Harukawa Ayame - Thank you, and good to see you! I guess we'll have to wait and see what happened to Shiho! Everything you listed will be answered in the trial, and as always, I'm happy to hear you enjoyed the investigation, and hope that you enjoy the trial! Thanks for the review!
AnonChan1 - Good to see you back! My two months have been, well, busy, to say the least, but I should be able to be get back on track with the story pretty soon! Thank you for asking! Your questions will certainly be answered throughout the trial. As always in the Danganronpa franchise there will be five areas, so take that as you will, I guess! Shiho, the mastermind? Goodness, I guess we'll see! Thanks for the review!
Colton989: Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the review!
4stonish: Hey there, awesome to see you back! Absolutely, Taiyo really is interesting to write! I'm glad you enjoyed, and I hope you continue to do so! Thanks for the review!
tobi-is-an-artist-too: Hey there, it's always great to see new faces! You like Shiho and Taiyo, do you? They're definitely in my top 5, too! Ah, so Harukawa Ayame sent you? I'm honored to both of you! Hopefully this killing game in space will meet your expectations! Thanks for the review!
Monokuma: Let's start with a basic explanation of the class trial! So, your votes will determine the results. If you can figure out "whodunnit" then only they will receive punishment, but of you pick the wrong one… I'll punish everyone besides the blackened, and the culprit will earn the right to return to earth!
Satoshi: And the killer… Are they really among us?
Monokuma: You better believe it! Sad, right?
Satoshi: …
Monokuma: Well then, I don't want to keep you all waiting! Let's begin!
Mariella: Begin? How?
Taiyo: By tearing the face off of whoever did this, of course.
Shoji: Relax, Taiyo. Keep it together.
Akilina: Shusuke, are you okay? You look like you're in pain.
Minori: Probably from when he decided to fall down the stairs, earlier.
Shusuke: I just sprained my foot a little, don't worry about it.
Sakiko: We don't plan to worry about it.
Miya: It's fine. We'll get you fixed up, right after this is over with.
Minori: Granted he's not the killer, of course…
Mariella: That's… not funny...
Shusuke: Forget about me, for now. Shouldn't we focus on figuring out where everyone was, at the time all of this happened?
Shin: You mean so we can narrow down suspects? Doesn't sound too bad of a plan.
Eiji: I will follow your lead! With the assistance of the stars, this will be over before it even begins!
NON-STOP DEBATE
Shusuke: I don't know about you guys…
Shusuke: … but I was in my room, reading comics.
Miya: I was asleep since 9pm…
Miya: … Take that as you will.
Akilina: I think everyone must have been sleeping at the time…
Akilina: Since I was doing the same thing.
NO, THAT'S WRONG!
Used Truth Bullet: Taiyo's Account
Satoshi: Hey, Aki, were you really in your room at the time of the murder?
Akilina: Y-Yes, why?
Satoshi: Taiyo told me, earlier, that your scent was all over the entertainment room, like you were there before.
Taiyo: That's right. The blood did mask the smell, slightly, but I'm certain of it.
Miya: We were there this morning, weren't we? Could it have been that?
Taiyo: No, the smell was too strong. If that had been the case, the rest of your scents would have still been there, too.
Minori: The guy has a point.
Taiyo: For her smell to be that strong, she must must have been there for a good few hours, at least.
Sakiko: Your so fuckin' weird! Your deducing this off of smell?
Kazumi: Akilina, could you tell us your side of the story?
Akilina: …
Shoji: You don't need to be afraid, just tell us.
Akilina: It's not that… I just don't want to throw anyone off…
Sakiko: Throw anyone off? What are you talking about?
Akilina: You're right... I was in the entertainment room with Chinami, shortly before she died…
Taiyo: There it is, I told you.
Shusuke: If that's the case, then why did you lie to us?
Akilina: I couldn't just say it, straight up! That would have made me look suspicious!
Mika: It's true, it is kind of weird!
Akilina: …
Minori: What were you doing in the Entertainment Room at that hour?
Akilina: I was already there before Chinami arrived... I didn't feel like going back to my room.
Shin: If that's the case, then what time did you leave?
Akilina: It's not that simple… I… I had to escape…
Mariella: Escape…?
