Never Say Never

Disclaimer: I do not own Danganronpa or the characters associated with it.

Chapter 3

Act 23

"It all began yesterday," Hifumi spoke with utter confidence, and a hint of flourish. "I was heartbroken after my precious Alter Ego was taken from me—".

"P-P-Precious Alter Ego?! Taken?!" Chihiro frantically shouted, righteous fury burning in her eyes as she glared at Monokuma. "W-What do you mean Alter Ego was taken?! Where is she?! What have you done to her?!"

Rearing back and leaping to hide behind the judge's chair, Monokuma sputtered, "W-W-What are you yelling at me for?! I've never even met this Alter Ego you speak of!"

The entire class tensed as Chihiro unknowingly alerted Monokuma to the AI's existence. Even though they had no proof that Monokuma wasn't already aware of 'her' existence, outright shouting at the bear over it would only lead to misfortune! Especially considering that Alter Ego was currently unguarded and could be taken by the Mastermind while they were trapped in the trial room.

Thinking quickly, Junko shouted, "D-Don't worry, Chihiro! Everything's fine!"

"It's not fine!" the programmer spat, angling her furious gaze toward the Fashionista. "My baby…where is my baby?!"

Hot tears began to spill out of Chihiro's eyes as she demanded an answer, the sight paining any who looked at her. Particularly, Sayaka and Leon felt responsible for this whole affair. They hadn't taken the time to explain everything about finding Alter Ego to her. Even though they were distracted by some of their classmates being missing at the time, they still felt guilty for not reassuring Chihiro that her 'creation' was currently in Taka's possession.

Judging by Junko's guilty expression, she also felt the same, but obviously knew this wasn't the time to discuss the matter.

"I promise that everything's alright," she reiterated, trying her best to keep the programmer from panicking further. "Your computer is safe. We'll show you after the trial, okay? It's that right, Taka?"

The white haired, blazing eyed Committee Chairman flinched at her informal address but did not correct her. Instead, his gaze fell upon the distress Chihiro as tears streamed down her cheeks.

Then, much to everyone's shock, his intense aura dissipated as the flame in his eyes extinguished, and his hair returned to jet black as he spoke, "Don't worry, Chihiro! I've been keeping an eye on Alter Ego! I promise that 'she' is safe and I'll show you to 'her' once we finish the trial!"

Choking back sobs, the petite programmer swallowed and said, "Do you promise? You'll…really give her back to me?"

For the first time in many days, a genuine smile formed on Taka's lips as he nodded, "I swear on my pride and honor as the Ultimate Moral Compass!"

As Chihiro registered those words, she furiously wiped away the tears from her eyes and whispered, "T-Thank you…thank you, Taka…"

Disciplinary Committee Chairman Ishimaru opened his mouth, fully intending to correct her and tell her to call him by his title…but stopped. Instead, he resumed his pleasant smile and said, "You're quite welcome, Chihiro!"

This sudden change in disposition didn't go unnoticed by the rest of the class.

Mondo let out a deep sigh he hadn't known he'd been holding, relieved that Taka was slowly turning back into his usual persona. Kyoko regarded this change silently, but she seemed a bit relieved as well. Makoto, on the other hand, was visibly pleased with this development, smiling hopefully at the scene. Junko wiped a bit of sweat from her brow but then smiled, pleased that Taka had made the right decision and helped to calm Chihiro.

Sayaka and Leon exchanged a relieved look, still feeling a bit guilty for not explaining everything sooner. Sakura merely smiled and nodded, with Hina matching her with a good-natured smile. Byakuya stared at Taka for a bit but said nothing, no feeling any need to vocalize his thoughts. Toko wasn't really paying attention, she was too busy stealing peeks at Byakuya. Hiro smiled and laughed heartily…still completely unsure of what was going on. Celeste held her usual smirk in place, although there was a bit of apprehensiveness behind her crimson eyes.

Finally, Hifumi felt a stab of guilt overtake him, ashamed by the fact that he'd been manipulated into almost smashing in Taka's skull. But that was all the more reason for him to expose the truth and help everyone survive—

"Hey, hey!" Monokuma cut in unexpectedly, turning all attention toward itself. "I've been wondering…what is this 'Alter Ego' you keep mentioning? Are you keeping secrets from your Headmaster?"

Almost as one, the students' positive energy darkened as the demented bear asked the question they all feared most. Monokuma tilted its head, as if expecting an answer, but none came. Cold sweat began to form on the students as they collectively realized that the Mastermind was on to their scheme. And if he took away Alter Ego, that might be the end of their pursuit of the truth—

"Don't we have a trial to get back to?" Junko spoke up, glare up at Monokuma on the judge's chair. "You were the one who said we didn't have time to waste."

"I agree with that," Kyoko chimed in, coming to the Fashionista's aid. "We can discuss other matters after the case has been resolved. Until then, we need to focus on unmasking the culprit."

"We are in agreement then," Celeste surprisingly concurred, smiling daintily as always. "I would like to resolve the issue of my innocence as quickly as possible. We have little time for distractions."

"Yes, bit players should be silent while the star is on stage," the smug tone of Byakuya added, obviously referring to himself as he smirked at Monokuma, letting his insult sink in.

"Bit player, huh?" Monokuma said with a light chuckle that soon turned into horrid laughter that make the Togami Heir scowl. As the laughter died down, the bear's blackened side seemed to smirk wider than usual. "Alright then! This 'bit player' will wait for his cue! Until then, break a leg (hopefully literally)! Debate to your hearts' content!"

"Nice to see you're learning your place," Byakuya smirked victoriously before turning to Hifumi. "Well then, get on with it. Unlike you all, my time is valuable, and I'd rather not waste it."

At this point, scowling at Byakuya every time he spoke was almost becoming a custom, one that practically everyone did, and something he personally enjoyed. And they knew it too, they knew he enjoyed watching them squirm under him, glaring down at them as if they were nothing but ants.

However, they also knew it was pointless to argue with him and simple turned toward Hifumi and waited for him to continue his testimony.

"O-Oh, okay then…" Hifumi stumbled a bit before slowly regaining his fervor. "A-As I said, after Alter Ego was…taken," he tried to say delicately, stealing a glance at Chihiro before continuing, "I was drowning my sorrows in potato chips when Miss Ludenberg came to see me."

He paused, half expecting her to refute him. To his surprise, she remained silent, probably waiting for him to present his side of the story before telling her own. Regardless, Hifumi was undeterred, gathering his courage as he told his classmates the ugly truth.

