Hey guys! So this chapter will be a bit shorter compared to previous chapters because of the fact that it is simply an investigation chapter. It will be decently lengthy still, but just a forewarning.

Also, to readers, I apologize for the past two to three chapters being odd in their transitions. It appears that, for whatever reason, my transitions don't translate well onto the landscape. I hope to have that fixed this chapter, and I will be going back ASAP to correct them on previous chapters and updating them to my newest transitions.

REPLIES TO REVIEWS:

Zephyrius29 - Well, to be fair, it is not quite certain exactly what time Chihiro died YET, nor what times Leon, Naegi, and Kirigiri had their scuffles. But who knows, I might be purposely messing with your theory or train of thought :) Nevertheless, thank you so much for the theory! You might end up being right.

Fallenstreet01 - Yeah, Ishimaru's being a bit indecisive right now, but ya boi's figuring himself out. A bit too late, in my opinion. I couldn't have a full-out battle royale due to the rules stated in this motive, plus I only wanted one person to die this chapter so that I could have an adequate amount of people alive at the end of the sixth arc. And yeah, haha… Chihiro's dead… again *sigh*. I really wanted to keep him alive but it wasn't going to fit very well into this timeline. You'll see why towards the end of this fic. I didn't know it was a trend for Maizono to kill Chihiro though! Of course Maizono might not be the killer however, so we'll see...

IMPORTANT UPDATES:

"The Despairing AUs", the former name of this series, has now been renamed to "The Despairingly Perfect verse". This won't really matter to people reading on , but I just want to get that out in the open for any AO3 readers.

In this chapter, Mukuro actually helps Ishimaru, Naegi is a hurt cinnamon roll, and Fukawa is still nowhere to be found!

I didn't bother to notice as the distant, blurry forms of Kyoko and Makoto rushed in - was Makoto on crutches? -, or when I felt the underarms of my limbs lifted and dragged through a hallway. I think I heard someone yelling at me to get up - was that me? Or someone else? I think I adhered to them. Whoever it was.

I didn't notice when my side was stitched up, or that my other stitches that had been given to me after Mukuro's attack had popped off in all the rush. Much less, I didn't notice that Mukuro was now the one stitching up my wounds and bandaging them - or that Monobear had decided to join in on helping us and began to tend to Byakuya's wounds ("it'd be awfully boring to have a trial where we all already knew who the culprit was! … Upupupu…!").

The only thing that I paid attention to was the sheer calmness in Kyoko's voice as Makoto was handed the Monobear File. - "we have to find the killer of Fujisaki-san" -

I gasp, memories flooding back to me. Chihiro's body - I had found his body, hadn't I? I had been the one who had discovered it in the first place. A knife penetrating Chihiro's central thorax - oh god - I had been witness to that! I cradle my head in my palms, whimpers of pain murmuring through.

Mukuro must've still been working on my wounds, because she was suddenly pushing me back, a feminine hand with a Fenrir tattoo firmly planted on my shoulder. "Be still," she muttered, eyes firmly planted on my side.

"Muk-Ikusaba-kun?" I mumbled, willing my nerves to stay calm. At the sight of her, I felt the rate of my heartbeat start increasing. It hadn't been until I had actually begun to pay attention to my surroundings, but I realize with a sudden fright that Mukuro Ikusaba was holding a sharp utensil near my vital organs. "W-What are you doing?"

Instead of the malicious intent I had predicted, Mukuro instead turned a sharp-eyed gaze towards me. With her head out of the way, I see with closer clarity the task that she had assigned herself with: a needle lay in her palm; a thin, black thread latching closed half of my newest wound. "Out of everyone here, I am the one most trained in first aid." In a sentence quite out of character from her, she muttered, "... it is the least I can do." What? Since when did she -

Ignoring the twinge of uncertainty in my gut, I turn my eyes towards the rest of the lot standing around me. Makoto, Kyoko, Byakuya, Sayaka - is that Leon unconscious on the floor? - nearly everyone is here! Makoto stares at the two of us, raising his hand awkwardly, "I was the one who took care of you last time, but I pale in comparison to Ikusaba-san's actual training, so I just had to accept her offer to tend to your wounds instead! Besides… I'm kinda…" he gestures awkwardly to his current condition, "really, Ikusaba-san is truly a lifesaver, right, Ishimaru-kun?"

