The girls along with Yuma and Desuhiko landed in front of the Mystery Labyrinth. The girls were bback in their usual clothes, out of their school disguises.
"Well… Here we are again." Tenko said.
"And we remember this place too. But I guess the "Case Lockup" syndrome is still in effect. Hard to recall everything." Marcy said.
"It's okay. We'll work things out as we go along. Himiko, Angie, stay close to me, okay?" Tenko asked.
"Thanks, Tenko… But, there's no need for you to act tough for us." Himiko said.
"You're faring better than he is." Mermista said, as Desuhiko was freaking out the minute he regained consciousness.
"Aaah! Is this hell?! Martina must've shot me… No way! Why would I be in hell?! Even when it comes to women, I always stopped just shy of criminal activity!" Desuhiko said.
"Calm down, Desuhiko. This place is a Mystery Labyrinth." Yuma said.
"Huh? A mystery what?" Desuhiko asked.
"Mystery Labyrinth. They're physical manifestations of cases in the real world. We came here to figure out the mystery behind Karen's death, since Martina didn't give us the chance to." Kaede said.
"No thanks to a certain cartoon…whatever the heck she is." Mayumi said, referring to Peacock.
"Hey, don't look at me! Chrysy's disguise was too perfect, It was hard to tell if she was the real Martina!" Peacock said.
"Well, anyway. We should probably give Desuhiko a brief summary before we proceed, just so he's up to speed." Kaede said.
One explanation later…
"And that's everything… were you listening, Desuhiko?" Yuma asked.
"Hm? Yeah, I was just doing some appraising." Desuhiko said.
"Appraising?" yuma asked before seeing Desuhiko was checking Shinigami out.
"Yuma! this babe is totally top tier! Where'd you meet a hottie like her?" Desuhiko asked. "Man, there's never a shortage of girls when you're around! You're the best wingman ever!"
"...Before you ask, Shinigami, no, you can't boom-kill him." Connie stopped the death god before she could say anything.
"However tempting it is…" Penny muttered.
"Huh? Shinigami?" Desuhiko asked.
Mermista then smirked, deciding to have a little fun at his expense. "Yeah, about that floating girl next to Yuma? Yeah…. You were checking out the body of the literal god of death. Yknow, the one who sends souls to the afterlife?"
"WHAT?!" Desuhiko gawked. "...Oh my god, I've been filtering with a death god…that's pretty hot." he added the last part quietly.
"Is that what he calls flirting?" Tenko deadpanned.
"And wait… I didn't notice it before, but…GAH!" Desuhiko said seeing Peacock and Chrysalis. "You two definitely aren't human!"
"Technically I am still a human. But I'm also a man made superweapon with all the powers of an cartoon from the gold ol' days." Peacock clarified. "But yous right about Chrysalis, she's a changeling."
"Okay…then you still pass, she doesn't." Desuhiko said. "I cross the line at zoophilia."
"Can we just…get started before we strangle this guy?" Jiro requested.
"First we gotta gear up. Shinigami?" Marcy requested.
"Solution Weapons, coming right up!" Shinigami said as she presented the group's Solution Weapons, Desuhiko being especially interested in the ritual for Yuma's Solution Blade.
"Whoa! This is…. Nice! I feel like I just discovered a whole new kink!" Desuhiko huffed. "Hey, Yuma, me next yeah?! Let's swap places!"
"No luck, buddy. Shinigami's powers only work for someone who's made a pact with her or if they have some kinda outside connection." Yang said.
"A pact?! This goes even deeper than I thought!" Desuhiko said.
"Were you even listening to Yuma? He explained everything!" Connie said.
"He was listening. He was just too busy trying to rizz up to the god that can reap his soul." Himiko stated.
"Oh, you know what would turn him off?" Penny realized. "We need those anyway, so…."
"Way ahead of you, Penny!" Shinigami said before she expelled the Solution Keys gathered through the combined efforts of Yuma, Chrysalis and the girls. "Here you go, guys!"
"She's perfect. I'm in love." Desuhiko declared as everyone facefaulted.
"Really?!" Yuma asked.
"All right! I've made up my mind! I have no idea what this Mystery Labyrinth thing is… But before we get out of here, I'll make you fall in love with me!" The Master Detective declared.
"Are we really allowing this?" Petra asked.
"As long as he pulls his weight, we won't do anything. Besides, he'll just lose his memories of this place and Shinigami at the end anyway." Mermista said.
"True. He'll forget all about his attraction to Shinigami once we solve this Mystery Labyrinth." Perfuma added.
"Then let's hurry up and get started! I do not want to be stuck here with this degenerate any longer than we have to." Tenko siad.
"You and us both." Blake said.
The group began travelling through the labyrinth for a bit before they came across the sight of a woman in black preparing to burn someone.
"Look! It's a witch preparing to execute someone!" Desuhiko said.
"No. It's a Mystery Phantom. Mooks like them are manifestations of people tryin' to cover up the case." Peacock said. "And would you look, it's that fake Chrysalis aka the real Martina."
"At least you got it right this time."
Martinas mystery phantom had blue hair instead of her grey, and was dressed in witch-style black clothing. She was also holding a torch in her left hand.
"Wait, if Martina is a Mystery Phantom here, then that means the one she's about to burn is…" Connie realized.
"I shall now commence the execution… all criminals must be purified by the holy fire of darkness." MP!Martina declare before setting the bale alight, as the doll tied up at the stake was revealed to be a cognition of Kurumi dressed in some kind of slave gear.
"K-Kurumi?!" Yuma asked in shock.
"Fanservice! Nice!" Desuhiko said.
"So she's pinning the crime on the flat chested uggo, then killing her to cover up the truth." Shinigami said like it wasn't a big deal.
"This is terrible! we have to save her!" Yuma said.
"Relax, this is the Mystery Labyrinth, remember? That's not actually her." Shinigami said.
"Even still, if we let this happen, we won't be able to find the truth!" Perfuma said.
"Lemme at her! I got unfinished business with that broad!" Peacock said, rushing to the execution pyre and confronting MP!Martina. "Hey, secretary! Here comes trouble!"
"You dare interfere in this execution? Anyone who defies the Peacekeepers will suffer the same fate!"
"Nobody puts Patty in a corner! Let's rumble!" Peacock challenged.
Reasoning Death Match
MP!Martina
Mystery Phantom Martina's flames are searing! Burn damage will accumulate every turn!
Mystery Phantom Martina raises her Shield!
"You're in the way. You're a detective? How foolish. Get in my way, and you'll be executed. You dare defy me? It's clear who the culprit is."
Peacock repels Martina's attack!
"Reach for the sky!"
"So you say it's clear? Bullplop! You don't got any kinda proof!" Peacock said.
Repel Successful! Mystery Phantom Martina's Shield broken!
"You're a fool to defy the Peacekeepers. Very well, allow me to educate you." MP!Martina proposed.
Chemistry Lab Poison
"The truth is already apparent. The culprit must be Kurumi. Prior to the performance… She switched the wine with the juice. At that moment, she mixed in the poison to commit the crime. Only Kurumi could have done it. It's the simple truth. If you intend to defy us further… You shall also be executed!"
Peacock reaches into her Solution Arsenal and uses "Chemistry Lab Poison" to fire with her revolver in the shape of a key!
"Shows over!"
"And you say I gotta be educated. Didja even pay attention when you were monologuing at us back in the theater?" Peacock asked. "The poison gets flat after 30 minutes. The play lasted a helluva lot longer. Do the math: One plus one equals Kurumi being innocent!"
MP!Martina takes 75 Damage!
CRITICAL HIT!
"Guh…Gaah!" MP!Martina cried out, dispelling immediately.
MP!Martina Defeated!
