Monokuma: Is this it? Is this really the last trial?
Monokuma: It's been such a long journey, huh? I'm just oozing with excitement!
Monokuma: The trial to seek out who the puppetmaster really is!
Monokuma: Who am I?
Monokuma: What am I doing?
Monokuma: What is my objective?
Monokuma: Let's let it shine in our final class trial!
Monokuma: Welcome guys, to your seventh class trial. Because this is a trial to find out my identity, I changed the rule a little bit.
Monokuma: You guys, will be known as Team Hope. Me? Well, I'm Team Despair. Similar to regular class trials…
Monokuma: If you guys lose the class trial, then you all will be punished!
Monokuma: And I win!
Hideaki: And if you lose, you'll execute yourself?
Monokuma: Sure thing! Why, I'm giddy with excitement!
Monokuma: In addition, because I am being put on trial as well here, I would like to participate as well!
Suguru: Y-you're participating?!
Monokuma: Don't worry. I didn't tip the scales in any way.
Hideaki: Alright, then let us begin our final class trial.
Kichiro: We should talk about the evidence that we gathered so far.
Kyouko: If we can come up with something…
Rin: …surefire thing that the puppetmaster will reveal himself! Neeheehee!
Saya: …
Ayako: Saya is being silent, like she said.
Ayako: If I want to prove Hideaki innocent… I'm going to have to make this count!
/=/=/phase one\=\=\
Nonstop Debate!
Suguru: Let's think about what we found so far.
Rin: We have the UGLY ASS freezer in the catacombs!
Kichiro: That was probably used to store the dead bodies of our friends.
Kouichi: Then there was the control room...
Kouichi: …and the room where Monokuma was being controlled too.
Hideaki: Finally, there was the AV Room. More specifically, the supply closet with pictures.
BREAK!
[piece of ammo used: Sub-Zero Fridge]
Ayako: You've got that wrong!
Ayako: Is it really the case that the freezer was used to store the dead bodies of our friends?
Kichiro: Yeah? You think it wasn't?
Hideaki: I don't think so either.
Kichiro: H-huh?
Hideaki: There are thirteen bodies in that freezer.
Hideaki: But think about who we lost.
Kichiro: W-well, let's see here.
Kichiro: There was Akira, Aaron, Megumi, Noburu, Tomakazu, Setsuna, Rikiya, Takako, Miyu, Taisuke, and Senji.
Kichiro: W-wait, that's only eleven bodies!
Rin: And let's see who's alive! It's me, Ayako, Hideaki, Suguru, YOU, Kouichi, Kyouko, and Saya!
Hideaki: That equals nineteen, the total number of people who have attended this academy.
Kichiro: S-so, then that means…
Hideaki: Correct.
Hideaki: The people in that fridge are complete strangers to us.
Saya: I-I see…
Kichiro: O-oh… That's sort of disgusting, yo.
Kichiro: It's freakin' disgusting!
Kouichi: Strangers? Y-you mean, more people died here?!
Monokuma: Now, now! I know you all want to discuss my beautiful fridge…
Monokuma: But don't forget, this trial is to pinpoint the identity of the puppetmaster.
Monokuma: Forget all your silly troubles about what happened before you all came here.
Monokuma: This trial is about me, me, and only me! You got that?
Hideaki: Fair enough. The truth will come out anyways.
Monokuma: Now, shall we get back on topic?
Monokuma: Is there something else you all would like to talk about?
Ayako: Something else we all would like to talk about?
Ayako: There has to be something… otherwise…
Saya: …
/=/=/phase two\=\=\
Nonstop Debate!
Monokuma: Let's see, let's see! Anything else you'd like to talk about?
Monokuma: Are you guys stuck? Want to die yet?
Hideaki: We still have something that we need to discuss.
Hideaki: First, we should wrap up our discussion about that fridge…
Monokuma: Fine, fine. Let's see…
Monokuma: Was it the bodies of your dead friends?
Monokuma: Was it the bodies of complete strangers?
Monokuma: Let's see you answer that yourself, and roll with that.
BREAK!
[pieces of ammo used: Boxes]
Ayako: It couldn't have been the bodies of our dead friends.
Suguru: O-oh, right! Er, less enthusiastically.
Ayako: A-anyways…
Ayako: When Suguru and I were investigating the lake, Saya was there as well.
Saya: I was retrieving the boxes that we had disposed of earlier when Miyu was killed.
Saya: But I didn't get to see what was in the boxes.
Ayako: Inside the boxes, was, um… something really gross.
Rin: Eh?! I can dig with that!
Suguru: W-well, the bodies of our dead friends had been cut up, and put inside those boxes.
Kouichi: What?!
Kouichi: S-so, what does that mean?
Monokuma: It means that we couldn't really afford to store the bodies!
Rin: Wow! You built fucking courts and you can't afford a fridge?! You are SOO full of crap!
Monokuma: Yeah, we could have wasted some income on preserving those bodies, but what good would that do?
Saya: But that freezer was filled with bodies.
Monokuma: Well, yeah! But –
Hideaki: I'm afraid that isn't the issue right now, Saya.