She had to escape?
Wait a second, she's right!
She must have used that!
HANGMAN'S GAMBIT
S H A T T E R E D W I N D O W
THAT MUST BE IT!
Satoshi: Wait a second. Aki, you must have used broken the window in the storage room, right?
Akilina: Yeah, it was pretty high though, so I had to boost myself, using some boxes.
Eiji: Were there no supplies you could have used to defend yourself?
Akilina: Well… I tried looking, but there was nothing I could use...
Minori: Some storage room…
Shin: You said you smashed the window, right? Wouldn't the killer have heard that?
Shoji: That's true. It certainly should have been loud enough.
Kazumi: Assuming that they were still fighting Hasekura, I don't think they would have had the time to pursue her.
Miya: In that case, they probably just chose to ignore it.
Shusuke: It all adds up. If all of this is true, then Aki must be innocent, after all!
- REBUTTAL SHOWDOWN: KAGURA HATA -
- "Sorry, but I must stop you, there." -
Kagura: None of you seem to have considered this, but what about the possibility of an accomplice?
Satoshi: An accomplice…?
Kagura: It's plausible, wouldn't you say? We can't just overlook the fact that Aki was inside the entertainment room at such a precise time.
DEBATE: BEGIN!
Kagura: First of all, I'm not trying to say that Aki is the killer…
Kagura: She could very well have just been working for the true culprit, or vice-versa…
Kagura: The timing is too precise, don't you think it's rather strange?
COUNTER ARGUMENT!
Satoshi: But wait, Aki ran into the storage room to hide from the killer, remember?
Satoshi: Why would she do that if she was working with them, the whole time?
Kagura: I believe that everything could have been just an act…
Kagura: It's possible that everything was set up to make us believe otherwise...
Kagura: Perhaps she just acted scared, in a futile attempt to seem innocent…
NO, THAT'S WRONG
Used Truth Bullet: Akilina's Account
Satoshi: No, that can't be it. There's no way she was lying.
Kagura: Is that so? Please explain, if you will.
Satoshi: Aki's a naturally confident person. Before I questioned her about whether or not she had been to the entertainment room, she was comforting Mari, who had left the room earlier. She only showed signs of nervousness after I asked her about it.
Mika: But… Wouldn't that just add to Kagura's theory?
Satoshi: No, why would she act like that, only after being accused of something? It would only make her look more suspicious.
Shusuke: That does add up.
Sakiko: Damn straight, if she wanted to put on an act of nervousness, then she would have done so from the start.
Kazumi: Precisely. That would have been the only way to make it believable.
Kagura: I understand, it looks like I was wrong.
Akilina: No, it's fine...
Sakiko: Then keep your mouth shut, before spouting stupid shit, next time.
Kagura: I only bring up whatever I deem necessary. I think every possibility should be considered, that's all.
Sakiko: Whatever, stop talking through your ass.
Kagura: …
Monokuma: I should probably add, that if there are two people are involved with a murder, only the person who dealt the killing blow is allowed to leave.
Taiyo: So… It would be pointless then?
Monokuma: Exactly, unless you want to die, that is.
Shusuke: Whoa! That was a close one, Aki!
Akilina: W-What do you mean, "that was a close one"?
Shin: Anyway, there's that cleared up.
Mariella: Then, what's next?
Minori: The murder weapon. We need to figure out what exactly the killer used.
Eiji: The Monokuma File described it as a "heavy, blunt object"
Shoji: All right, the sooner we figure this out, the better.
NON-STOP DEBATE
Eiji: The stars… They are trying to tell me something…
Eiji: … But I can't seem to grasp it.
Shoji: A heavy, blunt object…
Shoji: … Some kind of bat, maybe…?
Mika: The pool table was completely knocked over…
Mika: Maybe they used that!
Kagura: Perhaps the killer used…
Kagura: … One of Monokuma's provided weapons...
KAGURA, I AGREE WITH THAT!
Used Truth Bullet: Hammer
Satoshi: Shin and I were in the gym earlier, and we found this hammer, with what seems to be bloodstains on it.
Shusuke: Yeah, I can see the blood on the handle.
Shin: The killer probably wasn't able to clean it in time, which allowed the blood to stain.
