"U-um, excuse me, but where is Fuyuhiko?" Mikan asked Monokuma as soon as everyone arrived. "You made me leave him after you made that announcement…"
"Oh, him? Well, you see, he woke up not long after you left, he got beary upset for some reasons so I had to sedate him! He won't be here for this trial." The bear announces. Izuru only sighed.
"If that's the case, there's nothing we can do at this point. We only can proceed to the trial. With the evidence we have, and all of us thinking together, we should come to a conclusion fairly easily." Izuru said, looking up at Monokuma rock.
"I… guess you're right. But I still don't like this! I mean, we have to send one of our friends to their death!" Mahiru cried, looking afraid.
"You seem fairly sure that this was an actual murder." Gundam accused, looking at Mahiru.
"It obviously was. No one gets a head wound that severe by 'accident' and Peko certainly couldn't have done it herself." Nagito sighed, looking at the ground. That seemed to sober everyone up. Before anyone could speak again, Monokuma rock roared and spat out the escalator, inviting them inside.
The elevator ride was slow and torturous. The elevator car itself felt too big, yet too small at the same time. Big because two of their fellow classmates weren't there and too small from the suffocating atmosphere and the sense of dread. It was an intense relief when the car finally came to a stop.
The relief was short lived however, as the entered the trial room, this time it was decorated with blue sheets and backgrounds of the beach.
"Soooo, how do you like my redecoration? I'm a natural artist aren't I? I won't allow you to say any different by the way." Monokuma exclaimed. Izuru opened his mouth, but Hajime promptly covered it with his hand, not wanting his brother to get, I dunno, shish-kebabed or something.
"Let's just get to the point, bear." Byakuya demanded sternly, making the bear wilt and take his seat.
"Fine… yer no fun… Ahem, anyway! Everyone, to your seats!" With Monokuma's words ringing in their ears, everyone took their respective seats.
(A/N: Sooooooo, I'm lazy as fuck, plus, you all know how it goes down, so I'm just going to skip the section where they all discuss the Twilight Syndrome game, since it goes pretty much the exact same. Fuyuhiko isn't there to defend himself, and Mahiru just says that she doesn't remember anything that happened that supposedly went down in the game. Nothing story changing so, let's do a little skipperoo!)
"Now that we've talked about the game… what now?" Ibuki asked, looking confused. "I mean, does that make us get any closer to Peko's killer? I mean, she wasn't even mentioned in the game!"
"No, but there's no doubt she was connected to the people who were in the game." Hajime said, pulling out the small piece of cloth that he'd found in Peko's room. "Chiaki and I found this in Peko's room."
"What is that? Isn't that the Kuzuryuu family crest? What was it doing in Peko's room?" Byakuya asked, shocked.
"It looks like it was torn off of something, probably some piece of clothing, or something like that…" Chiaki explained.
"Peko most likely ripped it off of something of hers. I'm not sure why she would hide her history with the Kuzuryuu clan, but for some reason she did. It is possible that she worked for the clan, and by extension, Fuyuhiko. Fuyuhiko was Guy F, in the game, so if this case is related to that game, then there's no doubt that she would have something to do with it as well." Izuru's voice was even as he spoke, confidant in himself.
"Hang on a second, if Fuyuhiko was Guy F, wouldn't he have the most motivation to kill one of the girls involved, and if Peko worked for him, and wasn't directly involved, then why would he kill her?" Nagito asked.
"Fuyuhiko didn't kill her. If he did, then how would he have gotten knocked out?" Izuru replied with a question of his own.
"Isn't it obvious?! With her last strength Peko threw the vase at him and knocked him out!" Akane yelled.
"But Peko died instantly, she would have already been dead before Fuyuhiko was knocked unconscious." Hajime retorted.
"So, how'd he get knocked out?" Kazuichi questioned, looking around the room for answers.
"Hey, Monokuma, I have a question, the body discovery announcement plays after three or more people discover a body yes? Does that three or more people count the killer?" Nagito looked at Monokuma, making the bear sweat at the teen's words.
"Well… I um… you see… that's… Oh fine! No, OK, it doesn't count the killer! Dammit, you're not supposed to use the body discovery announcement as a clue! It's supposed to give a fair trial!" Monokuma seemed furious, and started to sulk on his throne.
"I see… Kazuichi, you said that the announcement played right after you discovered the body right?" Nagito asked, turning to the mechanic.
"Um… yeah? Why do you ask?"
"I get where you're going with this. That means that two people besides Kazuichi found the body. So, there were two more people in that beach house other than Peko and Fuyuhiko." Izuru said, impressed with Nagito's deduction.
"Then… those two people… who were they?" Mikan said, tears in her eyes.
"Well, Fuyuhiko would have been one of the people to discover the body, since Peko was dead before he was knocked unconscious. One of them was the killer, and one more witness." Hajime explained, before he was interrupted by Hiyoko.
