Note: And we're back! I hope you're all as excited for the post-trial chapters as I am! I do have one quick update on scheduling, though. I wasn't quite able to finish the entire set of chapters for this arc, unfortunately, so instead of daily posts, I'm going to switch it to every other day. That means the next chapter will be up on Saturday.
"Ready or not, this trial is over."
Junko leaned back in her chair and watched the shock ripple across her friends' faces. Oh, they didn't look happy at all, did they, the poor dears? But really, what else was a girl to do in this situation? She'd been keeping an extra close eye on sweet little Naegi's expression as pain writhed its way through him, and she could tell his memories had been clawing their way free even faster than she'd calculated. And this wasn't like the fun they'd been having with the mystery photographs or a playful hint scribbled on a classroom blackboard — this could've put a stop to the whole game!
In fact, it still could if she wasn't careful. Naegi didn't look up to much more than lying on the ground and whimpering for now, but Kirigiri was just brimming with outrage as she glared up at the enthroned Monokuma. Well, Junko had figured the detective wouldn't take this lying down.
"What do you mean, the trial's over?" Kirigiri demanded, her anger bringing her words back to their usual brisk patter. "We aren't done discussing the murder."
Junko tsked, shaking her head at the thoughtless girl — between the speed and the way she'd turned her head, Kirigiri had ensured Togami would be unable to follow the conversation.
Well, sucked to be him. But hey, that's what he got for ruining her ability to talk to him! It just took so much fun out of making bear puns, knowing she wouldn't get to see Togami's annoyed reaction. Junko sighed regretfully, shaking her head in the direction of the boy furiously demanding explanations from the others before tuning him out and leaning back towards the microphone.
"I told you — time's up!" she said, grinning when it only made Kirigiri's gloved fingers curl into fists at her sides.
"I heard — but you haven't said why." Kirigiri's voice probably sounded perfectly even to the others, but Junko could hear the effort the girl was putting into sounding that way. "We've never had a time limit before."
"Huh? Is that right?" A quick keystroke, and Monokuma tilted his head inquisitively. "But isn't it natural to assume an exam is due before the bell rings?"
"I'm not going to play into your fantasy that this is still a legitimate school setting," Kirigiri snapped. "There are no school bells, and whatever you pretend, we all know the stakes are higher than any exam. The rules don't say anything about a time limit, and it isn't fair for you to impose one now."
Fair… Kirigiri sure had seized on that particular concept. Sounded like she'd worked out quite a bit during her little field trip to the second floor dorms — or she thought she had, anyway, which was just as dangerous. Junko drummed her fingers on the console next to the array of buttons, quickly running through her options. A schoolbell sound effect would be a surefire way to annoy the other girl — but no. That wouldn't be enough. She had to go on the offensive before Kirigiri could.
"Just cause it's not written down doesn't mean the time limit isn't there," Junko said. "I told you, didn't I? You'll be sorry for being late!"
And wow, did that ever have an effect — Kirigiri's eyes visibly widened and everything! Junko frowned, leaning towards the screen to get a clearer view. Sure, she knew it had been a good jab — but she hadn't expected it to hit that hard.
"That was what you meant?" If Junko didn't know better, she would've sworn there was a hint of a tremor in Kirigiri's voice. "When you spoke to me before the trial even began — everything you said — it was leading up to this?"
Junko was getting the distinct feeling that she was missing something — and she didn't like it at all. Even if she didn't catch everything important on her cameras, that shouldn't matter — she knew her friends inside and out, and she'd planned out every twist of this lovely game just for them. There shouldn't be anything going on that she couldn't understand.
And if she was right, that really limited the responses she could make. Omniscience was such a delicate image to maintain, after all — she wouldn't want to let her friends down by destroying it! After an instant's rapid thought, she tapped the button to send Monokuma into an explosion of his maddest laughter as her lips curled back to bare her teeth, as much a threat as a grin.
And sure enough, as ensnared by fear as she was, Kirigiri took the laughter as confirmation of her worst suspicions. Her face went pale enough that even the other students had to notice — and wow, between the light hair and eyes, was that ever a bad look for her! What, did detectives not believe in wearing foundation? And after she'd gone to all the trouble of making sure the stockroom had the right shades for everyone, too!
"I see… so that's how things stand." Kirigiri's lips went tight and thin, barely parting enough for the words to escape. "I should have known better than to expect someone as underhanded as you to give me a fighting chance."
Something glimmered in the depths of Kirigiri's eyes for an instant, not long enough for Junko to understand what she'd seen in full — but it was just warning enough for her to lunge for the gun controls at the same time Kirigiri spun to face the rest of the circle.
"The mastermind's true identity —"
"Stop talking if you want anyone left to hear you!"
Kirigiri froze, eyes shooting up — to focus on the gun spinning round and round the room in an arc that perfectly matched the line of the circled podiums. She tracked it in a single full circle — and then her mouth snapped shut, eyes closing in defeat.
Junko slumped back against her seat, though she didn't move her fingers away from the controls. Ugh, that had been too close — she hadn't realized the little super sleuth had hit that level of suicidal desperation yet. And even worse, she'd had to bludgeon her darling friends into good behavior with the very same weapon she'd used on Asahina. She hated having to repeat herself.
Clearly it was time to get things back under control. She leaned back towards the microphone before anyone else could get any unhelpful ideas.
"No more talking. Everyone, it's time to cast your votes."
