An Unlucky Situation: Re Trigger Happy Havoc

by The Celestial Sky Dragon

Hope's Peak Academy was said to be an academy that bred hope. These days, it did the opposite, creating nothing but despair. For the students trapped inside, they must work together against the psychotic headmaster, in a game where they must kill to leave. This is no longer a school of hope. It's nothing but utter despair. [Trigger Happy Havoc Reimagined]

14. Chapter 2: Act 6

Chapter 2: Act 6: A Bloody Cold Resolution

Location: Trash Room

Day: 10

Time: 9:00 AM

Thanks to the fire in the trash room, things had significantly heated up, to the point where everyone had removed some of the layers they had been wearing. The smell of food had permeated the area, helping cheer everyone up, if only slightly. It was clear that the tapes Monokuma had handed everyone had changed the room's mood. It had been quiet since then, with only quiet chatting from a few people. Celeste had convinced a few of the others to play a game of cards with her, but she hardly had to try to win.

Even though things were less than ideal, everyone was safe and sound. Though he had noticed a shift in attitude from some of the others. Hiro, for one, had been a lot more jumpy. He could only assume the message he had gotten from his mother had made him even more worried. Byakuya had kept his distance from the others, as had Kyoko, who had been reading one of the many books that had been brought from the library. He couldn't tell if she was enjoying it or not, but something told him she wasn't reading it, as much as she was just using it to pass the time. He had finished jotting the current events into his journey, which was rapidly filling up with information about everything he had experienced. But he could work on it so much before growing tired.

He leaned back against the wall, arms crossed as he tried to focus on something other than what was going on. It was hard for him to do that since he had nothing to keep his mind occupied. That of course changed when the Ultimate Graphic Designer, Hikari, sat down next to him, holding a large box of pizza in his grasp. He smiled at him, gesturing for him to take a slice.

"I offered some to the others but it seems they've grown a bit tired of pizza. It keeps Ibuki happy at the very least," he said with a smile. Akira took one, chuckling as he bit into it.

"Hey, I ain't gonna complain. Pizza is a staple food in the diet of an overworked high school student," he admitted.

"I've been meaning to ask, it's mostly about the Reserve Course. What was it like?"

Akira stopped mid-chew, shoulders slouching a bit as he thought back to his time in the Reserve Course. He swallowed his food, remaining silent for a moment. "It was… rough."

"Rough?"

"Yeah. You see… unlike normal high schools, Hope's Peak Academy's Reserve Course is far, far worse. The entrance exams are harder, the teachers are stricter and there's this fog of jealousy throughout the school. People work hard, practically kissing the teacher's asses just to get good marks, all for the slim chance that they might get noticed by the Main Course. But they never do."

He took another bite of his pizza, frowning as he ate. "What's worse is that the Main Course Students are allowed to come and go as they please, but the Reserve Course? If they even think about coming to the Main Course, they get expelled from the school. You work and work and take tests and study, but no matter what, you will never become an Ultimate."

Hikari looked away for a moment, not expecting his answer. He reached for his soda bottle, uncapping it as he did so. "Why'd you stick around then?"

"Why did I stick around?" Akira reiterated, sitting up a bit. "Why…? Why indeed."

He finished his pizza slice, washing it down with some lukewarm chocolate, chuckling bitterly to himself. "Because I wanted to prove to my parents that I could do something with my life. Ever since I was adopted, I was treated like I was second best. My adoptive brother was always the golden child, always got what he wanted, always got the better grades, the birthdays, the presents, allowance… I wondered why I was even put into this family that didn't care for me."

He stayed quiet for a moment, finding himself smiling. "There was one person who cared though… aside from my big sister. It was my foster great-grandfather. He didn't take shit from anyone. He was a World War II Veteran, an American, so he was a hardass from the day we met. I loved that man, he taught me how to fish, how to cook, how to generally take care of myself. He could tell his great-granddaughter wasn't treating me properly and gave her an earful every time. But well… he passed away, so there went that."

"He sounds like a great man," Hikari said.

"Oh, he was, that tough old bastard lived to the age of 102, still self-sufficient. He told me a lot of shit about the war, about Hiroshima and Nagasaki… Hell, some of the most fucked up shit I know about the war came from him."

"Ah… you got any cool war stories from him then?" the boy asked, sounding a bit excited. "I like hearing stories from people. They allow me to really get into my drawings, so I can create the perfect graphics for things. I haven't worked on war graphics before so this will definitely be of help!"

Akira wondered how the boy could be so cheerful despite what was going on. Sighing to himself, he shook his head. "I'd rather not get into it… lot's of shit is personal."

"There has to be something you can say. Please?"

The Ultimate Lucky Student pressed his lips together, pondering his question. He noticed a few of the others had been listening in as well, their undivided attention on him. He stayed quiet for another minute, pondering on if he should say something. After setting his drink down, he began to speak.

"When I was a kid, I asked him if he had killed any Germans in war. He wouldn't answer, he said that was grown-up stuff so…" he paused, looking at his hands for a moment, looking up right after. "So I asked if the Germans ever tried to kill him… and he got real quiet."

Biting his lip, he sat up a bit as he reflected on the man's words. "He said he was dead the minute he stepped into enemy territory. Every day he woke up, he told himself, "Rest in Peace, now get up and go to war". And then… after a few years of pretending he was dead… he made it out alive."

He scoffed, shaking his head. "I used to wonder if there ever was a meaning in doing something like that but… Faced with our current dilemma, I'm starting to wonder if it's a good course of action. I mean look at us… Can we really say we're alive? If we're suffering so much? If our loved ones are suffering so much?"

The Lucky Student didn't get an answer, causing him to stay quiet. Hikari, however, smiled at him, clapping his shoulder. "Now isn't the time to get all doom and gloom on us. But I will say, that we are alive. We can't forget that. The mastermind might try to get into our heads and feed us little crumbs to make us despair, but we can't take the bait. Not when so much is at stake for us."

"True enough," Akira replied, grabbing another slice of pizza from the box. "Hell… I guess as long as there's pizza, I'm happy."

"Finally! Words of wisdom!" Ibuki cried out, clapping her hands. "We should do something fun! Play a game or something? Something that isn't Poker."

Celeste quietly lowered her hand, looking rather annoyed at the prospect of playing something other than a card game. Hajime spoke up, all eyes falling on him. "There isn't much we can play, Ibuki. I mean… all of the good games are in the arcade, and we can't bring a TV down here."

"We haven't discussed another matter entirely. Sleeping arrangements. Eventually, we're gonna have to return to our dorms. Sleeping in groups was a wise idea, but even sharing warmth beneath piles of blankets and thick clothes isn't going to help us." Kyoko said, snapping her book shut. "We have to think about the long term."

"She's right… We might have this safe haven for the time being, but that is only delaying the inevitable." Sonia dejectedly added. Her face changed to one of confidence, eyes sparkling a bit. "But we mustn't falter! We must continue pressing onward into the future!"

"Well, the incinerator is providing a good deal of warmth, so much so that it's actually spreading out into the hallway. If we keep the trash room door open, it might be hot enough to heat the nearby dorm rooms." Kazuichi said a bright grin on his face. "And the nearest ones are Hajime and Hina's! We could split into groups of ten and share!"

"Sounds like a great plan. I propose we split the group evenly, boys in Hajime's room, girls in Hina's room." Peko said. The look on Kazuichi's face dropped the second she had suggested that.

"Split yourselves down as much as you like, but leave me out of it. I am not going to share warmth with anyone else." Byakuya stated, looking away from the others.

"I'm with him, I don't share my bed with dudes." Fuyuhiko added, crossing his arms. "We'll have to figure something else out."

"What the hell is wrong with you guys? You pussies or something? It's about surviving. Real men don't complain! If they have to sleep in another bed with a man, they'll happily do it!" Mondo said, grinning. "After all, we're all manly dudes!"

"Bro is right! I have no issue sharing a bed with my fellow men if it's a means of survival! We must continue pressing forward through this great and powerful storm!"

"Why are you boys so apprehensive about it?" Hina asked, genuinely confused. "I mean, I shared a bed with Mahiru and Hiyoko last night and we all slept soundly."

"That's the thing, though, Hina. You three are girls, so it's totally fine to do that. But if boys do it, then it's just awkward." Kazuichi said, a frown on his face. "Oh well… as long as the scent of Miss Sonia's perfume is in the air, I'll be sure to sleep soundly."

"Dude, that's like hella creepy bro," Ibuki said with a shudder.

"Hm… as much as I would like to share a room with the other ladies, my needs are rather particular. For one, I do not wish anyone to see me in less than suitable attire." Celeste said, causing Hiyoko to giggle.

"Why's that? Because you're flat as a board?"

