"Attention all students, please report to the gymnasium for a little assembly!"

Akik startled a little by the sudden announcement. He looked around at the other remaining students, who were equally as puzzled as him - what could that wolf want with them now? Hasn't she done enough to them?

Akik had seen Dusk and Addie leave not long before. From what he overheard, they were searching for Octavia. Was this about them? Was someone dead?

He hoped not.

Everyone, knowing the drill by now, headed for the gym. It seemed tense, like everyone was bracing for the worst. Akik stayed near Spade, who he'd somewhat befriended over the past three days of being locked inside of this school. Spade was stoic, as usual, but the trouble in his eyes had never quite gone away since they'd all watched those tragic DVDs yesterday. Akik wondered who he may have lost.

Monokumadi seemed much happier than usual - a lofty statement, considering she always seemed ecstatic and sadistically bloodthirsty. Dusk and Addie were already there - Dusk seemed quite shaken, and Addie simply concerned. Octavia was not with them, confirming his unfortunate suspicions: somewhere in this school, Octavia was dead.

"Well, well, well, looks like someone finally got the party started!" Monokumadi excitedly announced. "The Ultimate Engineer, Octavia Towerfall, is now dead! Isn't that exciting?"

Different levels of shock, horror, and indifference spread across the present students. Akik looked over at Dusk and Addie, who he assumed had found the body. Addie met his eye and solemnly shook her head from side to side, confirming Monokumadi's words.

"What?!" The most audible words were those of Cinder, who was visibly distraught by the news.

Monokumadi nodded, unbothered by Cinder's outburst.

"W-who did it?! Who the hell did it?!" Cinder glared at everyone around her. Her eyes went back to Monokumadi. "It was you, you killed her, didn't you?!"

Monokumadi held her hands with her paws forward. "I don't meddle with student affairs unless they pertain to me. And Octavia's death did not, in fact, involve me. I saw it all on camera, nope, nothing about me there."

"So you just... watched the murderer kill her?!" Cinder was just more pissed now.

"Yup!"

Her despair finally spilling over the edge, Cinder angrily lunged at the wolf, grabbing her by the neck and shoving her against the wall. "YOU SICK SON OF A-"

"WOAH, HEY, CALM DOWN, THAT'S VERY AGAINST THE RULES!" Monokumadi was taken much by surprise with this attack. Akik instinctively moved forward from his place, attempting to wrestle Cinder from where she was attacking.

What was that beeping sound? Akik immediately began to panic as he heard it - a steady beeping sound, becoming more rapid by the second. Almost like a...

Akik's heart skipped a beat as realization took hold, and with all his strength he yanked Cinder away, basically throwing her towards the group.

He wasn't so lucky.

He didn't realize what had happened until he was on the ground, head throbbing and ears ringing loudly. He'd been flung multiple feet across the gym by a large explosion caused by... Monokumadi? What, did she have explosives inside of her?

Someone was saying his name. Akik groaned, shakily getting up with the help of someone beside him - he couldn't really tell who it was, his vision was quite blurry. Was it Spade? He assumed so.

After a moment his hearing cleared up enough for him to make out was was happening. His vision stopped spinning, thought his head still throbbed with a vengeance. He'd have to run by the nurse's office and get some ibuprofen or something.

"Well, now that that's settled..."

Monokumadi? Akik looked up to see the wolf still standing, unharmed by the very explosion that had nearly killed Akik himself.

Spade had, indeed, been the one to help him, and he raised his free hand since the other was helping Akik stay on his feet. "Excuse me, headmaster?"

Monokumadi tilted her head playfully at him. "Finally we got someone with a bit of respect for the headmaster. Yes, what is it?"

"You explained during the welcome ceremony that anyone who kills another has the opportunity to leave the school. So is the killer now allowed to leave?"

Monokumadi stared at him for a moment... before bursting into uncontrollable laughter.

