"Although you should all be well acquainted with my rules by now, let me explain-"
"Yeah, you can stop right there." I rolled my eyes, cutting Monokuma off before he could continue his regular trial rule spiel. "This is our fifth damn trial. Our asses are on the line, so we need to find this killer for us to live. If we don't, we die. Simple, isn't it, guys?"
"Right..." Satoshi gulped, rubbing the back of his head with a hesitant sigh. "After weeks of being trapped in this place, we haven't really had a choice but to get used to these rules. It's...unfortunately our lives now."
"Not for much longer, I hope," Kenjiro added, glancing at each one of us. "But...I don't know..."
"Eh? What do you mean?" Shouko spoke up, tilting her head as the psychologist's voice trailed off.
"Don't you remember? During the motive video, Ryoko said there were two ways to escape this game. One was through the motive, yet the other..."
"I guess we'll never know." Satoshi hummed in reply, his expression downcast.
"You never know with Ryoko. But...we will definitely get out of this dump. That I can swear my whole life on." I declared, determination filling my gaze as my hands tightened around my podium.
"Sure, missy." Monokuma began once again. "If you're going to interrupt me, at least start the goddamn trial and entertain me! I'm dying of boredom over here!" He whined.
"Oh, shut it, you wannabe emo teddy bear! I'm not a damn clown. This is a murder case, not the circus!" I exclaimed, my eyebrows furrowing towards him. "So don't make a scene, and let us figure out who the hell killed Ryoko!"
"C-Chiyo?" Satoshi stammered at my sudden outburst.
"...Huh?"
"Oh my! Talk about a bad attitude. Did your mother teach you to use your mouth like that?" Monokuma glared at me, yet his tone was laced with malice and mockery.
"Why you..." my fists were clenched until my knuckles turned paper white, and my eyes were full of anger. "How dare you bring her up-"
"Chiyo!" Satoshi raised his voice, snapping me out of whatever I was in.
"H-Huh?!?" I repeated, blinking for a few moments to stabilise myself as Satoshi widened his eyes.
"Shit...I shouldn't have raised my voice. S-Sorry. I'm sorry-"
"I-It's fine." I calmed him down, dismissing him. "You did the right thing. I was getting pretty overheated."
"Are you alright? Is something going on?" Kenjiro wondered.
"Yeah...You usually don't get this mad." Shouko mumbled.
"Uh, right. I'm fine! I'm fine." I repeated, though, that it was more to calm myself down rather than reassure the others.
Shit, this case is really fucking with me. The fact that Ryoko is the victim is bad enough. I mean, right now, her evil ass is probably laughing and ridiculing me from hell - no, a place even worse than hell.
It's not just that, but Shimura is the top suspect that only I'm aware of. No, again it's more than that.
Shimura is the only possible person behind Ryoko's ultimate demise.
But still! I don't want to believe that! Shimura...
If you were here in this class trial, you'd defend yourself, right? You'd fight for your innocence.
Or would you admit it?
What would you do, Shimura...? And where the hell are you?!?
"I suppose we should get started then...Right?" Satoshi suggested, glancing at each of us. "Who is behind Ryoko's death?"
"I can't believe we're really solving that," Shouko added, rubbing the back of her head. "It's kinda freaky."
"It's more than freaky. It's downright bizarre." I firmly said.
"Well, how about we start with the c-cause of death?" Kenjiro began. "That's...what we typically start with anyway."
"That's a good starting point." I nodded with my hands on my hips. "Once we settle on that, we can start theorising how this damn case happened."
Good thing Ryoko's cause of death is clear. Well, not physically. With just one look at her body, you'd never guess she was poisoned. But the Monokuma File says otherwise.
-
Non-Stop Debate
Truth Bullet: Monokuma File
-
Satoshi: If we are to pinpoint Ryoko's cause of death...
Kenjiro: Well, it may be gory, but unfortunately, q-quite obvious.
Shouko: It's not like you needed to inspect much.
Shouko: With so much blood and wounds like those...
