A/N: And so, the mystery arrives yet again. Welcome back, everyone, to Fractured Fates! We are reaching the end here, everyone- but before that, the students have another murder to solve! And the victim is none other than one of the best boys around and one of the more helpful people in general- Hiroshi Ashi, the Ultimate Coroner.
Now, as I hinted at before, this Deadly Life will be a little bit...different from the other ones, in more than one aspect (for the most part). How, you may ask? Hehehe- just read, just read.
Review Replies
PokeDrifter: Yes- 'eff' indeed.
BloodyCarnage: Oh, welcome back! Yes, as you can see, things have gone even more off the rails than ever before, and the rest of Chapter 5 probably won't help with that (just a fair warning)! At any rate- don't feel pressured to review; yes, I do like getting them, but I also understand that life happens and so reading random murder mystery fics based on a random murder mystery visual novel ain't exactly gonna be top-priority. Still, glad to see the speculation- and I'm sorry for your losses (that I caused).
Chapter 5: Ultimate Truth- Deadly Life (Part 1)
It all happened so fast. One moment, Hana was letting out a war cry and swinging at Monokuma with full intent to punch him; then, the bear deftly jumped into a air and delivered a powerful kick to the back of the Ultimate Surfer's neck. Instantaneously, Hana was sent crashing to the floor, even sliding a few inches due to the force and momentum; there, she laid completely motionless, her eyes closed and her arms splayed in front of her while Monokuma flawlessly landed in front of the others.
Even Akira had to admit to herself- she was surprised by what had happened. Yes, she never considered Hana to be truly intelligent, but at least even she knew better than to break Monokuma's 'no violence' rule- apparently, Hiroshi's murder caused her to throw out logic more than she usually did.
Dammit, Amari- you're lucky your punch missed, otherwise I'm sure Monokuma would have you reduced to a fine paste. Akira thought to herself, subtly shaking her head at the unmoving girl.
The other Ultimates, however, had far stronger reactions to what they just witnessed...
"H-HANA!" Asuna screamed, gazing mortified at Hana's motionless form.
"W-What the hell was that!?" Hinata blurted.
"I agree! God, what was I thinking? 'You need to take a break'- I have got to work on my one-liners!" Monokuma growled aloud, shaking his head in disappointment.
"NO! Not that!" Ryoto cried. "L-Look! YOU KILLED HER!"
"What!? No! Look again, nimrod!" Monokuma snapped at the racecar driver, pointing to Hana.
Akira looked at the unconscious girl again; sure enough, she could see the gentle rise and fall of Hana's upper back, indicating she was breathing.
"Okay- she's alive, but...what did you do?" Hinata asked, tilting his head in confusion. "You just...knocked her out...?"
"Read a book once in a while, would you? If you did that, you'd probably know about these neat little things called pressure points!" Monokuma explained.
Akira's eyes widened somewhat upon hearing that. "Interesting- I always considered attacking pressure points more of a martial arts thing."
"Puhuhuhu! Yes, but it could also be used to subdue insubordinate students!" Monokuma confirmed. "One hit on one of those body points and BAM! The person's out like a light! Like a human OFF switch!"
"H-How did you even jump that high?" Ryoto asked. "Don't tell me- you moonlight as an acrobat!?"
"M-More importantly...!" Asuna began, cutting off Ryoto and running over to Hana's side, kneeling beside her. "Is...Hana going to be okay?"
"Of course! The worst she'll get from my attack is a bruise or something," Monokuma assured the gardener. "Honestly, you guys should be thanking me! Soul Surfer obviously wasn't gonna calm down easily- when she wakes up, she should be as chill as an ice cube! ...Or, well, about as chill as she usually is, which admittedly isn't a lot."
Akira frowned and asked, "But what about the trial? Will she be awake in time to attend?" Personally, I wouldn't mind if she wasn't around, but it'd be a waste if she was executed for unwittingly breaking such a simple rule.
"Uh...probably! I'm, like, 90% sure," Monokuma answered sheepishly. "A-Anyways! Don't dwell on her now, dwell on the guy who just got whacked!"
"Yeah, yeah, we know how this goes by now..." Hinata responded with a sigh. "You're here to give us that file of yours, right? Can you just do it already and go away?"
"Indeed- you've already wasted enough of our time with your provocations, so kindly give us what we need and be gone," Akira asserted, glaring down at the robot.
"Man- so cold, so callous..." Monokuma sadly replied, looking down at the floor...before regaining his cheerful disposition and continuing, "But you're right! The true reason I showed up was to give you guys the one-and-only Monokuma File! Being uploaded to your e-Handbooks...now!"
A set of little blips emanated from the students' handbooks- the notification signalling the upload of the Monokuma File.
"Okay! Wouldn't want to keep you guys held up with my 'provocations', as it were..." Monokuma said, a mocking tone entering his voice for a moment. "So, I'll be off making some last-minute preparations! Don't keep me waiting- especially now, because I'm really looking forward to this trial!"
With that cryptic statement, Monokuma took his stool seat and walked away to parts unknown.
"So- looks like we'll have to survive another trial after all," Akira remarked with a grim frown. As much as I would have liked to avoid it, I can't say I'm surprised by this point. But honestly...you'd think people would after four- four times...
Asuna's attention was still on Hana. "What about Hana, though? We can't just leave her here..."
"I mean- there's no rule against getting knocked out outside your room, we figured that out a little while ago..." Hinata stated. "But, yeah. Someone should- you know, move her..."
"I can do it- I'm the strongest one here, anyways," Ryoto remarked, walking over as well.
"Alright then- Miura, take Amari to the medical room in the East Wing- you don't need to stand guard at all, but at least check back on her periodically to ensure nothing else happens," Akira instructed him. She hadn't expected to retake the mantle of leadership so soon, but considering how dire their circumstances were, it was clear someone had to.
"A-And we'll just...investigate? Like normal?" Asuna asked. "What about the crime scene? Do we, uh...need guards?"
Akira frowned and responded, "There are only five of us left, one of whom is unconscious- we can't spare anyone to guard the scene. So, unfortunately, we'll just have to...trust that no one, killer or otherwise, will try to tamper with anything."
"WELP! If that's all, I'm just gonna..." Ryoto began, bending down and scooping up a still motionless Hana, then carrying her away to the East Wing.
"As for you two- just stay alert and useful, understand?" Akira told Hinata and Asuna in a firm tone- though it had been a day or two since cutting herself off from the others, taking on authority still came just as naturally as ever.
The two seemed to understand...but Akira could tell there was still some hesitation in their eyes, something holding them back.
