Danganronpa: Goodbye Despair

Chapter 38: ORDER IN THE COURT

Third Class Trial (Part One)

Monokuma: "Now then, let's begin with a simple explanation of the class trial. During the class trial, you will present your arguments for who the killer is, and vote for who done it. If you vote correctly, then only the blackened will receive punishment. But if you pick the wrong person... I'll punish everyone BESIDES the blackened, and that person will earn the right to leave this island! Oh well, who cares about this boring explanation? Let's get on with it already!" 

As predicted, Monomi is in fact tied up and hanging from the ceiling, and Monokuma is in his signature luxurious chair. With Hiyoko and Ibuki's pictures crossed out, that officially makes six people dead and ten people still alive... well, they're hoping that Nekomaru is still alive.

Nagito: "I don't mind starting the trial, but... I don't really have a grasp of how the case played out. You know, because I was asleep the whole time."

Kazuichi: "Even if you do grasp it, you're just gonna confuse the heck out of us, aren't ya?"

Akane: "But Nagito's not alone. I don't really get it either."

Kazuichi: "You're fine... your head's empty anyway."

Akane: "Empty head? Heh, what's wrong with that? Listen up! The emptier your head, the more dreams you can stuff inside it, ya know!" Well, that's a cool way of looking at it. Even when she's being disrespected, she's still cheerful and confident.

Hajime: "..."

Chiaki: "Anyway... we shouldn't proceed with the trial if those two can't participate in the arguments. Since he's the first witness, why don't we ask Hajime to explain the incident and the sequence of events?"

Hajime: "Then... let's start with when we split into the hospital team and motel team because of the Despair Disease. The hospital team consisted of Nagito, Ibuki, and Akane, who were infected. Mikan was watching over them, while Fuyuhiko and I were on standby."

Sonia: "The other five on the motel team were... myself, Gundham, Kazuichi, Chiaki, and Hiyoko."

Fuyuhiko: "Spending the night at the hospital was prohibited, so Hajime and I had to sleep at our cottages."

Hajime: "I woke up at my cottage on the day the incident happened, Mikan came by to wake me up and told me that Nagito had recovered from his symptoms. We immediately headed over to the hospital, and after we confirmed his recovery, I made Mikan rest in the on-call room, since she hadn't slept all night, while I waited in the hospital lobby. And then... I saw the incoming signal light on the surveillance camera blinking before our scheduled time. When I pressed the button to turn on the monitor, what appeared onscreen was... a video of someone wearing a hospital gown and a hemp bag on their head... climbing a stepladder."

Nagito: "Amazing! That's such a heart-pounding story! And then what did you do, Hajime?"

Hajime: "I tried to stop them, of course. I rushed out of the hospital and ran to where the video was being recorded, the music venue... but it was too late. By the time I arrived, the person wearing the hemp bag on their head was already hanging from the ceiling. I thought I should tell the others right away, so I headed to the motel."

Nagito: "Why the motel?"

Hajime: "Because it was closer to the music venue, and unlike the hospital, there were more able-bodied people there. At least, that's what I thought, but the only person who came with me was Chiaki."

Chiaki: "But I remember feeling a little relieved because not long after, we met up with Mikan and Fuyuhiko."

Fuyuhiko: "We were also looking for Ibuki since she disappeared from our sight."