The flame licked around me as I laid bleeding. I shut my left eye to prevent the leaking blood coming out of my forehead from invading it. All around myself, amidst the growing fire, were the former Preparatory class students. The riots had reached their peak. Deep down, I knew Hope's Peak Academy was no more.
The fury died down in the hallway I laid in as the students continued the purging of the building. I looked forward once more; putting all my might into this stare.
Mmmmph!
I felt myself vomiting at the sight before my eyes. No more than ten minutes ago, the remaining six of the 77th Class C and our teacher had been observing the Parade outside. Just before this outbreak, Ito had run off to the restroom as we monitored the growing dilemma outside. Now, I stared at the corpses of four of my classmates and our teacher. My only hope was Ito had found an opportunity to slip away.
My talent had seemingly failed the others and myself. We should have been like the other ten student of our class who had stopped coming to school in fear of the danger presenting itself. Instead, five or six people I knew where dead.
I looked away from my scene of dismay and used the wall to raise myself. Once up, I used my right arm to hold my injured left arm. It would heal properly given time, but for this instant it stung immensely. Straight, left, down a flight of stairs, I continued my journey until I heard a noise.
Glass shattered nearby from the fourth floor hall. A silhouette flew by the downed windows and…
Blurriness infiltrated here. Apparently, I had stumbled outside and was spotted by a man named Kizakura. As I recovered, I vowed to never allow despair to spread again.I joined Future Foundation and was offered a leadership position. I declined; telling them I wasn't worthy after the sins I had to carry. I would be on the front lines as a tool to fight despair.
All these moments surged back to me as I gathered the others after Taru's murder. These thoughts haunted me and now this would too.

"Okay, we can't let this death be in vain. We must find the killer." Mitsuba said. "Seiji, Kirika, Aiyaka, and Sora, go check the storage room. There's no doubt the culprit used one of the provided weapons."
"C'mon guy, let's go!" Aiyaka piped up.
The other three nodded in agreement and and took off.
As the group left, the six others divided up the remaining workload. Ito, Tomoki, and Suzuki left to check the other rooms whiles Mitsuba, Takashi, and Takura went over the scene of the crime. Clues were gathered as the time went by.
"Boo-boop, sorry, time's up. Please report to the main hall in the first floor. Door's unlocked, so schoodle your patooties there."
The announcement subsided leaving an unease in the air. They all knew it was possible they would send a comrade to their death. One of the ten survivors, ones who they'd spent two years with, had betrayed them. This one had to be stopped. With this motivation, they departed to the first of what they hoped was the only trial.

All ten survivors stood in front of the main hall's doors. As they creaked opened, they saw the reason the room had been locked until now.
"Wow, this is just like what Junko did at Hope's Peak." Suzuki let out stunned.
True to her words, the main hall had a circular podium with twelve spots; one for each abductee and one in front of Monokuma's throne. And what a throne it was. An ornate chair sat beneath the monochrome bear.
"Come in, come in. What are you waiting for, the twenty-second century?" Monokuma joked.
Quickly, but silently, they trickled inward.
"Now, I'm sure you all know the rules from the incident at Hope's Peak. You talk, reach a consensus, yada yada, simple stuff really." the bear continued. "Anywho, here's your lineup for trial spots: myself, Ito, Aiyaka, Sora, our dear departed Taru, Tomoki, Seiji, Mitsuba, Suzuki, Kirika, Takura, and Takashi. All of this is clockwise from the door, with your's truly at twelve. Why, Mr. Monokuma, would you be so picky about this, you may ask You see, I slaved over a hot oven all day making this fantastic lineup, so if you mix it up...POP!" The little bear flashed its claws.
Quiet permeated the room from Monokuma's blabbering. The ten moved into position as the monochrome teddy spoke one last last piece.
"So, we're here today, because SOMEONE couldn't stay alive. As our great friend Taru wasn't the mastermind, someone here might be in big trouble. I'm gonna sit back and enjoy your show. Anyone, feel free to start it off."
"First, I must ask Monokuma this question. How much time passes between the death and announcement of said death?" Tomoki inquired.
"Ah, interesting question right off the back. I've given you the time to wait outside this room, but not that time. If no one finds the body, it will sound in fifteen minutes. Should someone find it though, it will sound there."
"Thank you." Tomoki continued onwards. "Let's us start with our murder weapon."
"When I checked the body, there seemed to be one wound. Whatever the weapon, it seemed to be blunt." Takura said.