"S-She told me that she had a plan to get the both of us out of the school." Glaring at her furiously, he seethed, "She used her silver tongue to manipulate me! Promising me that if anything should happen, she'd take the blame for our actions—!"

"And you believed her without question?" Byakuya interrupted, his tone making it unclear if he truly believed the story or not.

Shrinking a bit, Hifumi answered, "W-Well, no, not exactly. She…She said that we had a common enemy, and that we could work together to—".

"A common enemy?! You must be referring to Monokuma!" Taka shouted, closing his hands into fists. Somehow, his original appearance didn't falter, his jet-black hair and flameless eyes on full display as he questioned further. "But why would you consider such a thing? Especially when Monokuma was on 'vacation' at the time—".

"I believe he was actually referring to you."

Byakuya's cold, harsh tone tore through the room like a razor, cutting Taka deeper than even he thought possible.

"W-What…?" the Ultimate Moral Compass stammered, his face wrapped in confusion.

After that comment, the Togami Heir confidently smirked, his silence forcing Hifumi to confirm what had been revealed.

"…It's…It's true," the fanfic creator affirmed, hanging his head. "Miss Ludenberg told me that you threatened to have her executed, and that you were planning your own escape—".

"Preposterous!"

A loud smack echoed as Taka slammed both fists down onto his podium. Gritting his teeth, his furious aura abruptly returned, engulfing his entire body. His hair flashed starch white and flames once more spewed from his eyes. Shooting up to straighten his back, his imposing appearance returned in full force, frightening most of the students.

"The very idea that I, Disciplinary Committee Chairman Ishimaru, would deign to allow such a thing is beyond absurd!" His voice shook the room, making everyone flinch at his 'return'. "My duty is to protect the students and enforce order in this chaos! I have no need to threaten anyone! Especially with such a horrific punishment as execution!"

Finishing his tirade, clarity suddenly revisited him. Yes…it was his duty to protect everyone! And someone here had violated the sanctity of his school! He needed to be more assertive! He needed to discover the culprit of this debacle and visit sweet justice upon their—

"T-Taka…?"

The Disciplinary Committee Chairman snapped his head toward Chihiro, who had almost absent-mindedly called his name. Staring at him, she quivered like a rabbit before a predator, too afraid to say anymore. As his gaze fell upon her, she flinched, creating an uncomfortable silence between them.

"What is it, Chihiro?!" he screamed at her, not realizing the ferocity in his voice. "Do you also wish to complain about this injustice?! I will permit you to speak up on my behalf!"

Instead of defending him, however, Chihiro abruptly broke out into tears. They spilled from her eyes unendingly, as if a dam had been broken. Confused by that reaction, Disciplinary Committee Chairman Ishimaru raised an eyebrow at her.

"Are you not feeling well?!" he shouted, more than asked. "Do not fear, once this trial is over, we can return you to the nurse's—".

"Hey! Stop yelling at her!"

Taka froze as Mondo effortlessly shouted over him. Shifting his gaze toward the biker, fulling intending to reprimand him, Chairman Ishimaru gasped once his gaze met Mondo's. The Ultimate Bike Gang Leader bore his teeth at him, his eyes narrowed dangerously, piercing through into Taka's very soul. Never before had Taka witness such righteous fury on the biker's face, a kind of ferocity that send chills even down his hardened Committee Chairman spine.

"Yell at me all ya want! But leave Chihiro out of this!" Mondo insisted, grabbing his podium with both hands. "She just woke up! Give her some god-damn space, dammit!"

Still reeling from his vicious glare, Disciplinary Committee Chairman Ishimaru slowly found his fire again, doing his best to match the biker's fury.

"I am not yelling!" he yelled louder. "This is merely a rise in my voice! If you wish to hear yelling, then I—".

"Both of you, cut it out!"

The two men froze as Sayaka's harsh tone cut through their argument. She hadn't particularly raised her voice, but the intensity of it pierced them both to the core. As one, they turned to see her giving them a vicious glare, her blue irises practically radiating power.

Having acquired their attention, she narrowed her gaze at them and said, "Not only are you getting us off topic, you're scaring Chihiro!"

Shock overtook both of them, slowly turning their gazes and shuddering as they took in Chihiro's trembling form. She was obviously struggling with everything that was going on, still disoriented from having just awoken only a few hours ago. Not only that, it was clear she was worried about her 'baby', Alter Ego. Frankly, it was amazing that she was able to keep herself upright at the moment, considering the weight that had been thrust onto her tiny shoulders since she'd awakened.

Seeing that they understood, Sayaka gave a minor scoff before finishing, "You can have your pissing contest after the trial. For now, just be quiet and let Hifumi finish."

A brief silence stifled the room, but only for a few moments.

"…Y-You're…right," Disciplinary Committee Chairman Ishimaru acquiesced.

"…Yeah…my bad," Mondo echoed, hanging his head shamefully.

A bit triumphantly, Sayaka angled her gaze toward Hifumi and said, "Please continue."

"R-Right…" the fanfic creator stuttered, shocked by Sayaka's sudden shift in assertiveness. "A-Anyway, Miss Ludenberg 'informed' me that Taka was planning to commit murder to try and escape. And so, she…recommended that we take action against him."

"And you agreed to it? Just like that?" Byakuya questioned him again, making the fanfic creator feel even more ashamed.

"N-No…not immediately. In fact, I questioned what we were doing multiple times." He paused, tilting his head, and glaring at Celeste. "But each time I voiced my concern, Miss Ludenberg had just the right words to 'motivate' me! She even promised that, if our plan failed, she'd take responsibility for everything and confess!"

"Did she now…" the Affluent Progeny said, deviously. "Not that I believe your little story, but hypothetically, if you were telling the truth…" He felt Hina's furious glare as he uttered those words, but continued on. "Why would you believe a word she'd said? Did you not think she may have been using you to fulfill her own desire to escape?"

Hifumi's shoulders shrank. "…I…I didn't. I thought that…she was just being…her usual tsundere self."

"I see," Kyoko replied, matter-of-factly. Her face didn't betray even a hint of emotion as she asked, "So, she coerced you into trying to kill Taka then?"

Regaining a bit of composure, the fanfic creator continued, "…Yeah. We lured Taka to the equipment room with a note—".

"So, it was you!" Disciplinary Committee Chairman Ishimaru screamed again. "You were the ones trying to keep a hidden exit secret from me—".

"There was no exit, obviously." Junko's harsh tone interrupted him, earning a menacing glare from the Committee Chairman. "They just wanted to get you alone…to try and kill you."

