Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to the Danganronpa series. I only own Hikari Seishin and her family. I also do not own any video games I mention in this fanfic.
Note: I try to make the story as canon as I can with obvious creative liberties. Please let me know if any of the original cast is OOC and I will do my best to fix it.
Sorry it took so long! This is my longest or 2nd longest chapter of the story so far. Enjoy!
Chapter Twenty-Two
A Killer Movie
Hikari walked out of her cottage, feeling the crisp morning air as she was locking the door behind her. "I can't believe I woke up so early…I still have a lot of time before the morning announcement," the Spirit Medium said to herself happily as she started to walk to the entrance of the hotel's compound. The bespectacled girl couldn't help but peek towards the boys' cottages as she strolled by. I wonder if they're up…They're probably still sleeping… Hikari thought curiously before noticing something unusual that caused her to a standstill. "Huh?" she murmured as she saw Hajime's cottage door was ajar. Why is Hinata's door open…? Hikari whirled in the direction towards the boys' cottages and fidgeted slightly in hesitation. Should I check up on him? He could be asleep…or in trouble… Despite her conflicting thoughts, the young woman walked the short distance to Hajime's place and slowly peeped through the open door into his room. What Hikari saw inside made her jaw drop.
On Hajime's bed, Mikan was on top of Hajime yet again, her body in almost the same position as last time. Hikari watched in shock as Mikan held the boy's face close to her chest, Hajime squirming underneath her in an attempt to wake her up or somehow escape. The spying girl thought she was seeing red when she heard Mikan giggle in her sleep and pressed her breasts against the trapped Hajime's face. "N-No, stop…you're tickling me…!" Mikan murmured drowsily.
Then, without fully realizing what she was doing, Hikari stormed into Hajime's room and went to the side of the bed. She roughly grabbed a handful of Mikan's uneven dark purple hair at the scalp and pivoted her tiny body to the right. "Nnnnaaagh!" the Spirit Medium grunted as she used all of her strength to throw Mikan off of Hajime, causing the Nurse to face plant on the hardwood floor with her rear end sticking up in the air and partly exposing her white panties which seemed to be a size or two too small. Hajime stared at the petite girl in absolute shock, watching her body shake with adrenaline rushing through her veins. "You...okay, Hinata?" he heard Hikari ask him in between heavy breaths, her head turned to her left to check on him, her chest heaving from her body overexerting itself. Hajime wasn't too sure if Hikari was angry or not when he caught sight of the intimidating glint reflecting off of her glasses. He soon found his answer when the Spirit Medium spun around rapidly with a stern, yet concerned look on her face. "Breathe, Hinata…!"
"Ugh…urgh…" Hajime sputtered out hoarsely, reminding himself that he was able to inhale without a whole body crushing his lungs.
Hikari sighed a little, feeling relieved when Hajime was gradually catching his breath and seeing the blue that was prominent on his lips and face fade into a healthier color. At that point, the bespectacled girl froze when her deep blue eyes travelled over the boy's body to find that his tie was gone and his white shirt was buttoned all the way down, exposing his torso. Her face turned scarlet as she openly stared at the ahoged teen who was sitting up by now but still recovering his breath. The two frazzled teens weren't aware of Mikan glaring with a scowl at the wood floor or that she balled her hands into tight fists before she quickly changed her demeanor.
"Oh…" Mikan whimpered as she scrambled to her feet clumsily and moved toward Hajime, tears falling down her cheeks, "I'm so glad… I thought you died from suffocation…"
"You're the one who caused it…!" Hikari retorted as she shot a sharp glare at the Nurse standing behind her, who cowered and raised her arms to her face defensively.
"Eeeek! I-I'm sorry…!"
Hajime sweatdropped and cleared his throat a couple of times before he tried to speak normally. "T-Tsumiki…why are you…why are you here…? The Monokuma Announcement…hasn't aired yet…"
Hikari crossed her arms and stepped to the side so Hajime can clearly see Mikan, the Spirit Medium's mood still sour even though she had a good view of Hajime's bare upper body peeking from the open shirt. Mikan's lower lip trembled with watery eyes. "Huhhhh…now that you mention it…" Suddenly the Nurse gasped loudly and started to act frantic. "Ha-wa-wa! I came here to wake you up, but it seems I accidently fell asleep!" Hikari bit the inside of her cheek in order to keep herself in check, gripping her arms tightly in irritation.
"You could've went to my place to wake me up…" the angered girl said, pronouncing her words in a slow and calm tone so as not to frighten the skittish teen before her.
"O-Oh…I did, but…there was no answer and your door was locked…" Mikan replied meekly. "Besides, Hinata's cottage was closer to the entrance than yours or Kuzuryuu's…" Hikari frowned deeply, sensing something off about that answer for some reason, but not able to pinpoint why. The bandaged girl continued to speak, "But good news… Y-You see…Komaeda's condition has stabilized." The cautious feeling evaporated when hearing about the improvement of Komaeda's health even if it was minimal progress.
"R-Really!?" Hajime asked incredulously, feeling overjoyed that some good news was coming their way at last.
"And…I rushed over to let you guys know, but Kuzuryuu's and Seishin's rooms were locked so…"
Hajime sighed weakly. "Oh yeah…my lock is still broken. Thanks Mioda…"
"Oh, so it was your door that Mioda kicked in the night before she got sick," Hikari pointed out with a sheepish smile. "When she was going around reminding everyone about the party held at the music venue, Mioda admitted to me that she kicked someone's cottage door in..." the Spirit Medium explained when Hajime raised an eyebrow at her.
Mikan looked back and forth between the two before getting herself worked up to grab their attention. "A-Anyway, please hurry over! Komaeda can probably be saved!"
Hajime blinked and nodded dumbly. "Y-Yeah…got it."
"You should get ready first…" Hikari advised, blushing and averting her eyes after she took one last look at the disheveled boy.
"Huh…?" Hajime said, confused before noticing his appearance and started to redden in embarrassment. The black-haired girl started to push the worried-looking Nurse out of the room, following the taller girl.
"We'll wait outside," Hikari called out as the teenaged boy got out of bed to get ready, the Spirit Medium closing the door behind her. Hikari stepped into the sunlight, not quite sure if her face was still burning because of seeing Hajime like that or because of the sun's rays. Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my god! Hikari thought as she felt her heart flutter, giddiness bubbling in her chest. I can't believe I saw that! The excitable girl placed her hands on her blushing cheeks, trying her best to calm down, forgetting all about Mikan standing nearby who appeared to be very restless. After a few minutes, Hajime came out of his cottage fully dressed.
"I'm all set. Let's go," Hajime said before the three teens hurried to the hospital.
By the time they entered the medical facility and reached Nagito's room, Hikari's mood changed from giddy to apprehensive. Mikan and Hajime walked into the Luckster's room without a second thought while the Spirit Medium paused, her fingers itching to instinctively go where she wore her necklace despite her mind knowing that she wasn't wearing it. With a deep breath, Hikari walked into the room cautiously. There, she actually saw Nagito conscious and sitting up in his bed. Wow, he's really awake…
Mikan clasped her hands and approached the slightly drooling patient. "Komaeda! Can you hear me? Hinata and Seishin came by to see how you were doing!" Hajime nodded slowly, a bit surprised to see the pigtailed girl present. The plain teen glanced to his right when he sensed how close she was to him, feeling the tension radiating off of her rigid body next to him.
"You okay…?" he whispered to Hikari who gave a timid nod.
"Y-Yeah…" Hikari instantly held her breath when Nagito turned his head to look at his visitors with crazed eyes.
"…" the white-haired teen stared blankly at Hajime and Hikari before he began to speak. "The twin Miodas are singing… I see…Mioda must've been a twin duo…" Nagito gasped loudly as if the sickly boy had an epiphany, sweat starting to form on his face. "…The Veronicas!"
Hajime looked at Mikan uncertainly. "…Is he supposed to be cured?"
