another-dr-another

[another-dr-another]

sorry 4 silence... ill be honest i have not worked on update BUT i am working on beta posting things. hoping to be able to feed you all well on christmas, and if not christmas, then expect a good new years gift. btbb tradition of me posting things on holidays continues. (i have like.. 4k words down So Far. probably? abt 10k total for u all) edit: ALSO worth stating this is main plot stuff. it isn't continuing on w ch3 deadly life (which we'll be back to Soon just not Now.) but it is like. canon plotline, stuff that goes on this blog, etc. i'll delete this post.. either when i finish this stuff, or when we update again, if that comes first

[another-dr-another]

{Question Tsurugi’s Recollection}

Lets see if he has PTSD and if irs bothering him.

Also Higa wasn't cut at all so no cartilage was cut.

Maeda, narrating - Yeah…

Maeda - God- it feels like I just can’t stand my ground against things.

Maeda - I wonder where we’d be if I acted more… constantly? Consistently?

Maeda - Anyways- I want to come to an agreement with Tsurugi. I shouldn’t let this opportunity slip away.

~*~

Ōtori - So… Tsurugi’s understanding of what he did last night has changed?

Maki - It isn’t just that. He’s… remembering more information now too.

Kobashikawa - …

Kobashikawa - Do we…

Kobashikawa - …Do we have to incorporate his testimony right now? A-Are we sure it wouldn’t be better to do what Maeda was sort of suggesting earlier, and try to reconstruct the events of last night without Tsurugi’s testimony?

Tomori - I mean…

Tomori - …How much do we want to try and throw out?

Maeda - None of it.

Maeda - We keep it all. Everything’s important here.

Ōtori - …I’m sorry, What?

Maeda - If Tsurugi’s willing to stand behind what he’s saying, we should trust it!

Maeda - If he did all of whatever happened with the lights and the sounds on autopilot, then that’s what happened.

Maeda - He killed Higa, and lost his cool about it- and kept losing his cool.

Tsurugi - …

Tomori - That’s…

Tomori - Maeda, do you really believe that that’s what happened?

Maeda - …I’ll place my trust in Tsurugi.

//Tsurugi gasps, then chokes on it.

Maeda - …

Tsurugi - …Sorry, sorry. I-I’m fine. Sorry- that was loud.

Maeda - …You’re fine.

Maeda - Anyways, having gone over the case… I can’t really think of any objections I have.

Maeda - If Tsurugi’s recollection is fully accurate, then it should be obvious what happened. He remembers going for Higa’s throat, and knows he’d be responsible for the lights.

//He’s tried to stay nonchalant with this- but he looks at Tsurugi now.

Maeda - Right, Tsurugi?

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - …Mhm.

Tsurugi - I don’t like conversations like this. But it’s important to be brave, right?

Tsurugi - I’ll be super proud of you all if you can be brave- and I’ll be proud of myself if I can be a good example! So- so yeah. Maeda’s right.

Uehara - …

Hatano - …Let’s vote then.

Maki - Wait-

Maki - I don’t want to. I- I feel like we should look at this again.

Maki - Let’s test everyone against the theory. Is there anyone else that could fit?

Tsurugi - No.

Tsurugi - …No.

Tsurugi - Because, the theory involves my testimony, right? 

Tsurugi - I woke up Higa, because I was up, and he hit me. This set me off, so I killed him. No one else fits the metrics.

Maeda - …I feel like I’m losing this.

Maeda - …Plus, let’s look at the original reason why we suspected Tsurugi. It was because of his character, right?

Tsurugi - …!

Tsurugi - …

Uehara - …Sorry. Maeda, what do you mean?

Maeda - Oh, do you need me to remind you?

Tsurugi - …

Maeda - We think it was Tsurugi because he’s the only one who would’ve felt bad about killing Higa. Sure, it’s not what we’d expect of Tsurugi… but if he’s the type to kill because someone betrayed his hopes, it’s not like I’d know anything better.

Tsurugi - ……

Maeda - …Do you think I’m wrong? Isn’t that how you said it earlier?

Tsurugi - …Well- I don’t think- it- the context-

Maeda - I don’t think the phrasing is all too important here.

Maeda - Not like anyone faults you for it. You got fed up because he was being a dick. We all have a breaking point, you got pushed to it. 

Maeda - …

Maeda - If… this really is the truth- not that I think it is-

Maeda - I’m sorry it happened to you, Tsurugi. To be driven to murder… I’m sure it’s something you never would’ve done of your own accord. You’re a victim of the game. No one’s upset with you for that.

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi, weakly - Don’t say it like that…

Maeda - Ah, I didn’t mean…

Maeda - …Well, maybe it’s good to be feeling things now. Again- not like anyone will blame you if you get upset and cry. 

Maeda - If we’re sure of our answer, there’s nothing stopping us from voting,

Maeda - Call it, call it-

Maeda - And… if there’s nothing stopping us from voting, then there’s nothing to prolong-

Maeda - Call my fucking bluff, come on-

Maeda - …Well, we all know what’ll happen, but… I don’t think anyone wants to hear it.

Tsurugi - …

Maeda - Come on, you can do it-

Maeda - So… if there’s nothing else to say, and we’re just killing time until we have nothing better to do- you’re free to react however you want. No one wants to go forward with the trial.

Maeda - Okay, please, someone needs t-

Uehara - …Fuck.

Uehara - I’m so sorry. We really can’t vote for Tsurugi.

Maeda - HELL YEAH!

Tsurugi - Yes we can.

Maeda - Uehara, what’s your reasoning?

Uehara - …

Uehara - It isn’t right. Tsurugi would never lay a hand on anyone-

Uehara - What, and we’re saying he killed because Higa got him mad?

Uehara - I’ve never even seen him get mad! And everyone’s supposed to suddenly believe that Tsurugi is the type that would ever think of violence, as a-

Uehara - As-

Uehara - …

Uehara - As a… as a way to control people, to… to punish them! We’re- we’re supposed to think he’d go and kill Higa over Higa being a douche, but Higa always sucked-

Uehara - …

Uehara - …And you still let him into your bedroom.

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - …Stop it…

Uehara - I’m sorry, Tsurugi…

Uehara - But… I don’t understand what’s going on- all I know is that we can’t vote for you.

Tsurugi - I-It’s fine! It’s all- It’s all under control… I know what I’m doing.

Uehara - It doesn’t look like you’re doing anything. You’re letting everyone believe you killed Higa, but that isn’t true.

Uehara - If you won’t argue for yourself, I’ll do it. 

Taira - …You believe in Tsurugi’s character before you believe in his logic?

Uehara - …

Uehara - I think you would place a bet on where my faith likes to lie, Taira.

Taira - Hm…

Taira - Didn’t someone compare you to a dog, once?

Uehara - Recently, yeah. What the hell do you want to say about it?

Taira - I just felt like sharing.

Maeda - …Okay.

Maeda - Hey, how’s Tsurugi doing?

Tsurugi - …

//…Well, he doesn’t look happy, that’s easy to call. 

Hatano - Well… the argument here is just about the lights, right?

Maeda - Yeah- which, Uehara didn’t counter that.

Uehara - Don’t need to. This whole thing is stupid, and you don’t have any proof about the lights thing. 

Ōtori - …Well, “the lights thing” definitely did happen.

Uehara - But Tsurugi wasn’t involved!

Uehara - That’s what you can’t prove- and the reason you can’t prove it is because it didn’t happen.

Tsurugi - But can you prove anything?

Uehara - !!

Tsurugi - There’s no evidence that anything else happened, Uehara.

Tsurugi - All we have is the account I’m giving. If we throw it out, we don’t have any direction to go in.

Uehara - …

Uehara - It’s better that we stop and turn around than keep going the wrong way, just for the sake of progress.

Tsurugi - …

Uehara - …Right?

Tsurugi - …

Uehara - Isn’t… isn’t it about what’s best for the group?

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - …Go away, Uehara.

Uehara - Oh. You don’t mean that.

Tsurugi - I do. Stop it.

Uehara - …

Uehara - I don’t know what you want right now. But I know that if you’re not going to hit the breaks on this, I will.

Uehara - Can I step down?

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - …You shouldn’t be doing anything.

//Maeda stands and watches as Tsurugi starts to cry again.

Uehara - …

Maeda - …

Maeda - Tsurugi.

Maeda - If you’ve said anything that misled us, you should clear it up now.

Maeda - There’s no reason why we need to rush things. If we misunderstood what you’ve said, then- it’s like Uehara said. We can turn around, and still be making progress. 

Maeda - I don’t want to call him out for outright lying…

Maeda - Do we need to take a different path?

Tsurugi - …

//…For a moment, Tsurugi almost looks mad. But it quickly fades, getting replaced with hesitancy.

Tsurugi - …

Maeda - …

Maeda - …Well?

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - I don’t know what to do.

//The class takes a moment-

Maeda - …Actually?

//-Then bursts.

Hatano - Oh, for fucks sake-

Ōtori, overlapping - No, nuh-uh. You can’t-

Maki, overlapping - …No, elaborate-

Taira, overlapping - Well, if we’ll still be here-

Kobashikawa, overlapping - We can’t keep down this path-

Hatano, overlapping - Seriously, it isn’t okay for you to do this!

Ōtori - -Just say that and expect us to accept it. 

Maki - What are you thinking? What do you think happened right now?

Taira - Might as well get comfortable. I don’t think we’ll be moving on-

Kobashikawa - -Of logic, it’s fairly obvious now that something’s wrong.

Maeda - …This isn’t alright. We can’t be letting ourselves make these choices anymore. 

Hatano - This is so stupid. I don’t care, I’m not letting you screw around like this.

Ōtori - There’s no good reason why this should happen. No reason I’ll accept, at least.

Maki - You need to put your thoughts into words, because everyone needs to work on this.

Taira - From this anytime soon. Which, I don’t feel too strongly about, but no one can hear me, so, like…

Kobashikawa - I think we’re at the point where people would rather throw out your account entirely, because it’s not meshing-

Maeda - If we don’t get it together, we’ll get ourselves killed.

Hatano - But, I’m pretty sure everyone’s fed up!

Ōtori - And I don’t think anyone else is believing this either.

Maki - No one’s going to stand down from this.

//Taira is drinking her cold brew.

Kobashikawa - So, work with us.

Maeda - Tsurugi, you need to tell the truth!

Tsurugi - !

Tomori - …

Uehara - …Tsurugi.

Uehara - Do you have a plan for where to go from here?

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - …I don’t know…

Maeda - Damn it.

Tomori - …

Tomori - If everyone’s tired of hearing Tsurugi’s claims… let’s just try to work things out ourselves, yeah?

Maki - …

Maki - But Tsurugi, you clearly have different opinions than what you’re letting on. We can’t just ignore that.

Tsurugi - …No I don’t.

Tsurugi - I don’t know what’s happening…

Maeda - He really won’t answer.

Maeda - …Maybe that’s fine.

Maeda - M-

Maeda - Maybe I can clock what’s wrong.

Maeda - If I can name the arguments we have- the reasons we shouldn’t buy that it’s Tsurugi. 

Ōtori - …Well. I wouldn’t say that I don’t believe it was him.

Kobashikawa - …Why not?

Ōtori - He’s behaving poorly- he’s upset, and uncooperative.

Ōtori - …This isn’t too abnormal- not for Tsurugi, and not for someone who’s grappling with the idea of being executed.

Maki - …Really?

Ōtori - Mhm…

Maki - Really?

Maki - ?

Ōtori - !...

Maki - Really? Really, Ōtori?

Ōtori - …

Ōtori - …Anyways.

//Maki sighs, very audibly.

Ōtori - All we know right now is that Tsurugi’s… having a hard time making an argument. He could still be the blackened.

Maeda - …

Maeda - He could, but that doesn’t mean he is…

Ōtori - I just don’t think we can afford to dismiss him right now.

Ōtori - If it isn’t Tsurugi, then who is our blackened?

Maeda - …

Tomori - Right… it goes back to being me, or Taira.

//Maeda glances at Taira. She’s simply standing there, idly looking around the room.

Ōtori - …

Ōtori - As long as we’re confident with our answer- as confident as we can be- then I won’t be upset over it.

Ōtori - But, I think we need to keep in mind that someone here is the blackened. Someone murdered Higa. 

Ōtori - If we decide it isn’t Tsurugi, we have to decide that because someone else looks more feasible.

~*~

Maeda, narrating - …Fuck.

Maeda - I keep…

Maeda - …

Maeda - …

Maeda - I keep forgetting that this is going to have consequences.

Maeda - By proving it isn’t Tsurugi, I’m throwing us back to having to accuse someone else…

Maeda - But, if we accuse Tsurugi, we could die… I don’t believe it was him, so I need to make sure everyone agrees. Just thinking his testimony isn’t true isn’t enough.

Maeda - We can’t explain the lights, and we can’t explain the inconsistencies between Tsurugi’s latest testimony, and Higa’s injuries.

Maeda - I should start with trying to prove that something that’s off indicates it wasn’t Tsurugi.

Make your Argument!

~*~ //Note: This is the “just send in your thoughts” minigame, it’s back! Extrapolate- what about the unexplained lights implies it was Tsurugi? Or, is it easier if we use Tsurugi’s contradictions? You tell me, and I’ll tell Maeda!

[another-dr-another]

i really don’t think it’ll be good for tsu’s mental health if we start questioning his memory, so let’s {Debate with the Class}! -iris

Maeda, narrating - Yeah…

Maeda - Tsurugi’s… credibility is sort of under question too, huh?

Maeda - Let’s just talk with the others and see what we get. Hopefully he’ll sort himself out.

~*~

Ōtori - So… Tsurugi’s understanding of what he did last night has changed?

Maki - It isn’t just that. He’s… remembering more information now too.

Kobashikawa - …

Kobashikawa - Do we…

Kobashikawa - …Do we have to incorporate his testimony right now? A-Are we sure it wouldn’t be better to do what Maeda was sort of suggesting earlier, and try to reconstruct the events of last night without Tsurugi’s testimony?

Tomori - I mean…

Tomori - …How much do we want to try and throw out?

Hatano - …I’m confused.

Hatano - Why are we so hell-bent on this again? Tsurugi’s confessed five times over.

Hatano - He killed Higa, the end.

Maeda - …Well…

Maeda - …Is it really just that I don’t want Tsurugi to die? Is that the only reason we’re still debating on this?

Taira - Tsurugi’s confession isn’t reliable. We can’t count on him to tell us the truth.

Tomori - …Tsurugi isn’t lying to try and do anything wrong.

Tomori - We should handle this situation with more… levity?

Taira - Don’t use words you don’t understand.

Tomori - …

Uehara - I don’t think anyone thinks Tsurugi could have done it.

Hatano - I- I mean I’m definitely in that camp.

Uehara - …Are you? Actually?

Hatano - Yes??

Uehara - …

Uehara - Why? It wasn’t him.

//Tsurugi rubs at his eyes- either tired, or pushing back tears.

Hatano - …

Hatano - I’m not dealing with that bullshit right now.

Maeda - Wait, now I wanna know-

Maeda - Who feels comfortable voting for Tsurugi right now?

//Hatano and Tsurugi raise their hands.

Maeda - …That number’s gone down, then.

Maeda - …

Maeda - I would ask Tsurugi to talk about his argument- but I agreed to leave him alone, and it’s not like he… looks like he’s up to debating.

Maki - Let’s get back to the subject.

Maki - So, if we listen to Tsurugi, then anything that happened with the lights and the noises was just him acting on autopilot.

Maki - He… says he remembers a bit more about the murder, too.

Maki - The only opposing theory is-

Maki - Well, that he’s getting mixed up.

Tomori - …Could that really be it?

Maki - …

Maki, softly - Tomori…

Tomori - I- guys, come on…

Maeda - …

Tsurugi - …Tomori’s probably got a good point, y’know!

Maeda - H-Huh?! Tsurugi?

Tsurugi - I’m of super-sound mind! Super-sonic even! Speed of light!

Tsurugi - No one else has any recollections, right? No one else is confessing! So, there’s no reason to think it was anyone but me~

Tsurugi - And the lights and sounds are totally nothing! Ten thousand and one explanations for them, and none of them change the fact that I’m the blackened.

Tomori - A-Ah…

Maki - …Wait, so- we’re back to believing it was Tsurugi? Seriously?

Ōtori, quietly - He’s back to advocating for it.

Tsurugi - Well, duh! It’s easy to see!

Tsurugi - Like looking at the stars, so long as there’s no light pollution, y’know? You can even find UFO’s if you look like that!

Maeda - …I feel dizzy, nearly- he’s totally running circles around me! I’ve lost track of what we’re talking about.

Maeda - W…Wait, but- 

Tsurugi - But what? Do you really have a refutation, Maeda?

Tsurugi - There’s not a lot to be said! 

Tsurugi - I’m the blackened, I killed Higa last night, because I was up, and he was up, and it work with your testimony, and it works with what we know about both Higa and myself.

Tsurugi - I’m the only one we can vote for. No one else looks like the culprit, and I’ve got no evidence against me.

//He smiles, and makes a heart with his thumb and pointer finger.

Tsurugi - Simple as syrup~

~*~

Maeda, narrating - …Fuck.

Maeda - Okay, fuck.

Maeda - Letting Tsuurgi compose himself is not a good idea. I- I don’t know where we even went with that!

Maeda - If he can get himself together, he’ll be able to distance himself from the case again…

Maeda - And then, he can argue that it’s him, and do it so plainly, I don’t know what to say against it.

Maeda - I…

Maeda - I need to press Tsurugi while he’s vulnerable to it. 

[Question Tsurugi’s Recollection]

[another-dr-another]

{Something that Happened Last Night} hey hold on can we bring up the white noise + weird lighting. can we go back to that, bc i don’t think tsu’s story explains it -iris

Maeda, narrating - What happened last night!

Maeda - It’s a matter of Tsurugi’s actions then…

Maeda - …Or- maybe it’s not even about Tsurugi.

Maeda - …

Maeda - Maybe that’s what I’ve been missing. I’ve been too focused on what we think Tsurugi did, that I’ve only looked at that;

Maeda - What if there’s something else I’ve been missing, something I didn’t notice because it isn’t connected to him!

~*~

Maeda - Let’s go over what we know about last night's events.

Tsurugi - …Like, let’s reassemble the case?

Maeda - No!

Maeda - Not like that. That’s not what I mean.

Maeda - He makes me so stressed out some times…

Maeda - Let’s review everything we know, without Tsurugi’s testimony.

Ōtori - …Why would we throw out Tsurugi’s testimony? If we’re ignoring testimonies, we’d need to exclude your testimony too, and Kobashikawas?

Tomori - If we throw out all the testimonies, then we’re left with near-nothing…

Maeda - No- there’s a reason I think we should discount Tsurugis testimony specifically, for now. It’s different from mine and Kobashikawas. 

Maeda - Oh, what’s the word…

Maeda - It’s uhm- it’s guesswork, y’know?

Tsurugi - …

Tomori - …

Maki - …

Maki - You’re arguing that his testimony is conjecture?

Maeda - Yes! Yes, that’s what I meant.

Maki - …Hm.

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - It isn’t. It’s logic.

Maeda - It feels circumstantial, though!

Maeda - Think about it. To what degree is this really based in logic.

Maeda - Tsurugi was capable of killing Higa, and they spoke at the start of the window of time Higa died in.

Maeda - Tsurugi was also saying earlier that he slept through the night. It’s inconsistent.

Taira - …

Tsurugi - I was tired earlier… and I was busy, so it wasn’t really on my mind.

Maeda - …You were busy trying to find a blackened, and you weren’t able to.

Maeda - We need a blackened, and it’s usually your job to come up with one. You couldn’t do it for us this time, so you’ve come up with someone that we can make fit into the role.

Maeda - It- all the evidence we have is just circumstantial!

Tsurugi - …

Maeda - …

Maeda - It’s…

Maeda - It doesn’t feel like Tsurugi wants to placate us, it seems like he really believes the stuff he’s saying.

Maeda - He’s not lying, he really is doing his best to help.

Maeda - But just because he believes it doesn’t mean I’ll be helping by buying into it.

Maeda - …It’s conjecture.

Maeda - There’s a reason why we should throw out Tsurugi’s testimony, but not mine or Kobashikawa.

Maeda - Tsurugi never said he remembers any part of the murder. Kobashikawa and I both remember what we testified about.

Kobashikawa - …

Tomori - …

Ōtori - …Well? Tsurugi?

Tsurugi - …

//He looks at Maeda- when he looks away, it’s almost like he’s scowling.

Tsurugi - I remember things leading up to the murder.

//His expression returns to neutrality.

Tsurugi - Maeda’s right, though. I don’t remember putting my hands around his neck and strangling him. 

//Next to Tsurugi, Uehara slowly turns away, and tilts forward.

Maeda - …?

Hatano - So you remember fighting with Higa, hitting your head, and crying?

Tsurugi - And kicking him awake, and getting pushed, specifically- when I hit my head.

Tomori - …None of that is murder.

//Uehara slowly turns his head, crinkling his nose then pulling it taught and flaring his bloody nostrils.

Maeda - His nose is bleeding again.

//Tsurugi seems to look at Maeda, then follow his gaze- jolting slightly before grabbing a cloth, and trying to get Uehara’s attention. Wordlessly, Uehara pulls the rag from him.

Tsurugi - …The memories I have are of being awake, and getting hurt, and being upset with Higa.

Tsurugi - That shouldn’t be discounted.

Maeda - But they aren’t memories of murder.

Ōtori - …Is Uehara okay?

Uehara - Nose bleed.

Ōtori - Yeah- I can see, but isn’t that, like, the fourth time your nose has bled this trial?

//Maeda is looking at Ōtori- so he can see in the corner of his eye when Kobashikawa ducks out of view again, and coughs.

Uehara - Uh- I dunno…

Tsurugi, upset - …

Kobashikawa - Ah-a-chu!

//Kobashikawa starts to quietly sniffle, between both sneezes and coughs.

Maeda - …Allergies, maybe?

Tomori - Kobashikawa, are you doing alright?

//He gestures at her- maybe even signing- but Maeda can’t see. He doesn’t think Tomori can either.

Tsurugi, overwhelmed - …

Maeda - Christ- we should have cold medicine, right? Kobashikawa should probably take some-

Maeda - What would help blood clot? Aren’t there foods that can encourage clotting?

Taira - …

Hatano - We should get back to the trial!

//To Maeda’s left, Uehara starts to choke a bit-

Tomori - Uehara, did you just inhale your own blood?

Uehara, sputtering - S-Sorry- stupid-

Ōtori - Shouldn’t you know how to deal with a bloody nose by now?

Uehara - Sh-ould- -st-stupid-

Tsurugi - …

Maeda - There’s so much going on- how can I get the case back on track?

Maeda - Tsurugi doesn’t seem like much help… maybe I should debate Hatano again?

Taira - …

Kobashikawa, still - Kh! K-hc- !

Ōtori - …Doesn’t your throat hurt?

Tsurugi -  …Ah-

//Maeda jolts as Tsurugi starts to sob.

Tsurugi, pitched - Mmmmmm…

Maeda - Oh, come on…

//Uehara is still sniffing and spluttering as the blood flows, Kobashikawa is coughing hard enough it’s like his lungs will pop out, and Maeda has no clue what’s set Tsurugi off this time.

Maki - …

Maki - Holy shit…

//It’s the softest noise in the room right now- Taira and Maeda are both silent, and Tomori, Ōtori, and Hatano are all speaking to someone or other, trying to manage the chaos. There’s only six people, six sounds, but it’s all so loud.

Maeda - …

Maeda - What needs to happen.

Maeda - Where are we supposed to get from here?

Maeda - …

Maeda - Should I just ignore everything? It’s not like they’re really issues.

Maeda - Kobashikawa is coughing because he’s sick and Uehara’s nose is bleeding because he got hit, and Tsurugi’s crying because he’s Tsurugi.

Maeda - Tsurugi doesn’t remember killing Higa.