Shouko: Gah! She was tortured to death! That's why she's haunting us-
"No, that's wrong!"
-
Shouko jumped at my exclamation, blinking to see if she heard me right. "Ryoko...wasn't tortured to death?"
"You're wrong- well, er...You're right and wrong." I clarified before explaining. "Yes, Ryoko was definitely tortured to the brink of death. She must have been with those injuries. If she was left like that, she would've succumbed to her wounds in no time."
"So you're saying...she died from something else then?" Kenjiro assumed.
"That's right." Satoshi joined in, supporting and backing up my point. "I know it may not be obvious, but Ryoko's true cause of death, according to the Monokuma File, was poisoning."
"P-Poisoning?!?" Shouko widened her eyes. "You mean...like what she threatened us with?!?"
"Yeah. Karma is a real bitch, huh?" I smirked yet cleared my throat to not let my smugness take over. "But yes. Exactly that. As for the other wounds..."
-
Select Truth Bullet
> Excess Injuries <
"This should prove it!"
-
"All those injuries were given to her...for no real reason." I declared. "It really did seem like meaningless torture."
"Definitely. Her teeth were pulled out! Why that of all things?!? All of that pain...she's destined to be some sort of vengeful spirit!" Shouko clenched her teeth in frustration. "Eh...I should be excited, but the fact that it's Ryoko ruins everything!"
"That's typical," Satoshi mumbled, shaking his head before stuttering. "A-And...let's stop with the ghost talk for now."
"...Alright." The ghost hunter reluctantly agreed, lowering her head.
Satoshi is probably making it seem like he doesn't want to go off-topic. But let's face it.
We all know he's just scared of ghosts. And...most things in general, to be fair.
"So not only was she tortured mercilessly, but she was also poisoned. Holy..." Kenjiro murmured under his breath to push the trial forward, though Monokuma still apparently heard.
"Oh, come on! At least admit you're glad she's gone. I know all of you are!" He butted in, laughing uproariously.
"...No comment." The Psychologist then averted his gaze, seemingly shutting down that question for the time being.
"But it's strange." Satoshi then slumped his shoulders with a sigh. "Ryoko was poisoned, yet the only clues hinting to that were her appearance and her looking...er...really pale. But considering she was dead for a few hours, that makes a-assuming a bit of a stretch."
"Then how was she poisoned?" Kenji asked.
Good thing I know the exact answer to that! Even if I had to do something super gross to find it.
-
Non-Stop Debate
Truth Bullet: Poison Canister
-
Shouko: How and where would someone poison Ryoko?
Shouko: If only I could look up any reasonable answers...Maybe I do miss my phone.
Kenjiro: I...don't think that's possible right now. Akihiro might have been a bad influence on you.
Satoshi: I couldn't check her body for very long, b-but let's just think of logical places.
Satoshi: She could've been injected with it.
Satoshi: Or...maybe she came into contact with it?
Satoshi: Another option is that she consumed or inhaled it-
"I agree with that!"
-
"W-Wait." Satoshi perked up. "I got it?"
"Uh, yeah. Of course, you did. Don't be so shocked that you got something right!" I scolded his self-deprecation.
"Ok, o-ok!"
"You mean Ryoko actually inhaled or consumed poison?" Shouko repeated. "How did that happen? Did someone poison her food or something...?"
"Nope. Ryojo would've been too careful to be poisoned by food or stuff like that. She definitely inhaled it. And I even got the proof." I dug my hand into my bag and pulled out the capsule of poison, holding it up for the other three to see. "I found this at the crime scene. Doesn't it look familiar?"
"Hold on..." Kenjiro leaned forward and adjusted his glasses before realising what I was holding. "Isn't that one of the poison containers R-Ryoko used when she announced her motive?!?"
"Exactly!" I grinned once he got it. "Ironic, isn't it, Satoshi?"
"I know I said it was ironic that Ryoko died by poisoning...but she was killed by the canisters that she was threatening us with?!?" He put two and two together. "This just sounds like a black comedy..,"
"But I thought Ryoko had to make more of those. She wasted the only one she had on Satoshi's plant." Shouko reminded us, pouting over to the forensic scientist.
