"The victim was found with a blow to the head," Rosalina examined Maria's corpse. Like before, they'd been allowed a couple of hours to investigate before Monokuma allowed them into the trial room. "But the weapon hasn't been found..."

"Head trauma," Toadette reminded her. "From what, we don't know. It doesn't take much."

"True, as long as it's not something stupid like a pillow," Toad scoffed. "Anything can cause head trauma."

"We're missing something," Peach sighed. "What could that weapon be...?"

"How about right there?" Rosalina offered, pointing to the filter where a huge, brown book lay. The only reason she'd noticed was because the filter had been making a weird noise, and as Rosalina removed it, the pages were all wet.

"We can't even be sure this is it," Pauline frowned. "There's no blood."

"Yeah, but it's a start," Rosalina smiled as she flipped through. "Hey... check this out. This page isn't smudged like all the others that were written in pen. It's barely legible.."

"So whoever did this wanted to destroy the evidence by throwing it in the pool," Toadette noticed. "Effectively washing away any blood. Whoever killed them was good."

"They messed up, though," Rosalina told them. "With this one page. It's some sort of journal. It starts out normal, and then it jumps to I killed someone today. Whoever our murderer is... could've been facing something mental."

"What?" Mario was confused. "What do you mean?"

"Well, think about it," Rosalina said. "This person doesn't seem broken down that they've killed someone. They seem pretty normal."

"I mean, it's a possibility," Peach replied. "But I think people just want to get the hell out of here."

"Well, come on," Toad said urgently. "Why don't we try to get everyone's handwriting so we can match it?"

"Good idea, let's go!"

<><><>

"Let the trial begin!"

Peach was quick to lay out the analysis.

"Maria was found in the pool, with a head injury. Apparently no other evidence, but we found a heavy book that could've been used to kill her. The writing was all smudged since it was in the pool."

"We took everyone's handwriting earlier, remember?" Rosalina jumped in. "Despite the book being in the pool, there was a page scrawled in pencil that had legible handwriting. The handwriting matched none other than Mario. Got anything to say in your defense?"

"My handwriting?" Mario looked in disbelief as everyone stared at him. "But- I didn't write in any book!"

"Oh, come on," Birdo scoffed. "You've got to have a better defense than that. Do you really expect anyone to believe that?"

"No, seriously," Mario insisted. "I didn't write in a book!"

"But it's your handwriting," Toadette said. "What else can it be?"

"Seriously, it wasn't me," Mario growled. "I don't know how to tell you besides this, but it wasn't me, dammit!"

"Then who the hell was it, hmm?" Toad questioned. "There's no other explanation!"

While everyone argued, one person was trying to piece all the clues together...

"Oh! That book you were talking about," Daisy realized. "You said it was all unreadable, except for that one page?"

"Yeah," Peach confirmed, tossing her blonde hair over her shoulder. "It was all written in pen, except that one page."

"Well, why would anyone switch from pen to pencil in the whole journal?" Daisy folded her arms. "There's no use for that. I know it's a little far fetched... but what if Mario's being framed?"

"A little? That's so random," Birdo dismissed. "That's a dumb idea."

"Not necessarily," Pauline defended. "Having just one page in the middle of a journal in pencil seems a little strange. This is personal, but changing the thing you write with? It makes no sense. That would drive me nuts."

"True," Rosalina continued on with the idea. "Besides, the book was thrown in the pool, the murderer could've easily taken it with them. It was even shoved in the filter, like the murderer wanted us to see it.."

"Okay, so maybe that clears his name," Peach interrupted. "But we're still no closer."

"Actually, we kinda are," Samantha responded. "The murderer has to have obtained Mario's handwriting from somewhere. He claims he didn't write it, so someone has to have some great copying skills.."

"No one would've had his writing style known," Sarah frowned. "So, now what? Everything still points to Mario."

"That's not true," Ingrid said quietly. "Mario knew two people from before we were all sent here, and was familiar with both of them."

"Peach and Luigi," Boo realized, as everyone turned to the two. "Obviously."

"So who did it?"

"I-I'd never murder my own brother!" Luigi protested. "Mario- I love Mario."

"Do you really think I'd murder him?" Peach scoffed. "No way!"