Spade was thoroughly confused, as was everyone else. Akik finally caught sight of Cinder, who was somewhat unscathed. She had gotten up from the ground, where she'd been thrown by Akik, having narrowly caught herself from face planting on the hard ground. She was shaking a little bit, and cast Akik a sideways glance filled with an emotion Akik couldn't quite place as Monokumadi spoke.

"Wow- wow- you think just because someone killed someone means they can leave, just like that?" She tries to calm her laughter down, failing for the most part. "No-ho-hoooo! You don't get to leave - you have to earn your graduation!"

"And how do we do that?" Spade asked.

"By not getting caught!" Monokumadi said. "Let's see how well the killer covered up their tracks, because the only way to leave is to fool your classmates into thinking you're innocent!"

Spade processed that for a moment. "What happens if the killer fails to do so?"

Monokumadi giggled. "Why, they're punished, of course!"

"And if they evade our suspicions... will they leave and we remain in here?"

"Nope!" She wagged her tail. "They do leave... but the rest of you will be punished instead! How fun!"

Everyone exchanged worried glances.

"Now," Monokumadi said. "I'll give you all an hour to investigate the scene and find whatever evidence you can that someone among you is guilty of a crime! Good luck~!!"

Before anyone could ask another question, she was gone.

-

Dusk and Addie walked back into the room. There were there people already there - Gradient, Anatox, and Tonix. None of them spoke to each other, and none of them seemed to be investigating at all.

"You guys looking around for clues?" Addie asked. Dusk said nothing to them, as his eyes were glued to Octavia's corpse.

"Nah," Gradient replied first. "That wolf told us to guard the crime scene so that no one would tamper with it. Or, she told Ana and I to." He gave Anatox a side eye, which she responded with an angry glare. She must not like being given nicknames. "Big guy over there doesn't wanna stay outside of six feet from her."

Tonix looked like he was about to say something, but the tall student just looked to the ground, seeming nervous to stand up for himself. Anatox gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

"You guys take a look around if you want," Anatox said to Addie and Dusk. "Just don't touch anything that could be important."

Addie nodded, walking past the three and leading Dusk to the crime scene. Dusk pulled out his handbook, where he found a display that showed a bit of information about Octavia's death.

Name: Octavia Towerfall, Ultimate Engineer
Injuries (Fatal): Gash on head, evidence of heavy bleeding and broken skull
Injuries (Minor): Some bruising along arms, neck.

As the two observed what had happened, Gradient chuckled at them. "Hey, redhead, you don't look so good. What's wrong, never seen a dead body before?"

Dusk wanted to argue, but he really didn't have a reason to be as sick as he was looking at Octavia's body. He'd seen his fair share of corpses (not according to his own will, but still it was true). Of course, he didn't know any of the bodies. Maybe it was because he'd known Octavia, even if they weren't quite friends.

Instead he tried to deflect the question. "And you have?"

Gradient smirked - Dusk noticed now that he never really quite gave a real smile with his teeth, just a tight-lipped smirk or knowing smile. He took note of that. "What kind of question is that? Of course I've seen a corpse before. I've seen corpses with far more gorey injuries than Miss Britain over there."

"Gradient, shut up," Addie pinned her ears at him. Surprisingly he kept him mouth shut, just giving a little chuckle before going back to staring off into space for no particular reason. Addie sighed. "Come on, Dusk, let's just focus on the murder."

Dusk didn't want to focus on the murder, but he did anyway.

Cinder eventually came into the room. She stared at the body of her dead friend for a moment, seeming like tears were going to come any second, but she shook her head and went to join Addie and Dusk.

"How's Akik doing?" Addie asked her. Cinder had mentioned on the way out of the gym that she was going to check on Akik in the nurse's office, since he'd essentially saved her life and nearly gave his to do so.

"Spade checked him out. He says he probably has a concussion from hitting his head, and his hearing'll be a bit iffy for a while, but he'll live as far as he knows," Cinder sighed.

"...are you okay?"

"Been better." Cinder glanced at Octavia's corpse. "Thought it'd be a good idea to make allies, friends. Yet I finally make one, and she dies almost immediately. Maybe I should stay alone."

