TRIAL. ALL RISE!
"Let's begin with a basic explanation of the class trial! So, your votes will determine the results. If you can figure out 'whodunnit' then only they will receive punishment. But if you pick the wrong one… then I'll punish everyone besides the blackened, and the one that deceived everyone else will graduate!" Monokuma explains.
"And… the killer really is one of us…?" Junko asked, still in disbelief of that fact even now.
"Of course!" Monokuma said joyfully.
"T-Then how about… the one who killed Mikan just, uh… raise your hand? P-P-Please?" Kazuichi asked pleadingly.
"Did you lose your brain cells?! No one's gonna actually admit to being the killer like that!" Fuyuhiko yelled out, slightly annoyed.
"A man can hope!" Kazuichi said.
"Before we move onto the trial i would like to ask a question. If 'it' will permit." Byakuya said.
"Ohhh… why must you call me an 'it' all the time…?" Monokuma asked, depressed.
Ignoring Monokuma, Byakuya gestures over to something Junko didn't take note of 'till now… two seats, which both have a portrait of the late Mikan and Komaru. With a red X over the pictures faces "What's the meaning of… these pictures?" Byakuya asked
"Oh, well. I'd feel just awful if they got left out just because they died. Friendship penetrates even death's barrier!" Monokuma happily said.
Junko looked next to her and… realized that Mikan's portrait… was next to her… it took a lot of self control to not say anything about it.
"Friendship… penetrates~?" Teruteru asked, intrigued.
"Interesting… but why is that other seat empty then?" Gundham asked, referring to the empty 18th seat, "There were only 17 of us souls to begin with, so why are there seats for 18 souls?"
"Oh, no reason. It's just that our courtroom can technically hold an even number of 18 people." Monokuma explained nonchalantly, "Okay, that about does it for the preamble. Get ready to get started! First up is the case summary. Now, let the class trial… begin!" Monokuma eagerly declared.
"It's about to begin. The debate to decide who we believe the killer is… Everything I was able to find, everything I could've noticed… I have to speak up about anything and everything. Because not just mine, but everyone's lives are on the line!"
"So to recap what we know, the one who was murdered was Mikan Tsumiki." Byakuya starts off.
"W-We know already, but… thanks?" Kazuichi replied
"And she died in Junko's room." Hiyoko added.
"Yeah, In her bathroom…" Akane said nervously
"So that most likely means… The killer must have taken her by surprise while she was in the bathroom. Poor thing didn't even have a chance to fight back." Hajime concluded.
"Wait a minute!"
"No that's wrong!" Junko yelled "Wait a moment, Hajime. Remember how my room looked? With the way it was torn up and damaged, I think we can assume beyond a shadow of a doubt that Mikan fought and resisted her attacker." Junko clarifies.
"A struggle? Between Mikan and the murderer?" Hajime asked.
"Exactly. Meaning Mikan couldn't have been taken by surprise." Junko affirmed.
"She must have been attacked in the main room first, then ran to the bathroom to hide." Peko stated, "The killer followed her in, and finished the job."
"That much should've been obvious just by looking at the scene. It really didn't need explanation." Nagito spoke up.
"Sorry…" Hajime replied looking embarrassed.
"So now what?" Kazuichi asked
"The next subject would be the murder weapon, most likely." Nekomaru pointed out
"This… really is feeling like a real trial now… not sure how I feel 'bout that." Teruteru said nervously
"We need to determine what was used to kill Mikan… I mean it's obvious to me, but I was the only one besides Byakuya to see the body… so they might not know."
"So what was used to kill her?" Nekomaru asked
"A sharp object was thrust into her stomach. Which of course, makes it the murder weapon in question." Byakuya stated.
"So what? The killer used a random ass knife they had on themselves?" Fuyuhiko asked.
"No that's wrong!" Junko yelled out, "It wasn't just any knife, but a certain knife. One that would come from the kitchen." Junko said
"What? A kitchen knife?" Fuyuhiko asked, confused.
"After the murder, I saw that during the investigation, one of the knives from the kitchen was missing." Junko informed.
"Meaning the Knife is the murder weapon" Nekomaru nodded.
"Hmph. Well it makes sense. It definitely has a kitchen type look to it. Well, the handle that was sticking out of her body anyways." Fuyuhiko admitted, "Actually, looking real close at it… I'll agree with you on that." Fuyuhiko nodded.
"Ok, the weapon is a knife from the kitchen. So what? That doesn't get us anywhere." Hiyoko said confused "I mean, aren't we all in agreement that Junko killed the skank?!" Hiyoko asked making a mocking look at Junko
"S-She has a point… Junko's room was the scene of the crime. And her being late to the elevator… I don't want to believe it, but…" Mahiru trailed off.
"H-Hold on! I'm-" Junko tried to defend herself.
"Need I remind you that we shouldn't act on our emotions? Our conclusion should come after the arguments we've presented. Otherwise, the trial is just a lynching." Byakuya replied disapprovingly.
"Talk all you want. We can talk all day and it wont change the conclusion that we all have." Hiyoko said, annoyed.
"I-I disagree. It's not my conclusion. And I say that we need to keep at it, something new may appear when we least expect it." Chiaki interjected.
"You actually believe that?" Kazuichi asked hopefully.
"I-I do, yes…" Chiaki nodded.
"Both her and Byakuya are right. There's gotta– no, there's definitely a breakthrough somewhere just waiting for someone to see it. Because dammit, I am not the killer!"
"Well I guess there's no question that the kitchen knife is the murder weapon… But seriously, where does it get us?" Hiyoko asked.
"I mean… wouldn't it be plausible Junko took it from the kitchen? She likely did it when nobody was in the dining hall…" Mahiru said.
"No, that's wrong!" Junko retorted, "Hold the hell on Mahiru! I didn't take that knife from the kitchen" Junko interrupts.
"Next you'll say again that you're not the killer. I did say save it for the trial, but still…" Mahiru replied a little annoyed.
"Well how about a witness then?" Junko asked with a slight smirk, "Akane!"
"Yeah, what's up?" Akane asked, slightly puzzled.
"Remember what you told me earlier? You said you and Nekomaru were in the kitchen last night. And when you went to get food one of the knives was gone. So just to be extra clear. The knife disappeared while you were in the dining hall, yes?" Junko asked
"Yeah exactly." Akane nodded
"And did you or Nekomaru ever saw or even hear me come into the dining hall?" Junko followed up
"Nope. Neither of us did." Akane nodded
"Are you positive you both didn't see her?" Byakuya asked to make sure.
"Yup! Junky definitely wasn't there at all!" Akane said firmly.
"...You didn't have to use her nickname… A-Anyway, the knife just up and vanished while Akane and Nekomaru were in the dining hall. But I never set foot there. Meaning I wouldn't have the knife period!" Junko concluded.
"I-I-I– T-Then… What if all three of them were in it together? It's possible, right?" Mahiru asked.
"What? What the hell are you on about, Mahuru?! Why would I get involved?!" Akane asked defensively.
"Hm… Actually, thank you Mahiru. This brings up a question I would like to ask 'it'. If there was an accomplice, would they also become "blackened"?" Byakuya asked Monokuma.
"So you ask me, and so I shall answer! Each murder is allowed to have an accomplice, but only the one who does the killing will get to graduate. It's why I told Kuzuryu here that his murder of Komaru won't be tried here since, well… Let's just say he had seniority." Monokuma explained.
"I DIDN'T KILL HER!" Fuyuhiko shouted.
"So, in other words… Two players can co-op together… or, well… work together, but one has no incentive due to lack of reward." Chiaki concluded.
"Then it's kinda stupid to think anyone worked together to kill, right?" Fuyuhiko asked.
"I'm with Chiaki and Byakuya on the grounds of Junko not being the killer… But do you think whoever killed Mikan did have help? Before the rule was explained, I mean." Hajime asked.
"Good grief, enough already you simpletons! No, okay?! There are no accomplices in this case!" Monokuma shouted in annoyance, "...Uup, wait. I wasn't supposed to help out. I forgot."
