hello hello everyone! and welcome to the investigation chapter. before we begin, i have two things i would like to point out.

first up is this amazing artwork done by my friend @Kachiexe on wattpad!! (F/N) looks SO cute, with the way she's pointing at herself and her little facial expression, and i like the way her shoes look, as if she's slipping, or running. overall, it's just SO amazing and i love it so much!! <3

secondly, during this investigation chapter (and every investigation chapter to become), (F/N) will be mentally solving the case in her head, as in, putting together evidence, ruling out suspects/people who she believe CANT/CAN be the killer, etc etc. (F/N) is self aware and smart, so she'll have her thought process ruled out by mentally figuring out the killer.

well, that being said, let's investigate! enjoy~! <3

~~

Under that table in the back corner of the dining hall...your esteemed leader, Byakuya Togami, had been killed. You were shocked still, as you hadn't moved from your position since you had uncovered his body.

"Byaku...ya...?" Sonia uttered, as she stared at the table in horror. "Wh-Why is Byakuya...?"

"N-No..." Mahiru stuttered. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

As more and more screams elicited from the Ultimates behind you, you were still shocked still, only moving to look at Hajime, who was the exact same as you. You both met your eyes with the exact same look of disbelief and horror, since the man who had promised that nobody would be killed, was now dead before your eyes.

"...Wh-Why!?" Mahiru stuttered.

"WHAT IS THIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSSSS!?!?" Nekomaru yelled, grabbing the sides of his head furiously.

"GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Teruteru yelled, as he came into the dining hall, looking at what had happened to Byakuya.

"Th-This... It's impossible...!" Kazuichi muttered.

"I-I don't think it isn't...i-if we're seeing it right now..." You stuttered.

"This...can't be real blood, right? It's gota be something like jam our sauce..." Ibuki said."C-C-Cause...if not, th-this is... A-blub-blub-blub-blub!"

As Ibuki's mouth had begun to fill up with that weird, white foam again, Monokuma had popped up.

"Good gracious... Things quickly took a turn for the worse..." He mused. "My my, now this is interesting! On this tropical paradise known as Jabberwock Island, the very first murder has has finally taken place!"

Murder...how you hated that word more than ever at the moment.

"H-Hold on! Then, does this mean...!?" Nagito strained.

"One of us...killed Byakuya..." You completed the sentance.

"Wha-!? Th-That can't be possible!" Hajime exclaimed.

"Well, if you look at the body, you can tell instantly. He was obviously murdered." Monokuma said. "Look, he has such a horrible expression on his face, don'tcha think...?" He asked, basically teasing all of you, due to the fact that Byakuya's dead body was facing down, on the floor...his face couldn't be seen. "A face filled with regret that his life was ended by force, all thanks to someone else's selfish desires... To have a dying face such as this... If this isn't murder, then what the heck could it be?" Monokuma monologued.

"Byakuya was most likely sacrificed...by someone who reaaaaaaaaally wanted to leave this island." He said.

"L-Lies..." Hajime mumbled. "It's all lies! You're lying that he was murdered!"

You didn't want to believe that Byakuya was murdered by someone...but what other choice did you have to believe? The way he died didn't look like natural causes, not to mention, there was a knife right where his body was... Byakuya was murdered.

"Wh-What is this!?" A new voice exclaimed, as you turned around and saw that Peko had now entered the dining hall. "I-Is that...really Byakuya?"

"Why...why did this happen? Why...Byakuya?" Chiaki mumbled, as you realized she had also entered the dining hall.

"I see, I see... It appears Fuyuhiko is the only one who isn't here..." Monokuma said. "Sooo, in the spirit of keeping everyone on the same page, how about e do this the usual way!?" As he said that, Monokuma disappeared into the ground, the same, familiar sound of a school bell could be heard, accompanied by the sound of a monitor being turned on.

"A body has been discovered!"Monokuma said, as he appeared on the monitor, sitting in the same chair, and sipping the same drink he always did. "Now then, after a certain amount of time has passed, the class trial will begin!"

Class trial... You had completely forgotten about the rules of murder. After someone murders another, everyone must take place in a class trial, to find out who had killed. If you guess wrong, the killer gets to escape free, if you guess right, the killer gets...executed.

Monokuma came back, and reminded everyone about how the class trial works. You couldn't help but absentmindedly listen...you didn't want to be reminded...

You investigate, and figure out which one of you had killed Byakuya Togami.

More and more outbursts came from everyone else, nobody wanted to believe someone had actually killed Byakuya, but you, and everyone else, knew that someone did. As Monokuma was still mocking the fact that someone had killed another, Monomi actually showed up.

"H-Hey! What are you saying!?" She yelled. "Everyone! Please! You cannot, you should not, believe what Monokuma says!"

"No matter how much you interfere...there is only every one truth. On my grandfather's name!" Monokuma yelled, making Monomi ask if Monokuma actually had a grandpa. "On my grandfather's grave!" He yelled.

"Grave? Your grandpa is dead? What happened to him!?" Monomi asked, panicky. They both went on their banter for...too long, until Monokuma had punched Monomi. Eventually, after far too long, the both left, leaving everyone else, who was still much to shocked to grasp that someone had murdered Byakuya, alone, in a wallow of despair.

"Wh-What does this mean...? I don't understand this at all...!" Mahiru uttered.

"A search for Byakuya's killer... Why did it turn out like this...!?" Peko gaped.

"Ugh...gimme a break..." Kazuichi said. "Why do I...have to be involved in this horrible situation...?"

"U-Um... You can't doubt each other... Cuz...you're all friends..." Monomi spoke.

"I simply cannot abide this!" Sonia cried. "Now that I have finally made friends...there is no way I can doubt them...!"

"...If we were really all friends, then this wouldn't have happened." You said, facing everyone. "While it may be true that we all get along, and maybe some of us have cultivated a friendship...we aren't friends right now. We're all suspects of murder. That started the minute someone planned to do...this."

"You really need to listen to Big Sis (F/N)!" Hiyoko said. "I don't care if you abide by this or not... We gotta do this to survive, or else the killer gets away, and everyone else dies. We have no choice but to do it."