Beyond the point of being shocked, the Disciplinary Chairman seethed, "You would…go so far to perpetuate chaos! Have the two of you no sense of order or struct—".

"STOP SAYING THAT!"

The room shook as Hina finally spoke up, her voice almost raw from her shouting. Angrily, she glared around the room, just like before.

"All of you…saying it was 'both' of them that planned this!" Her gaze settled on Kyoko and Junko, who had been among those to implicate both of them. "It's obvious that Hifumi is just trying to drag Celeste down with him! You're believing his lies so easily! Why can't you see—?!"

"Hina…please calm down."

After so long of being silent, Celeste finally spoke up. Her tone was soft and gentle, her usual smile plastered onto her lips…almost triumphantly. Again, the swimmer was shocked by how composed her friend was, but remained silent.

"Let them say what they want," Celeste told her sweetly. "It won't change the truth."

"Well…yeah, but—!"

"It is fine," the gambler reassured her, folding her hands beneath her chin and smiling wider. "Once the fat oaf has finished, I shall explain what truly happened. You have my word."

Although still apprehensive, Hina managed to calm down enough to reply, "…Alright." Snapping her gaze to Hifumi, she snarled, "So…what happened next, traitor?"

Still reeling from being so harshly accused, Hifumi took a moment to compose himself.

"W-Well, Miss Ludenberg and I also laid a trap for Hiro as well…"

As Hina snapped at Hifumi, Kyoko closed her eyes and began to connect dots no one else had seen yet. The swimmer's harsh demeanor was becoming increasingly unsettling, and the reason why was obvious to Kyoko.

Surreptitiously, she stole a glance at Celeste, analyzing her with scrutiny. Confidence, the gambler was utterly confident, as though she'd just won a large bet. That kind of confidence was…disturbing. And the way she led Hina around was more than unsettling. It put Kyoko on guard. And since she and Junko hadn't been around to witness any of the events Hifumi had described, it made this case all the more difficult. At the same time, there was something ominous about Celeste's behavior.

Unfortunately, without listening to both testimonies, Kyoko could only make speculations. And speculations, while important, would do them no good if there was no evidence to back them up. After all, they couldn't afford to vote incorrectly, not with their lives on the line.

Stealing a glance to her right, Kyoko saw that Junko was having a similar reaction, her sky-blue irises darting from Hifumi to Celeste, trying to discern which of them could be lying. Unmistakably, there were only two choices. Hifumi or Celeste. One of them was trying to use this class trial to escape…but only time would tell which of them it was.

With that in mind, Kyoko refocused on Hifumi's statements, taking in every last detail of his testimony.

"So, you're the reason I was stuffed into that uncomfortable robot suit!" Hiro shouted as Hifumi finished explaining how he and Celeste had captured the clairvoyant.

Hifumi nodded solemnly. "After that, Miss Ludenberg remained in the Rec Room while I went to…dispatch Taka in the equipment room. However—".

"Mondo burst in while you were behind the door, knocking you unconscious and preventing you from carrying out the deed. Am I correct?"

Everyone's eyes widened as Kyoko cut in, vocalizing exactly what Hifumi had been about to say. Startled, the fanfic creator stammered, "Y-Yes but…how…did you…?"

"Yeah! How could you have known about that?!" Hiro abruptly accused, pointing a shaky finger at her. "Almost like you were there—!"

"There was a small blood stain on the wall behind the door," Kyoko informed the class. "Makoto and Taka can verify that, as the three of us investigated the equipment room before being summoned to the trial."

"Indeed! There was that blood stain behind the door!" Taka roared, pleased to be part of the trial again.

"That's right!" Makoto almost shouted, only now realizing what she was after. "It looked as if someone was pressed into the wall with considerable force…"

"Exactly," Kyoko concurred, nodding affirmatively at him. "And given Mondo's earlier testimony about going there to seek help from Taka, the only conclusion is that when Mondo burst into the room, he accidentally hit Hifumi with the door."

"Holy shit…" Mondo whispered before glancing at Hifumi, a look of triumph gleaming in his eyes. "So… you were trying to kill Taka, but I ended up stopin' you, huh?! Serves you right, ya bastard!"

"You see! Hifumi is guilty!" Hina immediately pounced on that opportunity. "We even have proof—!"

"It's only proof that he tried to kill Taka," Kyoko corrected her, enduring a monstrous glare from the swimmer. "We still don't know what happened in the art supply room."

"Seriously…we've been talking in circles for, like, forever!" Leon complained before turning to Hifumi. "Why don't you just tell us what happened in art supply room next?"

"Hold on there, cowboy!" Junko piped up, a scold to her tone. "I'd like to know how Hifumi got from the nurse's office up to the art supply room first. I mean, no one saw him leave the nurse's office, did they?"

"C-Cowboy?" a confused Leon stammered, but didn't disagree with her.

Aside from that comment, no one spoke up. Prompting the Fashionista to look between Celeste and Hina.

"Weren't you and Hinasupposed to be in the nurse's office, Celeste?" she questioned without implying anything. "How did he manage to get past you?"

"I can tell you how!" Hina chimed in, her tone almost too confident. "I went to make us some tea, since we missed tea time that morning and—".

"Wait." Byakuya's cold voice filled with anger. "You mean to say that you left Celeste alone with Hifumi and Chihiro in the nurse's office?"

Taken back, the swimmer slowly replied, "Uh…yes?"

As this new information came to light, Byakuya narrowed his gaze at her, making her flinch.

"I didn't believe it was possible, but it appears you've surpassed even Hiro's level of idiocy," the Affluent Progeny harshly scolded, pushing up his glasses in annoyance.

"Hey! I take offense to—", Hiro tried to say but was quickly cut off.

"Although you couldn't have known it at the time, you left the two prime suspects alone for an extended period," Byakuya reiterated for everyone, before scoffing loudly. "That means, regardless of their testimonies, we have no way to validify either of their statements. And all because of your selfish action, Hina."

Hina's blue eyes widened as the truth of his statement registered. She glanced over to Celeste, silently begging for help. "B-But…I wasn't trying to…I mean…"

"H-Hold on! That's going too far, Byakuya!" Makoto leapt to the swimmer's defense.

"Indeed, it is." Everyone turned as Celeste spoke up. "After all, it was my fault that Hina left in the first place. Even if I did go after her later, I was the one who requested the tea in the first place. In addition, I did not attempt to dissuade her from leaving. The blame falls squarely on my shoulders…"

"Indeed, it does," Byakuya concurred, the frustration in his voice seeping out. "After we specifically decided to work in pairs, to maintain alibis, you sent her away. I hope you can explain that."

