Nursery Rhymes

Nursery Rhymes is a femslash ship between Kaede Akamatsu and Maki Harukawa in the Danganronpa fandom.

Canon
After Kaede and Maki introduced themselves as Ultimates, Kaede claims that the children could see Maki's true soul and that Maki is capable of deep love.

Despite Kaede's kindness towards Maki, the latter has been shown to distrust her, openly showcasing dislike for her. She even blames Kaede for destroying the unity that she had tried to create between the students.

However, Maki seems to have a somewhat better relationship with Kaede in the Ultimate Talent Development Plan, to such a point where Kaito wonders how since they were so close. Despite she calls her relationship with Kaede an “arrangement” she is usually seen with her, a clear sign that her friendship is almost to Shuichi Saihara and Kaito’s, promising that she will find a way to make Kaede plays the piano to the children of her orphanage. At the same time, Maki still tends to be cold towards her - an example is when she offers herself to accompany Chihiro Fujisaki to Gundam Tanaka to ask for a proper burial for a deceased bird found by the latter who, surprised by the kind deed, is brief by Kaede who says that behind the caregiver's edgy surface there is a really sincere person, which Maki replies with a cold but embarrassed way, scolding Kaede that she has no need to come with them, much to the pianist’s dismay.

Fanon
The ship sailed as a result of both characters being the main heroines (although Kaede only temporarily) of New Danganronpa V3. A promotional picture (this page's infobox picture) showing them together in a rather suggestive pose also helped.

It is one of the most written Danganronpa V3 ships on Archive of Our Own.

Fandom
AO3

DeviantArt

Tumblr

Trivia

 * Both are the main heroines of New Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony, with Kaede being the protagonist of the Prologue and Chapter 1 and Maki being the female with the most screentime and character development.
 * Both are also implied love interest of the main heroes of the game, Shuichi Saihara and Kaito Momota respectively.
 * Both were also playable characters at some point, with Kaede being the protagonist of the Prologue and Chapter 1 (until the switch during the Class Trial) and Maki being playable during one segment in the final Class Trial.