As he did before, Monokuma introduced the trial to the surviving students the same way he did previously.
"Let's begin with a basic explanation of the class trial! So, your votes will determine the results! If you can figure out "whodunnit" then only they will receive punishment. But if you pick the wrong one...I'll punish everyone BESIDES the blackened, and the one who deceived everyone else will graduate!"
"Where do we even start with this one?" Taka asked, his eyes instinctively directed towards the vandalized portrait of Toko between Hifumi and the portrait of Leon "I can't imagine why anyone would have it out for Toko in particular..."
"I mean, yeah, I can't say any of us really LIKE liked her, but I don't think any of us really wanted her dead, right?" Hina asked.
"There is always the possibility Toko was the unlucky one, when faced with a killers unbridled animosity stemmed from the motive," Byakuya pointed out "let us proceed with that in mind, shall we?"
"If we're going to start, then can I offer the first topic?" Makoto asked "the Monokuma File doesn't say what the murder weapon is, so..."
"Yes, we should discuss that first." Kyoko affirmed.
First, we have to make clear what was used to deliver the fatal blow... Chihiro thought.
[Non-Stop Debate]
🔫Genocide Jack Case File
🔫Large Dumbbell
🔫Very Sharp Scissors
Sakura: Toko's fatal injury...
Sakura: It appears it was a cut to the throat.
Kiyotaka: According to the Monokuma File, the killer used a "sharp weapon" but...
Kiyotaka: What kind of ⌖sharp weapon could it have been? ⌖
Yasuhiro: I'll bet ⌖it was one of the knives in the kitchen! ⌖
Yasuhiro: Like the one Sayaka used to kill Leon with!
Makoto: ...
Kiyotaka: That certainly would make for an effective weapon.
Aoi: Toko...
No, the weapon used to kill Toko was at the scene of the crime. It must have been!
Sakura: Toko's fatal injury...
Sakura: It appears it was a cut to the throat.
Kiyotaka: According to the Monokuma File, the killer used a "sharp weapon" but...
Kiyotaka: What kind of ⌖sharp weapon could it have been? ⌖
Yasuhiro: I'll bet ⌖it was one of the knives in the kitchen! ⌖
"NO! THAT'S WRONG!"
"Wait a second guys...Wasn't the weapon used to kill Toko found at the scene of the crime?" Chihiro asked "I'm talking about the pair of scissors that we found at the bottom of the pool."
"Agreed," Makoto pondered "there might not have been any blood on it, but it may have washed off in the pool. And there wasn't anything else at the scene that could have left a wound that deep, right?"
"Not only that, but after examining the body, I can confirm that the shape of the scissors matches with the shape of Toko's fatal wound on her neck." Kyoko added.
"O-Oh...yeah..." Hiro scratched his head in embarrassment "of course that's it. Man, what the hell was I thinking?"
"W-Wait...You examined her neck...!?" Hina cringed.
"EEEK! GROSS!" Hifumi squirmed.
"I'll take the floor from here and change the subject to that of the suspects," Byakuya took charge after Kyoko refused to respond to Hina and Hifumi's reactions "of course, saying that, the identity of the killer is obvious, is it not?"
"What? You for real!?" Hiro exclaimed "I don't know...I didn't really get a good look at the scene after all."
"Now you're just proving how much of an incompetent sycophant you are..." Byakuya snarled "anyway...The most suspicious person here...
Is Junko Enoshima..." he declared.
Of course, as soon as he did, the Fashionista herself immediately went into defensive mode.
"Hey!" she snapped "what do you mean I'M the most suspicious!?"
"Are you an imbecile?" Celeste asked "you should know full well why he is pointing the metaphorical finger at you..."
"Byakuya...could you please explain?" Chihiro asked "what makes Junko so suspicious?"
"Are you dumb too?" Celeste frowned at her.
"You're not going to get us anywhere by insulting people Celeste!" Taka boomed. Celeste ignored him.
"Well, here's my theory," Byakuya responded to Chihiro's question "from the very start, this murder was set up by Enoshima..."
"It was SO not!" Junko yelled.
"Quiet...!" Byakuya snapped back "this doesn't involve you."
"I'm feeling PRETTY FUCKING INVOLVED!" she shrieked. Byakuya ignored her and turned back to Chihiro.
"First of all, tell me something," he said "who here conflicted with Toko the most, out of everyone here who did?"
The one who conflicted and argued with Toko the most...That would definitely be...
1 - Junko Enoshima🔫
2 - Aoi Asahina
3 - Toko Fukawa
"W-Well...out of everyone, I'd say Junko..." Chihiro replied honestly, "but that doesn't mean-!"
"Question 2," Byakuya completely cut her off "who was it that we found out earlier ignored the night-time rule last night, and snuck off without Taka noticing?"
