~Y/n pov~

"Ahem! Now then, let's start with a basic explanation of the class trial. During the trial you'll present your arguments for who the culprit is, and vote for 'whodunnit' . Vote correctly, and only the blackened will be punished. But if you pick the wrong person.... I'll punish everyone 'besides' the blackened, and that person will graduate from the academy! Also, refusing to vote will result in your death, so you better vote for someone! Now, let's get this crazy, awesome, crazy-awesome trial underway!" Monokuma explained.

"So, it's starting, huh?" Kaede asked.

Kokichi chuckled, "Oh man, I haven't been in a trial, in like, forever!"

"Oh, so you have experience with trials?"

"Yeah, since I'm an evil leader and all. I've done a lot of bad things." He dragged out the word lot.

"Where do we even start?" Kaito rubbed his head in confusion.

"We should choose a topic to discuss." I stated.

"Then, might I offer the first topic?" Kiyo asked.

Miu glared at him, "Don't fuckin' get ahead of us! Ya tryin' to start some shit!?"

Kaede sighed, "Calm down...How about we listen first?"

"Atua has spoken....he says it is vital to listen to everyone."

"Shut up with that Atua crap." I frowned.

Angie smiled menacingly at me.

"Why, I wonder, didn't the culprit take advantage of the first blood perk?" Kiyo asked.

"I bet they wanted to do the class trial real bad." Ryoma suggested.

"Then Monkuma's the culprit! Duh-Doy!" Miu grinned.

"Wait, is it even possible for Monokuma to be the culprit?" Kaito asked.

I answered vaguely, "Not directly."

"Is it possible that the mastermind controlling Monokuma killed Rantaro?" Kaede explained further.

Monokuma acted clueless, "Mastermind? Wuzzat??"

"Don't play dumb with me."

"It's Keeboy over here!" Kokichi grinned mischievously, "Everyone else thinks so too!"

"D-does everyone really think that?" Keebo sighed sadly.

~*~

"Let's start by reviewing the incident." Kirumi said.

"Rantaro's body was found, right before the time limit, right?" Tenko asked.

"He was killed in the library."

"Rantaro was opening the secret door. That's mean he was the mastermind."

"No." Kaede interrupted him, "If Rantaro was the mastermind we wouldn't be doing this trial."

"Maybe he stumbled across the secret door in the library." I suggested.

Kokichi nodded, "Yeah, like Kaede and Shuichi did."

"Or maybe the mastermind told him about it." Ryoma stated.

"So the mastermind was trying to kill Rantaro...it's probably due to whatever his talent is. That means figuring out what his talent what is an important mystery...but we can figure that out another time. Right now, finding the culprit is our priority." I explained.

~*~

"I already figured out who killed Rantaro." Kokichi lied.

"Are you serious?" Kaito asked, shocked.

"Yup! So let's agree the culprit knew about Kaede and Shuichi's trap, right?" He grinned.

"No shit! That's how they weren't in any of the pictures!" Miu yelled.

Kokichi smiled, "The culprit is whoever knew about the hidden cameras."

I nodded, "That means there are three suspects."

"It's Miu. She made the camera used for the trap. That means she'd know about all the blind spots." Kokichi reasoned.

~*~

"So, that's it, Miu's alibi." Kiyo finished explaining.

Miu glared at him, "You fuckin' slug! Why didn't you say so earlier!?"

"What Gilgamesh-level condescension! But which grail war are you from?" Tsumugi asked.

"Wow...Another reference we don't get. Heh, you must be a hardcore loser." Kokichi teased.

"Hey!" Miu yelled, "Don't be actin' all cocky Kokichi! You're the one who put my ass in the hot seat earlier."

"But it's all fine now, right? Because you're not the culprit." I smiled coyly.

Everyone started discussing over suspects but I cut them off.

"I said there were three possible suspects and I already know who it is."

"Then why don't you tell us? You better not be lying." Kaito frowned.