"I-It's not like he's completely cured. He was just able to recover from his critical condition…" Mikan whimpered, tears forming in her light greyish-purple eyes.
"They were utilizing their characteristic as twins and they've been taking turns appearing before me…" Nagito rambled on. "Which means…there are actually eighteen people on this island." Hikari widened her eyes when the Luckster grabbed the Spirit Medium's wrist tightly, staring at her intensely. "The Veronicas…that's the answer!" he exclaimed with a raspy laugh, his face turning a bit purple before trying to catch his breath again. Hajime frowned and wrenched Hikari's hand from Nagito's grip, observing the sickly teen warily. Hajime could already feel his energy being sapped from his body the longer he had to stay around Nagito. He didn't notice how terrified Hikari was until he felt her hand trembling in his hold.
"Seishin…?" he whispered with concern, looking over the petite girl.
"I'm…okay…" Hikari answered almost inaudibly, still looking spooked. "Just…caught me off guard…"
Mikan started to blubber, tears freely flowing from her eyes. "Heee…but I'm so glad. I'm so relieved Komaeda regained consciousness," the Nurse hiccupped between sobs, acting as if nothing troubling just happened between Nagito and Hikari. "Waaaaaaah…! I'm sooooo glaaaad…!" Hajime glanced over at Mikan and sweatdropped.
"Hinata…?" the Spirit Medium mouthed, her blue eyes focused on what was in front of her, her cheeks starting to redden.
"Hm…?" Hajime hummed before he realized that he was still holding Hikari's hand, a pink hue coloring his face. "O-Oh…! S-Sorry…!" he chuckled nervously and let go of his friend's hand as if it suddenly burned him.
Seeing that she was grabbing neither Hajime's nor Hikari's attention, Mikan started to have a nervous breakdown. "Ah, I feel dizzy. Somehow…everything is spinning around me," the Nurse slurred as she gripped her hair and swayed side to side.
"Shouldn't you…get some rest already? You should be exhausted from nursing without any sleep, right?" Hajime asked Mikan with concern.
Hikari nodded in agreement. "You really should take a break. We can have you get burnt out or sick."
The apron-wearing girl, still feeling light-headed, looked at both of the healthy teens. "Then, if you insist, I will use the on-call room upstairs…" She stepped toward the door and glanced back. "You both must be mentally exhausted, so it's better if you relax in the lobby instead."
Hajime grinned weakly. "Yeah…I'll do that."
"Then…even though it's the morning, good night…" Mikan joked with a tired smile before wobbling out of the room, leaving the two teens with Nagito.
"In the same room as Hinata and Seishin…" the Luckster wheezed in astonishment. "I can't stand being near either of you. Especially you, Seishin." Seishin inhaled sharply through her nose, biting the inside of her cheek as she watched Nagito stare at her.
He's sick. Don't get mad. He's sick, Hikari mentally reminded herself, closing her eyes to break the visual contact between the two.
Hajime instinctively wrapped an arm around the Spirit Medium's shoulder, glaring lightly at the ailing boy. "Don't worry, we're leaving. You should focus on curing that crappy disease of yours."
"Yeah, hurry up and go away," the white-haired teen ordered as his gaze turned to the ahoged teen. "I don't want to see either of your faces anymore."
Gladly, Hajime thought as he steered Hikari out of the room and into the hallway. Once in the hall, Hajime let go of Hikari and stepped back to give her space.
"He was even more disturbing than usual…" Hikari grumbled quietly as she hugged herself in comfort.
"Yeah…" Hajime said with a frown before changing the topic in an attempt to brighten the mood. "The Monokuma Announcement should be on soon. Let's wait in the lobby for the meet-up with the others."
The black-haired teen slowly relaxed and gave Hajime a short nod. "All right." Hikari followed the taller teen into the empty lobby.
"Huh…?" Hajime spoke out, staring to his left.
"What is it…?" Hikari questioned before following his line of sight to find the answer. "Huh?" A blue light was flashing on the pink monitor that was sitting on the receptionist's desk. "Why…? It's not time yet…right?"
"No, it's still pretty early," Hajime replied as he walked over to the camera unit with Hikari right behind him. "We haven't even received the Monokuma Announcement yet…" They shared an apprehensive glance with one thought coming to mind…
Something must have happened…!
"…All right, even if it's just us two, we should receive the transmission," Hajime rationalized before he moved his hand to the monitor's button. Hikari gulped and moved next to the plain teen, watching the boy tentatively pressing the button. "…Huh?" Hajime murmured, both teens not quite certain on what they were seeing on the screen.
Hikari took off her glasses and wiped the lenses before putting them back on. "What is this…?" the Spirit Medium asked out loud as she saw a slowly swaying, dim light shine on black curtains that appeared to be the backdrop.
"…Is this light from a candle?" Hajime wondered in a soft voice. Hikari also spotted a couple of things that gave her goosebumps: a blue stepladder below a hanging rope that was tied in a noose.
"H-Hinata…?" Hikari said faintly, pointing with a shaky hand at what was focused on the screen. Hajime appeared to be at a loss of words, their eyes glued to the screen. Hikari gasped as they saw someone wearing a hospital gown and a hemp bag on their head enter into view from the right.
"Wh-What the…!?" Hajime exclaimed as he and Hikari watched in sheer horror the person on the screen start to move and begin to climb the stepladder step by step. The only sound Hikari was able to hear at that moment was her heart beating wildly in her ears as the person reached over to the hanging rope very slowly. "A-Are you kidding me!?" Hajime shouted in disbelief at what was happening before the screen abruptly went black. "Huh!?" Hikari felt herself get dizzy from anxiety as Hajime grabbed the monitor with both hands and stepped closer in an attempt to see through the darkness in the screen. "H-Hey!" He let go of the device after a few moments of silence.
"Wh-What's going on, Hinata? What just happened...?" Hikari looked to Hajime fearfully as he clenched his fists, looking very troubled.
"I-I don't know, but…I have to do something…anything to stop it!" he stammered but looked at the Spirit Medium with determination. "I might still be able to make it! I need to hurry over to the music venue!"
Hikari nodded resolutely. "I'm coming with you." Hajime's lips curved downwards, but knew that the girl before him would go anyway.
"Fine," Hajime caved in rapidly and stared at her with a serious expression. "Just keep close to me!"
"Right!" Hikari responded as they ran out of the facility.
*Ding dong, bing bong*
The two teens paused when the Monokuma Announcement started up. "Ahem," the recording began, "Hope's Peak Academy's School Trip Executive Committee has an announcement to make…Goooood morning, everyone! Looks like today will be another beautiful, tropical day! Now then, let's show some enthusiasm and make sure we give it our all today!" Hajime and Hikari gave each other a fleeting look before they started to sprint to the Titty Typhoon.
"Kuzuryuu should be here shortly…!" Hikari stated breathlessly while trying to keep up with Hajime.
"We don't have time! He can watch over the others in the hospital!" the taller teen yelled, his feet stomping on the broken up pavement. "We've gotta get to the music venue!" It didn't take long until they reached the outside of the Titty Typhoon, both of them panting heavily. Hajime rushed to the double door entrance. "…Please!" he pleaded out loud. "Please let us make it!" The plain boy closed his eyes tightly as he pushed the doors open, Hikari right behind him.
Hikari's eyes widened in terror, letting out a choked gasp. N-No…! Why did this happen!?
