A/N: Sorry for taking... 4 years... to update...

A note! Someone commented SUPER recently which… thanks? Comments even on abandoned works are so appreciated. So actually… I recently played the English localization so I am continuing, however, there are going to be some changes. First, the names. From now on, I'm not using honorifics, it's too hard for me to keep track. Since I replayed with the English localization, they don't use honorifics, I would prefer not to try to attempt getting them right and messing them up. Secondly, everyone is using first names from now on and nicknames from the canon english translation. As much as I personally dislike the English nicknames, it's for the purpose of consistency. Same goes for the spelling of the names. In terms of referencing the localization, I'm not calling the killers "the blackened" though. My excuse? I just don't want to. They're still going to be "culprits". Additionally, Monokuma is going to be referred to as Monokuma.

I also would recommend you go back and re-read ch 1.4 as a refresher, because I cheated a little bit and changed a couple details. I was 16 at the time, I feel like I could've done a better job. The changes make it more consistent with this new update. It's fairly short, so it shouldn't be too much. However, I did make some tweaks to the previous chapters as well (including the name changes), so if you would like you can also re-read the other chapters, but it's not quite as important.

Be prepared for a really long, dialogue-heavy chapter! It's 15 kids all standing in a circle and arguing, much like the game!


Chapter 1.5: Trials and Tribulations

The wait for the elevator doors to open was deathly quiet. "Nerves" was a good word to describe it although "dread" was probably even more accurate. Looking around the dimly lit room, I realized all of my classmates were not yet present.

"Where's Kyoko?" Makoto asked as though voicing my thoughts aloud.

Sayaka answered. "We haven't seen her once since she left the investigation scene."

He looked at me, as if searching for an answer, but I shook my head. I was just as in the dark as everyone else.

The silence continued. I turned over all the clues in my mind, trying my utmost to piece them together—despite how little we had to go on.

"So... What do we do now?" Makoto murmured quietly, and I knew the question was intended for my ears only.

"What do you mean?"

"If all the evidence we've gathered is fake, then what good is it? What are we going to do if it's all been useless?"

"Not useless," I corrected him. "It can still be helpful in some way." Even false trails could be unintentional clues.

"But if it all points to the wrong culprit, then how is it helpful? It was put there intentionally to deceive us."

"I'm... not sure. Not yet, anyways. Things will become clearer during the trial." Even as I said it, I knew it would take more than just words of reassurance to convince him. All the same, there was some truth to my words. It tended to be easier to put the pieces of a puzzle together after observing the suspects for a little while.

"What exactly do you plan on doing once we get in there?" he asked skeptically.

I sighed. "I'm gonna wing it."

"You can't be serious."

I could feel his disbelieving eyes on me, but I ignored him. "You'd be surprised what you can learn when you let everything unfold."

"Something is off. Isn't the case too ambiguous? How can you possibly be so confident?"

"Has anybody ever told you that you ask too many questions?" I said irritably. My mind was still buzzing with too many questions of my own. I wasn't really confident, not in the slightest. I wasn't comfortable with the idea of having to bluff my way through something as serious as this when our lives were at stake. It definitely would not have been method I would typically choose, but what other options did I have?

Just then, Kyoko entered the room without so much as a word.

"You're late," said Taka as he addressed Kyoko, his arms crossed.

"I was busy." And that was the only explanation we were to receive because at precisely that moment the doors to the elevator opened.

The elevator ride to the courtroom was just as bad if not worse than the wait for the elevator itself. It was painfully long, as though we would never reach our destination and instead we would simply just keep going and going and going forever.

At last, we arrived at our destination. We stepped out of the lift and into a large, cylindrical room with blue walls, red curtains, and a black and white checkered floor. There were sixteen stations (presumably one for each student), arranged in a circle, along with one large throne at the end of the room that faced opposite the entrance. The seat was taken up by Monokuma, who grinned at us as as he sat leisurely upon his throne.

Each station was labelled with a name, indicating for which student it was intended. We each went to our appropriate station so that they were all taken, save for one. The last one seemed empty until I saw the large picture of Hifumi that was propped up in a frame that occupied the space. The portrait had been crossed out in a dark red X.

"What took you so long?" complained Monokuma. "Did you guys stop for drive-thru on the way or something?"

Nobody answered.

"Hostile..." He laughed. "Puhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhu! Let's get this show on the road."

"Hold on." I held up my hand, wanting to clear up one thing. "Before we start, what is that for?" I pointed to the portrait of our fallen classmate.

"Funny you should ask. Well, just because the dead are no longer with us, doesn't mean that can't be with us in spirit. I felt that everyone should really participate! Now that we've got that out of the way, let's quickly go over one more time how this little dog and pony show will proceed. Firstly, I let you bastards discuss. Once you reach a verdict, you take a vote on the culprit. If you're correct, I punish the culprit. If you are wrong, I punish everybody else, and the culprit goes free. Capisce?"

Silent nods.

"Alright, well let's get this party started. Class is in session!"

We all looked around at each other.

"Before we formally start," began Makoto. "I would like to give the culprit a chance to turn themselves in. You know, you can still do the right thing."

It was admirable, but to no avail. The room was silent.

He sighed, and it could've been my imagination, but was he trembling? "I figured I should try."

"Enough with this cheesy crap!" piped up Monokuma. "Let's start with the murder weapon. Discuss."

So it began.

"Well, that's easy. The murder weapon was the knife," said Junko, getting our debate rolling.

"Taken from the kitchen," added Sakura. "You can tell by looking at the handle."

So far it wasn't anything that couldn't be easily figured out.

"Hmmm... That makes sense. There did seem to be a knife missing from the kitchen," said Chihiro.

"So then it's settled? Look's like that's the murder weapon for sure—" began Junko.

"You've got that wrong!"

It was Makoto, his voice surprisingly clear and strong. Privately, I was more than a little taken back by his boldness, but I—as well as the others—waited expectantly to hear what he had to say.

"Excuse me?" asked Junko, giving him a dirty look for cutting her off.

"Hang on, Makoto, are you saying Junko here is wrong?" asked Hiro.

"It's kind of difficult to contradict the knife blade sticking out of Hifumi's chest," said Junko as she folded her arms—sounding more than a little put out.

I knew I could back him up if he needed support, but instead I waited to see if he would correct his course.

"Exactly!" said Taka. "And there were no other weapons found at the scene of the crime!"

"Well, no, that's not actually the problem," said Makoto, shrinking back oh-so-slightly beneath Junko's piercing glare, back to his usual self. "It's just that Hifumi also suffered a blow to the head."

There we go.

"Wait, what?" asked Junko.

"Yeah, what are you on about?" asked Mondo.

I explained. "Upon inspection of the body, you can see bruising along with an open gash on the crown of the skull."

"It's also stated in the Monokuma File, for those of us who bothered to read it," said Byakuya.

