Danganronpa: Memento Mori

Chapter 4, Part V

Chapter 4: Out of the Frying Pan, Part V (Class Trial)

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When the elevator stopped and the doors opened up, we quietly filed out back to the courtroom in which our fates would be decided. It had once again received a massive overhaul in look and feel, if the green curtains and carpet, darker green floor and walls, and brown columns were any consideration.

Everything else: the throne, the podiums, the doors, was exactly as they were originally, and had been since the very beginning. Two more death portraits had been put up behind the podiums where Luka and Hirou once stood. As we stood behind our own podiums, Yukiharu looked around, and made an unnerving observation.

Yukiharu: Can't you fucking believe it? Half of us are dead.

Umiko: What the... Are you for, uh, for real?

Yukiharu: Of course I am! We're dropping like fucking flies!

Madoka: We sure are. Sooner or later there'll be none of us left, and then Monokuma will have to think up of an endgame.

Monokuma: Well at the very least we're getting an endgame! There's one in which somebody else had to pick up the slack - I was there for it. Mind you, I really want that blue-haired lucky bastard's head. Probably that of his cutesy-wutesy-butesy-dutesy researcher girlfriend as well. Or that of his tall archer friend who won't shut up about aliens. Or that of that museum curator with glasses and a really big rack who's the reason why they're still hanging out with each other.

Kaori: And-

Monokuma: But that game's over now. They've won fair and square. So what can I do? Torture you bastards, of course! Ahahaha! Now that's fun.

Kaori: Give me a moment to-

Monokuma: I've also heard of a few stories that never see their conclusion. Oh, I remember one that got delayed indefinitely, eventually cancelled entirely, all because one zealous fanboy just wouldn't shut up about it! How truly despairful! Upupupu~

Daigo: What does that have to do with Hirou? Or are you just making a cruel joke for the sake of it?

Monokuma: Oh I assure you, it is crucial, Mr. Bushida. That story was untimely cut short - just like the one of that gemcutter over there!

Ayane: His name was Hirou Shinju.

Monokuma: Ah, Hirou Shinju! I knew a few people just like him. Bulky muscles, kind personality, ended up dead around this time. It's hard to break away from a few clichés, to be honest.

Yukiharu: Just fucking shut up already! Can we get it over and done with?!

Monokuma: Mind your language! Also, be patient! Anyways, for one of you, this will be your last Class Trial, one way or another. Why, you may ask? Because you broke the really pretty gem just a few hours ago!

Of course Monokuma's opening speech was a tailor-made mockery of Hirou's good name. I swear that if he had been respectfully cremated and buried, then his ashes would be rolling in his urn.

Monokuma: You know the rules, all of you. Time's of the essence; especially when you're trying to find out who was to blame for the death of that precious little gem! Argue! Debate! Lie! And at the end, vote for who you think did it!

Umiko: What if... we get it wrong?

Madoka: We must indeed all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately. That's if we don't nail them.

Monokuma: And if you do, the spoiled "blackened" gets sold off - that is to death! Completely free of charge! You may be asking, "How can you sell this for such a low price?", and I say "because it's total crap."