Danganronpa: Until Proven Guilty

Chapter One - 5: Investigation of an Injustice

Light suddenly hits my eyes, as I slowly regain vision. All I see is the fuzzy, white ceiling, and strange blobs that most likely are the other students.
"Kihona."
The world becomes clear again, and I'm greeted with Haruka on top of me. She looks petrified, all the colour drained from her face.
It all comes back to me at once. The cupboard, Minato's body, the scream. It's happening. Someone's dead.
I jolt up in fright, hoping that it was all a sick vision. But, alas, Minato's corpse is still lying exactly as I'd found it. Cold. Dead. Distorted.
"Oh my god!" I cry, desperately trying to scramble away from the scene, but Haruka grabs my arm.
"I'm sorry, Kihona."
There's no more light in her eyes. Just grey. A blank, hollow stare.
Tory appears in front of me, her expression no different to Haruka's, "You weren't unconscious for long. I'm sorry you had to discover this tragedy."
Before I can respond, the loudspeaker screeches to life, Monokuma's voice coming into earshot, "A body has been discovered! You will now receive an allotted time of three hours to gather evidence for a class trial! Find the killer! Bring justice! Happy investigatin'!"

And then silence.

Charlotte and Amai appear to have arrived, staring in disbelief at the corpse.
"Class trial?" Kohi says, clutching the teddy bear on his bag, "What does that mean?"
As soon as he says this, each handbook pings, sending a shot of anxiety through my heart.

'Principal Monokuma has added a new section: Class Trials. Tap to view.'

'-After three or more students - not including the killer - discover a corpse, a body discovery announcement will play
-You have an allotted time of 3 hours to gather evidence and testimonies that will be used during Class Trials. Principal Monokuma has the right to shorten this time whenever he pleases.
-The Monokuma File will provide basic evidence, such as the time of death, cause of death, and other vital information.
-If a student kills more than two of their peers, they will immediately be executed.
-Failure to participate in a Class Trial will result in punishment.
-During the Class Trial, it is up to you to use evidence gathered in investigations to find the perpetrator(s), otherwise known as 'The Blackened'
-If you correctly vote for The Blackened, they will be executed and the remaining students will continue the semester.
-If you pick incorrectly, The Blackened will leave this university, therefore graduating. The remaining students will be executed
-Principal Monokuma cannot interfere with any Class Trials, nor can he commit murder himself.'

Everything hits me. There's even more danger than we thought.
Someone in this room is the killer. And if we don't find them, we all die.
It feels like too much. I prepare to run, never look back and hide in my room until this sick charade ends.
"Jesus fuck," Yashira utters, her voice left dry.
"He's really dead?" Mamo says, tearing up, "It can't be."
"He's dead," Mitsuharu says.
Kuroko dashes into the cupboard, grabbing a bucket and promptly vomiting into it. Her face is practically green, her head bent over the bucket as she wretches uncontrollably.
Haruka grabs my hand suddenly, pulling it close to her chest. Tears brewing in her eyes, she looks at me longingly.
"We're not going to die, are we?" She says, voice wavering. My lack of response causes her to burst into tears, burying her face in my shoulder.
Jin stands nearby, staring at Haruka with a gloomy expression. Though he can't seem to find the words to say.
"We're screwed!" Haruka wails, hugging me tightly. Her sudden affection surprises me, and I feel all I can do is awkwardly pat her head.
Yet her emotion is understandable.
"We're not screwed yet," I say, though I don't believe it, "We need to gather evidence. And we'll find Minato's killer."
She looks up at me, her face red, "You promise, right?"
I nod.
She stands up, brushing off her shirt and staring back at Jin, "That's to both of you. You both promise we'll find the killer?"
Jin nods as well, a small tear rolling down his cheek.
"Fucking hell," Kaso groans, kicking the wall next to him, "You three piss the fuck outa me."
Aki stares at the floor, her snails slowly moving across her palm, "We're doomed. Cthulhu says so."
"Don't say that!" Kuroko cries, pulling her head out of the bucket, "Please have mercy, Sir Cthulhu."
"He says he shall consider," Aki grins, "He will consult Lucifer first."
Amongst all the commotion, I hear my name called and I turn to see Tory.
"I do apologise. This must be very tough for you, but I was hoping you would be able to aid in the investigation."
I sniff, caught slightly off guard by her remark. What does she see in me to trust me with investigating a murder?
"I'm sorry to launch this on you so suddenly," She continues, straightening her glasses and lowering her voice to a whisper, "The others here are lacking in intelligence, for a crime scene at least. What do you say?"
Before I can think, the dreaded words leave my mouth, "I'll do it. For Minato."
Wow, now everyone is relying on you.
Though no one is particularly paying attention to me, I feel as if their eyes are staring me down. Watching me like hawks. Tory's once kind gaze seems so much more menacing, like she's warning me to not make a mistake.