Clair LaBelle's Story

---

Graham threw a pastry at Braeden's head. "Have some respect, man. You're giving the guys a bad name."

Mercy chuckled, grinning somewhat. "Nice, Graham."

He plopped his chair down in his spot and offered her a high five. She obliged.

A few minutes later, Finnian walked into the room, looking down at something he'd written on his wrist. Lost in thought, he accidentally bumped into an empty chair as he was heading toward the table. "Oh! Crud. Crap. Sorry."

Still somewhat distracted, he sat down in the chair and continued to stare at his wrist. After what looked like a brief moment of thought, he glanced over at Vivara and asked her something in French. She replied back--also in French--and they proceeded to have a conversation that almost no one else could understand.

About halfway through their conversation, Graham muttered, "wait, really?"

They both turned to him and he proceeded to say something in French. Before Mercy knew it, all three of them were talking back and forth in French.

Mercy coughed. "Eriko, you know other languages, correct?"

"Correct," Eriko replied.

"What are they talking about?" Mercy muttered.

"Science, at first," Eriko replied. "And hearing Finnian's theories was actually rather fascinating. Once Graham joined the conversation, however, it turned into the two of them wondering how many other languages he knew. Several others, apparently. The Ultimate Thief has been almost all around the world."

"Interesting," Mercy mused.

Vivara turned and spoke something in French to Eriko.

"I figured," Eriko replied, "but may I remind you that French isn't some secret code you can use to stop your parents from knowing what you're saying."

Graham scoffed.

Braeden caught the pastry out of the air and proceeded to eat it. "Your aim ain't bad, but more power'll help ya next time. Can't expect to hit a gang leader with a throw like that."

Madoka shifted. "I-I keep forgetting y-you were accepted as the Ultimate Yankee."

Braeden scowled, looking oddly offended. "What's that s'posed to mean?"

Madoka paled. "N-no, it's just--I-I mean, I'm not scared of you so--w-well, I'm scared but not--"

He was grateful when Oni threw open the doors. "Your queen has arrived! SERVE ME!"

Romano, who had adapted himself to the role of Oni's "Demon Butler", promptly scooped up a pastry and offered it to her with a bow. Oni took it daintily and sat at the table, crossing her legs.

"Your help is greatly appreciated, servant! YOU SHALL HAVE A HIGH HONOR IN MY COURT ONCE WE REACH HELL! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"I am honored, Miss Oni." Romano's words dripped with sarcasm. Oni didn't seem to notice.

"YOU WILL REFER TO ME AS YOUR QUEEN, SERVANT!"

Madoka giggled, amused. "S-so does anyone here speak any other languages? I-I mean, I speak Japanese, b-but I feel like that goes without saying c-considering it's where I live...and stuff. Or--used to live, I guess."

"It's a beautiful language," Oni said suddenly in Japanese.

Madoka perked up, admittedly happy to hear his native language. "Yes, it is lovely," he responded in the same tongue. Clair seemed oddly attentive, but didn't speak.

---

Graham narrowed his eyes at Braeden and proceeded to pelt him with various kinds of food that he had stashed on his person. "Guess I'll just need to keep throwing until I hit, then."

"Why are we throwing food?" Faussin asked, stepping in tentatively. Graham turned and threw a bagel at him instead, but Faussin caught it. He stared at it for a moment. "Is this safe to eat? I forget to get food from the cafeteria and I'm really hungry."

"I would play it safe," Mercy said.

Faussin nodded, carefully setting the bagel onto the table. "That's probably the best option, huh?"

Eriko watched Faussin curiously as he took a seat next to Madoka. He caught her gaze after a moment. He looked around, as if making sure she wasn't looking at anyone else, then looked back at Eriko. He coughed. "Y-yes?"

"You're the Ultimate Illusionist," Eriko started, tapping her chin, "and yet we've never seen you do a magic trick. You should put on a performance for us."

He blinked, suddenly sitting up straighter. "Oh. Oh! You don't mean now, do you?"

She shook her head, a smile spreading across her features. "No, not now. You should prepare first so you can really wow us. Maybe you could put on a show in the dance club? Or somewhere else of your choosing, considering you're the magician?"

"Yeah," Faussin started excitedly. "Yeah! I don't know how long it'll be until I have something ready, but I'll try to work quickly. Give me a few days, maybe. Or a week. Probably more than a week, I need to find things to use and I really don't know yet, it depends on what I decide to do."

Eriko clapped her hands. "Wonderful! I can't wait!"

Graham stopped throwing things at Braeden, seeming genuinely interested. "Woah, wait. The Ultimate Illusionist is going to put on a magic show? Awesome!"

"Finnian expressed his excitement for the show, but in French," Eriko said. "Vivara said she's ready to be impressed as well."

Mercy scoffed. "Why don't they just say it in English?"

"Because they're snobs," Graham replied.

"That sounds like so much fun! I love magic shows."