"Over already? Hah! I was kinda expectin' her to put up more of a fight than that." Peacock said, twirling her revolver. "That money hog and quiet guy's phantoms were more of a pain than her."
"It's probably because she was too absorbed in her own theory. She didn't have any other explanation and based her conviction only on what she saw."
"Regardless, that was an excellent argument, Peacock. Well done!" Perfuma said.
"Eh, y'know…I try." Peacock cooly replied.
"All righty, I'll go save Kurumi! Leave it to me!" Desuhiko said, running to Kurumi and getting her down from the stake. "It's all right now. Hey, aren't you getting kinda cold? I'll warm you right up…" Desuhiko said, trying to sound heroic, but his act would be cut short as Kurumi's head jolted to Desuhiko's eyes with a sickening crack, revealing the face instead to be that of… Karen's! Desuhiko screamed at the sight of the jumpscare, especially since her eyes were whited out and blood was dripping off her face.
"Is that… Karen?!" Kaede asked.
"Why's she here? Mystery Labyrinths are supposed to only show livin' people right? Last I checked, she's six feet under!" Peacock recalled.
"I am the culprit.. Who killed…me…. The truth is…this was a suicide….I put in the poison myself… I Killed myself…." Karen muttered as she stood up. "I'm so sorrryyyy!" she cried, transforming into a Mystery Phantom. She was dressed like a Nun and was carrying a goblet in her hand, which represented how she died.
"Eek! I'm sorry too!" Desuhiko said.
"Is the Mystery Labyrinth…trying to end the case prematurely by giving us an outcome that would benefit us?" Penny wondered. "Calling it a suicide would ensure nobody else died…"
"It would…but we all know…that can't be the truth." Momo stated. "We won't let the Mystery Labyrinth make a fake martyr!"
Reasoning Death Match
MP!Karen
Poison Vial
"I'm so ssssooorrrrryyy! This was just a suicide! It wasn't a homicide! It's all my fault… I wanted to die on stage… I put real poison in the vial… That's how I planned my own suicide… I'm really sssooorrrrrryyy! I'm the one…who killed me!"
Yuma strikes with his Solution Blade, using the "Poison Vial" Solution Key!
"This is the truth!"
"No, the vial used on stage was just another prop. It was empty, there was no poison in it." Yuma rebuked. "As a matter of fact, the vial was dry. There definitely weren't any signs of it being used… so it's impossible to commit suicide using that vial!"
MP!Karen takes 75 Damage!
"Urg!" MP!Karen cried out before she too exploded as MP!Martina had.
MP!Karen Defeated!
"Oh? Did you get it? Really dodged a bullet there. I was about to make my move…" Desuhiko said.
"Mystery Phantoms are not the real thing. You wouldn't have much of a chance with her anyway." Tenko said.
"I didn't expect you, of all people, to warn me about ladies. This Mystery Labyrinth is terrifying…" Desuhiko said.
The group then continued on, walking through what appeared to be ruins as pyramids were seen in the distance.
"Hang on, why was it impossible to have been a suicide? Even if the vial wasn't used, she still could have drank the poison herself." Desuhiko said.
"That's the thing. The only thing she drank from was the shuffled glass." Tenko said. "Even if Karen added the poison, there's no guarantee she'd be the one to drink it herself. It's not how someone who wanted to die would go about it."
"Gotcha… I don't remember the play, so I didn't know it got shuffled… Hang on, wouldn't the same be true for the culprit? If the glasses on stage were switched around, there's no guarantee the victim will take the poisoned one, right? Oh! Maybe the killer wasn't aiming at Karen specifically, but just wanted either actress to die?!" Desuhiko asked.
"Atua also believes in this possibility. With the glasses switched around, the poison could fall on either!" Angie said.
"Hmm… It is a 50/50 shot. We can't exactly rule it out." Himiko said.
"Right. The only two people on stage at the time were Waruna and Karen." Tenko said. "It could've easily been the other way around if the glasses weren't handled properly."
"That's gotta be it! I'm a genius, even without my memories! What do you think, Shinigami? You wanna dump your master for me?" Desuhiko asked.
"Hmm. I'm not sure. Can you escort me all the way through this Mystery Labyrinth?" Shinigami asked.
"Yeah, of course! I'll grab a taxi or whatever to take you!" Desuhiko said.
"Geez…" Yuma said.
All of a sudden, everything went dark as if the lights turned off.
"What the-?! Turn on the lights!" Desuhiko said as the sound of a school's bell could be heard ringing and the area slowly brightened as the group found themselves in a classroom where there were multiple chairs and desks floating still in midair. "Huh? What is this place? It looks…like the school. And there are…three doors?" he asked as the group stood before three doors which were from left to right, blue, red, and yellow underneath a huge blackboard.
"Looks like it's up to me!" Shinigami said. She soon pulled out her scythe and slashes at Yuma's neck, causing him to splatter blood all over the walls, all of the blotches asking 'How?'
"Whoa! This isn't okay…at all! This could kill me!" Desuhiko said.
"Never mind that! Look!" Mayumi said. The group started seeing text above the doors. "Seems like the routes are separated based on the how aspects of the case."
Blue:
How was the poison mixed into the glass?
Red:
How was the poison brought to the theater hall?
Yellow:
How was the poisoned glass chosen?
"We will need to clear all three routes before we can figure out the culprit of the case." Kokoro said. "If we can figure out how the poison is applied, it might point us to the culprit."
"Which do we go through first?" A2 asked.
"Hmm… I think we should go through the red door first." Himiko said.
"Then in we go." Hermit said as the group entered through the red door and found themselves in a red hallway.
"So, there in lies the question of this door. How was the poison brought to the theater hall?" Maki asked. "It might have been from the chemistry lab. It's a highly toxic experimental chemical."
"Why not just take it from the chem lab and keep it hidden in your clothes or something?" Desuhiko asked.
"The chemical's bottle was huge, so it's a bit difficult to carry around in secret." Kokoro said.
"Then they must have swapped the containers and brought it to the theater! That's gotta be it!" Desuhiko said.
Suddenly, a trap door opened as the group fell through. The group landed on contraptions made of school desks as they started sliding down the hall.
"Ahhh! We're sliding like a bottle-rocket bobsled!" Peacock said.
"Concentrate, everyone! We gotta put on our thinking caps! Himiko, think! You've got this." Tenko said. "What was used to transport the poison?"
"Ah! I got it!" Himiko said. "There was a wet paintbrush in the chemistry lab. The culprit must have used it to carry out the poisoning! They took the poison out of the lab by applying it with the brush!"
"Nice job, Himiko! Atua is delighted that you noticed!" Angie said. "Now, next question. What was the poison brushed onto?"
"The missing glass can be brought to the theater hall without drawing suspicion." Himiko said. "The culprit poisoned the glass and brought it to the theater hall!"
"Okay, last one, Himiko. What happened to the other glass?" Mayumi asked.
"The culprit…replaced the poisoned glass with the prop glass!" Himiko said.
As Himiko says this, a door opens as the group ended up back in the hallway.
"Great job, Himiko! Now we know how the poison was brought to the stage!" Angie said. "The culprit used a paintbrush from the chemistry lab and directly applied the chemical onto the backup glass."
"Mm-hm. It was the same kind of glass as the prop on stage. It could be brought to the theater without suspicion." Himiko said.
"But the chemical is only lethal for 30 minutes, right?" Tenko asked.
"Yeah, and the Duel of Cups scene was 45 minutes into the play. That's quite late, even if the glass was prepared in advance." Mayumi said.
"Right. But… There was one person that could have brought it in before it expired." Himiko said.
On cue with what Himiko said, the scene suddenly shifted to the theater stage, where Waruna, Yoshiko and Kurane were lined up. Waruna to the left, Yoshiko in the middle, and Kurane on the right.
