A/N: Here's Chapter Four Daily Life Part Three. Please read, review, and enjoy!
Danganronpa 4: Next Generation Killing!
Chapter Four: Pride and Prejudice!
Daily Life Part Three: Sokyu on Trial!
Kiki practically sat on the edge of her seat, frowning at the sight of the obvious tension at the breakfast table. It should have been a normal breakfast for them. Kirumi dutifully served breakfast, like always, and everyone gobbled up their food. With everyone happy to have Kirumi's cooking, it should have seemed like there was no cause for alarm.
But it's not happy… She lamented as she saw everybody's gazes constantly shifting, their hands tightly gripping their utensils. Nobody said thank you when Kirumi gave them breakfast, and she didn't even say anything when she gave everyone their plates. Everyone's on edge, though I can't say I blame them.
Her gaze wandered towards Sokyu. The suspicious young man averted his gaze, opting to stare at his golden ring on his finger as he ate his meal. Though he by all appearances seemed unfazed, Kiki could tell that he was just as anxious as everyone else.
We're all dreading this decision we have to make…how we're going to hold him accountable for Lotus's death. We need to make a decision, but we can't let our emotions cloud our judgment. Kiki snuck quick glances at the other survivors. Seven's already proven that he's willing to take this seriously, and I think Shuichi can stay logical about this. But the others… Kiki's lip quivered. I'm not sure the others are putting their own feelings aside. I just hope we can give Sokyu a fair trial…
Seven cleared his throat, causing the others to turn to him. "Well, I think we've eaten our fill for the morning. Why don't we get to the elephant in the room?"
"Ah, yeah." Shuichi nodded. "We've probably put this off for too long as it is."
"So, how do you propose we go about this…?" Ryoma pondered. "Are we gonna hold a trial of some kind?"
"That seems like the most logical way to settle the issue." Keebo agreed.
"Well, at least we won't have to worry about gruesome punishments here…" Tsumugi sighed in relief. "Since we don't have to worry about Monokuma-"
"Did you call for me?!"
"…Great, I jinxed it…" The cosplayer's shoulders slumped as Monokuma appeared on the table, holding a gavel in his paw.
"If you guys are holding a trial, I can be the judge! I have lots of experience with trials, so I'm the most qualified to be a judge. I even came prepared with my gav-AH!"
Monokuma shrieked as Kirumi swiftly swiped the gavel. Her eyes narrowed in a disapproving glare, causing the bear shivered in slight fear.
"I'm afraid your services are not required. I shall preside as judge, and I give my word that I shall be fair and impartial, without offering any incendiary remarks."
"But-"
"We are quite capable of managing our own affairs, let me assure you. You may preside over any and all murder trials in this school, but in this civil trial, we can come to a decision without you."
"You heard her, get lost." Sokyu's voice was curt and sharp as Monokuma hung his head and hopped off the table.
"Alright, alright, I get it. Geez, I try to offer my help, and this is what I get? I am so misunderstood…"
Everyone sweatdropped as Monokuma waddled out of the Dining Hall. Kiki sighed in exasperation, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"Okay, so we all agree that Kirumi's going to be the judge?" Seeing everyone nod, Kiki nodded. "Okay, then let's get this trial over with."
"Gonta will help to move the chairs. Just tell Gonta where to move them and Gonta will do it."
Kirumi smiled appreciatively at the gesture. "Much appreciated, Gonta. In that case…"
Everyone else stood up as Kirumi explained the setup to the gentle Gonta. Kiki frowned, biting her lip in anxious anticipation.
Well, guess we're gonna start soon…
"…It's starting…" Mokubo muttered as they watched Gonta move the chairs and tables around.
"Sokyu's gonna get punished, right?" Koto asked hopefully.
"Yeah, he killed Lotus, and he needs to pay for that." Kiri agreed with a nod.
"It's not quite that cut and dry." Kyoko furrowed her brow, unsure of how things would all turn out.
"Yeah, remember, Sokyu acted in self-defense, so that muddies things a bit." Makoto reminded them with a conflicted frown.
"If she's anything like her father, Kiki will probably push for forgiveness." Maki predicted as Makoto scratched his cheek with an awkward smile. "The question is whether she can get the others on board."
"That might prove difficult…" Mokubo lamented.
The others frowned at Mokubo's skepticism. Keeping silent, they anxiously turned their attention back to the television.
Kiki frowned as she stared at Kirumi, who was occupying a small table in front of her. Sokyu sat a meter from Kirumi's side, sitting in a chair. The defendant crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes narrowed with hostility at the jury.