...They're like Amari was. They don't want to believe Ashi's killer is one of the two people they're looking at right now. Akira realized as she observed Hinata and Asuna. And I'm sure if Miura was here, he'd have the same look in his eyes.
Akira shook her head and remarked, "Well, what are you two waiting for?"
After one last moment of apprehension, the duo split up; Asuna shuffled to parts unknown, while Hinata wandered off to another part of the room.
I almost feel bad for them- they may not have it as bad as Amari, but they're still far too sentimental for their own good. Akira told herself. Of course, that's just all the more reason for me to find the truth by any means necessary- if I don't, then...
Akira shook her head and absolutely refused to further that train of thought. As usual with these incidents, there's only one truth I can rely on right now...
And it's that I am not the killer.
Akira wasted little time pulling out her e-Handbook and turning it on to check the Monokuma File- one of the few things she used it for, save for checking the time. She found the icon almost immediately, and tapped on it with her finger almost due to muscle memory. The white "Monokuma File" screen appeared, the number beside the text now depicting a red '#5'; Akira scrolled down to find Hiroshi's physical profile (not that the information here would be much use, probably), then scrolled further to find the autopsy report.
The victim was Hiroshi Ashi. Time of death is unknown. The victim's body was found inside the North Wing dungeon. Cause of death is unknown; however, the victim's hands and wrists were severely mutilated, and both of his Achilles' tendons were sliced. The victim also received a single wound from blunt force trauma to his right temple and a single stab wound directly to the chest.
Akira stared at the text in shock. What...? This is all the Monokuma File has to offer? There's barely any actual information at all- this is useless!
The Ultimate Prosecutor felt the powerful urge to call Monokuma and demand answers from him, but was able to calm herself after rationalizing the contents of the File. The last time the File had omitted information about the victim, that missing information ended up being crucial to discovering the killer's identity; therefore, the same was likely true for Hiroshi's case, and it was simply a matter of finding out how.
Pocketing her handbook, Akira glanced at the entrance to the dungeon- the crime scene- then turned around to find Hinata. "Yonade- you'd better not be busy, because I need your help with something."
Hinata looked up to see the prosecutor, then remarked, "Really? You want my help? What, gonna make me dig up a murder weapon again?"
"Stop joking, Yonade- I need you to lower Ashi's body for me," Akira told him. "Miura's not here, and I doubt Izumi would be strong enough- ergo, I'm asking you."
"Well- why can't you do it? You're...well, stronger than Asuna I'm sure!" Hinata responded. "Digging through dirt was one thing, but I'm not messing with-"
Akira narrowed her eyes at Hinata and told him, "No one will be able to properly investigate Ashi's body while it's still suspended from the ceiling- that is why I have this request."
She then crossed her arms and reminded him, "Besides- I doubt you're one to be concerned about 'messing with' dead bodies after what you did with Sauchi's."
Hinata visibly winced upon hearing that, as if Akira had physically slapped him. "Okay okay, twist my arm why not..."
The thief becoming much less verbal, Akira led him back down the stairs to the dungeon. The scene remained the same as when Akira had initially seen the room minutes ago- of course, that was about to change.
"Now, Yonade- be careful. Best not to alter the corpse in any way, otherwise the investigation may be hindered," Akira informed him. "I'll help finish lowering Ashi's body once he's closer to the ground- though I'd prefer not to risk contaminating anything, there's not much else we can do to get his body down."
"You don't need to lecture me, Akira, I assumed we shouldn't be touching the body too much," Hinata responded as he walked over to untie the end of the rope from the cell door. "Not that I'd want to, anyways..."
The thief quickly untied the rope and gripped it with both hands in preparation to lower Hiroshi's body...but then, he froze, staring down at the rope in shock.
"Yonade? What is it?" Akira asked, crossing her arms as she watched.
"N-Nothing, I just...got the weirdest sense of deja vu..." Hinata answered vaguely. "Like I've..."
He neglected to finish his thought; he shook his head and finally obliged Akira's request, carefully lowering Hiroshi from the ceiling. Once he was low enough, Akira walked over and gripped his legs so she could ease the corpse onto the floor without disturbing anything (mainly that kitchen knife sticking out of his chest). When she did, she immediately noticed two things: Hiroshi's clothes felt oddly damp, and she felt what she could only assume to be wounds on the back of his ankles; she decided she would have to examine these two details in a moment.
With Hiroshi successfully lowered, Akira also took a moment to remove the other end of the rope- the noose- from around the deceased coroner's neck. Now, Hiroshi lay completely still on the floor of the dungeon, his gray eyes staring unblinking at the ceiling- his flame of life, forever extinguished.
Hinata dusted his hands off and said, "Well, if that's all you needed me for- I'd rather not spend too much time in a room full of...bodies...so, I'll just head out-"
"Don't go too far, Yonade," Akira told him as she knelt down to examine the corpse.
"Uuugh, why? You gonna have me run more errands or something?" Hinata asked with an eye-roll.
"No, but I do have a question or two for you- so stay close by," Akira answered, her gaze still fixed on Hiroshi.
Hinata rolled his eyes, but nodded and ascended the stairs, leaving her in the dungeon alone. With him gone, Akira glanced down at Hiroshi, then looked around at the scene as a whole. Alright then- time to let the truth speak.
She chose to focus on what was probably the most important aspect of the crime and crime scene: the victim's corpse. Akira knew she was no Ultimate Coroner, yet it wouldn't do much good to simply ignore the corpse, so she chose to investigate what she could.
Let's see now- the Monokuma File mentions neither cause nor time of death...I don't think I'll be able to sort out the time, but maybe I can make sense of the cause... Akira thought. And I'll start by looking at what the File does mention.
She turned her attention to Hiroshi's hands and wrists; just as the Monokume File said, numerous deep gashes cut through the flesh on his extremities, with traces of bloodstains visible around the wounds. No doubt, these wounds would not only have been enough to sufficiently maim the coroner, but would have caused a significant amount of bleeding- especially the wrist wounds.
Perhaps...could he have bled to death from these wounds? Slicing one's wrists is a form of suicide, so maybe... Akira pondered. However, the fact that the Monokuma File specifically mentioned the slices on Hiroshi's hands/wrists meant that it probably wouldn't be groundbreaking clue. Nonetheless, Akira made a mental note of the lacerations.
However, as she examined Hiroshi's wrists, Akira noticed something else: faint red marks that went completely around both of the coroner's wrists, and appeared rather thick in width and vaguely rectangular. Not only that, but some of the abrasions seemed more severe than others, leaving behind scraped skin and smaller traces of blood.
