(3rd Person POV)

Sora was currently looking at the ceiling. She searched everywhere she thought was important. The bodies in the repository, the equipment room, the nurse's office...

The girl was now staring into space while whistling "The Ultimate Show", from Super Paper Mario. While she was doing all that, she was thinking about the entire case. More importantly, a certain someone...

Celeste. She made a vow that if anything happened, such as a murder, and Sora felt like she was a part of it, she wouldn't believe a single word that ran out of her lips.

She vowed that mostly out of distrust and cynicism, but after she heard what she said, now its justified.

Sora has no doubt in her mind that Celeste has something to do with this murder. Hell, she's 95% positive that she's the culprit! ...But now there's the matter of actually proving it...

"Shirayuki!" Sora was knocked out of her absent-minded state as she turned and saw Hina running towards her. "Big news! BIG NEWS!"

"Hm?" Sora tilted her head.

"We found Kirigiri!" Hina told her.

"Where is she?" Sora asked.

"Wait, I wasn't done. There's more big news!" Hina exclaimed. "Robo Justice showed up, too!" Seeing Sora raise an eyebrow, she continued. "It's Hiro wearing the costume! Anyway! As soon as you can, head to the pool, on the 2nd floor!"

Hina then dashed away, presumably to the second floor.

"Huh. To think Kiri and Hiro would show up at the same time..." Sora mused.

Coincidences aside, Sora walked off to the pool.

---

The blonde's feet stopped cold as she got to the pool, where the other students were at. There she found...

"..."

"Kiri..." Sora looked at her, then turned her head to the other elephant in the room. "And...is that...?"

"Phew! Man, I have have had the WORST day!" The person in the Robo Justice suit exclaimed. Everyone quickly recognized the voice.

"...Hiro...?" Makoto looked at the costume in confusion.

"I found Hiro. He was jammed into the pool room locker." Kyoko spoke up. "It looked like he was fast asleep, so I kicked him and woke him up."

"I still can't believe you kicked me! You coulda been a little more gentle about it." Hiro complained. "Like, I dunno, caress my face or somethin'!"

"...That's creepy." Kyoko deadpanned.

"Anyway... Kirigiri, where have you been all this time?" Makoto asked, looking at her. "You just disappeared all of a sudden, without a trace..."

Kyoko sighed. "There was something I had to check up on."

"What do you mean...?" Makoto inquired.

"Never mind." Kyoko tried to brush his concern off.

"I can't just never mind...!" Makoto responded.

"Never. Mind." Kyoko folded her arms and sternly glared at the boy, shutting him up. "More importantly..."

She says that, but...does she have any idea? Does she know people think she might be spying for the mastermind?

"First of all...Hiro, you need to explain to us why you're dressed like that." Kyoko requested.

"Oh, uh, well...I mean... I have no idea." Hiro timidly stammered. "One second I was asleep, don't even know how that happened, then I woke up, and then I was here..."

"I don't care. Do something about that costume. It pains me just to look at you." Byakuya demanded, averting his eyes from the Robo Justice suit.

"Well, um... I dunno what's up with this thing, but I can't actually get it off...! A little help?" Hiro requested.

"Why would you make something that you can't take off by yourself?" Celeste asked in an accusing tone.

"I didn't make the stupid friggin' thing!" Hiro yelled.

"There's a clasp on the back that's keeping you from getting it off." Kyoko said as she looked at the back of the costume. "It looks pretty sturdy. I don't think you can get it off on your own. We don't really have a choice. Let's help him."

"Good grief..." Sora rolled her eyes.

It took everyone's help, but slowly they were able to get Hiro out of the suit. It took a few minutes, but eventually they got all the pieces off.

"Whew! Free at last!" Hiro sighed in relief.

"Isn't it kinda weird how perfectly the suit fits Hiro...?" Hina suddenly spoke up.

"More to the point, nobody but Hiro would be able to wear that costume." Celeste pointed out.

"Wait, what? H-Hold on a sec!" Hiro exclaimed, knowing where this was going.