Clair cocked her head. "We haven't all been able to show off our talents a whole lot yet, have we? Like, I haven't seen Oni perform a single exorcism."

Braeden, who had somehow managed to dodge, catch, or deflect every piece of breakfast food, shrugged at her. "I dunno, you always look hot. Can prolly attribute that to your makeup."

"Are you saying I only look good because I have makeup on?"

"Babe, with a body like that you'd look good with a paper bag over your head."

Feeling oddly defensive, Madoka said, "C-Clair is beautiful whether she has makeup or not and it has nothing to do with her body."

Clair looked genuinely touched by this. She placed a hand on Madoka's arm, smiling softly. "Mado, that's one of the sweetest things anyone's ever said about me! Thank you, good luck charm."

Madoka blushed. "W-well, y-you're always sticking up for me, s-so I just--I figure it's about time I--I-I mean, it's not...um..."

"Yo!" Faqir entered the room, carrying a sack that jingled with every step. "Great, is this everyone? I've been working all night for two nights straight on these and I've had to work double-time to make sure Graham doesn't steal them. I put a lot of hard work into this, man, so I'm asking for a little respect: please try not to take them."

Glad for the subject change, Madoka looked up. "W-what is it?"

Faqir held a finger to his lips. "Is everyone here? Are we missing someone?"

"Ysabel," Clair spoke up. "But I think she's the last one."

"Well, then you'll get your presents when she arrives."

Oni perked up. "Presents, you say?! YOU BELIEVE YOU CAN BUY THE GREAT DEMON QUEEN'S FAVOR WITH GIFTS?! ...Because you totally can if they're good enough, BUT STILL!"

"Patience!" Faqir insisted, his eyes sparkling. Madoka grinned.

He looks so happy. He must really be excited to share these with us.

"Wait a second," Faqir began suddenly, glaring at Graham, "are those the gems from my quartz collection? I KNEW I was missing some!"

---

"You look excited, don't you?" Mercy asked, watching Faqir with a smile. It was nice to see someone in such high spirits.

Graham held his hands up to his crown protectively. "First of all, they're mine now, thank you. And I can't make any promises about whatever you have in that bag. I know that sounds insincere, but just listen for a sec. For me, thievery is an irresistible compulsion. I've tried to fight it for years, but it's never worked--heck, my life could be on the line and I still wouldn't give up my stuff. After so many years of self-loathing and fighting and misery from trying to stop stealing, I decided that I'd just embrace it instead. So I say this: I'll try my very hardest to not steal whatever that is, but considering what's happened in the past, I don't know that I can stop myself."

Vivara muttered something in what sounded like German.

"I heard that, Viv," Graham said, glaring at her.

She shrugged.

Amelia and Ysabel walked in, exchanging pleasantries. They both waved to everyone.

"Everyone's here," Eriko realized, "which means we get our gifts, doesn't it?"

"These better be good," Mercy said, jokingly.

Madoka sat up straighter as Faqir emptied the contents of his sack onto the table and began arranging the colorful little bags contained within. He cocked his head. "W-what are those?"

Faqir beamed, lifting a dark blue baggy. "Jewelry!"

"Ah..." Admittedly, Madoka sometimes found himself forgetting Faqir was the Ultimate Jeweler--sometimes he seemed more like the Ultimate Class Clown.

Faqir hummed, examining the pouch he'd picked up. "Things have been crazy since the last trial, right? So I thought, 'I should make everyone something.' Gemstones can be so powerful, and some of the meanings work really well for what we all have going on. So to start, I added diopside, jasper, and onyx to everyone's--those cleanse trauma, aid in relaxation and consolation, and protect the wearer from hostility, respectively. Sounds perfect for all of us, right?"

Clair smiled warmly. "Faqir, that's so thoughtful of you."

In a voice reminiscent of a television salesman, Faqir continued. "But wait, there's more! Each piece also comes with an added stone I picked personally for each of you. Sorry if I got the colors a little off, I tried to pick a setting based on what I can guess about all of you. I could make a new piece if anyone wanted. Well--I could try, at least, I lost a lot of my stuff but the tools in the tool kit were kinda helpful and I guess Monokuma let me keep a good amount of my sh*t. So anyway, Mado! Here, buddy, this is yours."

Faqir passed over the dark blue bag. Madoka stood, reaching across the table to take it. "W-what is it?"

"Apatite," Faqir declared triumphantly. "Open it."

Obliging, Madoka untied the ribbon holding the bag closed and drew a small silver bracelet out from within. He examined it, tilting his head. None of the stones were ones he recognized--except perhaps onyx, if it was the black one he thought he knew--but all four stones appeared carefully arranged.

"It aids stuttering," Faqir announced. "Should be useful for you."

Madoka wilted. "Gee, thanks."

"See? It's working already!" Faqir paused. "Don't worry--it also has grief healing properties. I figured you could use that after...well, we all could, but anyway. Supposed to help with communication. You have good ideas, so maybe now you can learn to share them better."