"What? I am not flat as a board you insolent little shit!" she screamed, glaring at the dancer. "I'll have you know I am as endowed as the other ladies here! That is not why I like sleeping by myself!"

"I'd rather sleep in my own bed too, hehe," Chihiro said, looking around nervously. "It's already tough enough for me to share a room with Ibuki, I wouldn't want to get in anyone's way."

"Oh, you wouldn't be getting in anyone's way, Chihiro. I wouldn't mind sharing my bed with you," Mahiru happily said.

"I know… it's just a preference thing, I'm sorry," she replied, bowing her head apologetically.

"I would rather stay in my own dorm as well. Not that I have anything against the others, but I've grown rather used to my sleeping arrangements," Sayaka said, forcing a smile onto her face. Akira coughed into his fist, hiding a blush.

"I agree with Sayaka, I quite liked our arrangement last night. We forced Akira to sleep in the bathroom, it was perfect."

"What? Oh goddamn it."

"Pfft… you really slept in the bathroom dude? In your own dorm room?" Fuyuhiko asked, holding back a laugh. "What a loser, you let two girls dictate where you slept."

"Classmate Fuyuhiko, do not laugh at Akira! It is quite noble for him to sacrifice his bed for the comfort of his female classmates. I salute you, Akira. You did the right thing." Kiyotaka said, giving him a salute. The boy didn't say anything, briefly glancing at Kyoko. He doubted this was her intention when she joked about it, but he wasn't going to correct her now.

"It would be way worse if they found out I snuggled with Sayaka. I think I'll keep this one to myself."

"Let's put sleeping arrangements aside for the time being. There are other things we have to take care of. Hygiene for example. Just going to the bathroom is rough, especially in the cold. I don't know if you noticed but the water in the toilets is already frozen solid." Mikan said, making the others cringe.

"How the fuck are we supposed to shit?" Mondo asked, causing a few of the girls to groan in disgust.

"I'm afraid we'll have to do it in the sink."

"Bro, that's gross."

"Nice going, Pig-Face, now everyone is thinking about where to take a deuce. Because that's something all of us needed to take into consideration." Hiyoko spat, glaring at the nurse.

"I'm sorry!"

"Not gonna lie, I think I liked it better when it was quiet," Hiro said, breaking his silence. He had been quietly muttering things to himself as he grasped his crystal ball. "It kinda messes with the flow of the energy, man. How am I supposed to connect to the spirits if I can't get some quiet?"

"Why not head to the classroom to do it? You said the energy was stronger there, right?" Mahiru asked curiously.

"Well yeah but it's cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey. I can't concentrate when I'm shivering. On top of that, my crystal ball is worth 30 million, I can't afford to break it. Especially cuz I didn't bring a spare." he said.

"T-T-Thirty million?" Hajime stuttered, eyes widening. "You spent thirty million yen on that crystal ball?"

"Yep! The guy who sold it to me cut me a huge deal too! Said this ball was used by George Washington and Napoleon Bonaparte! It led them to some awesome victories in the past." he cheerfully replied, laughing. "It's been super helpful! After all, it's thanks to it that I was able to predict our alleviated cold!"

"Yeah but can it help you find a way out of this fuckin' shithole?"

"W-well… I've been trying to," he said, shuddering at the Ultimate Biker's glare.

"Then it's fuckin' useless from where I'm standin'. Seriously? 30 million for a glass ball? Do you have any idea how many hogs I could buy with that amount?"

"Thirty million is a hefty sum indeed. Why, that amount would be quite the chunk of change I need to purchase my European castle." Celeste said, shuffling her cards. She got confused looks from everyone. "What? Have I misspoken?"

"Well no but… you do know 30 million yen isn't a lot of money in Europe, right?" Sonia asked, earning a nod from the gambler.

"I am aware yes, which is why I have been amassing wealth from the age of eleven, darling. I've yearned for this castle for my entire life and I shall purchase it! Then I can begin living my true and honest lavish life, surrounded by handsome vampire butlers." she boldly announced, laughing happily. "Why! I dream of it every night!"

"That's gotta be the most outlandish shit I have ever heard," Hiyoko said, complete disbelief written on her face.

"Honestly… being in a castle isn't as fun as you might think it is. As someone who was raised within one, the only thing I can say is that its corridors are quite cold. There are so many rooms yet they're all empty, so much art and no one to enjoy it with. It's a desolate kind of place, far more suited for the times of old. The Royal Palace is the place I dread the most, yet now, I find myself missing it."

"Aw… that sounds so sad, Sonia. Did you really have no friends growing up?" Hina asked. She shook her head.

"No… I did not. The staff did have children but were told to stay away from me. Although, my one true friend of course, has to be my dear cousin. She's the Grand Duchess of Ylisse, a small duchy within Novoselic. She and I are the same age, and despite us never truly spending much time together, we are each other's best friends. I do hope she is safe, wherever she is."

"My best and only friend is my dog," Akira said, holding back a laugh. "I guess my sister counts, but she has a stick up her ass most of the time."

"Yooo, you have a dog too, Akira?" Mondo asked, eyes lighting up a bit.

"Totally! I just got him not long ago, he's a cute and fluffy little pupper! He's a Samoyed! They look like cute little Arctic foxes! And his paws are black on the underside and he has this really adorable expression. I used to be a cat person, but my little Casper changed my mind!"

"Hell yes, man. I had a pet Maltese myself, his name was Chuck." the biker said, smiling fondly at the thought of his pet. "He was real smart too, always brought the paper to me in the morning. He had these big brown eyes that just made me grin whenever he was close. But… well… you know how it is."

He bowed his head a bit, frowning. "Dammit… don't look at me, I don't want anyone to see me like this."

"Bro! It's alright, I'm sure your buddy is in doggie heaven! It's as they say, you know! All Dogs Go to Heaven!" Taka said, hugging his friend, who clapped his shoulder.

"You're right bro! You're right!"

"Frankly I am appalled that you would choose a dog over a cat! Why, my little Grand Bois Cheri is among the smartest of his feline compatriots! He's capable of understanding complex tasks and orders! He's also very fast despite being quite plump." Celeste said, giggling. "The best moments are when I can enjoy a cup of tea with my beautiful Grand Bois sitting on my lap."

"You guys are talking about your pets, while I'm here wishing I had one," Sayaka said, looking rather disappointed. "I always wanted a dog, but my dad never hashed out an agreement with our landlord."

"I get what you mean, I was like that too. I wanted a dog for Christmas, but my parents couldn't get one. So they got me a turtle instead. I didn't care for him at first, but I loved that little guy." Hajime said.

"Turtles must be common then because I had two growing up," Kazuichi said lips split into a bright grin. "I liked watching them when I was bored."

"This incessant talk about pets has become quite boring," Byakuya said, adjusting his glasses as he looked up from the novel he was reading. "Isn't there anything else you wish to speak of?"

"Not really," Fuyuhiko said with a shrug. "What about you, Moneybags, what pet did you have growing up?"

"A purebred stallion of course. He was and still is among the finest Clydesdales in all of Japan," he said with a smirk.

"Wow, that's pretty cool actually, I didn't expect you to be a horse guy, Byakuya," Akira said, a look of surprise on his face. "Clydesdales are very beautiful horses."

"Indeed they are, though I'm certain plebeians like you will never have the pleasure of riding one," he replied, clearing his throat. "Oh, my mistake, I'm certain the Ultimate Princess has far more classy horses than even I do."

"I'm afraid you are mistaken in that regard, Byakuya. The only horses in the employ of the Novoselician Royal Palace are the 1,500 horsepower engines of the American Built, Abrams Tank!" she said with a grin. "Once you've blasted apart a few cars with one, you won't ride anything else!"

"I'd love to take pictures of you on a tank, Sonia! I'm sure you look like a natural riding on one!" Mahiru said.

"It would be an honor to be photographed by the Ultimate Photographer. Once we make it out of here, all of you are to join me in Novoselic. I shall give you the grand tour of my kingdom, where you shall all be treated as royal guests! I'm certain Mother and Father will love meeting you!"

"Meeting a King and Queen eh? Never thought I'd be lucky enough to have that opportunity." Akira said, earning a jab to the side from Sayaka who merely grinned.

"You're the Ultimate Lucky Student, of course, you'd get the chance to meet a King and Queen at some point!"

"Seems kinda out there." he returned with a shrug.

"Haaah… I gotta stretch my legs! Not that I don't love sitting here and listening to you guys, but I am getting some serious cabin fever! How about I go make us some hot wings, eh? That should light a fire in our bellies the likes of which the world has never seen!" Ibuki said, shooting to her feet. "Come on, Kazu~ Let's go make some bitchin' wings!"

"Don't you think it's a little too early for food? We just spent the last hour chowing down on pizza."