Saya: Pray tell me, what is it, Hideaki?
Hideaki: I doubt that the freezer will contain any hint about the puppetmaster at this time.
Rin: But what if it has some dirty magazines?! What if Mr. Puppetmaster is a pedophile?!
Hideaki: If we keep dwelling on this topic, then we'll get even more confused.
Ayako: Y-yeah… Hideaki's right.
Ayako: Why? Why am I feeling doubt now?
Ayako: I trust Hideaki, don't I? I trust him for sure.
Saya: Very well. Let us move on to a different subject then.
Kichiro: The most obvious lead we have right now has to be the control room.
Kyouko: Wonder what it does.
Hideaki: It's obvious that Monokuma was using that to spy on us, no?
Monokuma: Bingo!
Monokuma: But really! "Spy," is such a harsh word!
Monokuma: Why not say, "observe?" Or, "protect?"
Kyouko: There's no way in hell that you're protecting us!
Saya: Perhaps there is a secret in there that we may have overlooked.
Monokuma: A secret? In the control room?
Monokuma: You mean the control room with the videos, or where I control this furry creature? A.K.A., me.
Saya: Obviously one or the other.
Monokuma: Hmm, okay, maybe there is a teeny tiny secret.
Monokuma: Like, did you guys ever consider this?
Suguru: C-consider what, exactly?
Roger: Bark!
Monokuma: Well, let's think. You guys were inside that control room for a pretty long time, wouldn't you say?
Rin: Yeah! It was COLD in there! FUCKIN' A IT'S LIKE SUMMER OUTSIDE NOW!
Monokuma: Well, it's just a little strange, isn't it? Shouldn't you have been able to find me, then?
Saya: Y-yes… That would be the case.
Saya: For some reason though, you were not present in the room.
Monokuma: Is that the case? Or is it something else?
Ayako: What do you mean?
Monokuma: You can't just assume that I wasn't in the room! That's boring!
Monokuma: Instead, how did I manage to avoid your glances towards my beauty?
Ayako: How Monokuma avoided contact with us?
Ayako: Let's see… Let me think about the layout of the room one more time.
Ayako: I remember entering the control room with the cameras, there wasn't any place that anyone could hide. It was all open.
Ayako: T-then again, in the room where Monokuma was being controlled…
Ayako: It's on the tip of my tongue.
/=/=/phase three\=\=\
Epiphany Anagram!
HATCH
Ayako: I got it!
BREAK!
Ayako: That's right… There was a hatch in the room, wasn't there?
Hideaki: There was a hatch?
Monokuma: Ding, dong! You are 100% correct, Ayako! The real me, was hiding in the room the whole time!
Kouichi: W-w-w-w-w-w-w…
Kouichi: WHAAAAAAAAT?!
Monokuma: Yeah, don't act so surprised. I was like, right under your feet, hiding in a little hatch I made.
Monokuma: It was actually sort of scary! If you guys were to open that hatch…
Monokuma: …you would have seen me in the very flesh that my real self has!
Ayako: T-tch!
Saya: It appears we missed the opportunity.
Hideaki: We have no choice but to go on another topic then, don't we?
Ayako: …
Ayako: …
Ayako: W-what?
Ayako: What am I feeling right now?
Ayako: I'm looking straight at Hideaki… yet, I'm afraid.
Ayako: What am I afraid of right now?
Ayako: Am I afraid I won't be able to find the true puppetmaster?
Hideaki: Ayako?
Ayako: H-huh?
Hideaki: Are you okay?
Ayako: W-what?
Hideaki: We're about to switch the subject.
Ayako: O-Oh right, yeah, I know.
Saya: Let's see… we already established how Monokuma was in the room, and what he does in the room.
Saya: What else can we talk about?
Rin: Can we talk about the Puppetmaster's porn career?
Suguru: The Puppetmaster is not involved with anything pervert related!
Hideaki: We can discuss the AV Room.
Saya: The AV Room?
Hideaki: Inside the AV Room was a box, filled with pictures of our families, and a DVD that said something along the lines of a "despairification project."
Saya: What is a despairification project?...
Monokuma: Woah, woah, woah!
Monokuma: Hold the phone! Saddle your horses!
Kyouko: I-I don't think "saddle" is the right word.
Monokuma: This despairification project is completely off-topic!
Monokuma: Talk about something else! Or face the wrath of my evil claw!
Suguru: W-well, it looks like that the despairification project is sort of important, huh?
Monokuma: Eh? Liar! Pants on fire!
Hideaki: Should we discuss it then? It may lead to the puppetmaster's true identity.
Saya: The true identity, huh?
Ayako: Saya, I can hear the doubt in your words. Yet, I can also hear it in mine.
Ayako: But Hideaki is not the puppetmaster. You can count on that.
/=/=/phase four\=\=\
Nonstop Debate!
Saya: So, you say that the AV Room contains important evidence?
Hideaki: Correct. There are pictures of our family and that DVD that Monokuma was getting defensive over.
Suguru: But what should we talk about them?
Kouichi: We know what's on the pictures.
Kouichi: It's the DVD I'm curious about, but Monokuma definitely won't let us see that.
