Chapter 6: Peace shattered
Esteban was dreaming, he was sure of that fact at least. If he were dead he would probably be in hell burning, this didn't look like hell or at least not the hell he expected. Instead, he was in a room. Checkered boxes filled the room.
The area itself felt endless and alien to him. In the distance he saw a figure sitting on a chair. He walked towards it. A feeling of familiarity filled him as he approached. He saw another figure approaching the man on the chair. As he got closer he noticed his other self was also here.
That was... Strange to say the least. His other self, for all intents and purposes, only appeared to him while awake never asleep. What was even stranger was the figure sitting on the chair looking at them both. It was also him, or at least another part of his subconscious. He was wearing a school uniform and his hair was shorter. His expression was calm and collected he smiled when he saw them both approach.
"Well hello us." He said in an amused tone. "I have been waiting to meet you both."
"Jesus... What is happening here" Esteban said.
"I don't know..." His other self said.
The third Esteban laughed softly and applauded them. "You two have performed better than I had expected."
"The hell does that mean?" They both asked.
"Simple really, you saved 'Junko' and managed to save Sayaka. To be honest I had my doubts we had it in us." The third self said.
"Okay what's with the cryptic bullshit!" Second self said angrily.
"Hmm, you are about what I expected... And sorry but I must be cryptic. There are... Barriers impeding me from just giving you all the answers." His third self said. "Yasuke was right... Getting our brains scrambled would leave us at a disadvantage..."
"Who is Yasuke?" Esteban asked. His other self tapped his chin before he gave an answer he seemed able to.
"Someone we used to know." He simply replied. "You both concluded that something was done to everyone. But you don't know to what extent that actually went."
"Hmm... So something did happen?" His second self said.
"Indeed, I cannot give you much detail as I am in a metaphorical sense tied by my hands." His third self said with a dry chuckle. "I can only give clues to certain things but in the end only you two can find the truth if that's what you want."
"Of course we want the truth! " Esteban said. His third self shook his head and let out a sigh.
"You may say that now. But the truth... It's not pretty and may overwhelm you."
"We will find it regardless." His second self said.
"Well at least you both are on the same page." He stood up from his chair and motioned them to follow. "As I said I can't give you the answers but what I can assure you is that they are within the school."
"We've searched the school! There's nothing!" Esteban said. The third one chuckled and shook his head.
"You need to think outside the box. Maybe read Mutual aid page 121... Should help you broaden your horizons." He said chuckling.
Esteban simply nodded and followed him. He would check his library as soon as possible. They stopped at one point the area shifting a bit. His third self let out a small sigh. "Sometimes I wonder if sparing Ryoko was the right move..." He mumbled.
Mukuro sat next to Esteban. He had barely slept so she felt she couldn't wake him up. What did worry her was that recently he started shifting as if in a nightmare. She was worried for him, she hesitated for a second but gently reached out for his cheek and ran her hands down it. Some of the guys had come and helped change Esteban into clean clothes, she had to wait outside, she would be lying if she said she wasn't tempted to peek but decided against it.
"Aww he seems to have a nightmare... I hope it's fun" a voice said breaking her out of her trance. She almost jumped as she saw Monokuma standing at the end of the bed. "Sometimes I wonder if he has any self-preservation..."
"You..." Mukuro simply said clenching her fists. The anger she felt at her sister's betrayal was unimaginable. The plan was for her to be 'locked away' not killed. "You lied to me! You tried to kill me, Junko!"
Although she was furious she tried to keep herself from yelling. She didn't want to wake Esteban or alert the others.
"I did all you asked! And... And you tried to impale me!" She said. The bear just stood there listening to the rant before interrupting.
"You did all I asked?" The bear asked calmly but with an edge that did not go unnoticed to Mukuro. "You really are a disappointment if you fail to see your mistakes..."
"W-what?" She said taken aback by her sister's comments.
"You failed to kill either of them... You broke character... You have Esteban on your trail and most importantly you broke the rules you dumb bitch!" Junko said venom dripping from every word. Mukuro was taken aback by her sister's hostility. The bear walked on the bed getting face to face with Mukuro.
"I let many of your failures slip because let's be honest you are nothing but a fuckup but you went ahead and broke the rules! How many times did I tell you not to break the rules! How hard is it to get it through your thick fucking skull!"
