Faux Danganronpa: Magical Reality

Chapter 3: Magical Mystery Murder - DAY 3 (Mahouko)

Ding, dong, ding, dong!

Once again, I awoke to the chime of Monoryu's morning announcement ringing through the monitors, accompanied with his cheerful voice. I sat up with a yawn...

...then flopped right back down when I remembered that I still couldn't understand any magic that I've learned.

I groaned. Why did this have to happen to us? I thought to myself miserably.

I almost wanted to stay in bed and not do anything, but... hunger calls. In the end, basic human necessities are what called me out of bed...

So, as usual, I got ready for the day and left my room, headed for the dining hall. I took my magic book with me, just in case. When I got to the dining hall, I noticed some people were already there.

"Ah, Mahouko!" Haneko greeted me with a smile. "Good morning. Did you sleep okay?"

I shrugged. "I suppose..." I sighed, staring at the book I held in my hands.

"Ngh... M-Mahou-chan is here?"

I almost didn't recognize her voice because all of the usual energy she had in it had been completely removed. A very weary Suishou looked up at me, clutching at her head with one hand and her chest with the other, visible bags under her eyes.

"S-Suishou...?" I asked. "You look... tired, is everything alright?"

Shoujiki frowned. "She said she couldn't sleep last night," she explained. "Apparently, sh-she woke up in the middle of the night with immense pain and anxiety..."

"I-I tried to take some painkillers from the infirmary, but nothing worked," Suishou muttered before wincing in pain. "I ended up staying up all night because of it..."

"And... you said this was at around midnight?" Haneko asked.

Suishou nodded. "Yes, that's correct," she replied. "Gahh, this p-pain is... it's killing me...!"

Raimei crossed his arms. "I have a very bad feeling about this..."

Right as Raimei said that, the doors to the dining hall slammed open. I looked up to see who had entered.

Standing in the doorway was Hidari - her expression being one of worry. She stood there, arms raised slightly out of fear, her gaze fixed directly at Suishou.

I tried to ask what was going on. "H-Hidari?"

"Did... did you mean it when you said it's killing you?" Hidari asked Suishou, pointing at her, her voice quiet but urgent. "Are you absolutely serious?"

Suishou looked at her. "I-I mean, I might be exaggerating a bit, but it definitely is very painful," she responded. "W-Why...?"

Hidari's look of worry turned into something even greater. "That's..." she began, her hand shaking a little as she pulled it back to her chest. "That can only mean-!"

That's when it happened.

Ding dong, dong ding!

"A body has been discovered!" Monoryu announced throughout the castle intercom. "Everyone, please gather in the solar. After some time for investigation, the Class Trial will begin!"

It happened suddenly.

It always happens suddenly... but at the same time, we all seemed to be bracing ourselves for it.

That sound... of despair.

Shoujiki's face paled. "D-Did he just say-!?"

"A body...?" Raimei finished. "Who...?!"

"He said the solar, right?" said Haneko, who quickly made her way to the exit. "Let's go, quickly!"

I glanced at Suishou. "A-Are you able to...?" I asked.

Suishou nodded, standing up. "Y-Yeah, I'm fine! Come on!"

Haneko clenched her fists. "Who could it have possibly been this time...?" she muttered.

We all left the dining hall immediately, moving quickly down the hall to the solar room. There, we found Ongaku, who was standing by the entrance to the room, staring blankly inside.

"O-Ongaku!" Shoujiki called out.

The purple-haired girl glanced behind her. "Sh-Shoujiki, everyone!" she replied, before turning back to look into the room, pointing with a shaky hand. "I-In there, she's..."

Ongaku stepped into the room a bit to let us all look inside.

There, we saw...

...a starless night. A clouded future.

Because... in the middle of the room, there lay the lifeless body of Tsukikage Meiseki, the Ultimate Astrologist. Or... whatever talent she had after the swap.

"T-Tsuki-chan...?"

Suishou's tired voice was quiet in the shocked silence.

She ran over to kneel by her motionless sister. "T-Tsuki-chan, wake up! Please!!"

But no amount of pleading can reverse the damage that has already been done. Tears began to fall down Suishou's cheeks as she stayed kneeled in front of her sister's corpse, falling to the floor around her. Her face began to contort in anguish as the rest of us could only look on in despair.

"N-No, y-you can't... you can't be..."

And then, her denial crumbled.

"T-Tsuki-chan..."

She threw her head back and screamed.

"TSUUUKIIIII-CHAAANNN!!"