"Don't bother trying to act innocent. The blueprints were in your room, as well." Celeste interjected as she made her creepy leaning expression. "In other words, it is obvious to everyone that you made this costume."

"That's true. I saw the blueprints myself." Byakuya agreed.

"Yeah...me too..." Makoto hesitantly nodded.

"Then it's obvious... The one who put this costume on and went around attacking everyone was Hiro!" Hina exclaimed.

"Shall we tie him up and gag him?" Celeste suggested.

"Good idea! We wouldn't want him killing anyone else..." Hina agreed as she shot a quick glare at Hiro.

"Ah, jeez..." Sora winced.

"T-Tie me up!?" Hiro took a few steps back, understandably frightened.

"H-Hold on, guys. I think that's going a little far..." Makoto said.

"He may be a suspect, but he deserves fair treatment." Kyoko agreed.

"Yeah! I mean...attacking? Blueprints?" Hiro asked. "I have no idea what you guys are talking about!"

"You can't talk your way out of this. It's been decided... You killed them!" Hina fiercely pointed at him.

"What? Killed who!? I have no idea what you're talking about! There must be a fake Hiro running around!" Hiro stammered.

"You're the only one who can wear this costume. So who else could possibly be the costumed attacker!?" Hina asked.

"How do you know I'm the only one!? Maybe you should try it on yourself before you convict me!" Hiro shot back.

"Fine! If you're gonna be a jerk about it, I will!"

Without missing a beat, Hina started putting on the Robo Justice costume. But...

"Ahh! See, look! See how loose it is? I mean, come on... I'm blind as a bat in here!" Hina exclaimed as she did her best to keep her balance. "Can't see my feet at all. I'm surprised you got anywhere in this thing!"

"I'm telling you, it wasn't me!" Hiro pleaded.

"And not to mention--! You totally can't bend at the waist! Seems like a pretty obvious oversight..."

"That's not a very nice thing to say!"

"Hmm?" Celeste looked at Hiro.

"Er, I mean--it's not like I made it! I just got caught up in the moment..."

"Well, either way...now we know for sure, right?" Hina said. "I mean, it seems pretty clear that nobody but Hiro coulda fit into this dumb costume!"

In a huff, Hina took the suit back off again.

"Well? Now you're all out of excuses." She placed her hands on her hips in a smug manner.

"N-No, see...it's cuz you're a girl!" Hiro exclaimed. "If it was another guy, then..."

"Naegi, go ahead." Byakuya said to the lucky student, motioning him to try it on.

"O-Okay..." Makoto slowly nodded.

Against his will, Makoto picked up the pieces off the floor and tried putting them on.

"It's no good..." He grunted. "The arms are too long. There's no way I can wear this..." He said as he took it off.

"See!? I told you it was impossible!" Hina said.

"You are absolutely right. It seems this costume was made to fit Hiro's body exactly." Celeste mused.

"Th-Then...there's another costume!" Hiro quickly came up with another reason. "They must have one that looks the same, but...but fits them!"

"If you insist on this line of defense, then show us some evidence." Celeste sighed.

"Evidence...?" Hiro repeated in confusion.

"You claim there is another suit, yes? Then you must find it and show it to us."

"Wh-What the heck!?"

"Who cares!? Hiro's the only one without an alibi during this whole thing anyway!" Hina interjected. "Which is how we know it was him!"

"I mean...is that really true? I have no idea what's been happening... Could someone, like...tell me?" Hiro asked.

Truth Bullet: Robo Justice Costume

"U-Umm...if you don't tell me what's going on, how am I supposed to understand? I think I've figured out that...someone's been killed, right?" Hiro approached Sora. "Hey, Shirayuki...who was it?"

"Two people died this time. Taka and Yamada." Sora said. "Someone bonked them so hard, they died."

"What!? TWO people!?" Hiro exclaimed.

"Why are you freaking out? You did it." Hina glared at him.