I stare down at Mukuro, who appears to be attentively tending to my wounds once more. She works with utmost certainty, her hair pinned back with an array of bobby pins and clips. A pale, barely-there blush stains her cheeks. I lift my eyebrows in wonder. There seriously must be an illness going around! First me, now Mukuro… thinking about it, even Chihiro had-

Ah, right.

"Chihiro-kun is really dead, then?" I asked, downcast and downtrodden. "D-Did you all confirm it? Are we really sure that -"

Kyoko cuts me off, "we're sure."

I lower my gaze. "Right…" I muttered. Another one gone… is this my karma? Sayaka had mentioned that before… maybe this is what I get for being such an evil person for so long… If only Chihiro hadn't-! If I had been a better person, then maybe-!

Sayaka suddenly pipes up, "when I saw Fujisaki-san earlier today, she had seemed so frantic - I never would've thought -" Slowly she shook her head, blue tendrils shielding her face. "I should've followed her! I knew that something was wrong!" She suddenly stares right at me, blue eyes overflowing with barely-contained tears. "I'm sorry, Ishimaru-kun! I know how much you cared for her! If only - if only I had been more proactive, then maybe this wouldn't of-"

Kyoko glides up to the panicked idol, laying a hand gently on her shoulder. Sayaka jumps, looking into the detective's eyes desperately. "K-Kirigiri-san?"

"This isn't your fault," stated Kyoko, "no one could've predicted the calamity that has befallen Fujisaki-san. It's useless to reflect on what could've been. For right now, we must focus on what to do now." Sayaka's entire demeanor shifts; she dries up her tears with her sleeves, perfectly managing to not smudge her makeup. She gives Kyoko a shaky smile and opens her mouth, but before she can say anything - "you mentioned that you had seen Fujisaki-san earlier?"

Sayaka's eyes widen the tiniest bit. "O-Oh, yes! Uh… what about it?"

Kyoko suddenly pulls out her Electro ID, tapping away with gloved fingertips. "You must realize how vital every detail in this case is to us. If you would give us your account, that would be much appreciated."

Nodding, Sayaka delicately taps her chin. "Well… maybe five to ten minutes before noon - or was it after? - Fujisaki-san came running past me as I exited Ishimaru's room after a chat with him. She really seemed like she was in a rush; or maybe she was just scared? Either way, she was out of breath and looked as though she was running from something… maybe that's why-"

Kyoko nods sharply, tapping away into the Electro ID. After a moment, seven identical pings ring throughout the entire room. As if on cue, the not-unconscious members of our class reach into their pockets and dig out their Electro IDs. Hesitating only the slightest bit, I do the same.

Maizono's Account

"That should be enough," stated Kyoko, putting away her Electro ID after a moment, "we'll see if your account adds up during the class trial."

"A-Adds up?" stuttered Sayaka, "are you-"

Kyoko shook her head, raising one single gloved palm, "don't misunderstand. I do not doubt you. I don't have evidence to." She shifts her eyes coolly to me, searching my face.

"U-Um…" I inquired, "may I help you, Kirigiri-kun?"

Kyoko stalked towards me, a hand placed loosely on her hip. Her eyes were narrowed and her lips were pursed - what did that mean? Was she angry? - "Now, Ishimaru-kun," she spoke just as evenly as before, if not with a slight edge, "let me ask one question." She pauses for a moment.

After she doesn't speak further, I swiftly nod my head. "G-Go ahead, Kirigiri-kun!" I laugh, the noise feeling fake and false in wake of the recent tragedy that had befallen us, "speak your mind freely! It is one of our basic rights, is it not?"

Kyoko nods once, "right. So, let me ask: why exactly was Fujisaki-san's body found in your room?"

I feel my blood still and my muscles tense. Only once Mukuro pinches my thigh do I allow myself to relax the slightest bit. Chihiro had been found in my room, hadn't he? I must look incredibly suspicious to them right now… "Y-You're wrong!" I straighten my spine, ignoring a stabbing pain in my gut and Mukuro's pinch of disapproval. "It wasn't me! I swear! I could never kill Chihiro!"

