DING DONG BING BONG
"Good morning everyone!" Greeted Monaca's cheery voice. "It's another beautiful day here at the Academy, have a fun day of enrichment and killing, Monaca would like that!"
"Your motive videos have been finally, finally sorted properly," Nagisa sighed. "I wonder who was in charge of that?"
"I messed up again… as usual…" Jataro smiled. "You must all really hate me…"
"Yeah…" Monaca stared down the Artist as the screen shut off.
"Those guys are still as weird as ever," Kaede mumbled, still exhausted from the horrid, horrid annoying gross insect meet and greet from yesterday. The Pianist combined a yawn and a groan into one noise as she stretched, rubbed her eyes and got out of bed.
She began to walk out of her dorm room into the dormitory proper, encountering Tsumugi in the middle of the hallway to the Dining Hall.
The Cosplayer greeted Kaede with a yawn. "Hey Kaede, how'd you sleep last night?"
"Terribly," Kaede grumbled. "But I should be fixed up soon, I used to not sleep for hours to practice Piano,"
"I used to stay up too… for less productive reasons, ehehe…" Tsumugi chuckled nervously. "I'd stay up watching anime for hours and hours,"
"That explains where all your references come from," Kaede chuckled as the two reached the Dining Hall.
They sat in their usual spot next to each other, nearby Kotoko and Kaito.
"Heard some shit happened last night, you two okay?" Kaito asked earnestly.
"K-Kinda…" Tsumugi mumbled.
"I'm pretty much fine, I thought Kotoko would've told you about the insect meet and greet by now," Kaede shrugged.
"I did," Kotoko nodded. "It was so not adorbs,"
"Glad I managed to avoid it, heh," Kaito looked around. "Speaking of avoiding stuff, where is everyone?"
Kaede looked around too, noticing that Angie, Tenko, Himiko, Ryoma, and as usual Maki hadn't come to breakfast this morning.
"That is strange, Angie and Tenko aren't one to miss meals…" Kaede mumbled.
"They're probably in a Gym," Kotoko said. "Y'know, finishing setting up that magic show they were gonna do,"
"Oh right, that was today!" Kaede said. "Should we go there now?"
"Th-They'll probably get someone to call us to it," Tsumugi said.
"God, this magic show is prolly gonna be so shit!" Miu complained to the robot standing in the corner with her. "They didn't even have time to actually rehearse the damn thing if Angie's whining to me this morning is anything to go by,"
"Right… hey Miu, I've been meaning to ask: how did you manage to avoid getting captured by Gonta?" Keebo turned his head curiously. "You're hardly strong, and he managed to get Tenko pretty easily,"
"I-I-I… I used my secret woman weapon, alright?"
"Secret-"
"We're leaving it at that!" Miu shouted.
"Ah, sorry!" The robot blushed in embarrassment despite lacking the blood to do so.
Conversations continued between everyone in the cafeteria until Angie came in with her usual bright smile, like the events of yesterday hadn't even happened.
"Yah hah everyone! The Amazing Himiko's magic show is ready!" The Artist cheered. "Come one, come all!"
"Guess you were right, Tsumugi," Kaito said as he stood up and prepared to leave.
"Th-This is gonna blow so fucken' hard…" Miu said, shaking with what was definitely not excitement as she began to walk to the Gym with everyone else.
"I do wonder what Himiko will show us? Perhaps she'll finally convince us that she's actually magical, kehehe…" Korekiyo chuckled.
"I'm sure it's nothing super special!" Kokichi smirked. "Being a magician isn't all that special anyway, so I doubt we'll be at all entertained!"
"Himiko is magic, and this is going to be the most amazing show ever!" Tenko shouted. "I don't even know what they're gonna do!"
"I feel like she should've told you that…" Tsumugi mumbled.
"Himiko's secrets are Himiko's secrets!" Tenko proudly declared. "As her… uh friend it's my job to not ask about them!" Tenko blushed a little.
"Sure, friend, nishishi~" Kokichi chuckled.
"At least I don't have to play matchmaker with them…" Kotoko mumbled to herself as she crossed her arms.