With a light chuckle, Celeste nodded. "But of course. However, should we not finish listening to Hifumi's little story? We wouldn't want to mix up our testimonies, now would we?"

As her suggestion echoed in the room, she stole a glance at Hina. The swimmer noticed and gave her an ashamed expression, guilty for having to put Celeste in that position. However, the gambler only smiled at her, an act that left Hina feeling slightly reassured.

"Hmph, I suppose you have a point," the Togami Heir granted, but kept his eyes trained on Celeste. "However, I will not tolerate excuses. Once he finishes, I expect a detailed explanation—".

"We'll all be expecting it," Junko chimed in, her voice harsher than usual. "At this point, we don't know which of you is telling the truth. So, you'd better be prepared."

The Fashionista's sky-blue irises met with the gambler's crimson orbs, a kind of tension growing between them that hadn't been there previously. Distrust was beginning to form between the students, and they found this case a lot more difficult than it had originally seemed.

"Very well, then." Celeste answered, breaking eye contact with Junko and turning toward Hifumi, smiling almost gleefully. "Carry on, Hifumi. Tell us your side of the incident."

Celeste's suggestion seemed to satisfy most of the students…except for Hifumi. He glared at the gambler with accusatory rage but knew speaking up would only make matters worse. Besides, he'd been unconscious at the time, and therefore couldn't verify anything that had been said. However, that didn't mean he could fight back against Miss Ludenberg's lies!

"After getting hit by the door," Hifumi continued, not missing the smile on Mondo's face as that part was reiterated. "I blacked out and wake up a little bit later. I stumbled back to the Rec Room, to inform Miss Ludenberg of my failure, but passed out when I got there. The next thing I knew, I was in the nurse's office. Miss Ludenberg was the one who awakened me."

His gaze snapped over to her, but she held her smile firmly, which only further infuriated him.

"Once I was up, she told me she had a new plan. I handed over one of my justice hammers to Miss Ludenberg and she—".

"Wait, wait, wait! Justice…hammer? What's that?" Junko questioned, obviously confused.

"I think he means this," Sayaka answered, lifting up 'Justice Hammer 3' that she and Leon had found. "Leon and I found it behind the medicine cabinet in the nurse's office."

"If it was hidden in the nurse's office, there could only be one target it was meant for," Byakuya concluded, shifting his gaze to Chihiro, who stood to his right. As one, everyone turned to her, making Chihiro's eyes widened in realization.

"W-What…?" the programmer shivered, staring at the large hammer in horror. "Someone was going to…"

"J-Just because we found it there doesn't mean Hifumi's not the one who hid it there!" Hina interjected, feeling more than sympathetic toward Chihiro. "Besides, only a monster like him would think to attack an unconscious person!"

"But then…why didn't he?" Kyoko pondered aloud, her question turning heads. "If what Celeste said is true, and she left to go and meet Hina once Chihiro woke up, then it would have been a simple matter for him to dispatch Chihiro."

"Obviously, because we'd know it was him!" Hina countered, regaining her fire. "If Celeste and I had returned…and found Chihiro's body, then it would have been obvious that it was his fault—!"

"I'm not so sure…" Everyone was shocked as Makoto interrupted, a hand resting on his chin, as if contemplating. "I don't think either of them would have tried to kill Chihiro. After all, everyone besides the three of you had alibis for that time. It would have narrowed down the suspects too much…"

For a moment, everyone was silent, but not because of Makoto's words. They all agreed with him, and more to the point, they understood his reason…which was truly frightening. Before they'd known it, they'd all grown accustomed to doubting and suspecting each other. The shock of someone being attacked didn't have the horrific impact it once did…many days ago when they'd found Sayaka's 'body' in his shower. They were all hardening…whether or not they wanted to…

Realizing this, Hifumi thought it was best to continue on before he lost his chance to explain himself.

"A-Anyway, Miss Ludenberg instructed me to go to the art supply room and wait for her to arrive with Taka. There, we would exact our revenge and while everyone was distracted by his murder, whomever didn't kill Taka was going to murder someone else…"

"Someone else?" Makoto asked. "But who?"

Ashamed, Hifumi hung his head and answered, "Miss Ludenberg mentioned…luring Hina into a secluded place—".

"How much more obvious can you get?!" Hina practically shouted. "I won't believe any more of your lies! Celeste is my friend! She'd never say such a thing! Isn't that right, Celeste?"

It was only for a split second, but in that tiny instance, Celeste flinched. However, she hid it behind a shifting of her hands, lacing her fingers together.

"…Indeed. Such a preposterous suggestion," the gambler finally spoke out against Hifumi, after letting him speak for so long. "Perhaps I should not have been so generous as to allow you to speak. If I had known you were going to be so vulgar—".

"Silence, witch!" Hifumi shouted over her, the gambler falling silent but glaring intensely. "I won't let you poison everyone with your vicious lies! You've corrupted them too much already!"

The courtroom seemed ready to descend into chaos, but the fanfic creator knew this was his time. He would expose the lies Miss Ludenberg had sewn amongst them, and save his classmates from a gruesome fate!

"This is what occurred in the art supply room!"

As he made that announcement, his voice becoming deeper and more regal for no apparent reason. His bold declaration silenced everyone, giving him the opportunity to speak the truth!

"After leaving Miss Ludenberg alone in the nurse's office, I headed for the second-floor men's restroom! Once there, I began to have second thoughts about our murder plan. My rage had subsided, and I realized it was probably better not to murder Taka! I heard the signal that Miss Ludenberg shouted from the first floor and headed for the art supply room!"

"A signal from the first floor, eh? That would explain the strange shout Celeste gave outside the nurse's office," Byakuya abruptly commented before falling silent.

"Ridiculous…" Celeste commented, anger in her voice. It seemed she'd finally grown weary of letting the fanfic creator spout anything he'd wanted. "I shouted because of the masked individual that I saw. Nothing more."

"Wait a second…you saw the masked weirdo?" Junko abruptly asked, her voice unusually desperate. "Where? When?!"

Celeste frowned at the Fashionista's insistence, but complied with her inquiry. "After Chihiro woke up, I stepped out of the nurse's office for a bit. It was getting stuffy in that room, you see. And when I did, I happened to see the masked individual heading up the first-floor staircase."

"…Really," the Fashionista said quietly, staring down at the floor in contemplation.

"And that's why, collectively, we decided to go and search for this masked individual. All because Celeste 'just so happened', to spot them," the Togami Heir humored before turning back to Hifumi. "And what happened then?"