"I couldn't get into position! You moved Monokuma into the way!" Mukuro protested.
"Then move around it and get into position! You are the ultimate soldier are you not?" The bear countered. "Hmm... Esteban might have spared you death but... I think I have an extra special punishment!"
"J-Junko..."
"You are to play the game just like everyone else. You are not allowed to tell them the truth nor give them hints. Be Junko, be Mukuro I don't care!" The bear said. Mukuro's breath started growing erratic as she understood the message. Junko was done with her and had finally cast her aside.
"W-wait!"
"I will be taking your weapons of course, we can't have you running around with sharp objects! As a parting gift I'll excuse you from participating in the investigation so you can keep looking over those two."
"Junko! Please-"
"Junko? As far as I know you are Junko Enoshima, or are you someone else?" The bear asked innocently. "You know... I truly enjoyed those moments with the three of us." The bear jumped off the bed. "Well I hope you enjoy your short life!"
"Sis, please! I'll take any other punishment please!"
"Sis? I don't know what you are talking about!" The bear said jumping into a hole. Mukuro sat there shaking. She couldn't wrap her head around what had happened. She would have preferred dying. To be left behind by her sister... That was worse than death. She looked over to Esteban and gritted her teeth. It was all because of him! He is the one that planted doubt in her, he should have let her die. It would have been so easy to snap his neck right then and there... But she couldn't bring herself to do it. She had only truly cared for Junko and him. To kill the only person left to her in a fit of rage would have been stupid.
She wanted to cry, she wanted to punch the wall. She wanted to let out all the sorrow she had in her heart but she couldn't see a way of doing it without looking suspicious. Time passed and Makoto and Kyoko had come to examine Sayaka and ask how Esteban was doing.
After a while Esteban started sweating, he turned around more and more. If he continued there was a real chance he would open his stitches. Mukuro tried keeping him calm but his breathing got more erratic. She got on top of him trying to restrain his movement. Then he slowly opened his eyes.
Esteban didn't know what to expect when he woke up. But it certainly wasn't him being straddled by Junko. He went wide-eyed and blushed.
"Am I still sleeping?" Esteban said trying to remain calm. "Or are you going to kill me?" She jumped off with surprising speed. They exchanged looks and averted gazes.
"You were moving too much, you were going to open your stitches." She said red like a tomato.
"Well... Thanks..." He said. "So... How is Sayaka?"
"She's stable but she hasn't woke up." Junko said Esteban nodded and tried sitting on the bed. He grunted in pain the wounds still too fresh.
"Well... At least she didn't die... And you? How are you feeling? After your brush with death."
"I-I... I'm sorry" she simply said looking down. "You almost died getting me out of the way."
"No worries, it isn't my first time getting hurt..."
"You almost died!"
"Like they say where I come from 'Casi no cuenta' besides... I lived so all good. Now if you really want to be even for some reason tell me why you had a knife on you. Why were you going to kill?"
"Does it matter?"
"It does considering the situation... We are all in this together."
"Well..." She began saying before the bell rang.
"So ah...I'm getting tired of waiting. What say we just get started, hm? It's time for the long-awaited Class Trial! Now then, allow me to appoint a proper location for the proceedings. Please go through the red door on the 1st floor of the school! Puhuhu. See you soon!" Monokuma said over the PA.
"Showtime..." Esteban said trying to lift himself up before Mukuro stopped him.
"You're in no shape to move." She said. "Last thing we need is ya dying on us."
"I can't stay here..." He said.
"Correctomundo!" Monokuma said appearing. "Esteban must participate in the class trial now that he is awake! But don't worry your headmaster thought of everything ahead of time! Tadaaa!" The bear said as a wheelchair came out of a hatch. "A monochair!" The wheelchair was black and white and to be honest seemed to have many allegories to the bear.
With some help Esteban sat on the chair. It seemed normal enough if a bit uncomfortable. He tried shifting around but there was always something poking at him.
"What a shit wheelchair..." Esteban said.
"Waaaa!? I made this chair with the sweat of my brow!"
"It's uncomfortable" Esteban said.
"You say it as if it were a problem" the bear said before jumping down a hole.
"Goddamn bear" Esteban muttered. "So... Did you investigate or were you watching over us?"
"I was excused from investigating by monokuma to watch over you both." Mukuro explained.