"It's never too early for hot wings! Besides, it's almost lunchtime anyway!" she said, dragging the boy along, this time allowing him to put his coat on. A few others stood up as well, donning their fur coats.

"I think I'm gonna do a few laps around the gym. My legs are starting to feel numb and I don't want them to hurt later on." Hina said, sighing. "I wish we could go for a swim, but the pool must be frozen solid by now."

"Though the surface of the pool might be covered in a thick layer of ice, the jets and return system should have kept everything below it flowing," Hikari said, though he adopted a firm look. "Don't get any ideas, Hina. That water is far, far too cold to be taking a dip. You'd put yourself at serious risk of death if you do that. Hell, you might even give yourself a heart attack."

"I know… I'm not stupid enough to jump in freezing water, jeez," she muttered, quickly taking her leave.

Akira felt Sayaka shift beside him, standing up from the floor. She groaned a bit as she stretched her body, earning a few satisfying pops. "Are you taking a walk too?"

"Nah… I'm not really in the mood to venture back out there. Just having a bit of a stretch, sitting on the hard tile floor is a killer on my ass," she replied, bending over slightly before stretching back up. "Ah… never thought I'd say this but man do I miss my choreography lessons."

"I bet! Honestly, I'd love to go on a walk around the park, feeling the warm sun on my skin. Hell, even seeing a sunrise would do it for me. You don't know how important something is until the day you lose it." he admitted. He stood up shortly after, joining the idol in similar stretches.

"Yep… Though as much as I miss the sunrise, I miss seeing the stars and the moon. I spent lots of nights writing songs under the moonlight."

"Hm… I did a lot of my schoolwork at night too. I found out when I was 11 that I'm more of a night person than a day person. I just feel more energized at night. But well, you sort of can't tell if it's day or night here. For all we know, the Mastermind could have fucked with our sense of time and made us believe it's daytime when it isn't."

She turned to him, giving him a confused stare. "Do you think he'd do that?"

"He sealed us in this academy against our will and brutally executed one of our friends. I'm sure he can do anything at this point." he returned, shaking his head. "But enough about that. We gotta stay positive!"

"I'm positive tonight's gonna suck ass," Hiyoko said, causing the pair to look at her. She tossed a few gummies in her mouth, smirking. "What? It's true."

"Just ignore her, she's probably attention-starved or something," the idol said, grabbing some of the empty pizza boxes. She bent them as well as she could before placing them in the incinerator, along with some more books. Within seconds, the roaring fire was back, making her sigh with relief. "Never thought I'd be happy to see burning cardboard and paper."

"The spirits!" Hiro suddenly cried, causing everyone to look at him. He swiftly shot to his feet, grabbing his jacket, and hurriedly put it on. "I gotta go talk to them!"

He shot out of the trash room like a bat out of hell, leaving those that remained completely flabbergasted. Mondo clicked his tongue, shaking his head. "What an idiot."

"Hey, Mondo, Taka." Fuyuhiko suddenly called out, causing the pair to look at him. "You two spent the night in the sauna, right?"

"Yes we did, and not once did we feel a bit cold. I believe it and the bathhouse are the only places in the entire school that can withstand this bitter cold." the Moral Compass said. The Gangster nodded, rising to his feet.

"Fantastic, I think I'm gonna go take advantage of that," he replied, putting on his coat, making sure it was well buttoned. "Don't wait up for me, I like taking long baths."

"Have fun, dude," Akira said, bidding farewell to the young man. He wasn't the only one, as Byakuya too left without a word, taking his novel with him. It was quiet for a few moments, but like the others, the Ultimate Swordswoman, who had been meditating for a while, also stood up. She took a hold of her own coat, placing it on, attaching her shinai to her back.

"I'll be taking a walk around the school to clear my mind. I'll be sure to return soon," she said, leaving without another word. While everyone else didn't seem to care, Sayaka had noted the urgency in which she had left, smiling a bit.

"Akira… do you think those two have something going on?" she asked quietly, causing him to turn to her, an incredulous look on his face.

"Of course not! I mean… he's the son of a gang leader, do you actually think he'd start something with some girl he met in school?"

"I dunno, but they do look cute together. I noticed she likes hanging around him a lot. Not only that, she stayed the night with him, by herself. Maybe they did things."

At this, Akira let out a laugh, shaking his head. "Oh Sayaka, if only you knew… Men can't exactly function when it's colder than a sack of ice beneath a Yeti's ass. It tends to shrivel up a bit."

"Huh… that's weird, it certainly didn't feel that way early this morning."

"Um… what?" he asked, eyes widening. She merely giggled, giving him a wink. Kyoko, who stood close by, couldn't help but wonder what the idol was talking about. She was suddenly thankful to still have Sayaka's iPod.

---

Location: Trash Room, Hotel Despair

Day: 10

Time: 11:35 AM

"Are you alright, Chihiro?" Akira asked, causing the girl to jump a bit. She looked up at him, giving him a small nod.

"I-I'm alright. Why do you ask?"

"No reason, I just noticed you've been scratching your arm a lot."

"Oh." she quietly replied. She pulled up her sleeve, showing him her arm, which had a glowing red bump on it. "I got bit by a mosquito a couple of days ago."

"A mosquito? Here I thought it was the fur coat that was giving you a rash or something."

"I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong impression," the girl said, bowing apologetically. He shook his head, holding his hands up in mock surrender.

"Don't worry about it, it isn't that serious. Though you shouldn't scratch it, that's just going to make it really hurt," he said, taking a hold of her arm, holding it closer to the light. He grimaced a bit. "Sheesh, it's really inflamed."

"Y-yeah… it's way past the itchy part but I just can't help it."

"Why's it so big though? Did it get you while it was asleep?"

"Hm… no, I was awake." she began, looking away from him. "I noticed it land on my skin but I didn't really do anything."

"Huh? Why not? I would have smacked it off."

"N-normally I would have done that too, but I just watched it suck my blood. I didn't smack it because that would have killed it," she said.

"Well yeah but… it's a bug."

"But it's a living creature too. It must have been really hungry if it sucked that much blood. If it was that hungry, it would have been sad not to let it have anything," the programmer replied, a small frown on her face. Akira scratched his neck, not knowing what to say.

"Um, you do have a point but it is a mosquito."

"Mosquitos are living things too, though. It might have its own mosquito family… S-sorry, I know it sounds dumb."

Akira shook his head, a small smile flashing onto his face. "No, really, you don't have to apologize. But don't scratch it, okay? That'll just make it worse, and we don't have any ointment right now."

"I try not to, but it just gets so itchy."

"Hm… how about this then? Just poke the bump with your fingernail, that'll help a bit."

Her eyes lit up, a cheerful expression appeared on her face. "Wow, I had no idea! You're so smart, Akira."

"It's nothing, really. I just have a lot of experience with mosquitos and other bugs," he said, letting out a laugh. "You kinda tend to learn a thing or two when you live in a run-down orphanage."

"W-was it that bad?"

"Yes and no. We had a roof over our heads and beds to sleep in, even if they weren't the best. We mostly lived off of donations, so that was that. Because the owner was the one incurring the costs, a lot of sacrifices had to be made. So the bigger kids had to only eat once a day while the food went to the younger kids. That also meant we couldn't waste water, so we had to take shared baths, and that also meant we had to share beds."

"That… sounds awful, Akira."

"No, it was actually okay. Honestly, I was grateful not to be alone. There were so many other kids out on the streets, sleeping in boxes. I was lucky enough to have a roof over my head and decent food." He said, letting out a small laugh. "My sister, Maki, though, she was tough. There were days she wouldn't eat, just to make sure we had enough. She'd sneak me bread and cookies at night whenever I was sad. Whenever I cried, she'd sing me a lullaby, and she'd let me snuggle with her when I was cold. She made me realize that even if I didn't have loving parents, there was someone out there who cared for me."

"She must really mean a lot to you, then," Chihiro noted, causing him to nod.

"She means the world to me. There are only two beings in my life that I love unconditionally, my puppy Casper and my big sister Maki. She's abrasive, kinda bitchy, and easy to piss off, but deep down, she's got a heart of gold. She gives the best hugs too, what I wouldn't give for one of those right now." he replied, flushing a bit. "But that's beyond the point, I'm starting to wonder how a mosquito even got in here."

"Me too! I asked myself that after it had left, if the school was sealed up, how did it get in? And if it got in from the outside, could we find a way out?" the programmer asked curiously, placing a finger on her chin. "Though I did come up with another idea, that being that there might be a place here that could allow them to grow. Like a garden or something."

"A place that would allow them to grow, huh? Well, I dunno if Hope's Peak has a place like that, but it's possible. A whole heck of a lot of important talents come through here. Wouldn't surprise me if there was a garden or something somewhere on campus."

