I am overwhelmed by the response to this fic! I have written up to chapter 5!
I have decided to go with a script format for the trials. I tried writing it out in prose format, but I got confused quickly. I wanted to integrate the Nonstop Debates and some other minigames into it, and it was much easier with script.
I read it over and I think its easy to read as well. And there's an in story reason for it.
I also found a quote for this fic! I love finding quotes for my stories!
"You can't go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending"-C.
Kokichi felt numb.
His beloved Saihara-chan was dead.
The detective's body was floating in Himiko's spare water tank. It didn't have much water in it. It was only about half full.
Maybe Yumeno-chan was using it as practice for her magic trick? He thought distantly.
He shook his head and studied Shuichi's body.
He had been stabbed a fair number of times; there was a particularly large wound in his chest. The water was tinged pink.
His face was also oddly puffy…
Kokichi took a closer look, unable to help himself, and immediately winced.
It was hard to see through the thick glass, but Shuichi was covered in bruises.
In addition to the stabbing, Shuichi's murderer had also beaten the crap out of him.
Kokichi heard a choking sound and then someone falling to their knees, but didn't look away.
He didn't need to see Kaito Momota's pain. He felt the same way.
Kokichi knew that his mask had slipped. He didn't care.
For a moment, just for a single moment, he could properly mourn Shuichi.
Everyone else was too shocked to notice his slip up anyway.
The thing was…Kokichi was surprised. And he hated it.
He had expected Ryoma to turn up dead, not Shuichi.
It just didn't add up.
Shuichi hadn't meant to die.
Kokichi teared up and pouted absurdly, readying himself for another performance.
"UWAAAAAH! WHY!? MY BELOVED SAIHARA-CHAN IS DEEAAAAADDD!" He cried, mustering an impressive amount of crocodile tears.
"Shut up Ouma." Ryoma snapped.
"Okay." Kokichi said, immediately stopping.
Several of his classmates glared at him.
Kokichi smirked back.
Good. He had to keep everyone at an arm's length.
"Why did this happen?" Kaito muttered lowly.
His bitter voice cut through the tense silence.
It even rattled Kokichi a little bit.
The Ultimate Astronaut sounded dead. It was quite a sharp contrast to his usual mood.
"Who did this? Who murdered my sidekick?!" Kaito suddenly screamed. He leapt to his feet and glowered at everyone.
He was crying and shaking. Tears were streaming down his cheeks and dripping on to the carpet.
"M-momota-kun, calm down." Tsumugi suggested timidly.
She reached out to him.
Kaito slapped her hand away and stumbled back.
"No! I won't…because I-I let this happen. This is my fault. I didn't stay with Shuichi last night." He rambled.
Kokichi supressed the urge to roll his eyes. It was just like Kaito to needlessly blame himself.
He didn't disparage Kaito's conduct, but in a killing game, breaking down was useless.
"Momota-chan, leave the room. Go and cool off." Kokichi demanded, letting some of his annoyance show.
Kaito's eyes narrowed into slits.
He opened his mouth to argue, then snapped it shut.
Without looking at anyone, he rushed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
The others watched him go with a mixture of grief and concern. Even Miu and Angie.
Someone cackled behind them.
They all turned around.
"My oh my! How unexpected! The Ultimate Detective has bitten the dust!" Monokuma chortled.
So, he didn't expect this as well. Does this mean that the masterminds plan went off the rails? Kokichi thought, plastering a massive grin on to his face.
The surviving Monokubs appeared.
Monophanie puked when she saw Shuichi's body. Monodam stayed silent. Monosuke adjusted his glasses and stayed silent.
In contrast, Monotaro was aghast.
"Nooooooo! Not the Ultimate Detective! He was my favourite!" He complained.
"Quiet Monotaro. Don't ruin the moment." Monosuke scolded his brother.
"Shut it kids. I need to brief the surviving students. Get outta here." Monokuma yelled abusively at his children.
The Monokubs yelped and ran away.
"Riiiight. You guys know the drill. One of you guys murdered Shuichi and became the blackened. In a few hours, the class trial will begin." Monokuma outlined.
"What about our motive videos?" Korekiyo asked. He sounded eerily calm.
"Oh. You can do whatever you want with them. They've accomplished their goal." Monokuma said lazily, waving a paw.
"So, we can finally watch all of them?" Kokichi shouted excitedly, feigning happiness.
"Excellent idea! Maybe I won't even need to provide another motive. It's such a pain to think up new and interesting motives to provoke you guys into slaughtering one another. I mean, this one really hit Saihara hard. It could do good for another." Monokuma quipped.
"Shut up!" Tenko abruptly proclaimed.
"Even if Saihara-san was a degenerate male- and he was the least degenerate male here- he didn't deserve this."
She stepped forward and glared at Monokuma. She was crying.
"Saihara-kun was Gonta's friend! Don't you dare make fun of him!" Gonta backed her up.
Monokuma pouted at them.
"Woah, you guys are fired up. It kinda makes me nervous. I hope you bring this passion into the class trial…" He trailed off uncertainly.
