Alright, enough! I'm sorry! I didn't mean it! I really do care about my schedule! Please, Hifumi, god of fanfiction, give me my punctuality back! All I know is this trial, all I remember is this chapter! I have forgotten the face of my beloved, this story has enveloped me for so long! I REPENT!
...Ahem. Where was I? Oh, right, this chapter. Yeah, it's the trial for the second case. That's really all I can say without spoilers. Some parts of this chapter did go through quite a few rewrites however, which resulted in the delay, just in case you were curious. It's quite long, so I added something a little different to break up the monotony. Let me know what you think.
As always, if there's anything you feel I could do to improve my writing in the future, whether for the trials or in general, feel free to let me know.
With that out of the way, I hope you enjoy.
Chapter 15
Justice and Vengeance
CLASS TRIAL! ALL RISE!
"Now then, let's begin with a simple explanation of the class trial. During the class trial you will present your arguments for who the killer is, and vote for "whodunnit." If you vote correctly, then only the blackened will receive punishment. But if you pick the wrong person... I'll punish everyone besides the blackened, and that person will earn the right to leave this island!"
Monomi shook her head from where she hung. "O-O-Oh... No matter how many times I hear it, it's such a cruel rule!"
"Now then, let's first discuss the motive! That masterpiece of gaming: Twilight Syndrome Murder Case!"
"Whaaaat? Who cares about that game!?" Ibuki asked.
"The outcome of this trial should be determined by whether or not we find Mahiru's killer..." Gundham said.
"Nevertheless, we shouldn't ignore it." Nagito said. "After all, that game is the motive this time."
"Yeah... you're right... Then let's try discussing that first." Chiaki decided.
"I'm sure everyone who's beaten the game already knows that it's based on an actual murder case."
"Some of us have not beaten that game..." Peko pointed out. "Give us a detailed explanation."
"It means... "Twilight Syndrome Murder Case" is a nonfiction game. Additionally, some of us are characters in that game, too."
"S-Some of us are characters in a video game!?" Nekomaru asked.
"So... I think it's better if we clarify who the characters in the game are first." Chiaki said.
"Girl A is probably... Mikan Tsumiki." Hajime decided.
"Uuaah... M-M-Me!?"
"That timid tone... That definitely sounds like Girl A... Based on the list of names in the staff roll, I can't think of anyone else who would be Girl A."
"Wh-Why am I in a video game? Th-That's an infringement of my right to privacy!"
"Ha!" Hiyoko laughed. "A nasty, trashy, pigshit like you doesn't have any privacy rights!"
"Ah... "A nasty, trashy, pigshit"..." Chiaki repeated. "I feel like I heard that in the game, too."
"...Huh?"
"And like clockwork, we find our Girl B." Maki said. "After all, just like Hiyoko, she was short and prone to swearing."
"Short and prone to swearing...? That's like the complete opposite of me!" Hiyoko snapped.
"...Anyway, let's move on." Nagito decided. "Next is Girl C."
"Girl C... is Ibuki." Hajime said.
"Girl C? Then I'll "C" you next Tuesday!" The girl in question cheered.
Chiaki stared for a moment before saying, "...Let's move on to Girl D."
"Girl D is Mahiru... the victim in this case." Hajime said.
"Yeah, that's correct." Nagito agreed. "Let's skip Girl E... and talk about Guy F."
"Aren't you Guy F... Fuyuhiko?"
"Hmph, I was in a game? That's fuckin' stupid..." Fuyuhiko said.
"Ah, that reminds me... Wasn't there another person whose last name was Kuzuryu?" Nagito recalled.
"...Another person?" Byakuya asked.
"It was one of the names on the staff roll... The names were Tsumiki, Koizumi, Saionji, Mioda, Sato, Kuzuryu, Wright, Hinata, and then another Kuzuryu."
"Hold on...!" Nekomaru interrupted. "Why do you keep saying there were two Kuzuryus...!?"
"It's not like I'm wrong. That's how it's written on the staff roll." He turned to Hajime. "Since you beat the game... you probably know what this actually means, right?"
Hajime hesitated for a moment. "In the game, Guy F... "Kuzuryu"... mentions that he has a little sister."
Fuyuhiko made a sound like he was choking. Next to him, Akane asked, "...Hm? Whaddaya mean "little sister"?"
"This is what Guy F said in the game... "That bitch... what the hell did she do to my little sister!" On top of that, Guy G brings it up to him at one point, and he doesn't deny it. It's pretty clear... There's no doubt Guy F had a little sister. Plus, the sister actually appeared in the game. That's why the name "Kuzuryu" appeared twice."
"By the way, what role did Guy F's little sister, the other "Kuzuryu," play...?" Nagito asked. "You probably noticed, right?"
Once again, Hajime hesitated. "The dead high school girl who was the first victim in the game... is the only person I can think of."
"Based on Guy F's tone in the game, it's clear that Girl E is not his little sister..." Nagito explained. "So if the only girl left is the dead high school girl... then she must be Fuyuhiko's sister."
"Tch... Why do you sound so fuckin' happy...?" The Yakuza snapped. "That's a winning personality you've got there...!"
"Winning personality...? Are you praising me!?"
"I was being sarcastic, dumbass!"
"Hey... You said the game is a work of nonfiction." Gundham said. "That means Fuyuhiko's little sister is..."
"Yeah, I have a little sister..." Fuyuhiko admitted. "Somethin' wrong with that!? It's just a fuckin' game, don't go mixing up some video game with reality!"
"It's not just a game... It's based on true events..." Nagito said. "That's why it's the motive..."
"D-Don't go making shit up, bastard! If she was the type to die easily, I'd have fuckin' killed her myself a long time ago... I-I mean, when I first entered Hope's Peak Academy, she was mouthin' off to me as usual and... s-sent me off... I-It happened just the other day!"
Monokuma interrupted. "Um, about that... You're probably thinking like that because you've lost your memories..."
"Shut the fuck up! You be quiet!"
"I see..." Nagito said sadly. "So you're never gonna accept that the game is based on true events, huh...? Okay, I understand your attitude toward this class trial now!"