"Lucky you" Esteban said chuckling. She helped wheel him over to where the trial was going to happen.
"Esteban?" Makoto said confused. "What are you doing here?"
"The bear wants me to participate."
"Yup!" Monokuma said popping out of the ground. "He is awake so he must participate!"
"I doubt he will be able to contribute much considering he didn't take part in the investigation." Kyoko said as Monokuma chuckled.
"Yes, he is pretty useless but! He's part of the class and must have a voice in the decision. Now if you wouldn't mind everyone take a step inside the elevator!" Monokuma said. They all stepped in Makoto walked over to Esteban.
"Hey, let me lend you my notes" he said.
"Thanks Makoto" Esteban said checking them out. "At least I won't be totally blind." He motioned to Junko and showed them what was found. Makoto left as Kyoko called him over.
Esteban felt bad for Makoto, he doubted he knew Sayaka was planning on using him as a sacrificial lamb, worse yet the suspicion fell on him. But Esteban didn't buy it, he had spoken only a spare amount of times with Makoto but he had a pretty good image of him. He doubted he could even hurt a fly.
Then again it fell on him to prove his innocence, then again he would help in any way he could.
"Nyohoho! You've finally arrived!" Monokuma said sitting on a throne-like chair. "What do you think? Doesn't it feel just like a real courtroom? It's like a Hollywood movie set, right!?"
"This isn't even close to how a courtroom looks," Esteban said unimpressed as he was wheeled to his place.
"You would know wouldn't you?" Monokuma said in an amused tone. They were arranged in a circle, to his right Sakura to his left Kyoko. What caught his attention was the two empty spots. One had Sayaka's picture and the other had nothing on it.
"Let's begin with a basic explanation of the class trial! So, your votes will determine the results. If you can figure out "whodunnit" then you decide the punishment. But if you pick the wrong one... then the would-be killer will go free without any of you knowing who among you tried to kill." Monokuma explained.
"And whoever did it really is one of us, right?" Makoto asked.
"Of course!" Monokuma said giggling.
"Okay then...everyone close your eyes, and whoever did it, raise your hand!" Taka said closing his eyes. Esteban looked at him flabbergasted.
"No one can be that stupid." Esteban muttered in disbelief.
"Before we move on and start the trial, can I ask a question real quick?" Kyoko said. Esteban looks at her, so he wasn't the only one who noticed it odd the extra space.
"What's going on with... that picture?" Kyoko said.
"I'd feel awful if she got left out just because she is out for the count. Friendship penetrates even at death's doors!"
"Friendship...penetrates?" Hifumi said with a smirk.
"Don't go there" Esteban warned.
"Okay, but what about that other empty seat?" Celeste asked. "There were only sixteen of us to begin with, so why are there seventeen seats?"
"Oh, no reason. It's just that our little courtroom here can technically fit up to seventeen people." Monokuma said. Esteban wanted to call bullshit on that but bit his tongue. The mastermind had been extremely meticulous in all aspects of this kidnapping there was no way it was just a coincidence.
'I like God do not play with dice and do not believe in coincidence' his other self said quoting an old graphic novel they had read.
'Exactly...' Esteban said. He had no proof of it yet but he knew there was something else Monokuma didn't tell them.
"Okay, that about does it for the preamble. Get ready to get started!" Monokuma said excitedly. "First up is the case summary. Now, let the class trial...begin!"
Someone here had tried to murder Sayaka, someone in this room... Esteban's face was blank as the trial started, no second chance he would find the culprit right now.
"I assert that the one who was attacked was Miss Sayaka Maizono!" Taka said baffling most everyone.
"I think we already figured out that much" Esteban said calmly.
"And the attack took place in Makoto's room." Togami said
"And she ended in the bathroom" Aoi said.
"So it seems most likely that... She didn't even have a chance to resist..." Chihiro said. Esteban knew that was wrong. From the brief glimpses he had of the room he saw evidence of a struggle. He was about to correct this when Makoto spoke up.
"No, that's wrong!" Makoto said making Esteban do a double take. There was a fierce fire in Makoto's eyes.
"Although I wouldn't have put it that way that's true. The scrapes and general state of the room shows she didn't go down without a fight." Esteban said calmly.
"Exactly! With the way things had been damaged, I think we can definitely assume there was a struggle" Makoto added.