"Lay off, I was guarding the scene, alright?" grumbled Mondo.

Sakura nodded. "As was I. Those of us who are watching guard have to put our faith in the rest to catch the culprit. Understand the risk we are taking and have patience."

"Anyway, what's this guy driving at?" asked Leon.

"Yeah, what gives?" asked Junko. "So what if there was bruising?"

Byakuya rolled his eyes, his smug aura palpable. "Do I have to spell everything out for you? Two different forms of injuries—"

"Which means there's definitely got to be a second weapon involved in the attack," said Makoto.

"I wasn't finished, but yes, Makoto is correct."

I chimed in, coming to Makoto's aid. "Especially probable considering the fact that a trophy is missing from the trophy room. The one right outside the gym. Right, Celeste?" I turned to look at her.

"Hmmm?" She blinked, looking up with wide eyes as if surprised at having been reeled into the conversation. "Oh yes, of course. I was in the trophy room during the investigation, I can confirm. There's a rather large one that appears to have been broken at the base."

"Are you saying a trophy was used as the murder weapon?" asked Sakura.

Before I could answer, Sayaka spoke.

"But if the knife and the trophy are involved how can we be sure which one is the murder weapon?" she asked.

"Yeah," said Leon. "I mean, it's not like we can tell which part of the attack came first, right?"

"Does it really matter which came first?" asked Hina. "I mean, if he was attacked with two different weapons, does the order really make a difference?"

I decided to speak. "It could make all the difference." I had a hunch, but I was hesitant to voice it just yet. I needed more information. The others looked at me quizzically.

"But I guess we'll never know," said Chihiro, looking sadly at the floor.

I shook my head. "Actually, the Monokuma File specifically states that the victim died from a blow to the head. So we know that much."

"Aha!" cried Taka. "I see! So what you are saying, is the knife was the initial weapon used to attack, but the final killing blow must've been delivered by that second weapon!"

"That's gotta be it!" said Hina.

"Wait." I held up a hand. "Let's hold off on any conclusions for now. We should consider all possibilities before making hasty decisions."

"But the Monokuma File—" began Leon.

To my surprise, Makoto interrupted him. "No, I agree with Mukuro." He looked deep in thought. "Something about this seems off."

I wondered if we were thinking the same thing.

"Off? asked Kyoko. "In what way?"

Makoto frowned. "I-I'm not sure. Mukuro?" he asked, looking to me.

"Well…" I tried to put in a way I felt the others could catch on. I knew from experience that I would persuade no one if I out and stated all my conclusions right off the bat. People need to come to their own conclusions, they don't need to be led. "Consider this, is there something peculiar about the state of the murder weapon?"

"The state of the weapon?" He pondered for a moment. "Oh! It's missing, is that what you're talking about?"

"Precisely."

"Huh?" asked Hiro. "But we still have the knife."

"G-god, you're dense!" cried Toko. "W-we already established the knife is not what k-killed Hifumi!"

"Hey!—" he began to retaliate, but Sayaka interrupted him.

"No, Hiro has a point. I'm confused, too." She frowned. "Why would the killer bother dispensing of one murder weapon but not the other?"

"See!" said Hiro. "I knew there was something fishy…" He gasped, pointing a finger in a moment of realization. "A plant!"

"Ugh, he's lost it completely…" said Junko.

Several of the others tutted in disappointment, but I waited to see if there really was water to his supposed epiphany.

"No! Not, like, the sentient vegetation that will eventually rise against us," he began, and I admit he almost lost me for a second, but he added, "a plant. You know, a fake, a decoy."

"So, you mean like a bluff?" asked Celeste. "To put it in your language. To hide one's true intentions."

"Exactly like a bluff," I said, looking to Hiro. As our eyes met, I shot him a small assuring smile.

"So what you're saying is that the knife was purposefully left behind to trick the rest of us?" asked Byakuya. "An interesting hypothesis, but to what end?"

"A few different possibilities, but whichever is the case, I think it's a real possibility that the culprit has something to hide. For instance, when we realized the killing blow was the strike to the head, we made a pretty big assumption based on what we thought we knew."

"Assumption?" asked Sakura.

"You mean the assumption that the knife was the first attack and the other weapon, the trophy, was the final blow? Based on the information given from the Monokuma File?" asked Makoto.

I nodded. "However, if we consider what Hiro just said, don't you think it's possible we need to think about it the other way around?"

"Mukuro, are you suggesting the trophy was the first attack?"

Hina spoke. "But the Monokuma File—"

"Think about it. If the true murder weapon is hidden, that must mean the culprit doesn't want us to see it or know about it at all. If the knife was really used in the attack, why not take it as well? Makoto," I implored. "When did the knife come into play?"

He thought about it. "After Hifumi was dead, right? That's what you're saying, isn't it?"

I nodded. "I propose that the missing murder weapon isn't just the first weapon used in Hifumi Yamada's murder, it was the only weapon used."

"Interesting," said Celeste. "Perhaps the killer did not realize that the information would be available to us in a helpful file," She smiled that eerie smile of hers. "After all, they are our very first culprit."

"Interesting indeed," said Byakuya.

"Wow, Hiro," said Leon. "That wasn't completely batshit."

Hiro sighed. "Everyone is always so surprised…"

"I mean, yeah, I think you guys are talking sense," said Mondo, "but that still doesn't explain everything."

"An oversight!" said Taka. "You must elaborate."

Mondo nodded, but Byakuya answered for him.

"Naturally, what the killer would have to gain from presenting us with a decoy. Isn't that right, Makoto?"

"Uh." He sputtered a bit, taken aback by Byakuya's acknowledgement. "Y-yeah. If the true murder weapon is gone, the culprit must have something to hide, right?"

"Vague, but adequate." He seemed even more disappointed than usual.

"Unfortunately, we do not have our hands on such murder weapon—" said Celeste, which I saw as my opportunity to jump in.

"So then we'll have to make do with the information we do have. Don't you all agree?"

She looked at me. "Such as?"

"Well, the knife, for instance."

Makoto spoke. "Mukuro is right. It clearly comes from the kitchen, so is there anyone who noticed it go missing at any point?"

"If I may?" said Chihiro, raising a small hand.

"Chihiro, speak with confidence so the rest of us may hear what you have to say!" said Taka, a little too loudly.

"Oh, um," began Chihiro, but upon hearing Taka's words she tried her best to raise her voice, "I mean, what I meant to say was that I was in the dining hall sometime in the evening, before our observed Night Time hours. From what I remember, the knife was definitely there when I first entered the kitchen."

"From what you remember?" asked Byakuya with a scoff.

"I-I'm sorry—" began Chihiro, but she was cut off by Leon.

"Hey, drop it will you?" he said, glaring at Byakuya. "She's doing her best!"

"How can we expect to trust her testimony if she doesn't even trust her own memory?"