"Nagito... you seem to be doubting Fuyuhiko a lot." Nekomaru noted. "Do you suspect he's the killer?"
"A mystery that easy would make me feel sad. It wouldn't be good enough to serve as everyone's stepping stone... That's why I'd be much happier if Fuyuhiko wasn't the killer!"
"Well unfortunately, I think you're going to end up disappointed." Maki told him. "In any case, we still have two more characters to identify, but something tells me they aren't quite as important."
"I'm curious about that name... "Wright." It's obviously out of place." Byakuya decided.
"Curious as it is, I don't think we need to worry about it." Maki said a little too quickly. "The point of the game is to act as a motive. There's no one here by the name of Wright, though. No matter which way you look at it, that character only exists to fill in some blanks."
"I... suppose you're right. Still, I can't help but feel he may be related to our situation."
"As for the last person, Guy H only appears in the epilogue, and only exchanges a few lines of dialogue. His role is about as important as Wright, just there to fill in the blanks. Still, as mentioned in the list, the only name left is Hinata. Hajime, that'd be you, correct?"
"Y-Yeah, I guess... I'm not sure why Monokuma decided to include that scene with me and Guy G, but I guess that's not important right now."
"Anyway... Now we've established who all the characters in the game are." Chiaki said.
"Girl A is Mikan, Girl B is Hiyoko, Girl C is Ibuki, Girl D is Mahiru, Guy F is Fuyuhiko, Guy H is Hajime... And... the first victim in the game-that dead high school girl-is Fuyuhiko's sister." Gundham recapped.
"That's just a story in a fuckin' game...!" Fuyuhiko insisted.
"If so, then Girl E is Miss Sato..." Chiaki said.
"Could it be... the same Miss Sato who likes white rice!?" Ibuki shrieked.
"I don't know which Sato you're talking about but... I don't think she's relevant to this case."
"Maybe it's related to Gundham's last name since they're both really plain names!" Akane suggested.
"Tanaka may be an ordinary family name, but it's far better than Sato or Suzuki!"
"Hey, no one cares about that!" Monokuma snapped. "Hurry up and talk about the mystery of the game!"
"...Huh? What do you mean, "mystery of the game"?" Monomi asked.
"My my, you don't know? I heard that Girl E got killed!"
"Whaaaaaat! No waaaaaay! Is that true?"
"Getting killed is sooooooo violent, don'tcha know."
"My, such awful times we live in! Why did this happen!?"
"Can you two go ten minutes without butting into the conversation?" Maki asked.
"So the "mystery of the game" is the murder of Girl E, correct?" Peko asked.
"Then let's hurry up and solve it!" Nagito said. "Let's first figure out why Girl E was killed!"
"The reason Girl E was killed is because she killed the first victim in the game." Hajime decided.
"Which means Girl E was killed as revenge for the dead high school girl." Nagito added. "What do you think, Fuyuhiko? Apparently Girl E was killed to avenge your little sister."
"You're fucking persistent... I don't care what that game said at all... but..."
"...But?"
"I-Is... that true...? Girl E, she... she killed the first victim?"
"In order to make that clear, we need to know more about the case involving the first victim's murder..."
"It's the murder that occurred in the music room." Chiaki explained. "I knew it would come up so I prepared in advance." She pulled out a piece of paper. "Look, I made a map of the music room's surroundings, which was the stage of the first case."
"...I'm surprised you went to all this trouble." Hajime said as he examined the map.
"...Mapping is second nature to retro game fans. Classic dungeon-crawler RPGs have a first-person point-of-view, so mapping as you play it is a basic-"
"We get it!" Nekomaru interrupted. "Let's talk about that later so we can focus on the case!"
"Then... I'll start explaining."
"So, how does the Twilight Syndrome Case play out, Al?" Makoto asked.
"Why're you asking me? Just wait, they'll solve it themselves." I said.
"I was talking more about how it plays out in your world. I just wanted to be sure there weren't any differences."
"Oh, right. Well, it's a simple case, since it only really served to pad out the trial. Girl E, Miss Sato, is the killer, like they just said. She wanted to stop the victim, Natsumi, from bullying Mahiru. But their confrontation got hostile fast, and she started strangling her in a rage. Since strangling isn't the cause of death, she probably stopped halfway through when she came to her senses, but by that point it was too late to turn back. If Natsumi woke up, Sato's life would be over. So she took her own swimsuit, tied off one end, packed it with gravel, tied off the other end, and then used it as a bludgeon to bash Natsumi's head in until she stopped moving."
"That's quite brutal." Celeste remarked. "So, how did she escape?"
"Simple. She had already escaped long before the other girls arrived at the entrance. She just used the key to the music room to lock the door behind her, then returned it to the office. The shattering sound the girls heard was actually a vase in the other room breaking. Sato broke it on purpose to make it seem like the murder happened more recently, to give herself an alibi. On top of that, the fact that her swimsuit was the murder weapon allowed her to weave a lie about a local pervert stealing it, making him seem like the most likely suspect."
"I see. And Hajime is going to solve this mystery?" Celeste asked.
"Yep, just like Makoto solved all the mysteries in our killing game. And Chiaki, Nagito, and Maki are basically filling the same roles as Kyoko, Byakuya, and me. More helpful than the rest, but still not as skilled as the protagonist."
"Um... I'm honoured?" Makoto said. "Anyway, I suppose we should try to pay attention. For some reason, talking about things from your world makes my head feel weird."
I nodded. "Sure. Still, it doesn't look like this case is very different, so far."
"So how about it, Monokuma?" Maki asked. "Are you satisfied? Can we get on with the stuff that matters, now?"
"The happiness you feel when the mystery you create is solved... Only producers know this feeling of ecstasy!" The bear cried.
"But the real important talk begins now..." Nagito muttered. "Girl E had someone who can be called an accomplice. That person was actually... Girl D."
"Girl D... You're talkin' about Mahiru, right?" Akane recalled.
"Huh? Mahiru is the accomplice...?" Hiyoko asked. "What is this? What does that mean?"
"The piece of vase that became an important clue in the music room murder... Girl D got rid of it." Hajime explained.
