Chapter 1: Act 4: The First Investigation
Location: Gymnasium
Day: 2
Time: 12:00 PM
Sayaka let out a groan as she regained consciousness, her eyes slowly fluttering open. Her vision slowly cleared, the bright lights bothering her a bit. She looked around for a moment, seeing Akira and Mikan standing over her, looks of worry on their faces. She groaned a bit, clutching her head.
"Akira? Mikan? Hgn… I had the worst dream… I think I was attacked, and Makoto he…" she stopped talking, realization flashing onto her face. "Oh God… it isn't a dream, is it?"
"I wish it was, but sadly, it's not," Akira said, helping her sit up. He reached into his pocket for a small bottle of water, which he handed to her. "You've been unconscious for about half an hour. In that time, all of us have gathered here… most of us, anyway."
"Leon isn't here, he's probably hiding in his room like a pansy. We wanted to go get him but Monokuma told us we couldn't leave the Gym." Mondo said, clenching his fists tightly. "I swear, when I get my fuckin' hands on him, I'm-"
"Do not delve into dark thoughts, Mondo. We've already lost one of our friends, we do not need to lose another." Kiyotaka said, a hand on the man's shoulder as he shifted his gaze toward Sayaka. "Did he do anything to you?"
"No… I managed to fight him off, but he and Makoto started fighting and… oh god, did he really do it?"
"Clearly," Byakuya answered, shaking his head in annoyance. "You've said it yourself. Leon attacked you, Makoto fought him off, and in that scuffle, Leon took his chance and killed Makoto. It seems like an open-and-shut case to me. I suppose now that this game has started, we'll be able to see what happens."
"You're sick! How could you refer to this as a game? One of our friends is dead?!" Hina barked, glaring at the taller boy.
"He was no friend of mine. His loss is a terrible one but it's no skin off my nose. He shouldn't have been playing the hero."
"Oh, so it's alright if Sayaka gets fucking raped? Eh?" the biker shouted, glaring at the man. "I'd like to see you say that again with a straight face, after I'm done beating it in!"
"Everyone calm down!" Sonia shouted, her voice echoing through the gymnasium. She had a distraught expression on her face, clutching her heart tightly. "We have to remain calm and not get into petty arguments. A tragedy has just occurred. Please, that is all I ask."
"She's right, it's a serious disrespect to the dead to just argue like kids," Junko said, frowning. "Fuck man… I can't believe he's gone… I spoke to him just over an hour ago… I told him about my sister and shit man."
"This has to be a joke man… right? He's not really dead, it's all just some prank?"
"Get your fucking head out of your ass, shithead," Fuyuhiko shouted, causing the clairvoyant to back away in fear. "This isn't a fucking joke. I saw the body myself, the kid's dead in the bathroom, his throat got slit. That was fucking real!"
"This isn't happening, this isn't happening, this isn't happening." Kazuichi cried, clutching his head tightly in his hands. "It has to be a bad dream. This is all a bad dream."
"I'm afraid this is reality," Kyoko said, her voice cutting through the chatter. "We must accept it and move on. Right now, a missing killer is hiding in the school, and we do not know what comes next. So let's wait for Monokuma and see what he's got in store for us."
"You won't have to wait long~"
Everyone looked toward the front of the room, as the black and white bear hopped onto the podium, a bright grin on his face. "Hahahaha! I wasn't expecting a body to drop one day after trapping you here. This is excellent!"
"You fiend." Peko glowered, eyes glowing brightly as she clenched her fist. "How can you be so cheerful when someone is dead?"
"Oh honey, you haven't understood what it is I represent here," he said, rising to his feet, his grin ever present. "But you will soon!"
"Enough with your prattling. You gathered us here, now tell us what will happen now." the affluent progeny snapped, glaring at the mechanical bear. "Does Leon go free? Does he get to leave the Academy?"
"Of course! If he can prove himself innocent." Monokuma said, jumping down from the podium. "You see, The Graduation Clause is beary specific. You have to get away with your crime. We're not sure if it was Leon who did Makoto in, so how do we prove if he did or not? In a Class Trial of course!"
"Class… Trial?" Hiyoko asked, clearly confused. "What the hell is that?"
"Are we going to get the police involved and bring him to court?" Hina continued, causing Monokuma to burst into laughter.
"Police? Court? Oh no no no no! A Class Trial is not like the dumb boring trials you are all used to. After a body has been discovered, an investigation period will begin. You'll have to search around for clues to see which one of you decided to commit the heinous act of murder. Once you are ready, you'll be taken to a special place! The Class Trial Court Room!"
The bear felt giddy as he danced around, acting as if he were in the middle of a carnival. "Class Trials are special. Everyone will represent themselves as they try to find the culprit! You'll have to prove your innocence while searching for the killer. Finally, at the end of the trial, everyone will decide on who's guilty! If the killer is successfully found, then they alone shall be punished! If you choose incorrectly, then everyone but the killer gets punished! That, in a nutshell, is how Class Trials will work."
Everyone grew silent as they processed the information they had just heard. The way it was described, it made it seem as if it was some sort of gameshow. No one said a word for a moment, at least until Hajime finally broke the silence, adjusting his tie as he spoke.
"What does punishment entail?"
"Glad you asked, Hajime! The person found guilty of murder shall be executed!"
"E-executed?" Mahiro squeaked, eyes widened in shock.
"Wah… but isn't that too extreme?"
"Ibuki's right! We can put him in jail or something." Hiro shakily said.
Monokuma turned away for a moment, shaking his head. "You poor innocent souls. You don't understand the seriousness you've found yourselves in. Those who commit the sin of murder do not deserve to keep their lives. They are to be judged and punished for their crimes with an execution. You are the judge, the jury, and the executioners. There is no running from an execution, everyone who commits a crime will pay for it in blood."
