Chapter 5, Part 2: Our Class Trial

Court in Session

"Alrighty then, let me explain the rules of the class trial" Monokuma began, "The goal of the trial is to expose 'whodunnit' of the murder. If the blackened is discovered, they shall be executed for the crime committed. However, if the blackened is not correctly chosen, then they shall graduate from this academy and everyone else will be executed. Also, if you don't vote for anyone you will be executed as well."

That certainly was simple, leaving people unable to begin.

"But where do we begin? Kirumi chimed in.

"Yeah, we don't even have a suspect" Kaito butted in.

"That's woefully incorrect" Kiyo interjected, "We do have a prime suspect: Miu Iruma."

"Whatcha talkin' about Kiyo?" I rebuked.

"To begin, you were the first person in the library where Gonta was murdered" Kiyo began, "Secondly, it was your equipment bag discovered in the A/V room with the broken sliding door."

"Uhhun~ And it was by your admission you were there trying to the fix the A/V door, as well as being the last to see Gonta alive, right?" Kokichi added.

"But that door wasn't fixed" Ryoma pointed out, "But why?"

"Not to draw suspicion would be my guess" Kirumi said, "Even though the A/V door wouldn't budge, she could still potentially hear Gonta coming down the library."

"So...she walked into the side door of the library and smas-" Himiko began.

That's Wrong!

"Miu didn't enter the library through the side door" Kaede corrected, "In fact, nobody did. There was no photos from the camera aimed at the side door."

"But...she could've still snuck behind Gonta and bashed him in the head" Tenko asked.

"Don't be fucking ridiculous" I snapped, "I don't have the reach to strike Gonta in the head, he was a bloody giant. And even if I could, I would've been caught on camera."

"But But-maybe Miu threw the shot put at Gonta?" Angie countered.

"No, that's impossible" Kaede refuted, "Miu couldn't have thrown the shot put with deadly force."

"How would you know that?" Rantaro questioned. I cussed under my breath, realizing Kaede's mistake.

"I-" Kaede stuttered.

"I don't believe Miu has the physical strength to throw a shot put beyond a couple of feet" Rantaro explained, "But you slipped on your words."

There was an awkward air in the room before Kaede swallowed her nerves.

"Miu and I found the shot put ball in the warehouse, where she tried to throw it" Kaede lied, "But it barely went a few meters."

"I was part of the track and field team in middle school" I admitted, "But the ball in middle school was 2kg, where as the ball used in the murder weighed 8kg."

"Wow, I wouldn't imagine someone like you being an athlete" Tsumugi complimented. My gut twisted, she probably was on to the fact that I wasn't the Miu Iruma she wrote.

And...I recalled that strange dream I had and shivered at the thought that I initially buried.

"Hmph" Ryoma frowned, "I think there is more to this revelation then either of you are letting on."

"Huh?" Kaede and I gasped.

"If Kaede knew what the murder weapon was beforehand, then why didn't she stop you?" Ryoma asked, "I was the under the impression you were against the killing game."

"I am" Kaede defended.

"Yet you knew Miu was plotting a murder?" Kokichi questioned, "Sounds kind of sus."

"Time out!" Kaito interrupted, "How would Kaede know Miu's intent?"

"Did you not pay attention blockhead?" Kokichi insulted, "Kaede was with Miu when the weapon was selected. That totally suggest that Kaede was an accomplice."

"It proves nothing!" Kaito shouted.

"...No" Maki sighed, "We've got a problem here."

"Huh?" Kaito backpedaled.

"Kaede is withholding information" Maki continued, "We need to know why."

"Now hold on!" Kaito began before a softer voice interrupted.

"Kaede and Miu are indeed withholding information" Shuichi spoke up, "They... were trying to get the mastermind."

"Shuichi..." Kaede and I said in unison.

"The mastermind?" Kaito blinked.

"Kihihihi, so it's like that yes?" Kiyo chuckled darkly.

"Like...Like what?" Himiko mumbled.

"Obviously, the two conspired a plot to murder the mastermind" Kiyo summarized, "But it failed and killed Gonta instead. What a splendid tragedy~"

"Is...is this true?" Tenko whined.

"It's true" Kaede answered in a dejected tone.

"What a twist" Kokichi laughed, "The naive pacifist and the bimbo inventor teamed up to commit murder. Now this is exciting."

"Does...that mean there is two blackened?" Tenko gasped.