"So, who is it?" Jiro asked.
"Out of all three girls… There was only one person before the play started who had free reign of the school. It was the one managing everything on the stage, the only one who could transport the poison to the scene so it could be used, with no one else being none the wiser." Himiko said. "And that person is…."
Target: Yoshiko
"...you, Yoshiko!" Himiko pointed directly at Yoshiko, smack dab in the middle.
"Wh-what? Me?" Yoshiko asked.
"The only way to use a poison with a 30-minute expiration, 45 minutes into the play, is to bring it during the performance." Himiko said. "But Waruna was on stage during the play, and Kurane was managing the lights on the catwalk. But Yoshiko was working backstage. You were the only one that was able to move around freely. Plus, you arrived late to the theater hall, after the performance had already started. About 15 minutes late, to be exact. Just enough time for the poison to still be in effect."
"Wow, nice deducing!" Shingiami said.
"That's Himiko for you! She's so observant!" Tenko praised. "Her magic must give her incredible powers of observation."
"So, it was you…" Kurane said as she and Waruna stared at the cowering Yoshiko.
"You put the poison, and got Karen to drink it." Waruna said.
"Huh? Hey, hold on a second, I didn't say anything about her being the-" Himiko started.
"N-No…it's not me!" Yoshiko interrupted before she suddenly bolted.
"Ah! She's getting away! After her!" Himiko said.
The group chased after Yoshiko down the red hallways.
"Hey! You can't get away that easy! My master loves hunting down prey on the run!" Shinigami said.
"I'm not a dog!" Yuma said.
"But that description does remind us of someone we know… All too well, I'd say." Mayumi said.
The group chased Yoshiko down the halls until they entered a classroom.
"Hm? Which way did she go?" Desuhiko asked. Shinigami used her powers to create a route question.
What was the glass put in to be transported?
Left: A pouch
Right: The pocket of a school uniform
"Which one do you think it is, Himiko?" Yuma asked.
"I think… She had a pouch!" Himiko said.
"Yeah, if she put it in her school uniform, she could've risked poisoning herself." Tenko said as the group went down the left door.
"As a production assistant, Yoshiko always had a bag with her. In it, she carried the glass with poison brushed on." Himiko said. "The glass would be small enough to fit in the bag, and even if someone saw it, she could say it was a prop."
"I see… so she prepared for the murder while in her role as a production assistant…" Desuhiko said as they continued chasing Yoshiko before cornering her in another classroom. "But you know what? It doesn't feel right chasing after a girl like this."
"Seriously…." Shinigami said. "Hey! Time to cough it up! You did it, didnt you?!"
"Not… me…I-I didn't… do it…" Yoshiko sobbed.
"Do you think crying will save you?!" Desuhiko demanded. "...Well, you'd be right. Come here."
"No, Desuhiko, that's wrong." Penny deadpanned.
"Hey, I'm using my charisma to get her to relax!" the Master Detective offered. "She might even lead us to our goal."
"That's - that's the dumbest thing I've heard since we got to this city." Penny deadpanned again.
It was at this moment Waruna and Kurane started walking in.
"Why do you always get all the attention, Yoshiko?" Kurane asked.
"You're such an ass-kissing bimbo…" Waruna mocked.
"Were you jealous when Karen took your spot?" Kurane followed up.
"Is that why you killed her?!" Waruna accused.
Both of them then became Mystery Phantoms at the same time, wearing the same outfits as Karen. Kurane's hair turned green and she was carrying a book, while Waruna's hair became blue as she held a ray gun filled with a blue fluid.
"Murderer!" MP!Kurane shouted.
"Hypocrite!" MP!Waruna shouted.
"H-hey, that's way too mean! Even if she is the culprit, I'm sure she has a heartbreaking reason why.." Desuhiko tried to calm the situation down.
"I…didn't do it…I'm not the culprit!" Yoshiko yelled, bursting into Qs before reforming into a Mystery Phantom. Yoshiko's hair has turned a hot pink as she had a crossbody bag.
"Cripes! This looks bad!" Tenko said.
"Himiko, you gotta make some sense outta this!" Peacock said.
"O-Okay, I'll try!" Himiko said as she drew her Solution Wand. "All three of them at the same time… Kurane and Waruna are accusing Yoshiko, but she's denying it. It's like a Mass Panic Debate back in Danganronpa. I'll have to pay attention to what all three of them say and try to find a hole in the arguments."
(Cue: Discussion: Panic- Danganronpa V3)
Reasoning Death Match
Mystery Phantom Yoshiko/Mystery Phantom Kurane/Mystery Phantom Waruna
Objective: Clear the Chaos between all three Phantoms!
MP!Yoshiko's attention is diverted! ATK and Attack Speed down!
Waruna's Actions
Yoshiko's Actions
K - I'll be direct with you.
W - The hypocrite Yoshiko is the culprit!
K - Only you could've brought the poison…
W - Only Yoshiko!
Y - No! No! No! I'm not the culprit!
K - Yoshiko took the poisoned glass…
W - And switched out the glass on the shelf!
K - Secretly in the dark!
Y - I didn't do it! No one could swap the glasses!
Himiko imbues her Solution Wand with "Yoshiko's Actions" and fires a blast at MP!Kurane.
"I hear it!"
(end song)
"Kurane, your accusation doesn't make sense." Himiko said. "When Yoshiko returned to the theater hall, she was sitting at the right edge in the front row for the rest of the show. She would have had to move from the audience onto the stage to reach the shelf and swap glasses. Even if she was running, someone would have heard her footsteps. So, Yoshiko couldn't have been the one who swapped the glasses!"
MP!Kurane took a powerful blow! 50 damage!
"Urk!" MP!Kurane groaned as she disappeared.
AOE Damage dealt to MP!Waruna!
"Ow!" MP!Waruna groaned as she also disappeared. After they disappeared, MP!Yoshiko also disappeared.
MP!Yoshiko flees!
"Huh? Yoshiko also disappeared? So she ain't our gal?" Peacock asked.
"No, she only fled." 2B said.
"Yeah. The only way we can properly solve this is by going down all three routes." Kaede said. "Let's check out the other two and see what else they have to say."
"Leave it to me! With my magic, we'll be back at the start in a snap!" Shinigami said, returning the group to the start of the How Routes.
"So, which one is next? Blue or Yellow?" Kokoro asked.
"Well, the start of the How was how the poison glass was brought to the Theatre hall." Marcy said. "So the next step would be to answer the question of how the poison was mixed into the glass that Karen drank from. Classic RPG optimal pathing."
"Great idea." Tenko said. "Come on, everyone."
The group soon entered the blue door and found themselves in a blue hallway.
"So next we'll solve the mystery of how the poison was mixed in the glass." Desuhiko said.
"Yeah…I mean…it only makes sense, right?" Tenko said before they all heard a rumbling as a boulder fell behind the group. "And…run for your lives!"
The group started running for their lives.
"When did this turn into Indiana Jones?!" Peacock said.
"I told you it wasn't easy! Kyahahahahaha!" Shinigami laughed.
"Stop laughing!" Yuma said.
"Focus, concentrate on the problem. Like…when were the glasses brought into the auditorium?" Shinigami said as they saw three different routes.
"Easy!" Blaze said as they ran through the left one. "The glasses were prepped before the play even began!"
"Next one coming hot! When did the poison arrive into the auditorium?" Shinigami said.
"Oh…I know this!" Marcy said as they jumped through the middle one. "The poison has a 30 minute expiration and the play is 45 minutes long…so it had to be brought in during the play."
They made it to the final door as they ended up in the halls of the school. As they walked through the blue halls, they recounted everything.
"So the poison trick was set up during the play." Tenko said.
"Considering the play was 45 minutes, and the poison's 30 minute window, it makes sense." Blake noted.
