A.N. Yay! Another chapter! At the time of writing this, I had just posted chapter 9. So, let me thank AstridClaire for her support and fantastic ideas, and let me tell you guys where I want to take this fanfic.
I was already planning to do something for Danganronpa 2, with some nods and moments of Ultra Despair Girls thrown in (great game if you haven't played. There's something really satisfying about blowing up Monokumas), but I never really intended to connect the two fics, other than the obvious links. But now I want to connect the two, and have four fanfictions total that go one after another. You won't have to have read one to read the others (other than to get all of the references), but I want to really mesh my writing with this series!
On the bright side, that means that I am really dedicated to this fic, and am determined to finish it in a timely manner!
Disclaimer: I don't own anything other than Ayano! Please support the official release!
Warnings: Character death, descriptions of gore, cursing, angst, etc. If you can play the game or watch the show, then you'll probably be fine.
Side Note: Some of you pointed out that I didn't change the death counter. That wasn't a mistake. Until Monokuma gives us an official body notice, it's not concrete. I have to keep it official or the bear will yell at me.
X X X
Classmate Total: 13 :) 3 *_*
"Good...ing! Hello?...I said...ood...morn...Ayano! Wake up! Goooooooood morning!" The voice, fading in and out as sleep tried to keep its grip on me, seemed to be growing more and more impatient.
Blearily, I opened my eyes to see who was talking to me. I was lying on my side, and the voice seemed to originate from somewhere beside my bed. My vision was filled with a red eye leering over me, Monokuma's plushy form inches away from me.
"Aaaah!" I screamed, instinct rolling me the opposite way and lunging for the gold katana on the bedside table.
Clutching it tightly, I spun back to Monokuma, my adrenaline surging through me. I wasn't fully awake, but I was prepared to defend myself should the bear try anything funny.
The bear in question was almost doubled over, slapping a paw against his knee as it laughed. "Upupupu! That-That was amazing! The best reaction so far! I'm glad to see you didn't disappoint, Miss Valedictorian!"
Despite his non-threatening attitude, I was still wary. "What are you doing in my room, Principal Monokuma?" I asked, trying to be polite and not act like I was two seconds away from shish-kebabing the stupid thing. 'Did he figure out about the Clones? Is he here to attack me?'
"Oooh, that's nice!" he said, his cheeks turning pink. "No one else ever calls me 'Principal Monokuma!' Trying to suck up to me, are ya? Well, fine by me! Flattery will get you everywhere with this handsome bear."
I forced myself to keep smiling, despite the near overwhelming urge to roll my eyes. "Sure, whatever. But what are you doing here, sir?"
He stood tall, pleased with himself. "I wanted to spice things up! So instead of a school announcement, I decided to wake you up in person!"
"Why?!" I asked, nonplussed.
"Because it's fun," he said casually, with no ounce of shame. "And as long as I'm here, I figured I'd let you hear it right from the bear's mouth."
"Hear what?"
Monokuma giggled. "You sure are tense, Ayano. But perhaps that's a good thing. Since, ya know, something happened to one of yer buddy-buddy classmates."
Like a switch had been flipped, all of yesterday's events came crashing back, knocking the air from my lungs. Chihiro was...no Chihiro-Clone was dead, and Mondo-Clone killed him.
"Ayano? Hey, Ayano!" Monokuma shouted impatiently, waving a hand in front of my face. "You okay? Don't die while I'm here, I can't go back to jail!"
"What happened?" I asked, trying (and failing) to pull myself together. "Who was hurt?"
"Pupupupu! That's for me to know, and you to find out!" Monokuma said smugly. "Good luuuck!" And with that, he jauntily exited my room.
As soon as the door closed, I fell back on my bed, shivers shaking my body as I desperately hugged myself to gain some warmth. My hand was gold from the katana, and I wiped it on the bed's comforter, the paint reminding me of Leon's trial.
"I'm going to have to go through that again," I whispered aloud. "I'm going to have to watch someone be executed." And that was the best-case scenario. Still...there was nothing to do but move forward. I had always been able to adapt, and this situation was the ultimate test of my skills. No matter what, I couldn't lose hope.
"Alright," I said, standing, my fists clenched. "This is no time to hide. The others need me. To the dining hall I go."
And so, with determination flowing through me, despite the part of myself that wanted to curl up in a ball of misery, I marched to the dining hall.
When I arrived, Makoto, Hina, Hagakure, Sakura, and surprisingly, Togami, were already there, speaking in a group in the middle of the room.
"Ayano!" Hina shouted, throwing her arms around me as soon as I stepped into her line of sight. "Thank goodness! I was so worried that something had happened to you! Did Monokuma wake you up?"
"Yes," I said, a little shocked by Hina's actions. 'I didn't think she cared about me that much…' I gently pulled out of her hug, my face grim. "And he told me someone was hurt. Any ideas who it was? Did anyone else check in?"
Togami sighed, crossing his arms with an annoyed air. "As I already mentioned to Makoto, it's likely they're either trying to verify Monokuma's words…" He looked over at me, his frown deepening. "Or they've fallen victim to the 'something' Monokuma alluded to."
"But that's awful!" Hina cried. "You don't think-"
"Someone must have been killed," I said flatly, ignoring the looks of horror on my friends' faces. "I can think of no there reason for Monokuma to be in such a good mood, or to be so impatient to tell us that someone was hurt."
Hagakure took a step back, sweating worriedly. "S-So if something really did happen...Does that mean someone did it cuz of what happened yesterday?"
"It can't be!" Hina insisted, a frightened look on her face. "That stuff was just a bunch of old memories!"
"'Just old memories?'" Togami scoffed. "Don't be so sure about that. Clearly, someone felt it was more important."
I nodded. I'd said much the same yesterday, but it seems no one really took it seriously...except Mondo…
"Huh?" Makoto asked, surprised. "But I thought...
Togami tilted his head back, regarding him imperiously. "To judge someone else's values based on your own outlook...Do you realize how dangerous that is?"
"Wh-? Why didn't you say something yesterday?!" Hina growled.
Togami chuckled. "Did you already forget? Ayano said essentially the same thing."
