ACT 3: IN THE GRIP OF DESPAIR
Chapter 7: Investigation (part 2)
Day 12
Tartarus Keep
11:30
Archive
Though solid evidence was surfacing which also prompted my innate suspicion, I still had no idea where this murder mystery going. In the meantime, I thought I should cover as much ground as possible. After exiting the laboratory and leaving Inu to proceed with his own investigation, I came across Kai who was searching through the archive with great interest. I didn't see her when I entered this place the first time from the library.
The archive barely caught my attention at first and I did not consider the archive to be a destination of interest for the investigation in part because, unlike the library, most if not all the texts here were written in Croatian or whatever language used by the Kingdom of Novoselic which only Fitzgerald (who wasn't here) had the capacity to translate. And with the apprehension already invading my mind, I needed not any alien language to cause even more confusion. While I had no doubt it had provided us with a great deal of information, I would rather leave this to someone else.
"Kai, you seem quite keen on going through the archive," I inquired. "Did you find anything?"
Kai turned and nodded with confidence. "As a matter of fact, I did. Take a look at this." She pointed at the projector connected to a laptop at the side of the large chamber. Both devices had been switched on.
"What about it?" I asked. "You found any film worth watching?"
"Not me," Kai chirped. Despite the tragedy going on, she seemed to be in relatively high spirits. "But our killer might have."
I raised my brows at the statement. "What gave you that idea?"
"The laptop here," Kai indicated the device. "Its only function is to allow you to watch the films via the projector. The usage history log suggests it had been used only once."
"What film, then?" I continued.
"This one," said Kai excitedly, pointing at the screen. I did not share her enthusiasm. The only thing I could see was a serial number of the film accompanied by text written in a language I could not read or speak. There was no date available to determine when it was being watched, not that our concept of where we were in time had been anything but clear.
"What is it about?" I asked her, hoping that she might be on to it where I wasn't.
Kai shrugged. "Not sure. But it's bound to be very disgusting to give them such thought about ending someone's life. I mean, the motive Monokuma gave us is nothing but crap. So it has to be something else that drove them to do it."
"That might be a bit far-fetched," I told her. I hated to rain on her parade, but this kind of evidence was far from foolproof. Though I agreed with her sentiment that something other than the motive was responsible for the current crime, her idea of it being connected to watching this film might be a little far-fetched. Looking for the exact DVD among hundreds of others with only alien language to refer to was an arduous undertaking and the time given for this investigation, while extended, wasn't unlimited. Whereas Hijiri was able to pinpoint the probable subjects the killer researched from the books she identified as having been used in the library, not much at this point can be said about Kai's theory.
"It's worth a try," Kai insisted.
"Fitzgerald is the only person among us who knows the language," I suggested. "If anything, he's the one most likely to have watched it. And since he's out of commission, it's obvious he's not our killer."
"How do you know he's the only one?" Kai countered. She was right. My assumption was based on the previous meeting where his translation prior to his injury came in handy. Someone else could have known the language and not speak up. "Also, we are talking about a movie here, not a mere transcript. There are bound to be pictures involved. It's like a ballet. You can perform it everywhere in the world and people no matter which language they use will still be able to appreciate."
"Perhaps you're right," I said, conceding to her point. "I suppose we do need to actually watch that film to see whether it is guilty of driving someone to become a murder or not."
"Then I should get back to it," said Kai as she continued to weave through the shelves on her light feet like a gazelle. "I will call you when I find it. You'll see."
I hoped I would. Because otherwise, it was a waste of time and effort.
12:00
Gym
"How's the going, Amelda?" asked Yume at my arrival. "I see you guys have made significant progress into this, given the number of Truth Bullets being put down. Are we close to finding out the villain hidden among us?"
"Not quite," I told him frankly. Despite what I had written down and my deductions earlier, few things made sense. For once, the complexity of the murder meant it was quite inconceivable that someone could have prepared all of it from acquiring the explosives and then disarming most of them to placing the remnant at the right spot in a single day. The more I thought about it, the more my head, and my heart, ached. Though Yume's fantastical language, not to mention his outfit, was strange, I could see sincereness in his voice. I envied his ability to look on the bright side of things where I could do nothing but doubt and expect the worst. "But we are getting there. One step at a time."
"Good to hear," said Hokuto, looking rather absent-minded. Unlike with Yume, I could feel a great deal of sorrow emanating from the fellow. Tatsuya was quite close to him and now he was on his deathbed. With the exception of Minako, Hokuto was probably most affected by the deaths so far in the Mutual Killing Game. "Let's just get this over with."
"Anything so far on your end?" I inquired.