"Whatever the rule for accomplyses are, the point is I didn't go to the bloody dining hall, and I didn't take that fucking knife!" Junko said with finality, "I. Am. Not. The. Killer!"
"Okay that settles that then…but..who *did* take the knife then?" Hajime asked.
"Akane seems to be the obvious candidate. She was there in the dining hall and said she went into the kitchen…" Nagito pointed out.
"Hell no I didn't!" Akane yelled defensively.
"B-But who can prove that?" Teruteru asked
"Did you two forget that Junko mentioned I was there with her?" Nekomaru asked.
"Yeah. Junko made it clear that Nekomaru was with me in the kitchen!"
"Well just to make sure… Nekomaru is, uh… who again?" Hiyoko asked
"That would be me! Nekomaru Nidai!" Nekomaru shouted
"Oh yeah, Lungs for Brains. You're the guy who wouldn't stop yelling everything like we're deaf! …Maybe we will be at the rate you're going… Who the hell knows?" Hiyoko mumbles.
"But wouldn't that mean… it could've just been either him or her?" Kazuichi asked "I mean the two were in the dining hall together…"
"No, not at all." Nekomaru said
"Yeah because well…um.." Akane said
"Me and Akane spent the night together in her room." Nekomaru said.
"Yeah…those videos messed me up badI couldn't really have a straight thought so… I asked him to stay over…" Akane confirmed, "That means we have alibis!"
"Wait! Isn't that in direct violation of the regulations Monokuma put out?" Mahiru asked.
"Uhm, Ibuki doesn't wanna be rude but… The regulations only say we can't sleep outside the dorms. Switching rooms or inviting someone over is A-ok in Monokuma's book!" Ibuki replied.
"Still, a man and a woman sleeping together… Oh my, the amount of tension and auroma in the air~" Teruteru said in his usual perverted way.
"Dude… not the time or place." Kazuichi reprimanded.
"Fine fine…" Teruteru sighs.
"But if not either of you two, then what other possibility exists then?" Nagito asked.
"Actually… There is one possibility. Right Akane?" Nekomaru asked.
"Hm…? O-Oh yeah I almost forgot! Someone else came into the dining room while we were there!" Akane replied.
"Wha- Why didn't you tell me that when i asked?!" Junko asked, a little… ok, more than a little miffed Akane neglected that detail.
"S-Sorry, it just slipped my mind… Because one, I didn't think much about it… a-and two…" Akane said.
"She's not here anymore." Nekomaru finished.
"W-What is she- w-who is he-"?"
"Mikan. She's the one who came to the dining hall. And is dead now…" Akane said looking down, "So we thought it'd have been rude to bring it up. Or at least, I thought it was…"
"M-Mikan?! W-wait then… the person who took the kitchen knife… WAS MIKAN?!"
"A-A-Are you saying… Mikan took the knife from the kitchen?" Junko asked, confused.
"That's the only possibility, and… looking back on it, she was acting off…" Akane spoke softly.
Nekomaru folded his arms as he picked up where Akane left off, "When she came into the dining hall, she didn't even look at us. She just went straight to the kitchen. As she left, she told us when we asked what she was doing that she wanted something to eat. But now… most likely…"
"Then the victim, Mikan, was the one who took the knife." Byakuya declared to everyone
"O-Ok… Sure, but it's likely because she wanted something to keep herself safe!" Junko said.
"That's what it was, right? She told me the same thing when we went to the gym! So why else would she–"
"So. She took the knife from the kitchen, the knife get taken from her, and she was killed with it?" Nagito asked to clarify, "Then… sure you may have not taken the knife… but you still could have killed her, in all likelihood." Nagito said smiling.
"What?!" Junko asked in bewilderment.
"Called it…" Mahiru said.
"No you're absolutely wrong about that!" Junko yelled.
"Perhaps she wanted to twist the argument in the wrong direction and send us off track? Jeez girl, you could be the mastermind of all this if you wanted!" Teruteru said, slightly put off by Junko.
"God fucking dammit! How did this go around back against me?! I gotta do something, otherwise they're gonna blame *me* for the murder! Why are their skulls so thick?! Convicting me is death for everyone but the killer!"
"Tch! I'm starting to feel like you let my words enter one ear and out the other." Byakuya interrupted, looking slightly annoyed, "It's still too early to decide with complete assurity that Junko is the killer, wouldn't you agree? Because, you see, if the room did belong to the killer, which you are saying is Junko, then what they or she did is most bewildering." Byakuya concluded, "And until we unravel that small mystery, I strongly suggest not declaring that Junko is the killer in earshot of me." Byakuya said authoritatively.
"Ugh, bewildering? What the fuck are you going on about, rich guy?" Fuyuhiko asked, annoyed.
"Something that was missing from the crime that should've been there by all rights" Byakuya said simply "You know what I'm referring to right Junko?" Byakuya asked.
"Something that should've been at the crime scene… but wasn't. That must be… Ugh I'm blanking on it… Gotta concentrate!"
Junko enters into deep thought trying to remember what it was that was missing. After a few short seconds it came to her.
"Hair! That's what wasn't there! There was no hair on the floor!" Junko said.
"So the culprit removed the evidence? Or, tried to?" Hajime asked.
"Yeah. Why would I need to get rid of hair in my own room? It wouldn't be that off to see any hair. Mine, Mikan's or whoever, if the crime scene is in my room." Junko explained.
"The reason all the hair was gone… was to remove any trace that Mikan was ever there." Nagito concluded.
"No. If that was the case, they would have had to do something with the body itself, not just her hair." Byakuya countered
"That's… true, yes… that's actually true…" Teruteru said.
"Well why wasn't there hair on the ground then?" Hiyoko asked.
"The killer removed the hair to, well… remove the fact that they had ever been there" Chiaki said.
"Wait, that means…" Fuyuhiko said, looking at Junko.
"Precisely. It's simply beyond reason and sanity to believe that the room's owner and the killer are the same person." Byakuya concluded.
"So… Junko wasn't the mastermind of this deed?" Gundham asked.
"But are you absolutely positive we can settle that important fact based on just only hair?" Nagito asked.
"No, of course not. I wouldn't mention it if there weren't more reasons that prove Junko couldn't have done it." Byakuya explained.
"Mind explaining for us?" Nekomaru asked.
"Does anyone here remember anything particularly interesting about the bathroom at the scene?" Byakuya asked, "Mikan was attacked in the main room first, then fled into the bathroom, correct?"
"Yeah, then the perp ran after her, got into the bathroom, and killed her with a stab to the gut." Fuyuhiko summarized.
"And how did the killer get inside the bathroom? Did they have any trouble with it?" Byakuya inquired.
"Wait, trouble? What do you mean?" Nagito asked curiously.
"It's obvious the killer had extreme difficulties getting into the bathroom… There were a few clear bits of evidence left behind. Remember, Junko?" Byakuya asked her
Junko took a second to ponder over it and nodded, "Yeah… the screw from the doorknob. Along with the heel stuck on the door, right?" Junko asked
"Eh? Why would that be important?" Kazuichi asked, confused.
"Because the doorknob to my door was fucked with. See how it looked like it'd fall off? Then how the door itself is cracked with the heel embedded into it?" Junko asked everyone.
"Yes we can clearly see it… but what do these words mean, witch?" Gundham pressed.
"In trying to bypass the lock, they ended up nearly removing the doorknob, then later smashing the door down." Byakuya stated "This is another bewildering act for the room's owner. Junko is beyond suspicion." Byakuya concluded.
"So what, you're saying she wouldn't break into her own room? If your choices are to break it, then you break it! There's nothing 'bewildering' about adapting to that!" Hiyoko replied with annoyance.
"You still don't understand? I suppose that's fair. But let's take another look at how the incident unfolded and you may come to understand." Byakuya acknowledged.
"Bewildering fact? I think I know what Byakuya's talking about… I just need to understand clearly what it is."