"Hang on a second! How do you know that Fuyuhiko was unconscious after she was killed?! Maybe the killer knocked him out before killing Peko! Or maybe he was the killer the witnesses just knocked him out!" The dancer yelled.
"Hiyoko… why would the witnesses do that? I mean, wouldn't they have told someone that he was the killer so that we wouldn't have to go through this?" Hajime argued back. "Besides, we found bloody footprints belonging to Fuyuhiko in the beach house, which means Peko was dead while Fuyuhiko was still awake."
"Well… that…"
"That's another thing, we found a second set of footprints as well… belonging to Mahiru Koizumi." As Hajime said that, the photographer when white as a sheet.
"Mahiru… you… you were there?" Ibuki yelled, staring.
"Well… n-no… I…"
"Don't try to hide it Mahiru, you can't say that those footprints were from before, or else they wouldn't be bloody." Izuru said, looking at the girl.
"Hold on a second! O-OK, I was there, yeah, but, I just found the bodies! And-and I was so freaked out and-and I thought both of them were dead, so I ran!" Mahiru tired explaining. But Hajime shook his head. "Then you came back later with Hiyoko to take pictures? You said before that you and Hiyoko were taking pictures on the beach before you ran into us at the diner."
"Well… um…"
"I doubt she is the killer." Izuru interrupted.
"What? She was there, and her footprints were as well!" Byakuya shouted. "How is it not her?"
"For starters. Where is Hiyoko in all of this? After all, we saw her and Mahiru leaving the beach around the time of the murder, however, her footprints were not there."
"She could've just not gone in the beach house while Mahiru did the dirty deed!" Ibuki suggested.
"Then why was she wet?" Izuru asked.
"Wet?" Hajime looked at his brother surprised.
"Yes, when we saw her and Mahiru at the diner, they were both soaking wet, Mahiru claimed it was because of the tide coming in, but they could have just jumped in the ocean to wash off the blood."
"Why couldn't it have been high tide though huh?! Answer me you stupid weirdo! Me and Big Sis had bad timing and got caught in the water! Big sis said she was going into the beach house to find some towels and came back looking real scared! She said she couldn't find any towels so we went back to our cottages!" Hiyoko looked ready to cry as she yelled at Izuru.
"Well… for one, there wasn't any water in the beach house that suggested Mahiru went there when she was wet. That much water would have caused anyone to drip. Two, her camera was completely dry, if she had jumped in the water or gotten caught up, her camera would've been wet as well. Third, the tide doesn't come in on the islands until after 7 PM. It was about 3:30 when we saw you guys." Hajime explained.
"Precisely. So it doesn't explain why you were wet as well." Izuru said, looking into the dancer's eyes.
"Well… What about my footprints huh?! If I went into the beach house like you're accusing me of, where are my footprints?"
"That's an easy answer. You stepped in Mahiru's." Hajime explained, making everyone confused.
"What?! What are you talking about?" Hiyoko shouted.
"Hiyoko, your footprints are small, very small, they easily fit inside Mahiru's. All you'd have to do is step inside of her footprints, which would hide yours, making it look like only Mahiru had stepped there." Hajime would never admit it, but he was proud of himself for figuring that one out.
"That… that…"
"There's also one more thing that proves that Mahiru isn't the killer, and that there's only one person left who could be." Izuru said, looking at Hajime expectantly.
"Eh? What's that look for?" He asked.
"You're smart enough to figure it out Hajime, tell them. Things get boring if it's only me explaining it." Izuru replied. Hajime was surprised, but he had a feeling he knew what it was.
"You're… you're talking about the angle of the wound right?"
"Huh? Angle? Aren't those the people with white wings?" Akane asked.
"No, no, angle! See, look at Peko's wound, it's at an 85° angle! Which means that the person who attacked Peko must've been quite a bit shorter than her! The only people who are shorter than Peko by that much are Fuyuhiko and Hiyoko, and we've established that Fuyuhiko couldn't have been the killer." Hajime explained quickly.
"So the only person left is…. Hiyoko." Gundam said solemnly, looking at the dancer.
"H-hang on a second! Why would I have gone to the beach house in the first place?! What would be the-"
"Hiyoko… stop…" Everyone was shocked at the sudden words, and turned to look at Mahiru.
"Big sis?"
"Hiyoko… it's over OK? There's no way of getting out of this." There were tears in the photographer's eyes, and she was looking at the ground. "It was Hiyoko OK. B-but she was… she was trying to protect me!"
"Protect you? How?" Hajime asked.
"I… I got a note from Fuyuhiko that told me to play that game, when I did, I saw what was on it. The note said to meet him at the Beach House the next day, so I did. When I got there, Fuyuhiko and I talked for a bit. I didn't even notice Peko until she had stepped out of the bathroom with a bat. I got… I got scared, and I thought I was going to die but before she did, Hiyoko ran out of the closet and knocked into Peko. I… don't think she was expecting it so she dropped the bat. Hiyoko picked it up and… hit her. I was shocked, and-and Fuyuhiko was furious. He lunged at Hiyoko and I hit him in the head with the pot. Hiyoko and I had no idea what to do, but I decided to prop Fuyuhiko against the wall since he was still alive… I also closed Peko's eyes, but I accidentally rolled her body back over onto some of the pot shards, and her hands got cut up. I wanted to do more to give her some decency, but I realized that everyone would be coming to the beach house soon… so Hiyoko and I jumped into the water to wash off… I'm… I'm so sorry guys… I'm sorry Hiyoko…" As they listened to Mahiru's story, they felt a bit of sadness in them.