Seizing that opportunity, Hifumi continued, "Once there, I waited for Miss Ludenberg to arrive. I locked the door from the inside and only opened it when she told me she was there. However, she didn't bring Taka with her, which surprised me! I had planned to confess everything to him and turn us both in! And when I explained that to Miss Ludenberg…she grabbed a hammer she must have hidden away and tried to kill me with it—!"

"Hold up a sec!" Mondo interrupted, his voice beyond skeptical. "If Celeste was the one attacking you, how the hell can you explain how I saw you holding the hammer, ready to bash her brains in!"

"Hifumi's a lot larger than Celeste is," Junko offered, her voice contemplative. "It's certainly possible he could have overpowered her and taken the hammer away."

"Exactly right, Miss Enoshima!" the fanfic creator praised, feeling a hint of triumph. "I was able to relieve Miss Ludenberg of the hammer, but I feared she would simply lie about our involvement! So, I used the hammer as a threat in order to get her to stay still until everyone arrived…a poor decision on my part…"

"Poor decision, my ass!" Mondo countered, still skeptical. "I know what I saw! You were definitely about to crack her skull open! That's why I had to tackle you!"

Scoffing, Hifumi replied, "I tried to tell you it was a misunderstanding, but you didn't listen! I specifically told you not to loot the—".

"Be silent! Both of you!"

Disciplinary Committee Chairman Ishimaru's voice pierced everyone's ears, drawing attention back to him as his glare shifted between Mondo and Hifumi.

"How are we to discern the truth with the two of you bickering like children?!" he shouted, his fiery eyes and menacing aura flaring. "You both need to settle down and cease with this shouting!"

"…You're one to talk…" Junko muttered under her breath, which he luckily didn't hear.

As the ruckus came to a steady end, no one was surprised when Hina abruptly spoke up.

"Alright then! It's time for Celeste's side of the story!" she demanded, glancing over to her friend, and giving her an encouraging smile. "Go on, Celeste! Tell them all what really happened!"

With a firm nod, the gambler replied, "Very well, I shall tell you all everything I saw from this morning, up until the incident in question."

"Alright, I've gotten this far. I just need to tell everyone 'the truth', and secure my victory!"

Celeste was utterly confident in her task. Most of the class was already on her side anyway. She just needed to 'fill in the gaps' in order to bring the rest of her classmates over to her side. And with Hina's undying support, it would be easy.

"This morning, just before the morning announcement sounded, I left my room and decided to venture off to the Rec room," she began, completely calm as everyone fixated their gaze onto her.

"How very strange…" Byakuya uttered, giving her a sideways glance. "After imposing your 'night time rule' on everyone, it seems you decided to break it."

"Not at all," she countered with a smile. "I waited until just before 8AM. Perhaps it was only a minute or two, but it was so close to the appointed time that I thought I would have enough time to return to the dining hall before long."

"Then, why did you decide to go to the Rec room in the first place?" Junko asked with a raised eyebrow. "

Celeste purposefully dampened her features, looking as ashamed as possible.

"To be frank, I was going there to play a game of Shogi…against myself." Her explanation was met with shocked expressions, just as she'd intended. "After the previous day's events, I was feeling…a bit anxious. I had trouble sleeping, and so, I decided to play a game in order to calm my—".

"LIES! ALL LIES!" Hifumi, who had remained silent the entire time, suddenly began shouting in earnest. "I already told everyone the real reason why you were there! You see how she's trying to twist my own story to her—".

"Just shut up, traitor!" Hina's powerful voice silenced him instantly. "Celeste is a person just like the rest of us! It makes sense that she'd do something out of the ordinary when she's feeling depressed! After what happened with Taka and Alter Ego, we were all a bit out of it, ya know!" The swimmer glared menacingly at Hifumi and seethed, "Not to mention that Celeste had the decency to let you tell your absurd story! The least you can do is let her tell us what really happened!"

Under her terrifying gaze, the fanfic creator shrunk back behind his podium, peeking out from behind the wooden frame.

"B-B-But…I already—".

Hina slapped her hands down onto her own podium, the sound startling the fanfic creator until he hid completely beneath the rail of his podium.

"I don't wanna hear another word out of you until Celeste is finished! Got that!" the swimmer demanded, her blue eyes burning with righteous fury.

Celeste suppressed a shudder as she watched Hifumi emphatically nod at Hina. The swimmer was pulling out all the stops for her. And even though she was being a lot more aggressive than usual, it was definitely working in the gambler's favor…regretfully.

"No…not regretfully!" Celeste immediately corrected herself. "She's being a useful pawn! I should be proud I was able to get her to act this way…I should…be proud…"

But she wasn't…and she knew it. Celeste had unintentionally transformed Hina into an accomplice. The poor girl was furthering her own demise, but wouldn't know it until it was too late. The kind, sweet, tender-hearted girl that everyone adored…was being replaced with the cruel and cold person that continually defended her.

"But…that's what I need," Celeste convinced herself, using her talent on herself. "I need Hina to be this way. It's the only way to achieve my dream. And once I have my castle…nothing else will matter."

Believing her own lie, Celeste smiled warmly and said, "Thank you, Hina. Shall I continue?"

Suddenly, Hina's cold demeanor vanished and her bright, bubbly smile made a surprise return. "Yup! You go for it, Celeste! Tell 'em all what really happened!"

Once more, Celeste fought off a shudder as Hina's personality rubbed off on her. However, she couldn't let her moment slip away, and decided to clear her throat to regain everyone's attention.

"Not long after I arrived, I heard the door open. However, before I could turn around, I was struck with a hammer on the side of my head." Celeste lifted a hand to her head and tenderly rubbed it. "I fell to the ground and as my consciousness faded, I saw what appeared to be Hifumi, being dragged away by someone in a robot suit—".

"T-That was me! She's talking about me!" Hiro chimed in, rudely interrupting her. However, a swift glare from Hina silenced him. "Sorry…"

Ignoring his interruption, Celeste continued, "Thinking quickly, I took a picture of the incident with the camera I obtained from our investigation."

"And where is this picture?" Kyoko stoically asked, her neutral expression giving nothing away.

Slumping her shoulders, the gambler let out a deep sigh. "Regrettably, I am unable to provide that…and I can explain why."

She added the last bit because it appeared that Junko was about to protest, her mouth half open in preparation to speak. However, as the Fashionista head those words, she closed her mouth and stayed silent…just as planned.