Maeda - …We can accept his testimony, sure- but his theory isn’t fact.

Maeda - He said it straight that he remembers waking up, and the fight, but he doesn’t remember killing him.

Maeda - Let’s go over the case, including testimonies, then see what theories we come up with. 

//Uehara straightens up, still wiping at his face, but seemingly wiping at dried blood now, not fresh. He’s still getting his bearings after the latest nose bleed.

Maki - …Why?

Maeda - I-

//She puts her hand up to cut him off. To her left, Maeda can see Kobashikawa turning around to face the group again, though he’s still kneeling on the floor. 

Maki - I’m not arguing against you.

Maki - I just want to understand what your point is here. Why are we doing this?

Maeda - …

Maeda - I don’t think we can trust Tsurugi’s theory. I mean…

//He trails off- look at him. Currently, Tsurugi’s just standing still, crying. Maeda sees Maki look at him, before shifting her gaze back to Maeda. He can see it in her eyes- she knows exactly what he meant. 

Maeda - …So, let’s look at this case, with everything we know. We haven’t talked about it just with what we know Tsurugi knows. Since he testified, we’ve been including his theory that he killed Higa.

Maeda - We’ll take his testimony into account, and see if we get the same theory. 

Maeda - …I don’t want to do this by myself. I need to see what the others think- if we’re depending on my theories, we’re fucked.

Ōtori - …

Ōtori - We can say it starts with Kobashikawa leaving Tsurugi’s dorm, right?

Tsurugi - No…

//Maeda looks at Tsurugi- 

Maeda - Why is he objecting?

//Tsurugi doesn’t seem to want to contribute- he takes a step back, swaying in his posture as he starts to pull at his arms.

Maki - No, that isn’t right.

Maki - It started with the dining hall trip.

Ōtori - Right. We can start there.

Maki - …It was you, Uehara, Kobashikawa, Higa, and Iranami that left for the dining hall. You and Higa left first, then Uehara and Kobashikawa left together.

//Speaking of, Maeda watches as Kobashikawa slowly stands again, using his podium to pull himself up. 

Maeda - I don’t think there’s anything else to say there… everyone laid down to go to bed once they were back.

Ōtori - Mhm. Then, I realized that Kobashikawa was still binding, so I woke him up- around half an hour after the trip ended?

Maki - What were you doing still up?

Ōtori - Takes awhile for me to fall asleep. Plus, I was practically asleep when I remembered- Kobashikawa can probably account for that.

//Kobashikawa nods slowly.

Maki - Alright.

Maki - So, it was at that point that Kobashikawa woke Tsurugi up, and then left for his own dorm. Tsurugi sat in the doorframe of his room so the door would stay open for Kobashikawa, and so Kobashikawa would have an alibi.

Tsurugi - mmmm.

Uehara - …

Maeda - Eventually, Kobashikawa came back-

Tsurugi - I- I didn’t kn- It-

Uehara - …??

Maeda, overlapping - And he laid back down, as Tsurugi went back to his bed. 

//Maeda’s focused on the conversation- it’s Tomori who watches as Uehara grabs Tsurugi, who seems too distressed to really understand the hand on his shoulder.

Tsurugi - …It was dark. Oh my god, it was just so dark.

Ōtori - Right… which, according to Tsurugi’s testimony, that’s when he kicked Higa, and woke him up.

Tsurugi - But it shouldn’t have been. It shouldn’t have been. 

Ōtori - Then… one of the conversations Maeda heard was Tsurugi and Higa, when Higa accused Tsurugi of killing someone-

Maki - Oh- and the one he heard before was Kobashikawa and Tsurugi.

Ōtori - Right, right…

Tsurugi - I was so scared. I didn’t know what was going to happen.

Maeda - So, Higa and Tsurugi had that conversation-

Tsurugi - That doesn’t make it okay. I shouldn’t have, oh I shouldn’t have. No one thinks I could, I’m not supposed to-

Maeda - And Higa realized he was wrong, but it still escalated. Higa shoved Tsurugi, and Tsurugi remembers it made him hit his head against the bedpost.

Tsurugi - Oh, oh- you get it, right? Don’t you know??

Maeda - This is where we get to Tsurugi’s theory…

Maki - So…

Maki - As far as we know, the next thing we know happened is that Tsurugi laid down, and went to sleep. Higa might have been dead at this point- he might not have been. 

Tsurugi - I don’t know what to do. You’ve got it, right? You know what I mean?

Maeda - If we go off of Tsurugi’s earlier testimony that he didn’t hear anything-

Ōtori - Should we admit that as evidence?

Maeda - It tracks either way. He doesn’t remember hearing Higa die because he doesn’t remember killing Higa, or he didn’t hear anything because he was asleep.

Tsurugi - …

Maeda - What do we have after this…

Tsurugi - Uehara, I need you to understand.

//Maeda glances over at Tsurugi and Uehara. Uehara is looking at Tsurugi, and Tsurugi is looking at the floor.

Maeda - …

//Neither one says anything. Maeda didn’t catch a word they had said.

Ōtori - So… Higa dies at some point, and Tsurugi goes peacefully to sleep?

Maeda - …

Maeda - Wait.

Ōtori - …

Ōtori - I’m sorry to say it, but it seems pretty clear-cut. Tsurugi killed Higa. It may not be definitively proven, but it’s the conclusion that’s supported by what we know.

Maeda - That isn’t where my testimony ended?

Maeda - Wait.

Maeda - What about the lights?

Tsurugi - …

Maeda - And- And the sounds that I heard.

Maeda - Don’t we need to work out how those fit into our theory, too?

Ōtori - …It was Tsurugi, wasn’t it?

Maeda - H-How could it have been?

Maeda - Let’s say it was Tsurugi, for a moment- isn’t this just what we were saying earlier? That’s, like… way too much involvement for him.

Maki - …If we explain the lights and sounds as the blackened creating distractions, or subverting someone who woke up, then…

Tomori - Then Tsurugi doesn’t fit the profile we have for the blackened!

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - …

//Tsurugi’s eyes flick- from fixed on the floor, to across the faces of everyone in the trial room, then to his shoes.

Maeda - …?

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - No, that’s wrong.

Maeda - …Dammit, Tsurugi!

//He shifts his stance, pointing at Tomori.

Tsurugi - That doesn’t mean anything./

//…Again, Tsurugi’s posture changes- he stays more open to the group, but briefly runs his hands through his hair.

Tsurugi - I…

Tsurugi - I killed him. My hands… I went up for the neck, and I could feel the cartilage get cut.

Maeda - …What? Cut?

Tsurugi - It… was some time after. I remember talking with someone. I don’t remember what was said, but I felt- I know I touched someone.

Tsurugi - I got myself together, and I went and laid down. I don’t remember falling asleep, but I remember waking up this morning.

Tsurugi - Actions on autopilot. Can’t be used to disqualify me.

Maeda - …

Maeda - This doesn’t feel right… it feels- almost disjointed.

Maeda - Tsurugi, are you sure you remember this?

Tsurugi - …Mhm.

Maki - …

Maki - Did this happen last night?

Tsurugi - …!

//The air in the trial room grows cold. Maeda swears he can hear the elevator creak.

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - I don’t know what you mean.

Maki - …

Maki - …

Tsurugi, imploring - …

Maki, hesitant - ……

Hatano - …You’ve killed before, right?

Maeda - Jesus fucking Christ, Hatano.

Hatano - How do we know you aren’t just getting memories mixed up?

Maeda - …Shit.

Maeda - Shit, is that what’s going on?

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - My experiences can be trusted. I know what I’m saying.

Maki - …But do you know what you remember? Or when it happened?

Tsurugi - Yes.

Maeda - !

//That was weird.

Maeda - …

Maeda - …Okay.

Maeda - So, Tsurugi… you remember killing Higa, then?

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - Not clearly. But my other memories show to me that I did.

Maeda - …

Maki - …

Ōtori - …

Maeda - …Okay…

~*~

Maeda, narrating - Not okay. So not something I’m okay with. 

Maeda - I- If Tsurugi’s getting his memories mixed up, everything comes into question- SHIT!

Maeda - If Tsurugi doesn’t really remember what happened last night… we may not have a suspect.

Maeda - Fuck. Okay. Okay. Guess I might be getting what I wanted!

Maeda - I need to know what really happened. But, Tsurugi’s so avoidant…

Maeda - Should I press him- gently, but still… should I try? Or, is it better to try and work with the others for now?

{Debate with the Class}

{Question Tsurugi’s Recollection}

[another-dr-another]

{Something that Happened This Morning}

No guys hear me out it's not Tsurugi because... Because !!! He's totally innocent.... right....... (i will live in denial.)

Maeda, narrating - Something that happened this morning?

Maeda - …Hm…

Maeda - This morning, Tsurugi was one of the people to find the body… he didn’t really guard at all, except for when Kobashikawa and I had to leave-

Maeda - But he investigated Higa… then…

Maeda - …

~”I kinda want everyone to vote wrong. I think it might be the best choice we could make.”~

Maeda - …

Maeda - Even back then… wouldn’t Tsurugi have known that he didn’t know who the blackened was?

Maeda - I wonder why he’d say that, then…

Maeda - Maybe he… maybe it was an attempt to like- to feel better about the idea of the blackened winning? Like, it doesn’t matter if he can’t find the blackened, because maybe it’s best if they survive.

Maeda - Though, I shouldn’t bring up that conversation- it won’t look good for Tsurugi. 

Maeda - …Besides I probably said something about keeping it between us.

Maeda - Hm…

Maeda - Other than that, there’s the autopsy, of course.

Maeda - But I don’t think it really connects to Higa’s murder.

Maeda - And, bringing it up is just grounds for Hatano to get upset with Tsurugi again, and I don’t need that right now…

Maeda - Ultimately, if I look at anything after the murder, I’ll get accused of distracting the group, I think.

Maeda - Let’s check to see if there’s anything else we’ve failed to explain when it comes to the murder.

[Something that Happened Last Night]

[another-dr-another]

lets vote for tsurugi now lets just see what happens wheeeeeeeeeeeeee (AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA) - annie

Maeda, narrating - …

//The world sways, unsteady.

Maeda - …

//He anchors it in his stomach.

Maeda - Don’t wanna.

Maeda - I don’t want to do that right now. 

Maeda - …You’re working with me, right?

Maeda - …

Maeda - You like me! You like me, right?

Maeda - You agree with me, you want me to stay safe, and do what I’m supposed to. 

Maeda - So you care about me!

Maeda - You have t-

Maeda - …

//His face falls.

Maeda - Well. 

Maeda - You agree with me. I guess that’s all I can say for certain.

Maeda - …Wait-

//The world returns.

~*~

Maeda, narrating - If you agree with me, why are you saying we should vote for Tsurugi? I don’t feel like it was him.

Maeda - …You must be joking!

Maeda - I’m not going to do that. I won’t let everyone.

Maeda - Tsurugi’s been my friend since the start. I owe it to him to try and keep him safe- even if it isn’t logically correct, I shouldn’t give up on him.

Maeda - I know he’s a caring person. He deserves to have someone stand up and recognize that, instead of going numb and nodding their head.

{Something that Happened Last Night}

[Something that Happened This Morning]

~*~

Bad End Unlocked: 2/7

Available for viewing after completion of Before the Big Bang!

[another-dr-another]

{Reconstructing the Case Will Make an Issue Apparent}

Oof buddy I think ypu are the one in denial this time but leta keep being in denial because Tsurugi is innocent definatly

Maeda, narrating - God…

Maeda - Alright, alright, okay. 

Maeda - Yeah. If everything gets laid out, I can see a contradiction, if there is one.

Maeda - Or, I’ll think of something we haven’t gone over for Tsurugi specifically!

~*~

//Everyone is waiting for someone to speak

Maeda - I need to answer…

Maeda - They might be waiting for me to object- I’ve been Tsurugi’s strongest defender for a while now.

//No one says anything.

Maeda - Or… maybe they’re waiting for me to speak up and start breaking down the murder.

Maeda - That makes sense. I’ve definitely done that in the past.

//It’s quiet in the trial room.

Maeda - …

Maeda - No one is able to begin things the way I can. It’s up to me to make that decision, and it’s me alone.

Maeda - The only way anything will change is if I initiate it.

//Honestly, the room feels the same as ever, nothing to note.

Maeda - …

//It’s Maeda who feels viscerally wrong.

~*~

Maeda - I can’t. 

Maeda - I can’t let this go on. If they think it’s Tsurugi, then the trial won’t progress correctly.

Maeda - I need to divert things away- no one’s standing properly. Everyone needs to shift over and re-align.

Maeda - …

//Something painful, heavy and hot, mounts in his stomach.

Maeda - I can’t stand it.

Maeda - Everyone needs to move. It isn’t right.

Maeda - Things aren’t flowing, people are- are blocking the stream. It’s not right. I don’t like it.

Maeda - It’s making my skin itch. This isn’t right!

Maeda - I need to get them to move. We can’t go forward, we need to go to the side. 

//The pain in Maeda’s head is dense, cool in the way it numbs.

Maeda - It’s only a few inches, I think.

Maeda - The issue here is Tsurugi.

Maeda - …But, he wouldn’t have.

Maeda - He couldn’t have. It wouldn’t be right. It can’t have been like that…

Maeda - …

Maeda - Not how I knew him.

Maeda - No, no, no.

Maeda - Not how I knew him. Not how I knew him. He wouldn’t have.

Maeda - Tsurugi isn’t the sort, he’s never been.

Maeda - If he was, then Kurokawa wouldn’t be dead, and Inori wouldn’t be dead, and Mekaru wouldn’t be dead, and Yamaguchi wouldn’t be dead, and Iranami wouldn’t be dead, and Higa wouldn’t be dead.

Maeda - I can’t have been wrong, because we’re only here because of Tsurugi.

Maeda - If I was wrong, then-

Maeda - Then-

Maeda - …Then. 

Maeda - If I was wrong, then us being here is wrong. 

Maeda - If Tsurugi killed Higa, the killing game shouldn’t be happening- wouldn’t it just stop?

Maeda - That has to be right. If it isn’t like that, then the flow won’t be correct. It’ll be going the wrong way, and everything- everything will end up in the wrong place.

Maeda - The game will keep going, and Tsurugi didn’t kill Higa.

Maeda - …Right.

Maeda - That’s what��s right. I’m right. It’s okay.

Maeda - …Okay.

Maeda - I know what needs to happen. I know where I am, and I know where I need to go.

Maeda - …

Maeda - The inner core can change, without changing Earth’s orbit.

Maeda - …

Maeda - …

//When the world lurches away, it’s because Maeda dragged it behind him.

~*~

Maeda, narrating - …Uhm.

Maeda - …I can’t let the case get reconstructed.

Maeda - If I do, everyone will think it was Tsurugi, and he’ll get voted for!

Maeda - I can’t let that happen.

{Something that Happened Last Night}

{Something that Happened This Morning}

{Vote for Tsurugi, Now}

[another-dr-another]

nov 13th, 2005

Maeda, narrating - …Ugh.

Maeda - ...Wait, I've got it!

Maeda - If Tsurugi thinks well of the blackeneds, then why would he dislike Higa? And why are these both strikes against him?

Maeda - Let’s see what Hatano thinks!

~*~

Maeda - Hatano… why does Tsurugi think well of the blackeneds?

Hatano - …Oh, uh-

Hatano - He always said stuff like… that they weren’t really bad people. Which, they chose to try and kill everyone, all because they deserve what they want, and they want it now, and they’re more important-

Hatano - Which, that’s another contradiction with Tsurugi, because why would you say you care about the group before anything else, then be number one fan of the people that are willing to chuck us all out?

Hatano - But, he said they weren’t wrong for the murder, and the attempt to kill us all, because they were upset, or whatever.

Hatano - Because the mastermind scared them, made them feel like they needed to- and you’d rather cuddle them than acknowledge that everyone else who was scared managed to not commit murder.

//As Hatano glares, Maeda is suddenly reminded of Tsurugi’s existence. He looks over for the first time in a good moment- and is a bit surprised by what he sees. Tsurugi’s still crying sure, tears rolling down his face in a steady flow… but he’s breathing hard. And the last time Maeda saw Tsurugi breathing hard like that was also the first- it was back in the dining hall, when he backhanded Hatano. 

Maeda - …It’s panic.

Maeda - …You’re wrong.

//It comes so easily, he must have said it to try and assuage Tsurugi. 

Maeda - You know, thinking of the fight… Hatano isn’t saying that Iranami’s death is Tsurugi’s fault anymore.

Maeda - I think that’s a good sign that she might be accepting what happened to Iranami.

Maeda - ….Pointing out that she was wrong about that part of things definitely won’t help though.

Maeda - Tsurugi’s point about the blackeneds was that they were acting out of fear and panic, right? Like you said?

Hatano - …Yeah?

Maeda - That’s what he thought about Higa, too. 

Maeda - Tsurugi believed that Higa’s… actions were, like…

Maeda - …Shit, I don’t know how to explain it.

Maeda - …Tsurugi?

//Tsurugi looks at Maeda.

Maeda - …

Tsurugi - …

//Maeda doesn’t look at anything but Tsurugi’s eyes. It’s all he can do. Tsurugi looks haunted.

Maeda, severely uncomfortable - …

Tomori - …Bigotry is a way of punching down to push yourself up.

Tomori - It’s sold to people under the idea that it’s everyone for themselves. Resources is limited, and in order to win, someone has to lose.

Tomori - Some people deserve to lose, or don’t deserve equal access to things- and those who have less did something to deserve it.

Tomori - He’s coping for… whatever issues he has by believing in something that says he’s inherently better. 

Maeda - …It’s fear of attack.

Maeda - Both Higa, and the blackened- fear of something happening, and getting hurt, so you strike first.

Tomori - Mhm…

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - I’d fit that pattern.

Maeda - Shit.

Hatano - Yeah! None of what you’ve said makes it look like Tsurugi isn’t the blackened.

Maeda - …

Maeda - Fuckkk.

Maeda - H…Honestly, I’m not sure how we even got to this topic.

Hatano - Tomori’s defending Tsurugi, and it’s just going to get her hurt when he finally shows his true colors. Or, it’ll be a pain to deal with, if he does just lie until the end.

Maeda - …Wait.

Maeda - If Tsurugi has it out for everyone, why would he confess?

Tomori - Exactly!

Maeda - We can’t say he killed Higa because he hated everyone, because then, we don’t have a reason for why he’s confessing.

Maeda - Admitting he murdered Higa just means that he gets to be executed.

Hatano - …So you agree. He murdered Higa.

Maeda - …Fuck!

//Tomori sighs.

Maeda - Damn it… if I defend Tsurugi’s character, then I’m proving his guilt.

Hatano - The way you’ve proved it, there’s two ways things have happened.

Hatano - Tsurugi’s a saint, and he’s the type of saint to get angry and commit homicide, or he’s an asshole, who’s giving us a false confession.

Hatano - Which, there’s no reason to give a false confession- so, time to start accepting Tsurugi’s the blackened.

Hatano - And whether he’s injured or not, there’s no injury that should be making you commit murder!

Maeda - …Wait, did we get to this from the concussion thing?

Hatano - …I guess?

Taira - What was more important to you than paying attention, Maeda?

Maeda - Damn…

Tomori - Hatano thinks Tsurugi might have a concussion.

Maeda - Why’d you bring that up Hatano?

Hatano - …It’s just objective?

Hatano - He hit his head. That could cause a lack of control.

Maeda - That… sounds oddly ingenuous.

Maeda - …I know the word ingenuous? Wh-Where did I learn that? 

Maeda - Ah- advanced lit- THE TRIAL.

Tsurugi - Damage to… GABAergic receptors…

Hatano - Speak up?

Tsurugi - …

//Tsurugi sways on his feet, and doesn’t respond.

Hatano - …

Maki - …There’s a lot of weird things going on right now.

Maki - Let’s work out if Tsurugi’s the blackened. That’s what matters.

Ōtori - Who thinks it’s him, but wants to discuss more before we vote?

//Maki, Tomori, Kobashikawa, and Ōtori raise their hands. Tomori hesitated.

Ōtori - Who’s currently against voting for Tsurugi?

//Maeda and Uehara raise their hands.

Ōtori - …The three of you that didn’t vote- you’d all be fine with voting for Tsurugi now?

//Hatano nods- Taira doesn’t react.

Maeda - She looks more like she’s waiting for an answer from us, than the other way around.

Tsurugi - Yes.

Ōtori - …Alright.

Ōtori - It’d be a majority vote for Tsurugi right now- but even without factoring in those that don’t want to vote for him, the majority of us would rather continue talking.

Ōtori - Maeda, Uehara: what are your reasons?

Uehara - …It isn’t right.

Ōtori - Why?

Uehara - …

Maeda - …I don’t like it, but I don’t have much more of an answer.

Kobashikawa - Maeda, I didn’t know that you thought it wasn’t him. I thought you just wanted to explore every option.

Maeda - …

Maeda - There’s just… something telling me we’re looking at something wrong.

Maeda - …I wish I meant that. Really, I just don’t want it to be him- but if I act like I believe it, I’ll find some way to mean what I’m saying.

Kobashikawa - …Hm.

Tomori - …

Tomori - ………

Maeda - …?

Maeda - Tomori looks… unsure.

//Maeda looks at Taira, waiting for her input.

Taira - …

//She seems… almost bored.

Maeda - Huh…

Ōtori - The motive works, and the method of death works. Tsurugi was nearby, and the timeline fits as well.

Maeda - …The timeline. 

Maeda - Does the timeline fit? I can’t think of anything that would make it not fit.

Ōtori - Is there any other factors we need to consider?

Maeda - …

Maeda - Let’s maybe talk about the motive a bit more-

Maeda - Not Tsurugi’s motive. The one Monokuma talked about.

Uehara - …

Tomori - …

Tsurugi - …

Maeda - …Someone has to speak up.

Maki - …

Ōtori - …

Kobashikawa - …

Maeda - Oh my god. I jinxed it.

Hatano - …

Taira - …

Maeda - …

Maeda - What the fuck!?

Taira - I don’t think anyone wants to.

Maki - …

Maki - Did the motive go off again, since there’s been two deaths?

Ōtori - Monokuma said two murders, though.

Kobashikawa - Could we ask it?

Tomori - …

Tomori - Monokuma?

Monokuma - I Am Not At Liberty To Discuss The Status Of The Motive With Any But A Student Directly Impacted.

Hatano - …

Tsurugi - …

Uehara - …

Maeda - Well, shit.

Maeda - I could be affected, and not even know it, since I don’t really know what the motive entailed.

Ōtori - That seems like a bust, then.

Maeda - R-Really? We can still discuss the motive, even if Monokuma won’t give us information- Monokuma never gives us information!

Maki - ...

Tomori - ...

Kobashikawa - ...

Hatano - Nobody else wants to, Maeda.

Maeda - Ugh... damn it- even if it isn't connected to the case, I wanted to know more.

Maki - ...

Maki - I think we should go ahead and reassemble the case.

Uehara - !...

Maeda - R-Really?!

Maki - I'm not saying we vote... but I think we should put out all our arguments, from A to B, to Higa dying.

Maki - We can see if anything's weak, or doesn't line up.

Tsurugi - ...

Tsurugi - I know what happened. There won't be an issue with the case.

Tsurugi - It's a flawless understanding. I murdered Higa.

Tsurugi - I don't think I should reconstruct the case, though...

Tsurugi - I'll leave it all to you.

~*~

Maeda, narrating - Fuck, fuck, fuck.

Maeda - I don't want to reconstruct the case. I think if we get that far, it'll be too easy- Tsurugi's probably right, we won't see an issue with the case.

Maeda - We'll feel defeated, and give up... and I don't want things to end here.

Maeda - What could I bring up that might keep the trial going?

{Something that Happened Last Night}

{Something that Happened This Morning}

{Reconstructing the Case Will Make an Issue Apparent}

[another-dr-another]

long shot but maybeeee [monokuma file 3-3] with {it shouldn't really matter}? if the cause of death didn't matter it would've been in the monokuma file? idk never done this before

Maeda, narrating - Right! 