Hina looked away, embarrassed. "W-Well...But when Ayano said it...I thought…"
"You thought I was being overdramatic?" I said evenly, trying not to show that her lack of trust in me hurt. "That I was being overly cautious?"
She lowered her head. "Well, my secret was so harmless...I thought…"
"Seriously, Hina?" I asked, annoyed. Even when I told her to be on-guard, to be ready for this kind of thing...to act like she had no idea, no feeling that this was coming… was beyond exasperating. It really made Togami's alone strategy a whole lot more appealing. "In our midst, we have a Biker Gang Leader, a Gambler, the head of one of the most powerful families in the world, and someone who doesn't even know their Talent or is hiding it!" I threw my hands up, shaking my head in disbelief. "Of course there's a very good possibility that someone has a dark secret! I doubt Monokuma would've gone to the trouble otherwise. Don't you see? This motive was targeting a select few, with all the harmless secrets in to hide which few."
I took a deep breath, trying to calm my exploding feelings. "I didn't want this to happen...But I was ready for it."
Togami nodded approvingly. "Exactly. This proves my point. Ayano gave you simpletons enough warning, and you still act surprised? Working together accomplishes very little, from what I've seen. What good does it do me to go out of my way to help you?"
"Stop saying that already!" The Swimmer shouted.
"There's something wrong with him, for serious," Hagakure said nervously. "Did he get brainwashed or something?"
"That's not important," Sakura cut in, her deep voice rumbling. "What matters now is that we find out what happened…"
"She's right," Togami said, smirking. "Let's all split up and begin looking...The game is afoot."
With that, he turned sharply and left the dining hall.
'Did he just quote Sherlock Holmes and think he can walk out of here without me teasing him for being uncharacteristically geeky?!' I thought incredulously, filing the moment away for future teasing. 'Not on my watch, Prodigy."
"Um, Ayano?"
"Hm?" I answered distractedly, no really in the mood to chat with Hina. 'The sooner I find Chihiro's body, the sooner I can get this nightmare over with.' It had occurred to me that I was assuming victim and killer, like I had done with Sayaka and Leon, but the thought of Chihiro killing Mondo was so impossible that the second I registered the thought, it was promptly dismissed and never seen again.
I picked up my camera, brought from my room and turned to leave when Hina's voice stopped me.
"I'm sorry for not believing you...I just couldn't believe that someone would actually…"
"I understand." I didn't turn around, looking instead at the exit. "I didn't want to believe it either. But, the truth is that we've only known each other for a few days. That's not nearly enough time to say what we would or wouldn't do. We just have to remember that its not our fault. It's Monokuma's."
Without giving her a chance to say anything more, I left. There was nothing more I could do, nothing more I could say, in this situation. This game was cruel and horrifying, but we would either adapt or die. And I intended to live, in order to save everyone.
'Alright,' I thought, steeling myself and wiping my emotions clean. 'Chihiro wanted to work out, so the most obvious place would be the weight room on the second floor.'
Destination in mind I quickly set out, taking time to glance in a few empty classrooms as I passed. Just in case.
As I neared the doors that marked the entryway into the pool and locker rooms, I saw a familiar green hood.
"Makoto!" I called, signalling him to wait up.
"Hey, Ayano," he said, smiling weakly. "Are you going to investigate the pool as well?"
"Well," I said, nearly smacking my own face in stupidity. I was the only one who knew Chihiro was the victim, so it was a little suspicious for me to run straight to where I thought he'd be. "I wanted to ask if you've seen Chihiro?"
He frowned worriedly. "No, I haven't. But, I haven't any of the others, either."
"Right," I said, lowering my head. "It's just...Chihiro is always in the dining hall, no matter what. And...she told me she wanted to do some training last night, and I don't know whether she got back."
Makoto's face paled. "She was walking around last night?"
I nodded bleakly. "Yes. I assumed she would've come here to train, and...I just needed to make sure she's not…"
The Lucky student nodded. "I understand. Let's go." He opened the door, and we walked inside.
Immediately upon entering the room, I could tell something was wrong. Physically, everything was in place, with all the extra pool and weight equipment neatly organized, and no signs of violence on either of the locker room doors. But...there was a...feeling in the air, like the room was holding its breath. Something happened here.
Makoto frowned, walking over to the blue door that marked the boys' locker room. "The door's open," he observed. "But aren't these supposed to be locked?"
Ding, Dong! Bing, Bong!
As if in reply to his statement, Monokuma appeared on the monitors. "For this investigation, I have unlocked the doors," he said in a chipper voice. "Please look around to your heart's content!"
"I-Investigation?!" Makoto exclaimed, looking back at me with wide eyes. "B-But that means…"
"Just as I thought," Togami's cool voice said from behind us.
"Byakuya!"
"Togami!"
He ignored our startled cries, gesturing to my camera. "Keep that handy. Judging from what he just said, there can be no doubt a murder really has taken place."
"C-Come on…!" Makoto protested weakly.
"And the locker rooms," he continued smoothly. "They're suspicious. Very suspicious indeed. Wouldn't you agree, Ayano?"
"Yes," I said heavily. "There are very few places Monokuma would have to unlock in order for us to investigate freely. Actually, I'd say its the only place."
He nodded. "It seems nobody's searched the locker rooms. Let's start with the girls' locker room." He was almost talking to himself, and swiftly walked over to the door in question, placing a hand on it.
The door swung open without a sound.
I have previously mentioned that there are times when everything changes, when certain truths are destroyed and created. This was one of those times, a moment where it seemed as if all the air air in my lungs had frozen, and my body turned to lead. I thought I was prepared to find Chihiro's body. But I wasn't prepared for this…
Chihiro's body was between two of the pullup poles, his wrists bound to the two structures. This kept his body suspended just slightly off the ground, his head bowed to his chest. Blood had dripped over his face and clothing, creating a nightmarish site that was completed by the words "Blood Lust" written on the wall behind him in presumably his own blood.
I was frozen for a long moment, uncomprehendingly staring at the sight. Chihiro, Chihiro-Clone, it didn't matter. Not only was the person before me dead, but he was strung up like laundry, as if he didn't matter.