Interesting- was Ashi bound by his wrists, I wonder...? Akira asked herself. She immediately decided to make a mental note of this detail as well.
Next, she looked to Hiroshi's legs- more specifically, his ankles. She took notice of three deep lacerations on the backs of his heels; all three were almost perfectly horizontal and parallel, and like the hand wounds Akira could see faint bloodstains around the injuries. Not only that, but even Akira could easily tell each gash, though they may not have all been equal in depth, was deep enough to slice through the Achilles's tendons- just like the Monokuma File said.
Well...I can imagine the killer sliced Ashi's tendons to keep him from fleeing. Akira surmised after a moment of thought. But...why did the killer make three slashes on each heel? It can't have been that they misaimed once or twice, they're all deep enough- and this precision, the parallelism...
Akira narrowed her eyes in scrutiny. If I didn't know any better, I'd say these almost look like claw marks.
The prosecutor shook her head and decided to leave the lacerations on Hiroshi's heels alone for now. Instead, she looked to the coroner's head and examined the wound on his right temple; it appeared rather deep and severe, and would have been enough to at least render the Ultimate unconscious- possibly even kill him, either instantly or through blood loss.
Akira sighed. I've never been one for examining corpses like this- I always left it to the professionals, and this killing game was no different. Perhaps I should have studied up on some signs and practices, just in case I ever needed to investigate a corpse myself...
Shaking her head, the prosecutor realized there was nothing that could be done about it now. So, she did her best with the little knowledge she had; with that small amount of knowledge, Akira was able to figure out the bludgeon would was also somewhat rounded, meaning the weapon used had to have been round as well, but not too wide in diameter- like a baseball bat.
Having concluded that, Akira lastly turned her scrutiny towards the most glaring piece of evidence of all: the large, visible kitchen knife stabbed into Hiroshi's chest.
Now there's something suspicious- and based on its location, it could have easily and quickly killed Ashi. Akira pondered. But...is it really that simple?
She pulled up the sleeves of her suit so they were covering her hands, then proceeded to carefully remove the knife from Hiroshi's chest. Unsurprisingly, the blade was smeared in semi-dried blood, almost up to the handle.
This...just looks like a knife from the kitchen. Anyone could have obtained this, especially since we were all more or less split up since yesterday. Akira thought in disappointment. Hardly something that points to killer- but still, I'll have to remember it.
She set the knife on the floor next to Hiroshi, then pushed her sleeves back down as she looked over the wound left behind. Even still...one would think, with a wound like that, there would be more blood. Perhaps...looking under his shirt will yield some more clues.
The prosecutor gripped the bottom of Hiroshi's gray shirt and lifted it...but the moment she did, she saw something else that would shock her.
They appeared to be...burns. Numerous, blackish-red burns crossed Hiroshi's torso, with the worst burns seemingly concentrated around his chest. The burns seemed to extend to his limbs and neck somewhat, but they weren't as severe as the ones on his torso.
These burns...! I couldn't have imagined- what...what could have caused these? There aren't too many things in this castle that could leave someone with burns like these... Akira said to herself, scrutinizing over the burns in disbelief. And why would the killer even go so far, anyways...? But most of all- could these...could these burns be tied to Ashi's death somehow...? The Monokuma File omitted them, so there must be some importance...
Akira attempted to lift his shirt up more so she could see the stab wound left by the knife, although that didn't yield any more clues- not to mention it was obscured by the burns anyways. Having finished her examination of the body, the prosecutor rolled Hiroshi's shirt back down, then looked towards the last piece of evidence in regards to the corpse- the rope.
Akira walked over and carefully picked up the rope; there didn't seem to be anything particularly special about it, aside from one end being tied into the noose that suspended Hiroshi above the floor.
I wonder...could a rope have caused those abrasions on Ashi's wrists? That would mean the rope was used to bind him as well as to hang him... Akira surmised. Then there's what happened with Yonade- that sense of 'deja vu' he received when he grabbed the rope, like he recognized it from somewhere...
Then, a realization dawned on her. Come to think of it...I feel some familiarity with this rope as well...
After a moment of thought, Akira realized there was a place where the killer could have obtained a rope- and she made a mental reminder to herself to confirm her hypothesis after investigating the rest of the North Wing.
Akira put down the rope and stood up again, looking down at Hiroshi's corpse yet again. Well- looking at the body alone hasn't cleared up any mysteries about how Ashi actually died or when he was killed- but I suppose that's to be expected. The more evidence I find, the more clear those mysteries should become...
She frowned and furrowed her brow. And yet...something still feels...off. Ashi has all these wounds all over him, yet there's barely any blood on his clothes or at the crime scene. Well, I can see traces of blood, but it's as if the killer...rinsed the blood off of him, or at least attempted to...
She leaned down again and felt the deceased coroner's clothing. And his clothes- they have a hint of dampness to them, which I suppose adds some validity to the idea of rinsing the blood off...
Akira crossed her arms with a dissatisfied grunt. But oddly enough- where did his vest go? Ashi almost always wears it. And his pants- usually, he seems to have an endless supply of latex gloves in his pocket, but now...there's nothing in any of his pockets. It could be that he simply ran out, but...
Shaking her head, the Ultimate investigated the rest of the dungeon- however, she found that nothing else in the room was out of the ordinary. The beds were in their proper positions, none of the corpses had been displaced or tampered with- truly, the biggest change the killer made to the room had been suspending Hiroshi's corpse with the rope.
Well- I suppose this ends the preliminary part of the investigation... Akira told herself, beginning to make her way towards the stairs. The previous cases had many questions surrounding them too, but this one...something tells me Ashi's case is going to be particularly frustrating. After all, as much as I despise Monokuma and the mastermind, that bear made a good point- there was no actual motive this time.
She stopped in front of the stairwell and leaned against the stone wall in thought. So then...to what end did the blackened commit this murder...? Was it truly related to the- the revelations that Monokuma made the day Ashi first went missing...? Revelations that we can't even know are true or not?
That was something else Akira had to keep in mind- Hiroshi's disappearance. He had strangely vanished two nights ago, and now he turns up dead like this- though the mystery of his disappearance was still just that, Akira knew the two events had to be connected somehow.
Amari was- technically- the last one to actually see and interact with him on the night he disappeared. If I get the chance, I should ask her about what happened between her and Ashi that night. Akira told herself as she began to ascend the stairs. Not only that, but Izumi's claim from last night requires further investigation as well- assuming she wasn't mistaken or lying...she may very well have been the last one to see Ashi alive.