Maeda - The Monokuma file never named what killed Higa- how exactly he died!

Maeda - It's something we keep talking about- why don't we bring it up again?

Maeda. - We've put so much emphasis on it, on how Higa died, and how we know that, we should make sure it's compatible with Tsurugi being the blackened.

~*~

Maeda - Wait a minute!

Maeda - Actually, doesn't it matter how Higa died?

Maki - What do you mean?

Maeda - We talked about it a bit at the start- 

Maeda - Can we rule out strangulation or suffocation? We should be able to, shouldn’t we?

Maki - …Uhm?

Tomori - How does that matter?

Maeda - Because, if there’s an inconsistency, it could imply that we’re wrong.

Tomori - …Ah.

Maeda - Tsurugi. Can you say if you strangled Higa, or suffocated him?

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - Uhm… suffocated?

Maeda - You don’t sound too convinced.

Maki - Wait- Tsurugi, what?

Tsurugi - …What?

Maki - Why are you saying you suffocated Higa?

Tsurugi - …Oh.

Tsurugi - Uhm. Sorry. We agreed it was strangulation, didn’t we?

Ōtori - …We did.

Tsurugi - Okay. I misspoke, I have to have strangled him.

Maki - …Did you misspeak? Or did you think you had suffocated him?

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - I think… that I thought I had suffocated him, for a second. But I didn’t actually think it through and decide that, I just thought about it, and when you asked, I said what was on my mind.

Maeda - Why was suffocation on your mind?

Tsurugi - I was thinking about the pillow…

Maeda - Why?

Tsurugi - …

Maeda - …

Tsurugi - …

Maeda - …Why is he getting quiet now?

Maeda - If you aren’t hiding anything anymore, you should be willing to tell us what you were thinking about.

Tsurugi - Ah-

Tsurugi - I- I don’t remember how the blood got on there, that’s all. I get cut up a lot, it isn’t an issue.

Maeda - …But… what if it is?

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - …Don’t latch onto that.

Maeda - !

Tsurugi - I don’t remember most of my injuries when I have them. It isn’t weird that I don’t remember some blood from some injury that got on some pillow.

Tsurugi - The reason I didn’t want to mention it is because it isn’t anything we can pursue.

Tsurugi - The only interest that would come up is if the blood is someone else’s, and that doesn’t matter here, because the blood was old and dried, and we know Higa didn’t make the blackened bleed because there wasn’t any blood on him.

Taira - Could we say the pillow having blood is proof he made his attacker bleed? If he were suffocated with the pillow, that’d explain why there’s blood on it, but not him.

Tsurugi - There’d be blood under his nails.

Taira - …Ah.

Maeda - Wait- but there’s nothing ruling out suffocation.

Tsurugi - …Well…

Tsurugi - …Maeda, why is this even on your mind?

Maeda - If it was suffocation, then you’d have messed with the body, right?

Tsurugi - …Yeah?

Maeda - Then it doesn’t make sense.

Maeda - If you messed with the body, it’d be an attempt to obscure the cause of death. 

Maeda - Not only does that not align with our understanding of your motive, but it also gives you way more conscious involvement than you say you had!

Ōtori - …I mean, he isn’t wrong.

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - …That’d be an accurate way of understanding things, yes,

Maeda - Yeah!

Tsurugi - But that doesn’t mean anything. In fact, all it does is rule out suffocation.

Maeda - …Eh?

Tsurugi - After all, we have no reason to start to think it was suffocation. I strangled him, not suffocated, because I wouldn’t have manipulated the body to look like strangulation, due to my mental state when I committed the murder.

Tsurugi - We’ve clarified what the means of death was! We weren’t uncertain before, but now we know for sure, which is great!

Maeda - …Damn it. I thought I could be onto something there…

Maeda - Wait-

Maeda - Tsurugi, why do we believe it’s strangulation, again?

Tsurugi - …Uh?

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - …

Ōtori  - It was because of the positioning of the body- his hands were up, implying he’d tried to fight them off.

Tsurugi - …No. Not- not quite.

Tsurugi - It was that- and the positioning of his legs. They were flat, like he couldn’t get them firmly planted, which would be the case if they were on his chest, strangling him. Suffocation wouldn’t look like that. 

Maeda - You said it was both his arms and legs, right?

Tsurugi - …Yes.

Maeda - Okay. Then, Higa tried to fight you off, right?

Tsurugi - We can assume so…

Maeda - Do you have marks? On your wrists- from Higa?

Maeda - You aren’t wearing your friendship bracelets. It’d be easy to check now. 

Tsurugi - Ah…

Tsurugi - …Actually, I haven’t really looked.

Maeda - …I’m not surprised.

Maeda - Well, look now, then.

Tsurugi - …

//He… looks at his arms.

Tsurugi - …

Maeda - …

Maki - …Anything?

Tsurugi - Uh… lots of things. I’m… not sure if any of them are from Higa.

Maeda - That does check out. There’s a lot of injuries on Tsurugi’s arms, and he said he can’t always remember all of them.

Ōtori - Any of them look like they could be caused by a hand?

Tsurugi - Mm…

Tsurugi - Lots of ways that could manifest. None of them on my arms though.

Maki - …Do you mind if I look.

Tsurugi - Go for it.

Maki - Monokuma, can I leave my podium?

Monokuma - Permission Granted.

//Maki jumps off her podium, and walks briskly to Tsurugi. He turns to face her, and stretches out her arms for her to check.

Maki - …

Maki - This?

Tsurugi - Ah… ‘S a scar.

Maki, incredulous - …Really?

Tsurugi - Permanent discoloration frommm… damage to the muscle? Uh-

Tsurugi - Oh- it’s from my own hand, see?

Tsurugi - Some of the cells died off, and they’re like… stuck under the skin, or something. 

Maki - …Okay.

Maki - You’re clear, then. No marks.

Maeda - Okay. Isn’t that weird?

//Maki speaks as she walks back to her podium. Tsu rubs idly at his arms.

Maki - Weird, but doesn’t disprove anything.

Maeda - I mean- wouldn’t Higa have been able to bruise him?

//Uehara looks at Tsurugi.

Uehara - …

//He takes off his jacket.

Maki - Higa probably would have, you’re right.

Maki - But it’s possible he didn’t grab consistently, or wasn’t gripping Tsurugi tightly to try and force him off-

Maki - He could’ve been hitting Tsurugi for all we know! 

//Uehara shook his jacket at Tsurugi until he’d both noticed, and taken it. Currently, Tsurugi’s fixing the hood of the jacket. 

Maki - Ultimately, this doesn’t disprove anything.

Maki - Tsurugi’s… still our best candidate.

Tsurugi - I’m the only candidate. 

//Uehara was doing… something with Tsurugi’s arms, but pulls away as Tsurugi turns to the group.

Tsurugi - There’s other people who could have, but no one else who’s implicated. I’m established to have been at the scene of the crime, doing things that align with our timeline. 

Maeda - …

Maeda - Isn’t… it circumstantial, though?

Tsurugi - It’s all we have. It’s confession, or bust.

Maeda - …

Maeda - We don’t have to vote until Monokuma calls the time. We’re fine to just… wait. Wait, and hope for something else.

Maeda - God. What am I missing? Isn’t there something? It can’t be Tsurugi…

Hatano - …Shouldn’t we vote, then?

Maeda - AAAAAAA

Tsurugi - !

//He’s visibly taken aback. Quickly, his expression changes from shock to light concern.

Tsurugi - Well… we don’t have to. We can still wait for a minute.

Hatano - …

//…Her face is still slightly pink-tinted from crying earlier.

Hatano - …You should be brave and face it.

Hatano - If you can shoulder all those other responsibilities, you can accept what you earned when you took someone's life.

Maki - …

Tomori - …

Maki - …

Maki - There’s no reason to rush the process. If we have more time to think, we should. 

Tomori - Yeah…

Tomori - And Tsurugi didn’t earn anything. That… isn’t a kind way of looking at things.

Hatano - It’s right, though, isn’t it?

Hatano - He killed someone, now he gets to die. That’s how it works.

Maeda - …

Tomori - It shouldn’t be how it works. It was an accident, it wasn’t intentional.

Tomori - I- If you were saying this about Inori, or Yamaguchi, I wouldn’t agree, but I’d understand, because it was their choice.

Tomori- Tsu- Tsurugi didn’t choose this. And the fact you’re saying all this makes me worried, Hatano. Because you didn’t act like this earlier, and this isn’t the time it’d make sense for you to start, so I don’t understand.

Hatano - …

Hatano - I don’t want to be around someone who’s capable of that.

Hatano - I wasn’t even thinking about Inori and Yamaguchi- but they both had to plan their murders, after they were motivated to.

Hatano - The mastermind didn’t even need to do anything to Tsurugi. He’s just… it’s a ticking time bomb, ready to go off.

Tsurugi - Uh-

//He speaks suddenly, cutting in as soon as he could.

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - Don’t call me an “it”, please. 

Hatano - …

Hatano - It doesn’t matter.

Maeda - …Does “it” refer to Tsurugi, there? Ambiguous… or maybe I’m just inept, socially. I really don’t get what Hatano’s deal is, so maybe I’m just too lost.

Hatano - It was his choice, and it’s not good that you can be driven to homicide because someone upset you.

Tsurugi - …

Ōtori - …Hatano, you were saying earlier that no one cared about Higa, and solving his death didn’t matter. What’s changed?

Hatano - …

Hatano - That was before I knew it was Tsurugi.

Ōtori - Ah. So it is specific to Tsurugi.

Hatano - Of course! Tsurugi’s the one that’s been lying to us!

Tomori - Tsurugi didn’t know- again, he didn’t choose to kill Higa!

Hatano - But he knew he was capable of it! And he still chose to be around us- plus, if he was starting to get upset, he should have recognized that!

Hatano - If you can’t realize you’re a threat, and remove yourself from people, then you’re just selfish!

Tsurugi - …Mm…

//It’s not intended as a response to Hatano- it’s a hum of displeasure… that sounds to Maeda like he might be about to cry.

Maeda - If it’s not Hatano, it’s Tsurugi…

Tomori - Quit it!

Tomori - Tsurugi hasn’t done anything to deserve this. Expressing yourself is good, but you can get your feelings out there and acknowledged without trying to hurt people.

Hatano - It’s. just. fact.

Maeda, stressed - …

//Tsurugi keeps shifting, seemingly very uncertain of what to do with himself.

Maeda - He can’t speak up, because no matter what he says, Hatano will dislike it. If he says the right thing, it’ll put her at odds with it, and if he says the wrong thing, it proves her right.

//Tomori, on the other hand, seems more certain than she’s been in awhile. Since Tsurugi’s confession, she’s looked queasy, but now she’s standing steady.

Maeda - Still, though… knowing Tomori, she isn’t happy to have to speak out against Hatano right now. She’s definitely worried for how Hatano is doing… and this runs the risk of alienating her from the best emotional supports we have.

//Speaking of Hatano, she’s much harder for Maeda to read. Grief hangs heavy in the air near her, even when she isn’t wearing it as a shawl around her shoulders.

Maeda - The way Iranami’s death is affecting her… I honestly have no clue where she’ll go from her- with her argument, or her emotional state.

Hatano - …

Hatano - Actually, there was something I’ve been thinking about bringing up.

//The room grows tense.

Hatano - Is there a chance Tsurugi has a concussion? From hitting his head?

Tomori - …

Maeda - …Oh.

Maki - …Oh, shit-

Tsurugi - Mmm.

Maki - That… that could explain the amnesia. Holy shit.

Maeda - …Is Tsurugi concussed?

Taira - Hm~

Taira - Concussions can have an impact on a person's mood and behavior…

Maeda - Has he been acting weird-

Maeda  - The fucking hallway.

Maeda - Oh my god.

//The conversation continues without Maeda- he’s entirely tapped out of it as he remembers.

Maeda - I haven’t thought about it since I heard Tsurugi’s confession.

Maeda - Is… is it possible he was thinking he might be the blackened even then?

Maeda - Or his subconscious was trying to warn him…

Maeda - God…

Maeda - …

Maeda - …Uhm.

Maeda - …Fuck. Would Tsurugi ask us to vote incorrectly so he could escape?

Maeda - I don’t think he would… all he keeps saying is that he only wants to help…

Maeda - But, doesn’t he want to help the world at large? I don’t think any of us have accomplishments that outshine his when it comes to global impact.

Maeda - …Fuck. 

Maeda - I mean- Would it be better if Tsurugi escaped? Would the eight of us combined have an effect on the world that would outweigh what he could do?

Maeda - I’m not too familiar with everyone’s work, and you never know… maybe Uehara would go into the legal field in Tsurugi’s memory, or Tomori would become a renowned philanthropist…

Maeda - But, if everyone’s already trying their best, and Tsurugi’s best is just… better, already…

//A pitched whine throws Maeda from his thoughts.

Maeda - Tsurugi.

//Indeed. 

Tomori - Hatano.

Maeda - Well, that’s a good bit of context to get.

Hatano - What?

Tomori - Not okay! So far from okay!

//Whatever happened, it seems to have been the last push against Tsurugi’s shoddily-built dam. He isn’t reacting as severely as he has in the past, but we are back to tears, and he is back to trying to hide himself away. 

Maeda - At least he’s still standing.

Maeda - …

Maeda - Okay. Doesn’t look like I jinxed it.

//Again, Maeda’s missed part of the conversation.

Kobashikawa - Let’s just move on…

Kobashikawa - This isn’t the time to be arguing over morality- we can talk about that later. Let’s talk about the case.

Hatano - But doesn’t this matter to the case? It matters if Tomori’s able to accept that Tsurugi killed Higa or not!

Tomori - I’m not arguing against that, I’m arguing against you acting like he’s some violent maniac!

Hatano - And I didn’t call him that. I’ve just been trying to point out that he isn’t who he acts like he is.

Taira - How so? You should state your opinions clearly.

Hatano - It’s like I’ve been saying.

Hatano - Tsurugi’s goal isn’t to help us, or to get us out of here, or to make us feel better. He wants the game to keep going. 

Hatano - Because when the game keeps going, he can keep stepping in to help, and everyone thinks highly of him, and he gets to continue making all the calls, and having everyone do whatever he says.

Tomori - …

Tomori - Take that back.

Hatano - No! No, why should I? I meant it. I stand by what I say! 

Hatano - Do you have something you want to take back, Tomori?

Tomori - …

//She seems to take a moment to process, staring at Hatano with clear shock on her face.

Tomori - …

Tomori - You don’t mean that. 

Tomori - Y-You say it, and you do mean it- but it’s not true. And you know that, but- right now, your goal isn’t the truth. 

Tomori - I don’t want to talk about this until you’re in a different headspace. Because you should get help, and no one’s able to help right now, and that includes me, and my inability to work through what you’re saying with you.

Hatano - …

Hatano - You sound just like Tsurugi.

Tomori - …That’s high praise. I’m happy I have a friend like Tsurugi who understands me so well.

Hatano - …

Tomori - … 

Maeda - …Hey.

Maeda - Hatano, if you think poorly of Tsurugi, how does that fit in with the motive?

//Maeda can’t decipher the look Tomori is giving him, and it honestly frightens him, so he elects to ignore it, and focus on Hatano.

Hatano - …Because everyone’s saying his motive is that he liked Higa?

Maeda - That he was optimistic about him, so he would’ve forgot about murdering him after snapping.

Hatano - Ah. Easy. He’s just lying.

Tsurugi - KH!

//Tsurugi jolts. It’d be funny, if he didn’t seem so distressed.

Maeda - Anything’s worth discussing.

Maeda - Elaborate?

Hatano - …

Hatano - Aren’t you on his side?

Maeda - I’ll talk about anything right now. I don’t agree with how you see Tsurugi, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth talking about your theory for how the murder happened. 

Hatano - …Okay.

Hatano - Do you think you…

Hatano - …Do you think you’d start to see the way I do, if my theory makes sense?

Maeda - …Danger, danger, danger. Not a question that I want to answer. 

Maeda - No promises.

Hatano - Either way?

Maeda - …Huh?

Hatano - No promises either way. You aren’t saying you will, you aren’t saying you’ll shove your head in the sand.

Maeda - …Yeah.

Hatano - …

Hatano - Okay.

Rebuttal Showdown: START!

Truth Bullets: Bloodied PIllow Room Layout Tsurugi’s Autopsy

PHASE ONE

Hatano - I think Tsurugi’s telling the truth about how things started.

Hatano - I believe Kobashikawa- you’d be stupid not to- about leaving last night, and how he woke up Tsurugi.

Hatano - That definitely happened, there’s enough alibis that I don’t disagree.

Hatano - But, I think his account of what happened is wrong- and I think he knows it.

Hatano - He accidentally woke Higa up, and Higa accused him of murder. But, didn’t you say there was more to the conversation, you just missed it?

Hatano - I think Higa accused him of being complicit- complacent. Of not doing enough to stop the deaths.

Hatano - Higa might have landed on the same reasoning I did. He could have accused Tsurugi of enjoying the trials, solving the case and stringing us along.

Hatano - That’s what caused Tsurugi to “snap”- but it wasn’t some breakdown-induced blind rage, or whatever…

Hatano - It was intentional. 

BREAK!

Maeda - Could Hatano be right?

Maeda - Her account of Higa’s thoughts… honestly, I’m surprised she’s saying they could be on the same page.

Maeda - Anyways, her logic is honestly fairly sound, I don’t see any inconsistencies in this timeline,

Maeda - But, that isn’t enough. She has to have a reason for what she’s saying, otherwise it’s just a theoretical situation.

Maeda - I can see what you’re saying, Hatano…

Maeda - But I don’t see any reason to believe it!

Maeda - We don’t have a reason to think that Higa would believe that- or that there’s any merit to it! Tsurugi wouldn’t have killed to keep Higa from telling everyone that theory, because the theory isn’t true!

PHASE TWO

Hatano - But it is!

Hatano - Think about it. Mr. “crime rate reduction” has let {four people die in the past week}?

Hatano - That doesn't even count the two murderers that died as well- it’s been what, ten days? And six people are dead!

Hatano - Those aren’t the numbers we should be seeing if he actually cared about stopping anything. He openly {thinks well of the blackeneds}- what’s to stop him from being one himself?

Hatano - {Tsurugi had no reason to like Higa}, or to even care if he died.

Hatano - We know that something happened last night, he’s confessed that there was a fight, and he’s even stated that he’s the blackened!

Hatano - All he’s doing is {lying to save his image} because he got caught.

Hatano - …

Hatano - He never had anyone’s best interest in mind. {This game is just a lucky opportunity for him.}

~*~

Maeda, narrating - …Ugh.

Maeda - I don’t agree with Hatano’s perspective. I’m glad we talked about it, and maybe we can go somewhere with it…

Maeda - But I need to counter her perception of Tsurugi. It isn’t right, and I don’t want to lie and dig my grave there.

//Note: Remember, you can choose to absorb {italicized options}. Just a reminder- the timing of it totally isn’t relevant here. Totally. 

[another-dr-another]

just spitballing here bc i cannot figure out how my suspicions would translate to nonstop debate.. {Kobashikawa’s Testimony} against {it makes sense for you to be the one who killed Higa} ? -iris

Maeda, narrating - Could that be it?

~*~

Maeda - Hey, Kobashikawa?

Kobashikawa - ?

Maeda - Do you remember anything from when you got up last night that could help prove if Tsurugi's the blackened?

Kobashikawa - ...

Kobashikawa - I'm sorry, I still haven't thought of anything.

Kobashikawa - My only interaction with Tsurugi last night was when I asked him to hold the door, and when I thanked him as I came back in.

Kobashikawa - I laid down right after, and fell asleep rather quickly. I didn't catch any of the murder.

Maeda - Ah...

~*~

Maeda, narrating - And I can't think of anything either...

Maeda - At least, not as far as Kobashikawa's testimony goes.

Maeda - But there has to be something else we can look at!

[another-dr-another]

[advance] oh fuck

Maeda, narrating - …

Maeda - There’s no way.

~*~

Tsurugi - …

//The room is silent.

Tsurugi - …

//He’s clearly waiting for someone to say something.

Uehara - …Huh?

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - It has to have been me.

Tsurugi - No one else lines up. Five students can be taken off for the reasons we talked about already- leaving Taira, Tomori, Uehara, and me.

Tsurugi - …Of that four, I’m the only one that could have done it.

Maki - Wait- you’re saying that like you had to prove it- isn’t this just a confession?

Tsurugi - …

//He looks away.

Maeda - …Oh my god.

Maeda - Do- Do you think you killed Higa and forgot?!

Tsurugi - …That has to be it.

Tsurugi - I- I shouldn’t have been taken off the list. Remember what I said about how amnesia happens when the culprit can’t accept what they did?

Tsurugi - I didn’t want Higa to die. 

Tsurugi - I was the one who had high hopes for Higa- who was thinking something could go different for him!

Hatano - Yeah, so why would you kill him?

Tsurugi - I-

Tsurugi - I didn’t mean to hurt him! R-Really!

Kobashikawa - N-No one thinks you wanted to… but- what exactly did you do?

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - The- the thump was from him hitting me.

Tsurugi - Well- he cuffed my head, and I was off balance, so I hit my bedpost. I was still tired… so it startled me, and I cried.

Tsurugi - I… I remember seeing him grin, like he was trying not to laugh… then when I looked at him again, he was laying back down, to go to sleep.

Tsurugi - Like… like he could just freak out at me, and then hit me, and it would all be fine, and he could just roll over…

Ōtori - …You got mad.

Tsurugi - …Not really?

Tsurugi - I just-

Tsurugi - I wanted him to listen. He was dismissing me, because he was happy with how things had gone- and it wasn’t okay for him to act like that-

Tsurugi - …I wanted his attention. 

//He laughs, forcing it so obviously that Maeda cringes.

Tsurugi - He always wanted to get a rise out of people. Guess it worked out for him.

Maki - …

Maki - Hold on a second.

Maki - Why did he think you’d committed murder?

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - The timeline Maeda gave was wrong.

Maeda - Fuck?!

Tomori - What do you mean it was wrong?

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - Kobashikawa left for his dorm, then came back, then Higa died, with all the noises Maeda heard.

Tsurugi - When Maeda explained it, and when everyone was talking about who was asleep, it was assumed that everyone went to sleep after.

Tsurugi - They were treated as two separate events- the murder, and Kobashikawa leaving.

Tsurugi - But that isn’t true. 

Tsurugi - …In fact, that’s what made me realize something was off. It makes the most sense if we say that the situations overlapped.

Tsurugi - Higa… I think I kicked him, or something? When I was trying to get back into bed…

Tsurugi - He must have thought I had gotten out of bed to kill someone.

Maki - But why.

Tsurugi - I- I don’t know…

Tsurugi - I don’t- 

//He chokes, just a bit.

Tsurugi - I don’t remember…

Maeda - …

Maeda - If you don’t remember killing Higa… I don’t think you can just say that you did.

Tsurugi - N-No…

Tsurugi - No, I’m sorry.

//He squares his shoulders, and looks directly at Maeda.

Tsurugi - I murdered Higa. I’m the strongest person here, and I’d bet I have the most experience in fights.

Tsurugi - I was the one who was able to explain the difference between strangulation and suffocation, and I was able to explain exactly how they’d work.

Tsurugi - I was right next to Higa, and I was awake during the time he was killed.

Tsurugi - Think about it. It has to be one of us- does anyone make more sense?

Maeda - …

Maeda - It’s…

Maeda - …Tsurugi would be the first person I think of for capability… but could he have actually murdered Higa?

Tsurugi - …

//He stands there, dead silent. His expression is a mix of remorse and apprehension, but his posture is so firm. It’s hard to look at anything else- the room seems centered on him in this moment.

Taira - …

Tsurugi - …Sorry. I- I feel queasy.

//He looks to the side.

Hatano - …

Hatano - Shouldn’t you be used to talking about stuff like this?