Monokuma: Correct! Lips are sealed!
Kyouko: O-okay, so, uh, the pictures… No, the DVD!
Suguru: Ah, we're stuck, aren't we? How are we going to discuss anything?
BREAK!
[piece of ammo used: the phrase, "How."]
Ayako: S-Suguru, I did get an idea from what you said.
Suguru: Me?
Ayako: We can't talk about how the pictures relate to the puppetmaster yet, because we honestly don't know anything yet.
Ayako: But maybe we can discuss the method of how the pictures were created.
Suguru: The method?
Ayako: Obviously Monokuma had to get those pictures somehow.
Ayako: I want to know how.
Saya: Agreed… it would be rather interesting to know how that happened.
Monokuma: Huh?
Monokuma: You think it'll be "interesting?"
Monokuma: No, no! You've got it all wrong!
Monokuma: Are we not talking about my identity? Why are we discussing these pictures?
Rin: Right! There's no nudity in them!
Suguru: What the hell is wrong with you?
Hideaki: One way or another, discussing these pictures can ultimately lead to your identity, can it not?
Monokuma: My identity?
Monokuma: Nope! Nope!
Monokuma: Lies! Lies! Two times of lies! Lies! Lies! Three times of lies!
Ayako: What are you saying?...
Monokuma: Those pictures are not at all related to my identity! There's nothing to say that it is!
Monokuma: We need to stop getting off topic over here!
Ayako: He keeps denying the truth.
Ayako: So I'll shove it in his face.
/=/=/phase five\=\=\
Machinegun Talk Battle!
Monokuma: Rawr! Rawr!
Monokuma: Mono! Kuuuummmaaaa!
Monokuma: Not interesting!
Monokuma: Xanadu!
Monokuma: Faxanadu!
Monokuma: Off-topic!
Monokuma: Do you want to be punished?
Monokuma: Ha! Ha! Ha, ha, ha!
Monokuma: Lieslieslieslieslieslieslies!
Monokuma: Bakakakakaka!
Monokuma: Prove it! Prove that the pictures aren't off-topic!
Piece of ammo used: DVD
BREAK!
Ayako: It's clear… if we take a look at that DVD… is it possible that your identity will be revealed, Monokuma?
Monokuma: Huh? You think the answer is in the DVD? Really?
Monokuma: Wow! Like, dumbass!
Kichiro: T-then if it's not important, why don'tcha just show it to us?
Monokuma: You want to see the DVD?
Kouichi: Of course we do! I-I mean, we don't want to be punished.
Hideaki: If Monokuma is not showing us the DVD, that's because there's something on there he doesn't want us to see.
Hideaki: It might not be about his identity at all.
Monokuma: You hit the nail on the head, Hideaki!
Monokuma: I'll admit this! This is on my fair bear's honor!
Monokuma: There's nothing on that DVD that could possibly suggest that my identity is blankity blank blank!
Monokuma: However, there is something discussed on that DVD.
Monokuma: Whatever this discussion is about, I intend to show it to you as soon as possible!
Monokuma: Sadly though, it's not time for that yet! I can't show the DVD to you, because like I said a gazillion times before, spoiler alert! Spoiler alert!
Kyouko: W-what do you mean by spoiler alert?!
Suguru: A-are you saying you won't show that to us now, but later?! Why the hell is that?
Roger: Bark!
Monokuma: You'll find out soon enough. Don't get your parrots in a twist.
Suguru: W-what?
Hideaki: Either way, we've discussed all the big topics, have we not?
Ayako: …yes.
Ayako: We have the freezer.
Ayako: We have the control room.
Ayako: And finally, we have the photos and that DVD that Monokuma won't show us.
Ayako: We're done…
Hideaki: It appears we're stuck, aren't we?
Saya: Stuck?
Hideaki: What can we discuss next? Ayako, have any ideas?
Ayako: N-no…
Hideaki: Alright… let us think for a while then –
Saya: We're not stuck.
Ayako: S-Saya…
Hideaki: You have evidence to present?
Saya: I do, in fact. I've been holding it back.
Kouichi: H-hey! Why have you been hiding evidence from us?!
Saya: Well, it was for Ayako's sake.
Kouichi: A-Ayako's sake?
Hideaki: Ayako?
Ayako: H-Hideaki…
Ayako: Remember when I asked you whether or not you were the puppetmaster, Hideaki?
Hideaki: What was that?
Ayako: …
Ayako: What am I saying?
Ayako: I don't really know myself.
Hideaki: W-what?
Ayako: Am I really going to do this?
Ayako: I remember Hideaki told me before I'd have to face problems like this by myself.
Ayako: So I will. I'll face Hideaki head on.
/=/=/phase six\=\=\
Nonstop Debate!
Hideaki: Do you think you have evidence about the puppetmaster?
Hideaki: If you do, present it now.
Saya: C'mon Ayako, you know what I am talking about.
Suguru: I-I'm lost – what exactly is going on?
Kichiro: Which one is the Puppetmaster?! C'mon! Show yourself already!
BREAK!
