Pairing(s): ShimaSen

Danganronpa Au

Prepare for angst (òwó)

—————————————

Soraru glanced at blonde female, all sign of cheerfulness and color was gone from her. Lon was staring blankly at the now empty podium.

Kuro's picture was crossed out, and so was the image of the pink haired male and blonde.

"What happened....?" Sakata asked in disbelief, "s-so many things happened today."

"Yeah like the fact that three people died." Urata said as the red eyed brunette furrowed his brows.

"And that two of them happened at the same time."

"I'm more confused about the fact that Senra died." Eve said, his voice low and barely above a whisper.

"Well, that's why you're in a trial," Mafuneko stated, "to figure out the clues and find the culprit."

"You seem to enjoy this a lot." Urata sarcastically said as the robotic cat laughed.

"Puhuhu~ it's fun to watch you losers try to keep this 'friendship' bullshit going."

"Shut up, before I personally go over there and break you." Urata threatened.

The redhead was surprised at how much venom was in the short brunette's voice, though it was understandable.

"Puhuhu~" Mafuneko then let his claws out as his red eye glowed, "do that and we'll see what happens tanuki."

"So we should start with what we know as usual," Mafu said as the raven-haired looked at the files.

"Kuro died from poison at 12 p.m. We found her body in her room."

"And Nqrse happened to die at the same time, his cause of death was strangulation." Amatsuki added as the green eyed brunette spoke after him.

"Senra was killed a few hours after, specifically during the investigation."

He noticed the purple-haired tensed up. Shima must be having a hard time dealing with this, he was the first one to find Senra's body.

"There was a blackout during the investigation, and once the lights went back on Shima rushed to us, saying that Senra was dead," Lon emotionlessly said.

"I feel bad for Nqrse..." Sakata said, "he said that he'd live on for Luz, but seems like fate decided something else."

"Since Kuro and Nqrse died at the same time, does this mean that there are two murderers?" Mafu asked as he glanced at the others.

"Wouldn't there be three?" Amatsuki questioned, "since Senra was also killed."

"There's a possibility that Senra's killer could've been one of the other two." Urata said as the raven-haired pondered.

"But there could also be only one killer."

"Eh? Doesn't that seem rather impossible Soraru?" Eve asked the male, who shrugged.

"Kuro died from poison, the killer could've poisoned her and while the poison was slowly killing her they went to go after Nqrse," Soraru paused for a second before continuing, "maybe Senra happened to see the killer, causing them to kill him during the investigation."

"B-But why would they kill them? W-We agreed to stop this." Mafu stated.

"You never know what a person is thinking, this game changes people." Lon said as she looked at the albino with dull eyes.

"Lon's different now." Eve quietly said under his breath, the redhead next to him just nodded his head in agreement.

"So which one are we looking for?" Shima finally spoke after being silent for so long.

"So the mole decided to speak," Mafuneko earned a glare full of hatred from the purple-haired, "well it would be the neko's killer since she was the first to die."

"But Nqrse died at the same time too." Eve stated as the robotic cat chuckled.

"But you guys found her body first~"

"Also~ if things happen like in the previous trial, then I'll punish the culprit that killed that pink freak." Mafuneko stated as he grinned.

"So Kuro died from poison, was there anything suspicious near her body?" Eve asked as the albino shook his head.

"I looked around her room, only finding the empty poison bottle and a plate of food, half eaten."

"So she was most definitely poisoned from her food," Sakata said as he pressed his finger under his chin, "so we just need to know when her food was poisoned."

"Alibis?" Amatsuki asked the raven-haired, who nodded his head.

"Let's see if anyone's alibi can help up pinpoint a specific time anyone could've poisoned her food."

"Then I'll start, I was in the dining hall seeing if I could find something to eat. I actually saw Kuro at that time, she was holding a plate of food." Amatsuki said as the blonde female looked at him.

"Doesn't that just make you suspicious?"

"E-Eh? W-Wait, she was already by the door when I spotted her. She told me she was going to her room!"

"You could be lying about why you were at the dining hall."

"L-Lon, y-you really suspect me? Kuro was my friend."

Amatsuki felt hurt that the blonde female was accusing him.

"......"

Lon just looked away, a pained expression on her face.

"M-Maybe we should finish with our alibis first before we start p-pointing fingers." Mafu said as the blonde female just slowly nodded her head.

"I was with Sakata in the library, he wanted to check something and asked me to come with him." Eve said as the redhead sheepishly rubbed his neck.

"Ehe, I just wanted to see if we could open the door that Eve and Sou found in the beginning. But we couldn't."