"My thoughts exactly! Even if there isn't one, that mosquito got in, which means we can get out! All we have to do is keep working together!" she cheerfully said, a confident look on her face. She leaned forward a bit, making sure no one else was listening. "Before the cold started, I was actually making progress on something."

"Oh? Sounds interesting."

"You remember that laptop you told me about?" she asked, causing him to nod. "W-well… I managed to repair it. I had to do it in secret when Ibuki wasn't in our room. The less people know about it, the better. I'm almost done setting up my special program, but this cold made it impossible for me to continue. Thankfully, the battery can handle the temperatures, and it's in a place where the cold won't affect it. If something were to happen to it-"

"Hey, nothing will! But I think it would be a good idea to move it to a place where the temperature won't affect it too much. Maybe the bathhouse lockers? It's away from the steam but that area is still fairly warm. Not only that, only you'll have the key so no one can get access to it. And the Mastermind won't be able to find it since there's no cameras in there."

"Good idea, Akira! I'll do that as soon as possible! Once I finish that setup, I'll let you see the final product. Since you told me about it, you deserve to see it first." she said, smiling. "T-thanks for talking to me, it's kept me distracted from everything. You're a good friend."

"Any time! Feel free to approach me whenever you want, even if it's to talk about programming or whatever else you want to. I am always here to listen!" he cheerfully replied.

"Goddamn it, Celestia why the fuck do you keep winning so much?!" Hiyoko shouted, glaring at the Ultimate Gambler who merely giggled.

"My apologies, darling, you told me to go easy on you but that particular term isn't in my vocabulary," the ravenette said, as she picked up her cards. "You managed to grasp the concept of the game quite swiftly. I commend you for that at least."

"Still, would it kill you to let me win at least once?"

"Darling, I wouldn't be the Ultimate Gambler if I let people win, now would I?"

"You know, if there's one thing I learned during this whole ordeal, it's that playing any game against Celeste is a losing game." the Ultimate Lucky Student said, crossing his arms over his chest. "There's just no point in it."

"Ah, but that would be giving up far too easily, would it not? I still have yet to test the limits of your Ultimate Luck. Would you like to play a game?" she asked curiously.

"Sure, why not? Five Card Draw?"

"Texas Hold'Em. I wish to truly test your luck," she said, making roll his eyes. He sat down across from her, with Hiyoko remaining as well. "Would you like to play, Chihiro? I promise it's a lot easier to get into than you think it is."

"Oh… if you don't mind, I'd love to! I play a lot of card games online when I have free time, so I already know how to play," she said, joining the trio.

"Excellent, then I'll-"

"Actually, let me shuffle the deck," Akira said, taking Celeste by surprise. She merely smirked, handing him the cards.

"Do you not trust me? I don't cheat, darling."

"I'm willing to bet on that, but I have to make sure," he said with a shrug. He split the deck with ease, following it by a riffle shuffle, he split the deck once more before finishing with a spring flourish, dealing out the cards. He set the remainder down, giving the others a nod. "Alright, let's begin."

Considering there was no betting round, everyone took the time to look at their cards. Akira kept his face firm as he looked at his, an Ace and a King, both of Hearts. Not knowing what was in the community pile, he didn't know what he could make with it. Since he was going against the Ultimate Gambler, he had to assume would be making the highest hand possible.

"Alright then, here comes the flop," he said after a moment, flipping each card over. It was the King of Clubs, the Seven of Spades, and the Queen of Hearts. Noticing the Queen, he inwardly cheered. "Jesus, if I can pull out a Jack and a Ten, I got this shit in the bag."

"A mighty interesting hand indeed, I wasn't expecting it to go this easily," the Ultimate Gambler said, almost in a taunting manner as she looked at the others. She focused on Hiyoko, who looked rather angry. "What's wrong, darling? Are you having problems?"

"Just stay quiet, you are just trying to get into my head."

"I'm sure you'll do okay, Hiyoko," Chihiro said, trying to remain cheerful. Akira flipped the next card over, revealing a King of Diamonds. Chihiro frowned, clearing her throat. "Perhaps not."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Chihiro."

"Okay, here's the River, anyone's butt's puckering yet?" he jokingly asked, as he turned the card over, revealing an Ace of Spades. Though he remained silent, he screamed inside his head. "Another Ace! If I can't build a Royal Flush I can at least make use of it. Hehe… I doubt you'll be winning this one, Celeste."

"Moment of truth then, let's all reveal what we have. Hiyoko, dear, you go first." Celeste said. The blonde dancer flipped her cards. "Oh, that's a strong hand, three kings."

"Something tells me even with that, I'm not gonna win."

"You never know," Akira said with a shrug, turning to Chihiro. "Your turn."

"I don't have anything," she said, revealing her cards, a Queen and a Seven. She, in return, grinned at him. "Come on, let's see yours!"

"Alright, I doubt I'll win but-" he paused, turning his cards over, revealing a Full House. Celeste's eyes grew wide in shock.

"Interesting, Kings full of Aces. A very very strong hand indeed," she said, her smile only growing as she showed her own. "Alas, not strong enough for mine."

"Two Aces? Are you fucking kidding me?" Hiyoko shouted, a look of sheer anger on her face. "I hate Poker so much!"

"Then we can play something else. Blackjack?" Celeste suggested, gathering the cards. She handed them to Akira, who swiftly shuffled them.

"I could go for a bit of Blackjack." the lucky student said. He dealt the cards out, keeping one face down for himself. He had a 10 of Spades in his grasp, while similarly, Celeste had a 10 of Diamonds and a 6 of Hearts. Hiyoko had a 3 of Clubs and a 5 of Spades while Chihiro had a King and a 10 of Hearts. He let out a chuckle. "Man, if Chihiro would have been dealt an Ace, she would have won instantly."

"Perhaps your luck is working against you." the gambler noted, earning a scoff from the blonde dancer.

"Just hit me," she said. Akira passed her another card, an 8 of Clubs. "Alright, again…"

"Are you sure about-"

"Just hit me!"

"Alright," he said with a shrug, handing her the next card, which turned out to be a King. She let out a growl of sheer anger. "I told you."

"Shut up!"

"I'll stay, darling. I'm curious to see what's hidden behind that card of yours." Celeste said, eyes glowing with curiosity. He flipped it over, revealing an Ace of Spades, much to her surprise. "Oh… seems like you finally won."

She paused for a moment, smirking. "Although, I'd recommend you play fair next time."

Chihiro and Hiyoko turned to the Lucky Student, who merely chuckled, reaching into his sleeve for another Ace, which he had expertly hidden when he had shuffled the deck. "And here I thought you wouldn't notice."

"Wah? You fuckin' cheated?!" Hiyoko cried, only for Chihiro to laugh.

"Wow, that was so cool! I didn't even notice you doing it!" she said. The black-haired boy adjusted his glasses as he gathered all of the cards, shuffling them. As he did so, he snapped his fingers, flicking a single one into the air, catching it before turning it over, revealing an Ace of Hearts.

"You know how sometimes when I get bored I make paper stars? Well, that wasn't the only thing I did. I was really interested in card tricks from when I was a kid. My sister bought me an old deck and I spent all my time learning. So tricks like that are simple. It's all in the sleight of hand." he said.

As he continued shuffling the cards, he created a perfect fan spread, closing the cards, riffle shuffling through them. He poked Hiyoko's nose, much to her surprise, and with a snap, the Ace of Hearts manifested before her, causing her to back away in shock. He merely laughed. "Kids really like that one."

"The more I get to know you, the more flabbergasted I become. Honestly, I didn't think you'd have such an interesting personality, given your background." Celeste said, hiding her smile behind her hand. "Suffice it to say, I am quite intrigued by you."

"Glad I was able to dispel some sort of misconception. Course, just because I'm an orphan or was part of the Reserve Course doesn't mean I don't have things going for me. What I had just wasn't enough." he returned, handing her back the deck of cards.

"Heyo~ We brought back those wings!" Ibuki cried, as she entered the trash room, holding a giant bowl of wings in her grasp, covered by a layer of tin-foil. Kazuichi and even Peko came into the room shortly after, carrying their own respective bowls of wings. "Hajime and Sonia brought the blue cheese and sodas!"

"We felt the need to drink something cold, especially after all of the hot drinks we've been having." the princess cheerfully said. "I haven't partaken in spicy chicken wings before. I hear they're a delicious snack during parties!"

"If pizza is the staple food of overworked high school students, then chicken wings are the staple foods of Japanese pop idols!" Sayaka said, practically bouncing as she sat down in the center of the room. A small camping table had been set up, being part of their makeshift cooking station. "You have no idea how many of these me and the girls can kill after a concert."

