Investigation 1-2: All Who Died Remain Equal

Beta Read by: Lupus Overkill

? Diary #1:

I want to be like him. He has everything. Everything. EVERYTHING. I can't stand him. I want him dead. I'll do anything to have him DEAD. I want to be him. I want everything he has. I want it all.

Only if I could be the Ultimate Copycat or Imposter or even Substitute. So many words for talent I can't have! Everything I do is pointless. Pointless in all his greatness. He hasn't suffered what I suffered. I want him. I NEED TO BE HIM.

If despair is what it takes, I'll do it. If becoming a monster is what it takes, I'll do it. If erasing everything is what it takes, I'll do it. I'll do it all. Over and over again. Blood, sweat, tears! Take it all! I don't need anything but to make sure he knows even a fraction of my suffering. I'll make everybody proud. Everybody will approve of me with him gone! Why would they need him if I could fulfill his role instead? I'll be even better than he ever was. I promise you that, Master. I'll do anything for you!

Just please call me by my real name if we ever meet up again. It's all I have left other than my burning hatred for him. And the wish for the world to become a better place for everybody else.

Even though Ayumu and I took back the charm from Aito, it doesn't tell us that much. I may be smart, but even I forget details as small as this charm. So much else is happening that focusing on accessories would generally be seen as a waste of time.

"Do you think it's from our new outfits or our normal ones?" Ayumu asks.

I...have no idea. Once again, I may be a person very involved with the arts, but fashion has not been a creative avenue I have spent much time focusing on. Little charms are a common accessory, so we cannot really make guesses based on the personality and style of the person either.

"...I don't know," I answer.

Admitting to this much stupidity is going to make my brain fry. I should be able to figure even simple things out, yet I am unable to. It must be something dealing with the setting. There's no way I would be this much of a failure otherwise.

"You're beating yourself up for that, aren't ya? Society is fucked teaching us from kids that failure is bad. It's just a part of life. Sometimes you gotta go with the flow. Even with the post-apocalypse!" Ayumu is being ridiculous again. I guess that is just part of his charm.

"I just need time, that is all. I will be able to perfectly solve these mysteries during the trial."

"There are like thirty other people. I know you got walls but you gotta accept help. Something like this is gonna be impossible for only one person."

"You do realize that only one of us can survive, right? Eventually, everybody is going to succumb to the instincts of Ryusuke and whoever killed this Saitou," I explain. It is a simple fact. No need to become so emotional based on pure logic.

"I won't let anybody else die." Ayumu glares with a passion I have not seen not much else before. However, he quickly regains his composure. Pretending to be a quiet night, when he really is a raging inferno.

"We should probably get to Leonie. She may have some information. If the killer is brave or cocky enough, they could target her as well, considering she is all alone and with the best goddamn headphones in this galaxy."

"Pfft. Pffttttt. Ha." Ayumu tries his hardest to keep his lips together, but they would not answer his call.

"Why are you laughing?"

"I never thought I would hear somebody like you say words like cocky and goddamn."

"I still don't know how that's funny, Ayumu. Sure, I do not usually have the need to use such vulgar language, but I'm still a young adult."

"I don't need to tell you. You'll find it out one of these days. When you stop having such a stick up your ass." Ayumu's cracks of composure are all gone. I cannot believe all the things that he can manage to say with a straight look on his face. "But you're right about Leonie being in danger. We should really check up on her. It may not be the city streets, but the night still isn't safe here."

"Alright, let us go together to the restaurant. Luckily, it wasn't far from here or the Labyrinth. We should still have a lot more time to investigate the crime scene."

"Right with you." Ayumu follows me to the restaurant. Clearly, he is too trusting. I could easily murder him in the restaurant and pin the blame on Leonie, but it would be stupid to do something like that. He is a valuable asset, after all, and you lose all perks murdering second.

Reaching the restaurant once again, it surprises neither of us that Leonie is still here. With goddamn her headphones. I would have at least thought Mononeko would be forced by her supervisors to get the game developer involved in the investigation.

Ayumu is the one who approaches Leonie. He taps on Leonie's shoulder lightly, causing her young teenager to jolt in her seat. She finally takes the headphones off and stops working on her newest game idea.

"Leonie, there's been a murder."

"Oh...I'm sorry I didn't notice! I'll start working on finding the clues." Leonie reaches to get her student handbook out of one of her dress pockets. The game developer must be pretty lucky to get a dress actually with real pockets.

"I'll lead the way-"

"WAIT!" Mononeko drops from the ceiling but somehow lands on all fours and is not harmed. Her machine work must be truly something feared then, but maybe Tahlia can find a way to replicate or destroy the strong metal. Leonie jumps far away from the previously falling cat.

"Mononeko?"

"Shiro!"

"What are you doing here?" I question her. Sure, it is a familiar sight for mascots of killing games to pop in, but there really is not anything happening right now. It would make more sense for her to come later.

"I need to have a little talk to Leonie about her you know what, Shiro." Mononeko quickly goes over to Leonie and whispers something into the German's ear. The game developer nods her head and willingly goes up the stairs with Mononeko.

I can only guess that it refers to something about her advantage. But why would Mononeko need to have a talk with Leonie and not anybody else? Is it because she tried to use her perk? But what would a perk relating to the word Future do? Who would use a perk this early in a game when there is most likely nothing to be gained from it?

"What's going on? I'm getting confused again." Ayumu looks up and sees the developer and the cat talking, but is unable to gather any more information. Leonie is just as good at keeping a straight face as Ayumu.

"I don't know." I add on a shrug to make my lie more convincing. After all, people here seem to love shrugging.

"I highly doubt that." Ayumu is somehow able to make his monotone more terrifying than most people's screaming. Can this man please stop looking straight through me? I would very much appreciate it. Only a few people have been able to do so in my life, and, of course, things ended horribly for them. That is the only possible ending with me involved.

"You cannot prove anything, Tachibana."

"Last names, now?" Ayumu tilts his head slightly. "Maybe we actually do get along together like a house to a fire." I do not know if that is the usual way to say that idiom, or even if that carries the same meaning. With Ayumu's sometimes strange comments, it is hard to comprehend his words and intentions.

Before this awkward conversation can carry on any further, there is another ding from both of us. Finally, somebody has found more evidence. By that, they most likely only learned the strategy of talking to people and looking at other places but that small room.

Truth Bullet #13: Party Planners

Seina was in charge of planning the majority of the party with the help of Mononeko.

She also had the help of Ayumu, Jun, Renkou, Himura, Kitsu, Mei, Asuka, and Fubuki. To be honest, none of them actually did much. I guess they can get participation trophies. Seina did not do much either with the final result, since Kaimaru took over.

Truth Bullet #14: Party Alibis

Mei, Asuka, Jun, Ryusuke, Kitsu, Natsuki, Mizore, Keiji, Choumi, Renkou, Sora, Chika, Kaimaru, Suzunami, and Fubuki spent their entire time at the party. Everybody in this group but Kaimaru was also drugged in the late stages.

Saitou and Shiro went to the party at first but left before the drugging, though Saitou left far earlier than Shiro.

