DANGANRONPA V2: ECLIPSE

Chapter 2: Part 3

"A BODY HAS BEEN DISCOVERED!" Monokuma announced the second we stepped into the hangar, where her body was being suspended by a rope from one of the fumes of one of the tanks. Below her was a singular candle, though the light seemed so dim compared to all the darkness surrounding it. "After a certain amount of time, the class trial will begin!"

Ruji let out a high-pitched scream and clutched Maikeru, hiding behind him. Sora was crying while the rest of us stood back, stunned. 

"I didn't see the last body... so I didn't know just how horrifying it would be," Sora whimpered. "I thought it would be less terrible the second time... but... I can't! We need to leave-"

"No, we have to figure this out," Rantaro breathed. His voice was shaking slightly, but for the most part, he remained calm and composed. "Sora, can you tell us all what you know?"

"I don't know," the pilot whimpered. "L-last night... she left to take her call. I got notified for my call right after. I... I'm sorry, but I was going to take it, but when I got there... she was still in the box, crying. Just seeing her like that... I knew I couldn't take the call, so I comforted her for a few minutes, then left because there were only thirty minutes or so until bedtime. She said she'd head out in a minute. Then... this morning, I went to check on her, but her cabin was empty. And it wasn't like Nori was there to check on her... so I went looking and found her here."

I found myself turning around so I didn't have to look at the body. I checked the monopad, fighting to keep my breathing steady.

"Time of death: 9:50. The body was found in the hangar suspended in the air by a rope. Cause of death: hanging." I read aloud.

"A hanging in the hangar," Ruji whispered, horrified. 

"Are you joking about this?!" Maikeru snapped, rolling his eyes and turning to face the ghostbuster.

"No! No, of course not!" Ruji cried out, holding his hands up. "I just... it's horrible. I don't know why I said that. I promise i-it's not a joke!"

"Enough. We need to focus," Rantaro stated calmly, holding both his hands up. "Daiki is outside with everyone else. I trust him enough to look for anything of use out there. We need to work quickly if we're going to make this work. Sora and I will go back and look through the cabins and training center. You three need to check this area out. At least one of you needs to keep an eye on the body to make sure no one messes with the scene. Got it?"

"Got it," I said. The way he was so quick and organized made me feel like I should have saluted him. 

Rantaro quickly grasped Sora's arm and turned to leave. A part of me thought that he must have planned things this way so Sora wouldn't have to see her body anymore. The pilot was clearly distraught. 

"Okay... let's all look around this room first. I think someone should check the body-"

Ruji visibly squirmed the second I mentioned checking the body. Maikeru seemed to roll his eyes slightly, then raised his hand. "I'll do it, I suppose."

"Good. Thank you," I breathed, grateful that he volunteered so I wouldn't have to. Something about the way she was slowly swinging sent chills down my spine. 

Maikeru walked over to her and stood up on his toes to check on her. Her feet were just a foot above the ground or so. There was a tipped-over chair beneath her as well. 

"Um... there's a note," Maikeru muttered, stepping back and pulling out a piece of paper. "It was in her pocket."

"What does it say?!" Ruji frantically asked, keeping a fist over his mouth as if afraid of vomiting.