"But how?" Mai looked confused. "Did they shove it down his throat?"

"It didn't look like there was a struggle." Aimi pointed out.

Toki nodded. "I know. There wasn't. Poison is usually ingested, but it could also have been injected. It was yellow so it could've been venom as well. I think it was a surprise attack, and the killer injected the poison." She paused for a moment. "I don't have any proof, but it seems the most likely."

"B-but how does that h-help us find the k-killer?" Nise asked nervously.

"If the killer was there at the time of death, that would narrow down some suspects." Toki stated.

"Not really, it happened at night..." Willow pointed out. "And Uyeda found the poisons, it's probably him..."

"Am I always gonna be suspected?" Tomi laughed a bit. "I didn't do it, Itami was too fun to mess with, why would I kill him?"

"You probably shouldn't be laughing at this..." I said quietly.

"Why not? I can already guess who did it." Tomi replied with a grin. "I wasn't alone when I found the poisons."

"Who was with you?" Eiichi asked- or was it Itsuki? I think it was Itsuki.

Tomi was quiet for a moment, eyes glimmering with amusement. Does he really think this is fun? "Nise and Mai."

"But they're both so nice...! I especially know Mai would never do anything like that!" Katashi exclaimed.

"That's right. Mai's innocent. Don't even question her." Willow said harshly.

"But Mimoto-chan would never do anything like that either..." I spoke up, looking over at my black haired friend.

"Y-yeah... I-I couldn't!" Nise stuttered, looking a little shocked. "I-I was there w-with Uyeda and A-Akiyama, but I-I don't know anything about poisons!"

Toki let out a small sigh. "It wasn't either of them. I don't trust Mimoto, but she didn't do anything this time."

"How do you know that?" Aimi asked, narrowing her eyes a bit. "Do you know who did it?"

"Never mind that." Toki brushed her off, "Did any of you three tell anyone else about the poisons?"

"I just told Kira during the investigation." Tomi shrugged.

"I d-didn't say anything..." Nise muttered.

Mai spoke next, looking a little nervous. "I told Willow..."

"Is there any other evidence?" Kazuki asked quickly, "Witnesses, alibis, anything? Mai, were you and Willow together last night?"

"That wouldn't matter, right?" Tomi asked, a smirk on his face. "An accomplice could get out too in this game. Don't wanna forget that like last time, Kazuki. What if your girlfriend has to pay next~?"

Kazuki glared daggers at Tomi, grinding his teeth. But before he could say anything, Toki spoke up.

"Tomi, you can be an asshole later. Now is not the time."

"Who was guarding the weapon room at the time of the murder?" Aimi asked, "There should've been someone, right?"

"I was." Willow hesitantly stated, "But the killer could've gotten the poison before. No one came into the room."

"But the library is right across the hall, wouldn't you have seen the killer go in?" Aimi questioned further.

Willow was quiet for a moment. "I was... in the weapon room... I didn't see."

Satchiko sniffed, wiping her eyes. "I-I just wanna find who did this a-and be done with it! W-we have four suspects now, d-don't we?"

Katashi nodded. "Yeah, Mimoto, Uyeda... Willow, and Mai." He let out a small sigh. "I'm not liking some of these possibilities..."

It got quiet, and I looked around at each person. The survivors all looked a little worried, the others concerned as well, and Tomi just seemed to be enjoying it for some reason. Itsuki had a different expression, however. He looked like he wanted to say something.

"Do you know something, Itsuki-kun?" I asked, and he slowly nodded.

"I know who the killer is... I had to do everything I could to make sure the right person is punished this time..." Itsuki spoke, looking up at me. "I couldn't lose you too, Akira-chan. But I don't think anyone will like what I have to say..."

Chou started laughing to herself, and because of that I knew this wasn't going to be good. "What did you find...?" I asked.

"Chou let me investigate everyone's rooms, and..." Itsuki took in a deep breath. "There was syringe under White's bed."

"A syringe?" Aimi asked thoughtfully, "That would make a lot of sense if the poison was injected, and it'd be impossible to see the wound from that..."

"You're wrong!" Mai exclaimed frantically. "I-I don't know how, but you're wrong! Willow would never do that!"

Toki didn't look at the former soccer player as she spoke. "Mai, I know this will be hard to accept, but out of all of us, Willow would be the one most likely to kill. I knew this from the start. I knew that she would do anything to protect you." She looked up at the accused. "Isn't that right, Willow?"

Willow was quiet for a moment, before hesitantly, she nodded. "Yes... Mai's in constant danger here. I couldn't stand it anymore, and when Nakahara succeeded, I thought..." she shook her head. "I should've known it wouldn't work, and now I've been cornered..."

"W-wait...!" Mai's eyes widened and grew watery. "No, you didn't do it, tell me you didn't do it! Prove you're innocent! You didn't kill him!"

Willow gave her girlfriend a sad smile. "I'm not gonna lie anymore, Mai. I did this to protect you, but you're not at fault at all. It was all me." Her eyes started watering as well, and I had lost all hope that this could be wrong.

"I'm so glad I can use the perfect execution I planned! It was a bitch to set up!" Chou exclaimed with a grin.

"No!" Mai yelled at her, "Don't you dare touch Willow! C-can't we vote for someone else? Only one person will have to die if we do, let's let Willow go!"

"I'm sorry, Mai, but I won't let someone innocent be executed." Toki spoke solemnly, showing rare emotion. "I don't want this either, but it's how it has to be."

"W-Willow, please..." Mai's tears were now falling, her expression of pure distress. "Don't leave me! I-I love you!"

"I'm sorry Mai... I love you too, so much." Willow wiped her own tears, never taking her eyes off of Mai. "Just... stay alive for me, okay? You can survive this without me."

"No, I can't!" Mai cried out, "I need you!"

Chou was laughing again as she stood up. "This despair is amazing, but enough with the bittersweet shit! Let's get this execution going!" She walked over to Willow, grabbing her arm.

"Don't touch her, you bitch!" Mai exclaimed, getting off her podium and running towards Chou. Before she could get close, Kazuki grabbed her around the waist, pulling her back. "Stop it! Stop! Lemme go! I need to save Willow! She can't die, she can't!"

"You'll be executed too if you attack Chou!" Kazuki stated, holding back the desperate girl.

"I-I don't care, I don't care! I need Willow!" Mai yelled in anguish, more tears flowing down.

"It's okay, Mai... just stay alive, please." Willow replied, and Chou began dragging her away. "Goodbye..."

~*~

Willow was standing in a plain grey room with no exits. There was nothing inside. She looked around, confused, and let out a small screech as the floor opened up under her. She fell down farther and farther, until she landed on top of a pit of a pit of snakes. Clearly venomous snakes.

The reptiles immediately became defensive and latched out at her, one by one yet all at once. Willow was in clear agony at first, but soon, her body went still, eyes still glazed over with her last second's pain.

10 left.