After the drugging, Seina, Tahlia, Etsuko, and Shiro entered. Shiro and Tahlia left shortly afterward.

Truth Bullet #15: Hallway Alibis

Hanane, Osamu, Etsuko, and Tahlia were all in the hallways. They were all originally alone. Hanane and Osamu made a team, while Tahlia and Etsuko made another.

That is all information I already know. At this point, I really have to step up our game, or we are all going to die. I do not care about the others, but I know for a fact that I did not do it. I do not want to be part of a mass execution today. Thank you very much. Being forced to do a song and dance for another person would make me puke. But, of course, I must do that everybody, that is a reality of life.

"Alright, now I have to talk to you three all at once. Not because I want to, but because I'm being forced to. Ugh." Leonie and Mononeko make their way down the steps. The game developer watches her pace closely, making sure that she does not knock the cat in front of her. Of course, the cat is taking all the space.

"Are you doing alright, Leonie?" Ayumu asks.

"Yeah, thanks." Leonie quickly averts eye contact with the graveyard shift worker. Mononeko and Leonie finally make their way down the stairs. With the pace Mononeko is moving, it is almost like she wants to halt the investigation. Actually, that would not be shocking.

"You three are chosen to have the highest chances of winning! Congratulations!...Too much energy for today. All that exclamation is making my throat hurt..." Mononeko does the weakest fist pump I have ever seen. "Hip hip hooray. Give me a promotionnnnnnnnnn."

But us three? Having the largest chances of winning? It cannot only be because of the advantages because Ayumu does not have one. These two are my targets? A game developer that only sees light perhaps once a year if she is feeling lucky? And a graveyard shift worker who literally can't stop himself from being a sleepy miserable mess during the day? These two!? I just had to act like these two and get as far as I am now?

"I'm flattered...but that doesn't make sense," Leonie says. "I don't really have any special abilities or anything like that. I'm just really an average person with some good coding strategies."

"I don't get it either. I may have some survival abilities, but I can't believe what you're saying." Ayumu joins in with Leonie. Those two are an unlikely team, but they would be troublesome if they started working well together.

And, of course, I have a good chance of survival. That is simply how I am. But how do they measure the rate of survival? There are so many moving parts and different possibilities that it is impossible to fully comprehend. If I was not in this game, I would not know who would win. Sure, it would not be any of the naive participants, but they're actually all immature. It matters about how fast they learn about the real world. If they are able to keep up with the demands of reality, and not give into their childish fantasies.

None of this makes sense. What is the meaning of all this? Why would people go through such measures only to force us to kill each other? Even with my brilliant mind, I cannot understand despair.