Tsurugi - …I’m not used to confessing to homicide to keep eight people from dying.

Hatano - Have you committed homicide before?

Maki - Hatano.

//The comment throws Maeda- waking him back up.

Maeda - Okay.

Maeda - Tsurugi. Are you sure?

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - There’s no other way this can end.

Tsurugi - We only have the one outcome… everything else is just dragging things out.

Maeda - …

//His voice is hardly above a whisper. 

Maeda - …No one ever wants to die.

Maeda - There’s always a chance. If we’re still discussing what happened, we can still come up with a different way of understanding it.

Maeda - Maybe… maybe you didn’t kill Higa.

//Tsurugi smiles- there’s tears in his eyes.

Tsurugi - I’m the blackened, Maeda. That’s the only way we can move forward.

Maeda - …But things don’t have to end here!

Maeda - We were convinced we were screwed, just… an hour ago? Half that? We had no clue where we’d go- even five minutes ago, we thought we were stuck with a bunch of suspects!

Maeda - If we don’t have to vote now, we won’t.

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - There isn’t evidence.

Uehara - …The trial only goes on with a confession.

Tsurugi - …Exactly.

Tsurugi - If I hadn’t confessed, we wouldn’t have a way to narrow things down any further.

Maeda - But- you said you worked out what had happened when you realized my timeline was wrong!

Maeda - Think about what else we could be wrong about!

Maeda - Let’s go over what happened. Please.

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - Maeda…

Tsurugi - Do you think I’m wrong? Or do you not want it to be me?

Maeda - …

Maeda - …I want to be confident in what we go with.

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - Okay.

Maeda - …I don’t think I can go on without Tsurugi.

//It’s just a fact, plain and pure. There’s no justification behind it, no reasoning Maeda has to go through, no conclusion he’s reaching. It’s tacit information. Without Tsurugi, Maeda can’t move forward. There’s no way that Tsurugi’s dying here.

Taira - …

//…If Tsurugi wasn’t part of the game after this… Maeda may not be himself anymore. 

Tomori - …

//Tomori starts to bawl.

Maeda - !

Tomori - Uuuu…

Tsurugi - A-Ah!

Tsurugi - …

//He doesn’t offer anything. Everyone simply watches as Tomori slowly sinks to her knees, pressing her head against the bars of her podium.

Tsurugi - …Permission to leave my podium?

Monokuma - Granted.

//Of course, he goes to Tomori. It’s hard to see, but Maeda thinks that he’s giving her a hug from behind.

Tomori - …’M so sorry.

//She’s gently shushed by Tsurugi. Eventually, her tears start to subside into sniffles.

Maeda - …They’re so close… 

Maeda - It’s… god, I don’t like how it feels to “know” who the culprit is.

Maeda - It’s different knowing the trial will continue while I have someone that knows we know. We aren’t arguing against them… we’re just confirming that their name is on the tombstone.

Maeda - …

//Tsurugi returns to his podium after helping Tomori to her feet. She rubs at her eyes, and avoids everyone’s gaze.

Tomori - …Sorry…

Maki - You’re fine, Tomori.

Ōtori - …

Ōtori - I don’t think any of us want to lose Tsurugi. 

Ōtori - Of course, none of us should have to die… but Tsurugi’s contributed a lot, and he’s close with a bunch of people.

Maeda - …I’m sort of surprised to hear Ōtori saying that.

Ōtori - …

Ōtori - Tsurugi… do you think we’ll be able to solve the next trial on our own?

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - There won’t be any more trials after this! If I’m getting executed, I’m going out on my terms, and I’m taking down the building!

Tsurugi - …Kidding, sorry. I would’ve planned something if I knew I’d be getting executed.

//…Maeda sees the way Tsurugi reels when the weight of that last word hits him.

Maeda - …Tsurugi’s going to get executed.

Tsurugi - …Um. Expecting there to be another murder, though?

Ōtori - There’s always the chance.

Tsurugi - Ah…

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - Hopefully the blackened won’t be as cool and capable as I am, and they’ll leave more evidence.

Ōtori - …

Ōtori - Let’s assemble this case, then. As practice.

Ōtori - You can continue to watch over us for now- if you don’t mind giving us guidance, like you have in the past.

Tsurugi - …

Kobashikawa - …

//Kobashikawa coughs- ducking to the floor, and turning away from the group as soon as it starts.

Tsurugi - !

Tsurugi - Man, you probably are coming down with something. Maeda, how have you been feeling? You two were around Mekaru the most when she was sick…

Maeda - …I haven’t really felt anything.

//Tsurugi hums as Kobashikawa stands back up.

Kobashikawa - …

Kobashikawa - …Tsurugi?

Tsurugi - Yeah?

Kobashikawa - …I’m sorry.

Kobashikawa - If I hadn’t woken you up last night, you wouldn’t have woken Higa, and you two wouldn’t have fought.

Kobashikawa - He’d still be alive… and you wouldn’t be blackened.

Tsurugi - …Oh.

Tsurugi - Kobashikawa, it’s fine.

Tsurugi - This… everything is so far from being your fault- or from you having anything to do with it.

Tsurugi - It was Higa’s choice to start shit. 

Tsurugi - And sure, we can say it was my ch…

Tsurugi - …My choice to- to kill him…

Tsurugi - …But I didn’t mean to hurt him. It was an act of panic and pain and desperation. 

Tsurugi - Being cruel to myself because something I didn’t want to do had an impact I didn’t want it to isn’t going to get us anywhere.

Tsurugi - Acting like it’s your fault Higa died, because you needed help with something entirely unrelated isn’t going to get us anywhere.

Tsurugi - There is no change you could have made- to yourself, or to the circumstance- that reasonably would have prevented this.

Tsurugi - You are…

Tsurugi - …Everything we’re going to discuss, you are entirely divorced from. 

Tsurugi - Again. Nothing you could change would have changed what happened.

Tsurugi - Making yourself feel guilty will only lead to you hurting. 

Tsurugi - If you feel like it’s your fault, that’ll hurt, because you don’t mean to cause harm. 

Tsurugi - And when you feel like a bad person because of something out of your control, that pain won’t go away, and it’ll start to screw you up.

Tsurugi - That ache is the thing that kills. That feeling of confusion, and pain, and the hopelessness you feel when you can’t get any of it to stop.

Tsurugi - Don’t entertain the thought for two seconds. You did your best. You can’t do anything else. Move on.

Maeda - …

Maeda - I don’t… know if I agree with that.

Maeda - Isn’t it important to acknowledge when you’ve screwed up? If you can’t face when you’ve screwed up, because it makes you feel bad, then you’ll just continue to be a bad person.

Maeda - …

Kobashikawa - …Okay.

Maeda - …But, I don’t think Kobashikawa should feel guilty. So I won’t say anything.

Taira - …

Taira - …Hm. I wonder what we’ll do without you, Tsurugi.

Tsurugi - …

//…His smile stays up for just a second too long. The silence feels strange, to Maeda.

Tsurugi - …What?

//He tilts his head- still smiling, eyes widening in question. 

Taira - You heard me.

//His smile falls, face shifting to neutral interest.

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - …Huh.

Tsurugi - …Taira, I don’t think you were supposed to say that.

Maeda - What.

//Taira’s expression changes. Tsurugi’s has remained the same, still looking at her with a degree of curiosity- but Taira’s seems to shift three different ways in a third of section. She seems… confused, in a way Maeda’s never seen her be.

Maeda - What.

Taira - …

Tsurugi - …

Uehara - …What?

//Taira quickly schools herself, while Tsurugi seems to physically relax.

Taira & Tsurugi - It’s nothing.

Uehara - …

Maeda - …

Maeda - That was definitely something? What are you two talking about?

Taira - Don’t get so concerned with other people's issues, Maeda. It isn’t your business, so stay out of it.

Maeda - …

//Something inside of Maeda curdles.

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - Really, it just isn’t anything that matters now.

Tsurugi - Hm… maybe after the trial…

Maeda - …

//Something inside of Maeda snaps.

Maeda - After this trial you’re dead, Tsurugi.

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi, upset - I don’t want to hear things like that… shouldn’t we focus on right now?

Maeda - Right now, we’re working towards proving who the blackened is, and getting them executed! If you’re right, and it is you, then I’m way more concerned with you wrapping up anything you may have left to handle!

Tsurugi - …

//His face softens.

Tsurugi - Maeda…

Tsurugi - There’s no way for me to accomplish everything that I want to. All I can do is try my best with the time and the opportunities I have.

Maeda - I don’t want a speech.

Tsurugi - …

Maeda, narrating - I don’t get it.

Maeda - I don’t get how he can sit there, so calm, after confessing to a murder he doesn’t want to stand behind, and talk about whatever comes to mind.

Maeda - He’s calm, and he’s planning, and he’s acting like everything’s okay.

Maeda - But it’s not going to be okay- and it’s like it doesn’t even matter to him! 

Tsurugi - …I’ll try to keep things short, but I’m really bad at that. Sorry…

Tsurugi - Death is the only thing that’ll stop me from trying to help everyone. So, if I’m still alive, my priority will be everyone’s wellbeing.

Tsurugi - If you’re ever confused on what I’m doing, just remember that.

Maeda - …

Tsurugi - …

Maeda - …My shoulders hurt. 

Maeda - …

Maeda - Maybe I’m being unfair. It’s Tsurugi’s burden to bear, I shouldn’t be making things worse for him right now.

Maeda - …I’m sorry. Let’s move on with the trial.

Tsurugi - …Maeda, it’s okay for us to have conversations about-

Maeda - I know.

Maeda - …I know. Let’s get back to the case, please.

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - Okay.

Maeda - …

Taira - …

Uehara - …

Tomori - …So… we think it was Tsurugi?

Ōtori - Let’s debate on it.

Maeda - …Wow. I’m surprised those two didn’t switch lines.

Ōtori - Tsurugi, you think it was you because you were awake last night, correct?

Tsurugi - …Mhm. And I do remember getting into a fight with him.

Maki - …Wait. You two fighting is different from Higa yelling at you. Which one happened?

Tsurugi - Uhm…

Tsurugi, weakly - The former, I guess?

Maki - Really? 

Tsurugi - …I was upset with him. I don’t remember too clearly, but-

Tsurugi - I think I was able to get him to believe I hadn’t committed murder, but I pissed him off in the process.

Ōtori - Well… that’d explain why he’d go back to sleep instead of trying to wake everyone up.

Taira - …

Uehara - …

Uehara - …What do we need for everyone to believe it’s Tsurugi?

Maeda - Huh.

Ōtori - …

Maki - I mean… I don’t know if anyone doesn’t believe it… I think we’re just trying to make sure we don’t have any doubts.

Uehara - …Ah. That sucks.

Maeda - …That’s his reaction to Tsurugi being the blackened?!

Maki - Do you have any issues with it, Uehara? If not, uh… what are you on about?

Uehara - …

Uehara - I don’t really have anything to share, I guess.

Uehara - Mm… if you ask me, I don’t think Tsurugi would have. But I’m not ultimate authority, so don’t listen to that.

Maeda - …?

Maeda - Hm…

Kobashikawa - …

Kobashikawa - I mean… is character a strong enough defense?

Tsurugi - Not if I’m saying it isn’t. Like Uehara meant, I know myself best. I know what I’m capable of.

Tomori - Mhm…

Tomori - Though, we should still look at every aspect of this case.

Tsurugi - Mhm.

Tomori - I mean, Tsurugi doesn’t remember the murder itself… there’s still the chance that something else happened. We’ll only know if we look at everything.

Nonstop Debate: START!

Truth Bullets Kobashikawa’s Testimony Maeda’s Burns Monokuma File #03-2

Hatano - What do we have left to discuss?

Ōtori - Well, we can start by checking Tsurugi against the things we used to narrow down the suspect pool earlier.

Ōtori - We’ve already talked about {Maeda’s timeline} a bit, so that should hold up…

Ōtori - Then, there’s the matter of strangulation versus suffocation.

Tomori - Mmm… {the evidence still points to strangulation}, doesn’t it?

Tsurugi - It does. Besides, {that shouldn’t really matter}, since I’m capable of both.

Taira - …

Kobashikawa - The last thing we discussed was the motive, right?

Tsurugi - Mhm.

Tsurugi - And again, we know that points to me. {I have the strongest motive}, because my behaviors and my recollection matches up.

Maki - Damn…

Maki - There’s more that points to Tsurugi, too… you said you woke Higa up, and that tracks! 

Maki - If we look at the rooms layout, {it makes sense for you to be the one who killed Higa}

Tsurugi - Right.

Tsurugi - It’s all there. {All the evidence points to me}, and everything works out if we say I’m the blackened.

~*~

Maeda, narrating - Shit…

Maeda - Really, I don’t know how to feel.

Maeda - Maybe I should be happy? It’s better for one person to die than eight, so I should be relieved when we’re certain who the blackened is.

Maeda - But… I went into this knowing I’d probably be upset about who gets executed.

Maeda - I should try and poke holes into this- it’ll make me feel better to be more confident, I’m sure.

Maeda - And if we end up convicting someone else… maybe it’ll be something I can come to terms with easier.

[another-dr-another]

:/ i don’t really wanna use {Who Hated Higa} as definitive evidence, bc they’re not as closely linked as the other two options, but it is worth discussing -iris

Maeda, narrating - We still have this option…

Maeda - I don’t know if it’ll be enough- but at least it’ll be something!

Maeda - As long as we’re making progress, I should be happy. 

Maeda - Let’s just see where this takes us.

~*~

Maeda - Okay. Who hated Higa enough to kill him?

Maki - …

Tomori - I mean… murder is a more drastic resort- I don’t think we can say anyone wanted him gone badly enough they’d risk their own life, and endanger everyone else's.

Ōtori - Right. 

Ōtori - I think it’s important we remember that, actually… whoever killed Higa put everyone’s life in danger. It has to have been worth it to them.

Maki - …Who hated him that bad?

Ōtori - …

Maeda - I don’t think we can say that anyone did.

Tsurugi - …

Maeda - …Let’s look at this the other way around. Is there anyone who we think wouldn’t have hurt Higa?

Tomori - …

Kobashikawa - None of us are… especially violence-prone- I mean, even if you aren’t just comparing us to Higa, that’s still true.

Taira - …

Maeda - …

Maki - …The only person we can clear from the list right now is Tsurugi, isn’t it?

//Maeda barely stops himself from sighing.

Maeda - Yeah, that’s what I thought too.

//Tsurugi’s head turns. Before Maeda’s even realized it, he’s made eye contact with Tsurugi. Immediately, Maeda feels frightened- because Tsurugi looks petrified.

Maeda - ???

//Tsurugi looks back to the floor, leaving Maeda reeling.

Ōtori - I mean, not like any of us had a positive opinion of Higa. Tsurugi’s going to be the only one who we think wouldn’t have killed him, huh?

Tomori - …Tsu didn’t think well of Higa either. He was just… sympathetic.

Tsurugi - …

Maeda - What’s got Tsurugi so off?

Tsurugi, suddenly - It was only me, huh?

Maeda - …Ah?

Tsurugi - …I’m not wrong, right?

Ōtori - …

Maki - …

//Finally, he looks up again- looking at Tomori this time.

Tsurugi - Tomori, were you optimistic?

Tomori - …

Tomori - I’m sorry. I really wasn’t.

Tsurugi - Don’t be sorry! I like your thoughts on things, Tomori, you’re smart. I trust you to know what’s right.

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - …I did have hope for Higa, though. 

Maeda - …Is Tsurugi mourning Higa?

Kobashikawa - …

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - Do you all feel like I took it too far with trying to support Higa? Did I ever make you all feel bad with what I chose…

Kobashikawa - …Personally, I never felt that way.

Kobashikawa - It sucked that Higa was around- but it seemed like your presence helped him stay more… regulated.

Maki - Mhm…

Maki - There’s only so ticked off he can get without exploding- I think you gave him a good distraction to keep from getting upset with everyone else.

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - …Okay.

//Something about Tsurugi’s response reminds Maeda of…

Maeda - Like a kid that got scolded, and had to be told they aren’t in trouble.

Maeda - …Is that what Tsurugi was getting at earlier?

Maeda - …

//Maeda watches Tsurugi. He seems to be lost in thought again, already moving on from the subject.

Maeda - …Maybe he’s mourning what he hoped Higa would become.

Taira - Then, is everyone agreeing to remove Tsurugi as a suspect?

Maeda - I think that’s right. I can’t imagine Tsurugi going over and killing Higa… I mean, so suddenly- and for what reason?

Maeda - Everyone seems to agree.

//Sure enough, no one speaks up.

Taira - …

Kobashikawa - …Is there anyone else we can clear off of the list?

Maki - …I mean…

Maki - …

Kobashikawa - …

Maeda - …Huh.

Maeda - Maybe it’s less about naming people we think liked Higa, and more about looking into who would’ve gotten physical with him?

Maeda - Would Uehara have? It fits his bill, right?

Taira - Hm.

Hatano - …

Hatano - It’s Maki and Maeda then, right?

Maeda - .

Hatano - No one else has a history of stuff like that…

Maeda - …Fuck. Does no one else- has no one but me fought Higa?!

Maeda - Oh my god.

Tomori - Maki wouldn’t have attacked Higa… she hasn’t in the past, that’s not what she does. 

Tomori - Any interaction she had with Higa was for the sake of bothering him…

Maeda - Oh, fuck me. I’m the only one who’s publicly attacked Higa.

Taira - Then, that leaves Maeda as the only person we’d suspect.

Maeda - Taira doesn’t think it was me, does she?

Maeda - But- that was so long ago!

Uehara - …First impressions…

Maeda - …He doesn’t seem like he’s trying to imply it was me, but I still don’t like that he’s saying that now! What the hell!

Ōtori - It’s true… we know Maeda would get physical with Higa, to try and stop him from doing anything… dickish.

Maeda - Shit shit shit shit.

Ōtori - But that doesn’t mean all too much, right? 

Ōtori - Again, the blackened was risking everyone’s lives to end Higa’s. When Maeda fought Higa, it was to help everyone. The intent was to help the group, not to hurt Higa.

Ōtori - So, I don’t think we can use it as a guarantee that Maeda is the only person who’d… consider the weight of everyone’s lives, and decide that killing Higa was more important.

Maeda - R-Right…

Maeda - It’s Ōtori who’s stepping up for me…

Maeda - My goal was to keep somebody safe, not anything else.

Maeda - I didn’t have any reason to be near Higa last night- besides, I have my testimony…

Tsurugi - …

//He’s clearly looking at Maeda. Maeda notices this, and looks back, trying to question Tsurugi- he can’t tell what he’s trying to convey. 

Maeda - ?...

//Tsurugi seems to be deliberating, but finally decides to speak-

Hatano - Then… who are our suspects?

//-But gets cut off.

Maeda - …I think Tsurugi was going to agree with me. I mean, I know I’m not the blackened, and Tsurugi thinks he’s working out what happened, so he should be on the same page as me- about my innocence, I mean.

Maeda - Mm… if we factor in everything we’ve discussed so far-

Maeda - We know from talking about who was asleep that it wasn’t Ōtori, Hatano, or Maki. Because we tested everyone’s strength, we know it wasn’t me, Uehara, or Kobashikawa.

Maki - Right. Then, we can take Tsurugi off, because he had faith in Higa.

Maeda - Mhm…

Maeda - If it isn’t Tsurugi, and he’s the only one we can take off our remaining list…

Maeda - …That leaves us with two people.

Taira - Myself, or Tomori.

Maeda - …Yeah.

Taira - …

Tsurugi - …

Maki - …

Tomori - …It has to be someone.

Maeda - …But, one of them? Is that really right?

Tomori - …

Tomori - …I’m probably stronger than Taira.

Taira - Really?

Maeda - Taira sounds genuinely surprised. I agree with Tomori…

Uehara - You wouldn’t have snapped and killed someone.

Taira - But you can say that I would have?

Uehara - …

Taira - …Hm.

//Tomori is clearly searching her head for a place to take the conversation, letting Maeda disregard her in favor of watching Taira and Uehara. Taira’s expression is steeled, while Uehara is glowering.

Uehara - …Whatever.

Taira - …

//The room is silent, everyone waiting in anticipation for someone to call out one of the two suspects.

Maki - …

Maki - Let’s- let’s go over our reasoning for striking people from the list, just quickly-

Maki - It couldn’t have been me, because Kobashikawa saw me asleep.

Kobashikawa - Yeah.

Maki - Couldn’t have been Ōtori, because Tsurugi saw him asleep. 

Ōtori - Right. And we know that being asleep that point means you aren’t the killer, because you wouldn’t have woken up so quickly.

Maki - Yeah- and Hatano slept the night through, after falling asleep before the dining hall trip.

Kobashikawa - Mhm…

Maeda - I… I agree with all of this. It wasn’t any of those three.

Maeda - Six left.

Maki - Okay…

Maki - Kobashikawa couldn’t have strangled Higa, Maeda couldn’t have strangled Higa, and Uehara couldn’t have strangled Higa.

//Maki looks at Maeda. In response, he nods silently.

Maeda - I’m clear, and so are two others. We’re down to three.

Maki - Then, we can take Tsurugi off the list, because he lacks motive.

Maeda - Mhm. Tsurugi had no desire to attack Higa.

Maki - …

Taira - …

Tomori - …

Maki - …I can’t think of anything else we can use.

Maeda - There’s… there’s nothing left. Taira, or Tomori.

Kobashikawa - …

Kobashikawa - They were both close to Higa… both of them have the capacity for strangulation…

Taira - …

Tomori - …

//Neither student says anything. Tomori is clearly more nervous than Taira is… but Maeda doesn’t know if it’s fear of getting caught, or fear of everyone voting incorrectly.

Maeda - …Fuck. Is there really nothing else we can use?

//Despite himself, Maeda looks at Tsurugi. The timing seems rather perfect- he watches at Tsurugi rubs briefly at his face, before steadying himself on his podium.

Maeda - …

Maeda - A reaction like that… is it Tomori? He seems nauseous, and they’re definitely closer than Tsurugi and Taira…

Maeda - …I don’t think Tsurugi and Taira really get on, actually.

Maki - …We said we’d discuss everything again, didn’t we?

Hatano - Do you have something new you’ve thought of?

Maki - …

Maeda - Anything’s good, Maki!

Maeda - I’d kill for something to work with… wait- no- I take that back. I would really like something to work with.

Maki - …Well…

Maki - Are we sure it was strangulation?

Maeda - Motherfucker, it’s the thing that cleared me.

Maeda - Godddd damnit.

Hatano - Why would we doubt that it was strangulation?

Maki - Our reasoning for it isn’t too strong. We need to question everything, so we can explore every outcome without instant dismissal- and we really don’t have firm proof it was strangulation.

Maki - We said it was strangulation because the position of the body doesn’t match with suffocation, right?

Maki - But, we talked about rigor mortis, so everyone should know that the blackened would have been able to manipulate Higa’s body after killing him, because rigor mortis wouldn't have set in.

Maki - If we remember that the blackened was up after killing Higa, couldn’t it be that they positioned him more like he was sleeping, to avoid drawing suspicion, in case anyone woke up?

Maeda - Shit… I completely get her reasoning.

Maeda - That’s true… but this just adds Uehara, Kobashikawa, and myself back to the list of suspects.

Maeda - Is there any evidence that makes it look like it was one of us?

Maki - Fuck, I don’t know. I just want to make sure we don’t bury ourselves before we’ve looked at everything.

Maeda - …

Maeda - And she’s completely right for it. She’s doing exactly what she should- this just sucks.

Maeda - I can’t think of anything that singles out anyone if it was suffocation… I mean, not anything that feels strong.

Hatano - Kobashikawa had two pillows, right? Could he have used one of them to strangle Higa, since he was up?

Kobashikawa - That means nothing???

Hatano - I’m just suggesting it! Don’t get touchy…

Maki - Not- suggesting it was yours, Kobashikawa-

Maki - But I really do think we could get somewhere if we could work out what the origin of that pillow is…

Maeda - The blood stained one?