"A struggle? Between who...and who?" Chihiro asked.
"Well the culprit and Sayaka." Esteban said, he looked over to Kyoko who just watched the scene unfold. He was almost sure she already knew who did it so... Why was she so quiet.
"So you're saying...Sayaka wasn't caught by surprise in the bathroom?" Chihiro asked. While that was happening Esteban checked the notes he had been handed. Certain information jumping out of him but two of the things that caught his eyes the most were. 'A bloodied towel in the garbage and the choking marks on Sayaka's throat.
Esteban knew he was the reason for the marks but the one thing that didn't make sense was the towel. From what he remembered it seemed like a clean stab and no blood sprays anywhere. He wondered how it all fit in the grander picture.
"Next is the subject of the weapon." Sakura said snapping him back to reality. "So what was used to attack her?"
"Well it is obvious at this point it was a knife" Esteban said.
"So the culprit used some random knife they had on 'em... How could anyone do something like that? That son of a bitch!" Mondo said.
'It was a kitchen knife that much is clear' his other self said.
"No. I do think it was a knife but not just any knife. I'm almost positive it was a kitchen knife." Makoto said. "Esteban you removed the knife right?"
"Yes, it was a kitchen knife. Anything bigger and she would have probably been impaled" he responded, Makoto cringed at the answer.
"I see... After the attack, we discovered that one of the knives from the kitchen was missing." Makoto said, Esteban just nodded. Makoto seemed to be drawing a bit closer to the truth. Esteban just hoped he could take it.
"Okay, so she was attacked with a kitchen knife. But where does that get us?" Leon asked. " I mean, we all know Makoto attacked her, right!?"
'He's in a hurry to blame Makoto huh?' His other self said. Esteban looked over to Leon and noticed how nervous he seemed. He looked around and saw that only two people seemed to catch onto that fact. Those being Junko and Kyoko.
"Before we throw around accusations we should review the evidence." Esteban said calmly. "No need to shoot in the dark."
"Huh!? But it's pretty obvious he's the culprit!" Leon argued.
"Let's draw our conclusions after we've presented our arguments. Otherwise, what's the point of the trial?" Kyoko said. Esteban simply nodded, he looked at her but she kept a great poker face. She was hard to read that was for sure.
"Well we can talk all we want, it's not gonna change *that* conclusion." Leon said.
"I don't think that's true at all. I'm sure if we keep at it, something new will reveal itself." Kyoko said calmly.
"You really believe that?" Hiro asked surprised.
"You'd be surprised." Esteban said chuckling. The trial resumed again but Esteban now had an eye on the baseball player.
"So I guess there's no question that the kitchen knife was the weapon." Leon said. "But where does that get us?"
" M-Makoto must have taken it f-from the kitchen, right?" Toko said. "He did it in secret, when nobody was in the d-dining hall... And then he w-went and stabbed S-Sayaka with it!"
"Okay, wait, hold on. I didn't take the knife from the kitchen." Makoto interrupted.
"Next you're g-gonna say you're not the c-culprit, right? Go ahead and say it all y-you want...!" Toko meekly argued.
"Well, what if I have a witness? What do you think, Hina?" Makoto said as Hina almost jumped from her name being said.
"Huh?" She asked confused.
"Just to be perfectly clear, the knife disappeared while you were in the dining hall, correct?"
"Y-Yeah, that's right..." Hina said a bit hesitantly.
"And at any point while you were there, did you ever see me come into the dining hall?" Makoto asked.
"Umm...no, I don't think so..." She said.
"You don't think so?" Togami questioned suspiciously.
"No, I'm sure!" She corrected.
"The knife disappeared while Hina was in the dining hall. But I wasn't there the entire time." Makoto explained.
"Okay, th-then what about this...? What if the i-idiot swimmer girl and M-Makoto are in on it together, a-and lying to protect each other?" Toko argued, although it did make sense why that could be a possibility it simply wasn't true.
"Why would I get involved in something like that!?" Aoi asked offended.
"Hmm... Let's ask Monokuma... What if someone becomes an accomplice? Do they get blackened too?" Esteban asked.
"So you ask, and so I shall answer! Each murder is allowed to have an accomplice, but only the one who does the killing will get to graduate." Monokuma explained.
'Of course he brings it up until now' his other self grumbled.
