Danganronpa 2: Force Despair

Chapter 3: Burning Love from Hearts of Ash- Class Trial- Part 1 (Azura)

We all walked out of the elevator and into a new trial room. There were now three new spots had pictures with a bloody X over them, which were Hanae, Memmorriie, and Takahiro. We all went to our places.

"The class trial will now start!" Monokuma yelled from his chair. "Now then, lets begin with a simple explanation of the class trial. During the class trial, you will present your arguements for who the killer is, and vote for "whodunnit." If you vote correctly, then only the blackened will recieve punishment. But if you pick the wrong person... I'll punish everyone besides the blackened, and that person will earn the right to leave the school!"

"I believe we should begin then." Mien said.

"Indeed. Let's start with the specifics about how Memmorriie and Takahiro died." Shio said.

"The Monokuma File stated they both were killed by a shot to the chest, right?" Roy asked.

"Yeah..." I said, "Takahiro had a bullet wound in the middle of her chest, and Memmorriie had one in the left side of her chest."

"So that all lines up correctly." Layne stated.

"And the weapon was most likely the handgun found on the ground by Memmorriie's body." Mien stated.

"But wouldn't that mean Memmorriie was killed second? Cause if Takahiro was second, the gun would be in the art room, wouldn't it?" Atsuki asked.

"That seems logical enough to me." Chouko said.

"Hold on. There is another possible explanation for why the gun was left there." Shio said.

"What? There is?" Roy asked.

"Yeah..." I said, "I think Shio is talking about the possibility of Takahiro's body being transported."

"Her body was moved in such a short time?!" Atsuki shouted out.

"It was a very slim time frame, but if someone already had planned this out, it could have been easy." Mien said.

"That must be it... The streak of blood in the gym... It could be from the wheel of the transportable bin found in the art room!" I said. "There was blood on one of the wheels, after all."

"If Takahiro was transported with the transportable bin, that would explain why there was blood inside there, and if she was already out of blood by the time she got to the art room, it would explain why there wasn't much blood by her." Layne said.

"That's right." Shio said, "That's my prediction, anyway."

"What could prove that Takahiro was killed in the gym, though?" Roy asked.

"Well, for one, that pool of blood was very large for just Memmorriie." Mien said.

"There were also two bullets by the blood that I found, so that would account for both of them." I said. "Chouko's sketch could also help us see where Takahiro was in the gym when she was shot."

"So that's how they died. What now?" Chouko asked. "Do we start accusing?"

"No." Mien said. "Instead, why don't we ask these two why they were missing the whole time?" She glared at Jack and Ren.

"Missing? We weren't missing." Jack said.

"Where were you, then?" Layne asked.

"Oh, we were just having a meeting in my room. Nothing bad or anything." Ren said.

"How do we know you didn't just work together to kill the girls?" Chouko asked.

"Together? What would we have to gain from working together? Only one of us would get to live, if they killed." Ren said.

"Even so, something's been bothering me about one of you." I said, "Specifically, Jack."

"What about me, Zuzu?" Jack asked.

"Jack... Why have you had your left hand in your pocket? I've never seen you not be using your hands in communication." I asked him.

"Humm? That's it. No reason." Jack sighed. "I thought maybe you'd make it be something more exciting."

"Jack... Show us you hand." Layne said.

"Pssh. Fine." Jack said, and raised his hand out of his pocket and lifted it up for us too see.

Even though his glove was still on, it was all cut up and his hand was bloody.

"Woah! What happened to you?" Roy asked.

"I had just fallen. I am fine." Jack said, and smiled.

"...No... I don't think that's it, Jack." I said.

"Huh? You wanna refute my statement, Zuzu?" Jack chuckled.

"The vase." I said, "The vase broke, and it had a hole in one side of it alone. So it couldn't have been a bullet, or it would have passed through the other side. So my guess is that you moved Takahiro in the art room, and needed to poke a hole in the vase to make it seem like a bullet went through. And you have the perfect item right at your fingertips, literally. On your gloves, there are some sharp... claws, it seems. I bet if you used your hand to poke a hole with your claws in that vase, it would have made the hole and shattered ontop of your hands. That's why there were some bloody pieces, and why your hand is wounded, isn't it?" I asked.

"...You take too long to explain things, Zuzu." Jack sighed. "However, you are very right! I am indeed the one who moved Takahiro's corpse and was cut up by the vase."

"I knew we couldn't trusted him." Mien said.

"Oh, speaking of that, Mien, what was the information you found out about Jack?" I asked.

"Humm? This sounds interesting, now. What did you find, Mini?" Jack asked.

"Don't fucking call me that, you fucking scum!" Mien shouted.

"Jesus." Chouko said. "What'd he do to make you so mad?"

"Jack lied to us all." Mien stated.

"Huh?" Ren asked, "What does that mean?"

"What did he lie to us about?" Atsuki asked.

"Jack lied to us about who he is." Mien said. "Specifically, he lied to us about his talent"

"His talent?" Shio asked. "You mean he isn't the Ultimate Magician?"

"Why doesn't he just confess himself?" Mien sighed.

"Heh." Jack laughed. "A magician never reveals their secrets..." He said and turned around.

"...So I guess I'll tell you as the Jack who is not a magician. I am a magician, to the public and all, it is all true. And though I am good at it, it is just not my Ultimate talent. I have a much better talent..." Jack said.

"Eheh... Hahahahaha!" Jack laughed. "Now then, I'll introduce myself for real!"

He turned back to us, glaring. "I am Jack Taiyan."

He raised his hands up and spread his fingers apart, and they glowed down, and his face shifted into an incredible menacing glare.

"I am the Ultimate Hitman."