Looking innocently away from me she responds, "I never suggested it was you, Ishimaru-kun. Unless you have something to feel guilty about?"

"Of course not!" I snapped, "I am a prefect! My duty to the law is more important than my desire to leave this school!" The words had left my mouth as if on instinct. I truly did respect the law somewhere in my being, perhaps in a past life - but in my current life, I had broken it numerous times within the past two years. So what innate being within me had forced me to utter such vile lies? I had become a detestable, gross example of an authority figure! How dare I act in such cowardice, resorting to-

"Oh, is that so?" murmured Kyoko, "then I wonder what led to Togami-kun's wounds?"

… She caught me.

Byakuya, throat now stitched, snickered, "well, of course we all know the answer to that one, don't we, Ishimaru-kun?"

All at once, the room's atmosphere starts to shift. Accusatory glances were shot my way - despite Sayaka's earlier trust in me, she suddenly began to retreat in on herself, as if disbelieving in my actions. She didn't - surely!

Kyoko once again spoke up, "of course, it all seems a bit too obvious."

At a loss for words, I merely stamper, "w-what?"

Sighing, she cradled her chin in her fingers. "It's oddly convenient that the body was discovered in your room, despite there being no blood even though it was quite a violent and bloody crime. From the little I saw of Chihiro's body before we left, her wounds were stuffed with paper towels, as if soaking up the blood. Most likely in an attempt to transport the body without any blood trails - also to avoid leaving footprints, I would assume. In fact, I have cause to believe Chihiro was never even killed in your room to begin with. Isn't that right, Naegi-kun?"

Makoto nods, "yup. She was killed in her room at noon today."

Taking out her Electro ID, she began to tap into it once more.

Monobear File #4

"Of course, going even further, there is the odd chance that this may all be a ruse in order to disguise your own trail. Perhaps you made it appear as though you were framed, when in actuality it was you all along."

Frantically, I shake my head, "n-no! I -!"

She merely continues on, "after all, how could someone as organized and responsible as yourself somehow forget to lock your door before exiting it? I was under the assumption that you are very keen on that sort of thing."

She's right… I can't argue against her… "You are correct…" I solemnly admit, head hung and eyebrows knitted. However - "But you are not correct in the assumption that I am Chihiro-kun's killer!" With the familiar aura and presence of determination burning anew in my lungs, I gasp in, pointing a finger straight at Kyoko. "I could never bring myself to actually murder a precious classmate! I admit -" at this, I turn to face Byakuya, gaze unwavering, "- I was at a moment of uncertainty and cowardice when I tried to end your life, Togami-kun! I… I…" I bow, silently noting that Mukuro had finished her stitching, "I'm sorry!" I clasp my hands in front of me. "I know that I can not be forgiven for such heinous acts! I know that I can not ever redeem myself to you, but I will try with all my might to possibly help you recover the slightest bit!"

I wasn't lying.

Togami merely stares at me for a long moment, breathing in my words, surely! After a long moment, he looks away from me, scoffing, "tch. How pathetic."

In a flash of light, I picture Chihiro's bright, smiling face; his dimpled cheeks, his glowing eyes, his flawless complexion and his golden presence.

Thank you, Chihiro… I mumbled in my mind's eye, it is thanks to you that I remember… I haven't fully realized exactly what my brain is missing, but I can feel it starting to come together! I know… I know that it'll all make sense soon!

So, instead of scowling the usual scowl I normally would've, I smiled at the heir; Chihiro's own words of wisdom from a time long ago flashing through my mind ("you have a nice smile… it'd be nice if you used it more…")

With that resolve in mind, I turn to face Kirigiri, pointing firmly at her passive form. "I promise! I'll help you find Chihiro-kun's killer!" I nod once, then twice, to further affirm my words. "Chihiro… she was one of my closest friends… I want to serve her justice!"

