"It's no use. There's nothing to make this press lift up…" Kirumi grumbled to herself as she finished searching around the hydraulic press.
After discovering the torn power cables, Kirumi had spent time trying to see if there was some other way to lift the press, like some kind of manual way like a handle or lever. Unfortunately, she couldn't find anything like that at all around the press. It seemed that the only way to operate the press was with the control panel. Was that intentional on Monokuma's part? Kirumi wouldn't doubt it.
"So there really is no method we can use to get a look at the victim's body." Kirumi frowned as she took a few steps away from the press, taking it all in again.
Tragic was an understatement. No matter who was under there, this was just an awful sight. Kirumi had to suppress a shutter as she stared at the blood-soaked sight. It made it worse when she thought about how the one who was slowly crushed was one of her dear friends.
Rin…
"No. It's not possible." Kirumi immediately said as her face hardened.
It just couldn't be true. She wasn't in denial. Kirumi Tojo was not the sort of person to deny possible truths and go off completely on assumptions. This was different. She knew it couldn't be Rin couldn't be the one who died. She just had to prove it.
Too bad that without the ability to raise the press, that would be much harder than she would have liked. Unless she wanted to confess, but…
"No matter. It should be easy enough to gather enough evidence since it is the truth of the case." Kirumi hummed to herself as she walked away from the press.
Yes…that's right. That was the truth. Rin was alive, and Kokichi was the victim. She should continue operating under that truth. But that leads to other questions.
Why was Kokichi crushed by the press? If Kokichi was dead, then why was this killing game continuing? Was he really the mastermind then? Was Kokichi like Tsumugi? Had Kokichi just been manipulated into the role? Or could it have been that he truly was the true mastermind but his death had no bearing on whether the game continued or not?
And then there was the matter of Rin. Why is Rin hiding from everyone else? Was he the one who crushed Kokichi? Why in the world would he do something like that? She knew he had attempted to kill Kokichi after the fourth trial, but she had assumed that was mostly a result of his anger boiling over at that moment, as Rin stated he no longer cared about taking Kokichi's life before they saw the truth at the end of the underground tunnel. Did he change his mind again? Was Rin the blackened? Kirumi prayed not. But if he wasn't…
Was Kirumi?
She… It was very likely she was. It scared her when she thought of it like that. After what she did…
She almost wanted to let out a hopeless laugh. Her, a killer. Who could have predicted such a thing? Not her, that's for certain. Perhaps if it was in the line of duty, then maybe she could see it happening. She had learned multiple kinds of self-defense to protect those who had hired her. If she was to kill, she would have believed that it would be for someone else. And that held true here. She did what she did for someone else's sake.
However, that wasn't entirely true. This was more…selfish, wasn't it? Despite how she might try to justify it, she didn't have to attack anyone. She didn't have to attempt to kill anyone. Yet she went out of her way to. For her own reasons. What else is that if not selfish? The term felt unfamiliar on her lips, and it didn't feel right to use it to describe her own actions.
Kirumi had changed, hadn't she? For better…and worse.
…And yet, she felt that she wouldn't change anything about herself, even after all of this. Strange, isn't it?
"...What's done is done. I can only move forward." Kirumi told herself.
Whether she was the blackened or not, that didn't change anything. She didn't even know if she was the blackened in this case. As much as she loathed to admit it, there was the possibility that Rin was the blackened, as well. Considering she couldn't remember what happened after she spoke with him, he could have killed Kokichi during that time. And, if she genuinely let herself believe it, perhaps…Kokichi managed to kill Rin?
No. No matter how she thought of it, Kokichi couldn't be the killer. If he was, then that would mean that both of them had ended up dead, and Kirumi couldn't imagine a scenario where Rin was overpowered by a weakened, dying Kokichi.
And so, she would have to investigate the crime to the fullest, in order to determine whether she truly was the blackened or not.
She prayed that she was if only to spare the others more pain. This was her burden, after all. She should be punished for the consequences of her own actions. She had already died once. If she were to die again, she would be fine with it if it were for the sake of the others. The sake of her friends.
She would be fine with it…if it was for his…
"Sigh… What is wrong with me?" Kirumi frowned deeply. "I need to focus." She then turned her head as she followed the strange, swipe-pattern blood trail that went from the press to the hangar restroom. "I should investigate where this blood trail leads."
She couldn't fail in this investigation. All of their lives were on the line, so she had to find the correct answer. She wanted-no, needed to find the truth. If she can piece together what happened after she was knocked out, then she would know what she had to do.
And so, without much hesitation, Kirumi walked over to the hangar restroom and opened up the door. However, when she approached, she immediately noticed something unusual about the door. There was something new added to it. A certain lock.
"This is the lock that Miu had made for Maki's lab, is it not?" Kirumi hummed as she took a closer look at the lock. "I see. So the reason it was removed from Maki's lab entrance was that Kokichi most likely used an Electrohammer to remove the lock from the door before he gave the hammers to us. He wanted it to lock Rin in the bathroom. If Kokichi used this, then the only way for Rin to escape is if Kokichi left it unlocked. And I have not seen the key for the lock yet. So how did he get out?"
With that thought, Kirumi opened the restroom door. Upon entering the bathroom, Kirumi immediately spotted Kaede crouching down near puddles of blood that had stained the floor. The young pianist let out an 'eep!' when she heard the door open and she nearly fell over before she spotted Kirumi walking towards her.
"Oh, Kirumi. You scared me. I thought you were Monokuma." Kaede let out a sigh of relief as she looked back down at the bloodstains in front of her.
"Monokuma? Why would you think that?" Kirumi asked while tilting her head.
"He's been jumping out from placing during the investigation. He nearly gave me a heart attack when I was investigating that green Exisal out in the hangar, though he did give me some useful clues. Still, he probably only did it to get a reaction out of me. He's petty and cruel like that." Kaede scowled as she crossed her arms in a pout.
"Too true. Petty is most certainly a word that describes that bear." Kirumi shook her head. "Speaking of your investigation, that is a bloodstain you are looking at, correct?"
"Yeah. There's a lot of blood in here." Kaede nodded with a slight hum. "With this much blood right in the middle of the room and that swipe pattern outside in the hangar, this might mean the victim was actually attacked or killed in here."
"And do you believe that means the one attacked and killed was Rin?" Kirumi questioned in a curious voice. The question made Kaede sweat a little as she scratched her cheek sheepishly.
"W-Well, it could mean that, but Rin could have attacked Kokichi in here, too, right?"
"Perhaps, but how would Rin draw this much blood when he was a prisoner in here?"
