Danganronpa: Epigone

Chapter Three- Partners in Crime III (Class Trial)

Masaru couldn't believe what he was looking at and hoped that this was a false alarm but the evidence was clear as day in front of him.

Masaru immediately turned to Nao who was frozen and grabbed her shoulders.

"What happened?" He demanded.

Nao blinked rapidly, still shaken. "I... I came out to refill Pinku's water bowl and I saw that someone's door was left slightly open so I went to go look inside..." she glanced over at Valini who was silently weeping, "I screamed and that caused Valini to come out of her room right before you came down."

Valini wiped her tears although she was still trembling. "I... I need to get the others." She then rushed off and up to the second floor.

"Wow, this motive worked faster than I expected!"

Masaru looked down to see Monokuma tilting on his little feet.

"You guys must really love your friends, puhuhuhu!"

Masaru gripped the wall next to him for support and has never felt whatever he was feeling before. Perhaps it was grief. He slightly closed Shoji's door so that he couldn't see and so he could regain himself for the investigation.

Soon enough, everyone came back downstairs and approached him and Nao.

"This can't be happening again!" Winona whined.

Seto clicked his teeth. "I guess having that party was useless."

"What the hell happened now?" Umeda asked which snapped Masaru out of whatever he was in.

Masaru walked over to Umeda who was next to Matsuyama and gently pushed him back.

"Uh, what are you doing?" Umeda asked.

Masaru turned to look Matsuyama in the eye. "Restrain him please."

Matsuyama raised an eyebrow at that but did as he was told.

Umeda only laughed it off and let Matsuyama hold him. "Why would I need to be restrained?"

Umeda then saw the name plate that belonged to the door they all stood around and repeated more darkly.

"Why would I need to be restrained?"

Masaru looked over at Priscilla who was already looking at him with a terrified expression due to who the victim was.

"Alright, you kids!" Monokuma chirped and everyone jumped not realizing the bear was present, "view the victim file in your monopads and get ready for the class trial!"

The bear took his leave and the students stood there speechless. Masaru then pushed Shoji's door back open and Umeda's eyes widened before they darkened.

"Let go of me," Umeda spoke and when  Matsuyama didn't do so he elbowed the columnist in the stomach, "let me go!"

Matsuyama still didn't budge as he winced. "You need to calm down."

"We failed again," Mizuno spoke quietly and approached the dorm.

"We need to find out who did this," Toma said and Masaru agreed.

Umeda finally escaped from Matsuyama's grasp and entered the dorm first. He staggered at the sight of his friend's body and fell to his knees.

"This... this is," Umeda bit his lip until he drew blood and tried not to let any tears fall because that wasn't the type of guy he was. "Damn it. I didn't really mean it when I said I needed another partner..."

Masaru approached cautiously and put a hand on Umeda's shoulder. "The best you can do for him now is to find out who did this."

Umeda the whirled around to look at the other students with hatred in his eyes as if they were all killers which one of them was.