"I did not!" Hiro responded, then put his hand on his chin in a thinking manner. "Wait, hold on... If those two are the ones that were killed... That's it! I know who did it!" He proclaimed.

"You may as well tell us, then." Kyoko said.

"Taka and Yamada were fighting over Alter Ego, right?" Hiro started. "Which means! Alter Ego and/or Fujisaki must have done it!"

...

...

...

...Ow. Brain cells...hurting...

Sora gave him a deadpanned look before facepalming. The rest looked at Hiro like he was an idiot. Which, he is, but...you know what I mean.

"I see... That's unfortunate." Kyoko sighed as she rubbed her temple with her fingers.

"Huh? Unfortunate...?" Hiro looked at her, confused.

"Stop trying to trick us! Just admit that you did it, okay!?" Hina commanded.

"I-I'm telling you, you got it all wrong! ...Ah, I know! That note!" Hiro's face lit up with realization.

"Note...?" Makoto inquired.

"Last night, someone slipped a weird note under my door. And here's what it said... "I found a hole maybe we can use to escape. Monokuma can't find out, so don't tell anyone else for now. Let's meet in the rec room at 1 a.m." Hiro explained. "But the last thing I remember is going to the rec room, then for some reason I fell asleep... The real killer probably drugged me or something!"

"...Not a chance." Hina shook her head, not letting off the harsh glare she was giving Hiro.

"No, hold on. He could be onto something." Kyoko spoke up. "The nurse's office did have chemicals that could do that..."

"Wh...Really?" Hina looked at her.

"I told you. Someone's trying to set me up... A secret passage--a chance to escape... Someone wrote all that to trick me!" Hiro exclaimed.

"Even if that's true, you must be one dumb fish to bit every piece of bait that floats in front of you." Hina snarked.

"Well after being trapped here so long, even if you know it's a lie, you gotta check, right?" Hiro reasoned. "Gyaho! They preyed on my desire to get out of here! They deceived me!"

"I still don't buy it..."

"Well you SHOULD buy it!"

"Okay...then show us that note!" Hina commanded him.

"With pleasure! I have it right here in my..um, pocket..." Hiro nervously searched through his pockets. "Looks like I lost it..." He sweatdropped.

"Yeah, sure..." Hina rolled her eyes.

"P-P-Please, ya gotta believe me! I wouldn't hurt a fly!" Hiro cried.

"...You wouldn't or you couldn't?" Sora wondered, tilting her head. "'Cuz from what I've seen from you so far, I'm betting on the latter.

"H-Hey! Don't be mean!" Hiro exclaimed.

"As I said before, if you want us to believe you, you must produce evidence." Celeste spoke up. "Can you show us the note? I have no particular issue with what you claim, but if you want us to believe you, give us a reason."

"Wh-What the heck!? For serious!" Hiro put his hands on his head in fear.

Truth Bullet: Yasuhiro's Account

"Now then, shall we resume our investigation?" Byakuya asked. "There's no time to waste before the class trial begins."

"Why do we need to keep investigating? We already know who did it..." Hina glared at Hiro before tears started spilling down her cheeks. "Why...? Why did you kill them? Tell us, Hiro...!"

Hiro nervously shook his head. "No... It's like I said...!"

"Was it really to get the money Monokuma offered us? Yeah, that must be it... You must be totally broke and that's why...!" Hina assumed.

"W-Wait! That's a false accusation! Someone, help me!" Hiro cried.

"Just be thankful we haven't bound and gagged you!" Hina exclaimed.

"If you have time to yell and carry on, you have time to search for your evidence. Right?" Byakuya looked at Hiro.

"Ah! You're right! I need to look for the second suit and that note! Feet don't fail me now!" Hiro exclaimed as he ran off.

"I guess I'd better get back to guard duty..." Hina sighed. "I was gonna ask Fukawa--er, Genocide Jack to switch with me... But if she and Sakura got into a fight, we'd have a catastrophe on our hands. Well, bye..." She said as she left.

One by one, everyone peeled away. All except Makoto, Sora, and Kyoko.