After a pregnant pause, Monouma turned back to face them. "Well! Now that I've explained how trials work, I will allow you all to investigate this crime! If Mr. Kuwata is guilty, then this shall be an open and shut case. You'll execute him and go on living your lives like normal. If not well… I look forward to your findings~"
Before he left, he turned around, facing them once more. "Ah, I almost forgot to give you something beary important. Your e-handbooks will update as you find clues for this awful crime. I'm going to send you all the relevant information so you can digest it at your leisure. It shall be known henceforth as…. The Monokuma File~ I want you all to work beary hard to find out who did this to poor Makoto. Though I gotta say… for an Ultimate Lucky Student, he sure found himself in an unlucky situation. AHAHAHAHAHA~"
The monochrome bear finally left, leaving the 21 students in a state of shock and disarray. Their e-handbooks all beeped at the same time. Akira reached for his own, tapping the screen. He noticed a new app had appeared on it, named "Truth Bullets". When he tapped it, he found the Monokuma File at the very top. He also saw another message at the top of the screen.
"School Regulations have been Updated."
Growing curious, he checked the regulations, moving through all of them, stopping at number seven. "After a murder takes place, an investigation will be held. Surviving Students shall gather evidence relevant to the case. After a certain period of time, a Class Trial will begin. This class trial is mandatory for all surviving students. The Blackened shall be Executed."
Rule 8: "If the Blackened is Found, they alone shall be executed. If the Guilty Party is not found, then all surviving students shall be executed, and the Blackened shall be allowed to leave the Academy."
"Well… I had a feeling it wasn't going to be as simple as murdering someone and walking out the door. But I certainly wasn't expecting this." Celeste said, breaking her silence as she looked at her handbook.
"It doesn't matter. That son of a bitch attacked Sayaka and killed Makoto. All we have to do is find his ass and get him to the trial. We'll force him to confess." Mondo said, punching his fists.
"We must think rationally here, Mondo. Yes, we need to find where Leon is, but we must also make sure he was the one who really killed Makoto. Remember, if we get this wrong, all of us will die, and that is not a favorable outcome." Hikari said, clearing his throat as he continued speaking. "Shall we take a look at the Monokuma File?"
Akira remained silent for a moment, staring at his e-handbook before finally daring to look. He opened the Monokuma File, seeing its contents for the first time. It made him feel sick, how methodically everything had been written out. It truly made what happened settle in even more.
Monokuma File #1
Victim Name: Makoto Naegi
Time of Death: 10:51 AM
Place of Death: Boy's Bathroom, Hotel Despair
Cause of Death: Hemorrhage
The Victim was discovered in the boy's bathroom by Akira Yoshizawa, Mondo Owada, and Kiyotaka Ishimaru. He was found laying down on the floor, a single wound across his jugular vein. The cause of death was rapid blood loss. The wound seems to have been caused by a sharp-bladed object.
"Well… this is certainly professional," Byakuya said, lowering his handbook. "I suppose this shall suffice enough to charge Leon with the crime?"
"I believe so, but perhaps looking over the scene will allow us to fully grasp what has taken place here. After all, we cannot be certain Leon was the one who acted. We must make absolutely sure it was him." Celeste added, glancing around the room for a moment. "Though, I do have one issue."
"And what would that be, exactly?" Junko questioned.
"It is, of course, the state of the body, and the crime scene entirely. If Leon truly is guilty, then finding him should be enough. But on the off chance that he is not, then our investigation will become much harder. Especially if the killer can have access to the crime scene."
"I see… we should secure the body, right? Like they do in detective shows?" Kazuichi questioned, earning a nod from the Ultimate Gambler.
"That's a good idea. We can't risk someone going in there and getting rid of shit. I'm not too good at investigating shit. So I'll volunteer to watch the scene." the Ultimate Biker said.
"Oh… but what if it was you who did it?" Mahiru asked.
"The fuck you just say?" he asked, glaring at the photographer. "I was in the gymnasium when the kid was killed, how the fuck could I have done it?"
"Guys seriously, we have to think logically here. We cannot just start pointing fingers and blaming people. Especially when we know who the culprit of this heinous act is." Kiyotaka added, shaking his head.
"Still doesn't help the fact the kid is marinating in his own blood. We can't take the risk of someone going in there and fuckin' shit up!"
"Can you shut up?!"
Everyone turned to the Ultimate Pop-Sensation, who had been silently crying for a few minutes now. She wiped some of her tears away, but it was to now avail as another torrent of tears rolled down her cheeks. "You guys are talking as if it's some stranger. It was Makoto! One of our friends!"
"Hey, he wasn't my friend. Besides, he shouldn't have been a hero, it's his dumbass fault he got killed." Hiyoko said, shrugging her shoulders. The blue-haired girl had shortened the distance in seconds, slapping the blonde so hard across the face she fell to the floor.
"Sayaka don't!" Akira cried, wrapping his arm around her, pulling her back.
"Let me go, Akira! Someone has to teach this bitch manners!"
"Cease this bickering!"
Sonia's booming voice was enough to cause everyone to stop. The princess, while saddened, looked absolutely angry. "We have all been forced to face this tragedy, but that doesn't mean we get to act like children. One of our friends is no longer with us, and his killer is hidden among us. Shall we stand here and let him hide, and potentially plan his next attack?"
She earned nothing but silence in return. Kyoko smirked, tugging on her gloves as she started walking away. "Well said, it would do you well to listen to the Ultimate Princess. She seems to have more authority over herself and everyone here than all of you."
With that, she left the gymnasium. Sayaka took a deep breath, sniffling a bit as she regained control of her emotions. She glanced back at Hiyoko, who was still holding her face. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have hit you."
"Fuck you."