"We checked the gallery but found nothing of any interest," explained Yume. That was relieving to hear because I felt a strong urging to not be in that God-forsaken hellhole. Now that I thought about it, I wasn't the kind to have a weak stomach - hell, I took on those zombies without any issues - and yet, I found myself unable to bear witness to the gruesome pictures in that gallery for a single second. I could not fathom what drove the Ultimate Despairs to commit such acts of wanton cruelty or the possible connection between my class and them. The idea of losing my memory added too many variables, most of which uncomfortable, for my taste. Worst of all, it got the voice inside my head riling. "Kai continuing the search in the archive. She seems to be on to something. As for this place, so far, nothing. Sorry if our contribution is not as you expected."
"Don't feel bad about it," I told him.
"Still, I wish I could have been of better help," said Yume tiredly.
"You did what you could," I insisted. "Somebody still needs to search through unlikely spaces so that we do not leave any stone unturned."
"If only I could use my magic like my sister, we would not have been in this mess," Yume went on. I wondered if he was addressing me or himself. The fellow appeared rather unfocused.
"Wait, you smell that?" asked Hokuto. He was sniffing the air for something. Being the Ultimate Miner, he probably had learned to discern whether there was toxic gas or potential fire in the tunnel from afar. "Something's cooking."
Yume and I stopped.
"For real?" I asked, a little bewildered. "A fire?"
"Unlikely," said Hokuto. It was good to hear. An uncontrollable fire breaking out in this enclosed space would probably spell the end of us all unless Overlord Monokuma intervened. "But something definitely got toasted in here."
"Yeah, I think I can smell it too," said Yume. "Can you, Amelda?"
"Not me," I conceded. I was far less perceptive than those two and couldn't tell anything unusual. Despite my work as an auditor usually involving nosing around people and companies' balance sheets and financial records, a keen sense of smell wasn't required for it. Whatever scent they made out was, to me, drowned by the pungent smell of chlorine emanating from the pool.
Hokuto approached the female changing room and took a look at the mat in front of the door. "Take a look at this," he said. "There are some scorched marks on it."
I saw what he meant. The dark color of the fabric made them rather invisible afar, but once I zeroed in, I could see the spots that had been burned.
"What do you think caused it?" asked Yume.
"I don't know," Hokuto replied, looking more thoroughly while keeping a distance from it. "I don't think it was a fire. Perhaps ember. The burned marks are very specific and don't seem to be spreading at all to the rest of the fabric."
It was then that an idea hit me. Monokuma had threatened to blow up anyone with XY chromosome to kingdom come if they ever ventured too close to the female changing room. And Eliza just happened to get blown to bits by explosives whose origin remained a mystery. Putting twos and twos together, I came up with the following statement, "Do you think this is how the killer obtain the murder weapon?"
"The murder weapon?" Yume echoed. "You mean the bomb?"
"That's right," I said. "The killer must have used military-grade explosives from what I've seen so far. And this is the most likely place to find it."
"True," said Hokuto. "But I'm not taking any chances."
"Strange coming from you, Hokuto," Yume teased. I agreed with him. The Ultimate Miner had put us into one danger after another in his quest to find a way to escape. That said, he had confessed his guilt to us and admitted he would change from now on. Though small, this was a step in the right direction.
"Well, there isn't any point to risk it," said Hokuto.
"Let's just call Kai and have her examine," I suggested.
We headed out to the archive to call Kai. Coincidentally, she was also looking for us to show off her finding.
"I found the DVD," said Kai excitedly. "It's not very long. We should have a look at it as soon as possible."
"And I say we're just wasting time doing so," Hokuto urged. "We need Kai to be in the gym right now. We are on the cusp of learning where and how the killer obtained his weapon."
What should I do first?
Watch killer's motive video
Look under the mat in front of the female changing room
12:30
Archive
"I think we should give Kai's theory the benefit of the doubt," I told the others. "Who knows? It might be significant."
"Maybe it's the killer's hidden porn stash they don't want anyone to find out," Hokuto said derisively, noting that the video clearly displayed the age restriction of 18 plus.
"If it's hentai, I'm out," Yume said briskly. "I'm not into those things."
"If it's hentai, you're allowed to look away," said Kai.
"Let's just get this over with," I implored.
So we sat down and tried to watch it. The problem? The image quality was very bad as the monitor seemed rather old and the room we were in was well-lit. As we looked around for a solution, we found a small hidden room within the archive that appeared to be an auditorium or a briefing room. Taking all our equipment there, Hokuto complying begrudgingly, we began watching the video in earnest.
The film was an animated one. Surprisingly, the narration was in Japanese, allowing us to understand with ease.
What we saw shocked us to the core.
History of Despair
Part 7
Memoirs of a geisha
If there was one lesson the students at Hope's Peak Academy should learn, that would be no matter how high and mighty they became, their dishonorable past always wormed its way back to their existence. And who better exemplified this better than Hijiri Kaneshiro, the Ultimate Geisha.
