(3rd Person's POV)

Kyoko: Well, what if I told you there was a way to make the impossible possible?

Hina: What? How!?

She crossed her arms and looked at all of the students.

Kyoko: If the dead body...were to move itself.

A pause found its way into the trial room before the students gave her flabbergasted expressions.

Makoto: Huh...?

Sora: What.

Hina: Th-The dead body m-moved on its own!?

Hiro: N-N-N-No! Not another gh-gh-gh-ghooooossst!

Byakuya: I don't think it has anything to do with the occult. I think what she's implying is we thought Yamada was dead, but perhaps in reality he was still alive.

Hina: He was...alive!?

Sakura: Are you saying Yamada wasn't carried out of the nurse's office, but simply walked out on his own?

Hina: But I mean...we found his body! He was dead!

Byakuya: Perhaps he was simply playing dead.

Celeste: That... It isn't possible...!

The idea that Hifumi was still alive after we found his body... Sora mused. Is it really possible...?

---

NONSTOP DEBATE: MAKE YOUR ARGUEMENT!

Sakura: Are you saying that when we first found Yamada in the nurse's office...there's a chance he was actually still alive?

Celeste: No...it is impossible. Yamada was dead, without a doubt.

Kyoko: And you know that how?

Celeste: Surely you heard the body discovery announcement along with the rest of us... Yamada's dead body had been found...and that is why the announcement was made.

Kyoko: Are we really so sure about that? Maybe the announcement was intended to signal someone else's discovery...

Sora's New Argument: Someone Else's Discovery

"YOU SURE ABOUT THAT?!"

---

Sora: Hmm...can we really be sure that the body discovery announcement was for Yamada?

Celeste: Of course it was. The announcement played right after we discovered his body.

Sora: Yeah, but that was also around the same time Taka's body was discovered.

Byakuya: That's right. It wasn't long after finding his body that we heard the announcement.

Makoto: So there's a good chance we've made a mistake in there somewhere. I think we've confused whether the announcement was for Yamada or Taka.

Byakuya: First of all, if two bodies had been found, there really should have been two announcements.

Celeste: Maybe Monokuma simply got lazy and rolled them together into one...

The progeny looked towards Monokuma for confirmation.

Byakuya: What do you say, Monokuma? Any comment?

Monokuma: Well, it's a very sensitive issue, so I can't go into too much detail... But what I can say about the body discovery announcement is that...it's only broadcast when three or more people find a dead body for the first time!

Sora tilted her head. The first time, huh?

Hiro: That didn't answer our question, man! We're asking if you're a lazy bum!

Byakuya: No, actually, that was plenty.

Hiro: Huh?

Byakuya: He said it's only broadcast when a body is discovered "for the first time." Which means even if we find the same body again later, he won't make the announcement again. If that's true, then why was the announcement made again later on?

Genocide Jill: Huh? Later on!?

Makoto: Exactly. We heard the body discovery announcement twice.

The second body discovery announcement... Sora thought. The first time we heard is when we found the bodies in the nurse's office and the equipment room. The second time was...

---

-Just after Hifumi came back to life

-When both bodies were rediscovered

-When Toko was found unconscious

"EASY PEASY."

---

Sora: The second time was when we found the bodies again in the repository. At the time, it wasn't that big a deal, but it doesn't add up with what Monokuma just told us.

Byakuya: Exactly. If we were actually "re"discovering both bodies, the announcement shouldn't have played.

Makoto: Then in reality, when the two dead bodies were rediscovered, one of them was actually... being discovered for the first time!

Sakura: So when we found Yamada the first time in the nurse's office, he wasn't actually dead yet... Meaning he wasn't actually found dead until we came upon him in the repository.

Makoto: And that's just part of it... There's one other thing that leads me to believe he was still alive in the nurse's office...

Genocide Jill: Oh! Oh! I know! I know! Because he was super good at playing dead! Badda-bing badda-boom!

Celeste: That is the worst logic I have ever heard... But honestly, I do not think there's anything that can prove he was still alive.

Kyoko: Okay then, let's take another look at the events surrounding the discovery of his body. Then it should become clear whether he was really alive or not.

