3rd Person POV
Y/N woke up frustrated.
That damn bear.
Y/N checked the clock. 6:45am. 15 minutes before the morning announcement. Well, Y/N thought, may as well go to the dining hall. Y/N was in no mood to meditate today. The memories of yesterday still hung heavy over him like a spectre.
Master Kojiro, dead.
The Twin Mountains Temple, reduced to nothing but ash.
That bear would pay for it, whatever it took. Even if it meant that Y/N would give up his own life. As Y/N walked into the dining hall, someone was already there.
Taka.
Taka: Ah, Y/N! A very fine morning to you! You are early today, much better punctuality. I expect this from you everyday from now on!
Y/N: I'm sorry, but can you just be quiet, Taka? It's way too early for your Captain Pep-Talk gimmick. Also, how long have you been here?
He yawned and stretched out his arms. He hadn't even sat down and already he was being mithered.
Taka: Since 4:00 am sharp!
He puffed his chest out, and beamed with the biggest smile Y/N had seen for a long while.
Belial: Why would someone be so proud to wake up at cockcrow? He really is an annoying mortal.
Y/N probably wouldn't have phrased it like that, but he agreed on the general gist of it. Y/N sat down and slumped onto the chair, putting his feet up. Of course Taka, someone who could probably remember the rulebook down to the punctuation marks, took offence to it.
Taka: Y/N! Take your feet off the table this instant!
Y/N: Why?
Taka: Because it is bad manners to slouch!
Y/N: Listen, I'm gonna try and phrase this in the nicest way. But can you please just shut the he-
???: It's rude to raise one's voice, is it not?
Taka and Y/N looked over to see Celeste, who had obviously just entered.
Taka: Good morning Celestia! I hope you slept well!
Celeste: It was nice I must admit. What about you, Y/N? How did you sleep?
Celeste strolled over to the table and sat down opposite Y/N. He rubbed his nape and looked away, trying to hide the blush.
Y/N: It was alright. Well the best I could given what's going on am I right?
Celeste: That is quite true. After all, surely the fact that someone could die at any moment plays with one's mind. After all, it may be yourself who perishes.
Celeste leaned slightly over the table, in a somewhat threatening manner.
Celeste: Y/N darling, may I ask you a question?
Belial: This could get interesting, considering her personality.
Belial began to drum Y/N's gloved hand on the table, making the claws extend ever so slightly, the feeling of suspicion flooding over Y/N like the Nile.
Y/N: Sure what is it?
Celeste: How did you gain such...power? I've never seen such power, and it is...impressive to say the least.
Y/N: If I gave you the real reason, I'd have to kill you I'm afraid. So all I can say to you is that a summoning went wrong.
Celeste giggled, putting her hand with the claw accessory over her mouth.
Celeste: You certainly are an enigma, Y/N dear. I will not press into the matter further, unless of course you want me to.
Celeste seductively said, before placing her hand on his clawed hand, still drumming on the table. Y/N flushed as red as the colour red could be, before quickly moving his hand away. He did it so fast he managed to fall over, hitting the back of his head on the floor.
Taka: My goodness, Y/N! Are you okay?
Y/N: Y-Yeah, I'll be fine, thanks.
Y/N slowly got up and adjusted his mask. He looked Celeste dead in the eyes, then headed to the kitchen to make himself some breakfast. Celeste merely smiled and giggled to herself, and if someone could concentrate enough, they would see a tiny blush emerge on Celeste's cheeks.
Timeskip
After an hour or so, everyone had gathered in the dining hall. At least almost all of them.
Sayaka and Byakuya were late. It seemed rather strange that Sayaka was missing, but they all knew that Byakuya turned up whenever he wanted. As to be expected of the Ultimate Affluent Progeny. All of the students were now sat down in a awkward silence. But the silence was shattered when Taka stood up, cleared his throat and began.
Taka: This still isn't all of us. Byakuya and Sayaka are late. Such a lack of punctuality is not welcome in a school environment!
Leon: Yeah, we can see they're not here. It's obvious, dumbass. So where the hell are they?
Y/N: I mean I can understand why the rich arsehole is late, but I don't know about Sayaka. She seems like someone who would arrive on time.
Byakuya: I am a 'rich arsehole' Y/N? Tch, such petty insults do not unnerve me.
All of them looked over to see Byakuya enter the room, not even bothering to acknowledge the rest of them and sat down by a separate, smaller table.
Y/N: What an absolute dick, how far up his ass is that silver spoon of his?