"Why… didn't you tell us? And why did you try and cover for Hiyoko?" Nagito asked, looking confused.
"I… Hiyoko is my friend, and-and I panicked. Hiyoko saved my life so… so I wanted to pay her back. But I betrayed her just now by telling you all… I'm so sorry…" Mahiru was sobbing by now, as was Hiyoko.
"Big sis… I… I'm not mad. I… there wasn't any way I was getting out of it anyway." Hiyoko tried to stop her crying, but broke down again. Mahiru couldn't seem to take it anymore and left her spot, walking over to the shorter girl and hugging her.
"Thank you… for saving me." Mahiru whispered. "I'm sorry I couldn't do the same."
"Ahem, I hate to break up this touching moment, buuuut, we need to vote! So, who'll be, will you pick the right- oh screw it we all know the little pigtail bitch is guilty so just cast your votes." Monokuma seemed irritated that he didn't get to do his big speech, but seemed to cheer up once the votes were cast for Hiyoko.
"Cooooorect! Hiyoko Saionji is the one who offed Peko Pekoyama! Who knew a tiny girl could have the strength to kill!" Monokuma yelled.
"It wasn't a matter of strength, it was a matter of what she used, and where the blow landed. She just got lucky, or perhaps unlucky, to hit the right spot." Izuru commented casually. He seemed, indifferent to Hiyoko and Mahiru's despair.
"What the hell is wrong with you?! You act like none of this shit matters!" Akane yelled, storming up to him.
"It really doesn't…" He paused, and after a moment, spoke again. "We'll all die sooner or later, this was just sooner."
"Izuru… you're not acting like you usually do." Hajime said, concern in his voice. Izuru was about to speak, before he shut his mouth, shaking his head.
"Anywho, we gotta get this train a movin'! Now then, I've prepared a very special punishment for the Super High School Level Dancer, Hiyoko Saionji!"
"Hiyoko… one last picture?" Mahiru asked, holding up her camera. Hiyoko nodded and went close to Mahiru, smiling as best she could. The camera snapped, taking one final picture of the two girls together.
"Let's get this ball rolling! Iiiiiit's Punishment Time!" The bear cried as he hit his gavel onto the button.
Super High School Level Dancer Hiyoko Saionji's Punishment!
FIRE FEET!
Hiyoko was standing on a glass stage, barefoot, underneath her was a large pit with some kind of light at the bottom. There is a large TV in front of her prompting her to dance, and so she did. However, every time she messed up a step, the light grew closer, and closer until it was revealed to be a large fire, growing closer. The fire growing closer made the glass underneath Hiyoko grow hotter, making her make more mistakes, making the fire grow closer. Eventually, the fire was so close that Hiyoko could no longer stand. The TV gave a loud beep, glowing red, signalling that she had failed. The glass beneath her opened up, sending the girl into the fire.
The students were staring wide eyed as Hiyoko's death played out, shocked. Izuru was looking at the ground, gritting his teeth.
"Whooie! That was a doozy wasn't it! So much Despair… Upupupupu…. Don't you guys agree?" Monokuma asked, looking at all of them.
"Heyy, what's with the long faces? I mean, none of you guys really liked her except for Mahiru, plus, didn't she die for a good cause? I mean, she saved the girl you actually liked!" As Monokuma spoke, Mahiru started to shake, until she stood up and was about to attack Monokuma, only to be stopped by Izuru.
"Stop it. Hiyoko gave up her life to save you, and you're already going to throw that away?" He said, looking in her eyes.
"Wh-what?!" She yelled.
"You heard me. If you really want to thank Hiyoko, you shouldn't be so reckless. Attacking Monokuma means certain death." He explained, before letting her go. "I'm not going to stop you again if you try, so if you want to, throw away the life you were given." With those words, he walked towards the elevator, standing in front of it.
"He's right. Hiyoko may be gone, but isn't it enough to just be alive? If you're not going to live for yourself, live for her sake instead." Nekomaru said, putting his hand on Mahiru's shoulder.
"I… You're right… sorry… let… let's just go…" She whispered, grabbing onto Nekomaru's arm for support. The coach helped her to the elevator, while everyone else ignored Monokuma, who was ranting about everyone ignoring him.
(I'm sorry if this was rushed, but I had a loooong last couple of days, so forgive me. ^^; Gqv kivvwb aczdqdm eqbpwcb Givo. Pwxm kivvwb mfqab eqbpwcb Lmaxiqz. Qn wvm qa twab… )