Luckily, no one was dead the next morning when I went to the dining hall, I kept to myself thinking about how my performance should go. Afterwards, I decided to head to the gym since that's where the party's most likely to take place.

And sure enough, Miyuji, Tokuko, Kaede, Himiko, Angie, Tenko, Miu, Kokichi, and Kiyo were there.

"Yo, Sharla! Glad you could make it!" Miyuji exclaimed.

"It's not like I had a choice." I snarked. "Anyway, how are you guys setting up?"

"I'm providing outfits for everyone." Tokuko said.

"I'm doing the decorations with Gonta's help!" Angie exclaimed.

"Kirumi, Maki, and Kaito are preparing the food." Himiko said.

"I'm using my golden brain to set up the stage for both yours and Miyuji's performances and Himiko's magic show!" Miu said with pride.

"I am Himiko's assistant for her show." Kiyo muttered.

"Shuichi, Ryoma, and Keebo are helping to find everything needed." Kokichi said.

"Tokuko, Tenko, Miu, and Angie here volunteered to join my performance, which is gonna be kick-ass!" Miyuji shouted.

"And I'm providing the instrumental for your performance, Sharla." Kaede told me.

"I'm guessing Gonta is gonna get the piano from the casino, huh?" I asked.

"Yep. Once everything is set up, we can get this party started!" The pianist responded.

"Hey, hey! Kiyo, can I ask you something real quick?" Kokichi asked.

"What is it?" The anthropologist wondered.

"Can you take off your mask for the party?" The supreme leader questioned.

Kiyo's eyes widened in shock. "When did this idea come up?"

"I just figured that it would fit with Himiko's comfort zone." The purple-haired boy said.

"Seriously..?" Himiko asked in dismay.

The anthropologist simply sighed. "Very well. If you insist."

"Anyway, I'm gonna go see how mom is doing." Kokichi said as he left the gym.

"Man, what a prick." Miyuji muttered.

No kidding, he's more like a lying little bitch to me. I thought.

"Anyway, I should have outfits for all of you prepared in my room. Come with me." Tokuko said as she urged us to follow her.

We followed her to the Ultimate Actress' Dorm & Research Lab. She walked over to a large collection of different outfits and pulled out a selection of outfits and accessories for us to try.

"Woah! You must've been busy to prepare all of these!" Tenko exclaimed.

"I've gotten lots of ideas for the themes of everyone's performances. I hope these work for you guys." The actress replied.

"What themes did you choose anyway?" I asked.

"Well for Miyuji, Miu, Tenko, Angie, and myself, I have these cool party dresses, one for each of us. Himiko has this suit fit for a mage like herself. And I should have something more comfortable for Kiyo." The rose-wearing girl answered as she showed us the outfits.

"What about me and Kaede?" I questioned.

"Oh! You two have what I consider the best ones! Follow me! The rest of you help prepare for the party."

"Ooh~! Sharla and Kaede must be extremely lucky to have outfits Tokuko claims are the most divine!" Angie exclaimed.

"Luck alone can't be all it takes." Kiyo pointed out. "Besides, I already know what I think would be 'more comfortable'."

Do I want to know? Maybe I should see for myself after Tokuko shows me and Kaede what she'd made for us. I thought to myself as me and Kaede followed Tokuko.

She lead the two of us to some kind of backstage studio. The actress walked over to a box full of different outfits and pulled out two dresses. One of them was the same purple as Kaede's eyes, it looked nearly floor-length, with ruffles almost like it was meant for a tango on one side, and overall beautiful. The other was black at the top with canary yellow details including two roses on one side on it and the bottom was the same canary yellow with black lace at the bottom with the back of it appearing to reach past knee-length an just above ankle-length, and also overall beautiful.

"Do you like them?" Tokuko asked. "I've been working on these ever since I agreed to make everyone's outfits."

"Of course we do! They look lovely. Thank you, Tokuko." Kaede said.

"Yeah, these are amazing! The details on these are incredible!" I exclaimed.

"Heh, no problem, guys. Sewing is just a hidden talent of mine I have." The actress admitted.

"If Tsumugi was still alive, she'd go nuts over this." Kaede said as she laughed.

The rose-wearing girl returned the laugh. "Yeah, that sounds like something she would do. Anyway, now should be a good time to get ready for the party. The preparations should be almost done by now."

"Already?" I asked in surprise.

"Yeah, I have a dressing room large enough to hold all of us in there. Come on, I have to put on my outfit too."