[piece of ammo used: Eyepatch]
Ayako: Hideaki, are you lying to us?
Hideaki: What was that?
Hideaki: Of course I'm not lying to you. I wouldn't lie to you.
Ayako: Then explain this. An eyepatch was found in one of the boxes.
Saya: The only one who wears an eyepatch is you, Hideaki. Your eye was gouged during Rikiya's death. The timeframe fits.
Ayako: How about it, Hideaki? Can you explain the presence of it?
Hideaki: Ayako… are you saying you suspect me to be the Puppetmaster?
Ayako: I…
Hideaki: I see… so in short, you don't trust me anymore, do you?
Ayako: J-just answer me! Explain this eyepatch!
Hideaki: Alright. If you all want to know… I'll spell out the obvious to you.
Rin: O, B, V, I, O, U, S?
Hideaki: No. Not literally.
Hideaki: That eyepatch could have belonged to Taisuke, no?
Ayako: Taisuke?
Ayako: Is that right?
Ayako: Did it belong to Taisuke? No, that's not the question I should ask right now.
Ayako: Why do I distrust Hideaki so much now? Back there, it really felt as if… I really did suspect Hideaki.
Ayako: But if I'm going to get all of us out… Get out myself… All the evidence is pointing to him right now.
Ayako: Damn it!
/=/=/phase seven\=\=\
Nonstop Debate!
Hideaki: There is no guarantee that the eyepatch belonged to me.
Hideaki: Therefore, ruling me out on this evidence would be foolish.
Rin: Ada! But that eyepatch was found in the box!
Rin: Taisuke was with us the whole time carrying it down to the lake!
Saya: If you are saying that you are not carrying the eyepatch…
Saya: …Then show us proof! Show us proof right to undoubt you!
Hideaki: How about we flip the coin on its head?
Hideaki: Show me proof that the eyepatch had to belong to me.
BREAK!
[piece of ammo used: Box of Spares]
Ayako: Here it is. A box of spare eyepatches.
Hideaki: That doesn't prove anything. I have a spare because I need them.
Saya: Have you ever used one of the spares before?
Hideaki: No, I never needed any of them.
Saya: And the trap is shut.
Hideaki: What?
Saya: If you take a look inside this box of spares, you will notice that there are slots where the eyepatches are packed into.
Hideaki: So?
Saya: It is my understanding that Monokuma provided you with a special eyepatch.
Ayako: In short, the box of spares belonged to you. None of them were taken by Monokuma.
Hideaki: What does that prove? It proves nothing!
Saya: Also, I'd like to mention Taisuke still had an eyepatch when he was killed.
Hideaki: T-tch!
Monokuma: W-what are you saying? Stop blaming Hideaki!
Hideaki: Monokuma?!
Monokuma: Y-yeah! It's not Hideaki at all!
Hideaki: S-stop it.
Monokuma: I'm someone else!
Ayako: Monokuma… you're acting like you're backed up into a corner.
Ayako: I wonder why?
Saya: You wonder about what?
Ayako: N-Never mind that. But Hideaki, can you explain anything about them?
Hideaki: …
Hideaki: No.
Saya: So you are admitting defeat?
Hideaki: Of course not. You guys are going to make a life-threatening decision on something as miniscule as an eyepatch?
Hideaki: I don't buy it. It's stupid.
Ayako: H-Hideaki?
Hideaki: I won't give in that easily – especially when there are other things that need to be solved.
Suguru: Other things that need to be solved?
Kichiro: W-what are you talking about?
Rin: Like how that condom got into my room that one time?!
Kyouko: Okay… now your sexual jokes aren't even funny.
Hideaki: I will not be executed today. I will get out of here alive.
Hideaki: And I will bring Monokuma to justice!
Monokuma: That's right! Yup, you will! Because you aren't the puppetmaster!
Monokuma: Whew! Glad we got that cleared up! Cause Hideaki is definitely not the puppetmaster!
Monokuma: Nope!
Ayako: …
Ayako: Monokuma is doing it again.
Ayako: H-He's… Getting nervous? Why is he getting nervous when we point out Hideaki?
Ayako: Could it be that Hideaki…
Ayako: What is happening?! Don't I trust him?! I keep presenting evidence into his face – yet I question my decisions!
Ayako: I have to decide here!
Ayako: If I stop raiding on Hideaki…
Ayako: Would it be too late?
Ayako: If I continue to heckle Hideaki with evidence…
Ayako: Would I be wrong?
Saya: Ayako, you have more evidence, don't you?
Ayako: Do I?
Ayako: Do I trust Hideaki?
Ayako: Hideaki is looking at me… his face is grim.
Ayako: It's like his typical stare.
Ayako: His typical emotions.
Ayako: His whole life has been like this. Without trust. Without anything…
Ayako: Is that a tear in his eye? Is he worried he'll be pointed out as the puppetmaster?
Ayako: Is he the puppetmaster?
Saya: Ayako!
Ayako: H-huh?
Saya: Do you have more evidence? If so, just present it now!
Kouichi: T-tch… Ayako… what the hell are you doing?
Kouichi: Are you going to let the deaths of your friends go out in vain?!