Addie put a hand on Cinder's shoulder. "Hey. It'll be alright. We'll figure out what happened here."

Cinder flinched away from her hand, however, grimacing as Addie touched her. Addie flinched back as well, worried she'd hurt her. "Is something wrong?"

"I- no, I just bruised my arm when Akik pushed me away from the explosion." Cinder stared off into space with a sad sigh. "I guess I'm lucky I made it out with nothing more than that."

"Yes, you are." Addie smiled at her. Cinder looked at her, seeming to observe her face carefully.

"...I feel like I've seen you before this. Like, we've known each other before all this." Cinder frowned, a bit frustrated. "I can't put my finger on it, though. Do you feel that way?"

Addie thought a moment before shaking her head no. "Maybe you've just seen someone who looks like me before, I don't know."

Cinder shrugged. "Yeah, I... it's probably nothing."

"Yeah."

They didn't speak anymore, they both parted and searched the crime scene for clues. Dusk, having been sidetracked and staring at the metal-covered, bolted window, realized he wasn't helping at all and proceeded to help search.

After close observation, Dusk noticed a sprayed splatter of blood on a corner of a desk. He glanced at the dark gash in her skull and connected the two - her head was hit on a desk, that's how she died. Some of the desks were also out of sorts, shoved aside like someone ran into them. A fight happened, maybe? Explains the bruises Octavia's murder file had claimed.

A familiar, despised voice eventually came over the intercom. "Tiiiiime's up, students! Head on down to the trial room and let the trial commence~!"

"I really hate that a-hole's voice," Anatox sighed from the doorway before exiting the room, Tonix quickly following and walking next to her. Gradient only left when Addie, Cinder, and Dusk exited. Dusk gave Octavia's body one last sad glance before leaving the room with the others and heading to the class trial room.

-

The trial room was fairly large, with white and black checkered floors and crimson walls, covered in places by brighter red curtains. On one wall was a chair, almost like a throne, set above a circular area with wooden posts obviously meant for the students to stand. One of the spots was occupied by a portrait of Octavia, complete with a red X covering her face.

Dusk stared at it for a good moment. That's a bit morbid, isn't it? Is Monokumadi mocking the fact that she died? His hands trembled a bit as they balled into fists, his eyes meeting Octavia's picture's.

We're gonna find her killer. We have to, we can't die already!

Everyone took their respective spots in the circle, casting uncertain, suspicious glances at everyone else. The murderer could be anyone, after all. Even those some trusted.

Monokumadi was sitting on the throne at the front of the room, legs crossed and her grin looking awfully smug as everyone came in and waited for the trial to start.

"Nice aesthetic, huh?" Monokumadi said. "If you can't tell, red's kind of my color. Like blood, you know? Exciting and eye-popping." She giggled. "Sometimes literally, if your eye explodes."

Dusk felt sick at the thought.

She laughed. "Man, none of you know how to take a little joke. Anyway, let's get this started."

"Are there... any rules you've neglected to mention?" Spade asked. "You seem to have a nasty streak of keeping things from us."

"Oh, nothing particularly!" Monokumadi replied. "You guys will present your evidence, vote, and I'll use the votes to determine who you all think the killer is! Get the killer, you live another day and the wrongdoer will be punished. If the killer eludes you..."

She drags a claw across her furry neck with an excited spark in her eye.

"Lights out for everyone. Except the killer, of course. Kudos to them if they can evade you all." She winked. "Good luck~!"

"You promise that the culprit is one of us and not just you playing a game?" Dusk finally spoke.

"Hon, I watched the whole thing happen, I didn't do anything to stop or provoke it," Monokumadi confirmed. "It's just up to you guys who you throw under the bus!"

"At least it'll be fair," Akik muttered. His thoughts were a bit foggy, and bright lights were a bit of a pain to him, but he was alive, at least.

Everyone was silent for a moment before Spade spoke up. "Alright. Let's start with the evidence. I had stopped by to observe the crime scene briefly, but was mostly occupied helping Akik, so anything helps here."