Belial: Judging by his mannerisms, I'd say very far.
Mondo: Hey Togami, you seen Sayaka around? I'm starving dude.
Byakuya: Do I look like her keeper? I came straight from my room to here.
Hifumi: It is a little out of character for Maizono not to be here. She's usually one of the first, or at least, she's here before me.
Kyoko: I get the sense she always has her stuff together.
Y/N could see Makoto break into an nervous sweat, as if a dark speck of unease had rose up inside of him. He suddenly got to his feet, surprising everyone. They could all see him begin to shake.
Makoto: I think...I think I need to go and check on her!!!
Y/N: Ok, I'll go with you! Let's go!
Y/N and Makoto ran to Sayaka's room as fast as they could, their footsteps echoing through the silent halls.
Y/N: You don't think? No, there's already been a murder? Please say there hasn't!
Belial: Ooh this is getting rather interesting. I wonder what happened...
Makoto reached the door first, and to his apparent surprise the door easily opened.
Makoto: What the hell?! It should be locked!
Y/N: Wait, what? Why should it be locked?
Makoto didn't answer as Y/N and Makoto headed into the room, they saw a disturbing sight. The walls had scratch marks all over them. There was a gold replica katana on the floor, its sheath with a slash mark cut into it. A table had been flipped over. All of these were signs of a struggle of some kind. They then headed to the bathroom door. It's doorknob had been unscrewed, to the point that it was barely hanging on the door.
Makoto gently opened the door...
There was Sayaka Maizono, dead. A knife sticking out of her abdomen, her body slumped against the back of the shower. Makoto let out a bloodcurdling scream, which rang around the entire room and out into the hallway. Y/N however was lost for words, but of course Belial was enjoying every second.
Belial: Ahahaha....AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Finally some entertainment! It has been far too long since I have seen a murder, and I am not disappointed! Ahahahaha!!!
Makoto fainted, and Y/N couldn't blame him. The sight of the Ultimate Pop Sensation's corpse would forever be a memory, buried into his brain. He was so focused on the bloody corpse in front of him that he didn't hear Taka enter the bathroom and shriek. Then, Monokuma's voice rang out throughout the school.
Ding Dong Bing Bong!~
A body has been discovered!
Timeskip
Makoto opened his eyes to find himself staring at the ceiling of the gym. Asahina and Chihiro were bent over looking down on him. Naegi slowly sat up and rubbed his head.
Asahina: Sorry Makoto, we carried you here when we found you passed out.
Yasuhiro: What do you mean we? I had to carry him in here!
Y/N: It's no surprise really, considering what me and you saw.
Makoto: Wait so that was...real? No she can't be! I have to see if Sayaka is-
Byakuya: You can check once, twice, a thousand times. Sayaka Maizono is dead, homicide.
Makoto suddenly ran towards the door, but Y/N stopped him.
Y/N: Makoto, stop. There's nothing any one of us can do. She's gone.
Makoto: Well we can't just stand around with our thumbs up our butts! Someone's been murdered, we can't just treat this like any other day!
Kyoko: Understand, Naegi. It isn't as though we chose to stay here. Right now we have to do whatever he says.
Makoto: What do you mean?
Toko: It was the bear. H-He told us all to come here.
Kyoko: We are his prisoners, right? It would be best to not defy his orders. We don't need to make any other sacrifices.
Makoto: Why should we listen to anything he has to say? He killed her! He was the one who killed Sayaka.
We all heard someone impersonating a buzzer from behind us. We turned around to see Monokuma standing on the podium.
Monokuma: I would never do that! Scout's honour! If you can believe anything you can believe that. Unless someone violates a school regulation, I can't interfere. I can promise you all, I won't do anything that goes against the purpose of your school life here. I'm famous at safari parks for following the Bear-Times-One rule!
Chihiro: Then who did it? Who killed her?
Monokuma: As if you all don't know! Wake up and smell the formaldehyde! The one who killed her was...one of you!
Nobody had a reply for that.
Y/N: One of us...killed Sayaka? That's impossible, why would...why would someone do such a thing?!
Belial: As I have said before, people have ended the life of another for far less a reason than your current predicament.
Monokuma: Awww, what's the matter? You guys all look like you're about to see a dove get shot up by a Gatling gun! One of you decided to send Maizono to the sweet hereafter so that you could graduate! It's as simple as that!
Yasuhiro: You're lying right?
Makoto: OF COURSE HE'S LYING! I'M TELLING YOU, HE KILLED HER!