"And... apparently the reason Girl E committed murder in the first place was to "protect" Girl D." Chiaki added. "Girl D was being harrassed by the victim... Girl E found out and tried to stop it, and they ended up getting into an argument..."
"And she felt a rush of anger and ended up killing her..." Nekomaru finished.
"But she should've had a clear murderous intent." Nagito pointed out. "I mean, she choked her out and then bludgeoned her to death."
"She probably... made her unconscious by accident..." Mikan said. "A-And from there, she couldn't go back... I-I... I sort of understand that feeling."
"You can!? That's pretty scary!" Ibuki shouted.
"But Girl E was also killed by someone on the "4th Day," or the game's last day..." Nagito continued. "I might as well ask just in case... Who do you think killed Girl E?"
"It should've been... Guy F." Hajime decided.
"A scenario where Guy F murders Girl E out of a burning hellfire desire to avenge his murdered sister...!" Gundham mused.
Byakuya thought for a moment. "But... Guy F is..."
"...What?" Fuyuhiko asked. "It's just a story in a video game, isn't it?"
"That's all you can say." Nagito said, amused. "If that game is telling the truth, it'd be a huge problem for you."
"Hey, clear this up for me." Nekomaru said. "Those of you who appeared as characters in the game, do you remember this incident?"
"Th-That is... I'm terribly sorry but..." Mikan stuttered.
"They don't remember! That's obvious!" Monokuma cheered. "Cuz their school memories were like totally stolen!"
"Even if I don't remember, I already know!" Hiyoko snapped. "It's obvious that guy is the killer! No one would kill a nice persona like Mahiru besides a piece of shit, menace to society like Fuyuhiko! Girl E and Mahiru were killed by that guy!"
"Tch... You sure do talk a lot of shit... Well, I'm used to it by now..."
"But does Mahiru's murder have anything to do with that game?" Peko asked. "Perhaps the two are unrelated."
"As the resident Criminologist, I can assure you there's at least one link between the two crimes." Maki said. "At the very least, the blackened has played the game. Mahiru and Miss Sato were both killed by a blow to the head by a metal bat. There's no way that's coincidental."
"Someone must've wanted to split her head open the exact same way they avenged the first victim." Hiyoko said. She turned to Fuyuhiko. "Hey, why don't you confess already? You're the one that killed Mahiru, right?"
"Y-You better cut that out right now...! There is no way a stupid game could be the motive!"
"You're dumb enough to believe that stupid game and that's why you killed her as revenge!"
"If you keep making up your mind like that, we're just going to go around in circles..." Peko warned. "And... it's true Fuyuhiko may look suspicious, but don't you think that'd be too obvious?"
"Wh-What are y-?" Fuyuhiko tried to ask before being interrupted by Peko continuing.
"I mean... there's a possibility that it's a trap set by the true killer."
"Tr-Trap...? What do you mean...?" Hiyoko asked.
"The true killer played that game and most likely found out about the relationships between the characters." Peko explained. "That person could be using that knowledge to try and set up Fuyuhiko."
"Are you saying that a completely different killer murdered Mahiru and used the game motive as their cover?" Sonia asked.
"Isn't that what happened, Hiyoko?" Peko asked.
"...H-Huh!?"
"Don't you understand!? I'm saying you might be the true killer!"
"Hiyoko's not the killer though, is she?" Makoto guessed.
"I mean, you could always ask Chiaki." Celeste suggested. "She saw the murder play out on the camera, after all."
"I... don't think she's in the best state right now."
"In any case, Makoto's right." I said. "Hiyoko was framed by the true killer. Of course, she really did go to the beach house that day. Her footprints are there, after all. But that letter Mahiru had was forged."
I was going to tell you in person, but I couldn't find you so I put this in your mail box. About what we discussed earlier, is it okay if we change the place and time? I want you to come to the beach house on the second island at 2:30 p.m. It seems there's someone who wants to interfere with our meeting. Let's keep it a secret. Until then, let's try not to see each other for a while. It would be bad if they started suspecting us for no reason.
-Hiyoko Saionji
"And I don't even need to point out how obvious a red-herring the gummy is. Still, it's effective in getting the class against Hiyoko." I said, gesturing back to the monitor.
"There's no doubt you went to the beach house, right?" Nekomaru pressed.
"U-Um... That is..."
"And weren't you also hiding in the closet?" Fuyuhiko asked. "So that's when you dropped the gummy!"
"No, that's wrong!" Maki interjected. "As funny as this is to watch, maybe we could all take a step back and stop ganging up on the child for a moment. After all, it's not like we have any proof that Hiyoko was the one who dropped that gummy."
"The only one childish enough to eat gummies is that midget over there." Fuyuhiko argued.
"I wouldn't say that too loud, Boss Baby. Besides, it might be true that Hiyoko eats gummies, but she only eats a specific brand." Reluctantly, she gestured for Nagito to continue.
"The brand of gummies you eat only has strawberry, melon, grape, and orange flavours, right?" He asked.
"Huh? But what about the lemon flavour...?" Mikan asked. "The... the gummy at the crime scene was yellow, so it obviously looked like it was lemon-flavoured..."
"Huh? That gummy is yellow?" Hiyoko asked. "Then it's not mine! The ones I eat don't have any yellow gummies!"
"What...?" Peko gasped.
"That's right... None of the gummy bags in her cottage had any yellow ones." Nagito confirmed.
"Then we can't assume Hiyoko is the one who dropped that yellow gummy." Chiaki agreed.
"S-See! Didn't I tell you!? It's definitely a trap! Ugh... Dammit... Who would set a trap like this...? I'll get my revenge! I'll bop you on the head with all my might!"
"Hold on, you little bitch!" Fuyuhiko snapped. "You think you're in the clear just because of a little gummy!? Don't be stupid! I'm not done backing you into a corner yet! There's still a huge piece of evidence left!"
"You're talking about the footprints near the beach house, right?" Mikan asked.
"It's true, that's an important piece of evidence." Nekomaru agreed. "...and we can thank Mahiru for it!"
"What does that mean?" Ibuki asked.