A̸͎͓͙̫̝̯̜͙̮̹̽̾̆̔l̴̳͈̒̒̕l̶̨̫̤̟̤̟͍̓͆̆̿̎̀̇̈́͛͘ ̴̧̗̦̗͚̯̝̱̖̜͙̤̗̗̾̀̆̓̀͜t̵̼͖̖̯̮̔̿͐̎̌̔̔͠ḩ̴̢̢̨̥̬̯̹͙̯̆͊̄͆͌̈́̅̓͗͘͘͜ͅi̴͎̗̟̺͎͙̭͔̠̜̪̝͌̕ṇ̴̼͙̺̺̖̜̱͈̳͔̽̆̈́̈́͊́̄͌̈́̍̄͘̕g̷̛̤̰̥̺̝̳͙̃̿̄̀̓̑̅͋̍̆ş̷̠̥̫͎͚̲́̈́͗̅̇͆͂͗͝ ̶̧̨̘̬̭̤̯͚̜̘̼̫͇́͛̄̃̆͌̆c̷̡̤̬̻̹̹̳̣̹̥̖̠͕̆̀̌̒͆̆̃̀̽̈́͊o̸̢͍̮̳̠͕̬̞͚͒́̀̋̆̊͗̈́̉̆n̷̡̢̢̳̖̻͓̪͉̻̂́̈͊͌s̴͈̲̤̜̔͂̂̀͌̏̕ǐ̵̘͎̻̻̮͍͎͍̮̜̪̈́͒̂͒̈́͆ͅd̵̙̘̙̪͇͇́̓̀̽̈́̒̿̀͊̎ẻ̸̼͍͎̣̬̫̮̹̞̪̠̓͘ŗ̶̨͍̖̲̍̋̊̊̊̓͜͝͝ḛ̵̢̘͚̮͙̬̪̫͉͔̜̝̙̂̋́̅̉̉̊̑͋ḑ̷̺̲͕͚̺͍̹̽͂̎͝,̶̨̻̜̣͖̣͕͈̩̣͔͖͔͎͍̑̎̎͛ ̵̧͇̲̣͔̬̺̹̰͇̓̒̇̑͠ḿ̴̯͓̜̓͛ͅy̸̨̢͚̗̺̠͓͍̙̱̫̣͎̫̓̌̌̾̈͑͐̎͆̀͘̕̕ ̴̧̨͈̙̞̟͙͈́̆͋̋͘͜͠t̷͉̏͊̀̈́̀̂̇͘̕r̸̡̤̄à̷̳̦̼̱͖̘͉̼͔͇̀̕̕͜c̶̡̫͙͕̯̰̰͑́̄k̷̞͇̪̲̞̘̰̩̲̣̜̍͜ͅ ̴̑̔͛́͛̈́̀͊͒͛̚͜͠͝ȓ̵̡̧̰̯̬̝̪̩̯̀͂̾̃͂͑̈́̈́e̶͍̦̲͕͖̦̫̜̜͎̠͂̆̓̓̋́̑̑̇̕̕͝͝c̶̡̱̹̞͙̣̳̹͛̈́̓̀́̽̀͗̽̕͘ǫ̷̩̖͉̥͈̙̪̎̈́́͌̚r̶̬̪̺̜̻͙̲̍́d̸̨͇̹̣̳̠͕̘̺̠̣̟̏̀̉́̓̂̕͜͝ ̸͓̤̪͇̩̣̮̼̖̰̩̲̼̠̫͐̈́̈i̵̫̖̝͇̮͛ś̴̨̢̛͔̱͚̥̠̟͙̜̹̔̀̂̂̿͒͒̐͌͊̕̚͜͠ ̶̡̢̡̣̩̇̌̃͐a̵̡̧̨̱͕̯͎̤̭̞̮͙͊́̆͆̌͗̾̐̀̅͘͘͠c̷̨̯̤̰͇͍͓̼̉̑͌̚t̶̨̡̹̟̮̬͉̯̬͍̮̘͈̤͆͌̆͆͑̀͛̽̀̿͛͆͗͠͝u̶̢͖͚̰͕͖̝̰͐̃͗͌̆̀̆͛͂̓̀ạ̴̻̝͔̹̼̗͋̑̿͐̃͛̒́̔͘l̸̨͖͎͔̘̱̜͈̱̞͖̖͉̬͋̂̎̚͜ľ̴̢͇̣͈̗̭̜͙̩̱̄͗̀͂̎ͅy̵̡͇̗̜̱̪͚̦̝̼̹̼̲͔̜̌̿̋͝ ̵̨̙̄͂v̴̹̠̦̝̹̲̻͙̖̮͕̳̻͍͈̓̐͑͐́̒͆͘͝͝e̶̡̛͛̔̾̄́̇͊̈̓̈́̋̃̌̕r̷̙̣̳͙̘̤̰̰͇̱̟͙̾̃̿́͒̇͂̃̌̈́̕͝y̵̡̞͍͖̞̩͓͍̮̑̿̇͗̔̀̊̿̚͠ͅ ̶̯̼̳̭̖̙͕̝̆̕̚n̷̢͙̠͇̥͈̟̜̂́̋͐̆́̿̈́͊o̵̢̹͇͂̈́͆͜t̶̨͎̜̭̬̝̗͕̙̟̠̫̪̋͑̍͗̈́͝͝ͅ ̶̡̲͔̲̯̗̼̼̺̥̭͍͐̃̋̽̂͌͛̆͗͋̕g̶͚̰̫̦̹̺̻̳͔͎͍͖̮̮̳͒͠ơ̸̯̖̳̬̠͇̞̙̺̂̈́̓̀̇̂̓͌͌̈̅̚͜͝ǫ̴̧̰̖̝̣̥̹̮̈̂̽̅̏͒́̂̈̿̏̐͝d̴̯͔̼͓̎̽̋͆͋̓̂͌̔̈́́͘.̷͍̫͖̱̣̠̞̭̪̫̘͇̙̻̯̀͗̆̐̇̌̀̈́̓̈ ̸̨̟̗̝̟̦̠̬̜͎͙͗̄͋̓̓́̀͂̕͠͠P̵̗͋͂̌̌͋̾̾͗͛̍̆̓̊͘͝e̵̢̢̛̳̳̦͙̳̟̫͖͕̍̀̓͋̒̅̀͆̾r̷̡̡̙͖̯̙͉̹̘̯͚͕̟͖͎͌̃̎͘͘̕h̸̛̘̟͖̣̦͓̫̫̯͔̋͒̇̀͆ą̶̛̛̫̭̮̰̯̹̘̮͕̖̝̘͉͊̿̌̈́̔̒̾̈́͛̂̀̂͝p̸̧̺̤̻̓͋̈́̓͝s̷̫͉͍͗̍̋̈́̎͛͒͠͠ ̴̤͔̯̯͕͓͖̰͈͖̎̉̐͐͂́̊͊̍͋̾̀Į̵̨̦̪̪̤̟̪͈͚͆̑͂̚ ̷̨̳͚͙͇̭͙̱̰͎̐̿͆́̈́̌̔̈́̄̍̚̕͜͠w̵̡̛̗̠͎̥̅̎̏̌̾̉͌̾̿͒͋i̵̘̱̞̿̒̓͆̈́̚͝͠͝ļ̶̮̺̪͕̆̾̂̍͒̆̈́͝͝l̴̢̛̲̲̰͚̟̠͕̖̣̺͙̆̅̈́͌̂̌́̏̕͠ ̵̧͙̬͚͇͐̈́̍̐́g̴̠͖̟͕̖̱̞̼̰̣̖͘e̶̠̻̜̪͔̰̤̯͜͝t̸̡̹̭͚̙̯̳͇̯̗̹͕̜͂̑̈́̒̒͗͌͊̉ͅ ̷͚͉̠̪̙͓͕̖̦̦̗̇̇̆̉͂̀͒͐͝͠y̷̧̡͇͔͙͓̟̘̺̞̺̱̔́͂̽̆̿͆̃̎̈́͘͘͠ē̶͙̤̞͎͖̤͐́̆̿̔͌͂ẗ̵̡̛̰̭̦͔̥̺́̏̀̉̿̑̊͆͆̈̒͝ ̴̢̢͎̤̩͍̳̟̯̙͚̦̤̙̯̍̓͗́̔̉͛̒̏̔̿̊͠ȁ̵̧̹͙̘͈͍̤̹̦̲̹͘ͅn̷͙̬̱̏̃́͑̑̽̒̒̄̀̍͜õ̷̤͚͙̔͂̅͝ͅͅţ̵̯̦̞̭̖̞̟̱̞̙̜̈́ͅḧ̸̨̙͈̼̣͖͓̥̜̬͈͎̻̳̈́̿̀͛͗̅͒̽̂̾̕͠e̸̢̛̱̮̹̪͕̘͊̅͒̈́͐̓̑̓͘͘̚r̸̙̺̰͍̓̅͗́͊̈́ ̸̨̛̛̪̳̗̤̭̬̟͇̼͍̣̰͍̃͋͐͊̆͗̀͊͝͝͝ͅc̸̫̦̝͐͂̊̉̈́̒̆ḩ̶̗̳̽̇̈́̌̔̋̅̚ą̷̭̹̩͙̜̘̹̪̤̜̘̤̝̔n̸̻͔̹͑̈̆̃c̸̜̤͙̳̬͙̈́̌̄̐̽͝ę̵̬͕̹͉̰̼̳̪̰͙͉̉̉͑͋͆͂͘͝ ̵̛̛̳͓̹͇̈̆͆̏̔̈́͋̎̚ţ̶̡͎͉̟͍̀̋̾̈o̵̢̧̯̠̠͍̥̖̬͎͎̰̮͝ ̴̠̟̼͔̂̄̽̋͐̓̅̀d̵̛̹̮̻̮͉̪͍̬̹̬͊̅̇̽̋͊̀̐̓͊͗͑͜͜ͅă̷̛̩̰͊̿̈́̆̽̌́̽̿͛̾͐̄n̸̛̼̜̞̟͊̎̍́́̈́͝c̴̹̙̬̟͔̈͆̿̓̚͝ẹ̷̱̦̘̃͐͝ ̸̡̡̤͙̹͈͔̘̦̳͚̗͙͉̈́͐̾́̈́̌͋͂͊m̴̨͖̯̤̥̯̤͆͗͆̈́̈̏̈́̒̐̕ý̷̢̡̢̜̟͇̦͙̠̫͔̺͔̳s̴͙͇͇̺̰̺͍̯̯̘͈͔̈́͋̈̆͆͌̀́ẻ̸͇̒̆ľ̴̛̘͈͙̑̽̾̄̓̚f̶̧̨̨̫̟̜̝͎̤̦̹̬̍̋̌̆͑̄͊͗͂͠͝͝ ̴̛̣͙̩̦̦͎̲̄̅̔̃̏̏́̊͊̉́̾̋ͅt̸̢̤̭̣̭̝͑͂̀̂̍͑́̃̚͠͠o̴̳̘͈̣̲̩̯͙̒̀͋͆̎̐ ̵̤͇̱͙̠͍̪̣͗ͅṃ̴̛̛̮̱̥͍̓̀̿̑̊̅̓̉̀̇̚̚͠y̸̡̛͖̠̟͌̇͋́̆̄̄̒̃͗̏̓̍̃ ̶̧̬̩͇̹̊̔͆̾̌̽̔́̌̕͘d̸̢̛̛̟̩̘͕̜͎̱̫̮̭͖̬͑́̿̓̓̈͑͑̾͊̀̉̈́ê̸̛̦̻͉͂̿̒́̆͑a̶̢̛̳̠̟̫͉͚̪̦̜͓̘̓t̴̮̞̀͋̊̇͂̊̈̔̄͗͐ḩ̵͖̫̭̫̼̐̈́̐ͅ.̷̢̛̱̮͚̗̲̹̫̳͚̭̜̼͑́̇̑̍͑͜͝ͅ ̵̧̡̤̗̭̹̳̠̬̾̀̿̑͑͊̾͠

There is too much I don't know. That should not be happening. Even outside of this case, there are too many mysteries. Why do I get the feeling that both Saitous knew too much? After all, there is no such thing as coincidence. There has to be more of a reason for their deaths other than their matching names.