"Chihiro," began Sayaka, "are you sure that's what you saw?" Her coaxing nature seemed to have a more reassuring effect on Chihiro than either of the boys. Chihiro had been close to tears, but she took a deep breath to calm herself.

"I'm pretty sure…." said Chihiro. She shook her head. "No! I'm absolutely sure! However—"

"Yes?" asked Sayaka.

"The second time I returned to the kitchen, the knife was gone."

"Are you sure?"

Chihiro nodded.

"And what was the span of time in between?" asked Sayaka.

"Maybe 10 minutes."

"Is there anyone else who can attest to this?" asked Celeste. "While I'd like to believe you, I would feel much better if we had a corroborating witness."

Mondo raised a hand. "Aye. I was with Chihiro in the dining hall the whole time. Man's word of honor."

"Ok, so these two are in the clear," said Leon.

"W-wait a sec!" It was Toko. "H-how do we know that these t-two aren't in on something together?"

"What?" asked Chihiro, eyes going wide.

"Yeah!" said Hina. "For all we know, you guys could be conspiring together!"

"Hey! What the hell are you playin' at?" demanded Mondo. "Don't go accusing us of anything, we're just telling you what we saw!"

"Awfully defensive," said Byakuya. "However, that does bring up a problem I would like to clear up." He turned to Monokuma. "You. Bear."

"Hm?" Monokuma held up a paw, tilting his head curiously. "Is my beautiful voice required?"

Byakuya ignored this. "Can the culprit have an accomplice?"

"Oh, sure! However, only the culprit, a.k.a. the one who commits the actual murder, can graduate. In other words—"

Kyoko finished his sentence. "A culprit can have an accomplice, but only the culprit would benefit from the crime. Therefore, the accomplice would have little to no incentive to tag along."

"Bingo!" said Monokuma with a laugh.

"There, are you happy?" said Mondo, "You got your answer, we ain't suspects."

"Fortunately for the two of you," said Byakuya. "Your alibis check out just fine."

"Well, if it wasn't you two, then who was it?" asked Sayaka. "If you have anything else to add, it will only do more to clear you guys as suspects. Try to remember," she implored earnestly, "Did anyone else enter the dining hall during this time?"

Mondo frowned, brow furrowed as he scratched the back of his head. "Well, yeah. One person. But…" He looked to Chihiro.

"It was Hifumi."

Silence. Chihiro continued.

"At the time, we didn't think anything of it, but in retrospect, he—he was acting rather odd."

"Odd?" asked Sakura sharply. "In what way?"

"Like, acting super shifty, y'know?" said Mondo.

"I asked him if he wanted to join us," said Chihiro, "but he refused."

"Seemed to be in a real hurry to get out of there," said Mondo. "Guess now we know why."

"But if Hifumi was the one to grab the knife," said Sayaka, "that doesn't explain…"

"How he ends up dead on his dorm room floor?" asked Junko, finishing her trail of thought. I cringed at her more crass choice of wording, as did a few of the others, but nevertheless her point remained. She shrugged. "Beats me."

"Listen, all we know is that before he showed up, the knife was still there, and after he left, it was gone." Mondo shrugged.

"I got it!" said Taka. "He was using the knife to defend himself!"

"Or perhaps…" I began.

"Perhaps?" asked Makoto.

Kyoko finished my sentiment for me. "Perhaps we need to consider the possibility that Hifumi was more than a victim of circumstance."

I nodded.

"Kyoko, are you suggesting…" Makoto seemed too fearful of the words to even say them, so instead Byakuya took over.

"—That Hifumi grabbed the knife in hopes of using it to kill another student?" he asked. "That seems to be the gist of it."

She looked away, arms folded as she seemed to stare at nothing. "Well. It's just a theory."

"I… wouldn't consider it off the table," I said slowly. When I received some questioning looks, I added, "if we consider the possibility that Hifumi wasn't expecting his attacker to fight back, let alone defeat him, I think it makes a lot of sense."

Makoto jumped in. "So the killer was responding in self-defense?"

I hesitated. "I suppose it's possible, but that doesn't explain the wounds."

"Wounds?" asked Makoto.

"If we follow this logic, the knife was used to attack the culprit, but not utilized in the response attack." I continued, "According to my analysis of the body, Hifumi did indeed sustain not just one, but actually several blows to the head with a blunt object."

"Strange."

To my surprise, it was Kyoko. She looked intense, as though deep in thought.

"Sorry, why do you say that?" I asked.

She shook her head, not looking up at the rest of us. "Never mind. Not strange exactly. Just... The fact that you say it was definitely several blows to the head. You are certain?"

I nodded. "Positive."

She responded with a slight nod in return. "Multiple attacks are a sign that the attacker wasn't just aiming to injure…" Her eyes met mine, and it was as if I knew what she was about to say before she said it. "They were aiming to kill."

A shiver ran down my spine. Indeed, that had been the conclusion I had drawn as well, but hearing it aloud, I was struck by the direness of our situation.

"And what exactly is strange about that?" Byakuya spoke again, same condescending tone as usual. "It's a game in which we must kill to survive, the culprit must've known this when they went for the weakling Hifumi."

"Hey, cut it out!" said Hina in indignation, hair almost seeming to stand up in her anger. "Have some respect, will you?" There were tears welling up in her eyes.

"I agree with Hina," said Celeste coolly, "The poor boy is dead. Have you no sense of decorum?"

"Very well, if you're going to ignore the fact that Hifumi brought this upon himself, then by all means please keep living in your fantasy land where we all hold hands and sing kumbaya," said Byakuya.

Hina shook her head. "You make me sick."

I ignored their quibbling, too deep in thought going over all the facts of the case. There was a contradiction in there somewhere that was gnawing at me. My guess was that if Kyoko was correct, Hifumi saw his obligation as the janitor as an opportunity to dispose of any evidence that would give away his crime. However, if this was the case, his plan had clearly backfired. I wasn't sure if the culprit knew of his janitorial duties, but the keys definitely were not on his person when I searched him. So… why the sloppy cleanup trail?

"Hello, Earth-to-Mukuro?" said Junko, her voice bringing me back to reality. "You still there? Give us something to work with, Ultimate Detective."

"R-right. Of course, Sis." My sister needed me, I had to give them something. I coughed, clearing my throat. I had a hunch, I decided seeing it through might help me get somewhere. "Uh… the sloppy cleanup. Let's start there."

"Huh?" asked Hina.

"The cleanup on the evidence. The culprit left all sorts of clues." If my hunch was right, the clues were in reality a dead end, but I hoped by talking it through I could possibly make more sense of it—or even get the culprit to slip up and reveal more.

"Look, you're my sister and you know I love you because I have to, but can you cool it with this whole cryptic crap?" Junko frowned at me.

"Well, if certain individuals had actually applied themselves to the investigation, they might actually know what Mukuro is talking about. It's not rocket science," said Byakuya.