Monokuma: Sorry but I'm telling the truth. One of you is a bona fide killer! And right now, someone knows that all too well, and if they wanted to, the one who did it could testify to that little fact...
Everyone looked at each other with a combination of fear, suspicion and confusion.
Chihiro: A-Are you serious?
Taka: Someone killed someone else?! I demand whoever did it come forward immediately!
Toko: Yeah that'll work a charm!
Celeste: It is truly amazing what some people are capable of. Whoever it is, I won't judge...
Belial: I am liking her more and more Y/N.
Y/n: Hey, don't just assume he's telling the truth! For all we know, he could be lying through his teeth!
Byakuya: That's enough. Before we do anything else, I'd like to confirm something. If one of us really did kill her, that person gets to graduate?
Monokuma: Huh?
Byakuya: Don't play dumb with me bear! That's what you said, isn't it? If you kill someone, you get to leave!
Monokuma went silent, before he began laughing.
Leon: Hey, why are you laughing?!
Monokuma: It's because you're all naïve, so naïve! You really think you can just kill someone and waltz on out of here? You're naïve! Super naïve! Devilishly naïve! HELLISHLY naïve! No, no, no! The real thing has only just begun...
Y/N: The real thing? What do you mean the real thing?
Monokuma: Well since you asked so nicely sweetheart! Allow me to explain the second part of the rule regarding graduation, so listen up! Like I explained before, you must kill someone in order to leave. However, even if you do that, there's still one more part to the agreement you have to uphold, right?
Celeste: You mean the sixth rule in our handbook? It mentions that anyone who kills a fellow student and becomes 'blackened' will graduate, unless they are discovered.
Monokuma: Exactamundo! You don't just have to kill someone, you have to get away with it. After each homicide, you'll have a period of time to investigate, before you convene to discuss the guilt and innocence of those who remain. So, after that period has passed, a class trial will begin!
Y/N: Class...trial?
Makoto: You can't be serious about all of this...
Monokuma: I sure am, Ahoge boy! During the trial, you all have to present your arguments about who you think the blackened is. And once everything is over, the outcome will be decided by popular vote. If the answer you've arrived at is correct, only the killer will get punished, and the rest of you will carry on with your communal life. However, if you choose poorly then the one who got away with the murder and the rest of you will receive punishment!
Hifumi: So, umm...what exactly is this 'punishment'?
Monokuma: Well to put it simply...it's execution!
Belial: And you said the death penalty was abolished.
Chihiro: And by execution, you mean...
Monokuma: Execution is execution! Ex-e-cution! It can be anything. Electric chair bzzt bzzt! Poison gas, cough cough! Or even death by hurricane, and yes we can make that happen!
Taka: Wait I need to make sure I understand, if we get the culprit right, they die. But if we get it wrong...the rest of us die?!
Monokuma: Let no one say you aren't the smartest chimp in the tree! Look at you, implying you didn't do it without actually saying it! So its basically what those on the outside call a lay judge system, or an inquisition type thing! Which means you'll be deciding who the killer is.
Belial: Well I never excepted that inquisition bit...
Monokuma: But judge carefully! Your lives are on the line, after all... Okay let me just add that rule to your handbook. Make sure you keep it in mind!
Junko: Nuh-uh! You're a nutjob and I refuse to be part of this crap!
Monokuma: Why not?
Junko: Whaddya mean why not?! I'm not playing juror if it means risking my life, and that's that!
Monokuma: Aww, don't be selfish!
Junko: You're the one being selfish! Kill whoever you want, its got nothing to do with me!
Monokuma: The evil standing before me...I'm trembling with fear! No missy, I'm stronger than that! When Monokuma fights, he fights to the last breath! If you wanna get out here, you'll have to grow through me first!
Monokuma charged towards the group. Well when I mean charged, I meant more like waddling. But then, suddenly, Junko stood on Monokuma.
Junko: I'm sorry you were saying something? You enjoying yourself down there?
Monokuma: Big mistake...violence against Headmaster Monokuma is not allowed. You've violated a school regulation. To me, godly spear Gungnir!
Y/N noticed spears start to emerge from the floor, obviously meant to kill Junko. At that moment, Y/N pulled Junko away using his magic. A millisecond slower, and Junko would have been impaled by the many spears now thrusted out of the floor of the gym. Everyone stood in silence, looking at the spears slowly start to go under the floorboards. Junko's face had become chalk white, having just had a near-death experience just moments before.