When she was back in the main hall of the North Wing, Akira was immediately struck with annoyance. It appeared that Hinata had not heeded her words from before, as he was nowhere to be seen in the main hall. The prosecutor stepped out into the center of the room and looked around; moments later, she heard the doors to the throne room opening, and out stepped the Ultimate Thief in question.
Upon reentering the main hall, Hinata saw Akira and called out, "Oh- hey, Akira. Finally done?"
"Excuse you, I thought I told you to stay close while I investigated," Akira told him with a glare.
"Well, you were taking forever and I got bored- so I thought I'd do some investigation on my own," Hinata explained as he descended the stairs. "By the way, ah- the throne room, plus that hidden room you found? Nothing evidence-looking in there, as far as I could see. You're welcome to look yourself if you don't believe me, but it'd be a waste of time."
"Noted," Akira stated, crossing her arms. "Now, Yonade- tell me again about what happened when you were investigating the West Wing yesterday."
"Huh? Why do you want to know about that?" Hinata asked, surprised.
"Because what you experienced during that search was odd- and since it occurred after Ashi disappeared, I believe there may be something more to it," Akira explained. "So, give me your account again."
"Uh...okay?" Hinata responded, furrowing his brow. He then frowned and remarked, "Actually, since you bring that up...there's something I gotta tell you. The thing is, I...kinda left something out when I told you guys about the wine room the other day."
"What? What did you leave out?" Akira asked, her interest immediately piqued.
"Okay, okay- like I said before, I was looking around the top floor of the West Wing when another blackout happened," Hinata explained. "I tried to go into the wine room around that time, but the door...well, it was blocked or something. I tried to force it open, but it wouldn't budge."
"Yes, that's what you said yesterday," Akira replied, frowning.
"But what I didn't tell you guys was what happened when I tried to get in," the thief confessed. "See, when I was trying to force the door open...well, someone was inside the wine room."
"Really? Who?" Akira then asked.
"Asuna," Hinata answered.
"EIYAAAAAAAH!"
As another blackout engulfed the top floor of the West Wing, Hinata let out yet another shriek and bolted for the closest door he could find. He felt his hand close over a doorknob- the door to the wine room, he could only presume. However, when he tried to push the door open, the thief would realize the door wouldn't budge.
"Wha-!? What the fuck!?" Hinata yelped to himself as he tried to force the door open- to no avail. "What's goin' on here!?"
As if things couldn't get any stranger, the Ultimate would then hear a voice, evidently coming from the other side of the door: "H-Hey! Please calm down, d-don't break that door please!"
Hinata's eyes widened- though the door slightly muffled it, he recognized that high-pitched, slightly anxious, feminine tone anywhere. "A...Asuna? Is that you?"
"Uh- y-yeah! Who else would it be, it's me!" Asuna sheepishly confirmed with a chuckle.
"W-Well- what are you doing in there? I thought we agreed- I search the top floor, you search the bottom, and whoever got done would just go to the South Wing!" Hinata responded, dumbfounded.
"Y-Yeah-? Yeah, but...I-I thought a bit of help wouldn't hurt, right?" Asuna explained. "So, uh- here I am! Investigating the wine room, by myself, no need to come in!"
"No need to-?" Hinata began, trying the door again. "Why'd you block the door?"
At that moment, the lights came back on, allowing Hinata to confirm that he was, in fact, in front of the wine room.
"B-Because I want to investigate alone! I-I won't be too long, don't worry! Hehe-" Asuna responded, just as sheepish as before. At that point, she went silent, and Hinata- realizing he couldn't force the door open- did the same.
"...I didn't bring it up during the meeting because I wasn't sure what to make of it," Hinata went on. "When I went in there a minute or two after, Asuna was gone completely."
"That's...strange indeed," Akira agreed. "And it was after that encounter that the dumbwaiter stopped working, right?"
"Yeah- when I was able to get in and investigate myself, the dumbwaiter was one of the last things I checked, and it...well, I already talked about how it didn't work," Hinata stated with a shrug. "Probably shoulda mentioned it earlier, yeah, but- come on, how was I supposed to know Hiroshi would end up dead the next today?"
"And you're certain it was Izumi you heard, yes?" Akira asked again.
"Uh, unless someone around here can do a really good Asuna impression- yes, I'm sure," Hinata insisted with a nod. "Yeah, the door kinda muffled the voice a bit, but I'd recognize Asuna if I heard her."
Akira went silent for a moment in contemplation- while Hinata's status as a thief made him less than trustworthy, the prosecutor could sense some measure of truthfulness in his words based on his tone, not to mention nothing appeared out of the ordinary with his body language.
Thus, she nodded simply remarked, "Interesting indeed...I'll have to remember that."
"Yeah, you do that- anyways, did you need to ask me anything else?" Hinata inquired. "Or can I go back to looking around myself?"
Akira rolled her eyes and replied, "You're free to go, Yonade- but if something comes up later..."
"Yeah, I know, I'll probably hear all about it," the thief replied, already beginning to walk away. "Hey, if you want any more info, you're probably better off asking Asuna herself- though I'm not sure what she'll say about it."
Akira said nothing, but thought to herself, Hmph- something else to talk to Izumi about, it would seem. Looks like I'd better find her sooner rather than later...
Turning her attention away from the departing Ultimate and towards the throne room, Akira then told herself, Yonade said he looked around up there and found absolutely nothing...but since there's a chance he's killer, I'd be a fool to take his words at face value.
With that, the prosecutor chose her next target of investigation, and ascended the grand staircase accordingly.
As it turned out, Hinata was being a little more truthful than Akira gave him credit for. After a thorough search of both the main throne room and the other room hidden in the back, the prosecutor found absolutely nothing that tied to Hiroshi's murder, meaning it truly had been a waste of time.
Exiting the throne room bitterly, Akira descended back down the stairwell and told herself, Well- that was useless after all. All that time I could have spent investigating somewhere with actual evidence- I'd better be quick in my investigation of the power room, otherwise I'll lose even more time...
The prosecutor strode down the hallway leading to the power room, but then stopped momentarily as she passed the area where the hidden entrance to the catacombs was.
Glancing back over her shoulder, she thought, Actually...those catacombs would be an excellent place to hide evidence, and it's not like there's any of us who were completely in the dark about it...
However, the girl immediately shook her head. No, no, I can't get distracted- those catacombs are far too large and maze-like for me to search alone, let alone in the time Monokuma provided for us. And if the killer did hide evidence down there, there's no way to tell where exactly...
With a small sigh of resignation, Akira continued on her way and pushed open the metal door leading into the power room. The Ultimate didn't expect to see much- perhaps some evidence of Monokuma's repairs from the other day. But what she did see, however, defied her low expectations.
