A/N: Oooh, trial time! Let's see who the culprit is!

(Heads up that I'm using my artistic license in science, basically meaning that the chemical reactions I'm talking about in this chapter are, for the most part, total BS. I'm just making it up to move it along)

The student group gathered in the assigned area fairly quickly. It was a simple grey room with silver elevator doors at the far end. Not a single window was in the area. A few broke off into small groups to chat. Olivier went from person to person, talking to them. Natsuko and Haru were talking while Natsuko was quickly scribbling something on her hand with a pen.

The elevator doors opened suddenly, and after a few worried looks, the group entered all together. It was a large elevator, easily enough to hold all of them. After the last person was in, the elevator doors closed with a click. There was a quiet grinding noise as the elevator moved downwards.

Akari Tachibana. A good girl with no visible sinister motives meant that the killer couldn't possibly have been someone who had beef with her. The list of possible killers ran on, but a few were already developing suspects in their minds.

The elevator reached the bottom floor, and the doors pulled open with a 'ding'. The courtroom walls were red, and there were elegant gold pillars that twisted up to the high ceiling lining the walls. Gold and silver embroidery adorned the carpet.

Right in the middle of the room, there was a circle of podiums. They were made of a dark wood, and each one bore a student's name on the back. Kishimura Shion, Umari Saburo, and so on. At the far end, a large cushioned throne stood, Monobear regally sitting on it.

"Well, are you gonna just gawk all day? Hurry up, you bastards, get to your podiums." The bear snapped. Everyone was already on edge, so nobody hesitated to get to where they were supposed to be. Most noticeably, behind the podium labeled "Tachibana Akari", there was a gold framed black and white photograph of Akari on a stand, her face crossed out with a red X.

"... Alright, what the hell is that?" Conner pointed towards the picture.

"Your fallen classmate, of course! I think Akari would be bear-y sad to be left out of this trial, wouldn't she? We can include her this way!" Monobear piped up, grinning.

"Jesus Christ, that's creepy." Saburo mumbled.

"To each their own. Now, you bastards," Monobear cackled. "Let's start the school trial of life and death! First case- who killed Akari Tachibana?"

There was silence for a moment, before Olivier spoke up.

"Very well. Let's go over the evidence to begin." His voice filled the room. "I spoke to most of you before the trial began. There was foam on Akari that likely came from the fire extinguisher found in the cafeteria. The cafeteria itself was found in a state of disarray, indicating that there was most likely a struggle between Akari and the culprit there. Similarly, there was a note asking Akari to come to the cafeteria from a person who will remain unidentified until I finish. It's suspected that this note is a fake, but I have no way of confirming it. There was a knife in Akari's chest, despite her death being stated as a blow to the head. A flu mask was found outside of Room 6. A clump of dark hair was found in an air vent. A bracelet was found at the end of the hall. A dying message of "Snow White" was left at the scene of the crime." Olivier took a breath. "If I missed anything please tell me."

"Yeah, you did," Conner piper up. "Remember on Akari's neck? There was a chemical burn."

"Ah, right." Olivier snapped his fingers. "Thank you."

"Well, we have a lot to go on." Chiemi brought a hand to her chin. "Head trauma... I found a dent in the fire extinguisher. Would that mean she was killed by being hit with the extinguisher?"

"It seems likely," Iko looked pale, but nodded professionally. "Ah, Olivier, who's room was Room 6?"

"Kishimura Shion's. The note on Akari also claimed to be sent from her." Olivier answered. Shion squeaked.

"W-What?" Shion exclaimed, eyes widening. "I would never hurt A-Akari..."

"I'm thinking you're f-f-full of c-c-crap," Natsuko glared at Shion, mocking the stuttering fear in her voice. "I also found your bangle down the hall. You know, where Akari's room was supposed to be? Can you show me your arms?" Natsuko stated accusingly.

"Of course I ca- What?" Shion raised both arms to find the bangle absent. "Where is it..?"

"Don't try to play innocent, I'm pretty sure this trial is over before it begins." Natsuko tossed the bangle across the circle to Shion, who didn't even try to catch it. "I think that's enough condemning evidence."

"No, I don't think so." Kin spoke. "I think we should consider the other clues first- although I can't say I disagree with your suspect list." Kin's eyes darted over to Shion, who shrunk even farther into herself.

"I'd like to point something out." Umeko called out. "That fire extinguisher was using an ABC powder. If it touches you, you'll develop a painful burn within seconds. It takes almost a week for it to disappear." Seeing the mystified looks at her sudden scientific speech, Umeko sighed. "I took a lot of babysitting courses. Trust me, kids like to play around with those things."

"So the chemical burn was likely from the fire extinguisher?" Yohaku asked.

"Yes. Although, Umeko, you and I saw something in there, correct?" Olivier asked as Umeko nodded. "We went back to the cafeteria after I was done investigating the body with Conner. Using some facial powder and a strip of tape, I could find the fingerprints on the extinguisher- and they matched Akari's perfectly. There was a second set overlapping hers, but they were all blurred, so I couldn't gain any evidence from that."

"So what you're saying is..?" Haru asked impatiently.

"Akari handled the extinguisher first." Olivier spoke curtly.

"So... She attacked first?" Ritsu looked somewhat disgruntled by that thought.

"Well, wasn't the note addressed to Akari? I don't think she was the first attacker." Chiemi piped in.

"I don't think she was either. I believe she used the extinguisher to defend herself, actually. She sprayed the attacker-at about facial height, judging by the large spot of it on the far wall- meaning that they should have some sort of scars on their face." Olivier looked around.

"... Flu mask!" Himakuta brought his palm up to his face, groaning. "They used the flu mask to protect their face!"