At a young age, Hijiri Kaneshiro was the pride of the okiya, one of the few in Japan that still operated in the same traditions as it had done in the past three hundred years. She was the perfect combination of a beautiful body and masterful techniques that even those more experienced would be green with envy upon seeing her at work. Hijiri was immensely successful as well, being able to pay off her debt to the okiya within only five years, whereas the average geisha would spend at least a decade doing so. As her reputation grew, so were the number and hierarchy of the clients she served, until one day her dream of a formal education became a reality, and Hope's Peak Academy extended their invitation to her.
Little did everybody know, however, that Hijiri harbored a dark secret, one that could destroy her entire career in an instant. This secret was that, despite her innate talents and pretty appearance, the money which she used to pay for the okiya had not come from a normal job. A wealthy businessman named Oshiro Kazushi came to her one day and made an offer she couldn't resist: sleep with him for 500,000 yen. Needing the money not only for herself but also for the okiya which was struggling financially, Hijiri reluctantly agreed. The gig went smoothly, much to Hijiri's relief, and, despite the sexual intercourse that was forbidden for a geisha to engage in, the man treated her with respect. Kazushi also introduced her to many clients from high society which helped to bolster her reputation greatly. In this regard, she was eternally grateful to the man.
But when her opportunity arose, Hijiri took it. She severed ties with Kazushi and moved out of the okiya to enroll in Hope's Peak Academy knowing many of its alumni were independent and successful. As for her oka-san and the businessman, despite the respect she had for both, she found herself unable to recall many happy memories with either. They were the ones who provided her with the instruments to catapult her to greatness, yet Hijiri knew she was capable of much more. This was her chance to prove that.
Just as things were turning out well for Hijiri, Kazushi called her and threatened to expose their relationship should she refuse to serve him as she did in the past. Once again, Hijiri gave in and, with that, she became Kazushi's personnel concubine ready to be used in whatever manner he pleased. At first, Kazushi still treated her with dignity, and Hijiri, despite filled with regrets, found her position tolerable.
Then one day, everything changed. Kazushi returned home a completely different person. His business empire had fallen into ruin thanks to a series of aggressive takeovers of major customers and suppliers by a competitor. Right after this, the board came to the decision to remove Kazushi from his CEO position. Disgruntled by the reversal outside his control, Kazushi took out his rage on the one person he still had full authority over and began abusing Hijiri more often. Following the night where he nearly pounded her to death in his drunkard rampage, Hijiri attempted to escape from the monster the man she once looked up to had become.
Unfortunately for Hijiri, Kazhushi wasn't about to let his only worthwhile asset get away from him so easily. So he hired a gang to track Hijri down and teach her a lesson before bringing her back. Too proud to tell her friends about her plight and seek their salvation, Hijiri tried to run away back to her hometown where her mother forsook her but failed and got caught. The gang kidnapped her and tossed her into an abandoned factory pondering what to do next with her.
"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" the gang leader sneered as he approached Hijiri intimidatingly.
"Let's strip her naked and send her photos online," one member suggested.
"Nah, that's too easy," said another. "I say we each have our turn being inside this bitch before we hand her for the bounty."
"P-please, d-don't do this," Hijiri sniffed. With the reality of her situation crashing down upon her, the Ultimate Geisha's composure was all but broken at this point. Her pride, her wealth, her reputation, none of those mattered anymore. She would be lucky if she remained alive, let alone sane, but the time she was brought back to Kazushi to receive his ultimate punishment.
Her distress, however, only galvanized the gang further who surrounded her like a school of sharks.
But this was not the end of Hijiri's story as we knew it, for a miracle happened. The leading thug suddenly dropped to the ground. The others didn't know what was going on until they saw the pool of blood. They barely had time to react before a burst of silenced bullets cut them down in quick succession.
Hijri looked up to see the face of her savior and found it was none other than Mukuro Ikusaba the Ultimate Soldier. Hijiri focused on her talent and paid scant attention to others in her own class, let alone another. Still, words couldn't describe how glad Hijiri was to see another student of Hope's Peak Academy coming to her rescue even though she didn't ask for it.
"T-thank you," Hijiri stuttered.
"I have not come for your gratitude," Mukuro replied coldly. There was something about her demeanor that frightened Hijiri almost as much as the thugs. "I was given two orders, and the first one was to rescue you. The second is to present you an opportunity."
"What is that?" asked Hijiri, confused.
"Oshiro Kazushi won't ever leave you alone," Mukuro stated. "Madness has taken over and he has sworn to track you down to the end of the earth. Which is why we must deal with him first."
"How?" Hijiri muttered. "You... you're going to kill him?"