Maki - Mhm.

Uehara - Tsu keeps spares in his room…

Tsurugi - …

Maki - Oh- Tsurugi, was the pillow just a spare you had?

Tsurugi - …

//He just looks at Maki. Maeda can see the same hesitancy to speak that he saw in Tsurugi earlier.

Hatano - …Why do you have spares?

Tsurugi - …

//His eyes flick towards her, then back to the floor. 

Hatano - …?

Tsurugi - …Mm-

Tomori and Uehara - Sleepovers.

Tomori - !

Uehara - …

Tomori - I-It’s because of sleepovers. I’ve spent the night in Tsurugi’s dorm before.

Hatano - Couldn’t go grab your own things?

Tomori - …

Tomori - Just because it wasn’t needed doesn’t mean it wasn’t nice…

//Tomori seems a bit stricken by what Hatano said- making Maeda think about it a bit more.

Maeda - …And Hatano was just suggesting it might be Kobashikawa… then, framing Tsurugi’s spare pillows as weird…

Maeda - I don’t think it’s anything malicious, though…

Uehara - Tsurugi just has a lot of stuff in his room. He also has bandages, and painkillers.

//Uehara shrugs.

Hatano - …

Ōtori - …

Ōtori - Okay, let’s stop for a moment.

Ōtori - Imagine that we hadn’t talked about sleep, or strength- who do we think could have killed Higa.

Maki - …You mean-

Maki - Like, from the perspective of who would have been willing to kill Higa?

Ōtori - To kill in general, since we’ve already established Higa wasn’t anyone’s friend.

Maki - …

Maki - Ōtori. You mean yourself?

Maki - You do realize you’re at the top of the list of people we think would attempt murder, right?!

Ōtori - Hey! Hey, I recognize that!

Ōtori - We can factor everything back in at the end- I’m not saying the points we made weren’t strong, I just think we should take a step back again!

Maki - …By making a new list that you immediately qualify for?

Ōtori - Yes! I was expecting this, it’s fine! I’m okay with being seen as suspicious!

Ōtori - Now who else is going on that list?

//It is silent.

Maeda - …No one wants to start pointing fingers.

Maeda - Who do I think might have killed Higa…

//…Maeda won’t even admit his theories to himself.

Maki - …

Maki - Somebody’s going to say me. I get that, it’s fine.

Tomori - Maki…

Maki - Tomori.

Maki - Have I ever done anything to demonstrate how strong I am?

Maki - I don’t think I have. But everyone’s in agreement about what I could do, without needing any proof to back it up. I won’t try and fight everyone on that.

Hatano - …Because you know we’re right?

Maki - …

Maki - Hatano.

Hatano - We’re supposed to talk about theories, right?!

Hatano - You were one of the people that bickered with Higa a lot- and now, with everything happening with Ōtori, you’ve totally been on him!

Hatano - And I’m not saying I’m against it, but… have you thought about killing him?

Maki - …

//Shock quickly gives way to anger- but Maeda recognizes the flush of Maki’s face, and knows exactly where that rage is coming from. Hatano’s line hurt.

Maeda, wide-eyed - …

//He doesn’t know what to say. No one seems to.

Taira - …Unrelated to Ōtori, but if you are physically capable, it’s good to be transparent about that. Lying and pretending that you couldn’t have killed Higa will only make you more suspicious.

Ōtori - …

//His eyes narrow.

Maeda - …Ōtori totally thinks it could have been Taira.

Maeda - I don’t know who I suspect… 

Hatano - …Well, we’re still really only debating about Taira and Tomori.

Hatano - Or, if we say it was suffocation, it could have been Kobashikawa, Maeda, or Uehara too…

Hatano - …Also, does everyone else actually agree that Tsurugi couldn’t be the blackened? Because I don’t think his defense is too strong. 

Maki - Okay, well, you just went from two suspects, to six, so let’s maybe make up our minds on how we’re approaching this?

Maeda - …

Maeda - I’m sorry, I’m so lost. How are we trying to see things right now?

Maki - …

Maki - Everyone, defend yourself. Explain why it couldn’t have been you.

Maki - Okay?

//…No one objects.

Maki - …Then I’ll go first.

Maki - I would be capable of the murder, but Ōtori’s confirmed that I was asleep. And because I was asleep, I wouldn’t have woken up after Kobashikawa got back, and been able to pull off the murder while Maeda was still awake to hear it.

Maki - …

Maeda - No flaws there…

Maki - …Who wants to go next?

//Tomori and Kobashikawa are the next students on Maki’s right and left, respectively. 

Maeda - Kobashikawa… generally does poorly with this sort of thing- but I think Tomori’s still trying to bounce back too.

Tomori - …

Kobashikawa - …

Kobashikawa - My only defense is that I wouldn’t have been strong enough to kill Higa.

Kobashikawa - …Ah- but, I couldn’t be the person who had the conversation with Higa, either! So, if we agree that person was the blackened… then it’s proof I’m not the blackened.

Maeda - …Oh. Because Kobashikawa couldn’t have been the voice I heard.

//On the other side of Iranami’s portrait is Hatano.

Hatano - I fell asleep early on. We know that I didn’t wake up until I left- for the dining hall this morning. 

Maeda - …She choked on one of her words… poor Hatano.

//Ōtori next.

Ōtori - I was asleep when the murder happened. Tsurugi saw it when he was going back to bed… that’s my only argument, though.

Maeda - Well… if sleep is sufficient for Maki, it should be a fine reason to take Ōtori off the list too.

Maeda - …

Maeda - Though, there’s also the argument about Ōtori’s kill-style- but I don’t need to point that out. 

//Taira stands on his other side.

Taira - …I don’t have any defense.

Taira - I was nearby, capable of it, and no one saw me asleep. 

//She shrugs slightly.

Maeda - …I guess it’s my turn. There hasn’t been anyone between Taira and I since the first trial ended.

Maeda - I… my only defense is that I couldn’t have strangled Higa.

Maeda - But… maybe my testimony helps? I don’t have a reason to bring up what I heard, unless I was actually trying to help.

Maeda - …Fuck, did I make myself too suspicious? What if I come across as trying to play-support…

Maeda - The problem is, if it wasn’t strangulation… I’m screwed. I had to offer something!

//A soft whine pulls Maeda from his thoughts.

Tsurugi - MmmMM~mMmm…

Maeda - …He’s crying again.

//It’s clear Tsurugi’s trying to keep himself together- he’s curled his chin towards his torso, and has his hands clasped and raised in front of his face. The sound is the byproduct of him trying to keep from openly crying…

Maeda - …

Maeda - And it wasn’t Tsurugi, either.

//But Maeda knows by now that Tsurugi won’t succeed.

Maeda - I don’t think he’s able to argue for himself right now… I’ll step in for him.

Maeda - Tsurugi isn’t the blackened, because he isn’t the sort to even lay a hand on anyone. We know from how he’s interacted with Higa in the past that he wouldn’t try to use violence to sway him.

//Tsurugi takes a shaky breath, getting Maeda’s attention back to him.

Maeda - ?

//Tsurugi doesn’t say anything- doesn’t even look up from the floor. He just continues to stand there, shaking. 

Maeda - …

Maeda - I don’t have anything else to defend him… but I don’t think anyone suspects him.

//In a better world, maybe Maeda would have asked to step off his podium, and go see Tsurugi. Here, he doesn’t do that. The trial continues.

Tomori - …I’m like Taira. There’s nothing saying I’m not the blackened.

Tomori - …

Tomori - So, I really don’t know what to say. Obviously, I know what I did last night… but everyone should make their decision based off logic. 

Tomori - I won’t try to sway you all… hopefully someone’s able to come up with something that proves who the blackened truly is.

Maeda - …Poor Tomori. I mean, it really doesn’t feel like it’s her- and even if it is, I feel bad for… the person she’s acting like she is, at least.

//They’ve gone around the whole circle-

Maeda - WAIT.

Maeda - Uehara, you didn’t defend yourself.

Uehara - …Oh. Yeah, uh…

Uehara - I mean, I don’t really have a defense.

Uehara - …

//He shrugs.

Uehara - It could’ve been me. That’s true.

Maeda - …

Maeda - …Well. No frills is definitely an approach.

Kobashikawa - Wasn’t the argument that you lacked the coordination?

Kobashikawa - That’d be true even if it was a suffocation… right?

//Again, Uehara just shrugs.

Uehara - I don’t have half a clue, to be real.

Hatano - …So Uehara’s on the list, then?

Kobashikawa - I don’t know that he should be…

Ōtori - …

Ōtori - You’re off, I’m off, Maki’s off, Tsurugi’s off.

Ōtori - Tomori, Taira, and Uehara don’t have any way of defending themselves.

Ōtori - …What do we think about Maeda, and his testimony?

Maeda - Fuck. 

Tomori - …

Taira - …

Maeda - God. Of course, neither of them would defend me… 

//Tsurugi’s stopped crying- but he’s still sniffling. 

Maeda - Tsurugi won’t step in right now… fuckkk.

Maeda - It’s so over I’m so screwed. Oh my god.

Kobashikawa - …I think Maeda was telling the truth about being asleep.

Maeda - KOBASHIKAWA!

Kobashikawa - We were playing chopsticks before I left for the dining hall… I remember that he was laying down when we got back, I checked for him specifically.

Maeda - THAT’S RIGHT!

Ōtori - Okay.

Ōtori - Taira, Tomori, and Uehara.

Hatano - …We’re going based off who seems the most likely, right?

Maki - …

Maki - If we can’t think of anything else… but we don’t have any reason to rush things right now. 

Hatano - …Okay.

Hatano - I do want to remind everyone, though, that one of those people has a known violence streak against people he disagrees with.

Ōtori - Hatano. I didn’t mention you when I was listing people we weren’t suspecting.

Ōtori - I’m starting to wonder if we really should take you off the list. 

Ōtori - It’s possible you woke up, and just didn’t notice that Iranami was gone! Since you slept early, you don’t have the excuse of just starting your REM cycle!

Maeda - Ah- is that the reason why we know it wasn’t Ōtori or Maki? I get it was because they were asleep- I didn’t know it was sleep cycles specifically. 

Ōtori - Maybe Higa said something to Iranami that upset her- maybe we’ve got the order of the conversation the other way around, and someone accused him!

Ōtori - Let’s all agree to try and be careful with out words, okay?

Hatano - …

//Immediately, tears well up in Hatano’s eyes.

Hatano - …

Maeda - …Jesus Christ.

//Maeda doesn’t want to think about that interaction. He’s so ready to move on from it, even though it just ended-

Maeda - Probably a murderer, versus keeps accusing everyone of murder… Hatano’s definitely got it worse, but it’s good someone spoke out on everyone’s behalf- but Ōtori…

Maeda - …

Maeda - I wonder what I’d think right now if Hatano had suspected me.

Taira - So, Tomori and I are still the viable suspects we have.

Maki - …And Uehara, if we say that the death was suffocation.

Maeda - So Hatano’s not a suspect. 

Maeda - …

Maeda - Uehara… Uehara has gotten physical with Higa.

Maeda - Hell… they fought the day Higa died…

Maeda - I… shit, I’m the only one who knows about that. Well- me, Uehara, and Tsurugi…

Maeda - …

//A chill runs down his spine.

Maeda - Earlier, I thought Tsurugi was crying because he thought it was Tomori… is it possible he started to cry because he realized it was Uehara?

//Maeda can’t help but stare at Tsurugi now. He’s stilled, and isn’t making any sound… but he’s still physically hidden away.

Taira - …

Taira - If we’re starting to make this argument, I will say- my vote is on Uehara before it’s on Tomori. 

Maeda - Eh?

Taira - Of course, that means slim little coming from a suspect… but most of the suspects are innocent. That’s just how it works.

Taira - But, if you look at it… isn’t it like Hatano said?

Taira - Neither Tomori or myself are the sort to use violence because we got provoked.

“~And in comes the enforcer- Wh- get off me!~”

Maeda - …Shit.

Maeda - I…

Maeda - I think… I could pretty solidly prove Uehara’s willingness to… to hurt Higa…

Maeda - But… whenever Uehara did things like that, his goal wasn’t murder… do we think he’d go that far?

Maeda - We’re talking like he isn’t here- Uehara, say something!

Uehara - …

//…He fidgets with one of his earrings.

Maeda - God…

Taira - Someone did.

Maki - …

//The class is just… silent.

Maeda - Have… we really solved it? Will Uehara not defend himself?

Tomori - …

Maeda - Tomori doesn’t look happy about this… out of all the suspects, she’s the one who’s reacting the most.

Maeda - …

Maeda - One of us killed Higa last night.

Maeda - Someone… someone got tired enough of what he was doing… someone got pushed hard enough… they just couldn’t take it.

Maeda - We’ve crossed off most of the class… and out of the people that’s left… 

Maeda - …I don’t think there’s anything else to work with- and after looking at everything, there’s only one answer.

//Maeda falls silent, waiting for someone else to say it.

Tsurugi - …

Maeda - …It has to be Uehara.

Tsurugi - No, that’s wrong!

Maeda - !

//A shock runs through Maeda.

Maeda - …Huh?

Maeda - I- I didn’t say anyth- I didn’t say it was Uehara! What is Tsurugi disagreeing with me on.

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - You were too eager when you were cutting down the suspect pool. There’s someone that got taken off who shouldn’t have been.

Maeda - …Wait- does that mean you know who the blackened is?

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi, lightly - I think so.

Maeda - …

//He’s still reeling.

Maeda - …And? Who do you think it is?

Tsurugi - …

Hatano - …Tsurugi, don’t you dare keep it from us.

Tsurugi - I won’t.

Tsurugi - I’m checking my work. I- I don’t want to be wrong.

Maeda - …

//Finally, Tsurugi’s brought his hands down- lowering them earlier, when he finally spoke up. The tears have clumped his eyelashes together, but he looks significantly more stable than he has. 

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - Okay. Wake up. 

Tsurugi - I don’t- say that as a joke, or to try and throw everyone. But I need everyone to be alert, and to listen.

Tsurugi - Okay? Ready?

//…No one dissents.

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - I want to start this off by saying that I’m sorry.

Tsurugi - I failed you all. My attempts at making the trials easier to solve just made things worse. I didn’t encourage you all to learn, I made things feel stressful and hopeless.

Tsurugi - I…

Tsurugi - …I want you all to know that I am proud of what’s been accomplished. I wanted to see you all do well for my own comfort, so I’d know you would be safe without me.

Tsurugi - It was never about you all proving yourselves, or anything like that. It’s astounding that you all were able to stand back up and try again when you needed to. 

Tsurugi - …Let me point out my perspective of the case.

Maeda - …

Tsurugi - Last night, Higa had a conversation with someone. He was able to look at them, and suspect murder.

Tsurugi - He got them upset, and lost in the fight that ensued. The blackened is someone who was able to win against Higa in a fight, and someone who could be upset by him.

Maeda - …

//The cold floods back in. Maedas too fixated on Tsurugi’s words to notice it. 

Tsurugi - The blackened hasn’t done anything to expose themselves. They’ve been able to go about the night, the investigation, and the trial, without cuing anyone into what they did.

Tsurugi - In fact, everyone was able to come to the conclusion that the blackened couldn’t be the blackened, because of how they construed what happened last night.

Tsurugi - …The “evidence” used to defend them is exactly what enabled the blackened to convince everyone it wasn’t them-

Tsurugi - It was misread, misunderstood. Everyone’s agreed on the crucial fact, but didn’t get what it truly meant. The blackened isn’t Taira, or Tomori, or Uehara. 

Tsurugi - Taira doesn’t fight people, Tomori doesn’t fight people, and Uehara was not capable of strangling or suffocating Higa.

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - Besides- everytime Uehara got after Higa, it wasn’t for his own defense.

//He seems to flinch at himself- but quickly becomes even more composed, to compensate. He stands straight, but relaxed, head held high, gaze soft, rather than defiant. When Tsurugi speaks, it’s with full confidence, as certain as could be.

Tsurugi - Of the people who could have killed Higa last night, only one person lacked the stability to stop themselves when they snapped, and wouldn’t have been able to accept what happened.

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - I’m sorry.

Tsurugi - I strangled Higa last night. I’m the blackened of this case.

~*~

Maeda, narrating - 

Maeda - 

Maeda - …

Maeda - Huh.

[Advance]

[another-dr-another]

{who was asleep} because like. seems like the best thing to discuss among the options

Maeda, narrating - Mhm… because there should be at least one person we can prove wasn’t awake, right?

Maeda - Sleep homicide isn’t a thing, so we can narrow things down if we can prove anyone was asleep.

~*~

Maeda - Who do we know for a fact was asleep last night?

Hatano - Is there anyone we can prove was asleep when Higa died?

Ōtori - …

Maki - …

Kobashikawa - …

Ōtori - …Well, let’s start with you, Hatano. Everyone agrees that Hatano has to have been asleep pretty early, right?

//The class nods, or murmurs their agreement.

Maeda - Yeah, that’s right…

Maeda - If Hatano did wake up at any point in the night, she’d likely have realized Iranami was gone, and done something about it.

Maeda - Aren’t you off the list as well, Ōtori?

//He nods slowly.

Ōtori - Because of Tsurugi’s testimony, yeah.

Ōtori - And, I think I can vouch for Maki, too. It seemed like she was asleep when I woke Kobashikawa up.

Maki - !

Kobashikawa - Ah, that’s right. I remember noticing that Maki had rolled over by the time I got back to Tsurugi’s dorm- I could see her face, she was definitely asleep.

Maki - …

Maki - I mean, I won’t say that’s wrong- I know vouching for myself doesn’t mean anything, but I do usually go to bed early.

Maeda - So Hatano, Maki, and Ōtori are all off the list.

Maeda - Who else can we take off- fuck.

Maeda - Oh, fuck fuck fuck.

Tomori - …I think both Uehara and I were asleep. We were near Tsurugi, who was awake… we’d have remembered him getting up for Kobashikawa if we’d been awake at that point.

Uehara - Fuck- yeah, I don’t remember that.

Taira - …You said you don’t?

Uehara - Mhm. I wasn’t awake when Kobashikawa needed help, I didn’t see Tsurugi get up. I remember.

Taira - You remember that you don’t remember?

Uehara - Right.

Maeda - I’m so on the list. Son of a bitch.

Maeda - I established that I was awake at the time of the murder. Fuck.

Maeda - Taira, Tsurugi… shit, is that everyone without an alibi? God-

Maeda - I mean, not like I’m strong enough to kill Higa, though… but will the others buy that? What if Tsurugi and Taira have something that proves them innocent?

Maeda - Wait-

Maeda - Can we really say that all of these are fully reliable?

Maeda - Kobashikawa doesn’t have an alibi either… and he was established to be awake later than everyone else-

Maeda - But I said I wouldn’t suspect him!

Taira - Do you take issue with any of the alibis, Maeda?

Maeda - …I don’t want to suspect anyone, though.

Maeda - I just- I don’t think deductive reasoning is the strongest.

Maeda - Ōtori, Maki, and Hatano. I think those are the only three we can say aren’t suspects.

Tomori - …

Tomori - I mean… do we want to narrow it down, or do we want to only go with what we have full confidence in?

Tomori - Because… you could even argue that Hatano is the only one we know slept through the night. Both Maki and Ōtori could have woken up during the time frame Higa was killed in, and gone back to sleep by the morning.

Taira - Aren’t we going with the theory that it was relatively early in the night?

Tomori - …When did we start to think that?

Taira - Because of Maeda’s testimony. He woke up because of Kobashikawa and Tsurugi, and didn’t have time to fall fully asleep before the murder happened.

Tomori - Ah…

Maeda - So, we can take off Maki, Ōtori, and Hatano. 

Maeda - …Which puts Tomori back on the list. Sorry-

Maeda - Sorry, Tomori…

Tomori - Ah- No, it’s all fine! I don’t have any complaints, I’m glad everyone’s sharing what they think.

Tsurugi - …

Maeda - …Tsurugi, do you think you’re making progress?

Tsurugi - ……

Tsurugi - …I think so.

Maeda - Ah… that’s good! I’m happy to hear that.

//Tsurugi doesn’t respond.

Maeda - …

Maki - We were able to clear a third of the suspect pool by talking about this… let’s see if we can take off another three people by discussing something else, yeah?

~*~

Maeda, narrating - If we combine the people asleep, and the people who aren’t strong enough to have pulled off the murder…

Maeda - Taira, Tsurugi, and Tomori.

Maeda - Progress… but still not what we need.

Maeda - I think we only have one thing left to discuss, now. Hopefully it’ll take the last two people off the list, and we’ll be left with the blackened.

[Who Hated Higa]

[another-dr-another]

me personally im stuck on who would be physically able to kill higa w others not noticing.. the other two factors dont feel as important to me since someone who was more chill w higa might still be pushed into murder n testimonies r still a lil too tenuous for my tastes -iris

Maeda, narrating - Right… this is the least arbitrary option, right?

Maeda - If a person wasn’t capable of the murder, that’s it. It couldn’t have been them.

Maeda - …In fact, if someone weaker had tried to strangle Higa, they likely would’ve left more evidence- like how Inori was too short to hit Kurokawa or Tsurugi square-on, so she left evidence proving she had to knock them down.

Maeda - Damn.

Maeda - Like Tsurugi said, there just isn’t evidence that got left behind.

~*~

Maeda - Let’s talk about who was capable of strangling Higa.

Hatano - How did we call it, again? Who was on our list?

Maki - Right- I don’t think we came up with an official count of people we think would be capable of strangulation…

Tomori - …

Tomori - Last time we talked, we were trying to determine… I think if Ōtori was capable of it?

Maki - I still think he could, if strangulation fit his M.O., but we know it doesn’t.

Ōtori - I don’t have a modus operandi, not that I’d have been able to strangle someone. It isn’t like I was anywhere near Higa, either.

Maki - We aren’t talking about who had easy access, though.

Tsurugi - Uehara, Kobashikawa, and Maeda can be ruled out.

Maeda - !

Tsurugi - The blackened needed to not only apply pressure to Higa, but grip his throat so tightly that it was constricted enough he couldn’t get any air at all.

Tsurugi - Those three couldn’t have sustained that for long enough to kill Higa while pinning him down. 

Maeda - Ah! I’m cleared…

Hatano - But that’s still a ton of people… isn’t it more likely to be someone who’s stronger, like Tsurugi, or Maki?

Tomori - Ah-

Tomori - No, we can’t narrow it down like that…

Tomori - Capability doesn’t equal probability. Being stronger doesn’t mean you’re more likely to have used that strength to hurt someone.

//Neither Tsurugi nor Maki defend themselves, but…

Maeda - I don’t think anyone believes Tsurugi or Maki are more suspicious because they’re stronger.

Ōtori - …Are we sure we can rule out Maeda and Kobashikawa?

Kobashikawa - …

//Whatever’s going on there probably isn’t Maeda’s issue.

Ōtori - I don’t think it was you, Kobashikawa-

Maeda - …Does he think it was me?!

Ōtori - I just meant to point it out.

Ōtori - Kobashikawa works on planes, including mechanically, and Maeda doesn’t look like he’s incapable.

//Memories flick through Maeda’s mind. Swinging his bag off his shoulder, and slamming it into someone’s head. Elbowing his way through a crowd, and dragging a boy out of a fight. Running through the yard with a kid clinging to his back while he carries cinder blocks he plans to throw.

Maeda - …

Maeda - Ahm.

Maeda - …I don’t think I’m strong enough to strangle someone, though.

Maki - …And Uehara does look incapable?

Taira - Hm…

Taira - It’s probably worth mentioning that Uehara does have an established history of physical violence.

Hatano - So- can we take anyone off of the list, then?

Tsurugi - Kobashikawa, Maeda, Uehara.

Tsurugi - Permission to leave my podium?

//Tsurugi isn’t looking at anyone.

Monokuma - …

Monokuma - Permission Granted.

//He nods, to himself, and walks towards Maeda. Maeda turns to face him once Tsurugi’s stopped at his podium, and finally makes eye contact with Tsurugi… as Tsurugi holds out his arm.