"I was with Senra in the lobby, Nqrse later joined us and we just talked with each other. He then left to go to him room, a few minutes later we heard the body discovery announcement play." Urata said as he crossed his arms, "just as we were about to go to Kuro's room we happened to find Nqrse's door open and we saw his body."

"What about Mafu and Soraru?" Amatsuki asked as he looked at the albino and raven-haired.

"I was with Mafu for a bit before going to check up on Eve and Sakata." The raven-haired said as the albino nodded his head.

"I was in the storage room with Soraru, he then left so I decided to go back to my room."

"I was in my room," Shima quietly said, "just playing games until I heard the body discovery announcement."

"You would be able to poison Kuro's food since you were the closest, and maybe Nqrse saw you do so, making you kill him." Amatsuki said before waving his hands, "I-I'm just suggesting the possibility, I-I'm not saying that you specifically did it."

"That's what it sounds like your saying." Lon commented as the red eyed brunette shook his head.

"Actually do we really need our alibis?" Urata asked as he looked at them.

"Eh? What do you mean?" Eve asked the short brunette.

"Her food could've been poisoned since a while ago and we might've not even noticed at all."

"That's true, yesterday she didn't eat anything, maybe the culprit was trying to kill her yesterday with poison and it was only until today that their plan worked." Amatsuki said but the raven-haired was doubtful.

"But wouldn't her food have been thrown out by now if it was from yesterday?"

"Listen, I may be cruel to you guys, but I wouldn't want to waste food," Mafuneko said, "so I simply put the food back in the fridge in case one of you want to eat it later. See, I can be nice."

"You're far from nice." Shima commented.

"S-So it really could've happened at any time...." Mafu said as he frowned.

"We're stumped now."

They all became silent, not knowing where to go for this trial. They just had no idea on when someone could've poisoned Kuro's food to kill her.

"What is she poisoned it herself?"

The others all turned to look at the raven-haired in shock.

"W-What....?" Lon barely managed to say as she stared at the male with wide eyes, "b-but why would she do that?!?"

"Like you said, this game changes people. Kuro's usually energetic just like you, but maybe after all these deaths she just couldn't take it anymore and decided to...."

"N-No way....." Lon covered her mouth with her hand as tears began to form in her eyes.

"T-That does seem possible...." Mafu stuttered as the redhead spoke.

"T-The poison bottle was found in her room, I was wondering why the killer didn't bother taking it with them."

"That could also explain why her time of death was the same as Nqse's." Eve stated as he nervously held his arm.

"S-So we all agree with this.....?"

Amatsuki could barely muster the strength to speak. He couldn't believe that one of his friends had been broken to the point to end their own life to leave the game.

Soraru looked at the blonde female that was staring at the ground.

"Hey Lon, don't beat yourself over this. Kuro would want you to continue smiling for her."

".....y-you're right," Lon wiped the tears in the corner of her eyes, "I-I'll do my best to help you guys!"

The others were happy that the blonde female was starting to cheer up.

"So the first body was a suicide," Mafuneko made a fake sad expression before grinning, "welp onto the pink freak's death. There's no point to mourn over the neko's death."

"You piece of sh—" Urata's voice was cut off by the robotic cat's laugh.

"Puhuhu~ funny how you guys get mad at me but not at your friends that have killed others."

"Because they were just desperate to escape or save someone." Soraru stated as Mafuneko laughed again.

"Still~ murder is murder no matter how you look at it."

"So then we'll talk about Nqrse's death?" Eve questioned as he looked at the others.

"Him and Senra have had the same killer?" Amatsuki asked as he thought about it, "Senra's death was the same as Nqrse's, strangulation."

"Seems that way," Shima replied, "we know the both of them died by strangulation, but with what exactly?"

"We can cancel out the killer using their hands. Nqrse and Senra would've fought back, plus there weren't any hand marks on their necks." Lon said, her cheerfulness beginning to come back.

"We might be able to solve this." A slight bit of hope began to shine in the red eye brunette's eyes.

"As long as we work together we can do this." Sakata as he grinned.

Mafu sadly smiled at the two males that were trying to bring everyone else's hopes up. I hope this is the last trial that we have to go through. That we end this game once and for all.

*****

"We know that Nqrse was strangled by the rope from the storage room, though why was Senra killed too?" Sakata questioned the others again about the blonde's death.

"Maybe Senra happened to see the killer try to put away the rope and that caused them to panic and kill him too." Eve suggested as he pondered at the idea.

"Makes sense, the killer wouldn't want him to say anything," Shima quietly said as he stared at the empty podium next to him, "he just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time."

"But where's the rope then? We didn't find it at all during the investigation." Soraru said, his eyes shifting to the albino.