That had been on Kirumi's mind, actually. Kokichi had been injured when she broke in here. His arm was bleeding. Both Rin and Kokichi had bruises and had been hitting each other when she broke into the hangar, but Kokichi was the only one externally wounded at the time. It had to be his, but it struck her as strange. How did Rin do it?
"If you're wondering about that, then maybe you should check out this," Kaede replied as she motioned to two weapons left in the bathroom. "There are two throwing knives from Maki's research lab in here, and both of their tips are bloodied."
"Is that so?" Kirumi asked with an unmoving face as she stared at the throwing knives. "How do you know they are from Maki's lab?"
"W-Well, where else would weapons like these come from?" Kaede asked with a weak chuckle. "There's tons of knives and blades in there. No swords, though."
"No swords? Really? I had not noticed." Kirumi let out a light gasp of surprise. She had truly missed that the last time she had been in that room. No swords…? Strange. "Why is that, I wonder? I would have thought the Ultimate Assassin's Research Lab would have been stocked with plenty of swords and blades of that variety."
"It was part of Maki's preferences. I remember once when we were hanging out together, Maki told Shuichi, Kaito, and me about how she tried using a sword for a mission when she was starting out as an assassin and it put her in an incredibly difficult spot. She got some kind of complex around swords and katanas after that." Kaede explained.
"Really? I would have never imagined that to be the case. I supposed Monokuma did make the research labs with us specifically in mind." Kirumi said.
"Yeah. I was surprised when Maki told us the story, too." Kaede gave a weak smile before it broke into a sorrowful frown. "...I miss Maki. Kaito, too, and everyone else."
"...I do as well." Kirumi quietly whispered in response. That was when something else caught her eye. "Is that a third knife?"
"Hmm?" Kaede turned her head around, following Kirumi's gaze to another knife lying on the bathroom floor.
It was much larger than the throwing knives in the room, and it looked more like a real combat knife. However, just like the throwing knives, this combat knife was also bloodied, meaning it must have been used as well.
"Now how did this get here? Is this also from Maki's lab?" Kirumi questioned as she moved over and got on her knees to look at the knife. "It seems that the moment the lock was removed from that door, everyone was free to take weapons like this whenever they pleased. Perhaps we should feel more gratitude toward Miu for making that lock in the first place. Most likely, the previous cases would have been much harder if Maki did not receive that lock in the first place."
"Y-Yeah. Seriously, that room is worse than the warehouse when it comes to murder weapons and murder accessories." Kaede shook her head.
"Certainly, that was Monokuma's original intention from the start." Kirumi hid a small sigh. While she was learning to loosen up around the others, it still wouldn't do to sigh in front of them too often. "Hmm?"
And that's when Kirumi noticed something odd about the knife in her hand. The combat knife had been used and was bloodied, however, she could still see something else that was sticking to the knife, and it was clearer on the knife's handle. It was some kind of pink fabric, clashing with the black handle of the blade. They were small, but still noticeable because of the color.
"Interesting… I do believe I am starting to understand." Kirumi noted to herself quietly as she got up and moved away from the knife and toward the window in the bathroom. "This window is quite small. No person would be able to fit through it, but someone could easily get items through it. Perhaps that is how these weapons got here."
"I guess. It wouldn't really make sense for Kokichi or Rin to have them on hand. Someone else must have brought them or handed them off through that window." Kaede nodded. "But it's not just those weapons. There was one other thing that might have been brought here."
"One other thing?" Kirumi questioned.
"Yeah, take a look at this," Kaede said as she carefully picked up a blood-covered bottle, making sure not to get any more blood on herself as she did. "This glass bottle came from Shuichi's lab. See how the word 'poison' is written here?"
"Yes… And it certainly looks like other bottles from Shuichi's research lab. However, the blood has stained the label, making it impossible to make out what kind of poison is written." Kirumi frowned. "Though, perhaps it is not a bottle of poison. I recall Shuichi's research lab was also stocked with antidotes for poisons."
"Wait, really? I didn't know his lab had antidotes, too. I thought it was only stocked with poisons." Kaede said with a surprised expression. "So you think this might be an antidote bottle?"
"It is possible. Poisons can be applied in many different ways. You would not need to bring the bottle with you to apply it; however, antidotes usually must be drunk in order to take effect." Kirumi stated.
"Huh. Yeah, that sounds about right." Kaede hummed before she frowned. "But if you wanted to poison someone, why would you bring the antidote with you, too?"
"...Perhaps they just wanted it on hand. In case they changed their mind or poisoned someone who wasn't their target." Kirumi suggested. "Weapons from the Ultimate Assassin's research lab, and poison and antidotes from the Ultimate Detective's research lab. It would seem there might be more clues in those areas."
"Yep! I bet Shuichi thought the same thing. I saw him leave the hangar a bit ago, so he must have already investigated in here and thought to check out those labs." Kaede replied.
"Really? That's…good. If the Ultimate Detective is already investigating those areas, then perhaps it would be better to focus more on the evidence in and near the hangar." Kirumi hummed with a frown.
That might have been true, but it made Kirumi worried. Shuichi… That was right. With what she knew about him, it was likely he would figure out her involvement in this case easily. How nerve-wracking. So this is how it feels knowing your opponent was the Ultimate Detective. Kirumi honestly didn't feel as if she stood a chance, though that did not mean she would give up. It was just…Kirumi didn't know what she wanted or needed to do.
She should simply confess. That would be the best for everyone, and yet something was holding her back.
Even if she was found out, she would still do what needed to be done. She would find out whether she was the blackened or not. She would find out if Rin had actually died or not. And then, after that, if need be, she would let herself be punished. That would be fine by her. As long as the others were fine, she'd be okay with it, but she had to prove it first. After she proved that she was the blackened, then she could confess in full. She couldn't just confess now, though, or else the others might miss evidence that proves them all wrong. After all, there was still a very small chance she was still spotless.
Kirumi very much doubted that, though.
She was the one who killed Kokichi Oma, or so she hoped. She would be fine with that being her end if no one else would get hurt.
So Rin…please be alive. He can't die yet. Not before she apologized for this crime of hers, and for breaking his trust.
"As I suspected. There are fewer weapons in here than I remember…" Shuichi noted as he took a quick look around Maki's lab. "That makes, though, considering we grabbed a lot of our weapons for our raid here."
Shuichi gave a small nod as he walked over to where all the knives were kept and narrowed his eyes at a missing section on the wall.
"I was right. Those throwing knives came from here. There's a whole belt of them missing." Shuichi frowned as he covered his mouth as he thought.