"So in other words, two people can work together, but one of them has no chance of profiting from it..." Kyoko said resuming what the bear said.
"Then there's no way anyone would work together, right...?" Mondo asked.
"But...what if they *did* work together, and they just didn't know about the rule?" Chihiro said bringing up a good point.
"Uggh, good grief! Enough already! No, okay!? There are no accomplices in this case! ...Oops! Did I say that out loud...?" Monokuma said dispelling any possibility.
"Anyway, I didn't go to the dining hall, and I didn't take the knife." Makoto concluded.
"Then who took the knife?" Junko asked.
"The most likely candidate is Hina" Celeste said as the swimmer looked mortified.
"N-No way! I swear it wasn't me!" Hina quickly responded.
"Sure, but can you or anyone else prove that?" Hifumi questioned.
"I can" Esteban and Sakura said at the same time.
"You owe me a coke" Esteban said jokingly.
"That's right! Sakura and Esteban were with me the entire time I was drinking my tea..." Hina explained.
"But then...couldn't either one of them have grabbed the knife?" Hiro asked.
"Well I didn't." Esteban simply said.
"Actually, no. Because...um...well..." Hina started explaining a bit embarrassed.
"I stayed in Hina's room last night." Sakura said finishing the explanation.
"You s-stayed over...? Doesn't that v-violate one of the school r-regulations?" Toko asked.
"Regulations only say you have to sleep in a room, not which one so there's no problem" Esteban countered.
"It IS a problem! A boy and girl spending the night together!? It's...it's...unwholesome!" Taka said making Esteban groan.
"You idiot..." He muttered.
"But... I'm a girl" Sakura said, Esteban was surprised at how hurt she actually did sound.
"You are!? Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" Taka said bowing down apologetically.
"Wait that means that Esteban must have taken the knife!" Leon said as all eyes turned to the wheelchair bound Esteban.
"Nice try... But no, wasn't me."
"You have any proof?" He questioned.
"I don't, but... Really? You think I would go through all the problem of stabbing Sayaka just to grow a conscious?" Esteban asked amused.
"Maybe your plan didn't work!" Leon countered.
"I've robbed convoys in the middle of the street... You actually think killing one person would be a problem?" Esteban asked with a morbid amusement. They all looked uneasy at the heister before he chuckled. "Sorry couldn't resist, I know how you see me. But anyway someone else did enter the kitchen last night."
"Why didn't you say something earlier." Togami questioned.
"Eh..." He simply shrugged. "Right Hina, Sakura?"
"Sayaka. She's the one who came to the dining hall. And then later..." Hina explained stopping short of saying she was stabbed.
"Then...Sayaka is the one who took the knife?" Makoto asked fearfully. It was all coming together and Esteban couldn't help but feel bad for the luckster.
"That's the only possibility. And thinking back on it, she was acting kind of unusual... When she came into the dining hall, she didn't even look at us. She just went straight to the kitchen. As she left, she said she just wanted a drink of water. But most likely..." Sakura said.
'So close to the truth.' His other self mused.
"I'm sure... I'm sure she just took it for self-defense..." Makoto reasoned.
"Sadly that isn't the case." Esteban said calmly.
"What?" Makoto asked confused.
"I knew she took the knife from the kitchen and left to confront her... Then she tried to kill me." Esteban said as the room fell quiet.
"What!?" Hifumi asked horrified. "The plot twist!"
"That... Can't be..." Makoto meekly said.
"It is true. She lunged at me when I confronted her, I disarmed her and told her to put it back. Seems she didn't follow my advice." Esteban concluded. They all looked shellshocked by the reveal. Well all except Kyoko and Junko. Kyoko looked almost as if she knew. Junko on the other hand looked as if she was about to kill someone.
"That doesn't change the fact that Makoto could have attacked her." Togami said breaking the silence.
"Hold on. It's still too early to decide conclusively that Makoto is the culprit, wouldn't you say?" Kyoko said calmly. "Because you see, if the room did belong to the culprit, then they did something most bewildering. And until we unravel that little mystery, you simply can't declare that he's the culprit."
"Nice to see we aren't devolving into a kangaroo trial." Esteban mused. Esteban continued to watch the trial continue keeping a close eye on Leon. As more evidence started piling up the worse it looked for him. Makoto seemed to be safe for now. The doorknob evidence seemingly clearing him of any wrongdoing.
