Yoyo Zhao

* Mask
* No Mask

"*My apologies, I'm sure you didn't want to hear, um, my little story, but I think... even though our circumstances are all different, we will be okay, even if it doesn't feel like it now, because we have each other. We'll protect each other and help each other and go home together and... one day we'll be okay*."

— Yoyo motivating the survivors after the fifth trial.

**Yoyo Zhao (ヨーヨーザオ)** is a participant of the Cirque Du Simulation killing game. The killing game is not tied to a real Danganronpa game, however, it is featured on Quotev (@nezumicastle) and therefore, hosted online. Their title is the Ultimate Archer.

## Appearance

Yoyo is a short person with a warm skin tone. For a good portion of the game, a Kitsune mask hides their face.

Their hair is dark and fluffy, pulled up into two loose buns at the top of their head. The rest of their hair hangs loose over their shoulders and down their chest, and a tie is wrapped around each section. Their bangs are loose and hang over their face, which is covered by their mask.

They wear a crimson shirt which resembles a sleeveless cheongsam top. It has black accents, and down their torso are x's resembling arrows, a reference to their talent.

With that, they also wear a pair of shorts, the same shade of red as their top, that goes down to their upper thigh. It has a simple white flower pattern, and black accents at the hem of the shorts.

They wear a pair of dark grey combat boots, with lighter gray accents and soles, and black laces.

Bandages are wrapped around their neck, left forearm and palm, and both legs up to their knee. On their right forearm is an arm guard.

During the first chapter, they give their mask away to Monroe Yabusame, to protect him from the smoke. As a substitute, Yoyo wears a torn pillowcase around the lower half of their fire for the rest of the chapter, up until the trial.

In chapter four and five, after Yoyo's mask is destroyed, they wear Koiwa Imyo's oversized headband around the lower half of their face.

However, before the fifth trial, Yoyo gives the headband to Kiichirou Kuromiya after Koiwa's death. For the rest of the game, Yoyo's face is entirely unhidden.

When their face finally is revealed, it's round scarred. There are scars, which appear to have been caused by something sharp, above their nose, left side of their jaw, right cheek, and underneath their left eye. Most notably, on their right cheek is the number '6', a scar that Yoyo describes as a branding. Their eyes are angled and cat-like, and their irises are bright amber. Above their eyes is a set of dark, round eyebrows.

(**CW** implication of self harm)

When Yoyo escapes the simulation with the rest of the survivors, their appearance, as a result from previously being under despair, has changed considerably. They're thinner, and scars cover their entire body, the majority being the number 6. These were self-inflicted wounds Yoyo gave themself when in despair.

Their hair is unruly and is no longer styled. It's incredibly long, going past their ankles, and is thick. A few sections of uneven hair hang over their shoulders and disheveled bangs cover their face. A small section of hair is pulled into a ponytail at the bottom.

Like this, Yoyo wears a red kimono robe, with black ribbon tied around their waist and hanging off. The kimono is torn, particularly at the hem, and leads down to their ankles. Bandages cover their feet.

Bandages are also wrapped around their face; over their mouth and left eye.

## Personality

At the very beginning of the game, Yoyo presents themself as a loud, protective person. As soon as they realize they may be in danger, they make it a point to address everyone's health and assume the role of a protector, calling themself 'the formidable archer.' During this time, they are also incredibly skittish. When they first wake up at the circus, they lurk about and keep an eye out for any potential 'villains.' When they are approached by Kiichirou Kuromiya, they instinctively reach for their weapon. They've harmed no one like this, however, and it's seen more as a bad habit stemming from their paranoia.

Though jumpy, Yoyo is notably kind, even from the very beginning of the game. They would often patrol and explore any accessible areas for anything dangerous, and would regularly check up on the other participants, asking if they were alright and if Yoyo could do anything for them. Yoyo would also try to be useful in other ways, such as theorizing the mastermind's true motivations with Koiwa Imyo, and firing an arrow over the wall per Kiichirou's suggestion, to signal for help. Yoyo even stayed behind for a couple hours, alone, to see if there would be a response. Once the mastermind revealed the game was nothing more than a simulation, though, the latter actions ended up moot.