Miya: That, or they probably rushed it, wanting to leave as soon as they could.
Taiyo: Does that mean the cue was meant to put us off track?
Kazumi: The killer wouldn't have been aware of the Monokuma File, yet, so probably.
Mariella: So they wanted to make us believe the cue was what killed her, when in reality, it was the hammer, right?
Shoji: Exactly, let's just be glad the killer made the mistake of not cleaning it, fast enough.
Minori: So, it looks like we've managed to figure out two things, so far. First of all, it's more than likely that Aki isn't the killer, and that the hammer Satoshi and I found was the murder weapon used.
Kagura: Are there any other possible suspects?
Miya: What about the first person to discover the body?
Akilina: I guess that would work.
Shusuke: Satoshi, weren't you the first one to find Chinami in the entertainment room?
Satoshi: Y-Yeah…
Crap…
Is the suspicion beginning to fall on me?
Sakiko: If that's the case, can you prove to us that you're not involved? Maybe an alibi, or something?
I don't have anything…
I can't just say that I went for a walk around the school, that would look way too suspicious…
Mariella: Satoshi, what were you doing in the school at a time like that?
Taiyo: Could it be that you're the killer? If you have no alibi, we have no reason think otherwise.
Sakiko: I hate to agree with the mutt, but he's right. Who's to say that you're not the killer?
Kazumi: Me.
Shoji: Kazumi, do you know something about this?
Kazumi: I should not have to say anything. It should be obvious that Yokota is not the killer.
Taiyo: You sound pretty cocky, why don't you prove it?
Can Kazumi really prove that I'm not the killer...?
What does he have in mind...?
Damn it, it looks like I have no choice…!
DUEL DEBATE
SATOSHI & KAZUMI
VS.
SAKIKO & TAIYO
BEGIN
Sakiko: If you have something in mind, then fuckin' spit it out, already!
Taiyo: You think Satoshi just happened to be going for a nightly stroll? Tell me you're not serious.
Kazumi: Yokota would have no reason to do this to Hasekura.
Kazumi: You are making baseless accusations without any factual evidence.
Sakiko: You sound like a broken record, we're actually doing the opposite.
Sakiko: We're making accusations based on factual evidence!
Satoshi: I couldn't sleep, so I went for a walk around the school.
Satoshi: Whether you believe me or not, that's the truth!
Taiyo: It's not like we don't want to believe you.
Taiyo: But there's no evidence that's proves what you said is true.
KAZUMI & SATOSHI: NO, THAT'S WRONG!
Used Truth Bullet: Monokuma File #1
Kazumi: No, what you are saying is wrong, there certainly is evidence that proves Yokota is not the killer.
Taiyo: Yeah? What's that?
Satoshi: That's right, I just remembered… The Monokuma File states the exact time the body was discovered. 12:01am, that's when Kazumi went to check it out.
Minori: So what are you trying to prove?
Kazumi: Monokuma, the body discovery announcement plays when three or more people discover a body, am I right?
Monokuma: I'll just say this. The body discovery announcement plays when three or more people discover a body for the first time.
Shin: Which would mean that the first three people to discover the body are innocent.
Miya: And these three people are…
Minori: Aki, Satoshi, and Kazumi, I would guess.
Mariella: Wait… Aki, you saw the body?
Akilina: Yeah… After everything went silent, I peeked through the door, and saw her…
Shoji: The killer wasn't there?
Akilina: This was probably when they went to go wash the hammer, but I didn't want to take any chances, so I escaped through the window…
Eiji: But didn't the killer already know you were there? Why would they do anything if they already chose not to?
Shin: Aki hadn't yet seen their face, so the killer probably didn't think too much of it. If she were to go out, there's a chance she would have saw them, and we would have had another possible victim on our hands.
Shoji: So Aki made the first discovery, then came Satoshi, and then the announcement played when Kazumi went to check it out. Is that about right?
Satoshi: Yeah, more or less…
Shusuke: That was when you guys all came out of your room, and why Kazumi wasn't with us at the time.
Sakiko: Well, duh. Did it really take you retards all this time to figure that out?
Mari: Retards? You were arguing against it just a minute ago!
Minori: She was messing with you, could you really not tell?