"Not me," Mukuro refused flatly. "He might be an insect, but I have no incentive to do so. It is you who has an axe to grind with the man. You will be the one to carry it out." At this point, she produced an ornated scissor and handed it to Hijiri. "Will you step up and seize your destiny?"
Hijiri examined the tool in her hand. It was the one she frequently used while still at the okiya. She remembered stabbing her own palm so that she wouldn't have to serve Okamu Naruhime, an uncivilized buffoon who constantly asked for her specific attention. She had injured herself back then to escape a bad customer, only for him to come back later on, just as she had futilely tried to get away from Kazushi.
No more.
"I will," said Hijiri with renewed determination. "I will end him and anyone who threatens me. I am done with running away. From this moment, the mouse shall become the lion.
Mukuro flashed her a rare smile and pat Hijiri on the shoulder like a comrade. "Now that's the spirit. Welcome, to the Ultimate Despair."
Watching that movie nearly made me vomit. The whole thing, especially during those debatable scenes, was masterfully animated, though, as it was often the case with Monokuma, the talents were used for evil deeds. The coloring and seemingly random flashes at intervals had a disorienting effect on us. Yume and I suffered from headaches while Hokuto had to sit down and take deep breaths. Kai did throw up, unfortunately, though she held it back long enough to rush to the bathroom to discharge the content. Either she didn't have the stomach for that or her poor eating habit was catching up to her.
"W-what the hell did we just see there?" Hokuto exclaimed, aghast.
"The images," Yume groaned, his body convulsing like a drunkard. "Ahhh. It hurts to watch, but I couldn't take my eyes off it for even a second. Do you guys feel the same?"
"Yeah," I replied. The aftershock was akin to the withdrawal effect after being high on cannabis - not that I ever tried them. "It's like someone is smashing my head with a sledgehammer."
"Me too," said Hokuto. "Can't see a damn thing. The floor is melting under my feet."
And judging from the sound of Kai violently emptying her stomach in the nearby bathroom, it was safe to say she was affected as well. I hoped she was using the sink when she did so. We all took several minutes to gather ourselves from that horrid experience.
"Fuck," I cursed, spitting on the floor. "Oh, shit. What do you think they did that for? The video. Goddamnit. Who on earth would want to watch it?"
"Maybe the content isn't important," Yume suggested. "Perhaps wreaking havoc on the mind is what Monokuma is going for. Just like that toxin from the plants in the botanical garden."
"Do you think it tells the truth?" asked Hokuto.
"That is something I will refrain from answering," I told him as my head continued to spin. Not even that macabre gallery made me this nauseous. "I know things are looking bad, but we must not let it get to our head."
"It kinda fits with what we already knew about her, doesn't it, Amelda?" asked Yume, eyes gazing at me expectantly. The last time he gave me this kind of look was right before I and the others entered the dungeon to rescue Hokuto back then. It spoke of something having to be done and it was worth the risk to do so.
"Maybe," I replied. The prophecy of Hagakure mentioned a mole in our midst and we had determined that person to be Hijiri. However, the lack of solid evidence outside some clairvoyance prediction and flimsy reasonings, plus the unwillingness to sow further distrust, had prevented us from confronting her up until now. With her landing as the prime suspect in the current murder mystery, we might have no choice but to force a confession out of her. I doubted this was going to be pretty given Rin's mental condition deteriorating out of her guilt. "No, we should not be judging her so soon. I know I sound like Fitzgerald, but we need to think this through."
"She tried to kill you, Amelda," Yume argued. "And she nearly killed every one of us. Yet you still try to defend her?"
"I do not defend her for her wrongdoings," I emphasized. "But I doubt this entire trial is going to be that easy. We need to keep a cool head and not end up like Hokuto last time."
"Me?" asked Hokuto, surprised. "Oh, you mean that. Alright, I won't make the same mistake. Let's see this one through before we pin the blame."
"Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear, oh dear," Kai blabbered as she rejoined us on wobbly legs. Though the video was indeed an important piece of evidence as she said it was, there was no sense of pride or triumph in her, only dread. "That was horrible. I...I am sorry for making you all see it. D-do you think "
"It's just an animated video," I told her. "It doesn't show any real image. It's just Monokuma telling a tale."
"Which he never lies," Yume continued. It felt strange that the fellow was challenging my opinion. I supposed he made a very solid point. Monokuma was not known for deceit. Assertiveness was an important virtue to have in the Mutual Killing Game less one became too subservient and useless, though I hoped it wouldn't interfere with his role as the mediator of the group.
"We don't know for sure who watched this video," I went on. "Just because it features Hijiri doesn't mean we should instantly assume it was she who viewed it, or that only one person had viewed it before the murder."