"And what exactly do you believe causes it?" asked Ito.
"It could be hammers! When the lovey-dovey couple, Sora, and I checked the storage room, the hammers' container had traces of water in it. My guess is someone used one and washed it off." Aiyaka spoke.
"Lovey...dovey…" Kirika let out.
"Yeah. You and Seiji say you go off together to create your art and music. Truth is, we all know you really g-"
"Please try to be decent." Sora said; placing his hand over her mouth to cut her rattling off. "We need to stay on topic, please."
"So Aiyaka showed us the hammers and I would fully agree with that statement. Given their sizes, it would be of little difficulty hiding one on your person." said Seiji.
"But wouldn't this be an indictment of herself?" asked Suzuki.
"What do you mean?" replied Seiji.
"Aiyaka already observed the body and found a small, circular indentation in the head. Then she just finds the hammers and apparently they've been washed. All of this points that she knew this all ahead of time. And the only way she could have is if she's the killer!"
"Oh please, I was relaxing by taking a walk during this." Aiyaka said, nonchalantly. "Monokuma really needs to have more activities around this place."
"During this walk, did you happen to meet up and see anyone or are you without a solid alibi during this time?" Suzuki asked; pointing more blame at the girl.
"Nope-a-roo, unfortunately I've none. But I doubt most of us do."
"True." Ito spoke. "Most of us, including yourself Suzuki, went to their own devices."
"And for the hammers, even I would've guess that after looking over the body." Takura added.
"Though the alibis basis could rule people out. Can anyone say they were together with someone during this time." Ito added.
"I'll vouch for Tomoki." Mitsuba said. "Him and myself stayed in the mess hall."
"Seiji and I were together. And no, it was nothing like that." Kirika responded to growing smile on Aiyaka's face.
"That eliminates four suspects, leaving us with six more." Tomoki said. "My search of rooms turned up empty. Ito, Suzuki, perchance you uncovered anything?"
"Indeed, my search did." Ito said. "I did find a few tools in Takashi's room."
The statement caused a few stares to turn towards the room's owner.
"And what does this concern me?" Takashi asked.
"I assume it means it would be easy for a man with all those tools to get a hammer without raising suspicions." Suzuki said. "After all, you are the Ultimate Architect."
"Hmm, interesting. I will say," Mitsuba spoke up, "Suzuki, you've been quite fast to accuse people as the killer."
"Wh-what does that mean?"
"I believe she's saying in a roundabout way that it may be you whose is the killer." Seiji said.
"Hmph!"
"Okay, this is all fine, but does anyone else have any more evidence to submit?" asked Kirika.
The room went silent for a moment.
"So, it looks like we don't." said Sora.
"Really, that's all you've got?" Monokuma injected. "If that's the case, then this trial might as well end her. After all this trial is super lame and boring compared to previous ones."
"Wait, let us discuss more." Takashi said.
"Too bad. Now pull out your E-Handbooks."
The ten did as they were instructed.
"Now a new section is available. Select the Class List section and pull up who you think the killer is. Remember, majority rules."
Each thought hard and long. Whoever pulled it off didn't leave much behind. After a careful deliberation, every member selected their suspect.
"Okay, let's tally the votes and see what we got!" Monokuma joyfully declared.
Aiyaka, Sora, Tomoki, Seiji, Kirika, and Takashi had voted for Suzuki Kanaboshi. Ito, Mitsuba, and Takura had voted for Takashi Nagai. Finally, Suzuki voted for Aiyaka Tsukira.
"Wow, such a split room, but ultimately the vote go to Suzuki. Too bad it was her that...WASN'T a killer a this time around. Now she's gotta live with all this mistrust in you six. As for the killer, well they get off scot-free. The question remains: are they the mastermind starting it off or maybe a concerned abductee trying to help others? Too bad I'll never tell the lot of you."
Everyone seemed shocked by what had gone down. The disbelief was evident on their face.
"So closes our first trial. For a bunch of cowards, you really stink at this."
"What was that!? Us, cowards?" angrily said Ito.
"No, I'm not talking about you or Tomoki, honey." Monokuma said. "Everyone else here. You all ran from Hope's Peak when the Parade started up. Jumping ship is fine every once in awhile, but you gotta make sure it's not into shark-infested waters." Monokuma hopped out of his throne. "Now it's getting late. You're dismissed."
With a wave of his paw, the disgruntled thrawn started to leave. Whatever was ahead was never going to pretty. Despair had arrived and was starting its work on all those present.
Survivors: 10