-This is made by Starrshard on Ao3 and Wattpad, please check them out. I have been given permission to upload this to, as they do not have an account on this website-

The trial room was beautiful.

The elevator spilled out onto a massive, ornate circular room, lit by the grand diamond chandelier hanging from the high ceiling above. At the center of the room was a ring of small, fenced half-circle podiums that faced inwards, creating little a circle of stands. There were 24 of these in total around the circle; each one had a gold name-plate on the railing, as well as a small lever and panel display.

The floor had a black and white checkered pattern. A red rug with gold rimming led from the elevator to around the ring of placements. The walls were dark blue, with golden columns and red curtains for decoration.

On the end of the room, directly in front of the crowd of students, was a set of five stairs. They led to a tiny, raised half-circle stage of sorts that was also covered in the red rug. On the little plateau was a crimson and gold throne. And on the throne-

"Ah, you've arrived."

Shigaraki absently scratched his pale dry-ass neck. "Please find your assigned spots. Quickly, now."

The group of students hustled around the large circle, taking their rightful places. However, there were two vacant podiums. In place of where a person would stand, there was a sign boasting a mugshot of the respective boys. A large, red X was drawn over their faces.

"Why would you keep the signs for Tenya and Rikidou?" Izuku softly asked aloud the question surfacing in Hanta's mind.

"Just because they died doesn't mean they should be prohibited from participating in the trials," Shigaraki stated dully. "Now, then." He regarded the students with a shadowed crimson stare through the fingers of Father, his dismembered hand. "Monokuma, would you do the honors?"

"Of course!" Monokuma jumped down from his risky seat atop Shigaraki's throne and marched up to a tall podium, which was separate from the ring of students, in front of the staircase. "Let me explain the rules of the class trial!

"In the class trial, you will strive to uncover whodunnit! At the end, you will take a vote! If the majority votes correctly, only the murderer -or Blackened- will be punished. But if you choose the wrong one... we will punish everyone besides the Blackened, who goes free with a bounty of added rewards!

"Are you all ready? Then let the class trial begin!" Monokuma jumped down from the podium and re-took his spot atop the throne.

Class Trial : Start!

"So... Our first trial." Hanta took a shuddering breath. "I never would've imagined that we would have to hold a trial accusing one of our friends of killing our classmate."

"Yeah. It all seems so surreal..." Yaomomo's voice was hushed with an odd sort of shocked wonder at the absurdity of the situation.

"Let's begin, then, shall we?" Fumikage cleared his throat. "We should start with what we do know; that's a rule of thumb."

"What do we know? Rikidou was killed. That's it," Denki said anxiously.

"I mean the Monokuma File." Fumikage looked to Hanta. "I believe you have it."

"Oh! Right." He pulled out the tablet and began to recite the information. "The victim is Rikidou Satou. He died from throat impalement. He has no other wounds. The murder weapon is a thin, sharp object. The time of death was about seven in the evening." He looked up from the screen.

"Now then, I believe the murder weapon goes without question," Fumikage stated. "I extracted it from the victim's wound itself."

A thin, sharp object Fumikage removed from the victim's throat... ah, it's obviously-

Select a Truth Bullet

...

Needle : I got it!

"The needle, right?" Hanta looked to the Nightwalker for confirmation. "You specifically extracted it during your autopsy."

"Yes, precisely so," Fumikage confirmed.

"So that means that the murderer attacked Rikidou with a needle, and managed to only hit him once. That one time was the killing blow," Shouto said.

"So there wasn't a fight?" Mei spoke up. "I mean, Rikidou's strong. He would've fought back if he realized he had been jumped."

"Not necessarily so. There was another possible weapon at the crime scene, one that was involved in the case but not used as a murder device," Fumikage explained.

Another weapon? Hanta thought. Perhaps it's...

Select the Correct Answer:

Needle

Paring Knife

Sleep Pills

Paring Knife : I got it!

"The paring knife. It had scratches on the sides of the blade and had been recently washed by the time of investigation," Hanta said.

"Yeah, that! The obvious signs of wear suggest that it'd been used," Izuku exclaimed. "How, though? Rikidou had no other injuries, and the needle was the weapon."

"So... there was a scratch on the knife, right? What if the scratch was from the needle?" Nejire suggested.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Yuga asked.

"That means... that there was a fight between the killer and the victim!" the bluette declared.

Non-stop Debate: Start!

Truth Bullets: Monokuma File #1, Mezou's Account, Ochako's Account, Spilled White Powder, Paring Knife, Fumikage's Autopsy, Needle, Footprints

"A fight? Between the killer and Rikidou?" Eijirou questioned.