There was a loud scream, filled with rage and horror, that echoed around the room. It took a second more me to realize the noise was coming from me, a raw, grief-driven cry that forced me to my knees. I couldn't stop it, nor could I tear my eyes away from Chihiro-Clone's body.
Ding dong, ding dong
"A body has been discovered. After a certain amount of time, which you may use however you like, the class trial will begin!
Distracted by the announcement, I managed to tear my eyes away, trembling. Makoto was in slightly better shape than me, but he met my agonized gaze with horror-filled eyes.
"Wh-What the hell was that?" He asked.
Togami, on the other hand, seemed completely unaffected. He studied the scene coolly, as if it was on TV instead of right in front of him.
"Ah, that's right," he said, almost bored. "You were unconscious during Sayaka's, so you don't know about it. What you just heard was the body discovery announcement. Apparently, when three or more people discover a body, an announcement plays to let everyone know. I imagine that it's so the search for the culprit can proceed fairly for everyone involved."
The Prodigy stepped closer to the body, studying the placement.
"Most unusual, don't you think?" he asked frowning. "Look. Chihiro's body has been suspended somehow. And something's been written on the wall in blood. 'Bloodlust…?' Such a brutal way to kill someone...No, this is beyond brutal. Wouldn't you agree?"
I nodded wordlessly, a nameless rage coiling in my system. 'Why did Mondo-Clone do this?! Why did he treat Chihiro-Clone's body like it was a message?!' Was this really what his Original would've done? Would Mondo have taken someone who'd gone to him for help and strung him up for everyone to see?
"They killed her. How could it not be brutal?"
"No, that's not my point," he said impatiently. "This murder is far too bizarre for an everyday amateur to have committed it. Unlike with Sayaka, this murder was not a crime of passion or necessity. It's almost as if whoever did this…" He trailed off, growing even more intense. "...did it for fun. You see what I mean, don't you?"
"What?" the clueless boy asked, tilting his head.
"Togami's right," I growled, standing up. "Whoever did this...they didn't have to. Killing Chihiro would've been enough. Instead, they displayed her, wanting to scare us. There is no real gain from doing this, and it would've taken long enough that it was actually risky for the culprit. No, they did this for fun."
Makoto looked horrified. "But-"
At that moment, Taka came running in, looking terrified. "I heard the announcement. Who's-" He cut off as his eyes landed on Chihiro-Clone's body. Taka immediately screamed, stepping back as he did so. "Chihiro?! Is she really-?!"
"Dead, yes," Togami answered curtly.
"D-D-D-D-!"
"Before you start screaming your head off, go round everyone up," the blond male ordered. "It seems another game has begun." He paused, glancing back at Makoto and I. "Another life-or-death game to to uncover a killer…"
Taka bolted out of the locker room, and soon the others began to gather. For me, it seemed like no time had passed, and an eternity had come and gone. I had expected death, expected horrific imagery, but I had not expected this. I had once told myself that nothing was unforgivable. Now, I was unsure.
As we waited, I forced myself to study the scene again, particularly the message. There was something extremely familiar about the way Chihiro's body was placed, but I couldn't be sure. It was beyond frustrating, to feel a thought wiggling around in the back of my mind, but be unable to grasp it. Anger was clouding my thinking, and I knew that I needed to keep a clear head for the next few hours. There was plenty of time to fall apart later. I needed to be strong now.
Everyone around me had confusion, fear, and anger on their faces, outraged that one of our own did this. I tried not to glare at Mondo-Clone, but I couldn't help but see how surprised and angry he looked at the scene. I hadn't thought he was a particularly good actor...but what did that mean, if his shock wasn't fake? I had released the right Clones, right?
"Damn!" Sakura shouted, her body glowing with blue energy. "I couldn't protect her!"
"So there's another victim…" Taka mumbled, head down.
"Which means we are now in the same position once again," Celestia added, folding her hands primly.
"Hell, man," Mondo-Clone growled, his eyes locked on Chihiro-Clone's form. "What the hell is this?!"
'Does he really not know?'
"It's a dream," Hifumi cried, covering his eyes with his hands. "This is a dream! It's all just a dream! In fact, I haven't even been born yet! I don't have any memory of ever being alive! Ugyaaah!"
"Shut up," Celestia ordered, frowning.
I took one more deep breath before locking my emotions away, becoming cold and businesslike. "We should start our investigation," I suggested, stepping forward with my camera. "As-," I swallowed hard. "As difficult as it is to accept, Chihiro is dead. We shouldn't waste the time given to us, or all our lives will be in danger. We can mourn her passing later."
"Ayano…" Makoto trailed off sadly.
Togami nodded approvingly. "Well said. For now, pay attention to the wall. It's definitely the biggest clue."
Obediently, I took a picture of the bloody message, also jotting down the clue in my notebook.
"I don't think it's any kind of dying message," Kyoko said, staring hard at the wall. "It's just too...strange."
"But you know…" Taka said, uncharacteristically timid. "That thing about writing 'bloodlust' in blood...Doesn't it sound kinda familiar?"
As if a spark passed through my brain, all the pieces connected. It was that word, "bloodlust," that triggered memories of shivering at newspapers, laughing uneasily with former classmates, and more recently, reading files with Togami, his voice reading the damning passage.
"A murderous fiend, who kills again and again using a bizarre and brutal method...And at the scene of each crime, the word 'bloodlust' is written in the victim's own blood. They're like a ghost, attacking suddenly then slipping away before the police can catch to them. And what nickname did the Internet give to this mysterious serial killer?"
Hagakure visibly paled. "Genocider Sho!" (A.N. I don't think I ever used Jack, because it bugs me, and so does Jill. I'm using Sho, because that's what I knew her as first.)
Makoto shivered. "The 'murderous fiend' whose grisly attacks were famous all across the country. The Ultimate Serial Killer, creating a reputation of abnormal, downright cruel killings."
"Then this is…some copycat trying to imitate Genocider Sho's 'style?'" Hina asked, clearly taken aback. "But...why would anyone do that?"
"Perhaps...it's the work of the real Genocider Sho," Togami speculated, sounding fairly certain.
Hagakure stepped back, his hands gripping his head in panic. "The real…? Wait, are you saying Genocider Sho is here in the school?!"