"Guys… please… we need to focus on this," Hikari said in a soft, yet pleading tone.
"He's right… w-we have to." Chihiro nervously said.
Akira didn't really say anything as everyone started filing out of the gym. Chihiro, Hiro, Mahiru, and Peko were the ones that stayed where they were. Sayaka was standing next to Akira, locked in her own mind. He glanced back at his e-handbook, digesting the information present on it.
"I may not have known him for long, but I have to make sure his death wasn't in vain. Leon tried doing something awful to Sayaka, and ended up taking Makoto's life. He has to pay for that. I'll make sure he does."
Investigation: Start
Monokuma File #1 has been added to your Truth Bullets.
"Sayaka, I know you are going through a lot of shit right now. But I need you to-"
"If you even dare suggesting I stay here, I will slap you too," she said, glaring at the black-haired boy. "There is absolutely no way I am going to sit here while Leon continues to hide."
"I just… want to make sure you're alright."
"I am alright. I told you once before, I'm not a doll. I'm tough as nails, and I'm going to make sure Leon pays for what he did." she replied, swiveling on her heel, heading out of the gym. Akira glanced at the others, a frown on his face.
"I uh… I'm not good for this kinda shit. So… I'll trust in your skills." Hiro said, rubbing his neck, still looking shocked. "Goddamn, I was so sure this was all a joke."
"Go on, Akira. We'll be fine." Mahiru said. As he turned to leave, the photographer called out to him. "Hey, be careful. If Leon managed to do that to Makoto, who knows what he can do to someone else?"
"Don't worry, Mahiru. I know my way around a fight, I won't let him hurt anyone else."
With that, he headed out of the Gym. The corridors blended together as he raced past them, trying to head to the Dormitory Building as soon as possible. When he got there, he noticed a few people were milling about, while everyone else was examining the areas further ahead. Taking some time to regain his senses, he decided to begin in his dorm room, where everything had started.
The door was open by the time he got there, and inside were Peko, Fuyuhiko, and Hina, examining everything. The room looked like a bomb had gone off. The bedsheets had been pulled off the bed, and a few things had been spilled over. The table in the center of the room had been knocked down, having spilled hundreds of paper stars that had been in a pink cup. It looked far different than it had a few hours ago.
"Christ, I didn't even notice all of this when I told Sayaka to stay here. She must have fought him off with every ounce of her strength. That fucking bastard."
"Hey, you share this room with Sayaka, don't you?" Fuyuhiko asked, causing Akira to look in his direction. He gave him a nod. "Do you see anything out of place?"
"Everything is out of place." he deadpanned, glancing around the room. "It's clear that the fight started on Sayaka's bed. Leon's jacket is on the ground there. So he must have taken it off."
"God, knowing that creep tried to do that with Sayaka makes me so sick. I never liked how he was looking at me and some of the other girls but…" Hina shook her head, turning to face Akira, a frown on her face. "I just… can't believe he'd do something like that."
"It seems to me he acted on something," Peko said, turning to the others. She was holding an envelope in her grasp, which had been torn at the top. "I've checked the contents and it seems to be some sort of ticket."
"A ticket?" Akira asked, eyes widening in surprise.
"Indeed, here's what it looks like," she said, pulling it from the envelope. It was a black and white ticket, with crimson lettering on it. Of course, Akira was familiar with it. "The ticket holder will be able to claim it if they murder someone in 24 hours. Seems to me like this was a motive for murder."
"Tch… what a jackass, falling for something like that." Fuyuhiko spat, shaking his head. "So, now we know why he attacked Sayaka. He was planning on killing someone and likely wanted to sleep with her before he did it. Either that or he was going to take her and kill her because she seemed weak. But she was anything but weak, she fought his ass off."
"She's tough as nails. Idols go through a lot of rigorous training. Leon might be a baseball player, but he greatly underestimated Sayaka's resilience. Still… the fact that he'd go through with something so sick…"
Leon's Jacket was added to your Truth Bullets
First Blood Ticket was added to your Truth Bullets
Leon's Ticket was added to your Truth Bullets
"The ticket wasn't the only thing I discovered. In fact, it's a bit damp." Peko said, causing Akira to kneel down in front of it. He grabbed the sleeve and squeezed it, looking up at the silver-haired girl.
"You're right. It's wet, and it isn't drenched, as if it had gotten water spilled on it. It's completely soaked. It must have been dipped in something."
"It's probably just sweat. The dude thought Sayaka was easy pray," Fuyuhiko said in a dismissive tone. Akira narrowed his eyes.
"I highly doubt that… this jacket was completely submerged. Interestingly, the ticket was dry though." He thought to himself.
Leon's Jacket was updated
Leon's Ticket was updated
"Akira, I have a question."
"I might have an answer," he said, turning to the swimmer. "What's up?"
"It's about these," she said, pointing to the shears on the floor. "The Monokuma File said a sharpened object had been used to… you know. Could Leon have used these?"
He looked at them for a second, shaking his head. "No. I'm the one that gave Sayaka those, for self-defense. When Sonia and I split up, I brought Sayaka back here and handed her those. That's when I went to the Boy's Bathroom."
"Where'd you get those? There's no art room, and the school store doesn't have them." the gangster asked. He bit his lip.
"Shit, if I don't tell them where I got those, they might suspect me. I'm gonna have to tell them where I got them." he thought to himself, taking a deep breath. "Those are from Sayaka's Sewing Kit."
"The sewing kit? She opened it already?" Hina asked.
"Hm… then she was likely planning on using it as a weapon."
"No, that isn't it. I…" he paused for a moment, frowning. "I needed to get rid of something, and it had to be discreet. I needed to cut it up but there weren't any scissors anywhere, so I borrowed those without her knowing. That's all."