Hearing the Spirit Medium's reaction, Hajime opened his eyes to see the tragic scene in front of them. "We…were too late…?" he murmured weakly, color draining from his face. On the stage was a blue stepladder on its side and above it hung the mysterious person from the transmission Hajime and Hikari saw. A pile of electronic scrap laid in a heap on the dark grey floor in front of the wooden stage. "Wh-What the hell is this!?" Hajime roared, overcome by emotion. He breathed heavily as he felt sweat starting to form on his body, the air hot and stifling in the huge room despite the doors being wide open. "…Hot air?" Hajime looked around, very confused. "Why…is it so hot? What is this strange hot air inside the music venue…?" He shook his head vehemently. "…No, now's not the time to worry about that!" He spun around and jogged in a panic past a stunned Hikari, reaching the desolate parking area in front of the venue. "More importantly, why isn't anybody else coming!? What is everyone doing!?" Hajime blinked in realization. "…Ah, the body discovery announcement?" That's right… In order for the announcement to come on, there has to be three or more people present at the scene, right…? "Th-Then I need to hurry…and let the others know!" The frantic boy ran off to the Motel, stumbling in his urgency and completely oblivious that the Spirit Medium was not following him.
Hikari still couldn't believe what she was seeing in front of her. She couldn't seem to comprehend that someone took their own life when it seemed like everyone was doing everything they could in order to stay alive. Did someone get a strain of the Despair Disease that caused them to do this? No, it doesn't matter now… I have to see if I can get them down...they could still be alive… It felt like ages but Hikari finally lifted her foot to step forward, her body feeling weighed down with trepidation. The glasses-wearing girl took a couple more steps, wiping her forehead of sweat as the humidity was affecting her. "Why is it so hot in here, Hinata…?" she asked wearily, turning to her right. "Hinata…?" Hikari blinked in curiosity when she grasped that she was all alone. "He…must have went to get Kuzuryuu or the others…" she rationalized even though her body was starting to shake in anxiety. The Spirit Medium took a deep breath to calm her nerves before she faced the stage. "While he does that, I'll see if I can get this person down…" Hikari continued to walk towards the stage, her resolve in wanting to help gradually returning to her. "Maybe there are controls to lower whatever's hanging them up there…?" she wondered aloud, looking over to the sides of the stage to see if there were any controls that might be useful. However, the twin-tailed girl stopped when she heard a noise behind her. A footstep? Is someone here-? Hikari suddenly felt an acute pain on the back of her head, her vision darkening instantly.
^o^ ^o^
Chiaki walked out of her motel room when she heard loud voices outside, seeing a panicky Hajime interact with Gundham and Momoni. "Didn't you hear me!? A body was found!" he shouted desperately at the stuffed rabbit.
The Gamer frowned deeply as Monomi started to freak out. Not again… We failed to protect them again… She started to approach the small group quietly.
"Could it be…?" Gundham muttered before getting into a defensive pose towards Hajime. "Do you intend to spread lies, like Komaeda, in order to confuse us all?"
"…Hold on," Chiaki interjected firmly despite the gentle tone in her voice, resting a hand on Gundham's left shoulder. The girl's pale pink eyes moved to Hajime, her expression serious. "…Hinata, is that true?"
The tie-wearing teen nodded strongly. "O-Of course it is! Isn't it obvious!?"
"Nanami, you have seen Komaeda's condition, yes? This fiend just has the same symptoms as him," Gundham said with suspicion of Hajime's appearance, the Breeder eyeing him guardedly.
Chiaki was silent as she shared a long gaze with Hajime before she spoke. "But there's no way we shouldn't check it out. Cuz, if Hinata is telling the truth… That means…" her voice softened as she placed a hand over her heart, "it happened again, right?"
"A k-killing!?" Monomi cried out in fright, her paws in the air.
"If that's true…we need to check it out," Chiaki said with finality.
The Chuuinbyou crossed his arms and turned away slightly. "If that is the case…I will not stop you." Gundham then faced his friends again with a smirk and a dramatic pose. "Leave this place to me…and you fiends go on ahead! No need to worry… I will catch up with you easily…"
"Um…" Monomi faltered, sweatdropping. "Th-That sounds like…famous last words…"
Hajime glanced over to his close friend. "…Nanami, can you go?"
She nodded unwaveringly. "Yeah, it's better if we hurry, right?" However, when they left the vicinity of the Motel, the Gamer stopped unexpectedly. "Hinata, wait a minute."
"What is it? We have to go right now!" Hajime said impatiently.
"The body…do you know who it is?"
"Not really…does it matter!?" he asked, flustered that Chiaki was taking her time to go to the Titty Typhoon.
"I'm just worried it might be Seishin," the girl admitted openly.
"What? No, it's definitely not Seishin," he confidently assured the hoodie-wearing teen. "We both discovered the body together…" Hajime frowned when he continued to talk. "I told Seishin to stay close to me, but I didn't realize she wasn't following me until I got to the Motel. I think she must have went to the hospital to get Tsumiki…"
Chiaki nodded, accepting his explanation for now. "Okay, let's go then."
Hajime reciprocated the nod and spun his body toward the direction of the music venue only to collide against Mikan. "Oof!"
Mikan grasped Hajime forearms tightly to keep them both steady. "Ah, Hinata!"
"Tsumiki…?" he asked incredulously as he recovered his footing. "Why are you here!?"
"Perfect timing!" the frazzled Nurse cried, moving her hands down to take hold of his hands. "Please help us, Hinata!"
"H-Help us…?"
"Hey, hey," Chiaki tapped Hajime's shoulder and pointed behind Mikan who let go of Hajime's hands. "Someone's coming from over there?"
It's probably Seishin, Hajime reasoned as he looked at where Chiaki was pointing to. His stomach started to lurch in disappointment when he saw Fuyuhiko running towards them.
The blond male met up with them with labored breathing. "Hinata and Nanami…? What…are you guys doing here?" Was Seishin right about them having mutual feelings for each other?
"Kuzuryuu…why are you here too!?" The plain boy felt dread start to gradually wash over him when Hikari had yet to appear. "Where's Seishin? Did she go to the hospital to tell you guys?"
Mikan blinked with a puzzled expression as Fuyuhiko glared at Hajime harshly. "How would I know where she is? Tsumiki told me that she was with you when she last saw you guys. Is she missing too!?" the Yakuza marched forward to the other boy and grabbed him by the collar roughly, anger blazing in his uninjured eye.
"T-Too…? What do you mean!?"
Fuyuhiko stared at Hajime quietly as if deciding to rattle him more or not before finally letting go of him with a shove. "Isn't it obvious? We're looking for Mioda! Now Seishin's missing too!?"
Hajime's face fell to shock. "Looking…for Mioda…?"
"Um…" Mikan whimpered pathetically, "I was planning to rest in the on-call room…but I wanted to check on everyone before I did that… A-And…Mioda's missing from the hospital all of a sudden…"
"…Huh!?" Hajime managed to say, completely dumbfounded with so many things happening all at once.
Chiaki took a step in between the boys to deescalate the situation. "We'll find them…" She turned to Hajime. "Hinata, where was the last place you saw Seishin?"
Hajime blinked and stared blankly at Chiaki before regaining his composure. "Uh…well, we were at the music venue and discovered the body. Then I ran out of there to get help, believing she was right behind me…"
"It's likely that Seishin is still at the music venue," Chiaki surmised while Mikan and Fuyuhiko seemed to be confused. She frowned as another troubling thought came to mind. "So what Hinata was saying earlier…"
Hajime's feeling of fear was growing stronger as his patience ran out. "Everyone…let's hurry…" he pleaded to his friends.
"Hurry? Hurry where?" Fuyuhiko questioned as the four began to run.
"To the music venue! Don't ask, just follow me!"
"…Music venue?"
"I-Is Mioda going to be there?" Mikan asked timidly with tears already streaming down her face.
Hajime said nothing and silently led the others, futilely hoping that the circumstances were not as bad as they actually appeared to be. Let's find Mioda safe and sound! Seishin, we're on our way so please be at the music venue!
When they reached the Titty Typhoon, Fuyuhiko placed his hands on his stomach, wheezing heavily. "M-My wound hasn't healed completely yet…" he complained breathlessly as Hajime speedily walked past him to the entrance. "Don't make me…run too much…"
Chiaki stood beside Hajime, staring at the closed double doors. "Are Mioda and Seishin inside there?" Hajime felt his throat tighten in unease, unable to give her an answer.