"Gonta think this will be fun!" The large man cheered. "Also uh… Gonta sorry to anyone he take to insect meet and greet,"
"It's fine, Gonta," Kaede smiled reassuringly. "You got manipulated by Kokichi, it happens to the best of us,"
"Y-Yeah, we're more mad at Kokichi than anything," Tsumugi reassured.
"Hey! I only manipulated him into kidnapping you guys!"
"That's the part we're mad about!" Tenko shouted. "Damn degenerate,"
"Hmpph!" Kokichi pouted.
After some more conversation and arguing, the group finally made it to the Gym. Tenko opened the doors and they headed inside.
The Gym had clearly been modified for Himiko's magic show. On the stage there was a large glass tank of water with curtains at each side of it and a timer on top of it, on top of it was a smaller tank with only the front being made of glass filled with cramped… holy shit were those-
"Piranhas?" Kaede said shocked. "Why are there piranhas here?"
"Th-That's just plain dangerous!" Tsumugi shouted.
"Must be part of the trick," Korekiyo said.
"If Kiyo's right, this might actually not be totally boring!" Kokichi said.
"Gonta worried about Himiko…" The man mumbled.
"Pfft, she's a professional, she's probably done this a hundred thousand times," Kotoko waved the concern away. "Plus it'd be pretty embarrassing to die via your own magic trick,"
"Th-That's not the point!" Tenko shouted. "I-I knew there's be piranhas, but seeing them up close is making me kinda queasy,"
"Nyahaha, oh poor Tenko, let your worries wash away as the amazing Himiko Yumeno prepares her magic show!" Angie cheered as she walked up the stage, carrying a hopping Himiko alongside her.
The witch had been tied up with rope, makes sense, escape acts like these are pretty common as far as the group knew.
"O-Oh damn, wh-what kinda kinky shit-"
"Shhh!" Tenko shushed the inventor, to squeaked in response before going back to being silent.
"Y-Yeah, w-welcome one and a-all to Th-The Amazing Himiko's…" The witch paused for a moment as she words seemingly caught in her throat, she was just as anxious about this as most of the audience. "Er… underwater e-escape act,"
"Good job Himiko!" Angie clapped as the magician finished her small speech. "Would you like to explain the act?"
"U-Umm… can y-you do it, Angie?"
"Of course, of course!" The woman cheered. "In a moment Himiko will be dropped into the water where she will have 60 seconds to escape, or those piranhas will be dropped into the take with her! We'll be closing the curtains too for suspense!" Angie explained the trick with her usual, intense joy as if what she was describing didn't have a really good chance of killing Himiko.
"Wh-What?" Tenko screeched. "C-Can't we do something less d-dangerous?"
"I-It wouldn't b-be much of a show if I d-didn't cast something th-this difficult…" Himiko mumbled.
"O-Okay, I guess that makes sense, j-just be careful!" Tenko called out despite the fact that Himiko was close enough to hear her normally.
"I-I will!"
"In that case, I say we are ready to start!" Angie smiled. "Go Himiko, Go!"
The Artist cheered as Himiko dropped into the large tank, the curtains then quickly shut to obscure what was going on in there, the timer started at 60 seconds.
"Well, let's see if Himiko gets eaten alive!" Kokichi gave a wide, bright eyed smile.
"Oh jeez, Witch girl getting torn to pieces would be so gross!" Kotoko put her hands on her hips.
"That's not the issue!" Tenko shouted.
"Yeah, can't she get outta this any faster? Kaito asked. "Tenko's about to have a heart attack,"
"Guhh… so much tension…" Miu moaned. "So good!"
"I believe she can make it, but…" Kirumi trailed off. "Himiko's death is a worrying prospect,"
"I-I can't watch," Tsumugi covered her eyes.
"Let's see if my prediction was correct…" Kokichi mumbled under his breath as the timer continued to tick down.
"What did you say, Kokichi?" Kaede asked with a disgruntled look on her face, now was not the time for cryptic nonsense she didn't fully hear!
"Oh, nothing, just praying for Himiko's safety or whatever," Kokichi shrugged.