Said jury sat at the longer table set up a meter away from Kirumi's. Kiki sat with Gonta and Seven on one side, while Ryoma, Tsumugi, and Keebo sat on the other. Sandwiched between her and Tsumugi was Shuichi, who seemed like he wanted to duck under his cap and avoid Sokyu's intense stare. Kiki's eyes softened as she sympathized with the detective.
I don't wanna be here right now either, but we have to do this. If we don't, we'll never be able to move forward…
Kiki's thoughts were interrupted by the bang of Kirumi's gavel against the table. Everyone sat up straight, except for Sokyu, who averted his eyes away from Kirumi.
"Let's start these proceedings. We all know why we're here."
Ryoma nodded. "Sokyu killed Lotus, but because of the circumstances of her murder, he wasn't punished at the Class Trial."
"Yeah, so we have to figure out ourselves what to do about it." Tsumugi sighed.
"Personally, I believe that some punishment is in order." Keebo admitted. "But I shall withhold final judgment until the vote."
"We know the basics of what happened…but perhaps some clarification about his actions could better inform our decision?" Shuichi offered.
"Yeah, I agree." Kiki nodded.
"Gonta believes it's important to double check and make sure we come to the right decision."
"Okay, so where do you wanna start?" Seven wondered.
"If you don't mind, I shall handle the questioning of the defendant." Kirumi suggested. Seeing no reaction from the jury, she turned her head and asked, "Sokyu, why did you refuse to investigate Clover's death? We know that you had no hand in it, and that you said earlier you didn't want to be accused of tampering with evidence, but why did you believe we would accuse you of that?"
"…Lotus had already accused me of cooperating with Monokuma. She freakin' thought I was the mastermind. Under those circumstances, would any of you want me within 100 meters of the crime scene?"
"Very well, but why did you not come clean at the start after your altercation with Lotus?"
"I panicked. I had no idea what was gonna happen to me. All I knew was I couldn't let anyone find out, not unless I wanted to be executed. I had no idea of Monokuma's First Come, First Serve rule."
Kirumi nodded, humming in contemplation as Kiki realized, That must be why he ran past me and Shuichi in the hallway. He must have been so scared that he didn't even see us…
"I assume that's why you asked Monokuma for clarification when we all gathered for the body discovery." Kirumi's brow furrowed in confusion. "But then why did you not tell us the truth? You were in no danger of being executed, after all."
Sokyu shrugged. "I figured if we only solved Clover's murder, then we wouldn't need to explore Lotus's death. Then we'd all live to see another day, and nobody would find out what happened between me and the crazy bitch."
Kiki winced at his wording but frowned in sympathy. He didn't want anyone to find out that he had blood on his hands. I guess I can understand that…even if I don't approve of what he did.
"Please refrain from unnecessarily insulting the victim." Kirumi gently cautioned.
Sokyu quietly exhaled through his nose, seeming to ignore Kirumi's warning. The jury grimaced at the defiant gleam in his eyes before Kirumi continued her questioning.
"One final question. How do you feel about Lotus's death? Do you believe what happened was justified?"
"Didn't you hear me at the trial? The old hag went batshit crazy and lunged at me with a knife, unprovoked! I sure wasn't gonna die, so I fought back with what I had at my disposal. As far as I'm concerned, she had it coming."
Kiki winced at Sokyu's unrepentant response before her eyes wandered, noticing the others display signs of anger. Clenched fists, narrowed eyes, and slight scowls at Sokyu's unrepentant attitude were in plentiful supply. Miraculously keeping her cool, Kirumi merely sighed in disappointment.
"I see…very well, that ends the questioning. Since I am the judge and Sokyu is the defendant, neither of us will be voting. So, we shall leave his fate in your hands."
Kiki spoke first. "I'm not defending his actions here. I don't think it's right that Lotus had to die, nor do I appreciate his attitude about the incident. That being said…it doesn't change the fact that he acted in self-defense. I don't think it's right to punish him for something he was forced to do. Let's just let bygones be bygones, okay? I'm voting to not punish Sokyu."
Tsumugi, Keebo, and Ryoma grimaced at Kiki's words, their brows furrowed as they contemplated her words. Seven cleared his throat, attracting their attention.
"I've been…going back and forth on this for a while…" Seven admitted, tugging on the edge of his beanie. "Of course, I don't think he should've killed Lotus…but I have to admit, she did kinda bring it on herself. She instigated the attack, not him. This seems like a clear and cut case of self-defense to me. We can all be mad at him if we want, but a sanction seems like a bridge too far to me. I'm also going to vote not to punish him."