Celeste: This whole thing is pointless...

Proof that Hifumi was still alive...I think I have somethin' like that.

---

NONSTOP DEBATE: MAKE YOUR ARGUEMENT!

Hina: Well here's one thing we do know... The first time we found Yamada's body was in the nurse's office. And then, while me and Celeste were in the bathroom his body disappeared!

Byakuya: And the next time we saw his body it was in the repository.

Celeste: But when you compare his body before being moved, and his body after being moved... Other than the change in how it was positioned, there was no notable difference.

Sakura: Then...was he really still alive?

Celeste: Of course not, it is impossible. This is ridiculous...

Sora's Truth Bullet: Hifumi's Glasses

"YOU SURE ABOUT THAT?!"

---

Sora: Are you suuure about that, Celeste? There's a clear difference between Yamada's body in the nurse's office and the repository. His glasses. That proves that he was alive in the nurse's office.

Celeste: ...Perhaps you'd like to fill the rest of us in?

Sora: Mm-hm. Well, you see, when we found Yamada's body in the nurse's office, his glasses were covered with blood. But when we found it again in the repository, the were spotless. And I got what was used to clean the blood.

---

PRESENT KEY ITEMS: SHOW YOUR PROOF!

Sora's Truth Bullet: Glasses Cleaning Cloth

"EASY PEASY."

---

Sora: I found some cleaning cloth in the trash. It had a certain anime character on it. See the bloodstain on it? It doesn't take a genius to figure it out. This was used to wipe off the blood of Yamada's glasses. And the mascot on it is the same one that's on Yamada's digital camera.

Hina: The character was...Princess Piggles, from "Demon Angel☆Pretty Pudgy Princess" I think...

Makoto: I highly doubt anyone but Yamada would have brought something like that to school...

Sakura: I see your point. And the only people here who wear glasses are...

They all looked at the other two bespectacled students. But...

Byakuya: I wouldn't be caught dead using a tacky piece of garbage like that.

Genocide Jill: A few tissues is all I need to keep my glasses clean!

Sora: Mm-hm. So that's that. It could've only belonged to Yamada.

Hiro: Mm, mm... So what you're saying is...what exactly?

Sora: That the blood on Yamada's glasses was wiped away with his cleanin' cloth.

Celeste: Even if that is true, it does not mean he wiped the blood off himself.

Sora: Why would anyone do that? Who would benefit from a clean pair of classes other than the owner themselves?

Sakura: That's a good point...

Hiro: Then it must've been him...right?

Kyoko: So let's assume that Yamada was still alive in the nurse's office. He pretends to be dead, then when he's alone, he wipes his glasses clean so he can see... Then he stands up and walks out on his own two feet. And with that, the impossible task of moving his copious corpse...becomes possible, wouldn't you say?

Hina: But then, if he was just pretending to be dead...what was with all that blood? Was it paint or somethin'?

Kyoko: The fridge in the nurse's office contains packs of blood for emergencies. He probably used one of those.

Genocide Jill: He figured if he was gonna play dead, he should go all-out! So he just dumped it everywhere! But he got crazy with it, and had to wipe his glasses off when he was done! Kami, what an idiot!

Kyoko: And if Yamada was still alive at that point, the disappearance of Taka's body is easily explained. It should be perfectly obvious who must have moved Taka's corpse...

The one who moved Taka's corpse...it was...

---

-Sakura

-Hifumi

-Taka himself

"I GOT IT!"

---

Makoto: It could only have been Yamada.

Byakuya: While we were all gathered in the nurse's office, he went to the equipment room and took Taka's body...

Sora: That also explains how the repository door got locked.

Genocide Jill: The door was locked?

Hina: Well, after the bodies disappeared, we all went looking for them, right? So me and Sakura headed for the repository. But when we got there, the door was locked!

Makoto: And the repository door can only be locked from the inside. Which means, when Hina and Ogami got to the repository, someone was already inside.

Byakuya: And it could only have been Yamada, who'd just finished stashing Taka's body there.