"Then it must have been Esteban! He's the most suspicious one! I mean he is a criminal!" Leon said. Esteban looked at him with an amused looked.
"Me? Are we doing this again?" Esteban asked raising his brow.
"You had a motive! She attacked you!" Leon argued.
"Yes, and she was quite bad at it. Look, even by checking the evidence you can clearly see it wasn't me. Right Makoto?" Esteban asked, he felt a bit bad for throwing this onto him but he had been surprised at how good Makoto had been in this trial, to him this should be easy.
"Wait... You've talked about breaking into safes, then why would you have to remove the doorknob to get into the bathroom?" Makoto deduced.
"Yep, you see. These locks are child's play. I broke into a Las Vegas vault you honestly think I would have issues with these doors?"
"Well maybe you couldn't pick the lock!" Leon countered.
"Nice try but no, remember that men's bathrooms don't have locks?" Esteban asked chuckling.
"Okay, but then why would the culprit even think the door was locked in the first place? Everyone should have known you can't lock any of the boys' bathrooms." Celeste said.
"The culprit must not have realized that it was my room." Makoto deduced.
'Hmm this is getting interesting!' His other self said.
"What!? Are you saying the culprit didn't even know where he was? That's...inconceivable!" Hifumi exclaimed.
" And yet, he's absolutely right." Kyoko responded. "Well, to be more specific... What the culprit didn't know was that Makoto and Sayaka had switched rooms. Which is what led to the misunderstanding about the bathroom. If Sayaka had been in her own room, then..."
"Then there would have been a lock on the door, and they would've had to break through...!" Taka said. Esteban looked annoyed, while he had thought it would be better for them to figure this out of themselves they seemed to be dancing around the subject.
"We are dancing around the elephant in the room huh?" Esteban asked. He gritted his teeth and leaned against the podium.
"What do you mean?" Hiro asked confused.
"Simple, lets make this clear, Sayaka was at blame here. She brought this unto herself. Now that we all agree on that lets focus on figuring the order of events."
Jin Kirigiri watched in dismay as the proceedings continued. He was in a concrete room, a bed, toilet, shower and a bunch of canned food were in the room. In the center of it is a panel and some controls.
This was the panic room, something built by Esteban in the eventuality the despair twins made a move on him. He was thankful to be alive, he had barely escaped with the help of Esteban.
Esteban... That name left a bad taste in his mouth. While he was thankful to be alive he had a hand in what had transpired. But this Esteban seemed different, he didn't see the same malice he once had in his eyes when he had first joined Hope's Peak.
He was sure that his classmates had a good influence in reducing his more... Violent tendencies, maybe it was the reason he even decided to save him. He wanted to help his students now more than ever but they had come up with a plan and he would have to wait.
"Then it would seem...we are finished here." Celeste said. In the end Leon had been exposed, the look of horror was something that Esteban had seen a few times. It was the face of someone who knew they were doomed.
"Looks like you've reached your verdict! Then are we ready to cast our votes?" Monokuma said giggling like a schoolgirl. "You all have a lever in front of you. Use it to make your selection! What's it gonna be? What's it gonna beeee!?" As expected Leon was chosen? "Uh-oh! Looks like you got it right on the money! The culprit in this case, the one that attacked Sayaka... was none other than Leon Kuwata!"
Leon just stood there in shock. Everyone looked at him expecting him to say something... Anything.
"Leon... Leon, did you really...attack Sayaka?" Makoto asked still in disbelief. Although Esteban was happy they got to the bottom of the matter he took no pleasure in this. He doubted any one of the other students would do this if not in this difficult situation.
"I-I didn't have a choice... It was kill or be killed! S-So that's why...I had to do it. None of you are any different! One wrong step, and you'd be the one standing here! It was complete chance that I wound up like this!"
"I didn't stab her and she attacked me. While she is a bitch you had ample time to stop camarada..." Esteban said calmly.
"Well well well... Now comes my favorite part!" Monokuma said. "Considering Leon didn't kill Sayaka you will choose what to do with him! You can spare him or you can let me use my extra special punishment! And to make it more interesting you will have to do it live!"
"W-wait. You mean we have to say it out loud?" Hiro asked horrified.
"Yup, you can tell him straight to his face if you want him dead! And give your reasoning!" Monokuma said excitedly. "And we will start with... Celeste!" He said pointing at the girl.
