Heir & Heiress

Trial Riddles

"Let's start with the murder of the mystery person in the garden," Kyoko announced. I glanced around the circle of podiums; thankfully no one had been murdered, but that didn't mean that someone in the room wasn't the murderer.

"The body was discovered around nine AM. We were investigating every floor and room this morning," Makoto reminded us. "Who was on the fifth floor at the time of the body discovery?"

"Toko had been the one to discover the body. Karen and I found her unconscious after hearing her scream," Byakuya answered, nodding in my direction. I nodded in return.

"I attempted to look at the victim's face, but Byakuya stopped me. However, Toko, or rather Jill, woke up and triggered the bomb that was hidden beneath the mask," I explained. I looked to Monokuma; the Mastermind didn't seem bothered by my explaining the near obvious information. What was her end goal with our game of cat and mouse? "If I might ask, where did this bomb come from?"

"During the remaining fifteen hours that you were unconscious, we had found a disarmed Monokuma in the gym. I have reason to believe that he was placed there to lure us into the hint," Kyoko explained. "Speaking of which, you are unaware of the hint, correct?"

I nodded, "You told everyone to wait until the trial. Now would be the time to explain'.

"Not yet. Let's focus on the murder. What did you discover on the fifth floor?" She glanced between Byakuya and me.

"We investigated the classrooms and morgue before attending to the body. We discovered an aging crime scene and a missing body," Byakuya answered.

"Miss-missing bo-body?!" Toko stammered.

"You mean there's a zombie roaming around?!" Hiro pulled at his hair.

I sighed, "No, you dolt. The lights on the freezers don't correspond to the number of people who have died". I looked at Monokuma again. Still no reaction. What the hell does she count as helping? I should've asked when I agreed to the damn deal.

It didn't take long for us to go around enough to put the pieces together that the body in the garden was Mukuro Ikusaba. "If the girl in the garden is Ikusaba, the Ultimate Soldier, then who's the Mastermind?" Sakura asked. My throat twitched at the question, almost desperate enough to blurt out the answer. Monokuma began to chuckle, well aware that I knew and couldn't say a damn thing. Byakuya and Kyoko's eyes bore into me.

"What?" I asked.

"How appropriate that you would zone out now. I asked about your odd comments in the data center. Care to explain?" Kyoko asked. We stared at each other in a long silence. I broke my gaze away and hung my head. "Why do you choose to keep silent when you were the one to make a deal with Monokuma?"

I gasped, whipping my head back to her. "What? I...it wasn't just me," my voice cracked.

"Don't bother lying. You may be able to fool us once or twice, but you're naturally a terrible liar," Kyoko said. "That sketchbook page that Monokuma dropped was an invitation, was it not?" I remained silent. "Byakuya?" I shot my pleading eyes in his direction.

"Yes," he answered quickly. Monokuma still didn't flinch. Addition by choice, the Mastermind's choice of words rang in my ear. That was the loophole, we had already established, but he went head-on into the risk of testing that loophole. She knew that was a loophole. What the hell is Junko planning?

"So, the motive didn't fail, it merely transferred. And you took the bait," Kyoko glared. "By that logic, you were the one to steal Alter Ego, were you not?"

"You would be correct," Byakuya answered again.

"What the hell are you doing?" I blurted out, gripping the podium.

"Trying to help according to the agreement," he didn't seem the least bit affected by clearly betraying me.

"Helping as in making me the villain? I'm not the one who trapped us in here, you know?!"

"Did you happen to see the who did imprison us? You clearly knew where to look if you investigated Enoshima's room," Kyoko said.

"Stop focusing on me, dammit!" I yelled, fists balled against my podium railing. Junko backed me into a corner. Fuck, I painted myself as the traitor!

"Sorry, but you're our lead to the Mastermind," Kyoko said, unapologetically.

"She's worthless as a lead," Byakuya intervened. "We need to figure out who the Mastermind is before she gives up what she knows".

"Why?" Hina asked. "If Karen knows something, then she could just tell us, right? Unless she's just trying to get us all killed".

"You're still acting as if the Mastermind is some half-wit who doesn't know what the fuck they are doing!" I continued to yell. "If I could tell you, don't you think I would have by now?!" Hina went silent.

"What exactly would the Mastermind have that would make you not tell us?" Kyoko asked.

I shot a glare in her direction, "I'd like to survive as much as the rest of us. And you're not leaving without my help".

"Is that so?" Kyoko wasn't impressed. "How do you suppose we go about this trial, then?"

I couldn't say anything to push them in any direction, but I stopped and thought. What could I do to trigger a chain reaction? "What proof do you have that I was the one to steal Alter Ego? I'm not confirming nor denying your claim, but explain your logic, detective". Kyoko stared at me for a long moment, her eyes bore into me with stern confusion.

"By process of elimination, and based on Togami's description, you opened Maizono's door as a test. Then, proceeded to Enoshima's room once you realized you could access the dorm rooms". Kyoko paused, "Care to explain what was in Enoshima's room, Togami?"

"Various weapons and a small rack of her clothing," Byakuya said.

"Weapons? What would the Ultimate Fashionista do with weapons?" Makoto asked.

"Maybe she was the traitor before Sakura and me. There was something so fake about her," I said.

"Why would you say that? She was your best friend!" Hina leaned against her podium.

"Was she, Hina? How could someone be my best friend when I've only known them for such a short time?" I asked. The question hung in the air, suspended outside of time. Outside of the deadly setting and situation. I remained silent as the bickering began. The pleading, the begging to understand, and the numerous questions. "Enough!" I called out. "You all know it. You all know who the Mastermind is. So, stop bickering and put the pieces together!"

"What pieces? You've just been speaking in riddles!" Toko yelled back at me.

I snickered, a twisted grin stretching across my face. "Riddles, eh?" My head was throbbing, but I felt a cold sensation coursing through my veins, almost like morphine. "Let's see, a riddle," I tapped a finger against my lips. "Who is my best friend?" I asked with a smile.

"That...that's not a riddle!" Toko said. "Are you pla-playing tricks on us?!" I continued to smile at her.

"That's a trick question," Kyoko said. "You had two. Enoshima and Togami".

"Correct! Now, what do best friends do for each other?" I asked, still smiling.

"Support...each other?" Hina answered.

"Yes. And what do you do when two friends are fighting?" I glanced at Makoto.

"Uh...you try to diffuse it and try to meet in the middle," he said.

"Exactly. So, I ask again, who is my best friend?" I asked, catching the sudden realization on Byakuya's face. I pressed a finger to my mouth, signaling for him to keep quiet. It was obvious what I was doing, especially to the Mastermind. Yet, she never acted out or raised Monokuma's voice. They had been quiet for most of the trial. This trial was just beginning.