"Noooooo! Friends doubting friends is a major no-no!" Monomi stated.

"Argh! Shut up! Just go away already, you useless piece of trash!" Kazuichi yelled at Monomi, as she cried about how 'threats are scary'.

"Do we...really have to do it...?" Hajime asked quietly.

"I don't think we have a choice..." You replied. "...Unless we want to die, and let the killer leave."

"But still...I can't believe one of us killed Byakuya..." Nagito muttered. "There's no way I can believe it...there's no way... So for that reason.... I'll do it. I'll investigate Byakuya's death... I will do my best to prove there is no killer among us."

As much as you appreciate Nagito's determination, it was for the wrong reason. It was honestly very clear the Byakuya was murdered by another individual.

"Ah, before you start, can I say something?" Chiaki asked. "In closed-circle detective games, the player usually has to decide on who's going to gaurd the crime scene. What should we do?"

"Oh yeah, it would be bad if the killer destroyed the evidence and got away with it." Hiyoko pointed out.

"Look, over there! That big, bulky, brawny guys is perfect for the guard job!" Ibuki chimed, as her fingers pointed at Nekomaru, who in response screamed, and ran out of the dining hall.

"That guy...has a sensitive heart, despite his looks..." Kazuichi added.

"Um...I can be the one who watched the crime scene..." Mahiru said. "I don't have enough confidence to investigate the body...and it's not like I have the brains either... I'll just stay by Byakuya's side. That's the least I can do. That's what gaurd duty is, right?" Mahiru confessed, as Mikan promised her best to not get in her way.

"U-Um... I-I have medical training so i-if it's not too much trouble, I can perform an autopsy... Please." Mikan said.

"That'd definitely be very useful... Thank you, Mikan." You said. "So, are they the ones who are going to stay?"

"And what, specifically, should we be doing now? I have nooooooo idea!" Ibuki confessed.

"...Investigate. We-We have to figure out which one of did this to Byakuya." You said, as everyone eventually started giving in. You had to figure out who murdered Byakuya, or else everyone would die.

Well...until Monokuma popped up.

"Hey! You guys thought it was time for the investigation, buuuut..." He started. "...The Monokuma File! This file has all the information about the victim, I thought you amateurs would need this. I'm such a nice guy!" He beamed, as he dragged Monomi along with him.

"Well, if it has information about the body, it'd help to look at it."You thought, as you took a look at the piece of technology.

—

The victim, Byakuya Togami, body was discovered in the dining hall of the old building near the Hotel Mirai.

The estimated time of death is 11:30 p.m.

The victim was repeatedly stabbed over ten times between the throat and abdominal region, resulting in death.

The body has no other external injuries, nor any chemicals such as poison were detected.

—

That was all the information you read on the Monokuma file, and it prevailed to be extremely useful. Before deciding to talk to anyone else, you made your way to the table where Byakuya had been killed, going to investigate the body. To think that someone could really take Byakuya's life away...was horrifying.

As you looked at the table, the only thing about it that caught your eye was the desk lamp on top of it. It seemed antique, and was connected to an outlet via a power cord. Due to the power outage, it would've been useless.

You moved on, apprehensive to look under the table. But, you knew if you didn't, it wouldn't help you in the end. Sucking up your nerves, you looked under the table, where Byakuya had met his fate. The iron smell was so thick, basically suffocating you.

The first thing you noticed under the table was a pair of goggles. They looked like binoculars, but upon further inspection, they were definitely night vision goggles.

"Did the killer use these during the blackout...?" You inquired. "Well, Byakuya gave everyone a pat down before entering the dining hall, but are night vision goggles really a suspicious item?"

You stored away the thought, now inspecting a knife a few inches away from the goggles. 

"Was this the weapon used to kill Byakuya? The Monokuma file stated his cause of death was multiple stabs in the neck and abdominal region, so it's certainly plausible."You thought. "But, if he really was stabbed, then I don't think he could've landed on his stomach like this...it would've been more likely that he would've fallen on his back." You put your hand on your chin, before you eyes widened in realization.

"How would've the killer brought the knife here in the first place...?! Since Byakuya gave everyone a pat down before entering, that means that it was already placed here prior to the party! That...narrows down a lot of suspects." You stored your realization in mind, knowing it would be of good use. Along with the blood coating the knife, there was a very bright paint that had been applied to the hilt. With the mixture of the dimness under the table, and the brightness of the paint, it glowed dully. It was clearly glowing paint.

As you were about to move onto the body, there was something else that caught your eye. A few centimeters away from the knife, there was a very, very small piece of stray metal. However, it seemed to be in the shape of a crescent, but slightly more full. It was extremely small, and skinny as you inspected it. It must've been a miracle it didn't fall through the cracks of the floor. Honestly, you didn't have a clue what it could've been, so you set it back down where it was, for the others to inspect. 

On the top underside of the table, there was what looked like a piece of duct tape.

"Could this be where the knife was hiding...?" You asked yourself, as you held the tape with your thumb and pointer finger."It looks like the same glowing paint that was on the knife is also applied to the back of this tape...perhaps how the killer was able to find the knife in the darkness?" You pondered, as you began looking at Byakuya's lifeless body.

His body collapsed face-down under the table, as if he was reaching for something, due to the way his left hand was more elongated than his right. Perhaps he was doing something, but had been killed while doing it...but, how? You didn't want to touch Byakuya's body, since you felt uncomfortable touching a, well, dead body. 

You stood up, now looking at the air conditioner on the wall next to the table... It was the only machine inside the room. The remote control attached to the air conditioner...the timer was set to 11:30, aka, the approximated time when Byakuya had died.

"The person who had put the knife under the table more than likely set the timer for this time too...meaning, the beeping sound before the blackout was definitely from the air conditioner, and it somehow...caused the blackout?" You asked yourself. "But...I don't know if the air conditioner alone would be enough to cause a whole blackout... However, I'm more than certain Byakuya was killed during the blackout."

You stored away the thought, finding nothing else to inspect in that same area, now heading toward Mahiru.

"Hey, Mahiru..." You greeted softly. "How you holdin' up...?"