"Yeah!" Nejire affirmed.

"So, the killer jumps Rikidou, and Rikidou notices and fights back with the knife," she explained.

"If there'd been a fight, wouldn't there be evidence of a tussle?" Mina asked. "But there was none, right?"

"No, that's wrong!"

Spilled White Powder : Counter!

"Someone had spilled some white powder on the floor in the kitchen," Hanta said. "That's the evidence of the tussle. It must've happened while they were fighting."

"The scratches on the paring knife confirm the claim, kero," Tsuyu ribbited. "They definitely look like they could have been made by a thin object."

"So it was scratched by the needle?" Izuku questioned.

"Yeah," Hanta replied. "Which means..."

Choose the Correct Answer:

Rikidou used the knife

The killer used the knife

The knife wasn't used

Rikidou used the knife : I got it!

"If the killer wielded a needle, then that means Rikidou used the knife. Likely in self defense, as a parry, judging by the scratches," Hanta explained.

"Alright! So we now know how the two weapons were involved!" Mirio said encouragingly.

"Mirio... you're a bit too enthusiastic," Tamaki muttered.

"Just as Mirio said, we know how the knife and needle were used now," Shouto continued. "So how were both of them brought into the case?"

"I think the paring knife was already there, in the kitchen," Mei stated. "So how did the killer get their needle?"

"Well, all the girls were given sewing kits, which included needles," Tsuyu said.

"Gah! Tsu, why'd you say that?! Now everyone's gonna suspect us!" Tooru yelped.

"Kero. It's a fact, so I had to share it. However, there were also needles in the Nurse's office, for stitches. It's identical to a sewing needle, so there's no definitive way of knowing where it came from," Tsuyu continued.

"Alright, so the needle came from one of those two places," Fumikage said. "Without more evidence, we cannot determine anything further. Any suggestions as to what to do instead?"

"What about the scene of the crime?" Yaomomo inquired. "The kitchen was filled with evidence. We can determine a lot about the nature of the case from that."

"True. During their tussle with Rikidou, the killer did make quite a mess," Shouto murmured. "The spilt powder says as much."

"B-Because of that powder... they left behind footprints," Kouji mumbled.

"Yes. There was another item used after Rikidou's death that was used to halt the glaringly obvious trail, though," Fumikage noted.

An item used to remove footprints... It must be-

Select a Truth Bullet!

...

Bloody Towel : I got it!

"You must mean the bloody towel," Hanta said. "It had been lying on the floor next to where the backwards footprints stopped."

"Exactly. The killer must've been dragging Rikidou when they noticed their footprints. Preoccupied with their task at hand, they hastily wiped off just their feet and continued moving the body, scared that they'd be seen," Fumikage visualized.

"This evidence gives us a timeline of events, sort of," Mirio said. "If we combine this with Ochako's account, we could come up with a coherent story of sorts."

"Right! Ochako, your account!" The brunette, who had been silent up to this point, turned to Nejire. "Could you repeat it for us so we can incorporate it into our timeline so far?"

"Oh... sure." The Mochi Chef glanced around the room, her gaze glazing over Mezou for a moment before she turned away. "Well, I was in the kitchen with Rikidou after dinner. We'd gotten out the ingredients for mochi, the dish we were planning on making. We were about to start working when the lights turned off, and someone jumped me. They... they left behind these wounds." She pointed vaguely at the bandage on her face. "I ran away... I didn't know what happened to Rikidou after that. I'm... I'm sorry."

Tears welled in her clouded eyes, hot, liquid diamonds cascading down her face. "I'm sorry I left him to die..." She moved swiftly to wipe them.

"It's not your fault, Ochako," Izuku murmured. "Anyone would've ran in that situati-"

"But... I think I know who the killer is, too." She cut him off before he could offer her any more comfort. Her expression had turned cold. "Mezou was found in the cafeteria during investigation with blood on his clothes, right? He also has the physique to attack me like that. It has to be him..! IT HAS TO BE HIM!"

Hanta jumped; Ochako's stance had changed entirely, as she was now pointing at Mezou with fire in her eyes and a determined grimace set in her face. Her glare was matching his equally. "Mezou killed Rikidou! It could only be him!"

"How many times must I say this?! I'm not the killer!" Mezou snapped, seething. "I went to the cafeteria, drank the tea, and passed out!"

"That's absurd, even for a lie!"

"Mina tried the tea! It was authentic!"

"You could've set it up!"

"W-Wait..! Calm down, Ochako!" Nejire cut into their rapid-fire exchange of poisoned words. "You can't just..."