"When I next awoke, it was to the sound of moaning, and I looked up to see Hifumi standing over me, blood dripping down his face. Then, he suddenly collapsed on top of me…breaking the camera as he fell."

"That must have been after Mondo hit him with the door," Makoto concluded, earning a nod from Celeste. "And that's when Hina and I found you in the Rec room?"

"Exactly so," the gambler agreed, letting out a breath of relief. "I am truly fortunate that the two of you were there. Otherwise, I may have suffocated—".

"You see! Even when he wasn't trying to, Hifumi almost killed Celeste! That should have brought a bullying trial anyway!" Hina roared, pointing angrily at the fanfic creator, who looked more than a little embarrassed by the story. "This whole trial is pointless! We know that—

"Okay, that's enough of that!" Junko's voice sharply cut her off, startling the swimmer. "If you keep interrupting every two seconds, we're never gonna hear the whole story! We get it, you trust Celeste, but it's getting annoying listening to you constantly say the same thing! So just be quiet and let her finish telling her side of the story! Geez!"

Celeste watched as Hina's eyes widened, only now realizing how rude she was being…to everyone. Slowly, she took a step back and almost seemed to shrink as she whispered, "R-Right…sorry."

Almost without noticing it, Celeste's eye twitched. How dare that bitch treat Hina like that! What right did the Fashionista have to tell anyone else to be quiet, when she interrupted other people all the time! And to do it to Hina of all people! Sweet, bubbly, lovable Hina didn't deserve to be talked to like that! Besides, she hadn't done anything wrong…or so Celeste wished she could say. In reality, she was contributing to the class' collective downfall…she just didn't know it.

That's when a strange thought came to Celeste's mind.

"Why am I getting so upset about it anyway? Hina's not gonna survive the trial…so why should I care if she gets bitched out? I mean, yeah, it's annoying that she won't defend me as often but…yeah, that's it! I'm just upset because I don't like my pawn being silenced! That…must be it!"

With that resolution firmly in her head, she smiled gently at Hina and said, "Do not let the words of a simple fashion model trouble you. I will tell everyone the truth, just be patient."

Junko furrowed her brows at the comment but said nothing. At the same time, Hina let a nervous smile decorate her lips. "T-Thanks, Celeste."

Nodding back affirmatively, the gambler cleared her throat again and resumed her explanation.

"As you just heard, thanks to Makoto and Hina, I was saved from suffocation. Afterward, as you all know, Sakura arrived, and she carried Hifumi to the nurse's office, where we all gathered." She paused, letting her words sink in before continuing. "Then, after we all split up, Hina offered to make the two of us tea. I should have refused…but I allowed her to leave. I believed it would only take a few minutes, and with both Hifumi and Chihiro unconscious, I figured it would be a simple task to merely wait for her return. However, that was when—".

"—When I woke up…?" Chihiro finally spoke, a nervous expression on her face.

"Indeed," Celeste confirmed.

"Why don't you tell us what you saw, Chihiro?" Sayaka abruptly asked, earning a surprised 'eep' from the programmer. Seeing she'd scared her, the pop idol smiled warmly, which instantly relived Chihiro. "It may help us confirm which of them is telling the truth."

Hina visibly flinched at those words but said nothing, Junko's earlier words obviously having an impression on her. Meanwhile, Chihiro hesitated for a moment before she eventually spoke.

"It's…still kind of hazy but…I remember…seeing Celeste there. She was…really nice." Chihiro finally smiled, glancing toward Celeste. Instantly, the gambler felt a pang of guilt but forced it back down before it could grow stronger. At the same time, Chihiro finished, "I…asked her if she could get me a pillow. And when she did—".

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on there!" Mondo rudely cut in, startling Chihiro into silence. "How the hell did she get you a pillow?! I made sure to lock all of them in the closet!"

From deep inside, rage boiled within Celeste. So, Mondo was responsible for sealing away all the pillowed behind a door that was duct taped shut! He even put all the sharp tools like scissors in there too! She had to set her plans back a few minutes because of that bullshit! Hiding her anger beneath a smile, she couldn't keep herself from pressing the issue.

"Yes…and why exactly did you feel the need to do that?" she said politely, hoping no one would see the fury burning behind her crimson eyes.

Suddenly very self-conscious, the biker stammered, "W-Well, I-I figured that if I fell asleep or something, I should get rid of anything that could hurt Chihiro! That included the pillows because someone could have smothered her! And I wasn't about to let that happen!"

The rest of the class collectively groaned at his explanation…except for one.

"You…did that for me?" the programmer suddenly called out, a thankful smile spreading over her lips. "Thank you, Mondo!"

"I-It was nothin'…" Fighting off the blush that crept onto his face, Mondo shook his head before glancing toward Celeste. "A-Anyway, how the hell did you get the door open?!

Wordlessly, Celeste lifted her right hand and extended out her index finger, showing off the metallic claw that decorated it.

"…Well that makes sense," Hiro concluded for everyone.

"Do you remember anything else Chihiro?" Kyoko asked, patiently waiting for the programmer to reply.

Chihiro squeezed her eyes shut, as if trying to remember, but eventually sighed. "No…I remember when everyone came in to see me but…that's about it."

"Alright then, thank you." Kyoko's usually cold voice held a bit of warmth, but that quickly changed when she turned to face Celeste. "Please continue."

Celeste fought not to grit her teeth. This one was pretty rude too! She was usually so quiet, but during the class trials, she was practically a chatterbox! Luckily, that didn't matter. Celeste knew that her victory was almost guaranteed. So, she decided to finish 'recalling' her side of the story.

"As I was saying, after Chihiro awoke, I went to fetch Hina. And together, we called you all to the nurse's office. Then, as I explained earlier, I left the room for a moment to catch my breath…when I saw a masked figure heading up the stairs."

"The masked figure…" Junko repeated slowly, as if chewing on the words.

Her features hardened and not even Celeste could tell what she was thinking. The Fashionista had been difficult but not impossible to read, at least until now. The expression Junko wore was completely foreign to the gambler, and it made it all the more shocking when she suddenly dropped it and stared directly into the gambler's eyes.

"What happened next?" the Fashionista asked, her voice deeper than usual.

"We decided to pursue the masked individual," Byakuya suddenly intruded on the conversation. "We went in pairs, so as not to forsake alibis should the need arise. Which leads me to another important question."

Shifting his gaze, he stared down at Celeste, as she stood next to him, and she could easily see where he was taking this inquiry.

"Why exactly did you split up from Hina…a second time?" His tone was cold and cruel, as if challenging her. She did not appreciate that. Even from someone as 'high ranking' as him, it was insulting.