"Naegi, Shirayuki, do you have a second?" Kyoko spoke up.

"Hm?"

"Huh?"

"I want you two to help me with the investigation." Kyoko requested. "It looks like I got a late start on this one, so I need to make up some ground."

"Hm. Sure. Anything for you." Sora made a small smile.

"Yeah, we don't mind helping." Makoto nodded. "But can you promise us something? Later, when we have time...will you tell us why you disappeared?"

"No." Kyoko bluntly said.

Makoto sweatdropped. To reject him so simply...

"Anyway, I need your help. You two don't mind, do you?" Kyoko asked.

"Meh. Don't have anything better to do..." Sora shrugged.

"Neither do I." Makoto said.

"Thanks. Now then, shall we...?" Kyoko said as they left the pool.

---

The three then headed to the repository, where the bodies where. But halfway there...

"So, you two...first I'd like to examine the corpses." Kyoko told them.

Makoto sweatdropped. He can't believe that he's hearing this from someone the same age as him...

"Dead bodies don't lie, you know. They tell the truth far more easily than the living. Wouldn't you agree?" Kyoko asked.

"How are we supposed to answer...?" Makoto rubbed his head while Sora cocked her head to the side in confusion.

"Anyway, we have to hurry. Before the class trial begins again..." Kyoko said.

"Y-Yeah, you're right..." Makoto nodded in agreement.

"Okay then, show me where the bodies are." Kyoko requested.

They then went into the repository. When in there, Kyoko looked at the two victims.

"Yamada...and Taka..." Kyoko whispered. She seemed to go rigid for a moment. But ONLY for a moment... "Well then, let's get started."

She crouched down next to Taka and without hesitation began poking and prodding the bodies.

"The Monokuma File was right. They were killed using similar weapons."

Her movements were so smooth--she was so...calm. Seeing how comfortable she was actually made Sora herself feel a little more comfortable...

"Naegi. Shirayuki. I found something." Kyoko suddenly spoke up.

"What?" Sora asked as she tilted her head.

"You remember the wristwatch Taka always wore on his left hand?" Kyoko asked.

"Taka wore a wristwatch...?" Sora asked.

"Are you so oblivious to the people around you?" Kyoko sighed, running her hand through the side of her hair. "Do you dislike other people that much?"

"D-Do I make it that obvious?" Sora blinked twice, placing a hand in front of her chest.

"...?" Kyoko raised an eyebrow.

"Hey c'mon, don't look at me like that. I was only kidding..." Sora defensively sweatdropped.

"Anyway, so you said he had a watch?" Makoto spoke up.

"Take a look... It's broken. You can see the hands aren't moving, right? It most likely broke when he had his encounter with his assailant." Kyoko showed them. "And if you notice, the hands are frozen at just past 6 o'clock."

"So that would mean...the watch was broken sometime just after 6?" Makoto asked for confirmation.

"But last night, Taka's watch definitely wasn't broken..." Kyoko said.

---

"Hey! You! How long were you gonna keep us waiting!? It's almost 10 o'clock, you know that!? Bedtime for all the little boys and girls!"

---

"So if it worked at 10 last night, it couldn't have been broken at 6 p.m. Meaning it must have happened at 6 this morning." Kyoko mused.

Truth Bullet: Broken Wristwatch

"And that's not all. Look at Taka's left hand. He appears to be gripping something..."

Sora looked and sure enough, there was something in there. Looked like a piece of paper...

"You're right! There's something...white in there." Makoto exclaimed.

"Can you try and pry it out, Naegi?" Kyoko asked.

"Me?!"

Kyoko nodded. "Rigor mortis has already set in. Boys are better suited to this kind of manual labor, right?" She asked while Sora made a smug cat-like smile at the boy.

"O-Okay..." Makoto hesitatingly nodded.

As much as he didn't want to, Makoto grasped Taka's cold hand... After some effort, he was finally able to free the object from his tightly clenched fist.

"A...piece of paper?" Makoto looked at it.