Although none of them said it, everyone was thinking "why would he do that?". Kyoko knew this, and explained the harsh truth...

Kyoko: He convinced us all he was dead, and when he saw his chance, he dragged Taka's body to the repository. So, Yamada wasn't just another victim in this case--he was one of the assailants.

Everyone widened their eyes in horror.

Sakura: B-But...that means he took part in the murders...!

Sora: (Sighs) Good grief...

Hina: I...I just can't believe it...

Kyoko: If you're having trouble, would you like me to show you one more piece of evidence?

Hiro: Th-There's more!?

Kyoko: Oh, absolutely. The single biggest fact pointing to his involvement has yet to be revealed. You know what I'm talking about, right you two? The item he took off Taka's lifeless body?

---

PRESENT KEY ITEMS: SHOW YOUR PROOF!

Makoto and Sora's Truth Bullet: The Note Hifumi Had

"I GOT IT!"/ "EASY PEASY."

---

Sora: Of course we know. It was the hidden note Yamada had.

Hina: A...hidden note?

Makoto: That's right. We found it stuffed in his pants.

The class did a double-take at that fact and gave Makoto weird looks.

Hina: What!? In his...

Genocide Jill: ...Pants!?

Sakura: Hrm. Yes. His pants...

Makoto: Okay, well, forget about the pants for now. Take a look at what the note says...

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

Hiro immediately recognized the contents of the letter.

Hiro: Ah! That's the note I was telling you about! The one that told me where to go! ...Huh? Wait, this one's a little different. In my note, it said... "Monokuma can't find out, so don't tell anyone else for now. Let's meet in the rec room at 1 a.m."

Makoto: I see... Then this note isn't the same one Hiro got.

Hiro: It's...not the same?

Sora: Yep. Which means that the culprit got in touch with someone else...

---

-Hifumi's pants

-Taka

-Makoto

"EASY PEASY."

---

Sora: It was Taka, of course. The culprit used this note to draw him out and kill him.

But someone had a rebuttal to that claim.

Genocide Jill: Hello! Over here! Objection! Objection! I don't really understand what's going on, but...Yamada had that letter, right? So whoever wrote it wasn't drawing out Tick Tock! They were drawing out Yummy!

Hina: Ummm...just to be clear, Tick Tock is Taka and Yummy is Yamada...right?

Genocide Jill: Ugh, yes! Why must you ruin it EVERY TIME!?

---

NONSTOP DEBATE: MAKE YOUR ARGUEMENT!

Genocide Jill: Yummy had the note, right? Then the person it was intended for must have been Yummy!

Kyoko: But remember what the note said. What time did it say to meet?

Sakura: 6 a.m., I believe...

Genocide Jill: The time doesn't matter! The note has nothing to do with Tick Tock!

Makoto's Truth Bullet: Broken Wristwatch

"NO, THAT'S WRONG!"

---

Makoto: No, there absolutely is a connection!

Genocide Jill: Wh--!? What the hell are you talking about!?

Makoto: The note said to meet at 6 a.m., which is the same time Taka was murdered. We've already proven that using his wristwatch. But there's more--look where the note says to meet.

Sora: It said the equipment room, right?

Sakura: Which is where Taka was killed. I see...

Makoto: So, Taka was murdered at both the time and place written in the note. I think that should be plenty to show that this note was definitely meant for Taka!

Genocide Jill: Hmm...well, when you put it like that... No further objections! Kyeeehahahaha!

Hiro: Then someone used that note to trick Taka, just the same as me... Gh--! The culprit really is a cold-blooded monster! Telling people they'd found a way out...!

Hina: But if they gave the note to Taka...what was Yamada doing with it?

Genocide Jill: Stuffed down his pants, no less!

Sora: I'm pretty sure he stole it after Taka died.

Hina: Huh? He stole it...?

Byakuya: Where's your proof? Go ahead, show us.

Sora rolled her eyes. The evidence that proof that Yamada stole the note from Taka. It's...

---

PRESENT KEY ITEMS: SHOW YOUR PROOF!

Sora's Truth Bullet: Kiyotaka's Scrap of Paper

"EASY PEASY."