Ayako: …
Ayako: Hideaki…
Ayako: I'll trust you. There's no way you're the puppetmaster.
Ayako: That's my resolve now.
Ayako: What I've said before, just ignore it.
Ayako: No. I have nothing.
Hideaki: Ayako…
Saya: I see. That's what you are going to do.
Saya: I'm going to have to take steed then, huh?
Kouichi: A-Ayako…
Suguru: Is Hideaki?
Rin: Ahaha! OMG, my stepbrother, it's actually sort of sad!
Kyouko: U-U-Uhhh…
Kichiro: Sons of bitches…
Ayako: Everyone is up against arms at Hideaki.
Ayako: I can't do anything about it except support him though.
Hideaki: Very well. If you have more evidence…
Hideaki: Show me.
Saya: Show it to you? Might I present it all at once?
Hideaki: How much evidence do you have?
Saya: I have this wooden plank. With blood on this plank… did it perhaps come from one of the boxes?
Hideaki: What? You mean one of the boxes that held the body parts of our friends?
Saya: One of the boxes was missing such a plank. It was also found in your room.
Hideaki: My dormitory?
Saya: Yes.
Saya: As well as the box of spare eyepatches.
Saya: In addition to that, there was a note that said to "hide the Despairification project."
Hideaki: …
Hideaki: So things don't look so great for me right now, do they?
Saya: I've been holding out on presenting this evidence for Ayako's sake.
Kouichi: Y-you mean Ayako knew about all this?!
Suguru: S-she's trying to protect the puppetmaster?!
Hideaki: The puppetmaster? I'm not the puppetmaster though.
Kichiro: W-why? Ayako, why would you do that?
Kichiro: You want to kill all of us?! Huh?!
Hideaki: A-Ayako?
Ayako: …
Ayako: Hideaki is not the puppetmaster! I know he's not! B-But!
Monokuma: Ayako is right! OMG! Shut up you guys!
Ayako: H-huh?
Saya: Monokuma's obviously slipping up here. Ever since we've been accusing Hideaki, he's been acting strange.
Ayako: …
Ayako: He's not just "acting strange!"
Ayako: Y-you guys! Hideaki isn't the puppetmaster! I know it!
Saya: The evidence all points to him.
Ayako: Y-You're wrong!
Hideaki: …
Hideaki: I suppose I have to admit defeat, don't I?
Ayako: Huh?
Ayako: Admit defeat?
Ayako: What are you talking about?
Hideaki: I mean that I lost this trial. Everyone's obviously against me, so I lose.
Ayako: B-but! –
Monokuma: Yup. We lose.
Hideaki: No, I lose.
Monokuma: No. We lose.
Saya: In any case, are you admitting to being the puppetmaster?
Hideaki: What was that? Are you really that dumb? Of course I'm not.
Saya: E-excuse me?
Hideaki: I am simply admitting that I lost. So go ahead – vote for me as the puppetmaster.
Monokuma: …
Saya: I suppose its ballot time then.
Ayako: W-what? Wait! –
Rin: Is it ballot time? Damn! I so don't want to vote for my big bro! Or little bro? Oh who gives a flying fuck! Upu!
Ayako: Stop!
Kouichi: A-Ayako… You could have killed us!
Kouichi: What the total fucking hell?!
Ayako: K-Kouichi!
Monokuma: Well, I am a bear of my word.
Monokuma: So it's ballot time?
Hideaki: …
Ayako: H-Hideaki!
Monokuma: Well, it's been a nice run everyone!
Monokuma: Bye!
Ayako: Hideaki! What the hell is going on?!
Hideaki: …
Hideaki: I'm sorry. I can't tell you anything right now.
Ayako: Right now?! When, then?!
Hideaki: …
Monokuma: Let's start!
Monokuma: It's the final ballot time!
Seventh class trial completed! Live to see another day!
Hideaki was the puppetmaster?
Hideaki was the puppetmaster?
Monokuma took out the slot machine, and as Hideaki's faces aligned, I was left to stare at Hideaki, who wore his usual expression. It was so like him not to be worried in a situation like this. But what the hell?
"H-hold on a minute!" I said. "This is weird!"
"We told you sentimentality will get in the way," Saya said. "Now Monokuma! Let us out of the school! Or should I say Hideaki?"
Monokuma didn't say a word. He was unresponsive, as if he was caught and didn't have any other reason to speak. After a while, Monokuma raised his paw.
"But what about his punishment?" Monokuma asked. "Don't you want to partake in that?"
"What?"
"I have an idea! You guys can unleash your rage on me!"
"We can unleash our rage?" Kouichi asked. "What does that mean?"
"It means chase me!" Monokuma said. "Chase me! Then kill me! It's a barrage of despair for me! I'll love it!"
Hideaki didn't speak. Everyone was staring at him, with cold-blooded eyes. They were waiting for him to make a move, and he was doing the same. We stared, and stared, and after a while, merely sprinted for the elevator, took my hand, and headed up to the surface.
"T-they're escaping!" Kouichi screamed, as the elevator door shut on them.
The elevator slowly climbed to the surface, while I looked at Hideaki's grim face.
