The kitchen had more or less been abandoned for the duration of the game. None of the players had seemed to think it would be worth the effort of looking within for hints as to the location of the necklace, or answers to the mystery.
Though, as Kiibo now found, it was mainly there to taunt the players. The dishes that had been laid out in the dining room were but trifling morsels compared to what had awaited. Clearly the Du Jours had intended to indulge in a multiple-course meal.
The irony was that this image was wasted on the one student who was incapable of consumption of such foodstuffs. Though, from an artistic standpoint, he could certainly appreciate it.
But that was not why he was here. No, Saihara had answered affirmatively about wanting a snack, so Kiibo was intent on fetching something. After working his way around the oven, the sinks, the counter, the fridge and icebox, he arrived at the pantry. Upon opening the door, he was surprised, though not at all confused to discover there was but one item awaiting. A small tin of fish.
Shrugging, he took the item in question with him, preparing to depart to find Saihara, until he heard a small voice. Kiibo quickly recalled that the dining room was directly connected to the kitchen, meaning he had a front-row seat to listen in on Ouma's interrogations. The game was approaching the time limit, so he theoretically had to be close to done by now. The proper thing to do would be to leave Ouma to his work.
Curiosity won out, however, as Kiibo leaned against the door, catching hints of the conversation. Based on the voice, it seemed Ouma was questioning Hoshi.
"How long have you been working with them?"
"I only started a few weeks ago."
"I see. How did you first hear about the position?"
"Well... just... general rumblings, I suppose."
"Interesting... do you know what happened to their old chef?"
"I have reason to believe they found another form of gainful employment."
"Hard to believe, given they were working for the richest couple in town."
"Look, I don't know what happened with the old gal. I all know is, she's gone, and I work here. Anything else?"
"I think that's all I needed to know."
Kiibo backed away from the door, confused. There was another chef? A she, for that matter? More importantly, how did Hoshi know? Kiibo couldn't hope to guess.
Fortunately, he had the perfect person to share this information with. And a snack, so as to break the ice.
For a time it seemed as though Akamatsu's efforts would be for naught. Yumeno, magician (or mage) that she was, seemed a master of disappearing acts, leaving the pianist grasping at straws in her attempts to track her down. With luck, however, she finally found the redhead in the trophy room.
"There you are!" she declared.
Yumeno turned to face her. "Eh? Were you looking for me?"
Akamatsu steadied herself. It wouldn't do to give away too much too soon. Yumeno could be playing the murderer for all she knew, and who knows what sort of things Monokuma would give them the permission to do? Furthermore, if Yumeno was dedicated to finding the necklace, Akamatsu's questioning could be perceived as a threat.
But she had faith in Yumeno, and made the first step. "Just... wondered where you were. What drew you here?"
"I've been thinking about why Amami's playing the Duke," Yumeno explained.
Akamatsu quirked an eyebrow. Seeing Amami dead once more was a shock, certainly, but not enough for her to make an effort to determine why.
"I think this game has a hint to what his Ultimate Talent was, and that might help us find out where the necklace is," the mage continued.
"So you don't mind if someone else finds it?" Akamatsu inquired.
Yumeno shrugged. "As long as whoever gets it tells us, I'm fine."
With this information in mind, Akamatsu decided to take another step forward. "So... is there anything about the Duke Du Jour that Julianne Applewood could share?"
"Julianne Applewood is his go-to when he finds something valuable," Yumeno responded, slightly mechanically. "He trusts her not to ask too many questions."
"Why would you need to ask questions?" the pianist wondered.
"Archaeologists don't usually get to keep what they find," Yumeno replied, cryptically.
Akamatsu was left puzzling over this statement, until realization dawned. "The necklace... it doesn't belong to him..."
"No. No it doesn't."
"That might be the real motive for his murder..." the blonde theorized.
"And I think that's tied into who Amami-kun was..." Yumeno added.
"Huh?"
"Amami was killed by the Mastermind directly," Yumeno recalled, "and now they've killed him again, sorta..."
"Amami must have done something to really get on the Mastermind's nerves..." Akamatsu noted. "And if we figure out this fake murder, maybe we can get answers about the real one."
"At least I think so..." the mage replied.
"You're really on the ball today, Yumeno-san," the pianist observed.
"I have to be."
"Huh?"
Yumeno lowered her head before continuing, "The last two motives made Tenko and Angie feel like they had to kill someone. I... I don't want that to happen to another one of my friends."
"Yumeno-san..." Akamatsu raised her fists in determination. "Don't worry, we won't let Monokuma win this time."
"I hope you're right..."
Iruma felt good about herself. This virtual world was easily her most impressive creation yet. Sure, her contribution wasn't all that brought it about, but she could easily get away with putting on her resume. And she wasn't even a programmer by trade!
As such, she felt confident walking down the steps, continuing her exploration of the mansion. However, she stopped in her tracks once she saw who was waiting for her.
Harukawa was waiting at the bottom of the staircase with her arms crossed. Her eyes trained into her signature pointed glare, sharp enough to slice through Iruma's bold front like a hot knife through butter.