"Gonta won't vote for punishment, either!" Gonta clenched his fists, his eyes blazing with passion. "Gonta can't even imagine what it felt like to be in that situation. Gonta doesn't believe that gentlemen would punish people for defending themselves."
Ryoma sighed, shaking his head. "I get that it was in self-defense, but my issue is that he hasn't shown an ounce of remorse or repentance. I killed an entire mafia, but I let myself get arrested. I knew I needed to pay for what I did and owned up to it. I can't just let go of the fact that he hasn't even apologized once. I'm sorry, but I have to vote to punish him for it."
Tsumugi nodded reluctantly. "Yeah…I don't think it's wise to let someone with such a checkered morality back into our party. It'd be one thing if he underwent a redemption arc to boost his place on the scale, but he hasn't shown even the slightest interest in even trying. Sorry, but I also have to vote to punish Sokyu."
Keebo sighed. "I said before that I was leaning in favor of punishment, and I'm afraid this trial hasn't swayed my decision. Logically, I understand that this was a case of self-defense. But I also believe that we need to hold him accountable for his actions. What that entails is open for debate, but I believe first and foremost that there needs to be consequences for his actions. I'm voting for punishment."
"I see…" Kirumi hummed before her eyes focused on Shuichi. "Shuichi, you're the deciding vote. Should Sokyu receive punishment, or should he be let off without consequences?"
Everyone stared at Shuichi, causing him to squirm in his seat. He pulled the bill of his cap over his eyes, closing them as he cradled his chin in his free hand. Deep in concentration, he hummed, heavily weighing both arguments. At last, he sighed, opening his eyes and shaking his head.
"Sorry…I can't…" Everyone's eyes widened in shock. "Everyone's bringing up good points. I honestly can't say which side has more weight. And I…I don't want to make a hasty judgment based on emotions. I'm sorry, but I have to abstain."
ABSTAIN?! Kiki shrieked in her mind. What do you mean, abstain?!
"Well…this is quite the pickle we're in…" Ryoma muttered.
"Yeah, we never figured out what we were going to do with a tie vote." Tsumugi lamented.
"And we have no way of breaking the tie unless Shuichi changes his mind."
"So…what are we gonna do? Since we're deadlocked and all…" Seven pondered.
"Kirumi, what do you think?" Gonta asked hesitantly.
Kirumi sighed, taking a deep breath to collect her thoughts. "…This case is both simple and complicated at the same time. I will not share my opinion, as I promised I wouldn't vote in these proceedings. As Shuichi said, both arguments have merit. But given that the vote is deadlocked, I feel that I must rule in the best light of the defendant. Since the jury has failed to meet a simple majority vote to convict the defendant, I must rule in their favor and against sanction."
The sound of the gavel echoed in their ears as Kirumi banged it against the table. Sokyu stood up and dusted off his pants.
"So can I go now?"
Not waiting for an answer, he got up and walked out of the Dining Hall. Everyone else grimaced at the sight of the disappearing defendant.
"Well…I'd say court is adjourned." Kirumi sighed. "Gonta, would you mind helping me move these tables and chairs back?"
Gonta nodded, an uneasy smile on his face. "Sure, leave it to Gonta."
"We'll help too, right?" Seven offered, causing the others to nod.
Without another word, everyone got to work. As Kiki picked up a chair, she couldn't help but frown, somewhat dismayed by the outcome.
Why do I feel like the tension just got worse than it already was…?
"I should be surprised that Kiki forgave him so easily…but I guess we should have expected this…" Koto sighed.
Kiri nodded, concurring, "Yeah, she's always been the most forgiving one in the family…other than Dad."
Mokubo sighed, reluctance in his heavy voice. "Unfortunately, her forgiveness may have made things worse. They couldn't come to a majority decision, so they're right back where they started."
"Indeed." Kyoko pursed her lips, unsure of what to add to the conversation. With things at a stalemate, those who are suspicious of Sokyu will become even more paranoid…and those who merely want peace and unity may find themselves caught in the crossfire.
"If only Shuichi had just picked a side…" Maki lamented. "Then they wouldn't even be in this situation."
"Well, there's not much they can do about it now." Makoto sighed. "We just have to hope that Kiki can come up with something to ease the tensions before things come to blows."
Kyoko frowned, dreading that very possibility as she and the others turned back to the TV screen. They watched as a frustrated Kiki sat on her bed.
"Well, that didn't settle things at all…" Kiki moaned as she resisted the urge to tug on her braid. "That trial should have settled everything, but it just prolonged our tension."
The heterochromatic girl took a deep breath to calm down. Once she exhaled and regained control of her emotions, she allowed herself to sift through her thoughts once more.