"Th-There's no way!" Hina cried.
"But going so far as to write 'bloodlust' at the scene…" Celestia pointed out calmly. "I am surprised at their stupidity."
"I can't imagine a worse situation than dealing with a stupid murderer," Sakura said, her eyes wide with worry.
"Perhaps," I said thoughtfully. "But usually, there's a compulsion that drives a serial killer. They have to do certain things as part of their signature. If Genocider Sho is among us, it would make sense for them to leave their calling card, because they would have no choice but to do so. Especially someone as bizarre as Sho, who's sure to have some sort of mental disorder."
But that wasn't quite right. As similar as this looked, it wasn't the same as the crime scenes in the file. Serial killers are meticulous when it comes to their signatures, and there were several inconsistencies in this case...especially with the victim. Chihiro...as far as anyone knew, was a girl...
"Ah!" Hina shouted suddenly, startling Hifumi.
"What is it now?!"
"Touko!" She said, pointing toward the entrance to the girls' locker room.
Said girl was staring at the scene with expression that surpassed simple horror or astonishment. She was petrified with fear, her hands up as if to block her face from the sight. "Ah...ahh…" she whimpered. "Nnnnnnno...Wh-Why…? Why…? W...h...y…?" Touko grabbed the ends of her long braids, her eyes rolling back into her head. "WHYYYYYYYYY?!" She screamed, her body falling to the ground.
GADUNK
"She fainted!" Hagakure shouted. "That did NOT sound good!"
"T-Touko!" Hina rushed over to the collapsed Touko and started trying to shake her awake. "Touko, are you okay?! Come on, wake up!"
Oh, that's right," Hifumi offered. "I just remembered what she said, about how she faints anytime she sees blood."
"Is she hemophobic?" Celestia asked, mildly annoyed. "I imagine she does not watch too many horror films, then."
"This isn't a violation of the rules, right?" Hagakure asked, freezing me to the spot with fear. "I mean. Technically she passed out somewhere besides her room."
My hand shot to my necklace, eyes darting around wildly. If Monokuma attacked Touko, there was little I could do. Still, maybe I could sprint to the-
"No, I think it should be okay," Makoto said reassuringly. "The regulations prohibit 'sleeping.' Like, on purpose."
I immediately relaxed, releasing the charm. "That's true. It's not her fault she passed out."
"Ahh, so since she didn't faint on purpose, it doesn't count?" Hagakure clarified. "Gotcha."
Hina continued her ministrations. "Touko, can you hear me?! Hey, you gotta wake up!"
As if she heard her, Touko suddenly shot awake, literally leaping up from the spot she was laying, with no hesitation in her strange movements. Like something out of a horror novel, the Writer contorted her body to stand, her motions totally haphazard. She stood tall, her stance aggressive, but out of it.
"Huh? What?!" Hina said, startled.
Touko's gaze was unfocused, her tongue lolling out of her mouth unpleasantly. "Sorry about that," she muttered, her voice oddly strained. "I was just so shocked, ya know? It happens, right? Was I the only one?"
"T-Touko?" Makoto asked timidly. "Are you...okay?"
'No. No she is not…'
"I'm fine, I'm fine!" She insisted, cackling. "Kyehaha! Whoa, is that a dead body?!" She took a step toward Chihiro. "Hey! Are you dead?! Kyeehahaha!"
I stepped back automatically, my eyes narrowing. "What...What is wrong with her?!"
"She musta hit her head real hard when she fainted," Hagakure weakly offered.
"The world has a front and a back, a top inning and a bottom, a sea of truth and a web of lies!"
"Maybe," I said, unconvinced. Touko had never made me feel at ease, but this was different. Every instinct I had told me to back away, that she was somehow dangerous. 'Maybe I'm more on-edge than I thought...or...is this what Ayano-Clone was talking about?"
"This is...quite concerning," Hifumi said, worriedly biting his fingers. "I mean, she sounds completely different…"
Touko's unfocused gaze slid over to him, her mouth pulling up in an attempt to smile around her tongue. "No, no, no, everything's fine! At least the stutter's all gone. That's a good thing, right?! Kyeehahaha!"
"It's clear to me that everything is not fine!" Yama insisted, pointing at her. "Your eyes seem strangely vacant!"
"It might be best if we take her back to her room for the time being," Sakura suggested, her eyes wide.
"I don't mind taking her," Hina volunteered, looking unsure. "But...could someone help me?"
Hifumi straightened his glasses. "If you need help, I don't mind-"
"Taka, could you help me?" Hina asked, cutting the large boy off.
"Huh? She totally ignored me!"
"Very well," Togami said, speaking over Hifumi's wails of dejection. "You take care of the girl, and the rest of us can begin the investigation right away. Can I assume nobody has a problem leaving Sakura and Mondo on guard duty again?"
Protest rose, but died on my lips. I couldn't exactly name Mondo as the killer without proof, and there was no other reason why he shouldn't guard Chihiro's body. I gritted my teeth.
"H-Hold on a second," Makoto said, holding his hands up. "Rushing to an investigation-"
Togami cut him off curtly, frowning in annoyance. "The Mastermind isn't behind that. After what happened last time, surely you realize that."
"Nng…!" Makoto stepped back as if struck.
"There is no question that Chihiro was murdered by someone among us," Togami continued ruthlessly. "Isn't that right, Monokuma?"
"Right as rain!" Monokuma's chipper voice answered as he appeared out of thin air. "But don't take it as a bad thing. It's just a fact of life! Because…" His teeth separated as he laughed. "That's how graduation works!"
He looked around at our faces, particularly Makoto, who seemed frozen. "What, does that freak you out?" He asked, cheeks pink. "You guys got no balls, you know that?!" He flushed, panting. "Is there really nothing down there? It's okay, I don't have any either! We're in the same boat!"
Irritated, Togami stepped forward, cutting off Monokuma's next, likely perverted, words. "Stop monologuing And give us what you came here to give us. You did bring it, right?"
Monokuma chuckled. "Hehehe...I sure did, chum! Allow me to present the next Monokuma File. I know how much you must be looking forward to it! So, please, do your very tippy-top best on this investigation!"
And with that, he vanished.