Kirigiri stares at me, a single lavender eyebrow lifted. "Very well…" she turns to face the nurse's door, the heels to her boots clacking on the ground as she makes her departure. "Perhaps you may prove me wrong. Let's find out, shall we?"

oOo

I nearly vomited at the sight of Chihiro's corpse. It lay limb, with barely fresh, crimson blood staining the paper towels that appeared forcefully stuffed into his wounds. An old, single line of blood ran from the corner of his mouth to his chin, and a similarly old and crusted blotch of blood stained a limp left hand. "C-Chihiro-kun…" I murmured.

Kirigiri walks past me, kneeling in front of Chihiro's long deceased body. She casts a stare over her shoulder, directed at me. "You wanted to help, right Ishimaru-kun?" I nodded. "Then help me investigate her body."

Gulping, I kneel next to Kirigiri, hands hovering in the air, unsure of how to proceed. "U-Um… what exactly… should I do?"

Kirigiri gives a rather harsh sigh, pointing at one of Chihiro's various stab wounds. "Maybe you should take the towels out. I'm sure there is more to her wounds than what meets the eye."

I tentatively look at Kirigiri, mentally trying to telepathically ask her, do I have to? Nevertheless, Kirigiri absently stares at me, and so, with an iron will, I steel my nerves. All at once, I begin tearing the paper towels out of Chihiro's body, ripping it off like I would a bandage.

Suddenly, a gloved hand latches onto my wrist as I near tearing out the fourth towel. "Ishimaru-kun!" Kirigiri grips my wrist harder. It quite hurt, to be completely honest! "You are being rash!"

I stare down at my soiled hands. Ah… that might've been a bit much…

Silently, Kirigiri lets go of my wrist, leaning forward to hover over Chihiro's corpse. She began to carefully extract the paper from Chihiro's wounds, laying them neatly next to where I had began to tear them out. "This may be a crime scene," she stated, "but we must still treat the dead with some sense of respect."

I retreat in on myself. I felt like I was being reprimanded, like a child…

"There," she said, "that should be enough." After a moment, I will myself to look at the newly-exposed wounds of Chihiro Fujisaki. They begin to leak out blood, staining the floor. At this, Kirigiri hums, "hmm… interesting…" she leans forward to closer investigate Chihiro's face. "I didn't mishear when Naegi-kun said that her time of death was noon, correct?"

"Er…" I start, unsure of her point, "I do not believe so, unless I misheard as well!" At this, I give a weak laugh.

Stuffed Wounds

Wounds on Corpse

I look down at my Electro ID, raising an eyebrow in question. Kirigiri merely shrugs, standing up to move to the other side of Chihiro's body. "Something tells me her stab wounds may be used as evidence when it comes down to it." I nodded absently… what did she mean?

She delicately begins smoothing out Chihiro's cardigan, as if looking for something. Frowning, she inspects closer. "There's heel marks on her."

I snap to attention. "What!" I leaned forward. "How is that possible? That would leave-"

"-footprints. Yes, I know. Chihiro would've had to have been beaten heavily prior to being stabbed multiple times. As if they wanted her to suffer."

I frowned. The new motive had been enticing, but… "Chihiro-kun was a girl," I lied, "the motive called for the extermination of a male mastermind. So-"

Kirigiri frowned, biting her lip. As I spot her uneasiness, I stop. "Ah, are you okay, Kirigiri-kun? You appear to be a bit unwell-"

"I'm fine," she replied, as cool as always. "But…" she paused. After a moment, she starts to inspect Chihiro's lower half.

"Ah, wait, Kirigiri-kun!" I grasp Kirigiri's shoulder in a fit of panic, trying to pull her away. "You just mentioned respecting the dead, perhaps you shouldn't-"

Kirigiri slaps my hand off her shoulder, continuing her investigation. After a moment, she pulls her hand away, satisfied. "As I suspected," she began, "Chihiro Fujisaki was male after all… that must mean the culprit must have known she was a he."

"You suspected Chihiro-kun was a male? How did you-"

Kirigiri simply smiled, "you don't seem surprised to hear that Fujisaki-kun was indeed a male. Is it possible you knew?"

I froze, mouth still in mid-motion. Shoot, she's right, I shouldn't of known… that'll make me even more suspicious!