Someone must have taken them, and considering no one had brought knives with them for the raid and Shuichi couldn't remember any in the pile of weapons brought to fight Monokuma with, they must have been here before the murder happened. Then someone grabbed them specifically to kill the victim, either Rin or Kokichi.
"And not just the throwing knives," Shuichi muttered as he shifted his eyes to a gap in between sets of combat knives of different sizes and shapes. "That combat knife also came from here. We didn't take any knives to fight Monokuma or Kokichi, so it was also taken for the murder. At least, it was taken around the time of the murder."
Shuichi's mind began working immediately. He didn't have enough evidence to come up with a suspect who might have taken the throwing knives or even use them. He didn't have much knowledge of weapons, but he recalled that while he spent time with Maki in her lab, she mentioned a few things about the weapons in there, including the knives. Maki had mentioned that throwing knives were difficult to use, but once you trained with them for a while and got the hang of how to throw them, you could easily take someone out with them.
Shuichi didn't have a clue as to who might have experience with throwing knives before they arrived here, and they would have needed that experience before getting trapped here since Maki's lab had been locked to everyone else with the lock Miu made for her until recently. Only the people Maki let in herself could train with the knives after the lab, and Maki never mentioned teaching anyone or letting anyone train with throwing knives before she died. And considering the time someone had to train with those knives after the lab was unlocked for everyone, there just wasn't enough time to perfectly master them, or so Shuichi thought. So the person who took those throwing knives must have already been trained in using weapons like that for some reason.
But who else aside from the Ultimate Assassin would be trained in how to use weapons like that?
Perhaps Rantaro, who was the Ultimate Adventurer and Ultimate Survivor? Shuichi wouldn't doubt that he knew how to fight with a weapon. Rantaro had told him of plenty of stories where Rantaro had been caught in awful situations before that required him to fight. Who else might have that training?
Tenko? Unlikely. She was a martial artist, and she actively refused to use weapons since she was more confident in her hand-to-hand skills. She could be lying, but considering who she was and what he knew about her after all this time, Shuichi couldn't help but cross out that thought.
Kaede? No, it didn't seem to be her, either. She always mentioned how she had a complex about doing anything that might mess up her hands and fingers since she was worried about doing anything that might hurt her piano playing and weapon training certainly fell under that, and Shuichi hadn't seen any calluses or cuts on her hand from training with knives.
Keebo? Possibly, and he wouldn't get any damage on his metal hands to show proof of the training. Keebo also could have been programmed with self-defense training in him, so he might already know how to use throwing knives like this. Still, considering Keebo's lack of any other function for self-defense and lack of combat experience that Shuichi saw when Tenko easily beat Keebo around multiple times when the two of them decided to train with Tenko after Himiko's death, Shuichi decided to put Keebo down on the lower side of his suspect list.
Kirumi? Also possible. She had already told him that she knew how to defend her master and clients in the event that they are threatened and she had to protect them. But with throwing knives? That sounded more like something out of a game Shuichi recalled seeing. It was hard to imagine a maid carrying weapons like that, but also kind of fitting. And if anyone fitted the image of someone who could use weapons like this confidently, Kirumi definitely made the list. Kirumi certainly had a deadly elegance to her that made the thought feel right, but that was just a feeling, not fact.
Then there were the two who were missing. Rin and Kokichi. Could it be either one of them? Kokichi could have left the hangar whenever he pleased and grabbed the knives, but why would he do that when he had the Exisals on his side? Could he have wanted to frame someone else by using a weapon that anyone could have taken?
And Rin…at first, it seems unlikely for him to have used those knives, but then Shuichi's mind flashed to the window in the bathroom. While it was true that Rin was locked in the restroom, someone might have brought those knives for him to use and passed them through the window. And Rin was the leader of the Future Foundation, so it wouldn't be strange for him to be trained to use multiple kinds of weapons to fight Remnants of Despair.
"And then there's the combat knife. The same applies to that, but more people should be able to use it since it's just a knife. Unlike throwing knives, which only had sharp points, that knife could slash, making it easier to be used. And those pink fabrics on it…" Shuichi frowned as his mind began putting the pieces together, but there were still pieces missing. "I need to go to my lab."
Yes, that's where the poison came into play in this crime. Shuichi held back a sigh. Why, of all the labs here, was it his lab that had a whole collection of deadly poisons? It wouldn't change anything if they were put in a different lab, but it left a horrible taste in his mouth knowing they came from the Ultimate Detective's lab. It made him wish he had some different talent so that lab wasn't here. It was a foolish thought, but it came from the guilt of being the reason that poison was so easily accessible to everyone.
With a deep frown, Shuichi walked out of the Ultimate Assassin's lab and walked up to the 5th floor where his own lab was. Once there, he walked through the doors and immediately headed over to the shelf of poisons. He quickly examined each and every bottle before finally finding what he wanted to see.
"Here it is. This bottle has a little less liquid inside of it compared to the others." Shuichi hummed as he shook the bottle slightly in his hand. He then turned it around and checked the label. "The label says 'Strike-9' poison."
Strike-9 poison, also written as Strychnine. This poison takes some time to spread, but even a small amount of it…can be lethal. Shuichi couldn't imagine any other reason this bottle had a smaller amount of poison in the bottle. It was the poison used in this case. This was a clue to figuring out this case.
"But that's not the only thing to take note of," Shuichi said as he turned around to face the desk in his lab.
On the desk were other small, glass bottles. They hadn't been there before, so someone must have taken them out and set them out on the desk. But there was one thing that was different with these bottles. These bottles say 'antidote'.
"Antidotes, huh? I didn't know these were here…" Shuichi mumbled. "I thought it was just poisons here."
According to the labels, each bottle is only one dose, and each one only works on a specific poison.
"Well, I suppose that makes sense. There are plenty of different kinds of poison, so that must be true for antidotes." Shuichi nodded before putting a hand on his chin again. "Strike-9 Poison and antidotes. This is disconcerting… Especially since none of these bottles are for Strike-9 Poison. These bottles are for different poisons. Could that mean the bottle at the hangar was the antidote for Strike-9 Poison?"
If that was the case, Shuichi felt his blood get colder. That bottle was empty. That means someone must have drank it, and the only reason anyone would do that was because they were poisoned in the first place. So that means…the potential cause of death for the victim might be…
But if the antidote was at the scene of the crime and had been drunk by someone, wouldn't that mean the victim couldn't have died from Strike-9 Poison? Right? Unless…two people had been poisoned? That would mean only one could have drunk the antidote. The other would have died with nothing to save them. Could that be the answer?