Madoka smiled, unhooking the clasp of the bracelet and attempting to fit it onto his wrist. "Th-that's...actually pretty sweet of you. Thank you."

Faqir laughed. "Shucks. Oh, right--this one is for Amelia." He lifted another dark blue bag and passed it to Amelia. Madoka peered at it--the shape inside appeared to be a necklace. "That's jade. It's popular with gardeners since it brings a more bountiful harvest, and is known to alleviate fear and anxiety too. Since you're the Ultimate Botanist and all I figured it could be useful."

Clair reached for a bright green bag. "Ooh, I want mine next! Gimme!"

"Alright, Graham, patience," Faqir said, passing over the green bag. Clair quickly opened it and dumped a pair of silver earrings into her hand. "Emerald. Supposed to improve eyesight. Maybe you'll finally know what 'red' is."

Clair beamed. "Aw, Faqir..."

"It's also supposed to lift depression and relieve insomnia. Also it gives the wearer psychic powers. Spooky!"

"You mean I can finally call things like you do? Neat!"

Humming, Faqir lifted another green bag and passed it to Graham. "Speaking of Graham, here. It's gold. Nice and shiny for ya. Went with a necklace since there's more chain to work with and I can fit a bit more onto it. The gemstone is citrine, which attracts material abundance and aids with holding on to wealth. ...It also balances impatience and restlessness but that was mostly for my sake. Maybe it'll help somehow."

Oni grappled for a purple bag. Faqir ceded it to her. She tore it open and instantly slipped four rings onto her fingers. "YOU HAVE SATISFIED THE GREAT DEMON QUEEN! THIS IS SUFFICIENTLY SPARKLY!"

"Fluorite. Improves intuition and concentration and encourages balanced thinking. I figured you could use it."

"HER EMPRESS HAS PERFECT INTUITION! ...But the concentration is helpful, I guess."

Next, Faqir located another blue bag and passed it to Finnian. "This here's hematite. It improves logical thinking and creativity and dispels negative energy. I know you're already a genius, but hey, always room for more. And, uh, lemme see here..." He passed a dark red pouch to Vivara. "Speaking of geniuses. It's blue topaz, a favored stone among scholars for it's contributions to higher thinking. It also dispels negative energy like Finn's and improves communication. So you can maybe talk to us more."

Braeden was handed a brown bag. Muttering, he opened it.

"Used stainless steel in your chain. Figured you could hook it to your belt loops or something. Anyways, that's topaz--not blue topaz, mind you, yellow--and it calms bad tempers."

Braeden scowled. "Wow, thanks."

Faqir chuckled, nudging him playfully. "I'm not done yet, man, I wouldn't leave you high and dry like that! It also improves mental clarity and increases confidence."

Braeden observed the chain with renewed interest. "Confidence, eh?"

"Yep! Oh yeah, and this is for Fauss." Faqir began to hum, passing Faussin an orange bag. "Moonstone. Like the emerald, it's supposed to grant psychic abilities. Useful for the Ultimate Illusionist. It also provides clear thinking and inspiration."

Madoka asked Clair for help getting his bracelet on. She obliged, oddly cheerful.

Faqir handed a red bag to Mercy. "This here's garnet. It increases vitality and stimulates the senses, in addition to aiding with passionate devotion. Like to me, maybe, for being cool enough to give you a present."

Only five bags remained now. Madoka paused to count--there were three students left in the room, excluding Faqir himself. He cocked his head, but decided he would ask when Faqir had finished.

A pink bag was passed down to Eriko. "Tiger's Eye--converts anxiety and fear into practical logic and action. Also provides balance and strength during difficult times and relieves doubt. You've seemed on-edge since the last trial, so...figured maybe it would do something. Uh, who's next, who's next...oh, Romano!"

Romano suddenly looked alert. Faqir handed him a green bag. "There was no need to make me anything of worth, Master Faqir."

Faqir shrugged. "You're part of the team! Wouldn't feel right leaving anyone out. Anyways, that's amethyst. It helps lower obsessive-compulsive tendencies--which, yes, I have definitely noticed you have--aids in discovering wisdom, and brings calmness and clarity."

Romano briefly looked surprised, then relaxed. He opened the pouch to find a bracelet, which he tucked into his suit pocket for safekeeping.

Faqir faked wiping sweat off his brow and handed a magenta bag to Ysabel. "You're last, little lady. Since you don't know your Ultimate, I thought I'd get you agate. It's supposed to awaken talents and attract strengths."

Madoka found himself touched on her behalf--it was obvious Faqir had put a lot of effort into thinking up a personal stone for each member of the group. His opinion of the Ultimate Jeweler shifted slightly towards the positive--maybe Faqir really wasn't that bad after all.

Still, the two bags still sitting on the table had him confused. If no one else asked, he definitely would.