"Was that all he had in his hand?" Kyoko asked.

"Yeah, that's it... Just a little scrap of paper. Doesn't seem like much of a clue, does it?" Makoto turned to her.

"I wonder about that..." Kyoko turned to Hifumi's body. " Let's check Yamada's body now. Perhaps he's left us a few clues of his own."

Truth Bullet: Kiyotaka's Scrap of Paper

---

"So? Did you find anything?" Makoto inquired.

"I did. More than I expected, to be honest. Look at this..." Kyoko showed the two some balled up paper, much to the two's confusion.

"A wad of paper? Really?" Sora deadpanned.

"Yamada had it hidden on him." Kyoko said.

"Hidden...?" Makoto looked at her, confused.

"He'd stuffed it in his pants." Kyoko told them. "So I can only assume he'd hidden it on purpose, you see?"

"His pants...?" Sora blinked twice. "You mean...his pockets?"

"No." Kyoko shook her head. "I mean literally his pants."

"Wait, so you--!?" Makoto exclaimed.

"It was just his pants. Not like his socks or something..." Kyoko shrugged.

What's that supposed to mean? Sora thought.

"Anyway... let's take a look at the paper. Go ahead, Naegi. Open it up." Kyoko requested.

"Wha-?! Why me? Why not Shirayuki?" Makoto asked.

"After finding out where it's been?" Sora scoffed, turning her head away. "No thank you..."

"Fine..." Makoto grumbled.

Although he opened it, whenever he thought about where it came from...this better be important...

"...A note!?"

"I found a hole maybe we can use to escape. Monokuma can't find out, so don't tell anyone else for now. Let's meet in the equipment room at 6 a.m."

"That sounds...very familiar." Kyoko mused.

"That's it! It's the same thing Hiro said!" Makoto's face lit up. "Then he was telling us the truth!"

"Well...it's not really the same thing." Sora said.

---

"Last night, someone slipped a weird note under my door. And here's what it said... "I found a hole maybe we can use to escape. Monokuma can't find out, so don't tell anyone else for now. Let's meet in the rec room at 1 a.m."

---

"The time is different... Hiro told us that his note said to meet at 1 a.m. But the note they wrote to Yamada asked him to meet at 6 a.m." Makoto mused.

"Hold on. Just because Yamada had the note, doesn't mean it was meant for him." Kyoko told him.

"Huh...?"

"Part of it has been torn off, right? I think there's likely some meaning there."

Some meaning...? Sora thought as her face briefly lit up as she slightly widened her eyes. Oh...

"Umm...could you maybe explain it a little more?" Makoto requested.

"Think carefully..." Kyoko looked up at the boy, smirking a bit. "Why would he have been clutching that scrap of paper so tightly?"

"I...I have no idea..." Makoto replied, scrambling his brain for an answer.

"What if it wasn't just a scrap of paper when he was holding it? What if it was something more important? And how would something important like that become a mere scrap of paper?" Kyoko cryptically said. "That's what you need to answer."

Truth Bullet: The Note Hifumi Had

"And while we're at it, I should tell you one other thing. The two victims this time definitely had their E-Handbooks on them." Kyoko told them. "So the handbooks have nothing to do with how the murders were carried out. Not that there was any reason to think they were connected to the killings in the first place..."

"So you're saying we don't have to think about the handbooks this time, right?" Makoto asked.

Kyoko shook her head. "If you didn't have to think about them at all, I wouldn't have gone out of my way to mention it. All I said was that they weren't used to help carry out the murders. There may come a point, however, where a handbook may play a role."

Sora tilted her head. They may played a role at some point? She doesn't understand what that's supposed to mean...yet. But if Kyoko thinks it's important, then it's better to keep it in mind.

Truth Bullet: E-Handbook

DING, DONG! BING, BONG!

"Are you excited? Are you pumped!? It's time for the class trial to begin! Like the bright burst of fireworks, like the flash of a soul clashing with life and death...! And so, with no further ado...! Everyone please meet at the usual spot! Make your way to the red door on the first floor of the school! Puhuhu. See you soon!"