Hoping to avoid confrontation, Iruma turned around to try and retreat back upstairs, however that way was also blocked.
Momota stood further up the stairs, looking down at her with a smirk. It was clear that the two had planned this.
"Wh-what do you two want? M-money? I don't really have much money..." Iruma stuttered out.
Harukawa sighed as she walked up the steps to meet the inventor head-on. "We don't want money, we just want information."
"Huh?"
Momota also moved toward the busty blonde. "You're playing the Duke's sister. You've gotta be sitting on something good, right?"
"You two are crazy! I don't know any more than you do!" Iruma protested.
"Why don't I believe you?" the faux caretaker wondered aloud.
"Okay, okay!" Iruma replied, reaching into a pocket. "Just leave me alone!" She shoved something into Harukawa's hands and quickly made a break for it.
With the inventor fleeing, Harukawa raised up what she was handed. It appeared to be something metal hanging from a string.
"Oh my God, is that-?" Momota began.
"It's a locket," the dark-haired girl answered, "the necklace would look a lot fancier."
"Right, duh," Momota noted, chiding himself. "So, what's in it?"
"I don't know," Harukawa said, her hands struggling with the clasp, "this damn thing..."
Momota reached his hands out to grab the object in question. "Let me try."
At first Harukawa intended to say 'no', and protest that she was more than capable. However, the moment his hands brushed against hers, she quickly lost the ability to speak, turning over the locket without a fight.
"Damn it," she thought, "You're better than this. You can't get all flustered just because of one stupid guy. Even if he is... kinda... cu... NO! NO! Do NOT go there!"
The assassin's internal struggle aside, the astronaut's external one was going quite swimmingly. With a small bit of effort, he undid the clasp. "Nice!" he cheered, "Now let's see what we've got!"
Within the locket was, as to be expected, a small picture. But the person depicted in said picture was what anything but expected.
"Holy shit..." Momota muttered. He handed the locket back to Harukawa so that she, too, could bear witness to the strange sight.
A pair of red eyes widened as they took in the image. "Shirogane?"
Indeed, the wicked cosplayer was shown, smiling. It was an innocent smile, one that she had used time and again to convince the others she was just another victim in all of this. And yet, here, it finally seemed genuine.
"Why her? And why did Iruma have this?" Harukawa wondered.
"Dunno," Momota admitted, "but that's why we have Shuuichi. But before that..."
"Hmm?"
The astronaut began to grin. "How'd I do?"
"At what?"
"I've never tried that whole 'scare people into doing what you want' thing before. How'd I do?" he clarified.
Harukawa put on a smirk of her own, and offered her analysis, "I think you mostly got by off of my leftover intimidation factor."
"Well, I'm learning from the best," Momota joked.
"And don't you forget it," Harukawa replied. She was smiling. Honestly, truly smiling. He was impressed by something she had honed from her hidden talent. He was impressed by... her.
"When this is over... I... I should tell him..."
Saihara was only growing more and more frustrated. With the information he had gathered thus far, and what he hoped to receive from the other members of the fitness club, he believed he had a fair understanding of the case at hand. Though he was no closer to finding the necklace than when he first started, the detective felt it safe to assume it had already fallen into one of the players' hands. But that needn't matter. The murder mystery seemed to hold hints all on its own. There were just a few more details he needed to confirm.
Which would prove far simpler had Toujou not simply disappeared without a trace.
The maid, or rather Duchess, had a highly coveted role, in that she had a better understanding of both the house and the victim going in. If there were a place to hide, she would be the one to know about it.
Clearly she was using this to her advantage.
However, before the detective could continue his quest to find the silver-haired girl, he found himself interrupted.
"Saihara-kun! I brought your snack!"
The detective turned to face his new company. It was, indeed, Kiibo, having returned from the kitchen, carrying a small tin.
"I don't suppose you know where Toujou-san's gone?" Saihara asked.
"Sadly, no," Kiibo lamented, "As her butler, one might think she would tell me. But in either, case, here you are!" The robotic student held out the tin, with the detective tentatively taking hold of it.
"What's in this?"
"Kippers," Kiibo explained, "I believe they are a type of fish."
Saihara, confused by this snack, found himself examining the tin. And as he did, something caught his eye.
The label read: From the Grinning Ghost Cannery
"That answers that..." he muttered.
"Hmm?"
"Don't worry about it," the cap-wearing boy responded, hoping to brush things off.
"By the way," Kiibo started, "I heard Ouma-kun's interrogation of Hoshi-kun before. Something about there being another chef before him."
"Another chef?" the detective questioned.
At that moment, a loud sound echoed through the manor.
*BONG, BONG, BONG*
The time limit was finally up.
A/N: I'm late. I know I'm late. I could say it's because work was a bit more hectic than usual, but honestly? I just... lacked the drive on this one. This simulation has more than overstayed its welcome with me, and I'm sure with a few of you too.
At least we're almost done.