Quick note! Did make a few minor changes last chapter- I was looking at the wrong planning document so whoops. Anyway!
This chapter hurt to write. So uh. Enjoy :D
***
"Ryoma...?" All eyes were on him, and the wound that hadn't even been bandaged on his shoulder.
"Kuhuh so that's it then....? A confession."
"Atua says it's Ryoma as well~"
"Nyeh..."
Monokuma laughed from the top, "Are you all ready to vote now~?"
Your hands gripped the podium before you shouted, "No! I don't.... I don't know. Something feels wrong about this. He could've-" Something felt wrong about the situation, confession or evidence be damned. Maybe this was illogical but you couldn't believe that Ryoma would kill.
"(Y/N)." He turned away a bit, pulling his hat down.
"Wowww... (Y/N) is defending a murderer!" Kokichi chimed in.
You can't conceal the flinch, but you shake your head, "No I just, want to make sure we get this right. We know that Keebo's the one who attacked but... Keebo had the normal strength of a human right? I find it hard to believe that... Ryoma resorted to killing for self-defense instead of running away."
"People do anything when they're desperate." Maki muttered.
You shook your head, with... what you knew about Ryoma in the original games he would've rathered sacrificed himself. He did so to Kirumi after all but...! Could his values really change that much? Did he really kill-
"Well I don't think (Y/N) has a bad idea." Rantaro spoke up, "At the very least it doesn't hurt to continue discussing right?"
"Ehhh... but why...?" Himiko muttered, "He confessed, why would he do that if he's not the culprit."
"With no offense, it's not the first time someone's confessed being the culprit without it actually being them." As Kirumi spoke, Shuichi flinched, "I understand why (Y/N) may be skeptical, I don't... think it would hurt to continue discussing the plausibility of the confession."
"Well! Atua thinks it's useless so I say we vote!"
"Kuhuhu... the situation with Shuichi was far more different than this one is it not? I don't see why Ryoma would do a false confession now."
"Well I suppose it wouldn't hurt to discuss the degnerate's murder a bi-" Tenko started,
"I'm tired."
"We should definitely just vote for the degenerate right now! No need to prolong this any further." You rolled your eyes as Tenko changed her words at Himiko's command.
Miu barked laughter, "Wow she's really got you whipped ey?"
"Look guys it's..." You glanced around the trial room a bit, "A hunch I have. I guess." In particular, you look at Kaito, he was all about hunches right- maybe if you could just appeal to that...
Kaito rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, "A hunch huh, I get that. Alright! I'll believe in your hunch (Y/N)!"
"Huhh? Just like that?" Kokichi shook his head, "You both are idiots. Staking our lives over a hunch?"
Shuichi sighed, "Well... I don't mind talking about this more but we seem pretty split...."
"Split! Did somebody say split?! I didn't get to do this last time...!" You internally groaned, you totally forgot about this, you ignored the various chatter as the podiums rose up. You listened as the others argued about why it could only be Ryoma, only chiming in to say that it's too early to tell. Ryoma never said a word.
As the podiums sank to the floor you rolled your eyes. You really gotta avoid 'split' things later on, they're just a waste of time. Well. Unless Ryoma really is the culprit. Then maybe you're the one wasting everyone's time.
"Kuhuhu.... I know you guys wanted to discuss more but really... what's left to discuss?"
You hesitated, Korekiyo had a good point. What was left to discuss? Ryoma's motives? That's not actual evidence. "Uhm..."
"Why don't we talk about Kaito's lie~!" Kokichi jumped in out of nowhere.
"Huh!?" Kaito shouted, "What do you mean lie!!?"
"Nishishi... you know. The one about you and Maki being the one to trip off the body discovery announcement." Kokichi grinned, "I saw you ya know~ You were the only one to enter the tennis court right~ Sure Maki came in laterrr but only you tripped off the announcement righttt....?"
Wait huh. Isn't that-
Before anyone could even say anything Kaito conceded. "Alright alright! I messed up! I freaked out seeing the body that I thought Maki was with me the whole time- but I didn't see you there."
"That's cause he lied Kaito." Shuichi started, "He was with Miu before remember?" Somewhere in the back Miu makes some crude comment that you tune out again.
"Huh that's.... why you...!" Kaito glares at Kokichi, who's only responding with a sheepish shrug.
"I didn't want Kaito to get away with such an awful lie after all!"
Maki rolled her eyes,"Fine. The brat's right I didn't trip the body announcement. But the culprit isn't me."