What struck her first was an unmistakable crackling sound. Looking up, Akira was surprised to see a pair of cables dangling low from the ceiling, with electricity sparking at the damaged ends.
What in the-? This is what Monokuma calls finished repairs? Akira asked herself as she cautiously approached. God, no wonder this castle's such a death trap on its own...
As she drew closer to the live cables, she noticed there did appear to be traces that something had been worked on inside the room. The machines closest to the cables seemed like they had been cleaned of dark soot, some of the other cables attached to the ceiling had some signs of repair and appeared to have been shoved up there somewhat haphazardly, and a few of the tools on the far table had been displaced and indicated signs of use.
Acutely aware of the fact that prosecutors were not immune to electricity, Akira gingerly stepped around the sparking ends to the other half of the room. She then walked up to the table, the same one with Kiragi Ashikawa's catchphrase mysteriously carved into it, and examined the various tools on top of it. None of them appeared particularly suspicious- although she did take notice of a pair of insulated, rubber gloves that appeared slightly singed.
I doubt Monokuma could have worn these while working- these were clearly meant to be worn by a human. Akira observed. ...Come to think of it...could whoever's truly in charge of this killing game have actually used Monokuma, a robot, to do electrical repairs? I must say, they're certainly dedicated to keeping their identities a secret, if that's the case...
Seeing as there was nothing left to see in the power room, Akira carefully navigated around the live wires so she could get back to the door.
This place...it explains the blackouts, sure, but is it tied to the murder itself...? the Ultimate wondered as she glanced around the room one last time. ...I can't say, but perhaps I should remember what I saw anyways.
Thus, Akira turned back around and exited the power room- so far, she was less than satisfied with the results of her investigation, and since this was the last of the North Wing's areas...well, the prosecutor preferred not to think too pessimistically about the situation.
After returning to the main hall, Akira took a moment to think about what she had discovered so far...which was not too much, admittedly.
So really, the only two places in this wing that have any semblance of evidence are the dungeon and the power room... the prosecutor pondered, shaking her head. And yet, there are still so many missing pieces. Clearly, the North Wing is the epicenter of the crime, and yet..
She frowned. No. no, there's still time- and I have some leads I can follow up on. Surely, those should provide some answers.
Akira decided the best course of action at this point would be to head for the East Wing- there, she believed she would find the source of at least one of the pieces of evidence she had found before. So, she climbed the central staircase and made her way to the right, where she saw the doorway leading into the East Wing.
However, before she could fully enter, Akira saw someone already stepping through into the North Wing- it was Ryoto.
The Ultimate Racecar Driver was strolling through the doorway before he noticed Akira; when he did, he greeted her with a resounding, "AKIRA! Great to see ya, how's the investigation going?"
"This is no time for small talk, Miura," Akira told him. "What are you doing?"
"Hey, I was looking around too! And I was keeping an eye on Hana, just like you asked!" Ryoto told her, crossing his arms. "Oh! But that does remind me- Hana woke up!"
"Did she now?" Akira inquired, furrowing her brow.
"Yup! Just a minute ago, actually- I think she was heading to the North Wing, as a matter of fact," the racer explained, nodding to the hallway behind Akira. "That's where I'm heading too!"
"And I'm heading to the East Wing, so if you would kindly move out of my-" Akira began...only to stop and turn back to Ryoto. "Wait a second. Miura, you investigated the East Wing yesterday, didn't you? A few hours after you and Amari searched the South Wing for signs of Ashi?"
"That is correct! Didn't find anything, though," Ryoto responded with a nod.
"Well, obviously, but that's not what I was going to ask you about," Akira told him. "I was wondering if you encountered anything...odd during your search. Or, for that matter, anything odd in the South Wing you neglected to mention yesterday."
"Well- first, nothing weird happened in the South Wing, so you'd be wrong about that!" Ryoto answered. "But...when I was looking around the East Wing, though...that's a different story."
"So something did happen," Akira surmised. "What was it?"
"Okay- honestly, I don't know if it's that big of a deal, but it was DEFINITELY weird!" Ryoto began. "See- I was looking around the whole wing, right? Everything's normal and quiet, except for a few blackouts in a few of the rooms- but then I get to the watchtower. And when I was there, I heard...I heard this rustling sound up at the top. Like someone was going through the crates and sacks and stuff, I dunno."
"A...rustling? At the top of the tower?" Akira repeated, furrowing her brow. "That would mean someone else was in there besides you..."
"Yeah! But when I tried calling up to them, they didn't say anything! They just...went silent as soon as I started talking!" Ryoto went on. "So I couldn't tell you who exactly it was up there. I left to go grab something from the armory to make a platform with- those big axes you used before- but by the time I got back and made it up to the top, whoever was up there was gone! POOF! Like a ghost!"
Or maybe it was because they managed to slip away while you were in the armory- that would provide an ample opportunity to escape, even if Miura was as quick as he could be. Akira rationalized. "But still- the stairs in the eastern watchtower are still broken, right? Did you see any evidence of what this person used to cross the gap?"
"NOPE! Nothing! There was nothing missing from the armory, and I don't know where else someone could have gotten something to make a bridge..." Ryoto replied, shaking his head. "It was so weird, and I DIDN'T EVEN GET TO SEE WHO THE SNEAK WAS!"
Akira glanced away as she became enveloped in thought. Strange...if Miura's testimony is accurate, then- how did the person he hear, whoever they were, make it past that gap in the stairs?
Shaking her head, the prosecutor inquired, "Well, I suppose this information is helpful- did you happen to see anything else?"
"Aside from the fact that someone kind of took apart the pulley thing? Not really," Ryoto mentioned. "ANYWAYS! If that's all you needed, then I'd better get going."
"Yes, that's all- for now," Akira replied, already walking past him towards the East Wing's upper entrance. "But if I find something that implicates you, then you'll be seeing me again."
"That's ominous! But I'll already be seeing you again before the trial, so I don't see why that matters!" Ryoto cheerfully responded as he walked away. "Anyways- see you around, Akira!"
"..." Akira scoffed and shook her head. Miura- it's like every time I talk to him, I feel more of my brain cells dying out.
She crossed the threshold into the East Wing, then proceeded onward down the hallway towards the watchtower's entrance. Without waiting, Akira opened the door somewhat and poked her head inside; her gaze immediately turned towards the wooden stairs. Just like Ryoto said, a few of the steps were still splintered and broken from Shiori's doomed murder plan, meaning she would need to remake her 'axe bridge' after all.