"I don't know. I'm only the messenger. If you meet any of the producers, ask them yourself. Their math only makes my head hurt."

"Why are you telling us now?"

"Because, Shiro, it was decided. Not even I can go against anything they desire. It's simply how the world works. Surely you of all people would understand, right? It's too tiring explaining it to everybody else. Especially Hope. Why did they have to bring her here?"

"Hope...? The name?" Leonie is a little dumbfounded. This is confusing me as well, even more so than Aito's ridiculous taunts.

"Hope? She's here?" Ayumu questions. "...Shit."

"I'm not explaining this until my raise. This whole plot is way too much for my brain. I better not get another migraine." Mononeko slowly walks to one of the walls where she then teleports out of here. Maybe one of us should have stopped her, but our minds are too busy trying to figure out what happened.

"Now I'm the one getting a migraine." Leonie rubs circles into the sides of her head. "I like mysteries and all but..."

"This sucks. Honir would definitely not approve of this." Ayumu yawns. "...Oh no...I thought I had more time...before being sleepy..."

Hope? Cannot think about much standing out about the name itself. After the Tragedy, the name Hope's popularity skyrocketed in Western countries. Quite the irony that nobody with the name can ever hope to achieve its true meaning. With everything being dangled in front of them, who could fault them for feeling despair? Well, me, because giving into despair isn't what anybody would consider smart.

"Okay, let's not think about this right now. We have a murder to solve," I tell them. Taking charge is certainly an odd sensation, but I do not trust these two. Plus, I do not want to pick Ayumu off the floor. Knowing how strong they want part-time workers nowadays, it does not take a genius to guess that he is probably more muscular than originally thought.

Leonie and Ayumu both nod. With slow and thoughtful steps, all three of us finally leave the restaurant. I do not want to enter the damned place anymore, but it is impossible to escape the area.

There is nothing of note as we walk quietly through the hallway. Leonie and Ayumu both know when it is better for them to keep their mouths shut. As expected, there is nobody really investigating the hallway. I wonder if Seina and Asuka have been able to calm down Suzunami. We have spent more time than I would have liked with Mononeko so that is a possibility.

Mononeko cannot be trusted. I still do not fully believe her with the survival chances. Perhaps she told us something she thought we would want to hear to get the more skeptical students to join her. If that is the case, I could understand me, but what about Ayumu and Leonie? Those two do not match up perfectly with any theory I have, except if there is something I do not know about them. Maybe Leonie's high chances of winning have to do with her too impressive headphones.

If Leonie and I truly have a good shot to live, then why would they give the two of us advantages? Shouldn't they give those to people more likely to die to make the game fairer in their eyes? Or maybe this game has never been about fairest but the story that can cause the most despair. If they think it is that easy to get to me, then they better think again.

Anyway, Aito has to be...somewhere. But he literally cannot do anything for the case but make things more difficult, so maybe it is best that he is yet to be seen again. Sadly, Aito, Etsuko, and Emilynn are the ones with the most information. And Aito is the only one who would even think about talking to me.

Back in the Labyrinth. Where everything seems to be taking place. Maybe they should have made the rooms a little more interesting compared to this one. Sure, children might be interested in the others, but this has a sense of mystery many people cannot ignore. And danger.

In the area before the Labyrinth, I notice that Kitsu, Natsuki, Mizore, Renkou, Chika, Sora, and Kaimaru are here. In such a small space, it is beginning to be a little cramped. Then I see that Ichiko is sitting in one of the corners mostly hidden by Mizore looking at whatever she is writing down. Mizore squints her eyes and begins to ask Ichiko to teach her how to read it.

"I can't believe somebody is actually dead. This is real...huh? Oh, you three." Kitsu's eyes are red and his skin paler than it has ever been before. "Not again..." And, without much of a warning, Kitsu throws up on the floor.

"They're dead...This was supposed to be a fun day..." Natsuki hugs herself while she cries. Cleaning up the vomit from his face, Kitsu goes over to the other actor and hugs her. Natsuki hugs him back. At least some people are able to find comfort in the cruelty. Though they have seemingly forgotten that everybody else is here too.

"We still need to investigate this area. By what the others have told us, there has to be something over here. How else would the killer get in?" Renkou is pacing with Kaimaru following directly after him. "There has to be something with the vents, right? Maybe there are vents in the Labyrinth...somehow."

"Oh, we already took care of those," Ayumu says. When everybody else is distracted by conversations, Leonie leaves and goes into the Labyrinth.

"...There has to be something else. We don't have the most amount of time and there are too many areas to explore." Renkou paces even faster and Kaimaru still keeps up with his pace. Those two are going too fast in circles to not be a little dizzy.

"I can show you around the Labyrinth more." Ayumu is going to get himself killed.

Ayumu is still too nice to everybody in this game. Considering he also wants to be friends with me (and has deluded himself into thinking he has), I can also correctly assume he is not the best at reading people.

"Great! Thanks so much, Ayumu. Come on, Kaimaru." Renkou, Kaimaru, and Ayumu make their own team and begin to explore the maze. Kaimaru can distract the two people alive stupid enough to try to befriend me.

Okay, but somebody should really clean up that vomit off the floor. I elect Mononeko. She is the one forcing us to do this, so she has to deal with the messy consequences of her actions.

There are two more people in the room, however. Sora and Chika Akahoshi. Those two are still sticking to each other through thick and thin. It would have been nice to have a sibling like that, but the world is never kind. One day they will have to separate and experience true heartbreak for the first time.

Chika is hugging her twin brother who is covering his mouth and his eyes are beginning to tear up. The cosmologist's eyes quickly study the people left in the room, glaring even if they make the slightest wrong movement. They are very much like parasites to one another. Sucking the other dry while convincing themselves that it is the only right way.

"Calculations reveal that if all of you don't cheer up soon we're gonna be in hot water!" Mizore shouts out. She stops overlooking the historian's notes, resulting in a sigh of relief.

"I think they're allowed to feel this way after a body. They're normal people after all," I surprisingly fight for them.

Forcing people to become more useful will do absolutely nothing. If they want to prove themselves, they have to do that on their own merit. Self-improvement based on another person will all disappear once that person is gone. In this world, it is all about yourself. There is no room for martyrs.

"We still have a couple of hours," Chika adds in. "With how many of us are there, there shouldn't be a problem taking a few minutes."

Seeing that there is about to be drama happening, Natsuki and Kitsu stop comforting each other and leave the room to the hallway. Perhaps I should try to make my getaway, but I stupidly inserted myself into this situation.