Kyoko sighed as the monitor turned off. "It's unfortunate, but I suppose this is where our investigation comes to an end. You'll have to figure out the rest for yourself, and come to the proper conclusion."

"Yeah...you're right..." Makoto nodded as a drop of sweat came down the side of his face.

"Well, we'd better get going." Kyoko said.

"O-Okay..."

"Let's get moving..." Sora made a "come on" gesture with her hand

---

Everyone had heard Monokuma's proclamation, and they were gathered by the red door. And as soon as they were all there...

"Hello! (Hello...! Hello...)"

There were two Monokuma's...?

"He's multiplied!?" Makoto exclaimed in shock.

"Nope, not multiplication! It just looks that way cuz of an illuu~~usion! I'm moving so fast it only LOOKS like I've multiplied! Ke-heh-heh..." Monokuma chuckled. "Can you guys tell...which one is the real Monokuma!?"

But the students were having none of this.

"Can we just get on the elevator already?" Kyoko rolled her eyes.

"You're not playing along! (Along...! Along...)" Monokuma childishly complained.

"We're not here to play with you!" Byakuya narrowed his eyes in annoyance.

"Okay, okay, fine!" Sighing roughly, Monokuma turned back into one singular being. "Then if everyone's here and ready to go, please board the pain train! Er...elevator. I'll see you guys down there!" He said, and with that, he disappeared.

"Okay then, shall we?" Byakuya asked, ready to go.

"H-Hold on! I'm not mentally prepared yet...!" Hiro exclaimed.

"You'll NEVER be mentally prepared!" Hina scoffed as she gave him a mean glare. "You can't run away anymore, Hiro. You're gonna pay for your sins..."

"I told you already, I didn't do it! For SERIOUS!" Hiro yelled, looking frustrated.

"That reminds me... Did you ever find the other costume? Or the note?" Celeste asked as she twirled a strand of her hair.

"Um, well...no, but--" Hiro stammered.

"How unfortunate. Then it would seem we have our culprit." Celeste smugly smiled.

"N...ngh!" Hiro grunted.

"This isn't the place to talk about it." Kyoko interjected. "Save your accusations for when we get to the courtroom."

"She's right. Let's get down there first. Then the story can really begin..." Byakuya said.

"Yeah, good idea." Makoto nodded.

"Let's get this over with..." Sora sighed.

The blonde looked at everyone in the room. The one who killed Hifumi and Taka...two of her classmates...they're standing right here.

Sighing again, she began to head towards the elevator. Once everyone was aboard...the doors closed on their own. And the steel box began to move.

The clunking of the elevator kept the students company as they fell further and further down... There was no going back... Until they settled all this, they couldn't go anywhere.

Sora's not sure how long it was before the elevator finally came to a stop. The elevator doors slid open...opening up onto a cruel fate. The students then saw that the appearance of the trial room has changed once again.

"Hmhmhm... When I see all of you gathered together like this...I realize just how few of you there are left!" Monokuma giggled ontop of his king-like throne. "Your school life is slowly reaching its climax!"

"Only cuz of you!" Hina glared at the bear.

"Why...? Why are you making us do such cruel things to each other!?" Hiro asked in a hopeless tone.

"What what!? Do you really hate me so much? But I'm so cute!" Monokuma exclaimed as Sora rolled her eyes.

"Stop goofing around and begin the trial...!" Byakuya demanded.

"Don't rush me! Of course I'm gonna start it!" Monokuma responded, his red eye glowing. "I would never be like, "Stay tuned for the action-packed class trial after this commercial break!" I'd never hold out on you like that! ...Okay, let's begin! Get to your assigned seats!"

The students begrudgingly did what he said and found themselves in their seats.

And so the curtain opened once again... A deadly judgment... A deadly deception... A deadly betrayal... A deadly riddle, a deadly defense, a deadly faith...

A deadly...class trial...!

Chapter 25: End

To be continued...?