Tozen

"Could your bones be weak? Maybe I could make you something with figs. They have loads of calcium," I offer.

"Pretty sure my bones are fine. Even Wakumi can't shatter my toes just by stomping on them once, especially not without cletes or anything like that," he smirks.

"Then your pain tolerance is pitiful," I snark playfully.

"WOW. That's rude," he announces dramatically, and with his current expression, it's hard to figure out whether or not he's kidding.

"Sorry," I apologize quietly, just in case. I don't think he can really hear me, but he doesn't say anything either way. Eventually, we arrive, and he opens the door to the training grounds. We both yelp. There are a hoard of weird Monoinu that look ever-so-slightly off standing against every single wall.

"These must be those prototypes. Wakumi's called them 'Protoinu' in the past. Their eyes are goddamn soulless, man," Yuu shivers, cradling himself.

"You've got that right. Not that the model we've already seen is much better. At least those ones are more huggable."

"Wakumi mentioned that they have a mode with armor. Maybe if we activate it, they'll be less creepy. Protoinu, put on your ar--"

"WAIT, that could be dangerous!" I attempt to interject, grabbing his arm.

"mor... Shit!' he finishes, yanking his arm out of my grip forcefully. Fortunately enough, they suit up, but stay in the same stoic position, not making any effort to rush at us. "Goddamn, this place is gonna give me five billion heart attacks all at once!" he pants. "I think I've already had like eight!"

"Let's just get to investigating. They look cute and/or funny now, so we don't have to feel like something haunting is staring at us." We get to work, heading to the area with the bows first and foremost. We're just testing around for idiosyncrasies. Neither of us know how to tell if a bow has been used recently, or even if that's something you can test, so we waste a lot of time testing out each individual one for tiny differences until we come across a bow with a very OBVIOUS difference. "Welp, that'll do it. A snapped bowstring is clearly an indication of unwholesome business. The Monoinu probably would've fixed or restocked it if it had been a while since it broke."

TRUTH BULLET: BROKEN BOWSTRING

"Well, if we found the bow, we should look through some of those arrow pouches," Yuu recommends. We check them, carefully detailing the amount of arrows in each one-- the small ones seem to have six, the medium have fifteen, and the large ones have twenty-four. "Oh! This one has twenty-two! It's missing two!"

"Huh. I'm surprised the killer decided to take a big arrow bag. You'd think a smaller one would be lighter and quieter," I point out.

"You're right. Seems like an odd choice, huh?"

TRUTH BULLET: ARROW BAG

It's then that we start to hear yelling. The wall between here and the playground is exceptionally thin."Oh, God, the girls are fighting. I understand why Zu wanted to redraw," I sigh.

"Sh-Should we check on them?"

"Let's just chill in front of the door real quick. We'll intervene if it starts to sound like it's getting physical. I have a feeling that if we were to jump in too early, it would just make things worse."

"If you s-say so."

We chill outside the door of the playground, hearing loud bickering. I can't help but chuckle a bit when Azumi says something extremely snarky, but it quickly escalates to yelling about who deserves to be more bitter, and Wakumi doing something to Bisque's present. D-Did she really? Is that what Zu overheard? Afterwards, it starts to die down, but Yuu is trying to blink back tears right next to me, and I feel like somebody just sucker-punched me in the chest, so we get out of there ASAP. "I... can't believe that," I mumble, dumbfounded.

"I just wanna pretend I didn't hear it and move on. If that has to rest on my shoulders during the trial, I'll be as good as worthless when it comes to deductions. So I'm just gonna compartmentalize that and deal with it later," he sniffles, closing off his body language.

"Okay. I'll talk through it with Zu some other time to clear my head, but for now, we don't have to think about it." I'd hug him if I wasn't already positive that he'd reject it. "Oh! Before I forget. Earlier this morning, I was going to clean up all the countertops. I would say that would be sometime around nine... I'm like ninety percent sure that the pack of wet wipes was pretty much full when I started. But I got distracted by Gou begging me to try the race car. You see, Wakumi'd been popping the tires for over a week and he just got access to the car back a couple of days ago. He wouldn't stop pestering until I gave it a try, so I did. By the time I got back, though, the pack only had like two or three wipes left."

TRUTH BULLET: TOZEN'S ACCOUNT

"Let's give this whole place one last look-around. It's almost been an hour, so we'll be meeting up with everyone soon."

I agree with his idea, so we check every area we consider suspicious, including with the other types of weapons. Nothing seems out of sorts. The swords are all in their proper place, the staffs look pretty much completely untouched, the gauntlets look fine.

So we eventually decide to leave. But the instant before we do, something catches Yuu's eye. "Waitwaitwait, come back here real quick! Look. See that dark spot in the far right corner?" We rush over there. There's a streak of something black on the mat. "Do you think it's important, or no?"

"It's definitely worth remembering, at least."

TRUTH BULLET: BLACK STREAK

With the clock indicating twelve-fifteen, we go next door to the playground to face the crime scene, Protoinu saluting us.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ren

My memories of the first day we got here are starting to get fuzzy. But I remember meeting Kana. She had mumbled something about being ansty without Monterio, and I vowed to her that I'd deliver her safely to him.