"Every second we don't act, we have a 0.010% chance of not getting enough evidence. That stacks up. A lot." Mizore clicks her tongue.

"We still shouldn't rush-"

"Don't worry, Chi, I'm fine now." Sora whips away the tears from his eyes. "Yeah, look at the bright side of things. We can do this together. We can mourn when we're done, r-right?" He stops hugging his sister and stands up for himself.

"That's the spirit!" Mizore does a fist bump with Sora. I will not admit that they are adorable.

"Fine-"

"Come on, join us, Chi! Oh, sorry for interrupting! I sometimes can't help myself!" Sora does puppy dog eyes to his sister. Chika groans softly but still goes up to them to join the fist bump.

"Ichikooooooooooooooooooooooo." Sora's eyes somehow become bigger and even more adorable. Which foul creature has taught the young astrologist such good skills in persuasion?

"I don't have a choice, do I?" Without any more complaints, Ichiko joins the ever growing circle of fist bumps. She does her weekly and keeps eyeing the nearest exit.

"Now for the last, Shiro!" Sora's smile is infectious. Was this kid not just crying his eyes out a couple of seconds ago? How can somebody pop back up so quickly?

Also, if past lives are actually a thing, Sora must have been a dog. Because there is no way a cat with big eyes would do anything popular or be taken seriously by anybody. No, dogs are where it is at. Sora also has the loyalty of a dog, so that theory could hold some water. This boy must have some familiarity with dogs to perfect their look and personality so perfectly.

I must resist. I resisted. I totally did.

So anyway, after hours or even days or resisting the urge of cuteness, even I have to answer its call. Let's just forget that there's a dead body in the other room.

"Yeah!" Sora exclaims.

Though, now that I am closer to the four other people in the room, I can see that Sora and Chika are shaking slightly. Mizore and Ichiko do not show this weakness. I have to add Mizore to the ever-growing list of people with too little of a reaction.

With the mandatory fist bump out of the way, Ichiko speeds out of the circle and back into her corner of darkness and solitude. I would do the same but Mizore is smirking directly at me. Chika also exits the friendly gesture, followed by me, then Sora, with Mizore last.

"Hehe, now we gotta do some planning!" Mizore is still not phased. She truly is something to be feared along with her very...out there rants.

"I-I'm sorry I took so long!" Sora begins to bow profusely. "I should've started investigating sooner but we got drunk and had to be helped by Mononeko! I should've known something was strange! I'm sorry!"

"Lil Bro, you don't have to apologize all the time. It's not your fault." Chika pats her brother gently on the head.

"That's something I can't help with. Emotions are too confusing!" Mizore shouts. I see that the three of them are focused on each other, so I try to take my leave. "You can't escape that easily! You're part of my plan!"

"I tried." There is no escaping the fearsome foe known as Mizore Kurushima. She would be a good ally if she wasn't so...herself.

"Time to fulfill my plan decided by years of experience using the most complex of mathematics that I can't read!" Mizore evilly laughs. "So, yeah, we should like split up two-two since that makes the most amount of sense."

"Um, can I go with Chika? I don't really know both of you very well and you're kinda uh...loud-"

"Nope, you're stuck with me, star boy~"

"S-Star boy!?" Sora stutters out.

"Are you insulting him?" Chika raises one of her eyebrows.

"No, no, no. He's a boy and he does star stuff. So he's star boy~"

There is a murder. Sure, this can be a coping mechanism of sorts, but there's a murder. Knowing how Saitou was, he would probably actually like this reaction to his own death. He seems to be the type of person to be too selfless like that. Not wanting people to worry or mourn when he causes that distress in the first place.

"Time to spin your own logic onto you, Sora. You have to spend time with a loud person." Chika playfully punches him.

"Maybe we can talk about aliens or stuff, Mizore...You like aliens?" Sora keeps playing with his fingers. This poor boy is going to have a headache by the end of the night if he doesn't already have one from his hangover. "Maybe none of us did the murder and it was an alien!"

"Sora, now isn't the time to be thinking about aliens. One of our former classmates is dead. We are dealing with murder. The killer still walks amongst us and I am willing to bet that they're not an alien," Chika states bluntly. Finally one of my classmates with some common sense.

"Aliens are going to take over Earth. But, since this is space, we're technically aliens. That means we get the chance to possibly stop the production of alien umbrellas to stop their invasion!" Mizore's eyes are sparkling again. This is not a good sign. Maybe I should really run away.

I need to change the subject. Both Sora and Chika are cringing at Mizore's comments. Plus, Mizore should know that this is taking valuable time away from the investigation. We should really be going.

"Aliens aren't evil," Sora says.

"Okay, uh, let's stop talking about this. It's causing too much drama and taking time away, okay? Um, Mizore, why are you so good at not being phased by bodies?" I ask her. Note to self, I really need to learn how to change conversation subjects better.

"Oh, that's easy. My parents work with the Committee for rescue missions. Sometimes they even bring me along." Mizore does not even try to question my pathetic display. She really does have a one-track mind.

"That was quick," Chika comments.

"Then why don't you have the talent of Ultimate Rescuer?" I continue interrogating Mizore. Perhaps that is the wrong move, but I need more information on the mathematician before figuring out what to do with her. If she truly does have rescue skills, she will be extremely valuable if everything goes wrong.

"Uhhhhh...well, look at the time, we really have to go, Sora." Mizore latches onto Sora and then runs out of the Labyrinth and into the hallway. I perhaps should keep to myself that both of them almost knocked into the door on the way out.

"That's confirmed. She's hiding something," Chika comments. Who on this boat isn't hiding anything? Even I have too many secrets to keep. "I work best with Sora, but I don't think Mizore will approve of us straying from her plan. She's the mathematician so she knows what she's doing."

"There's something missing here," I speak out loud. I walk over to the vents again but do not plan to get into them once again. There is something on the tip of my tongue refusing to come out. "Also, Chika, there's something I've been wondering."

"What is it?"

"Why did you and Sora stop using honorifics?" They have not used honorifics for a long time, even though when I met the twins they always made sure to be overly polite.

"Do you like honorifics more? I view us more as equals so I thought I could be more laid back," Chika answers. I do not believe her for a second. Others may call me overly paranoid, but I just call this staying alive.

"We should really focus on the investigation more. The fate of everybody is in our hands." Chika starts walking away but I continue to focus on the vent. Sure, it might not have anything to do with the murder, but maybe something nearby could give us more clues.

...A flash of white...

"Wait, I remember. Before Mononeko forced me to change, there was a flash of white going to the Labyrinth. I was about to chase them down, but Mononeko stopped me."

Ding.

"White?" Chika starts rubbing her forehead. After she finishes doing that, we check the new evidence together.

Truth Bullet #16: Flash of White

Shiro testifies that he saw a flash of white going into the Labyrinth before Mononeko changed his outfit. He was about to go after the suspicious flash before Mononeko stopped him.

I really should have continued chasing whatever that was, yet maybe I shouldn't have because I could have been murdered instead. Mononeko must have known what was going on and allowed it to happen. That goddamn cat will not stop creating and enabling problems. She is a predator giving her prey supposed mercy when in reality she is only playing with her food.