Hina covered her mouth in horror. "Do we really gotta do another investigation…? Examining the corpse of one of our friends...having to suspect all our other friends...I hate this...I can't take it anymore!" She shouted.
"I hate it too!" Hagakure screeched, hands clutching his head. "I-I-I've had enough! I'm gettin' outta here!"
"Where do you plan on going?" Sakura challenged. "There's nowhere to run."
"Just accept it already," Togami glared. "After all, blood is just a liquid. A dead body is a simple object."
At this point, I had been very quiet, trying to keep myself calm. At those callous words, however, I broke. "That's not true."
He raised an eyebrow. "Hmm?"
"I can see why a rich boy like yourself would consider "objects" worthless and replaceable, but that's not true," I said, raising teary eyes to meet his. "Chihiro was worth far more than any "object," and her body should be treated with respect! She was my friend, not some garbage to hang up!"
I glared at all of my classmates, making the more timid ones shrink back. "I'll find out who did this," I vowed, standing tall. "To use Chihiro like this, after everything we've been through together, is inexcusable."
Mondo clenched his fist, his face red with anger. "A dead body is an...object? You piece of shit! Chihiro wasn't an object! Show a little respect, or I'll beat some into ya!"
'What?' I looked at the tall Biker curiously. 'He definitely killed Chihiro, there's no doubt. But...did someone else-'
Togami scoffed, turning his back to us. "Do not be ruled by mere sentiment."
Celestia turned to him, covering her mouth daintily. "You are very...enthusiastic about all of this, are you not?"
"How can I not be?" He smirked. "Is we don't unmask the culprit, we all die."
"Th-That's true, but...to jump into it so soon.." Makoto began.
"Seriously Makoto, enough!" I snapped, shocking the Luckster. "I get that you don't want to believe this, but get over it. We don't know how long we have to investigate! Monokuma could get bored and start the trial any second! If we're unprepared, we'll die!"
"B-But-"
"Do you want to die?" Togami sneered, looking down on him. "Fine, then go off and die somewhere. Right now, go ahead. You're a waste of space."
"Everyone stop bickering," Kyodo ordered calmly, brushing her hair behind her ear. "Listen, there's some truth in what Byakuya and Ayano said."
"K-Kyoko!" Makoto protested.
"If we don't solve the mystery and find the killer, our own lives are forfeit," she explained patiently. "And If Byakuya is right that Genocider Sho is somehow the one who killed Chihiro...then unless we do something, more victims could start piling up."
Hifumi bit his fingers nervously. "Forget more victims! If we mess this up, we're all dead meat!"
"Hold on, hold on." Monokuma reappeared, looking exasperated. "If that's your worry, you don't gotta worry any longer!" He shook his head as if we were idiots. "In any one killing game, the guilty party may only kill a maximum of two people."
"What?" Hifumi exclaimed. "I don't remember any rule like that."
"I just came up with it. I mean, if one person went around and killed everyone, your lovely student life would be all over, right?" He chuckled menacingly.
I narrowed my eyes.'So what was with that annoyed act just now?'
"In that case, why not limit it to one person?" Sakura suggested.
Monokuma tilted his head. "Well obviously, in a good mystery, you don't want to miss out on at least the potential of a serial killer angle! Nyoohohoho! Just one would totally murder that possibility." He turned his dark side to us. "Farewell for now! I'll catch you guys at the class trial!"
Celestia glanced at the spot where our principal had been standing. "I can't say I understand his thinking," she said thoughtfully. "But if we can kill up to two people...then one more person's life could still be in danger."
"Which is definitely not good," Togami concludes. "We need to uncover the culprit before something else happens."
"YOU need to shut the hell up!" Mondo shouted, glaring at the blond.
Hina sighed, looking nervous. "W-Well...for now, Taka and I are gonna drop Touko off at her room."
"Nice! I'm gonna get dropped off!" Touko laughed, willingly led out of the room.
"We have no time to stand around here," Celestia reminded us. "We must begin our investigation tout suite. If we do not solve the mystery of who killed Chihiro…" She leaned forward, her eyes wide. "Then we will swiftly follow her into the afterlife."
I nodded. "Let's go."
INVESTIGATION START
'First things first. The Monokuma File.' I pulled out my Digital Notebook, my hands shaking slightly as I read. '"The victim was Chihiro Fujisaki. The time of death is estimated to be around 2:00 a.m. The body was discovered in the girls' locker room, on the 2nd floor of the school. The cause of death was a blow to the head with a blunt object. She was killed instantly.'"
'At least...he wasn't in any pain…' I thought sadly, closing my eyes tightly. 'She didn't suffer.' It wasn't much information, but it made me feel a little better about the upcoming task.
"Makoto, Ayano, do you have a second?"
I glanced at Togami curiously. "Sure, what's up?"
Makoto did the same. "Did you need something from me?"
"Naturally," he replied airily. "Life without purpose is quite dull, you know?"
"Um, so...what did you need?"
"I'm going to let the two of you cooperate with me during my investigation."
I raised an eyebrow. "You're going to 'let me cooperate with you?'" I guess I understood why he wanted to work with me, as we were allies, but why Makoto?
"I'm purchasing your talents," he said impatiently, glaring intimidatingly at the Luckster. "The same talents which allowed you to solve Sayaka's case. Ayano has a good mind for motivations and the like, while you have luck, a handy thing to have in this sort of situation."
"S-Solve?" Makoto spluttered, waving his hands. "No, I just…"
I placed a hand on his shoulder encouragingly. "Don't be so modest! You really helped a lot in the trial!"
Togami nodded. "You seem to have some limited use. Which is why I've chosen you. You have the honor of contributing to my investigation."
I smiled wryly. "He may be asking you in the most arrogant way possible, but he wants your help." Ignoring his angry protests, I grasped Makoto's hands. "As for me, I prefer to investigate alone, so as to not open myself to biased thinking. But, I don't want to leave Togami all alone, or he'll get even grumpier. So please, can you help him?"
I smiled sweetly, my eyes wide and pleading. 'I can't deal with Togami right now. His callous treatment of Chihiro-Clone's body will make me slap him. Plus, I need to talk to Mondo-Clone alone. So, I need to sacrifice Makoto to Togami's need for servants in order for me to find the truth.'