Monokuma: What? What?! WHAT?! You... you saved her! How dare you Y/N! I'll have to find a way to punish you even more brutally than Junko. You're making my life unBEARably hard now! Anyway, I have something I'd like to give you to help you in your search for the blackened! This little file has all the information I have about the death in question. I like to call it...the Monokuma File! I mean you guys aren't experts at this sort of thing, so you can only do so much with a corpse. So instead, I've gathered up everything I know about the circumstances and cause of death. What's that? How do I know the cause of death, you ask? Cuz the surveillance cameras picked up the whole thing! I got to see it all go down!
Kyoko: Wait, so then...you know who killed Sayaka?
Monokuma: Of course I do! If I didn't, I couldn't possibly pass a fair and accurate judgement during the trial, now could I?
Kyoko: That's a good point. The judge has to be able to make the correct decision. That's...somehow comforting.
Monokuma: Now then, please put your full effort behind your investigation! After all, you have no other choice than to give it your best shot! Seriously, you don't have a choice! See you all in a while~!
With that, Monokuma jumped behind the podium and disappeared. Junko slowly got to her feet, before running over and hugging Y/N, tears running down her eyes.
Junko: Y/N, you...you saved me....
Y/N: I did what I had to. Otherwise that son of a bitch would have killed you...
Makoto: If that...If that was meant as an example, then what about the execution?
Monokuma had left them stunned and confused. He left them at a total loss. He left them feeling a sense of....DESPAIR.
Timeskip
Y/N, Makoto and Kyoko all entered the scene of the crime, with Mondo and Sakura on guard duty. Quite to everyone's surprise, she was killed in none other than Makoto's room. This shocked everyone, including Y/N. Makoto swore he didn't, and said that he and Sayaka had switched rooms for the night, but nobody believed him.
Nobody except Y/N and Kyoko. The trio quickly began investigating the room.
Y/N: Wait guys, check this out.
Makoto: What is it?
Y/N: The floor...it's completely clean. Not a single hair.
Makoto: Did Sayaka see how dirty my room was and decided to clean up a little?
Kyoko: No. The killer did it to get rid of any evidence that they'd been there. They probably used Makoto's lint roller.
Makoto: Yeah, you're probably true.
Y/N: Hey, Makoto? What's with the sword anyway?
Y/N pointed to the replica sword on the ground, out of its sheath, which was next to it.
Makoto: Sayaka suggested I take it, for self-defence. But wait, look. Some of the gold coating has come off at parts of the blade, and a lot of it is missing from the handle. That's because it sticks to you even if you touch it just a little bit. Wait, there's some scratches on the sheath too. But why? If you're gonna attack someone with a sword, the first thing you'd do is unsheathe it, right?
Y/N: Yeah, you would. That's interesting. We should definitely remember that for later. In fact, it would be easier to just write it down on a notebook or something.
Kyoko: Y/N is correct, although I don't believe we've found all the evidence to determine who Sayaka's real killer is.
Y/N and Makoto went to the door, while Kyoko was examining the scratches on the wall.
Y/N: Makoto, I've been meaning to ask. Why would the killer have to break your doorknob?
Makoto: Maybe they didn't know the door it was stuck?
Y/N: What do you mean?
Makoto: My bathroom door doesn't fit the frame quite right. There's a trick to open it. It would make sense they needed to break the doorknob to get in.
Belial: Well, that is...lucky. Otherwise he would have no explanation as to why it was broken.
Y/N: Makoto, do you...wanna go inside? If you don't, that's perfectly fine.
Makoto: No. I'll go with you.
Y/N nodded, before opening the door to where Sayaka's body was, still slumped against the wall. Once inside the bathroom, they began to search the area.
Makoto: Come and look at this, right there on her wrist. There's something glittery. But why?
Y/N: I dunno, but I did notice something else. There's something written on the wall behind her. 11037. Do you know what that could mean, Makoto?
Makoto: I don't know, but her index finger has some blood on it. But why only that finger?
Y/N: Yeah, it's strange that there's only one finger covered in it, and no others. Maybe Sayaka used that finger to write it. Now come on, let's get going.
Makoto: No, you can go Y/N. Can I...stay here for a minute?
Y/N: Yeah, of course. Just...don't take too long, ok?
Y/N closed the door behind him, and went to talk to Mondo.
Mondo: I just realised something. There's a trash room in the dorms, right? They coulda tossed some stuff in there to destroy evidence. Ya know, before we found the body.