"God...I feel horrible." She expressed. "One minute Byakuya is alive and well, and in an instant, something awful suddenly happens... and one of us had to have killed him! A-And that we...we're the ones who have to find out who the killer is...the one who killed our friend..."

"I-I know... I hate it too." You said. "But, we have to figure out who killed him, not just for Byakuya, but for ourselves... I don't wanna die either."

"...If...If I had only acted calmer during the blackout, Byakuya might still be alive." Mahiru mumbled. "This whole thing would've never happened..."

"Mahiru, no..." You said. "You didn't do anything wrong. None of us knew that was going to happen... It's not your fault."

"Y-Yeah...I guess..." Mahiru said. "I won't dwell on it for now... I can't become a burden to everyone... Plus, there might be a clue that only I have access to..." She said, surprising you.

"Really, Mahiru...?" You gaped, as she nodded.

"Photos. The ones I took just before, remember?" She said, as you nodded. "Wanna see them? I have a digital camera so I can show them to you right now."

You graciously looked at the photos Mahiru had snapped during the blackout. The first one consisted of Hajime, Nekomaru, Hiyoko, Ibuki, and Nagito, where nothing too suspicious was going on. The next one had Gundam closest to the camera, you, Kazuichi and Sonia all in a conversation, mostly between you and Sonia. Akane was chowing down on meat in the background, Mikan was standing timidly at a table, and Byakuya was keeping watch in a corner. Nothing too out of the ordinary was there, either.

"I took these two photos right before the blackout, but...huh?" Mahiru stopped herself, in sudden realization, as you asked her what was wrong. "I didn't realize it until just now, but right before the blackout, Byakuya was...standing in a totally different place than where we found him." Mahiru said, as you looked at the current picture on Mahiru's camera, the one with Byakuya visible. He was on the entirely opposite side of the room, in contrast to where he was found under the table. They were quite a distance away.

"Wasn't his body under the table with the lamp on top of it? The one underneath the monitor?" Mahiru asked.

"Yeah, that's where we found him." You confirmed.

"Prior to that, Byakuya was standing along the wall farthest away from that table." She stated, as you hummed in understanding.

"Where everyone was standing before the blackout might be a hell of a clue..."You thought, as you made eye contact with the photographer.

"Mahiru," You started, "Do you think you can find everyone's standing positions from these photos?"

"Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. It'd be hard to understand from the photo's alone, so it might be better for me to plot it out. But...would it actually provide a clue?" She asked.

"I definitely feel like it could." You said.

"Got it... Then leave it to me. That's pretty much the only job I can do anyway." Mahiru said.

"Agh, you're amazing, Mahiru. Thank you." You smiled at the girl, as a small pink shade overcame her face.

"Y-You got it... As long as you're working hard, too! I'm counting on you." She responded, as you nodded once, leaving Mahiru to do her graphing.

"Oh, Hell Hound Earring... Answer my call!" You heard Gundam say, on the other side of the room. "Tch! ...Is this effort futile, as well...!?"

"Uh...Gundam?" You muttered, as he realized you were approaching him. "You still looking for your earring?"

"Fallen Angel, it is not a mere earring! ...It is the Hell Hound Earring!" Gundam exclaimed. "...Long ago, in a faraway land, a beast known as the Hell Hound was feared by all, even by he who summoned it... The hell Hound tore it's way through innumerable battlefields, its fangs glistening with blood...And his drenched, blood-red fur would dry in the howling winds...of loneliness." Gundam told his story, while you stood there, in confusion. "When I finally tamed that diabolical beast, I received an earring to commemorate that event... The Hell Hound Earring. So that I may never forget the night I battled that fearsome pomeranian, I wear that earring at all times... Where is it!? Where did it disappear to!?" He yelled. "Angel, please use your blessed senses to help me locate where my Hell Hound Earring has vanished to!"

"Uhm... perhaps it fell underneath the floorboards?" You suggested. "The carpet doesn't cover the whole floor, so it's not unlikely that it fell through."

"Ahaha! Perhaps that's what transpired! What a hypothesis you have, Dear Fallen Angel...!" He praised, as he walked towards the wall, crouched down, and looked through the floorboards. "Ah...! There it is... I have found it! Truly, that is the Hell Hound Earring!

Gundam began laughing boisterously. "Fuhaha...! It seems my Dearest Fallen Angel is on my side this dark night!" He declared, most likely to himself. "...However, how do I recover it? I cannot fit my arm through this opening... We're I to use a tool, it would probably not reach either..."

"...Maybe try looking from the outside...?" You suggested. "There may be an opening from the outside...or something- I- I DON'T KNOW MAYBE IT WAS STUPID IDEA-" You rambled.

"...It seems my Angel's mind is a beautiful and magnificent as she." Gundam said, gazing softly at you, making you stop, gaze back at him, slightly heating up. "Thank you, (F/N), for now I shall make my way to the passage outside, in the sacred quest for my Hell Hound Earring! I shall be off, now. I will meet with you soon." Gundam announced, as he left the dining hall, you still standing there (🧍🏻‍♀️)

"...IwillnotcatchfeelingsIwillnotcatchfeelingsIwillnotcatchfeelingsIwillnotcatchfeelingsIwillnotcatchfeeling-" You repeated in your mind, as you physically shook your head, now noticing a case a foot away from where you were standing.

"I'm pretty sure this is the metal case Byakuya had with him... Yeah, the duralumin one." You thought."I'm pretty sure it was closed last time I saw it, but now it's open... Did Byakuya open it?" You asked yourself. "Theres a lot of stuff in here...a nightstick, pepper spray... Hm?" You wondered, leaning down to inspect the case. "There's another hard plastic case in here... But it's empty..." You inspected the small plastic case a bit more, coming to the realization that it was no doubt where the night vision goggles were stored. As you were about to stand up from your crouched position, you noticed a small key inside the case.

"That one's probably for the other case Byakuya had... " You hypothesized, taking the key. "I can use this to get my jacket...I just need to make sure my dumbass doesn't drop it."