The trio looked at him curiously, with Fuyuhiko crossing his arms. "You needed to get rid of something? You do know saying that puts the heat on you, right?"
"Of course it does. But I'm not the one that killed Makoto. The shears were found here, right? And they have no blood. That's that."
"If you say so."
Sayaka's Sewing Shears has been added to your Truth Bullets.
"So… what exactly did you have to get rid of?"
"I'm keeping that to myself. It's nothing too serious, I assure you." Akira said, glancing around for a moment. "I don't think there's anything else here.
"I shall keep searching around to see if anything sticks out. Though Akira, a word of advice? I'd be more open about things. It could end up incriminating you." Peko said, causing him to sigh. He nodded.
"Don't worry, I'll explain everything later."
With that, he left his dorm. As he did so, he almost bumped into Hajime and Ibuki, who had both been kneeling down, examining something. Ibuki looked up, giving him a bright smile.
"Heyo~ Akira-ra, what's poppin', dude?"
"Nothing's popping Ibuki. Did you find anything interesting?"
"Just a bunch of golden glitter. It's all over the place, and it looks like it starts in Makoto's room." the taller boy said. "I'm starting to wonder what it is, it looks strangely familiar."
Akira knelt down, poking some of it with his fingertip, looking at it. "This glitter… this is the stuff that was on that fake sword from the gym."
"The fake sword? What's it doing all the way over here?" Ibuki asked curiously.
"Well… Sayaka wanted to find something to defend herself with, just in case. She invited Makoto to accompany her. She suggested he used the sword to tie his room together, but he wrapped it in newspaper because it was flaking off."
A memory of that moment flashed into his mind. He remembered the Ultimate Lucky Student holding a bundle in his grasp. It had been wrapped in old newspaper, and despite that, a bit of golden flakes had been falling out. He shook his head, rising to his feet.
"I'm starting to paint a bit of a picture here. Leon attacked Sayaka, she managed to get away, and they fought in the corridor here. Makoto must have come out, unaware of what happened, and Sayaka got away. She said they were fighting, so I'm sure Makoto and Leon must have been fighting here. It's probably Makoto who used the sword."
"Seems likely. I did find the sword in the bathroom with Makoto, the golden dust trails all the way over there." Akira said.
"Man… it's such a shame, I thought Leon was a cool dude. We played Horse together, and he wanted to learn how to play guitar. I didn't think he'd do something like this though." Ibuki said, greatly saddened.
"None of us thought he'd do this. But Peko found a motive, he was given some sort of ticket." Akira replied. "The holder of the ticket was free to leave the academy if they killed someone in 24 hours."
Hajime didn't say anything, rising to his feet. He reached into his back pocket, pulling out the same ticket from within. "I got that one too, and so did Sonia. We both agreed to keep it to ourselves. We thought we were the only ones."
Ibuki looked at it, sighing. "I got that too, still have it on me. I couldn't just leave it, especially because Chihiro and I share a room."
"So I was right… Everyone got that damn ticket. Fuck… if Leon ended up falling for that then…" Akira shook his head. "Seems all of us got a secret motive and were told to keep it to ourselves."
"I'm ashamed that someone fell for something like this, and went as far as attacking a woman too," Hajime said, shaking his head. "We still haven't found him. We think he's in his dorm room but we haven't been able to get him out."
"Pussy." Akira mumbled under his breath. "He'll get his, don't worry."
Golden Glitter was added to your Truth Bullets
First Blood Ticket has been updated
"I'm gonna keep going, see if anyone else has found anything."
"Alright, we'll hang around here. Good luck, Akira." Hajime said. The raven-haired boy nodded, adjusting his glasses as he walked off. He stopped by the entrance to the corridor, which led toward the crime scene.
He spotted Kyoko not far from where he stood, greatly interested in something in front of her. He shortened the distance, seeing what it was that had captivated her attention. It was a broken sheath, it looked as if it had been split clean in half. Golden glitter could be seen all over the floor. He noticed the scratch marks on the ground and on the walls, they had been made with so much force that they'd crack the tiles.
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as she looked up at him, a neutral expression on her face. "What do you make of this?"
"It's broken, clearly it was used by whoever was being attacked. The fake sword was something Makoto brought with him from the gym. When he came out and saw Leon attacking Sayaka, he went back in and started beating Leon with it."
"Hm… seems like a logical conclusion. But if that's the case, why's it broken? Sheathes are made to be durable. They have to be in order to protect the blade. I don't think using it as a blunt weapon would be enough for it to break."
He narrowed his eyes a bit in thought. "Well… judging by all of the slash marks, it's clear the blade was drawn. Maybe Leon managed to wrestle the sword from Makoto. He would have been left with just the sheath as a weapon. The blade could have broken it."
"Think logically, look at the sheath, does it look like a blade broke it?" Kyoko asked. He knelt down next to her, taking a close look at the sheath. He noticed the center of it looked bent inward, the back of it being shredded as if it had been broken over something. "Do you see it now?"
"I do. It's almost as if this was used like a club. This is durable, probably strong enough to break bones. But the Monokuma File didn't say Makoto had broken bones."
"Exactly. Something happened here with this sheath, but I believe it wasn't as simple as self-defense. Sadly, until we find Leon, we won't be able to confirm anything. If he has any glitter on him, then we can assume Makoto struck him with it." she said, rising to her feet.
Broken Sheath has been added to your Truth Bullets
Slash Marks on the Tiles has been added to your Truth Bullets
Akira stayed quiet for a moment, gathering his thoughts. Finally, he decided to speak, standing behind the girl who had been running her gloved finger over the marks on the wall. "How can you do this? Act so… methodical, I mean?"
She glanced over her shoulder, lips pressed into a thin line. "Giving into your emotions is a surefire way of making a mistake. You have to look at things through a different lens. Take yourself out of what happened and look at things logically. Emotions only serve to complicate things."