---

Sora: When we searched Taka's body, we found his hand gripping on to a scrap of paper. If I'm right about this, which I probably am, the piece should've came from...

She put the scrap and the note together and sure enough...

Sora: It fits perfectly with the note Yamada had...

Hina: Then Taka's scrap and Yamada's note...

Sora: Yeah. They came from the same piece of paper.

Kyoko: Yamada had the note meant for Taka, while Taka's corpse still grasped a small piece of that note... There's only one way to explain it...

Sakura: Taka died clutching the note. Yamada tried to free the note from his death grip leaving behind only one small scrap. Did I get all that right?

Byakuya: That means Yamada knew the note was important...

Kyoko: Exactly. Which proves that he was an accomplice in the murder.

Hiro: Whoa...! Yeah, after seeing all this, Yamada was super involved in this whole thing for sure! In fact... He was behind the whole thing! In FACT, he's still alive!

Sora facepalmed and then made an "X" sign with her arms.

Sora: Bzzt! Sorry. Wrong response.

Makoto: When we found him in the repository, Yamada was truly and completely dead. The second body discovery announcement proves that.

Hina: So then...who killed Yamada?

Sakura: Whoever did is the mastermind...the true killer.

Kyoko: He was killed in the repository, so he must have been killed not long after transporting Taka's body.

Sakura: So he must have been killed after Taka's body vanished but before we found both bodies in the repository...

Byakuya: During that time, we'd all split up and were searching for Taka's missing body. In other words, during that time...none of us have alibis.

Hina: Wait, but me and Sakura were together!

Genocide Jill: Stop trying to steal the spotlight, ya stupid walrus!

Hina: Who are you callin' a walrus!?

Hiro: Anyway, when they were killed bothers me too, but there's something that's been bothering me even more!

Ah geez...here we go... Sora thought, expecting Hiro's usual brand of stupidity.

Celeste: And what might that be?

Hiro: The weapon they used to kill Yamada!

The other students perked up at this.

Sakura: The weapon...?

Hiro: Yeah, cuz I mean...according to the Monokuma File... The way Taka and Yamada were killed was almost the same, with them having similar fractures and all... But Justice Hammer 3 and 4 were still laying around in the nurse's office and equipment room, right? So if Yamada was killed in the repository, the culprit woulda had to grab one of the hammers, kill Yamada, then put the hammer back where they found it. But wouldn't that be seriously risky for 'em?

All of the students looked surprised. They were so used to Hiro's logic deifying comments that they didn't expect him to bring up such a good point.

Byakuya: ...I'm surprised. It seems there's some semblance of a brain knocking around that skull of yours, after all.

Hiro: Hell yeah, it's packed in there good and tight!

Sakura: He's right, though. I don't understand it, either. The Monokuma File makes it clear that they were killed using similar instruments... But if the hammers were already laying around those other rooms...

Celeste: So the question is, how could the culprit have gotten their hands on either of the hammers? Personally, I haven't a clue.

Hina: So which hammer was used to attack Celeste? Number one or number two!?

Makoto: Those were accounted for in other rooms, too. And I don't think either one is big enough to kill someone.

Hina: Um...then, uhh...

Byakuya: ...Is it not possible they used a different weapon?

Hiro: I don't think is is possible! They were both killed with the same kinda thing, right?

Sakura: So then, what was used to kill Yamada...?

The weapon used to kill Hifumi... I think I know what it is... Sora thought.

---

NONSTOP DEBATE: MAKE YOUR ARGUEMENT!

Sakura: What was used to kill Yamada...? Was it Justice Hammer 3? Maybe Justice Hammer 4?

Celeste: Well, whatever it was, there's one thing we have to figure out. How was the culprit able to move around so freely with the weapon? How did nobody witness them carrying it?

Genocide Jill: Sounds like a Justice Hammer 5 is about to make its appearance! Check out murdergear.com/hammertime for more info!

Sora: Is that an actual website...?

Hiro: Well, one thing seems pretty clear... The murder weapon had to be one of the Justice Hammers! And, uh...that's about it.