He had noticed that the male tensed up after his statement. He wasn't the only one to notice, Shima and Amatsuki also saw the male's reaction.

"Mafu?" Amatsuki called out to the male, "your reaction....do you know something that we don't?"

The albino stayed silent at the red eyed brunette's question. T-This shouldn't be happening.... Mafu glanced at the purple-haired with a pained expression.

"S-Shima......" he finally managed to say after a few moments of silence, confusing the others.

"Eh? What do you mean Shima?" Sakata asked the albino, who looked down at his feet.

"I-I found the rope......"

"Really?"

Mafu just solemnly nodded his head, not wanting to meet the purple-haired's eyes.

"Where?" Urata questioned the albino, who grimaced.

"........"

"Mafu, where did you find it?" Eve asked the male, who felt tears begin to appear in his eyes.

I-I'm sorry Shima, Senra, Nqrse...... The albino was shaking as he spoke. He closed his eyes, wanting all of this to be a dream. I-It shouldn't have been this way....

"I-I found it....." he kept stuttering and tripping over his words, not wanting the words to leave his mouth, "I-I found the rope...i-in.....S-Shima's room...."

The entire room was silent after the words finally left the albino's mouth. The purple-haired could only stare at the albino, who was looking down in shame.

"W-What—?"

"There's no way it was him!!" Sakata exclaimed as he slammed his hands on his podium, "S-Shima wouldn't kill Senra!!"

"M-Maybe someone's trying to frame him." Lon suggested as the albino looked at her.

"Y-Yeah you might be right." Mafu said as he looked at them, "I-I also can't believe that Shima would kill Senra and Nqrse. I believe in him."

"Are you sure about that?" Mafuneko asked as he grinned.

"Of course we're sure." Amatsuki stated, earning a laugh from the black-and-white mascot.

"Puhuhu~ you all said the same thing in the other trials, yet look at how they turned out."

"Shima has no reason to kill them." Urata said as he glared at the robotic cat.

"This game can change people, that's what you've been saying all this time." Mafuneko mocked them as he laughed, "puhuhu~ oh how tragic that the mole would kill his own precious boy toy."

Shima just glared at the mascot, his eyes showed full malice. Mafu began to panic on the inside, n-no I don't believe that it's Shima.

"T-The killer's just trying to frame him!" The albino exclaimed, the robotic cat just laughed at his desperate shouts.

"I know you guys don't want to blame your 'friends' but I'm starting to think that you guys suspect him. I mean after all, you all have solid alibis except for him."

"Mafu was also alone at one point!" Shima barked as he glared at the robotic cat, "h-he could've killed them! He was even in the storage room so he could've gotten the rope there!"

"Y-Yeah, he's right!" Mafu exclaimed, causing the others to raise their eyebrows.

"You're letting him shift the blame on you?" Urata asked in disbelief.

"And you're agreeing with him?" Amatsuki stated as the albino began to panic.

"I-I killed Senra and Nqrse!" Mafu desperately shouted, shocking the others.

"W-What—"

"Puhuhu~ how desperate can you be?" Mafuneko questioned as he looked at the albino, "you're so desperate to save your friends that you'd go as far as to take the blame for him."

Mafu uncharacteristically glared at the black-and-white mascot, causing him to laugh for a few seconds before his red eye glowed.

"You know what the rules say, voting for the wrong killer will lead to everyone's death. And I'm sure you wouldn't want that," Mafuneko then cheerfully smiled, "welp, it's voting time~"

"E-Eh? B-But we haven't even figured out—" Eve was cut off by the mascot's voice.

"I'm sure you guys can all see the truth by now, there's no other possible choice."

The screens on their podiums lit up as they displayed the same screen they have seem three times before. They all stared at the screen with shock as the screen image processed in their mind.

They couldn't believe that half of them were already gone. Half of the images on the screen were greyed out. They all looked at each other, uncertain about what to do.

"Y-You guys can't be serious..." Shima weakly said as he stared at them in shock.

"I'm sorry Shima...." Lon said as she closed her eyes and pressed an image.

"I-I'm not the killer!" Shima swiftly turned his head to look at the redhead and green eyed brunette, "y-y-you guys don't seriously believe that I killed him...."

"........"

"Y-You guys are my friends....I-I wouldn't hurt someone I care about..."

Sakata and Urata shifted their eyes away. They just stared at the ground, unable to look in the purple-haired's direction.

"Y-You guys seriously think it was me.....?"

"S-Shima, we—"

"I WOULDN'T KILL SENRA!! YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I LOVED HIM!!"

The two males winced at the purple-haired's shouts. They didn't want to blame their close friend, their partner, their group member, about the death of their close friend.

"I-I...."