Makoto nodded uneasily. "O-Okay, I guess."
I beamed. "Fantastic!" Slinging my arm over his shoulder, I turned back to Togami. "Makoto will be your assistant. Use him as you see fit! I'll be conducting my own investigation."
Togami nodded stiffly. "Very well."
Makoto sighed. "Why do I feel like I just got tricked?"
I shrugged apologetically, and turned away, my smile dropping. 'Sorry Makoto.'
Steeling myself, I walked to Chihiro-Clone's body. 'It looks so real…'
Sakura stood next to me, shaking her head sadly as she crossed her muscled arms. "I used this locker room all the time. Now...it's become the site of Chihiro's death."
I nodded, my throat tightening. "She just wanted to get stronger…"
The taller girl blinked in surprise, then relaxed. "That's right. You were the closest to her...she told both Hina and myself the same thing, but didn't particularly care for our company."
"What makes you say that?"
"She died her at night, according to the File. Hina and I usually work out here in the day, and we invited her to come, but she never did," Sakura explained, looking depressed. "She was probably avoiding us, then."
"Not at all," I said, trying to comfort her. "Chihiro was ashamed of herself. She didn't want to work out with any of us, not even me. It wasn't that she disliked you."
"But I can't imagine that she came here alone," Sakura said, turning away. "She did want to start exercising, but she specifically mentioned she couldn't do it by herself. She needed support from others."
I bit my lip, feigning ignorance. "It's definitely strange…"
I turned away, needing to escape the tall girl's searching gaze. 'I don't think I'll be able to keep Chihiro's gender a secret…' I stared bleakly at the pink walls of the girls' locker room. 'Wait...pink...girls'...?!'
I looked around, confused. 'What the heck was Chihiro doing in here? He would've been shot by the machine gun if he entered the girls' locker room...So was he moved? But Mondo can't come in here either...and Monokuma wouldn't back down on the rules…' It was really confusing. There's no way either of the boys could enter this room...right?
'But what about Genocider Sho?'
I banished the thought. 'No, that's a ruse. Someone is trying to make us think it's Sho. The real Genocider wouldn't deviate from their M.O. this much...I need to talk to Mondo.'
I had wanted to check the body first, but there was no helping it. I had too many questions. And I needed to know that the person I'd seen as a friend would never do this.
I walked over to the Clone, trying to keep the anger and desperation off my face. "We need to talk," I growled, my fists clenching.
He nodded grimly, his jaw locked with anger. "I understand, Aya."
"Did...Did you do this?"
Shock and hurt flashed swiftly across his face. "How could...You know I would never do that!" He said, trying to keep his voice low, and his expressions in check.
"Do I?" I countered, forcing a smile on my face. "We've only known each other a few days. Hardly enough time to say what someone would or wouldn't do. I didn't think you would murder someone, after all."
He looked away, deep shame etched into his features. "I keep forgettin' that you don't- never mind, it's nothin'." He straightened, his eyes meeting mine. "I swear to you, Aya, on my brother's grave, that I didn't do that to Chihiro. I killed him, and I moved his body, but I didn't string him up like some kinda-"
"Thank you, Mondo!" I said loudly, cutting him off. Makoto and Togami were walking towards us, and were within listening distance. "That was very useful." I shot him one last glance as I walked away, mouthing "I believe you."
And strangely enough, I really did. Murder aside, I just couldn't believe that the Biker, who was actually quite kind once you got past his scary looks, would do something like that. It was naive, and foolish, but I wanted to believe it more than anything.
'But that means one of the others did it,' I thought, swallowing hard. 'One of them found Chihiro's body and-'
Anger slammed into my chest, and I gritted my teeth. 'The only way to know for sure is to examine the body.'
I stepped forward, trying desperately to pretend that the body in front of me was fake, reminding myself that it was a Clone. It didn't help.
There was a horrible wound on his head, just as the File had described. But what captured my interest was the thing holding him up. It was a long white extension cord, tied to one hand before being wrapped once around his neck and tied to the other.
Trembling, a took a picture and wrote in my "Hope's Peak Murders" notebook. "This cord is familiar. I think I saw it somewhere in the library?"
I nodded. 'That must be why Togami wanted to team up. He recognized it and wanted to see if I did too. Someone must've grabbed it when we weren't there or busy sorting files.'
I glanced at the bloody message again, my eyes sliding over to the rather risqué poster of a swimsuit model on the wall. 'That doesn't look like it belongs here…' I glanced back over to Mondo. He'd said he moved the body, but why? And how did he get into the girls' locker room?' I also took pictures of the bloodstained carpet and dumbbell on the ground. '"A blow to the head with a blunt object," wasn't it? This must be the murder weapon.'
That was everything this room could tell me. I needed to look elsewhere for definitive proof.
'The boys' locker room, and the library. Especially the library.' Not only could I look for clues about the extension cord, but I could also review Genocider Sho's file.
I stepped outside just in time to see Togami clap his hands and sum,on Monokuma.
'He's really something…he trained the bear to respond to him...frightening…'
I stopped to listen, curious.
"You called for me?!"
"That's right," Togami said smugly. "It seems that Makoto has a question for you."
"Sure, what's up?" Monokuma asked, tilting his head.
"Umm...well, it's just about this card reader…" Makoto began timidly, stuffing his hands into his hoodie's pockets.
"Yes, the card readers have all been designed to interface with each of your Digital Notebooks!" He said promptly. "You can only enter the locker room corresponding to the gender listed in your individual handbook."
"And it's impossible for two people in a row to go through while the door is unlocked, correct?" Togami clarified.
"Unbelievable," Monokuma growled, his face shadowed. "If there were some sort of erotic terrorist in the prowl…" He jumped back, pointing a clawed hand at the ceiling. "The ceiling-mounted Gatling gun would initiate a Swiss cheese slaughter!"
"And the school regulations prohibit anyone from lending someone else their Notebook, correct?" I asked, startling the boys.
"Correctly correct!"
Makoto nodded silently, his face shrouded in thought.
Togami chuckled. "Makoto, I can see right through you."
"See right...through me?"