"I still haven't gotten over that either..." Satoshi sighed.
"I'm sure I can get you another plant once we get out of here," Kenjiro offered. "But Shouko is right. Did Ryoko manage to make more somehow?"
"That's a good question." I put the capsule away and crossed my arms, tapping my feet against the marble floor. "Was it Ryoko that made more to kill us all, or did the culprit make it to murder Ryoko? Either way, she's the one that ended up dead. So we have to figure out what exactly happened last night."
"I see..." Satoshi nodded. "How did you find the canister anyway?" He then asked me.
"H-Huh?!? What do you mean...?" I nervously replied.
"Like...where did you get it from?" He rephrased.
"Uh...that's a story for a different day." I averted my gaze.
"R...Right." He stammered. "I've seen stuff like this before because of my talent. I'll just assume you...took it out of her mouth. That's the most reasonable answer."
No way did he just assume the right thing...And say it so casually?!?
Then again, Satoshi's talent is to analyse evidence in cases like these. I suppose to him, this stuff is completely normal...
Still gross as hell, though!
"We've concluded that Ryoko was poisoned then." Satoshi continued as normal, placing a hand against his temple as he thought. "The blackened must of had some sort of protection, right? Like what Ryoko had in her motive video."
"You're right," I replied with a firm nod. "After you left to take care of your wound, I found..."
-
Select Truth Bullet
> Gas Mask <
"This is it!"
-
"...A gas mask!" I informed everyone.
"I didn't think they'd just have this around the campsite..." Kenjiro rubbed the back of his head before pausing momentarily and looking over at Satoshi. "Wait...Wound? What wound-"
"I-I'm fine!" Satoshi quickly reassured him, giving Kenjiro an apologetic gaze. "I'll explain after the trial...Ok?"
"Alright?" The psychologist replied, clearly confused.
"But Kenjiro is right. You can't just find a gas mask anywhere in this place. Of course, unless that place was the mastermind's room that Monokuma offered to us, which happened to store the very poison used to kill Ryoko." I crossed my arms as I explained.
"Don't start bringing me into this!" Monokuma exclaimed from the sidelines, yet I ignored him with an eye roll.
"Hm...The only person who used the mastermind's room was Ryoko." Shouko assumed. "So that would mean...Ah. The gas mask, in this case, is the same one Ryoko used!"
"Precisely." I nodded. "That does give us some hints as to what happened, doesn't it?"
"Oh, it does." Satoshi realised what I meant immediately and carried on from where I left off. "If it was Ryoko's gas mask from the mastermind's room, then she must've brought it with her before the murder took place. E-Either that or the culprit stole it from the room, but it's more rational to think that they just took it off of her. T-Therefore, Ryoko clearly had the intent...to make more poison to kill us."
"And either she succeeded, or the blackened beat her to it." I sighed. "Although...I suppose another piece of evidence could give us another hint as to which is the right answer."
"Huh...? What do you mean?" Shouko wondered.
"Well, there's only one place on this campsite that has all the chemicals Ryoko would need to replicate that poison. And that place happens to be where this crime - or, well, the bloodshed - began." I began, Satoshi perking up.
"You managed to investigate Shimura's lab; I take it." He realised, his gaze shifting over to me.
"Yep. And it was a massive mess." I sighed. "Just looking at all of that junk freaked me out."
"But...how does Shimura's lab tell us whether Ryoko made the poison or not?" Kenjiro asked, seeming confused.
"Well, a fight between the culprit and Ryoko clearly happened at the lab. I did find bloodstains after all..."
-
Select Truth Bullet
> Trail of Blood <
"I got it!"
-
"B-Blood? In Shimura's lab?" Satoshi repeated.
"Hey...That's...I-" Shouko stammered before clenching her fists. "That wasn't meant to happen!"
"Shouko? What...are you talking about?" the psychologist said, appearing concerned.