"We don't have much time," Hideaki said. "I'll get you out of the school. Don't worry."
"But the others!"
"They won't listen to any reason at all," Hideaki said.
"But we can't leave them here!" I said. "Why are you only taking me?!"
"Because you trusted me," Hideaki said. "Plus, I definitely trust you."
"So we're just going to leave like that?!"
"Of course not," Hideaki said. "In fact, I need to go to the catacombs for a second."
"What?!"
"The control room should still be unlocked," Hideaki said. "I want to know. I need to know who the puppetmaster here. That's one of the reasons I came back to this school. Don't interfere with me."
His last words had a sense of hostility, and I silenced myself. The elevator continued to move and move, for what seemed like an eternity. In the elevator, we weren't talking to each other. We weren't even enjoying each other's company. The air had an uncomfortable feeling to it. Hideaki was dead serious, and I was dead confused.
"We have to hurry then," I said.
Hideaki nodded, and as the doors to the elevator opened, we sprinted together to the catacombs. We went straight towards the cafeteria, and we ran straight down the stairs, and we entered the control room. Hideaki was right – it was still unlocked. The puppetmaster was still down that hatch!
We were going to catch him! We could free Hideaki from his chains! When we reveal who the puppetmaster really was, we'd free Hideaki! We'd all leave together. That would've been the ideal ending. The happy ending that everyone dreams they could get. I'd leave with Hideaki and all my friends, and we'd the rest of our lives, happy and relieved!
The school towered over me as I stared up at its greatness. I remember that day – the first day of school. I thought that entering the school would lead me to a life of hope. I'd meet friends, and I'd pursue my dreams. I thought that I would live the best life I could live.
But like I said, this story wouldn't be much of a story if something didn't happen, right?
As I reached down to open the hatch, a gunshot rang through the room. Down the hallway, a bullet crashed one of the monitors, and out came Kouichi, holding a gun in one hand, and a katana blade in another.
"W-where did you get that blade?" I asked. "And gun? What the hell are you going to do with it?"
"Monokuma gave it to us," Kouichi said. "Hideaki – you sick bastard. What kind of execution do you want? To be killed by your friends?"
"You still think I'm the puppetmaster?" Hideaki asked. "Fine. Then let's not open this hatch right now."
"What?!"
"You see this hatch down here? Remember what Monokuma said? The puppetmaster is hiding there. If we open this…"
"To hell with that!" Kouichi screamed. "You're the fucking puppetmaster! I'm going to kill you! I couldn't do anything to save the others! All my friends died because of you! So I'm doing what I can! I can fight! I'll take you down, you fucking bastard!
"Kouichi! Stop it!" I screamed.
Kouichi lunged towards Hideaki, who swiftly dodged his attack. Hideaki sprinted out of the control room, and as I saw Kouichi sprint after him, I realized Hideaki didn't have a chance. He was going up against a professional contract killer. If I didn't stop Kouichi, my other friend, Hideaki would die. I stared at the hatch. That evil hatch. It contained all the secrets, and would save us. All of us. Except Hideaki.
Hideaki would be dead.
I knew what to do.
I chased after the two fighting, and in the wide hallways of the catacombs, the two were fighting it out. Hideaki was dodging all his attacks, but Kouichi was faster. Hideaki was slashed in the face with the sword, and the gun was pointed at his chest.
"Stop it!" I screamed, and I ran towards Kouichi and tackled him out of the way.
"What the hell are you doing?!" Kouichi screamed. "I'm trying to save us! Why are you getting in my way?!"
"Because you're wrong!" I screamed. "Hideaki isn't the puppetmaster!"
"Fuck off!" Kouichi screamed, and he kicked me across the face, knocking me back. "I'm trying to save you too!"
"I don't need your help!" I screamed. "I know Hideaki isn't the puppetmaster!"
Kouichi ran towards Hideaki again. Hideaki tripped Kouichi, and Kouichi tumbled over. Hideaki tried to run away, but Kouichi grabbed Hideaki's leg, and Hideaki fell flat on his face. I ran towards them, but Kouichi shot me in the leg.
"What the fuck?!" I screamed, grabbing my bleeding leg.
"It was for your own good!" Kouichi screamed, as he lunged towards Hideaki again. I tried to crawl towards them, but Hideaki kept leading Kouichi away.
"Stop it!" I screamed. I ripped a piece of my shirt off, and tied it around my bleeding leg, and I tried to limp towards them. "You've get everything wrong!"
Kouichi slashed Hideaki in the shoulder, and as the fight continued, Kouichi slashed Hideaki in his eyepatch. It was knocked off, and it revealed a gouged out eye. An empty hole of sad emotions. Kouichi tackled Hideaki to the ground, and stuck the gun on his head.
"This ends now," Kouichi said. I ran towards Kouichi, and tripped on my other leg. As I tumbled over, I grabbed Kouichi's shirt. He turned around, and took a look at my face. I was crying. There was the pain of being shot, and then there was the pain of the chance that I'd lose Hideaki.
"Please don't," I said. "He's not the puppetmaster."