"Mahiru used her last ounce of strength and blocked the door to the road." Akane explained.
"No, that's wrong!" Hajime shouted. "Mahiru didn't block the door. Her death... was instant."
"I-Instant death?" Akane repeated.
"According to my autopsy... Yes... there's no doubt Mahiru died instantly..." Mikan explained.
"I-If you keep making shit up... I'll fucking kill you!" Fuyuhiko threatened.
"Eeeeek! I-I'm sorry!"
"Fuyuhiko, you cannot do that." Sonia said. "Only a coward threatens women."
"I'm pretty sure... her death was instant, too." Nagito agreed. "I mean, her injury was only a single blow. That's why Mahiru didn't block the door. Someone else used her body to block it."
"S-Someone else...?" Mikan asked.
"The killer, of course." Hajime decided. "They're the one who blocked the door with Mahiru's body. That's why there were bloody drag marks left on the floor..."
"But why did the killer block the door?" Ibuki asked.
"Just ask Hiyoko! She's the killer, after all!" Fuyuhiko snapped.
"S-Seriously... that's not true...!"
"Let's assume Hiyoko is the killer..." Chiaki asked. "Wouldn't that mean she's also the one who dragged the body? If she handled a body that bloody, I think her clothes or skin would've been stained with blood..."
"But Mikan, Ibuki, and I can testify that she was spotless when we saw her." Maki confirmed.
"S-See!? I told you I wasn't the killer! Yaaaay! With this, my innocence has been proven!"
"I won't let you look down on me!" Fuyuhiko snapped. "W-We haven't decided that yet!"
"Hey, Fuyuhiko... Why do you keep insisting that Hiyoko is the killer?" Hajime asked.
"Shut up! I'm telling you she's the killer! That little bitch is definitely the killer! If Mahiru didn't block the door, then Hiyoko did it! She killed Mahiru, and blocked the door with her body! Hiyoko is the only killer I can think of!"
"If Hiyoko moved the body... then she should be covered in blood!"
"So what, dumbass!? There's a shower room inside the beach house. After she moved the body, she just washed it off in the shower!"
"No, washing it off in the shower is impossible because the shower in the beach house was out of order!"
"O-Out of order...?"
"I'm terribly sorry..." Monomi apologized. "I haven't had any time to actually repair it..."
"Then... maybe she took her clothes off to move the body, and when she was done she... put them back on...!"
"A-Are you saying I did something that perverted!?"
"I think we can all agree Hiyoko isn't clever enough to think of something like that." Maki quipped. "Even if she was, we already know Hiyoko can't get dressed by herself. It's the whole reason she clung onto Mahiru so quickly. Oh, but you wouldn't know that, would you, Mr. Lone Wolf?"
"Wh-What...!?"
"Oh yeah, she couldn't even tie her sash on her own." Akane recalled. "That's why she couldn't take a bath and smelled bad."
"I-I didn't smell... and it only smelled a little..."
"Oh, wasn't changing inside the beach house prohibited in the first place?" Chiaki asked.
"Yes... If you broke the rules, I'm pretty sure Monokuma wouldn't have kept quiet..." Monomi said.
"Damn right! I'm such a stickler for the rules that even safari park rangers want nothing to do with me."
"If she didn't change her clothes, then what did Hiyoko do with the blood that got on her!?" Ibuki asked.
"Like I've been saying, the blood wasn't on me in the first place!" She snapped. "'Cause I've never touched Mahiru's body!"
"Well given that you showered together, that's one of the most blatantly false statements I've ever heard." Maki said. "Still, I know what you mean. It seems on the charge of murder at least, you're innocent."
"See... I already told you... There's no way I'd kill Mahiru... Cause... Mahiru taught me how to wear a kimono... and she was very, very kind... There's no way I would kill a nice person like her! Why wouldn't you believe me earlier!? You guys are stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!"
"Hiyoko... please don't cry." Mikan consoled. "Everything is fine now... right?"
"Shut the hell up, pig barf! I hope you get a hangnail and die!"
"Waaah! I'm sorry for being pig barf!"
Maki sighed. "I suppose it was nice while it lasted..."
"Hey Hiyoko..." Nagito said. "Now that our suspicions have been addressed, can you tell us the truth?"
"...Huh?"
"Even though you're not the killer... You still went to the beach house, right?"
"L-Like I said... it was a trap...!"
"Yeah, I got that already so... can you give us the details about that trap?"
"I would like to know, too..." Nekomaru agreed. "It might lead to some kind of clue...!"
"F-Fine... you want me to talk, huh...? Um... Earlier this morning... Mahiru was the one who came up to me. She asked if we could meet up later..."
"Huh? But didn't you say earlier that she never talked to you today?" Ibuki asked. "Dammit, so that was a lie!?"
"C-Cause... I thought I'd be doubted if I admitted it... So I figured it was better not to say anything..."
"So... what was your answer to Mahiru's invitation?" Nekomaru asked.
"I told her it was fine. I mean, I didn't have a reason to say no. Unlike everyone else here, Mahiru was someone I wasn't embarrassed to be seen with... At the time, we were supposed to meet around 2:00 p.m. but... around noon, there was a letter in my mailbox."
"...A letter?" Chiaki asked.
"Yeah, this one..." She reached into her kimono and produced a letter nearly identical to the one Mahiru had.
I was going to tell you in person, but I couldn't find you so I put this in your mail box. About what we discussed earlier, is it okay if we change the place? I want you to come to the beach house on the second island. The time is still the same at 2:00 p.m. It seems there's someone who wants to interfere with our meeting. Let's keep it a secret. Until then, let's try not to see each other for a while. It would be bad if they started suspecting us for no reason.
-Mahiru Koizumi
"I saw this letter... and went to the beach house at that time."
"This letter..." Hajime thought for a moment. "Doesn't it look like its contents are different from the letter Mahiru had? Mahiru's letter said to meet at 2:30 p.m., but in Hiyoko's letter..."
"Woah! The meeting times are off!" Nekomaru realized.
"It's also strange that both letters wanted to change their meeting spot to the beach house. It would be plausible if one of them said it, but for both letters to say the same thing..."