Tsurugi - Grab my wrist, squeeze as tight as you can, with both hands.

Maeda - …?

//Tsurugi just looks at Maeda, imploring. The skin around his eyes is tinted pink.

Maeda - …Okay.

//Maeda… does as he was told, placing his right hand around Tsurugi’s wrist first, then his left, and squeezing.

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - Just do this until your hands hurt- but go tighter.

Maeda - …I didn’t really mean to hold back…

//Maeda tries to grip tighter… but Tsurugi’s expression doesn’t change. Eventually, his hands start to feel like they’re cramping. He pulls away, shaking off his hands- he’s left a few pink indents on Tsurugi’s wrist.

Tsurugi - Wasn’t long enough.

//He starts to walk towards Kobashikawa.

Tsurugi - If Maeda tried to strangle Higa, he’d have to tap out before Higa was out of oxygen. Higa’s throat wouldn’t be constricted enough for long enough.

Tsurugi - Kobashikawa, grab with both hands, and squeeze.

//Similar to Maeda, Kobashikawa hesitates a bit- but with Kobashikawa, as opposed to waiting to touch Tsurugi, he spends time adjusting his grip, before he grabs onto Tsurugi.

Tsurugi - …

Kobashikawa - …

Maeda - I think Kobashiakwa’s made it longer than I have.

//As time continues to pass, it becomes increasingly obvious that that’s true. 

Maeda - …Damn.

//Finally, Kobashikawa lets go.

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - Y’know, I was not expecting that amount of endurance. Good work Kobashikawa.

Tsurugi - But the strength wasn’t there- Higa’s throat wouldn’t have constricted.

//Tsurugi walks back to his podium, going past Maeda again.

Taira - And Uehara?

Tsurugi - Lacks the coordination. His fights are dependent on kicking people while they’re down, after he’s gotten them to lose their balance. Doesn’t have the strength or the endurance.

Tomori - …

Tomori - Poor Uehara…

Uehara - …

Uehara - ‘S fine. I’ll get stronger when my character arc says so.

Kobashikawa - That feels like the sort of joke Tsurugi would make, doesn’t it?

Uehara - Probably… I like ‘em <3.

Tsurugi - …

Taira - Are you sure that your evaluation was accurate, Tsurugi?

Tsurugi - Mm. Take my word for it, or don’t. This doesn’t matter.

Maeda - …It doesn’t?

Tomori - He- He’s right, it kinda doesn’t.

Tomori - I mean, we got three people off the list! That’s- that’s good. 

Tomori - But, we need to narrow it down to number one, and like we said, we can’t just go with who’s strongest…

Maeda - So… we need to find another way to narrow down the group. 

Tomori - Mhm.

Tomori - Which, progress is good! But… we need to look more into it.

Maeda - Ah…

~*~

Maeda, narrating - Well, at least I got myself cleared of suspicion. 

Maeda - And it wasn’t Uehara or Kobashikawa, either…

Maeda - …Hm. Honestly, Uehara and Tsurugi were the most suspicious, because they were closest to Higa.

Maeda - Tsurugi, Taira, Tomori, Ōtori, Hatano, and Maki…

Maeda - …Hmmm. I don’t know who I can see it being. Who hasn’t been trying to solve the case?

Maeda - Maybe one of the other things we talked about bringing up can help us narrow it down some more.

{Who Hated Higa}

[Who Was Asleep]

[another-dr-another]

aw man. um. shit. {advance}.

Maeda, narrating - Fuck.

Maeda - I mean… just, plainly.

Maeda - We are entirely screwed. I have nothing. I was… I was banking on that. 

Maeda - …

Maeda - …Fuck. Tsurugi was completely right.

Maeda - If he isn’t able to solve it for us… we’re good as dead.

~*~

Maeda - …

Taira - …

Tsurugi - …

//The tears haven’t subsided, but any sounds are gone. Tsurugi’s efforts to wipe anything away have vanished as well- he’s looking at the floor across the courtroom, and letting the tears fall. 

Uehara - …

Hatano - …

Tomori - …Wh…

Tomori, small - …What do… 

Tomori - What do you mean you don’t know what happened?

Tsurugi - …

//His voice sounds both wet and dry simultaneously, turned a bit raw. 

Tsurugi - I’m sorry.

Tsurugi - I don’t… know where to go from here.

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - It’s okay, though.

Tsurugi - I get there in the end. I always have. I can solve it… I just.

//…His tone is completely flat.

Tsurugi - …Haven’t yet.

Tomori - …

//Tomori looks shocked, and crestfallen. 

Maeda - …

//…Maeda doesn’t know how he feels. A part of him… feels something in his diaphragm, and that’s probably the guilt. It’s only small, something he hasn’t really processed yet- the way he pushed Tsurugi, and the context it has now. Then, there’s a slight ebbing pulse, a gentle wave on his soul. Something tells him to move forward.

Kobashikawa - …

Ōtori - …

//Both have different reactions. Kobashikawa’s seems akin to disbelief, while Ōtori is on the opposite end, clearly running through the ramifications of Tsurugi’s statements. Let’s talk through it! Let’s look at every angle, we’ll find some way to see it, and make a way to solve it. But, no… no, that won’t be accurate. There’s no facts, no way to prove anything.

Uehara - …

Hatano - …

//Maeda doesn’t think about any of that. Because, irregardless of what he may be feeling, there’s only one thought in his mind. There’s no hope. No one’s going to be able to come up with a way out of this. There’s nowhere left to go from here. All that remains is voting, and hoping that they get it right.

Taira - …

//…The waves recede, and dissipate away. 

Maeda - …Things can’t end here.

//The game has to go on.

Maeda - Okay.

Maeda - Let’s work together, then.

Taira - …

//She’s listening to Maeda.

Maeda - It’ll be okay. When we’re all on the same page, someone will be able to come up with something new.

Tsurugi - …

Maeda - I-It doesn’t look good right now- but now we know everything in full.

Maeda - Kobashikawa said earlier that knowing there was a way to find an answer should be a good motivator- knowing that we need to find an answer will get us to one.

Maeda - I mean, what are we going to do? No one’s thinking about just giving up, patting the blackened on the back, and saying well done as everyone else gets executed.

Maeda - We’re going to try. We aren’t giving up here, we’re going to find an answer.

Maeda - There has to be something that fits. Something that works with the evidence we have, which can’t be argued against.

Maeda - Maybe we decide to use physical ability, and just- just arm wrestle to work out who’s the strongest, then vote for them!

Maeda - Or maybe, there’s a better idea that we can use. Or maybe, we try every option we can come up with, and find our answer.

Maeda - Either way, we need to do something. We have a better shot if we try.

Maeda - …

Maeda - Did I… really say all of that?

//It feels like his words weren’t his own- like they were some sort of echo, something he heard a while ago, that’s only bouncing back now.

Taira - …

Tomori - …

Tsurugi - …

//…Not that it matters, though. Someone said something- right now, that’s all the class needed.

Hatano - …There’s nothing else we can do.

Hatano - Giving up now is stupid. There’s no reason to, we shouldn’t… abandon all hope just because we don’t have a get-out-of trial-safe card.

Maki - …

Maki - You’re both right.

Maki - So what if Tsurugi doesn’t have the answer? We’ve made it through two trials where he wouldn’t explain what happened, so the fact that he can’t now shouldn’t matter.

Maki - Every time, we’ve treated the trial as serious, so we’ve worked hard to solve it.

Maki - Whoever here started celebrating because they think they’ll pull off the murder, don’t start feeling safe.

Kobashikawa - …I think we can reevaluate things- everything that’s been explained, let’s look at it again.

Tomori - …

Tomori - …Monokuma?

//Her voice is so small.

Tomori - How… how are we on time?

Monokuma - The Staff Does Not Currently Plan To Implement A Time Limit.

Maeda - …We’re fine.

Maeda - I like Kobashikawa’s idea. Let’s change how we see everything.

Tsurugi - …

//He’s staring at Maeda. Maeda doesn’t know how to describe the look in Tsurugi’s eyes.

Maeda - …

Maeda - It’s okay. Everything’s going to be okay. We’re going to work through things together, and we’ll find an answer we can put our faith in.

Uehara - I don’t think this is right.

Maeda - Seriously?!

Maki - Uehara, what the hell do you mean?

Uehara - …

//He crosses his arms, and shifts back and forth on his feet.

Uehara - …I don’t know. I can’t explain it.

Uehara - I just…

Uehara - Don’t agree.

Maeda - …With what?

//Tomori glances at Maeda- he feels his face flush.

Maeda - Right. Need to dial it down.

Uehara - …

Uehara - I don’t think that going over what we saw will help. I think…

Maeda - …

//Uehara says nothing else.

Maeda - What the fuck.

Maeda - Well, it doesn’t matter what one person thinks. The rest of us are going to keep working on finding the answer.

Tsurugi - …

Maeda - …Damn. This would’ve been a good time for Tsurugi to step in.

Ōtori - Well, if you don’t want to discuss the evidence, what do you want to talk about, Uehara?

Uehara - …

Uehara - I don’t know.

Maki - …

Ōtori - Okay. Well, we can go with Maeda’s plan, where we go over the evidence, and try to actually answer what happened,

Ōtori - Or we can just vote now. Of course, no one has any clue who to vote for, since we don’t know what happened… 

Ōtori - Maybe everyone should just vote for the person to their right.

Ōtori - Hey Monokuma, what happens if there’s a perfect tie?

Monokuma - The Game Of Mutual Killing Is Designed To Avoid Such Outcomes.

Tsurugi - …Wait, really?

Maeda - ?

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - This is… mm.

Maeda - …Tsurugi.

Tsurugi - …This is the first time we haven’t had an even number of people in the trial. 

Tsurugi - Therefore, in every trial before this, a perfect tie was possible. Then, we look at how Monokuma handled this case, and you wonder if-

Monokuma - Irrelevant.

Tsurugi - …?

Monokuma - The Number Of Students In Trials Prior To This Trial Has No Relevance To This Trial.

Tsurugi - …

Maeda - …Tsu, what were you saying?

Tsurugi - …I’m worried that if I bring it up again, Monokuma will implement a time limit.

Maeda - Ah…

Maki - …

Maki - This is irrelevant, but voting for the person to the right of you would be the only way to get everyone to have one vote, and one vote only, right?

Taira - …Oh?

Maki - If we asked everyone to vote for themselves, the blackened would likely vote for someone else- they have the most to lose, they can’t afford to trust people to not vote for them, and avoid racking up votes.

Maki - Plus, if they vote for someone else, then the majority vote goes to someone they know is innocent, meaning they’d have won, undeniably.

Taira - Ah. That’s right.

Maeda - Why are we even discussing what Uehara brought up? He doesn’t even have an argument! Or a point!

//Maeda laughs, way weaker than he meant for it to bed.

Maeda - Who knows! Maybe the blackened doesn’t even know who they are. Blind rage inducing amnesia…

Tsurugi - …

//Tsurugi’s expression changes.

Maeda - …

Maeda - Tsurugi?

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - Uhm- nothing, I was just thinking of when I’ve heard stuff like that in the past. It’d, uh…

Tsurugi - …

Maki - …

Maki - It’s… the-

Maki - The blackened does know they killed Higa, right?

Maeda - …

//A chill runs down Maeda’s spine.

Tsurugi - …Uhm.

Tsurugi - I wouldn’t worry!

Maeda - …

Tsurugi - Uh… seriously, I don’t think it matches up with this case. So, no one should stress…

Tsurugi - Emotional amnesia is a distress thing, in a situation like this, you’d be seeing it not because the blackened was afraid of getting caught, but because of the consequences for the murder-

Tsurugi - The emotional weight of it!

Tsurugi - It’d be because they couldn’t confront that… the guilt of killing someone important to them- like someone they genuinely loved dearly.

Tsurugi - Regret because of fear is different from pure regret.

Maeda - …Ah.

Tomori - …

Tomori - It’s nice to hear that we don’t need to worry about being the blackened.

Taira - Frightening, right?

Taira - To imagine that you’ve hurt someone, and caused fear and strife for everyone else, and you didn’t even know it…

Taira - The whole time you were cursing some “other” in your head, it was you. You were the reprehensible person that everyone loathed- and you agreed with them while they called for your head.

Maeda - …

Tsurugi - I think the reason behind it is scary.

Tsurugi - Making a decision you’d never want to… the things that’d drive you to that…

Tsurugi - To get into that mentality, where you’d make the choice, and then, the moment where you realize, and you just want to take it back-

//Tsurugi’s face twitches- Maeda looked over at him because he could hear Tsurugi’s voice start to tighten.

Tsurugi - But you can’t, and you have to go on with what you did, but you can’t do that either, so you jus-t…

//He sniffs loudly. He’d started to gesture with his hands, though his gaze fixed on the floor as soon as his tone started to go, he continued to try and manually communicate via his posture- but as his face falls, so do his hands. Maeda takes it as Tsurugi being done.

Maeda - …

Maeda - I don’t like either of the places that subject went.

Ōtori - …

Ōtori - Thank god we don’t have to worry about either one of those ideas, then.

Ōtori - You two are right, they both sound like they’d suck. So, let’s count our blessings that that isn’t our circumstance, and deal with what we actually have going on right now. 

Ōtori - We’re going to go with what Kobashikawa suggested. We’re reevaluating everything. Everything gets a new answer.

Maki - …Wait.

Ōtori - …

Ōtori - Yes?

Maki - No- no, I agree- with Kobashikawa, that we should look at everything again, force ourselves too-

Maki - But, I want to ask Tsurugi some stuff first.

Maeda - …Ah?

Maki - …Tsurugi? Can you answer some things for me?

//Tsurugi’s eyes are huge.

Tsurugi - Mhm!

Maki - …

Maki - Are you sure?

Tsurugi - I’ll give you anything I know.

Maki - …Alright.

Maki - Are you confident that Higa died of strangulation.

Tsurugi - Yes.

Maki - Do you have any objection to the timeline we came up with?

Tsurugi - …The order of events, or the time Higa might’ve died at?

Maki - I- I meant the latter, but now I want to know about both.

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - Honestly forgot the numbers everyone decided on, but I remember that I didn’t have an issue with them.

Tsurugi - Same goes for the timeline.

Maeda - He forgot them both?!

Hatano - You forgot both?

Tsurugi - Mhm.

Maki - …Unmedicated.

Tsurugi - …You say that like it’s bad :(.

Maki - ….I don’t mean anything by it. S…Sorry.

Tsurugi - You’re so fine, I was just teasing <3.

Maki - …

Tsurugi - <3.

Taira - Any more questions?

Maki - N…No.

Hatano - I have a question. How did you forget both of the timelines?

Tsurugi - …Unmedicated :(.

Uehara - Probably wasn’t really listening.

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - More important things than details :(.

Ōtori - …

Ōtori - You know, it’s a bit funny to compare this case to past trials.

Ōtori - There’s one difference between this one and the other two that we haven’t discussed.

Maeda - Oh?

Ōtori - Tsurugi didn’t get hurt this time.

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - I learned how to cross the street on my own <3.

Maeda - …If Inori was here, I think she’d offer to hit Tsurugi with a car for insurance, if she could get half the payout.

Maki - Maybe if someone hits Tsurugi, it’ll help him work out what happened.

//Ōtori chokes out a laugh, audibly half from surprise at what Maki said, half from the comment itself.

Ōtori - As he’s falling to the ground, it gives him a different angle. 

Tsurugi, softly - Wheee..

//Maki grins, but tries to hide it behind her hand.

Tomori - …How hard does it have to be? He was passed out bad the first time, but the second time he stayed conscious…

Tomori - Maybe the threshold’s gotten lower?

Tsurugi - Tomori, I’d like it if you could go to the empty podium now, please. Pretty please. For my comfort.

Tomori - Who would you rather have attack you?

Tsurugi - …Oh, good question…

Uehara - …C’mere piccolino, I’ll keep you from getting attacked again.

Tsurugi - Okay…

//Tsurugi makes zero effort to get closer to Uehara.

Uehara - …

Tsurugi, unaware - …

Maeda - …

Uehara - …Sunshine.

Tsurugi - Ah.

//Tsurugi grabs Uehara’s hand, then, when Uehara pulse their arms flush to try and get them closer, stands next to Uehara.

Maeda - What should we go ov-

//There’s a soft thump, as Uehara flicks the fingers of his free hand against Tsurugi’s forehead.

Tsurugi - !!!

Maeda - !

//It’s silent.

Tomori - …

Ōtori - …

Maki - …

//Maki snorts, and it’s like a dam breaking open. Ōtori follows immediately after, and Tomori isn’t far behind. Uehara grins, and Tsurugi follows suit, looking at Uehara as he starts to softly laugh. Maeda can’t help but smile too, and he sees Kobashikawa doing the same.

Uehara - Well? Anything new?

//Tsurugi reaches for Uehara’s other hand- the only one that’s free, as they’re still holding hands- and holds that one as well. Uehara turns towards Tsurugi to better accommodate the position, and laughs a bit as Tsurugi tilts slightly over, laughing harder.

Tsurugi - Mm-

//He’s trying to keep his lips shut, but they’re pulled apart by his grin.

Taira - …

//Maki and Ōtori are still laughing, and Tomori keeps getting herself to giggle again. It’s spread to Maeda, who laughed in response to Tomori once- and Tsurugi seems to be trying to choke himself off from making any sounds.

Uehara - …Tsu, hey~-

//Tsurugi wheezes.

Uehara - …

//Maeda’s still watching them both, like most of the class- so he catches it when Uehara’s grin fades to a smile.

Uehara - …

Uehara, gently - …

Tsurugi - …

Uehara - …You know, if you start to cry again, 

//Tsurugi moves closer to Uehara, tugging their arms behind him as he simultaneously pulls Uehara closer.

Uehara - Then the whole world’ll flood-

//Tsurugi let’s go of Uehara’s hands at the last possible moment, letting him wrap his arms around Uehara as he crashes into Uehara’s torso. 

Tsurugi - Mmmmmmm-

//Uehara is crestfallen. His eyes dart around only briefly- before Tsurugi is pulling away, and he focuses on Tsurugi.

Uehara - Carino, no, come here-

Tsurugi, shakily - No.

//He’s trying to wipe away his tears, and wrench both his eyes and mouth shut to keep anything from escaping. Uehara opens his arms again, forearms up, hovering in line with his waist… Tsurugi doesn’t react.

Uehara - …

Maeda - …

Maeda - Nothing… set him off, right?

Uehara - …Tsu.

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - I caaan’t…

Uehara - Just- don’t. Just come here.

Tsurugi - No…

Uehara - Tsurugi, stop, and come here.

Tsurugi - …

//It happens too quick for Maeda to understand any of the progress- Tsurugi is back to Uehara. His hands fall loosely around Uehara’s waist, while Uehara… doesn’t seem to know what to do.

Maeda - …Jesus.

//It isn’t anything negative about the PDA- Maeda couldn’t explain this himself, but he just doesn’t know what to do.

Maeda - …

Taira - …

//He looks away.

Kobashikawa - …

Ōtori - …

//Taira is watching Tsurugi and Uehara.

Maki - …

Tomori - …

//Maeda looks back, following Taira’s gaze. He’s surprised when he finds them- they aren’t standing anymore, instead, they’re somewhat visible through the slats of their podiums. He can’t make out much of what’s happening.

Hatano - …

Maeda - …

//Maeda won’t know this. But, currently, even an omniscient narrator couldn’t say who’s holding up who. Uehara has his right hand carding through Tsurugi’s hair, his shoulder pushed into the podium to try and keep himself from leaning further back. In turn, Tsurugi has his left arm resting along Uehara’s torso, fist gripping Uehara’s jacket, holding him close. Uehara’s left hand and Tsurugi’s right are just next to each other, fingers brushing, but neither moving, as they both try to plant themselves, and stay steady. Tsurugi’s left leg is between both of Uehara’s, but, as Uehara has his left leg slightly raised, Tsurugi has moved his right leg over Uehara’s thigh, and under his knee- compensating for the pressure he’s putting on Uehara’s chest. Uehara’s eyes are flicking around rapidly, and for a brief moment, Tsurugi’s sobs are open-mouthed and ugly.

Tomori - …

//The sobs are muffled, though. Uehara’s shallow breathing is quiet enough. The room is silent.

Taira - …

Maeda - …

Maki - …

Maki, quietly - Let’s talk about the case.

//The world winds back to Maeda.

Ōtori - …

Kobashikawa - …Okay. What are we starting with?

Maki - …

Maki - I don’t think suffocation versus strangulation will help us. We definitely can go over it again, just…

Maki - Let’s shelve it, for now.

Maeda - …

Maeda - Should we revisit Higa’s motive, maybe?

Maki - …For getting after the blackened?

Maeda - Mhm.

Maeda - That’s one of the more arbitrary things we have… it’ll probably be easier to come up with something new for it.

Maki - Okay.

Maki - …Does anyone have any thoughts?

Maeda - …Personally, I don’t.

Maeda - …

Maeda - This trial just hurts.

//Maeda looks at Tsurugi and Uehara again. They’ve disentangled- but they’re still sitting. He can see two individual forms on the two different podiums.

Taira - Maybe someone did something to make Higa think there’d been a murder.

Taira - Sure, we know there wasn’t actually one, but Higa wouldn’t necessarily know that, would he?

Tomori - …

Tomori - That’s true… it- it did take us some time to work out what had really happened.

Maeda - Right… we all believed there’d been a murder.

Maeda - Though, didn’t Monokuma sort of mislead us?

Kobashikawa - Hm…

Kobashikawa - We thought there’d been two murders because we saw two bodies, and two announcements played.

Kobashikawa - What would make Higa think there’d been a murder? Did he leave Tsurugi’s dorm?

Maki - …

Maki - Well.

Maki - What was our main theory for what had happened to Iranami?

Tomori - …

Maeda - D… Do you mean the poisoning?!

Maki - …

Maki - Ōtori. Did anything happen last night?

Ōtori - W-Wait-

Maki - Answer. Did you interact with Higa at all?

Ōtori - Only in the dining hall! Only in the dining hall, only- only when we all went there! When we went with Uehara and Kobashikawa, th-that’s it!

Kobashikawa - …

Uehara, trying to look over his podium - ???

Maki - …

Maki - Didn’t you walk back with Higa?

Ōtori - …

Ōtori - Fuck.

Ōtori - -THAT SOUNDS BAD. That makes it sound bad! Okay, yeah- this looks bad, because you’re right. You’re right, I did walk back with Higa.

Ōtori - But we didn’t say anything!

Ōtori - Seriously, not a word. I didn’t do anything that could make him think I’d done anything- besides, how would that fit into the timeline? Tons of people were still awake when we got back to Tsurugi’s dorm!

Maki - Yes, but you two could’ve gotten into the fight later on in the night. Maybe Higa witnessed you tampering with the coffee, and when he saw you awake later on, he put two and one and one together, and got the right answer.

Ōtori - But I didn’t do anything last night!

Maki - But you tried to!

Ōtori - !

Maki - Well?

Ōtori - …

Ōtori - …

Maeda - …Oh my god. He still won’t admit it.

Maeda - Ōtori, everyone knows you screwed with the coffee! Just cough it up!

Ōtori - …

Ōtori - I didn’t do anything last night. Higa had no reason to suspect I’d done anything. He didn’t see me awake last night, because after I woke Kobashikawa up, I went back to bed.

Ōtori - I have no involvement in Higa’s murder.

Maki - Mhm. And a flawless record to back you up.

Taira - Hm…

Taira - Not a very good shepherd if you never cry wolf, hm? Have to wonder where the wool and mutton is going.

Maeda - …Wool pulled over your eyes.

Ōtori - …

Tsurugi - …It wasn’t Ōtori.

Maeda - !

//Tsurugi’s standing. His bangs are slightly astray, his face is flushed pink, and there’s dried tears clinging to his face, and under his eyes. Still, his posture has him facing the class- he’s stepping in to defend Ōtori, and take down the arguments.