"Fuck off four-eyes, no one asked you."

Byakuya's ears turned red, but before he could even respond, Makoto interjected loudly. "O-kay! Before that escalates…" He turned to me. "You're talking about the trash room, aren't you?"

I nodded.

He continued. "The furnace had been left on, but the gate was still locked."

"So?" asked Junko.

"Yeah, maybe someone just forgot to turn it off," suggested Hina.

Taka spoke. "Incorrect! I had gone with Makoto who had just received the key to use incinerator the day prior. If it was left on, I definitely would've noticed. Therefore, it is most likely that the furnace was left on at some point last night!"

"Ok, sure, but what does any of this have to do with a… sloppy cleanup trail?" asked Leon.

"On its own, the furnace isn't all that suspicious," admitted Makoto. "However, that wasn't the only strange thing about the trash room, was it, Mukuro?"

"Makoto is correct," I said with an affirming nod and a confident smile.

"Christ, those two are just birds of a feather, aren't they?" I heard Leon mutter.

"Sure it isn't more like a hive-mind?" asked Hiro.

I blushed, trying my best to ignore this as I continued. "Anyway, as I was saying—"

Celeste interrupted. "You are referring to my crystal ball, yes?"

"Sorry?" I asked.

"The additional evidence in the trash room. It's my crystal ball, is it not?"

"Well, yes—"

Hiro gasped. "You mean the one you lent to me? I was looking all over for that thing!"

"It was found broken beside the incinerator this morning," said Byakuya.

"But, wait, aren't those things supposed to be, like, unbreakable?" asked Hiro.

"Are you sure you're not thinking of diamonds?" asked Hina. She rolled her eyes.

"For the record, it is made of glass," said Celeste, ignoring Hina and Hiro and addressing the rest of the students. "As I explained to Miss Mukuro, it is nothing more than a prop. I have spares."

"So... you're a con-artist?" asked Leon.

"I never said that!" she snapped. Once she regained her composure, she added, "It is just… difficult to convince my clients to believe in my clairvoyance without the pageantry to go with it. Would they be nearly as impressed if I read their fortunes from a small scrap of paper inside a fortune cookie? My gifts cannot be translated to the physical world, so crystal balls, tarot cards, the lot, it gives them something substantive to put their faith in. I am simply giving them the showmanship they desire."

"Alright, sheesh. Whatever, lady," said Leon. "Forget I said anything."

"That aside, we have to face the fact that Celeste's crystal ball was found in the trash room, along with the burnt scrap of a white shirt," said Makoto.

"But that could be anybody's!" said Hina.

"Indeed," said Sakura, much more calmly than Hina, possibly trying to level her energy. "There are numerous individuals among us who I am sure possess white shirts."

"True," said Makoto, "But the important part is that the shirt indicates that the culprit was hasty in their attempt to discard evidence. Or alternatively they were in a position where they couldn't get rid of it completely."

"So, the crystal ball implicates either Hiro or Celeste, correct?" asked Taka. "Since Celeste is the owner, and Hiro was borrowing it." He pointed an accusatory finger. "Either one of you, explain yourselves!"

"That's right!" said Hina, banging one fist on the little stand in front of her station. "You've got a lot to answer for!"

Hmm...

"Not necessarily," I said, finally deciding to speak again. "Hiro fully admits to losing said crystal ball, don't you Hiro?"

"Uh, yeah," he said with a sheepish grin. "Whaddaya say, Celeste? No hard feelings?"

She sighed. "It is in the past." However, she didn't strike me as the type to easily let things go. Hiro also looked uneasy.

"Anyway," I said, "this means the ball was not in either person's possession the night of the crime. The culprit could've easily stumbled upon it at random."

"Celeste did admit to having spares…" said Sayaka.

"True," I said, "but before we make any hasty conclusions, consider how the crystal ball was being used."

"What do you mean?" asked Sayaka.

"Come on," I said. "Think."

For a moment, everyone stood in silent befuddlement before Junko finally exclaimed in annoyance.

"For fuck's sake! The ball was used to turn on the switch for the incinerator! There's your answer, did everyone get that? Now can we please move on with this?"

I was surprised. "Actually, yes, Junko, that is correct."

She smirked. "I have my moments. I'll admit, I'm feeling pretty smug right now, it's pretty nice. Is this how Byakuya must feel all the time?"

He frowned but didn't respond.

Makoto spoke. "Well, if Junko is correct, the culprit would have to be able to hit a very small target from a great distance away. And all through a small hole in the metal grate…"

"And there's only one person here with skill set to accomplish such a feat... Isn't that right, Hina?"

I grinned triumphantly.

All eyes turned to Aoi Asahina, and she paled instantly. "No! That's—that's crazy! There's gotta be a mistake, nobody could hit a target that small!"

"Perhaps this is true for the average person, yes," said Celeste, "but you are no average person, are you? To the Ultimate Softball Star, hitting that switch must've been a walk in the park."

"You're wrong!" She was shouting now, hair once again standing up in her anger. "You're making a mistake!"

"The only mistake here is the slapdash amateur job you did to hide your involvement," said Byakuya. "In fact, I think Hifumi's dying message points right to you."

"D-dying message?" asked Toko. Several of the others also exclaimed in surprise.

… But strangely, Hina was not one of them.

"What? There's a dying message?" asked Kyoko, for once seeming legitimately shaken rather than her usual calm and collected self.

"Yes, written in his own blood, no less," said Byakuya. "The letters on the wall behind him clearly spell a-o-i, which can only be your first name, Aoi."

When she didn't respond, he continued.

"I've been suspicious of her since the trial began."

"Hmmm… I agree, her behavior has been rather strange," I said. "Hasty to jump to conclusions, placing blame, possibly to avoid suspicion."

"Because she feared the evidence would implicate her," said Byakuya. "Am I wrong?"

Hina took a step back, eyes wide in horror. She looked completely backed into a corner. "I..." It was so faint I could barely hear her.

"It's true then, isn't it, Hina?" asked Makoto, his eyes sad. "I didn't want to believe it, but…"

"It was me." Hina didn't look up, and instead hung her head sadly. "I'm sorry I didn't say so straight away. I was just scared, you know? I didn't know what to do."

I didn't say anything. We were finally getting a confession, after all. But something about this seemed off.

"I needed to use the incinerator last night. I guess Hifumi saw this as his opportunity to strike, so he came at me with the knife, and I guess he hadn't counted on… m-my ability to fight back, and so I managed to disarm him and stab him with his own weapon. I was only protecting myself, you gotta understand!"

"But what about the strike to the head?" asked Kyoko.

"He… he hit his head against the wall. When I disarmed him, I guess he'd lost his balance, and he hurt himself."

Her testimony didn't line up with the sequence of events I'd put together at all. It didn't even match with the Monokuma File, but everyone seemed completely convinced.