"H-Hiyoko! Since you wrote it, what do you think!?" Ibuki asked.
"Like I said, I never wrote the letter! How many times do I have to tell you!?"
"The killer... must've forged both letters..." Hajime decided.
"The killer forged them so they could manipulate their actions..." Nagito said. "Yeah, that's how we should think about it."
"That seems very likely." Nekomaru agreed, holding both letters. "In fact, if you compare both letters... Confirmed! Just as I assumed, the handwriting is the same! The contents of the letters matches, too!"
Chiaki nodded. "Like this part: "I was going to tell you in person, but I couldn't find you so I put this in your mail box." This part: "It seems there's someone who wants to interfere with our meeting." And this part: "Let's keep it a secret. Until then, let's try not to see each other for a while"."
"Th-The killer forged... both of those letters..." Mikan said.
"In doing so, they were able to control Hiyoko and Mahiru to do their bidding... like a Netherworld puppeteer." Gundham said.
"S-So they completely tricked me... and then... Mahiru's killer... Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! How mean! Give me back Mahiru!"
"Really... this is really terrible..." Nagito agreed. "I've offered to help so many times... but the killer this time didn't discuss their plan with me at all... It's all my fault! I'm so ashamed of being unreliable!"
"Here we go again." Ibuki groaned. "Once we let our guard down, this happens!"
"...We can just lightly punch him to death later." Akane assured her.
"...So based on what the letter said, you went to the beach house at 2:00 p.m., right Hiyoko?" Hajime asked.
"What's most important is what happened afterward." Peko said. "What on earth happened there?"
"Teehee, I fell asleep."
"Why'd you fall asleep!?" Mikan asked.
"I-It's not like I wanted to... I think I was forced to get a whiff of some kind of medicine or something..."
"I see." Celeste said. "This whole case was built around Hiyoko. From the beginning, she was the one the killer planned to pin the crime on."
"Yep. There's always gotta be that one case where the killer wants to pin the blame on someone in particular. And of course, it's always someone who could be reasonably seen as a killer. Like Byakuya."
"I was just about to say that it reminded me of Yasuhiro's case in our killing game." Celeste recalled. "How the whole thing was set around you being the culprit."
"I'd rather not talk about that one. Bad memories. In any case, Hiyoko hasn't made it easy on herself with the way she acts..."
"Tch! Is it really okay to believe her so easily?" Fuyuhiko asked. "She might be faking those tears, you know...!"
"This will never end if you keep being so suspicious!" Nekomaru warned.
"Isn't that what a class trial is all about? The only way to survive is by being suspicious... This is where we go to thoroughly doubt each other... So if you believe in each other so easily... then there's definitely somethin' wrong with you!"
"You're wrong, Fuyuhiko..." Nagito said. "We aren't supposed to doubt each other here, we're supposed to work together. The class trial is where we cooperate with each other, work hard, and aim for victory. The killer and everyone else... Two hopes attempting to grasp the one, true hope... Two hopes clashing with each other is poetry in motion! That... is what a class trial should be!"
Byakuya shook his head. "You know, Nagito, it's impossible to trust someone who refuses to choose a side."
"I'm on the side of the absolute hope that can overcome any despair. And I believe that absolute hope... exists at the point where two hopes clash."
"Your stance is neither white nor black, but grey..." Gundham said. "And you do not yearn for your life, or even for victory..."
"...Jeez, I wish he'd just side with the enemy already so I can believe what he's saying!" Ibuki groaned.
"Let's stop... believing every little thing Nagito says is a waste of time." Hajime declared.
"Yeah... we need to figure out who Mahiru's killer is!" Nekomaru said.
"There should be a new clue contained in what Hiyoko has told us..." Sonia decided. "So... let us believe Hiyoko's words and discuss it once again with everyone!"
"Yep yep!" Monomi agreed. "The debate proceeds when you assume you can believe each other... Good job! That's the right way! That's the splendid power of teamwork! Hey! What do you think of that, Monokuma!? I'm not gonna let you have the outcome you want!" She turned to the bear, who was slumped in his chair, snoring. "Ha-wa-wa!? He's sleeping!"
"Dumbasses..." Fuyuhiko muttered. "You bastards don't know anything... If you're stupid enough to trust each other... the only thing waitin' for you is the bitter truth."
"Well, now that we've decided to believe in Hiyoko... now what?" Ibuki asked.
"If the killer was luring Hiyoko into a trap, then something that was used there might be a clue." Chiaki said.
"Do you mean the letter?" Peko asked.
"...No, it was probably the gummy."
"Huh? Candy can be a clue?" Akane asked.
Chiaki turned to Hiyoko. "Hey, when you woke up, was the gummy already there?"
"Ah, now that you mention it... I feel like it wasn't..."
"...Just as I thought."
"...Just as you thought?" Hajime repeated.
"If the killer planted evidence while Hiyoko was there, she would've thrown it away if she found it."
"Which means... the gummy was placed inside the closet after Hiyoko left the beach house?" Nekomaru deduced.
"The killer returned to the scene of the crime? After I left?" Hiyoko asked.
"They wouldn't have to do something that troublesome as long as they hid somewhere within the beach house." Gundham explained.
"That's impossible!" She argued. "There's nowhere to hide! I even glanced inside the shower room as I was running away... but there was nobody there!"
Maki thought for a moment before suggesting, "What about the closet?"
"The closet...? That's where I was locked up!"
"Yes, but you said that after you woke up, you left it in a rush, correct? You didn't examine your surroundings, did you?"
"But could two people even hide in such a small place?" Peko wondered. "And without Hiyoko noticing?"
"That's why the killer made sure to arrange a hiding place." Chiaki said.
"What about the surfboard case in the closet?" Hajime suggested. "I'm pretty sure they could have hidden in there."
"Huh? Inside the surfboard case?" Hiyoko repeated.
"But the shelf it was on... it was pretty messy, don't you think?" Chiaki recalled. "Two surfboards were stacked on the top shelf... and there were surfboards that weren't even in a case. The killer probably did that on purpose to secure a hiding place. Cuz we haven't been on this island that long, so the closet shouldn't have been that messy... I think."