Kouichi's angry face continued, and as he looked at me, he growled. He took the katana, slashed me in the face, and knocked me over. He slammed the gun down on the floor, and kicked me over to the other side of the room.
"Ayako!" Hideaki screamed.
"You're with the puppetmaster, aren't you?!" Kouichi screamed. "Are you a mole too?! Are you a mole like Hideaki was?!"
"S-stop it!" I screamed. He pinned me down to the ground, and held the katana over my head.
"You are, aren't you?!" he screamed. "If you are, I'm just going to have to kill you too!"
Kill me? Kill me too?
"D-did you forget about your family?" I asked. "You killed them for no reason, didn't you?"
Kouichi's face immediately shrunk, and he loosened his grip a little bit. I still couldn't free myself, but I was getting to him. I had to subdue him. Remind him not to make the same mistakes again. If he did, it would be heartbreak.
"Hell no," Kouichi said. "Of course I didn't forget."
"So stop this," I said. "Don't kill your friends over nothing." Tears were streaming down my face as Kouichi stared at me. Blood dripped down from his sword onto my face. You could say it sort of looked like I was crying blood.
Crying blood… blood comes from endless pain, and crying comes from hurt emotions. Mix the two together, and you have a clear cut message. I'm in despair right now. Totally confused, unbeknownst of what is happening.
This is what despair feels like.
I never had to feel it in my life before.
Now I'm facing it head on.
What's going on?
Why is this happening?
Kouichi was still holding the sword over my head, his face twisted with emotion. Was he sad? Was he angry? Was he still going to kill me?
"P-please," I muttered. "Stop this. We need to… so… stop it."
Kouichi looked down at me. He was going to let go… He was going to stop…
I could never have been more wrong, as the blade was soon plunged into my chest. I could see the hilt from my chest, but not the blade. My vision was getting blurry. My head started to hurt.
"Ayako!" Hideaki screamed. Or, at least, I thought I heard him say that. Was he calling out my name? Who was calling out my name?
"K-Kouichi," I muttered. "Why?" Kouichi pulled the blade out of my chest as I screamed in pain.
"I'll fucking kill anyone involved with the puppetmaster," Kouichi screamed.
It was official. Kouichi was plunged into insanity. It wasn't even anything like despair. It was just ultimate insanity. He was misled by Monokuma, and now here I am. Chest bleeding… leg shot. Hideaki was at the other side of the room. What was he doing? Isn't he going to save me?
Was he the puppetmaster?
Kouichi took the sword, and prepared to get me one more time. This would be the final blow.
My vision blurred some more. I could taste blood as it left my mouth. Kouichi raised the sword, and started to scream.
I closed my eyes, and prepared. Prepared for a sharp blade to slam down onto the ground and kill me. It was a bloody nightmare. I was about to be killed like this. I never got to find out who the puppetmaster was. I was never able to leave with my friends.
Death… despair… those two things are ultimately connected, and left a sad mark on everyone who had to experience it. Even if someone died, even if the whole world was overjoyed by the death of someone, there would be always one who despaired. I wondered who would despair over me when I die? It's obvious that no one was coming to help us. Was I forgotten? Would people remember me? Was I even missed?
These were the sort of questions that you ask when you're on your death bed. I didn't realize that I would be affected by it until death was literally right in front of me.
"Everyone," I said. Why did I say that? Who was I talking too? Was I talking to all my friends?
I closed my eyes, and prepared. There was nothing to do except to accept my fate. What was going to happen – it would come soon.
I waited.
And waited.
And waited some more for death's hand to grab me by the waist and drag me to Heaven or Hell.
But it never came.
Why isn't it coming?
Did Kouichi stop?
What was happening?
I opened my eyes again, and to my shock, Kouichi was grabbing his chest. His chest was bleeding. He fell over, and Hideaki was staring over him, his face in a fury. Smoke still rose from the tip of the gun, and Kouichi fell to the floor. He was crying, and he reached his hand out for me.
"I'm sorry," Kouichi said.
I crawled over, still grabbing my chest. I regained consciousness enough to hear him out.
"I went a little insane, didn't I?" Kouichi asked.
"Y-you idiot," I said.
"Hideaki," Kouichi called out. Hideaki walked over, and kneeled down. He had put his eyepatch back on.
"You aren't the puppetmaster?"
Hideaki shook his head, and looked down at Kouichi. Kouichi nodded.
"You're fucking strong," he said to me. "I stabbed you down to the hilt with a katana, and a simple bullet in the chest for me is about to end my life."
"You're not going to die," I said. "It's just a gunshot." I was crying, Kouichi was crying, and Hideaki was crying. It wasn't hard sobs, but sniffs and whimpers. It was even worse than bawling tears out. It was a simple, solemn despair.
"Do you forgive me?" Kouichi asked. "I didn't mean to snap like that. I wasn't lying when I said that I felt like I couldn't do anything. During the trials, I was never helpful. During investigations, I couldn't do anything. Now, I almost killed you two."
"It's not too late for any of us," I said, grabbing my chest. My vision started to blur again – not because of the tears.