"Some progress then. Let's meet up with the others in the Labyrinth to continue our findings," Chika states.

Chika does not wait for me when she marches to the Labyrinth. Once again, I have to run after somebody. My legs are going to ache so much tomorrow. I did not prepare myself for this much walking around. To be honest, the soles of my feet are very not happy right now. Perhaps I can sit down a little bit before the trial since traditionally there is no seating.

Seems like Ayumu is not the only one who has a talent for exploring the Labyrinth. For a while there, I was worried that Chika was just going to make the two of us go in circles until time was out. But no, Chika knows where she is going.

"How did you know where to go?" I ask her.

The two of us stand in front of the entranceway of the crime scene together. Nobody has closed the door yet. Because of the very small amount of light in the room itself, it is hard to see what is going on in there.

"You have to memorize the turns and what's on the shelves. There are little things separating them from each other. You can also use the chandelier to help. It surprisingly acts like a star," Chika responds. "Also, a little bit of physics. It's really not that impressive. Ayumu can do so much better than me."

Teenagers have some of the lowest self-esteem I have ever seen. Of course, back when I was their age, I suffered through similar problems. Most people find it a sign of growing up, but I believe adults are just too lazy to help their children out. They blame their lack of effort on the newer generations while making life purposefully more difficult for them. After all, teenagers are still children, some of them are not yet corrupted by this world and instead get to live in wonderland. Sure, there may be evil queens, but that is easier to deal with than accepting the fact that happiness does not truly exist.

"Shiro, are you okay?" Chika is still with me. She grabs onto my shoulder.

"Yes, just deep in thought."

I need to escape this awkward conversation. Considering I am already in pain because of exhaustion, I decided just a little bit more will not do that much harm. So I run inside the hallway, hoping not to trip on anything. Chika can take care of herself. For a child, she is self-sufficient and smart.

Seeing the body once again, I see that Himura and Rokuro are the ones guarding it. Everybody else must be investigating different areas. Although there might not be much evidence, it is better to spread out with the numbers we have. If we start getting lower numbers, it would be wise to stick together, as much as I dread that idea.

Rokuro and Himura do not pay me much attention while I walk past the two of them. Most likely they are making sure that Aito does not try tampering with the body once again. There has to be a reason for his stabbings, and I do not buy into his excuse of just because. Everybody has a reason for their actions even if they're not aware of it.

With how few people are around, this is the perfect time to try to access the keyhole. Himura and Rokuro are too focused on the body to question what I am doing at the end.

When I reach the keyhole, however, I realize there are other people here. Plan backfired. I realize that they are Seina, Asuka, and Suzunami. Seina and Asuka must have helped Suzunami during the time I was with Mononeko, Leonie, and Ayumu.

"Shiro, you suck at emotions," Asuka says. I am unable to avoid her before the volleyball player notices me. Maybe I should have started walking around without light.

"I admit that I do not have the best skills of comforting people." In this world, you have to learn how to take care of yourself. People will not always be there to pull you out of the dark depths of your depression or trauma. Those who are should really focus more on themselves.

"This isn't the time to call Shiro out on his cowardice. You rolled a nat one and have nothing else to improve your chances! That means you have to spend more time leveling up your abilities and relationships with who you're playing with," Seina states.

Seina still does not understand life is not a game. If it is, I'll win it. I'll continue winning this game until it ends. Becoming a loser is something I refuse to happen to me.

"We should probably catch you up with what we're doing. Asuka, you take care of Suzunami right now, okay?" Seina nods at Asuka. Asuka returns the gesture. These two are a force to be reckoned with together.

Asuka goes to Suzunami, leaving me alone with Seina. At least Seina is not bothering me about leaving all of them, but I should probably ignore her after the trial. Seina is the type to be stubborn about her ideals, so that may not be possible. Or Asuka could just drag me out to Seina. Asuka would possibly enlist the help of Renkou and Ayumu and that thought terrifies me.

"What are you planning?" I question Seina.

"Suzunami wanted to try xyr skills with the lock. Let's hope xe passes the check!" Seina explains.

It does make sense to use somebody's Ultimate. There is still a chance that this key is not what unlocks this. With xyr skills, we should be able to figure out what is behind the wall soon enough. Except if something unfortunate happens.

E̶v̶e̶r̶y̶ ̶o̶n̶e̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶s̶e̶ ̶f̶i̶r̶s̶t̶ ̶t̶r̶i̶a̶l̶s̶ ̶i̶s̶ ̶r̶i̶g̶g̶e̶d̶,̶ ̶a̶f̶t̶e̶r̶ ̶a̶l̶l̶

"You can help if you want. Your stats are better suited for this." Seina laughs while she goes to Suzunami and I follow her.

Suzunami honestly does not look like xe is doing better, but at least xe're not in a severe dissociative state. Every moment xe does is shaky and unrefined, yet, even with these restrictions, xyr key work is still the best I have ever seen. Asuka is providing moral support, which is a good strategy for somebody as easily manipulated as these people.

"It's done..." Suzunami says. Xe knows it is not the time for jokes, unlike certain other people that will not stop singing.

"Cool! We can do it now, Seina!" Asuka cheers.

"Time to take down the boss, everybody!" Seina smirks as Suzunami puts the key into the keyhole.

Suzunami begins turning the key, but, of course, Mononeko teleports out of nowhere. Mononeko lands on Suzunami's head, causing the poor person to fall down to the floor hard.

"Oh shit. I messed up the landing on that one. Sorry, Suzu. I'll make it up to you later. After this trial and a very, very long nap." Mononeko, however, stays on top of Suzunami's head. What a truly terrible apology.

"Of course you're doing something," Asuka groans. She crosses her arm and glares at the cat. Even the real cat would know better than to not do this. If Mononeko was smart, she would have just announced it and intervened if it continued.

"We should be able to see what's behind that wall. It must be important to the investigation. When playing a game, you have to give your players the opportunity to figure out the mystery themselves!" Seina says.

"This isn't a roleplaying game. I got orders to keep you out of there. Trust me, I want you to figure things out, but even I have to listen to orders. There's a reason she's called the Master and not like the Greatest." Mononeko yawns. Suzunami once again is lost to the world. Maybe xyr daydreams can give them a sense of peace.

"People like this don't care about what's fair or not. They just want whatever they can get and will happily destroy the lives of others to do so." Asuka is making good points. I approve.

"I can't change your mind. It takes too much energy for stubborn people like you. Anyways, I gotta do this now. This investigation is for too long and all these Truth Bullets for the first case reminds me of the last successful season too much. And that case was a train wreck." Mononeko takes a deep breath.

"You can't do this, Mononeko! There's still so much to learn!" Asuka is about to strike at the cat, but Seina stops her. It is almost like Asuka wants to be impaled in the leg once again.

"I know how you feel, but you can't allow yourself to get killed for this!" Seina shouts. Asuka stops fighting back, allowing Seina to let go of her.

"Let it be known now I'm sorry for this." Mononeko begins to be teary-eyed. That is easy to fake with a robot.

"No, you're not." Even if Asuka is calmed down, her burning anger still remains. The fire refuses to be let out but right now refuses to burn away any of the trees.