The three of us went to the dressing room in question and went inside. It was large enough to account for several people. I took off my normal clothing and managed to put on the canary yellow dress. It looked just as beautiful as it did from eye-view alone. I also put on the accessories Tokuko provided with the dress including a pair of black lace leggings, white dress shoes with black heels and canary yellow roses, an black armband with a canary yellow rose on my right arm, black gloves with canary yellow bows and lace, a beautiful silver necklace with yellow gemstones, and a silver headpiece with a canary yellow rose attached to it and a silver rose in the center.

"How do I look?" I asked as I turned around.

"You look amazing, Sharla!" Kaede exclaimed.

The purple dress was just as lovely on the pianist as it did when we first saw it, even the dark purple bow seemed to complement her figure well. The shoes were simple matching heels and she had a white flower hairpin in her hair.

"It definitely fits with the theme of your performance." Tokuko admitted.

She was now wearing a vibrant purple party dress with a ruffled skirt, black transparent fabric over her chest held by a purple choker, a large black ribbon tied around her midriff with a bow with white lace on the ends on the back, black checkered leggings, and vibrant purple party shoes with white heels and equally purple straps around her ankles, a vibrant purple wrist-length glove on her left arm, and three silver bracelets with purple gemstones on them on her right arm.

I smiled. It was time to get this party started.

At the time the party was going to start at, I headed to the gym to meet up with Tokuko, Kaede, Miyuji, Angie, and Himiko.

Miyuji and Angie were now wearing a red-pink version and yellow version of Tokuko's outfit respectively. Himiko was also wearing some sort of suit now, more like a traditional tuxedo with red details and a longer set of coattails to it. Her trademark witch hat even had a new red ribbon with a gold buckle to match it better, despite its aged and frayed edges contrasting the suit's sleek lines, and her blue hair clip was gone.

Kaede was at the piano near the door preparing the instrumental for my performance. She hardly noticed anyone else. Which was why my appearance managed to startle her so badly that the pianist hit her knee against the underside of said piano.

"N-Nyeh? Are you okay?" Himiko asked.

"Y-Yeah, of course I am! What's going on, sorry I kinda went in my own little world there for a bit." The blonde-haired girl admitted.

"Nah, it's OK. I do it all the time too." The mage responded.

We've noticed. Not sure you aren't still in it. I thought.

"Nyahahaha! How cute~!" Angie exclaimed.

"Is everything OK?" Miyuji asked.

"Y-Yeah. Just thought me talking to you guys would be less jarring than Tenko since she's heading this way, sorry." The red-haired girl said.

"Kaede~ And Himiko! What do you think? Isn't this cute~ I feel like a princess!" Tenko sing-songed right on cue, giving a twirl of a curtsy as she did. Not that Himiko was paying her any attention.

It was an elegant blue version of what Tokuko, Miyuji, and Angie were wearing. Her hair was done in a much more understandable set of buns too, tied with little black bows similar to the one large one she normally had.

"It's beautiful on you, Tenko." Kaede said. "I didn't know you'd be so comfortable in that sort of thing. Almost expected you in a suit like Himiko, for mobility or something."

"Yeah, it looks great. And that reminds me…" Himiko began as an oddly serious expression came across her face. "Make fun of Kiyo's clothes and I'll hex you all. I mean it. I'll use my 'every time you sneeze you'll think you'd had an accident' curse and everything, so you better be nice."

"W-What sort of accident?! And what qualifies as 'making fun of' for this? What did he do?!" Tenko asked.

The mage didn't answer the aikido master's question as she ran off to have some words with... Maki? No, the hair isn't long enough to be her. And she isn't anywhere near six feet tall-

Wait... is that... Kiyo?!

It is quite the relief though, I was worried it'd be something more drastic. I thought as I looked on at what I was seeing.

Kiyo's definition of 'more comfortable' for the evening was apparently a red woman's kimono with an orange and blue floral pattern, tied with an orange and green scale patterned obi. The mask was off as per Kokichi's petty request, but aside from that and his hands, the dress covered nearly as much as his regular clothing did. His hat was gone but he had taken his odd chain off it's band to use in his hair for now.

"I-I didn't think he would choose that!" Tokuko exclaimed.

A while later, Miyuji, Tokuko, Angie, Tenko, and Miu, who was wearing a bright pink version of the other four's outfits, took to the stage. The vocalist took the mic while the others took the keyboard, drums, bass, and guitar respectively.

Miyuji seems to really get into this. Then again, she is the Ultimate Vocalist. I thought to myself.

Miyuji started to sing 'Smoke and Mirrors' with such power, that I was sure that no one could deny her Ultimate talent.

