(3rd Person's POV)

CLASS TRIAL...ALL RISE!

The monochrome cleared his throat as he began.

Monokuma: Let's begin with a basic explanation of the class trial! So, your votes will determine the results. If you can figure out "whodunnit" then only they will receive punishment. But if you pick the wrong one... Then I'll punish everyone besides the blackened, and the one that deceived everyone else will graduate! Okay then, so first off... Let's talk about the murder weapon!

Sora sighed. It's pretty obvious what was used to deliver the fatal blow...

---

NONSTOP DEBATE: MAKE YOUR ARGUEMENT!

Sakura: Fujisaki's fatal injury... It appears it was a head wound.

Taka: According to the Monokuma File, the killer used a "blunt instrument," but... What kind of "blunt instrument" could it have been!?

Hiro: I bet it was an iron pipe!

Taka: Interesting! That certainly would make for a powerful weapon!

Hina: Poor Fujisaki...

Sora's Truth Bullet: Locker Room Dumbbell

"YOU SURE ABOUT THAT?!"

---

Sora: Okay, no. The weapon was obviously the heavy weight-lifting thingie at the scene of the crime.

Makoto: ...You mean the dumbbell?

Sora: Ah, potay-to, pota-to. Anyway, it was covered in blood, and there was nothin' else there that could've caused that type of head injury.

Kyoko: And the wound on the victim's head is consistent with the shape of the dumbbell. As far as I'm concerned, there's no mistake and no room for doubt on this one.

Some of the students gave Kyoko uneasy expressions.

Hina: You...looked at her head wound?

Hifumi: Kyaaah! That's sooo creeeepy!

Kyoko: ...

Byakuya: If you don't mind, I will proceed from here. Let's move on to discussion of the culprit. Although, I believe the criminal behind this heinous act is already quite clear.

Hiro: What? For real!?

Byakuya: Fujisaki's killer is the fiendish serial killer, Genocide Jack!

Sora's ahoge bobbed up and down in confusion. Genocide Jack...that serial killer...could they have really been the one to kill Chihiro?

---

NONSTOP DEBATE: MAKE YOUR ARGUEMENT!

Byakuya: The culprit is Genocide Jack, I'm sure of it. Case closed, as far as I'm concerned.

Hina: But...that's impossible!

Byakuya: Why? What makes it impossible?

Hina: Well, I mean...come on...! There's just no proof for it!

Hifumi: Hey, so, speaking of Genocide Jack... I don't know who that is!

Makoto's Truth Bullet: Genocide Jack Case File

"NO, THAT'S WRONG!"

---

Makoto: I...might know one reason he could be involved.

Hina: What!?

Makoto: I found this file while I was looking around the archive in the library... I guess it's some kind of confidential file the police put together about the Genocide Jack case.

Mondo: What...? That's kinda weird as shit, isn't it? What was something like that doing in the library?

Byakuya: The why of it is probably more trouble than it's worth, so let's forget about that for now. More importantly, it outlines all the specifics of every Genocide Jack case in exceeding detail. According to the file, there appear to be two defining characteristics in every Genocide Jack case. The first is that a bloody message is found written at the scene of every murder.

Hifumi: Oh, that's right! "Booblust"!

Sora: ...I'm sorry?

Hina: Uh, no...it's actually "bloodlust"...

Byakuya: But more important is the other characteristic. And it's something that has never been made public.

Mondo: Never made public...? What the hell is it?

The progeny smirked as he looked at Makoto.

Byakuya: Well? Tell them, Naegi.

The other characteristic of every Genocide Jack case, which the world at large doesn't know...

---

-How the victim was positioned

-The bloody message left behind

-Where the murder took place

"I GOT IT!"

---

Makoto: Apparently, in every Genocide Jack case, the killer suspends the body in a certain way. Other than the killer, the only people who know about this are the higher-ups in the police department.

Byakuya: However, Fujisaki was most definitely suspended in the same way. So, how did the culprit know about this, when only high-level police officials were aware of it? There's only one logical answer I can think of. It's because the culprit in this case...is the real Genocide Jack.

Mondo: No fuckin' way!

Celeste: You're saying Genocide Jack...is one of us?

Byakuya nodded as he pointed to someone in the trial room.

Byakuya: Yes. In fact, it's Fukawa.

It took a few seconds for everyone to react to Byakuya's proclamation.

Toko: Wh...?

Byakuya: Genocide Jack's true identity...is Toko Fukawa.

Sora: ...Eh?

Hifumi: YOU LIIIEEEEEEE!

Toko: Wh-Wh-Wh-What?

Hina: Hey, okay, wait, hold on a sec! Toko has like, bloodophobia-

Sora: Hemophobia.

Hina: Yeah, what she said! What kind of serial killer is afraid of blood!?