He slowly approached the venue's entrance. "Let's go," the ahoged teen managed to say at last, clenching his teeth as he pressed his hands on the doors. Hajime blinked when the doors wouldn't open.
*Clatter clatter clatter!*
"Huh…?" he whispered, stunned that they were locked outside. What's going on!?
Fuyuhiko strolled over to the worried boy, hands in his pockets. "What the hell…why's it locked?"
Hajime started feeling physically sick to his stomach from panic. "Th-That doesn't make sense… I mean…I was able to go through here just a few minutes ago…!"
"Th-Then…why don't we try from another entrance…?" Mikan suggested, her lips quivering nervously.
Chiaki shook her head. "This is the only entrance to the music venue. There isn't even a window we can go through…"
"But…why is it locked…?" Hajime echoed Fuyuhiko's question helplessly. He faced the doors again and started to bang his fist against the doors. "Seishin, can you hear me!? It's me, Hinata! Can you open the doors!?" The tension began to weigh heavier in the air as the small group of teens silently waited for any reply or noise from the inside and hearing absolutely nothing for a few long moments.
Fuyuhiko sighed. "I don't understand this myself but…" The Yakuza clenched his fists in his pockets, glaring intensely at the obstacle in front of them. "If it won't open, the only thing we can do is force our way through!"
Hajime's frown deepened as he watched the suit-wearing young man to his right. Are they…really close? He couldn't ponder on those thoughts about Fuyuhiko and Hikari's friendship when Chiaki tilted her head in curiosity, holding her backpack's straps in each hand.
"Mmmm, I wonder if that's gonna be possible," the Gamer hummed naively. "Of the four of us, two of us are girls, you know?"
"It doesn't matter if you can do it or not! We have to try!" the Gangster snapped at the calm Chiaki who didn't seem fazed by his intimidation even though Mikan cowered behind the Gamer. Hajime gave Fuyuhiko an inquisitive look for his urgency but the Yakuza simply ignored him. "Let's go, we'll all charge at the same time!" The plain teen had to swallow his needless unease about the possibility that Hikari and Fuyuhiko might be more than friends as the four teens positioned themselves in front of the doors. "Ready, set…" Fuyuhiko began before letting out a loud roar, "…goooooooo!" At that, they rammed their bodies against the doors at full force.
*Bam!*
Hajime winced a little at the stinging sensation in his shoulder but comprehended that they have a chance to break into the music venue. "Oh, the door moved…!"
"Maybe it'll open easily after all…" the Yakuza said with a smirk.
"Yeah, even with two girls here," Chiaki pointed out bluntly, the boys sweatdropping at her.
Does she forget about how tough Owari is? Pekoyama was also very strong… Hajime thought as they got ready again to storm through the doors.
"All right, one more time!" Fuyuhiko shouted with encouragement. "…Now!" The four crashed into the doors for the second time at the Yakuza's signal.
*Slam!*
Hajime knew that time was successful once the doors burst open from the impact. However, that feeling of accomplishment evaporated almost instantly when they entered the venue. A heavy silence filled the air, the teens felt motionless as their brains tried to process what their eyes were witnessing. The stillness was disturbed when Mikan screamed at the top of her lungs.
"…Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"
The scene was so much worse than what Hajime saw the last time he was here. The body was still hanging above the stage with a hemp bag over its head. The stepladder was still on its side on the stage. However, he never expected more tragedy to be in store for them. The Traditional Dancer was suspended a few inches against the pillar closest to the staff room and bound with faded yellow duct tape, the duct tape circling around the girl and pillar at least ten times. Hiyoko appeared to be asleep unless one looked closely at her to find that her skin was a deathly pale and blood was staining the kimono below her neck which was also covered in tape. If that discovery was alarming, what was right in front of the four teens sent them almost to panic mode then and there.
Facing the stage, Hikari was laying on her front almost touching the heap of electronic scrap, her glasses an inch away from her face with one of the arms bent upwards. The Spirit Medium's head was on its left side, her ebony hair partly covering her face and her right pigtail was disheveled to the point it could be undone very easily.
*Ding dong dong ding*
The yellow monitor in the venue came on to show Monokuma at his usual place, sipping his tropical drink. "A body has been discovered!" he cheerfully declared. "Now then, after a certain amount of time has passed, the class trial will begin!" Hajime felt a chill go up his spine when he heard the school bells ring again an instant later.
*Ding dong dong ding*
The monitor turned on once again and the same recording repeated for a second time. Everyone didn't dare to move as they waited on edge for another Body Discovery Announcement. When it didn't come on for the third time, Hajime exhaled the breath he was unaware he was holding in as Chiaki raced to the unconscious Hikari. "Wh-What…what is thiiiis!?" the Nurse shrieked, taken aback by the scene before her as Chiaki focused on making sure that Hikari wasn't going to join Ibuki or Hiyoko in the afterlife. The Gamer knelt down and noticed the Spirit Medium was breathing as Fuyuhiko, Hajime, and Mikan surrounded Hikari in concern.
"Is she going to be okay!?" Hajime asked in a worried tone as Chiaki brushed Hikari's hair from her face and Mikan checking the petite girl's vitals.
"I…I think so," the apron-wearing girl said with a small smile. "She just seems to be unconscious."
"Did Seishin get sick?" Chiaki inquired, observing Hikari appeared to be flushed and was covered in sweat, her clothes starting to stick to her skin.
"Can you get symptoms that fast…?" Fuyuhiko wondered before he loosened his tie a little. "Damn is it hot in here…" He turned to the other two victims on the stage. "So the announcements were for Saionji and… Wait, who the hell is that other one wearing the hemp bag?"
Hajime stared at the stage, visibly perturbed. "B-But…when I was here earlier, Seishin was fine and we didn't see Saionji's body…" He pointed to the body at center stage. "We only saw that hanged body over there…! N-Not even ten minutes passed! But still, why…?" Hajime said weakly, guilt slowly consuming him as he looked down at Hikari who was now moved onto her back. If only I saw that Seishin wasn't following me to the Motel… Then I would've went back to get her and maybe she wouldn't have ended up like this…
Chiaki frowned and checked Hikari all over since Mikan seemed very overwhelmed at the thought of performing autopsies on two of their friends to even focus on the Spirit Medium. Just a small scratch where her head hit the floor, I think… The backpack-wearing girl took note of the placement of the glasses and their condition, comparing that data with the minor wound on the left side of Hikari's face near her ear. The Gamer continued her examination of her close friend as cautiously as possible. There seems to be a bump on the back of her head, close to where her hair has become messy… Chiaki paused before letting the pigtail go undone and blinked inquisitively. Hmm... She slowly maneuvered and tied Hikari's hair so that it resembled a pigtail despite it not being even with the other one. I guess I need more practice… The Gamer thought as she puffed her cheeks in minor frustration before blinking and spotting something ensnared in her friend's locks. What's this? Chiaki wondered, pulling out a few pieces of what appeared to have come from the pile of electronic debris next to them. The observant girl decided that this mini mystery can wait since there were more important matters to take care of, Fuyuhiko's raised voice bringing her back to the present situation.
"Shut up the hell up, idiot!" the Yakuza spat at Monomi who turned up out of nowhere and started freaking out when she saw the dead bodies. It was apparent to the Gamer that Fuyuhiko was still mad at Monomi's decision to stay with her group.
"For now…let's have Seishin rest against the stage," Chiaki suggested somberly, ignoring Fuyuhiko as well as Monomi's hysterics. "She has an injury on the back of her head so laying on it wouldn't be smart…I think." It wasn't too difficult for Hajime and Chiaki to carefully move Hikari so that she looked as if she was sitting up with her back on the half-wall that elevated the stage from the ground. The Spirit Medium's head leaned to the left so that there wasn't any weight pressing up against her injury. The pale mauve-haired teen stood up and turned to Mikan. "Tsumiki, do you have any gauze or bandages? Seishin has a small cut on her face."