Y/N: That is definitely possible. I'll head over there after we've completed our search.
Mondo: That dirty bastard! Whoever raises a hand to a woman is a scum that deserves to die. That's what my brother taught me. So if I ever find the son of a bitch who did this, I'm gonna pound his goddamn face in.
Y/N: But what if a girl did it? What then?
Mondo: That'll get sorted when the time comes...
With that, Y/N headed out of Makoto's room. But as he was closing the door, he noticed something that was rather strange.
Y/N: Wait, if this is Makoto's room, then why is Sayaka's nameplate here? Does that mean they got switched?
Y/N wrote that down, before heading out in search of Hifumi, who was in charge of trash duty.
Y/N: Hey Hifumi, you're in charge of trash duty, correct?
Hifumi: Indeed I am! It's my job to gather up all the garbage and toss it in the trash room. And to do that, they gave me the key to the trash room gate!
Y/N: Wait, why would the trash room need a gate?
Byakuya then emerged from behind them, as if on queue.
Byakuya: Because then if anyone could go in the trash room any time they wanted, it would be easy to destroy the evidence. Was it so hard to reach that conclusion, Y/N?
Belial: He really is a dick.
Y/N: Anyway, can I have the key to the trash room? I wanna search it to see if anyone's tried to dispose of evidence.
Hifumi: Of course, Mr L/N! Here you go!
Hifumi handed Y/N the key to the trash room, who wandered around until he eventually found it. It had a large metal gate, which had a switch next to it. There was a large incinerator, which was about thirty feet away from the gate. It was on, despite the fact the gate was closed.
Y/N: But why is it on? You can't reach through the gate to turn it on, it's too far away.
Y/N opened the gate and made his way to the incinerator. On the floor in front of them, Y/N saw something strange. There were shards of broken glass, from what looked like to be a glass ball of some kind. There was also a burnt piece of cloth. Y/N examined it and saw that is was actually a piece of a white button-up, with blood on the cuff.
Belial: Looks like Byakuya was correct. Someone did try to destroy the evidence by throwing it in the incinerator.
Y/N: Yeah... he sure was, as much as I hate to admit it...
Ding Dong Bing Bong~
Erm, so ah...I'm getting kinda tired of waiting. What say we get started, hm? It's time for the long-awaited Class Trial! Now then, allow me to appoint a proper location for the proceedings. Please through the red door at the 1st floor of the school! See you all soon...Puhuhu~
With a sigh, Y/N went out of the trash room and headed towards the door, making sure to hand the key back to Hifumi on the way there. But before he reached the door, he was stopped by someone.
Junko.
Junko: Listen, Y/N. About before...I just wanted to say...thank you.
Y/N: Like I said, it's fine. I did what I had to. I couldn't let anyone else die, especially you Junko.
At that, Junko looked away, the blush visible even under the layer of makeup she had on.
Y/N: Don't. Say. A word.
Belial: I wasn't planning to. Honest...
Y/N: Yeah of course you weren't. And I'm an Martian.
Y/N sighed and held out his hand. Junko took it and walked with him towards the ominous door. They met up with Makoto, sweat dripping down his forehead. They walked into the room to see the others already standing there.
Taka: Y/N, Junko, Makoto! We've all been waiting for you! Explain yourselves this instant!
Toko: Hmph, Makoto's probably afraid as th-the murderer he is!
Y/N: Hey, let's not jump to conclusions just yet! For all we know, he might not be!
Asahina: Well Y/N, I think I know why you and Junko were late....
She pointed to the two of them holding hands and giggled. Y/N and Junko immediately let go of each other's hands, and blushed profusely.
Y/N: It's not what you're thinking it is. Not at all!
Junko: Yeah, why would it be?
Mondo: Of course it isn't...
Monokuma: Puhuhu...Is everyone here? Okay then...please board the elevator in front of you, which will transport you to the courtroom, where all your fates will be decided. Puhu, I'll meet you all down there. I'll be waiting...
With that, the students entered the elevator, most of them looking at Makoto as if he were the guilty party. And so, the curtain rose on the first case of the Killing School Life began.
A deadly judgement...A deadly deception...A deadly betrayal.
A deadly riddle, a deadly defence, a deadly faith.
A deadly...Class Trial.
*****************
There we go! The first Class Trial is about to begin!
I'm sorry for the late update, college was a complete nightmare so I didn't really have any spare time to write this chapter. So have a nearly 4500 word chapter on the house!
On that note, I will see you guys, gals, and non-binary pals later!
-B