Danganronpa 2+V3 imagine/shorts/one-shots collection

Gundham comforts a reader who feels like they can't make progress

· Rolling.

· That was the best word to describe how you were feeling. Like you were constantly rolling down a hill, unable to stop. On some occasions you manage to slow down and desperately try to claw back up that hill but to no avail, simply slipping, falling, beginning to roll again. No matter what you did, you couldn't stop it.

· Everything you did seemed to end in failure or stagnated. No matter what you tried you couldn't improve. It seemed you were even getting worse and worse, losing progress.

· That's all it was. You kept slipping, falling, spiraling, and rolling with no control whatsoever. The only thing that kept you going on these seemingly pointless endeavors was the thought that if you got a foothold somewhere, you could make it and get better. But at this point it just seemed to be a false hope you fed yourself.

· You began to wonder how in the world you were going to keep this up. At this point it seemed simply giving up was the best thing to do. At least at that point you wouldn't be failing anymore. After all, how can you fail when you weren't even trying anymore?

· So maybe you should just give up...

· Just give up...

· Give up...

· ...

· ..

· .

·

· But you didn't want to.

· You didn't want to give up.

· Not just yet at least, but... you didn't know what else you could do.

· "My Companion! Might you still wander this hallowed, cramped space, or have you fled seeking a more worthwhile den?" Gundham? That sounded like him, but you thought he was leaving for work in Brazil, or some other place? Just some place far way from here. With groans and grunts you sat up on the couch, finding your half-eaten cup of noodles still sat on the table, freezing.

· "My Companion, what plague or curse has clouded your mortal form? Your skin pale, purple dyed under your eyes, and you're keeled as if in great pain." "... What are you doing here?" There was a distinct muffled, grogginess in your voice as you rested your head in one of your hands, your pounding headache making even moving unbearable. "Elaborate on the supposed meaning of your words! I should hope they don't translate to what I'm understanding! It'd be ludicrous to even dare to think I'd not come search after you severed contact so abruptly. Did we not agree to seek out a new home for you?" You looked to the man in absolute confusion. "... ugh, my ice Lord, you said you'd go apartment hunting with me after you got back from work." "... E-exactly... It's long past the appointed time of our predestined meeting. I've made many attempts to contact thy being, yet you've placed up wall after wall of spells making contact only in this form feasible." "... What?"

· You fell back on the couch with a loud thud. "I'm too exhausted for this. Do you mean my phone?" You laid on your stomach, burying your face into the pillow. You limply tossed an arm off the couch. With it just dangling over the side you patted the ground several times before feeling that thin, smooth, flat device. You couldn't quite get a grip and it slipped from your fingers several times before you finally managed to grasp it. Your vision was but a haze but being so familiar with those buttons you saw you missed several calls and texts from Gundham. They were a week old. Scrolling through the texts you saw how the messages got more frantic over time. Nothing over the top but clearly you worried him. "sorry." You dropped the phone, not caring about where it landed.

· You heard the soft rustling of fabric. Looking out from the corner of your eye, you saw Gundham sat before the couch, leaning his back against the side of the seats. Immediately some of his generals poked their little heads out, sniffing the air for a moment, before hopping out of the scarf, and snuggling into you. You rolled onto your side, sighing feeling the softness of their fur against your skin.

· "... What happened in my absence?" "... I don't know. I feel awful in every way, in both my body and my mind. I feel like I've been trying so hard and nothing comes of it... Heh, that's actually why I wanted to move out and get a new apartment. I was hoping a change in scenery would make things better, but... I don't know. I've been forcing myself to just keep going for one more day for, what, months, maybe a year now? I can't keep going on like this. Everything I do just ends in failure, or at the very least just doesn't change at all. I just feel so useless! Like I can't do anything!" "... I'm glade to hear frustration in that voice." "Huh?" "From the moment my Generals and I entered your domain, you spoke in a tone of indifference, hollowness. Nothing. Yet, for a brief moment, towards the end, I heard frustration. That means you have yet to lose all your will." "... tch. Being frustrated isn't going to get me anywhere, Tanaka." "That in of itself may not, but the will igniting it can." "No it can't, I've exhausted all my will. How is anything in my life supposed to get better now, with so little will when before I had much more. Hell! When I had more will, ambition, drive, that's when my life started going downhill, just me rolling over and over again! Damn it! I can't go on like this forever! I'm just so tired!"

· Gundham glanced over his shoulder, finding you shivering and hugging yourself. "... Then don't." You looked to him in confusion with those wavering, glossy eyes. "Don't keep going. I'm not saying to give up. To give up is to die. Have you ever seen a fight between demon beasts? If not, I'll tell you. The first thing you'll notice is how both sides give it their everything. They will do ANYTHING to live, no matter the cost, even their own tail or arm, even if it means losing a part of themselves, they'll do anything to live. They so desperately cling to life never willing to let go. Even if they appear to be out matched, they still fight. Even here before your den I've seen a little tiny mouse fight and even scare away a cat. Even a mouse in the jaws of a venomous snake still kicks, and bites. Even if it will do nothing. They still fight. Plants do the same thing. They steal life from other plants and creatures of any sort in order to grow and thrive, all to stay alive. Yet, you need not to fight a never ending battle to live. You have the option to run. Rest. Lick your wounds and build up your strength. Become stronger than you are now or were a year ago. Set your current battles aside. Only continue to fight the ones needed to survive. Leave the others till you are stronger. Though there are a few fights you cannot run from, you need to rest. Healing your soul and body is the only way to stand any chance of winning. Healing one will in turn heal the other. It may seem impossible when beginning but the more you push on the easier it will become." "Easy for you to say." "No. It is not. I may not be in the thick of it, but you are my Companion. I shall never allow you to endure this hardship alone. I and my Generals shall support and fight beside you as long as you'll have us."

· You'd only taken in half of what Gundham had said, feeling exhausted having gotten hardly any sleep, stressing over everything for the past few nights. But you still heard the tender warmth in his voice. That alone eased your racing, drowning thoughts. You saw Gundham get up, placing his scarf and last of his generals atop you. He messed with the TV for a moment, playing your favorite show before leaving. You watched in a daze, time flying by and you didn't even notice Gundham had returned with two plates of pasta in hand. "I hope this will suffice for nourishment. This boxed, dried wheat and jarred sauce were the only pieces to make a full meal, hidden away in your cupboards." "Oh, thank you." You dragged yourself into sitting up, then gently took the plate and fork that was placed on the table before you. Gundham sat beside you, taking pellets out of his pockets to feed his Generals while you mindlessly watched and ate.

· Too soon you finished your meal. "I shall clean up while you get prepared." "Huh? Prepared for what?" "Our walk. We're going to get you fresh air. The air here has stagnated and gone musty, likely a manifestation for your mind that feeds back into you in an endless cycle. I shall assist you breaking that cycle and the first step is to cleanse your body and garments. Now, off you go." "Alright." Once you were both finished cleaning you took a step out of your apartment complex. You stood under the sun's rays, looking up to that bright sky. You took a deep breath, feeling the fresh wind gently roll past. You still felt awful, but seeing how Gundham so softly looked to you, knowing your friend was by our side, you felt that just maybe you could try to stop rolling again today.