It was quiet.

Everyone was in still, shocked, cold silence as we stared at the hydraulic press covered in blood.

I was on my knees, with the only sound being my breathing.

It was quiet...

Minus the bloodcurdling scream.

Everyone flinched at that scream and looked around to see who is it from.

It eventually dawned to me (and the others) that the scream came from me.

I screamed and began to tear up.

Why?

Why why why why why why?!

Why did this have to happen to her? HER out of all people!

It's unfair! NOT FAIR AT ALL!!!

Bing Bong Ding Dong~

"Upupupu~ a body has been discovered! Now then, after a certain amount of time, the class trial will begin!" Monokuma said from the speakers.

"Yooohooo students!" He then appeared in front of us.

"F*ck you!" Ed snapped.

"My so rude! And here I was going to be as helpful as I can!" Monokuma said.

"Just give us the f*cking File already," I muttered.

"Oh gosh gosh! Fine, so needy!" Monokuma handed us all the File.

I wiped my eyes before looking at the File with trembling hands.

...Leafpool...

[Monokuma File 6 has been added to your Truth bullets]

"It's so...," Isabelle sniffed, "sad! Leafpool was with us alive and well and now she...," she trembled.

"There is no time to grieve right now. We can do that after the trial. Shed as many tears as you want but for now," Ed turned away from us, "we have to investigate."

As much as I agree with him, that doesn't mean I have to like that logic.

I went towards the hydraulic press and looked at it.

I remember during the investigation of the new rooms, that this can no longer tell if something or someone was underneath it while it's being lowered down..., I choke back a sob as I thought of this.

[Press Complications has been added to your Truth Bullets]

"Usually stuff like this has a contraption of sorts to control it," Ed muttered.

"You mean like a control panel?" Hibiki asked and Ed nodded.

"There's one right there!" Kazuichi pointed.

Susie ran over to it and sighed loudly.

"It's f*cked up," she said.

What? I ran over there to see.

"It does look f*cked up but I'm sure in time it can get fixed," I noted.

Susie turned away without saying a word which confused me.

The wires do look messed up though... I thought.

But now that I was looking at it closely, none of the wires were destroyed or pulled out. It just looks like a jumbled mess but a clean jumble mess.

Hmmm...

[Control pad has been added to your Truth bullets]

[Clean wires has been added to your Truth bullets]

"U-Umm Tommy...can I tell you something?" Isabelle tugged at my shirt.

I looked down at her but she wouldn't meet my eyes.

"I-I...saw her...,"

"Who?"

"L-Leafpool...I saw her heading towards your dorm to comfort you. I went to follow her but then I saw her getting confronted. I didn't see who but they seem to exchange some words and it seemed like they needed help with something. Leafpool went with them so I left them alone. I...I should have stopped her...I should have went with her. I didn't learn from D-Daisy. I'm sorry!" Isabelle wailed and buried her hands in her paws.

"..."

I looked down at her.

I wasn't quite sure whether her account was credible or not but from the way she is crying, I find it hard to not believe her.

"..."

"It's alright. You didn't know. We all make mistakes, I'm sure that Leafpool would forgive you and she wouldn't want you to beat yourself over the what if's," I assured her and went down to her level before placing my hand on her shoulder.

She sniffed, "R-really?"

I nodded and she smiled.

"Th-thank you for the reassurance, Tommy," Isabelle walked away to investigate some more.

If only I can apply that to myself, I thought sadly.

I meant every word that I said to Isabelle but I should practice what I preach.

Never mind that now, I can grieve later...I hope.

[Isabelle's Account has been added to your Truth bullets]

"Alibis. We need them. Who was doing what during this time," Ed pointed to the Monokuma File.

"Ed and I were in the library. Hibiki walked by with Kazuichi and that's all who I saw," Mukuro explained.

"Yeah that's true. Kazuichi and I decided to chat for a bit before he went somewhere with Susie. I then went to my dorm," Hibiki explained.

"I was in the kitchen. Minami was in the dining room," Isabelle explained.

"Yeah. I was having a snack," Minami nodded.

"Kaz and I were in his dorm. He had some cool stuff there," Susie said.

[Alibis has been added to your Truth bullets]

"Hey look at this," Minami pulled out a toolbox.

"Huh? Are there tools in there?" Kazuichi asked.

"No it's empty. I thought it would be interesting to share since I don't think this was here," Minami said.

Toolbox...why would a toolbox be here? I guess to open up the control pad, I thought.

[Empty tool box has been added to your Truth bullets]

"I think that's all we can investigate here. We can look around the other rooms though," Kazuichi suggested.

I opened my mouth to protest when Susie jumped in.

"Yeah yeah! I agree! Sh*t's not here you know. We got to find more clues and we're not gaining any while being here," she explained.

"I mean...I guess that's true," Ed shrugged.

Everyone split up to go and investigate.

I was heading towards the fortune teller room. It was a mess!!!

The table has been flipped over, the crystal ball has been shattered and the curtains looked scratched at the ends.

Something happened here.

[Messed up Fortune Teller room has been added to Your Truth Bullets]

Beyond the messed up room was the unfinished cooler room.

Hibiki was examining it.

"Hey...what's going on?" I asked as I approached him.

"Thank god! Can you see this?" Hibiki handed me something.

It was the motive tablet.

"The motive...," I said.

"Yeah yeah! Look at whose memory is that," he pointed to the name tag.

-Hibiki Otoboki

"It's mine. Someone had my memory and left it here. I don't know why or for what purpose but they did," Hibiki explained.

"What kind of memory is this?" I asked.

"Something fairly normal I think," Hibiki replied.

I turned it on to see a red haired boy with his back turned. He pressed a key to the piano and whoever held the camera seemed to have stiffen up.

"Sorry," I heard the red head muttered.

It ended right there and then.

"That's it?" I asked and he nodded.

"I don't know who would have left it there," Hibiki sighed.

"Well whose memory did you have?" I asked. Maybe that can give us a clue.

"Susie. Look I even have it right here," Hibiki showed me.

Susie's memory showed a brown haired kid with a board game and a couple of chess pieces.

There was no dialogue.

"So do you think that Susie had your memory?" I asked.

"Maybe but I don't know. If only someone else would share whoever's memory they have and that person whose memory was shown had that someone else's memory too!" Hibiki suggested.

I guess I could search for Kazuichi to see if he has mine since I have his.

Guess I'll be on the search for that.

"I'll let you know if I ever find someone who has another person's memory and if that person has that someone else's memory," I assured him.

He nodded to show that he understood.

[Hibiki's memory pad has been added to your Truth bullets]

[Memory pad swapped has been added to your Truth bullets]

Alright where to next?

A/N: done with that! Onto the next one! Man I'm so close!! ^^

Just this investigation, trial and post chapters and then Ch6!

My ultimate goal is to finish this before 2023 starts but if that somehow doesn't happen, then early 2023 so in January/February. And then the sequel!! Wooo I'm excited, are you?

Cya in the next one -Flare