Still, Kirigiri had done something too - something I don't know if she had an excuse for -

"You just said Fujisaki-kun," I started, brows furrowed, "normally people don't switch that easily between honorifics after just finding out something. It wouldn't make sense… you don't seem surprised either."

Kirigiri lifted her eyebrow, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Ah… you're more observant than I had pegged you for -" that must be the only time I had received that compliment! "- yes, to confirm your suspicions, I have known Fujisaki-kun was a male for a few days now. As have you. Naegi-kun and I overheard your conversation, but that is about all the information that you'll be getting out of me right now."

I sighed contently. Well, now that that was out of the way…! - wait -

"And no," Kirigiri lifted her hand, halting my next words, "neither Naegi-kun nor I were the killer. First of all," she gestures to the footprints on the corpse, redirecting my attention. "The heels shown on these footprints are wide and flat. The upper part of the shoe isn't visible, so it isn't quite possible to determine the shoe-owner who committed the murder. However, it is clearly still a heel mark, due to the slight dirt marks over the bruising, plus the oddly defined shape of the bruises in the first place. I don't know about you, but I can not think of a single thing that would've made such a distinct shape." She gestures at Chihiro's legs, drawing my attention to the bruises once more. "Naegi-kun doesn't have heels, and my heels are pointed and small," she pauses, peering at my face. "Does that answer all of your questions?" she asks after a moment's silence.

I nod once, eyes wide.

"Good," with that, Kirigiri stands up, typing on her Electro ID once again. "Now, clearly as you can see your room was not the scene of the crime. It is completely spotless."

I look around, eyeing the decorations adorning the walls. They look as new as the day I created them, not stained with blood in the slightest. The floor, other than the spots now stained with Chihiro's blood, was completely dry and stainless.

Heel Marks on Corpse

Spotless at Location of Corpse's Discovery

Kirigiri bends down once more. "Now, of course, we can't forget this…" she gently touches the knife embedded into Chihiro. She gives it a slight tug, before cautiously beginning to take the knife out of his body.

"Ah, Kirigiri-kun, I'm not quite sure…" Kirigiri holds her free palm up, a single finger raised as if to silence me. I quietly mumble, as low as I can go, "i-is that really necessary?"

Apparently my words are still loud enough to be heard by Kirigiri. She snaps her head to me, irritation lining her facial muscles. "Of course it's necessary!" she growled, "what, do you think I'm just doing this for fun?"

"Ah no, sorry!"

Kirigiri takes a deep breath, slowly letting her nerves relax. "Very well," she stated, indifferent and cool in a second flat. The knife finally finds itself completely extracted from Chihiro. Kirigiri holds it out in front of her, observing its' design.

"As I thought…" she began. After a moment, she looks up at me, holding the knife out. "What does this look like to you?"

I gulp, suddenly feeling put on the spot! Carefully, I take the knife from her hands, holding it up to my eyes. What does it look like… ah! The curvature, the metal, the handle; it had the telltale signs of-

"A kitchen knife!" I shout out, quite pleased with my findings!

Kirigiri nods approvingly. "Exactly. If my suspicions are correct, if we were to travel to the library then I'm sure we would discover a knife missing from the knife block."

I vigorously nod along with her, a smile splitting my face into two parts. Ah, I felt so productive right now! "Great intuition, Kirigiri-kun!"

Kirigiri doesn't respond, standing up and dusting off her skirt. "Now, we should get going." She gestures for me to follow her to which I obey, wordlessly standing and striding to her position by the door. She looks over her shoulder at Naegi, who is laid on the floor next to Chihiro's body, crutches laid flat next to him, prodding at the boy's corpse. "Naegi-kun," she calls, just loud enough for Naegi and I to hear.

The luckster snaps his head up, eyes losing their usual shine. "Yes, Kirigiri-san?"

"After you're done looking over the corpse, I suggest you head to the kitchen. You may end up finding something there that interests you." Naegi nods, turning his attention back to Chihiro's body once more.

Kirigiri stops outside of my bedroom door, throwing a weary glance towards the lock. "Ishimaru-kun…" she trailed off, perhaps contemplating her next words, "try to lock your door."