"I'll tell you why!" Hina abruptly spoke up again, mindful of her tone this time. "When Celeste and I went to the third floor to investigate, she lost an earring in the art room and went to get it!"

"I see," the Togami Heir replied, shifting his gaze over to the swimmer. "And you just let her go off on her own…again? You didn't question her leaving you alone…again?"

Again, Celeste suppressed her frustration at seeing someone verbally abuse Hina. It wasn't Hina's fault that she'd been manipulated! She was just too trusting! She believed everything Celeste had told her without question! If anything, it was Celeste's fault that—

"No! Not my fault!" she corrected herself, that strange feeling in her stomach returning. "It's Hina's fault for being such an idiot! She should have questioned me! I'm not at fault…I'm not…"

"Yeah, I did! So, what?!"

Hina's abrupt answer to Byakuya's taunt shocked the gambler to the core, slowly lifting her head to see the swimmer matching gazes with the Togami Heir.

"Celeste is my friend! She wouldn't lie to me! And she really was missing an earring! Plus, she was only gone for a minute or so before I heard her screaming for help!" Hina's gaze hardened, and she refused to back down from Byakuya's inquiry. "And when I saw her next, she still didn't have it on her! She must have been lured by Hifumi before she found her earring! He may have even lured her with that earring for all we know!"

As if triumphant smirk, Byakuya replied, "Oh really? Then why is it that said earring has been replaced? It seems a bit too convenient—".

"Uhrg! Obviously, we went to her room and got a spare!" Hina retorted before glancing toward Celeste. "Isn't that right?"

"Indeed," she answered almost automatically. "After the…incident, I wanted time to reapply my make-up…it had…became quite messy…"

Purposefully making her voice more downtrodden, she let out a sigh while making her body shuddered.

"As Hina said, after we split up to search each floor, I went to search for my lost earring…but found the Art Supply Room door open."

She paused, but made it appear as though she'd hesitated.

"Peeking inside, I saw Hifumi there. Seeing no danger at the time…I approached. He seemed…startled by my presence, as if he was nervous about something. He told me that he'd found something in the corner of the room…but when I turned toward where he was pointing, I heard him move. Turning around…I saw him raising up a hammer to strike me!"

Her voice trembled, and she threw her hands into her face, falsely sobbing. Through tiny gaps in her fingers, she focused her gaze on Hifumi, who seemed absolutely livid by her falsehood. However, he wisely remained silent, knowing that he would be quieted again, especially at such a critical point. Taking in an intentionally shaky breath, Celeste pretended to compose herself slightly.

"He…swung…but he missed…because I stepped backward and tripped, falling to the floor. I screamed…I screamed for help and ran toward the door…but he grabbed me." She visibly shuddered, pulling her hands away from her face and glaring at Hifumi. "He pulled me back and tried to hit me, but I kicked at him and broke free! I ran for the door but when I reached it, it was wouldn't open…it seemed to be jammed."

Strangely, Celeste noticed a guilty look cross Hina's face for a moment, though she didn't understand why. Deciding it was best not to question it, the gambler returned to her story.

"I screamed for help again, and I heard Hina just beyond the door. However, I was abruptly yanked back by the collar of my dress and thrown onto the floor…and there, I looked up to see Hifumi standing over me with the hammer…I thought…I was going to die…but then…"

She paused intentionally, allowing for another individual to support her 'story'.

"That's when I kicked down the door and saw Hifumi about to crack her skull open!" Mondo interjected, just as she'd foreseen. "So, I tackled him and—".

"Yes, yes, we know the story from there, thank you." Byakuya sighed, clearly annoyed, not wanting to hear the entire story again. "So now we have both of their testimonies…but where does that lead us?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Leon chimed in, seething. "Obviously it's easy to tell which of them is telling the truth—".

"No…unfortunately, it's not."

Everyone turned to see Makoto, a hand resting on his chin, deep in thought. He'd been silent for a while, which worried Celeste a great deal. The Ultimate Lucky Student had proven himself to be far more intuitive and intelligent than he appeared. Solving the first case, almost completely on his own, had raised some flags for the gambler. And while she knew he was often vulnerable to sympathy, he'd proven he was hardened enough to convict his friends of wrongdoing, if it meant ensuring the safety of the rest of the group.

Even so, Celeste wasn't all that concerned. She'd been careful, and made sure not to leave any evidence that might incriminate her. More than likely, he'd realized that. And her suspicions were confirmed when Makoto resumed speaking.

"There isn't any evidence that leads to their Hifumi or Celeste being the attacker." Makoto frowned and let out a depressing sigh. "Even with both their testimonies, it's virtually impossible to know which of them is lying. At this point…it's all a matter of who we believe to be telling the truth."

And there it was, the final strategy that Celeste had employed in this debate. By letting Hifumi tell everyone his side of the story, and consequently having to provide an 'alterative' story herself, she had found a way to make this case completely unsolvable! Not even Kyoko's sharp reasoning could find out the truth, evident by how silent the lavender haired girl was being right now.

Celeste knew her victory was close at hand, she just needed to solidify it.

"This truly is unfortunate," Celeste said to everyone, her voice filled with apparent worry. "I have no other means of proving my innocence other than my testimony. And…if you chose not to believe me, then we shall all perish while Hifumi stands as the only survivor."

"Is there…truly no way for us to identify who is lying?" Sakura asked, grasping at straws. "Perhaps if we go over their testimonies again—".

"And waste valuable time hearing the same inconsistent stories? I think not." Byakuya's harsh tone cut through the area, seeping into their ears, almost offensively. "At this point, all we can do is decide whom we think is guilty…and vote."

A deafening silence was ushered at those words, though Hifumi chose to seethe rather than become melancholy like his classmates.

"I-I have confessed to everything! I swear that everything I said is true!" the fanfic creator shouted to them, his frantic cries growing more and more desperate. "Please don't make the wrong choice now! If you vote for me, all of us will die!"

"Liar!" Hina countered, her vigor returning. "Once we vote for Hifumi, all of this will come to an end! Come on, guys! We all know he's the culprit. Right?"

"…I'm not so sure."

Hina's head snapped over to see Kyoko, a hand resting on her chin, her eyes closed, taking a deep breath. After exhaling, the stoic girl's eyes opened slowly, before hardening.

"Given that neither of the testimonies can be proven, it's entirely possible that one or both of them are lying." Her statement was cold…but firm, and everyone knew she spoke the truth. "That being the case, there's no way we can vote right now. We need to continue this discussion until we're able to discern—".