Since you now had the key that would unlock the other case Byakuya had, you left the dining hall, in hopes of finding the office, where Peko was supposed to be guarding it. But, you had accidentally made a wrong turn and instead found yourself in the storage room Nagito had mentioned earlier. True to his word, it was very dusty, and dark, making your strain your eyes.

On the left side of the room, there were three irons, on an ironing board.

"Why are these..." You stopped yourself. "These irons definitely contributed to the blackout. I'm sure of it. The same person who set the timer for the air conditioner probably did this, too."

You walked away from the irons, accidentally bumping into a bin, which contained a tablecloth. But, something was off about it. The same, sadly familiar taste of iron invaded your senses like when you were investigating Byakuya's body. You slightly pulled on the tablecloth, only to reveal...

"Blood!? Why the hell is there blood on this tablecloth!? And a lot of it, too..."You thought to yourself, dropping the cloth back in the bin and rubbing your hands together. "Yeah, this definitely has some connection to Byakuya's murder."

You left the storage room, now finding the office where Byakuya's other case should be. But, along with the case, the circuit breaker also should've been in the office. You decided to check that out first, as you inspected the air conditioner in the office.

"The remote control looks similar to the one in the dining hall, but it's for the office's air conditioner instead... Hm?" You hummed aloud. "The timer in here is also set to 11:30... Yeah, this isn't a coincidence. With the timer in the dining hall set to 11:30, the irons, and now this, the person responsible did all of those things to cause the blackout, I'm sure." You concluded, now walking over to the duralumin case Byakuya had, as well as the case that contained your jacket. Kazuichi happened to be right by it.

"Hey Miss (F/N)... Isn't Peko the killer?" He asked, as you approached him.

"Oh? Why do you say that?" You asked, as you bent down to unlock the case to get your jacket.

"Well, she wandered off somewhere, even though she was supposed to be in the office. When we were looking for Byakuya after the blackout, I went to the office right away, but, when I got here...she was gone." Kazuichi explained. "Peko's probably the one who tripped the circuit breaker, and used the blackout to her advantage to kill Byakuya. And don't you think she looks kind of ruthless, too? Like...an assassin, right?"

"Hmm... I guess I can kind of see what you're saying... I have a different thought process, but I can see where you're coming from." You said, as you managed to fish out your jacket and put it on.

"Are you saying I might be right Miss (F/N)?!" He asked, somewhat excitedly.

"It's surely a possibility... Not really what I think, thought." You mumbled. "You have some good ideas and your backing for it makes sense, but I have a different idea."

"Wow... Thanks Miss (F/N)!" Kazuichi exclaimed, seemingly more focused on your praise of his idea rather than the fact you thought it was wrong. You told him that you would talk to him later, moving to now go talk to Peko, who was also in the same room.

"I can already tell... You doubt me, correct?" Peko said monotonously as ever.

"Why would you say that?" You asked.

"However, it does not surprise me... An unexpected blackout occurred, and during that time, Byakuya was killed. The circuit breaker is in this office... Naturally, I look suspicious since I was supposed to be here." She explained.

"Well, no. I never actually suspected you. While what you say makes sense as to why someone would suspect you, I still don't." You stated, as she looked shocked at what you said.

"But, I overheard your conversation-" "And my suspicions didn't change after my conversation with Kazuichi. While he made compelling points, I have some suspects of my own." You told, before Peko could say anything more. "But, what do you mean by 'supposed to'? You were in the office, as far as we know."

"So I was right... You weren't in the office." Kazuichi said, overhearing your conversation with Peko. "...But why? Weren't you supposed to gaurd the circuit breaker and the duralumin case with all the potential weapons in it? So...where'd you run off to on your own...?" Kazuichi interrogated, making Peko sweatdrop.

"Well...that is..." Peko muttered. "Ugh... Ugh...kh...!" Peko groaned, as she dropped to one knee in pain.

"Peko! What's wrong? Are you okay?" You asked, as you leaned down.

"I-I am just not feeling too well... I apologize but...e-excuse me..." Peko uttered.

"Excuse me!? What the hell is that?" Kazuichi stated.

"I-I'm pretty sure someone is using this building's bathroom right now... Most likely Nekomaru, so the only available bathrooms are probably in the hotel or your cottage..." You told the writhing girl.

"Ugh... It seems that it will be a tough path..." Peko strained, as she shakily stood up, holding her stomach and walking out of the office.

"Poor girl..." You muttered, standing up straight again.

"I mean, is it cool? She didn't like...run away or something?" Kazuichi questioned. "Cause, if she ran away, she's obviously the killer! I'm almost positive! A-And if I'm right, and she is the killer, then you shouldn't feel bad for her Miss (F/N)!"

"Hmm... What's that...?" You muttered, your attention now on a box on the wall next to the air conditioner.

"Oh, that's the old buildings circuit breaker." Kazuichi answered, as you eyed the box.

"Maybe that also caused the blackout...? But, to doesn't look like anyone did anything to it..." You thought aloud. "Plus, it's pretty high up. Even if you used a stepladder, you probably wouldn't be able to reach it."

"Yeah, I totally agree... That's why it's so mysterious..." Kazuichi said. "Well, during the blackout, I was panicking so bad I forgot about that, but... you're totally right. Even with a stepladder, there's no way you'd be able to reach that circuit breaker. Which means, someone must have reset the breaker after the blackout. But who?"

After Kazuichi said that, Monokuma had popped up. "I did it!" He said, making you jump and almost bump into Kazuichi.

"Gwaaaaaaaah!? IT'S HERE!" Kazuichi yelled.

"You idiots had nooooo idea what to do about the blackout, so I'm the one who reset the circuit breaker." Monokuma informed. "Ah, by the way, I'm not the one who tripper the breaker. The killer did that, of course."

"But...you're tiny. Like, 'I could physically step on you', tiny." You said. "How did someone as small as you reset the breaker?"

"Well, firstly, my eyes work reaaaaaal well in the dark! And, if you wanna know how I reached the circuit breaker..." Monokuma trailed off. "My body stretches."

"You're body what-?" You muttered somewhat quickly.

"It means I'm stretchy! I'm very elastic, ya'know." Monokuma informed, as Kazuichi accused Monokuma of being a liar.