"Well, I suppose it's settled then. Isn't it, Mukuro?" said Kyoko, looking right up at me as she said it. Perhaps it was my imagination, but she seemed to be testing me, as though daring me to find a contradiction. I had no idea whether this meant she believed in Hina's innocence or not.

"It's done," said Hina. "Go ahead and cast your votes. I—"

"Wait!"

My voice reverberated throughout the courtroom. My eyes had squeezed shut, and when I opened them again, I could see everyone else in the room staring right at me.

"Huh? What is going on?" Monokuma looked over at me curiously.

"Y-yeah," said Hina. "I thought we already agreed it was me. You got a confession and everything! Drawing it out like this is only making it... making it harder for me."

"I-I just think there are some inconsistencies between your testimony of the events and some of the basic facts of the case."

"What are you talking about?" asked Hina, practically shouting so that it was no longer a question. "I did it! It was me! You have the proof!"

"Very well, Mukuro," said Byakuya, ignoring Hina's protests. To my surprise he was smiling. It was the same smug smirk as usual, but all the same, I couldn't believe he was letting me speak. He had seemed so intent on proving Hina's guilt. "Where would you like to start?"

"Uh…" For once I was unprepared. "The… the dying message!" I just remembered something strange about it that I hadn't been able to piece together until just now.

"What about it?" asked Hina indignantly. "What other meaning could the letters a-o-i possibly have?"

"She's right, Mukuro," said Makoto. "And we already have a confession."

"I just think there's far too many strange things about it," I said. "For instance, the way the name is facing."

"Yeah? What's so strange about it?" asked Hina.

"Well, if we're assuming Hifumi wrote the name with his finger, back facing toward the wall—"

Toko interrupted me. "Th-then it should've been upside-down, r-right?" she asked, although from her tone it sounded like she wasn't even sure of her own conclusion. "U-upside-down and backwards."

"Toko is correct," said Byakuya. She blushed, mumbling something to herself as she looked down at her own hands. "What's more—"

"Besides," said Kyoko. "In case no one else has noticed, Hifumi is also not the sort of person who refers to people by their first name."

"She's right," mused Leon. "Dude's a full name kinda guy. I distinctly remember—"

"—Being referred to as Mister Leon Kuwata on more than one occasion," Sayaka finished for him. "Right?"

He nodded, looking slightly perturbed.

"Sorry, just intuition."

Kyoko nodded at the both of them.

"Maybe he just put in the effort to write it correctly so he could be absolutely sure his message was received," suggested Taka.

"But Taka," I said, "I examined the body, and his hands were clean. There was no blood on his finger."

Someone cleared their throat, and we all looked over to see Byakuya glowering at the rest of us for having the audacity to interrupt him. "As I was saying," he said, "The definitive proof was in the Monokuma File all along." He looked to Makoto.

"Oh, um.." Makoto opened up his handbook. "It says… 'Hifumi Yamada died from a blow to the head with a large blunt object. His death was instantaneous. However, he sustained several additional blows to the head'."

"See?" said Byakuya. "If Hifumi's death was instantaneous, there is no way he would have been alive long enough to write that dying message himself." He pointed a finger at Hina. "All the clues up to this point have been a lie. Miss Asahina here, is being framed."

"You're wrong! You're wrong, you're wrong, you're wrong!" cried Hina. She was practically screaming, her hands balled up into fists at her sides. "It was me! It had to be me! Listen to me! You—you're going to get us all killed!" she said, but I could've sworn I heard her hesitate. "Nobody else could've been able to get into the incinerator room to burn the shirt!"

"I go to the trouble of proving your innocence," said Byakuya, "And that is all you have to say? What do you gain from keeping up this charade?"

Seeing Hina's reaction to Byakuya's theory, I knew something wasn't quite lining up. While I agreed with Byakuya's premise, there was just one part of his statement with which I took issue.

If she was being framed, why was she trying so hard to implicate herself?

"This is intolerable," said Byakuya, sneering in disdain at Hina's continued protests. "I see no need to provide more evidence myself, but Makoto, since you clearly know the answer, please inform the class."

"I do?" asked Makoto.

"You should, since you're the one who told me. Before the trial." Byakuya sighed. "Still can't keep up, I see. The victim, Makoto. The choice in victim is the clue."

Of course!

"W-what on earth is s-so special about Hifumi?" asked Toko.

"Hifumi is—" I began, but I didn't get an opportunity to finish.

"I was clearly talking to Makoto," He snapped. "I'm through with you. I'd hoped that at the very least our Ultimate Detective would be willing to liven up our game, but you're just as disappointingly dull as the rest." For a moment, his gaze met mine and he seemed to challenge me, until he finally looked away with bored disinterest.

I flushed red, fists clenched in anger and embarrassment. Instead of answering to him, I turned to Makoto. "Makoto," I demanded. "Monokuma gave you the key to the incinerator, didn't he?"

"Oh! Y-yes, he did."

"And you gave the key to Hifumi?"

"Yes," he said again, nodding. "He was the first one in the rotation to receive the job as janitor."

I nodded. "That, I believe, is your answer, Byakuya." I stood defiantly. "Isn't it? Makoto told us both that he gave Hifumi the key to the incinerator. You're assuming that the killer chose Hifumi because of his status as the janitor."

"Hmph."

"But Mukuro, we went over this before the trial even started," said Makoto. "'Kill the janitor, and you can burn any evidence that you need to', that is what you said."

"And yet she felt no need to disclose this relevant information," said Byakuya. "Wasting our time with inane baseball theories."

"I agree," said Sakura, "This does seem like crucial information."

I gritted my teeth, scowling at Byakuya as I said, "I was waiting for it to be relevant to the discussion. I didn't think we'd get a confession prior."

"But I thought that we established that Hifumi was the attacker in this situation?" asked Sayaka.

"Reverse the logic, and it still works, I suppose," said Celeste. "Perhaps Hifumi saw his janitorial duties as the perfect opportunity to dispose of evidence."

"Exactly," I said.

"You—you don't know what you're talking about!" said Hina. Tears were streaming from her eyes. "It was me! I didn't know that Hifumi was the janitor."

"But in your testimony, you said the reason you were with him is because you were going to the trash room together," said Chihiro.

"I was lying! I didn't know, I swear!"

"Well," I said, "it's possible, but when I did a full search of Hifumi's body, the keys definitely were not on his person."

"What?"

Several of the others seemed to gasp audibly in shock, including Hina, Taka, and Makoto.

"You searched him?" asked Taka.

"It was necessary," I said, wanting to keep it short. I was aware of the uncomfortable gazes on me, but I ignored them, still in thought.

"And furthermore," said Kyoko, and I broke my reverie to pay attention to her, "Hina, I'd like to go back to your shaky testimony."

At this point, Hina looked too shaken to speak just yet, but she nodded.

