After depositing Naegi in the nurse’s office, everyone else gathered together in the gym. Monokuma popped out from behind the podium again holding a tablet. He handed it to Akihiko. “I’m sure our dear boy genius can make use of this while our real protagonist is out of the picture!”

             “What?” Akihiko looked confused. 

             “Nothing!” Monokuma was about to continue, then someone shouted from Akihiko’s left. It was Junko. 

              “No way I’m doing this, as if!” She stomped over to Monokuma and kicked him with her boot. She stepped on top of him. “It’s not a joke anymore! Like, get us out!”

              “Waaaah!” Monokuma waved his arms. “It’s against the rules to harm the headmaster! Defend me, spears of Gungnir!”

               Instantly, Junko was pierced by multiple spears. Shocked cries rang throughout the gym.

              “H-huh?” Junko shook, feebly grasping at the spear on her chest. “This…wasn’t supposed…to…” She collapsed.

              Kyoko checked her pulse and shook her head. Junko Enoshima was dead. With a menacing ‘upupupu!’, Monokuma left. Trying to ignore the blood that spattered on him when Junko died, Akihiko turned on the tablet.

Monokuma File #001

Victim: Sayaka Maizono

Ultimate: Pop Sensation 

Time of death: 10:30 pm

Cause of death: knife to the abdomen 

Injuries: broken right wrist, knife wound in abdomen

[SayakaMaiz0n0.png]

        Just the right wrist was broken? If the killer wanted to hold her down, he’d hurt both hands, right? Akihiko passed the Monokuma file around to everyone else, and they split into pairs to investigate. As Akihiko walked out of the gym, he saw Mondo gently place his jacket over Junko’s body to cover her. He smiled. Really is a good guy at heart.

        He joined Kyoko in checking on Naegi, who was slowly stirring.

        “Naegi-senpai, I know you’re grieving over the loss of Sayaka-senpai, but we need to investigate so we don’t join her.” Akihiko said gently.

       Naegi’s eyes were empty. “Naegi-senpai?” Naegi shook his head furiously.

       “Right, okay, thank you, Momota-kun.” Naegi staggered into a standing position. Kyoko, Akihiko, and Naegi all went into Sayaka’s room.

      Kyoko knelt in front of Sayaka and studied the knife. “It’s a kitchen knife.”

       “Was there anybody acting suspicious near the kitchen yesterday?” Naegi asked.

        “Let’s take care of tangible evidence first, then we’ll look at alibis.” Kyoko nodded in agreement.

Kitchen knife added to Truth bullets

        Akihiko noticed some writing partially hidden behind Sayaka’s hair. Swallowing bile, he moved her hair. It was 11037, with a barely noticeable incomplete slash between the 1s. 

         That’s my ID number. What’s up with that? Wait, the slash… Mentally, Akihiko flipped the numbers.

          Huh? No, no…why is the killer trying to frame him? Stumbling back, Akihiko quickly turned and threw up in the toilet.

          “Akihiko-kun. What’s wrong?” Kyoko looked at the numbers. “…”

          “I’m fine.” Akihiko rinsed his mouth out in the sink and wiped his face.

           “?” Naegi looked confusedly between the two.

11037 added to Truth bullets

            The Monopad mentioned Sayaka having a broken wrist. I believe it was the right one… As carefully as possible, Akihiko lifted Sayaka’s right arm. Sure enough, her wrist was broken, but there was something strange. There were gold flecks across her skin.

            “Kyoko-senpai, Naegi-senpai, do you know what this is?” He showed them Sayaka’s wrist.

           “Oh! It must be from the sword in my room!” Naegi exclaimed.

           “Sword?”

          Kyoko clarified. “There is a gilded sword on display in this room.”

         “But isn’t this Sayaka’s room?” Naegi shook his head.

          “Me and Sayaka switched rooms because she was scared. We also switched the nameplates as well.”

          Kyoko and Akihiko exchanged glances. Everyone is going to suspect Naegi. I don’t want to jump on that train just yet, because I have a bad feeling…

Gold sword and Switched rooms/nameplates added to Truth bullets

           Kyoko, Akihiko, and Naegi exited the restroom. When Naegi moved to close the door, he said, “The doorknob’s partially coming off.”

           “Hm?” Akihiko turned around. “Maybe the killer forced his way in because it was locked?”

           “No,” Kyoko replied, bending down and picking up some screws and holding them out. “Boys bathrooms don’t have locks. But Naegi’s door jams a little, so the killer thinks it’s locked because why wouldn’t he? He’d think it’s Sayaka’s room. The killer unscrewed the doorknob with a toolkit that was provided to the boys.”

          “Does that narrow it down to the guys?” Naegi asked. Kyoko shook her head.

          “A girl could just as easily steal one from a boy.”

Doorknob unscrewed by toolkit and Jammed door added to Truth bullets 

           Seeing nothing else significant, the three went over to Sayaka’s actual room. Akihiko and Naegi were about to leave, but then Kyoko called them over. “I found something.”

           They walked over, and they watched as Kyoko shaded in a paper in a notepad. Slowly, words started to appear.

Come to my room at night time. Make sure you check the nameplates to get the right room. I want to talk to you. Sayaka Maizono

          “!” No, no, no, no, no!

… 

“Of course! Come on, let’s go eat dinner.”

“Cuz afterwards I got a meeting with Sayaka!”

“Maybe it’s a confession of love! Or she’ll teach me how to be in the music business!”

…

          It’s not him, it’s not it’s not! Akihiko turned away, blinking back tears.

          “Momota-kun?”

          Akihiko painted a smile on his face. “I’m fine, Naegi-senpai! This must mean…”

          “Sayaka was killed in self defense by the killer.” Kyoko finished, giving Akihiko a sideways glance.

Invitation from Sayaka added to Truth bullets 

         Akihiko walked to another place that seemed the most natural place to get rid of evidence-the incineration room. 

          The gate was closed. “Who has the key?” Akihiko asked.

          “You weren’t in the room at the time, everyone figured since you were younger, we’d cut you some slack and let us take turns with cleaning duty. I believe Yamada is the one with the key.” Just then, Yamada happened to pass by.

           “Yamada-san!” Naegi grabbed his sleeve. 

           “Hmm? Naegi-kun?”

           “You have the key to the incinerator room, right? Can you unlock it for us?” Yamada huffed.

           “Could Princess Piggles defeat Pencil Prince?”

          Akihiko was confused. “No?”

          “Yes!” With a flourish, Yamada unlocked the cage hanging in front of the entrance and lifted it up.

           Cautiously, Akihiko followed as Yamada, Kyoko, and Naegi walked towards the incinerator. Akihiko noticed shattered glass which seemed to come from a broken glass ball nearby.

            “Is that the weird ‘crystal ball’ Hagakure-kun had with him earlier?” Then Yamada panicked. “Is he the killer?!”

            “It’s actually made of glass,” Akihiko said, picking a piece up off the floor. “And I don’t know if Hagakure-senpai is the killer, but he wasn’t the one who got rid of the evidence. He was cradling the thing even before we were told about the killing game.” Why would this be destroyed in the first place? 

           Naegi picked up a scrap of fabric and held it out for Kyoko and Akihiko to inspect. “It’s a white shirtsleeve. The killer must have not noticed that part wasn’t incinerated.” Kyoko mused.

Hagakure’s ball and White sleeve added to Truth bullets 

          Monokuma’s voice crackled over the loudspeakers once again. “Tiiiime’s up! Head to the elevator so we can get this trial started!”

         “Should we go?” Naegi asked.

         “We don’t have a choice.” Kyoko sighed.