Sakiko: Heh, I guess some of you aren't as brain dead as I thought.
Akilina: So… Was Taiyo messing with us, too?
Minori: No… He seriously thought Satoshi was in on it.
Taiyo: …!
Mika: Hehehehe! I guess that makes Taiyo brain dead!
Taiyo: S-Shut up…!
Shin: Anyway, we just probably get back on track. Why don't we try to figure out what exactly happened during the fight, that might help us.
What happened during the fight…
It definitely looks like something big happened here…
If we can find out what exactly happened, we could be at an advantage…
NON-STOP DEBATE
Shoji: There was a lot of blood surrounding Chinami…
Shoji: Whatever happened must have been horrible…
Shin: The killing blow was caused by a hammer…
Shin: How would the killer have gotten close enough…
Shin: … to land a blow, like that?
Sakiko: If I were to make a guess…
Sakiko: The killer probably used the environment...
SAKIKO, I AGREE WITH THAT!
Used Truth Bullet: Flipped Pool Table
Satoshi: That's it… The killer must have used the environment to their advantage!
Shoji: The environment? How so?
Satoshi: Do you remember how the pool table inside the entertainment room was flipped over, on its side? The killer probably used it to knock her off balance.
Sakiko: Since Chinami had that crossbow of hers, running in to attack would have been reckless. The sneaky little bastard must have knocked the pool table into her, before she had the chance to attack.
Eiji: This must have been when the killer dealt the fatal blow.
Shusuke: Wait a second, do you think this is when the killer set up that thing with the cue?
Miya: That would be my guess.
Shusuke: Sorry, but I can't buy that. Wouldn't the killer have wanted to get out of there as soon as possible? If so, then why would they spend so much time carving down a cue, of all things?
Mariella: Didn't we already go over this? They wanted to throw us off track.
Minori: If they simply wanted to throw us off track, they would have just done the same thing with a knife, or something – what they did with the cue was unnecessary, that's what he's trying to say.
Taiyo: Who cares why they did it? It's not like it can help us, or anything.
Shusuke: I don't know if it can help, but I thought I should at least bring it up.
Shin: Actually, there's something about this situation that I find pretty weird, too. Inside the entertainment room, I found three cue's in total, including the one used in the murder.
Sakiko: Yeah, I saw those, too.
Shoji: Three cue's? Why would there be that many?
Mika: There were only three before, right?
Minori: Heh, looks like there's more to this than we once thought.
Three cues…?
Why are there that many in the entertainment room…?
Even if it's just paranoia, I need to make sure…
LOGIC DIVE
How many cue's were there inside the entertainment room, before the murder?
-(2)- (3)
Where would someone find an additional cue?
(The Storage Room) (The Dining Hall)
Who was the one that got the cue from the storage room?
(The Killer) (Akilina) (Chinami)
I SEE!
Satoshi: I get it now. Aki, you were the one who got the third cue from the storage room, weren't you?
Akilina: ...
Taiyo: We're back to Aki again, now?
Kazumi: You think that since she was in the storage room at the time, correct?
Satoshi: That's part of it, but there's one other reason why I think Aki is the one behind this.
Used Truth Bullet: Sharpened Cue
THAT'S IT!
Satoshi: Here, look at this.
Kagura: Yes, it's the sharpened cue, from earlier.
Satoshi: It is, but I wanted you to look how well the end was carved, almost like it was done by a professional.
Kazumi: You are right, this a certainly the work of an expert.
Minori: Aki, what's you're story behind this?
Akilina: Yeah, you're right. I got the cue from the storage room. I thought I could use it as a weapon against the killer, just in case.
Sakiko: So, why the hell didn't you tell us, before?
Akilina: I'm sorry, I didn't think it was necessary, since it doesn't really help us with the case.
Minori: The killer probably found the cue inside the storage room, after Aki had escaped, that's when they set everything up.
Miya: But why would they have returned to the entertainment room, even after everything they did?
Shoji: We were probably right in assuming that they had planned on using another weapon to hide how she was killed. After finding the sharpened cue, this only made it easier for them, especially considering the suspicion would fall on someone else.
Shin: Disregarding all that, there's something I think I should bring up.
Eiji: Indeed, enlighten us with your findings, Saturn!