"Your testimony isn't in line with the evidence. It contradicts Mukuro's investigation of the body as well as the Monokuma File."

"Which part?" asked Hina.

"You said that you stabbed Yamada with the knife, yes?" asked Kyoko.

Hina nodded again, slowly this time, the beads of sweat visible on her forehead.

"But as we have established several times, the Monokuma File clearly states that Hifumi's cause of death was not the knife. It was the blow to the head."

"So?"

"Don't be dense," said Byakuya, impatient. "The stories don't match up. You—"

"Hina!" I was too focused to even acknowledge Byakuya's reaction to my interruption. My words tumbled out in a rush. "Hina, if Hifumi died from the blow to the head... Was that knife there to hide the true strength of the attacker?"

She shook her head adamantly. "You're wrong. I'm telling you, you need to vote for me. If you vote for the wrong guy, the rest of you are going to die." She sounded so convincing that despite all the contradicting evidence, a part of me wanted to believe her.

"All the evidence—" began Byakuya.

I was struck by an idea. I needed to ask her something.

"Hush," I said to Byakuya, watching Hina intently. She was still as stubborn as ever, but her energy to continue protesting seemed to be losing steam.

"Did you just—"

I shushed him again, still not taking my eyes of Hina. "Hina?" My voice was careful.

"What?" She looked up at me and glared. It was a look I'd seen before, but never directed at me.

"Tell me something."

"No."

"Don't be foolish, Hina. I already told you my theory. The trophy, just outside the gym, was screwed to the floor. The base was snapped. Are you strong enough to break that trophy? I just need a yes or no."

She ignored me.

"If I'm wrong, you're going to get us all killed. But I don't think I am wrong."

"I'm telling you, you're wrong. It was me."

"Hina, you're not being framed, are you?" And even though I asked a question, there was an air of certainty to my voice. "You're trying to protect someone else."

She didn't answer, instead was hunched over, her face in her hands. She seemed to be crying.

"Only someone really strong could break a trophy that size, and then swing it with enough power to kill someone," I said. "That's it, isn't it?"

Silence from Hina. Instead, a different voice spoke.

"Hina."

It was Sakura.

Hina, still ignoring my question, looked up at her, eyes red and still brimming with tears.

Sakura spoke again. "Hina. It is enough." There was a note of finality in her tone that nobody dared question.

Hina stood up straight again. "Sakura?"

"It was a valiant effort, but the ruse is up." This time addressing the entire group, she said, "I will no longer hide."

"Sakura?" Makoto's eyes were wide. "It was you?"

She nodded.

"Why?" asked Makoto.

"I-I thought I was protecting Hina." she began. Sakura was putting on a brave face, but I didn't miss how her voice seemed to waver for just a moment. "You were right, for the most part. He was going to attack. I saw Hifumi and Hina together and thought it seemed suspicious. Hina saw me, but Hifumi did not. I was outside the dining commons when he left. I saw him conceal the knife. I knew where they were going. So I grabbed the trophy, and I followed." She frowned. "Hina is my friend. I thought I was saving her."

"You did!" said Hina. "Sakura, you did, you saved me! You were just in time, Sakura. I thought I was dead for sure."

Sakura shook her head. "I thought I was saving you, but really… I might have just been trying to save myself."

Hina's eyes went wide in shock and horror. "What do you—"

"The multiple strikes," said Kyoko. "You didn't hit him just once, right? It was multiple times."

"He died instantly after the first strike," said Sakura. "I knew it instantly. I should've been careful. And even when I knew, I could have stopped… But I didn't just want to stop him. I… At the time my judgement was clouded, I was worried about Hina, and my gang, and myself, and my… my Kenshiro. My boyfriend, he is… he is in the hospital. He was involved in an accident, his condition is worsening, and it was my... I wish... When I first saw the video, I knew that was it was never my intention to expend any of your lives in order to see him again, but…" She bowed her head in shame, then looked up at the rest of us.

"Forgive me," she said. "I allowed for Monokuma's tricks to get to my head. I came to myself afterwards, and I tried to do the right thing. I told Hina that I was not going to hide. She insisted that she owed me, that she take the fall for me, but I refused. The case against me was too damning. It was never my intention to trick any of you. When I saw the body this morning, saw that the scene had been tampered with, I was as surprised as anybody else. It had been my intention to tell everyone in the morning, but after seeing that I actually stood a chance, I—I couldn't bring myself to confess. Once again, I hope you'll forgive me. I was foolish. This was the first trial, I didn't know what was going to happen, all I knew was the possibility of facing punishment and I… I was scared."

"If you want proof," continued Sakura, "here it is." She reached into her coat pocket, pulling out the key to the incinerator room. "The trophy is hidden in my room, it was too large to burn. I realize it is not much in proving Hina's innocence, but I'm just asking you guys… to believe in me."

"Why are you doing this?" asked Hina. Her jaw was set in anger, but I could see she was still crying.

"I am done being a coward," said Sakura, and the tired look on her face made her seem so much older. Still, she stood herself up straight to her tallest very tall height, as though mustering up the last of her dignity. "I've done a lot of wrong, Hina. Let me try to make it right. I will face my punishment like an honest woman." She turned to Monokuma. "It is time."

"Yessirree!" said Monokuma with a sick laugh. "Alright everyone! You all have a lever in front of you, so it's time to cast your votes. Did you successfully catch the culprit?"

We all cast our votes, myself included, and once everyone had submitted the answer the results were sprawled across a jumbo screen:

"SAKURA OGAMI IS FOUND: GUILTY".

Monokuma laughed again. "Looks like you guys were right after all! The culprit, the one who killed Hifumi Yamada, was none other than Sakura Ogami! Was it that rough and tough gang leader mentality that lead to her demise? Guess we'll never know." He seemed to take a moment to study the results of the verdict. "Hmm… Fascinating. Anyone game for a little fun fact?"

"Fuck you!" bellowed Mondo. "We're done hearing anything from you!"

"That's right!" said Junko. "We're sick of your games."

He wagged a single paw. "Ah-ah-ah. If only that were the case, but we're only just getting started! Anyway, as I was about to say, interesting bit of trivia, but the vote was not unanimous! While the majority did indeed vote for Sakura, little Aoi Asahina here is the only one who voted for herself! Careful missy, too many mistakes and you just might strike out." He laughed at his own joke.

"It'd be a more pleasant punishment than having to listen to you," said Hina. In a much quieter voice, she added, "We don't deserve to live."

He fanned himself. "Puhuhuhu! That was so exciting! The scandal, the intrigue, the betrayal! I swear, my heart is still racing, I wasn't sure if you guys were going to pull through!"

Makoto ignored him. "Sakura?" he asked, as though he still couldn't believe it. Even after her confession, even after the results of the vote, he was still clinging onto some foolish false hope. "So it really was you?"

Her silence said more than any words of affirmation or denial.