"The incident took place in Junko's room. Mikan was first attacked in the main room. She then fled into the bathroom." Byakuya summarized the case's beginning so far.
"Then the killer ran after her into the bathroom." Fuyuhiko stated
"At that point, the killer had to try and bust down the door," Hiyoko added, "Because pig trash… Urgh, I mean Mikan, had locked it."
"Once they got through… they wasted no time dispatching her." Peko said.
"And after removing all traces of being there, they left the scene." Nagito concluded.
Junko thinks for a moment… then realizes something with what Hiyoko said, "Hiyoko. Repeat what you said, please?"
"Ugh, I said 'At that point, the killer had to try and bust down the door.'" Hiyoko added, "Because pig tra– …Mikan had locked it." Hiyoko said, annoyed.
"No, that's wrong!" Junko countered, "The reason my bathroom door didn't open wasn't because it was locked."
"But your room is a girl's room!" Hiyoko said as she got agitated.
"I'm a girl, yes. And it's the girl's rooms that even have locks… but there was something wrong with the lock to my doorknob." Junko said.
"Huh? What was wrong with your doorknob?" Hajime asked.
"The lock was busted." Junko stated.
"What?! Are you just making shit up now!?" Hiyoko asked indignantly.
"Well if you don't believe me, ask the big man himself." Junko said, pointing at Monokuma.
"Yep yep! It's as true as the sky is blue! But ya know… you're the Ultimate Fashionista, right? But to have such a cruddy door… maybe you should've been the Ultimate Unlucky Student! Puhuhuhu!" Monokuma chuckled mockingly.
"So the reason the door wouldn't open wasn't because it was locked. But because Mikan was holding it shut and using her body's weight to keep it closed. The killer didn't know that, and assumed it to be locked properly. So they tore at the doorknob first, then knocked the rest of the door down afterwards." Byakuya stated.
"Actually speaking about it… why would the killer not plant more evidence against Junko? Considering Mikan died in her room, the killer could've easily framed Junko more than they did." Nagito pointed out.
"The killer could've mistaken the room's owner easily, thanks to one important detail about the crime." Byakuya said.
"The killer didn't know they were in my room. They were convinced it was Mikan's room. In other words. There was something super important about the crime that even the killer didn't know… That's it!"
"The killer must've not known nor realized that they were in my room." Junko said.
"What? How would the culprit not know what room they even were in? That's hard to understand…" Teruteru pointed out.
"Yet she's absolutely right." Byakuya said
"Huh? Please explain…" Teruteru asked.
"Well to be more specific, what the killer didn't know was that Junko and Mikan switched rooms. Which led to a misunderstanding about who's room Mikan died in. If it had been Mikan's own room…"
"Then really, they wouldn't think of needing to frame Junko. They'd just assume it was her own room that Mikan died in." Nekomaru said, "They had no idea how much they needed to do that to save their own hide."
"Ultimately, we can't know whether Mikan gave out or if the door's breaking rendered her holding it pointless… but the killer must have been confused and had no idea what room they actually were in to begin with." Byakuya concluded.
"And not hiding the body in your own room…" Nagito began.
"Is utterly beyond something I would do. Ugh, that sounds gross saying… I would've taken care to actually hide the body if it was my own room. And I knew how to get the lock to work, so I wouldn't have even tried to unscrew the door to begin with. Right?"
"I suppose so…" Nagito agreed.
"So the killer would've been someone that didn't know the two switched rooms." Hajime asked.
"Alright, fine! Junko couldn't have done it! I concede! Happy?!" Mahiru asked in an agitated defeat.
"THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN TELLING YOU ALL THE WHOLE TIME!"
"Glad Junko's name is cleared and all, but all that back and forth got us nowhere as to who really shanked Mikan." Akane brought up.
"But we need to find something. What happens if… if we can't even decide?" Teruteru asked with hints of nervousness.
"Why not let fate in its infinite wisdom decide and vote now on a majority?" Gundham asked.
"Are you actively wanting to get us all killed?" Hiyoko asked, bewildered by Gundham's statement.
"For once, Ibuki agrees with Hiyoko! Need I of all people remind you that if we guess the wrong killer, all of our lives will come to a record scratching halt?" Ibuki spoke up, determined, "There's gotta be more to Mikan's death than the notes we're hearing already! A thought we need to share, a question that needs asking, some kind of snarky remark that could point us in the right direction!"
"Thoughts, questions, remarks? It doesn't matter now how trivial it may be." Nagito asked.
"Oh I have a question!" Akane said smiling.
"Oh… you." Nagito said, frowning.
"You don't have to sound like that's a bad thing!"
"It's fine. Ask your question Akane." Byakuya encouraged her.
"Ok, so… ummm… Well, I was thinking, how did the culprit get into Junko's room in the first place?" Akane asked.
"I've been wondering that all day…" Junko mutters.
"Yes…how did the killer get inside?" Nekomaru asked.
"Maybe Mikan just dropped the key and the culprit snatched it up? That's possible right?" Hiyoko suggested.
"Unlikely… too convenient…" Nagito said
"They picked the lock then?" Hajime asked.
"Nope. Remember, Monokuma said that the locks are completely tamper proof."
"How about this… the killer knocked on the door and asked to be let in… and Mikan let them in." Teruteru said.
"Hell no! Mikan wouldn't do that!" Junko shouted.
"Oh? And why is that?"
"Because Mikan was already scared, remember? That's why I suggested that I switch rooms with her to begin with." Junko said, "Just knowing what she'd been through, I won't let anyone make her sound like she idiotically opened the door for anyone!" Junko yelled, offended.
"And you never considered the alternative that she may not actually have been scared?" Nagito suddenly asked.
"What…? WHAT THE HELL IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN YOU ASSHOLE?!" Junko yelled at Nagito.
"Hmph so quick to defend her. So fast to deny anything wrong with her, yet…" Nagito looked at Byakuya who seemed to be grimacing, "Byakuya here seems to have something important he'd like to share…"
"Huh? Byakuya has something? What is it?!" Junko asked curiously, anger still prevalent in her voice.
"...I know you don't want to consider it Junko, but look at this and please tell me honestly." Byakuya said with a solemn sigh as he held out a notebook paper…
"T-T-There's something I-I want to talk to you a-a-about. Just the… t-two of us. In f-five minutes, come see me in my room. Check the nameplates t-to make sure you don't g-get the wrong r-r-room, okay?"
"This notepad was found during my investigation, and I shaded in the top sheet with a pencil." Byakuya explains, "These words appeared as a result."
"Woah! I saw this in some detective stuff! Where you write, it leaves an imprint or something. Sketch over the next paper, and you can see the words!" Akane said, pretty stoked.
"An old fashioned but useful technique. And this notepad was in Junko's room." Byakuya concluded.
"Wha–" Junko said bewildered.
"Meaning, only someone who'd been in Junko's room before the incident would have written it." Nagito said, "So either she did it, living in the room and all, or Mikan, who switched rooms with her, did this."
"So, Junko… did you write this?" Byakuya said.
"N-No not at all! It's not even my handwriting!" Junko said.
"Of course. Because the note also bear's a signature. Mikan's signature." Byakuya said.
"S-so the note's… the note's… Mikan's…?"
"B-But… why on earth would Mikan write that…?" Junko asked.
"The note was likely her way of getting in touch with a certain someone. She must have slid it under their door to let them know she wanted to meet them in secret." Byakuya said.
"An invitation from the nurse? In our predicament? You'd at least want to see what she has to say at the very least." Teruteru said.
"Even if the person in question did get the note… how do we know they were involved with what happened? I, for one, think it's unlikely." Nagito replied.
"Why do you say that?" Hajime asked.
"Hm… I'll tell you, but pay very close attention to what I have to say." Nagito smiled… or was it actually a smirk?
"Mikan and Junko switched rooms, correct? But in the note the place they asked the receiver to come to… it specifically says, and I quote, 'my room'." Nagito said.
