Danganronpa XXV: What's So Funny?(HIATUS)

Monokuma stood still, feeling his nonexistent stomach churn. What he was seeing...What they were seeing...

It was real.

He turned to the other two, who stared in horror. Felix covered his mouth, and Julian stumbled back, slumping onto the wall.

*Ding dong, bing bong*

Kirameka: "A body has been discovered! After a certain amount of time, which you may use however you like, the camp trial will begin!"

Monokuma drooped. He was dead. There was no denying it now. He looked at the door, hearing quick footsteps approaching. Many, actually

The door sprung open to reveal Natsuki, Colin, Rodrick, and Fred. They looked panicked.

Natsuki: "The announcement-"

Natsuki: "..."

All of them froze, eyes wide. Monokuma stared at them.

Natsuki ran towards Otto, and the others followed.

Natsuki: "Otto!"

Natsuki and Colin kneeled beside him. They shook him.

Colin: "Wake up!"

They continued to shake him, and Rodrick groaned, covering his face. Fred stared at his body, eyes wide. He then covered his face with a hand, breathing shakily. 

Colin: "Why won't he wake up?"

Colin whipped his head around to stare at Monokuma.

Colin: "He's not dead, I know he's not dead!"

He looked back at the body and whimpered.

Colin: "He can't be..."

Felix: "Kid..."

Natsuki slumped to the floor, dazed.

More footsteps were heard. Then it was shouting.

Max: "Wh-What!?!"

Butters: "He's just knocked out, right?"

The shouts continued, and Monokuma covered his ears.

Kirameka: "Hey~!"

Everyone went dead silent and turned around to see Kirameka standing there, kicking a foot as though she were an innocent child.

Kirameka: "As exciting as this is-"

Natsuki: "You call this exciting?"

Her voice was cold, and she was standing up now. She stared at Kirameka, breathing deeply.

Kirameka: "Yeah! It's your first death, which means it's almost time for your first camp trial!"

Natsuki started to walk toward her, eyes burning with hatred.

Natsuki: "My friend just died, and you-"

Monika: "Natsuki, that's enough."

Monika was standing at the mess hall's entrance. She looked fine for the most part, though her eyes did have bags.

Natsuki: "Monika-"

Monika shushed her and stared at Kirameka.

Monika: "We investigate now, right?"

Kirameka brightened.

Kirameka: "I like your spirit! To answer your question, yes, it's time to start investigating!"

Ryoma: "Alright, you can leave now."

Kirameka gasped and sniffled.

Kirameka: "Fine, boohoo!"

And with that, she left.

Julian: "How are we going to...?"

Ryoma: "Just look for clues. Anything that seems odd, remember it."

Monokuma: "You guys are forgetting about something."

They all looked at him.

Monokuma: "Kirameka Files, remember?"

That's when everybody whipped out their Kirapads and wandered off. Monokuma pulled up the Kirameka File.

*Kirameka File #1*

*The victim is Otto Octavius. The estimated time of death was around 10:35pm. The victim’s body was discovered in the kitchen in the mess hall. Cause of death was a stab to the head. There were other stab wounds as well.*

Max: "It's so brutal..."

Monokuma looked up at him and then looked around. The kitchen was a mess. There were scraps of metal scattered around. Blood was splattered on the counter and the floor, and glass from what he assumed was everything that had fallen down. Some cabinets were open.

Monokuma: "Yeah, it is. Otto must have put up a pretty good fight. Which, I mean, metal tentacles, but, you know!"

Max let out a quiet chuckle before gazing at the scene once more.

*"Brutal Scene" has been added to truth bullets*

Monokuma walked up to the body and gazed at the stab wounds.

Monokuma: ("Geez, the killer really went wild with this fight.")

He looked at the tentacles and saw scratches and dents.

Monokuma: ("It looks like they didn't just aim for his body in this fight...")

*"Scratches and Dents on Tentacles" has been added to truth bullets*

Monokuma looked at Felix, who stared at the body.

Monokuma: "Hey, uh, how'd you like to investigate with me?"