"It's just...Akihiro said that he wanted to keep Shimura's lab tidy. N-Not messy and bloody!" She groaned in frustration. "He said it was to make his ghost happy! Crap...Now both Akihiro and Shimura are going to haunt me..."
"W-Wouldn't you...like that?" Satoshi assumed.
"Not when it's friends behind the hauntings..." she sighed but then thought for a moment. "Actually, I guess it would just be Aki-"
I widened my eyes as soon as I realised what she was about to say and jumped up, cutting her off immediately. "Anyway!"
There's no way I'm going to allow her to just accidentally reveal that Shimura has been alive this whole time. True, it has to happen eventually, but not right now. And especially not as some stupid ass slip-up!
"But-" she tried again.
"Nope."
"...I-"
"Zip it!" I exclaimed, sending a cold look her way. That was enough to finally shut her up as she yelped and quickly nodded.
"...Ok." Satoshi chose not the question the interaction he had just witnessed and got us back on topic. "So, the blood in Shimura's lab."
"Right. Someone was obviously injured there. There was enough blood to form a trail of it from the lab to the clock tower. So the lab is definitely the starting point." I explained.
"I still don't understand how Shimura's lab tells us who made the poison-" Kenjiro added.
"I'm getting to that!" I insisted.
Shouko stared at the ground before meeting our eyes. "What caused the blood anyway?"
"Ah! That was my next point." I proceeded. "While it's true that Ryoko had a bunch of injuries, one tells us how she ended up at the clocktower and who made the poison..."
-
Select Truth Bullet
> Head Wound <
"This should prove it!"
-
"She had a head wound!" I revealed. "Ryoko was struck in Shimura's lab and must have fallen unconscious with how deep her wound was. Since she was unconscious, that gave the killer plenty of time to make the poison since the recipe was listed on the capsule and to drag her to the clock tower. Let's face it - if Ryoko was awake, there's no way she would've died. She may have been scum, but she was smart."
"I see." Satoshi nodded. "That makes sense. By making Ryoko vulnerable...the killer was able to inflict that wounds and get away with it all. Er, well...get away with it for the time being."
"But what caused that head wound? I've checked Shimura's lab a few times, and I don't remember seeing any weapons." Shouko pondered.
That answer should be easy to pinpoint. The scuffle the blackened and Ryoko had in Shimura's lab may not have involved any weapons, but it's just as my father says: anything could be used as a weapon.
And...I'm kind of inclined to believe him based on the fact that he's a detective.
But that's beside the point! Let's just solve this part to give us an answer to the greater mystery at hand.
Who killed Ryoko?
-
Non-Stop Debate
Truth Bullet: Broken Bottle
-
Satoshi: What in Shimura's lab could've been used to knock Ryoko out?
Satoshi: Something accessible...
Shouko: The killer probably just used what they saw, right?
Shouko: Like...A bottle or something-
"I agree with that!"
-
"Wha- I was right?!?" Shouko gasped.
"Yeah...? Why are you guys so surprised whenever you're correct?" I wondered but ultimately sighed.
I'm an extrovert among introverts, it would seem.
"But anyway: yes, Shouko, you're right," I replied. "While Ryoko had her back turned, the culprit must've taken one of the bottles from the broken-into cabinet full of chemicals and struck her over the head with it."
"The force and impact of that would've definitely been enough to get her out cold. And I suppose that explains the glass shard that cut me." Satoshi awkwardly chuckled.
"The what that cut you-" Kenjiro perked up, his voice full of alarm while Satoshi cleared his throat loudly in an attempt to interrupt him - coughing in the process.
"A-Ahem! Uh...What a resourceful culprit, right?" He nervously rubbed the back of his head, his eyes darting around the room in hopes of an escape. Instead of getting mad, Kenjiro just sighed and folded his arms.
"It's fine. We'll just talk later." The psychologist hummed, leading to Satoshi exhaling a breath of relief.
It looks like someone doesn't want to worry his boyfriend too much.
Well, it's not like they're official. But let's face it - with the way they act, they practically are. Any person would clearly assume that by the way they act!