Yoyo's attempts at being helpful are not fueled by pure kindness, however. Their actions can extend far past their own comfort, such as when they offered Monroe Yabusame their mask during the smoke motive, despite it being an intense comfort item at the time. Sometimes Yoyo offhandedly mentions 'working to redeem themself,' even outside of being a despair, implicating that they've done something unforgiveable that requires redemption.

Jumpiness aside, Yoyo is incredibly energetic in general. When talking with others, they often bounce on their feet, move their hands, or mess with their mask or quiver. Their energy shows through their speech, too. They always speak with enthusiasm, and they can talk a *lot*.

Despite their energy, outgoingness, and kindness, they are socially awkward. They try their best to speak formally, but more often than note, their childishness and enthusiasm overpowers it. Yoyo can act polite and confident, but they usually end up taking it back and apologizing profusely, assuming they've said something wrong. Such as when they were talking about their talent with Koiwa, and then asking for his own, before taking their words back, thinking it was rude for them to assume he was an Ultimate like they were.

Yoyo hasn't actually interacted much with the outside world, explaining their lack of proper social skills. They are incredibly easy to impress because of this, though. There are many things they've never even heard of, such as aromatherapy, which they only learned about from Koiwa. They're particularly clueless with modern technology, which luckily doesn't come into play much during the game. This trait shows up very early, when they're obviously entranced by the mastermind's entrance. Yoyo shakes that off quickly, though, not wanting themself to be fooled by somebody they considered an enemy at the time.

Despite their talent and intense personality, they don't have any desire to hurt people; in fact, they seem to resent violence completely. The only time they've pulled their bow on someone was when they very first met the mastermind, and that was more to make her keep her distance than to threaten her. Most of their aggression really comes from being unable to protect someone, even though they often direct it at others. An example is when they demand the mastermind for the name of the very first victim, as they didn't want him to be forgotten. They're often intense during trials, thinking that if they could not protect the victim(s), then they could at least work to protect everyone else by refusing to let the killer get away.

When the killer eventually is found, though, Yoyo offers them kindness in their last moments, such as apologizing to Kimiko Isobe, and hugging Rina Shinomasa before her execution, thanking her for being their friend. When they wrongly accuse both Cupid and Shunji Iwao, Yoyo approaches them both after the trial, apologizing intently.

Though impressionable, they can be narrowminded, such as when they accused Cupid and Shunji during the trial instead of questioning Monroe, a much closer friend than the other two. Kogeki Minichua even calls them biased during one of their conversations, which Yoyo hesitantly accepts, before saying they'll work on it.

It's easy for them to trust people, which is something even they acknowledge, but it is not something they consider a weakness. They're a bit too quick to believe in their friends, like the aforementioned trial with Monroe, and when Kogeki convinces them to give them one of their arrows for an unexplained reason. There are even times they show kindness to the mastermind. Yoyo doesn't hold grudges, either, even if they can't forgive somebody. They think that as long as they know what they did was wrong and are working to improve themselves; they are perfectly worthy of forgiveness and kindness. Yoyo would be a hypocrite to think otherwise.

Despite their straightforwardness, they hide secrets, and it isn't hard to realize that. They grow paranoid during the third motive, secret sharing, which they try to hide. Whenever an announcement played, Yoyo would cover their ears, trying to ignore it, knowing that they wouldn't want anyone listening to any of their secrets, so why should Yoyo listen to the secrets of others? When Carmen Knitbone asks if they can talk, Yoyo is worried that she figured out their secret, but they relax when they realize she only wants to know about the clues they've gathered about the game.

Unfortunately, the mastermind reveals their secret soon afterwards, the secret that Yoyo has killed at least six people outside of despair. After that, Yoyo tries to close themself off. For a while, they don't approach anyone. Regardless, they try to remain optimistic, such as noting that the mastermind sounded hesitant to reveal their secret. Unfortunately, though, their doubt overpowers their hope. They fear that they'll be resented, which would be entirely understandable. They took the lives of six, after all.

