As Kumiko felt herself being carried in a room, she opened her blurred eyes to see Ryozo's room again. Groaning, she sat up, seeing the boy sit next to her.
"Hey champ. You feeling okay?"
"I feel weird. And hungry, definitely hungry."
"Here. I snagged some of Kaori's apple cinnamon donuts from the other day."
"Thanks, Ryozo." Taking the delicacy, she ate quickly as her stomach rumbled.
"I'm really warm... can I have something to cool down with?"
"Shit right, the fever. One sec." Watching him run around made Kumiko smile.
It's nice to be worried about.
"Here, its got ice water soaking it so it'll be really cold. Keep it on your forehead, okay?"
Applying it to her head, she immediately felt the relief. Feeling another side effect hit her, she stood quickly.
"Kumiko?"
"Move!"
Rushing past her friend, she knelt next to the toilet and immediately regurgitated the donuts she just ate.
Ah, how could I forget? Nausea...
"Jeez girlie. You okay?" She felt him give her tiny circular rubs on her back to aid her.
"Uh... yeah,yeah I'm okay." Sitting back, she felt him reapply the rag to her head again before being picked up and placed on the bed.
"I know you just woke up, but it's better to sleep away your withdrawal symptoms than be awake for them. Plus I know you've gotta be tired."
"Yeah... I just feel weird sleeping even though I just woke up." She gave a half smile at how she felt.
"Yeah, I understand. But once all that shit is out of your system, you'll feel better, I promise."
He unfolded the covers and gestured to the bed. "If you want, take a nap here. I'll be on standby if you need anything... or rather, on sitby."
Rubbing her eyes, Kumiko chuckled. "Alright Ozo. Can I have a new rag though for the fever?"
"Sure thing, spitfire."
Ringing out the old water and wetting it again, he quickly returned with it. Kumiko layed down, with the rag on her forehead, and quickly settled back into sleep...
Not for long though.
Tossing and turning, she felt her body recoiling with aches and pains. And then?
She heard a scream.
Jolting herself awake, she looked for where the scream came from. She looked up to see Ryozo, looking anxious and on guard.
"Ozo? What was that?"
"I don't know, but it can't be good. Do you wanna see what it was?"
"Yeah, maybe someone got hurt! We should make sure everyone is okay."
Nodding, Ryozo helped Kumiko off the bed and the two left the room. They barely had even left the doorway when alarms blared, all too familiar to the two.
Alarm. Alarm. Alarm.
Dead body found in Astronomy Room. Found by Akiko Matsumaru.
Report to the Astronomy Room immediately.
They didn't even have time to take half a step though... when another alarm played.
Alarm. Alarm. Alarm.
Dead body found in Astronomy Room. Found by Akiko Matsumaru.
Report to the Astronomy Room immediately.
"Huh? Did the alarm have a glitch?" Ryozo asked.
"I don't think Shockbolt would allow anything to glitch." Kumiko trailed off as a horrible thought occupied her head.
"Then why would it play tw-" Ryozo seemed to have come to the same conclusion as Kumiko as his sentence suddenly stopped.
"One alarm for one body. If two play..."
"There's two bodies." Ryozo finished her thought.
They both ran as fast as they could to the second floor, nearly tripping on the stairs. Ryozo got to the door a few seconds before Kumiko and they both noticed a trembling figure in the door way.
Akiko.
"Kiki?!" Kumiko rushed inside only to fall silent at what she saw.
Two boys lay on the ground, lifeless. One, a sweet boy who earned Akiko's affection with kind actions, had a knife plunged into his ribcage as he lay propped against a wall.
The other, a blond boy who had become quite depressed after his brother's death. He had dark purple bruises on his throat, as if left by hands. His eyes were wide open, while the other had his shut tight.
Benito, aka Benny, Koda and Minato Hattori had been killed.
"Benny? Minato?" Kumiko spoke softly, as if to not break the quiet atmosphere.
"They're... dead, aren't they?" Akiko asked, her voice muffled.
"Yeah. Yeah they are." Ryozo spat, angrily.
All of a sudden, the other students piled in, each leaving a quiet gasp.
It was a horrible realization, that your friends had been murdered. And another one to know one of your other friends did it.
But that was their reality now.
"Wowzers! Looks like you got some bro on bro action here!"
The sickening sweet voice of Shockbolt filled the air, angering the remaining students.