Byakuya: Is Fukawa Genocide Jack? The answer is yes...and no.

Hiro: Another riddle? Man, why's this gotta be so complicated?

Genocide Jack is Toko, but isn't Toko? What does that mean?

---

HANGMAN'S GAMBIT: THINK ABOUT IT!

D.I.D.

"EASY PEASY."

---

Sora: Maybe it's because...Genocide Jack has a split personality?

Hina: ...Huh?

Sora: In the file, they said that the suspect might have (Uses air quotes) "Dissociative identity disorder."

Hifumi: O-Okay...but still, to go and say that about Miss Fukawa is--

Byakuya: Perfectly acceptable. Fukawa's strange behavior after seeing the body is proof enough that she has a split personality.

The one thing that shows Toko could have a split personality... It has to do with her behavior...

---

-Her behavior changed

-She arrived late

-She fainted

"EASY PEASY..."

---

Sora: It's 'cuz she was actin' differently, right?

Byakuya: That's right. Think back--she fainted when she saw Fujisaki's corpse, and then when she woke up...

---

"I'm fine, I'm fine! Kyehaha...! Whoa, is that a dead body!? Hey! Are you dead!? Kyeehahaha!"

"She musta hit her head real hard when she fainted..."

"The world has a front and a back, a top inning and a bottom, a sea of truth and a web of lies!"

"What."

"This is...quite concerning. I mean, she sounds completely different..."

---

Taka: She was acting funny, that's for sure! That melancholy tone of hers completely disappeared!

Toko: Don't go assigning adjectives to my t-tone without permission...

Byakuya: Not to mention, once she regained consciousness and saw Fujisaki's body again, she was utterly calm. In other words, within her is one personality that can't handle blood, and one that obviously can.

Toko: N-Ngh...!

Hina: So when Fukawa trapped herself in her room, it's because she was scared of Genocide Jack...?

---

"I w-won't let Genocide Jack have control! I'll d-drive out...the killer... D-Drive out the murderous fiend..."

---

Byakuya: The reason she locked herself in her room wasn't to keep other people from getting in... It was to keep her other personality from getting out.

Hina: What...?

Byakuya: Fukawa was afraid- afraid of the murderous fiend inside of her, of killing even more people...

Toko: H-H-How...?

Hina: Yeah, how can you know all this!?

Byakuya: I do believe you misunderstood her. What she's trying to say isn't, "How can you know all this?" No, what she wants to know is, "How could you tell them?"

Hina: ...Huh?

Byakuya: Last night, just before Monokuma gave his "motive" speech, Fukawa and I had a strange conversation. She told me a most interesting story... She said a murderous fiend lived within her, and she was afraid it could appear and attack at any time. And that trepidation is what's caused her to have such a bleak attitude. Isn't that right, Fukawa?

Toko: Urg...gaah...!

The writer grit her teeth as Hina looked at her, devastated.

Hina: This is all a lie...right, Fukawa?

Toko: Y-You said you wouldn't t-tell anyone...!

Hina: ...What!?

Toko: You p-promised...! I can't b-believe you l-lied!

Byakuya: You have only yourself to blame--you came to me with your tragic little story. I didn't ask you to. This is the real world, not some romantic fantasy fairytale.

Toko: Gyah...! G-Gaah!

Byakuya: Besides, you broke your promise first. You said that as long as you were here, no matter what, you wouldn't let Genocide Jack kill anyone. But in spite of that promise...

---

"I-I'm sorry. I couldn't k-keep our promise. But don't w-worry. Never again... I...! I won't let Genocide Jack have control ever again!"

---

Toko: You said if I k-kept my promise...you would g-go out with me! Th-That's the only r-reason I promised...!

Sora: ...What.

Byakuya: How many times do I have to tell you? I never said that. But you weren't able to do it--you just couldn't resist that rush you got from killing, could you?

Toko: I-I tried...I swear I t-tried to control it! B-But...

Byakuya: But your efforts were useless. What a disappointment.

Sora: Oooof...

Toko: Nggh...I hate you...

Byakuya: Well, the opening act is nearly finished. All that's left is to hear from the person in question directly.

Toko: The p-person...? Y-Y-You don't m-m-m-mean...!?

Toko's body suddenly lunged backwards. A huge thud echoed across the courtroom. But in the next second...

Her body lunged right back up, and the students were met with...

Toko(?): Well, hello there! Is it me you were hoping to see!?

Hifumi: Gah! Eugh, what the heck!?

Sora: ...?

Toko looked fairly different. Her eyes were red, and her tongue was sticking out, much to the disgust of most of the students. This is it. The real Genocide Jack, in the flesh.

Genocide Jack: So you figured it out, huh? Well, whatever! What're ya gonna do!? I'm the Ultimate Murderous Fiend, Genocide Jack! Or better yet, let's go with Genocide Jill!