"You don't have an alibi though..." Shuichi began, "But I also don't see why Ryoma- if he is protecting the real culprit- would protect you. Were you close?"
"Perhaps the motive videos? If Ryoma saw Maki's perhaps he empathized with her situation and wants her to leave?" Kirumi spoke up. Of course the maid would think up of that.
Rantaro shakes his head a bit, "I don't- I don't think so." He shares a glance with you, and you nod. After all Maki's secret isn't exactly something you'd protect her over.
Kokichi mumbles too quietly for most to hear, "...Unless this is a 'one murder to another' sort of situation..." You frowned at the thought... would Ryoma really protect someone just cause they're also a killer? No that doesn't make sense.
"Soooo... the culprit is Maki then~?" Angie asked. "Atua says it's suspicious that she didn't say anything for so long! And doesn't have an alibi!"
You rolled your eyes at the Atua comment but don't say much as Maki talks. You don't think the assassin did it- this sort of murder isn't really... her thing.
"It's not me. I didn't say anything against it cause I didn't want to be suspicious." Maki frowns, "Though since it's come to this anyway. It's not me. Do with that what you will."
Shuichi frowned, "Then did you happen to hear or see anything? Your lab is close by to Ryoma's."
Maki crossed her arms. "I did hear arguing, I think somewhere down near Ryoma's lab but I didn't bother to check. I didn't even leave my lab until I heard the announcement."
There was a lot of muttering about it probably being Maki but this one was even less likely than Ryoma. You... didn't want this to go on forever. You had to put a stop to this. You had to convince Ryoma to tell the truth.
"More importantly, Kaito being the only one to trip off the guarantees that someone other than the culprit saw the body. Ryoma you... would that be you? Why are you protecting the real culprit." You stare straight at him, hoping for some sign.
Ryoma doesn't say a word.
Kaito bangs his fist on the podium, "Say something damnit! You might be fine with dying but the rest of us want to live! Don't throw away all of our lives just cause you don't want to live."
Ryoma just pulled his hat down further. "Hmph."
Everyone falls silent as if just... thinking about how to approach this. For the second time, the culprit is being protected. A part of you gloats at the fact that you were likely right about it not being Ryoma. But.... who could it be then? Who would Ryoma protect? And why?
Almost everyone had alibis... and you couldn't imagine who Ryoma would be protecting. Who killed? You glance around the room, trying to spot someone who looks guilty only for-
"It's okay Ryoma. You can say it." The culprit finally spoke up, causing you to widen your eyes. "I was worried before but... well killing off everyone just for me just... isn't my thing I guess."
As Rantaro's podium was pushed to the center you fought to stay on your feet. "N-No. This. You're joking right Rantaro? Please..."
A soft sad smile is sent your way as he shakes his head. "Sorry (Y/N), It's. It's me. I'm sorry everyone. I- Sorry for wasting your time. You can vote. It's actually me."
Everyone was stunned, since Rantaro died first originally he never was close with anyone- but this time... no one really hated Rantaro. He had been helpful and insightful, and unbeknownst to you he had built quite a few connections.
"No! You're.... you're lying. Why? Why would you kill? It doesn't..." You dug your fingers into the podium, watching your knuckles turn white.
"Ryoma can confirm can't he?" Rantaro glances at Ryoma. "Go on. You can tell them I'm the culprit. I'll... I'll explain everything after the trial."
"Tch. You could've..." Ryoma pulled his hat down again. "...He's not lying. Rantaro... is the culprit."
"Upupup! Is it Voting time then?" When no one responded, Monokuma just continued. "Thennn! Please use the devices in front of you to vote!"
You shake your head. "No! I'm not... I'm not voting. I don't believe this. I don't."
Monokuma's face became red. "Failure to vote will lead in execution! You better all vote!!"
"Then I'd rather die!" You shout back. "I can't... I can't do this. I can't. It's not supposed to be like this." You felt a sob appearing in your throat as you continued to fight against it. There's a few mutters around you- whether of pity or annoyance you're not sure, but you don't pay any heed to them. You simply just hang your head down.
Footsteps approach you, and you see a black gloved hand reach for your screen and press Rantaro's face. You grab onto Kirumi's wrist, "No..! Kirumi I didn't... want to..."
"I'm sorry (Y/N) but..." The maid doesn't even have an excuse as she just removes herself from your grip and goes back to her own podium. The rest of the process continues normally and silently.
