I don't want to do this.
I don't want to condemn another person to death. Even if they murdered Iroha...
Is this real? I feel like I'm watching a horror movie that just never ends.
I'm not even sure if I know what hope means anymore.
What is hope...? A burden...?
But as soon as the thought graced my mind, I gasped and shook my head until it was empty. I can't think about things like that anymore. The only thing I need to think about now is survival... our survival.
The elevator finally ground to a halt, and we stepped into the trial grounds.
This time, the floors were a garish green-and-black checkerboard. The walls were covered in bright-fuchsia wallpaper, and rainbow curtains festooned the walls. Two more portraits had joined the stands. Sora's face was covered with two microphones in a shape of an X. Ironic regarding both her talent and her execution. And there was Iroha's face, on top of which a many-sided dice was painted, side with number 1 facing towards us. Symbolizing that her luck had finally run out.
"Now, let's get started," Monocrow goaded as we took our places at the podiums. "Mix equal parts life and death, add a dash of lies and truth, bake it in fires of conflict... and when it's golden brown and bubbling, you have yourself a truly decadent class trial!"
Once more, we faced a class trial. Iroha Nijiue, the Ultimate Lucky Student had died. She had been so sweet... But none of us had a reason to kill her either... Especially not in such a brutal method.
Which one of us was guilty of killing her so brutally?
As much as it pained me, I was determined to find out. I needed to know the answer.
It was up to us to figure it all out... it was up to me.
CLASS TRIAL, IN SESSION!
"I could bore you with the rules, but you know what happens in these Class Trials by now." Monocrow said. "Now, smiles everyone! It's showtime! Let's get this crazy-awesome trial underway!"
"Hey, let's start with something everyone here can agree with," I raised my voice to get everyone's attention. "Let's just... start from the beginning, with the body."
"Do we have to...?" Teruya whined, gagging at the memory.
"I'm afraid so," shrugged Syobai. "Points for creativity, if nothing else."
"...Probably should've seen it coming since seeing that woodchipper." said Nikei.
"But... most of the body wasn't even recognizable! Where do we even start?!" Kokoro grimaced.
"Well... with the parts that were still recognizable, I guess," I bit my lip in apprehension.
Non-Stop Debate, START!
Nikei: The body was shredded so much that only a few parts were recognizable!
Kokoro: Ew... don't remind me.
Mikado: Iroha's hairclip was found by me at the scene of the crime.
Teruya: Who should we start suspecting now?
Well, you're right, Teruya...
Mikado: I AGREE!
BREAK!
"We need to start looking for suspects," I spoke. "Otherwise, we'd be here for 18 hours!"
"That's the fun part about class trials," Teruya said. "Picking out suspects!"
"Yes!" Nikei pointed at me. "It can be anyone, and it's fun!"
"That's the best part of the trial!" I replied, pointing at him.
"That's the fun of the class trial! Your top suspect can be anyone!" Syobai spoke up, pointing at Kokoro.
"It's the best part of the class trial!" They smirked as they pointed back.
"I'm usually not one for class trials, since they're about death... but weeding out the killer sure is fun!" Teruya pointed at Nikei.
"It's like a fun game!" Nikei pointed back.
"Stop that talk right there. If we keep assuming the killer is the best part of the trial, we'll end up running in circles." I said sternly.
"Yes..." Nikei said.
"Now, let's go over what we know." I said.
Non-Stop Debate, START!
Nikei: We all ran into the warehouse...
Teruya: Where we found what's left of Iroha!
Kokoro: Iroha was shredded alive in a woodchipper, the poor dear. Such a terrible way to go!
Syobai: Miss Nijiue probably died in the morning, calling it now.
What? No, I'm pretty sure that didn't happen...
Mikado: NO, THAT'S WRONG!
BREAK!
"You're completely off track." I explained. "You'd know if you read the Monocrow File. It says that the death happened last night."
"Now we should mention something we found during the investigation," Teruya said. "A secret passage."
"Yes, indeed." Kokoro said. "It was probably used."
And it was used.
How do I know this?
Because of...
> Nikei's Account
"Nikei, if I recall, you said Iroha hid you in the passage, right?"
Nikei nodded.
"Okay..." I spoke.
"I wish Iroha had been a little more courteous in where she hid me," Nikei huffed, wiping a dust bunny off of his shoulder. "I'm positively filthy now!"
"True... you look kinda grimy, not gonna lie," Syobai smirked.
Wait... he's right. Nikei is covered in dust! And I can prove why!
Hangman's Gambit!
What was the passage full of?
DUST
Complete!
I spoke, "The passage was probably full of dust... it had only been used maybe once or so."
"That passage was just big enough to fit a single person inside..." Teruya pointed out.
"Ugh... why couldn't I have walked through the warehouse door?" whined Nikei.
"Miss Nijiue had to have dragged you through the passage so she could see you in the warehouse, Mr. Yomiuri." Syobai explained. "And she must have done it overnight."
"Now, we're closer to uncovering the culprit." Kokoro said.
Teruya's eyes sparkled. "I know the culprit is!" He said.
Monocrow titled his head.
"Tell me who it is! If you're right... then this might be the fastest class trial ever!" He spoke.
Teruya took a deep breath.
"Alright..." He said.
He pointed at Nikei.
"Nikei is the culprit."
YOU ARE READING
SDRA2 Redux: Trouble on Jabberwock Island
Fanfiction(Originally on A03) My name is Nikei Yomiuri. I'm known as the Ultimate Journalist. When I received my acceptance letter to Hope's Peak Academy, I didn't expect to meet thirteen other students, much less get told by an insane bird about how we are t...
