The New Motive

The Doors

Shuichi had gone back inside that hell of an academy and all Kokichi could do was stand there. He wasn't able to move, he couldn't do anything, but think. And what he was thinking now was why? Why did this mean so much to him? Did they all really mean that much to him?

He needed to get help. He knew that the police wouldn't help him, but he didn't want to have to face the dreadful place again either. Even so he knew he had to. That he was the only one that would.

So after he was finally able to move again he sprinted up the steps and through the tall doors. He ran down the long, twisting corridors, and he kept running. He kept running until he found him.

It didn't take long, he already knew where he was going, but what did he expect to do anyways?

"Shuichi!" This caught him off guard and he turned around to face the shorter male.

"Y- you came?"

"Of course I did. We're in this together. You and me. 'Til the very end," he smiled, tears still stained on his pale cheeks. "So, how can I help?"

"Well, first things first. We have to get these doors open and get everyone out. Then we'll all find someplace to stay. We can work the rest out later. Try checking the warehouse for equipment to use to get these doors open. I'll see if I can find a control panel or something for them."

"Got it," he agreed, running to where he was instructed to go.

The violette searched the warehouse from top to bottom, grabbing anything h ed thought might work and carrying it back to Shuichi. He brought a bunch of different equipment they could try hitting them with, and they tried, but it didn't seem to do too much good, only leaving faint marks.

"This isn't getting us anywhere," Kokichi pointed out in a defeated tone. "Hiw do we know if they're even still alive?"

"Because I know that that screen, you remember the one with everyone's faces and the x's, was fake. They're still in there I know it," he said taking another swing at one of the doors with a crowbar the other had brought back with him.

"But how? Wouldn't they have tried to communicate with us by now theough the doors?"

"Because," he explained, straining to lift another heavy object to throw at the door, "they're all still closed, the doors I mean. And it's only been maybe two days if I remember correctly. The average human can last a while longer than that even without food. And no, they couldn't. The doors are soundproofed. That's why that would be almost impossible."

"Quite the detective, I see. But what if they closed their doors after killing the other then they left?"

"Think about it. You know how much we all hate it here. That was one thing we could all always agree upon, right?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"So why would any of us want to stay here any longer than necessary? Especially if we'd just committed the murder of a close friend. They'd have had to close the door manually, too, because if you noticed, our door is still open. I left it open when I carried you out, remember? I can't believe I didn't realize this before and tried to help then. It was stupid of me to believe that dumb board."

"Hey, it's not your fault, Shu." Kokichi walked up behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder gently, to which he turned to look up and smile in response.

"Thanks, but we still don't know how to get these doors open. How'd you get ours unlocked?"

"Oh, it was magic, of course. But not really. That's just the kind of dumb thing Yumeno would say. I'll be right back."

And with that he left the other in the hallways and left off to a place out of view to Shuichi from where he was positioned.

"I'm baaaaaccckk!" he called, returning with his arms filled with bags of something he didn't immediately recognize. "Did you miss me?" he teased.

"What's all that?"

"Oh, these? It's blood!" Kokichi said excitedly.

"B- b- blood!? Where'd you get th- that much? And why?"

"Well, I was thinking, maybe the rooms just detect blood to determine when someone's been killed. And that's when they automatically unlock. So, I figured, why not give it a shot?"

"I- I suppose."

"Yep, here ya go. You get that side, I'll work down here."

"What!?"

"Blood," he said, pushing a few bags into the other's arms, then he pointed to the doors, "doors. Capiche?"

"U- uh. Y- y- yeah. On it."

They each walked up to a door and began trying to open the bags to try out Kokichi's theory. Shuichi kept trying to find something to cut it with, but the other male just tossed it like a water balloon. And when that didn't work he just tore it open with his teeth and smeared it all over.

"Koki- Ouma, stop that. You're making a mess."

"So what?" he replied nonchalantly. "It's not like we're the ones that have to clean it up. So just relax a bit an- ahhhhhh!"

He wasn't paying attention and was thrown back when the bloody door swung open, revealing two people sitting together on a bed, staring off into space. It was Kaede and Kiibo. And the looks on their faces when they turned around. You'd have thought there was never a sad moment in their lives.

"Shuichi!" Kaede called out, running up and hugging him tightly. Kokichi became visibly jealous by this and went up to yell at her, but suddenly Kiibo stood before him, smiling.

"You guys saved us. I knew it wasn't going to end like that. Thank you."

"Yeah yeah, save your thanks for Shuichi, he's the hero, not me. Anyways, I have something I need to do real quic-"

"Shuichi?"

"Uh, yeah. That's his name, isn't it?'

"Well, yes. It's just, . . . I don't know . . . I just didn't realize you two were so close."

"Oh. I . . . Uh, yeah. I guess you could say that."

"And you, too, Ouma!" the Ultimate Pianist cheered turning around to face him. "Thank you, too." Then she hugged him.

"Uh, thanks," he responded, confused. But then it all made sense when she leaned in closer to whisper something to him quietly.

"Stay away from him. Do you hear me? Shuichi's mine," she growled.

"I don't have t-" he tried to say back, but she turned happily back to the detective, who was now speaking with Kiibo, and asked what she needed to do to help.

And then there were four.