"Hurry up before I just execute all of you." Mafuneko said in a bored tone.

"I'd rather die than vote for Shima." Soraru bluntly said as the albino nodded his head.

"T-This is wrong." Mafu stuttered as the mascot grinned.

"Then you two can just die with him, I have no problem with that."

"I-I didn't kill them....I didn't kill....."

Shima's shoulders were shaking as he clenched onto his podium. His head hung low as his bangs covered his face. He kept repeating his words, wishing that they'd believe him.

"Puhuhuh~ what happened to all that fight you had in you. Is the guilt finally getting to you?" The mascot mocked as he laughed, "do you feel guilty that you killed your favorite boy toy~?"

The others couldn't look at the purple-haired, shame was painted all over their faces. The screens then went away as the big screen displayed the votes. A few of the votes were for Shima while some voted for themselves.

"Puhuhuh~ looks like the majority of you suckers were correct. The one that killed Nqrse and Senra was none other than Shima!"

The purple-haired snapped his head up and stared at the black-and-white cat in disbelief. His eyes were wide in shock. Y-You can't be serious...I.....

The albino began to shake as he stared at the results with wide eyes. N-No.....t-that can't be right!

"Now it's for everyone's favorite moment. It's Punishment Time~!"

"I-I.....I-I'm not going to let myself get killed..." Shima muttered to himself, "....I-I won't give you the satisfaction you want...."

The purple-haired then immediately sprinted away from his podium. Not wanting to let himself get killed, not wanting to die at the arms of this treacherous robotic cat. He desperately ran, hoping to escape this horrendous killing game.

"Puhuhuh~ run all you want, you can't escape your punishment." Mafuneko amusingly said as he watched the male run.

"S-Shima!" Sakata shouted with all his might, "r-run!"

"Oi! Don't give up! Just run!" Urata barked as the others began to shout at the purple-haired to run.

"S-Shima! Please just run and escape!" Lon screamed as the red eyed brunette shouted.

"R-Run for your life! E-Escape for Senra! Survive for him!"

"Puhuhuhu~ it's all pointless."

The others just watched the purple-haired try to run away. They began to feel hopeful once they saw that the male was almost about to escape. They were glad that the black-and-white mascot was starting to get irritated and pissed off.

But it seemed like it was just as Mafuneko said. Shima ended up meeting his demise during his escape.

Mafu just fell to his knees once he saw the purple-haired fall to him death.

"S-Shima.....I-I....n-no..."

Lon just closed her eyes, tears escaping from the corners of her eyes. "N-No....."

"Tch. What a stubborn pest, making me work just to get to him." Mafuneko angrily mumbled, the raven-haired glared at him.

"Are you upset that he actually decided to put up a fight?" Soraru mocked the robotic cat, who became even more agitated.

"Pretty bold of you to piss me off even more." The mascot threatened as his red eye glowed.

"You do that to us on a daily basis." Urata retorted as the robotic cat grumbled even more.

"So now UraSaka are the only ones left from that pathetic group. How lovely that you two managed to stay alive for this long." Mafuneko mockingly said as the short brunette glared at him.

"Oi! You bast—"

"Let this be a lesson that I don't tolerate stubborness." Mafuneko bitterly said as he left the area, leaving the rest on their own.

"A-At least Shima managed to show that he wasn't going to give up easily." Amatsuki stated as the mushroom haired nervously held his arm.

"W-Were we right to vote for him?"

"If he wasn't the killer then Mafuneko would've executed all of us since we got it wrong," Lon nervously said, "I mean he's made it obvious that he doesn't care if we all died."

"Just seven of us are left....." Soraru couldn't believe it.

"Well, I guess we should all go back to our rooms now, it's pretty late." Urata's voice was void of emotion as he spoke.

They all began to walk towards the elevator. Soraru felt the albino suddenly hug him.

"E-Eh? Mafu?"

"S-Shima....h-he didn't deserve to...." The albino kept stuttering, not believing what he witnessed.

"I don't think so either. I don't think Shima would kill them."

"Yeah...."

Mafu then tightened his hug, causing the raven-haired to raise his eyebrow.

"Why are you—"

"W-We'll end this killing game right?"

"Eh? Yeah." Soraru said as the albino let out a small, weak laugh.

"I-I'll do my best to protect us all," Mafu looked at the raven-haired with a smile, "I'll do what I can to help us end this game, no matter what."

The raven-haired just tilted his head a bit at the albino's statement before replying. Soraru then simply returned the hug, holding onto the albino as if it'd be his last time.

"Yeah, we'll end it."

—————————————
A/n

I hope I haven't crushed your hearts ( -w-)

Hope you guys liked the chapter~