"Punishment" she said without missing a beat. "As Esteban said, you could have stopped at any point and didn't. You're a danger to us all." Leon seemed to want to protest but deflated at her words.
"Yay! One vote for punishment! Next up Sakura!"
"Spare him." The martial artist responded. "Although his actions are reprehensible we must decide his punishment ourselves."
"Booring!" Monokuma moaned. "Whatever, Byakuya, what do you vote for?"
"Punishment, I have nothing else to say" he said in an aloof tone.
"That's the spirit! Two votes for punishment!" Monokuma said gleefully. "Now onto Esteban!"
Esteban looked at Leon straight in the eyes. "Before I choose what's up with the towel? Did you try to strangle her after stabbing her?" He asked calmly.
"What!? Fuck no! I-I... I realized what I did and tried to help her but... I panicked." Leon said looking at the ground.
"Very well, I choose to spare him." Esteban said. "You will have an appropriate punishment by us, we will choose what to do but we won't let Monokuma have control. The way I see it if you vote for punishment you are okay with killing someone."
"I-I" Leon began saying.
"You are still a piece of shit pendejo" Esteban said.
"Whatever... Next up Makoto... You know what never mind." The bear said.
"What!? Why not?" Makoto asked confused.
"You will spare him obviously. Or will you surprise me?" Monokuma challenged.
"N-no." Makoto responded.
"See? Well it seems spare is winning... Now onto Hiro!"
"Spare! I mean Punishment! I mean... Ughhh I don't know." Hiro said making the class groan.
"I'll chalk that to punishment. Now Hifumi!" The bear said smiling.
"Mr Kutawa... I know you were threatened but you never stopped yourself... I'm sorry... But I vote punishment." Hifumi said avoiding Leon's gaze.
"Greeeeeat! Now onto Aoi!"
"Spare! I mean Esteban has done bad things but now he's helping us right?" She said with renewed spirits.
"Hmm... Junko you're next." Monokuma said.
The fashionista looked at his classmates, almost as if looking for a pointer on what to do. Inside Mukuro was struggling. She was loyal to her sister, but she had cast her out... Then there was Esteban who had cared for her. He had always backed her up... But she loved her sister too much. Then it clicked... Junko wanted nothing but despair. What bigger despair than having your master plan foiled? With new energy she spoke up.
"Spare, won't give you the satisfaction you stupid bear." She said with a smirk on her face.
The voting ended with 5 people in favor of punishment and 9 in favor of sparing Leon. Monokuma looked furious at the outcome of the result.
"Grrr... Get out of my sight you muppets class trial over!" The bear said jumping into a hatch. They all stepped inside the elevator. No one dared speak up.
"Umm... Thanks for-" Leon began saying.
"Spare us the thanks. You are still a danger to us all" Togami said shutting Leon down.
"Regardless of what we think we must decide his punishment." Esteban said. "His actions didn't happen in a vacuum and Sayaka is as guilty as he is."
"But-" Makoto tried to interrupt before Esteban spoke up.
"I know Makoto... The video also has some weight here. Anyways... I suggest you all get some rest I'll keep a watch over Sayaka." Esteban said.
"Like hell you are! You are in no shape to keep a lookout." Junko interrupted.
"Even in a wheelchair I'm capable" Esteban countered.
"If someone tries to finish the job we will have two victims on our hands." Kyoko said. "I suggest we do a rotation of guards. Those who wanted to punish Leon can rest as this is our responsibility."
"Then I will take the first shift." Esteban said.
"The only way you are staying is with someone else to cover you." Junko said.
"Glad you volunteered Junko" Esteban said smirking.
"W-what? You little..." Junko said gritting her teeth.
"I'm only little because I'm wheelchair-bound for the moment" Esteban mused. "I'm still taller than you señorita."
It seemed tensions had been defused for now. Makoto watched on and smiled. They were all alive, he just wished it hadn't come to this. He knew it was Monokuma's fault. No one would have done that without the motive. He looked over to Kyoko and smiled. He was glad he had so many capable people around him. Maybe he really was lucky.
Junko watched the cameras gritting her teeth. First the headmaster surviving, then Mukuro and now Sayaka and Leon.
"It's so... So... Despair inducing." She moaned in extasis. To have her plans foiled so many times really made her feel despair. All her failures had a common denominator.