---

Mercy grinned, taking the red bag from Faqir and peering inside. Carefully, she reached into the bag and took the garnet into her hand, fingers running over the side of it. She stared at it, oddly touched. "This is beautiful."

Next to her, Eriko clapped excitedly, the girl's smile contagious. Taking the Tiger's Eye into her hands, she traced the pattern with her thumb and then held it from a distance, squinting. Stuffing the jewel into her chest, she rose from her seat and stopped in front of Faqir. After a moment of what looked like she bracing herself, she gave him a hug.

Vivara chuckled, watching her. "When I first met you, I didn't peg you as the kind of person who liked physical contact."

"I don't, usually," Eriko admitted, "but it's one of the biggest ways to show appreciation and I currently have a lot of it. I couldn't agree with Faqir more--with everything that's been going on lately, this is what we needed. Thank you!"

Ysabel smiled warmly, taking the magenta bag into her hands. "Thank you, Faqir."

Amelia looked at her necklace, chuckling. Her smile seemed oddly genuine. "I have a dress back home that this would've looked great with. Gosh, I have so many dresses back home that I miss. Frills and lace will always be the best."

"Moonstone," Faussin echoed, seeming thoughtful. "Sounds magical."

Vivara brought the blue topaz to her chest, her expression oddly wistful. "Papa had blue topaz. He kept it with him everywhere he went, and whenever I asked him why he would say it was magical. Thank you for bringing me a piece of him, Faqir."

Graham cackled, slipping his new necklace on over his head. "If this works, then heck, I'll be forever grateful. Sorry for stealing your stuff all the time. Thanks, man."

Eriko's eyes seemed to catch something sitting on the table. Her expression shifting slightly, she placed her hands on the table, staring at them. "That's... those aren't what I think they are, are they?"

So someone had noticed. Biting his lip, Madoka stood again. "Did you...are those..."

"Oh, right..." Faqir's expression was oddly nostalgic. "Well...I know they're not here anymore, but...Bonnie and Vona were still part of the group, right? I thought, maybe we can just hang something on the handles of their doors."

Clair's eyes softened. "Faqir..."

Faqir lifted the pink bag first, untying it and drawing out a gold chain. "See, this is rose quartz. It heals emotional wounds, restores harmony after conflict, and promotes appreciation of the arts. I figured, maybe we could use that to remember Bonnie. I had some extra laying around anyway."

Oni sniffled, fiddling with her fluorite.

"And..." Faqir hesitated, his cheerful expression suddenly somber. "...I mean...she was terrible, but...Xhevona was still one of us, right? A student. So..."

Madoka watched Faqir draw a silver chain out of the remaining red bag. Biting his lip, he moved closer to Clair, laying a hand on hers.

Faqir stared at the green gemstone hanging from the center of the chain. "...This is peridot. It alleviates depression, fear, anger, and anxiety, increases openness, and helps one understand relationships. I couldn't help but think...maybe if I had given this to Vona earlier, she wouldn't have..."

Faqir couldn't continue. Sensing his uneasiness, Madoka drummed his fingers on the table.

"I think they would have loved those," he said.

Faqir smiled, but by now Madoka could see when it was faked. "I dunno, Dr. X probably would have thrown it out. But Bonnie--I wonder what kind of use she could have found for it? Maybe she could have used it to decorate a mask or add to a cool costume."

Clair stood, patting Madoka's shoulder. "We could hang them on their pictures in the trial room. That way we could see what they might have looked like wearing them."

"That sounds like a terrible idea, Monokuma would probably trash them," Faqir replied. "...But I think I'd like to, just to see what it looks like."

---

Mercy smiled sadly, crossing her legs. "Even if they are no longer with us, we still have our memories of them, after all. We should do our best to honor them."

Eriko nodded in silent agreement.

Vivara seemed thoughtful. She crossed her arms, smirking somewhat. "I have a place to put them. It'll take a few days to prepare, but it should be worth the wait."

"What do you have in mind?" Finnian asked, fidgeting with his new jewelry.

"It's a secret," Vivara declared. "Be patient. You'll get to see it when it's ready."

Eriko smirked. "Thank you, Viv. I bet whatever you have planned is going to be lovely."

Mercy glanced at Vivara, admittedly curious. It was a known fact that the Ultimate Librarian was a woman of many talents (if she hadn't made that apparent already with her knowledge of several languages, medicine, and literature) so it was difficult to guess what she had planned. Whatever it was, however, Mercy had no doubt it was going to be wonderful.

Even if she didn't show it much, Vivara cared. Mercy could tell.

"I know I already said this," Eriko said, pulling the Ultimate Jeweler into another hug, "but thank you, Faqir."

Madoka felt an odd sense of relaxation wash over him at the sight of everyone acting just like normal.

They were students, weren't they? Not killers, not scared victims, but students. Every once in a while it was nice to remind themselves of that.