When Kiichirou finds them and shows kindness, it confuses Yoyo. Ever since they took those lives, Yoyo has tried hard to redeem themself. They show kindness and trust to almost everyone they meet, and they work to protect others and be as helpful as they can. They're a weapon, but Yoyo doesn't want to hurt anymore. They want to protect. They had thought they failed when the mastermind outed them, yet people would still continue to be kind to them, which confused them greatly. They had hurt, they had killed, and hardly anyone even knew why they did it, and they still consider them worthy of kindness and their friendship, something that confused them to no end. For Yoyo, they deserved resentment. They had lied about being a protector; they had tricked everyone into thinking they were a good friend, and they people treated them as nothing less.

After that, Yoyo works even harder to redeem themself, to protect everyone else. When the mastermind reveals herself as Mizuki Hojo, and lunges for Koiwa, Yoyo doesn't hesitate before blocking the way to protect Koiwa and take Mizuki's blade instead. They survive, to their surprise, even if their mask broke. Yoyo had thought that Koiwa would have been annoyed with them, maybe saying that he could have protected himself, but their confusion returns when he seems distressed over Yoyo. Concerned, for some reason. Yoyo didn't know why; they were perfectly fine. They *had* to protect him. Why was he worried over a killer?

Eventually, Yoyo brings up their worries with Kiichirou, and that's when they realize their similar mindsets. The difference is that Yoyo's forgiveness applies only to others, and not themself, something they hadn't realized until then. With newfound confidence, they pull Kiichirou into a work, and work on their goals. They would no longer beat themself up over what they did. They couldn't quite forgive themself yet, and even if it felt selfish, they would protect themself, too, along with everyone else. And they would let others protect them.

Determined, Yoyo makes it through the rest of the game, even when they lose friends. They remember their names and shared moments, so they can carry those memories out of the killing game and back home. Even if it was hard, they get through it, remaining optimistic and kind despite it all. When Yuku Ruretto mentions this optimism, though, along with how they don't think they've seen Yoyo anything other than happy, they hesitate to respond. Yoyo had tried to act strong throughout the game, so they can be someone people can rely on, someone worth being both a protector and a friend. There were many, many times where they were frightened, angry, and sad, yet Yuku's right when they say they haven't actually expressed that much.

Despite their otherwise open, intense, and energetic personality, Yoyo has a hard time being vulnerable in a way that meant showing their bad feelings, and is something they only consider after talking with Yuku. Even during the group therapy that Koiwa organized, they don't express their negativity, only deciding to encourage the other survivors, no matter what happens.

When Koiwa dies the very next day, that determination leaves. Yoyo forces themself to stay strong, to keep themself together, to help lead the trial. When Yuku, then Kogeki, then Kiichirou finally breaks, Yoyo wants to break too. For the rest of the game, Yoyo forces themself to stay together. All the pain this game has brought, the pain that Yoyo has tried hard to ignore in favor of protecting everyone else, finally becomes overwhelming, but Yoyo shuts it down too.

Yoyo focuses on the others. Yuku, Kogeki, Kiichirou, even Mizuki, were all too overwhelmed to do anything, so Yoyo tries to protect them, because if they don't, who will? They had to protect them; they had to watch over them, because if they look too much into themself, they'll break, and what use does a weapon have if it's broken?

With Kiichirou's permission, Yoyo organizes another group therapy session in his trailer for him, Yuku, Kogeki, and Yoyo themself. They encourage the others, only the others, because it wasn't about Yoyo, because if it was about Yoyo, they'd break too. Slowly, though, Yoyo can't help but let down their walls, just a bit. They encourage everyone, and soon enough, they're all ready and determined to finish this game, find the ringmaster, and live. After the session, Yoyo talks with Souji Rokuda, too. They're all in this together, after all.

They were prepared for the end. Mizuki would die, no matter how much they didn't want her to, they'd wake up safe, and they'd find the ringmaster. They prepared themself, and they would be strong. When the end came, though, it wasn't at all like what they had prepared for. Yoyo stays strong by preparing themself for what there is to come, because they cannot allow themself to fall and break and shatter.

(**CW** *implication of ptsd/panic attacks*)

Yoyo is heavily implied to have PTSD, because when they wake up, they panic. They cannot stand the sight and smell of a hospital or lab, and that's just where they woke up. The smell of chemicals and the sight of plain walls and the people in white coats set them off. When Yuku and Kiichirou help them, they're embrassed, but they can't get the strength to pull themself back together.