Now, roughly three months later, they're together in death. If the Monokuma file is right, they spent less than an hour apart. It's almost kind of romantic, in a depressing way. It feels like to be in this place means the destruction of everything pure. Everything good we find here ends in tragedy. Innocence is stolen, dreams are lost to the abyss of mortality. Only the love that exists between everyone lingers beyond death. And it seems like our captors are always trying to twist it into something monstrous. As painful as these musings are, they'll probably make for good lyrics later. Because I WILL write everyone's song. "Are you ready, Chimon? It's you and me investigating, just like the first time."

"Right. I'm ready," he sighs.

Monterio's room is, unsurprisingly, minimalist. There's not much decoration going on. The sheets are plain white with a black knitted blanket. The closet is divided by type of clothes: one half has mostly plain t-shirts (and a couple of band t-shirts, to my joy) and jeans, and the other half has suits and formal wear. Shoes are lined up tidily on the floor. He does have a few medals hanging from his wall, and there's a corkboard with a few pictures, but the walls are bare otherwise. There's a bonsai tree on his nightstand, and I wish I could say it was perfectly trimmed. Chimon gives a small laugh of fondness. "He never was very good at hand-eye coordination." His expression melts into one of pure sadness. "It's only been around half an hour since I found him, and I miss him so much already." I hug him.

"What the hell is this picture? I feel like I'm desperately missing context." On the desk is a drawing of a rhino in the clothes of some medieval peasant girl yelling about overthrowing a king and stealing the power back. "WAIT. Is this from that weird retro game I've heard about?! I would never have expected Monterio of all people to be a fan!" I exclaim, baffled.

"Oh my God, it's the handmaiden! That's amazing!" Chimon can't help but crack up, a couple stray tears making their way out. "The four of us found a tripped-up ROM hack in the game room. It might've been the most chaotic piece of fiction I've ever experienced in my entire life. That's why we screamed when the lights went out." He folds it and tucks it into his hoodie pocket with a smile.

"You're bringing it to the trial?" I ask, confused.

"Mostly just for support, and to show Fujiko. I feel like this is Monterio trying to encourage us."

TRUTH BULLET: MONTERIO'S DRAWING

We continue to search the desk until we find, in the drawer, an envelope with Monterio's name on it, though it's clearly not his handwriting. Chimon gasps and reads it immediately. "This is the letter from his loved ones! I guess people were on a time limit to write these, because Monterio's brother wrote this alone."

"What does it say? Unless it's too personal."

"Monterio,

It's me, Minato. Mom and Dad are at work, and that terrible bear said we only have twenty minutes to get these done, so I have to do this on my own. I want you to know that we're all okay. He's not hurting any of us or keeping any of us prisoner, so don't panic.

And by okay, I mean okay, okay? I know that you and Kana are probably extremely worried about me, but I swear that it's alright. I'm not letting anybody pick on me. I'm figuring out how to cook my own meals and how to stay at home alone when the parental units are working. If I need homework help, I get tutoring. I'm not falling apart, and I need you to know that.

Remember what Mom and Dad tell us every day. Make good and selfless choices. You're always wonderful and amazing all the time so I know I don't have to remind you. But even so, hopefully those words make you think of us. We all love you loads, big bro! I'm gonna find a new mineral and name it after you! That way, nobody will ever forget you and what you mean to me!

Li'l bro"

TRUTH BULLET: MONTERIO'S FAMILY LETTER

By the end, he's crying heavily again, and I let him sob into my chest. "Wow. I know you're obviously not okay, but will you be eventually?" I ask, running my hand through his hair.

"I feel like all of my feelings toward this whole situation hit me right at the exact same moment, and now it won't stop," he hiccups. "And I know we have to be strong, but I'm tired of being strong!"

"Hey, hey, look at me, okay?" He swipes away some tears and gives me direct eye contact. "Weakness can be strength. Weakness is how we get help, and how we grow as people. I think that very fact is exactly how I'm even alive. Trust me, I'm not a strong person. I'm needy, and lonely, and scared. I'm always, always scared. But it's cause of those facts that I have motivation to do anything. You don't need to be strong right now. You just need to be willing to put one foot in front of the other."

He hugs me tighter, and I hear a muffled, "I am."

"There you go. We don't expect anything more from you. Let's keep looking through the room. Maybe we'll get some ideas for a keepsake."

He detaches from me slowly and nods. As we find things of sentimental value, Chimon tells stories he heard from Monterio. Eventually, we find a ring which Chimon immediately identifies as his pair. He pockets that, too. "It's probably time to go meet up with the others." He drifts a bit aimlessly out of the room, and I follow, trying to walk with conviction. Seeing this, his steps start to have more purpose in them, too. Good. I'm doing something right by the dancers.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chimon

I can't make myself look at the bodies this time. One of the advantages of my... former situation... was that not feeling much for people made looking at corpses a bit easier. It was still grotesque and awful, but at least it was just a dead body as opposed to my most important friends viciously murdered. So while Tozen and Yuu look at Monterio, Fujiko and Gou look at Kana, and Wakumi and Azumi hover over to make sure nothing suspicious is happening with either, Ren and I scope out the rest of the room. I never thought there'd be a day where Fujiko's more prepared to examine a corpse than I am, but hey, today has been awfully surprising, to say the least.