Faqir chuckled, patting Eriko's back. "Hey, it's no trouble. I like my job and I like you guys. It's like the best of both worlds."

Madoka suddenly felt guilty for viewing Faqir as more of a rude stranger than a friend. He shuffled his feet. "I...f-feel like I don't say this enough, but, um...thanks for trying, Faqir."

It wasn't the most encouraging thing he could have said, but Faqir seemed pleased by it.

"You know me, I love making you guys laugh. And also watching you freak out when I bring up your super obvious crush on Clair."

Madoka spluttered.

"Kidding! ...Except I'm not kidding, I'm not even remotely kidding. Anyway, you guys really don't have to thank me. It's the least I can do."

Madoka sauntered upstairs, playing idly with the apatite bracelet he wore. These were peaceful, contented times--maybe he could find Clair and spend some time with her.

As he approached the dance club, voices sounded from the casino. Curious, Madoka went to listen in.

The first thing he noticed was someone panting, in what seemed less from exhaustion and more from...sexual arousal?

Confused, Madoka pressed his ear to the door, listening intently.

A male voice murmured something, then Madoka heard a female voice gasp and let out a soft moan. When the female voice spoke, Madoka's breath caught in his throat as he realized he knew exactly who she was.

"I already told you, not all at once. Not right now..."

Clair? Something like jealousy rose in Madoka's chest. Who is she with? What are they doing? Is she in trouble? Should I open the door? Why didn't she tell me she...

The male voice muttered something incomprehensible. Clair squealed.

"S-stop..."

The breathless whisper set Madoka's heart pounding. Why...why does she sound like she's enjoying this? Clair isn't that kind of girl...

"I'm serious," Clair's voice insisted. "Monokuma's gonna stop us. You know how he gets, creep's probably watching us..."

Madoka could barely make out the male voice saying "I don't care."

He bit his lip, ear pressing hard against the door.

His hand jiggled the door handle. Thankfully, it didn't open.

Clair hushed her partner quickly, listening. "...Later, okay? Go hide, babe."

The male voice cursed. Madoka scrambled away from the door, brushing off his shirt. He was on his way back down the hall when the door opened.

"...Good luck charm?"

Madoka froze, torn between bolting and confronting Clair. After a moment, he settled on a compromise--pretend he hadn't heard anything. He turned back around, slowly, forcing an awkward smile. Clair smiled nervously at him, fiddling with the zipper of her jacket; Madoka realized it was lower than he'd ever seen it. He tried not to focus on her exposed chest, zeroing in on her eyes instead.

"I was looking for you," Clair said hurriedly. "I'm glad to see you came up this way. Could I ask you for a favor?"

For some reason, the way she said "favor" sent a shudder down his spine. Madoka gulped.

Play it cool, Madoka. Clutching his apatite, he asked, "What do you want from me?"

Clair laughed--that light, beautiful, airy laugh Madoka had come to associate with music--and took a step out from behind the door. "I was hoping we could play together, good luck charm."

Madoka tried not to think about how long her legs were, or how revealed her body was in the outfits she always wore. Most importantly, he tried not to think about what he had just overheard--the word "play" had a very different meaning all of a sudden.

Focus, Madoka. I-it's fine, you're fine, it's just Clair. You two are basically best friends, that's all.

That's all...

"I-I don't think..." Madoka paused to grasp the apatite in his palm. "I-I think Monokuma might get mad..."

What are you saying, idiot?! he thought miserably. Who cares what Monokuma thinks? Wait--beyond that, why are you jumping to conclusions?!

Clair looked briefly shocked, which quickly shifted to nervousness. "D-did you hear that?"

"H-hear what? I-I didn't hear anything, I just happened to be walking and then I stopped at the door but I didn't hear anything!"

Clair's face flushed. She rubbed her neck, pulling up the zipper on her jacket. "O-oh God, I'm so sorry. I-I didn't think anyone would be--listen, it's, um...I didn't mean it like that, er, not with you at least...oh God, I'm so sorry you had to hear that."

Way to go, stupid.

"N-no!" Madoka insisted, waving his hands. "I-I didn't really--I mean, what you do is your business so I won't...er, w-what did you mean?"

"Oh, right!" Clair fiddled briefly with her hair--Madoka noticed her emerald earrings, replacing the hoops she usually wore. "I was wondering if you could go find Eriko for me. Since she's the Ultimate Puzzler, I thought it would be fun to play a round of blackjack with her. I imagine her grasp of strategy is pretty good. I could be dealer! You can play too, if you want."

Of course it's innocent. What were you thinking she meant, moron?

"I'll find her," Madoka assured. "I-I'll be back, I guess?"

Clair grinned, taking a step closer. "Thanks so much, good luck charm. I'd get her myself, but, um..." She paused, seeming embarrassed. "I-I should probably do some cleaning up in there. Um, I'll see you later?"