"I do have another...uh, question." The ghost hunter spoke up once again, raising her head. "Why was the culprit in Shimura's lab with Ryoko anyway?"
"Huh?" I glanced at her. "What do you mean?"
"Ryoko had a reason to be there. She was trying to make poison! But why was the killer there with her?" She explained. "Don't tell me it's another case of forged notes again...Ah, I thought Ryoko was done with that!" She then groaned.
"Don't remind me about that." I nearly shivered at the thought of what happened last case. "I still can't believe Ryoko would use me and Yuna like that! The twisted bitch..."
"It's a reasonable and valid question, though," Kenjiro responded, tapping his finger against his chin. "Why would the killer be at Shimura's lab...? Since he's been dead for quite some time, I doubt it's a coincidence."
Crap, they're right. That's a good question. Did the culprit really have a reason to be in Shimura's lab?
Considering all the evidence, I can't answer with an exact reason. However, maybe that is the answer!
They didn't choose to go to the lab - they were forced to! I suppose...that would actually be the reason. Whatever!
I just need to get everyone to realise that.
-
Non-Stop Debate
Truth Bullet: Handcuffs
-
Kenjiro: The reason the killer was in Shimura's lab...
Kenjiro: W-What could it be?
Satoshi: Perhaps...they followed her in there? Maybe to try and stop her?
Satoshi: We all did assume she'd try and make more poison after all.
Shouko: Maybe...Gah! It really is another note situation.
Kenjiro: But we'd find one if that were the case. We always do with murders.
Kenjiro: I just don't get it. W-Was it really a coincidence-
"No, that's wrong!"
-
"It can't be." I firmly said, gripping the sides of my podium as I began. "The blackened had a reason to be there. Well, it was out of their control. They were forced to be there anyway."
"They were...forced to be in Shimura's lab?" Satoshi repeated, blinking in confusion.
"How is that even possible? Were they possessed or something?!?" Shouko widened her eyes.
"Wha- No!" I shut her idea down right there. "Remember the handcuffs that were on Ryoko's body?"
"That would be quite hard to f-forget," Kenjiro murmured.
"Those handcuffs must have been used to take the culprit to the lab! I'm sure of it." I explained.
"But the handcuffs were on Ryoko's body," Shouko stated the obvious.
"Well. Uh. Yeah." I bluntly replied. "But I know at some point in this case, those cuffs were on the culprit. Somehow with them, Ryoko managed to force them to go to the lab with her."
But how exactly could the cuffs do that? How could Ryoko practically drag the killer behind her like some dog on a leash...?
Hold on...
"Aha!" I exclaimed, punching the air with a grin. "I got it! Both Ryoko and the culprit were cuffed at least once during the case...But we were definitely cuffed together at some point!"
"Do you mean they both had one hand cuffed at the same time...?" Satoshi thought for a moment. "Ah! W-Wait! That makes sense. Ryoko was the only one out of the two with intentions to go to the pan. She just forced the blackened to follow behind her!"
"Crap! Ryoko was leading her killer on. That's freaky..." Shouko shivered.
"She probably didn't even know that person would be her murderer," Kenjiro added before pausing. "But...Uh..."
"What's up?" I looked over at him.
"I assume Ryoko had the key to remove the cuffs." Kenjiro began. "But I doubt she'd just...unlock them and let the culprit go easily."
"Kenjiro has a point there." The ghost hunter. "So how did the handcuffs get off of the culprit and onto Ryoko?"
Thankfully I know the answer to this question. It explains both how the culprit got out of the gloves and how they similarly put them on Ryoko!
-
Select Truth Bullet
> Lock Pick <
"This is it!"
-
"With a lock pick, of course!" I answered with a grin. "The blackened created a lock pick from a hair clip when Ryoko wasn't looking and slipped out of their cuffs. Then, they knocked her out, cuffed her, and dragged her to the clocktower - using that same lock pick to lock the cuffs back shut!"
Satoshi nodded, tapping his foot against the floor. "I see. T-This is good! We're already getting a timeline of how things happened."