Felix looked at him and gave a weak smile.

Felix: "Alright."

Felix walked up to the body and gagged a little. Monokuma snorted.

Felix: "You know..."

Monokuma: "What?"

Felix: "I'm surprised that the killer won. One person against his tentacles. I'm surprised we don't already know who it is."

Monokuma: "What do you mean by that?"

Felix: "Well, if Otto really had fought back, don't you think one of us would be severely injured right now?"

Monokuma: "Yeah, but I also don't think that the mess is a setup. It doesn't look like somebody just threw things. It is brutal. Like this person really did struggle."

Felix: "Do you think he held back?"

Monokuma: "I mean, none of us are injured, so..."

*"Nobody's Injured" has been added to truth bullets*

Colin: "What's this?"

Monokuma looked at him and saw the book Otto had been writing in. It was bloody now. He took it and flipped through the pages. That's when he noticed a page had been ripped out.

Monokuma: "Huh?"

Fred looked in confusion.

Fred: "Maybe he just got frustrated?"

Colin: "With what?"

Fred: "Planning, probably."

Monokuma: "Yeah, I guess."

Colin: "So it's not important?"

Monokuma: "I don't think so, but I'll keep note."

*"Bloody Book" has been added to truth bullets*

*"Tore Out Page" has been added to truth bullets*

Felix and Monokuma wandered out of the kitchen and into the mess hall. They looked around and spotted Bert and Butters talking. Bert looked at the two and nudged Butters.

Bert: "Go on, tell 'em."

Butters looked down, rubbing an arm.

Felix: "What is it?"

Butters: "Well, last night, around 10:30, I had to go pee, so I went to the bathroom, and I heard thumping and voices coming from here, but I got scared so I ran..."

Monokuma nodded, and Bert pat Butters' back. Felix looked down at him, eyebrows furrowed.

Felix: "Why didn't you wake one of us up?"

Butters took a step back and hung his head. Bert sent Felix a look before leading Butters away. Felix watched them go.

Felix: "This could've been prevented..."

Monokuma: "Yeah, but he's a kid so I can't really blame him."

Felix: "Yeah, but if he'd have just woke somebody up all of this would've been prevented."

Monokuma sighed and crossed his arms.

Monokuma: "Well, there's nothing we can do about it now, so let's expose the killer. That's all we can do."

Felix looked at him with sad eyes.

Felix: "I guess you're right..."

*"Butters' Account" has been added to truth bullets*

Monokuma saw Monika and Natsuki and walked up to them.

Monokuma: "Hey."

They turned to him and Felix. Natsuki's eyes were, surprisingly, dry. Monokuma stared at her for a moment. She looked calm, though he assumed it was shock.

Felix: "Did either of you leave your cabins last night?"

Natsuki: "No, I went to bed as soon as the movie was over. Monika slept her sickness off, thankfully."

Felix: "How do you know she stayed in her cabin-"

Natsuki: "She did."

She glared up at him with cold eyes, and Felix's widened.

Felix: "Okay, okay..."

Felix turned and rubbed his neck, looking confused. Monokuma sent a final glance toward the girls before following Felix.

Felix: "What's the matter with her?"

Monokuma: "Well, I mean, Otto did just die."

Felix: "...Right, because I totally didn't remember that."

Monokuma looked up at him, ears flattening. Felix sighed.

Felix: "Look, I'm sorry, I'm just..."

He trailed off, slumping as he walked. Monokuma sighed as he crossed his arms.

Monokuma: ("Is this really what I put all of those kids through?")

Felix: "You know...it's weird. Last night he told us he'd clean, and he declined help. What if one of us had helped anyways?"

Monokuma: "There's no point and thinking about 'what-ifs,' because it's already done."

Felix: "I know, I just wish I would've stayed back and helped. If I had, maybe..."

Monokuma shushed him. They walked in silence, staring at the ground.

Monokuma: ("I do wonder if it would've made a difference if one of us had stayed. What if all of us had stayed? Then we could've fought the killer off and warned everybody.")

Felix: "What's that?"