The same twinge of jealousy pricked Madoka's heart. He forced it away--there was no reason to feel jealous of anyone. "Y-yeah, definitely. I'll be back, and then we can all play together?"

Why are you getting so embarrassed at that? It's totally innocent. Stop being creepy.

Clair seemed relieved. "Great! Then I look forward to seeing you."

With that, Clair waved "goodbye" and stepped back into the casino, shutting the door behind her. Madoka stared after her for a moment; then, sighing, he turned around and headed out to find Eriko.

Even if he couldn't explain why, he felt he would do whatever Clair asked.

When did I become so infatuated?

Romano and Madoka finished up in the rooms near to the bedrooms and moved on to the sports center. Together, they combed through the gym (enlisting Oni for help for a brief moment), then moved to the fitness room. Everything seemed to be perfectly in order.

Everything was...

A familiar chime tolled. Instantly, Madoka's whole world turned upside-down.

"A body has been discovered! You have thirty minutes to investigate, then a trial will begin!"

No...no...no...God, please, no...

"Clair!" Madoka bolted out of the fitness room, new tears springing to his eyes. He was barely conscious of Romano chasing after him as he raced up the stairs, vision blurred. "CLAIR!"

"Good luck charm?"

Madoka skidded to a stop, whirling towards the rec room. Clair's figure slowly emerged, her expression concerned.

She's safe. She's safe. Thank God! She's safe!

"Clair!" Madoka ran to her, nearly tackling her. Clair yelped. "Oh my gosh, don't youever scare me like that again! Where have you been?! I was worried sick about you, I thought someone killed you! Oh gosh, I-I'm so glad you're okay...C-Clair...!"

"Shh, shh..." Clair patted his back gently, as if everything was fine. Somehow, it only made Madoka feel worse. "It's okay now, good luck charm. I'm alright. I-I'm sorry, when you didn't come back I started looking for you, and I guess we must have missed each other..."

What? Missed each other? No...there's no way. But...

Madoka sniffled, pulling back and looking Clair in the eyes. She smiled at him, patting his shoulder.

Where was she?

Romano jogged up behind the two of them, brushing off his shirt. "I hate to interrupt such a touching reunion, but there are more pressing matters to attend to. Namely, beginning our investigation."

"Investigation..." An odd look was reflected in Clair's eyes. Madoka shuddered, his head swimming.

Where were you? Where were you? Clair, what happened?

"W-were you..." Madoka swallowed, his hands moving to grasp Clair's. "W-were you safe? Who was with you? Where's Faqir?"

"Faqir?" Clair peered down the opposite hallway, noticing a shape struggling to sit up. "Is that him? I'm afraid his bracelet didn't fix my nearsightedness, haha."

Something is wrong. Something is horribly, horribly wrong. Why is she so calm? No, she's not--why is she so fidgety?

"W-we need to..." The words stuck. Madoka clung to Clair's hand, dragging her back towards the casino. Romano hurried behind them. "Come on. There's...there's blood over here..."

Clair suddenly yanked her arm away, holding her right arm close to her body. "I-I can walk alright alone, don't worry. I won't leave this time...do you hear that?"

"I believe we should be focused on what we see." Romano gestured to the casino. The door hung open. At their feet, Faqir stirred, slowly sitting up with a groan.

Madoka look one look into the room...and collapsed to his knees.

What? What? Is that...why? W-when? Did I...is this...

The words stuck.

Without a word, Romano entered the room and knelt beside Mercy--Mercy, the Ultimate Hunter, reduced to a sobbing mess. Mercy, who had just been with Eriko, alive and--

Eriko.

Desperate to confirm it with his own eyes, Madoka raced into the room. The sight of Eriko's body--Eriko, who he had seen alive and well only half an hour ago--Eriko was still and cold.

No. No. No...

"No..."

---

Mercy's headache worsened with each sob.

Her thoughts were all over the place, her composure gone, her body trembling uncontrollably. She hardly registered people entering the room, being so disoriented and grief-stricken that everything else seemed to fade out around her. The floor beneath her still felt unsteady, her throat burned from the bile threatening to bubble up, and sharp pain came in rhythmic thuds.

Despite all this, she held Eriko closer to her chest, trying as best as she could to ignore the storm in her head.

She squeezed her eyes shut. It was only getting worse.

"Is everything--" Vivara's figure appeared in the doorway, panting and glasses crooked. Like all the others, Mercy seemed less than aware of the librarian's presence. Upon seeing the scene, Vivara glanced out into the hallway and bit her lip. "I'll gather the others."

The silence was heavy--Madoka wished someone would speak up just so Mercy's sobs seemed less loud.

Someone punched the wall nearby. "D*mmit...! This can't be happening again!"

Faqir... Madoka swallowed, burying his face in his hands. He longed to feel Clair nearby, to know that she was around.

Her hand rested on his back. Grateful, Madoka leaned into her, sniffling.