Afterward, Mononeko pulls out a button. She presses onto it. All of us begin to start to feel sleepy as gas comes in and overpowers everything else in the room. It is extremely hard to remain standing. The first to fall down is Seina, but Asuka fights the gas alongside me.

"Dinggggggggggggg dong ding donggggggggggggggggggggg!" Mononeko exclaims over the loudspeaker. It must be a recording considering she is way too energetic. Must have been when she had a billion caffeine patches.

"The waiting is over! Time is now up for your investigation. Please succumb to the gas quickly so I don't need to put in even more overtime. It's the event some people have been looking forward to! The Class Trial...I swear Aito if you cause things to blow up, I will send you flying into space."

"I WILL ALWAYS BLOW THINGS UP NOW! WHO NEED STABBING?" Aito screams.

"Wait, how did you get in here? Get out, you heathen! Use proper grammar at least when you're tormenting me!" Past Mononeko and Aito can deal with themselves. It would save the rest of us a whole bunch of trouble.

Asuka eventually has to succumb to the gas. At the same time, I no longer am able to keep my body up. Asuka reaches towards me, perhaps wanting the only other awake person in range to help. There is no escaping our fates, however. No matter what we do, we cannot resist the lull of sleep.

I close my eyes first. For a few fleeting seconds, maybe I can escape this nightmare known as reality.

"Come on, Shiro, are you an old man or what?" Yoshi did her own kind of encouragement.

She was on top of a hill of flowers, with Eimu right next to her. Maybe constantly wearing a blinder for too long all these years is a bad idea. Well, I know it is, but sometimes I just can't help myself. That is a weakness of mine, and probably will always be. Sometimes even I forget to think with logic.

"I'm not...an old man..." I struggled for breath.

You know what, maybe I should get myself checked for asthma. It is not a good thing to have, but I would get an inhaler. That would make it much easier to breathe than wait for my ribs to stop hurting and continue onward. To continue the cycle evermore.

"Eimu, do you agree with me?" Yoshi asked. Eimu shaked their head. "Eimu agrees!"

"I saw that...they didn't agree." I fell straight on my face into a bunch of morning glories. I sneezed. People say that my sneeze is cute and "feminine", but I do not know the truth of these claims.

"Come see again! I'll change your mind! After all, only I know the truth about you, Shiro!" Yoshi was far too pleased.

Finally getting out of those annoying flowers, I continued my journey up the hill. I noticed a lot more flowers but do not know much of their names. The only others I could recognize were white lilies and lavender.

When I reached the top, however, nothing was there. That...is not right. Is this truly a memory or is my brain messing with me once again?

"Shiro, come join us~ We'll enjoy your company!" Yoshi was far too pleased. Yoshi was always like that. Way too happy. Nobody should be that happy. Those smiles always hide something, right?

Turning behind me, all I can see is burning flesh consuming all of the flowers moving slowly towards me. The flesh only consumes, wishing everything to become the same substance like it. The flesh only eats, more and more, and is never satisfied.

I do not run. There is no escaping what has happened and what will happen. The flesh will come. The flesh will consume. It always does.

The flesh comes.

The flesh consumes. Slowly but surely. Eating away at every part of me. I want to scream but I cannot, for I no longer have a mouth. Little bits of corpses of humans and flowers alike can be seen through the monster.

Maybe there is pleasure in accepting the unavoidable even if it hurts. The flames of humanity's passion cannot die out even after all of it has been eaten up by its own gluttony and greed.

"Wake up...wake up...trust me, I know how much it sucks waking up with so little sleep and having to do so much work. So I was nice enough to leave you some chips and soda. I don't know if all of you like that, so next time be sure to give me some recommendations."

Mononeko's voice lulls me out of the pleasant dream.

It takes me a couple of seconds to fully adjust to the setting around me. The room is pitch black except for the television which shines too brightly. Right in front of the television, there is a table with my student handbook and a few snacks and drinks. Most likely, these are drugged, so it will not be wise to partake in any of the celebrations.

Instead of having a seat or bed or the sort, I notice I am already at a podium. It is hard to make out the details, but it looks like the main color is silver instead of something like gold or brown.

"This is before the trial. We're actually going to be doing this the entire time. Mostly because I can't rely on Aito, Emilynn, or Etsuko to not destroy the place. The Lost Paradise of Despair has already been through enough and we don't need any of you ruining it again, Himura," Mononeko explains. "Right now, we're choosing a person for a special role and the rest of the jury. Oh yes, there are more jury members. They're randomly chosen and won't have access to the rules or perks of the jury outside of the trial. This is mostly because I convinced my supervisors that trusting everything to Aito is a bad idea."

Mononeko pulls out a wheel that has everybody's name on it. Saitou's name is crossed out for obvious reasons. She spins it and gets the results with two names.

"Congratulations Sora and Keiji for being part of the jury! I know somebody will say this, but the killer can't be on the jury. I won't allow that. The person for the special role has also now been decided. It will appear on your handbook shortly so please be sure to check it. Otherwise, I can't confirm your safety."

Suddenly there is a ding. Looking at my handbook, I see that Mononeko has sent me a personal message. I take a deep breath before pressing onto the screen and reading it.

You are chosen to be the holder of secret information. Do not think that this makes you special since it was all random. In exchange for this secret information, you must blame somebody during the trial that is innocent. Not complying with this rule will result in your execution for not being grateful for our generosity. You cannot tell anybody that you have this perk, but you can tell people about the information within. It is up to you to figure out a good enough excuse.

SECRET INFORMATION: The room has a gimmick. It can change shape with the right controls. Good luck finding the mystery with this added clue. I will always believe in you, Shiro Amari.

That is...strange. I would rather have whoever is writing this act horribly towards me. Those with sweet words always seem to stab you when you least suspect it. I highly doubt this is Mononeko. Is this perhaps the work of one of the producers that she is always talking about? Maybe Einosuke does have something to do with this, but I do not want to think more about Choumi being possibly correct.

In the dark recesses of my mind, I can see the little girl in red smiling at me. Taunting me with her very existence. Just like these words do nothing but haunt my very psyche.

"Everything is ready. Everybody is awake. It's time to start the trial. Please stop eating or drinking since food and drink are not allowed at the trial headquarters. Also, note that at no point can you use the bathroom so you better hold it in."

Right after Mononeko says that the ceiling of the dark room opens up. Above I see that there is a courtroom but all of the glass protecting us is see-through. Everywhere I look there is a shining light of hope or the deep, dark void of despair. Or, to put it in my terms, the light fooling everybody into believing it is okay when they have been dying for millions for years while the darkness gives you no such falsehoods.

The podium starts to rise to the elevator section of this part of the spaceship. I guess we have to ride the elevator to get up every time. Looking through the transparent elevator, I see that everybody but Saitou and Ryusuke (who is most likely excused) has come along. Even Aito has his very own podium. For the one that would have been Saitou, there is only a picture left of him smiling but with his face crossed out with a pink x.