Monokuma: "Hm?"

Felix pointed, and Monokuma saw what he meant. There was something shiny in between two cabins. They ran to it and looked down.

It was a knife.

A bloody knife at that.

They exchanged glances.

Preston: "Hey, what's going on over here-OH MY GOD!"

Preston pushed past the two and gaped.

Preston: "The murder weapon!"

He went to pick it up, but Monokuma slapped his hand away.

Monokuma: "Don't touch it, it's evidence."

Preston huffed and peered at it.

Preston: "Well, it has blood on it, so it's the murder weapon."

Felix: "Yeah, probably."

Monokuma nodded.

Monokuma: "What cabins are these anyways?"

They split, leaving Preston to watch over the knife. Monokuma looked at the name on the one he'd walked to.

Monokuma: ("Max...Alright then.")

He returned to Preston and the knife and saw Felix walking toward them. He looked a little nervous. Monokuma gestured over to Max's.

Monokuma: "That one is Max's."

Felix looked at the other one.

Felix: "Monika."

Preston put a finger to his chin.

Preston: "They both seem very nice, but Monika has been in her cabin for two days straight..."

Felix: "Yeah..."

*"Bloody Knife" has been added to truth bullets*

Preston: "Have you guys investigated the body fully?"

Felix: "Huh?"

Preston: "Like, have you guys actually examined the body? That's what I was sent up here to ask you."

Monokuma: "Who sent you up here?"

Preston: "Julian did. Nobody wants to touch it."

Felix looked at Monokuma, who nodded at him.

Felix: "We haven't, but we will, I guess..."

Preston beamed and ran off.

Preston: "Thank you!"

The two looked at each other before heading back to the mess hall. They entered and found Julian and Max talking. Max looked up and smiled at Felix, and then at Monokuma.

Max: "Thank god, thought I'd have to do it myself!"

Julian: "He'll probably tamper with the evidence."

Max turned his head and whispered something, which made Julian roll his eyes. Max then turned back to them and gestured towards the door to the kitchen.

Max: "Hope you don't mind us watching, Julian's a little paranoid."

Monokuma: "We don't mind. Come on, Felix."

Monokuma dragged him to the kitchen, Julian and Max following. Monokuma stood next to the body while Felix attempted to not gag as he knelt beside it. Monokuma laughed and looked at the body. He started with his pocket.

Monokuma: "That's weird."

Felix: "What is?"

Monokuma turned his pockets inside out. One mekacoin fell out

Monokuma: "Shouldn't he have three?"

Felix: "Yeah, I think, unless he gave the two to Natsuki."

Max: "I asked Natsuki about the coins yesterday, before y'all's meeting last night. She said he hadn't yet, did she get them during the last meeting?"

Monokuma shook his head.

Max: "Well, maybe he gave them to her after the meeting?"

Felix: "No, that can't be the case. Otto stayed behind last night to clean, and..."

Max's eyes widened, and Julian coughed.

Julian: "Why are we talking about some stupid fake coins when we should be discussing any marks on his body?"

Max: "I mean, it might be important..."

*"Missing Mekacoins" has been added to truth bullets.*

Monokuma then touched the stab wounds. None of them were very deep, save for a few. He scratched his head.

Monokuma: "Felix, hold his head still."

Felix paled but nodded and grabbed his head. Monokuma peered at the wound.

Monokuma: "Who would've thought that a knife that small could make a wound that big and deep..."

Max walked over.

Max: "What do you mean?"

Felix: "We found a bloody knife out by the cabins."

Julian: "Let me guess, near Monokuma's?"

Monokuma looked at Julian.

Monokuma: "I won't lie to you, there's like one cabin in between it and me. Actually, it's between Max and Monika's."

Julian: "Hm..."

Monokuma huffed and turned back to the wound.

Monokuma: ("I wonder if a knife that small could do something like this.")

*"Head Wound" has been added to truth bullets*

Max: "That's odd."

Julian: "What is?"

Max walked over to the sink, and Julian followed. Monokuma and Felix watched them.