"So that's why the entire chicken wing industry is down in Japan. Shit, I thought we were going through a bird flu epidemic." Akira said, taking his spot next to the idol, who hardly waited to grab a wing, along with a cup of blue cheese dressing. "You know something, I've never seen a chicken die of natural causes."

"Pfft… bahahahahaha! That's a good one dude!" Mondo said, genuine mirth flowing through him. "I don't think I've seen a chicken die either."

"Do you know how much KFC Japan consumes in a fiscal year? Here I thought America loved their fried chicken, but holy shit."

"Mmm… I could go for some KFC right now. Their chicken is so nice and crispy and super juicy too." Hina said, salivating at the thought. "Oh… and a Famous Bowl, and a Chicken Little and Chicken Strips and…"

"We get it, you like chicken, sheesh," Hiyoko said, earning a bump from Mahiru, who had a scolding look on her face.

They settled into a comfortable silence as they dug into their lunch. Kyoko was the only one who didn't, saying she wasn't hungry, while Byakuya, who had arrived shortly after, merely sat away from everyone, reading a new novel he had found. Akira reached for the roll of paper towels, using them to wipe some of the barbecue sauce from his face and hands. He turned to Sayaka, who had been cleaning one of her wings, lips smeared with sauce. She gave him a firm look, licking her lips.

"You wanna know how I got these scars?" she asked, tone firm and serious. "My father was… a drinker… and a fiend. One night, he goes off crazier than usual, mommy grabbed the kitchen knife to defend herself. He didn't like that… Not. One. Bit."

"Pfft, you fuckin' dork."

Not deterred, the pop star continued speaking as she bit into another wing. "So… me watching, he takes the knife to her, laughing while he does it. He turns to me and he says… Why So Serious? He comes at me with the knife. "Why So Serious?" He sticks the blade in my mouth! "Let's put a smile on that face!""

"Damn, that's some world-class acting there. Have you ever considered becoming an actress?" the boy joked, trying not to laugh. She merely shrugged.

"Nah, I like singing too much."

The brief silence was interrupted by a scream. This caused everyone still in the room to sit up with a start. The door to the trash room flew open, and Hiro shot in, panting a bit as he hung onto the door frame, sweat pouring down his face.

"I… heard a scream!"

"What?" Hajime asked, eyes widening.

"Where did you hear it?" Byakuya asked, already at his feet. "Spit it out, you buffoon!"

"T-the bathhouse! I heard it just now!" he returned, being pushed away by the Affluent Progeny. Everyone in the room hurriedly stood up, following after the blond heir. By the time Akira had reached the bathhouse, his fears had been confirmed, as a familiar chime echoed throughout the academy.

Ding dong dong ding

"A body has been discovered! After a certain amount of time, which you may use however you like, a Class Trial will begin~"

It was happening again… the same thing that had happened when he found Makoto. He felt his heart beating wildly in his chest, hoping and praying it wasn't true, but he knew that wasn't the case. He hardly noticed the cold air that had been blowing out of the vents had finally ceased. He shared a look with a few of the others, receiving similar ones in return. Finally steeling himself, he took a step into the bathhouse, unprepared for the horror he was going to witness.

He had no words.

All he could see was a steady pool of blood, drag marks leading further into the bathhouse. And a scant few feet from the entrance lay the deceased body of the Ultimate Gangster, Fuyuhiko Kuzuryuu. The only thing covering his body was a towel, soaked in his own blood, his arms were laying above him, completely frozen, and the look on his face was one of serenity. If not for the blood, one would think he was merely sleeping. But the copious amounts of blood told another story.

A single voice cut through the silence, that of the Ultimate Swordswoman, who had called his name. She moved through the crowd, avoiding the blood as she did so, kneeling down in front of him. The expression on her face broke, sobs rocking her body as she punched the tile floor.

"Young Master… I was supposed to protect you!" she choked out. This statement was met with confusion from the others. Chihiro had been openly crying, holding onto Mahiru who had a look of disbelief on her face. Hiyoko looked sick, her face a shade of violet, as if she was trying to stop herself from vomiting everywhere.

Through the cries, however, came the voice of the Ultimate Affluent Progeny, who adjusted his glasses as he took in the scene. "It seems the game is afoot once more. And I don't think this one is going to be as simple as the last one."

"You need to stop calling this shit a game, man. Someone fuckin' died!" Mondo snapped, glaring at the heir. "Have some respect!"

"Say what you want, but you cannot deny the events taking place before us. We haven't gotten much time. I recommend you all start investigating the scene. We got painfully close to dying last time, and I am not going to watch you all flounder through this." he said, taking his leave.

Akira pressed his lips together into a thin-line, his hair covering his eyes slightly. "I hate to agree with him, but he's right. We can't afford to make mistakes this time. It's going to be different from Leon and Makoto."

"Let's not waste time then," Kyoko replied, giving him a nod.

Investigation Start

"We should begin by taking a look at the Monokuma File. It should at least give us a starting clue about what happened here," the purple-haired girl said. At the same time, everyone pulled out their e-handbooks, tapping the "Truth Bullet" application which had lit up once again.

Monokuma File #3

Victim Name: Fuyuhiko Kuzuryuu

Time of Death: 10:30 AM

Place of Death: Bathhouse, Hotel Despair

Cause of Death: Multiple Stab Wounds and Blood Hemorrhaging

The victim was discovered by Byakuya Togami, Sonia Nevermind, and Hajime Hinata within the bathhouse on the first-floor dormitory. The victim shows signs of being stabbed multiple times. Furthermore, it appears as if the body was dragged from its original position. There are signs of disembowelment as well.

"The body was dragged?" Kazuichi asked, looking confused.

"It could be that Fuyuhiko was still alive after the stabbing. Perhaps he managed to drag himself forward in a vain attempt to save himself." Akira said, narrowing his eyes a bit as he looked at the state of the body. "Though could that be it? It doesn't appear as if he could have done that. Even if he did, I doubt he'd have the strength."

"Regardless, this appears to be a very interesting first clue. We'll have to see how it measures up compared to our discoveries here." Kyoko said.

Monokuma File # 3 was added to your Truth Bullets

"I suppose I can start with the autopsy. I'll need a bit of space, alright?" Mikan said, pausing to take off the fur coat she had been wearing. Now that the cold air had stopped blowing, it was slowly beginning to heat up. She reached into her pocket for a pair of food gloves, which she secured in place with rubber bands. Ever the professional, she knelt down next to the body, beginning her examination.

Not wanting to get in her way, Akira decided to examine the immediate area, kneeling down next to the pool of blood. It was expansive, the entire body's supply was all spilled in front of him. Vivid memories of Fuyuhiko mere hours ago entered his mind, but he shook them off, trying not to think about him. "I need to remember him while he was alive, not as he is now."

"Akira… do you think you'll be able to solve this?" Sayaka asked, causing him to look up. She had a look of worry on her face, the edges of her eyes brimming with tears. He gave her a nod, forcing a smile onto his face.

"I think I will, everything we'll need is here, we just have to look for it. Do you see anything I don't?"

She focused on the blood, narrowing her eyes a bit. "Well… there's a huge puddle of it right here. It's pooling in this direction but… the drag marks are leading up."

"That's right, but there's something else here too."

"Um…" she bit her lip, eyes widening a bit. "It looks kind of thick."

"Exactly. Unlike with Makoto and Leon, whose blood was still fresh, Fuyuhiko's blood coagulated. That means that this didn't happen recently. But if you look at the drag marks, they look kinda dry." he said.

"You're right… but what does it mean?"

"It means that Fuyuhiko wasn't alive when he was dragged to where he is now. Of course, this is my own speculation. Blood usually coagulates within seconds of leaving the body. He must have been laying in it for at least half an hour before he was dragged."

"Does that mean… someone stumbled onto him and… dragged him?" the idol asked. He shrugged, lips curved into a frown.

"It could mean a lot of things. I can't say for sure, but tampering could be possible."

"Who the hell would do something so sick?"

"A criminal trying to cover his tracks, that's who," he replied.

Coagulated Blood has been added to your Truth Bullets

Time of Death has been added to your Truth Bullets

Drag Marks were added to your Truth Bullets

Turning away from the puddle of blood, he moved toward the exit, seeing some streaks coming out of it. There was an odd pattern on the edges of the bloody pool, causing him to tilt his head in thought. "This is odd."

"What's wrong?" Sayaka queried, kneeling down next to him.

"Look at this here… do you see this weird pattern?" he asked. She looked at him, bobbing her head yes. "It's almost as if something was dipped into the blood."

"It does… it almost looks like the pattern you can make when you dip a sponge in paint," she replied. "But then… someone dipped something into the blood for what purpose exactly?"

"Not sure, something else we'll have to figure out."