"Do you honestly believe that?"
"It isn't about believing it, it's about what works. It makes me look cold and callous, but it allows me to live with what's going on."
He didn't say anything, letting her words settle into his mind. She did have a point. Not acting on your emotions definitely would make accepting things easier. But he just couldn't do that. He placed a hand on his heart, feeling it beating beneath his ribcage.
"I can't believe that. Emotions… they make us human, they make us feel alive. Our fear is what drives us forward. Our sense of justice is what'll help us make Leon pay for what he did. And our empathy will allow us to grieve for Makoto's passing. We can't abandon that."
Akira swore he saw a small smile on her face. Though just as fast as it had appeared, it had gone. She turned to face him, tugging at her glove. "You'll be walking down a hard path, Akira. But I believe you'll be able to achieve great things in the future. However, I must say, I'm human too, and I do feel things. It's just… easier to accept things."
She started up the corridor, heading toward the bathroom. Sighing to himself, he knew he'd have to face what he had seen there. He gave Mondo a nod, the man opening the bathroom door allowing them in.
He spotted Sayaka and Celeste inside, the former standing by the sink while the latter was reading something off of her handbook. Celeste's expression hardly changed, in fact she was like Kyoko in that regard. Sayaka seemed a bit more catatonic than anything, though the moment she saw Akira, she lunged for him, hugging him. He hugged her back, holding her tightly in his arms.
"It's okay… you shouldn't be here."
"I have to be… I had to… see him."
"Have either of you discovered anything?" Kyoko asked. Celeste turned to face her, nodding.
"We discovered the aftermath of a very serious fight. Makoto has defensive marks on his arms consistent with a blade. Though not sharp, it seemed to have enough of an edge to leave marks behind." she said, pointing to the broken blade on the ground. "Furthermore, it seems as though the sword was responsible for shattering the mirror here."
"Makes sense, Leon is a baseball player, I'm sure his swing has enough force to shatter this with ease. It's probably why the sword broke too." Akira said firmly.
Broken Mirror was added to your Truth Bullets
Broken Sword (Blade) was added to your Truth Bullets
"Anything else?"
"N-no, nothing. M-mikan is in there with him, she said she'd perform an autopsy to corroborate what the Monokuma File said." Sayaka replied. Celeste brushed past them, pausing by the exit.
"Well, I believe I have everything I need for this. All that's left is to find the bastard and lynch him."
"God, the way you say that is so-"
"Am I wrong?" the woman asked, cutting the boy off. "I'm not… anyone who dares lay a hand on a woman, to steal her purity by force… they deserve the noose. Leon is quite lucky he has a door separating him from Mondo."
With that, the Ultimate Gambler took her leave. Steeling his nerves, Akira moved toward the large stall, seeing Makoto's body again. He had been lying prone on the floor, his face locked in an expression of horror. His neck had been cut open, his blood having spilled all over the floor. His jacket and blazer was dyed pink with his own blood, but also seemed moist from water. His hands were covered in gold flakes, as were his pants and shirt sleeves.
He looked away briefly, shaking his head. He noticed Mikan was standing at the other end of the bathroom stall, jotting something down on a notebook. She looked up for a moment, forcing a smile onto her face.
"Hi, Akira."
"Hey. Celeste said you were performing an autopsy?"
"Yes, that's right. I thought it would be best to have a medical opinion to accompany the Monokuma File," she said, handing her notebook to Akira. "I've shown it to Celeste as well, so she can corroborate my findings."
He nodded, reading the words written on it. "Makoto suffered a single cut across his throat, which ended in severe blood hemorrhaging. The cut is sharp and jagged, not thin and fluid like with a bladed tool. He has defensive wounds on his arms as well. His head and hair were soaked with water, leading me to believe his attack attempted to drown him in the toilet. He has a bruise on his face consistent with blunt force trauma. I have found no further injuries or wounds."
"Huh… the cut on his throat wasn't fluid?"
"No, it wasn't. At first, I thought the broken sword next to him was the murder weapon, but look at the end of the blade." Mikan said, pointing to the sword on the ground. Akira knelt down, grabbing the sword from the ground, examining it closely. It was covered in blood, but he noticed the tip of it was straight, not angled.
"You're right… this blade looks like it snapped clean in half. The edge of this couldn't have been used as the weapon."
"Exactly. Not only that, but this sword doesn't have an edge because it's a replica. It was sharp enough to leave defensive wounds, likely due to Leon's swings, but it didn't cut his arms like a sharp sword would." the Ultimate Nurse said.
"Then… What could have been used as the weapon?"
"I believe the answer is right at your feet, Akira," Kyoko said, causing him to look down. He noticed he had been standing on a broken piece of glass, the edge of which was covered in blood. Setting the sword back down, he picked the glass up, seeing his reflection on it.
"A mirror shard… this is definitely sharp enough to cut someone. It would explain why the cut is so jagged too."
"Yes… what I believe happened is that they were fighting here. After Leon broke the sword, he swung it at Makoto, leaving the cuts on his arms. He knocked him back to the stall, and tried to drown him. He likely thought Makoto was dead and turned to leave, but was surprised to find him still alive, so he grabbed a shard and… well you know." Mikan said.
"That's terrible… why the hell would you do something so awful like that?" Sayaka cried, holding her head in her hands. "Makoto was so nice, he didn't deserve this. Leon had no reason to, he could have just stopped!"
"Actually, Leon had more than enough of a motive," Kyoko said, reaching into her jacket. She pulled out an envelope, holding it out to the pop star. "From my understanding, it seems everyone received one of these."
"First Blood Ticket… what? I never got one of these." Sayaka said, reading the words on it. Kyoko tilted her head in confusion.