"Yeah, but absolutely no idea for suspects." Shouko rubbed the back of her head dejectedly. "I've got no idea who could've done this! I mean, Satoshi is the only idea I have for now."
"H-Huh?!? Me?" He jumped in surprise, stammering out the words caught in his throat.
"What do you mean? How is...Satoshi suspicious?" Kenjiro wondered.
"Ah...I don't even know! The only two things that point to him are hair clips and the fact that- Uh...erm..." she suddenly cut herself off.
"The fact that what...?" I asked with my arms crossed.
"Uh...Ryoko killed Hidemi." Shouko plainly said, averting her gaze.
It took a second for Satoshi to register what Shouko had just said. But when he did, his shoulder slumped, and he sighed, looking away. "I do look suspicious then...Don't I?"
"Bullshit," I said. "Sorry, Shouko, but if that's your logic, then we're all equally suspicious."
"Sorry! I didn't mean to upset you!" Shouko attempted to reassure Satoshi.
"I-It's fine! It's not like you're wrong." He weakly shrugged.
"We all hated Ryoko - let's admit it. She affected and ruined the lives of people close to each of us and got on all of our nerves. Ryoko practically killed Hidemi, which affected Satoshi and me the most. She knew and let Akibiro die, and that obviously hurt you a lot, Shouko." I gestured to her. "I...get it. Akihiro was also a close friend of mine. I just...never got to tell him."
"It...I-It really did hurt." She lowered her gaze once again.
"Not only that but Ryoko's been associated with the deaths of countless of my other close friends. She witnessed Shunsuke take Akemi away to die, she did nothing and let his death happen. She taunted and mocked Tatsuo before his execution. She brutally murdered Finn just for her sick pleasure. She used me to get to Yuna and manipulate Kokoro into killing her. And to top it all off...Ryoko tried to murder me." I gulped after that long list as my hands formed fists. "Ryoko was no good scum. Pure evil. So what if I admit I'm glad she's gone? I don't have to act like I care or am sad that she's dead. Good riddance."
"I knew you-"
"Shut it!" I exclaimed, cutting Monokuma off before he could get a word in. "If we're picking the culprit based on how much they despised Ryoko, then I'd be the prime suspect." I then glanced at Kenjiro. "And as for you...Uh...Did Ryoko even actually do anything to you?"
Kenjiro simply shrugged. "I can't say I was close with a lot of people here, b-but...Ryoko was a terrible person. She didn't directly affect me much, but by seeing how much she's hurt you all...that's enough to make me greatly dislike her."
"See! We all didn't like her. And we all use hair clips...so it's not fair to go off of that either. We all could've murdered her." I concluded my tangent with a deep sigh. "Yet after all of that...we still have no suspects."
But who was I trying to fool? Of course, there was one suspect. His name has been echoing in my mind for a while now.
Shimura Kurayami.
He could've done it. He knows chemicals and poisons - that explains why Ryoko could've gone to him. Shimura knows the human body extremely well. That tells us that he knew where to attack to hurt but not kill her.
For god's sake, Shimura was reading a damn book by that escape artist girl! He could've learned about lock-picking from that!
It's...too much evidence. The truth has to come to light at some point, and I'm afraid that time is now.
I just want to know why. Why did Shimura do it if he truly is the blackened?
There's no going back from this point.
Shimura...I'm sorry.
"Actually." I escaped my thoughts for a moment and spoke up, everyone settling their gazes upon me. "There is one suspect."
"What? Who?" Satoshi curiously asked, yet noticed how tense I was. "...Chiyo?"
"Uh...Well. It's going to sound bizarre." I gulped.
"If it's a weird idea, don't be scared to tell us," Shouko assured me, giving me a small smile. "I...hunt ghosts for a talent. I've probably heard and seen weirder."
"If a spider can be a witness in this killing game, then whoever you're thinking is the culprit is a possibility. Please tell us." Kenjiro added.
"Shit, uh...ok." I cleared my throat, wiping my sweaty palms.
This is it.
"As of right now, our prime suspect...Is Shimura."
-