He cackled and put his paws to his mouth.
"I mean, you're really gonna need it. Saihara-kun was the one who did all the work in the first class trial. What on earth are you gonna do without him? I have a feeling the blackened is celebrating" He said smarmily.
The room descended into an uncomfortable silence as everyone realised that he was right.
Kokichi kept his smile up.
"We- we have to try!" Kiibo said, pathetically trying to rally everyone together.
"What would be the point? Saihara was the Ultimate Detective. None of you idiots are as sharp as him- as he was." Miusaid dejectedly.
Kiibo froze, stunned that the Ultimate Inventor was disparaging him.
"Everyone, Atua has spoken to me. Kiibo is right. We need to work together and solve Saihara's murder. Only then will we be at peace." Angie suddenly advised. She had her arms clasped in a serene prayer.
"Oh yeah? Your imaginary God is giving us a lecture now?" Miu retorted.
"Atua isn't imaginary. Angie's right. He's showing us the way. So, we gotta investigate." Himiko piped up, managing a lazy smile.
"Yumeno-chan is enlightened. All of you can learn from her." Angie beamed.
"Even if I don't believe in Angie's god, investigating seems a prescient course of action. If we don't, we won't be prepared for the class trial. And ergo, we will all die if we can't find the killer." Korekiyo pointed out.
"Yes. One of us is the blackened. We need to flush them out and convict them." Kirumi said slowly. She seemed sad.
"I'll help in any way I can!" Kiibo vowed.
"Gonta will as well!" Gonta roared.
Only Ryoma remained silent, dejectedly observing everyone's enthusiasm.
Monokuma grinned mockingly at them.
And with that, the killing game continues. Kokichi thought, eyeing his classmates warily.
He cocked his head.
I was counting on Saihara-chan to handle class trials and keep everyone in line. He would take all the attention, while I would keep my head down and try to find a way to end this fucking game. With him gone…these idiots will be easily swayed by the blackened and miss valuable clues. I have to step up and investigate, to stop the killing game from ending too soon. He realised sombrely.
"I'll help as well. I need to avenge my beloved Saihara-chan." He yelled.
Everyone looked at him with abject surprise. They hadn't expected his announcement.
My classmates don't like me. I'm going to need an ally of some kind. Someone who can make them listen to me. Kokichi reflected distastefully.
He hated relying on others…
No.
He didn't have to rely on anyone.
He just needed someone to lie to…someone he could pretend to rely on.
For that, there was only one person he could use.
"Monokuma, can I ask you to wait a moment before you hand out the Monokuma file?" He said softly, making sure his voice was as smooth as velvet.
"Sure. Do you need to go to the bathroom?" The bear mocked him.
"No. I think it would be best if we were all gathered here together before the investigation started. Momota-chan and Harukawa-chan aren't here." Kokichi said, feigning nonchalance.
"Hmmm. That does make sense. It is more dramatic if everyone starts investigating together. All right, as long as you're quick." Monokuma conceded.
"Good. All right everyone, I'm going to get Momota-chan." Kokichi shouted.
He hurried out of the room before anyone could try to stop him.
A few minutes earlier.
Kaito stumbled away from Himiko's lab.
He...he had let his dear sidekick down.
It was all his fault.
Last night, he had abandoned Shuichi and fled. And after that, the detective had been brutally murdered.
Fighting back tears, he angrily wiped his eyes with a sleeve and headed for the stairs.
He had to do something. Talk to somebody.
He couldn't go back to Himiko's lab.
He wasn't ready to face it yet.
It meant that there was only one person he could talk to.
Maki.
He quickened his pace.
A minute later, he reached Maki's lab and knocked desperately on the door.
After a moment's pause, she opened it.
Her expression was neutral. She didn't react to his tears.
"Momota, I don't want to join the investigation. Go and help Saihara." She said blithely.
Kaito took a deep breath, almost choking on the weight of his tears.
She didn't know.
"Harukawa, Shuichi is dead. H-he's been murdered." He blurted out.
Maki gave him a suspicious look.
She thought he was joking.
"I-I'm not kidding. He was just- his corpse was found floating in the water tank in Yumeno's lab." Kaito said slowly.
Maki widened her eyes.
She took a deep breath.
"Right. What do you want me to do? Shouldn't you be with the others? Don't you see me as a suspect?" She said.
"I don't. I-I wanted to ask you about last night- you were in your lab all night. Did you see anything?" He demanded, almost pleading.
"I only saw one person; Hoshi. We talked a bit and then he left. I can't give you any more information." She said.
"What time?" Kaito pressed.
"It was sometime past eleven. I don't know the exact time." She supplied.
Kaito deflated.
He looked at the floor, unable to meet Maki's stony gaze.
"Momota-san, go and join the others. I can't help you." Maki said coldly. She sounded annoyed.
Kaito balled his hands into fists.
He liked Maki, and he knew that she was burying her emotions.
He had wanted to befriend her and Shuichi and get her to come out of her shell.
However, with Shuichi's death, he just didn't see the point anymore.