"What do you mean you didn't receive one? Mine was on my bed. The bottom tells the recipient to keep it to themselves, so I never brought it up. I didn't know if we'd be punished for it or not." the lavender-haired girl said.
"Believe me, I would have brought it up if I knew about it, but it's like I said, I never got one," she said, glancing at Akira. "What about you? Did you get one?"
Akira stayed quiet for a moment before nodding. "I did. But I ended up shredding it with the shears that I gave to you. I took them from your sewing kit when you were showering yesterday. I made up an excuse to leave, but it was so I could come here to dispose of it. But when I saw someone heading in here, I held off. I didn't get rid of it until the time me and Sonia were playing chess. She went to the school store and I came here."
"You… opened my sewing kit? But… that was in my underwear drawer," she said, eyes widening in shock. "You looked at my panties?!"
"Of course not! I just wanted the sewing kit! I needed something to cut and it was the only thing I could think of, I'm sorry!"
"I… I can't believe you!"
"Um… I suppose that explains this." Mikan said, holding her hand out. Sayaka, Akira, and Kyoko turned to her. In the palm of her hand sat a piece of black foil, the crimson word "Blood" being visible on it. "I found it beneath Makoto's body. I think it's yours, Akira."
He grabbed a hold of it, seeing the piece in the light. He narrowed his eyes in thought, lips pressed into a thin line. "Guess so, it must have slipped out of my pocket when I poured it down the toilet. How the hell did I not notice it?"
Akira's Shredded Ticket has been added to your Truth Bullets
Broken Mirror has been added to your Truth Bullets
Mirror Shard Knife has added to your Truth Bullets
Broken Sword (Hilt) has been added to your Truth Bullets
Sayaka's Missing Ticket has been added to your Truth Bullets
Mikan Tsumiki's Autopsy Report #1 has been added to your Truth Bullets
Sayaka's Sewing Shears has been updated
Kyoko handed Mikan her notebook back, a firm look on her face. "It seems to me like we've found everything we need. Even then, we know Leon is the one that did this. The state of this room speaks for itself."
"All that's left is to get the bastard to leave his room."
Ding dong dong ding
Everyone shared a look, immediately heading out into the hallway, staring at the nearby TV monitor, just as Monokuma's image appeared on it. He seemed to be bouncing in his seat as he looked at the camera.
"Oh boy oh boy oh boy~ I wasn't expecting to do this twice but here it is! A body has been discovered! Your investigation period has received an extension! I can't wait to see where this one goes!"
The group's e-handbooks sounded off at the same time. Akira reached for his, seeing the notification that had popped up. Another Monokuma File had been added to the collection of evidence they had found. Tapping it, it opened up, his eyes widening.
"What the fuck…?"
"I certainly was not expecting this." Kyoko quietly said, eyes narrowed as she read the information they had received.
Monokuma File #2:
Victim Name: Leon Kuwata
Approximate Time of Death: 11:05 AM
Place of Death: Laundry Room, Hotel Despair
Cause of Death: Blunt Force Trauma
The victim was discovered by Chihiro Fujisaki, Hikari Yoshitsune, and Mahiru Koizumi. The victim was found deceased on the floor of the Laundry Room. The back of his head was caved in with a hard implement, which wasn't at the scene of the crime.
Monokuma File #2 has been added to your Truth Bullets
It was silent for a moment as they all digested what they had been given. Sayaka let out a dry laugh, shaking her head as she pocketed her handbook. "Well… I can't say the bastard didn't deserve that. I'm glad he's dead."
"That complicates things for us, Sayaka. Leon was the likely culprit behind Makoto's death, and with him being a victim, we now have to search for his killer. It made things infinitely harder for all of us." Kyoko said, lips pressed into a thin line. "We were so close."
"We'll just keep investigating. Mikan, would you do another autopsy for us?"
"Of course, Akira," she said, giving him a small smile. She headed off first, leaving the black-haired boy alone with Kyoko and Sayaka.
"I don't know what's going on, but it seems someone else saw their chance and acted on that ticket. We're gonna have to tread lightly here."
"Well said. I'm sure we'll be able to reach the truth." the violet-clad girl said, following after the Ultimate Nurse. Akira looked at Sayaka, who remained firmly rooted in place. She turned to him, eyes still puffy and red from crying. Her usually upbeat expression was absent, and that really hurt his heart.
"I don't regret saying what I said. Leon deserves it for what he did to Makoto, and what he tried to do to me," she replied. He forced a smile onto his face, giving her a pat on the shoulder.
"It'll be okay."
"Yeah…" she said, looking away from him. "I'm gonna stay here for a little bit. I don't wanna see his body."
He nodded, slowly starting toward the laundry room. The second he turned the corner, he saw several people gathered around the entrance. Everyone shared looks, clearly shaken up about what was going on. He cleared his throat, glancing away for a moment.
"So… anyone find anything?"
"Not much I'm afraid. Leon's body is lying face down on the floor. The cause of death seems pretty obvious." Hikari said, looking away, lip quivering slightly. "S-sorry… I just wasn't expecting something so tragic to happen here."
"Tch… why are you crying for him? The bastard tried raping someone, if anything, he got what he deserved." Mahiru replied, shaking her head. "Seriously, if there's anyone you should be grieving, it should be Makoto, who actually did something to defend someone."
"This awful tragedy shouldn't have happened in the first place." the Ultimate Princess said, drying her tears with some tissues. "I do not condone what Leon has done, but neither he nor Makoto deserved such a fate."
"Heh… Leon merely acted upon a motive." Byakuya said, smirking as he looked at the others. "What? I'm sure all of you received a ticket, no? That was enough incentive for him."
"He couldn't have acted on just that. He would have just killed Sayaka in that instance!" Hina said.