"So if they read the note… then they would've gone to Mikan's room?" Hajime asked
"Exactly. The room that Junko was staying in." Nagito said.
"No, that's wrong!" Junko shouted!
"Urgh, that's five times you've done that already!" Mahiru pointed out with an agitated groan.
"The nameplates for my room and Mikan's room got switched." Junko said quickly.
"…Did you say 'switched'?" Mahiru asked, going from agitated to confused on a dime.
"Exactly. The nameplates got switched, like the rooms themselves." Byakuya said, "Meaning Junko's nameplate was on Mikan's door, and Mikan's nameplate was on Junko's door."
"So what you're saying is… the room Mikan was staying in was marked as her room?" Chiaki asked in a tone that had a hint of sorrow laced into it.
"Meaning whoever does what the note said to do… Would end up at Junko's room, which Mikan was in." Hajime replied.
"Plus their rooms were right next to each other. Meaning switching them would be of no consequence. And you didn't switch them, did you Junko?" Nagito pressed.
"N-No, I didn't…" Junko shook her head.
"Then who switched the plates?" Peko asked around.
"T-The only one who could've switched the plates… the only one who would think to do that…"
"M-Me and Mikan switched rooms, so… the only person besides me who'd know and even do it… was Mikan."
"Which you can gather from her note." Nagito said completely taking over the discussion of this topic
"T-T-There's something I-I want to talk to you a-a-about. Just the… t-two of us. In f-five minutes, come see me in my room. Check the nameplates t-to make sure you don't g-get the wrong r-r-room, okay?"
"She specifically asked the reader to check the nameplates. She'd only write that if she knew the plates were switched" Nagito pointed out.
"But… why would she do that?" Hajime asked
"She wanted someone to come to the room she was in, while also hiding the fact it was in Junko's room." Nagito said.
"W-what…?" Junko muttered quietly.
"Inviting someone to your room, but not telling them you switched rooms? What's the point of that?" Akane asked
"Well to understand that, we need to understand what happened after she invited the person into the room." Nagito explained, "That's where the answer is at."
"It is safe to assume the culprit is the one who she invited over… who then proceeded to attack her." Gundham said.
"Yeah, but we still have no idea who it is. Fuckin' idiot." Fuyuhiko shot at Gundham.
"Mikan fought her killer in the room, yes?" Peko asked, "Perhaps the answer Nagito spoke of lies in that struggle."
"Exactly." Byakuya said.
"Then we just have to figure out what happened during the fight, right?" Akane asked.
"Oh, that reminds me. There was a replica sword at the scene of the murder. Perhaps it was used in the fight?" Peko questioned.
"Yeah, what the fuck is the deal with that sword?" Fuyuhiko asked.
"Mikan suggested I should hold it. Because it'd add variety to my room. I honestly didn't see much use of it as a self defense weapon. Too impractical… but it's likely Mikan used it to defend herself." Junko said
"What makes you think trash pig held onto the sword?" Hiyoko curtly asked.
"All you need to do is look at her palms, and it should be clear… in her palm near where her wrist is cut and broken, there's something glittery there, see?" Junko asked.
"Is that… gold?" Hajime asked.
"It sure is, specifically the gold coating on the sword. You barely have to touch that stuff and it'll stick right onto you." Junko said.
"But wait… If she held that sword, what was the knife for?" Chiaki asked, confused.
"Perhaps the sword wasn't her first weapon of choice?" Nagito suggested.
"W-What do you mean?" Junko asked.
Nagito just smirked.
"Hey, I just realized! No one brought up the scratches the sheath had!" Nekomaru said.
"Exactly. Why would the sheath have scratches on it if the sword was Mikan's go to weapon? Unless, of course, it was a hastily grabbed backup weapon." Nagito pointed out.
"Meaning the fight didn't start with the sword… But the knife." Byakuya said.
"And boy oh boy, I oh so do wonder who held the knife?" Nagito smirked.
"T-The killer? They took Mikan's knife and turned it against her?" Kazuichi asked.
"Hm… perhaps. But how'd they go about taking it?" Nagito asked pointedly.
"Good question." Peko spoke up for Kazuichi, "According to Junko, Mikan would be incapable of dropping a weapon so carelessly."
"Junko, who'd have the knife first and started the conflict?" Nagito asked.
Junko… said nothing. She couldn't. Or more accurately… she didn't want to think of it.
"Hm, figured. Alright then. Let me ask an easier question. How close are you and Mikan?" Nagito asked.
"Huh? We… we're very close. We've been friends since middle school…" Junko said.
"And you suggested switching rooms… why?" Nagito pressed.
"I think outside the box… I tend to, heh… Analyze situations differently than others." Junko stated.
"And does Mikan know this… outside of the box thinking?" Nagito asked.
"Y-Yeah… of course! She is very intimately aware of how I think!" Junko said.
"So… knowing all that… wouldn't she come to you and tell you this ruse of being scared, knowing you'd suggest that?" Nagito questioned.
"Wha… what are you implying?!" Junko asked.
Nagito looked at Byakuya and Chiaki. Both having knowing looks on their faces, but saying nothing and facing away from Junko. He sighs disappointed.
"Really? You two know, but won't tell her? Then fine. I will. Junko, Mikan came to you knowing you'd switched rooms with her… so she could kill who she invited! Your best friend tried to betray you! Ahahahahaha!" Nagito started laughing at Junko, catching almost everyone off-guard.
Junko was frozen solid. Unable to comprehend Nagito's words… seething anger came up within her, "YOU BASTARD! HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT ABOUT MIKAN?!" She tried to move at him only to be held back by her seat.
"Junko… I understand how you feel… but with all the evidence surrounding this case… It's the unfortunate truth. Mikan Tsumiki attempted to kill someone and frame you for it." Byakuya said definitely.
Junko paused… frozen like ice. Her mind processes his words… and every small bit of her interactions with Mikan last night… And it all fits.
"M-Mikan… Mikan… Mikan, my best friend in the world… the person I trust with all my life…she….she…. she…!"
Junko held her head and hunched forward, her vision blurred from the forming tears on her face… her blood ran cold… but she also felt hot… dizzy… like she's about to pass out at any second. Above all, the thought of her best friend betraying her like this made her heart and brain hurt, even feeling sick to her stomach.
"...Is it too late to take back every nasty comment I ever made about her?" Mahiru asked everyone else upon seeing Junko's mental breakdown.
"S-So the reason Mikan came to Junko was to have Junko suggest the room switch? And then she switched the nameplates afterwards?" Ibuki asked Nagito.
"Exactly. After all, it would be suspicious if the potential victim were to know the two switched rooms. Mikan needed the ruse so she could implicate Junko." Nagito explained.
"Tch… that's low…" Fuyuhiko remarks.
"B-But isn't that a little risky? Even if her plan had worked, Junko would've just told everyone about the switch…" Teruteru pointed out.
"I doubt it. Considering how hard she wanted to deny the possibility Mikan would do something like this, tells me Junko wouldn't consider implicating Mikan, even for her own sake. Mikan likely understood that considering they've been friends for a long time, which is why she went to Junko above everyone else." Nagito concluded.
"..." Junko was quiet, remaining hunched over, tears falling as all she wanted to do was sob.
"A-And… she was the Ultimate Nurse… A Fashionista or someone with knowledge of psychology and medical expertise? Who are you more likely to believe?" Mahiru asked as she looked sympathetically at Junko.
"S-So that nurse girl planned this all out?" Teruteru asked, really terrified of Mikan now.
"Holy fuck!" Fuyuhiko shouted, quite surprised of the nurse he didn't put much stock in before.
"But in the end, her plan backfired. She launched the attack with her knife, and was attacked by her own weapon for murder. That's why she held the sword and why her wrist was slashed and broken. The knife was used against her." Nagito pointed out.
"The tables turned on her suddenly, and she died at the hands of her victim turned murderer." Nekomaru concluded.