"Then how do you explain the blood on his arm and his testimony filled with holes?" Ochako pressed, her voice softening. "Who- Who else is strong enough and tall enough to have attacked me like that?!"

"..that's it!"

"Huh?" Ochako turned to Hanta. "What?"

"There's one other person who could've attacked her in the kitchen," he said. "It's..."

Select someone!

...

Rikidou Satou : It's got to be you!

"Rikidou."

"E-Eh? What do you mean, Rikidou attacked me?!" Ochako cried. "That's- That's impossible!" He was the one who died!"

"But it's a possibility," Fumikage cut in. "Rikidou set up Ochako, caused the blackout, and attacked her. She ran away. Then who killed him..?"

"N-No... No, I can't believe he'd..!" Ochako tried to protest, tears welling in her eyes and spilling over, droplets dripping down her flushed cheeks. "He was kind... and gentle... he couldn't have..!"

"But it's something we have to consider." Shouto repeated Fumikage's words. "Other than Mezou, he's certainly tall and built enough to jump you. We have to consider it."

"But... I... I won't believe it!" Ochako wailed, her arms wrapped around her chest. The teardrops were still overflowing, slipping down her face, splattering against the railing of her podium. "I WON'T BELIEVE RIKIDOU ATTACKED ME! MEZOU DID! IT HAS TO BE HIM!"

"Ochako, s-seriously, calm down-!" Tamaki called out, but his words were left unheard.

"I-It has to be him! There's clear evidence against Mezou... and there's none against Rikidou! You can't accuse him baselessly!" she cried. "C-Come on! Give me evidence! Give me anything! There's nothing- NOTHING you can give!" She looked between Hanta and Fumikage with wild eyes. "In all of your investigation... th-there was nothing, right? Right?!"

"Well..." She's asking for evidence against Rikidou... and I have to admit, there's nothing. He may have fought with his killer with the knife, but... there's nothing specifically against an innocent bystander like her.

Unless... no, that can't be it. Hanta sighed and shook away the thought, opting to just answer her question instead. "No, but-"

"E-Exactly! It has to be Mezou!" she cut in. She whirled around at the Heavylifter. "You... You killed Rikidou, you lying bastard!" she screamed.

"I didn't! You have to believe me, I don't know what happened!" he retorted, his eyes blazing as he met hers. "You have to stop accusing me! I didn't do anything!"

"Stop. Ochako, please, hear me ou-" Hanta tried to speak but was cut off once more.

"F-Fine! I- I'll argue with you and your baseless arguments, if it'll shut you up!" she yelled. "Come on, give me what sort of lies you've scraped off the ground to defend this murderer!"

"Of course."

Rebuttal Showdown : Start!

Ochako Uraraka : Hanta Sero

Truth Blades: Bloodstains on Floor, Footprints, Paring Knife, Baking Supplies, Monokuma File #1

"I'll say it now and I'll say it as many times as it takes for you to listen- Mezou. Shouji. Killed. Rikidou!" Ochako screamed. "What more is there to say?!"

"Well, according to Mezou, he drank the drugged tea after being stood up for an invitation to share a drink in the cafeteria," Hanta recalled. "Mina tested the tea and it was indeed drugged, and I found sleeping pills in the trash can nearby. It's very plausible that he was actually drugged by the killer and set up as a distraction, as he would've slept through the tussle going on across the hall."

"Your claim with the sleeping pills is invalid!" she snapped. "Mezou could've easily set up the drugged tea afterwards and pretended to be asleep when we found him during investigation," Ochako explained. "The bigger issue here is that he mentioned having some notes from someone supposedly inviting him to tea. However, when we asked to see them, they weren't there!"

"How does that even work in your favor?" Hanta asked. "Mezou didn't have the notes. If he'd really been the killer, he wouldn't be so careless as to lose such a crucial piece of evidence that provided an alibi for him."

"Well, even if that were the case, he's still suspicious! Maybe he came up with that out of a panic of being found!" Ochako was still holding her ground, despite Hanta's best efforts to push her back.

"Okay, fine then. Now, if Mezou were the killer, how do you think he would move Rikidou's corpse from the kitchen to the hallway?" Hanta decided to tackle the problem at a different angle.

"Well, that's obvious! Mezou carried him into the hall!"

"I will cut through your words!"

Footprints : Cut!

"There had been a series of backwards footprints leading out of the kitchen door," Hanta said.

"Backwards footprints?" Ochako tilted her head. "Doesn't that mean the same thing as footprints leading into the kitchen?"