Allow me to tell you what you're thinking...since Chihiro was found in the girl's locker room, the killer must have been able to get in there. As such, the killer must be one of the girls. Did I get it right?" He shook his head. "Good Lord you're simple."
I bristled at his rudeness. "Togami, that's-"
"But am I wrong?" Makoto interrupted.
The Affluent Progeny smirked. "You should pay closer attention to the regulations. The answer has been in front of you the entire time. 'Loaning your Digital Notebook to another student is strictly prohibited.' Only the act of loaning a notebook is prohibited. Borrowing someone else's is perfectly fine."
Monokuma laughed loudly. "Nyohohoho! I would expect nothing less from the prodigal son of the noble Togami family! So you managed to sniff out the loophole in the regulations!"
"Tch," Togami scoffed. "Knowing you, I would bet you created it on purpose, didn't you? To add a little more excitement to things."
"Kyaaah!" The bear cried. "You're treating me like a puny little appetizer instead of the main course that I am! Now then, since the dead can't actually talk, they're not people anymore-they're things! Get it? Got it? Good."
"Wait, hold on," Makoto said, raising a hand to stop Monokuma from vanishing. "You're saying that's a loophole, but...in order to borrow something from someone, then...that means someone would have to loan it, so...uhh…" he trailed off, confusing himself.
"So sleepy…" Monokuma yawned. "Just listening to you make me want to pass out! Be more like Byakuya and get your poop together! (A.N. Though I often add lines to Monokuma's dialogue, that one was in fact from the game. So...yeah…) Or else I'll charge you with criminal negligence!" He shouted, his face red. "No more questions! Figure out the rest your own damn self!"
I sighed as he left. "This place…"
"Well Makoto," Togami began. "I know you are unfortunately lacking in mental faculties, so I'll fill you in myself. Let's head to the main hall."
And so, the two left, Togami dragging Makoto along.
I shook my head and turned to the boys' locker room, wanting to see the poster inside. As I suspected, there was a poster of a boy band, something much more suited to the girls' locker room than the boys'. There was also a strange brown stain on the carpet. I didn't know exactly what it was, but I took a photo anyway.
After that, I headed to the library.
Once there, I immediately noticed that the desk lamp Togami used was gone. There was one there, of course, but since the two of us read together, he'd pulled a second one out of the Archive. But they hadn't reached the wall socket so- of course! The extension cord! The person who posed Chihiro-Clone must've seen us using it and taken it to tie him up!
Fuming, I opened the door to the Archive and stepped inside, determined to find the folder on Genocider Sho. It took a couple of minutes to find, but I was soon rewarded for my efforts.
'Let's see,' I thought, opening the file. 'The main things to remember are these: 1) At every scene, the word "Bloodlust" is found written in the victim's blood. 2) When the victims are murdered, their bodies are suspended with…!
It was quite gruesome, looking at these photos. Men were suspended, held to the wall by curiously-shaped scissors stabbed through their hands and into the stone. There were also two more pairs of scissors in their chests, and an additional pair in the back of their neck.
I shivered. The general public hadn't been told theses details, and no wonder why.
"The victims suffered multiple stab wounds across their bodies, believed to have been inflicted with the same scissors that were later used to attach the victims to the wall," I read, flipping through the pages. 'And, all the victims were male...Maybe Genocider Sho found Chihiro's body and...no that doesn't make sense at all! Still, there are only a few people who'd know about the being suspended. Hmm...maybe Togami's not wrong after all…'
I flipped to the profiling results. "All of the crimes took place either on weekdays at night, or during holidays, either day or night. The most common time for the killings to take place was on holidays, in the afternoon. Based on these facts, it could be suggested that the suspect may be a student."
I glared at the page. 'Seriously?! Duh! Anyone who watched 'Death Note' can tell you that much! Come on, police! Give me something!'
"Evidence suggests that the suspect lingered at the scene, but when they did leave, they were in a panic. Because an eyewitness has never come forward, it's unlikely there was any external reason for this. This confused behavior suggests that the suspect may potentially suffer from dissociative identity disorder."
I blinked. 'Now that's interesting. A student with split-personality disorder, huh?' It seemed kind of fantastical, but it also made sense. What killer could do something like this, then run away in a panic? It had to be a case of split personalities. Genocider Sho was, after all, mockingly called the Ultimate Serial Killer, so maybe they really were here.
'I need to think.'
Swiftly, I took a few photos of the file before putting it up. Cracking my neck, I decided to go somewhere where I could sit in silence. The library was fine, but I was sure Togami was going to show up soon, dragging Makoto around. My room was another option, but Hina was likely still in the hallway, and I didn't want to talk at the moment.
I soon found myself in the Multimedia Room, a very unlikely place to get visitors. Sitting in one of the plush chairs, I leaned forward and put my head down, allowing my brain time to process everything.
'Okay, so, we know where to start. In every crime show, and every book I've ever written, the first thing to focus on is victimology.' I conjured up the images of the victims in my file. 'All the victims were male, ranging from about high school age to mid-twenties, which is likely the same age of the killer. There's a lot of rage, and incredible strength, which suggests a male attacker. But it's unusual for males to only kill other males, unless there's a specific reason.'
I shook my head, my eyes closed. 'Let's assume that one of us is Genocider Sho, just to simplify matters. So, going off the theory that Sho is male, then the reason for killing them would have to be out of incredible anger. Jealousy, maybe? All the men were handsome, and generally physically capable…'
No, that didn't fit. Most of the guys here fit that category themselves, and those that didn't...the rage wasn't there.
'What about "Bloodlust?"' My mind volunteered. 'The way it was spelled was really odd. Instead of being one word, like it should be, it was separated into "Blood" and "Lust." And, in the crime photos, one word was on each side of the body, further signifying the separation.'
I nodded, eyes still shut. "Okay, say they're two words," I said aloud. "Blood and Lust...what could it mean?" I thought hard for a moment. 'We know the killer has split-personality disorder, so maybe those are the conflicting emotions that drive the two halves. The folder said Sho kills on holidays or after school days. To me, the fact that the police haven't caught anyone means that the side that is against killing is the dominant one. If not, the Genocider part would likely be very obvious. This killer hasn't once tried to hide their craziness, and I doubt that they can interact normally with people.'