It was difficult to lie with a straight face. Knowing her tendencies, I had a strong inclination to believe Hijiri had seen her own despair video. Yet, telling the others now might end up giving a false hope that the case was already solved and distract them from collecting further evidence.
"The effects of it," Kai mumbled, still clutching her belly. "It made me sick. Do you think the killer watched it and lost their mind?"
"Certainly a possibility," I said. "Nothing is beyond believability when it comes to Tartarus Keep." Between zombies, killer plants and a maniacal talking bear hellbent on making us play a twisted game, a video that brainwashed people didn't seem that far off. We went through that video once and it nearly scrambled our brains. I could not imagine what would happen if someone was exposed to it for a prolonged period of time.
"Perfect timing," said Hokuto quickly. He was the one to make the fastest recovery among us. "Now let's go back to the gym and see if we can pinpoint where the killer got their weapon."
In the meantime, I jotted down the next and possibly most disturbing Truth Bullet yet. I intentionally left it ambiguous for now. Hijiri would probably know, but the others I could only allow them to learn about her potentially dark history during the trial.
Truth Bullet #11
Tampered DVD
A video with unsettling content is found in the archive. The video produces dazzling effects that wreak havoc on the mind. It is believed the video was used as a tool for torturing or brainwashing.
13:00
Gym
We headed back to the gym and showed Kai the burned mat in front of the female changing room. Without delay, Kai flipped up the thing, revealing the bottom of it as well as the floor underneath were similarly scorched.
"It looks like a panel of some kind," stated Kai, pointing at the slim lines on the floor.
"Here, use this," said Hokuto. He gave Kai a prying tool which she used to open the panel on the floor with ease.
"Didn't think it would be so simple," said Kai.
"It might not have been for the killer," I told her. "Whatever kept the panel down seems to have been seared away." The sides of the panel bore signs of being melted away, thus loosening it enough to be pried open. The reduction appeared very precise and local, suggesting it was caused by human intervention rather than an accident or internal processes.
"How did they do that?" asked Kai.
"A blowtorch, then?" Yume suggested. "That should explain why the mat is also burned."
"It sounds reasonable," Hokuto agreed. "But where did the killer get a blowtorch? Don't look at me, I swear I have nothing like that." I must also admit I hadn't seen any tool that could cut away metal with such precision so far.
"What's under the floor?" asked Yume, bringing us back to the excavation.
"Looks like another box," said Kai as she knelt down to get a better look. "The writings on it I don't understand. Wait. I think it was also compromised. Let me see." She reached down and pulled out a metal cap. "It's empty inside, though."
"Let me see," I told her.
Using the pictures I took from the military books using my E-Handbook earlier, I could say with certainty that the descriptions were the same even if the language still completely baffled me. The box definitely, at some point, contained the C4 used by the killer. My explanation of the finding was met with both relief and curiosity from the others.
"So that's where they get the explosives from," Yume muttered. "Huh, that actually makes sense. Only a heinous evil like Monokuma would have produced such means of devastation."
"It wasn't handed to whoever killed Eliza and Tatsuya on a silver plate, though," Hokuto mused. "Someone must have expertise in handling this in order to pull it off."
"Does that make you the prime suspect, Hokuto?" asked Kai. So far, I had refrained from saying it out loud. But yes, the amount of effort and knowledge possessed by the killer, even with the books they used to research, indicated they must be already proficient in handling
"Say whatever you want," said Hokuto, showing the same resilience he did during the opening of the second trial, albeit in a defensive manner. "I didn't do it I stand my ground."
"Is the room safe to enter?" I asked. "Now that explosives are gone."
"I don't see anything else down here," Kai confirmed.
"Then what are we waiting for?" Hokuto urged. "Maybe the killer left their tools in there."
Before we could stop him, Hokuto barged into the female changing room. Other than the obvious social taboo, there was a possibility that other measures had been put in place by Monokuma in addition to the explosives to prevent his entry. As it turned out, nothing stood in his way. Shrugging to each other, Yume, Kai and I followed suit. In retrospect, we could have called the other female members in the group to investigate this site, but the time constraint and Hokuto's zeal pushed us forward into forbidden territory anyway.
The next step was to search the place. That included opening each and every locker as Yume and Hokuto already did in the male changing room. The keys to each of them were available at the counter. The idea of rummaging through the female lockers nearly caused Yume to call rage quit as there could be private items stashed in there. In the end, Kai would be the only person opening the lockers and informing us whether any interest had been found.
By the time she got to Eliza's cabinet that an important discovery was made. "Guys, have a look at this. This looks pretty suspicious."
Hokuto, Yume, and I gathered around her to see what she was talking about. The cupboard contained Eliza's distinctive gloves and jacket, both bearing scorch marks a section of the latter had been burned away. Also in there was an empty test tube attached to a funnel which would help to mediate the flow of whatever liquid inside there if there were any.