Dusk, surprisingly, was the first to speak. "T-there was a struggle, I think. Some of the desks were out of organization. She put up a pretty good fight with whoever was attacking her."

Addie nodded in confirmation. "The killer hit her head pretty hard on the corner of a desk, that's why there was so much blood."

"I feel like we should focus on when it happened?" Anatox said.

Tonix nodded, agreeing with her.

"The only time it coulda happened was last night," Fabian said. "I remember most of us were in the cafeteria. Gradient, Octavia, and Tonix were all elsewhere." The pink-haired teen glanced at the two present mentioned. "So I'd say that narrows it down, right?"

Tonix looked mortified. "W-what?! I was in my room, why would I kill anyone?!"

"Yeah, there's no way it could've been Tonix," Anatox said, trying to help him calm down. "I've actually known him a while before this. And believe me, he is not a killer of any kind."

"The possibility isn't entirely off the table, but I'd say you're rather trustworthy enough," Spade said, nodding at Anatox. "Tonix is still a suspect, but a less likely one. That just leaves Gradient."

Everyone looks at Gradient. Gradient glances at everyone.

"Well, it wasn't me, you can get that idea out of your heads," Gradient huffed.

"You are literally the only one who's shown interest in killing us all," Fabian retorted.

"I kill on my own accords, not those of sadistic sentient canines," he said, giving Monokumadi a side eye. "And I was also in my room at the time of the murder. In addition to that as well, the said 'motivation' that had been gifted to us wouldn't have motivated me at all, considering I have no friends or family. At least, ones I care about."

He glared at everyone like it was obvious. "Therefore, everything adds up to... not make me the murderer here."

Dusk sighed. "He has a point."

Everyone looked at him, surprised. He flinched back a little, not liking the attention, but cleared his throat, put on a confident facade, and continued.

"I saw him after we watched those DVDs. If he was at all bothered, he hid it completely. He was obviously not bothered by what he saw."

"I mean, knowing him, that seems fair," Cinder said, glancing accusingly at him. Gradient gave her a smug smirk and a wink, to which she rolled her eyes in bitter annoyance. "But that gets rid of all the suspects, and someone here murdered my friend."

"Cinder, we're gonna figure this out, chillax a little," Akik finally spoke. His voice was quiet due to his head injury, but audible to everyone.

Cinder huffed, but remained silent.

"Well, what happened to everyone last night after we finished playing cards?" Spade asked.

"We were not playing cards. We were fumbling with decorated paper while you beat everyone into the ground," Fabian said. His tone was lightheartedly teasing. How was he joking at a time like this?

"The fact that I beat you is not the point, stay on topic, Fabian," Spade exhaled, though he couldn't hide the slight smile on his face at the comment. "I, for one, was there until everyone left, and Octavia never returned. I'd assumed she'd gone to her dorm or was still around."

"I left to check on Tonix at some point," Anatox said. "And I went to sleep after that. Didn't even leave the dorm hall. I didn't see her unless she came around when I was with Tonix."

"I got tired and went to bed in the middle of the game, I'm sure you guys remember," Cinder said. "I would've checked on her had my thoughts not been elsewhere."

Dusk assumed she was referring to the "motivational" video.

Everyone else's responses were quite similar, mostly coping from the videos and leaving for their dorms after the games.

Spade sighed. "Hm. It seems we have a good liar on our hands as well, because I know she couldn't have just drop dead."

"Are we sure two-face over there isn't lying about not killing her?" Cinder glared at Monokumadi.

Monokumadi looked offended. "Why would I lie to you, I have no reason for that!"

"She may be an unholy sight, even for me, but I don't think she's lying," Gradient pointed out. For once most agreed with him.

Everyone was in silent thought for a moment before Akik spoke up quietly. "Wait... Dusk, you said there was evidence of a fight, correct?"

Dusk nodded.

He thought for a moment. "Considering Octavia seemed to be a very strong person, with her position as an engineer, she would've been a decent fighter. Meaning her attacker wouldn't have left unscathed, whether by her attacks or by, say, hitting an obstacle in the classroom."