"Me? Lie?" I laughed at the irony, "Anyway one of the suspects was Miu but she's not the culprit, care to guess who the other two suspects are?"

Kokichi grinned, "Oh I know! It's either Kaede or Shuichi, right?"

Shuichi didn't say anything.

"Huh?" Kaede asked.

~*~

"There is no doubt the culprit used the camera intervals!" Angie smiled.

"Who was it who also knew about the camera intervals?" Kokichi grinned.

Maki had a dark look in her eyes, "Shuichi..."

"Fess up already!"

Kokichi laughed, "This is getting good! Entertain me peasants!"

~*~

"Split? ...Did you say split?" Monokuma asked, "You did! I heard it with my bellybutton microphone."

"You're ears don't do anything!?" Tenko exclaimed.

"The ultimate academy is proud to present its very own morphenomenal trial ground!"

My eyes sparkled, my childish side showing, "That's so cool."

Kokichi nodded, "I totally wanna see that!"

Everyone's podium's rose and then went into two rows.

"You hid what you knew about the camera intervals, Shuichi."

"But Miu silent about intervals too."

"Unlike Shuichi, I have an airtight alibi!"

"Kaede backed up Shuichi's alibi."

"How do you know they aren't both lying?"

"Gonta believe in them!"

"Kaede and Shuichi weren't together the whole time were they?"

"Both of them were together when the receiver went off."

"But that's Kaede's lie isn't it?"

"We'll know whether or not it's a lie when I reveal the truth!"

"THIS IS OUR ANSWER!"

~*~

"If you say Shuichi isn't the culprit...then there is only one of suspect." I stated.

Kaede ignored me, "Shuichi...you've realised the truth...right?"

Shuichi was silent.

Kaede smiled sadly, "There was only one person who could've set the camera flash, right Shuichi?"

~*~

Well...this is as far as it goes..

I couldn't do it. I couldn't get to the mastermind.

I'm sorry...everyone.

I'm sorry...Rantaro.

I'm sorry...Shuichi.

You stayed silent this whole time because you had already realised it, right?

But, you can't do that.

It may be the end of me, but I want my wish to...

I'm giving it to you, Shuichi.

From now on, you're going to carry on my wish! You're going to protect everyone!

Kaede....I know what you want me to do...

That's so cruel..

It's cruel, but...

I understand...I'll do it!

I won't let your wish..

Go ungranted!

~*~

Shuichi finally spoke, "Kaede is the culprit."

I smiled sadly, "Well done, Shuichi."

"W-wait that's not possible! R-right?" Tenko cried.

"Nyeh?"

"Wait..did she really.." Tsumugi asked.

Kaede suddenly forced out a laugh, "Just kidding! Shuichi's joking around!"

Shuichi pulled his hat down, "I'm not kidding...Kaede definitely killed Rantaro."

"What the hell did you just say?" Miu's react was a bit late.

Kaede kept denying everything, but Shuichi explained it all.

~*~

It all began two days prior, when Monokuma gave us the additional motive. The time limit added to this killing game triggered the crime. After the announcement, some of us decided to form groups to plan our next move. I had my own plan to find the mastermind, and someone offered to help me... At the time, I never would have imagined they would become the culprit.

To expose the mastermind, the culprit and I set up hidden cameras in the library. There was a hidden door in the library that showed signs of use. We deduced that the mastermind would return there, to let Monokuma out. The next day, we asked Miu if she could modify some cameras for our trap. We then went to the warehouse to gather the necessary materials. All we needed were disposable cameras and a security sensor.

But the culprit found something else there - the murder weapon. That's right. The shot put ball. They put the cameras as well as the shot in their backpack.

Then, on the day the time limit would expire, the day of the murder...the culprit and I collected the modified cameras from Miu and visited the library. Once there, we searched the room for ideal locations to place the cameras. But even then, the culprit was preparing the murder. They began by removing the vent grate, and laid it inside the air duct.