"I-I… that… n-no…." Junko weakly called out wanting to hope beyond hope that...
"Hey, hey! You guys totally derailed the argument! You're being super boring right now! Come on, hurry up and decide who did it!" Monokuma chastised playfully, adding more stress to the fire, "Wouldn't it be awful if I had to punish you all just because you ran out of time?"
"Quiet, you! You have some nerve trying to rush us to finish your stupid trial even when there's a clear emotional disturbance within one of our friends! Have you no respect or common decency for how anyone but yourself is feeling?!" Ibuki yelled out at Monokuma, "And on top of that…! Placing a time limit out of nowhere all because you're bored of the people whose lives you toy with out of that very same boredom?! Really?! Don't you think a song like that is god awful composition?!"
"Hey! Who asked you, horn hair?!" Monokuma stood up as he brought his claws out again, "Like you and your useless rock and roll know-how can comprehend anything about anything but following my rules and satisfying my entertain–"
"IBUKI SAID SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU UGLY INHUMAN PILE OF JUNK!"
"Gah–!" Monokuma reeled back from that lung shattering scream from Ibuki. He sat back down and laid back on his throne, his anger shifting to depression, "U-Ugly…?"
"Haa… haa… haa… haa…!" Ibuki panted heavily, leaning forward in her seat as she held her head, the bangs in her hair casting a shadow over her eyes.
"..." Junko was silent as she silently sobbed to herself.
"Thank you, Ibuki. And Junko… right now, you just need to concentrate on figuring out that mystery. If we can't uncover who murdered Mikan, it's over for all of us." Byakuya told her simply yet having a sympathizing look on his face.
"I… I… what can I even do…? There's… not much clues left anymore…"
"Ugh it's easy to say, 'Hey, decide who did it!' But they're aren't anymore clues, right?" Hiyoko asked.
"So what, we just vote on random chance like Gundham suggested?" Kazuichi asked
"Either that or pray for a new clue." Peko said.
"Then let's get the vote over with." Nagito said smirking.
"Wait… I just remembered… Yeah, that's wrong… by a mile!"
"Hiyoko, did you say there aren't any more clues?" Junko asked.
"Uh, yeah? They're aren't any more clues." Hiyoko said, confused.
"No, that's wrong!" Junko declared "There's still a big important clue we've overlooked. Mikan's dying message." Junko said.
"Eh? What? What did… y-you just say?" Hiyoko asked, becoming nervous.
"The dying message. She wrote something on the wall behind her, remember?" Byakuya asked, "8 9 25 15 11 15, written in her own blood. There must be a clue about the killer hidden in there…" he finished.
"Well before we can go further. Can we be positive that Mikan wrote it?" Peko asked.
"Yes! Absolutely. Her left index finger was soaked in blood. That must mean she used her finger to write the message." Junko answered.
"So… she had her right wrist broken during her murder attempt, so she'd need to use her left hand to write… explaining why it has more blood than gold on it." Hajime concluded.
"So we can say 100% Mikan wrote it, but uh… what the heck do those numbers mean? 8 9 25 15 11 15? Seems random to me." Akane said.
"Hey, Gamer Girl. You're a nerd with tech and shit, right? You should know these numbers!" Fuyuhiko called out.
"I-I am, but… I can't think of what these numbers could be…" Chiaki stammers out as she tries to think.
"That's because they're not just numbers…" Byakuya said.
"Then what the fuck are they?" Fuyuhiko yelled.
"They're code." Byakuya concluded.
"Wait… code? That, I actually do know!" Chiaki said with a serious expression, "Yes, now that I'm thinking about it clearly… it's a specific type of code." Chiaki concluded.
"Heh. You might've finally said something worth a damn." Fuyuhiko smiles approvingly.
"It seems our minds are uniting as one, forming a collective thought to save us." Gundham said.
"Still, even with the knowledge of it being code of some kind… It still doesn't make more sense than before…" Nekomaru pointed out.
"Mmmm…"
"Dammit. Code? What kind of code could it–"
"Think of the numbers as letters." Byakuya said.
"Think… of the numbers… as letters? Wait… looking at it with that in mind and a clear head… YES! I finally got it!"
"Holy shit, I see it now! She wrote the killer's name, but in numerical code!" Junko said.
"Woah what?! You just shot past the 'Clue' stage and right onto the 'Who It Is' stage!" Akane said, taken aback.
"So… who's name is written in numbers?" Mahiru asked.
"Mikan's dying message is the killer's name. If you think of her message as numerical code… then it becomes clear."
Junko thinks about what it means for a while, her mind focusing on the numbers and what letter each one would correspond to. And in a matter of a minute or two… she had it! She looked down the line of people, each one from Chiaki, Hajime, Teruteru, Ibuki, Nekomaru and Nagito, until finally…
"Byakuya, Chiaki. You both know what the code in question is, I assume?" Junko asked
Both of them nodded in affirmation.
"So hey… Mind telling them what the code is and how it works? That way, what I'm about to say doesn't sound like, uh… bullshit to them?" Junko asked.
"To explain, this type of code is a code used for letters of names. Hiding names as numbers." Byakuya began.
"And each number tends to correspond to what place a letter would be in the alphabet." Chiaki added, "Meaning the letter A would be the number 1. B would be 2, C would be 3, and so on."
"Of course it's not as simple as that. With something like a full name, numbers are calculated to conclude the specific order of where the letters would fit to form said name."
"In this case, the name in question… 8 9 25 15 11 15? That translates to H. I. Y. O. K. O." Junko said looking at Hiyoko, "H. I. Y. O. K. O., or more accurately… Hiyoko!"
"W-Wha–?! What the hell are you talking about, bitch?! I-it's just a random string of numbers!" Hiyoko stammers out nervously, "Just a random set of numbers that can form my name if looked at in a certain way, so what?!"
"It's not random at all. Mikan wrote the message behind her and specifically like that while leaning up against the wall. In that position, she couldn't move to write normally, and had to write the numbers in a way that, even if spotted, the killer wouldn't have concluded it to mean anything." Byakuya said.
"Th-Thats sounds like a hell of a stretch…! You think you can call me the killer based only on that?!" Hiyoko demanded.
"If you're not the killer, then why destroy the evidence?" Nagito asked.
"Eh?" Hiyoko asked.
"You know the pieces of evidence I'm talking about, right Junko?" Nagito asked.
"The evidence the killer tried to get rid of… that's got to be…!"
"The burnt bloodied shirt piece me and Teruteru found inside the furnace, right?" Junko asked.
"As the killer murdered Mikan, they must have gotten a lot of her blood on themselves." Byakuya spoke up, "And to dispose of the outfits they threw it into the incinerator and hoped for someone to not notice it inside it before they turned it on."
"But Teruteru and Junko's sense of smell caught the burning outfit before it was completely burnt away." Nagito pointed out.
"And the killer wouldn't have counted on this. If they had, they most certainly would've waited until after Junko's investigation into the furnace and made sure the outfit burnt away." Byakuya concluded, "Right, Hiyoko?"
"Wh-Wh-Wh-Wh-?!" Hiyoko asked, bewildered.
"But is one scrap of brunt bloodied fabric enough to conclude Hiyoko did it?" Nekomaru asked.
"When paired with another similar fabric, yes." Byakuya said.
Junko knew what he ment and took out the torn fabric shirt piece, "This thing, right?"
"Huh? That's… where was that?" Hiyoko asked, sweating bullets.
"Mikan had it held under her hand. She likely ripped it off her attacker and hid it before she died." Byakuya said, "And it has similar colorings to a certain outfit."
"T-That could mean anything! I mean it could be your shirt! You had her blood when we found you! And you would've thrown your outfit out!" Hiyoko stated.
"Well, she has a slight point… if not for the fact that Junko was found hugging and cradling Mikan, explaining the blood on her when we found her." Mahiru said in Junko's defense for once, "And… I just don't see Junko wearing that shade of yellow and white."
"Then whoever was on trash duty did it!" Hiyoko said.
