Heir & Heiress

Poor Timing

By the time we arrived at the pool, I was more concerned with my encounter with Monokuma than the investigation, but I couldn't help but comment on Hagakure's appearance. "You look utterly ridiculous," I examined the construction, pushing on the suit.

"Hey! Stop that and help me get this thing off!"

"You can't take the suit off by yourself? How did you get into it?" I asked, noticing the clasp in the back. I snapped it apart and waited for Hiro to finish tossing the parts aside.

"I don't remember. I just woke up in it," the clairvoyant sighed, "What's this about a culprit?" 'He doesn't remember?'

"That's a pretty pathetic excuse," Hina huffed.

Yamada's last words played against Hiro's pleads of confusion, but... "Maybe he really doesn't know anything, Hina. We can't be sure of what happened". I tried to defend a neutral stance that fell on deaf ears. She continued to proclaim Hiro as the killer until we were inevitably summoned to the red doors once more. 

Gaps were left from those long gone; none of us dared to stand in those spots. The cage-like box became the altar and the school had become the graveyard. And the courtroom? A circle of Judgement: a place where we were forced to play judge, jury, and God. "Stop bouncing," I sneered at Hina. The swimmer had been tapping her feet and drumming her fingers, anticipating the moment of vengeance.

"Why? This trial will be the easiest one!" She said, not of excitement, but of fury. While I did agree the blackened should atone for their crimes, her reaction was revolting.

I turned towards her, crossing my arms, "You shouldn't be proud of sending someone to die! Besides," I sighed and glanced at Byakuya. "Appearance can be deceiving. This isn't the place to believe at face value".

"Are you casting doubt on us?" Kirigiri faced forward while addressing me as if to appear to be talking to herself.

"You're one to talk," I smiled; the passive-aggressive conversation ended with the metal doors sliding open.

I stared at Celeste with the same expression as I did with Byakuya; utter disbelief. We had arrived at a stalemate. "If you just tell us your real name-," Naegi tried to explain, yet quickly silenced by the Queen of Liars.

"Listen well then, peasant!" Celeste's foreign accent rang with anger. "My real name is Celestia Ludenburg!" The louder she raised her voice, the more corroded her persona became.

"Let's try this then," I pulled my handbook from my pocket, turning the screen towards the others as we watched my name illuminate across the glass. I didn't want it to be her. I didn't want to play this cruel game any longer. However, even after the others presented their handbooks, Celeste stood still in undeniable defeat.

"Checkmate," Byakuya's triumph was evident in his grin.

We waited for a confession only to be filled with concern with Celeste's unsettling laughter. "Idiot! What do you mean 'checkmate'?" Just as her name, the accent vanished in a sea of lies. The rush of familiarity washed over me, reeling in more images to the surface. Before Monokuma could whisk the gambler to her demise, I rounded the circle of podiums and stood in her way. "Don't make this more difficult for yourself," she huffed, almost disappointed.

"Aren't you scared?" Hina asked. "Do friends mean that little to you?" Although the question was directed at Celeste, my eyes darted between her and Byakuya. His blue eyes hardened at my indirect accusation but flickered in another direction.

"You're just like Byakuya!" Hiro pointed at Celeste, disgust in his expression.

"No," Celeste crossed her hands in front of her. "He derives pleasure from the hunt. I find pleasure in the win," her eyes darted back to me, "That's where we differ". Her forced smile sent a shiver of guilt up my spine.

"I know you don't remember...," I engulfed Celeste in a tight hug, "but we were friends, okay?" The bewilderment and glares of the others seeped into my back. I couldn't stand the thought of remembering the pitiful games of Othello and Black Jack late into the morning while knowing she wouldn't recall any of those memories. Unlike Byakuya, I never did quite break through her mask.

Her hands hesitantly lifted to my shoulders, giving them a light pinch of reassurance before pulling away. "Love really can drive a person mad. Which reminds me," Celeste held out a small key to Kyoko. A weak smile tugged at the corners of her mouth, "I must bid you all adieu," she pressed something into my palm before walking away with Monokuma.

As the flames climbed higher, I clutched the object tighter. In the face of death, Celeste had regained her calm demeanor and appeared at peace with being burned alive. Then we heard the sirens, witnessed the flashing lights hurl towards the Gothic Lolita. I caught the contortions of despair crease Celeste's face before shutting my eyes and turning away from the scene. I didn't need my eyes; the sound of crunching metal and shattering glass painted the same picture.

"Boy, she really crashed and burned!" Monokuma rejoined the group in an uproar. "At least she wasn't left in the cold," the bear nudged in my direction. "What with the heartwarming farewell". I bit my tongue and walked back to the elevator. "Aw, come on! Those were clever!" I kept my back to Monokuma, holding the doors for the others. Without an opposing audience, he disappeared. The elevator doors clinked shut and we listened to the gears churn to carry us upwards.

"Your hand's bleeding," Kirigiri took my hand in hers, prying my grip away from the object. Metal smudged with blood gleamed; Celeste's ring had sliced my palm open.

"Are you okay?" Naegi asked. I knew he meant well, but I couldn't help but give a look that suggested he was the stupidest person in the room. "Well, I mean-," he stammered.

"A cut is nothing compared to everything that's happened," I shook my head. I continued to stare down at the ring, watching my tears wash the blood away.

"Speaking of recent events," Kirigiri's heels clicked in adjustment. "What was the scene in the art room about?" The elevator came to a halt.

Glancing back at her, I noticed a strange unease to her expression; a question burned beyond her purple lenses. "I'll explain in due time," I shot Kyoko down and stepped out of the cage. A part of me cursed Naegi's dedication to Kirigiri, but how could I criticize a case similar to Byakuya and me?