As she sang, I got a good look at the others' outfits. Gonta wore a navy blue suit with his hair tied up in a low ponytail, Kaito wore a standard black and white suit with a galaxy-printed tie, Maki wore a red strapless mermaid dress with crimson heels and her hair was done in a single braid, Keebo wore a simple black and white tux, but he looked less bulky than usual, Kokichi wore a blinding white tux with a matching top hat and he was holding a cane, Kirumi wore a strapless dark purple gown with a black shawl and black diamond heels. Her hair was pinned up in an elegant updo, allowing me to fully see her face, Shuichi was wearing an all-black suit, and Ryoma was wearing a grey suit, a white undershirt, a dark blue vest, a equally dark blue bow tie, and grey dress shoes with black soles. His hat was noticeably absent, leaving his hair fully exposed.

The lights went completely out once Miyuji finished her song with everyone's applause. I took this as my chance to head up onto the stage.

Gripping a microphone in my hand and standing on the top of the setup, I spoke through the darkness. "Everyone, can I have your attention?"

When everyone looked towards the stage, a spotlight shined bright upon me. All of them were clearly surprised to see me wearing what Tokuko made for me since I didn't look like the type of person to wear dresses.

"I've noticed that you all looked disturbed after watching the motive videos." I continued. "So I wanted to sing this song to heal your emotional wounds. Trust me on this."

Kaede took this as her cue to start playing the instrumental. Taking a soft breath, I started to sing 'Never Enough'.

From the looks on everyone's faces, including Miyuji's starry-eyed expression, no one was expecting me to be a great singer. I swore I saw some of them, including Ryoma and Kirumi, were tearing up a bit.

As I went down the stairs of the setup while singing the last few lyrics, everyone was already giving me a standing ovation and it continued even after I finished the song.

I walked off the stage so Himiko's magic show can begin. Miyuji ran up to me with a wide grin on her face.

"Sharla, you were amazing!" She exclaimed.

"Thanks, Miyuji." I replied with a smile. "I wanted to help heal their emotional wounds from the motive videos."

"Well, it certainly worked." The vocalist pointed out.

Himiko was as ready as she'd ever be at this point, so she and Kiyo took to her stage. She had Kiyo introduce her and provide almost fairytale-like explanations for everything she'd be doing for the night.

At least he's speaking normally, that falsetto from before seemed to come out of nowhere. I thought to myself.

The mage went through an interesting variety, starting with 'Incorporeal Vorpal Blades', an unusual combination of her 'saw in half' trick with a 'disappearing box' act that made it very hard to tell where exactly Kiyo actually was during the performance until it finished.

After a few rounds of that she went to 'Wyrd Maiden' magic, which given the subject did result in some laughs as Kiyo pulled out his falsetto again to play up the title despite Himiko's attempt at giving him a firm pout, starting with the box-of-swords trick that somehow resulted in Kiyo coming out of Himiko's 'witch's brew' that was sitting far off to the side.

They finished up with her take on 'Wingardium Leviosa', where upon the release of her various doves Himiko moved so quickly it was like she disappeared, leaving only her hat in her place. After a few moments when Kiyo hammed it up again while showing everyone that there were no doors in that area the banners above the stage began to move, showing Himiko proudly standing between the columns up above them to everyone's applause.

Too bad they hadn't actually sorted out for her to get back down though as she began looking around, rubbing the back of her neck like she forgot what she was supposed to be doing, which got some laughs from those who thought it was part of the show as Kiyo and Tenko mimed to her where to go.

When she was back safely on the ground, she asked if it would be okay to run off to the restroom for a bit now that her show was done. Kaede went back to playing for the night as Gonta released the various breeds of fireflies and beetles he collected that would each release their own pleasant glow as they took off to the night sky.

It looked like Himiko was practicing how to use Ether in the meantime to prepare for this night. I'm proud of her. I thought to myself.

I didn't think anything was wrong until Tenko went to see what was taking Himiko so long to get back, given how smoothly everything had went. Even then that was easy to forget about, I couldn't be sure how long the aikido master was gone looking. It wasn't until she came back looking terrified and asking for help that something was clearly wrong, so me and those closest to the door followed her to where the mage had been going last.

When me, her, Miyuji, Tokuko, Kaede, Kiyo, and Angie made to the bathroom door, the dreaded announcement's chime began to sound.

And once we entered the girls bathroom we saw...

Himiko Yumeno was dead on the floor... blood seeping from her neck with a lifeless stare.

With that, the killing game began again. Despite our best efforts, it was time to begin a new investigation.

(A/N: A poll is now open on my profile, you can decide which two exclusive gym leaders from Pokémon Sword and Shield will appear in this story's prequel, Killing God Havoc! Will it be Bea and Gordie from Sword, Allister and Melony from Shield, or some combination of both games? You decide! Voting ends when the next part is released!)