Danganronpa: Hearts of Despair

To Survive: Part 21: Knuckles' Execution

After everyone had cast their votes, they were all put into the Monokuma Casino Machine, which caused the three slots to spin around, they slowly came to a stop, and all three sections landed on Knuckles. The machine then proceeded to release many coins as dinging began playing.

Monokuma: Uh-oh! Looks like you got it right on the money! The blackened in this case, the one that killed Whitty... Was none other than the Ultimate Boxer, Knuckles the Echidna!

Knuckles: Huh? H-Hold on a second...

Dawn: Knuckles... Knuckles did you really...kill Whitty...?

Crystal: I don't believe it... I don't want to believe it! I don't want to believe Knuckles would do such a thing!

Pico: What the hell is wrong with you, Knux?! What made you think you had the right to kill somebody?!

Knuckles: Well, it's obvious that you guys don't know the entire story! 

Pico: What the hell are you talking about?!

Knuckles: Well...

Flashback...

Knuckles: [He was walking to his room, getting ready to turn in for the night] Well, another day was investigating this school is done with! Although, I still don't get what was with those videos Monokuma showed us! They were creeping as hell! Well, I'll think about it more tomorrow! Right now, I need to go to bed! [As he was about to go into his room, he saw Whitty exiting Ruv's room] Huh? Whitty? What was he doing in Ruv's room?

Whitty: Well, I'm heading off now. See you tomorrow?

Ruv: That's the plan. Stay safe, okay?

Whitty: [Smiles] I will. [As he exited the room with the golden sword, his expression quickly went from a smile to a frown as he looked at the sword] I never wanted to do this, but I just want to be with her again... I just want to see her smile again! [He ran into his own room]

Knuckles: What the hell?! Why does he have that golden sword?! And who is this "her" he's talking about?! [He ran over to Whitty's door and kicked it open, only to see Whitty cutting himself with the knife] Whitty?!!! What the actual hell do you think you're doing?!!!

Whitty: Huh?!!! [He quickly took the knife and slashed it in Knuckles' direction. Knuckles quickly reacted by grabbing the golden sword sheath and shielding himself with it, avoiding the sudden slash]

Knuckles: Woah there, calm down! I'm not trying to hurt you, but why are you trying to kill yourself?!

Whitty: You wouldn't understand! Just leave me alone! [He ran into the bathroom]

Knuckles: Oh know you don't! I'm not gonna let you kill yourself! [He ran to the bathroom door and tried to open it, but due to Whitty blocking the door, it wouldn't budge] Damn it! Gonna need to find a way to get in there! [He ran back to his room, and then came back to Whitty's room a minute later with a screwdriver] This screwdriver should do the trick! [He started unscrewing the screws from the doorknob and after a few minutes, the doorknob came off] Alright! [He punched open the door, knocking Whitty into a wall] I'm not letting you kill yourself, Whitty!

Whitty: I don't care if you want me to live! I have nothing to live for anymore! I don't need to live anymore! I just want to die!

Knuckles: No you don't! You've got so much to live for! Now give me the knife! [He grabs the knife that Whitty was holding]

Whitty: Let go of it!

Knuckles: No! I won't let you kill yourself! [As he was trying to take the knife from Whitty, he tripped over the doorknob and fell towards Whitty's direction, causing the red echidna to stab the bomb in the stomach, killing him] N-n-n-n-n-no....!!! Wh-wh-wh-wh-what have I d-d-d-done...?!!! I k-k-k-k-killed him....!!! Th-th-th-th-this is all my f-f-f-fault...!!! I can't let anyone find out about this!!! I gotta hide the evidence!

End of Flashback...

Knuckles: I never wanted to kill him, I wanted to save him! It was an accident! I put that on my life!

Ruv: [Thinking] ...Everything's become clear. The decision we made was right after all. But when I think about that...honestly, I'd be better off if we'd been wrong. Because if what we came up with is the truth, then that truth is that Whitty tried to kill himself... But...even if that's true...I can't say he was wrong in the wrong for doing that, and neither was Knuckles... He never wanted to kill Whitty, he wanted to save him... The mastermind... [Outloud] It was that damn video...!

Monokuma: Huh? Whatever are you talking about? What video?

Ruv: Don't play dumb, Monokuma! You know damn well what I'm talking about! Even I couldn't handle what I saw in there. If I were Whitty and the video actually had something to do with me, I can't even imagine... The one thing that was more important to him than anything else... His girlfriend... The one he loved more than life itself... To have to see something like that happen to her... And Whitty... He tried to take his own life because he thought she was dead... And all he wanted more than anything else in the world was to see his beloved girlfriend again...!

Monokuma: Oh! And what does all of this have to do with me?!

Ruv: [Tears started forming in his eyes] This is all your fault, Monokuma!!! If you never gave him that stupid video, he would've never tried to kill himself, and Knuckles would've never accidently killed him!!! You're the true blackened here!!! You're the one that caused Whitty's death!!! I hate you!!! I want you fucking dead!!!

Monokuma: Why do you want me dead? It's not like anyone cared for Whitty!

Ruv: I did!!! He was my friend, you bastard!!! He was the first friend I had in years, and you took him from me!!!

Monokuma: I didn't take him from you, Knuckles did!!!

Ruv: Stop screwing with us! This is all your fault! Whitty being forced to do something as bad as trying to take his own life... All of it... Everything...! It's all your fault! [Suddenly in a frenzy, Ruv lunged at Monokuma. But...]

Sarvente: That's enough. [As angry as he was, Sarv latched onto Ruv's arm without hesitation. Her grip was like iron, strong enough Ruv was sure it would leave a bruise. If you really want to make her enemies pay for what they've done, you need to let it go for now.

Ruv: ...Dammit!

Monokuma: Ahh, that was a close one! I thought for sure you were gonna give me a good walloping! Just barely avoided punishment, you did!

Crystal: Speaking of which, since Knuckles killing Whitty was an accident, does that mean Knuckles will live?

Knuckles: Y-yeah! I should be allowed to live! I wanna live!!!

Monokuma: Sorry, but just because Knuckles accidentally killed Whitty doesn't mean he's off the hook!

Kat: What?! Why not?!

Monokuma: Accidentally killing someone also counts as killing them, so Knuckles still killed Whitty, and for that, he still needs to be punished!

Dawn: No!!! Please do not do this!!! Let him live!!!

Knuckles: It's okay, Dawn... I just wanna get this over with... Go ahead, Monokuma... Start the punishment...

Dawn: You are not serious, are you?!

Knuckles: [Grabs Dawn's hand] I don't wanna go through this, but I don't wanna keep fighting either... It's for the best... Just promise me you'll stay strong, okay...?

Dawn: [Crying] I will try...

Knuckles: So, what are you waiting for, Monokuma...? Start the punishment...

Monokuma: Your wish is my command, master! Let's hurry up and get to what everyone's been waiting for! The punishment!

Dawn: No! I beg of you! Let him live!

Monokuma: No more begging! No more excuses! Knuckles must pay the penalty for breaking the rules! Society demands it!

Dawn: No... Please...

Monokuma: Now then, I've prepared a very special punishment for Knuckles the Echidna, the Ultimate Boxer! Let's give it everything we've got! It's...PUNISHMENT TIIIME!!!!!

Dawn: No... Knuckles... Do not leave me... Please... Knuckles...