"Strange that Eliza would put her everyday clothes here," Hokuto discussed. As far as I could tell, at the time of her death, Eliza was wearing another of her normal outfit sets that Monokuma no doubted provided her dozens of. "I don't think she's that clumsy to forget them in here."
"The burn marks," Kai gasped. "Guys, do you think... Eliza was the one who took that panel off in the first place?"
"That would mean she is the one who obtained the explosives," I concurred. "That seems plausible."
"But she is dead, right?" asked Yume. "How could she have planned the murder to escape from this place only to end up among the dead?"
"Eliza isn't the brightest one," Hokuto pointed out.
"She did try to open the present," Kai added.
"I don't think it's that obvious," I told them. "As you said, Kai, Eliza was about to open the present when we stopped her. If she was the one who placed the bomb, she being the one who triggered in front of all of us it would seem too suspicious, don't you think?" We should also consider the possibility whoever removed the bombs from under the mat had planted evidence inside Eliza's locker to distract us. The killer appeared meticulously prepared, after all.
"She would also have known where the bomb was placed and steered away from it," said Yume.
"Maybe she forgot where the bomb was and paid the price for it," Hokuto suggested.
"That is a long shot," I said. "It's not entirely impossible, though." Given the unexpected strokes of genius and stupidity Eliza had had throughout her career, her falling victim to her own invention didn't seem beyond the realm of possibility.
"That tube probably came from the lab," said Yume, taking note of the second suspicious item inside the locker. "There's no label on it though."
"Do you think it might have contained something when it exited the lab?" asked Kai.
"More than likely," I told her, remembering the list of ridiculously named concoctions brewed and put on display by Monokuma.
"Good idea," Hokuto agreed. "Are we, uhm, done here? We haven't found the means which she used to crack open that panel, though. She must have hidden it somewhere we couldn't find."
"It looks that way," Kai admitted. "Let's head back to the other to show them our discovery."
Truth Bullet #12
Booby trap in the gym
Monokuma wasn't lying when he said the unauthorized access to the female changing room would result in a swift end. The floor beneath the door used to contain explosives - the same explosives likely used as the murder weapon.
Truth Bullet #13
Killer's tool
The killer used an undetermined tool to sear away sections of the panel on the floor in front of the female changing room in the gym. This was what gave them access to the bombs below. The tool is highly precise.
Truth Bullet #14
Eliza's leftover
Eliza's locker contains her jacket which bears numerous burn marks as well as an empty tube without any label.
13:30
Residential Area
It was with heavy hearts that we gathered inside Tatsuya's room to be with him one last time. For the past few hours, while we were all investigating, Minako had been looking after the poor fellow. She even ventured into the botanical garden which entry had been forbidden due to Monokuma's organic weapons to search for herbal medicine. Her efforts eased Tatsuya's pain and allowed him to be conscious in his final moments. Nothing could have been done to stop his internal bleeding or repair his damaged organs. Only Monokuma had the means and the bear had firmly refused.
Tatsuya, for his part, accepted his fate in the same manner as Inori before.
"How bad... is it?" Tatsuya gasped, breathing weakly. "Please... be honest..."
There was silence among us as the grim atmosphere reigned. No one wanted to tell someone else they were going to die.
"I am so sorry, Taysuya-kun," Minako wept. "I couldn't..."
"It's... alright," said Tatsuya. "I... didn't think I would... make it this far. I... got to the third case... That's an a-a-a-achievement in my book."
I wasn't sure if he was delirious from his injuries or Minako's medicine, but he seemed quite genuine about what he felt. The fellow was normally emotionally withdrawn, so perhaps the uncanny situation he was in compelled him to come out. If Tatsuya found humor in his own demise, I wondered how I would feel if I were the one lying down in a pool of blood waiting to meet my maker. If the Mutual Killing Game continued after this, that moment might very well be real.
"We're going to miss you for sure," said Hokuto, tears streaking his eyes. "You were such a great help."
"You gave it all that you could to us," Hijiri remarked. "Now, rest."
"With your loss, we are no longer whole," El Viento added.
"I wish it didn't have to be like this," I told him. I also wished Akihiko, Kazuki, Ashley, Inori, and Eliza didn't have to die. And those zombies in the dungeon as well, victims of Monokuma's foul machinations. None of them deserved such fate. I asked myself how God sitting high above in haven could allow this trampling upon all things good and beautiful to continue unabated?
"Take my cape," Tatsuya spoke with his last remaining strength. "Give it to my adopted parents. Let them know... I died. Tell them... I am always their son. And they are more than the parents... I could ever ask for."
"I wish my parents were like yours," said Inu tearily. "They must be very proud of your achievement, and waiting for you to come back right now."