"Uhm, I'm not really sure that is necessary, Kirigiri-kun! After all, people are still-"

She turns sharply to me, pointing a finger straight at the door knob. "Try to lock the door. If you do not adhere to such a simple task, I don't know how you expect for me to even think about starting to trust you."

I pause, contemplating - I am not a trustworthy person! But perhaps I could begin to try to be… "Very well!" I agreed, closing my door and digging my key out of my pocket. "But I don't understand exactly what you hope to accomplish by doing this…" I feel the familiar jingle of the keys as they exit my pocket… I try to turn it into the lock, only for it to suddenly get stuck in it. I furrow my eyebrows. "What?" I take the keys out, reinsert them, then find myself stuck with the same problem. "I… I don't quite understand!"

Kirigiri puts a hand on my shoulder, edging me away from the door. I back away, bemused at the entire situation. She opens the door slightly, darts in, then disappears for a long moment. After a few more seconds, she exits once more, sighing slightly. "As I thought…"

I inquire, "as you thought?"

Cradling her chin in her hands, she walks towards Chihiro's room. "Fujisaki-kun's keys are missing from his person."

Oh no… I look suspicious again, don't I? "I-It wasn't me!" I pushed, "I didn't murder him!"

Kirigiri nods, "save your argument for when the class trial comes. Only then will we determine who the true culprit is."

oOo

Chihiro's room was an absolute and horrific mess. After walking inside, Kirigiri stops to stare curiously at the door; odd considering the fact that everything else was so much more obscene and disturbing! She chose the most basic thing to be fascinated over… I suppose I should expect nothing else of quite a famed detective! After a few moments, she merely murmurs, "the door is unlocked."

Not knowing quite what to stay, I vouch for silence.

Kirigiri turns to look at me after a moment, her arms crossed and face rigid. "Doesn't that seem a bit odd to you?"

"Is it supposed to?" I questioned, "after all, my door was unlocked! Perhaps Chihiro-kun simply forgot to lock the door after they left, much like how I forgot to lock my door!"

Pointing a gloved finger at the door she demands, "try to lock this door!"

I back away, suddenly feeling fear for whatever strange reason. "W-Why? That is completely unnecessary! Surely you don't-"

She doesn't relent, "try to lock the door, Ishimaru!" I scramble with the keys resting absently in my pocket, nodding frantically. After exiting the room, Kirigiri right behind me, I slam the door, try to slide the key into the lock, and-

It works.

I gasp for breath, eyes blown wide and gaze unrelenting. No way… I really do look like the suspect now! How had - I'm not -

"You're really making it hard for me to start to trust you, Ishimaru-kun," sighed Kirigiri. From where I stand, I can practically feel her imposing energy - unwavering and resilient.

I can't find it in myself to attempt to turn around and save face. Instead, I clench my knuckles white and suck in a deep breath. "T-This is all a misunderstanding! I don't know how this even came to be! I swear on my life, I did not kill Chihiro!"

Kirigiri comes to stand beside me. I feel her presence and aura, but I can not find the will in myself to resolutely come to face her. The normal anxiety I felt was hard enough, to face it as a suspect accused of murder was nearly unfathomable!

I settle with, "you misunderstand, Kirigiri-kun! I did not kill him! I did not - I could never kill him!"

Kirigiri lets out a heavy sigh. "This all does seem a bit too convenient…"

Still, I cannot find the resolve in myself to face her. I stupidly utter, "huh?", only to mentally slap myself for my idiocy and cursed lack of eloquence!

"There is a very good chance that you may end up being the killer of Fujisaki-kun after all… but my gut says that there is something more to this case than what we currently see…" at this, Kirigiri sighs once more, heading into Chihiro's room alone. I stare after her, mouth gaped and eyebrows lifted. After a moment, I snap back to the rigid expression that I often so carefully fixed upon myself! I must look foolish otherwise…

When I enter after Kirigiri, I stop to notice her knelt on the floor next to a pile of metal. She seems to be tapping into her Electro ID-

Swapped Keys

Fragments of Alter Ego

I freeze, staring at the screen in front of me… Alter Ego… Chihiro's last creation… had been destroyed? Sure enough, as Kirigiri shifted through the metal fragments next to a mysterious puddle of still-wet blood, I could barely make out the fragments of a laptop. I felt an unruly amount of anger rise within my veins, and a certain heat began to overtake my face. "Why would they…" -wait- "did you know that Alter Ego would be destroyed?"