"The hell do you want?!" Maiko snapped, popping another piece of candy in her mouth.
"Why to do my duty as your beloved headmaster and deliver you the victim files, of course!"
With an evil grin, he tossed everyone two files, one for each victim.
"Altight tits and dicks! You know the drill! Examine for evidence, limited time, alibis and then... CLASS TRIAL, BABY!"
Shockbolt laughed as dread seemed to fill both the air and everyone's expressions. His metallic claws clacked against the flooring as he walked off... leaving the students with the recently deceased.
"OK then. What do we do now, queenie?" Jiro asked solemnly as he looked to his friends.
"As much as it pains me, we need to have guards for the victims and-"
"Me again!"
"Gah!" Kei yelled in surprise. "What now?!"
"Here's everyone's meds! I think you'll find a few people lieddddd!"
Disappearing once more, pill bottles seemed to miraculously fall from above, some hitting people on the head.
There was one in particular that caught Kumiko's eye and for good reason.
KENTA ASUTA
D.O.B. 12/17/05
Intermittent explosive disorder
"OK then, as I was saying. Everyone, grab and take your medicine, and then we can explore. Two people should guard the bodies once again so no evidence is disturbed. Any volunteers?"
"I may as well." Kenta rolled his eyes.
"OK. Anyone else?"
Shrugging, Gin spoke up as well. "I'll do it too. He was my buddy after all."
"Good. Everybody else, let's start examining for clues. And remember... not everyone here is a friend."
With that ominous warning, just about everyone left. Everyone except Ryozo and Kumiko.
"I just can't get rid of you can I?" Kumiko tried to smile but failed.
"Not a chance, butterfly. By the way I found a bottle that's pretty interesting."
"Another one?"
"Another? Well I don't know which one you found, but this is Benny's."
"Benny? But, he never spoke up... why would he offer to be paired with someone who would be in withdrawal too?"
"No clue however his is pretty serious. Heart medicine. I guess Benny here had a weak heart."
"Well for now, let's look at the files."
Victim: Minato Hattori
Cause of death: Strangulation
Time of death: 10:59 a.m.
Place of death: Astronomy Room
Place body was found: Astronomy Room
Victim was found laying down, with his back on the floor. His right hand was contracted, as if trying to push something off of his throat while the left was posed as if gripping something.
Information about the victim: He is the younger Hattori brother.
His depression was often combatted with his brother singing to him when upset or by surfing.
Victim: Benito Koda
Cause of death: Blood loss from stab wound triggering his hypovolemic shock
Time of death: 11:12 a.m.
Place of death: Astronomy Room
Place body was found: Astronomy Room
Victim was found upright, laying propped against the wall. A knife had gone into his ribcage, triggering copious amounts of blood loss. This had forced his heart to go into triggering a case of hypovolemic shock.
Information about the victim: He enjoyed playing skeeball with his mom.
He suffered from dyslexia since the age of 4.
"Holy shit." Ryozo was in disbelief at what each file disclosed.
"So both had gone into withdrawal? Who killed them, knowing they were both in trouble?"
"That's what we're going to find out."
They walked up to Gin and Kenta, ready to question the two.
"Heys guys. We were just-"
"Yeah, yeah alibis. I was with Kaori, guarding his weak ass. We done here?" Kenta said angrily.
"Did you guys stay together the whole time?"
"The fuck does that mean?" Kenta growled.
"I'm just asking cause normally you don't stay with anyone for very-"
"Why don't you just shut the fuck up? God you're annoying, no wonder your parents died to get away from you."
SMACK!
Ryozo, Gin and Kenta all widened their eyes at the sound of Kumiko slapping Kenta.
Kumiko had tears in her eyes as she grit her teeth before speaking, angry beyond belief.
"My parents risked their life and died for me and my sister. They were trapped in a car that was on fucking fire. So please, shut the hell up about my parents!"
No body dared to say a word to the enraged dancer but if you looked, you'd clearly see the guilt that settled in Kenta's eyes.
"I, I didn't mean to-"
"I think that's enough. Gin, you?" Ryozo tried to diffuse the situation, his intent clear.
"I was hanging with Jiro mainly. He was showing me a few games in the arcade."
Taking a deep breath, Kumiko nodded. "Thanks Gin. I'll see you later, I'm gonna check out the bodies."
Turning away, she knelt down to examine the two victims. And she immediately noticed something odd.