"I'm serious! Wanna see? Wanna see a version of Monokuma with his body all stretched out? It's gross! It's grotesque!" Monokuma exclaimed.

"...Nah." You said, deadpanning.

"Oh really? Such a shame." Monokuma mumbled. "Still, don'tcha think Monokuma's such a nice guy!? In a popularity contest, he'd take first place!"

At that he left, leaving you and Kazuichi just...confused.

"Wh-What the hell...? So he's the one who reset the breaker..." Kazuichi muttered under his breath. "Well, in that case, I'm convinced. There's no way we'd be able to reach that."

"Yeah, definitely... I think that's it for here, I need to get going." You said. "I need to check something with Teruteru..."

"Oh? You're leaving, Miss (F/N)?" Kazuichi asked, as you told him you were going to see Teruteru. "Agh... Okay, make sure he doesn't try anything, got that!?"

"I wouldn't dare let him." You chuckled, putting your hands in your pockets. "I'll see you later Kazuichi, m'kay? Bye!" You said, as you left.

"T-Talk to you later, Miss (F/N)!" He yelled. After an incredibly small walk, you peeked through the door of the kitchen, finding just who you wanted.

"Ah, Teruteru." You said, grabbing his attention. "Good that you're here, I have something to ask. Were you in the kitchen during the blackout?"

"The blackout totally startled me... At first, I thought it was just in the kitchen, but when I finally managed to get out of the kitchen, the hallway was pitch black too." He explained. "And then, I heard everybody's voices, so I fumbled along the wall and tried to feel my way to the dining hall...but that place was pitch black too. It was, like, pitch black everywhere."

"Hmm, couldn't you have used the kitchen stove as a light? Or is it also powered by electricity?" You asked.

"No, it's also impossible. This gas stove needs electricity to work, so it was directly affected by the blackout." Teruteru said.

"I see, I see..." You muttered under your breath. "Well, that's all I need. I'll be going now. Bye."

As began walking away from him, you began thinking about Teruteru's account. 

"He claims he was in the dining hall, but I didn't see him anywhere, despite the fact that Nagito was on top of me... Speaking of that, he would've most likely said something about it. If not about that, then 100% about the position Mikan got herself into again. That poor girl..." You thought. "Plus, the there wasn't anything missing from the equipment list in the kitchen besides the one iron skewer, and he claims that it's been missing from the beginning. Meaning, the knife came from outside... Teruteru, you're really suspicious."

As soon as you exited the kitchen, you were brought out of your thoughts from a gasp from Sonia, as she realized you were there.

"(F/N)! I am glad you're here, there is something I wanted to ask you." She said, as you smiled at the princess.

"Of course, Sonia. Ask away." You prompted.

"It appears that only that wall is a different color and material... Why is that?" Sonia asked, as the now faced the door she was talking about.

"Oh, it seems that this is a fire door." You responded, as she asked what a fire door was. "A fire door... It's a door that shuts to keep fire from spreading by containing it, so that way, if a fire happens, you can run away." You explained, as she turned to you with stars in her eyes.

"I see! It is like a barrier! Just like lining up plastic bottles around the house!" Sonia connected. "You are quite smart, (F/N)!"

"A-Ah, it's nothing... I'm sure if you asked anyone else the same question, you'd get my same reply." You said, as she turned serious.

"You should not doubt yourself, I am sure that you are a very smart and capable individual." Sonia said, as you smiled at her.

"Thank you, Sonia... But, I need to get going now. I'll talk to you later, okay?" You said, as you waved goodbye to Sonia, her doing the same as you walked off.

Ibuki was walking in a continuous circle.

"Apparently, a great man once said, 'Investigations should be done on foot'. Sooo, that's why I'm also using my feet! I'm just walking around for no particular reason!" She said.

"That's nice, Ibuki..." You muttered.

"Since she's the Ultimate Musician, maybe she'd know something about what happened during the blackout...? It might be a stretch, considering this is, well, Ibuki, but...it won't hurt to try!"

"Hey, Ibuki?" You started. "Do you by any chance know anything that happened during the blackout?"

"Ehhhh? How'd you know!?" She exclaimed.

"Oh really? Can you tell me everything you know, please?" You begged of her.

"Tee hee, of course I can! Not only do I have perfect face, style, and personality, but I also have perfect ears!" Ibuki beamed.

"Does that mean you heard what happened during the blackout??" You asked, hoping to get more information. "You'd probably be able to pinpoint who was talking, I was too panicked to try and comprehend everything going on... So, do you know?

"Just leave it to Ibuki! It'll be as easy as fried rice with gravy!" Ibuki stated proudly. "Let's see...the first person who raised their voice during the blackout was... It was Mahiru. Next, was Kazuichi's voice, and then the next next voice was mine." She explained. "Kyahaha! What a nice remark I made! It's to the point and has its own unique charm!"

"I bet it was the 'My future is pitch black' one." You thought. "Okay, okay... go on."

"Then, there were more voices, one after the other... Mahiru spoke again, and then after her was Hiyoko, then after her was Byakuya! He actually spoke twice!" Ibuki informed. "Then, was Nagito, and then you, and then there was a thud! After the thud was Akane, and after after the thud, it was Teruteru. After Teruteru, was Sonia, and then Kazuichi again. All righties! That's pretty much it!" Ibuki beamed. "Hehehe, aren't I awesome!? Praise me, praise me! Gimme lots of praise!"

"Yeah... This was really useful information, Ibuki, thank you!" You said.

"Ibuki takes her thanks in head pats!!" She said, cheekily, leaning down. You patted the space inbetween her two horns, as she practically purred into your touch.

"Okay, I'll get going now Ibuki." You said, as you took your hand off of her head.

"Aww... Bye-bye (F/N)! Ibuki will talk to you later!" Ibuki beamed, as you walked off, thinking of what the new information Ibuki had given you.

"I wonder what Byakuya said when he was like 'What the hell is going on here!?' and 'Th-This is...', I can understand if it's about the initial shock of the blackout, but it had happened at least a minute or so after the power went out..."  You thought, before you overheard a conversation between Nagito and Hajime

"...investigate Byakuya's cottage." Was kind of what you heard. "There might be clues there, so I thought it'd be good to check it out, just in case..."