"W-W-Wha?! What are you blaming me for all of a sudden?!" Teruteru asked, freaking out.
"No, that's wrong! …Starting to think Mahiru was onto something when pointed out how many times. Anyways, there's an important bit of evidence that, without doubt, marks Hiyoko as the one trying to dispose of the weapon."
"If I had tossed my outfit into the trash room. There would be some tell. Instead. Whoever was on cleaning duty must've done it!" Hiyoko yelled.
"So the only one who could've been in the furnace room… was the person in charge of the trash? " Mahiru asked.
"And you only have a piece of shirt as evidence of it being thrown inside in order to dump on the evidence!" Hiyoko said.
"No, that's wrong!" Junko yelled out again, "There's one bit of key evidence proving that not only was the shirt thrown, but it was done by Hiyoko!" Junko said, pulling out the fan.
"Eh? Looks like a stick?" Ibuki, who took more than enough time to recover, had a curious look on her face.
"Nope! In fact…" Junko said as she unfolded the fan, revealing it to everyone, "It's a fan. One that was damaged, having a torn cut in the middle almost as if it was stabbed through." Junko pointed out.
"S-So?! That could be anyone's fan!" Hiyoko yelled.
"But who is the one most well known for using fans? Especially this traditional style of fans?" Junko asked.
"Hiyoko of course. Though she also used swords apparently… and probably other items." Nekomaru pointed out.
"True. But to dance with a sword, you'd need to dance with a fan first." Peko said, "Practice in one art to have the skill to do the other."
"And who says the sword holder couldn't be you?!" Hiyoko asked.
"Because last I checked, Peko didn't had any fuckin' gold on her hands last night." Fuyuhiko shot at Hiyoko.
"Y-Y-Y-You can't be serious! I…! I…!" Hiyoko stutters trying to come up with a excuse of any kind, "I'm not the killer, you fucking bimbo! Those water balloons for brains got it all wrong!" Hiyoko screamed out.
"Still won't admit it, Hiyoko? Ok then. Junko, go over the incident one last time. Perhaps that should end this." Byakuya said.
"Listen to me! I. DIDN'T. DO IT! IT WASN'T ME!" Hiyoko screamed.
"Say what you want, Hiyoko. But all the questions have been answered. The truth of your crime has been revealed. Now here's how it happened!" Junko yelled out
"Last night, the killer went to the room Mikan was in. In other words, my room. From what we can tell, Mikan invited that person there intending to kill them. She attacked them with the knife she'd taken from the kitchen earlier… but then something happened that she wasn't prepared for. They used a fan to catch the knife and take it from Mikan. And fought back. During the struggle, Mikan took the fake sword as backup, and eventually, a strike from the knife cut and broke Mikan's right wrist. That's when she lost her grip on the sword. Finding herself cornered, Mikan panicked and ran into the bathroom. The killer went after her, but couldn't get the door opened, despite the fact my door's lock was busted. They didn't know that, so they assumed it was a functional girl's bathroom door. Mikan knew about that because I'd told her, but of course the killer had no way of knowing. So instead, the killer forced the door open. First trying to unscrew it, then outright knocking it down. Then they took the kitchen knife… and stabbed Mikan. But with what strength she had remaining, Mikan took a piece of shirt from the killer and even left a dying message… To ensure the killer didn't find the message and if they did not put any stock on it, she wrote it on the wall behind her and in a code only a few would know. And with that… all her strength was gone. With Mikan dead, the killer quickly began destroying the evidence. Firstly, they took off their outfit, which was covered in their victims blood. Then they took the lint roller in my room and cleaned up the entire area. They wanted to make sure any evidence that they had been there was gotten rid of. Afterwards, the killer headed to the trash room to destroy their bloody shirt and fan. They hoped to put both into the furnace and hope someone would turn it on without looking inside. But with how the trash room was blocked with that sturdy gate, preventing easy access to the furnace. So they had to throw both into the furnace and hoped they landed. She got lucky with the shirt. Having thought they were in the clear, she left the area with, I bet, a sigh of relief. But unknown to her the fan didn't land. Or rather, it fell off onto the ground. Leaving conclusive proof of their crime on the floor." Junko summarized the case "Isn't that right… Hiyoko?!"
"So Hiyoko, do you object?" Byakuya asked.
"Object? Of course I fucking object! Like hell I was with that psycho bitch!" Hiyoko yelled, slamming her arms on her seat… where Mahiru noticed something.
"Wait, Hiyoko! Why is there a red bump on your arm?" Mahiru asked.
"Huh? It's noth–" Hiyoko tries to hide her arm only for Nagito to grab it, "Hey let me go!"
"Junko do you have any clue what this bump could've been?" Nagito asked while showing the mark to Junko.
"It's not a bump… it's an injection sight. Likely a sedative to make one pass out." Junko summarized.
"Though Mikan should've had one that's fast acting, if that was the case. She has both a fast and slow acting one… so why use the slow acting sedative…?"
"Ugh! I didn't do it! I OBJECT! I OBJECT! I OBJECT! I OBJECT! I OBJECT!" Hiyoko yelled out, "This is a bunch of bullshit theories and crap! Where's the evidence?! True evidence?!" Hiyoko yelled "Without evidence I won't accept it! Bullshit! BULLSHIT!"
"Well then I guess it's good we have two pieces of evidence. Junko has the first, and I have the second." Byakuya said.
"I have the evidence…? Wait, I think I know what he's referring to!"
"When the killer tried to get into the bathroom, they removed one screw and half removed the second screw. They didn't use anything in your room to do it. Instead they used something that belongs to them." Byakuya stated.
"They used something of their own to remove the screw and… Wait, could it have really been…?"
"I refuse to acknowledge any of this! DUMBASS! DUMBASS DUMBASS DUMBASS!" Hiyoko said repeatedly, "DUMBASSDUMBASSDUMBASS!DUMBASSDUMBASSDUMBASS!"
"I have to show that evidence to prove beyond doubt it's her!"
Junko and Hiyoko engaged in what could be described as a battle of words. With Hiyoko tossing out insult after insult and denial of the evidence until eventually…
"WITHOUT EVIDENCE IT'S ALL BULLSHIT! IT'S BULLSHIT AND I WON'T ACKNOWLEDGE IT!"
"This should prove it!"
"Acknowledge THIS, Saionji!" Junko yelled out, silencing Hiyoko, "The screws on the bathroom doorknob were attempted to be removed. I wonder, without a toolkit, what kind of tool would the killer use to improvise?" Junko asked.
"It has to be a screwdriver, right?" Fuyuhiko asked.
"Not necessarily… it can also be something small and works as well. Like a needle for instance." Junko said, holding out the needle and thread.
"Huh? Wait, aren't those in sewing kits?" Ibuki asked.
"Exactly! And due to it not being great as a screwdriver, it'd result in the killer having to bash down my door for it to not take too long." Junko confirmed.
"So?! You have a sewing kit! All the girls have a sewing kit! What makes you so sure you didn't break your own door down when you found her body, huh?!" Hiyoko shouted in desperation, "Both you and that pig trash have sewing kits like the rest of the girls! Since it was in your room, that needle and thread used to tear that door down was yours!"
"Well then, why doesn't my sewing kit have its map anymore?" Junko countered with a knowing smirk.
Nagito perked up curiously, "Map, you say…?"
"I believe she is referring to this." Byakuya said, taking out a piece of paper.
"Huh? What's that?" Kazuichi asked.
"A map of the vital organs. All girls have one with their kits." Peko responded.
"Again! Junko could–" Hiyoko stated.
"Peko, remember when I asked you to check Junko's trashcan before she came inside the room?" Byakuya asked.
"Yes… and I saw a crumbled up map inside it." Peko nodded.
"I assume you threw it away, Junko?" Byakuya asked.
"Eh, Mikan threw it away. On the first night while looking in my room, she found that and threw it out. Because why wouldn't you?" Junko asked.