Shin: I'm going to be brief here, who else heard the school's door open a few minutes before Monokuma's announcement played?
Shoji: That would probably be all of us, it's extremely loud, after all.
Mika: That would have been Satoshi, right?
Shoji: Yeah, it would have definitely been him, and probably Kazumi, soon after.
Shin: Exactly, so why wouldn't we have heard the killer, too?
Shusuke: You mean, while they were leaving?
Shin: Yeah, I didn't hear anything before Satoshi's exit, and I'm sure the same goes for all of you, as well.
Miya: You're right, it is quite strange...
Eiji: Yes, quite the mystery indeed.
The killer…
Why wouldn't we have heard them leaving the building…
NON-STOP DEBATE
Shin: I feel like this might be important…
Shin: Why didn't we hear the killer leaving the school?
Taiyo: Maybe they messed with the system.
Taiyo: … If that's possible, anyway.
Mariella: What about the storage room?
Mariella: They could have escaped using the broken window.
NO, THAT'S WRONG!
Used Truth Bullet: Escape Route
Satoshi: No, that can't be right. Earlier, while we were investigating the storage room, it was established that only someone with a petite build could have fit through that opening, and judging by its size, even then it would be troublesome.
Taiyo: So? That just means the killer could be someone small.
Sakiko: No way, judging by everyone here, the only two who should have been able to fit through that opening would have been Aki and Shiho, and since Monokuma ran off with the latter, I think it's safe to say that it's out of the question.
Mariella: Are you sure, like, definitely?
Sakiko: Are you stupid? Did you see the window? I'm surprised that even Aki managed to squeeze through that thing!
Akilina: Quit getting angry, she was just making sure.
Sakiko: How about you shut your trap? Fuckin' freak!
Kazumi: Enough! I will not allow such hostility at such a critical time!
Shin: Aki, what do you think?
Akilina: About the window, you mean? Even I wasn't sure if I would get through it at first, so it was kind of a gamble…
Minori: Do you think anyone else but you would have been able to climb through it?
Akilina: Probably not.
Taiyo: Probably? That doesn't sound convincing.
Akilina: No, they definitely wouldn't have been able to climb through it.
Shusuke: Well, there's that cleared up!
Kazumi: Good, since there's something else that I want to bring up, something that might bring this case to a close.
Shoji: Wait, you mean you know who did this?
Kazumi: I have a decent idea, and this small piece of evidence might just prove it.
Small piece of evidence…
What does he mean?
Wait, maybe…
Used Truth Bullet: Strange Passage
I'VE GOT IT!
Satoshi: You must be talking about that weird passage we found earlier, right?
Kazumi: Ah, so you remember.
Miya: Weird… passage?
Satoshi: Earlier, Kazumi led Shin and I over to the flower garden behind he school. While there, he showed us a faint bypass, that made it seem like someone had recently walked right through them. What's weird, however, is that it seemed like it had come straight from a solid wall.
Minori: It came from a wall? What?
Mika: Minori, are you the killer?
Shusuke: Whoa, straight out there!
Minori: L-Like hell I am! Go take your accusations and shove 'em up your ass!
Akilina: She probably just asked since your a stage magician.
Minori: Yeah, so what?
Mariella: It does make you look suspicious.
Minori: How many times do I need to say it? It's all fake! Quit accusing me, damn it!
Sakiko: I'm surprised that you morons haven't figured it out, yet. The killer should be fuckin' obvious, by now.
Taiyo: What? Then tell us, already!
Eiji: The answer is in arms reach! Sakiko, tell us!
Sakiko: As soon as you mentioned the wall and that passage, it became clear as day. Figure it out, yourselves.
The wall… and the passage…
Wait a minute…
That person… That person could have used their talent to…
T-That's it… The killer…
It could only be you!
SELECT SOMEONE
- SHUSUKE NAKANO -
"YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE!"
Wew, another doozy!
I hope you all enjoyed the first part of the trial, and it satisfies your desire for more content, for the time being!
Also, there's a question I'd like to ask anyone reading this story. If you want to answer, great! If not, no hard feelings!
Who are your top five characters, so far? I'm curious to know who I should write better! Thanks a lot!