The frazzled Nurse jumped in surprise and dug her hands into her apron's pockets. "O-Oh! I…I usually do… Ah! Here!" She pulled out a couple of band-aids and disinfectant, stumbling to Hajime and Hikari. "I'll make sure it doesn't get infected!"
Seeing that Hikari was getting treated, Chiaki then looked up at the body hanging from the noose and frowned. "We should lower that person wearing the hemp bag to the ground. Leaving it like that…is just too sad."
Mikan turned her gaze upwards when she finished placing the band-aid on Hikari's abrasion, starting to sob at seeing the hanged corpse. "Y-Y-Yessssss…! Ah, but…what about preserving the scene of the crime?" she asked nervously.
"…Who fucking cares about that!?" the Gangster snapped at the Nurse. His boiling point had already been reached when he saw Monomi show up on top of finding Hikari unconscious and injured at the crime scene. He wasn't sure if his body temperature rose from being pissed or if it was from the venue's oppressive climate.
Looking very gloomy, Monomi tapped her paws together insecurely. "Th-There's a control panel for the baton lighting on the wing of the stage…you can lower the body with that…"
Fuyuhiko ran over to the control board behind the pillar where Hiyoko was tied to, scanning the buttons and switches. "…That one!" he exclaimed, pressing a button and watched as the baton lighting descended noisily with a motorized roar. The other three moved quickly onto the stage to help lower the unknown body to the ground.
Chiaki slowly took a hold of the head covering on the corpse. "Now…I'm going to take off the hemp bag, okay?" she said, looking at everyone to make sure they were mentally prepared for what they were about to see. Hajime nodded slowly, a tense Fuyuhiko bowed his head curtly, and Mikan bobbled her head up and down, the Nurse already sniffling with streams of renewed tears falling down her cheeks. The Gamer pulled the bag off to reveal that the body was the SHSL Musician.
Hajime closed his eyes tightly in anguish after seeing that it was Ibuki lying on the stage next to the implement that killed her. "…Ugh!" he grimaced even though he already had a feeling that the hanging body was his eccentric friend.
"D…Dammnittt!" the Yakuza cursed, clenching his fists when he saw Ibuki's body.
"U-Ughhh…" Mikan cried, trying to wipe her tears, "it's all my fault… If only I did a better job…watching over Mioda…"
"Y-You're wrong…it's not your fault, Mikan…" Monomi consoled the Nurse despite the bunny's own tears wetting her pink and white fur. "No matter how we feel, the one at fault is…" As if on cue, Monokuma popped up on stage out of thin air.
"Jeez! It feels like someone died in here or something," the two-toned bear quipped in an innocent tone.
Monomi furiously spun at him with her arms up. "So you finally showed up! The root of all evil!"
"How dare you call your big brother the root of all evil!" Monokuma growled angrily at his "little sister." "I even went to the trouble of bringing everyone for you! I've also summoned the others who were at the hospital." Sure enough, the rest of the teens showed up, with a range of reactions to the crime scene. Even Nagito and Akane were there in their regular clothes.
"AH….AHHHHHHHH…!" Kazuichi howled in terror, his eyes bulging and mouth agape. "Wh-What the hell is going on here!?"
Sonia gasped, her hands clasped together close to her chest. "M-Mioda…Saionji…even Seishin!?"
Chiaki jumped off the stage with a quiet "Oomph" and stood next to Hikari's unconscious form. "Seishin is alive…" she informed the newcomers, giving her friends some relief. "She's been unconscious with a head injury since we arrived."
"Tch… So two people have been killed!" Gundham exclaimed, taken aback.
"Looks like another serious incident occurred while I was unaware," Nagito sighed in disappointment.
"Damnit!" Akane swore loudly, gritting her teeth in frustration. "I-I can't believe…they did such a horrible thing…!"
Hajime looked worried at those who came from the hospital. "Komaeda, Owari…are you okay!?"
"Huh?" Nagito asked, completely surprised by Hajime's concern for him. "Of course."
Mikan whimpered, almost at wits end that her patients were out and about. "What do you mean, 'of course'!?"
"Are you talking about the Despair Disease? Jeez, you guys. That stuff is totally over now," Monokuma happily notified the group of teens.
Monomi jumped in surprise. "O-Over…!?"
"Yeah," the stuffed bear confessed with a sigh, his paws behind his back, "cuz I got bored."
"For that silly reason!?"
Ignoring Monomi, Monokuma's discontent immediately morphed into glee. "And now that the killing has started, there's no need to keep that motive around anymore," he reasoned nonchalantly. "Yeahhh…that Despair Disease is gone now, so you don't have to worry about it anymore."
"Wh-What the hell…? That's impossible…!" Fuyuhiko yelled towards the bear in disbelief. "How can you spread a disease and cure it so easily…?"
Monokuma waved his white paw half-heartedly. "Aw, who cares about the itty-bitty details? What matters is that it's already been cured. Soooo let's go back to our main topic and proceed as usual!" He pulled out multiple tablets and tossed one to each of the living participants. "The Monokuma File!" he guffawed as some struggled to catch the electronic, Chiaki catching hers right before she skillfully caught Hikari's which was aimed at her head.
Seeing that everyone had their Monokuma Files, the evil bear chortled, "Puhuhuhu, I'll be waiting at the class trial. Do your best to investigate. See ya later!" Monokuma jumped onto the stage, hopped over Ibuki's body and vanished into the stage curtains.
^o^ ^o^
The Spirit Medium slowly opened her eyes, feeling like the back of her head was split open from the pain she was experiencing. The lights in the room weren't too bright but bright enough to cause Hikari to close her eyes again as the pounding sensation increased.
"What about guarding this area? Do we still need it?" Hikari heard someone say close to her.
"I'll stay…" another voice farther away spoke up. "I still don't feel good yet…" At this point, Hikari shifted to sit up more comfortably and inhaled sharply when the pain became too much. Suddenly, a swarm of voices bombarded her ears as they approached her.
"Seishin!"
"She's awake!"
"Seishin, are you okay!?"
"Hold on," Hikari heard a very familiar voice in front of her. "We should make sure that she doesn't have a concussion or amnesia, right?" The injured girl opened her eyes again gradually so that her eyes can adjust to the light more comfortably.
H-Huh…? Hikari thought weakly, blinking multiple times as blurred figures moved back a bit. "I…can't see…"
"Your glasses were broken when you fell to the ground," an indistinct person with pink hair explained. Hikari assumed it was Chiaki since she didn't know anyone else with pink hair and a feminine voice. "Monomi is going to get you a new pair while finding about Nidai's situation."
"O-Okay… Wait, I fell down?" Hikari asked. Then how come I don't remember…?
"Maybe she has amnesia…" Hikari heard someone with a high-pitched feminine voice whimper sadly.
"Hmm, let's see," mused the person kneeling in front of the Spirit Medium. "I'll ask you some questions to see if you lost your memory, okay?" Hikari nodded which signaled the inquiry to begin. "What is your name?"
"Seishin…Hikari."
"Do you have a talent?"
"Yes…I'm the SHSL Spirit Medium," Hikari answered with a slight frown, feeling as if everyone in the area was staring at her and listening to every word she spoke.
"How old are you?"
"Sixteen."
"Your birthday?" Hikari felt her body freeze up despite the room's humid air that was causing her to sweat. The blind young woman felt someone place their hand on her right shoulder gently as if to help calm her down.
"O-October…31st…" Hikari said hesitantly in a small voice, "Halloween…"
"Oh! What an awesome day to be born!" exclaimed Sonia or at least who Hikari assumed was saying that.
"No wonder she's the SHSL Spirit Medium. That's the perfect day for the birthday of one such individual!" Nagito's voice rang in the pigtailed girl's ears even though the Luckster was standing a good amount of distance away from her.
Ignoring the side conversation behind her, Chiaki continued to ask Hikari questions. "Just a couple more, okay? Where are we?"
"Where…?" Hikari closed her eyes briefly to get her spatial bearings. "Aren't we at Jabberwock Island?"