Needless to say, the students were shocked by this change in personality.

Mondo: What the fuck is this!?

Taka: Fukawa...what happened to you?

Genocide Jill: Not Fukawa! That's a loser name! And what happened is a textbook split personality! So what if one of them happens to be a serial killer!? You should turn a blind eye to one's faults! Kyeehahahaha!

Hiro: She's so...intense!

Genocide Jill: Like they say, sound in murderous mind, sound in murderous body!

Sakura: This one is so different from the one we've come to know...

Sora: Good grief...

Genocide Jill: Yes, well, the world is composed of a front and a back, you know. Just like how every inning has a top and a bottom, or how in the depths of every truth lives a little lie... Behind every dark and gloomy soul lives another that shines as bright as the sun! Kyeehahahaha!

Sora blinked twice in confusion. She never expected a murderous serial killer to be so...philosophical.

Sora: ...Hey, Genocide Jill, right? Mind if I ask you something?

Genocide Jill: Shoot, blondie! What's up?!

Sora: A couple days ago, we've been wondering whether or not you're the mastermind of this whole killing game. Mind giving us some confirmation?

Genocide Jill: Well, I'll tell you! I am the mastermind of all masterminds!

Sora: ...Wha-

Genocide Jill: Just kidding!

Makoto: Then...it's not true?

Monokuma: Of course it's not true! How dare you try to link me to that creepazoid!? And another thing! The police and government and society in the outside world are totally powerless! I mean, they just let this idiotic bloodthirsty maniac go buck wild all over town!

Genocide Jill: Sure, I'm a bloodthirsty maniac. But life is pain, right? To live is to hurt other people. It's a necessary evil if you want to survive. The act of living itself causes pain for everyone...!

...Huh. Sora thought.

Genocide Jill: ...Just kidding again! Kyeehahaha!

Makoto: ...

Byakuya: This should be enough to convince you. This murderous fiend is responsible for Fujisaki's death. There's clearly a motive, so there should be no doubt.

Sakura: ...A motive?

Byakuya: Remember what Monokuma told us? If someone didn't murder and graduate within 24 hours, an embarrassing memory or secret would be revealed. Well, let's assume that Fukawa's secret was about Genocide Jack. If a secret like that came to light, Fukawa's life would have undoubtedly been forever ruined. So she had a very clear motive to never have that side of herself exposed.

Genocide Jill: Interesting... Very very very interesting...! But sorry! As much as I hate to admit it, I'm not the culprit!

Another moment of silence came across the trial grounds.

Taka: ...Huh?

Celeste: But I can not imagine anyone other than you could murder someone in such a bizarre fashion...

Genocide Jill: Maybe so, maybe so! But nevertheless, it's the truth.

Sora: Really...? Oh well. Guess we're back to square one... (Sighs) Gimme a break...

Hina: H-Hey! Don't believe her just like that!

Makoto: ...

The lucky student was lost in thought. Something's bothering him. He needs some more details about this...

---

NONSTOP DEBATE: MAKE YOUR ARGUEMENT!

Genocide Jill: Sorry, but I didn't kill anyone!

Sakura: You say that, but do you really expect any of us to believe it?

Celeste: Perhaps if you had an alibi, that would change things...

Genocide Jill: Ohh, an alibi, huh? Now we're talkin'!

Byakuya: When you compare your past murders to this incident the modus operandi matches completely. What more proof do we need?

Genocide Jill: Kyeeeehahahahaha!

Byakuya: Give it up. You killed her.

Sora's Truth Bullet: Status Of Body

"I DOUBT THAT!"

---

Sora: I don't think the methods of the murder is the same. There's a slight difference between the past Genocide Jack cases and this one.

Hiro: Huh? How's it any different?

Genocide: Uh-oh, you don't know? Well then, human garbage, let me tell you! I murder with passion and conviction! I consider myself a professional, and I have a very particular way of doing things! Imagine you go to a fancy Italian restaurant. They're very picky about the noodles, the sauce, everything. But what happened to Fujisaki... It'd be like if that same Italian restaurant started using Ragu or Chef Boyardee! This is no creation of mine!

Sora: (Sparkles in her eyes) Mmm....Chef Boyardee... (Shakes her head) Wait, later! There are two key differences that make it clear that the methods aren't the same.

---

-The victim's fatal injury

-The style of the bloody message

"EASY PEASY."

---

Sora: For one, the way they died is completely different. In the Genocide Jack murders, all the victims were killed the same way. Accordin' to the case file, they were all apparently killed with...a pair of scissors. But Fujisaki died from a blow to the head, right?

Hifumi: Ah, yes! That is remarkably different from the other murders!

Sora: It's pretty weird for a murderer who kills the same way without failure to suddenly change their methods, right? And there's one more conflictin' detail...