"I understand their feelings, I really do. But is Sokyu's attitude really enough of a reason to punish him? To overlook his claim of self-defense? And Shuichi…why didn't he say anything? Even if it wasn't my side, why couldn't he just pick one? Then this could have been over with…"
With a groan, she got to her feet, hopping off the bed. A determined gleam shone in her eyes as she slipped her feet into her sneakers.
"I gotta find Shuichi. I gotta get him to tell me why he abstained. Even if I don't end up agreeing with it, I need to know what his reasons were, or I'm gonna go crazy thinking about it!"
Shaking the thought from her head, she strode to her door and opened it. As she closed it behind her, her feet moved with focus, willing to take her wherever she needed to until she found Shuichi.
"Hey! Shuichi!"
"Huh?" Shuichi turned and saw Kiki enter the dojo, an unusually agitated look in her eyes. "Ah, Kiki. I was just taking inventory in the Dojo."
"I see…" Kiki glanced at the equipment Shuichi gestured to, temporarily pushing away her anxiety. "There really is a lot of stuff here…arrows, kendo swords, and…is that a gold katana?!"
Shuichi nodded at the golden Japanese sword hanging on the opposite wall, sticking out like a sore thumb against the dull white surface. "Yeah, careful though." He cautioned. "Seven told me earlier that the gold paint on that sword comes right off if you so much as touch it. Apparently he found out the hard way and had to grab some gold paint from the Art Room to put it back on."
Noted… Kiki nodded, making a mental note not to touch that sword. "So what made you decide to come to the Dojo?"
"Ah, well…today's trial was kind of…weighing on me, so I thought maybe I could use some of the practice equipment to burn off some steam."
Kiki nodded in understanding. I guess I was the same way… Her eyes lit up in realization before she suggested, "Hey, Shuichi, why don't we practice with some of the kendo equipment together?"
"Ah, do you know kendo?" His voice betrayed his curiosity before Kiki shook her head.
"No, but how hard can it be? If nothing else, we can exhaust some of our energy by swinging these fake swords around."
"True, plus, they're not sharp at all, and neither of us have the physical strength of Gonta or Seven, so we should be okay."
"Okay, then let's get some of the equipment out of the lockers and suit up."
Shuichi chuckled. "Sure, let's get the lockers open."
Free Time Event #14: Kiki & Shuichi!
Gloves, helmets, and numerous other accessories lay scattered around the duo. Exhausted, the two of them were breathing heavily. Shuichi wiped the sweat from his brow before replacing his hat back on his head.
"I'd say…I got enough exercise…for the day…"
Kiki giggled, ignoring her aching lungs. "Yeah, me too. I think I'm gonna need to take to cool off in my room after we put this equipment away."
"Ah, I can take care of that." Shuichi offered. "It's not that big a deal, so I can handle the cleanup while you get some rest."
Kiki smiled appreciatively. "Thanks, Shuichi…" Her eyes lit up as she suddenly remembered why she sought him out. "Oh, but before I go…I had something I wanted to talk to you about."
"Ah, what's that?" Shuichi's brow furrowed in curiosity before Kiki bit her lip anxiously.
Well, here goes… "It's…about the…mock trial…"
"Oh, you're…wondering why I abstained, right?"
Kiki nodded, impressed by his deduction. "You catch on quick. Yeah, it's been bugging me since we left the Dining Hall, and…" Kiki sighed. "I'm not…saying I expected you to take my side or anything…but I…I just needed to know why you abstained. I know you said that you couldn't decide…but why, though?"
Shuichi sighed, taking a deep breath as he carefully chose his words to explain his viewpoint. "As a detective, it's important to avoid taking sides. My objective is to search for the truth, not to pick winners or losers. Even though I've been afraid of searching for the truth for the longest time…I've tried to take that perspective of impartiality to heart."
Maybe you should have been the judge, then… Kiki thought.
"But in this case…there was no truth to be found. We already found the truth during Clover's trial. Our new objective was to decide what to do with the truth."
"So…you didn't know what to do when you had to be the deciding vote?"
Shuichi nodded. "I tried my best to listen to everyone and come to a conclusion, I really did. But…I…found myself agreeing with both arguments. Objectively speaking, it was an open and shut case of self-defense. Legally speaking, self-defense is a defense against a murder charge, so if we were in a court of law, he would have a reasonable chance of being acquitted."
"…But…?"
"…But we're not in a court of law. And Ryoma, Tsumugi, Keebo…they're…not wrong, at least from a moral standpoint. Actions have consequences, and we have to consider the fact that not only did he obstruct our search for the truth in the last trial, but he didn't even show any remorse that Lotus was dead. It just…rubs me the wrong way!"