Then, the moved the pile of books on top of the bookcase, pretending to organize them. After that, they placed open encyclopedias on the final bookcase. It appeared innocuous enough, but it was actually a path for the murder weapon! The culprit also tampered with the hidden camera linked to the security sensor. I was responsible for setting up the other cameras, but that one... I didn't even notice their trick. They used duct tape to keep the flash function on.

After the cameras were set, the culprit and I climbed the stairs to the 1st floor classroom. We kept a lookout for the others and waited for the security sensor to go off. During the stakeout, we saw Kaito and six others go down to the basement. Rantaro was with them... The first victim. After watching that group enter the Game Room, I returned to the classroom. With about one hour remaining, the security receiver I was holding went off.

I assumed it was the mastermind, so I ran out of the classroom to the library. I was in such a hurry, I left the culprit behind. Looking back on it now...that was the last chance I had to stop the murder. After I had left, the culprit took the shot put ball out of their backpack...and rolled it into the classroom vent. This set the murder in motion!

Rantaro had moved the bookcase, triggering the receiver. Unbeknownst to him, the trap had been sprung. First, the modified camera took a picture of Rantaro with the flash on. Rantaro noticed the flash and approached the bookcase to inspect the camera. The camera flash lured Rantaro directly into the murder weapon's path!

The shot the culprit tossed into the vent rolled through the air duct...came out of the library's vent, and kept rolling atop the bookcase. Opening the vent grate and organizing the books was all to create a path. Under normal circumstances, the victim would have been alerted by the noise...but the promotional video was masking the sound of the shot rolling. The shot kept rolling, then fell on Rantaro's head, killing him instantly.

By the time we had entered the room, the murder was complete. I imagine...seeing Rantaro's body, the culprit probably thought... "The mastermind is dead, the game is over, now we can all go home..." But their wish didn't come true... Because Rantaro wasn't the mastermind! It was murder...in an attempt to save all our lives. That is the truth.

That's the truth behind your lies... Kaede Akamatsu, the Ultimate Pianist!

~*~

"I'm sorry...I betrayed you all." Silent tears streamed down Kaede's face.

Shuichi frowned, "That's not true! You were trying to save all of us."

Kaede smiled, "Nice job Shuichi! But you've still got a waysssss to go. (Yes I did that 😼) You need to be more assertive."

Shuichi was speechless.

"IT'S VOTING TIME!"

Of course, all of the votes went to Kaede.

~*~

"Who'll be chosen as the blackened? Will you make the right choice or the dreadfully wrong one!? Puhuhuhuhuh~" Monokuma laughed.

After a bit of talking it was time...

"I've prepared a very special punishment for Kaede Akamatsu, the Ultimate Pianist. ITTTTZZZZZ PUNISHMENT TIME!"

~*~

It was horrible...so horrible.

There was a noose around her neck and she was on a big piano. The monokubs were pulling strings, forcing her to play as she choked.

It got faster and faster, until the piano lid fell and Kaede was impaled.

After seeing that, no one said anything, we all just got on the lift and then went to our dorms silently.

~*~

A hand tugged on my sleeve, "You got a minute?"

I turned to Kokichi, "Sure."

Plopping myself onto the grass, I put my hands behind my head and stared at the sky.

A few seconds later, Kokichi did the same, plopping himself down beside me.

"I wanted to ask more about your ultimate talent."

"Ah! Well I'm not just a liar...but I can easily tell when other lie and I'm pretty good at knowing the truth. I guess...you could say I'm good at reading people."

Kokichi grinned, "That's pretty interesting."

I sighed, hopping up and brushing off my dress, offering a hand to Kokichi, "We should get some sleep"

I said that but...I don't know if anyone slept after what we just witnessed.

~*~
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2097 words

A/n writing the whole class trial would be a pain so I wrote snippets instead. I'll try to write all of Kokichi's best lines.