"Are you guys talking about going to see Byakuya's cottage...?" You asked, as they both nodded. "Mind if I come along? I think it could be useful."

"I don't mind at all!" Nagito beamed. "All right, then let's get going! To Byakuya's cottage!"

At that, you exited the old building with Nagito and Hajime, only to come across a scene as you did so.

Chiaki was on all fours on the ground, while Gundam was right beside her, but was instead just on one knee.

"What's going on...?" Hajime asked, clearly confused.

"'What am I doing?', you say? Ha! Now that is truly a foolish question!" Gundam exclaimed.

"You guys still trying to get the Hell Hound Earring?" You asked.

"Um... Yeah... We're just checking to see if we can get under the floor from here." Chiaki said.

"Under the floor? Why?" Hajime asked again.

"If you must know, it was the Angel's words that brought me out here... And I shall do nothing but act with full trust upon her words." Gundam stated. "Who decided it was impossible!?"

"A-Angel...? Who-?" Hajime stuttered.

"Me... I'm pretty sure." You answered "You guys need any help?" You asked, as you got on your knees next to Chiaki.

"Hm... I wonder..." Chiaki muttered under her breath, as you got in the same position as her. "If it is possible to get under the floor, it'll change our understanding of the murder... I think."

"...You're saying that...if it is possible to get in from under the floor, then maybe...it could've contributed to the murder...?" You asked.

"Yeah... That's why I thought it would be important to check it." Chiaki said.

"I see... Under the floor, huh. I never considered thinking of it like that." Nagito muttered, as he told Hajime how the carpet he laid out didn't touch all corners of the room, and that perhaps, it could be a possibility of how Byakuya was killed. You listened all the while, when Hajime asked if it was possible if the Byakuya was killed by the killer by being stabbed from beneath the floorboard.

"That...actually makes a lot of sense. However, what type of weapon is long enough to pierce through Byakuya's abdomen and lungs through the floor? If the theory is true, I don't know what it could be..." You thought.

"Hmm... I don't think it's possible to get under the floor from the outside." Chiaki muttered. "The building is surrounded by firm fences, so there's no way to sneak under the floor from there."

"...Does that exude Fuyuhiko from being the killer? He technically doesn't have an alibi, but if it's not possible to get under the floorboards from the outside, there's no way he could've done it."You thought.

"Well...is there a way to get under the floorboards from inside the old building?" You asked.

"No, that's not possible. At any rate, it seems you can't under the floor from outside the building. That's a relief." Nagito dismissed.

"That's a relief? Why?" Hajime asked.

"Because, if there was a way to get inside the building from under the floorboards, then there'd only be one logical suspect. The only person who didn't come to the part, and also doesnt have an alibi." Nagito explained.

"I...suspected him, too." That's why I was checking to see if it's possible to get under the floor from outside." Chiaki added. "Speaking of which... Not long after I began guarding the entrance... Fuyuhiko came here."

"That technically means he has an alibi..." You muttered, as you now laid on your elbows.

"I could tell he wanted to come to the party, it's why he walked by." Chiaki said. "But, he just told me he was going for a walk... And then, he just left."

"It really sounds like he wants to be included with everyone else... But his ego won't let him." You said. "He thinks he's different from anyone else... That's probably also why he's always alone..." 

"...He's like the main character of an RPG. Have you played those before?" Chiaki asked, as you nodded.

"I don't think Fuyuhiko's the killer... I'm practically positive." You stated. "But, now, we should stick to the plan and head over from Byakuya's cottage." You said, getting up from your position on your knees and elbows. You turned towards Nagito and Hajime, as they both wore different expressions. Hajime was looking awkwardly to the side, and Nagito had his eyes slightly wide... they both had the same pink hue across their cheeks.

"Why are you guys-" You stopped. "...Oh my fucking god- Let's go..." You sighed, pulling them out of their trance. "I hate men."

You all began making your way to Byakuya's cottage, in hope's of finding something that could potentially help with the investigation. You don't really know what was going through Nagito's mind when he originally suggested it to Hajime, but, if it had the opportunity to help figure out who the killer was, then you would sure as hell take it.

However, near the pool at the hotel, you saw Fuyuhiko there. You decided to make the very careful decision to try and talk to him... despite what had happened 24 hours beforehand.

"Hm? (F/N)...?" Hajime uttered. "What're you doing...?"

"I'm just going to go check on Fuyuhiko's alibi... Via him." You responded.

"(F-F/N)... a-are you sure that's the best idea...?" Nagito asked, hesitantly.

"Might as well." You shrugged. "Past aside, I think it'd be good... Plus, if you hear a loud bang and I'm dead, at least you guys'll know who did it." You smirked. "I'll meet you guys at Byakuya's cottage, don't wait up."

At that, you approached Fuyuhiko, who noticed you as well...

"Wh-" "If you're going to make a crude remark about what I'm wearing, I don't wanna fucking hear it." You said. "And I don't care that you told me to leave you alone, I'm here for your alibi. Once I get it, I'll leave and won't talk to you unless I absolutely need to." You stated, luckily getting no rebuttal. "You no doubt heard Monokuma's announcement, just want to know where you were."

"Huh, do you think I'm the killer? Think whatever you want... I'm used to being mistrusted..." Fuyuhiko said.

"No." You replied. "No, far from it, actually. No doubt in my mind you aren't the killer. I have my own suspects, but that's not what's important, just tell me what you were doing while everyone else was at the party."

Fuyuhiko gaped at what you had said. You didn't believe it was him who committed the murder? You already had you own suspicions that weren't him? Damn...

"Hmph... I guess I don't have an alibi... I was just chilling in my cottage all by myself during that time." Fuyuhiko responded.

You chuckled. "The whole time? You sure?" You asked. "'Cause Chiaki said she saw you pass by the front of the old building."

"Tch! That nosy bitch...!" Fuyuhiko exclaimed. "It's true I went for a little walk... And then, just by chance...I ended up passing by the old building..."