"Then... the killer was close to me during that time?" Hiyoko shuddered.
"Yeah... they were quietly holding their breath and hiding very close to you." Hajime confirmed.
"It's kinda like "In for a penny, in for a pound", so to speak." Ibuki offered.
"Don't you mean... "It's always darkest under the lighthouse"?" Nekomaru corrected.
"Tahaa! I shouldn't say things I don't understand, like "so to speak"!"
Hajime shook his head. "A-Anyway... the killer hid silently, and after making sure Hiyoko left... They silently left the surfboard case."
"I agree with that as well!" Nagito said.
"Seriously, nobody asked what you think..." Akane said.
"There's no way the killer would leave Hiyoko by herself if they were trying to frame her." He continued. "If Hiyoko was left alone and ruined the evidence the killer had planted, it would've messed up their plan... Instead, it makes more sense to think that the killer was hiding in the beach house, watching Hiyoko!"
"Sayin' whatever ya want even if we didn't ask..." Akane muttered. "All right, if ya don't wanna friggin' get punched, just stand still and lemme punch ya!" She paused, waiting for his response, but he offered none. "Oh, you've shut up. Then... grit your teeth...!"
As she moved toward him and reeled her fist, he raised a hand. "Sorry Akane, it's not like that... Hey Monokuma... can I ask you about something that seems strange to me?"
"I believe Prince Shotoku was from the future." The bear said unhelpfully. "A man from the future is always directing the flow of history."
"I'll listen to your story about men from the future some other time... As I recall, the body discovery announcement is made when three or more people discover a body, right? Is the killer also included... among those three or more people?"
"Y-Yeah... that's true but... Well... something like that... is basically what it's supposed to be..."
"...You don't sound very articulate."
"...Jeez! You're pretty annoying for noticing something like that! I know it sounds like an excuse, but the body discovery announcement isn't supposed to be used for deduction! It's intended to create a fair trial... It's supposed to let everyone know a body has been found."
"I'm not hearing an answer." Maki responded. "If you want a fair trial, we need something to work with here."
He shifted uncomfortable in his seat. "Well... as long as I keep things ambiguous, I can respond to situations with some flexibility."
"Flexibility, huh...?" Nagito repeated. "So what about this time? Is it three people including the killer or not?"
Monokuma scanned the room, seeing the expectant faces of all the students. "...Jeez. Fine, fine. You want me to say it? It doesn't include the killer this time, okay?... All done."
"Which means... three people other than the killer discovered Mahiru's body..."
"What's... wrong with that?" Hajime asked.
"Nothing. I just thought it was somewhat strange. More importantly, let's get back to the original topic."
"You're the one who went on a tangent...!" Nekomaru said.
"U-Um... we were just saying the killer was hiding in the surfboard case, right?" Mikan recalled.
"And after Hiyoko ran away, the killer got to enjoy the simple life of destroying evidence..." Ibuki added.
"However, before we proceed any further... there's something we have to make clear." Gundham said.
"What about this part, Al?" Makoto asked. "How did you solve this murder in your world?"
"Like most of the mysteries, it seems complicated at first, but becomes obvious when you see the answer." I explained. "Before hiding in the surfboard case, the killer moved Mahiru's body to the door, forcing Hiyoko to run out on the beach and leave her footprints. But doing so covered their body in blood, so after they left the surfboard case, they used all the water bottles in the fridge to wash the blood off of them, since the shower room was out of order. They were able to pinpoint the killer because there aren't any towels in the beach house, and air drying would take too long."
"So? Who's the killer?" Celeste asked.
I pointed to the screen. "It seems the cast is catching up to that point."
"But if that's the case... Then I know who the killer is." Maki announced.
"...Huh? You do?" Hajime asked.
"H-Hold on... Y-You know who the killer is...?" Fuyuhiko asked.
"I-Is that.. true!?" Mikan asked.
"Let me ask... Who might that be?" Gundham asked.
In response, the Criminologist simply turned to the girl beside her. "...Peko Pekoyama, the Ultimate Swordswoman."
The accused didn't offer a defence.
"Hey... what are you being quiet for?" Hiyoko asked. "They're accusing you of being the killer..."
When Peko did speak, all she said was, "Then I should ask you this: why do you believe I'm the killer?"
"When all us girls were meeting up to go to the beach, I remember that you were completely soaked when you arrived. If the killer really did wash the blood off themself, they'd have to drench their whole body. Blood is sticky, after all. But there were no towels in the beach house, and it would've taken too long to air dry. So you said you went swimming as your cover story."
When she didn't respond again, Byakuya tried to prod her. "Peko, please. If we're to continue, we need your input."
"Hold on, you bitch!" Fuyuhiko snapped. "You saw her at the diner... You never saw her near the beach house, right!? So maybe she really was swimming!"
Maki shook her head. "Honestly. Are you just here to yell at everything I say? You have no evidence to back up your claims. Just sit down and shut up."
"N-Not so fast...! It's too soon to decide she's the killer! We haven't established how the killer was able to leave the beach house!"
"N-Now that you mention it... you're right..." Mikan said.
"The roadside door was blocked, and if it's impossible to leave from the beachside without leaving footprints... Then how the fuck did the killer escape!?"
"Um, why are you all fired up, Fuyuhiko?" Ibuki asked. "You're not the suspect, Peko is."
"Wh-Who cares about that!? Answer me! If you have an explanation then show me what you got!"
"He's quick to argue, but in actuality, Peko's the only one who could've escape the beach house." I said.
"Oh, yeah? How did she do that?" Makoto asked.
Note to self: Makoto isn't as intelligent as usual when his life isn't in danger. "Her sword. There's a trick ninja used to use where they plant their sword into the ground and use the handguard as a stepstool. Obviously, Peko couldn't stab a bamboo sword into a tile floor, but all she would have to do is lean it against the wall to achieve the same affect. She is a slender girl, after all."
"You seem quite proud of you ability to recall the facts of these cases." Celeste noted. "What about the sword, then? How did she recover it?"