"Then beyond a shadow of a doubt, it's Hiyoko's." Byakuya concluded.
"T-That's… T-T-That's…!" Hiyoko stammers out.
"If they're so wrong, show us your sewing kit! Surely it would still have its plastic wrapping if you didn't open it!" Fuyuhiko said.
"I-I-I-I-I-" Hiyoko stutters "huh…?"
"So… No rebuttal?" Byakuya asked.
"Then it would appear we have found our killer, without a shadow of a doubt." Nagito smiles.
Hiyoko just stares ahead, saying nothing.
"Puhuhuhu!" Monokuma chuckled, "Looks like you've reached your verdict! Then are we ready to cast our votes?" Monokuma asked, "You all have a lever in front of you. Use it to make your selection! Oh, just to remind you… Make triple sure you vote for someone! You wouldn't want to be punished for something so minor, right?"
"SIR YES SIR! I'LL CHECK 30 TIMES OVER!" Kazuichi yelled, frightened.
"..." Everyone else was silent, even Ibuki this time.
"Okay! Then let's get excited! Who will be chosen as the blackened? Will you make the right choice, or the dreadfully wrong one?" Monokuma asked, giggling sadistically, "What's it gonna be? What's it gonna beeeee?!" Monokuma asked excitedly.
Monokuma vote!
…
…
…
"Uh-oh! Looks like you got it right on the money! The blackened in this case, the one that killed Mikan… was none other than Hiyoko Saionji!" Monokuma declared laughing.
"...! ...wha?" Hiyoko asked after a pause of silence, "H-Hold on…"
"Hiyoko… did you really… kill Mikan?" Junko asked, still in disbelief after the trial.
"I… I know you weren't the nicest person but…" Akane said in similar disbelief.
"You fucking bitch! What the hell is wrong with you?!" Fuyuhiko demaded.
"I-I didn't have a choice… I had to adapt or die! S-So that's why… I killed her first… NONE OF YOU ARE ANY DIFFERENT! ONE WRONG STEP, AND YOU'D BE THE ONE WHO WAS DEAD!" Hiyoko roared out, "It was… chance that i ended up like this… I was just unlucky is all…"
"Mmmmmph…!" Fuyuhiko grunts.
"H-Hey, come on…! You expect me to just accept my death?!" Hiyoko shouted at everyone.
"...Everything's been cleared up. The decision was obvious from the get go. But… when I think about it… Honestly, I wished we were wrong… I really do… Because if what we came up with is the truth… Then the truth is that Mikan was trying to frame me. But now that I think about it, I… I… I can't say she was fully wrong… After all, the mastermind…"
"All because of that damned video…" Junko mutters.
"I couldn't handle seeing that… If i was her and that video was about me… I… I couldn't…"
"Oh… Oh god…! I'm stuck in here while my family is out there waiting for me…! W-wondering where I am and why I'm missing…!" Mikan said with panic ebbing in her voice, "Each minute something bad could happen… And… And…!"
"I CAN'T BE STUCK HERE! I NEED TO GET BACK TO THEM! I HAVE TO!" Mikan yelled in a pure fright of panic.
"The one thing that likely became more important to her than anything else… even me… was her family she built. To see and hear something bad like that happen to them… and Mikan… I… That's why Mikan… for her family that meant more to her then even me… that's why she betrayed me… S-so when she said…"
"Junky… You're the only one I can trust… Please… no matter what happens… Please be there for me… I need you by my side…" Mikan begs.
"She… was using me… Is that… why she… she… I guess I'll never know now. I can't ask her what she was thinking now… once you're dead… you're gone…"
"Boy howdy! The medical industry must surely be terrifying, huh?! I mean, to try and kill someone just because of those relationships with your patients! She seemed so nice and loving on the outside, but inside… she'd descended into pure madness!" Monokuma laughed out
"W-What did you say?" Junko asked, staring at him.
"I understand, really i do. Yup yup!" Monokuma chuckled "You're in utter despair thanks to Mikan's betrayal right? Compassion, companionship, intimately love maybe? The stronger those feelings are, the stronger the despair when they collapse!" Monokuma said smirking
"Stop fucking with us! This is your fault! Mikan was forced to do something like that…All of it…everything that happened… ITS ALL YOUR FUCKING FAULT!"
"In yet another angered frenzy, I went straight for Monokuma. But then…"
"STOP IT! THAT'S ENOUGH!" Chiaki screeched as she grabbed Junko's arm and forcefully brought it down.
"As angry as I was, Chiaki latched onto my arm without hesitation. Her grip was like iron, strong enough I was sure she just twisted my arm with how fast she pulled me away.
"Your skill points are too dangerously low to take on the final boss! If you start that battle now, your own life will be thrown away just like Mikan's!" Chiaki shouted with conviction, unleashing all her pent up stress and trauma with her words, "You want to avenge your fallen unit, then you and everyone here needs to get stronger! But you'll only hold the rest of your team if you are consumed by rage! Back out now, before it's too late!"
"Ngh…! God… fucking dammit!" Junko gave up, tearing her arm away.
"Ha! Like that video game mumbo jumbo will really save you in the long run, pinky! Just remember who makes the rules of the game your 'team' is playing." Monokuma said to Chiaki. The girl only gave a cold glare his way.
Monokuma then faces Junko, "And you! Three times in a row, man! What am I, your favorite bear or something? Ahh, still that was a close one! I thought for sure you were gonna give me a good walloping! Just barely avoided punishment, you did!" Monokuma said threateningly, "Speaking of which! Since you so magnificently revealed the identity of the killer during the class trial… the blackened, Hiyoko Saionji, will receive her punishment!" Monokuma said joyfully.
"P-Punishment…?" Hiyoko asked with all the color draining from her face, "E-Execution, you mean?!" Hiyoko asked, tears in her eyes as she panicked "W-Wait! I didn't have a choice! I HAD to kill the bitch! Y-Yeah, that's it! I was just… J-Just protecting myself in the heat of the moment! It was self-defense!" Hiyoko stammers out panicking, crying nearly while trying to force a confident smile.
"How exactly, was it self-defense? When you forced your way into the bathroom, did you not try to first use your sewing kit then break the door down? After she'd shut herself in the bathroom, you went out of your way to head back to your room. Then you came all the way back, broke into the bathroom, and killed her. Am I wrong?" Nagito asked, "You had more than plenty of chances to stop what you were doing. But you didn't. Because you didn't want to stop! Your hope was to kill Mikan and escape!" Nagito declared.
"N-No! That's not..! I didn't…!" Hiyoko said.
"Stop… both of you… I'm done with this…" Junko said with exhaustion in her voice.
"Oh? Are you sure Junko? You were far far closer to her than anyone else, were you not? She killed your precious Mikan. Don't you want vengeance?" Nagito asked.
"I cant… I cant say Hiyoko is solely to blame… of course, I don't plan on blaming Mikan, either. Because…" Junko looked at Monokuma, "Because the one to blame… is this asshole!"
"S'waaaa?" Monokuma asked curiously.
"If it weren't for you… this… None of this would have happened to Mikan OR Hiyoko! We shouldn't be fighting each other to be-FUCKING-gin with! We should be fighting against the one who put us in this hell! The mastermind!" Junko yelled out.
"Uh-oh! Did you awaken your sense of justice?! Well, it just so happens that there's nothing more unethical than an unwavering sense of justice. After all, it's people with that sort of mentality that perpetuate war all over the world. Is that the kind of justice that's awakened within you?" Monokuma asked sinisterly.
"That bullcrap doesn't work on me anymore! Just shut the fuck up!" Junko yelled.
"Alright, alright! Jesus… More importantly! Let's hurry up and get to what everyone's been waiting for! The punishment!" Monokuma cackled.
"P-Please I'm begging you…! Please, don't do this… please!" Hiyoko begs desperately.
"No more begging! No more excuses! You must pay the penalty for breaking the rules! Society demands it!" Monokuma snaps back at Hiyoko.