"Nope!" Momokuma answered, "Only the person who actually killed the victim can be the blackened."

"So we got to determine who actually killed Gonta" Rantaro hummed, "But we first we need to know how."

"I think I can answer that" Keebo jumped in, "Miu instructed me on using her drone to map out the library." He pulled out an image from one of his compartments.

"If you can look here, you can see something bizarre" Keebo said.

"I see" Kirumi commented, "It looks like the books were arranged to form a slide."

"And the vent is open" Ryoma added, "My guess is that the shot put rolled out of the vent and down the slope, striking Gonta in the head."

"Based on the photos, Gonta was right in position for the shot put to hit him" Rantaro finished.

"But why was he there and what drawled him to that spot?" Keebo jumped in.

"Is that really important?" Kokichi asked, "Shouldn't we be asking where the vent connects to?"

"No no, we need to be thorough" Kiyo said.

"Gonta was in the library because I suggested he should read a book to get the time limit off his mind" I spoke up, "In particular, some easy reading...which was located where the trap was."

"More importantly, Gonta noticed the camera flash" Kaede added, "That brought him to the correct spot..."

"Ah, so that camera was part of the trap" Kiyo, "Out of curiosity, which one of you set that camera?"

I glanced at Kaede for guidance, knowing full well who set that camera. But...neither of us wanted to reveal the whole truth.

"It was..." Kaede began.

"Me" Shuichi interrupted, "I set that camera."

"Oh ho?" Kiyo hummed.

"Wait, what are you saying?" Kaito questioned.

"...It's really hard to explain...but the camera trap was my idea" Shuichi explained.

"So you're also involved?" Rantaro questioned.

"Now hold on a minute" Ryoma interjected, "How do we know Shuichi was involved as well? How can we be certain of that?"

Ryoma took a deep breath before continuing on.

"We know that Shuichi knew about the hidden passage way, but we don't if Shuichi also contributed to the murder plot. If anything, Kaede and Miu could've snuck behind his back. The death trap could've been setup beforehand..." Ryoma theorized.

I will cut your words!

"No, the camera setup happened before the death trap" Shuichi rebuked, "Otherwise Gonta wouldn't been able to fall into it."

"Yes..." I admitted, "We arranged everything so that the mastermind would been located in the right position for the shot put ball to hit them in the head."

"That means all three of you planned out this murder?" Himiko mumbled.

"It didn't start that way" Shuichi admitted, "I just wanted to expose the mastermind."

"But Miu pointed out the flaw of that plan and...proposed that murder would be only way to end the killing game in its tracks" Kaede followed, "Truthfully, I was thinking the same..."

"The idea was to sacrifice the life of the mastermind in hopes of saving the rest of us" I stated, "It was a dangerous gamble."

"So...you just wanted to protect us all?" Tsumugi asked.

"Yes, yes it was" I admitted.

"I seee" Kokichi singsong, "But...how do we know you weren't deceiving Kaede and Shuichi?"

"Heeeeeeeeeeeee?" I screeched, "How would I be deceiving them, Mr. Micro Penis?"

"Aw man, you're such a meanie" Kokichi whined, "But that would be expected for the mastermind~"

"What?" a few of the voices sad aloud.

"You know, something is really off about this whole case" Kokichi chimed in, "Why was there a second shot put in your bag, you sneaky slut?"

"A second shot put?" Tenko gasped.

"Miu..." Kaede whispered, "What is he talking about?"

"That's right" Kiyo interjected, "We found a second shot put in your bag, why was that?"

"I..." I gulped.

"Entertain me on this" Kokichi goaded, "But maybe you suggested the murder to setup an elaborate frame?"

"Frame...what purpose would that do?" Kirumi asked.

"Well...maybe they thought the trap would fail and had a plan b?" Kokichi hummed, "Then they would switch out the first shot put with the second and thus creating a misdirection."

"Oh so like how Joker survived being killed by Akechi?" Tsumugi muttered.

"But that kind of setup would fail since the switch would be easily spotted" Rantaro countered, "That would only work if she hid the first shot put in the hidden passageway."

"Miu is too smart to leave incriminating evidence in plain sight" Tenko defended.

"More importantly, she didn't have access to the passageway" Ryoma sighed, "We didn't find the card key in her possession."

I agree!