Slowly, the others began trickling in. Oni ducked out of the room quickly, retreating down the hall. Braeden stared into the casino, expression unreadable. Romano stood hesitantly, looking out over the assembled group.

"It is of upmost importance that we investigate thoroughly, sirs and madams," he said quietly. "Miss Eriko would want us to solve the puzzle left by her death, would she not? If everyone is in agreement, we may begin with this room."

Madoka sniffled. "Th-the bar," he muttered. "I-I want to check the bar."

Romano cocked his head. "Do you have a suspicion, Master Madoka?"

Madoka bit his lip, somehow feeling that it wouldn't do to tell everyone about the screws he had found just yet. "I-I just...I think I saw something when I was there looking for Clair."

Romano nodded, looking around at those assembled. "I shall go with you. Miss Vivara, if it is not much trouble, I leave the investigation of this room in your capable hands."

Madoka sighed, admittedly grateful for Romano's help. Clair helped pull him to his feet.

"I'll go too," she offered. "If there are any clues in the girl's bathroom, I can check."

Madoka clung to her. "P-please let her come."

Clair patted his head, grinning. It failed to calm Madoka--usually he would be asking Clair to come along for her knowledge and composure, but this time, he wanted to watch her reaction to the missing barstool.

Something was wrong. Madoka intended to find out what.

Romano bowed. "Very well. If anyone else has any ideas on where to look, I implore you to set off on your own. With your permission, Miss Vivara, I shall take my leave."

"I do not mind. As before, I think that we should be quick about this as well as thorough, considering we only have a limited amount of time before the trial begins." Vivara replied, making her way over to Mercy, who still held Eriko's dead body. Her sobs had grown quieter over time, and eventually, had completely faded out. She sat silently now, eyes devoid of emotion.

"I agree," Finnian, who stood closer to the doorway, muttered. "And someone should check Eriko's room, too. There may be things relevant to the trial inside."

"He's right," Vivara said. "I'll check with someone else after I'm done here, considering most of you are probably in too much emotional shock to function properly right now."

Vivara's eyes flickered to Mercy. Slowly, she laid a hand on the girl's shoulder, attempting to catch her gaze.

Mercy did not move her head. When she spoke, her voice came out low and hoarse--it sounded unlike her. "What?"

"With all due respect, I'd like to examine the body," she muttered.

Mercy scowled, more at herself than anyone else. "Right. Of course."

A moment passed. Carefully, Mercy laid Eriko's body back onto the ground, gaze lingering on the girl's still expression. Chances were this was the last time she'd ever see her. Time would move on, the trial would go by, and if they lived past it... her body would disappear.

Thrown wherever Monokuma decided to discard everyone's dead bodies, like garbage. All Mercy would have was the memory of her smile. What was she going to do if it faded? Why did this have to happen? Of all people, why did she have to be the one?

Anyone else, she thought, almost desperately. Take anyone else, just not her... just not...

Quickly, Mercy rubbed her eyes before anyone could see her start to tear up again.

This was the last time she'd ever see her.

The thought repeated in her head, mercilessly. Brushing the hair out of Eriko's face, her hand strayed to Eriko's, both of which were intertwined with each other.

It was almost as if she was holding onto something when she died.

Brow furrowing, Mercy gently pried apart her fingers, the Tiger's Eye Faqir had given her shimmering amongst the casino lights. She choked out a smile, though her head hated it when she moved. There was a large part of her that wanted to stay next to Eriko for as long as she could, taking all of the time they had left to sit by her side, but something nagged at the back of her head.

There was something she needed to be doing right now, but she couldn't remember what. It felt like she was in a fog, and she couldn't tell if it was because of the very likely concussion or the shock of Eriko's death.

"Faqir?" Vivara called suddenly. "The Tiger's Eye. Can you remind us all of what it's supposed to mean?"

Madoka's hand went to his apatite bracelet almost instinctively. He clutched it in his palm, biting his lip. Beside him, Clair mimicked the motion, though her bite drew blood. She lapped it up, eyes unfocused.

Faqir laughed hoarsely, eyes watering but a grin plastered on his face. "Would you believe me if I said it raised the dead?"

Madoka reached out and brushed a hand against Faqir's back. The small gesture seemed to help the boy relax; he took a deep breath.

"Converts anxiety into practical action. Provides balance and strength during times of trouble. Relieves doubt. Geez...maybe that last part worked a bit too well, huh?"

Romano touched Madoka's arm, drawing his attention. With one last look at Eriko's body, Madoka followed Romano out of the room. He and Clair followed the butler to the bar, leaving the others to continue the investigation on their own.

To Madoka's surprise, the barstools were all accounted for.

When did it get back?

Romano stepped forwards, examining the room. He knelt by the barstool that had once been missing, staring at its base. "Master Madoka, remind me. Earlier, you did say the killer had a barstool, did you not? How did you know that?"

"O-oh, right..." Madoka's fingers played with the screws in his pocket. "U-um...it was missing when I got here earlier..."