"I remember killing my family," Kouichi said. "I remember everything now… it was Thanksgiving… Did I say something else before? No, that doesn't matter. I said I would go out for some errands… was it milk or turkey? I lined myself up on a tree far away… I put a suppressor on my gun. I looked through the scope, and I pulled the trigger. The house was set on fire… everyone died."
"What are you saying that for?" I asked through my tears.
"I don't know," Kouichi said. "Am I reminding myself that I would die in despair?"
"What?"
"I'm dying in despair right now," Kouichi said. "Is it selfish to say that?"
"Don't die in sadness," I said. "You've been enough help."
I grabbed his hand, and he squeezed mine.
"This sort of feels like a harem right now," he joked.
"Don't make those kinds of jokes on your death bed," I said, and Kouichi closed his eyes. His body turned colder, and colder, until life escaped from his body.
"K-Kouichi…" I said.
My vision blurred even more.
I was dying. I could feel it. As I fell over, the lights went out. I think Hideaki grabbed me, and started to scream my name. Did he think I was dead too?
The others ran down the stairs, and saw Ayako and I.
I, Hideaki, was afraid.
Afraid that I'd lose the best friend I ever had. As I was wrapping her wound, the others were horrified to see Kouichi lying against the wall. His chest was covered in blood, and all they could see was me in front of Kouichi and Ayako.
"H-he killed the both of them!" Suguru screamed. Roger began barking in hostility.
"T-the hell happened here?" Kichiro muttered.
"A-Ayako," Saya muttered. "Did you let sentimentality…"
"Never mind that! What about Hideaki?" Kyouko asked.
"Who did he kill?! Which one is the real one?! OMG, what?!"
"W-well, he is the puppetmaster," Saya mumbled. "Right?"
Their words were ignorant. I killed Kouichi not as the puppetmaster, not that I am him anyways. I killed Kouichi, who held Ayako's life by a string. Kouichi was about to cut it. I didn't let that happen.
I ignored their hostile words, and looked at Ayako. I stopped the bleeding, somehow, which was a miracle. Her breathing was slow, but steady.
"You strong bastard," I said.
*Ding, dong! Ding, dong!*
"Ahahaha!"
"What the hell is that?!" Saya screamed.
That voice! –
"You guys have discovered a dead body, didn't you?! I'm just giddy with despair right now! I'm laughing so hard at this display of horror! These emotions are running rampant through you guys! Are you guys sad?"
"What the hell is going on?" Saya muttered. "This shouldn't be happening! Hideaki is right there! He's literally right there!"
"Upupupu, I feel you, Saya!"
Saya growled.
"You worked so hard to convict Hideaki! You did it to protect your very first friends, but that was all in vain, wasn't it? Because you were dead wrong! And now Kouichi is dead, dead! And now Ayako could be dead, dead! But never mind that, you all know the drill!"
"After discovering a dead body," Kichiro growled, "a class trial is held."
"You got it, dude! We're going to hold a class trial very soon, so please investigate to the best of your abilities!"
"I thought the last trial was the last one," I screamed. "What are you planning, Monokuma? Why did you lie?"
"Well, you see, I guess it was sort of bad that I lied, isn't it? But the reason for that will be apparent soon enough! Now, shall we make this the very last class trial?"
"How can we trust those words?" Saya asked in content.
"Don't worry, I won't lie this time. But this won't just be a test to find out who the puppetmaster is. No, this is going to be a new test."
"A new test?" I asked. "Of what kind?"
"You're going to find out all the mysteries of the school. To hell with just the puppetmaster. Why was this school created? What happened to everyone here? What's happening at the outside world?"
What's happening at the outside world?
"Yup, it'll be the real climax of this story! Now, are you ready?"
I looked at Ayako. She was breathing fine, but this wouldn't be the first time death nearly grabs her. I'm going to save her, and the two of us are going to get out together with our friends.
"Ready for what?" I asked calmly.
"H-he's back," Saya said. "The collected Hideaki is back."
I never told anyone why I never really harbored much emotions. Was it how I was grown up? I'm not sure. I suppose it was because it's easier for me to avoid people by masking my fear and happiness. I've sort of just grown into that mask. I wanted to show it to someone, though.
"We'll get out of here," I said to Ayako, her breathing steady. "I'll get you out of here.
"Now get investigating, you bastards! Get investigating for what very well could be the last trial of your life!"
Continued in Chapter 8: Investigation
===MONOKUMA THEATRE===
#23
Monokuma: This story has been brought to you by the depths of an amateur writer's mind!
Monokuma: Monokuma would like to thank all of you for your continued support!
Monokuma: By the way, fun fact, this chapter was twenty two pages on word!
Monokuma: Useless fact, but it makes the author feel proud he was finally able to make such a long-ass and boring chapter!
Monokuma: By the way, isn't Monokuma Theatre a better way to deliver author notes?
Monokuma: Too bad the story is ending soon, huh?
Monokuma: Oh, shit! I broke the fourth wall too much times!
AN: For real, I'm sorry that this chapter felt so rushed and stuff. It was really hard to write this chapter, and it's going to be even harder to write the next one. So please be understanding if my writing sort of sucks now.