'Knowing that, what does that say about the two words? "Blood" and "Lust" aren't opposites, but they can still represent a connection to the two halves. To the killer, does "Blood" lead to "Lust?"'
My eyes shot open, and I spoke to the empty room excitedly. "That's it! It's not rage or jealousy! It's lust! That's what drives Sho to murder!"
Immediately, that changed things. Hatred and love walk a fine line, and clearly our killer flipped back and forth like a light switch. So, Sho found a guy attractive, then murdered him out of love, or "Lust."
"But that means, it's far more likely for Sho to be a girl," I sighed, closing my eyes again. "But aside from Sakura, I doubt any of us would have the strength…"
'Then again, we've likely only seen the good side, so who can say? The Genocider side doesn't have to be weak just because the nice side is...Let's focus on the other word. If "Lust" corresponds to Genocider, then "Blood" must correspond to the nicer side. Do any of the girls have a strong reaction to blood?"
Unbidden, images of a dark-haired classmate fainting rose up in my mind, coupled with her terrified face.
"No way," I said, snapping my eyes open. "There's no way Touko-"
"You'd be surprised," Ayano-Clone's voice echoed in my head. "Touko and I aren't the closest of friends, but she's confided in me once or twice. You can trust me when I say this...there's a lot more going on with her than meets the eye. She can be quite formidable when backed into a corner."
"But she seems terrified of her own shadow," I argued to myself.
'But wouldn't she be, knowing that at any moment she could turn into a vicious killer?' My mind shot back. 'That would explain her constant fear, constant self-abuse, and her unwillingness to believe anyone would like her. Plus, Touko's the Ultimate Writing Prodigy, so the wordplay used with "Blood" and "Lust" is right up her alley! And what about her face when she saw Chihiro's body? She practically gave herself a heart attack!'
"Her face…" I mumbled, remembering how strangely Touko acted when she woke up. "I wonder if she switched then...if that person wasn't Touko at all...Could that person have been...Genocider Sho?"
Instantly, I shot to my feet. "Hina and Taka could be in danger!"
I turned, but had only taken two steps when logic clicked in. "Wait. Hina's a girl, so she should be safe enough. As for Taka, I don't think Touko is attracted to him. She likes Togami, who is safely with Makoto, so...we're safe?"
It wasn't very reassuring, to say the least. Still, it was all I had to go on, and if I could figure it out, so could Togami. That's probably why he was so sure it was Sho. I mean, what are the odds someone would copycat her work, when the real one was trapped with us?!
Ding dong, bing bong.
'Damn, I'm out of time!'
Quickly, I plugged the camera into a computer and selected to print all the photos. Normally I would've sat down and sorted them out, but my figuring out Genocider Sho's identity took far more time than I'd thought!
"Erm, so, ah...I'm getting tired of waiting," Monokuma said, his face on all the monitors. Shall we just plunge right in? It's the moment you've all been waiting for...the class trial! You remember where to meet, right? Please go through the red door on the first floor of the school! Puhuhuhu. See you soon!"
Scrambling, I grabbed all the photos and shoved them into my notebook, sprinting out the door. I wasn't too far behind the others, and soon, we were inside the room with the elevator.
"Ahem," Monokuma said, popping up. "So, is everyone ready to-whaaat?" He tilted his head. "Am I blind, or are we missing someone?"
"Yeah, Touko's not here," Mondo-Clone observed.
Monokuma still looked confused. "And Touko is…?
"You really don't remember?" Hagakure asked disbelievingly.
The bear snickered. "Kidding! I'm just kidding. How could I forget that little nut job? She's a crucial part of the class trial this time."
"What does that mean?" I asked, narrowing my eyes. 'So she really is…'
He ignored me, waving his claws around. "What are you gonna do? Okie dokie, I'll go ahead and drag her out here kicking and screaming. Just one moment, please!"
And just like he said, a few minutes later...he reappeared, dragging Touko behind him.
She was an absolute wreck, holding her head tightly while her glasses threatened to fall off her face.
Sorrow at her situation hit me hard, and I promised myself to be nicer to her. She had a LOT on her mind, after all.
"I t-told him I didn't want to, but...h-he forced me! I can't believe you would d-drag a girl around…" She glared at Monokuma, screaming. "Terrible! You're t-terrible!"
Monokuma sighed happily, ignoring the hysterical author. "Whew! So NOW everyone's here, right? Okay then, hustle onto the elevator and let's get this show on the road! I'll see you guys down there!"
And he was gone.
"So, shall we get going?" Togami asked curtly. "It's time to find out who killed Chihiro."
I nodded. "Right."
Chihiro Fujisaki. A boy who dressed like a girl in order to hide his insecurities. He was polite and nice to everyone, and wouldn't even kill a mosquito. And now, he was stuck in a pod, betrayed by the person he admired most. But far worse, was the person who desecrated his body like he was worthless.
My jaw tightened with anger, and I stepped into the elevator. This game had take two more lives, and I didn't know how many more of us would be replaced with Clones, but I knew one thing for certain.
No matter what, I was going to figure out the secret of Hope's Peak Academy, and we were going to get out of here.
X X X X
Classmate Total: 12 :) 4*_*
A.N. Whew, I finally get to change the counter! Next comes the class trial! Yay! Or boo! Ayano is going to be hard-pressed to forgive Togami, but we'll see! Next up, a heart-stopping, mega-exciting-
Smack!
Excuse me, but Monokuma seems to have found my keyboard. Anyway, there will definitely be a ton of drama next chapter, no doubt about that. Please rate, review, or feel free to ask questions! I will definitely take any criticism or advice with open arms.
Side Note: One anonymous reviewer was asking about how this will affect season three, and I definitely understand their concern, but I don't think it will have too much of an impact. Firstly, I plan to have everyone split up into different divisions of Future Foundation, so at most, they'd make a cameo at the end when they arrive to help. As for Makoto's (SPOILER) suicide sequence, he'll still have all of these emotions. HE doesn't know their clones, so the nightmare is real. Plus, versions of his friends did die, and with them, memories of their former life together. I think he'd still feel the shame of not being able to help.