Just One More Time

2 - Could It Be?

Shinguji's pained, silent cry for help bore into Shuichi's soul, blood pooling on the floor underneath his head. "Investigation time! Here are your Monokuma Files!" Monokuma spun away, leaving the group to their devices.

"How do we know if we can trust the Monokuma File?" Amami asked the room.

"Let's just match the information with what we see," Shuichi suggested, reading through the first Monokuma File.

Case 1
Victim - Shinguji Korekiyo, Ultimate Anthropologist.
Location - Game room in the Basement.
Time of Death - 4:02 am.Cause - Impaled in the neck.
Other Injuries - Puncture wound to both sides of the neck.

Approaching the body, Shuichi knelt beside the puddle of blood, bending down to investigate the Ultimate Anthropologist's neck. "See? Shinguji has a hole on both sides of his neck, just like the Monokuma File says." Everyone nodded, accepting the detective's explanation as they dispersed on their own investigations.

"Oi, we're teaming up, I need someone to do the dirty work for me," Kokichi smirked, leaning his elbow on Shuichi's head.

Shuichi laughed and tugged the male to his level. "Get down here and help me investigate." Turning to Shinguji, the two analysed his body, looking for anything to help find the blackened. "Hey, look at this," Shuichi noticed a small, light brown stick contrasting Shinguji's black mask wrapped around his neck and lower face.

"There's more here," Kokichi picked up multiple splinters, frowning at them before putting them back. Shuichi noticed the purplette stand, walking away as he continued to investigate the body. The blood on the floor is like jelly, it's nearly dry. It's about five in the morning now, so the murder took place almost an hour ago. I saw a lot of people come here last night, it depends on who stayed here until four, maybe I should've stayed after all. Noticing a pale object blending in with Shinguji's bandaged hands, Shuichi yanked out a piece of paper from the corpse's stiff, curled fingers. Come to the game room at 4 am, we have more to discuss about the plan. "Oi, beloved detective, come over here."

"Hm? What's up Kokichi?" The detective asked, standing up and glancing over at his new friend standing near the pool board.

"Anything odd?" Kokichi had a grin on his face, clearly testing Shuichi.

"One of the cues are missing," he realised, five out of the six attached to the wall in their clips. An idea sparked in his head as Shuichi took one of the cues down, approaching the corpse. Placing the cue on the top of Shinguji's neck, Shuichi slid it back and forth until he matched the size of the cue with the holes on either side of the fatal wound. "Perfect match."

"Woah, the blackened has to be super strong to get a blunt stick through his neck so easily." Kokichi took the cue from Shuichi and put it back, glancing around as if he wanted to hide what evidence they collected. It's really odd that we're the only one's investigating the body, but maybe people will come by later. "They'd also need a great knowledge of anatomy to kill him in one go like that, recognise the blood splatter?"

"Yeah, it matches that of an artery puncture, he would've died quickly."

"Is that all you can gather from this?" Kokichi teased, grinning as if he'd won a competition. Investigating the ground further, Shuichi's eyes widened. The blood splatter is almost symmetrical, meaning...

"Both carotid arteries were cut. There would be no way to survive this. Don't you think it's weird that there are no signs of a struggle or even footsteps?" Shuichi asked, mainly questioning himself.

"Welp, where do we go from here, Mr Detective?" Kokichi asked, strolling towards Shuichi and hugging his arm, gazing up at him.

"Why don't we look for the murder weapon? Should we split up?"

"No need, let's look in the most obvious place first!" Kokichi cheered, seeming like a child on a scavenger hunt as he dragged Shuichi through the academy and into the courtyard. Who would do this? Which one of us has the strength to pull this off, and the need to fall for the reincarnation motive? Allowing Kokichi to do what he wanted, Shuichi found the two arriving behind the academy, a large dumpster in front of them. How long has this been here? I don't recognise it. "Alright Saihara~Chan! Get in there!"

"W-What? I'm not getting in a dumpster!"

"Well, I'm not doing it! That's a job for a peasant like you lot, not a king such as I!" Kokichi's eyes closed due to his intense grin, his hands behind his head.

"Whatever, if it helps the case," Shuichi sighed. I've done worse than this anyway. Opening the black, plastic lid, Shuichi recoiled from the stench of rotting food and other garbage. Holding his breath, the male glanced over the side, his eyes widening at the sight.

"Oi, see anything?" Kokichi asked. Shuichi ignored the question and leaned into the garbage, his fingers just able to touch the object. Rocking backward to get out of the bin, Shuichi let out the breath he'd been holding, inhaling fresh air as the lid to the bin slammed shut. Holding up his prize, Kokichi gasped. "Wait, that's not a whole cue. That's like, a quarter."

"I know, but I didn't see any more pieces in there. How'd you know this would be here anyway?" Shuichi asked, throwing the cue to the side.

"You have to think like a murderer, then you'll be able to figure out the case faster than a detective! Nishishi!~" Kokichi laughed. "That's got some blood on it so we can assume it's related to the case. The blackened must have split the pieces up and threw them around the academy so we couldn't trace the disposal to them!"

"That's... A smart idea," Shuichi mumbled, staring at the ground. "We don't have enough time to search the entire academy though."

"Ten minutes, we split up and search wherever we can think of where the parts could've been dumped and meet outside the dorms. What do you say, my beloved?" Kokichi smiled, his aura more serious than his usual, childish self.

"That sounds great, come on let's go. Also, we should ask for as many alibi's as possible." Shuichi and Kokichi turned to go their separate ways before something Kokichi mentioned disgusted him. "Wait, did I touch blood?"

-*_*⏳*_*-

Shuichi noticed the purplette he'd become fond of skipping towards him. "You find anything?"

"Yep, one really bloody piece in the gym and another in the dining room. Nothing special with alibis. What did you find?" Kokichi asked.

"One piece in the library. I might know who our suspects are. Last night, I saw a group of people go down to the game room, but that was just after the nighttime announcement, not at four in the morning."

"We need any lead we can get, who are they?"

"Harukawa, Momota, Gokuhara, Chabashira, Yumeno, Yonaga, Amami and Kiibo."

"Hmm, alright, that's pretty interesting," Kokichi smirked. Before Shuichi could ask if he knew the blackened, Monokuma's voice interrupted their conversation.

"Time's up kiddins!" Monokuma's shrill voice shouted over the screen. "Make your way to the shrine of judgment for the beginning of the class trial!" The screen flickered off, leaving the two friends alone.

"Alright, time to do this again," Shuichi sighed under his breath, ignoring the confused glare Kokichi gave him as they walked towards the trial grounds.