"But that glass was on stage the whole time, wasn't it?" Desuhiko asked.
"True, the set was fixed an hour before the play and the glasses were already set on the shelf by then." Yuma said.
"So the culprit slipped the poison in while everyone was watching…" Desuhiko said.
"Then that means, the likeliest one to be accused in this route is…" Tenko said as they entered a new room as they saw both Yoshiko and Kurane ganging up on Waruna.
"The culprit is Waruna!" Yoshiko declared.
"There is no other explanation, It has to be her…" Kurane said.
"Wh-why me?! Stop making such baseless accusations!" Waruna defended.
"But, weren't ya on stage with Karen since you both had the lead in the show?" Peacock cut in. "If you think about it, y'had the best spot in the theatre where you could spike her drink…"
"Peacock, you're not helping!" Connie sharply interrupted.
"No, she's right!" Yoshiko countered. "The only person who could've added poison to the glass was whoever was also on stage…."
"So that means…it has to be Waruna. She's the culprit." Kurane concluded.
"No… no no no!" Waruna cried.
"Murderer." Yoshiko accused grimly.
"Murderer…" Kurane repeated.
"No no no no no no…" Waruna continued denying as the room started to tremble.
"Wh-whaaa…?!" Desuhiko asked.
"No no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no!" Waruna cried in a mix of anger and denial as she assumed her Mystery Phantom Form. "I'm… not the culprit! It's you, Yoshikoooo!" she yelled, turning the pressure on Yoshiko.
"Aw, crapbaskets…" Peacock cursed, realizing she just made the situation a hundred times worse.
"Don't worry. I'll clean up your mess." Tenko said.
(Cue: Space Colony Ark Act 1 - Sonic x Shadow Generations)
Reasoning Death Match
MP!Waruna
Objective: Defend Yoshiko!
Waruna's focus is on Yoshiko! Lose condition: Yoshiko's HP falls to 0.
HP: 100
Wine Glasses
"I'm not the culprit! It's you, Yoshiko! Yoshiko was in the audience… She filled a water gun with poison… She shot the poison into the glass! She could've used night vision to see! She knew when the stage would be dark… So it's possible she prepared for that!"
Tenko strikes the weak spot in Waruna's argument with her Solution Bokken!
"Neo-Aikido at its finest!"
"The wine Glass on the stage was upside down! Even if Yoshiko used a water gun from her position in the theater, there's no possible way she would be able to attempt that sort of feat considering the glass's position at the time!" Tenko argued.
MP!Waruna takes 20 Damage!
Yoshiko's HP restored!
"Ugh…" MP!Waruna groaned from the hit, but she didn't go down.
"She's still holding on!" Tsubaki said.
"W-Women…are really tough!" Desuhiko noted.
"No, really?" Mermista sarcastically asked.
"I'm… not the culprit." MP!Waruna recited, refusing to give in as she changed her target. "It's you, Kuraneeee!"
MP!Waruna's focus is now on Kurane!
Mission Update: Defend Kurane!
MP!Waruna raises her shields in defiance!
"No! No! It's not me! Kurane is the culprit! She's the one who poisoned the glass! If it's not me or Yoshiko… Then it has to have been Kurane! And you tried to blame me for it… You coward!"
Tenko repels MP!Waruna's offensive argument!
"Not so fast!"
"You can't simply accuse someone on a whim! You had a reason for Yoshiko, why do you think Kurane did the deed?" Tenko asked.
Repel Successful! Mystery Phantom Waruna's Shield broken!
"O-Okay… Fine, I'll tell you why Kurane is the culprit!" MP!Waruna replied.
Lighting Staff Testimony
"There's no doubt Kurane is the culprit! She killed in a way only she could have! Kurane was on the catwalk… And mixed the poison into the glass… Using an eyedropper! Kurane used an eyedropper to add the poison… She did it from the catwalk above… She dripped the poison right in…"
Tenko strikes at MP!Waruna's argument with her Solution Bokken once more!
"Mind over strength!"
"Another baseless argument! Kurane wasn't the only one on the catwalk as the performance transpired, another person was with her. She was there with Kurane the whole time, and never saw her do anything out of the ordinary… so it's impossible that Kurane could have ever added the poison from above!" Tenko declared.
MP!Waruna takes 30 damage!
"Ugh…" MP!Waruna finally had enough as she reverted back to human form.
MP!Waruna Suppressed!
(End song)
"Amazing, Tenko!" Himiko cheered.
"Nicely done!" Angie said.
"So if neither Yoshiko or Kurane were the ones that did the deed through the means Waruna mentioned…. Then that implies she really did slip the poison in herself!" Chrysalis said.
"I thought you were better than that, Waruna… I thought you would compete with your performance fair and square." Yoshiko said.
"I always knew something was off about her…" Kurane said.
"N-No… It's not me… It really isn't…me…" Waruna said as Yoshiko and Kurane both turned into Mystery Phantoms once more.
"Liar…" MP!Yoshiko said.
"Liar…" MP!Kurane said.
"Liar liar liar liar liar liar liar liar!" the two chanted.
"Tenko, help her!" Himiko said.
"O-okay, I got it!" Tenko said.
Reasoning Death Match
MP!Yoshiko & MP!Kurane
Objective: Defend Waruna! (Fail if HP reaches 0)
HP: 50
Costume Staff Testimony
Y - Waruna's the culprit!
K- She had a chance to add the poison herself…
Y- She moved to the shelf in one scene.
K- Her back was to Karen and the audience.
Y- She added the poison from her pocket!
W- N-No! That's impossible! I was only facing the shelf for two or three seconds… That would be impossible!
K- It is possible…
Y- All it would take is practice…
K- You could mix in the poison in a matter of seconds.
Tenko strikes at MP!Yoshiko's weak spot with her Solution Bokken!
"Neo-Aikido at its finest!"
"No, Waruna wasn't concealing anything on her person! The costumer confirmed it!" Tenko said. "So, it was impossible for Waruna to have brought the poison on stage."
MP!Yoshiko is dealt a Critical Hit! 80 Damage!
"Urk!" MP!Yoshiko gasped as she disappeared.
MP!Kurane suffers from the damage ricocheted to her! 40 Damage!
"Ugh… Ugh…" MP!Kurane disappeared as well, followed shortly by Waruna.
MP!Yoshiko & MP!Kurane Defeated!
Waruna flees!
"So we've cleared two how's… only one remains." 2B said.
"And if the pattern is right, the one that will be accused in the final route is going to be…" Kokoro said.
"...Kurane." Chrysalis said.
The group returned to the start and prepared to venture through the yellow door leading to the route of "How was the poisoned glass chosen?".
"Hey Angie, why don't you take the lead on this one?" Connie asked.
"I would be glad to. But unfortunately when it comes to the more difficult parts, I lack the combative skills of Himiko and Tenko." Angie said.
"Fret not Angie. If this route also ends up in a confrontation, we will fight in your place." Perfuma said.
"Most appreciated! Atua blesses you all!" Angie said.
The group then entered the doorway to the third How route and started walking down the yellow hallways.
"So, what was the sequence of events when the glasses were shuffled around?" Chrysalis asked.
"The Duel of Poisoned Cups scene began around 45 minutes into the play." Angie said. "At the start, the victim, Karen, brought the glasses and bottle from the shelf that was on the set. Karen then took out the poison vial from her pocket and poured it into one of the glasses. But, the vial was only a prop. There was no real poison in it. After that, the glasses were shuffled around, and…"
Suddenly, the floor in front of the group gave way, as desks and chairs among other floor pieces fell down.
"Whoa, what's going on here?! Peacock was right in the last room, it's not like we're trying to find the lost Ark or something!" Desuhiko said.