"Disgusting really, that you would destroy yourselves over those mere relationships," said Monokuma. "How deep is your despair?" He seemed to relish the word.

"You're disgusting," said Hina, and I could hear the unmitigated rage and contempt as she glared at Monokuma.

"Well, enough of the preamble, time to get this show on the road! Time for the culprit's punishment! That's what everyone is waiting for, after all."

"Stop it! You—you can't do this!" said Hina, pushed to the edge of hysterics. Her voice continuing to echo through the chamber made the sound unbearable "Stop! It's not her fault! She was just—"

"Now then, I've prepared a very special punishment for Sakura Ogami, the Ultimate Biker Gang Leader!"

Sakura ignored him. Instead, she once again turned just to address Hina. "Hina," she said, "even though it has been only been a short while, it has been a pleasure getting to know you. You seem like a wonderful girl. I am honored to be your friend." She addressed Monokuma. "I am ready for my punishment." Her smile was resolute.

But even in the strongest of us, I saw the flicker of fear in her eyes.

My stomach churned as Monokuma said the words:

"Let's give it everything we've got! It's punishment time!"

We weren't sure what was going to happen, but the lights seemed to dim, and the temperature in the room dropped. Everyone eyed each other uneasily. Sakura remained resolute, but despite her stillness I could see her watching Monokuma out of the corner of her eye. And then…

Chains shot out from somewhere behind her, snaking around her neck, her torso, her arms, yanking her backward into another room we didn't even know existed a moment prior. Sakura struggled against the chains, but to no avail. Her stoic exterior was shaken, replaced by a moment of wide-eyed open-mouthed shock. The scenery changed; we watched as Sakura was strapped to the seat of a huge motorcycle, the loud clanging of the chains echoing throughout the dark room, mixed with the clinking of a metal fence barrier as it rose from the ground, separating us from the victim.

For a moment, silence. Then, a row of beaming lights flickered on to reveal Sakura was on a motorcycle within what was really a long row of motorcycles, each boarded by a test dummy with Monokuma's head. Although I was straining to see, I realized the beaming lights were actually headlights; each pair belonged to a row of cars parallel to the motorbikes.

Monokuma's smile was ever present, and he pressed a large red button.

The crashes on each end began first. There was a loud blaring buzzer with each one, and the motorcycles and cars would race towards each other at impossible speeds, a booming crash as debris fell everywhere and the remains of the crash went up in in flames. Each motorcycle was decimated. The room was a mess of shattered glass and chunks of metal, the dummies completely lost in the twisted hunks of metal that were once cars and bikes. Smoke rose from the debris.

I could feel my heart pounding with each crash as the row got smaller and smaller, dwindling in numbers as we began to approach to the middle. Sakura remained as stoic as ever, but I could only imagine how she was feeling. The noise was deafening, my only thoughts were incredulity at how none of us were deaf yet, or injured by the flying debris. There was the scent of smoke and of gas in the air. The flames made the room impossibly hot, flickering and illuminating the scene making everything appear just that much more catastrophic.

There were only two motorbikes left. A detail I had missed before, but beside Sakura I realized the dummy on the bike was not a Monokuma doll, but instead the silhouette of a tall man. According to the lineup, he was supposed to be next. There was still the sound of the fires crackling, but in the relative silence, we could hear the sound of an engine rev. Then Monokuma pressed the button again. The silhouetted man raced ahead, crashing just like the others, and perhaps it was my imagination, but I could've sworn I caught Sakura wince.

This time, her motorcycle was the one to rev up. Time seemed to simultaneously slow down and speed up. Everything seemed to happen all at once. Tires screeched, and Sakura closed her eyes, seeming to brace herself as the bike raced onward but instead of facing the one of the cars from the identical line like we were expecting, a giant semi-truck emerged from the shadows, large headlights beaming, tired of a braked car screeching, and horn blaring louder than anything I'd ever heard, despite the fact that the driver seat appeared to be empty.

I squeezed my eyes shut at the last moment, unable to bear the look on Sakura's face, but that didn't stop me from hearing the sound of the vehicles colliding. Opening my eyes, I could see the flames of the wreckage, and I stared in transfixed horror. A hubcap rolled off, teetering to a stop at Monokuma's feet, and his set grin and sinister glint in his eye was truly wicked enough to send me into despair.

Until that moment I had completely forgotten about my classmates, too mesmerized by the freakshow to look way. However, when I came to, I saw that everyone looked just as shaken as I felt. We didn't so much return to the courtroom, rather the world around us seemed a blur, and it seemed more like the courtroom was returning to us.

...

The remaining fourteen of us stood in horrified silence for what felt like an eternity. Monokuma, who had returned to his seat in the circle and seemingly impatient, was the first to break it.

"Don't you all just feel so blessed? You get to witness your very first execution! Lucky you! Without Sakura's confession, you guys all probably would've bitten dust."

Hina had fallen to her knees, head in her hands as her body was wracked with sobs.

"What a disappointment," I was surprised to hear Byakuya speak. He looked perhaps more shaken than usual, but all the same I was even more surprised to not only see him relatively unruffled by the disturbing events that had just played out, but still unrelenting in his condescension. "I had hoped our brief mix-up would at least make our game a little more interesting, but it really only made things more tedious in the long run."

"What the hell are you on about?" asked Leon. His voice was higher than usual, face as white as a sheet.

"Yeah!" burst out Mondo, still visibly shaken. "That chick just died, can you fucking drop the bullshit for one goddamn second?"

"Need I remind you, Byakuya," said Celeste, still far more calm and collected than the majority despite the slight quaver in her voice, "that you were the one who pointed out the supposed 'dying message' in the first place? You were just as fooled as the rest of us."

"Do not associate me with the likes of you," said Byakuya. "I solved this case light years before any of you morons had even come close."

"Excuse me?" said Celeste, her cool composure dropping. For a moment, I could've sworn I heard her accent slip. She recuperated. "I mean, I beg your pardon?"

"I said the evidence pointed to Aoi, I never once said I believed her to be the culprit."

"What difference does it make?" asked Junko.

I spoke. My voice seemed hoarse from overuse, and possibly weak, but I was firm. "But you were wrong."

"And where exactly did I make my err?" Byakuya folded his arms, giving me the same patronizing look as always.

"The part about the evidence being fabricated to implicate Hina, that was right. But you made one mistake," I said, and even though I knew I had him, there was no joy in the statement. Not even a sense of satisfaction. "You thought Aoi was being framed."

"Oh! Let me guess," said Junko, and her voice was dripping with the usual sarcasm as she looked at Byakuya, but this time, it held much more malice and disgust than I was used to, "Is it because you couldn't possibly understand the concept of someone intentionally trying to protect another? Does it not compute? Maybe if we caught a glimpse of what was between his ribs, we'd find a circuit board instead of a heart."