"As am I, Atua has already blessed her escape!" Angie beamed.
30 seconds remained on the clock.
"G-Gonta not trust that!" The entomologist shouted. "Gonta sorry, but he need to do something!"
The man climbed upon the tank with ease, standing on top of it and looking down.
"Huh? Where Himiko?"
"Awwww, you're gonna ruin the surprise, Gonta!" Angie chastised.
"What do you mean where's Himiko?" Tenko shouted. "Wh-Where did she go?"
"It must be her magic!" Angie beamed. "Don't you agree, Tenko?"
"I-I mean probably. B-but what if she's hurt-"
BEEP
The timer counted down to zero as everyone spoke, the numbers on it changed to DEATH and the bottom of the piranha tank flew open causing all of the fish to drop into the bigger tank with a splash.
"Interesting, she's still not done?" Korekiyo questioned.
"Open the curtains, Angie!" Kaede shouted.
"Y-Yeah, the curtains, open 'em!" Tenko shouted too.
The artist nodded gleefully. "Atua hears you, I hear you, I am opening them now!"
Some expected to see Himiko as the curtains opened, some expected to see nothing but the piranhas, but no one expected the sight they saw next.
Ryoma's body floated in the water, completely lifeless for the few moments it was completely in tact, a few moments before the fish swimming around the tank noticed it.
They circled the Tennis Pro's body, eating it piece by piece and chunk by chunk; staining the water completely red as they left nothing but bones.
Bones that fell to the floor of the tank with a clink, it was all that remained of the Ultimate Tennis Pro.
The whole crowd stood in shock as-
"Ta-dah!" Himiko cheered as she walked out from the side of the stage, seemingly completely dry despite her trick.
The mage looked at the crowd with confusion as she slowly turned around to see what they were looking at.
"NYEH?" She yelled as she saw the pile of bones formerly known as Ryoma.
DING DONG BING BONG
"A body has been discovered, please head over to the Gym!" Monokuma announced over the monitor.
Maki walked into the Gym a few minutes later and stared at the body for a moment, before nonchalantly joining the crowd.
Monokuma and the Warriors of Hope entered a mere few moments later.
"Jeez, finally!" Monokuma complained as the Warriors of Hope handed everyone a Monokuma file. "I thought it was gonna take forever for another murder to happen!"
"It's so good to see all of you getting into the spirit!" Monaca smiled. "Giving into your worst, most horrible instincts!"
"I'm gonna have to repaint all this stuff soon…" Jataro pouted.
"It's all you really do here," Nagisa said. "Anyway, get-"
"Get investigating all of you!" Monokuma interrupted. "You're on a time limit, so chop chop!"
The group of four left as everyone continued to stare at the body.
"I-It's really happening again, huh?" Tsumugi mumbled.
"You heard the bear, didn't you? One of us killed someone!" Kokichi turned his head.
"I guess that means we should all scatter, kehehe…" Korekiyo chuckled. "It'd give us better odds of finding evidence,"
"I totally could've said that better, but you said it fine," Kokichi shrugged. "Let's split up gang,"
Maki sighed as she prepared to leave the Gym. "You all do that, I probably wouldn't be helpful during this anyway. I'll be at my lab if anyone needs me,"
And with that, the Child Caregiver left, presumably to go back to her usual activity of standing outside of her lab all gloomy like.
Most people left the Gym too, leaving only: Kaede, Angie, Himiko, Tenko, Kaito, Gonta, Miu, Keebo and Korekiyo.
"Guess we gotta investigate another one of these, huh?" Kaito said as he patted Kaede on the back. "As my sidekick, I expect that you give this your all, Kaede," He smirked as the Pianist looked up at him.
"Of course!" She smiled, though it faded a little as she looked at the bones. "I expect you to not be totally useless, though,"
"Since when am I useless?" Kaito chuckled. "Let's get to investigatin' already,"
Even though I'm saw it with my own two eyes, I still can't believe it. One of us has killed again.
Ryoma never seemed to value his life, but he always, always made sure to value others; no one here deserves to die, him included.
I'll investigate this murder for every one of my friends!
INVESTIGATION: START