Esteban much like her had many plans and backups and while she had foiled many of them she was sure he had more in store. She knew he had hidden something in his room, it would have been easier to swap all his belongings but then again... She loved the despair it brought that maybe he had an ace up his sleeve.
"At least you are keeping me entertained with all your meddling." Junko said looking at the outside cameras as people kept trying to break in to save the students.
"He is a rather persuasive individual." She said swapping to her professor persona. She watched as more and more of Esteban's followers threw themselves at the meat grinder.
How ironic it was that Esteban had spent so much time tearing down gods, governments and all sense of cult of personality only to become an icon himself.
"Those nutjobs would even give the remnants of despair a run for their fucking money!" She said changing to her crass persona. "But to see all these people clawing at the opportunity to save them it's so... Sad" she said swapping to her depressed persona.
As the bloodshed continued there only stood one thing. A black and red flag waved in the wind as people marched to their deaths.
Omake
Esteban sat at the edge of the school. The fire grew as the world finally plunged into chaos. He was as responsible as the despair twins for this hell and he vowed to fix it. He gave the order and his black army had moved out helping whoever they could around the world.
He didn't know which hurt the most. Failing or thinking about what his father would say of his actions. The death of his father had pushed him to action. Now he was disgusted at how he perverted his ideals.
Before coming to this school he would have thought nothing of it. After all the ends justified the means. But now... It wasn't so clear, for better or worse his class had changed him.
"I heard Junko was fuming when she heard of what you did." A voice said bringing him out of his thoughts. He looked over his shoulder and saw Hinata... No Hinata was gone. The man he saw was Izuru. He wished he could have helped Hinata more than he had maybe then things wouldn't have turned out like they did.
"That implies Junko can feel anything." Esteban said letting out a dry chuckle. "Here to kill me? Wouldn't matter the order was given and now there is nothing that can stop them.
"No, I don't see any benefit in that. I came to talk." He said surprising Esteban. What would Izuru want with him? Then he saw it, he held Chiaki's hairpin. Why did he have it? Maybe... Hinata was in there somewhere...
"Take a seat" Esteban motioned. Izuru sat next to him and looked at the events unfolding.
"This isn't what I was promised." He said calmly. "I find this dull..."
"I would say tragic... Then again it seems that word has lost its meaning in this hell." Esteban said with a sad smile. "You're telling me you didn't see this coming?"
"It was... Interesting at first... But even in chaos there is a sort of order to what's happening." Izuru explained.
"Guess that when everythIng is cracked up to eleven it all blends into a faceless blob." Esteban reasoned.
"You could say that. I'm here to listen to your plan." Izuru said.
"What plan?" Esteban asked amused. "I gave people the tools they needed. I gave my final order, they don't need me anymore."
"Talentless people are bound to fail."
"Are they? The way I see it... We are all the same. We bleed the same. We die the same, and get judged the same." Esteban said.
"If you are looking for me to have the answers or a reason to believe you're out of luck." Esteban said stretching.
"You are acting illogically." Izuru pointed out.
"Maybe... I just... I have hope it will all work out in the end." Esteban said with a smirk.
"You believe hope will triumph over despair?" Izuru asked.
"Yes, no period of bad is eternal. Maybe you should watch people more objectively without your biases." Esteban said pulling out a cigar from his jacket, he lit it up and puffed some smoke. "You'd be surprised at what they accomplish."
"I doubt that." Izuru said.
"And yet you come to me." Esteban said taking another puff. "Someone who changed his view as he connected with others. After he gave them a chance... You keeping Chiaki's pin tells me maybe the old you is still there."
"He was talentless and weak." Izuru countered.
"And somehow with all those flaws he was better than you." Esteban said he put out his cigar on the floor and stood up. "She... She loved you and believed in you..." Esteban looked at his clock and smiled. "Well I better go before they find me out." He walked over to the door. "Give hope a chance Izuru... You never know..."
And cut! Finally I was able to finish the chapter. Not gonna lie I had writer's block and nothing seemed to work. Then I played Mass Effect and I was hit with inspiration.I hope you are all enjoying the story. I've finally made up my mind. The voting for pairing will end within the next two chapters so make sure you vote!Love the chapter? Hate it? Tell me all about it! Feedback is always welcomed! UltimateMetroMan out!