Unknown Pattern was added to your Truth Bullets

"Hey, Akira, look at this."

The Ultimate Lucky Student turned to Hiyoko, who had been examining the area with Mahiru. The pair were looking closely at something, which was blocked from the general view of the others. He approached them, clearing his throat. "What's up?

"Look at this," Mahiru said, pointing to the floor. He saw what she was pointing at, eyes widening in surprise. It seemed someone had written something in blood on the floor.

"This is a monumental find!" he said, looking closer at the characters that had been written in the blood. "Hm… Katakana, it's the character for-"

He looked up at the pair, who had similar looks on their faces. "We pretty much arrived at the same conclusion," Mahiru said.

They briefly glanced at Peko, who had remained by Fuyuhiko's side. She wasn't crying anymore, but she had her head bowed in silent prayer. Akira looked at her for a few more moments, closing his eyes in thought. "There's no way it's her. I mean… why react that way? She hardly shows emotions, yet look at her."

"I dunno… I'm sure anyone can fake tears if they put their mind to it. I mean, I mastered that ability when I was ten. How else do you think I got free candy from my Daddy?" Hiyoko said, a small look of pride on her face. "Trust me, this has her hands all over her. Not to mention she carries a sword with her wherever she goes. As the Ultimate Swordswoman, she's capable of ending someone's life without breaking a sweat."

"True… but…?" he bowed his head in thought. "Could it really be that simple?"

Fuyuhiko's Dying Message was added to your Truth Bullets

"I guess I'll speak to her, see what she has to say," he replied, slowly rising to his feet. He fanned his face a bit, trying to ignore the heat beginning to collect in the room. He licked his lips, clearing his throat as he approached the Swordswoman. "Peko, do you think we could talk, real quick?"

She looked away from Fuyuhiko for a moment, meeting his gaze with one of her own. Her eyes were puffy from crying, but he could see a ferocious anger in them as well. She brushed her skirt for a moment, following the black-haired lad toward the back of the bathhouse.

"I don't want to take a lot of your time, but it seems to me you were greatly affected by this. I don't want to know what your relationship with Fuyuhiko was. All I need to know is one thing." he said, gesturing to the bag she had with her. "Is that a real sword you carry with you?"

"Of course not. It was decided the moment I entered Hope's Peak that I would leave my sword behind. I couldn't risk being caught with a weapon that is considered illegal."

"So it's fake?"

Rather than reply, she took the bag off of her shoulder, opening it. She pulled its contents out, revealing a bamboo training sword. It was, in fact, a Shinai, a typical training sword used by martial artists all over Japan. He took a hold of it, looking over with a careful eye. He felt its weight for a moment, flipping it around before throwing a practice jab.

"This is definitely not the murder weapon."

"You suspected me?" Peko asked, sounding almost insulted.

"Sorry, we found your name written in Fuyuhiko's blood. Since the Monokuma file states he received multiple stab wounds, I had to rule it out. Not only that, you are clearly affected by his death, I can tell in my heart it isn't you." he said, handing her shinai back to her.

"I assure you, I was nowhere near the bathhouse when this happened." she said, sniffling a bit as she packed her sword back up. "I was in the arcade with Kazuichi and Ibuki."

"Huh? But you said you were going to take a walk."

"And I did. I did briefly speak to the Young Master… I mean, Fuyuhiko, before he stepped into the bathhouse. He convinced me that he didn't need anyone to guard him, and foolishly, I believed him… and now look at him." she said, looking at the deceased young man. "Goddamnit… I promised his father that I would care for him, that I would protect him. What is my purpose now that he is gone? My best friend… my…"

"You know… I suspected you two were far closer than anyone else in this school. You always seemed to hang around him. I didn't know why until now. You were his hired hand, weren't you?"

"I was. I was trained from a young age to serve as his weapon. But Fuyuhiko? He hated treating me like that, more than anything. He was a kind, loving boy. Despite him being the son of a Yakuza, he wanted to resolve everything without violence. He said, if he became head of the clan, that he would be the last head. That the Kuzuryu would end with him… and evidently… it seems he kept his promise."

Akira wrapped his arms around her, giving her a tight hug. She was stunned by his act, but found herself tearing up, hugging him in return. "I wasn't able to… I wasn't able to tell him how much he meant to me. How he made me feel like I existed, how to me, I was more than just his tool."

"I'm sure he knew, Peko. It's the little things that women do that leave the greatest impact on a man's heart. Even if you didn't outright say it, he heard your message loud and clear."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because I'm psychic," he said, taking her by surprise. He let out a sad laugh, standing with a smile in front of the swordswoman. "I'm kidding. I just have really good intuition."

"I… believe you. I have faith that you'll find the answer to who did this, Akira. I put my faith and trust in you." she said firmly.

Peko's Sword was added to your Truth Bullets

Peko Pekoyama's Account was added to your Truth Bullets

As he turned to leave, he saw Mikan finishing her initial inspection of Fuyuhiko's body. With a bit of effort, she managed to flip him onto his back. He grimaced a bit, holding back the urge to vomit as the true horror of what had happened was revealed to him. His abdomen had been sliced open, his intestines having been forced out of his body. Hiyoko shot out of the bathhouse, retching sounds coming from the hallway as she emptied her stomach onto the floor. Mahiru went after her, along with a few others who had stuck around.

"This is far worse than I expected," Mikan said, looking a bit perturbed at her discovery. She knelt down beside him, prodding at his skin with her fingertip. "He has a total of seventeen stab wounds, two of them exiting his back. Whoever stabbed him did it with so much force that it went all the way through."

"Do you have any idea what it could have been?" Akira asked, trying not to look at Fuyuhiko's body.

"From the looks of it, the wounds are about one and a half inches in length. A kitchen knife could leave that kind of wound. Furthermore, that same weapon was likely used to cut his stomach open." she said, jotting everything down in her notebook.

"So… what do you think killed him first?"

"Hard to say, but the Monokuma File lists the Stab Wounds and not the disembowelment. I'm willing to bet he died of his stab wounds. The disembowelment happened post-mortem." she said, gesturing to his body. "See? Some of the blood on his chest was already dry, someone stumbled into this, disemboweled him, and then dragged him to where he is now."

Just the thought of that made Akira grow sick, covering his mouth with his hand. He struggled to breath, the smell of blood and iron beginning to get to him. He spoke after a minute, his throat having gone dry. "Did you find anything else?"

"He has no defensive wounds on his arms. It seems to me he was taken by surprise. Not only that, but his hands are clean, all except his fingertip, which has some blood on it. This adds to the theory that he was moved post-mortem. And I also found this in his hand, it took a lot of strength for me to open it, but I managed to get it." she said, placing a Micro-Cassette into his hand.

"Wait… this is a micro-cassette?"

"That's right, Monokuma handed us these this morning. I don't know why he had it in his hand, but it must have been important if he chose to protect it." she said. He looked at it closely, placing it in his pocket.

"I'll give it a listen soon and see what's on it. Thanks, Mikan. You put yourself out there handling this sort of thing without complaints. You are a lot stronger than most of us." he said, earning a smile from the nurse.

"You're welcome, Akira. I just want to make sure I do my part during these trying times. I also want to make sure the victims get the proper treatment they deserve. I'll be sure to clean up the body as much as I can before the trial. I don't know where the others are being stored but… when we leave, I want to bury them."

"And we will. You're an angel, Mikan. If you find anything else, don't hesitate to let me know." he replied.

Mikan Tsumiki's Autopsy Report # 3 was added to your Truth Bullets

Disembowelment was added to your Truth Bullets

Fuyuhiko's Clean Hands was added to your Truth Bullets

Micro-Cassette was added to your Truth Bullets

Drag Marks has been updated

As he started making his way out of the bathhouse, lost in thought, he wasn't paying attention to where he was walking. He stepped on something hard, causing him to slide back, falling hard onto the ground. He let out a cry of pain, slamming his fist onto the floor.

"Oh my God, Akira are you alright?" Mikan asked, clearly concerned. He remained silent for a moment, taking a deep breath.

"I'm fine, but I think I cracked my ass."

"Isn't it supposed to be cracked?"

"Forget it, I'm okay," he said, rolling onto his knees. He looked around for a moment, noticing several glittering pieces of glass on the ground. He found what he had stepped on, confusion flashing onto his face. "What the hell…?"

He didn't know what it was he had fallen on, but to him, it looked like broken glass. It was slightly spherical in nature, but he couldn't really tell. He noticed several other pieces of it spread out all around the floor, though he wasn't sure if it was because he had stepped on it or because that was where it had broken.

"Interesting… this looks familiar to me for some reason but I can't tell what it is." he thought to himself.

"Did you find anything useful?" the Ultimate Graphic Designer asked, as he approached him. He looked at the floor, noticing all of the bits of glass. "Oh… did you break something?"