"...Okay. Whatever you say." You responded. "Also, don't be rude to Chiaki... Even though I never suspected you from the start, she's also the reason I know there's no way you're the killer." You said, as you started walking away.

"...Wh-Who do you think did it, anyway..." Fuyuhiko mustered out. "It's probably fucking wrong."

You stopped in your tracks.

"...It's either Nagito or Teruteru, I'm practically sure." You stated, before looking over your shoulder, meeting the Yakuza's eyes. "And I cannot wait to see the look on your face when I'm right."

At that you walked off to Byakuya's cottage, leaving a shocked Fuyuhiko watching you go to Nagito and Hajime.

"That took some time..." Hajime muttered.

"Yeah, well, Fuyuhiko's stubborn... And I wanted to make sure he didn't say anything about what I'm wearing." You responded.

"Well? What's his alibi?" Nagito asked.

"He just claimed he was in his cottage the whole time, but then I brought up how Chiaki saw him pass by the old building, and he got mad." You said. "But he apparently doesn't realize that Chiaki's account is basically his whole alibi... He's a strange character..."

"As long as he didn't do anything to you..." Hajime muttered, as the three of you arrived at Byakuya's cottage. Hajime decided to be the one to try and open his door...only for it to rattle.

"Huh? It's locked." Hajime said.

"I guess...we need to ask *him* for help..." Nagito said, before taking a deep breath, and cupping his hands around his mouth. "Heeeeey Monokuma!"

Guess who appeared?

"Yaaaaay! Didja call me!?" Monokuma said, popping out of the ground.

"N-Nagito...when did you train Monokuma...?" Hajime asked, sweatdropping.

Nagito just ignored Hajime. "Hey Monokuma...I was wondering if you can do us a favor. There's something we want to investigate."

"Who're you talking to? That's just my after-imagine." Monokuma said, as he disappeared, and reappeared again. "Kehehe... When I get serious, my after-image is unleashed. I can even play soccer by myself as long as I have this cloning technique! ... Though it'd be boing to play alone."

"That's nice... Can you just open Byakuya's cottage for us? Thanks." You said.

"It's for the class trial... It's something we really need." Nagito added, hoping to persuade Monokuma.

"...For the class trial?" Monokuma asked innocently. "Hmmm... If it's for the class trial, there's no way I can refuse! Now then, there's only one spell that can open these doors!" Monokuma said. "Va-Va-Valuse!"

There was a small *click* noise.

"See? I've unlocked the door. Now you can investigate to your heart's content!"

At that, Monokuma left.

"Why...does it open with a magic spell?" Hajime uttered.

"I don't even know... It's the least of our worries right now." You sighed. "At least it's open, we should go inside now..."

The three of you opened the door to Byakuya's cottage, making your way inside. The structure of his cottage was basically the same as everyone else's. However, he had two bookshelves in the corner of his room filled to the brim with books. He also had a bigger table, also covered with books. However, slightly behind that table, there was a slightly smaller table, however, rather than having books, it had a singular envelope.

You walked to the table, picking up the envelope as Nagito and Hajime came behind you.

"Someone sent Byakuya a letter..." You muttered.

"There's no sender... That looks pretty suspicious." Nagito said. "(F/N)...you should check what's inside."

"Let's see..." You said under your breath, as you opened up the envelope, only to reveal a mysterious message.

__

BE CAREFUL!

The first kill will happen tonight. Someone will definitely kill someone.

—-

"...Huh?" Hajime uttered, as you reread the letter that had been mailed to Byakuya. "This is..!?"

"Is this...a crime warning?" Nagito mustered out.

"I-I don't think so..." You responded. "If it says, 'Be Careful,' it's probably a threatening letter.... Though, I'm not entirely sure..."

"But who would send something like that!?" Hajime exclaimed.

"Maybe...this is why Byakuya suddenly decided to throw a party..." Nagito muttered. "'The first kill will happen tonight.' Because someone made this threat to Byakuya, he gathered everyone in one area, and was extremely cautious about all the dangerous items. He was trying to create a scenario in which everyone could monitor each other. He thought...if he did that, nobody would be able to kill anyone..."

"Does that mean he believed this crazy letter?" Hajime asked.

"I think so...why else would he have thrown a party?" You replied. "Byakuya didn't look like the type to throw a party just because he wants everyone to bond... He said he was a skeptical person by nature, meaning, he couldn't just ignore the possibility happening, even if it was just a worst-case scenario... Sadly, he became the worst case scenario..." You sighed.

"Then...why did he keep the letter a secret? If he had just told us..." Hajime trailed off.

"If he had told us, we probably would've just panicked, and doubt each other once again... At that point, there'd be no turning back..." Nagito hypothesized.

"S-So, Byakuya...tried to do something about this all by himself, without telling anyone?" Hajime tried to understand, as you and Nagito gave noises of affirmation. "Does that mean... Whoever sent Byakuya this letter also killed him?"

"No... This could be a prank...and it might have nothing to do with Byakuya's death at all..." Nagito muttered softly.

"That seems unlikely...and now Nagito's quiet all of a sudden..."You thought, as you eyed the lucky student. "...What goes through your head, Nagito Komaeda?"

"I need to go check on what I asked Mahiru for earlier..." You muttered. "And, I should ask Mikan for the autopsy report."

"What did you ask Mahiru for...?" Hajime asked.

"Well, she told me she took pictures before the blackout, so I asked if she could try and approximate everyone's standing point from it." You responded. "...Either of you guys wanna come with?"

"...Hajime can go. I...I need some time alone." Nagito responded.

"O...kay..." You trailed off, as you looked at Hajime, jerking your head towards the door, as he nodded. "We'll see you later, Nagito... Take care, m'kay?" You smiled, as he waved, and you and Hajime left Byakuya's cottage, making your way back to the old building.

"You know... It's kind of funny, actually..." Hajime spoke, as you hummed in confusion. "When I talked to Mahiru, I asked her to do the same thing you did... But, she told me you already asked her, and that she was planning on doing it..."

"Oh wow." You chuckled softly. "Great minds think alike, huh?" You nudged him with your elbow, making you both chuckle.