"Yes," Chiaki answered with a relieved tone in her voice. "Do you know where we are specifically?"
"I remember being at the music venue with Hinata because…" Hikari frowned, her eyebrows furrowed as she tried to recall why she was there. The panicked girl gasped when she was reminded of something important. "A hanging body!" Hikari tried to get up but was held down by a couple of hands on her shoulders.
"Whoa, slow down, Seishin!" Fuyuhiko advised, kneeling to her left.
"But…! There might be a chance tha-"
"Seishin…it's too late…" Hajime whispered somberly to her right. "I ran to get the others, but when I came back with them, the Body Discovery Announcement played twice…"
Hikari shook her head, grimacing when waves of pain jostled around in her skull. "I don't understand… Twice…? I'm not dead…ri-?"
"Seishin," Chiaki interjected solemnly, ceasing Hikari's jumbled thoughts. "Mioda was the body that was hanging above the stage… The second Announcement…was for Saionji…" Hikari's bewilderment rapidly transformed to absolute shock. "Saionji's body is bound against one of the pillars in the music venue. We just got the Monokuma file for both Mioda and Saionji."
I-I can't believe it… Hikari thought, feeling her jaw drop at hearing this news. Mioda and Saionji…are dead? H-How…why!?
Mikan pressed the tips of her index fingers together timidly. "Um…it's better if I stay here too, right? I think Seishin should also stay. She's not in any condition to investigate with her injuries."
"Oh, that's right. We should tend to those," Hajime finally realized, now feeling ashamed that they waited so long to tend to Seishin's head wound. "Is there any ice here to bring down the swelling?"
Kazuichi nodded and gestured behind him with his thumb. "There's a compartment full of ice for drinks behind the bar." Fuyuhiko got up and walked briskly to the bar when Hikari closed her eyes again, a shaky hand on her stomach.
"I don't feel so good…" Hikari murmured, the heat causing her stomach to churn unpleasantly. "I feel really weak and nauseous…"
"Here…" Chiaki offered, pulling up both of the Spirit Medium's sleeves and then pulling down her white knee-high socks as close to her shoes as possible. Hikari smiled weakly in appreciation as she felt a short-lived relief on her pale skin. "How about we move her to the bar? She can sit on one of the stools and rest."
Hajime nodded. "Do you want to try that, Seishin?" Seeing his ailing friend dip her head slightly in affirmation, Hajime gradually helped Hikari stand up before he led her to the closest barstool. "Here you go. Don't worry about the investigation and just focus on resting, okay?"
"I'll try…" the black-haired girl replied softly as she sat down on the stool, Fuyuhiko standing across from her and placed a makeshift ice pack in her hands.
"Put that on your head, Seishin," the blond male instructed. "Be careful with it… It'll open up and spill out the ice if you aren't holding it properly. The ice is held in a cleaning rag, but I couldn't find anything to secure the ice…"
"You can use one of my hair ties. I just need someone to put my hair in a ponytail though," Hikari suggested.
"All right," Chiaki said almost eagerly, standing behind the Spirit Medium and gently pulling out both hair ties, one at a time. The Gamer handed over one of the elastics to the Yakuza before attempting to put Hikari's hair in a low ponytail. Hajime stood next to Chiaki, wondering why she had a determined glint in her eye when she was only fixing up hair. He blinked when the hoodie-wearing girl had a couple of broken electronic pieces in her hand after she finished her task. Noticing the plain boy staring at her, Chiaki glanced at him and mouthed, "I'll explain later." He nodded, trusting Chiaki would tell him what was going on once they got a chance alone together.
"I'll keep an eye on her while I perform the autopsies," Mikan reassured as Fuyuhiko gave the improved handmade ice pack back to Hikari who positioned it on the bump located on the back of her head. The blind girl laid her arms on the bar and dropped her face against them, allowing the frozen water to do its thing, her right hand on the ice pack to keep it in one place.
Now seeing that his friend appeared somewhat comfortable, the Gangster looked at the Nurse and gave a nod. "…All right, then I'll leave that to you."
"Then let's get started," Chiaki said with determination evident in her expression and tone. "So we…can end this nightmare for good."
"Like…I've been putting up with this for a while…" Hikari heard Kazuichi nearby say after a few moments had passed. "But why is it so damn hot in here!? I hate being hot! Guaahhhhh, I seriously can't stand it! I'll let you guys investigate this place!" The Spirit Medium squeezed her eyes even more closed as the Mechanic's loud whining momentarily intensified the throbbing in her head.
Good riddance… Hikari mentally sighed in relief as the complaining was gradually becoming quieter. The Spirit Medium kept her head on her arm, closing her eyes as she heard her friends behind her move about and begin gathering evidence for the imminent class trial.
"Hey, Seishin? Do you feel well enough to tell us about what happened after Hinata left to find the others?" Chiaki asked to Hikari's right, the black-haired girl hearing some scraping sounds and figured that her friend sat on the barstool next to her.
"Us…?"
"Kuzuryuu and I are still here," Hajime explained calmly to Hikari's left. The blushing teen lifted her head, still holding the pack on her injury. She opened her eyes and closed them again immediately, already forgetting that she was without glasses, the blurriness and the bright lights behind the bar instantly making her feel light-headed. "H-Hey, you still don't look that great…" Fuyuhiko sweatdropped slightly, seeing Hikari's scarlet face and knowing that it wasn't the heat causing that.
"Hold on a sec," the Yakuza said before he moved around behind the bar, Hikari hearing a faucet being turned on and some clinking noises in front of her. "Here's some ice water. That should help."
"Thank you," Hikari answered, almost jumping off her seat when she felt the cold glass touch her left forearm. Chiaki waited patiently as her blind friend composed herself and took a few gulps of water. After a relieved sigh, Hikari sat up straighter, her eyes still closed. "I really don't think I'd be much help…"
"You don't know that," Hajime disagreed, reassurance evident in his voice.
"Hinata's right," Chiaki concurred. "Your account might have clues that could help us find whoever attacked you and possibly the killer."
Hikari frowned and took a deep breath. "A-All right… I followed Hinata to the music venue. When he opened the doors, the first thing that caught my attention was the hanging body…Mioda's body… I didn't know it was Mioda at the time because of the hemp bag covering her head. I don't know how long I stood in shock by the open doors, but it was definitely after Hinata left that I pulled myself out of the stupor I was in because he wasn't anywhere in the area when I looked around. Then I started walking to the stage to try to get the body down with the hope that the person was still alive. I thought…I thought I heard a noise behind me…" the Spirit Medium testified, closing her eyes tighter with furrowed brows, trying to recollect what happened. "I felt an immense pain in the back of my head before I lost consciousness…" Hikari sighed in frustration, "I'm sorry, that's all I can recall…"
"Don't apologize. I'm just glad that you are still alive," Chiaki said with a couple of pats on Hikari's shoulder.
"You did your best to remember, yeah? So don't sweat it and just rest for now," Fuyuhiko recommended. "I highly doubt Monokuma would have you sit out of the class trial."
Hikari nodded slowly and took some more sips of water before laying her head back down on her left arm. She heard her three close friends walk away from the bar and frowned. Useless for this investigation… What a shocker… she thought to herself glumly. The Spirit Medium wasn't quite sure how long she was sitting in that position when her right arm started to ache from holding the melting ice on her head. Hikari slowly moved her arm down, placing the wet dishrag on the bar counter. The pain definitely lessened because of the ice but the throbbing was still very persistent. Hikari reached for her glass of water, the cup wet with condensation due to the humidity in the venue.
"…It's running as a heater!" Hajime yelled in shock. "Over 30 degrees Celsius!"
No wonder I'm overheated… Hikari sighed as she finished drinking her water. I can't stand being this hot… The Spirit Medium blinked when she sensed that people approached the bar area. The blind girl flew her arms in the air with a gasp when she felt a strange sensation running over her left arm before hearing tiny pitter-pattering on the wooden counter.