"No, but I did trip on this… whatever it was," he said, holding it out to the hazel-haired boy. He examined it with a close eye, a pout decorating his lips as he thought.

"It looks familiar. It kinda fits in the palm of my hand, at least the unbroken piece."

"Any idea as to what it might be?"

"Not a clue, sorry. But it might be something important, especially if you found it here of all places." Hikari said with a shrug, handing it back to Akira. He set it down where he had found it, gathering all of the other pieces. No matter how well he imagined them in his mind, he couldn't seem to figure out what it was.

"There are some other round pieces around it, could it be…? Hm… I'll have to check later." he thought to himself.

Broken Glass Object was added to your Truth Bullets

"You know, Akira, I'm sure you noticed this by now but…" the graphic designer paused, glancing back at the crime scene for a moment. "Well… Peko's name was written in the blood, so people might use that as hard evidence against her."

"I know, but I got that base covered."

"Are you sure? I think finding someone to corroborate her whereabouts during all of this might yield better results. Just pointing it out, man. I wouldn't want a repeat of the last trial, seeing as we spent part of it trying to clear you and Sonia."

"You make a good point there." the Ultimate Lucky Student said, sighing. "Thanks for the heads up, I think I know who to search for."

With that, Akira finally took his leave, pausing to take off some of the jackets and swears he had been wearing. Now that the cold wind had stopped blowing, the school had returned to a more stable temperature. Moving around with so many layers was beginning to restrict him. He was just glad he hadn't broken out into a sweat.

He stepped into the academy for the first time since they had ventured to the library, intending to find the two people that Peko had mentioned. He briefly passed by a few others, who clearly didn't want to take part in the investigation. He briefly gave them a nod as he walked, not having the time to chat. Making it to the second floor, he headed straight for the Arcade, finding Kazuichi and Ibuki, both with looks of sadness on their faces.

The mechanic looked up first, forcing a smile onto his face. "Yo, Akira. What's up?"

"Nothing much, I've made some decent progress on this investigation, but I have to ask the two of you some questions."

"If you think it'd help." the musician said, clearly distraught over what was happening. "How can we help?"

"Well, what were you two doing here during the time you were gone?" he asked, earning looks of confusion from the pair.

"Uh… making hot wings? Did you forget? We brought three big bowls down to the Trash Room." Kazuichi replied. Akira nodded, jotting his words down on his notebook.

"Okay, now, when did Peko join you? Was it right off the bat did she join you later on?"

"Ah! I got this one. We practically zoomed up here after we left the trash room. It was cold as balls, so we set out to make what we came here. But the machine wasn't responding, so Kazuichi fiddled with it a bit. It took him about 15 minutes to get it going, and we hung around here to stay warm!"

"What time do you think that was?" Akira asked. Kazuichi adopted a pensive look, staring at the ceiling.

"I wanna say 10:25? Peko got here around that time too."

"Hm… so five minutes before Fuyuhiko was murdered. That clears Peko of suspicion, at the very least. Would you mind testifying for her? Since her name was written in blood, she might get accused. She's clearly not involved in this," he said, closing his notebook.

"Sure, we can do that," Kazuichi said. He let out a sigh, hand on his hip as he closed his eyes. "Still man… I can't believe this shit happened again, and to the son of a Yakuza too. You'd think someone as tough as him would've lived through that shit."

"No one can live through seventeen stab wounds, man. And if they do, well… that'd be a miracle," he said, shaking his head. "Well… I'll be heading back, I have a few other things I wanna check on before calling this."

"Alright, good luck, man. It's thanks to you we got out last time, I'll be putting my faith in ya!" the mechanic said, giving him a thumbs up. He nodded, heading toward the exit.

Kazuichi and Ibuki's Account was added to your Truth Bullets

He didn't make it that far down the hall when Ibuki called out to him, causing him to whirl around, facing the girl who stopped a few steps before him. "I almost forgot!"

She caught her breath, standing up straight. "Byakuya was up here too, but he didn't help us. He was in the library the whole time. When Peko, Kazuichi, and I left the arcade, we heard him behind us, but he didn't come into the trash room at the same time as we did."

"Oh? Well, this is an interesting tidbit. Thanks for sharing, I got someone else I need to speak with."

"Akira… do you think we'll make it out of this one?" she asked, a worried look on her face. "I can't make heads or tails outta any of this. This investigation stuff isn't my forte. I just want to rock on and have fun with my friends."

"We're going to be alright, Ibuki. Don't lose hope, alright?"

"You're right, I just gotta keep hope alive! I think I'll go distract myself with some games, at least until the trial starts. Take care, Akira." she said, swiftly leaving.

Being left alone once more, Akira headed back down to the first floor, a myriad of thoughts moving through his mind. He had a lot of questions, and had some answers as well. He wanted to put everything together but knew he would run out of time before he could get an answer. The first floor was empty as he walked through it, allowing him to return to the dormitory building uninterrupted.

"God, the fact that three people have already died in this place is starting to get to me. I hope they're souls are at peace, because it would be tough to sleep knowing they're still here. I don't think I'll be able to go into the bathhouse for a while after this."

He saw something out of the corner of his eye, stopping in front of the dining hall. He moved toward it, finding the main hall was empty. Continuing onward, he stepped into the kitchen, finding none other than the Ultimate Affluent Progeny, who was examining something on a nearby wall. He shifted his gaze away, frowning when he noticed Akira.

"Out with it, I do not wish to waste time on simple chatter."

"Trust me, speaking to you for longer than I need to is something I don't like thinking about," he replied, pulling out his notebook, clicking his pen. "I'll be brief. Where were you when you left the Trash Room?"

"The library on the second floor, I was searching for a new novel to read."

"Why'd you take so long?"

"I was rearranging some of the books, making sure the important ones weren't burned."

"Alright, final question, Ibuki, Peko, and Kazuichi left the arcade shortly before you left the library. However, they arrived at the Trash Room before you did. So, what were you doing in that small window of time?" he asked.

"I was in my dorm."

"In your dorm?"

"Yes, are you doubting me?" Byakuya questioned, smirking. "You know, you have no room to do that, given the kind of person you are."

Akira narrowed his eyes. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Playing coy, are we? Worry not, that is a card I'll save for later. All you need to know is that I spent a few minutes in my dorm. I wished to freshen up, away from everyone else." he replied, looking away from him. "Now, I have a question for you. Tell me, how many knives did Sonia and Hajime take?"

"Two."

"And are they still in the Trash Room?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't they be?"

"Hm… how peculiar," he merely said, gesturing to the wall in front of him.

Akira noticed the knife set that had been placed on the wall. There were five different slots, each meant to hold a different kind of knife. There was a paring knife, a nakiri, a serrated knife, a chef's knife, and a boning knife. Only two were still in place, the paring knife and the serrated knife. Confusion spread across his face.

"Huh… that's weird. The only knives I saw in the Trash Room were the Chef's knife and the Nakiri. Hajime and Sonia we're using it to cut some of the meat and frozen vegetables."

"Then that means the third knife was taken by our wayward killer." the blond boy said, flicking his suit. "Well, I must be going. I look forward to seeing what you bring to the table."

The Ultimate Lucky Student watched him go, his eyes returning to the knife set. "Hm… if I didn't notice him here, I likely would have missed this. I'll have to make sure I inspect everything thoroughly in the future."

Byakuya Togami's Account was added to your Truth Bullets

Missing Knife was added to your Truth Bullets

"Ah, there you are."

"Hello, Kyoko. I was just about to come find you. Have you found anything interesting?" he asked, earning a nod from her.

"Indeed I have, though I'm still short a few details. Unlike with the last case, this one is far more complex than I thought, yet it's quite simple too. Although, I'd rather wait until the trial before throwing my hat into the ring," she said, looking back at him. "So, what did you wish to speak about?"

"I just wanted to share my own details with you. You seem to be the most level-headed out of all of us when it comes to this stuff," he said, handing her his notebook. She flipped through it for a moment, finding his notes on his current findings.

She quietly read through them, a neutral look on her face. Sometimes, Akira wondered what she was thinking of. That aspect of Kyoko Kirigiri always seemed to captivate him. He looked away after a moment, having caught himself staring for far longer than he intended, holding back the urge to blush. She closed the book after a few moments, handing it back to him.

"You have some very detailed notes, far more detailed than my own. Your handwriting is quite neat as well, I commend you for keeping everything legible."

"T-thanks. That's what several years of intensive studying and note-taking does to you, hehe. Anyway, what do you think?"

"Some of the details you've got jive with some of the stuff I've come to. Though I must ask, have you listened to the micro-cassette yet?"