I discover some droplets of clear liquid, probably water, still resting on top of the foam leading up to the slide (and on the slide), but I desperately try to avoid looking at Monterio. Blood is on the slide, too, but not on the floor.

TRUTH BULLET: DROPLETS

Ren calls me over to the play equipment, particularly the beginning of the guard rail. There are two bloody fingerprints. I check the other side for a thumb print— there is one.

TRUTH BULLET: FINGERPRINTS

I hear reports that both victims have some clues regarding their hands. One of Monterio's has blood on the back and the inside, but not the palm. The other hand, which has one bandaged finger, only has it on the back. Kana's left hand has blood on the palm and fingers, and two of her fingers are bandaged from the motive.

TRUTH BULLET: MONTERIO'S HAND

TRUTH BULLET: KANA'S HAND

One of Kana's heels is apparently broken; the heel itself is only barely attached.

TRUTH BULLET: BROKEN HEEL

And lastly, Fujiko, who found it odd that Kana's hair was down when she normally has it in buns, discovered a strange black smear on the back of her neck. The hair ties are also nowhere to be found.

TRUTH BULLET: KANA'S NECK

All of this happens pretty much in a blur of energy and motion, and it's a good thing, too, because shortly thereafter...

"Allllllrighty guys! Your investigation time is up! It's time to get started on the brilliant and heart-racing class trial! Please report to Meeting Room A as soon as possible! And by that, I mean immediately! We'll use force if necessary! See you soon, my friends!"

I internally vow to find whoever's controlling that demonic bear. People begin to filter out of the room. Azumi, Wakumi, Tozen, and Yuu leave almost as soon as they're told. Gou and Ren linger a bit longer, looking forlorn. And then it's just Fujiko and me, gazing at something precious that was ruined. "It hasn't been long since I told you that I was emotionally depraved. This killing game made a liar of me," I declare. Sitting on the swing, I was so scared of what could happen if I told anyone. But this is scarier.

Fujiko takes my hand. "I choose to be bold."

I squish her hand. "I... I choose to be weak."

She raises an eyebrow, but not in a judgmental way. More like she's trying to figure out exactly what I mean. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah. Soon enough, the Monoinu are gonna come push us to the meeting room anyway." Though I say this, I wait for one last moment. Because it's the last time I'll see them. And probably the last time I'll let myself into this room. Then I turn my eyes away, and we descend down the stairs, hand-in-hand. It feels hazy, like we're wrapped in clouds. I find myself clutching at my key necklace. I'll be weak... but not in the same way. My weakness will be my salvation, not my undoing.

We open the meeting room door and step in. At this point, we have to let go of each other's hands to sit down. But her expression is one of stubbornness, like she's telling me it's not the end. Monterio and Kana don't have anything special about their X's— I guess Monokuma couldn't find anything inventive enough to do with their talents. And I'm glad for it. He can't make a sick joke out of their losses like he did for way too many people. Bisque's X looks like carving tools, but I feel like he'd be proud of it, if he was here, rather than angry.

Prepared for the worst, I take my hat off and grip it tight. Monokuma taunts me by waiting a long-ass time with his paw hovering over the button. aaaaaAAAAAHH! "Bitch, just hurry the fuck up!" I snap. My leg would be bouncing in anxiety, but my feet don't reach the floor.

He keeps holding it there for a while. "Huh," Tozen mentions. "Do you think he's bro—?" Before he even has a chance to finish the sentence, the button is pressed and our wrists are getting bound up. "YOU ASSHOLE!" he screeches as we plunge, though I can barely hear him over my own screams. This is the fourth time and it's still just as fucking terrifying!!! I shut my eyes as tight as they'll go and scrunch myself up until we come to a sudden stop and the lights click on.

"Now then, let's begin with a simple explanation of the class trial! During the class trial, you will present your arguments for who the killer is, and vote for 'whodunnit.' If you vote correctly, then only the Blackened will receive punishment. But if you pick the wrong person... I'll punish everyone BESIDES the Blackened, and that person will earn the right to rejoin the rest of society!"

The dancers were the truest expression of meaningful friendship I've ever seen in my life. Kana, bold, stubborn, a natural-born leader whose fire burnt so bright it could blind people, and Monterio, gentle, stoic, protective, a wonderful person who listened and really paid attention. If there's anyone who ever made me believe in soulmates, it's those two. They never even got to see the way they completely changed my entire life. They don't know how much I owe them, and Monterio doesn't know how much I love him. A love that, for four years, I was incapable of feeling. I'm free now. And I'm gonna win for their sake, so that I can carry them with me forever.