"It's just like with the last two rooms, though. We can proceed forward by solving the questions at hand." Blaze said. "First, let's deduce who shuffled the glasses during the Duel of Poisoned Cups."
"The two people that were on stage were Waruna and Karen. So… It would have to be both of them!" Chrysalis said as they all jumped to stable footing.
"Alright, so which one of 'em picked first?" Peacock asked.
"The way we saw the play… It has to be Karen!" Kaede said.
"Then that also means, the glass Karen drank from when she chose hers, was the one with real poison inside." 2B said, as they managed to cross safely.
Desuhiko huffed. "...I thought I was done for…"
"Yeah, yeah, quit being lazy and get a move on." Shinigami said as they continued on.
"So only the glass Karen drank from was poisoned, not the one Waruna drank from." Jiro noted. "Makes sense, since Waruna didn't die."
"Then how did the culprit get Karen to pick the glass with the poison?" Desuhiko inquired.
"That I do not know yet. But Karen definitely was the one in sight for the killer." Angie said as they soon arrived in a classroom. Inside was Kurane.
"Hey, it's Kurane." Connie noticed.
"She's…. All by herself? Where are Waruna and Yoshiko?" Petra asked.
"I'm guessing she isn't pressed hard enough for them to come out yet." Mayumi said.
"You know, we were direct with Yoshiko, and Waruna was accused from the outset." Tenko recapped. "Let's try a different approach with Kurane."
"What're we gonna do, talk to her?" Peacock asked.
"Actually, yes. That is exactly what we should do." Angie said.
"Well, it's not the real Kurane, but taking the lighter approach is worth a shot." Mayumi said.
The group approached Kurane calmly, having a more reasonable sense than a vindictive one.
"Greetings, Kurane. Might we inquire from you about the events of the play?" Angie asked.
"Specifically, do you know anything about what happened during the Duel of the Poisoned Cups?" Chrysalis asked.
Kurane took some time to think before she faced the group.
"Let me tell the truth…the culprit is Waruna." Kurane answered.
"Seriously? Thanks for telling us!" Desuhiko said.
"She's lying." Mayumi said. "We just covered Waruna's route before we came here."
"It's…no lie. Waruna knew which glass was poisoned… Either the glass with the poison was filled just a bit higher up or she marked the right glass beforehand… Knowing that…Waruna prompted Karen to select the glass which contained poison." Kurane said.
"Prompted? Vat do you mean?" Rachel asked.
"Only the two of them were on stage… She could guide Karen through the scene… Before or after each line of dialogue…she could've easily signaled her with gestures or glances…" Kurane said.
"Yeah? That checks out. I don't think she's saying anything super questionable." Desuhiko said.
"But could Waruna have known?" 2B asked. "During the play, I detected no signs of her actively directing Karen to the poisoned glass."
"And Waruna and Karen were perfectly in sync onstage up until the poison hit Karen hard." Yang said.
"Not to mention, there were no signs that either of the glasses were marked." Angie said. "I think it is safe to assume that neither Waruna or Karen knew which glass contained the poison."
"Neither of them… didn't know?" Kurane asked. "But… there had to have been some way Karen chose the poisoned glass."
"Like we said, there were no onstage cues that directed Karen towards the poisoned glass. It was a 50/50 shot in either direction." Kokoro said.
"...What if the directing wasn't done on the stage?" Mermista asked. "Maybe it was done backstage."
"Huh?" Kurane asked.
"Just putting this out there, but there was probably a trick pulled off backstage that made Karen choose the poisoned glass." Mermista said.
"This probably isn't something we should pry about but… Were there any last-minute changes to the script beforehand?" Angie asked.
"N-not that I know of…" Kurane said.
"Suspicious… we should take another look at the stage." Perfuma said.
Everyone, minus Kurane, were taken back to the stage. Shinigami made a question manifest on the curtains.
How did the Culprit make Karen choose the poisoned glass?
"So now we gotta find out how the poisoned glass was picked. You guys got this?" Desuhiko asked as the curtains rose.
"Let's find out." 2B said as they looked at the stage. "Mermista's theory does hold some claim. If there was no way to direct Karen to choose the poisoned cup from onstage, then the culprit had to use something from the stage."
"I think I know what might be the cause." Angie said, pointing at the overhead lights.
"The spotlights? You sure, Ange?" Peacock asked.
"Precisely. The culprit told Karen to take whichever glass the spotlight hit first." Angie said. "In fact, Karen's script had a note written in it."
"Angie, you're right… when I was investigating, I found that note. It said "take the glass the spotlight hits first."" Yuma said.
"No way!" Desuhiko said.
Petra took flight as she went up to the catwalk. "The table was directly under the catwalk, so up there, you had the perfect view as to how the shuffling was performed."
After a brief blackout, spotlights then came on, revealing Kurane, as well as Yoshiko and Waruna, in their positions on the stage back in Yoshiko's route.
"So someone had to be working the lights on the catwalk, in order to make sure Karen picked the right glass." Connie said. "And I think we all know exactly who it was."
"Yes. The only member of this trio who was working backstage throughout the play's duration." Angie said. "Forgive me Kurane…but as you were the one operating the stage lights on the catwalk, it most certainly was you!"
Yoshiko and Waruna soon turned into Mystery Phantoms.
"I knew it was you!" The two said.
"Sheesh, here we go again….!" Mayumi said.
"I always thought you were gloomy and creepy… But I didn't think you'd actually murder someone! On top of that, you used the sacred props from our play!" MP!Yoshiko said.
"I knew you'd murder someone one of these days! Why don't you take responsibility and just die?! Everything would be better if you just disappeared!" MP!Waruna said.
"I-I didn't do it… I'm not the culprit!" Kurane cried. "No, it's not supposed to be like this! Why can't everyone be nice to me?!"
"Angie, you know what to do, right?" Kaede asked.
"Of course I do!" Angie said, drawing her solution weapon, which was a paintbrush. "I said I would leave it to all of you if things proved too difficult…. But if Himiko and Tenko can do this, then so can I!"
"Go for it, Angie!" Himiko said.
(Cue: Discussion (Heat Up)- Project Eden's Garden)
Reasoning Death Match
MP!Yoshiko & MP!Waruna
Objective: Defend Kurane! (Fail if HP reaches 0)
HP: 100
Lighting Staff Testimony
K- I-I'm not the culprit… Please, believe me… I couldn't have committed the crime!
Y - You're the worst, Kurane!
W - You used the sacred stage for murder!
Y - You slipped the poison into the glass, didn't you?!
W - You knew which glass had the poison…
Y - So you just shined the spotlight on it!
W - Kurane is the culprit after all!
Angie loads 'Lighting Staff Testimony' into her Solution Brush and covers Yoshiko's weak spot in paint!
"Atua has blessed me with this knowledge!"
"As it has been expressed several times already by the others, the poison is neutralized after 30 minutes, but the murder has occurred 45 minutes into the play." Angie said. "Therefore, the poison could only have been poured to the glass after the play began. However, Kurane was in the catwalk the whole time. So, Kurane could not have poured the poison."
The paint hits MP!Yoshiko directly! 40 Damage!
Some of the paint splattered onto MP!Waruna! 20 Damage!
"Urgh…" Both phantoms groaned as they dissipated, followed by Kurane.
MP!Yoshiko & MP!Waruna Defeated!
Kurane flees!
All Objectives Completed! +333 Detective EXP!
"And that's three…" Kaede said. "You all did really well. I think you could even give Shuichi a run for his money."
"Nyeh…you really think so?" Himiko said.
"When we had our Rebuttal Showdown during Ryoma's trial, he beat me, so I still have a bit of ways to go." Tenko said.
"Nyahaha! I didn't even contribute that much through the whole killing game compared to the two of you!" Angie laughed.