"Yes, but that would not make sense. The footprints had been tracking the white powder and blood, which were both from the kitchen. It'd be impossible for someone to track it inside," Hanta elaborated.

"Anyway, a person carrying something would not walk backwards with it," he continued. " That would make no sense. However, a person dragging something they could not lift into their arms might.

"Mezou is the Ultimate Heavylifter. He would not drag Rikidou's corpse; like you said, he would pick him up. However, this evidence proves that the body was dragged. Also, if Mezou had carried Rikidou, then Mezou's chest would've been smeared with blood as well, not just his left arm."

"He's right," Fumikage suddenly spoke up. "Such a large amount of movement of the body so soon after death, before the blood has fully clotted, would've caused a torrent of bleeding from the wound. Considering those factors, it's safe to assume Mezou is not the murderer here."

"Besides, why would he use a needle as a weapon? It seems so ridiculous," Shouto added. "It's a very risky move, if it were tailored to disguise the culprit, so the risks outweigh the benefits."

Ochako stared, wide-eyed, at the Nightwalker, her gaze flickering from him to Mezou to Hanta to Shouto and back again. Then she let out a sigh, as if she were a balloon that had suddenly deflated.

"I suppose... there's logic in that." Ochako was downcast, her eyes fixed to the floor. "So... that means... Rikidou attacked me..?"

"That seems to be the case, most likely," Mirio admitted bitterly. "There's the possibility he jumped you with the knife, and after you ran, also wielded it against the blackened. We just don't know yet."

"..." Ochako was quiet for a moment to that. "I... I want to believe." Tears were slipping down her pink cheeks, hot and steady and falling to the ground. "I have to believe that Rikidou hadn't attacked me, or that if he did... that it was for a noble reason." She sighed and wiped her face dry. "I'm sorry about that, everyone. But I'll try my best now... for all of you. Even if I have to suspect my friend."

"There's the Ochako we know," Izuku murmured, smiling. "Let's continue, then, if we're done with that."

"We should recap what has happened so far, kero," Tsuyu suggested. "Go over the story before we continue."

Nonstop Debate : Start!

Truth Bullets: Needle, Fumikage's Autopsy, Monokuma File #1, Footprints, Bloody Towel, Baking Supplies, Ochako's Injuries, Mezou's Account

"So, Ochako and Rikidou were in the kitchen when a blackout occurred," Mei began.

"Someone, either Rikidou or the killer, jumped Ochako," Eijirou continued. "And she ran away."

"The killer then attacked Rikidou with the needle," Mina said. "He had the knife, so they duked it out!"

"Eventually, the killer stabbed Rikidou in the throat and dragged his body into the hallway. After cleaning up the various baking supplies and the knife, they fled," Fumikage finished.

"Now what?" Ochako spoke out. "How do we determine who the killer is, the one who stabbed Rikidou with the needle?"

Kouji clapped to get everyone's attention, having reverted back to sign language outside of rapid debate. 'Maybe we should try looking into some pieces of evidence that we haven't touched on yet,' he suggested.

"I agree with that!"

Baking Supplies : Consent!

"Kouji's right," Hanta affirmed. "We should talk about something we haven't yet, like..."

"Ah! Like the baking supplies in the cupboard, right?" Ochako piped up. "How could they be suspicious?"

"Well, the half-empty bag of white powder matches the one that was spil-," Izuku began, only for Fumikage to cut him off.

"Wait. Ochako." The bird-headed boy was staring at her with a deathly sharp stare. "What did you just say?"

Ochako blinked, confused. "Um, I said the baking supplies in the cupboard-"

"How do you know that?"

Her eyes widened as she realized her mistake, and dread settled in the pit of Hanta's stomach. I knew it... "Huh? Wh-What do you mean?"

"You were in the cafeteria the entire time, both before and after Mezou awoke," Shouto spoke up. His voice was cold. "You haven't been in the kitchen since the time you and Rikidou were getting out the supplies. We haven't mentioned this in the trial room yet, and I don't think anyone told you, so how do you know that they wound up in the cupboard?"

"I..." Uncertainty laced her meek voice. "I..!"

"Ochako..." Denki's golden eyes were alight with fear. "Have you been lying to us this entire time? Can we... can we even trust your account of being jumped in a blackout?"

"No... I..!" The Mochi Chef tried to find words, but failed, her tongue twisting itself into a knot.

"Ochako..." Tsuyu was staring at her best friend with wide, jade eyes. "Did you- did you really..?"

Ochako's eyes flickered around the ring, her fear glaringly obvious. "I..."