I wish I didn't have to waste time with this damn gap in the stairs...would it kill whoever's in charge of this place to put in some implementation for our convenience? Akira thought to herself with a scowl. Monokuma can repair a broken railing, but not a few steps? Unbelievable...
The prosecutor didn't spend too much time in the armory once inside; she simply went to retrieve the two axes she had used during the last investigation. However, she did take a moment to scan the room and see if anything else had gone missing- Akira saw nothing out of the ordinary, thus confirming that claim of Ryoto's as well.
Hefting the two battleaxes under her arms- while being sure not to cut herself by mistake- Akira shouldered the armory door open again and exited back into the East Wing's main hall. She then returned to the watchtower and reentered with only slight difficulty, taking a moment to gaze up at the damaged stairs again.
Now, let's also see if my hunch about that rope is accurate... Akira thought to herself as she approached the gap.
Laying the two large axes down in the same position as she had back during the fourth investigation, Akira carefully walked across the axe-bridge, then proceeded up the rest of the stairs to the tower's top room.
Upon stepping into the upper area, something immediately caught the prosecutor's attention: the platform, which had been held up by the pulley system, was no longer suspended above the opening in the floor. Instead, it was lying on the floor towards the opposite side of the room; most importantly, however, the rope that had been holding up the platform and enabled it to be lowered or raised up was gone.
Akira walked over somewhat, but she didn't need to get too close to see the rope's absence. Just as I thought- the rope used on Ashi was the same rope used for this pulley system. That also explains why Yonade felt such familiarity with it- he used the pulley system during the last case, so it's no surprise he felt recognition when he lowered Ashi's corpse in a similar manner to how he moved the platform before...
In that moment, having thought about Shiori's case again, Akira became aware of the fact that she was standing in the same room where the Ultimate Surgeon's corpse had been found. She stopped and looked around; yes, the crime scene in there had turned out to have been falsified, but it had still been a messy scene overall. And yet, there was not a speck of blood to be seen anywhere- not on the walls no on the floor, where the majority of the smears had been. Absolutely no trace of the crime whatsoever.
...I still don't understand what the point of erasing almost all trace of the murders is- does it have anything to do with Monokuma's whole 'despair' shtick? Akira pondered, shaking her head. If anything, it's just more convenient for all of us if we don't have to worry about cleaning up blood and bodies- and if the dungeon is any indication, it's not like they're doing anything to the bodies themselves- outside of the executions.
Akira, done with her contemplating, turned away from the one-time crime scene and made her way back down the stairs. She was somewhat satisfied she had solved one mystery regarding this case, but...there were still many more to be had.
At this rate, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't the least bit concerned about this case... Akira admitted to herself. There are only so many other places connected to this case that I could possibly investigate still, what if-
That's when Akira had an idea- an idea for another location that could be tied to Hiroshi's murder, either directly or indirectly. The prosecutor was a bit surprised with herself for not thinking about it sooner, but now that she had- she was certain it would probably be her second best bet, aside from the scene of the murder itself.
Akira quickly and quietly made her way into the South Wing- not that the 'quiet' part was too difficult, as the other students were nowhere to be found. That wouldn't have mattered anyways- the Ultimate Prosecutor had her mind set on her goal, and nothing would stray her from it.
Within moments, Akira was heading down the hallway containing the students' bedrooms, where she ultimately stopped in front of one student's door in particular: Hiroshi's. It was the most logical location to search, the victim's own bedroom; aside from that, the other victims' bedrooms- save for Mikio's- had contained evidence relating to their murder in some way, and coupled with the fact that Hiroshi had been heading to his bedroom when Hana last saw him...
If this place doesn't have evidence in it, then this case really will be tougher than all the others... Akira grimly thought to herself. Narrowing her eyes, she gripped the doorknob and turned it so she could enter- but found it wouldn't move.
"What the-?" Akira spoke up in surprise. She tried the doorknob again, but it remained locked tight. The Ultimate's shock turned to frustration, and she immediately turned away and looked to one of the nearby security cameras.
"Monokuma! Show yourself and explain this now!" Akira called to the camera, her eyes blazing.
It didn't take long for the 'headmaster' to respond, as he appeared right behind Akira seconds later and spoke, "Well well, Ms. Rimutsu, is that any way to speak to your headmaster?"
Akira turned on her heel and growled at the ursine, "Like I give a damn- why is the door to Ashi's bedroom locked? You always unlock the bedrooms belonging to the victims during these investigations."
"Puhuhuhu- well, maybe I decided to shake things up a bit, you ever think of that?" Monokuma replied with mock sweetness. "Besides, you don't need to go in there anyways- there's no evidence that could help ya guys out in the trial."
Akira, however, shook her head. "That's a lie, and you know it. During the investigation for Nakamura's murder, his bedroom had contained nothing connected to his death- and yet, you unlocked it, just like you did with all the proceeding victims' rooms."
"Aha- I did, didn't I?" Monokuma remarked, sounding the tiniest bit...nervous? "Well- forget about Blueberry, he's been dead for ages! That was the past, and I choose to look to the present- and in the present, you're not getting into Autopsy's room, period!"
Akira furiously glared at Monokuma. "But why is that? Without proper evidence, how can you hope to hold a fair trial, as you appear to take some morbid pride in doing?"
Monokuma only giggled again. "Your glaring might scare the living daylights out of everyone else, but not me! I lived in the wilderness long enough to not even be scared of giant clown spiders or giant robots! So, in other words, you're not gonna get me to open this door even if you throw me into it!"
Before Akira could protest further, Monokuma ran back down the hallway and disappeared. Left with more questions than answers, the Ultimate Prosecutor glared at the door as if her gaze would burn it down. Alas, it was just a door, and Akira's look was just a look.
Moments later, Akira became acutely aware of footsteps approaching; turning towards the direction of the main hall, she caught sight of a certain Ultimate Gardener making her way around the corner, confusion and curiosity on her face.
Upon seeing Asuna and remembering the numerous things she wanted to ask her, the prosecutor called out, "Izumi!"
The girl was barely able to stop herself from jumping in fright as her name was suddenly called out. Quickly looking down the hall, she replied, "A-Akira? I didn't think you'd be here..."
"Mmph- well, my plan was to investigate Ashi's room, but..." Akira explained, narrowing her eyes at the door once again. "But more importantly- what are you doing here?"
"Uh- truth be told, I...kinda had the same idea as you," Asuna confessed. "B-But, I...might have overhead some of what Monokuma said, s-so I know why you can't get in..."
Akira was still bitterly silent, but she sighed and turned to Asuna fully. "At any rate- I'm actually somewhat glad you're here."