"But despite all the evidence we've gathered, knowing how each stage of the murder was planned… we still don't know who definitively did it." Chrysalis said as the group returned to the start. "Was it the aggressive Waruna, the selfless Yoshiko, or the meek Kurane?"
"Hmm… This whole case seems really weird." Tenko said. "Throughout each of these routes, we saw the corresponding girl get bombarded with accusations from the other two."
"Hey, you're right. Yoshiko got bombarded by Waruna and Kurane the minute Himiko called her out on transporting the poison." Desuhiko recalled.
"And Yoshiko and Kurane blamed Waruna once we discovered she could have added the poison." Yuma said.
"And we just saw Kurane take a mental header when it was revealed she used the spotlights to guide Karen." Mayumi said. "I feel like we are on the verge of discovering some kind of earth-shattering secret."
"Wait a second… exactly what did Karen's murder all stem from?" Mermista asked. "Think about it, Karen couldn't have gotten the lead in this play with Waruna overnight. In order for her to get the spot, shed have to take someones place. By force. And what did Kurumi want us to figure out originally?"
"Mermista, are you thinking…?" Maki asked.
"Yeah. Karen? I think she's the one who killed Aiko." Mermista said.
"Wait, are you serious?" Petra asked. "This is some kind of joke you're trying to pull on us, right?"
"Oh, how I wish it was. This isn't me making things up. This time… I'm serious." Mermista said.
"Show us then, Mermista. Prove to us this isn't another one of your fantasies." Leonora said.
(Cue: Investigation ~ The Core 2001 - Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney)
"First, think about how Aiko died. Her cause of death was Blunt Force trauma to the head." Mermista said. "Did she really get that from a fall off the roof of the school?"
"Not normally. Her body would've been blown to chunks upon impact with the ground." Mayumi said.
"Exactly. It doesn't add up that she was found intact at her death spot from a fall." Mermista said. "Just like with Karen, Aiko was murdered. The claim that Aiko committed suicide was all a lie!"
"Another Amaterasu Corporation coverup, you mean." Leonora said.
"That's right. Amaterasu said it was a suicide to cover up the truth." Mermista siad.
"So then if Karen really killed Aiko, what was the weapon she used to do it?" Kaede asked.
"Easy. Aiko was bricked to death." Mermista said.
"A brick?! How low can you go?!" Tenko asked.
"It was probably a murder committed in the heat of the moment. Karen may not have even intended to kill Aiko." Mermista said.
"But then… The three girls found out the truth and stated to concoct a plan to avenge Aiko. Now we know why we kept running in circles." Kaede said.
Marcy was sketching something in her journal as everyone was talking.
"What's on your mind, Marcy?" Connie asked.
"I've been mapping out all three of the How routes as we've gone through them. Check this out." Marcy said, showing them the picture she drew.
"Hey, that's pretty good! You should totally design my…concert posters…?" Desuhiko trailed off as he stared at the image. "Wait a second…those routes…don't they all seem like the same path?"
"Kaede was right. We were under the assumption that there was only one culprit." Tenko said.
"But in reality, there was more than one." Mermista said. "That's why each of them ganged up on a single person. The Mystery Labyrinth was reflecting a bait and switch. One of them gets pinned with the whole blame so the others can try to get off easy. But there was one small problem with the plan."
"They were only focusing on one aspect in each route, and not the whole sequence of events." Himiko said.
"And that's when it hit me. This wasn't just a one woman job." Mermista said as she pointed to all three "How" routes. "This murder mystery was concocted…by all three of them!"
(Music Shift: Phoenix Wright's Theme (Turnabout Mode) -Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3)
"You're kiddin' me! Didn't we see them in each route going at each other's throats?" Peacock asked.
"But at the same time, they are all part of the drama club. All of their constant bickering could've just been played up to hide their true friendship." Mermista said.
"If that's the case then…maybe those dead ends at each of the routes weren't really dead ends!" Tenko said.
The girls, Yuma, Shinigami and Desuhiko rushed back to the three routes, the question above them now a different one:
How did the three work together to pull off an impossible crime?
"I think the answer is in Yoshiko's route. I mean, she had to bring the poison there, right?" Himiko asked as they headed into the Red Route.
"Yeah. The poison neutralized after 30 minutes, so it had to be brought into the theatre during the show. As the production assistant, only Yoshiko could've done it." Yuma said. "Looking back, the reason they chose poison as the murder weapon was to establish an alibi."
"Oh I get it! If they used poison, no one could tell at first who spiked Karen's drink thanks to that 30 minute window!" Peacock realized.
"Yoshiko went to the lab for the poison as soon as the performance began…. She had the extra glass hidden in her bag, and after she brushed poison onto it…she put it back in her bag and returned to her seat in the front row as if nothing happened." Yuma said as they approached the Red Route's dead end.
"After Yoshiko did her job, it was then… Waruna's turn!" Tenko said, punching the wall as it gave way to Waruna's route. "Yoshiko passed the poisoned glass to Waruna to use in the incoming murder!"
"But, how was Yoshiko able to get it to her while she was performing on stage?" Desuhiko asked.
"There was a brief blackout for a few seconds. She could have easily passed it off then." Maki said.
"During the five seconds the lights were out, Yoshiko laid the poisoned glass on the stage's right wing close to where she was seated for Waruna to grab. Waruna then hid the glass in her costume, and since checks on costumes only happened before the play started, Waruna wasn't caught red handed during the performance." Tenko said. "After the blackout, Waruna used the scene where she approached the shelf where the glasses were kept. In those two to three seconds, Waruna's hands and the shelf were completely concealed, allowing her to switch the glasses in that one instant."
"So they used the play itself for their seemingly impossible crime… talk about guts. This is something only thespians could pull off." Desuhiko said as they approached the second dead end.
"So then after Waruna switched the glasses around, the final step in the plan was to direct Karen to drink the poisoned glass." Kaede said.
"And that was where Kurane came in!" Angie said as she used a hammer and chisel nail to break down the wall leading to Kurane's route. "She used the spotlight to point to the glass where Karen was supposed to drink from, like how she laid it out in the script."
"And that's how the group effort murder went down!" Penny said. "There's no culprit…there's culprits!"
"Their Mystery Phantoms tried to disorient us by dogpiling on one suspect and aspect. But the truth is far more sinister and tragic." Tenko said. "The real culprit was…"
"All three of them!" Himiko said.
"But…how could they…" 2B said.
"Heh…you'd be surprised what a group of friends can get done when they work together." Marcy said. "But now that we have them…they'll probably be retreating to their little fortress."
"It's still sad though. Aiko, Karen, even these three girls. They are all victims in this whole conspiracy." Himiko said. "Aiko died due to a misunderstanding… This case didn't need to happen…"
"Don't worry, Himiko. We'll put an end to all of their suffering, together." Tenko said.
(end song)
After putting all three routes together and breaching their walls, the group soon arrived at the who room at the end, where Waruna, Yoshiko and Kurane stood in front of the fortress guarding the passage to the truth.
"They're they are!" Chrysalis said.
"But why do they look so…sad?" Yuma asked.
"How boring. You call yourselves the final bosses of the mystery Labyrinth? Then start acting like it. Might as well guard the truth till the end at this point." Shinigami said.
"It's not the truth they want to guard. It's something else, and they don't want it to be let out. That's why theyre in so much pain." Mermista said.
"That's why we have to get it out of them, no matter what we have to do, and no matter how much it may hurt." Himiko said. "You're right, Tenko. We can't allow them to suffer anymore."
"Uhh…Ughhh…" the three girls moaned as they assumed their Mystery Phantom forms atop the fortress before disappearing.
"It doesn't matter how hard you three fight back. We're going to reveal the truth… right here, right now!" Himiko said. "Tenko, Angie, let's do it!"