As you all step off the podium, the voting result turning out to be correct and unanimous. You feel a burst of anger flow through you and you glare at Rantaro, tears are still slowly streaming down you face but you're not fully broken.
Yet.
"Why?! You... why did you kill Keebo? How could you. I trusted you! I-"
"(Y/N). Enough." Surprisingly enough it wasn't Rantaro who spoke but Ryoma. "It was... cause of me. Keebo was going to kill me and Rantaro killed him to protect me. Though... at the time we didn't think he'd die..."
Rantaro sighed, "That's... not the full story. Ryoma and I were chatting and... out of nowhere Keebo came and tried to attack me, but Ryoma blocked him. I couldn't... just leave him there to die so I... attacked Keebo with the tennis racket, it was... a lot more force than I should've though. I'm sorry." He's remarkably calm while explaining all of this, even as he apologizes, and you can't help but have your anger ebb away.
"It... It was an accident?"
A couple of words of pity from everyone else followed, though no one really spoke much. Until Monokuma spoke up, "This is getting boring!! Rantaro it's time for your punishment!"
"No!" For not the first time this trial you protested without logic. "Monokuma.. please. It was an accident. He didn't mean to. Keebo wasn't even a real human." You ignore whoever mentioned robophobia and continued, "Please- Keebo could be fixed so he's... he's not even dead!"
"(Y/N)..." In a singular moment, Rantaro rushed towards you and just pulled you into a hug. "I'm sorry. Truly." Shocked by the hug you barely registered a monopad being pushed into your arms and covered from the rest of the trial. You subconsciously wrapped your arms around the object as Rantaro whispered to you. "This... is the last thing I can do to help. I'm sorry."
As Rantaro stepped away you crumbled to your knees, pulling the monopad closer to you and out of sight as sobs started breaking out. Somewhere in the logical side of your mind you wanted to keep this last piece of Rantaro safe. So you hid it from the rest.
Rantaro glanced down at you, almost tearing up himself. But he wouldn't allow himself to cry here. Heh, what sort of man would he be if he did? He glanced around at everyone else, "To the rest of you... take care of (Y/N) yeah? And figure out some way to end this stupid killing game."
Rantaro simply nodded at Monokuma, and soon enough a chain pulled Rantaro off. Right. This would be the first execution of this game. You kept your head pressed to the ground and your knees curled up underneath you. You weren't going to watch it. You weren't.
***
COMMENCING: RANTARO AMAMI'S EXECUTION
Survival of the Fittest!
Rantaro glanced around... where was he? An Island? Wasn't he supposed to be dying...? He glanced around a bit- perhaps there was a way to get out of this. However, the second he thought that... a shot rang out. Barely missing him, as he turned around there was multiple Monokumas, with guns... knives, other sorts of weapons.
All ready to hunt him down.
In an instant he started running in the opposite direction. Monokuma was a terrible shot, but even he could hit once or twice. One bullet entered Rantaro's arm, causing him to stumble. He grasped the arm as he continued running, a fire in front of him started- burning his right foot a bit.
But still he survived. He continued running, becoming increasingly more injuries and tired as he did. Until he found a cave, weary he entered it. Hoping for a break or an escape. As Rantaro walked through the cave with relative peace, he spotted an entrance at the top. And a thorn riddled vine.
It would hurt.... but he was going to take any chance he got in order to survive. Slowly but surely he began to climb the vine, and his hand became more and more bloody. But he was alive. And he could spot the shining stars above him. Just a few more-
At the top the Monokubs had been gathered, while useless to you for a long time, they were arguing at the top. And with one swift motion... Monosuke was pushed down the cave...
Landing directly on top of Rantaro. He fell all the way to the bottom, head bleeding, covered in mechanical scraps from Monosuke.
Rantaro Amami. The Ultimate ??? had been executed.
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Well.
That was fun.
No believe me everyone I'm as distraught as you are I have such an emotional attachment to Rantaro please it hurt to kill him off.
Not really. XD
BUT!! How are we all feeling? Weird execution I know. It hints at Rantaro's Survival Ult Obviously but no one else knows about it yet. That'll be fun.
Oh! And if it wasn't obvious (though it will be soon), (Y/N) has been granted the survivor perk monopad thingy! How we feeling about that? Ofc it's useless to you but hey.
It's a piece of Rantaro left right? Hope that doesn't cause anything bad in the future :)
Anyway. As always everyone, let me know what you think. Also!!! Follow me. I post messages abt RRRC and HIH a lot on my board so. Yep.
Till the next chapter then.