Genocide Jill: That's right! In my recipe of murder, if the bloody message is the tortellini then the arrangement of the body would be the pesto sauce!

Hiro: Could you please stop comparing killing people to cooking...?

Taka: S-So...are you saying the other difference has to do with how the body was arranged...?

Correct. The second difference is related to how she was suspended.

---

-How the body was posed

-When she was suspended

-What was used to suspend her

"EASY PEASY."

---

Sora: Do you remember what the killer used to suspend her? They'd used some kind of "rope" to hang her up by her wrists.

Celeste: What is your point?

Sora: I'm gettin' there. In the previous Genocide Jack cases, a pair of razor-sharp scissors was used to suspend them.

Genocide Jill: And guess what! I used my own specially designed scissors for the murders AND the arrangement! Like I said, I'm a professional. So naturally I'm very picky about the tools I use! And--andandandandand...ya know what else!? Goldilocks said there's two differences, but she's wrong!

Sora: Goldilocks...? You talking to me?

Genocide Jill: Listen up, Goldilocks! There's actually one more difference!

Sora: ...I'm sorry, madam. Mind runnin' that one by me again?

Genocide Jill: My word! You really didn't notice? Take a look at who the victims were in each Genocide Jack case... There's a pattern there just waiting to be discovered!

Sakura: A...pattern?

Genocide Jill: Figure that out, and it'll be plain as death why I couldn't have possibly killed that little loli girl!

---

-Because Chihiro was a girl

-Because Chihiro was her lover

-Because Chihiro was her friend

"EASY PEASY."

---

Sora: It's 'cuz...Fujisaki was a girl, right?

Genocide Jill: BINGO! Bull's-eye! Right on the money!

Hiro: What are you talking about...?

Sora: Well, in all the Genocide Jack cases, there was something all the victims had in common...they were all guys.

Genocide Jill: That's right! The people I kill with such passion and conviction...are all adorable little men! Kyaah! I can't believe I said it! I'm so embarrassed!

Mondo: The hell is wrong with you!?

Sora: I think an easier question would be asking what's right with her...

Genocide Jill: I can't help it. I'm just a full-throttle boy-on-boy fangirl! And the mopey side of me just hates it! But now I'm on the fast track to becoming a full-fledged fanmadam!

Taka: So since Fujisaki was a girl and not an "adorable little man"...you wouldn't kill her?

Genocide Jill: Would an Italian chef suddenly start making ramen, just because they're both noodles? Don't be stupid! I have too much passion and conviction to cross that line! That's the absolute reality of the one and only!

Byakuya: We get it. You've clearly explained your hobby and your philosophy. But that's not all there is to it. It's a different matter entirely...when you're forced to kill in order to survive.

Genocide Jill: Quiet, lowly cur!

Based on his expression, Byakuya seemed to be offended by that remark.

Byakuya: Lowly...cur?

Sora: Ooof...

Genocide Jill: I would never kill for a reason as petty as mere survival! And! If by some fluke I did kill to survive...why would I bother with the message and arrangement!? It'd make me the obvious suspect!

Celeste: That...does make some amount of sense.

Genocide Jill: PLUS! Whatever reason I have for killing, I would NEVER leave out my prized scissors! Who would go out of their way to use a big stupid heavy dumbbell!?

Hifumi: Maybe you used the dumbbell cuz you couldn't find any scissors in the school?

Genocide Jill: "Any" scissors? I don't just use "any" scissors! I only use my own set of high-class, envy of the entire world scissors!

Hiro: Okay, whatever, there still aren't any in the school...

Genocide Jill: Are you sure about that...?

Suddenly, Genocide Jill reached into her skirt and pulled out two pairs of her famous razor-sharp scissors from who-knows-where.

Genocide Jill: Da da-da daa!

Hifumi: Gah! She's fully equipped! 

Genocide Jill: That's right! So I can kill anywhere, anytime! Why would I resort to dumbbells or rope, when I have my trusty scissors by my side? Go ahead, tell me I'm wrong. You can't, can you? Gutter dogs, all of you! Not to mention, I have no clue how to tie a good knot. So rope's totally out of the question anyway!

Taka: Ngh...ngraah...! I have no idea what's going on anymore...! Could such a heinous villain really be innocent!?

Mondo: But...the body really was suspended, right? And nobody but the police knew about that...

Hina: Yeah! That's why we figured it had to be the real deal and not some copycat killer or whatever!

Makoto: ...!!!

Suddenly, Makoto's mind clicked together as he got an answer. There is one person who could've known and copied the Genocide Jack cases...

The brunette pointed his finger towards that person, Ace Attorny style. The one who dragged him around during the majority of the investigation...the one who showed him all the evidence...

"Togami..."

Class Trial #2: On Hold

To be continued...?