Julian: "Looks like someone did the dishes last night. Probably Otto, seeing as he was, you know, cleaning."

Max hummed.

Max: "Yeah, but there's no clean dishes anywhere, unless he washed, dried, and put them all up in 30 minutes."

*"Dishes Washed" has been added to truth bullets*

Felix: "Let's go back to the cabins. Maybe the killer left something other than the knife."

Max: "We'll go with you."

Monokuma: "Alright."

The four left for the cabins once more and saw Butters and Kenny looking at something. The two kids saw them and waved them over. They all hurried to them.

Butters: "There's a footprint! Well, more like shoeprint but-"

Kenny: "Mrph mrph!"

Butters: "Oh, yeah! Uh, it's right over here."

They looked at it. It was a mushy spot and Monokuma took a closer look.

Monokuma: "Is that blood?"

There was a little speck mixed with the mud, and Julian crouched down to look at it.

Julian: "Looks it."

Max looked around.

Max: "This is Butter's cabin."

Butters' eyes widened and he took a step away from them.

Butters: "I-I didn't kill him, honest!"

Kenny took a step in front of him.

Kenny: "Mrph mrph mrph mrph!"

Max: "Hey, we're not accusing you, it's just an observation, alright?"

Butters: "Alright..."

*"Bloody Shoeprint" has been added to truth bullets*

*Ding dong, bing bong*

They looked up, the others paling, while Monokuma felt his nonexistent heart drop.

Kirameka: "Time's up, campers! Please head to the fountain and prepare for our camp trial!"

Felix: "Do you think we know enough to find the killer?"

Monokuma: "Trust me, I've seen my students solve with way less, puhuhu..."

Julian glared at Monokuma. They started for the fountain. Monokuma sighed.

Monokuma: ("Will we really be able to do this?")

He stared at the ground, ears flattened to his head. They reached the fountain, where the others waited.

Charlie: "There you are!"

Before they could say anything else, Kirameka sprung from the podium.

Kirameka: "Hello, my beautiful campers~!"

Ryoma: "Can we just get this over with already?"

Kirameka huffed.

Kirameka: "Fine, well, follow me."

She jumped down from her podium and started walking into the woods. They followed with much hesitance. Monokuma watched as they approached a big tree.

Monokuma: "So we're having our trial in the woods?"

Kirameka: "Nope, just wait, hehehe!"

Then, the tree opened to reveal a metal box, which then opened. It was an elevator.

Rodrick: "That's sick!"

Fred: "I've seen cooler..."

Julian hushed them, and they glared at him before turning back to Kirameka.

Kirameka: "Step inside, I'll meet you there!"

And with that, she sprang behind a bush. They looked at the elevator before stepping inside. It closed, leaving them in complete darkness. Butters whimpered, and max shushed him. A light flickered on, and they all looked around as it started going down, creaking as it did.

Max: "Sure is loud..."

Julian: "Yeah."

Toby: "So all we have to do is find the killer?"

Monokuma: "Yeah."

Butters: "We can do it!"

Colin: "Yeah, we'll bring justice to Otto!"

Rodrick: "Yeah!"

Fred: "We won't let him die for nothing."

Natsuki: "..."

The elevator stopped and opened. They gaped. It was a large room. There was a circle of stands, and a throne sat off to the side.

Kirameka: "Please find your podiums and then we can start!"

Everyone found their podiums. There was a silence that hung over all of them. Monokuma huffed when he realized his had stairs. He climbed up them and leaned over the podium. Everyone looked around at each other. Monokuma hugged himself as he watched them all. He felt exposed. They probably felt the same.

Monokuma: ("Okay, I've watched plenty of people do this before, I'm sure I can find Otto's killer...")

Monokuma: ("Otto Octavius... He was determined to get us out, or at least to protect us... He cared about our well-being, only for someone to kill him...")

Monokuma: ("The killer really is one of us...")

Monokuma: ("We have to uncover the truth.")

Monokuma: ("To avenge Otto, we must win.")

He took a deep breath.

The first class trial has begun!