Everyone began to argue, until Kaira jumped in.

"Two very weak arguments," Kaira commented quietly. "I think one thing has made this murder pretty easy to find out."

"You know?" Daisy asked, incredulously.

"The murder was well done," Kaira continued, her hand leaving her katana. "Blow to the head, causing head trauma. The murderer obviously threw her body in the pool, effectively erasing all evidence. The journal had Mario's writing in it. I'm sure that we probably would've fallen for it, too."

"What are you saying?" Soleil questioned, not exactly understanding it.

"Well, we've narrowed down our suspects list a little," Kaira told them. "Peach, or Luigi is who you guys think, correct?"

"Yes...?" Waluigi was getting slightly impatient with the way she was dragging everything on.

"Well, our decision should be obvious. Not from any other evidence," Kaira responded coolly. "But from the fact of what Monokuma offered us all when we got a chance of freedom!"

"Oh, and by the way! If you manage to get away with murder, when you get out, you'll get famous! Think about that!"

"What are you saying?" Pauline shook her head in confusion.

"What would Peach need with fame?" Kaira asked. "She's an heiress. She's got plenty of it. On the other hand, a 'Super High School Level Sidekick'... well, I'm sure he wanted some attention."

Luigi's face was panicked as everyone turned to him, shock filling them.

"No! I wouldn't do it!" Luigi screeched. "I'd never kill anyone! Attention would be nice, but why would I frame my own brother!"

"It doesn't take a genius to realize how he treats you," Saiko cut in, her blue eyes narrowing at Mario. "He's pretty mean, isn't he? Always cutting you off..."

"Weegee," Mario looked at Luigi in confusion. "I-I don't do that, do I?"

"...you do!" Luigi burst, his face red. "You take all the fame, and leave me in the dust! You won't even let me speak anymore! I don't get to say anything if it doesn't agree with your ideals, or should I say, P-Peach's ideals! You only listen to her! I'm your brother, aren't I more important!"

"Luigi... I never knew you felt this way," Mario said quietly. "I-"

"Shut up! It's because y-you never cared about me!" Luigi howled. "I killed Maria! I could've been famous once I made it out of here, people would actually know who Luigi Mario was! It sounded so worth it, it still does!"

"I think we got our confession," Kaira remarked. "You murdered someone innocent."

"Serves h-her right for being alone at times like these," Luigi looked down nervously. "I-I failed... I don't want to be executed! I don't, I don't, I don't!"

"Weegee!" Mario interrupted. "You aren't gonna die, I'm not going to let you die-"

"If we don't execute him, then we all die!" Daisy exclaimed. "The choice is pretty obvious here!"

"But I-i can't kill my brother," Mario was almost in tears. "I-I can't.."

"He was willing to kill you," Peach said softly. "But you still.."

"He's my brother!" Tears were streaming down Mario's face now. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"D-doesn't matter," Luigi sighed. "You wouldn't have listened, anyway."

"Alright, enough chit chat!" Monokuma cackled. "Cause it's voting time!"

"Correct!" Monokuma jumped with glee. "You attention stealer!"

"Weegee-"

"Shut up!" Luigi shouted. "Monokuma, please, I don't want to d-die-"

"Too bad!" Monokuma snickered. "It's punishment time!"

ᏞᏌᏆᏩᏆ ᎻᎪᏚ ᏴᎬᎬN FᎾᏌNᎠ ᏩᏌᏆᏞᎢY. ᎢᏆᎷᎬ FᎾᎡ ᎢᎻᎬ ᏢᏌNᏆᏚᎻᎷᎬNᎢ!

Luigi opened his eyes to see a translucent figure... a ghost. He screamed in fear, turning around to run away, when another one popped up right in front of him. He screamed again, sweat dripping down his forehead. He held a hand to his chest as they began closing in on him, and screamed as they all collapsed on him.

As the ghosts cleared away, Luigi was seen unharmed... lifeless, on the ground.

Scared to death.

Hey everyone! I'm writing this A/N before I write this chapter... whoops

I'm doing that for a reason- and it's because ya'll have no faith in Daisy XD honestly, it made me laugh

Thanks for reading!