"Well, there goes our lead." Chiasa sighed sadly.

"... Hey, Iko, do you still have the flu mask?" Himakuta took his palm off his face to stare at the smaller boy.

"Huh? Oh, yes." Iko dug around in his pocket before pulling it out.

"It's huge, see?" Himakuta waved his arms at it. "That could be enough to protect most of someone's face! Now that I think about it... Hey, Shion! Try it on!"

Shion, who had been breathing very heavily up until now, looked up at Himakuta, dazed. "Huh?"

"Get it from Iko! This is a chance to clear your name!" Himakuta exclaimed as Iko (who's podium was right next to Shion's) handed it over to her. Nervously, she took it and pulled it over her face. It fell down over her neck, far too large to stay on her face. A few more attempts proved the same results.

"It doesn't mean you're clear yet, Shion, but it's a start." Olivier nodded at her. Shion sighed, relieved.

"Alright, so we've figured that Akari tried to defend herself against her attacker with the fire extinguisher, but had it turned on herself, and was then killed by being struck in the head with it, right?" Haru repeated. "God, that's screwed up."

"What about the hair in the vent? Do you think that was relevant?" Ritsu looked over at Olivier.

"I'd think so. You said it was dark, correct? Given that Akari's ponytail was undone, it's most likely her hair." Olivier answered, taking the storm of questions with ease.

"That makes sense. The cafeteria was near the vent, and that hall lead from the cafeteria to the auditorium, right?" Chiasa piped in. "Perhaps Akari was carried to the auditorium, and her hair caught on the vent?"

"But the only person tall enough to carry Akari at that height would be Himakuta, and he has an alibi." Kin said.

"She could easily have been carried over someone's shoulder... Say, how high up was the vent?" Yohaku thought aloud.

"Hmm, my guess would be about 5 feet 7 inches up. It was able to catch my hair, after all." Chiasa answered him.

"Ah, alright." Yohaku was silent after that statement. Umeko sighed.

"So do you have anything else to say with that new information?" She rubbed her temples.

"Oh, no, not yet. I'm still thinking." Yohaku answered.

Conner sighed."... Ok, so we've figured that Akari was attacked in the cafeteria and carried to the auditorium. Then she was put against the stage, stabbed, and left to die. What about the message?"

"It looks like it was written by Akari herself. However, I can't figure out the meaning behind it. 'Snow White' just isn't adding up." Olivier answered.

"... Shit. Pardon me." Yohaku broke the silence. "It is. This is all adding up, Olivier, and it's not pointing to Shion, either."

Yohaku turned to face his suspect. "Itami."

"Hm?" The previously silent boy looked up to see Yohaku.

"It was you, wasn't it? It's all making sense now. You're an SHSL Freak- you'd already have some sort of developed resistance to chemicals or other scarring things- hence why your upper face isn't scarred from the extinguisher." Yohaku was growing louder, the anger slowly creeping into his voice. "You're at a height that you could have carried Akari over your shoulder and gotten her hair caught in the vent. 'Snow White'... Look at yourself. You don't have a proper alibi. You'd be strong enough to beat Akari to death. If you have any solid reasoning as to why this wasn't you, I'd sure as HELL like to hear it!" Yohaku yelled the last part, fists quivering with rage.

"What about the bangle?" Asked a visibly startled Ritsu.

"My best guess? Shion dropped it somewhere. Now, Itami... Do you have any proof that you did not kill that girl?" The poison in Yohaku's voice was enough to cause goosebumps around the room.

Itami shrugged. "Not really. I don't have anything solid that says it wasn't me."

"Itami. Are you the culprit?" Yohaku seethed.

Itami merely cocked his head and looked Yohaku right in the eyes.

"Of course I am."

00000000

Akari Tachibana received an invitation, supposedly from Shion Kishimura, to the cafeteria. Akari headed down, only to be greeted by Itami Kimochi. After an attempted attack on her with a knife, she tried to fight back by spraying Itami with a fire extinguisher, but his flu mask blocked the worst- and his years of resistance to bodily harm, as an SHSL Freak, definitely helped. He wrestled the extinguisher from Akari, hitting her in the head with it.

Itami then carried the dying girl down to the auditorium over his shoulder, some of her hair getting caught in the vent. He dropped her in front of the stage, unknowingly giving her time to write down a dying clue. After she expired, Itami put a knife in her heart in an attempt to throw off the investigation.

Akari Tachibana died against the stage, a location that should be a happy and familiar place for her, ended up being the place where her young life ended.

Most people would have expected pandemonium to break out of Yohaku, or Shion, or somebody. But that wasn't the case at all. It was just silent.

"I'd like to know why." Olivier broke the silence. "Is there any reason why you killed Akari besides a way to freedom?"

"Not really." Itami scratched his head. "If I had to say, perhaps it was because I enjoyed watching her suffer."

"What?" Haru looked disgusted.

"I could have killed Akari right there and then in the cafeteria. But then I wouldn't have got to hear her cry while I carried her to the auditorium. I wouldn't have heard her choke on blood. I wouldn't have got to hear her beg for her life. I wouldn't have had any of that. So, although you could say it was a deep rooted enjoyment of her suffering, it was mostly just to get out." Itami finished, yawning.

More silence, while Shion was audibly crying. Nobody really knew what to say. Most just had a rising taste of disgust in their mouths.

"Hah! What a nice confession!" Monobear laughed, kicking his feet. "Anyways, lets start the votes!"

A/N: End of trial 1! As per usual, please drop me a review! I live off of those.

Also, can I get a few execution ideas? Not just for Itami, but for anyone else. I'm terrible at executions, sadly.