And with that, Tatsuya Toshishai the Ultimate Delivery Boy closed his eyes only to never open them again. The remainder of the class gathered around his bed to bid him farewell.
"Know that you were awesome, Tatsuya," said Hokuto. "I will finish our project. I give you my word."
"May you find peace in the afterlife," said Kai.
"Your death shall be avenged," Rin promised. "Whoever did this will pay."
"It's so unfair that you are gone now," said Yume, sniffing. "We will never forget you."
"You gave it your best, but the journey is long," said Hijiri softly. "Though you fall before seeing the destination, your names shall be on our lips when we get there."
"I didn't think... I would last this long either," Inu breathed. "I'm sorry for what happened. I hope that your parents are... alright." Given Monokuma's commitment to his words, that was likely. "It will be hard to disclose the news of your passing."
"Fear not Tatsuya-kun," Minako stated. "The compassion of Mother Earth is boundless. Become one with her and bring peace to this world."
"I commend you, my dear Tatsuya, to almighty God, and entrust you to your Creator," El Viento gave her prayer in Spanish. "May you see your Redeemer, face to face, and enjoy the vision of God, forever."
"Merciful God up high above, provide a sure rest upon the wing of the Devine Presence," I recited part of the Kaddish, more specifically a concise version of the Kel Maleh Rachamim, in Hebrew. It wasn't my mother tongue but it was the language I was first taught the prayer in. "The Eternal is his heritage, and he shall rest peacefully where he lies, and let us say: Amen."
To the others, it might sound as unintelligible as the Balkan language we found in the archive. Funnily enough, a year ago (probably much longer because of the memory loss), Japanese would sound the same to me. In any case, praying in the preferred language helped ease my pain, and probably El Viento's as well.
Attention
A body has been discovered. An amount of time has been given to find out the culprit, after which all students must gather at the main hall to be transported to the trial ground. Good luck.
And I supposed the body discovery announcement was Monokuma's way of commemorating his passing.
"Let this be for all the others who did not make it as well," said Yume. "Murderers and murdered like, they were all victims of this cruel game."
"Right," Hokuto agreed. "May all of them find peace."
"Every one of them," Minako nodded. "Akihiko-kun, Kazuki-kun, Ashley-chan, Inori-chan, Eliza-chan, and Tatsuya-kun."
"Let's get back to the investigation," Rin reminded. "There's not much time left."
"Lest we join the ranks of the dead," El Viento began. "Let's not mess up."
14:00
Main Hall
From the way Hijiri looked at the others, I could tell she was aware of one of the Truth Bullets implicating her. She seemed rather acceptive to being the prime suspect. Whichever the case, Hokuto, Yume, Kai and I agreed to save the accusations for the trial. Right now, we had other issues to discuss while the crime scene was still accessible.
"So the bombs were taken from the booby trap in the gym right in front of the female changing room," Rin denoted. "That makes sense. Really. I never took Monokuma for one who didn't follow through with his words." Except for that time when Hokuto trashed his library. We got lucky with that one.
"The panel on top of them should have been sealed," Hokuto pointed out. "We don't have a clue what was used to pry it open. Whatever it was, it melted metal with precision."
"Anyone sees a blowtorch anywhere?" asked Kai. "You know, the tools they use all the time to cut metals."
"No," El Viento replied, eyeing Hokuto. "Unless someone decided to make one."
"Swear to heaven it wasn't me," Hokuto returned. "Whatever was used must have been quite the good stuff. It seared right through without destroying the whole thing. I don't think the tool was makeshift."
"If it did get some marks on Eliza's jacket when she used it, then probably not that good," I pointed out.
"Or she's just really bad at using it," Hokuto went on.
"Not the time to make jokes," said Rin. "Can we be sure it was Eliza who obtained the bombs? That would mean she blew herself up, wouldn't it?"
"Maybe the killer was trying to frame her by planting the evidence inside her locker," Minako suggested. "They didn't know Eliza would perish and become unfit for a suspect."
"Good point," Rin concurred. "Speaking of undetermined tools, El Viento and I also found the metal frame that was used to hold the four bombs together. It was shattered."
"How?" I asked incredulously. "Metal bends, not breaks."
"But that's what happened," said El Viento, indicating the picture of broken pieces of metal on the floor inside the warehouse. I missed that during my visit. "They couldn't have just bashed it open, could they? That would have triggered the bombs."
"So there is another unique tool lying around and we are just clueless about it?" Hokuto shrilled in furstration.
"That is how the killer was able to split up the bombs, right?" asked Inu.
"Wait a minute," I called out. "Don't they have the blowtorch, or whatever it was, for that kind of work? Surely it would have been enough to cut the metal binding."
"Maybe it ran out of gas," Minako suggested.
"Was it actually a blowtorch, though?" asked Inu.
