DANGANRONPA V2: ECLIPSE

Chapter 3: Part 7

"You guys go. I'll catch up with you in a second," Daiki muttered, his focus still glued to the monitors in front of him. 

The rest of us looked back and forth at one another. I would have preferred us all going together, but if Daiki wanted to get a few extra seconds of searching in, he probably had good reason. He was smart. I trusted him.

Or, at least I think I trusted him. 

Kichiro, Ruji, and I each climbed out of the trapdoor and again through the toolshed. Only something was different now. 

There was a singular candle right next to Sora's body. The flame was small, yet bright. It was hard to take my eyes off of it.

"Odd..." Ruji muttered.

I nodded in agreement. Seeing candles by each body made me think back to what Ruji had said earlier about one of us being possessed. Perhaps this was something ghost-related.

We all gathered down by the water tank, which had been emptied. Thankfully, Ahmya never had to go in. The investigation started just before her turn.

I wasn't quite sure if that was a coincidence, but I didn't want to head into the trial with a suspect already decided in my mind. If I learned anything from the previous murders, it was that we couldn't suspect anyone until all the information was laid out. 

The air felt colder. I couldn't really tell what time it was, and I didn't want to check the Monopad, but the sky was significantly darker so it must have been getting really close to nighttime. 

Daiki was just a few short minutes behind us. Thankfully, he arrived before Monokuma could pop up and give us his whole lecture. 

"Well, well, well, well, is everyone here?! Are we all ready to go to the next class trial?!" the bear enthusiastically asked.

I think I speak for all of us when I say no, we definitely weren't ready.

"So ready!" Kichiro beamed. "We toooootally know who it is! Prepare to have all your minds blown, amateurs!" 

"Amateurs?!" Bashira gasped. "Who are you calling an amateur? We're all ultimates, are we not?"

"Guys, guys, we need to focus," Yuuki interrupted. "If we all work together, we can come to a conclusion. Like always."

There was a darkness in his tone, though. No doubt, from losing Sora. Sora was our ticket out of here. He was one of Yuuki's friends. He was Yuuki's roommate. He was our escape plan, and now he was gone along with Brittany. Yuuki had always been so full of hope, but I could tell that all this despair was slowly eating away at him. How much longer could he hold up?

"Alright, alright, we don't have time for all this power of friendship talk. What are you, the My Little Pony squad? We have a trial to get to!!" Monokuma chimed. He hit a large button, which made the water tank practically double in size. What was once a solid sheet of glass turned into two sliding doors, which we were ushered through. Once inside, we all took our regular places, then descended into the underground. 

I felt still and fearful. My breathing was short. 

It was dark in that elevator. So dark that I couldn't see Ruji next to me, but I could tell he was there from the sound of his short breaths. 

Stay strong, Suki. Sometimes we have to stay strong, and this was one of those times.

I straightened my back and raised my chin, giving off an illusion of confidence. Not that anyone could see. I didn't need anyone to see. I just needed to convince myself that I could do this--that everything would be okay.