Gundham started cackling loudly to her right. "No need to fear, Vessel of Wandering Souls! My Four Dark Devas of Destruction have already had their fill of prey. They are just roaming the gathering expanse where depraved worms drown in their own debauchery."
"Uh-huh…" Hikari nodded dumbly, having no idea what the Breeder was saying. She gradually lowered her arms back down onto the bar to feel Gundham's hamsters brush up against her skin every time they pass by her.
"I hope you don't mind, Seishin, but I have refilled your glass of water and I'll give you more ice," the ponytailed teen heard Sonia say politely in front of her.
"Thank you very much, Nevermind," Hikari acknowledged happily, hearing the clinking of ice being moved again. Once Hikari positioned the replenished dishrag of ice on the bump on her head, she became aware of the air becoming cooler and more comfortable. Someone must've fiddled with the thermostat, thank God…
"Um, Seishin…" Sonia began awkwardly, not sure how to ask her friend about what happened.
"What the Dark Queen wants to know," Gundham spoke up in his deep voice, "is what had befallen to you."
Dark Queen…? Hikari wondered before a giddiness filled up inside her chest. Does Tanaka like Nevermind!? Does she like him back!? Are they together!? She bit the inside of both of her cheeks to prevent herself from bursting out in giggles at the thought of her two friends being a couple. However, this caused Hikari's face to make a troubled expression in front of Sonia and Gundham.
"O-Oh, I am sorry! If you are not ready to tell us, it is all right!" Sonia said, worried.
"No, no, it's okay," the Spirit Medium reassured the Princess. "I…had a brain freeze, that's all…" Hikari felt bad fibbing to Sonia, but she was positive that the truth would cause embarrassment to all three of them to a certain extent. So, Hikari immediately told her two friends exactly what she told Hajime, Chiaki, and Fuyuhiko.
"Thank you for telling us, Seishin," Sonia said, her appreciation unmistakable in her genteel voice. Hikari nodded with a smile, already feeling tired even though it was still the morning. The black-haired girl sweatdropped and shook her head when she heard Sonia ask Gundham as they walked away, "What is a brain freeze?" Hikari laid her head back down on top of her left arm just as she did before, her face right against her forearm. She kept her eyes closed, but stayed alert and focused all her attention on hearing her surroundings.
"Uhuhuhuh…!" Hikari heard Mikan freak out from across the room. "To tell you the truth…it's been very inconclusive! But it's not my fault! This music venue has been just too hot! B-Because of the heat, I can't estimate the time of death!"
Huh? Time of death? Hikari questioned to herself. So the Monokuma File didn't reveal that? I thought it usually did… She fidgeted slightly to bring herself back to listening to Mikan's conversation.
"If a body is overexposed to heat or cold, you won't be able to determine a precise time of death…" Mikan explained to whomever she was talking to in between sobs. "E-Even if this heat is the killer's doing…is there any reason for them to cover up the time of death?"
Hikari felt her body tense up when she heard Mikan's conversation partner. "I agree…" Hajime concurred. "As long as I saw it, it should be clear what the order the murders occurred. First was Mioda…then Saionji… From listening to Seishin's account, I'm guessing that she was attacked before Saionji's death because she didn't mention seeing Saionji at all."
"And…as long as this is an imitation murder, there shouldn't be any mistaking the order of the murders…" Mikan remarked matter-of-factly.
Wait…imitation murder…? Hikari pondered, feeling confused and out of the loop since she couldn't examine the Monokuma File or the crime scene where Hiyoko's body was. Imitation of what…?
"Huh? You don't know, Hinata?" a third voice, Chiaki's, piped up. "I thought everyone already knew? It's a murder where the killer uses a creative work, like a song or film, as an outline for their killings. It's so common in detective novels, manga, and video games that you start to get annoyed by it."
"How would an imitation murder be related to this murder…?" Hajime asked.
The Spirit Medium heard the Nurse whimper before talking, Hikari straining to listen to the answer. "Well…based on the killing order and the way they were killed, it's clearly an imitation of that movie…" Hikari blinked as she heard more voices join the discussion.
"The assumption is…an imitation murder is the reason why the killer killed two people," Gundham spoke with a chuckle.
"The goal was an imitation killer…" the Gamer murmured. "Even so, why did they feel the need to do something like that?"
"Excuse me," Sonia interrupted politely, "if this was really an imitation of that movie…is it possible that one more person might have been killed?"
"It's certainly conceivable…" Gundham agreed, "if the killer wishes to complete the imitation…"
"They tried to," Chiaki pointed out, "or at least I think so."
"H-Hold on a sec!" Hajime cried out in shock as if he didn't want to think about that possibility. "What are you all talking about? An 'imitation murder'? One more person might have been killed…or almost killed? And what do you mean that the killer 'tried to,' Nanami!?"
"Oh, right, Nevermind and Tanaka weren't there when we came upon the scene that triggered the Body Discovery Announcement," the Gamer said in calm realization. "Seishin was positioned almost on top of the broken electronic pieces over there."
"You're right!" Mikan squeaked. "I thought Seishin laying close to that pile was odd…but now that you say that…it does make a bit of sense…"
"That's why we waited for three announcements… Fortunately for us, Seishin wasn't killed. The killer didn't expect her to live…I think."
"B-But wouldn't she be in danger?" Sonia asked, very concerned. "What if the killer wanted to complete their goal?" Hikari's nausea started coming back when she heard this, shocked that someone actually tried to kill her. The Spirit Medium froze in place when an unwelcome voice chimed in.
"Are you guys worried that there's gonna be another victim? Then nooo worries!" Monokuma cackled gleefully. "Things would get out of hand too fast if a bunch of people could be killed at once. I'm a reaaaal cautious fella, so I've prepared a perfect countermeasure!" He cleared his throat noisily before he made the following proclamation, "On this killing school trip, the same blackened can only kill a maximum of two people!"
"…You mean, you've added another rule?" Chiaki queried.
"Well, if killing everyone at once is okay, the blackened would be able to secure an easy victory, right?" the bear reasoned before he burst into his usual hysterical laughter. "This new rule will prevent that! Make sure you slam it into your tiny brains!"
"If it is a maximum of two people…then there will not be any more killings? Seishin will be safe?" Sonia questioned warily. Hikari sighed in relief at her place in front of the bar, loosening the death grip she had on the ice pack a bit.
"Since you're here anyway…can I ask you one more thing?" Hikari heard Chiaki ask hesitantly. "You know…I just want to confirm one of the class trial rules…"
"I see, I see. As expected of you, you're very strict about games," Monokuma noted.
"I don't want to consider this possibility at all…and I don't even want to think someone would do this… If two cases occur at once…what happens if there are two killers?"
"…Eh?"
"Like I said…I'm talking about the possibility that Mioda and Saionji were killed by two different people. That would mean that two killers exist at the same time, but we can only vote for one person, right?"
I never thought about that! I was so used to the class trials only having one killer! Then again, we never had two of our friends killed almost at the same time… Hikari thought, stunned by the possibility of there being two killers this time.
"If we can only choose one based on a majority vote, the other person could certainly achieve victory…" the Princess said, troubled with that scenario.
"Yeah, you're right," Monokuma acknowledged nonchalantly.
"So what happens in that case? What about a case where there are three incidents instead of two? Or if four incidents overlap one another?" Chiaki rambled with question after question. Hikari felt her mind become foggy, trying to catch up with her friend's hypotheticals.
"Sh-Shuuuuut uuuup!" the bear roared in exasperation. "It's okay! I'll make extra sure something like that never happens!"
There was a short pause before the Gamer spoke. "Meaning, two killers can't exist at the same time… So it's safe to say that applies to this case too, right?"