Kirigiri was silent for a moment, carefully navigating through the pieces scattered on the floor. After another minute, she finally speaks up, "I had the inkling of a suspicion," she stated, "a while before Maizono-san stated that she had spoken to Fujisaki-kun, I had also met with him. Contrary to what Maizono-san said, he didn't seem frightened in the slightest. He was carrying a relatively large backpack, and he spoke about being in a hurry to meet with someone…" If I had not been staring pointedly at the broken remains of Alter Ego, I would not have noticed Kirigiri's fist tightening around a chip of metal. "Once Fujisaki-kun's body had been discovered, I had a very strong gut feeling that it had been Alter Ego that had been in Fujisaki-kun's backpack."

I nod my head. "And that's why we didn't immediately go over to check in with Alter Ego about who the culprit was."

"That, and-" pausing for a moment, Kirigiri stands up and looks at me, "-it would be awfully suspicious to suddenly disappear into the sauna during a murder investigation, wouldn't you think?"

"I suppose so…"

Kirigiri brings out her Electro ID once more, typing away into it.

Kirigiri's Account

She looks around the room, her eyebrows narrowing substantially. After her rather perturbed expression, I also look around the room. Everything seemed spotless. Other than a neat pile of blood lying on the floor, there were practically no signs of struggle in the room.

"If Chihiro-kun was murdered here, he didn't put up much of a fight…" I offered dryly. Honestly, I felt disappointment rise within me. Chihiro still hadn't become physically strong by any means or in any which way, but somewhere in me I had truly hoped that Chihiro would've fought for his life…

Kirigiri hummed, "for such a grotesque murder scenario, I'm surprised… there isn't even a blood trail that indicates that Fujisaki-kun may have tried to run away." As those words leave her lips, I feel my resolve slowly begin to disintegrate… Chihiro…

"But," she added, "that isn't to say that Fujisaki-kun was too weak to stand up for himself." Shocked, I look up to peer at her. How had she known to say that… was I that obvious? Kirigiri faces rather pointedly away from me. After a moment, she brings out her Electro ID, tapping into it once more.

Lack of Signs of Struggle

Single Blood Puddle

"Nevertheless," she casts another glance around the room. "I don't think there is anything left for us to examine here…" for a second, her eyes drift and land on a single blood stain staining the wall.

"...what?" she questions, moving towards it. She reaches up to touch it, gently dabbing it. She pulls back, staring at her glove for a hard minute, then back to the stain. "... it's old. Much older than that puddle of blood."

oOo

Naegi had to admit, crutches were awfully hard to move around on. He hadn't ever used crutches in his life, much less broken a bone, so that might've been part of the problem.

Nevertheless, as per Kirigiri's request, he hobbled his way towards the kitchen, passing just in time to spot a disgruntled Leon Kuwata exiting the nurse's office.

Mentally, Naegi screamed for mercy. Physically, Naegi simply gave a tight-lipped smile to the young baseball player. He was under Monobear's despair, justified Naegi, he didn't have much control over his own actions… that's why…

Kuwata stumbled out into the open space, gripping his head tightly all the while. After a moment he stops, blinks, then proceeds to stare straight at Naegi with the force of a thousand ever burning suns.

To be frank, Naegi was scared shitless.

"K-Kuwata-kun!" laughs Naegi, a buildup of sweat erupting under his pits, "are you feeling any better? You've been out a while!"

Kuwata narrows his eyes. "Naegi?" he questioned, "why are you on crutches? … and more importantly, why did I wake up to find myself drooling in the nurse's office?"

Naegi couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. He didn't remember… thank god. "I just had a little… accident!" Kuwata merely stares at him.

"You're bad at being lucky."

Naegi squeaks the tiniest bit. It was true, but Kuwata was a bit… blunt. "Yeah, hahaha… anyways… do you know what's going on?"