"Perhaps, but it seems the baseball player was lusting after her. I'm sure you all noticed the looks he was giving her, and the rest of the ladies here." Celeste said, twirling a strand of hair between her fingertips. "It's rather sickening for someone to be treated as nothing more than an object, but it is even worse to take the life of someone for the price of freedom."
"You say that but I'm sure if you were given the chance, you'd do the same." Hiyoko spat, shoving some gummies into her mouth. "Especially if you have a ticket that guarantees your freedom."
"And yet I am here, because I like to win my games fairly and not with underhanded tactics."
"I'm just gonna head inside," Akira said, pulling the laundry room doors open. He stepped inside, finding Mikan kneeling down next to Leon's body. Hajime and Kiyotaka were also present, examining the surrounding areas. He took a deep breath, almost gagging at the scent of iron in the air.
"Have you two found anything?" he asked, grabbing Hajime and Kiyotaka's attention.
"Nothing yet, it doesn't seem like the murder weapon is even here. We've checked all of the washers and dryers and it isn't in them." Hajime said firmly.
"Furthermore, it seems as though Leon was taken by surprise. There aren't any defensive wounds on his arms. It's as though he was struck from behind with a hard object." the Ultimate Moral Compass said. He bowed his head, eyes tightly shut as he held back his tears. "I cannot believe someone would resort to this. It's all because of that damned ticket. I should have brought it up at the morning meeting. Instead, I kept it to myself and did nothing."
"Hey… you couldn't have known someone was gonna make use of it. Besides, the ticket very clearly told everyone to keep it secret. The Mastermind wanted us all to believe there was only one ticket."
"A really messed up motive, I'll say. Sow mistrust in everyone by making you think you are the sole recipient of a get-out-of-jail card. But also make them think there'll be consequences if they speak of them. Not to mention the underlying deceit of a potential second or third ticket." Hajime said, shaking his head. "We all played right into his hands."
"Yes, Hajime, I'm afraid we did."
Mastermind's True Motive was added to your Truth Bullets
"A-Akira, could you come here, please?" Mikan politely asked. He turned away from the boys, making his way across the laundry room.
"What's up?"
"I want you to take a closer look at Leon's head. Be warned though, it might make you queasy," she said.
"Don't worry, I'll be fine," he said, kneeling down next to her. Leon's hair was soaked with blood, to the point where you could only see specks of pink in his orange spikes. The back of his head was entirely caved in, and brain matter was leaking out from within. He narrowed his eyes a bit, trying not to think about what he was looking at. That was when he saw something that stood out, reaching the back of his neck. "What the…"
"You found it, right?"
"Yes, the golden leaf, the same leaf that was on the sword," he said, narrowing his eyes a bit in thought. "I see… I think I'm starting to get a better picture here. Leon was struck in the head by the sheath, which left all of this gold on his head and neck. The sheath is broken, could it have been from this?"
"It might have been, it makes the most sense."
Golden Glitter on Leon's head was added to your Truth Bullets
Broken Sheath has been updated
"I found something else, look at his hand," she said, turning it over. It was a bit challenging, and she was trying not to get blood on herself. Akira looked at Leon's palm, seeing it was covered in golden flecks. But he also saw something else.
"That's a pretty deep cut."
"He probably got it from the mirror shard he used to kill Makoto. The golden glitter on his hands proves that he was using the sword as well." the nurse said, jotting it down in her book.
"That at least confirms what was used as Makoto's murder weapon. But I gotta ask, do you think the sheath was hard enough to… cave his head in?" he asked. The Ultimate Nurse shook her head.
"No, it would have broken, and it did, as you mentioned, right?" she asked, causing him to nod in agreement. "Then that can't be the weapon. What caused this… it must have been something harder."
"Like what?" Kiyotaka asked, a look of curiosity on his face. The violet-haired girl shrugged, rising to her feet.
"Anything would do, but I'm certain it had to be something made of metal. The skull is among the hardest bones in our bodies. It's meant to protect the brain after all, but even the skull has a weakness." she said, sighing. "Well, I've done all I can here, I hope my brief autopsy will be useful to you, Akira."
"I'm sure it will, sweetheart, thank you," he said, smiling at her. She blushed brightly, looking in the other direction.
Mikan Tsumiki's Autopsy Report #2 was added to your Truth Bullets
"Looks like the only thing we need to do is find the murder weapon," he said, looking around the room. "Though it's obvious that it isn't located here."
"I do have one question for you, Akira. You and Miss Nevermind were playing chess in the dining hall, correct?" Kiyotaka asked.
"Yeah, we were. We were lost in conversation, but after our first game, Sonia left for the school store. I briefly stayed at the dining hall before going to the boy's bathroom. As I returned, I heard Sayaka screaming. She ran past me and I followed after."
"Hm… I see. So, Leon must have been killed during the window that you and Miss Nevermind left. It's a tight one."
"Did you see Makoto and Leon fighting?" Hajime queried. He shook his head.
"No, I didn't. I'm sure I would have heard something but… well if they fought in his bedroom then none of us would have heard it." Akira replied.
"Right, the soundproofed rooms! I certainly believe they fought in Makoto's dorm room as well. Sayaka ran off, you followed after, and Leon seized his opportunity. But if that's the case, who killed Leon? Everyone was at the Gym."
"Not everyone, a few people were missing but… shit I can't remember who was there," Hajime said, a dejected look on his face. "I wasn't paying attention so hell, it could have been anyone."
"We'll have to assume Leon and Makoto were the only ones there at the time," Akira said, closing his eyes as he gathered his thoughts. "Though if that's the case, that means someone else was in the dormitory building… someone who was what happened perhaps…?"