"...Strike-9 only needs a little to enter the body for the victim to start dying. If I recall, Rin's jacket under the press had a tear from a knife. Probably one of the throwing knives. Rin would have been hit in his left arm. Not enough to kill, but if the tip of the knife was poisoned…" Shuichi muttered as his mind worked at increasing speeds. "...I've investigated this place thoroughly now. I should head back to the hangar."
Shuichi was more than disappointed. He hadn't found anything to imply Rin was still alive. In fact, he had more to the contrary. The more he found, the more it seemed as though Rin was the victim, and Kokichi was still alive.
Monokuma was still moving around, and the killing game hasn't ended. That could mean Kokichi was just like Tsumugi and not the true mastermind, but still, Kokichi had told them he was the true mastermind who had hijacked the Gofer Project. Shuichi couldn't imagine anyone else who was in control of the killing game. They were the only people left alive, after all. The last remaining humans to survive the apocalypse.
And aside from that, it was Rin's jacket that was under the hydraulic press…
The victim…had to be…
"No, it's still too soon to be thinking like that. If I investigate a little more, I'll find something. Maybe I can find evidence that Kokichi was attacked and poisoned, too." Shuichi said as he turned and left his lab. "There's still time… I need to head back to the hangar."
He must have missed something, so he had to check again. That was his duty…as the Ultimate Detective.
…
…
…
Do you think you can investigate now?
…Perhaps. That sick feeling was finally starting to fade away. He could finally get to work.
Good. He was really feeling useless being stuck outside the hangar while the others were investigating the scene. He hadn't wanted to have to wait on the sidelines. He was just as involved with this, yet he had been here all because of this weird, feeling he had gotten from the hangar. It's just as bad as what he felt last night. Was he in need of maintenance?
"Sigh… Perhaps I am really falling behind everyone else. I need to do something to make it up to them." K1-B0, also known as Keebo, muttered to himself as he stood outside the hangar shutter.
Don't be too hard on yourself. You're doing fine!
"Am I?" Keebo frowned with a raised eyebrow. "Perhaps you are right."
It was strange. Keebo realized that fact already. He knew no one else had this inner voice as he did, but he always felt comforted by it no matter what the situation. Even when he was lost, his inner voice always seemed to know what to do, though at times it gave him conflicting advice or seemed just as conflicted as himself. But those examples were far and in between. For the most part, it was a guiding light for Keebo, and he was grateful for it. It made him feel better even when he would have been running around, confused and afraid. He may be a robot, but this situation was just had painful and awful as it was for the rest of his friends.
"All right. I shall begin my own investigation out here." Keebo determined as he turned to the hangar shutter. "The first thing to be noted is the alarm system. It is still disabled due to Rantaro's Electro-Radar's signal." Keebo put his hand on his chin and recalled what he knew about the alarm.
The only thing aside from the Electro-Radar that can disable the alarm system was the alarm remote Monokuma gave them. The same remote Kokichi stole from Shuichi after revealing that he was the mastermind. That meant that before today, no one could have turned off the alarm other than Kokichi. That meant that anyone else who came near the hangar shutter would undoubtedly set off the alarm, which would go off all around the entire campus.
That's why the culprit couldn't be anyone other than Rin or Kokichi. If it had been anyone else, they would have set off the alarm upon getting close to the hangar, and everyone would have been alerted to what was happening. Of course, that does not take into account whether there was some other way to enter the hangar without setting off the alarm. If there was such a thing, then perhaps someone else could be the culprit.
"We were fortunate that Rin had Miu create the Electro-Radar. We would not have been able to enter the hangar without her blueprints for the device to disable the alarm." Keebo hummed as he thought. "That is not the only thing that is strange, though." He said as he turned around.
Yes. There was still the matter of the shutter control panel. It controls the electric barrier protecting the hangar. Kaede hit it with her Electrohammer and disabled the barrier to let them in, so the control panel was still not operational at the moment. However, just as Kaede said before, the control panel seems to have suffered from multiple deep slashes from a sharp object. It seems as though someone had stabbed the panel and dragged the object through it in an attempt to break it.
"Perhaps whoever did this used a knife? But why would these marks be so…strange? They would not have to stab the panel and dragged the blade in order to create these marks with a normal knife. Was the knife they used lacking a sharp edge? If that is the case, then I suppose they would not have been able to simply slash at the control panel. They would have to stab their weapon into the panel to do any damage." Keebo guessed before he paused. "Hang on…how would anyone be able to damage the control panel in the first place? The alarm would have detected anyone close to the panel."
Another mystery, it would seem. Not even Keebo's inner voice seemed sure as to how this might have happened or who could have done it.
"Ah! Keebo!" A voice then suddenly called out to Keebo, causing him to turn and see Tenko walking over to him with a bright smile on her face.
"Ah, Tenko. Are you feeling better? You ran out of the hangar looking quite ill." Keebo inquired, smiling slightly when he saw Tenko.
"Yep! I'm feeling a lot better now that I've found some important evidence!" Tenko cheered. "What about you, Keebo? Are you feeling okay, or is the Electro-Radar still messing with your head?"
"I think I'm starting to feel a little better now," Keebo said honestly. "Sorry to worry you all."
"Don't apologize. That was hardly your fault. I'm just glad you're fine." Tenko replied happily before her eyes widened. "Oh, that's right! Keebo, you said that you saw something before we came to the hangar, right? You mentioned that stuff about the Exisals and how you saw one pass through the alarm system and barrier like it was nothing, but you didn't say anything else. You think it had anything to do with the murder?"
"Ah, yes. Since we were in a hurry, I only told you about the Exisal returning to the hangar…" Keebo nodded slowly as he recalled everything he saw. "I never imagined something like that would happen, so I didn't mention it before… but before, I saw the Exisal, I saw someone heading toward the hangar."
"You saw someone? Who? Kokichi?"
"No. I saw…Kaede." Keebo told her.
"K-Kaede? What was she doing going to the hangar?" Tenko asked with wide eyes.
"I am not sure. I was in my lab, trying to think of what I should say to convince Kokichi. That's when I saw her walking toward the hangar. She seemed to be holding the straps of her backpack tightly and seemed rather nervous, so she must have had something in there."
"Something in her backpack? What do you think it was?"
"I am unsure. At the time, I assumed she was going there to examine things or plead with Kokichi, and since she came back later, I didn't think much of it…" Keebo explained. "She didn't have much of a reaction this morning either, so I hadn't thought it was strange until we saw the body."
"Well, she must not have anything to hide, then! Kaede clearly didn't do anything wrong. She can't be the culprit." Tenko said sternly.