Kuwata squints. "No?"

Ah, shoot… that meant he had to deliver the bad news… he had already seen the result of Kuwata's anger earlier, who's to say it won't be unleashed now? After a moment of harsh deliberation, he takes a deep breath and in one fluid statement says, "Fujisaki-san is dead."

Kuwata simply stares at Naegi. His mouth opens and closes like a fish out of water, completely and utterly shocked in every sense of the word. Naegi could easily sympathize. They had already lost so many friends already, and for Fujisaki of all people to fall victim…

"T-That chick? What happened?"

Naegi once again takes a breath, considering whether or not to give Kuwata the full rundown of everything they had discovered or leave it to him to figure out for himself. Of course, Naegi knew that the former option was much less… jerkish of him, so he deliberately explained everything that had occurred over the past couple hours to Kuwata, bar the part where Kuwata had actively tried to murder Naegi.

"Woah…" he murmured, obviously shaken at the knowledge. "The class trial's gonna start soon, right? I guess that means I should go see if they need help with anythin'... maybe Sayaka does…" without even a goodbye, Kuwata turns and proceeds to head directly for the dormitories. Naegi sadly stares after him… everyone was taking the recent death to heart it appears. Fujisaki was such a kind soul… and he had helped with so much, too!

After a quiet moment of mourning, Naegi heads straight for the kitchen. It had been an awfully long time since the investigation started; they were sure to start the class trial soon!

Immediately, Naegi swings towards the knife block. Like he thought… two knives are missing. It was already a known fact by this point that Ishimaru and Togami had tried to kill each other. That means that one of them had more than likely used a knife. So the other one must be the one embedded in Chihiro…

Missing Knife

Turning around, Naegi takes a quick look around the kitchen once more. Everything else seemed in order… Kirigiri had mentioned that he may find something in the kitchen area rather interesting… what could…?

As he passes a small wastebasket near the corner of the kitchen, Naegi chances a curious glance inside… only to stop dead in his tracks.

Lying inside the wastebasket laid a perfectly porcelain white tea cup, stained only with blood and the remnants of coffee. Curiously, Naegi digs into the basket, bringing the tea cup into his palm. He takes a sniff of it, only to immediately wince away. It definitely smelt like coffee… but also of blood. Metallic, foul-smelling blood.

Now only one question lingered: why would a teacup be stained with blood? Given the recent events, it was likely Fujisaki's blood… but what could-

Poison!

Of course! The coffee would definitely disguise the smell of poison! That old, faded line of blood dripping from Fujisaki's mouth had seemed so out of place; so old in comparison to all of the other injuries that he had! Fujisaki had been poisoned first! That means that all the other injuries he donned would've had to have occurred postmortem!

He quickly dug his Electro ID out of his bag, ready to lock the evidence into the clues category of case #4, when the screen of his Electro ID went completely black. He furrowed his eyebrows, sporadically tapping on the screen, when a metallic, unforgettable voice echoed over the loudspeakers.

"The investigation period is now over! Please head over to the elevator on the first floor to begin the class trial!"

Hello everyone! So this chapter wasn't quite as long as the past three, but hopefully you all still enjoyed it nonetheless! Usually investigation and class trial chapters aren't quite as long as normal chapters.

So like always, next chapter is Thursday, entitled "the Fourth Class Trial". However, Hurricane Harvey is scheduled to drop by and say hello at the stroke of midnight, so I'm not completely certain if my chapter will be out on Thursday. It is quite possible that my power will go out for a solid week, but my location is merely on the outskirts of it, so most likely it'll only be out until early next week at absolute latest, so the chapter will still come out on time! Nevertheless, I don't quite know for sure, so if the chapter is, let's say, a day late then you know why.

I actually have two questions for you this time!

Questions: As I'm sure you all noticed, Ishimaru suddenly began referring to everyone mentally, save for Chihiro, by last name instead of first name partway through the chapter after his apology to Togami, despite always referring to everyone by first name mentally. Why do you believe that is? Next: with all the evidence you have gathered for this case, who do you believe to be the actual killer of Chihiro Fujisaki?