Sora's Truth Bullet: Spotless Hammer

"I DOUBT THAT!"

---

Sora: The weapon wasn't a Justice Hammer. It was somethin' different than that...

Hiro: But...seriously? A different weapon?

Sora: There's that hammer from the repository. That's more than enough to kill Yamada. All the other hammers were dirty and covered with debris and stuff. But one of 'em was squeaky clean.

Hina: Huh...?

Sora: It was like that probably because it was just used to commit murder. If the hammer was covered in Yamada's blood, it's only common sense to wash it off. I'd also like to point out that there were hammers of different sizes. Big ones, small ones, even ones with flat, mallet-like designs. I'm pretty sure whoever made the Justice Hammers used that one as a basis.

Sakura: If that's true, that would explain the Monokuma File's note about the wounds being similar...

Byakuya: So Yamada moved Taka's body to the repository, where someone then used a hammer to kill him.

Hina: And whoever did that is the true killer--the one Yamada was working with...and the one who betrayed him...!

But a certain gambler tried to shut the idea down.

Celeste: Hold on a moment. I still think it's strange to assume someone was working together with him. The way the "graduation rule works, there is no benefit to helping someone else carry out a murder.

They did talk about how there wouldn't be any reason for anyone to work together... At least, that's what they thought at first. But...

---

NONSTOP DEBATE: MAKE YOUR ARGUEMENT!

Celeste: Based on the rules that have been laid out for us... Even if more than one person is complicit in the murder...only the one who actually carried out the act can "graduate" and survive. Assuming the rule holds true, it is simply impossible that two people worked together on this.

Sakura: That is how the rule was explained to us...

Kyoko: But that only really applies if there's one murder, right? In this case, however, there were two murders.

Makoto's New Argument: Two Murders

"NO, THAT'S WRONG!"

---

Makoto: Since there were two murders, it's at least plausible that more than one person was involved.

Sakura: ...What do you mean?

Kyoko: If there'd only been one murder, then yes, the idea of an accomplice isn't really worth considering. Naturally, if only one person can be saved per murder, an accomplice has no risk versus reward benefit.

Makoto: Risk versus reward...benefit?

Kyoko: The payoff for working together--the reward that balances out the risk of taking part in the scheme. There's no point in being someone's accomplice if there's no benefit to you. However, if there were some potential mutual reward for the risk, then cooperation becomes possible.

Byakuya: You're saying that two people could act as each other's accomplices to commit two separate murders.

Kyoko: I think that's what the true killer told Yamada; they would each have an accomplice for their crime. And based on the case's events, Yamada would have been the first one to act, murdering Taka. They made him carry out the first murder so he couldn't back out of helping them later on.

Makoto: So in this case, there wasn't one single person committing multiple murders... Instead, each person killed someone, creating two separate incidents. And it only looked like one person because that's how the true killer designed it to look. A single suspicious individual, a similar weapon used in each crime, disappearing bodies... By creating one seamless set of circumstances, they made it look like one person was behind it all!

Byakuya: The mastermind picked their target and managed to convince him to go along with their plan. And then, to avoid the "no accomplices" rule, they simply...killed their accomplice. Which, if true, means that betraying Yamada was part of the plan from the very beginning.

Hina widened her eyes in horror again, having trouble finding the words in response that this revelation.

Hina: Th-That's just...awful! How could anyone be so cruel!?

Byakuya: You think so? I can't help but admire its cunning. Still, their choice of accomplice seems...odd.

The effort made to convince everyone the two murders were the same. That was the main characteristic this time.

Sora looked at Kyoko. She must have known that the entire time. Which is why she said not to look at this as a series of connected events, but entirely separate incidents.

She really is something else... Sora admired, her already pink cheeks started to flush.

Sakura: I understand how an accomplice could be involved, but then who was the one pulling Yamada's strings?

Genocide Jill: That's problem numero uno right now!

The true killer...they manipulated Hifumi to carry out a number of actions, and in the end...murdered him. In the debates up till now, the way the case has unfolded...

There's only one person who seems to fit...

Class Trial #3: On Hold

To be continued...?