"Oh... that makes sense, actually," Dusk nods. "The file said that she had a few bruises on her arms and neck, probably from the fight. She didn't go down without a harsh beating to her attacker."

"Well, currently the only ones with injuries that we know of are Xerc and Akik, both of which got their injuries from other sources," Spade said. Xerc, who'd been incredibly quiet the whole trial, nodded, glancing at his bandaged hand, which bore cuts from punching the screen in the AV room.

"No," Addie said. "Cinder, you said you got some bruises, right?"

Cinder looked perplexed. "Uh, yeah? I got them from falling after the explosion, though."

"How'd you fall?"

"Caught myself with this arm," Cinder said, holding up her right arm - the arm of her dominant hand.

"No, no you didn't." Akik surprised everyone with this comment. He looked at Cinder dead in the eyes. "You fell and caught yourself with your hands when I threw you out of the way. If you had bruises, it would be, respectively, on your hands, and the pain would be more internal bone aches from the sudden pressure applied on your wrists."

Everyone looked at Cinder. The color drained from her face.

"B-but why would I kill Octavia?!" Cinder raised her voice, hands curling into fists. "She was my friend!"

"You might've killed her if you were worried about the video Monokumadi showed you," Dusk muttered, realization hitting him like a freight train. Addie heard him, ears perking.

Now confident, he spoke up louder. "Cinder ran out of the room crying after the DVDs, she was obviously distraught about it. The only way to get out of here to see if they were alright would be to kill someone, and Octavia was someone that trusted her, so she took advantage of that fact and killed her while her guard was down! And now she's using the fact that they were friends as a shield to keep the blame away!"

Monokumadi's ears perked. "Well, this just got interesting, I'd say we have a solid accusation here!"

"W-what?!" Cinder was flustered, face pale as if she'd seen a ghost. "I-It wasn't me, guys, I didn't do it!"

"Cinder, all the evidence adds up," Spade said, staring at her with a dark expression. "You are the most plausible option to choose as the murderer in this instance. I am sorry, but I believe you killed Octavia."

"No, no I didn't!"

"Is this an agreed decision?" Monokumadi asked, pleased.

Everyone glanced at each other, and everyone seemed to agree. Cinder had tears in her eyes, starting to hyperventilate as she realized there was no getting out of this. Time was up. No one believed her story.

"Well, then!" Monokumadi excitedly wagged her tail, and revealed from a curtain beside her was what looked like one of those slot machines at a casino. There were three slots, which appeared to have different students' faces on it. It began to spin, each one rapidly sliding between faces until all three of them simultaneously stopped.

Revealing all three to be Cinder's face.

"Would you look at that? You all get to live another day because Cinder Inktone did kill Octavia Towerfall!" Monokumadi was animated with excitement. "Well, all of you get to live another day except Cinder herself, of course."

Cinder burst into gut-wrenching sobs.

Addie, feeling sorry for her classmate, knelt down next to her and hugged her. Cinder didn't fight her.

"Cinder, I'm sorry," Addie sighed. "The rules are the rules."

"I hate these rules, I just wanna go home..."

"That's why you killed her?"

Cinder sniffed. "I-I didn't want to kill her, but it'd be the most unlikely person for me to kill, I thought I'd be able to leave because I killed her... I just wanted to see if my parents were okay..."

"Awww, how touching," Monokumadi interrupted. "Buuuut it's time for the execution. Please stop with the sob show, it's really ruining the vibe."

Addie looked her in the eye and gave her an apologetic smile. Cinder stared at her as if surprised and confused before suddenly a shackle attached to a chain locked around her neck. Before she could even react the chain dragged her away, Cinder screaming and thrashing and apologizing and crying as she was taken to her death.

"And now, let's watch the ultimate punishment for the Ulitmate Zoologist!"

-

3932 words

The only response I got to my challenge last chapter was correct somehow so... WarTie, here's your cookie :) 🍪

As you may guess, the execution will be the next chapter. It will be in great detail, with a possible drawing at the end, so be warned.