was ultimately useless. I still remember what he said to me that day...

"You may no longer be able to follow me, Star, but I know you still want to do your best to help ponies, no matter the cost. As long as we both continue to hold on to that dream, then even when we're apart, we'll always be connected."

Those words, which only brought me pain at the time, only hurt me more now that he was gone forever. Tears began to form in my eyes and cast themselves into the pool below. I finally ran out of the casino, not wanting to cause a scene. I didn't even know where I was going, I just ran away as fast as I could so that I could shed my tears in peace. Though, being the city it is, Las Pegasus doesn't offer up such places lightly.

I found a small alleyway, devoid of ponies, where I could finally just let my tears fall. I don't know how long I was crying. It could've been mere seconds, minutes, or even an hour. I just cried until I couldn't cry anymore. When the waterworks finally ended, I simply sat there, utterly silent, in that dank alleyway, trying my best to not think about my brother.

Before I knew it, night had fallen. The light of Luna's moon failed to illuminate the alleyway I had taken shelter in. Wishing to not be in the dark, I left and began to head home, seeing no reason to stay outside. Las Pegasus was even more crazy at night than during the day; it was almost unbearable. I honestly can't believe I've lived almost twenty years in this place. Oh, what I wouldn't give to live in a quiet place like Ponyville.

It took a bit longer than I hoped, but I eventually managed to make it home. I looked up at the massive cloud structure that marked my family's place of residence. Running a casino in Las Pegasus certainly had its pros if it could buy places like this; I only wish living here didn't have its cons. I let out a sigh, which quickly became a yawn, reminding me of how tired I was. Working as a card dealer in one of the busiest casinos in Equestria takes a lot more out of you than you'd expect. Add a crying fit into the mix and you get one very tired pony. My body was telling me to head up to my room and crash for the night. My mind was in agreement, moving my body one step closer to the building.

However, as I took that next step towards my house, I was overcome by a strange sensation. The world around me began to spin. Colors were mixing together and shapes were molding into each other. My head began throbbing, pain shooting out in all directions, stemming from the inside of my brain. The pain was so great, I thought I was going to collapse on the ground right there. My body, however, kept moving towards the house, as if the pain I was experiencing didn't even affect it. The pain persisted, colors mixed, shapes molded, and before I knew it, the world around me had gone completely black.

At the time, I didn't know what had happened; why the world around me had just suddenly collapsed. It wasn't until I woke up from my slumber that I would find the answer, and a lot more questions to go along with it.

My name is Star Spade, and this is my story.