It didn't make any sense. Despite the seeming abundance of information compared to the second trial, this case was beginning to sound more and more convoluted with no way of untying the knots in sight.
"Maybe they have magic," said Yume. "I mean, from what we've seen so far, that shouldn't be too far off, should it?"
The rest of us paused for a moment. As much as I hated to admit it, the fellow made a convincing point.
"Yeah, maybe the killer is one of Superman's relatives," said Kai. "You know, with the laser eyes and frost breath."
"This is getting off-tracked," Rin admonished. "Let's talk something else. Like, the killer's target."
"Wait, so it wasn't random that Eliza and Tatsuya died?" asked Minako.
"It was," Rin emphasized. "But that might not have been what the killer was looking for. I remember what the main hall looks like before the explosion. I know exactly which table it was underneath."
"Mine, isn't it?" asked Hijiri. All eyes were upon her. The Ultimate Geisha regarded us coldly as though we were trespassers on her property.
"Unless my memories fail me, it is," Rin confirmed.
"Someone tried to kill Hijiri?" Inu gasped.
"Is that why you have been so distant from us?" asked Kai. "You think one of us was trying to murder you?"
"I know," said Hijiri tersely. There was no emotion to speak of on her alabaster white face.
"You should have told us," El Viento stated.
"And then what?" asked Hijiri venomously. "You people will defend me with your lives?" Her aggressive reaction caught us off-guarded.
"No wonder why somebody wanted you dead in the first place," Rin gruffed. "God must be blind to let others die while scums like you still walk the earth."
"Rin, please stop," Minako called out, sobbing. "Please, just stop talking."
"Just because the bomb was under your table doesn't mean you are off the hook, Hijiri," I told her with vehemence. My classmates sometimes complained that I didn't take a robust stance against Hijiri after she tried to murder me. In truth, I only followed facts and suggestions that were ongoing concerns. And Hijiri being the prime suspect from the evidence collected was one of them.
"Whatever," said Hijiri in a whispering tone. "It doesn't matter to me anymore."
"It mattered to us," El Viento replied sternly.
"Is there any other thing we can debate on?" asked Inu.
"Maybe how the killer was able to put the bomb there during Night-Time," said Minako. "I thought Rin collected everyone's E-handbook."
"Wait, was there any access recorded in the main hall last night?" asked Kai. The timings of these accesses played an important role during the trial of the first murder which entirely took place during Night-Time.
"Nothing," said Rin. "I checked all the doors. There was no Night-Time access whatsoever last night."
"I can believe the warehouse was left open like previously, but how on earth did the killer get to place both the bomb and the trigger disguised as a present in the main hall without any of us noticing?" asked Hokuto.
Before anyone could answer, we were greeted by Monokuma's voice on the speakers. "Time's up, bastards. I have already given you all the extensions I can afford, so I hope you have spent that extra time well. All loyal subjects are expected in the main hall for departure to the courtroom. As always, the only ones left behind are the dead."
There was another moment of silence.
"There are still questions I want to ask," Minako gulped.
"I guessed we would continue from this in the trial, then," said Kai.
"A shame that whoever does this will not be punished," said El Viento. "Kazuki, Inori? I get why they ended up as they did. But the culprit behind this case, they killed for no reason."
"Don't say that," Inu uttered. "Those executions are horrible. I don't... I don't want to see any more of them."
"The murderer might have escaped from the clutches of Monokuma," said Rin grimly. "They won't get away from what I have in store for them."
"For once, I take comfort in that," I told her. For all the doubts I had about Rin, I was confident in her ability to even up the score once the killer had been found.
Thus, the third trial began.
Truth Bullet #15
Shattered binding
The metal binding used to connect the four bombs together was found in pieces. It is unknown what caused this or what device was used.
Truth Bullet #16
Location of the bomb
The bomb was planted right underneath Hijiri's table during breakfast. Whoever committed the crime might have been targetting her specifically.
Author's Notes: Oh yeah, another update is here. It's been too long, I know. 2 months have passed since the last chapter. I got busy with work and paid writing commissions, so I had fewer times to focus on my personal beloved project. Another reason is the coldness I feel from the fandom. I can clearly sense a concerted effort by several respected members of the community to prevent my story from being read and reviewed. I strongly condemn all those who take part in this scheme.
It all started out with a review trade going wrong. Then, this author decides to humiliate me in front of the whole fandom, and now quite a few once-loyal fans have left me. I will consider this a form of cyber-bullying. A personal dispute should always remain personal.
As for the chapter, this is going to get pretty crazy. The video watched by the characters is a reference to Danganronpa 3. I know some people are disappointed about the anime, but I would say that it does add to the lore, especially the Despair Arc, so that's all great for SYOC ideas.
I will see you next time.