He had lost all of his spirit.
"MOMOTA-CHAN!" An annoying voice screamed his name.
Maki glared behind him.
Kokichi came running up to them.
He pounced onto Kaito and gave him a big hug.
Kaito was too shocked to push him away.
The Ultimate Supreme Leader stood back and gave him a massive grin.
How can he be happy? At a time like this. Kaito thought listlessly.
"What do you want Ouma?" Maki seethed.
"Nothing with you. I need to speak with Momota-chan." Kokichi said smoothly.
Maki looked at him, then back at Kokichi.
"I think Momota would like to be left alone." She said diplomatically.
Kokichi's face went blank.
"I know, Harukawa-chan, but Saihara-chan is dead and we have a class trial in a few hours. I need Momota-chan's help." He revealed.
That got Kaito's attention.
"What?" Kaito muttered.
Kokichi perked up.
"Momota-chan, the investigation is about to start! I want you to help me avenge Saihara-chan, by helping me find and condemn his killer." He said.
"W-what?" Kaito repeated.
"Come on! Chop, chop. Monokuma said we had to be quick." Kokichi said softly.
Kokichi grabbed his arm and gently tugged on it.
"Oh, I almost forgot. Harukawa-chan, you can come with us if you want." Kokichi said.
Maki glared at him.
"I decline. You don't need me. Go and investigate by yourselves. I'll see you at the class trial." She said pointedly.
She turned around and entered her lab, leaving him alone with Kokichi.
"I had a feeling that she wouldn't want to come. Hooray! I have Momota-chan all to myself." Kokichi cheered.
He pulled on Kaito's arm again and started leading him away from Maki's lab when he didn't resist his grip.
Kaito didn't have the heart to stop him.
"Momota-chan, pull yourself together. What I said back there, I meant it. I need your help to investigate. With Saihara-chan gone…we need to up our game" Kokichi advised.
The smaller boy gave him a half pleading, half serious look.
Kaito blinked at him.
No tears fell from his eyes.
He had stopped crying.
"Okay. I'll help you." He whispered.
"Great!" Kokichi hummed, and continued leading him on.
When they reached the first floor, Kaito stopped.
"Momota-chan?" Kokichi questioned.
Kaito took a shuddering breath.
"Just give me a moment." He said.
Kokichi smiled brightly at him.
Then he gently squeezed his arm.
Kaito frowned at him.
Kokichi was still smiling.
"It's been a moment Momota-chan!" He chirruped and resumed his arm pulling.
When they finally reached Himiko's lab, Kaito removed his arm from Kokichi's hold.
Kokich pouted, but didn't say anything.
"It's time." Kaito said.
Kokichi sobered up.
"It's time." He agreed.
They entered Himiko's lab together.
Everyone else was still there.
Someone had removed Shuichi's body from the water tank. It had been laid down on the floor next to it.
Gonta was dripping wet, so Kaito knew it had been him.
Kiibo was the first person to notice their arrival.
"Momota-kun! Are you okay?" The robot asked.
The others clued in and began crowding around him and Kokichi.
Kaito smiled wanly.
"I'm okay, but thank Ouma. If he hadn't dragged me here, I wouldn't have come." He said.
"Finally, that fucker finally did something useful." Miu sniped.
"Shut up skank." Kokichi teased.
Miu wilted and backed down.
"Can we please stop fooling around?" Ryoma said stormily.
"Atua says that it's time to investigate." Angie approved.
"Y-yeah." Kaito muttered.
"About damn time. I've given you guys more than enough leeway. If I let you waste any more time, people might start thinking that I've gone soft." Monokuma said.
Kaito swallowed.
Maybe he wasn't ready-
"Nishishi. Then get on with it! Give us the second Monokuma file!" Kokichi jokingly berated the bear.
Monokuma grinned demonically at him.
"At least someone is excited for the class trial! All right, here is it! The Monokuma file!" The bear announced, producing the file from under his fur.
Kokichi eagerly grabbed it from him.
"Hey, hey! Don't grab things from your headmaster!" The bear chided.
"We need to investigate. You don't want the trial to be too boring, do you?" Kokichi challenged.
"Fair enough. Without Saihara, you guys will probably fail anyway. Now, I'm off. I need to get the trial room ready." Monokuma said.
He vanished.
Kaito bit his lip.
Shuichi led the trials…Kokichi is right! We have to do our best! Shuichi wouldn't want us to fail! He would want us to solve his murder and keep living! He decided.
"Don't lose hope everyone! We're gonna do our best and avenge Shuichi!" He declared, trying to summon some of his lost courage.
"You should never lose hope." Kiibo agreed.
"Kukuku. Very well." Korekiyo said strangely.
"Atua is with us." Angie said.
Kokichi ran up to Kaito and smiled at him childishly.
"You ready Momota-chan?" He said brightly.
Kaito nodded.
He turned to Shuichi's body.
Sidekick…I'll avenge you. He promised.
[INVESTIGATE]
Howzat?
Hope everyone is in IC.
Please leave a review!