They allow themself to be vulnerable. When they talk, there's fear and worry in their voice, scared that the ringmaster will be a friend. When Souji reveals himself, they're angry. They don't hide their anger, because they know even if they break, Yuku, Kogeki, and Kiichirou will be there to help them. Oddly, Yoyo doesn't blame him for hating them, or hating remnants, rather, they're angry that he put innocents in danger.

Despite it all, Yoyo spares him. Maybe it's foolish of Yoyo to do so, maybe they really are too trusting, still, but they think that if someone like themself can be redeemed and worthy of kindess and forgiveness, then Souji can too, if he gets the strength and help he needs. When Yoyo realizes the game is finally over, and that they can go home, they're happy. Well and truly happy, with both their friends and with themself.

## Yoyo's Fate

Despite the many near death incidents, Yoyo survived the Cirque Du Simulation killing game.

## Quotes

### Prologue

* "*Comrades! Is everybody unharmed? I am Yoyo Zhao! The formidable archer!*" (Upon meeting the other killing game participants)

### Chapter One

* "*Koiwa Imyo, Koiwa Imyo, Koiwa Imyo... Haha! Your name has been committed to memory, Mister Koiwa!*" (Upon meeting Koiwa)
* "*I don't think I have any way to pay you back though, um... Do you like sticks? I can collect sticks!*" (When offered one of Koiwa's candles)
* "*Hmm... well, even if we did really bad things before, stuff we can't even remember, we're different now! So instead of focusing on the bad stuff we did, it's a lot better to redeem ourselves from it! You're still Ultimate Hope for a reason, Mister Kiichirou*!" (After Kiichirou calls his talent ironic)
* "*Miss Mastermind? What is the name of the victim? [Nico Tenga] ...Name has been committed to memory! Even if none of us got to know him, he will not be forgotten!*" (Wanting to honor the first victim)
* "*If you recognize a small, fake, white flower, please speak up now! I promise, whether you are the witness or somebody who only knows of them, no negative consequences will come to you so long as you give us the truth and nothing but the truth! ...Um, please?*" (Trying to out the blackened or secret witness)

### Chapter Two

* "*I*plan*on taking this game and breaking it apart! I don't want to follow the rules that*Enoshima *made. Because even if Miss Mastermind says this is her own game, it's just a copy of what Enoshima did. I don't want to*win *something like that, but I refuse to die here either! I don't know how yet, but we'll get out of here without bending to Enoshima's rules! ...Ah! Apologies for rambling so much!*" (When asked how they plan on escaping the game)
* "*Even if you 'live' for the show, isn't your life more important...?*" (After Kogeki says he plans on dying at the end of the game)
* "*Nothing will make up for what we've done, of course, but dying for it isn't going to help anything. We can't change the past, so the best we can do is change ourselves for the better right now so we can change the*future *for the better!*" (Trying to encourage Kogeki)

### Chapter Three

* "*Eat shit...*" (Quietly insulting The Mastermind)
* "*By the way! I told her to... 'eat shit...!' Like you said! I couldn't tell it to her face to face, but I still told her!*" (Speaking with Koiwa after talking to The Mastermind)
* "*...It might, um, be too early to assume though! And about her lying, hmm... probably. I feel like she's lying about hating despairs, honestly... 'cause she's been helping us out and stuff! From what we've learned so far it sounds like some of her hatred is more, um... personal! If that makes sense.*" (Talking about The Mastermind with Koiwa)
* "*...Oh! Oh! Hello Kiichi—Mister Kiichirou! Huh? Yes, yes! I am alright... just a bit... shaken up! As I'm sure anybody would be, after getting their secret exposed... How about you? Are you healing alright?*" (Being sought out after having their secret exposed)
* "*...Ah, you're right... I'm still convinced he would have liked you! And because you two never got to meet, we'll just have to become even stronger friends! For Monroe! And we'll find out what's up with this foundation — what's up with this killing game! — and escape for him too! And for everyone else as well.*" (Talking to Carmen about the late Monroe)
* "*My family has always trained me; they wanted me to go to war. One day they handed me over to a group of people who were supposed to train me to become even stronger and it... It worked, but it... hurt. A lot. And it was scary. One day I was too scared, and I ended up hurting them back and I*—*...I ended up killing one of them. And then another. And then... a lot more, until I was able to escape from all of them.*" (When asked about their secret)