"I did not imply she was." Keebo shook his head. "However, I still think her actions are strange. She would not have come to the hangar without any mention of it to anyone yet if she didn't. It is not that I want to suspect her…however, considering how she hide her murder plan from even Shuichi, the one she was with the entire time as she set it up back during the time limit motive, I cannot simply overlook this without a proper explanation."
"Grk! T-That's…" Tenko began in a shaky tone before she finally relented with a sigh. "...That's fair. Huh… But I still don't think Kaede did anything wrong! There's no way she would betray us like that! I know because…she still feels guilty for making that trap in the library! She wouldn't do it again."
"That is true. What happened back then did seem to highly affect Kaede. But I would still like to know what Kaede was doing." Keebo said. "Maybe I should ask when I go back into the hangar."
"Hmm… Hey, Keebo. You said you saw Kaede holding her backpack straps tightly and thought she might be carrying something in it, right? What about when she left? Was she still nervous and holding her bag tightly like before?"
"Hmm… Now that I think about it, she seemed more relaxed when I saw her leave. I do not believe she was holding her backpack's straps at all when she left the hangar."
"Hmm…I wonder what that means." Tenko hummed as she tried to think about it. Eventually, she gave up and let out a small yell. "Arrrrgh! I hate not knowing anything! I wish I could figure everything out like it was nothing like Shuichi or Rin!"
"That is true. Shuichi will be instrumental in this case since we can no longer rely on the talents of Rin or even Kokichi anymore, as one of them is dead and the other is likely the culprit." Keebo frowned. "...By the way, this is a little off-topic, Tenko, but…"
"Hm? Something wrong?"
"Well…the reason I was not feeling well may have been due to the Electro-Radar, but it was because of the jamming signals and electromagnetic particles it sent out! It was not because I was a robot. So what I experienced was akin to an allergic reaction such as hay fever. So it could have affected a human the same way! Being a robot had nothing to do with it!"
"A-Ah… W-Well…Okaaaaaay? Sure." Tenko replied in a confused voice.
Was it important that Keebo tell her that? Of course it was! He couldn't have people believing misconceptions about himself! He was the Ultimate Robot! He was far more advance than anything that had been created. He was just like the others, so he would never be impeded by such little things, especially if the others weren't affected!
It wasn't because it was bothering him that he actually was affected by the Electro-Radar's signal, or that the others thought that was the case because he was a robot. It wasn't that at all!
"Well, we shouldn't stay out here. Let's go back into the shutter." Tenko told Keebo.
"Yes. I believe we should." Keebo nodded as he and Tenko reentered the hangar.
Upon entering, Tenko let out a sigh of relief upon seeing the still-lowered press.
"Oh, thank god… I don't know how I would react if I saw…if I saw…urk!" Tenko held back another retch as she turned slightly pale.
"Oh, Tenko. Keebo. Good to see you two." Rantaro greeted them with a wave as he left the bathroom door. "As you can see, my attempt to raise the press was a bust."
"Is that so? How come?" Keebo asked with a raised eyebrow.
"The power cord's been cut. Without power, the press can't move at all. Honestly, I can't tell whether I'm upset or grateful."
"I know where I stand." Tenko let out a breath. "By the way, where's Kaede, Kirumi, and Shuichi?"
"The girls are in the bathroom. There's tons of evidence in there." Rantaro told them as he rubbed his neck. "Meanwhile, Shuichi left a while ago. Went to check out some labs, I think he said."
"That is right. He passed me as he left. He mentioned wanting to investigate the Ultimate Detective's lab and the Ultimate Assassin's lab." Keebo added.
"Really? I didn't notice him." Tenko hummed. "Guess I should investigate too then. I'll go check out the press. Might as well get that out of the way as soon as possible." Tenko grimaced a little before she walked over to the press, her expression turning more and more sour as she got closer.
"Hmm…" Keebo hummed.
Which area should he investigate?
Go investigate the restroom.
"Oh?" Keebo opened his eyes and smiled. "Then I shall investigate the restroom."
"Sounds like a plan. I need to check out what's outside the hangar still, so I'll be off. See you later." Rantaro offered a smile before he promptly left.
Keebo proceeded toward the hangar restroom and quickly entered. Upon entering, he saw Rantaro was right and Kaede and Kirumi were in fact in the restroom. They appeared to have been discussing something involving that glass bottle on the ground.
"Ah, Keebo!" Kaede smiled as she turned to him. "You feeling better?"
"Correct. But do not get the wrong idea. Perhaps the Electro-Radar's signal affected me, but it is only comparable to an allergic reaction. That means normal humans could also be affected by the same thing, so I am not so different from you all."
"R-Right…" Kaede let out a small giggle at Keebo's antics.
"Have you found anything of note, Keebo?" Kirumi asked in a curious voice.
"Yes, though not anything significant. I only examined the damaged control panel and thought more about the alarm system. Aside from that, I have not seen much." Keebo admitted with a disappointed frown.
"Don't worry. We still have time, so you should still be able to check out the stuff here and the crime scene." Kaede told him.
"Indeed. Very well. I shall make the most of my time now." Keebo declared as he began investigating the inside of the bathroom.
There was plenty inside. Throwing knives. A normal combat knife. A bottle of poison, or perhaps an antidote for poison. Bloodstains begin in the middle of the room that travels toward the door, leading to the swipe pattern bloodstain. There was a lot to handle. Keebo had to think about it all for a while, and his inner voice seemed to be very curious as to what it all could mean. The inner voice was convinced Kaede had something to do with the combat knife because of the pink fabrics on it, though Keebo wasn't sure about it himself. His inner voice seemed bewildered by the throwing knives and poison, though.
However, something strange happened during his investigation. As Kaede left the restroom to get a better understanding of the crime scene, Kirumi and Keebo were left in the restroom together. As Kirumi began to examine the knives more closely than before, Keebo found himself examining the toilet. He didn't know why, but he just found himself staring at it and thinking deeply about it.
Isn't… Isn't this toilet a little suspicious here? Is it something he should investigate further?
Yes. It's definitely suspicious.
"I agree," Keebo whispered to himself as he began investigating the toilet.
The first thing he did was try to flush it, but–
"Hmm? Is it clogged?" Keebo questioned.
"The toilet?" Kirumi questioned as she turned to Keebo with a raised eyebrow. "Strange. Perhaps I should grab a plunger and unclog it. Knowing it is clogged now bothers me."
Keebo didn't pay attention to Kirumi's comment as he narrowed his eyes at the toilet.
Why in the world is the toilet clogged? Did Rin clog it up? Or could it be something related to the case?
