Chapter 3: Best-Laid Schemes, Part VI (Class Trial)
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Once again, the elevator landed with a loud bang before the doors opened up, bringing us into a new incarnation of the courtroom. It looked like it had received a massive overhaul: the walls? Blue. The floor and carpet? Also blue. The columns? Blue. Only the curtains weren't blue - they were more akin to a silvery, celestial white.
Monokuma's throne was there, of course. So were those large doors. And our podiums, still arranged in a neat circle. Not one, not even two, but three crossed-out portraits had been added to them. Yura, Masao and Kozue were now little more than monochrome pictures. Uneasily, we stood behind them, before Monokuma greeted us how he normally did.
Monokuma: Wow. Just wow. You must be a bunch of bloodthirsty bastards, am I right?
Yukiharu: ...Do everyone a favour and fuck off.
Monokuma: Nuh-uh! I am the teacher, you are my students, guess who's the one in charge?
Yukiharu: Me.
Monokuma: No, me!
Yukiharu: Dammit.
Monokuma: Anyway, welcome one and all to the Class Trial! I think everybody knows the drill by now.
Ayane: We do.
Monokuma: But it looks like somebody here's a bit shaken up, am I right?
Souta: ...Ugh... My head...
Monokuma: So I'll repeat on his behalf! Think of "guilt" like a volleyball. Now imagine you passing it all around through your words until the rally ends. Or in other words, until you run out of time and have to vote on who you think murdered poor little Kozue over there.
Disgusting. It was quite clear to me that he was deliberately mocking each victim. First Mugen, then Haruhi, now Kozue? I felt sick to my stomach.
Monokuma: And once it's over, if you did manage to serve the ball of guilt into the correct court, then they die alone. But if your spike just so happened to be a fault, then only a single person wins the game! The blackened, of course.
Madoka: Pfft. As if that was obvious.
Umiko: Ahh! I don't wanna die...
Hirou: It's alright. We'll find who did this, for sure.
Ayane: (sigh) Can we get this over with, Monokuma?
Monokuma: If that's what you want, then so be it!
Kaori: (And once again... the Class Trial... began.)
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Madoka: I'll open things up. We need to talk about the motive. Have you ever stopped to consider that girl kept in the drowning tank?
Kaiji: This is irrelevant, Madoka! For all we know... she's long dead and we can't do a thing about it... God... I just can't believe it...
Madoka: Oh, really? We don't even know her name. So why are you treating her like some stranger?
Kaori: Madoka, we have a far more serious matter on our hands.
Ayane: And trying to force us into another matter can and will waste time.
Madoka: But... that girl...
Kaori: And besides, this Class Trial is being held because...
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(Multiple Choice)
1. The girl was murdered.
2. Kozue was murdered.
3. Masao was murdered.
Answer: Kozue was murdered.
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Kaori: Kozue was murdered by one of our own.
Daigo: And from how brutally they did it, we can safely assume that they didn't intend to phone the cops about their own crime afterwards!
Luka: Ah yes, because that would be a really stupid idea. You'd probably get thrown into jail for life! Ehehe~
Yukiharu: I nearly died because of his trap, okay? Cut it out with the jokes! It's not a game!
Luka: Oopsie-daisie. My bad. Tee-hee-hee~
Yukiharu: Grr...
Hirou: Anyway, I think we need a moment to talk about what just happened.
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(Non-Stop Debate)
Ayane: First of all, we need to find a prime suspect.
Luka: Y'know, the one we think killed Kozue!
Yukiharu: There's some bastard who won't say anything...
Daigo: Definitely suspicious, if you ask me.
Souta: I... I had nothing to do with it!
TRUTH NEEDLE: Souta's Silence
Kaori: No, that's wrong!
BREAK!
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Kaori: Then why are you so unwilling to talk?
Souta: Be-be-because I didn't do it! In fact, I-
Ayane: I think I said it a long time ago, but if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear.
Souta: Look, I know who did it!
Madoka: Tell us, and we'll let you go.
Souta: ...It... Ah... I can't believe that...
Hirou: That what?
Souta: ...
Madoka: He's a liar, end of story. Besides, we do know that he made his way from the crime scene.
Umiko: That's co-correct... for once.
Kaori: Even now, I just can't help but agree. After all...
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(Select Truth Needle)
TRUTH NEEDLE: Bloody Footprints
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Kaori: We did find bloody footprints leading from the girls' changing room to the doll room, where we found Souta.
Umiko: Umm... excuse me... what does the girls' changing room have to do with the crime?
Kaori: Ah! You weren't there for the investigation, weren't you not?
Umiko: I... I wasn't...
Kaori: Well...