"Hey!" Makoto exclaimed "I-I don't think this is fair!"
"Shut up." Byakuya frowned "your opinion is irrelevant."
The one who snuck out...other than myself of course...
1 - Monokuma
2 - Junko Enoshima🔫
3 - Byakuya Togami
"That was...also Junko..." Chihiro affirmed.
"Next," Byakuya smirked, glad Chihiro was being honest "who was it that was found near the scene of the crime when the body discovery announcement played?"
"How long is this going to take?" Mondo growled "you're taking a while to get to the point!"
"I don't care." Byakuya snarled at him too "Chihiro. Answer me...!"
The person who was found near the scene of the crime...according to what Hina said earlier, that was...
1 - Kiyotaka Ishimaru
2 - Junko Enoshima🔫
3 - Mondo Owada
"It was...Junko..." Chihiro looked down and averted her eyes sadly.
"Good work," he complimented her, which was rare "now I have one more bonus question...Who's footprints were made in the blood at the crime scene?"
It was...
1 - Junko Enoshima🔫
2 - Junko Enoshima🔫
3 - Junko Enoshima🔫
"Jun...ko..." Chihiro forced out her response.
"Are you fucking serious!?" Junko leered "you're seriously suspecting me!? Because of this asshole's hunch!?"
"If you won't give in that easily, that is fine," Byakuya smirked "I'll show everyone here just how you killed Toko..."
[Non-Stop Debate]
🔫Monokuma File 2
🔫Monokuma's Motive
🔫Bloody Footprints at the side of the pool.
Byakuya: Junko had both the means and opportunity to kill Toko Fukawa.
Byakuya: While we were all sleeping the previous night...
Byakuya: She ⌖snuck past Taka upstairs to the second floor. ⌖
Celeste: She then ⌖lured Toko to the second floor...⌖
Celeste: And into the pool area, via the changing rooms...
Celeste: And fought her there...
Aoi: And when she killed Toko...
Aoi: She threw her body into the water...
Aoi: But when she fought the killer, she accidently stepped in ⌖Toko's blood...⌖
Aoi: And left a trail of footprints.
No...There's no way this sequence of events should even be possible...There's something here that just doesn't add up...
Byakuya: Junko had both the means and opportunity to kill Toko Fukawa.
Byakuya: While we were all sleeping the previous night...
Byakuya: She ⌖snuck past Taka upstairs to the second floor. ⌖
Celeste: She then ⌖lured Toko to the second floor...⌖
Celeste: and into the pool area, via the changing rooms...
Celeste: And fought her there...
Aoi: And when she killed Toko...
Aoi: She threw her body into the water...
Aoi: But when she fought the killer, she accidently stepped in ⌖Toko's blood...⌖
"NO! THAT'S WRONG!"
"Hold on, Hina. That's not possible," Chihiro said "there's a flaw in your logic. Right Kyoko?"
"That is correct," Kyoko affirmed "the results of our experiment prove it."
"Experiment?" Hina echoed "what did you guys do?"
"Without shedding too many details, we found a way to perform a blood analysis test," Kyoko revealed to everyone "and we uncovered that the blood on the side of the pool was Type B."
Phew...she told them without bringing up Alter Ego... Chihiro thought, thanks Kyoko...
"Why does the blood type matter?" Hina asked.
"Simple," Chihiro answered "according to her profile in the E-Handbook, Toko's Blood Type is O. So...it's not her blood."
"Then...who's blood could it be?" Sakura asked.
"Could it be Enoshima's?" Byakuya suggested.
"No, it ain't mine!" Junko snapped "my Blood Type is A, goddammit!"
"So, if it's not the killer, or the victims, whose is it?" Hiro asked.
"It IS the killers blood! I'm just not the killer!" Junko snapped at him.
"So...she's...innocent then?" Mondo asked.
"No." Byakuya coldly and bluntly replied "we aren't finished with her yet."
"What now!?" Junko asked in a fit of panic.
"You still have a few more things you must answer for..." Byakuya frowned.
"Isn't this a bit too much?" Chihiro asked "I don't think she's the killer!"
"It's over when I say it's over...!" Byakuya leered at her "Junko Enoshima isn't out of the woods just yet...!"
[Non-Stop Debate]
🔫Chihiro and Mondo's Account
🔫Handbooks in the hallway
🔫Taka's Account
Byakuya: It wasn't Toko's blood that she stepped in...
Byakuya: but that doesn't matter.
Byakuya: It doesn't change the fact that ⌖she lured Toko out and killed her. ⌖
Junko: But I didn't!
Junko: ⌖I only went to the school store to grab something! ⌖
Junko: How would I have even lured Toko to the second floor?
Byakuya: Simple...
Byakuya: You wrote her a note saying that you wanted to meet up with her.