### Chapter Four

* "*...Thank you. You're a good pal too.*" (After the third trial)
* "*I know you say you don't plan on it, but, um, if you*do *get out of here with the rest of us, that's something you can look forward too! After everything that's happened... I don't think it'd be one of the grander plays I'm sure you've gotten used to, but a show's a show!*" (Discussing theatre with Kogeki)
* "*Aha! Well, I am glad you are taking it easy! If there is any way I can help you 'vibe,' do let me know!*"
* "*I've had*much*more serious near-death experiences! Aha! It will take much more than that to scare Yoyo Zhao!*" (Speaking with Kiichirou after the rot and decay motive dropped)
* "*It was my, um, 'number!' Like a branding! ...Well, the full number is actually*13.6.*I was a part of some*specific *project of theirs... I don't really know what it was.*" (Telling Kiichirou about Bionic)
* "*But, um, even if they did give me medicine to make me stronger, I became an Ultimate because of my own skill I worked hard to gain! Don't let what I said make you think I'm any less of the formidable archer I claim to be!*"
* "*...I'm sorry. Thank you for being my friend... you better be sure to live freely in your next life! Alright?*" (Last words to Rina before she's executed)

### Chapter Five

* "*...I agree. Mizuki seems to be*trying *to work around the game as best she can... I don't know if I'll be able to ever really forgive her, but if she's an ally, I want to help her!*" (Talking about Mizuki with Yuku)
* "*This game bought us*one *good thing, yes? Each other. So we'll get out of here together! And bring the memories of those who had passed with us*!" (Motivating the survivors)
* "...*Mister Koiwa is right. No matter what happens, it won't have to stay bad. Our pain and efforts — and everybody else's pain and efforts — won't go to waste. We'll make sure of that! No matter what, we'll protect each other, and then we'll go home.*"
* "*Eat shit.*" (Insulting Mizuki to her face)

### Chapter Six

* "*You're both guilty, you both had your reasons, and you're both trying to make up for it. That's enough. Koiwa, he... he was my friend, but so are the both of you. I don't know if it's the right decision or the wrong one, or even neither, but I want to forgive you both. So I will. I can't speak on Mister Kiichirou's behalf, but I forgive both of you... I don't want you to blindly go with what I said. If there's anything else you all have been holding back, I want you to share it. We... a lot is going to happen soon, so I want us to... talk. I want to talk before we go home together.*" (Talking to Kiichirou, Yuku and Kogeki)
* "*I feel hopeful, I feel determined, and I feel love. Things I thought I'd never feel, or deserved to feel, again.*"
* "*Um, be sure to take care of yourself as best as you can, alright? You're... a nice person, despite everything. You deserve to feel at peace by the time everything's over.*" (Speaking to Mizuki)
* "*You missed out on today's group therapy session, but you are still included in this, you know. When we say that*all *of us are getting out of here and going home together, we mean it! You still have animals to care for, no? Maybe we could all get a pet... like a therapy lizard, or something.*"
* "*Fine. Hate us. Despise us. We've been expecting that from the very start. But why bring*innocents *into this? You're threatening to blow them all up right this second. Did they make you suffer too? ...You've done your reveal. What now? What are you waiting for? Do you even*want *to do this anymore?*" (Questioning The Ringmaster's motives)
* "*We're home... we're home! Aha! Group hug...?*" (They survived)

## Trivia

* Post game, they adopt a lizard for themself and the rest of the survivors. Yoyo calls her a therapy lizard and has named her 'The Destroyer.' They call her Dessie for short.
* Yoyo is a participant in the 'Despair Overhaul' RPG, a non canon RPG in which various Despair Overhaul survivors are forced to go through another killing game. Yoyo's fate in this RPG is currently unknown.
* Yoyo had the most scrapped plans of any of the characters in the rpg.
	+ Initially, Yoyo was intended to either fall back into despair and become a blackened during three, or be the subject of another scrapped plan that same chapter where the despairing blackened injured someone, sending them back into despair. This plan was scrapped altogether.
	+ They were also briefly considered to be a third blackened, alongside Kogeki and Yuku, in chapter five.