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(Multiple Choice)
1. It was the crime scene.
2. It wasn't the crime scene.
3. It was not used at all.
Answer: It was the crime scene.
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Kaori: Well, we found Kozue's body in there.
Ayane: Do you understand? The crime scene was the girls' changing room.
Umiko: Ehh...?
Monokuma: Ugh! Give me a break! I already know that already, and they probably know that already as well! No good assuming that whoever reading this is a goldfish!
Ayane: But she doesn't. She spent the entire investigation secluded in her dorm room. This is news to her.
Monokuma: Right then, go ahead.
Umiko: Uh, anyways... well, how do you know that?
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(Select Truth Needle)
TRUTH NEEDLE: Monokuma File #3
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Kaori: Through the Monokuma File, sweetie.
Umiko: Ahh... Now I see... I was a bit scared that-
Yukiharu: With so much blood there, you'd would have probably dropped dead on the spot.
Umiko: Aaah! Don't startle me, Yukiharu!
Yukiharu: Yeah? Just saying that it looked gory as hell.
Madoka: We know already.
Yukiharu: And more importantly, this is entirely the fault of that son of a bitch Souta right there!
Hirou: Really?
Yukiharu: Of course I am for real! He did it, no contest.
Hirou: That sounds a bit... far-fetched.
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(Non-Stop Debate)
Yukiharu: We can safely rule out Kaori, for sure!
Ayane: She went off alone and found Kozue's body.
Madoka: Rather stupid, if you ask me, but then again...
Hirou: The body discovery alarm went off when she saw it...
Daigo: So Souta must have been either the second or first to see the body.
TRUTH NEEDLE: Body Discovery Rule
Kaori: I agree with that!
BREAK!
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Kaori: That is correct, Daigo.
Daigo: Wow. I was actually right the first time, for once?!
Kaori: You are. I was the third person to see the body.
Monokuma: And Kaori makes three! Uno, dos, tres. Three pair of eyes saw the dead volleyball player, so I was contractually obligated to raise the alarm.
Luka: (clapping) Bravo.
Yukiharu: My point still stands. As Daigo said, Souta either saw the body first or second.
Madoka: That doesn't prove anything. Blood loss is a harsh mistress.
Kaori: Are you for real, Madoka? Let me prove you wrong. Prove you wrong...
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(Hangman's Gambit)
GPBME
UYZHO
MUYQR
SCOPZ
QOBYI
DCXEO
FJAYR
LXEDA
KQRLB
YZHOV
Answer: PHYSICALLY
BREAK!
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Kaori: The murderer repeatedly stabbed Kozue multiple times. There's no way they could have done that from a distance; they had to have been physically there.
Madoka: Curses! Foiled again, huh? You're always getting the better of me-
Kaori: Tit-for-tat. You betrayed my trust, and this is your karma.
Madoka: ...Drat.
Monokuma: Well, Kaori Hotaru, you seem to have a knack for putting people in their place, huh?
Kaori: I don't want any of your platitudes, Monokuma. We have a murder to solve.
Monokuma: Very well then, I'll let you to it. Mind you, I'm feeling a bit peckish. Maybe some honey-coated salmon will do. Mmm...
Kaiji: And obviously, considering that the murder happened in close quarters-
Souta: Then... I'd be considered the culprit...?
Ayane: If you saw the body first, yes.
Souta: Th-that's preposterous! I wouldn't do such a thing like that!
Ayane: Then why was you found with what appeared to be the murder weapon?
Souta: The key word here is "appeared"-
Kaori: Listen, Souta. You need to tell us everything.
Souta: It's got nothing to do with you!
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(Rebuttal Showdown: Vs. Souta Furusawa)
Souta: I... would have said everything I needed to say, but you're treating me as though I'm a cold-blooded killer.
Kaori: You are not helping your case, Souta.
Souta: Eh...?
Kaori: We need to find out how the killer entered the crime scene.
Souta: No way I could have entered the girls' changing room! Here, I'll prove it to you!
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TRUTH BLADE: Scanner
Souta: As you know... (cut) ...the crime took place... (cut) ...in the girls' changing room! (cut) Do you get me? (cut)
ADVANCE!
Kaori: If that's the case, then why couldn't you be in there?
Souta: Isn't it obvious to you? (cut) I'm quite clearly a boy... (cut) ...in both body and soul! (cut) So I'm not allowed in there! (cut)
Kaori: Allow me to cut through those words.
BREAK!
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Kaori: Yes, the scanner to the girls' changing room forbid the e-Handbooks of boys to be used.
Souta: See? So all of that was for nothing?
Kaori: But Monokuma, if I remember correctly, didn't say anything about not being allowed in the changing room of the other gender.