It's totally related to the case! The culprit tried to flush down evidence!
Keebo's eyes widened as the thought was put in his head by his inner voice.
"Very well. I might as well check." Keebo said.
"Hmm? Check what?" Kirumi asked.
Keebo didn't answer as he, without hesitation, stuck his arm into the toilet bowl. Kirumi stared at him as Keebo began fishing into the bowl.
"Keebo…why in the world are you–?"
"Found something." Keebo interrupted as he took hold of what he found, thanking Auta and his inner voice that it wasn't something unmentionable from how it felt, and pulled it out of the drain. He and Kirumi let out a gasp the moment they saw what Keebo had fished out.
"That is…" Kirumi trailed off with honest shock painted on her face.
"...Kokichi's clothes," Keebo stated in disbelief as he stared at the white shirt that was designed like a straight jacket, exactly like what Kokichi always wore. Even his black-and-white, checkered scarf was there. "This is…crucial evidence!"
Keebo found himself smiling widely at the discovery. He felt as though he had done something incredible and extremely important for this investigation! He was instrumental in helping solve this case now! Even his inner voice was congratulating him for his find, and he couldn't feel prouder.
"Now then, let us investigate this new discovery thoroughly!" Keebo declared, turning to Kirumi with a bright and determined expression.
"I… Very well. Thankfully, I am wearing gloves." Kirumi replied as she got up and walked over to Keebo. "Now then…" Kirumi took the clothes and spread them out for them both to see.
"Look at this," Keebo said as he examined the clothes. "There's a small tear in the back, and another tear on the sleeve, though that one is larger. They look similar to the tear I saw on Rin's jacket."
"They're tears from a blade or knife, then. Both holes have traces of blood around the tears, too." Kirumi added.
"So Kokichi was attacked as well, just like Rin," Keebo muttered. "That means…the victim could possibly be Kokichi, not just Rin as we believed."
"This is an incredibly important clue. This could prove that Rin is still alive." Kirumi smiled brightly before turning to the Ultimate Robot. "Thank you, Keebo. I do not believe you know how much this means to me."
"You?" Keebo asked while tilting his head.
"Hm? Oh. Pardon me. I meant all of us. This will undoubtedly be the key to solving this case and preventing all of our deaths." Kirumi clarified with a hardened face, a clear contrast to her bright, relaxed, cheerful smile from before.
"Hmm? Is something wrong, Kirumi?" Keebo asked.
"Wrong? What makes you think that?"
"Well, you seem to be acting a little strange," Keebo stated. "In fact, it has happened before, too. Back at the dining hall yesterday. I cannot understand the reason, though."
Kirumi totally has a crush on Rin!
Keebo blinked a few times at the thought his inner voice brought into his head. He then turned to Kirumi and tilted his head as he tried to think more about it.
"Is something wrong, Keebo?" Kirumi asked him with a raised eyebrow.
"Kirumi. Do you…have a crush on Rin?" Keebo asked curiously.
"Wha–!?" Kirumi's face lit up with a burning red color immediately as she stumbled back a few steps as if she had been hit with a strong blow.
All of her built-up composure had been completely shattered by Keebo's sudden question, being replaced by deep embarrassment and an extremely flustered expression never seen before on the Ultimate Maid's face.
At that moment, she was not the Ultimate Maid who performed her duties without question or hassle. She was simply Kirumi Tojo, a teenage girl who had just been asked an embarrassing and personal question about her romantic interest and crush. Something she had no prior experience in dealing with.
"K-Kirumi? Are you okay? Your entire face is red now! Are you ill?" Keebo quickly asked with concern.
However, despite his own concerns for Kirumi's well-being, his inner voice seemed to be having an AMAZING time. His mind was filled with his inner voice cheering and gushing for some reason Keebo could not comprehend. Was this a good thing? If so, why? And why was his inner voice clamoring about ships? What did boats have to do with Kirumi and Rin?
"I-I…I-I-I…" Kirumi couldn't even get an answer out as she continued to trip over her own words, still reeling from the blunt question Keebo posed to her. She just stood there, completely mortified and covered with shame and newfound awkwardness. And then, "A-Apologies, but I-I believe that I must investigate elsewhere. Excuse me."
She left swiftly, moving faster than Keebo had ever seen of her. It was as if she was fleeing for her life, or in this case her dignity. Keebo just stared there in complete confusion, unsure as to why in the world Kirumi suddenly went from her usual self to acting like that.
"What…just happened?" Keebo asked no one in particular.
Young love.
"Love? Is it really?" Keebo asked. "I love the professor, too, but I don't act like that. Is it…a different kind of love? I know some emotions can mean different things depending on the context, so is this one of those times?"
Keebo didn't get a complete answer, as his inner voice seemed to have multiple different answers to give him, and he couldn't make sense of any of it. Shaking his head, he left the restroom, unsure as to what to do next regarding Kirumi and his investigation.
"Perhaps…I should ask the others when I get the chance." Keebo muttered.
Even if it was strange to ask and put him in an awkward situation, he felt like he had to in order to grow and understand.
Keebo…or rather K1-B0, might be a robot, but that just meant he wanted to learn everything he could about people. If he could understand emotions like they do, perhaps he could finally become even more human. That was Keebo's dream, even now.
"Umm…" Shuichi found himself mildly confused when he came back to the hangar.
Why was that?
Well, namely what had just happened when Kirumi passed him by. He had just gotten back from his lab, and he ran into Kirumi immediately. When he tried asking her something, she didn't even turn to face him as she rushed off, red-faced and completely flustered. More so than Shuichi had ever seen from her. The sight was so strange and unusual for the usually pristine Ultimate Maid that it really threw Shuichi off. It didn't help that everyone else in the hangar that had seen Kirumi rush off like that was also just as confused.
And then, before Shuichi could ask anyone about it–
"Oh, Shuichi! Can you come with me?" Keebo suddenly asked as he stomped up to him quickly.
"Is something wrong?" Shuichi asked, a little concerned by the seriousness of Keebo's voice.
"I found something strange in the bathroom! Please, hurry!" Keebo shouted before grabbing Shuichi's hand and dragging him over to the bathroom.
"W-Wait! Hang on, Keebo!" Shuichi shouted, but it didn't stop Keebo.
Next thing Shuichi knew, he was spreading out Kokichi's wet clothes that Keebo had pulled out of the toilet and examining all the tears in his clothes made by the knives found at the scene, at least that was Shuichi's thoughts on the matter. To say his mind was reeling a little was a slight understatement.