Kiki nearly flinched, startled by the rare intensity in Shuichi's eyes. As quickly as it came, though, it dissipated. Shuichi sighed and shook his head, silently apologizing for his passion.
"Anyway…I couldn't reconcile those feelings, so I…chickened out…I know abstaining was just the easy path, that it's just prolonging the inevitable, but even so, I…I'm sorry…"
Kiki's brow furrowed, the girl biting her lip as she tried to reconcile Shuichi's feelings with her own exasperated emotions. I guess I can somewhat understand…but still…we don't have the luxury of being indecisive here! We're still at a stalemate, and if this goes on for much longer…if we continue to distrust each other…who knows what'll happen?!
Kiki kept her thoughts to herself, however. Instead, she stood up and turned her back to the concerned detective.
"Thanks for telling me, Shuichi. I'm sorry, I just…need to think…"
"…Okay…" Shuichi hesitantly nodded. "I'll, ah, see you later, Kiki."
Kiki nodded one last time before she strode out of the Dojo, leaving Shuichi to clean up their mess. With a heavy sigh, she reflected on her conversation with the detective.
Well, I certainly understand Shuichi a little better…even if I don't agree with his philosophy. I was hoping we'd get closer to a resolution. But…I feel like that's still out of reach…
"Ano…" Koto began hesitantly. "Is it me, or did things seem…tense between Kiki and Shuichi."
Kiri reluctantly shook her head. "No, she kinda looked like how Mom looks at Dad whenever they have a fight."
Makoto and Kyoko blushed in embarrassment. Despite their loving relationship, they did have the occasional lovers' quarrel, and Kyoko's habit of giving Makoto the cold shoulder hadn't disappeared with age.
"A-Anyway…" Kyoko cleared her throat. "Kiki's not wrong. The longer they put things off, the more likely things are to get out of hand."
"Yeah but punishing Sokyu for defending himself isn't the answer." Makoto argued. "That's just gonna create more bad blood between everyone. They need to find a way to bridge their divides."
"You two are a perfect symbol of the tug-of-war the group is facing right now." Maki pointed out with a wry smile.
"…I'm worried for Nee-chan…" Mokubo muttered, his lips tugging into an anxious frown. "She can't focus on keeping everyone together if she's conflicted herself."
The living room fell silent, the lavender-haired boy's words weighing heavily on their minds. All they could do was watch helplessly as Kiki continued to navigate her inner turmoil.
Kiki sighed as she crawled into bed, mentally exhausted by the events of the day. Whatever composure she had regained from her rest in her room had almost instantly evaporated when she sat down for dinner.
Ryoma, Tsumugi, and Keebo were eyeing Sokyu suspiciously all throughout the meal, and even Kirumi seemed to keep a closer eye than usual on him. The trial this morning was supposed to put everything to rest, but because Shuichi couldn't come to a decision, it's just made everything worse. I understand why he was scared to make a choice…but he's not helping everyone by not participating!
Kiki took a deep breath, struggling to relax under the immense pressure. After several deep breaths, she managed to calm down.
I just…I just want us to stick together. I want us to stand strong against Monokuma. But…we're so busy suspecting each other…that we're forgetting who our real enemy is. But I don't see things getting any better anytime soon… I just…hope it won't be too late by the time that we do…
With one last, anxious shudder, Kiki closed her eyes. She fell into a mostly restless sleep, staying completely still under the covers as what should have been a peaceful night merely allowed her worst anxieties to fester within her troubled soul.
"You can trust a dishonest man to be dishonest. It's the honest ones you wanna watch out for…Cuz you can never predict when they're gonna do something…incredibly stupid. It's honestly easier to go through life without telling a single lie. Which means honest people are just lazy jerks who'd rather coast through life."
"By the way, the recent trend of encouraging honesty is actually a lie. You see, it's better for liars if there are more honest people in the world to deceive. They've been lying about that trend so there can be more stupid honest people…But that might be a lie, too. Puhuhuhuhu."
Makoto groaned as he turned off the TV, the two Monokumas on the TV vanishing from sight. "I feel like I'll never be able to watch Pirates of the Caribbean the same way again…"
"Don't let Monokuma ruin the movie for you." Kyoko urged him. "It's not worth the effort." Makoto nodded before his wife stood up and offered her hand. "Come on, let's get to bed. The children are fast asleep, so we should head that way too."
Makoto nodded, taking his wife's hand and allowing her to pull him to his feet. They shuffled out of the living room, anxious frowns on their faces as they prayed that the inner turmoil within the group would right itself before they faced the dire consequences of discord.