"Miu doesn't have access to the hidden passageway" Kaede said, "If she did, then the dust in the card reader would've fallen on the floor."

"Then Miu isn't the mastermind" Kaito confirmed.

"True" Keebo nodded, "But someone still murdered Gonta"

"So we're back to square one?" Himiko asked.

"No, we just need to pin down where the vent leads" Keebo stated, "Which I was able to determine during the investigation: The classroom above...the one where Shuichi and Kaede said they were in when the PSA went off."

Shuichi and Kaede look away from each other, I gulped knowing it was finally coming to the climax of the trial.

"Well, I think Shuichi did it" Tenko huffed, "I refuse to believe a sweet girl like Kaede was capable of murdering."

"That's your bias showing" Ryoma sighed, "Both were able to commit the deed."

"Well...there was a pink fiber on the ball, which makes Kaede the most suspect" Rantaro chimed in.

"From her sweater vest?" Kiyo deduced, "That would be ironic; the girl who wished to prevent the killing game jump started it instead."

"How boring" Kokichi whined, "A lone fiber is going to bring this case to a close?"

That's Wrong!

"There was also a black fiber on the ball" I recalled, "The same black fiber that makes up Shuichi's shirt."

Silence hanged in the air for a few moments before I broke it up.

"Kaede...Shuichi...we fucked up" I began plead, "Be honest, which one of you rolled down the shot put?"

"I did" Shuichi admitted, "I noticed a pink fiber on the ball, which I assumed came from Kaede's vest. I plucked a fiber from my shirt before rolling down the ball. I...killed Gonta."

"Wow, that a lame ending" Kokichi grumbled.

"I can't believe this is happening..." Tsumugi muttered.

"We shouldn't have done this" Kaede cried.

"I suppose we know who the blackened is" Kiyo remarked, "To think this was a conspiracy all along."

"Seems like it's time to start the voting!" Monokuma exclaimed, "Please submit your vote on the pad in front of you. Will you make the right choice or the dreadfully wrong one?"

Tears streamed down my face as I selected Shuichi's profile. This shouldn't have happened.

"Now let's see the results of the vote" Monokuma laughed. A roulette wheel spun before landing on Shuichi's face.

GUILTY

All Rise

"Congratulations, you got it right! Shuichi is the one who killed Gonta Gokuhara" Monokuma cheered.

"No more detective eh? That raises the stakes in future trials" Monosuke noted.

"Fuck the police, I'm glad he's the first to go" Monokid shouted.

"Doesn't Monodam like police?" Monotaro asked, "Or am I remembering wrong?"

"Monodam hasn't said anything in a while...that concerns me" Monophanie whispered.

"I'm sorry everyone" Shuichi interjected, "I shouldn't let myself be sold that murder was the only way out."

"But you only did it to protect everyone else" Kirumi noted, "That has merit."

"Maybe" Kiyo said, "But in this game, murder is still murder. No level of altruism can change that."

"I understand that now" Shuichi solemnly said, "But...I couldn't live with the thought of Kaede or Miu doing the deed."

"Huh?" Kaito blinked.

"It was Miu's suggestion, but she somehow knew Kaede was thinking the same thing" Shuichi admitted, "And instead of ending the conversation right there and then, I decided to enact the murder."

Kaede and I looked at the ground, as our tears and whimpers grew louder. The truth of the matter was that we were all guilty of murder, but only Shuichi could be executed.

"Man this sentimental talk is getting boring" Monokuma interrupted, "I have a very special punishment for the Ultimate Detective Shuichi Saihara. So let's give it everything we got...IT'S PUNISHMENT TIME!

"Wait!" Kaede shouted while trying to reach for Shuichi. But she wasn't fast enough as a giant circle claw grabbed Shuichi by the neck and dragged him through the roof of the court room. In the distance, we saw Shuichi dropped into what looked like an interrogation room. Then Momokuma, dressed like Gibbs from NCIS, dropped a pile of folders labeled "Crimes of Shuichi Saihara". Monokuma began assaulting Shuichi with unanswerable questions, which was followed by twenty-two caliber bullets barraging his body. After what seemed like an hour, Shuichi was a bullet ridden corpse. Finally, a giant gavel slammed on his remains and one of the monokubs.

I dropped to my knees and vomited all over the floor.

Shuichi Saihara no longer existed in this world.

And I had murdered him through my own hubris.

Chapter 1 End.

Remaining students: 14