"Debating the matter further won't solve anything!" Disciplinary Committee Chairman Ishimaru challenged, earning a heated glare from Kyoko. Taking note of her gaze, Chairman Ishimaru continued, "However, I agree that voting prematurely could be deadly. Therefore, before we proceed with that, I would like to know where everyone stands on this matter."

Shifting his eyes around the room, glaring at each of the students, the Disciplinary Committee Chairman shouted, "Whom do you side with? Celeste or Hifumi? Which of them do you all believe is the culprit?"

"Obviously it's Hifumi!" Hina practically shouted, which surprised no one.

"I know what I saw! It's gotta be Hifumi!" Mondo joined in, nodding firmly toward the swimmer, who smiled and nodded back.

"I'm…I'm not sure," Sayaka spoke next, flinching as Mondo and Hina's eyes glared at her. However, her features instantly hardened and she resisted their gazes. "But…I don't think we should vote until we're sure of who the culprit it."

"I agree with Sayaka!" Leon, unsurprisingly, chimed in. "I…uh, can't really trust either of them, to be honest."

"Miraculously, we are in agreement," Byakuya almost begrudgingly concurred, which earned a scowl from Leon that was ignored. "I have no faith in either of them. They could both be lying, for all we know. And I will not vote until I am convinced of someone's guilt."

"I-I agree w-with Master! A-After all, M-Master's the o-only one I can t-trust!" Toko chimed in, but immediately fell silent after receiving a glare from Byakuya…panting like a dog in heat.

"Hifumi already admitted he was the one who attacked me!" Hiro fired off next, pointing angrily at the fanfic creator. "But…I don't know if he did it because of Celeste or not so…I don't really know either…But I guess if I had to choose…I'd vote for Hifumi!"

The entire class glared at Hiro, even Hina, who should have been thrilled he supported Celeste. His fickle nature was as unpredictable as always, which made him all the more annoying…

"I cannot deny that I am…uncertain about Celeste's innocence," Sakura confessed, looking away from Hina as shock overtook the swimmer's face. Then, a moment later, she found her resolve and turned to stare at her friend. "However, I am willing to put my faith in Hina. And if she truly believes that Celeste is innocent, then I will believe in her innocence as well."

Tears stung the corners of Hina's eyes, which she quickly wiped away.

"T-Thanks…Sakura."

The martial artist smiled at her friend, placing her faith in the hands of someone she knew could be trusted. Before their cause could gain momentum, however, a harsh voice disturbed the silence.

"I refuse to vote." Kyoko's comment was swift and stern, her arms folded across her chest, almost in defiance. "There's a hidden truth here…and we need to uncover it."

"Yeah, I think so too!" Makoto chorused, his resolve firmly set in place. "There's definitely more to this case…I can feel it."

Nearby, Junko was completely silent, though she did appear to be deep in thought, as if she wasn't really paying attention to the conversation.

"I see…then we are at odds then!" Disciplinary Committee Chairman Ishimaru called out, gathering everyone's attention. "Most of us are undecided, and we cannot risk not voting at all! The rules state that everyone must vote, or they will be punished! At the same time, if our opinions remain split on this issue—".

"Split…opinions? Did I hear someone say…your opinions were…split?!"

For the first time in quite some time, Monokuma's voice interrupted the students. As one, they turned to see the bear, standing up in its seat, its paws thrown up into the air, excitedly.

"Puhuhuhuhu! I just thought of a new way for you all to debate the innocence of your classmates!"

The bear's words sent chills down the class' spine, but they continued to listen.

"Alright! Here's how this is gonna go! Everyone back away from your podiums and get ready to debate!"

As Monokuma began to explain his new debate idea, Celeste felt a swell of confidence as her victory was all but assured.

"All of you who don't want to vote right now, get to the left side of the courtroom," Monokuma ordered, a sadistic glint in its eyes. "And those of you wanting to go ahead and vote the hentai artist as guilty, head over to the right side of the courtroom!"

Celeste had no idea what Monokuma was up to, but it didn't really matter either way.

"There's absolutely no way for anyone to contradict me! Plus, I've already got the sympathy vote! Everyone just loves a damsel in distress, and considering my normal attitude, a lot more of these idiots will feel sympathetic to my 'suffering'! Just like Hina—".

Celeste froze mid-thought. Her imagination conjured Hina, sweet and trusting Hina, her head beneath a guillotine…struggling and screaming for help as the blade came down and…ended her.

A sinking feeling of disgust welling up in Celeste's stomach. And almost made the mistake of looking over at the very alive swimmer girl. However, she refrained from that and immediately frowned, beating that feeling back down into the depths of her soul.

"Stop that! I don't feel guilty for doing this to her! She's just a pawn! Her sacrifice is needed for Celestia Ludenberg to have her castle—I mean, for me to have my castle! I AM Celestia Ludenberg! Taeko Yasuhiro doesn't need to exist anymore! And once this trial is over, I'll be free to live in my dream castle for the rest of my days!"

"Once all of you are in position, we'll officially begin what I've chosen, preemptively, to call…A SCRUM DEBA—!"

"We don't need to do that."

Junko's voice practically screeched in Celeste's ears, sending waves of nausea through her system. Glancing over, the gambler's crimson eyes widened as she took in the Fashionista's visage.

Junko Enoshima stood there with a fearsome scowl on her face, arms at her sides, hands clasped into fists, the very image of determination and confidence. And as much as Celeste hated to admit it…that expression terrified her. She had seen that expression on Junko's face only once before…after she'd burst in to save Leon during his execution. The Fashionista radiated power…a kind of strength that Celeste knew…she was no match against.

As if responding to her fears, Junko flicked her eyes over to Celeste for a moment before glaring menacingly at Monokuma.

"I know how to identify the culprit."

To Be Continued…

Greetings, my beautiful readers! What a dastardly development! Does Junko (Mukuro) truly know how to identify the culprit? Will Celeste be able to convince the other's of her 'innocence'? Why did the author tease a Scrum Debate only to take it away? (…because it was fun…) Find out the answers in the next thrilling chapter!

About the Scrum Debate, someone commented that it would be fun to see here, and I agreed. However, I absolutely HATE when DR fanfics try to write out the minigames from the trials. In my opinion, they feel clunky and destroy all semblance of narrative flow, which is why I don't use them in my stories. Sorry to any of you who really wanted it, but trust me, I've got something else pretty awesome planned for the next few chapters!

As always, leave a comment/review to tell me what you think of the story! Thanks again, and have yourselves a great day, my beautiful readers!