Tsurugi - He’s telling the truth about not interacting with Higa- and he was telling the truth earlier when he said that he was practically asleep by the time Kobashikawa got back into bed.

Tsurugi - I was sitting in the door frame, remember? 

Tsurugi - Ōtori didn’t mean to kill anyone. He chose a removed method that involved something no one was going to interact with. 

Tsurugi - He wouldn’t go and kill someone, not by strangulation, in front of everyone, and not because they accused him of murder. It’s not a driving force for him.

Ōtori - …

Ōtori, quietly - Thank you, Tsurugi.

Tsurugi - …Mm.

Tsurugi - Just for the record, Ōtori did poison the coffee. 

Tsurugi - I’m not looking for you to comment on that Ōtori, but I do want to make sure that everyone, you included, knows what my stance is there.

Tsurugi - …I think I get why, too. But that’s not relevant. I just want to close the book on that.

//Uehara has also stood up. He has his hands placed on his podium, bracing himself as he looks at Tsurugi. As far as Maeda knows, Uehara hasn’t shifted his gaze since standing.

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - Lemme share my thoughts on the case. I never gave you all a clear outline of my understanding…

Tomori - …

Maeda - …

Maeda - Tsurugi looks exhausted.

//Tsurugi’s clearly trying to steady himself.

Tsurugi - Okay.

Tsurugi - Looking at Higa, the most obvious sign of injury is the marks and discoloration on his neck.

Tsurugi - Certain parts of his skin were discolored as well, and his hands were stuck by his head.

Tsurugi - The marks on the neck, and the position of his hands imply he died due to a lack of oxygen.

Tsurugi - The discoloration of the skin implies that he had remained in the pose we found him in for some number of hours.

Tsurugi - …

//It’s quiet, as Tsurugi thinks.

Tsurugi - …Fuck.

Tsurugi - Okay. Then, there’s the matter of what Maeda heard…

Hatano - Wait.

Hatano - Is there nothing else we can learn from the marks on Higa?

Tsurugi - …I’m sorry. There really isn’t. 

Hatano - What do you mean?

Hatano - I know we talked about how we can’t really match hcnads, but surely it tells us something?

Hatano - Like, shouldn’t the placement indicate something- or isn’t there some other marks indicati-

Tsurugi - Hatano.

Tsurugi - Asphyxiation leaves no trace.

Tsurugi - There is nothing surface-level that could possibly indicate who the blackened is.

Tsurugi - I mean, even if I had access to the best tech in the world, there’s only so many clues that are left behind, and none of it is damning.

Tsurugi - This case is dependent on testimonies. 

Tsurugi - If we can’t find something in a testimony, we don’t have any evidence.

Uehara - …

Tomori - …

Maeda - …Uhm.

Maeda - …

Maeda - I- I think Tsuurgi’s doing bad.

//It’s hard to explain. He just looks… haggard. There’s resolve there, and it isn’t waning… but…

Maeda - …

Tsurugi - Maeda’s testimony is going to be the one that explains what happened last night.

Tsurugi - …It’s definitely crucial. If we can accurately understand what happened… I think we can identify the blackened.

Maeda - …But, how do we work out what I heard?

Tsurugi - I…

Tsurugi - I don’t know. 

Tsurugi - But- I think I’m starting to get it? I- I may be starting to come to an answer.

Maeda - …

Maeda - Then, take time to yourself, and think.

Tsurugi - …?

Maeda - You work best on your own. When you have to explain things, that's when you falter.

Maeda - If you know where you need to go, or have an idea, just focus on that. We’ll continue to work on it too. 

Maeda - Tap out, Tsurugi. It’s fine.

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - Y… you said-

Maeda - It’s fine. Don’t worry about anything I’ve said, okay?

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - …Okay. I’ll make sure we solve the case properly.

Maeda - Great.

Maeda - In the meantime.

//He focuses on the rest of the class. No one seems too focused on Tsurugi (...bar the usual), instead, turning to Maeda to see what he thinks they should do.

Maeda - …

Maeda - Ah, shit. I don’t actually know where we need to go from here.

Maeda - I liked what Maki said earlier, about looking into Higa’s thoughts a bit more. 

Maeda - He might not have seen anything incriminating that Ōtori did, so, what is it that he saw?

Maeda - I don’t think anything much was happening last night… but maybe if we can confirm what all the noises and sounds were, we’ll be able to narrow down our suspect pool.

//Tsurugi chokes.

Maeda - !?

Tomori - Tsu?

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi, tightly - Nothing.

Maeda - …Is he about to cry again?

Maki - …

Maki - Did you think of something?

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - Sorry. Sorry.

Maeda - Holy shit, he’s about to cry again.

Tsurugi - I just- I just need a moment. Then I’ll have everything worked out.

Maki - Okay. No- don’t worry about it. Just making sure you’re okay.

//Tsurugi gives a thumbs up, then starts toying with his hands.

Maeda - …

Maeda - Well, anyways.

Maeda - So… how should we try and understand what happened?

Maki - Ah… I was thinking about who Higa already had issues with- sure, he was a dick to everyone, but some people got the brunt of it, right?

Maki - Like, if everyone were still alive, we could probably cross off Mekaru and Yamaguchi. They were both more sympathetic, and unlikely to use any sort of force against Higa- they both disagreed with it when he got thrown out of the dining hall that one time.

Kobashikawa - That could definitely work…

Kobashikawa - But on that note, doesn’t it go past who had issue with Higa, and start to ask who would have been able to strangle him?

Maki - That’s right too-

Maki - We can look at it from the angle of who would’ve been physically capable of strangling Higa, if we’re already looking at when exactly he died.

Maki - Though, that doesn’t get as much into the motive.

Taira - …

Taira - It also may be worth considering who was asleep then.

Hatano - Right, yeah!

Hatano - If we’re using Tsurugi’s testimony to confirm that Ōtori was asleep, maybe we can do the same to clear some other people off the list.

Maki - Oh, true.

Maki - …Damn. Now we have too many things to consider.

Ōtori - Well, let’s just pick one, and see where it gets us, yeah?

Tomori - Lots of outcomes we could be running here…

Taira - So long as one of them is correct.

Tomori - …

~*~

Maeda, narrating - We went from having no clue what to discuss, to too many options…

Maeda - Honestly, I’m not really sure which one will be most helpful.

Maeda - I think Tsurugi has some sort of idea for what Higa witnessed, maybe? So, that’s good at least.

Maeda - I’m happy to know he’s back to guiding the trial- or will be, at least.

{Who Hated Higa}

{Who Is Strong Enough}

{Who Was Asleep}

[another-dr-another]

{tsurugi} can you pleaseeee give us some help.. -iris

Maeda, narrating - Mhm! Mhm mhm.

Maeda - God.

Maeda, exasperated - God. Okay. Let’s do this again.

Maeda - We- I’m not asking him to solve the case for us, but he needs to throw us a bone.

~*~

Maeda - Guys, Maki’s right.

Maeda - We can’t afford to guess on what happened, and vote based on a whim.

Maeda - If we get this wrong, it’s execution. Not just death, it’s- it’s the type of death Inori faced, and the type of death Yamaguchi faced, and it’s getting all of us.

Maeda - …Except for the blackened.

Ōtori - …

Ōtori - Okay, and what are you suggesting we do about the case, Maeda?

Maeda - …

Kobashikawa - …You were the one who said we shouldn’t check for bruises because it isn’t substantive enough. What do you have that we can build a case off of?

Maeda - …I’m sorry. I don’t have anything.

Maeda - I’m sorry to Kobashikawa, because it would be a good idea to look at the bruises… but I know it’d be leading us to the wrong conclusion, because I know I’m not the blackened.

Maeda - …

Maeda - He isn’t the only person I want to apologize to, though.

Maeda - None of us have anything to work with.

Maeda - But that just means there’s something we’re missing. Higa was murdered, somebody killed him, and there has to be something that proves who it was.

Maeda - Otherwise, Tsurugi wouldn’t know who the blackened is.

Maeda - …Tsurugi.

Tsurugi - …

//He’s looking at the floor, arms loosely crossed… it doesn’t seem like he’s paying attention.

Maeda - …

Maeda - Tsurugi.

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - ………

//…Nothing. His eyes move- but only to focus on a different spot of the floor. Maeda watches him for a moment. The fingers on his right hand twitch, and he seems to be… not even murmuring, but simply mouthing words to himself. 

Maeda - …

//He shifts his gaze again, and wraps his left arm tighter around himself as his right starts to bounce and rock- 

Maeda - He’s… keeping track of something… but I don’t know what.

Maeda - TSURUGI!

Tsurugi - …

//His eyes stay on their latest spot, but his hand stills.

Tsurugi - Yeah?

Maeda - We don’t know what happened. And we don’t know where we need to start, if we want to work out what happened.

Maeda - I’m not asking you to explain what happened. But we need you to help.

Maeda - I understand that you have your reservations. But you need to come up with something that you’re willing to share, because we’re trying, and we’re getting nowhere.

Tsurugi - …

//Finally, he leans his head up, and turns his gaze to Maeda.

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - …Maeda? When did you start to see me like a child?

Maeda - Huh.

Tsurugi - The way you’re talking to me is different than how you used to. Have I been too stubborn about how I think? Has it given you the wrong impression of me?

Tsurugi - I don’t know if you know what I mean.

Tsurugi - You didn’t talk to me like that when we first met. You don’t need to frame your questions weird just because of how I act.

Maeda - …

//Something sinks in Maeda. And when it lands, it brings with it a weight which settles deep within him. It’s a bit nauseating, and something about it hurts.

Maeda - …

Maeda - Then help.

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - …I’m not upset with you, you know. A lot of people do it, and I’d change how I’d act if that was what bothered me.

Tsurugi - You should think through the things you say, that’s what I’m trying to get at. Look at me, and see everything in full. Don’t let what’s in your head cover up what you’re seeing.

Taira - …

Maki - …

Tomori - …

//He shifts his posture, standing so he’s facing the group, instead of tilted away. He shrugs, and seems nonchalant.

Tsurugi - Aaaanyways, though… I don’t really get what you mean.

Tsurugi - Haven’t I been helping?

Tsurugi - Everyone kept saying that I was being too quiet, so I started to speak up. 

Tsurugi - For a little bit now, sure, I’ve been trying to think- but that’s only been a few minutes, and I’m doing it because I need to.

Tsurugi - I talked about the evidence there was strangulation, and I stopped you all from considering that anyone could have committed Higa’s murder.

Tsurugi - …Here, I’ll help you some more- there’s a reason why I made sure you all knew that the blackeneds physical capabilities is important.

Tsurugi - I explained how strangulation works, what the blackened would have done, and the marks it would have made, and that was after I explained the difference between asphyxia and strangulation.

Tsurugi - Before that, I stepped in to give my testimony about Kobashikawa last night- another thing that’s important.

Tsurugi - I’ve been answering all plain-like about a ton of questions, too. I’ve talked about my hearing aid and my contacts, and-

Tsurugi - I was the only person to investigate in the blackened, and as soon as that was established, I testified!

Tsurugi - Speaking of testimonies, I was the first one to talk about how it was a good thing that we had new testimonies that hadn’t been heard- back when you testified, Maeda!

Tsurugi - The motive we believe right now is that Higa upset the blackened, right? Who was it that offered that theory?

Tsurugi - I gave you my every bit of reasoning, every analysis I had, and I keep establishing the frame we need to be looking at the case under!

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - …I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to say all of that.

//While he’s been speaking, Tsurugi’s been expressive, gesturing around as he gave his examples. Now, though, he draws his arms in, starting to pick at some of the marks on his arms. Earlier, he didn’t seem focused on anyone in particular, but he focuses in on Maeda now.

Tsurugi - I understand how important this is.

Tsurugi - That’s the problem I was having earlier. I recognize the severity of the situation!

Tsurugi - I don’t like to make these comparisons, but if anything, I’m seeing issues here that you all aren’t!

Tsurugi - I-

Tsurugi - I can’t give you anything else right now.

Tsurugi - But it isn’t because I’m trying to be obnoxious, or be- be a problem.

//His voice starts to strain.

Tsurugi - I am trying. I’m trying to help, and I’m trying t-

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - …I am trying to stay calm, and collected. I’m capable of being composed.

//He says, as Maeda notices tears pooling in his eyes.

Tsurugi - I keep getting thrown off. I cannot help you if I’m not able to function.

Tsurugi - I have helped, and helped, and helped. If you forgot that, it means you need to revisit what I said.

//Tsurugi seems to be composing himself.

Tsurugi - Everyone has the information they need to reach the same conclusions I have. 

Tsurugi - Give me time to work through the rest of the information, for everyone’s sake. I don’t ask these things from you for my own good- I act based on the safety of the group.

Maeda - …

Taira - …What do you mean the “rest” of the information?

Maeda - …Wait.

//Immediately, any of Maeda’s thoughts on what Tsurugi said get replaced by Taira’s question. Ah well- Tsurugi’s ramble probably wasn’t too important.

Maeda - She’s right. What else is he talking about?

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - It… isn’t anything related to what I’ve been saying about the blackened-

Tsurugi - Sorry, sorry, I know I’ve been totally disoriented- disorienting- whatever-

Tsurugi - I really can’t be answering questions right now. So, why are we…?

Taira - …

Taira - I thought it was interesting, that’s all.

Taira - Why can’t you be answering things we ask?

Tsurugi - Why are you concerned with what I answer once I start giving information willingly, like everyone wanted?

Taira - It goes against your character.

Tsurugi - People aren’t static, I’m capable of changing with a situation.

Taira - What’s different about you now?

Tsurugi - The way that I’m engaging with the trial is. 

Taira - Why?

Tsurugi - Because I can’t think when I’m distracted, and everyone being upset that I wasn’t giving information was distracting.

Taira - What do you need to be thinking about?

Tsurugi - Nothing that needs to be shared!

Taira - But why aren’t you sharing?

Tsurugi - Because I’m a person which means I have BOUNDARIES.

Taira - …

Tomori - …

Maeda - …

Taira - …Fair enough.

Maeda - …What just happened?!

Maeda - And… what was that ending…

Maeda - …

//For a moment, Maeda is able to try and digest what’s happened with Tsurugi, and how he’s feeling about it.

Maeda - God…

Maeda - Did I push Tsurugi too much?

~”When did you start to see me like a child?”~

Maeda - …

Maeda, ticked - Whatever his issue is right now…

Maeda - …

Maeda - Fuck.

Maeda, calming down - Tsurugi doesn’t usually act like this. I think people have been getting on him a bit more in general-

Maeda - …I can’t help but think of the conversation we had in the hallway, actually…

Maeda - …

Maeda - Right. I think he’s stressed.

Maeda - He’s right that he did point out stuff for us to work with… I wish he could give us something more- but if he says we can do it, we just need to revisit things…

Maki - Let’s try going over the information Tsurugi gave us again.

Maeda - Exactly.

Kobashikawa - …

Kobashikawa - If we have enough to work with, then… hearing that should be enough motivation that we can put the information to good use.

Ōtori - Yeah. Tsurugi brought up the blackened’s physical abilities, right? Who here do we think is capable of strangling Higa?

Maki - …

Maki - That… would definitely narrow it down.

Taira - …

Taira - Maki and Tsurugi certainly could have.

Taira - Hatano’s an athlete, she may have the upper body strength- I wouldn’t know. Tomori’s mentioned being capable of both base and flying, so she should be on the list as well.

Taira - Running a store requires a degree of strength, so Ōtori should probably be on the list as well.

Taira - Though, if that’s the standard we’re at, I should be on the list too.

Taira - Maeda, are you strong?

Maeda - N…not- particularly?

Taira - Hm.

Maeda - That’s… most of the class on the list.

Ōtori - …

Maki - …

Maki - Balance, coordination, strength. That, and an understanding of what you need to do…

Maki - I feel like we can take Ōtori off that list… potentially Hatano and Tomori, as well.

Ōtori, staring straight down the barrel of a gift horse - …Really?

Maki - …

Maki - If we scrap that last bit, then probably not…

Ōtori - No, no- sorry, I’m sorry-

Ōtori - I think that’s a good move. That brings us down to three people, right?

Maeda - Maki, Tsurugi, and Taira.

Maeda - …Ugh. I don’t like the thought of any one being the blackened, but that group…

Maeda - Tsurugi said that his testimony mattered too, right?

Taira - Uehara, Kobashikawa, neither of you have much to say for your strength, do you?

Kobashikawa - Ah… I don’t think I could try and strangle Higa and win with ease, no.

Maeda - Tsurugi’s testimony…

//Maeda is not paying attention. He doesn’t notice Taira’s question, or that Uehara is too busy looking at him to answer.

Maeda - …Tsurugi.

//Tsurugi’s reverted back to the position he was in before their conversation earlier- arms crossed, looking away.

Maeda - …

Maeda - Your autopsy helped us a lot with the last case. Is there anything we missed about Higa’s body?

Tsurugi - …

Hatano - …Higa didn’t get chopped up. I think this is out of Tsurugi’s field.

Uehara - Ah…

Maeda - But this is Tsurugi’s field… no, I should say that-

Maeda - This is exactly what Tsurugi’s field is. He knows better than anyone else what happened, he’s the only one who can explain things. 

Maeda - There were the marks on Higa’s neck, and the way he’s positioned. Those imply he was strangled, right? Is there anything we might have missed?

Tsurugi - …

//Tsurugi turns towards Maeda, casually.

Tsurugi - Nah! It’s all good~

Maeda - Are you sure?

Tsurugi - Mhm!

Maeda - …We aren’t getting very far. And, I’m not understanding how you identified a blackened either.

Maeda - Yes, there’s the blackeneds capabilities, but that doesn’t narrow it down too much.

Maeda - So, what is it that we’re missing? There’s information you have that we can’t factor in, because we haven’t noticed it.

Maeda - What do you know that we don’t?

Tsurugi - Ah…

Tsurugi - Sorry, Maeda, I’m not supposed to say.

Tsurugi - I got a tongue piercing lately, and it uses iron, cuz of safety- it doesn’t really want me to say anything, so my tongue won’t work right.

Maeda - …You mentioned that you testified for Kobashikawa, and how that was relevant- but it made me wonder about when you testified about the autopsy.

Maeda - I said I’d watch you during it, so I could testify that you only did what was medically necessary.

Maeda - Did… did anyone watch Tsurugi when he investigated Higa?

Tsurugi - Higa’s form stopped being corporeal. 

Maeda - Who was in the room when Tsurugi was investigating…

Tomori - …I don’t think there’s anything Tsurugi will say right now. 

Tomori - Let’s um- let’s talk about something else. Some… other… part of the case…?

Maeda - …I think it was when Kobashikawa and I left. It was Tomori and Uehara- they were the other two in the room.

//Uehara is looking at Tsurugi. Tomori was looking at Maeda- but when he looked at her, she looked away.

Maeda - …Hm.

Maeda - No, we’re not going to talk about something else. I want Tsurugi to tell us about the autopsy.

Tsurugi - …?

Tsurugi - You were there, weren’t you?

Maeda - For Iranami’s autopsy, not Higa’s.

Tsurugi - …

//He’s looking at Maeda.

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - Iranami was a special circumstance. You know that. She wasn’t murdered, so her case went differently. 

Tsurugi - Higa… Higa’s death was homicide, so it’s different. We can’t treat it the same.

Tsurugi - Mm… poor Higa. He deserved a better circumstance… not in the game, necessarily, but in life… maybe if things had been different!

Tsurugi - I wonder what sort of kid he was…

Tsurugi - Oh, did you know that eating dirt while pregnant can help make sure you get nutrients you need?

Maeda - …

Tsurugi - Uh. I thought of that, because, like… when I was a kid, I ate dirt a lot. 

Tsurugi - Mm. I usually had hare around the same times, I think. 

Maeda - This isn’t relevant.

Tsurugi - Well, it’s interesting. Uhm… rabbit and rooster are zodiac opposites. 

Tomori - You’re year of the rooster, then?

Tsurugi - Mhm!

Maeda - …Stop keeping things from us Tsurugi.

Maeda - Sometimes, the things that are important to do are scary, or hard. You still need to go and do them. 

Maeda - Didn’t we offer up the idea of reverse engineering who the blackened is? Why don’t you tell us who it is, and we’ll work out from there?

Maeda - Is the issue that you want us to work it out ourselves?

//Maeda watches Tsurugi- watches how his eyes dart around the room, flicking away from Maeda, then back, then away, then back again. 

Tsurugi - It’s…

Tsurugi - …It doesn’t matter. What’s most important is that everyone keeps trying to solve the case. 

Tsurugi - Really, if I had the choice, I’d just fold up all my atoms all together, and make em so small no one could even think about them, let alone see them and start to wonder what I’m thinking!

Maeda - Well, you can’t do that, and we aren’t able to solve the case.

Maeda - …Yeah, no. We can’t solve the case. Not with what we know- what you’ve told us. 

Maeda - It just… isn’t going to happen, Tsurugi. 

Tsurugi - …

//His eyes start moving. His gaze fixates, but doesn’t lock the way it did earlier. While he’s looking at Maeda, there’s something entirely different in his eyes. Tsurugi isn’t trying to articulate any points… he’s pleading with Maeda.

Tsurugi - …Maeda, pleaaaase.

Tsurugi - Please keep trying. You- you can’t give up on solving what happened.

Tsurugi - There’s an answer there. There’s going to be an answer- if everyone works together, someone will say something that sets everyone down the right path.

Tsurugi - You…

//His voice wavers.

Tsurugi - You can’t… Maeda, I need you all to keep trying.

Maeda - …

Maeda - This isn’t… how I want things to go.

Maeda - Whenever I start to confront Tsurugi… he just gets hurt- he doesn’t get angry with me, he gets… sad. I can’t deal with that!

//Tsurugi notes Maeda’s silence- his hesitance to respond.

Tsurugi - …Please? Okay? Please?

Tsurugi - You said I should be open… I’m making a request, because you said I should. So… it’s okay? We’re okay?

Maeda - W-We’re fine…

Kobashikawa - …

Kobashikawa - I think it’s okay, if that’s what you need.

Kobashikawa - You had a hard time when the investigation started, right? It’s okay to have specific needs, especially when you aren’t doing well. 

Uehara - Mm…

Uehara - Tsurugi isn’t doing anything wrong… it’s all fine. Just… piss off.

Maki - For fucks sake, Uehara…

Maki - But yeah, it’s- it’s fine. Let’s try and stick with this.

Maeda - …No.

Maeda - No.

Maeda - No, no- I don’t want to move on from this.

Maeda - Tsurugi, you still aren’t explaining things. You keep telling us that we can, that we should, but you won’t help us anymore. I get that you think you’ve helped enough, but you haven’t.

Maeda - We can’t get this without you, and I don’t get why you don’t want to help us.

Tsurugi - I- 

Tsurugi - It’s not that I don’t want to! Don’t say that!

Tsurugi - I wanna help… I know, I know, I wanna help…

//He twists side to side, only slightly- fidgeting with his hands, still drawn up by his torso, as his shoulders swing with his movements. Again, he starts to look around- but he’s back to looking at the room, instead of the class.

Tsurugi - …I can help. I can help, I can do it.

Tsurugi - Just- I just need a minute. I need- you need to wait a minute, please, please, please…

Maeda - …Oh. Uh oh.

//…Maeda pushes forward.

Maeda - Why do you need us to wait?

Tsurugi - …

Maeda - …

Tsurugi - …

//Tsurugi has started to shake, in a jittery sort of way.

Tsurugi - …Can’t. Can’t help right now. I just need you all to wait. Please work on it yourselves- I’ll- I’ll be able to help soon. Not now. I’ll get there soon.

Tsurugi, mumbling - Gotta get there soon… Gonna get it, have to get it…

Maeda - …

//He steels himself.

Maeda - Why?

Tsurugi - …

//The shaking has gotten worse. It’s almost comical, how quickly he devolved. If Maeda didn’t have context, he’d think it were from the cold, and expect Tsurugi’s teeth to start chattering. As it is, though, Tsurugi’s still… staring off at nothing. Maeda watches as he starts to pull at his fingers, cracking and twisting his knuckles.