Junko: And you think Toko would agree to meet with me of all people because...?
Byakuya: It would have been easy for you to ⌖find the scissors in a place like the school storage room...⌖
Byakuya: Trick her into meeting up with you...
Byakuya: And killing her in cold blood...
Again, something here doesn't add up...I need to point out what it is...
Byakuya: It wasn't Toko's blood that she stepped in...
Byakuya: but that doesn't matter.
Byakuya: It doesn't change the fact that ⌖she lured Toko out and killed her. ⌖
Junko: But I didn't!
Junko: ⌖I only went to the school store to grab something! ⌖
Junko: How would I have even lured Toko to the second floor?
Byakuya: Simple...
Byakuya: You wrote her a note saying that you wanted to meet up with her.
Junko: And you think Toko would agree to meet with me of all people because...?
Byakuya: It would have been easy for you to ⌖find the scissors in a place like the school storage room...⌖
"NO! THAT'S WRONG!"
"No, I don't think that could have happened either..." Chihiro chimed in again.
"Why not?" Celeste sneered.
"All you have to do is ask Taka," Chihiro explained "he checks the storage area at least once a night. He can confirm if anything went missing."
"Yes sirs and ma'ams!" Taka saluted proudly "I can confirm the only things missing from the storage area were a track jacket and duffel bag! Both of which, Chihiro admitted to taking that very same night!"
"And can we prove that Chihiro really did take those and not any scissors?" Byakuya asked "is there proof of that?"
There is proof that I only took the exercise equipment, in fact, I have a witness.
[Select a Truth Bullet]
🔫Monokuma File 2
🔫Kyoko's Account
🔫Chihiro and Mondo's Account
🔫Mondo's Actions
🔫Bloody footprints along the side of the pool
🔫E-Handbooks
🔫Handbooks in the hallway
🔫Monokuma's Motive
🔫Genocide Jack Case File
🔫Celeste's Account
🔫Taka's Account
🔫Very sharp scissors
🔫Large Dumbbell
"Actually, there is proof. I have a witness," Chihiro testified "isn't that right Celeste?"
"That...is indeed the truth..." Celeste seemed to sigh in disappointment for whatever reason "I ran into Chihiro the previous night and watched her take them."
"Whatever did you need the exercise equipment for, Chihiro?" Makoto asked.
"A-About that..." she admitted "I went to exercise last night and went up to the changing area. Mondo was with me, so we can account for each other..."
"Damn straight..." The biker affirmed.
"Anyway, Junko couldn't have taken scissors from the storage room even if she wanted to," Taka continued "there was nothing in the storage room that could be used as a weapon, or in the very least, nothing that could be used to kill someone. Even if Junko did go to the storage room, she would have left empty handed."
"Which means...she's innocent, right?" Chihiro asked.
"I...am?" Junko smiled.
"Not exactly..." of all people Hifumi was the one to next chime in "my apologies Ms Enoshima, but just because the scissors didn't come from the storage room, doesn't mean you couldn't have taken them..."
"Oh for the love of..." Junko growled "where would I have gotten them if not the storage room!?"
"But..." Hifumi was sweating, clearly not wanting to have this conversation, "did you not say you went to the school store?"
"She could have taken the scissors from the school store?" Hiro repeated "are there even scissors IN the school store?"
"Um...well, yeah, there are..." Junko admitted "b-but they're all toys and none of them are sharp enough to actually kill someone! They're presents only!"
"I can attest to that," Kyoko said "the scissors that we found at the bottom of the pool were noticeably much sharper than the scissors in the school store. I don't think anyone took them from there."
"So, they didn't get them from the store and they didn't get it from the storage?" Makoto summarized "but where did they come from if that's the case!?"
"I don't think we have enough information to say for certain where the killer found the scissors," Kyoko said "I suggest that we move onto a different topic for the time being."
"Agreed," Byakuya said "maybe we should ask Enoshima how exactly her footprints wound up at the pool area. Assuming she's innocent of course..."
"But I am innocent!" Junko seemed more threatened and sadder now that angry "why won't he believe me!?"
"Because he's an asshole!" Mondo growled "screw him!"
"I may be an...A-Hole," Byakuya said "but at least I'm not an idiot."
"Junko, just tell us what happened and why you went to the school store that night" Makoto pushed her for an answer.
"There's not really an awful lot to tell..." Junko admitted "the point is I went to the school store that night, and even if I didn't, I at least didn't go to the second floor! I have no idea how and why my footprints are there at the pool side, or who's blood is there."
"Junko very clearly couldn't have gotten the murder weapon if she went to the school store," Sakura explained to everyone "and according to Taka, nothing was taken from the storage area in the dorms, which never even had scissors to begin with. Is her testimony enough to clear her of suspicion?"