He grit his teeth, fist clenched and for a moment, and for just a moment his usual haughty demeanor seemed to crack. Instead of responding to me or to Junko, he turned on Hina. "You. Why would you go through all the trouble of hiding the truth from the rest of us? Just to save a delinquent like her?"

Hina stopped crying, standing to her feet, but Byakuya seemed unruffled by her icy stare. All of a sudden, she seemed to wilt. "Because… I owed her. She saved my life."

"But Hina," said Sayaka. "Throwing away your own life and everyone else's to save hers? What sense does that make?"

"Indeed," said Celes, "You must have felt you owed her a life-debt. But I must admit, I do not see the point in repaying the favor for saving your life, if saving Sakura meant you would soon be dead after. It seems to make her sacrifice rather pointless, no?"

"I don't care!" said Aoi.

Taka seemed to recoil. "You—you would forfeit the lives of everyone in this room for one person?" His eyes were wide, his face pale, mouth agape in shock.

Monokuma cackled, baring a paw of sharpened claws. "How do you guys feel, knowing that Hina would so willingly trade in your lives for Sakura's? Does it make you despair?"

"H-hina?" asked Chihiro, once again close to tears. "How could you?"

"W-what the h-hell is wrong with you?" screeched Toko.

"Puhuhuhu! Now that you know her true colors, whatever will you do with her now? The mystery continues..."

The despair seemed to drown out any remaining feelings of hope, but a voice rang clear throughout the room, cutting through the tense atmosphere like a knife.

"No!"

I turned to see Makoto staring angrily at Monokuma, his stance defiant.

"What's this?" asked Monokuma.

"We will not turn against each other! You are the one to blame here! Hifumi, Sakura, Hina, they all did this because of your tricks! Well, we won't fall for your manipulations anymore. This pain is all your fault. You, and the mastermind alone. We won't fall into despair!"

Makoto's ever present sense of hope in the of misery had an infectious effect. I felt emboldened by his bravery to stand up to our captor. "Makoto is right! I swear, the rest of us are going to make it out of this place alive."

"Out?" asked Monokuma. "Why on earth would you want out?"

"Are you serious?" asked an incredulous Junko. "After what just happened, who could possibly want to stay?"

Monokuma giggled. "Oh, you will see. We have a handful of smart cookies in the bunch. If you guys figure out the mysteries of the school, I'm sure you'll be converted in no time! Soon. Soon you will understand why you can never leave. In fact, I am confident you will be thankful for gracious ol' me taking you under my wing."

"We will never be thankful!" said Makoto. "You are the reason for all this misfortune!"

"Indeed!" yelled Taka. "This only proves that we must work together even harder to eliminate you! That is the only way we will succeed!"

I noticed several of the others looking around in confusion, but after a second they began to nod and murmur in agreement. Of course, Monokuma immediately took to squashing our hopes like how one might squash a pesky insect.

"You act like I'm the one singlehandedly taking you guys out one by one," said Monokuma, shaking his head in disappointment. "Nope, nope, nope! I never forced Hifumi or Sakura to act. It's just not my style! I'm merely bringing light to the true nature of humanity."

"You're the one who put us in this situation in the first place!" said Makoto.

"Agh, details, details," said Monokuma, waving him off flippantly. "Look, I'm trying to help, ok? The sooner you stop resisting, the easier things will be. Once you unlock the mysteries of the school, you'll understand."

"Like hell we'll stop resisting!" said Junko. "What is wrong with you?"

"Mysteries?" I asked, admittedly distracted. "What mysteries?"

"While we're on the subject of mysteries," said Kyoko. "Earlier, when you said 'That's what everyone is waiting for, after all', what did you mean my that? When you say 'everyone'... who exactly were you referring to?"

"Oops!" Monokuma snickered behind his hands. "Spoilers! Have I revealed too much?"

"Just shut up!" screamed Hina. "Shut up! No one wants to hear anything you have to say!"

"Oh, is Hina feeling the despair? Why so angry at me? After all, you were the one closest to her." Monokuma mock gasped, a taunt that hid no true shock behind it. "And to hear Sakura admit that she would place her own relationships above the special bond you two had? To choose the loyalty of a boyfriend and some common criminals over you? Aren't you just in agony?" He was gushing with delight, dripping with disgusting sweat and positively beaming. "The deeper the bond, the stronger the despair, that's what I always say!"

"What nonsense are you spewing?" said Junko. "'Special bonds?'"

"Well, for instance." He gestured between myself and my sister. "Take you and your beloved sister, Mukuro, reunited at last! Nothing is more tragic than long lost family. If something were to, say… happen to one of you," he said—and he seemed to look directly at Junko as he said it—"how deep would your despair go?" There was a wicked glint in Monokuma's red eye.

"Shut up!" I screamed. My vision went red; I didn't remember the last time I'd raised my voice like that. I didn't know what I was aiming for, but I wasn't thinking. I just knew that I would never let anyone threaten Junko.

Suddenly in a frenzy, I lunged at Monokuma. But—

"That's enough."

As angry as I was, Kyoko latched onto my arm without hesitation. Her grip was like iron, strong enough I was sure it would leave a bruise. Her voice was a low murmur. "Now is not the time. We must learn to pick our battles."

Despite my anger, I stopped resisting, realizing that she had a point. My arms fell weakly to my side, in my moment of rage I hadn't even been aware that they'd been balled into fists.

"Fine," I grumbled.

She didn't let go of my arm.

"Whoop! Look's like a struck a nerve," said Monokuma, and he was feigning his usual cheerful mood as he wagged what I imagine would've been a finger at me if he had fingers but instead was his entire paw. "Careful Mukuro, you almost violated a school rule. You know troublemakers have to be punished." Once again he bared his claws. If a toy bear's smile could seem forced, then it was definitely forced. "Guess I'd better go. Wouldn't want to risk a little oopsy-daisy to happen again, would we? Besides, I gotta keep my air of mystery somehow!"

He slunk back behind the chair on which he had been previously standing. We didn't bother to stop him. We'd had enough. Slowly, one by one, the rest of us filtered out of the courtroom. Besides the clattering of footsteps, only remain noise was Hina, who had once again fallen to her knees and continued to quietly sob.


A/N: As much as I'd like to think Sakura would never kill anyone, I'm going to go by different universe, different rules. I think we as a fandom collectively kind of forget Sakura's fiercer, more competitive side because in the game she's generally such a gentle lamb. The girl shows a lot of restraint. However, I feel like the darker aspects of her character would've been drawn out more if she was a biker delinquent. I'm sad she had to go first, she's honestly one of my favorite characters, but I hope I did her justice. (Oh the struggle of finding right balance of "said" and varying dialogue tags.)

Please don't forget to comment! I hate asking, but I appreciate feedback. Also knowing which swaps you like helps me get a better feel of which characters to invest time in! Also, considering this is the first trial and execution, let me know your thoughts!