Reaching the top, the ceiling once again opens up to allow us inside. Thirty-one podiums are now floating in a circle above the transparent floor. The only thing else rather than the glass and the stars in this room is a throne with three seats in front of it. Sitting on the golden throne is Mononeko. Joining her, Aito, Keiji, and Sora are forced to her side with the very crappy wooden chairs. At least Keiji gets to keep Kobi with him.

"It's time for the Class Trial. Good luck, my students. I'm here to help whoever is in need. Of course, right after this short nap!" After giving us another one of her false smiles, Mononeko once again has a beautiful dream.

? Diary #2:

The pain is no more. I no longer need to worry. Everything is okay. This is what happens when you follow your head instead of your heart. Everything turns out okay in the end.

Right, Shiro Amari? After all, you're the one who caused all this suffering. This is your fault, but you don't need to worry anymore. I handled everything. Nobody has to be a victim of yours in the future.

I have defeated the king. Now crown me instead for this wonderland. This world is mine. I will become the tyrant of hearts again and again so I can make everybody have their happy ending.

Sorry for the shorter chapter. Life has of course been absolute chaos and there just wasn't much left of this investigation. Investigation chapters for DiOS are generally going to be at least a little bit shorter than the rest of the chapters. Oh, also, I got a new job. Which I'm starting...Friday the Thirteen. Lovely. Macy's here I come.

I'm so excited for finally get to another proper murder trial though! It's been...three years. So sorry that this took so long but life has been chaos and you know, the pandemic. Readers, get vaccinated or you'll get purified.

If I got anything wrong with the characters, please message me and I'll change it! :D I haven't written an investigation with these folks yet so hopefully it's good. It's kinda rushed but I am starting a new job in four days and who knows how much time that will take from my schedule?

Anyways, the other two jury members were chosen by a random generator. Shiro was purposefully given the information for plot-important reasons. And yes, there's logic about Ayumu, Leonie, and Shiro having the strongest survival chances (though knowing me that means nothing because I said Hotaru was doomed for death and then she survived my outlines)

QOTD: Who do you think is the killer now that there is all the evidence? Also, there's a poll for the killer on my profile so please check that out! :D

Req's Recs: Danganronpa: Happily Never After SYOC by WolfieRed23

Reviews~

AnonChan1-Here it is! I just really wanted to write a trial again so the investigation got kinda rushed RIP. Here's another totally not suspicious diary entry whatsoever. These will only happen in investigations and all else you gotta wait. ;) Saitou also needed some hugs but now he ded. Emilynn and Saitou spent a lot of time together when Shiro screwed her over so they became friends. Ramble all you want it gives me much happiness. :D Sachiko needs a hug and to not die horribly this time. Will any of those happens? Let's see. ;) Mononeko is certainly a wild card that I wouldn't trust. The first cases are always a little chaotic in this series. There was no blood thinner involved it just hit important organs. SHIRO WILL ALWAYS JUSTIFY HIS THOUGHTS. Ichiko needs hugs as well but I don't think she'll accept them. Well, neither would Sachiko tbh. Shiro still cannot believe they are legit singing Call Me Maybe with a dead body in the other room. Most of these people are honest wrecks and don't know what they're doing (so mood). Sometimes people forget that CS takes place in a post-apocalyptic dystopia and are like 'why some characters not react.' Himura isn't exactly a traitor but of course, I won't explain until later. ;) All these kids need goddamn therapy not from Etsuko. Look at Emilynn and Aito, I don't think Etsuko does a good job. AYUMU WILL NEVER GIVE UP ON SHIRO FRIENDSHIP. Never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down~ Well, Suzu tried, and Mononeko ruined everything. Goddammit, Mononeko. Shiro is me dying inside whenever politics or religion is bought up during Thanksgiving dinner with my family. Etsuko continues to be her not nice self and best girl. ;) SHIRO WILL HAVE HIS REASON YOU SUCK SPEECHES WHENEVER HE WANTS. But seriously, Shiro, Etsuko was like a kid.

Shiro is wearing a binder and is horrible at wearing it. How Shiro hasn't broken his ribs yet with misuse I do not know. Ayumu is just a good boy and I love him and if he wasn't in this story I would protect him. Shiro needs goddamn therapy some of his thoughts goddamn hurt to write. White horse is a reference to something and nobody has guessed it but when people do I think I'll get screams. Ayumu got distracted by Aito being Aito. Choumi's actions here make more sense down the line. ;) Choumi is in this cast so of course she's suspicious as fuck. Kagehisa has been referenced before but not directly by name. I'm a cruel motherfucker. Shiro perhaps has a little bit too much confidence in himself. Suzunami needs a hug. Asuka may be angry but Shiro is relating to her more and more. Oh don't worry, Asuka and Seina have words for Shiro later. Aito continues to be Aito and confuse literally everybody probably including himself. Aito does not idolize Junko or Kotori...he's very complicated. Reichiru and Utsuwa is a reference to an extra chapter. Saitou needs a goddamn hug even if it's his corpse.

You see, sometimes you just find out your corrupt city government is purposefully allowing bunnies to be hurt in parks for sake of a profit and the police are also in on it. Hooray! :D It's alright. I don't mind long author's note, and, if people start complaining, I'll just move them to PMs. Saitou needs more hugs and less death. Do not say you will cry, it'll give people death flags. Kazuhiko is dead and he's still screaming. I think everybody in these stories need a goddamn hug and I'm not giving them any. Well, sometimes I do, but that's for the purpose of hurting later. ;) KAIMARU WILL NOT CEASE FOR HE TOO NEEDS SOME THERAPY. Alas, my writing has many ways of being read including skirts and pants. BECAUSE I WILL TO MAKE MY AUDIENCE SUFFEr. MEI WILL NOT STOP. Ayumu will make you his friend. :D Atsuto would also make you his friend. ;) Mochi is in fact safe because I have a weakness and it's called bunny rabbits. Still waiting for the chance of naming one of my rescue hotot buns Mochi. Himura will keep Shiro safe he has nothing suspicious about him. Aito is having a serious class trial and he's still wearing it. It's worse than fucking Princess Leia Takayuki. I LIKE MASTER HAVING MORE BUDDIEs! Emilynn will never get a break not even in fifty years! Saitou is in Afterlife Theatre just asking around CS characters about why Shiro is friends with emus. I made Rick Rolling important to the plot because I'm me. Seina is to be feared. Leonie just misses people trying to kill her fixing her headphones or something and that's why she has a strong survival chance /j. DO NOT TRUST MONONEKO SQUAD. Nobody can control the all-powerful Rick Roll~ TOO BAD I ONLY GIVE CHARACTERS TRUAMA. Oh no, not another long chapter that took forever RIP. Now you're tempting me: who needs FF or Saviors when you got Meme Cult? I know that pain too much and I'm like 'oh no.' My insurance is crap and ADHD is still kicking my ass. At this point, I'll take Etsuko. MONONEKO NEVER CHILLS. Team Danganronpa and the Committee both explode thanks to Yasu and Tahlia. Poor Ayumu he's part of Committee Saga and stuck with the only protagonist that doesn't want friends. LOOK AT THE BRIGHT SIDE I GET MORE OF A WORD COUNT :D

Guest-I still don't know what this means. ADHD brain can't compute. But thank you?