"It could just be a complete and total lie..." Byakuya jeered "it's not like it would be hard to lie coldly to our faces, particularly when she has no eyewitnesses to back her up. And I'm sure if she just told Toko to meet up with her and talk, she'd come running."
"I'm sorry, but given Junko and that Toko's history with each other..." Hina chimed in "that seems a little bit farfetched..."
"Well, in the end, it doesn't matter what she used to lure out Toko," Byakuya frowned "what matters is whether she did it or not."
"We can't just discount things like that," Kyoko replied "it would be a bad idea for us to just throw away evidence because it "doesn't matter". We're putting this murder together like pieces of a puzzle..."
"But wait...If Junko ain't the killer, why did the bloody footprints match her feet?" Mondo asked "did someone steal her shoes and then on-purposefully step in the blood? That seems overcomplicated as shit, right?"
"It would be from very difficult to impossible too," Hifumi added "the only place in which Ms Enoshima's heels may have been taken are her own room, and Monokuma made it quite clear that all the dorm room locks are unpickable and unbreakable..."
"But what if there was another place the killer may have gone to get some high heeled boots?" Chihiro theorized.
"Is there really such a place?" Byakuya sneered.
Yes...there definitely is a place. It's quite close by actually...
1 - Sayaka's Dorm Room
2 - Laundry Room🔫
3 - Storage Area
"I know that traditionally you don't go to a laundry room to wash shoes, but do you think it's possible the killer could have gotten some high heeled boots there?" Chihiro asked.
"I dunno about that..." Hiro replied honestly "the laundry room is where I go to do my channelling and yeah, there are high heeled boots in there, but none that are exactly like Junko's..."
"I didn't say at any point that they were exactly like Junko's," Chihiro explained "in fact, there's proof that they might not have been the same."
"Oh, that's right!" Makoto realized "we were wondering about it for a while, but the prints in blood were slightly larger than Junko's shoe size!"
"So, does this prove whether Junko can be the culprit or not?" Hina asked "we've been talking about this for a while now..."
"Well, there's certainly an easy way we can narrow down our suspect list," Taka chimed in suddenly "there's a piece of evidence that we've failed to take into account."
"What's that bro?" Mondo asked.
"It is, in fact, you bro!" Taka smiled.
"Huh? M-Me?"
"Why Mondo?" Sakura enquired.
"Simple!" Taka raised his voice to make himself heard "the previous night, when we all returned to our rooms, Mondo spoke to me about going up to the second floor to lift weights and cool off before the following day."
"Oh, yeah, and Chihiro was with me!" Mondo exclaimed "we were working out upstairs!"
"Now, does anyone understand what it is exactly that I am getting at?" Taka asked.
What Taka means...He seems to be implying that we know something...
1 - The Killers Gender🔫
2 - The Killers Weight
3 - The Killers Blood Type
"Correct me if I'm wrong," Chihiro asked "but are you trying to say we can narrow down the suspect list based on gender?"
"Naturally!" Taka smiled "after all, regardless of whether the killer went into the pool area and murdered Toko there, or if they murdered her OUTSIDE the pool area and moved her in, there's one thing that we can say for certain, and that's that they had to get into the pool area via the changing rooms!"
"Ah! I get it!" Makoto exclaimed "if Mondo really was up at the changing rooms, the killer would have had to get past him...But only if they were male."
"If anyone male passed by Mondo in the changing rooms, I doubt he would keep quiet, especially since his life is at risk," Junko considered "not a bad idea Taka!"
"That still means you could be a potential culprit, you know?" Hina reminded her.
"I-I-I know that!" Junko snapped "you don't have to-"
"Wait a second...!" Celeste suddenly gasped, grabbing everyone's attention "that would mean..."
"What is it Celeste?" Hiro asked. However, the Gambling Goth's response shocked everyone...
"That's it. I've identified who the killer is..."
"What!? You have!?" Taka exclaimed.
"Who is it!? Who's the culprit!?" Hina began to sweat.
"Calm yourselves...!" Celeste put them at ease "it becomes clear when you remember the requirements to be the killer. The killer would have had to be female, and went to the second floor late in the night, correct?"
"One would assume so, in order to gain access to the pool area without getting Mondo's attention..." Kyoko considered.
"By that logic," Celeste said, "there is only one possible murderer, is there not?"
"Is there now?" Kyoko asked subjectively.
Chihiro could feel herself sweating.
The only female who reportedly went to the second floor during the night Toko was killed...that makes sense...but then the killer must be...!
[SELECT A SUSPECT]
"HERE'S MY ANSWER!"
"W-Wait...!?" Chihiro gulped "you aren't saying-!?"
"The only person who could have committed this murder..." Celeste trailed off before accusatorily pointing her finger at her target.
"is you! Chihiro Fujisaki: The Ultimate Programmer!"