"I haven't, actually. I wanted to listen to it with you, see what your opinion of it is," he said, digging his hand into his pocket. He pulled out the cassette player he had been handed, popping it open. He took out his own tape, placing it into the player, hitting play.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Of course I do! The bastard owes me 30 million yen! Hey gypped my sister, and that is a line he shouldn't have crossed!"

"I understand that, but I don't think it would be wise for us to do this, Young Master. Especially now of all times. Perhaps we should forgive this,"

"Forgive this? Forgive this? Peko, it's 30 million yen! Do you know how pissed my dad is? Not only that, it isn't the first fuckin' time he's done this shit. Every time he runs into someone from our family, he ends up swindling them. We have to take care of this now. Had it been someone else, I wouldn't have cared, but it's my sister."

It was silent for a moment, only for the female to speak. "Just say the word, and I'll do it."

"Good, thanks for being there for me, Peko."

"Of course, Young Master. It is my duty to defend you and to serve as your sword."

The cassette player clicked off, the tape having reached the end. Akira had far more questions now than he had before. He rewound the tape back, stopping it just before the start of the recording, narrowing his eyes as he listened to the tape once more. Once it ended, he lowered it, looking at Kyoko, who had a similar look on her face.

"So, Fuyuhiko wanted to take care of someone because they owed his sister money. And since Peko is his sword, he gave the order," he said, still confused. "This tape was given to someone by Monokuma, wasn't it? Why would it have something like this recorded on it?"

"It could be someone recorded this conversation. That's most likely what happened, the killer heard them basically plotting murder and recorded it." Koyko said, shaking her head for a moment. "No, but… that wouldn't make sense. If the killer recorded this, then why would Fuyuhiko be the one dead? If anything, this would prove their involvement in murder, not the other way around."

"Maybe this is part of the motive," Akira said. She tilted her head a bit, the look on her face basically begging him to elaborate. "It's like this. We got the photographs first and the tapes second. We all assumed they were messages from our loved ones. But what if one of us got something else instead?"

"That would make sense… someone among us must have owed money to Fuyuhiko. To the tune of 30 million yen, a sum that large would drive anyone to claim it," she said.

"Still, I don't think they'd prioritize collecting a debt now of all times, given what's happening to us. It just makes no sense to me."

"That's how it is sometimes. Reality doesn't have to make sense for it to be real. We just find the pieces and line them up. I'm gonna take another look at the scene itself to see if I missed anything." she said, turning away from him.

"Hey, Kyoko?"

She glanced over her shoulder, locking eyes with him. He tossed his recorder to her, which she swiftly caught. "Hang onto that for me. Good luck,"

"Sure, see you soon."

Just like that, she was gone, leaving him by himself. He stared at the recorder in his grasp, losing himself in his thoughts. "More and more questions. Why would Monokuma give this out instead of an actual message from a loved one? He probably did it at random, to get one of us to jump the gun. Evidently, it worked."

Micro-Cassette has been updated

Finally done in the kitchen, he swiftly left, returning to the dormitory plaza. He was going to check on the crime scene again, only to bump into Chihiro, who had been looking around for something. He gave her an apologetic look. "Sorry, I didn't see you there."

"I-it's okay Akira, it tends to happen given how short I am," she said, fixing her hair. "Actually, I was looking for you. I had something I wanted to tell you."

"Tell me?"

"Mhmm… it's about Hiro," she said, looking around for a moment to make sure they were alone before continuing. "You know how he came in to tell us about the scream he heard?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, I was the last one out and I noticed he didn't follow us back to the scene. He stayed back in the trash room. In fact, I don't think he's actually walked into the bathhouse." she said.

"Well, I wouldn't blame him. I mean… imagine seeing something like that? I don't think he saw Makoto or Leon either. I wouldn't want to see one of my friends lying face down in a pool of blood." he admitted, sighing. "Although, someone has to collect evidence, since not everyone is geared toward this kind of thing."

"I guess that's true… forget I said anything, the last thing we need is baseless accusations," she said, bowing apologetically. She headed toward the dining room, disappearing from sight. Akira however, sat on the information he had received, changing his course toward the Trash Room.

He pulled the door open, and just as Chihiro had said, the Ultimate Clairvoyant was sitting down in the room, looking at some tarot cards. There was a steel bowl beside him, filled with chicken bones. Looking up, he gave the Ultimate Lucky Student a grin. "Yo, Akira, dude, what's up?"

"Nothing much, just came to check up on ya. Chihiro was a bit concerned for your well-being."

"Oh… shit I didn't mean to upset her. I should apologize to her," he said, scratching the back of his head. "I just don't like being near the dead. I'm scared their spirits will latch onto me."

"Ahuh… and is that a thing that happens?"

"Course! Spirits are all over us, dude. If you know what you are looking for, you can see them! You'll be able to speak and learn a lot of stuff from them." he said, pausing to eat some more wings. "They've been a bit quiet though, 'specially since this morning."

"I see. Well… I just hope things will get better soon."

He noticed something had changed within the trash room. The flames that had been crackling within the incinerator had stopped. Since the cold temperatures had ceased with Fuyuhiko's death, there was no need to keep it on. He moved toward it, peering inside. He saw a pile of ashes within, along with something else.

"Hey, have you been throwing the trash in here? We wouldn't want anything in here to rot and start smelling, especially those chicken bones."

"I ran it earlier to burn the bones of the wings that had already been eaten. Everyone was focused on what was going on and I decided to take advantage of the situation, hehe. The best kinds of wings are the wings that you don't have to make yourself. Always remember that, my friend." he said, gesturing to him with a wing.

"Fair enough," he replied, reaching into the incinerator, pulling out the remains of a knife. The blade was the only thing that was left behind, the handle having burned completely off, as it was made of wood. "So… mind explaining why this is in here?"

Hiro looked taken aback, jaw-dropping a bit. He let out a chuckle, glancing away from him. "That knife was in the bowl I was using. I like to scrape off all the meat I can. Guess I forgot to take it out of the bowl."

"Hm."

"Wait… you don't think I did this, do you? I would never! I have no reason to!" the man said, suddenly getting defensive.

"I didn't say anything, it was just a peculiar coincidence, is all," he said with a shrug. He looked the blade over, running his finger on the back of it. "This is a boning knife."

"Y-yeah, and…?" the clairvoyant asked.

"Nothing. You're worrying for nothing man, it was an accident. Shit happens." he said, giving the man a smile. "Just make sure it doesn't happen again, alright? We only have so many knives, and we need them to cook."

"R-right! I'm sorry man, I'll make sure to look through shit more carefully. I'm just nervous, with all this shit going on. First the cold and now this. Who the hell'd go after a Yakuza of all things? Whoever did it has some serious balls."

"Damn straight they do, I'd never consider doing something that brash," he said, stepping toward the door, pausing for a moment. "Oh hey… your pocket is ripped."

"Hm? Oh yeah, it was like that already. Should've replaced it with one of the ones in the warehouse, but I'm too lazy." he said with a laugh. "Good luck with everything else dude."

"Mhmm… you enjoy those wings."

He left the trash room, eyes narrowed in thought. "What are the odds that he'd accidentally toss a knife into the incinerator? I mean it could genuinely happen, I guess. But it also happens to be the missing knife from the kitchen set. His jacket is also ripped… alone that would mean nothing, but together… Well… I guess it's too early to assume things."

Hiro's ripped jacket has been added to your Truth Bullets

Missing Knife was updated

Ding dong dong ding

Akira glanced at the nearby TV monitor, watching it spark to life, showing the excited visage of Monokuma, who was practically bouncing in his seat. "Alright, I'm getting tired of waiting! It's time for the much-awaited Class Trial! Everyone head to the red double doors on the First Floor! I'll see you all there!"

With that, the monitor shut off. He swallowed the lump in his throat, sighing audibly. "Well… seems like we're going back."

A single thought, of course, moved through his mind as he walked. "Do I have everything I need? Can I find the killer this time around? The truth is right in front of me, I just have to put the pieces together…"

An image of Fuyuhiko filled his mind, seeing him alive and well, only to be replaced by the state of his body when he had passed on. He shuddered a bit, heart beating hard in his chest. He'd never thought about his own mortality, but now that four people were dead, and they were about to convict another… he was beginning to wonder what it was like. He took a deep breath, steadying his heart as much as he could.

He stood in front of the double doors once more, wondering just how many more times he would go through them before he was free. If he ever found freedom. No… He was going to. He needed to do everything in his power to find the one who had done this.

"Lady Luck, I pray for your aid once more. You seem to be guiding me, so please, guide me once more. Allow us to find the perpetrator of this crime, even if it means sending another friend to the gallows."

With his prayer finished, he stepped through the doors, once more, stepping into destiny.

Investigation End

---

A/N: Gasp