"She still has her sword bag. All it would take is tying it around the sword, and once she make it to the window, she can pull both herself and the sword up and out of the beach house. And as I said, Peko's the only one who could pull off a trick like this. Fuyuhiko's trying to protect her, but he basically just pointed out that Peko's the only one who could've done it."
"H-Hold on...! You're just making assumptions!" Fuyuhiko insisted. "Y-You don't have any proof! I won't accept this unless there's proof! Got it, you bastard!?"
"...It's fine." Peko finally said.
"Ah...?"
"I said it's fine... Saying anything more would just be an exercise in futility." Her bluntness left several of the students at a loss for words.
""Among flowers, the cherry blossoms. Among men, the samurai." I commend your decisiveness, at least..." Gundham said. "Very well. If you admit it, this ends now! Let's cast our votes!"
"Agreed... Hurry up and vote..." Peko said.
"Ah, hold on. Let me confirm one thing first." Chiaki interrupted.
"...Can it wait until after the voting?"
"This is important and it relates to the voting... It's about Peko's motive."
"...My motive?"
"In the end, you had no connections to the events depicted in "Twilight Syndrome Murder Case," right? Then... why did you kill Mahiru?"
"Hmph, so it's about that... Let's see... if I must answer that question... I must say... it was for the sake of justice..."
"Justice...?" Hajime repeated.
"In order to... protect the justice of this world. I do not sully my hands to satisfy personal grudges... There is only one reason I kill... For the sake of protecting justice!"
"Y-You... What are you saying...?" Nekomaru asked.
"Justice is what makes humans human... It's a virtue that human beings should be proud of. Justice is the eternal sun... and the enduring moon... The protective father... and the smiling mother..."
"H-Helloooo...? Earth to Peko...?" Ibuki said.
"If justice ever disappeared from this world... The world would immediately freeze, and people's smiles would vanish... I... will not allow that...!"
"I-It's fine... Just stop it...!" Fuyuhiko snapped.
"Justice must always be there to guide us, to shine bright above our heads!"
"I-I'm telling you to stop it!" He ordered.
"So I must fight! I must continue to fight to protect justice!"
"Th-This is... Could she be...!?" Sonia gasped.
"As the light of justice shines upon my mask... I expose the hearts of malevolent evil..." With a dramatic air about her, Peko pulled out a Sun Witch Esper Ito mask identical to the one found at the crime scene, and put in on. "Justice Complete! The centre of justice that is pierced by justice! The lead star of justice that shines in the night sky! That would be me... Sparkling Justice! Now then... let's execute justice!"
"Wh-What the hell!?" Byakuya shouted.
"P-Peko... what are you doing!?" Nekomaru asked.
"I am Sparkling Justice... In the name of sparkling, shining justice, I have come to deliver justice!"
"Wh-What's going on?" Hiyoko asked. "What's this... chill...?"
Ibuki started foaming at the mouth. "...Peko... finally snapped...!"
"E-Everyone, please be careful!" Sonia warned. "Sparkling Justice is a serial killer who claims to be an ally of justice! Clad in her various hero masks, she is a serial killer who exclusively targets other criminals... She is supposed to be... but, huh?"
"An ally of justice...?" Akane repeated. "So that's why you're wearin' a mask!"
"This mask is the dividing line. Just like various idols... the sun is revered because it lies just beyond your grasp... Justice should also be the same!"
"I-I don't get it but... but this is... becoming... really crazy!" Nekomaru said.
"Th-This is turning out to be a surprising turn of events!" Monomi said, turning to Monokuma, who was snoring away. "H-Hey! Now's not the time for you to be sleeping!... Take a look, it's a killer!"
"Zzz... zzz... zzz... This again...?" He muttered.
"Huh? Sleep-talking?"
"...So what's your answer to my previous question?" Chiaki pressed. "Why did you kill Mahiru?"
"This world must always be bathed in the light of justice. I must not allow even on shadow... Evil must be eliminated immediately! No matter what, I must not overlook evil!"
"Evil...?" Hiyoko repeated. "Are you saying Mahiru is...?"
"If you knew about that incident... then you must've played the game, am I right?" Nagito asked.
"And because of that, I was able to find the killer's accomplice hiding on this island like a sewer rat..."
"Th-Then... the reason you killed Mahiru was..."
Peko struck a dramatic pose. "To protect justice, of course! In order to protect justice... I have become it's merciless sword! And... executed justice!"
"H-Holy crap...!" Ibuki shouted. "She's such a stereotypical psychopath!"
"Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh! She's so gross!" Hiyoko screamed.
"...Peko... is this your true identity?" Hajime asked.
"My true identity...? Hmph, I have already forgotten who I am... It just shows my determination! My determination to protect by throwing away what's most important! I'm willing to become anybody to shower this world in justice!" Then suddenly, she broke out into maniacal laughter.
"Gh...! I can't stand this anymore!" Nekomaru growled. "Let's just end this farce already!"
"L-Let's go over this incident one more time and then... let's end this!" Hajime decided.
"The incident began this morning... when Mahiru spoke to Hiyoko. Mahiru most likely played "Twilight Syndrome Murder Case," the video game provided to us as the motive... She probably wanted to discuss it with someone else who also appeared in the game as a character. Hiyoko accepted Mahiru's invitation and they promised to have a more detailed conversation about it later. However... someone else overheard their exchange: the killer. The killer eavesdropped on their conversation and used their promise to devise a specific murder plan... By preparing a specific item, they planned to manipulate the two's actions.
"That item was the letters... They sent fake letters to both Mahiru and Hiyoko. The letter Mahiru received told her to come to the beach house at 2:30 p.m... And the letter Hiyoko received told her to come to the beach house at exactly 2:00 p.m. By providing different times, the killer was able to lure them to the beach house separately.
"Hiyoko totally trusted that letter, showed up at the beach house at 2:00 p.m. just like it said... and was drugged into unconsciousness by the killer lying in wait. After putting Hiyoko to sleep, the killer immediately hid her inside the closet... so they could frame her as the killer later.