Leon and Makoto's Fight was added to your Truth Bullets
Soundproofed Bedrooms was added to your Truth Bullets
Unknown Killer was added to your Truth Bullets
Akira bid the trio farewell, leaving the laundry room. He noticed the group of people outside had slowly spread out, having gone in different directions. He walked across the plaza toward the Dining Hall, keen on getting himself a drink, he certainly needed it after everything that was going on.
The second he stepped into the Dining Hall, however, he was greeted with people arguing. He brushed past a few people, finding the Ultimate Princess in the center of the room, looking rather shocked. Fuyuhiko and Junko had flanked her, looks of anger on their faces.
"So you decided to do it then? Did you feel some sort of altruistic desire to get Makoto's killer?" Fuyuhiko asked, glaring at her. "Well, what do you have to say for yourself, Princess?"
"Yeah, come on, tell us! We're looking forward to a full detailed explanation of how you decided to kill a classmate!"
"It wasn't me, I swear on my life and on my country! I wasn't in the dormitory building when Leon was killed!"
"Sure, likely story! I bet you ended up killing Leon after finding Makoto and then you ran after Sayaka pretending to be worried. I didn't know you had it in you, Sonia. Clearly, you don't give a shit about anyone but yourself!" the gangster screamed back.
"What's the fuck's going on here?" Akira asked. Junko and Fuyuhiko turned to him, noticing the look of anger on his face.
"Oh, nothing's going on, except we found the one who killed Leon. I mean seriously, what the fuck gives her the right? We had this shit in the bag and she had to go ahead and crown him!"
"I already told you, I wasn't the one who killed him!" Sonia cried, face soaked with tears. "A-Akira, please tell them you were with me!"
"She's right. Sonia and I were having a chess game in the Dining Hall. She stepped out briefly to get some gummies and I went to the boy's bathroom. When I came back, Sayaka screamed, ran past me and I ran right after her. We met up in the hallway and both went after Sayaka together." Akira said.
"Sound explanation, if it's true, then why is this here?" Fuyuhiko said, holding a cast iron skillet in his grasp. It was smeared with blood, bits of golden glitter on the handle. He set it down on the table, skillet rattling a bit as it settled on the table. "I get it now… you both worked together, huh? You made use of that ticket. Anyone who used it gets to go scott-free, so why the fuck not?"
"That is not true. I already told you what happened."
"Makoto was your friend, wasn't he? It makes sense that you'd want to defend him." Kazuichi said, shaking his head. "Just admit it, man, you saw what he did to Makoto and you decided to get even."
"It isn't true!" Sonia cried, only to fall on deaf ears.
"Forget it, Sonia. Clearly, we aren't going to convince them, we're gonna have to prove our innocence." the black-haired boy said in a reassuring tone. "At least now we have the murder weapon."
Akira's Account has been added to your Truth Bullets
Leon's Murder Weapon (Skillet) has been added to your Truth Bullets
He adjusted his glasses as he looked the skillet over, ignoring the fact it was covered in blood. He tilted his head a bit, narrowing his eyes. "Huh… there's glitter on it."
"No shit, there's glitter all over the place from that broken sword. Bet you used that too." Junko said, making Akira shrug.
"If you say so, I think I found something that will help me and Sonia out, is all."
Golden Glitter on the Murder Weapon was added to your Truth Bullets
Ding dong dong ding
The television monitor in the dining hall switched on, causing everyone to look toward it. The ever-present visage of Monokuma was on screen, the ever-present grin on his mechanical face. He looked almost giddy, as he bounced in his seat.
"Alright, kiddos, the time for your investigation is now over. Everyone head to the red doors at the end of the first-floor corridor. I'll see you all in court. Puhuhuhu~"
Just like that, the investigation was over. Fuyuhiko let out a chuckle as he walked past Akira, adjusting his tie. "Well, good luck, Akira, I hope you and the Princess enjoyed what little time you had in this shithole because you aren't going to get away with it. And if you plan on using those tickets well… I do hope you have a place in the world where you can hide."
The others silently left the room, looks of disappointment on their faces. Sonia held her hands tightly over her chest, giving Akira a saddened look. "We're innocent, can't they understand that?"
"We're in a game that encourages betrayal, sweetheart, you actually think they'll listen to what we have to say?" he asked, glancing at his e-handbook for a moment. He pocketed it, glancing at his watch, seeing it was already four in the afternoon. "Don't worry, we have more than enough evidence to prove our innocence. We'll be fine."
"Do you know who the killer might be?" she asked. He shook his head, making her sigh. "Then we're still at risk."
"Life's full of risks. You just have to learn which ones are worth taking. We'll be fine, believe in yourself, and if not… believe in the Sonia that believes in herself." he said. She let out a giggle, brushing her tears away.
"You're right, there's no use in crying and feeling sorry for myself. I've done nothing wrong and I shall prove it," she said, snapping her fingers, a firm look on her face. "Come, Akira, to the trial room."
"As you wish, my princess." he returned, giving her a wink.
Though he was confident in what he had found, there was a part of him that was worried. Worried for what might happen, worried that he wouldn't be able to prove their innocence. Worried that they'd all die because the killer managed to get away. But he couldn't afford to worry about things like that. He had to keep moving forward.
"Makoto, I didn't know you for long, but I considered you my friend. Even if I never acknowledged it. You lost your life protecting Sayaka, something I promised I'd do. In your honor, I will find the one who killed Leon. He died without paying for his crime, perhaps his luck ran out, but it isn't going to last forever. I promise, I'll find the one who did this, and I'll make sure they pay for what they did. That's how we'll move forward."
Akira mentally prepared himself. He wasn't sure what awaited him, but he had to hold strong. Part of him was praying to Lady Luck, wishing she'd give him a bit of luck. He'd definitely be needing it.
A/N: Here's the second chapter, hope you like it. That'll be all from me. See you.