Shuichi couldn't help but feel incredibly grateful to Keebo for this find. With this, Shuichi felt as though he was beginning to finally piece things together. New possibilities were opened up with this new evidence, and with that evidence, Shuichi could find the truth of the matter.
For example, it was possible that Kokichi was the one crushed in the hydraulic press.
"Ah, Keebo, thank you! Thank you! This is a very important clue!" Shuichi thanked Keebo considerably while offering him his hand.
"Oh, I'm happy I was able to help, but I must decline shaking that hand of yours," Keebo said while staring at Shuichi's hand like it was some strange thing.
"Ah…your hands aren't clean either, though." Shuichi pointed out before he returned to his thoughts.
So it was possible Kokichi could have been the one to die, but then…if he was the one crushed by the hydraulic press, where did Rin go? Why not show himself? And Shuichi still wondered about the killing game, Monokuma, and Kokichi's role as the supposed real mastermind. Just what was going on?
"Um…If this is awkward, Shuichi, I can leave and give you some privacy." Keebo told the detective nervously.
"You're…concerned about that?" Shuichi asked with a raised eyebrow.
So, after that, Keebo and Shuichi both washed their hands in the sink. And while they did that, Keebo asked a strange question.
"Hey…Shuichi."
"Yes, Keebo?"
"What…is a crush?" Keebo asked, getting a choked cough out of Shuichi.
"Eh-? Wh-What? Why are you asking that now?" Shuichi asked.
"S-Sorry. I figured I'd ask." Keebo said. "I was investigating Kokichi's clothes with Kirumi and thought she was acting weird, and then my inner voice mentioned something about her having a crush on Rin. And correct me if I'm wrong, but I do not believe my inner voice was referring to being crushed like whoever is under the hydraulic press. When I asked Kirumi about it and if she had a crush on Rin like my inner voice was suggesting, her face got all red and she ran out of the room soon after."
"Oh. Oooooh." Shuichi realized. "I see. That explains why she ran off like that, I suppose."
"Is that a normal reaction?" Keebo asked.
"Maybe for her. I don't think Kirumi has ever had to deal with something like this before. At least, I can't imagine her ever being in a situation like that, so she probably didn't know how to react other than that. I know if I were asked that question, I might have reacted the same way before we were trapped here."
"Oh? Then you wouldn't react like that now?"
"I don't think so. I think…I'd be able to handle that embarrassment a bit better now. Thanks to everyone, I believe I've gotten a bit more confident in myself. Though just a bit, in my opinion."
"I see." Keebo hummed. He then paused before turning back to Shuichi. "So…forgive me for asking this, but my inner voice in inquiring about–"
"Keebo, I think I should let you know that asking about someone's crush isn't really proper. Something like that is a bit of a personal matter. Perhaps I can explain the concept to you later, but I won't be discussing my own crushes or other such things with you." Shuichi cut Keebo off with a slight laugh.
"Oh, is that so? Apologies. I did not know. It would seem I still have much to learn. I will have to apologize to Kirumi later, then." Keebo stated. "Well, I believe we are finished here now."
"Yes. I think so." Shuichi nodded as he and Keebo left the restroom.
After leaving the bathroom, Shuichi noticed that only Kaede and Tenko remained in the hangar with the two of them, so he walked over to them to question them a little.
"Hey, where did Rantaro go?"
"He went to investigate outside the hangar before you came back," Kaede explained as she walked off the platform where the control panel was. "I'm not sure about Kirumi, though. I think I'm gonna go and see if she's okay."
Kaede then left after that, leaving Shuichi with Tenko and Keebo.
"Ah…I had wanted to ask Kaede about what I saw last night." Keebo muttered.
"Oh, right. You mentioned seeing her before I left to look at my lab." Shuichi said. "Perhaps we'll be able to ask her later?"
"Hmph! That's the last thing you should be worried about." Tenko growled as she crossed her arms. "We've been investigating this whole time, and it's almost time for the class trial, but Kokichi is still hiding like a coward!" Tenko scowled.
"Rin is also hiding if he is the one who is still alive." Keebo pointed out.
"Has no one found either of them yet?" Tenko questioned.
"I wonder…I haven't heard from anyone." Shuichi frowned.
"I wonder where which one is alive, and where they could have gone." Keebo pondered.
"They couldn't have just disappeared. The one that's alive must still be around here somewhere, but where?" Shuichi wondered.
"But we haven't seen either of them this entire time. So they can't still be in the hangar. Otherwise, we would have seen them during our investigation." Tenko pointed out. "Whoever's still alive is either hiding somewhere else, and the other is…under there." Tenko glared at the press.
"Hmm…Shuichi. Who do you think is the victim?" Keebo asked.
"I'm…not sure. It could be either one." Shuichi admitted.
"Hmph. I think it's impossible for it to be anyone other than Rin. It's obvious Kokichi is still alive, like the cockroach he is." Tenko grumbled. "He's always manipulating us with his lies! I bet this is just another one of his schemes!"
"That is true. I am having a difficult time imagining a way Rin might have been able to kill Kokichi, what with all the advantages Kokichi had over him." Keebo added.
"I…I know. You're probably right." Shuichi sighed. "I still don't have enough cues to conclude that Kokichi died. We know one of them must have, but…I'm having a hard time believing it was Rin."
"I guess I can understand. It's strange. Thinking that Rin's dead. It…doesn't feel right." Tenko admitted.
Ding dong, bing bong
Shuichi and the others were then interrupted as the monitors around the academy turned on, revealing Monokuma in his usual chair, clearly enjoying himself.
"Puhuhuhuhu…. It's about that time. That's right! It's time for the class trial, when hope and despair meet head-on!" Monokuma declared. "Please proceed to the Shrine of Judgement in the courtyard, and head to the trial grounds. Everyone needs to be there, got it? Anyone who's absent will be swiftly and permanently punished! Ah-hahahahaha! I wonder what kind of despair awaits you this time?"
With that, the monitors flicked off, leaving the others to think more about Monokuma's announcement.
"'Everyone' needs to be there…" Shuichi repeated.
"That means whoever is alive between Rin or Kokichi will also have to be there at the Shrine of Judgement," Keebo stated.
"Then when we finally start the trial, we'll know who exactly died!" Tenko shouted. "Then c'mon! Let's go! We can't waste any more time!"
"Yeah. Let's go then." Shuichi nodded as they all walked over to the Shrine.
It didn't long to arrive there, and when did get there, they saw Kaede, Rantaro, and Kirumi already there waiting for them.
"Good. You guys are here." Rantaro said as he crossed his arms and frowned. "You notice someone missing from our little group?"
"Oh yeah! That degenerate Kokichi isn't here!" Tenko shouted.