"W-Why? Did you...want to ask me something...?" the gardener inquired, tilting her head a little.
"Yes- a few things, actually," Akira confirmed. "One of them involves what you witnessed last night, the other regards your investigation with Yonade in the West Wing-"
Upon bringing up the West Wing, Akira remembered what Hinata said about the dumbwaiter...and in that moment, an idea popped into her head. "..."
"Ah- Akira...?" Asuna began, frowning in concern.
"...Actually- the questioning can wait," Akira spoke up again, starting to make her way back down the hallway. "Follow me, Izumi- there's something I need you for."
"Y-You want me to what?" Asuna yelped. She had followed Akira back to the West Wing- more specifically, to the wine room, and found herself dumbfounded by what the 'something' Akira mentioned turned out to be.
"I told you- go inside the shaft of the dumbwaiter and see if you can find out why it stopped working," Akira repeated, pointing to the area where the dumbwaiter was.
The actual lift itself was lowered down to the banquet room, unable to be elevated again like Hinata said. On the other hand, this left the shaft completely empty on the upper floor, allowing access to the mechanisms above that allowed it to move.
"I-I know, but- doesn't that seem dangerous? What if I fall, or th-the thing starts working again and crushes me, o-or-" Asuna stammered. "W-Why even ask me to do it?"
"Because you're the smallest one out of all of us, both in terms of height and body structure," Akira explained. "If anyone would be able to fit in there and look at the mechanism, it'd be you."
"I...I guess, but..." Asuna replied, gingerly poking her head into the opening a little. She then walked back, taking off her fedora and holding it out to the Ultimate Prosecutor. "C-Can you at least hold on to this while I do it? Please?"
Akira rolled her eyes, but nonetheless obliged and took the hat from her. Asuna then walked back to the dumbwaiter shaft, stepping onto the edge of the opening with one foot and pushing herself upwards.
While Asuna examined whatever was up there, Akira looked down at the fedora she was holding- the very same hat that once belonged to Kaneki, the same one that Akira herself had given to Asuna as a way to apologize for believing she was the killer of that trial. Though the prosecutor was never one for nostalgia, even she found herself wondering how long it had been since that day- it felt like years, yet it couldn't have been more than several days, maybe over a week or two.
...That trial... Akira thought, her grip on the hat tightening somewhat. It's been so long, but I can't forget it...how could I? Nakamura's trial had been one thing, but Tenmaru's...that trial...
"O-Oh! I found something!" Asuna suddenly exclaimed. "There's something stuck in these gears here! A-And it's kinda big, no wonder the dumbwaiter wouldn't work. H-Hold on, maybe I can-"
Akira ignored Asuna as her gaze turned to anger. If I had to pick a time where I truly started to detest Amari, it would be during that trial. I've had to deal with her in the two trials that followed, but it all started with that damn trial. That idiot had the audacity to go up against me, and the worst part...she had been right all along! And I...I had been...mistaken in my logic, and because of that we all might have-
Akira quickly stopped herself from finishing that thought. She relaxed her grip and composed herself, mentally resolving, Not this time. Not again. More than ever, finding the truth of this murder is a necessity- I don't care how long it takes, I will not allow the blackened to win and escape. I, as the Ultimate Prosecutor, can not allow it.
"AHA! Got it!" Asuna happily cried as she extracted herself from the shaft of the lift, holding a peculiar object in her hand. "This must be what- uh...were you brooding just now?"
"I don't brood," Akira told her, tossing Kaneki's fedora back to her. "Regardless- what is that you're holding?"
"Uh...it's a little weird, honestly, but..." Asuna responded, putting the hat back on and holding out the item she had retrieved.
It was a glass bottle, purple in color and skinny in design, with its height being about a foot and a half. It was filled with liquid, and judging by the grape picture on the label Akira guessed it was grape juice. Its surface was scratched somewhat, likely as a result of being stuck in the moving mechanisms of the dumbwaiter. That, however, was nothing compared to what Akira saw on the bottom of the bottle- the unmistakable appearance of dried blood.
"Well, well- now this is evidence," Akira remarked, taking the tall bottle from Asuna's hands and turning it over in her hands. "This blood- it doesn't look too recent. Must be...a day or two old, I'd say."
"I-I'm just surprise it didn't break between those gears," Asuna said. "I...think I vaguely remember seeing that bottle down in the banquet room, not in here. I-It looks non-alcoholic anyways,, and that's where they keep the non-alcoholic drinks."
"Yes, I believe this bottle came from down there rather than from in here as well...but still, I question why the killer chose to hide such a weapon in the shaft of the dumbwaiter, of all places..." Akira pondered aloud. Still, I can't deny the significance of this. The diameter, the shape, the blood...this must have been what was used to give Ashi that head wound. But the real question is- is it the murder weapon itself?
She set the bottle down and turned back to Asuna, leaning on her back against the shelf behind her. "Now then- you remember that I planned on asking you some questions, right?"
"O-Oh, yeah," Asuna responded with a quick nod. "I, uh- guess you're going to ask them now?"
"Precisely," Akira confirmed, crossing her arms. "First and foremost- tell me again about what happened when you saw Ashi last night."
"That...? W-Well, nothing major, it was just like I told you guys last night," Asuna explained. "I-I went up to lock up the storage room- a little later, because I kinda forgot about it during dinner- and I walked out of the study about...a minute or two after the nighttime announcement? That's when I looked down the hallway and saw Hiroshi going into the East Wing. I-I tried to call out and catch up to him, but he didn't respond to me and...when I got to the East Wing, he was gone- just like that."
Akira closed her eyes in thought- Asuna's story was the same as it had been last night, and she sounded just as genuine now as she did last night. That didn't mean she was being truthful, however.
"And you're certain it was Ashi, right?" Akira asked again. "You did mention you only caught a glimpse of his back, after all."
"That's true, but- but I recognized him, I know it was him," Asuna insisted, sounding candid. "I-I don't know how he disappeared like that or why he didn't answer me, but...it was Hiroshi, I'm sure of it."
Akira pursed her lips. It's a strange story, no doubt- and yet it's not like this is the first time she's talked about what she saw. But then again, no one else was around when she 'saw' Ashi, so the chances of her story being a complete fabrication are quite high. But on the chance that she's being truthful...well, I'll just keep Izumi's story in mind for now.
"Okay- another thing..." Akira began. "Did anything odd happen to you while you and Yonade investigated the West Wing the other day? Or, perhaps, did you happen to witness anything else strange?"
"Aside from little blackouts in some of the rooms...? N-Not really," Asuna admitted. "I just...looked around the rooms, a-and when I was done I went back to the South Wing because me and Hinata agreed whoever was done should just go to the dining room i-instead of waiting for the other person."