"I'm right with you, Himiko!" Tenko said.
"As am I!" Angie said.
"We're all with you." Perfuma said.
(Cue: Restless Blade- Tales of Vesperia)
The fortress guarded by the trio dropped down into the canyon as the others followed them.
"I like your spirit, girls. Here, lemme give you all a lift!" Shigiami said as she became God Shinigami and got everyone on top of her head before taking off towards the fortress. "Let's do this guys!" she said as she began kicking away iron balls, smashing through walls, and jumping over spiked pits.
"You three can deny it all you want…. But there was a clear connection that let you work together to commit this crime!" Himiko said.
"No, there weren't any accomplices! Neither Waruna or Kurane! Stop!" MP!Yoshiko said as she erected the first iron wall. "There's no reason for us to team up!"
"No, there is. This photo with Aiko. It's you, isn't it?!" Himiko asked as Shinigami destroyed it as they advanced forward. "You were close with her as a friend. But it isn't just you, is it?"
"Shut up! Don't come any closer! I-I did it all alone! I don't know about the others!" MP!Waruna shouted as another iron wall was in the way. "There's nothing connecting us!"
"No, there is. Yoshiko wasn't the only one that had a picture with Aiko." Tenko said. "I have yours too. Right here!" she presented the photo of Aiko with Waruna as Shinigami smashed through the second wall. "You're also friends with Aiko, Waruna, don't try to deny it! You and Yoshiko share that connection with each other, and and in fact, there is one more in that chain too!"
"Shut up! Go away… Stop telling lies! Please… Leave me alone!" MP!Kurane said as a third reinforced wall blocked their path. "We have nothing to do with each other!"
"That is where you are wrong, Kurane. Because it just so happens, you have a picture with Aiko too!" Angie said as Shinigami smashed it down.
"Wait minute here…don't these three scraps look kinda torn?" Peacock said.
"Yeah… If you put all three of them together, then…" Mermista said.
"That's the truth…" Yuma said solemnly.
Shinigami then rushed to the fortress at full speed, the three mystery phantoms doing whatever they could to slow her down. But despite their best efforts, Shigami was able to reach the fortress, where all three girls were grouped up as she skidded to a halt and prepared to deliver the coup de grace.
"We know the truth!" Himiko said.
"And we have the conclusive proof that reveals your secret!" Tenko said.
"The secret that proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that you three were all working together!" Angie said.
"N-no… Please go away!" The three Mystery Phantoms said in unison.
FINAL BLOW!
"There is… no bond between us!"
GR-OUP PHO-TO
"This is our answer!" Himiko, Tenko and Angie said as Shingami swung her scythe.
"Hayaaa!" Shingiami cried, smashing the fortress to pieces and sending the three of them careening into the Room of Truth, defeated.
(end song)
"The truth is… you three were faking your animosity towards each other. It was all one big act." Mermista said. "In reality?"
"Yeah… The scraps we all have." Himiko said.
"When you put all three of them together…" Angie started.
"They show all three of you together with Aiko." Tenko said. "Just like the Eds… just like Me, Himiko, and Angie…you three had an inseparable bond. Not just with each other, but with Aiko as well."
"So, when Aiko died… You had to do what it took to avenge her… Even if it meant killing Karen yourselves. That's the truth, isn't it?" Himiko asked.
"But we'll let what we've done speak for ourselves. Yuma?" Tenko asked.
"Yeah." Yuma said, gathering all the evidence in his Solution Blade.
"Based on all the evidence we've gathered, we have absolutely no doubt…" Tenko started.
"...that what we've found, is the truth!" Yuma declared, slashing at all three Mystery Phantoms and reducing them to souls in their human form.
"So… are you ready to admit it?" Mermista asked.
(Cue: Regret- Persona 5)
"Aiko…was our sunlight." Yoshiko said. "Wherever she went…we were meant to be there with her. She was…everything to us."
"We were together…ever since we were young…her dream…was our dream." Waruna said.
"We were nothing special…but she called us her rivals…those words… encouraged us to carry on." Kurane said. "But now she's gone… everything's hopeless now!"
"The three of us…investigated Aiko's death…I used my parents' connections to view top secret case files…." Yoshiko said.
"But… no matter what we did, the Peacekeepers refused to reopen the case… because… Karen's father is a bigshot at Amaterasu Corporation…." Waruna revealed.
"Oooh…yeah, that makes a lotta sense…" Tenko said.
"That's why…we had to do it ourselves. We wanted revenge." Kurane said.
"Revenge… was everything to us." Yoshiko said.
"And to get it, we pretended to fight amongst ourselves. We are actors, after all…but, we don't have to anymore, right? We don't have to keep this up." Waruna said.
"We put on quite a show…didn't we, Aiko?" the three of them asked as a blacked image of Aiko was shown holding hands with them.
"Shinigami… Before you reap them… Do you mind if…we say something to them first?" Tenko asked.
"Alright, but don't keep me waiting. I am very eager to boom-kill these harpies." Shinigami said.
"Don't worry. We know. It'll only be a minute." Himiko said.
The three girls stepped forward to come face to face with Yoshiko, Waruna and Kurane.
"You three are just such good people. It's so sad to see you all go." Himiko said. "But… It doesn't have to be the end, doesn't it?"
"Yeah… Tell us. Do you all believe in reincarnation?" Tenko asked. "We want to see you all again someday. You three, and Aiko. Once you all reincarnate, let's all meet up again somewhere. We can go on so many adventures together, all seven of us."
"We'll be right there waiting for you all when it happens. We'll wait as long as it takes." Angie said as Shinigami prepared to do her job.
"Yeah… Let's…meet again soon." Yoshiko said.
"You all better not skip out on us, you hear?!" Waruna asked.
"We'll be waiting too, for when that time comes." Kurane said.
"It's a promise…!" the six girls said in unison.
(Music Shift: Execution/Punishment Time - Raincode)
Shinigami then stepped forward as everyone watched.
"Till then, girls." Marcy said, giving them Goku's salute. "See ya later!"
"And see ya in hell, skanks!" Shinigami said as she summoned her scythe. "Death to all deplorables! Ruin to the vile Mystery Labyrinth! Luminous darkness! Shining rainbow! Glorious stellar spiral! Bello Fresco Grand Finale!" she called, firing her heart shaped projectile as she went and eradicated the three girls standing there as they screamed.
(end song)
"Whoo…man, I did not think I could hold back any longer than that." Shingami wiped her brow.
"Yeah. Sorry that it took so long." Tenko said.
"You think we sent them off the right way?" Himiko asked.
"Yeah… I'm sure you did. Thank you, girls." Yuma said. "I think…there is room for detectives to be heroes. Even if some stories don't have a happy ending."
At that moment, because Yoshiko, Waruna and Kurane were reaped, the Mystery Labyrinth began to ignite before exploding.
Mystery Labyrinth Cleared!
SS Rank!
Loot: Group Photo
A memento of simpler, happier times. Perhaps another of its kind can be made someday…?
"Everyone…let's all meet again, under a cloudless sky…"
The group found themselves back on stage, surrounded by the Peacekeepers and Martina, Desuhiko's memory of the entire labyrinth erased.
"Wh-What?! What just happened?!" the Master Detective asked, checking himself for gunshot wounds, only to find none. Surprised herself, Martina prepared to fire her gun again before the bodies of Yoshiko, Waruna and Kurane all collapsed at the same time, getting everyone's attention.
"Shinigami!" Leonora said.
"I'm on it!" Shingami said as she possessed Yoshiko. "Excuse me, everyone…the culprits behind this incident were Waruna, Kurane and myself…All three of us conspired to poison Karen. Uh.. the way we got her to ingest the poison was…"
After Shinigami explained everything through Yoshiko's lips, Martina then turned back to the others with a glare.