Maeda - …

Tsurugi - …

Tomori - …Maeda, let’s move on.

Maeda - No.

Maeda - Tsurugi, explain to us how Higa died. Go over the chain of events.

Tsurugi - …

Maeda - …No one’s going to get you out of this. The only way it’ll stop is if you push through it. 

Maeda - You can’t keep hiding behind saying you don’t want to. Things will happen anyways.

Maeda - …It hurts to even say this.

Maeda - I don’t like people who try to avoid the inevitable. It makes my chest hurt to think about avoiding things because you know it’ll go poorly.

Maeda - It’ll still happen. Just go through it.

Tsurugi - …

Maeda - …

//Finally, Maeda gets out of his own head, and focuses back on Tsurugi. Tsurugi seems to sense it when Maeda stares at him…

Tsurugi - …

Maeda - …

Tsurugi - …

//…and reacts to the pressure by crying.

Tsurugi - Uuuuu…

Maeda - Ah- ah- fuck, uh-

Tsurugi, sobbing - Snf-nf-

//It’s rough. It starts slow, but quickly escalates to bawling. He rocks on his heels slightly, and hides his face behind his hands- unfortunately, that proportion isn’t perfect on anyone, so Maeda can still see his eyes wrench shut, and his face flush pink. 

Maeda - …

Tomori - …

Kobashikawa - …

Everyone - …

Maeda - …I feel like I’m being psychically chastised by half the people in this room.

Maeda - …See? None of this… helped you.

Maeda - If I’m dying, I don’t want it to be in a shallow grave, so I’ll keep digging. 

Maeda - Things don’t go well if you avoid everything. It isn’t an escape from what you want to avoid, it’s you preventing it from getting dealt with.

Tsurugi - Aaaa…

//Still crying. Still shaking, too. 

Maeda - …If you aren’t doing well, then sure, compose yourself.

Maeda - But when you’re ready to talk again, that’s what we’ll do.

Tsurugi, bawling - Nooo…

Maeda - Yes. 

Maeda - I’d rather be harsh on one person than have everyone suffer for it.

Tsurugi - Take that back!

Tsurugi - It’s fine, it’s fine, it’s fine. It’s fiiiiine, it’s fine-

Maeda - It is not fine. 

Tsurugi - Aaaaughhhh…

Maeda - It isn’t fine, Tsurugi. None of this situation is fine, so get it together, and come handle it.

Tsurugi - Stop! Stop it, Maeda, STOP!

Maeda - !...

Tsurugi, crying - Aaaah….

Maeda - …

//Tsurugi catches on his breath, trying desperately to get air in while tears roll down his face. Maeda… feels an odd mix of… frustrated and hurt, as he watches Tsurugi, though he doesn’t quite recognize either, opting to ignore them instead.

Maeda - …

Maeda - I don’t get why you’re having such a hard time with this.

Maeda - Just tell us anything. Anything that’ll help us work out what happened.

Tsurugi - I- I caaaAN’T…

//As he cries, his voice rises in pitch, tightening in the end as his throat constricts. Next to him, Tomori pulls a face.

Uehara - …

Uehara - Monokuma, permission to leave my podium?

//Before Monokuma can answer, Uehara has turned to step off.

Monokuma - Permission Denied.

Maeda - Uehara-

Tomori - UEHARA!

//He freezes, one foot off his stand.

Uehara, processing - …Oh- what the fuck.

Tomori - Monokuma, permission to leave my podium?

Monokuma - Permission Granted.

//Tomori quickly steps off her podium, and goes towards Tsurugi- only to be batted away once she’s in arms reach.

Tsurugi - No… no, I don’t- Don’t want it, don’t-

//Another wall raises and washes over the room, as Tomori takes a step back… then frowns, and slowly returns to her podium.

Maeda - …

Maeda - …Do you think you can start to talk now, Tsurugi?

//He continues to cry, but tries to look at Maeda.

Maeda - …

Maeda - It’s one word. Just tell us who the blackened is-

Tsurugi, interrupting - NO!

Maeda - It is one word. Tsurugi, this is insane.

Tsurugi - Aughhh-

Maeda - None of this is okay! This is way out of hand!

Tsurugi, overlapping - You don’t get iiit!

//This time it’s whining. He sounds genuinely distraught that Maeda isn’t… understanding.

Maeda - I mean, look at yourself! Look at everyone! We were all saying we were tired, this trial has been going on for so long already!

//Tsurugi tries to gesture vaguely, but gives up, hands dropping limply to his sides.

Maeda - It’s crazy. We do this every, single, time, and now, even when no one’s doing well with it, 

//Uehara softly snaps his fingers, which Maeda fails to notice. Tsurugi leans away first, before Uehara turns his hand over, open palm stretching towards Tsurugi.

Maeda - We’re still stuck on the same exact thing, and you won’t even explain why!

//Tsurugi looks at Uehara… and limply takes his hand, letting Uehara gently pull him closer. His cries get slightly louder as Uehara hugs him, before getting muffled when he tucks his face away.

Maeda - It’s just so much… and he won’t explain. 

//Maeda finally actually looks back over. Tsurugi’s sobs are slowly softening as he starts to breathe loudly- different from earlier, when the breath was used on wails before it truly reached his lungs, he’s now trying to make up for lost air, and regulate his breathing. He turns his head a bit, only for Uehara to bring up one hand, and comb it through Tsurugi’s hair, encouraging him to turn away again.

Maeda - …

Maeda - Genuinely, whatever will get him to engage with us again.

//With one last shaking breath, Tsurugi finally pulls away from Uehara. His hand lingers on Tsurugi’s back until Tsurugi’s out of easy reach. 

Tsurugi - …

//He looks at Maeda… and again, this makes him cry.

Maeda - Okay. 

Maeda - Like, eventually, he’s gotta get dehydrated eventually. There’s only so much one person can cry.

//It isn’t this bad this time, either. Tsurugi is using his hands to try and tidy himself still, but he’s actually able to stand and look about the room now.

Maeda - …Honestly, it’s mostly just surprising that he… lost it so bad, so fast.

Tsurugi, crying - Mmm.. snf……

Maeda - …

Maeda - I don’t even know what to say at this point.

Maeda - …Will you tell us who the blackened is?

//Tsurugis expression changes, into something near a scowl, before it wavers back to tears.

Maeda - Okay.

Maeda - Will you give us the autopsy, then?

Tsurugi - Ma-eda- I can’t.

Tsurugi - Sorry, I’m sorry, I can’t-

//He starts to shake, but it feels different from earlier somehow. Earlier was shaking, this is trembling.

Tsurugi - …I don’t want to do this right now. I want to be left alone please.

Maeda - And do what?

Maeda - Again, if you need to take a deep breath, do it, but we’re not… moving on from this.

Tsurugi - You don’t get it, you don’t get it, you aren’t getting it- Maeda, you’re just not understanding.

//He’s speaking softly- weak enough Maeda can ignore it, if he wants. That’s the choice Maeda makes.

Maeda - There’s no reason to just… continue avoiding this, keep ignoring-

Tsurugi - You aren’t listening to me, Maeda-

Maeda - Tsurugi, whatever it is you know, just say it-

Tsurugi - I CAN’T!

//It’s loud enough that Maeda has to stop.

Maeda - …

Tsurugi - …

//The sobbing is back.

Maeda - …

Maeda - Calling this stubborn doesn’t seem right, but it feels right.

Maeda - There’s no reason why you can’t. The only thing preventing you is how you feel-

Tsurugi, bawling - Stop it, stop it, stop it-

Maeda, louder - So you need to calm down, 

Tsurugi - You don’t get it, you don’t- you won’t listen-

Maeda - And get it together, 

Tsurugi - That’s not iiit! You’re so wrong, you don’t understand, you don’t- 

Maeda - Tsurugi, this is so out of hand!

Tsurugi - You don’t get it, you won’t just listen, please, please, please-

Maeda - No! You aren’t giving us anything to work with here! Nothing about the blackened, 

Tsurugi - Please, please, just- just work with me! Just listen, please, I have- I have it, I can do it, I- I- I can get it, I can get it, it’ll be fine-

Maeda - Work with what! I don’t know what’s going on, no one understands,

Tsurugi - It’s fine! You can- it’s fine! Pleaaase, Yukii!

Maeda - !

Maeda - Y-You can’t just keep yelling! You need- god…

Maeda - We need you to get it together, and tell us what hap-

Tsurugi - I DON’T KNOW! I DON’T KNOW, I DON’T KNOW, I! DON’T! KNOW!

//Tsurugi is screeching. Something about the way the words tumble out of him makes Maeda pause.

Tsurugi - I DON’T KNOW WHO KILLED HIGA! I DON’T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT, I DON’T KNOW WHO THE BLACKENED IS, AND I DON’T KNOW HOW TO SOLVE THIS CASE!

Tsurugi - …

//…

Everyone - …

Maeda - …

//Tsurugi has gotten what he asked for. Finally, Maeda’s stopped asking. Everyone’s stopped.

Tsurugi - …

//Everything has stopped.

Maeda - …

//There’s… no more progress on the case.

Maeda - …There was never any progress, at all.

Tsurugi - …

//It’s weak, and wavering. He’s still crying, and still struggling for air, but those breaths have been the loudest thing in the room for a good moment now.

Tsurugi - I am so sorry.

Tsurugi - I sat there. I sat there, and I stared at Higa. And I asked myself how I didn’t know, when I was so, so, so close. How I let it happen, and how I didn’t know the answer.

Tsurugi - I-

//His throat seems to constrict, lips pursing shut as he gives a pained hum, attempting to stop the tears from escalating.

Tsurugi - I should know what happened, and I don’t. I’m so sorry. 

Tsurugi - I… I don’t know how to solve this. I don’t have a clue where we go from here.

Tsurugi - I am so sorry.

//Tsurugi starts to sob again. And Maeda doesn’t feel anything about this. There’s the slow-dawn of realization, as he starts to piece together what Tsurugi meant when he was talking earlier…

Tsurugi, light-headed - I’ll get it. I’ll get it. I’ll solve it, I can’t, but I’ll get there, I’ll work it out, please, please, I’m so sorry, I can get it.

//…And Maeda feels nothing at all.

~*~

Maeda, narrating - …

Maeda - ……….

Maeda - …Okay.

Maeda - Tsurugi doesn’t know what happened.

Maeda - So, no one knows what happened.

Maeda - Tsurugi… doesn’t even know where to start.

Maeda - He agrees. There’s no evidence. Nothing we can use.

Maeda - The blackened… pulled off the perfect murder. No one can identify them.

Maeda - No one has any ideas, or any reason to believe we’re just missing something.

Maeda - There’s no hope.

Maeda - …

Maeda - ………

Maeda - ……………

{Advance}

[another-dr-another]

How about this?

{Kobashikawa, Otori, Tsurugi, 1, Murder, White Noise, First, Culprit, After, Before}

Maeda, narrating - Ah…

Maeda - Yeah, I think I can solve it like that.

~*~

Maeda - Last night, Kobashikawa had to leave Tsurugi’s dorm room. This happened after everyone was either asleep, or falling asleep-

Maeda - Ōtori was still awake, and Tsurugi got woken up to watch Kobashikawa and make sure he just went to his room.

Maeda - Kobashikawa left his room sometime after 12:43 AM, and went right back to Tsurugi’s dorm.

Maeda - Everyone who woke up for this went back to sleep, so for some time, everyone in the room was likely fast asleep.

Maeda - I woke up because I heard someone talking, but I couldn’t hear who they were talking to.

Maeda - A little later, there was a second conversation, where someone accused the person they were talking with of murder.

Maeda - There was a thump, and some crying, and I didn’t hear anything else.

Maeda - I heard something similar to white noise, and there were some lights, which were brighter than the lights I saw after the first conversation.

Maeda - There was some changes to the noises, but we’ve already decided that was probably the blackened turning something on to cover up the sounds of Higa dying, and the conversation was them shushing someone who woke up.

Maeda - Higa died before Kobashikawa got back from his room, which happened after I heard anything. That’s the timeline of events.

Tomori - …It all makes sense.

Tsurugi - …

Maki, targeted - …No one has issue with this?

Taira - …

Kobashikawa - …

Ōtori - …I guess it feels fine to me? I couldn’t name anything wrong with it.

Hatano - Everything fits, doesn’t it? What seems wrong to you?

Maki - …

Tsurugi - …

Maki - …Nothing.

Maeda - …I think I know what Maki’s on about.

Maeda - It’s… if anyone thinks something else happened, they should say something.

Maeda - If we’re allowed to think the wrong thing, it’ll go poorly for us- we need to have the right facts.

Maeda - Does everyone think the timeline is right?

//Maeda is looking at Tsurugi, who’s gently rocking and swaying. 

Tomori - Five of us have said we agree with it… 

Taira - I don’t have any reason to argue about the timeline.

Maeda - …

Maeda - Tsurugi? Are we right?

Tsurugi - …?

//He goes still, and seems to think for a moment before looking at Maeda and smiling.

Tsurugi - Mhm!

Tsurugi - I think it should be fine to see things like this.

Maki - …

Taira - To see things like what?

Tsurugi - …The way Maeda explained it?

Taira - Is that the correct way?

Tsurugi - Ohh…

Tsurugi - You know I can’t say things like that!

Tsurugi - Doesn’t everyone hate video games where the assistant pops up and tells you everything?

Hatano - Not a video game.

Tsurugi - Ah.

Tomori - What’s wrong?

Tsurugi - Ah-

Taira - Tsurugi is being cagey.

Tsurugi - …The tiger. He destroyed his cage.

Tomori - …Sorry- is this too important? Aren’t we fine to keep working on solving the case?

Maki - …That’s true.

Maki - Tsurugi, you know what happened, yeah?

Tsurugi - …To Higa?

Maki - Mhm.

Tsurugi - Yeah, I’ve got it.

Tsurugi - But… how to get everyone to the right perspective…

Maeda - …?

Tsurugi - Angles are a silly thing- did you know that in English, angle and angel are super similar words?

Maeda - Really?

Tsurugi - Mhm, no joke.

Uehara - You’re an cute angel…

Tsurugi - Acute is a type of angle.

Uehara - Okay…

Maeda - Uehara, do you know English?

Uehara - Nah. In Italian, it's angelo and angolo, though.

Maeda - Ah.

Tsurugi - …

Uehara - …

Maeda - …Wait- I meant to ask Tsurugi what he’s thinking…

Maeda - Tsurugi, what’s on your mind?

Tsurugi - I don’t really understand the postage system. I wish I knew more about how that worked.

Maeda - …

Tsurugi - …I’m being so genuine right now. I wonder how they allocate time and labor. 

Maeda - You don’t feel the need to think about the case?

Tsurugi - No!

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - …I mean. Yeah. I’m thinking. But that doesn’t mean sharing!

Tsurugi - Just… keep trying to solve it Maeda. Don’t mind me.

Maeda - …Okay. 

Maeda - Whatever.

Maeda - …Not whatever.

Maeda - Tsurugi, it’s fine to let us in on things, you know?

Tsurugi - …Mm…

Tomori - …

Tomori - I mean, I don’t mind trying to solve things on our own.

Tomori - It’s for our best, right? We should be able to do things! Choosing to be dependent on someone is… everything can be complicated, but generally, it isn’t a good choice.

Tomori - Besides, Tsurugi is the one who chooses what he does, including what he says. It’s fine to be upset with it, but I don’t… think it’s harmful, so I don’t think it should be spoken against.

Tsurugi - …Thank you, Kizuna. 

//Tomori smiles.

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - Usually, I’m not even thinking about the case. Earlier I was thinking about diffusing mail bombs. I’ve got cases I’m on outside of the school, there’s stuff on my mind. 

Tsurugi - …

Tsurugi - Please take good care of me! I’ve only been visiting this world for a lil’ bit, our time together is so short! I’ll do my best!

Maeda, begrudgingly affectionate - …Fine, Tsurugi. Fiiiiiiiine…

Kobashikawa - In that case, where did we leave off?

Maki - Maeda arranged what happened last night into proper order.

Kobashikawa - …Right.

Tomori - And there isn’t an issue with it- we’ve got the timeline established, that’s great!

Hatano - …

Hatano - Now what? I mean, yeah, we got the timeline sorted, but what do we do with that?

Tomori - …

Ōtori - …

Ōtori - We’re no further along. 

Tsurugi - …

Ōtori - …Getting the timeline established didn’t help us at all, because it doesn’t matter when things happened.

Ōtori - We all have the same alibi during the time Higa died. Everyone was asleep.

Maeda - …

Maeda - Everyone claims they were asleep. 

Maeda - Most of us are telling the truth. Most of us legitimately slept through the night. 

Maeda - But one person didn’t, and whoever it was, they aren’t leaving us any threads to pull. They’re lying flawlessly.

Taira - …

Taira - Then, let’s review everything.

Maeda - …Isn’t that what we just did?

Taira - Go over everything. Every aspect of how Higa died.

Hatano - Huh?

Hatano - He pissed someone off, they went over and strangled him.

Taira - And the thump?

Maki - …

Maki - Higa was violent. He saw pain as a disciplinary measure. I’d put money on him hitting the person, and it hurting them.

Maki - Tsurugi suggested it earlier- maybe the blackened panicked, and was trying to get him to leave them alone. 

Uehara - Bite the hand that beats.

Maki - Exactly.

Taira - Okay. So, Higa thought somebody committed murder, and he hit them over it, prompting them to reach over and strangle him.

Hatano - …?

Maki - …I get it.

Maki - What would have prompted Higa to think that someone had been murdered?

Taira - Yes. We need to understand every aspect of the case, including the incenting event.

Maeda - …

Maeda - Did he see that Iranami was missing?

Ōtori - I would doubt it. I can’t see Higa as the sort to wake up and decide to check on everyone.

Maeda - Mmm…

Hatano - …

Hatano - Yeah, actually-

Hatano - What could have led Higa to think there’d been a murder? What evidence would there have been?

Uehara - There wasn’t any.

Uehara - No one committed murder last night- not at that point. He wouldn’t have seen anything… implying a murder, because there was nothing to see.

Maeda - Right…

Maeda - Objectively, that’s true- there’s nothing that goes against it. There wasn’t a murder.

Ōtori - …

Maki - …Okay. So Higa just… didn’t see anything. 

Taira - Ah… it seems looking at that was a bust, then.

Maki - Mhm… but, it’s still a good idea to work out the details on what happened. We’re on the right track there.

Kobashikawa - …

Kobashikawa - What about during the murder? Strangulation takes a bit of time, doesn’t it?

Maki - That’s right.

Ōtori - What are you thinking, Kobashikawa?

Kobashikawa - Well…

Kobashikawa - If we figure he was trying to fight off the person, wouldn’t he have been able to leave a mark on them?

Maeda - Ohhhh shit.

Kobashikawa - I know it was established the bloody pillow wasn’t used, but I don’t even see how that’d really help us prove the blackened’s identity-

Kobashikawa - But, wouldn’t scratching or bruising be pretty damning?

Maeda - Kobashikawa, no!

Ōtori - …That… might work.

Maki - …

Maki - Mm… it could probably narrow things down.

Maeda - No! It’s- let’s not!

Maeda - I have bruises on my arms, and I’m not the blackened!

Maeda - Fuck. I can’t explain my bruises, that’s the problem. I don’t know how I got them.

Maeda - I suggested that earlier… wasn’t it Tomori that shot the idea now?

Maeda - Tomori!

//He turns to Tomori. She’s… offering no help, only looking at the rest of the students, expression giving no indication she plans to interject.

Maeda - Fuck, Tomori…

Taira - I don’t have any issue with looking to see who’s been injured.

Taira - In fact, perhaps that’ll solve the case. If someone’s injured, and doesn’t have good reason… we may have found our blackened.

Maeda - FUCK! Okay. Okay.

Maeda, hesitant - …Wait.

Maeda - I- I don’t think this’ll work…

Taira - No?

Maeda - I… don’t think we should try this, because I don’t think we should depend on it.

Maeda - A mark or two isn’t… isn’t substantive enough for our case to be built entirely off of.

Maeda - We need to work out something else, then we can use any bruises- or something- to see if our ideas work.

Maeda - W-We shouldn’t get desperate, right? Let’s take our time!

Kobashikawa - …

Maki - …I understand that…

Maki - But it’s still something for us to go off of- and we don’t have that right now.

Maeda - Shit, she’s totally right. I- I don’t know what to suggest.

Maeda - …Oh my god. If everyone votes for me, it’s not only that I’ll die, everyone dies.

Maeda - Fuck.

Hatano - I’m with Maeda.

Maeda - LET’S GO.

Hatano - I mean- you said we can use injuries to try and verify the blackened after we’ve worked out who they are, right?

Maeda - Y-Yeah!

Hatano - …I guess I don’t agree then, because I don’t think we should use the bruises at all.

Hatano - I mean- so what if Higa did leave some marks? It’s-

Hatano - Don’t you think if he did anything substantive, he’d have been able to get himself free? No use in scratching the hell out of someone if you still die about it.

Maeda - …

Maki - …

Kobashikawa - …It’s… actually a relevant point, maybe-

Kobashikawa - Higa… definitely wasn’t weak. I do have a hard time believing he’d go down without a fight.

Kobashikawa - Is it possible that he… didn’t fight back? Like, he was unable to, or something similar?

Maki - …

Maki - I…

Maki - …Shit. Sorry.

Maki - It feels like we’re starting to reach that point where…

//Maki is clearly fighting to make headway on the case… and the fact it isn’t working seems to be getting to her.

Maki - We’re just going in circles. We’re starting to look for any reason to throw everything out.

Ōtori - Do you disagree with Kobashikawa?

Maki - I don’t! I completely agree, I don’t get how the blackened was able to kill Higa without him overpowering them-

Maki - Even if it was someone strong enough to beat him in a fight, I mean, would any of us have been able to just… take him down like that, without him managing to toss them off him?

//…Maeda doesn’t miss the way she looks at Tsurugi when she’s finished speaking.

Maki - It’s not impossible for him to have been beaten- I know I probably could have,

Maki - But if I had tried to strangle him, he probably would have been able to buck me off, even if I’d get him in the end-

Maki - And that would have woken someone up!

Taira - …

Maki - I-

Maki - …Everything we come up with makes this case worse.

Maki - We aren’t finding something to work with here. So, either we start to tear apart what we do have…

Tsurugi - …

Uehara - …Or?

//Tsurugi’s eyes flick over to Uehara- the first time Maeda’s seen him look at someone since the last time he spoke. His gaze shifts quickly… unlike Maki, who looks at Uehara… and just looks. Just looks. Before finally speaking.

Maki - …Or we die.

~*~

Maeda, narrating - …Fucking Christ…

Maeda - …

Maeda - Shit. She’s completely right. I’m glad I’m not the one that had to say it… fuck, Maki is completely right.

Maeda - It’s different hearing someone else… verbalize what you’ve been thinking.

Maeda - …

Maeda - …

Maeda - …I don’t know. I can’t- I can’t think of anything to say. There’s nothing I can think of to investigate.

Maeda - …

Maeda - …But, it’s like Taira said. 

Maeda - Even if we don’t have proof of what happened, we know it has to have happened, because we see the effect it had.

Maeda - We don’t know how Higa was murdered, but we know that it happened, because Higa’s dead now.

Maeda - …

//He laughs, softly- more choked than anything, which he’s grateful for. Now isn’t the time to be laughing over anything, and Maeda’s realization really isn’t funny.

Maeda - Okay. Yeah, I know where we need to go with this.

Maeda - Fuck. We just had another dumbass sidebar about this, too.

Maeda - Okay. Okay, okay.

Maeda - If it happened, but I don’t understand how… if Higa’s been murdered, and the only person who knows what happened is the person behind the case-

Maeda - We obviously can’t ask them, so we need to ask the person who’s already solved the case.

{Select a Student}