Akira furrowed her brow. "And you went straight to the South Wing?"
"W-Well, I did talk to Hana for a little bit in the courtyard..." Asuna added. "Uh- Akira, you saw me out there, remember?"
However, before Asuna could comment, another set of doors opened- these ones being the doors leading into the East Wing. Out of these doors came Akira, a stark contrast to Asuna's friendliness. The prosecutor looked around the courtyard for a moment, then caught sight of the two Ultimates standing by the South Wing's entrance.
"Amari, Izumi- what are you two doing?" Akira inquired as she approached them. "I don't suppose you're done searching."
"Uh- I am. Hinata and I split up to cover more ground," Asuna explained. "I finished my area, s-so I figured I'd head to the dining room and wait for everyone else."
"Hm- well, it just so happens I finished my search of the East Wing as well, so I was on my way there as well," Akira remarked. "...I'm not so sure about Amari, though- Izumi, leave us be."
Asuna worried glanced back and forth between Hana and Akira for a few moments of awkward silence. Clearly, she understood the possible ramifications of leaving the two of them, of all students, alone together. However, one forceful glare from Akira was all it took for Asuna to obey the order, with the gardener quickly backing away through the ivory doors and into the South Wing.
Akira grunted. Well, she's right about that- I did see her talking to Amari...at least I can say there's one part of her testimony that's true, then...
The prosecutor then shook her head. Of course, the rest of it clearly contradicts Yonade's story- so either one of them is lying, or there's something else going on here...
"...Um...did I say something wrong, or...?" Asuna timidly asked Akira in response to the Ultimate's silence.
"...No. That was all I needed," Akira finally responded. "You can go now, Izumi."
"O-Okay, uh- good luck with the searching, I guess?" Asuna awkwardly responded. The Ultimate Gardener then stepped back, as if worried that Akira would suddenly have something else to ask her, before she slipped out of the wine room completely.
Akira, now in silence, worked a muscle in her jaw as she contemplated her latest findings. With every answer I find...even more questions arise in its place. I shouldn't even be surprised at this point, and yet...
With an angry sigh, the Ultimate Prosecutor finally departed from the wine room as well- she needed some other place to think things through.
Eventually, Akira found herself in the West Wing's spacious and peacefully quiet ballroom. With the silence, the Ultimate attempted to sort through the evidence she had found thus far...and yet, she could find no substantial connections beyond what she had deduced prior, and it frustrated her to no end.
This doesn't make any sense...at least with the last cases, I could...I could connect some of the dots in more substantial ways, but in this case...! Akira thought as she paced around the room. The evidence, it all feels so...disjointed. Like there are so many pieces still missing- no thanks to that damn bear blocking off Ashi's room...
Finally, she leaned against the piano, running a hand through her hair in stress- not that she'd let anyone see. And yet, I...I know I looked at all possible places connected to this case. Was the killer that thorough in disposing of important evidence...? Am I looking at this all wrong...? Or is there something more going on...?
The Ultimate expelled that last thought from her mind- this was no time to be delving into conspiracy territory. She looked downwards at the tiled floor and the piano, deep in thought...
...and then she saw the drag marks.
Furrowing her brow, the prosecutor leaned down to take a closer look; the scratches were barely visible on the perfectly polished tiles, and they didn't appear too old either. This meant two things: the piano hadn't been moved around too often, perhaps once or twice; additionally, whenever it had been moved, it was fairly recently.
That's...odd...I don't recall these drag marks being here when the West Wing first opened... Akira thought. And I know my memory is impeccable when it comes to odd details like that, so the chances of me forgetting are unlikely...
Akira didn't know what compelled her to do what she did next; call it instinct, call it deduction, call it desperation. However, the Ultimate Prosecutor found herself pushing the piano to the best of her ability, even going so far as to follow the direction of the drag marks to the best of her ability. When she was done, Akira was not only tired, but there was a clear open spot on the floor where the piano had been.
Well now- what was the point of that? What in the world did I hope to gain by moving the piano? Akira chastised herself. The drag marks were strange, yes, but...
She examined the floor once covered by the piano for anything that would make the physical strain worthwhile- but then, she noticed something odd about some of the tiles. Some of the marble tiles appeared somewhat misaligned from the others- in fact, a whole rectangular section of the floor had that distinction. Akira furrowed her brow and knelt down next to the section, tracing her hand across one edge of it; the moment she pressed down on it, however, was when things changed.
It was preceded by a simple, stony clunk. In the next moment, the section of the floor she had been examining sunk down a little, and then slid underneath the floor with a stony grinding sound. Even Akira was unable to hide her shock upon witnessing this, but what struck her even more was what the sliding section of the floor unveiled. There, hidden by both the floor and the piano, was a set of stone stairs leading underground.
A...secret passage...? No, no- this is no ordinary passageway...these stairs, they- they must lead down to another set of catacombs, just like in the North Wing! Akira realized with growing disbelief. But- I could have sworn Monokuma said the catacombs only extend underneath the North Wing...
She then growled to herself. What am I thinking? This is Monokuma, of course he wouldn't be so forthcoming with this kind of knowledge...
Akira stood up, staring down at the hidden stairwell for what seemed like an eternity. If these really are another set of catacombs, under the West Wing rather than the North Wing, then...
The prosecutor adjusted her glasses as she continued to think. Then...if there are more than one set of catacombs, then...is it possible these two sections...?
Akira's gaze hardened. I wonder- am I the first one to make this discovery? Based on those scratches, somehow I doubt it...and if my new theory holds water...
She clenched her fist, as if to physically grasp the massive discovery she had just made. Then...if someone did find out about these other catacombs before the murder...
This secret...the secret of the catacombs...may be just what I need to point me to the killer.
A/N: Hooo boy, how's that for the first part of Deadly Life? POV switch! Because Hana got decked in the last chapter! ...I mean she gets better, like, halfway through this part, buuut she doesn't appear so that's irrelevant! Besides- I figured it'd be interesting to see things from the perspective of someone else for a change. No, not just anyone, but Akira- Hana's polar opposite and local rival character! Cool, right?
But you may be wondering- what could be in store for the next part? Well, the most I'll say is that we'll be returning to Hana's POV, so FEAR NOT! She is alive and well! And uh- yeah. I don't really have too much else to say without giving away stuff- not that there's too much to give away, but still. So, I- guess I won't waste your guys' time anymore. So until the next update- you know what I always say: speculate! Theorize! Do whatever y'all readers do, and I'll see you guys in the next part! Byyyye!