"Ugh…!" Monokuma faltered. "All right, fine, fine… That's right…there's always one killer at any given time… Even if they had an accomplice, I'd have you figure out who the mastermind is. Maaaan, I ended up giving you a huuuge hint… She made me say it… Gamer brains are not to be underestimated… I should just shut up and go back to my cave…" Hikari blinked in surprise against her arm as she realized that Chiaki manipulated Monokuma into reassuring the group that there was only one killer in this circumstance.
"What do you mean by 'imitation'? You guys have been saying that and it sounds strange to me," Hajime said curiously.
"Ah, could it be…?" Mikan asked. "You haven't seen it?"
"Seen it…? Seriously, seen what?"
"Like I said, that movie," Chiaki reiterated.
"When we first explored this island, Monokuma was passing out invitation tickets," Sonia explained.
"Then the imitation is…" Hajime began to say slowly with dismay.
"Of course, it's an imitation of that movie," the Breeder said, completing Hajime's sentence.
"Well…based on the murders and attempted murder this time, it closely resembles that movie, as if they were copying it," Chiaki clarified to Hajime. "I see…so you haven't seen it. Still, it's not too late…I think. It's probably a good idea if you watch that movie before the class trial starts."
"Looks like…I need to do that," Hajime said in resignation.
So the murders imitated the three Monomi murders… Hikari pondered silently with a frown. Mioda was the hanging Monomi… I still haven't seen Saionji, but from their discussion, I was supposed to be the tin man Monomi so it makes sense that Saionji would be the scarecrow Monomi… "How did that one die…?" she mumbled out loud.
"How did which one die?" a teasing voice whispered in her left ear. The Spirit Medium jolted and would've fallen off the barstool and onto her back if a pair of strong arms caught her midfall.
"Whoa! That was a close one!" Akane sighed in relief. "Good thing I was coming over to sit down, huh, Seishin?" The Gymnast's tone immediately turned sharper. "Komaeda! What gives, huh!? Stop being such a creep or I'll punch ya in the face!"
Hikari could hear Nagito chortle as Akane helped the blind girl back on the stool. "What? I was only asking what Seishin meant," the Luckster said indifferently.
"Thank you, Owari…" Hikari said quietly, placing a hand over her chest in an attempt to calm her heart which was pounding inside her ribcage. The black-haired teen felt someone take her hand to receive the ice pack that had fallen onto the floor before hearing the familiar scraping of wood against wood to her right as someone sat beside her.
"Hey, ya took care of me during my time of need so it's my turn to return the favor!" Akane said cheerfully. Hikari smiled a little, picturing Akane saying that with a toothy grin.
"Wait, aren't you two still infected? Why are you out of the hospital?" Hikari asked with concern.
"Monokuma apparently cured the disease," Nagito responded happily. "He said that since there was a murder, there wasn't a point to keep that motive."
"For once, he is right. We're not infected anymore, but we could still feel some aftereffects…" Akane verified to Hikari when it was clear that the smaller girl did not believe a word Nagito was saying.
"So…?" Nagito asked with feigned impatience. "What did you mean by 'how did that one die,' Miss Spirit Medium?" Hikari clenched her left hand on her lap, anger starting to bubble inside her gut.
"I don't have to explain that to you," she retorted in annoyance.
"Okay, okay. But then I wouldn't be able to answer your question," the white-haired teen said teasingly.
Hikari turned to her right, making it a point to ignore Nagito. "Owari, did you see the movie?"
"What? You mean that lame flick at the movie theater?" Akane wondered. "Yeah since Monokuma offered a free drink and popcorn if I watched it. The popcorn tasted so good with all that butter!"
Hikari sweatdropped. "Do you remember how the scarecrow Monomi died?"
"Huh? Uh…let me think…"
"She was shot and was suspended to a tree by multiple arrows," Nagito answered abruptly.
Hikari felt her head throb irksomely just from listening to the Luckster, but she was beginning to recollect more scenes from the movie. Well, he did help me remember that part of the film… "So…Saionji's body is…what, suspended by arrows?"
"She's actually suspended against one of the stage pillars by loads of tape," Akane replied. "No sign of arrows though."
"Oh…" Hikari murmured. "How did she die?"
"Really, you didn't read the Monokuma File?" Nagito said in mock surprise, causing Hikari to glare at him despite her eyes being closed. "Oh right…your glasses broke, didn't they? Anyway, according to the File, Saionji died from blood loss resulting from her throat being slit by a sharp-edged implement." The Spirit Medium couldn't help but grimace at the thought of dying like that. "That fact makes the killer imitating the movie more likely since Saionji's body was probably moved and bound to the pillar after death to make it appear like the scarecrow Monomi's death." Hikari's eyebrows furrowed, taking in all the new information she was given. It wasn't too long before she heard the Luckster speak again. "Care to tell me what happened to you seeing as I was in the hospital?"
"Not really," Hikari said bitterly, her intuition telling her that he would definitely twist her words against her during the trial.
"Mind telling me, Seishin?" Akane asked. "I am kinda in the dark with this investigation too."
The Spirit Medium pursed her lips and sighed, "All right..." She then proceeded to tell both Akane and Nagito the events of that morning: the transmission in the lobby, the discovery of the hanging body, and her getting attacked from behind.
"Wow, well, I'm happy that you're still livin', Seishin," the brunette said with a strong pat on the back as Hikari was finishing her second glass of water. Hikari jerked forward and coughed, pounding her chest with a fist to catch her breath.
"Th-Thanks…" the petite teen spluttered between coughs.
"Hmm…okay," Nagito said. "I guess I'll be satisfied with that account. I have to go meet up with Hinata at the movie theater." Shortly after, Hikari heard the sound of footsteps becoming quieter.
"He's such an ass…" Hikari mumbled under her breath as she rested her head down on her arm.
"Hey, you need another refill of water or anythin'?" Akane asked Hikari as the Spirit Medium felt her body grow heavy with exhaustion.
"Nah, I'm just going to rest a bit before the class trial," Hikari replied with a yawn, placing the now drenched dishrag onto the bar counter, all of the ice having melted by then. Hikari shifted her arms so that she could lie her head on them comfortably.
Hikari didn't realize how quickly she fell asleep. The ebony-haired teen also had no clue on how long she was napping either. What woke her up was the familiar sound of school bells.
*Ding dong, bing bong*
Hikari scrunched up her face against her arms when she heard Monokuma's voice over the monitor in the music venue. "Hellooooo! How's everybody doin'!? It's me, Monokuma! Yaaay, awesome! The class trial's gonna start, you know! Sooo make sure you guys come to Monokuma Rock ASAP! Puhuhuhu, I'll see you soon!"
And here I thought this morning was all a dream… Hikari thought miserably, the dull throb in the back of her head confirming that it wasn't just a nightmare made up in her mind.
"Tsumiki? Whatcha doin'?" Hikari heard someone ask from a few meters away.
"Eeeeeek!" Mikan shrieked right behind the Spirit Medium who jumped and fell backwards, crashing into the startled Nurse. "I…I was…just going to check on S-Seishin…because…it's t-time to go to M-Monokuma Rock…" Mikan claimed in a feeble voice, laying underneath a disoriented Hikari whose heart was beating so fast that she felt like it might pop out of her chest.
"Oh," Hikari heard Akane answer before feeling herself get lifted to her feet. "There ya go!" the Gymnast said sunnily. Hikari dusted herself off and pulled her socks back up to below her knees. "You still don't have your glasses, Seishin?" When Hikari opened her eyes and saw a blurred outline of Mikan stand up clumsily and a hazy shape that she presumed was Akane, the blind girl shook her head. "Ah, that's okay," Akane assured positively. "I'll help you get to Monokuma Rock. Monomi usually shows up there with us, yeah? She might have some glasses for ya."
"I-I'll help you too, Seishin!" Mikan blurted desperately, linking her arm with Hikari's right arm. Akane linked up with Hikari's left before the three girls headed to the central island where Monokuma Rock was.
I am literally going to walk into this class trial blind… This is great… Hikari thought with dread flowing through her veins as she was being led into the unknown.
Days Left: 9
Survivors: 11