"At 2:30 p.m., Mahiru arrived at the beach house. She was completely unaware that she'd been targeted for murder... Approaching her from behind, the killer struck the defenceless Mahiru with a specific weapon... The metal bat that was left at the scene of the crime. The bat was brought down onto the back of Mahiru's head, and with that, she took her last breath... According to Mikan's autopsy... Mahiru died instantly, so she probably never knew who killed her...
"With that, the killer achieved their goal of killing Mahiru and began to tamper with the crime scene. They dragged Mahiru's body so that it blocked the door leading to the road... Also... the mask found at the scene of the crime was something the killer personally left... I'm not really sure why... My guess is it's something similar to a calling card. That's how the crime scene we discovered was created. However, by moving Mahiru's body, the killer got blood splatter on them. Plus, the shower room had no water because it was out of order, so they couldn't wash it off... But the killer expected something like that to happen. Instead of the shower, the killer used something else to wash the blood off their body. They used plastic water bottles that were inside the beach house refrigerator. We can assume they carried the water bottles to the shower room before the sequence of events had happened... In place of showering, they washed the blood off their body with water bottles instead. However... they had no choice but to dispose of the empty bottles in the beach house's trash can. Littering is against the rules, and it would've taken too much time to throw them away somewhere else. After the killer washed off the blood, they hid in a specific spot inside the closet Hiyoko was in. The killer hid inside the surfboard case that they had already emptied beforehand.
"After some time had passed, the sleeping drug used on Hiyoko wore off and she woke up... I can imagine how badly Hiyoko must have panicked when she came out of the closet. I mean, she made plans to see Mahiru, who lay dead right in front of her... From the shock and panic of being considered a murder suspect... Hiyoko fled from the beach house. Because of that, she left footprints in the sand. Everything was a trap set by the killer to frame her. After Hiyoko left, the killer finally came out of the surfboard case... and placed a gummy that they brought with them to shift our suspicion toward Hiyoko. Ironically... placing that gummy is what helped clear our suspicion toward Hiyoko... Finally, the killer began preparing to escape from the beach house. They couldn't risk leaving their footprints in the sand, so they escaped the beach house using a different route... The small window in the shower room. However, that window is rather high up and can't be reached easily... Which is why the killer used... the bamboo sword they always carry with them. The killer took the bamboo sword out of its bag, tied the bag to the swords handle... and used the sword as a stepstool to reach the small window, while holding the sword bag in their hand. As long as they're able to reach the window, all they had to do was pull the bag to retrieve the sword. And so the killer left the beach house and appeared before the others as if nothing had happened. But.. their wet hair and swimsuit didn't dry right away. There also weren't any towels at the beach house... So when the killer met up with the others, they said they had been swimming for a while as an excuse...
"So how about it!? This is the truth behind the incident you caused! Isn't that right, Peko Pekoyama!?"
"I see... And what of it!?"
"She's, like, totally cool with it!" Akane shouted.
"I haven't done anything to be ashamed of!"
"What are you saying...? You killed Mahiru...!" Hiyoko argued.
"WRONG! I punished evil in the name of justice! That's no reason to condemn me!"
"Wh-Whatever! Let's hurry up and vote so we can freaking kill this weird, crazy bitch!"
"There's no way... you can kill me... Justice can never be killed! You should all know that as well!"
"Wh-What are you saying...!?" Gundham asked.
"To protect what's most important to you, you must be prepared to throw away something equally important. Understand!?"
"I-I don't get it!" Mikan cried. "I don't get it at all!"
"Then I shall be direct... Justice must carry on! In order to keep justice, to keep me, alive, you all must give up your lives!"
"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!?"
"A-Are you serious...?" Hajime asked.
"It's not serious... it's justice! If I fall here... who will combat the evils of this world!? Now... follow your hearts of justice that reside within you all... and save my life to protect justice...! Hurry and carry on justice!"
"You think we're going to sacrifice ourselves just to save you?" Byakuya asked.
"I-If we let Peko go... We're all gonna get killed..." Ibuki said.
"For the sake of grand justice, a few sacrifices are unavoidable!"
"A f-few sacrifices!?" Mikan repeated. "That's-!"
Unlike the shock from the rest of the students, Maki actually began to laugh. "Grand justice? What a joke. Any justice system that jumps straight to the death sentence is inherently flawed. As if literally everyone would be too afraid to commit a crime for fear of death. After Kazuichi's case, it should be abundantly clear that sometimes, shit happens. But I know you're not going to listen to me, so let me just leave you with this: I will protect true justice. My justice. I've already told you my goal as the Ultimate Criminologist. Consider it my promise to the world. A world where your twisted version of justice has no place! Let's start the vote!"
"U-Um... However... b-before we do that..." Sonia started.
"Monokuma! The vote!" Nekomaru yelled. "Hurry up and let us vote alreadyyyyyyy!"
"Zzz... I'm awake!" The bear snapped to attention.
"Ah! He finally woke up!"
"I've heard your story! Well... I wasn't listening, but who cares!? Now then, please pull the lever in front of you and cast your vote. Who will be chosen as the blackened!? Will you make the right choice or the dreadfully wrong one!? Puhuhu! Such heart-pounding excitement!"
Everyone grabbed the levers that popped out of the podiums in front of them, and pulled them to selected who they thought the blackened was. With that, her fate was sealed, and that was the end of their second class trial.
...Or was it?
Yeah, since this case is exactly the same as canon, I decided to show team Albert's point of view for some of the more tedious discussions. Still, this chapter caps off at 10k words. Christ, now I know why DR2 introduced the "TRIAL SUSPEND" feature, their trials are insanely long.
Sorry to any Peko fans. It certainly would've been interesting for her to survive, but with the motive I had to work with, I could only see either her or Fuyuhiko being the killer. Firstly, I can't really think of anything Maki could do to prevent Peko from stealing the kill from Fuyuhiko, and secondly, I just really do not wanna kill Fuyuhiko. I know I said I'd be riding the despair train with you guys this time around, but he's my favourite character in the series. You can't just expect me to kill him off in the second trial, without any character development.
In the next chapter, we'll see the aftermath of the trial, and what Albert and friends are up to now.