"Unless he is dead. In that case, Rin would be the one who has not arrived yet." Kirumi frowned.
"I wonder where they are…" Kaede said sadly.
"Perhaps they are already at the trial grounds." Keebo guessed.
"That seems like something Kokichi would do. He would be waiting for us, smiling cruelly as he taunts us as the mastermind." Rantaro grimaced slightly.
"We…don't know that yet. There's still a chance Rin is alive." Shuichi pointed out.
"Maybe…" Rantaro admitted.
"That's what we're all hoping for, isn't it?" Kaede muttered.
"But isn't that just being too hopeful?" Tenko asked with a deep frown and a soft tone. "This is a battle between hope and despair. Seven of us will take part in this class trial, and one of us will die afterward if we get the vote right. Then only six of us will remain."
"Only six of us… Six out of our original seventeen…" Kirumi muttered.
"But we can't lose to despair. Even if we have no future, we need to win. For the sake of hope and humanity." Rantaro declared.
"For hope…" Shuichi repeated solemnly.
Shuichi knew that. He knew that they had to fight for hope and that they could not afford to lose to despair. But something was wrong. Something didn't feel right to him.
Shuichi wondered what Kaito would say at a time like this. He wondered what Rin would say about it all, too. What would they say to all of them?
"Let us go. There is no point in staying here any longer." Keebo told everyone. "No matter what might happen, there is no way we can lose. After all, we are students of Hope's Peak Academy."
"Yeah. We can handle this." Kaede nodded.
With their spirits raised a little more, they all approached the Monokuma Statue, which promptly opened up the way to the elevator like usual, and they all walked inside without so much of a word to one another. The doors closed, and the elevator began to lower. Everyone was silent as a tomb as the elevator lowered toward the trial grounds.
It was just the six of them at the moment. Kaede, Rantaro, Kirumi, Tenko, Keebo, and Shuichi. It was still difficult to believe their numbers had dwindled that much since being trapped here. And to make matters worse, they had all lost the will to live after learning what had happened to the outside world.
But now, somehow, despite the despair that had engulfed them, they had found a new reason to live. They had to live to win the battle between hope and despair.
But things were slightly different now. Now…they felt lost again. What were they supposed to do now? They had no idea what 'hope' was even supposed to mean to them anymore. Not in the face of so much pointless death of their friends. What is hope…? A burden they had to bear?
But those thoughts were suddenly brought to an end as the elevator shook to a stop and the doors opened. But when the light from the trial grounds poured into the elevator and their eyes adjusted to it, what they saw was different sight than what they had expected.
The entire trial grounds had undergone some kind of redesign, with the floor now checkered patterned and the walls changed to match what the original trial grounds of the killing game of the 78th class of Hope's Peak looked like. It was in very poor taste in Shuichi's opinion. Even more so than the usual trial grounds design.
"Ahhh, a battle like this takes me back… After all, hope and despair are natural enemies." Monokuma exclaimed joyfully as the students entered the grounds. "Yes, this is truly a magnificent theme. Puhuhu… Only esteemed works of fiction have themes as magnificent as this."
"Enough of that." Rantaro frowned as he looked around. "So where's Kokichi? Why isn't he here?"
"Or is it Rin who survived? If so, why is he also absent?" Kirumi asked.
"That's right… Neither are here. They're still missing." Shuichi muttered as he looked around.
"Well…I'll tell you once the trial starts," Monokuma replied with a giggle.
"Wh-What's going on? What are you planning now?" Kaede asked with a glare.
"It does not matter what Monokuma is planning. This is the final battle between hope and despair! It all ends here!" Keebo declared boldly. "Monokuma can twist and violate the rules all he likes, but we'll never give up! Hope…will never submit to despair!"
"Oh, for the love of… No rules have been violated. Not on my watch, y'know?" Monokuma told them. "And are you sure Hope never submits to despair? I mean, your precious Ultimate Hope seems to have succumbed easily once the truth was revealed to him."
"Shut up! You don't know anything about Rin! Sure, he might have stumbled when he saw the truth of the outside world, but he was all alone! He had no one to help him! If he had come to us, we would have been there for him!" Tenko shouted at the bear, which only got more giggles from Monokuma.
"Really? Are you sure? What do you actually know about Mister Rin Wakuri, then? Can you even call yourselves his friends when you don't know anything about who he really is?" Monokuma asked in a teasing voice. "I mean…I really, really doubt you would still call him a friend if you knew who and what he is. I know I wouldn't if I were you!"
"Enough of your nonsense. Hurry up and start the trial. We are all prepared." Kirumi said sternly as she made her way to her stand.
"That's right. Nothing you say will faze us. We're not just going to end this class trial. We're going to defeat you and the Remnants of Despair, once and for all. So get ready, Monokuma." Rantaro added in his usual serious tone as he glared at the robotic bear.
"Yeah, yeah. I got it. Now, let's get started." Monokuma exclaimed cheerfully. "Mix equal parts life and death, add a dash of lies and truth, bake it in fires of conflict…and when it's golden brown and bubbling, you have yourself a truly decadent class trial!"
Everyone ignored him as they went to their stands. Shuichi, upon getting to his stand, noticed the new additions to the trial grounds. The first was Maki's portrait, which had a gun crosshair reticle over her face like an 'X'. Monodam also had a portrait, which an 'X'-shaped gear over his face.
However, the strangest of all was Rin and Kokichi's portraits. They both got one since neither was present yet, but they didn't have the normal red 'X' over their faces. Instead, they had yellowish-orange question marks on their pictures. It only made Shuichi more worried about what was going to happen in this trial.
He took a deep breath and closed his eyes as he gathered his thoughts one last time.
Was the one who died…Rin…or Kokichi? He couldn't say for certain, but he still believed. He believed that Rin wouldn't die so easily. He wasn't quite sure why he believed that, but he was willing to fight to prove it. He would fight with everyone. To grasp the hope on the other side of this truth.
He would fight. He would fight in this trial of truth and lies!
Truth Bullets
…What? Did you expect a list of evidence here?
Oh, there's no need for that this time around, is there? You all already know the answer, don't you?
Well…you should hope you do. I do hope that you aren't wrong.
A/N: Just a quick note, I'm going to take a small break in writing the trial so I can go back and edit old chapters. Fix spelling and spacing problems. I recently went back and saw how atrocious spacing could be at times. It's kinda funny, seeing how much I've changed my writing style after two years. But once I'm done fixing old chapters, we will continue at full speed. We're almost there! So I'm gonna be pushing hard toward the finish line! Wish me luck!