Once the both of you entered the old building, there was an extremely loud noise.

"What the...!?" Hajime exclaimed, as you both walked further. Once you did, you noticed Nekomaru had gotten out of the bathroom... It was most likely him who made the loud noise.

"I feel so light-hearted right now..." Nekomaru spoke. "I, NEKOMARU NIDAI, have been reborn! I have non intension of losing anymore!"

"...Losing to who?" Hajime asked, confusedly.

"I won't lose to anyone...not even to my past self!" Nekomaru stated.

"That's nice...what're you talking about?" You asked.

"SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTT!!" He yelled.

"Sigh...unexpected, but not surprised." You thought.

"Gh... I don't know who was behind it, but someone tried to make a shitty bastard out of me..." You heard Nekomaru say. "Some scoundrel was occupying the bathroom before the party was about to start."

"Now that you mention it... You said something like that shortly after the party started..." Hajime muttered.

"So, was the bathroom door shut from before the party to after the blackout...?" You asked.

"And...the bathroom was finally unoccupied after Byakuya's body was found..." Nekomaru stated. "That's about how long that lasted."

"Mhm..." You hummed under your breath, as you and Hajime bid a quick farewell to Nekomaru, now going to re-enter the dining hall for the information you both needed. First, the both of you walked to Mahiru.

"Ah, (F/N)! There you are!" Mahiru exclaimed, before she eyed Hajime. "And... Hajime's here too... Oh well, as long as he wasn't slacking off, he's fine."

You giggled a bit, while Hajime looked at you in a slightly confused-annoyed manner. You sighed. "Hajime's been investigating too, don't worry... But, did you find anything?"

"Yeah...sorta..." She said, as she pulled out a piece of paper. "Here, take a look at this. Just as you told me...using the two photos I took before the blackout, I tried to pinpoint where everyone. When I did, this diagram was the result."

You and Hajime looked at the handrawn piece of paper of the old building, with the rooms marked and her hypothesis' of where everyone was.  Mostly everyone was in the dining hall. You were standing at the furthest right table, inbetween Hajime and Ibuki. Peko was supposedly in the office, Teruteru was supposedly in the kitchen, and Chiaki was supposedly outside. Fuyuhiko was also outside, except he was in his cottage the whole time, that, you had no doubt about.

And true to what Mahiru said... Byakuya was on the complete opposite wall of where he was found dead.

"This is...extremely vital information." You thought.

"Did you guys find something?" Mahiru asked.

"That seriously helped a lot... Even though I'm not completely sure yet, I feel like a have a pretty good grasp at this case... Seriously, thanks so much, Mahiru. This helped a shit-ton." You smiled, gratefully.

"I-I hope so... I was pretty confused myself when I was drawing it, so, it's either a potential clue...or just a waste of labor..." Mahiru sighed.

"No, it's definitely a potential clue." You stated, as she smiled lightly. "Okay...now we need Mikan's autopsy report, and...that should be it for investigating... I think." You said, as you waved off Mahiru, and made your way to Mikan, with Hajime.

"Mikan...!" You greeted, as she slightly jumped. "Oop- Sorry... How did the autopsy go?" You asked.

"Um... If you'd like, I can tell you a little bit of what I want." She uttered, as you nodded, ushering her to go on. "Um...I tried, within reason, to perform an autopsy on Byakuya's body... A-And I discovered...that there were several puncture wounds around Byakuya's chest and abdominal region... D-Deep wounds...deep enough to reach his lungs and internal organs..."

"Long enough to reach his lunges and internal organs!!? Holy shit!" You thought, as Mikan let out a sob.

"...It can be assumed that...a very thin, sharp object around...five milliliters in diameter...was...used to..." Mikan stuttered. "...stab...him...over...and over...again...which is what I belie...ve...Ugh...Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" She wailed loudly.

"H-Hey! Mikan! What happened, what's wrong!?" You asked, as you put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I'm soooooooorryyyyyy...! Talking about it made me sad!" She wailed.

"I-It's okay... I'm sure Hajime and I got the gist of what you discovered..." You reassured, as she kept apologizing.

"Five millimeters in diameter...? That's extremely thin, about as thin as a needle..." You pondered. "...If it's as thin as a needle, then there's no way the knife can be the murder weapon, the puncture wounds would be longer in length, and most likely bigger." You realized, as you heard the familiar sound of a school bell.

Almost subconsciously, you turned toward the monitor in the dining hall, seeing the always same sight of Monokuma, in his chair, holding his drink.

"Alrighty guys, it's finally time! That's right. It's time for the long-awaited class trial!" Monokuma said, in an almost childlike demeanor. "Now then, I shall tell you all the meeting place. At the central island of Jabberwock Island, there is a mountain with my adorable face carved into it. That, my friends, is Monokuma Rock! Once you're there, please proceed to the underground by taking the elevator located at the secret entrance. Puhuhu~, I'll see you soon!"

"I swear this bitch is so self centered, he made a whole motherfucking rock with his face on it, of course. ONLY Monokuma would do that I swear to fucking god-"

You let out a heavy exhale, locking eyes with Hajime again. He showed the same worried, anxious expression that you saw before you uncovered Byakuya's dead body...

"...We have nowhere else to go... We have to do this." You said, solemnful, beginning to make your way out of the dining hall. You turned over your shoulder, to Hajime. "You coming...?"

He gave a simple, apprehensive, worry-filled nod, before walking by your side.

This night...you would find the murder of your esteemed leader...

The man who promised to keep you all safe...

The man who died by the hands of one of you...

Byakuya Togami.

~~

I SWEEAAARRR THIS CHAPTER TOOK ME SO LONG TO WRITE

I'M SOSOSOSOSO SORRY I FELT LIKE I SHOULD'VE FINISHED THIS SOONERRR

FORGIVE MEEEEEE (don't read that in mikan's voice 👁👄👁)

to anyone who reads this, thank you for reading!! any votes/follows are greatly appreciated, if not, just thank you for reading this at all!

stay tuned for the first part of the class trial, which i hope to get out as soon as i can🥺!! bye bye for now~!!