Monokuma: You're bang on the money!
Kaiji: Like always...
Monokuma: And besides, it's possible for girls to go into boys' dorm rooms if they are allowed in, and vice versa, so there!
Yukiharu: So it is plausible that Souta could have gotten into the changing room to kill Kozue! Think about it!
Kaori: (Yes, I need to have a good, hard think about the circumstances...)
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(Logic Dive)
Question #1: How did Kozue lock herself inside the girls' changing room?
Wrong Answer: From outside the room.
Right Answer: From inside the room.
Question #2: When the body was found, where was the bench?
Wrong Answer: It was pushed forward.
Right Answer: It was pushed back.
Question #3: So who could have moved the bench?
Wrong Answer: The culprit.
Right Answer: The victim.
BREAK!
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Kaori: I've got it. The crime scene was initially blocked off before Kozue was murdered.
Ayane: We know. She ran off after Masao died.
Kaori: And when I last talked to her, I couldn't get in, even after scanning my e-Handbook. So it must have been blocked off - from the inside.
Luka: And do you have anything to prove yourself?
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(Select Truth Needle)
TRUTH NEEDLE: Moved Bench
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Kaori: There were streaks of dry floor underneath the bench.
Luka: And so what? All of the tiles were wet in there.
Kaori: Not quite. It means that Kozue must have moved it twice - once to lock herself in, and again to let somebody in.
Luka: Ah! Now I see!
Daigo: There's only one person she could have let in!
Kaori: Yes. And that is...
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(Multiple Choice)
1. The accomplice.
2. A friend.
3. The culprit.
Answer: The culprit.
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Kaori: She unwittingly... let in her own killer.
Yukiharu: Damn... What a horrible judge of character. She seemed rather nice to everyone... and it was ultimately her own tendency to see the best in everyone that killed her.
Madoka: Dog eat dog around here. Kindness is thrown away on evil.
Umiko: (sniff) She's dead! Masao's dead too! And you... you...
Madoka: It's the hard reality of life. Get over it.
Ayane: Madoka. Stop your bullying.
Madoka: Geez, I don't even get to say anything-
Ayane: You're mocking an innocent bystander.
Yukiharu: Yeah, shut your fucking mouth right there and then, or I'll make you regret it!
Madoka: (sigh)
Kaiji: Excuse me? I think we've said everything about the crime scene, and now we need to talk about the body.
Hirou: ...You're right. Do you have anything to say?
Kaiji: Yes, I do. In fact, I can narrow down the suspects from the victim's body alone.
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(Non-Stop Debate)
Daigo: Are you sure, Kaiji? Was there anything wrong with her body?
Kaiji: Oh, I assure you, there is a way!
Luka: But how can you tell who did it from her wounds?
Yukiharu: Kozue was attacked numerous times, remember?!
Umiko: So... we have no way to prove who did it!
TRUTH NEEDLE: Kaiji's Autopsy
Kaori: No, that's wrong!
BREAK!
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Kaori: There's one specific wound that we can use, Umiko.
Umiko: Wh-what is it?
Kaori: The slit mouth that Kozue was left with.
Kaiji: I saw it. It went diagonally downwards, from the right to the left. Judging from the trajectory of the cut-
Kaori: It appears that it was inflicted by someone who is dominant with their left hand.
Kaiji: Geez, thanks a lot, Kaori.
Kaori: Look, I'm sorry.
Kaiji: You should be. Anyways...
Daigo: So, according to Kaiji, we're looking for a left-handed killer...?
Ayane: That is correct. Souta is still our prime suspect, though...
Souta: I... I swear I didn't do it! Look, if you vote for me, you'll kill us all!
Luka: Oh, really? Then why are you looking the most suspicious?
Souta: ...
Yukiharu: Maybe he did indeed do it...
Luka: Yeah, I always thought he was a bit of a weirdo.
Monokuma: (sigh) Well, sometimes it's a bit boring when it does turn out to be the most obvious guy in the room, but that's life. And you can't do anything about it! Upupupu~
Daigo: Stop trying to rub salt onto the wound, Monokuma.
Monokuma: I am not rubbing salt onto any wounds, Mr. Bushida.
Daigo: I meant that metaphorically.
Monokuma: Oh.
Kaori: Listen, I've got a question that could prove his innocence or guilt.
Souta: Ah... finally, someone willing to give me a chance...
Daigo: And what is it...?
Monokuma: Well, if it means seeing a hasty end to this Class Trial, then say it away!
Kaori: Say Souta, what hand do you hold your chopsticks in?
Souta: I... hold them with... my right.
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Chapter 3: Best-Laid Schemes, Part VI, End
10 Remain