Hiyoko ran away from her seat looking for a way out crying scared, "S-Stop! Please… someone help me! D-Daddy… please… help me… I'm scared…!" Hiyoko begs sobbing.
"Now then, I've prepared a very special punishment for Hiyoko Saionji, the Ultimate Traditional Dancer!" Monokuma laughed.
"SOMEONE HELP ME PLEASE!" Hiyoko screamed in desperation.
"Let's give it everything we've got! It's… PUNISHMENT TIME!" Monokuma declared firmly.
"PLEASE I BEG OF YOU!"
Monokuma sat on his throne and took out a hammer and slammed it on a button as a pixel screen appeared.
Hiyoko has been found guilty. Time for punishment!
Hiyoko stood looking around feeling like all the students were sliding past her before a door behind her opened up and a chain shot out. Clinking around her neck and dragging her off. She struggled against it as she was dragged across the ground and into an open stadium… a traditional theater.
Golden Lament!
Hiyoko finds herself having her arms chained up along with her legs only able to walk and move on a set path as two fans were put in her hands. As she was made to dance, several fans came out of nowhere. These fans were sharp and could cut her. Using her skills and expertise, Hiyoko avoided the fans with grace and elegance as she moved… well, was forced to move around.
The fans pause for a moment as a crowd of Monokuma appears, throwing junk at her and booing. Hiyoko also dodged this fairly well without much issue. However she was then forced to face both as the fans came back and the Monokuma's kept throwing junk at her… Soon she was getting sliced a little bit by the fans, cutting a piece of clothing off and causing her to bleed.
When she tries to focus on the fans, she gets hit by junk and gets cut. When she focuses on the junk, she is hit by a fan because she moved too close or not far enough. Her clothing gets ripped as a wooden pole appeared and the Monokuma's went and grabbed her loose clothing tying it up to the pole. Eventually, Hiyoko was tied up to the pole and sent slamming into it arms and legs tied by her torn clothes. Before…
SLICE!
A fan appears and slashes across her neck.. and blood comes pouring and spilling all over her… as she dies in front of everyone who was made to watch.
"What we saw… that was the true face of despair. I mean… If we can't call it that. Actually, what else can we call it?"
"Wooohooo! Extreeeeeeemmmmmmeeeeeeee!" Monokuma cheered excitedly, "Man, my adrenaline is pumping right outta control!"
"AHHHHHH! AAAAAAAAA! Teruteru just screams.
"BLUPBLUPBLUPBLUP–" Ibuki foams at the mouth.
Chiaki was crying, struggling to not vomit.
"Wh-Wh-What just happened?!" Mahiru yelled.
"This… this is sick!" Hajime yelled "Why do we have to do this?!"
"Well hey, if you don't like it… all you gotta do is swear to cut all ties with the outside world and accept living here forever! But that's only if every single one of you can get onboard with that. Puhuhuhuhu… Waahahahahahaha! Bwaaahahaha!" Monokuma laughed.
"Fuck you man! Why the fuck are you doing this evil ass shit to us?!" Fuyuhiko demanded.
"Evil?! You make it sound like I'm some dark, awful, secret society type of guy! Or in this case, a dark, awful, secret society type of BEAR!" Monokuma stated.
"Why are you, um… putting young upstanding gentlemen like me through shch a ordeal?" Teruteru asked, visibly shaking.
"It seems like you're trying to use common sense to make sense of something that doesn't make sense!" Monokuma said, "That's like trying to put a mile on a scale! I just don't think it's possible…"
"H-Hey, when you're saying it like that, uhm…" Teruteru looked utterly horrified as he said that.
"You piece of shit! I don't know who you are, but I'm gonna pound your ass into the ground!" Fuyuhiko yelled.
"Puhuhu… You must really hate me to get so angry, huh? But if you do that, you're barking waaay up the wrong tree." Monokuma laughed, "What happened here only happened because more than one of you decided you wanted to get out, right? No matter how much time passes, you can't cut free of your regrets from the outside world. You're to blame!"
"Of course we can't cut free from the outside world! Being trapped here is insanity!" Mahiru yelled.
"Hm? You're trapped here? Well, I'm sure once you learn all the mysteries of this school, your tune will change for sure. You'll think, 'Boy, isn't it so wonderful how we all get to live here forever?!'"
"What are you saying, foul demon?!" Gundham asked, bewildered by Monokumas statement.
"There… must be… some deeper meaning hidden in there…" Chiaki struggles to say, "Just like before…!"
"Alright, alright! Jesus… More importantly! Let's hurry up and get to what everyone's been waiting for! The punishment!" Monokuma cackled.
"When you… s-said everyone… who exactly are you referring to?" Chiaki asked.
"Sorry, I said everything I wanna say!" Monokuma chuckled, "I need to save some of the fun for later! Bwaahahaha!" Monokuma laughed.
"And just like that, he was gone. He left us there, confused and overwhelmed by a nightmare turned reality. Even after he was gone, we stood there forever, unable to move. Ok no, it wasn't THAT long but it felt like it. You lose track of time being so scared like this… scared of being alone…"
"Ng… ug…" Gundham grunts.
"..." Fuyuhiko was silent.
"..." Hajime said nothing, either.
"No one tried to speak. Their faces were stone, voices dead. But at that moment..."
"Junko. Can I talk to you for a second?" Byakuya asked.
"He moved and whispered to my ear"
"Before we head back… there's something I want to talk to you about."
"..." Junko stares, "It's about Mikan isn't it?" Junko asked
"...I'm surprised you guessed it so easily. I told you before the trial started… You had to figure out the mystery of this case yourself." Byakuya said.
"You wanted me to realize how Mikan betrayed me by myself, didn't you?" Junko asked, "The thought never even materialized in my mind. I feel… like a damned idiot for not seeing it coming…"
"Mikan meant to double-cross you, yes. That's an unfortunate but unchanging fact." Byakuya nodded, "But even 'till the very end, she wasn't sure of her decision. That's why, as she lay dying, she was thinking of you." Byakuya said.
"She was… still thinking of me…?" Junko asked surprised, "Don't say bullshit like that… I mean, how could you even know that? Only Mikan knew and she's dead…"
"But you can infer it, even if you can't ask her. Don't you think? Her final thought… was how she could protect you." Byakuya stated.
"What…?" Junko asked, eyes wide.
"The fact that she used her last ounce of energy to leave her dying message proves it. If she didn't care what happened to you, she never would have left that message, especially in the code she used." Byakuya said, "And given your tight-knit bond, she knew something you had that could decipher said code, with enough guidance. What that something is exactly, I won't pry. But it was because of you that she was able to take that final action."
"Or maybe she just wanted to get back at the person who killed her…" Junko replied.
"One possibility, for sure. But I highly doubt it. She was… uncertain. She wasn't sure she could kill someone… or deceive you. Which is why her plan failed. Her hesitation attracted failure. It's almost ironic if you think about it that way…" Byakuya concluded by nodding.
"...Why are you telling me this?" Junko asked.
"Because… you're the kind of person who can overcome this. Because you can move past the deaths of your friends– Mikan and Hiyoko, and keep moving forward." Byakuya said.
"Move past their deaths? No… that's not my style. I'm going to carry them with me for the rest of my life. How could I possibly 'move past' something like that? Mikan… Hiyoko… I'll carry them with me forever. I'll carry their memories, good and bad, to the end of the earth!" Junko said determined.
"So… instead of the easy road, you choose the hard one… Well, I have high expectations of you, Miss Junko." Byakuya said, smiling a bit.
"As he said that. I could see a small kind smile on his face"
"By the way, I have to admit, my curiosity has peaked… how did you know i wanted to talk to you about Mikan?" Byakuya asked.
"Oh, I just read your mind." Junko said nonchalantly.
"Wha–?" Byakuya asked, surprised.
"Ha! Kidding. I'm just perceptive like that!" Junko said, flashing her smile with a peace sign.
Chapter One. To Survive. End! 14 students remain.