The rust on the knife that impaled Benny was also coating Minato's hand.
But that doesn't make sense... did Minato drop the knife and someone else grabbed it?
Why was Minato carrying a knife though?
"Find anything, spitfire?"
"Yeah... the rust on the knife is also on Minato's hand. "
"That's... odd. Why the hell did he have a knife?"
"No idea...but for now let's ask everyone else their alibis."
"Hey, you okay from earlier?"
"No... but I will be." Kumiko was honest about her feelings.
"I know you will be. C'mon, frowning doesn't look good on you."
That forced a laugh out of her as they both stood.
"Much better. Let's go find the others shall we?"
Exiting the room, they immediately found Maiko and Misaki talking in the hallways.
"Hey M&M!" Ryozo smirked.
"The hell?" Maiko was disturbed at his nickname for her and the bomb diffuser.
"I dunno. Both of your names start with M, and you like candy. I thought it fit."
"Anyways, where were you both at the time of the killing?"
"I was with Maiko! She was with me while I had one of my... episodes." Misaki looked down, embarrassed at what happened.
"Yea I was with weirdo here. At one point, we went to get food and ran into Aiyanna and Akiko. They stayed with us the whole time until about... 11:40? That's when Akiko went to go get something out of the Astronomy Room and the alarms started."
"Thanks Maiko, Misaki. I'll see you guys later."
"Later Gator!" Misaki yelled.
Walking off, they almost ran directly into a worried Kaori.
"Oh h, hey guys. Um, y, you asking about alibis again?"
"Yeah big guy. Is it true you and Kenta were together the whole time?"
"Yea b, but not always."
What?
"H, he got mad at m, me. And r, ran off."
"When was this?" Kumiko asked gently.
"M, maybe 10? 10:20, at the l, latest."
Hmm...
Remembering Kenta's pill bottle, she checked it real quick. While it was dated to be refilled a few months ago...
The bottle was unopened.
"Thanks Kaori. This has been very helpful."
"N, no problem. And, and no more getting upset, okay?"
"How do you know I was upset?"
"Your face is still, still red. Be happy, okay?"
He's adorable.
"I'll try friend. I'll see you later."
"Okieee!"
Walking off, Ryozo turned to talk to the fire dancer.
"Only two people left. Hiroko and Kei. You ready?"
"No, but let's ask anyways."
Nodding, they went directly to the skating rink. Finding the Pharoah and researcher there, Kumiko yelled.
"Hey guys! Over here!!"
Noticing their friends, the two girls made their way over.
"Hey guys. You collecting Alibis?" Hiroko asked.
"Yeah we are. You mind if I ask for yours?"
"Not at all. Me and Kei were looking for items to help us get out in the school store. We couldn't find anything so we gave up and were heading to the health class when the alarms went off."
"Ahh. Okay. Thank you guys."
"No problem." Kei smiled. "Knowing Shockbolt he should be yelling for everyone right about-"
"Hey bitches!"
"Now." Kei finished with a head shake.
"I'm bored as shit so everyone head down to the trophy room so we can get this shitshow started!"
"And with that, we've been summoned." Ryozo said sarcastically.
"Heh, you guys go ahead, we're gonna look around for a few more minutes and then head down."
Nodding, Kumiko left with Ryozo right behind her.
"Hey you never took your meds. Since you need food with it, will a granola bar work?" Ryozo asked.
"Yeah actually, that'd be great."
Taking the granola bar, she quickly scarfed it down and swallowed the medicine quickly, gagging at the distinct taste of an uncoated pill.
"Alright, let's head there quickly now."
They both sped towards the first floor and found everyone waiting there.
"Hey guys." Kumiko gave a small smile to her friends.
"Jesus took you guys long enough! What, did you fornicate on the way here?!"
"...the way you think frightens me." Kei shook her head.
"Heh. Now that we're all here, let's get this party started!"
Reaching out, he lowered the same lever as before, having the floor open up beneath them. Falling, Kumiko had an unlucky fall, and scraped her elbow on the way down.
Landing harshly, she just lay on her back for a second before rising.
That's gonna smart.
"Alright everyone! It's time for another class trial! Who whacked the two boys? And more importantly, are you all gonna get whacked? Or just the killer? Let's find out!"
It's time.
Time for a shocking betrayal, a shocking kill, a shocking heartbreak, a shocking revelation...
A shocking class trial.