"Well, now that that's all settled, guess there's no reason for us to be here anymore." Martina said. "I don't know what you people have done…but next time, it won't go your way. Remember that!" she then proceeded to leave.
"Yeah, we'll try to remember that for next time." Mermista said.
"So… exit stage left?" Peacock asked.
"Yeah, we're done here." Maki nodded as they proceeded to leave themselves.
Outside Aetheria Academy, the group reconvened with Kurumi, the boys, Princess Twilight and Pinkie Pie, and they recapped everything to them.
"I see… Such a tragic case all around." David said.
"But still, it was impressive that you all managed to solve this on your own." Kaito said.
"We can't take all the credit. Himiko, Tenko, and Angie have been carrying us through most of it." Kaede said.
"More than that, we knew how those three felt, because we were the same as them." Himiko said before she turned to Double D. "Double D… if you, Ed, and Eddy were in our place inside the Mystery Labyrinth…would you be as empathetic as Tenko, Angie and I were?"
"Perhaps not as much as you were, but…I think we could see ourselves in them somewhat." Double D nodded, before leting out a sigh. "Goodness, sixteen deaths since we got here…how many more bodies will Kanai Ward leave in its wake before we uncover the truth…?"
"I hope it's in the millions." Shinigami said.
"That's a horrible thing to say!" the sock-headed boy gasped.
"Death God, sockhead." Eddy reminded his friend.
"Not much more, I hope." Shuichi said.
"Say… About those three girls. If they reincarnate, do you think… We'll be able to see them again?" Tenko asked.
"If all three of you believe in your promise to them, maybe so." David said.
"I know they'll come back." Gohan said. "Dad had faith Majin Buu's evil self will come back as someone good. It may take some time, but…I think it will happen someday."
"Yeah, even if by some very very miniscule chance they return from the cycle of life and death, they won't even know who you guys even are." Shinigami said.
"Doesn't matter. We'll still keep to our promise." Angie said. "Atua believes it was the right thing to do."
Shinigami sighed. "You humans sure have some weird habits…"
"We are a bit weird, aren't we?" David asked.
"And there's nothing wrong with that. Heck, I'm weird!" Marcy said.
"Yeah, you fit right in." Vector said,
"Don't worry, everyone. You exposed the truth behind the case, and any detective who does that is a hero in my book." Kurumi said. "You saved me too, so I'm willing to help you guys in any way I can."
"How exactly?" Perfuma asked.
"Well…I'm not your average high-schooler. I may not look it, but I'm actually Kanai Ward's one and only informant." Kurumi said. "I'm still new though. I took after my grandfather after he passed away."
"An informant? So you might know something about Kanai Ward's Ultimate Secret." 9S said.
"Please, even if it's little, tell us everything you know." Yaoyorozu said.
"Well, it's likely connected to the secret research that Amaterasu Corporation is conducting. I think it has something to do with why the Unified Government approved of Kanai Ward's isolation." Kurumi informed the group.
"Research?" Espio asked.
"Yeah. I heard a lot of big science groups were called in to try and help it along. All Science Go and some guy with a weird name. Let's see…Vega…table? No…Vega…mite?" Kurumi said.
"Vegapunk?" Vector asked.
"Yeah, that was it." Kurumi said.
"If groups like that were involved, it had to be something big." Jiro said.
"What were they working on together?" Kirumi asked.
"Apparently, that scientist I mentioned created cloning techniques using something called the Lineage Factor. They wanted to use it to create a new kind of lifeform. Or so I heard." Kurumi said.
"(The Lineage factor…. That was the thing Atlas mentioned when she was talking about the Seraphim. So…its something like DNA.)" Shuichi thought.
"But this lifeform… it isn't something normal." Kurumi said. "Amaterasu wanted to use the Lineage Factor to create something they've been researching for awhile. They wanted to make a homunculus… an immortal monster."
"A Homunculus?! You mean…artificial humans?!" 9S said.
"You're familiar with them?" Kurumi asked.
"I've read up on the term. They're beings that are said to have immortal bodies. They aren't born naturally but created, either through alchemy or science. A few of them actually exist in distant places of the Future Universe." 9S said. "Now that I think of it, one of them is a member of that thief group, the Lost Thieves."
"Right…that psycho chick with the blood fetish. Bloody Rose." Kaito said.
"You mean that girl who has all those guns concealed in her dress? I thought she was just a normal human." Eddy said.
"You really thought someone like her was normal?" Mayumi asked.
"No, she was definitely off." Maki said.
"I don't have any proof they're doing it now, but it's a fact Amaterasu has previously researched homunculi." Kurumi said.
"And if Amaterasu was working with ASG and even Vegapunk to try and make them, this could be a bit of a big discovery." Blake said.
"Especially if they actually created them." Vector said.
"We'll have to keep solving mysteries to find out more about this… speaking of…" Shuichi said.
"Yeah, we're going to have to tell the others everything, and you know how that's gonna turn out." Chrysalis said.
"Yakou's gonna give us an earful…again." Mermista said. "Geez, what is up with that guy? He knows we have to do our jobs and go against Amaterasu, so why does he always have to panic whenever we get in trouble with them?"
"Have you seen the influence Amaterasu has? And we just pissed off Yomi's right-hand. No way we're getting out of what comes next unscathed." Leonora said.
"Guys? I think if we go back to the Nocturnal Detective Agency, things might get hairy." Marcy said. "Call it a gut feeling, but I think Yomi's gonna do something that'll try to take us all down if we stay there."
"So, we gotta go into hiding somewhere, but where? The Peacekeepers have eyes and ears everywhere." Takeshi said.
"Come on. Yakou's a coward, but he ain't stupid." Eddy said. "Man's gotta have some sort of backup place."
"Yeah, so let's just go back to work and fill him in." Vector said.
"Oh, this is gonna suck…" David said.
They soon returned to the agency and…
"You idiots! Why do you keep doing this to me?!" Yakou said.
"Look, all we were doing were our jobs. You hired detectives, you got detectives." Vector said.
"Oh yeah, and we've uncovered a piece of the puzzle while you were hiding out in this floating coffin, so…you're welcome?!" Eddy added.
"Eddy, seriously." David said.
"This 'floating coffin' is keeping us safe from Amaterasu! But not if the Peacekeepers find us out!" Yakou said.
"Please, what's the worst that can…?" Eddy said as he and some of the others heard dinging. "Huh, anyone else hear that?"
"Hmm…either I'm crazy or that's the sound of an attack type class 1 torpedo." Marcy said.
"Oh." Eddy nodded, before his eyes widened. "Attack torpedo?!" he yelled. "Everybody out!"
"Too late!" Takeshi said.
BOOM!
The torpedo hit the Nocturnal Detective agency dead on as the submarine started coming apart at the seams, leaking water immensely.
"See?! This is what I was talking about!" Yakou called out. "Everyone brace yourselves!"
"Wow…I did not expect them to have a torpedo." Vector said nonchalantly.
"Yeah, real big time bummer." Mermista said also at ease.
"How are you two so calm?! You'd have to be able to breathe underwater to…!" Yakou said before realizing Vector was a crocodile and Mermista was a Mermaid princess. "Oh…right."
"Yeah, the two of us are gonna be fine when this thing sinks." Vector said.
"Don't worry. I got some assurance too." David said, taking out Kyogre's Pokéball. "Everyone hold on to something, this might get a little bumpy!"
"After we escape, spread out! We'll find a way to group back together once the heat dies down!" Double D stated.
"See, I told ya, Yakou!" Eddy grinned. "As long as we're here…none of you guys are gonna get killed!" he declared as the submarine came apart, drowning the interior in water.
What happens next…. Anyone can guess.
Chapter 2: A Silent Curtain Call
END