Romano nodded. "Yes, that seems to make sense--some of the screws are missing. It appears the culprit attempted to put it back, but lost some of the screws."

Madoka's fingers clutched one of the screws. He glanced sideways at Clair, who stared blankly ahead. Her expression was distant, as if she was looking at something that wasn't real. Her body had stiffened, her whole being almost phasing out of reality.

Madoka snapped his fingers near her ear. She shook her head. "C-Clair, what's wrong?"

Clair shook her head. "...Madoka, I-I'm sorry."

Sorry for what? What is she talking about?

"I-it's okay, really. Are you alright?"

"I just..." Clair sighed. "I can't focus today. I-I can't...I'm sorry. I'm trying, it's just...why was she...why?"

Of course. It's the third body we've seen--normal people don't just adjust to that.

Even so, Madoka felt Clair wasn't telling him everything. Romano stood from behind the counter, where he had apparently worked his way around. He held out a piece of glass.

"It appears the killer may have had a spill," he announced. "Master Madoka, if you would be so kind as to check the men's bathroom for further clues. There is a chance they may have gone inside to clean it up."

Madoka nodded, drawing away from Clair. She grabbed suddenly at his wrist, clutching his sleeve in her hand as her eyes stared at the floor. Madoka patted her hand.

"It's okay," he soothed. "I'll be right back, alright?"

She nodded, still unfocused. Her grip loosened, and Madoka headed to the bathroom, swinging open the door.

The first thing he noticed was that the roll of paper towels was significantly smaller than when he had used it earlier. Whoever had been in here last had used an awful lot of them--perhaps to clean a spill, as Romano had suggested.

Aside from that, the bathroom seemed free of clues. Madoka returned to the main part of the bar, settling at one of the clean barstools. Romano examined the stolen one closely.

"There is a somewhat dark stain," he related. "I imagine the killer was unable to clean all of the blood it soaked up."

Clair's eyes flickered towards it. "Are we sure it's blood? It looks a bit like the drink from that spill."

Romano perked up instantly, glancing at her. "And how, pray tell, do you know what the stain from the spilled drink looks like? It had already been cleaned when we arrived."

"W-what?" Clair shook her head as if clearing her thoughts. "I-I didn't, I was just guessing..."

Madoka realized Romano was right--Clair's wording insinuated she had seen the drink before, but there was no sign of the spill when they had arrived beyond the remnants of a shattered bottle. When would she have seen the spill?

A jolt traveled through Madoka as he realized there was only one way.

Clair...please, don't...you wouldn't...

He had to be wrong. Somehow, they had to be wrong.

Romano didn't look convinced, but he didn't press Clair for more information. As he continued to move around the bar to search for clues, Madoka's eyes searched Clair's face for any hint of emotion.

Not a single one was reflected in her eyes--it was like she was dead.

Swallowing, Madoka tried not to focus on the upcoming trial. Something was going to go terribly wrong.

He just hoped it wouldn't happen to Clair.

Romano finished shifting through the bar and returned to stand with Madoka. "Do you know of any other places that may be worthwhile to look?"

Madoka thought for a moment. Where had Clair come out of when they saw her? Had she just appeared out of nowhere? "...The rec room. I-I want to look in the rec room."

If Clair had any sort of reaction to that location, her face didn't express it. Madoka had to drag her along to the next room as they exited the premises. She followed along as though blind, stumbling behind Madoka.

When they entered, the rec room was perfectly in order. The one thing that caught Madoka's eye was the trash can, where a couple of the paper towels from the bathroom in the bar had been tossed.

He lifted one out, examining it. Small amounts of blood were dotted into it throughout the surface--feeling it may be used as some sort of clue, he tucked it into his pocket.

Romano knelt by the doorway. "I do not see anything out of the ordinary. Have you, Master Madoka?"

Madoka shrugged. "Just these paper towels. They came from the bathroom in the bar."

Romano looked thoughtful. "You are certain of this?"

"I'm positive."

Clair mumbled something under her breath, then headed for the pool table. She touched it briefly, then suddenly withdrew her hand and began fiddling with her earring.

As her hands moved, Madoka noticed an odd stain on the side of her jacket. Romano seemed to notice the same stain--he stepped closer, peering at Clair from a distance so as not to disturb her. Madoka crept closer, examining the stain.

They both realized what it was at the same time. The two men looked at each other, eyes wide (or at least intrigued, in Romano's case). A silent vow was passed between them--they would bring this up at the trial.

Blood stained Clair's jacket.

Clair...what have you done?

---

Faqir reached up to touch his face, suddenly aware once more of the blood dripping down his cheeks. He flinched, glancing at Mercy--when she and Finnian were sufficiently out the door, he began to follow.

His head spun, but the dizziness didn't bother him as much as the horror of what had happened. Did he have something to do with this?

He felt he could remember a face if he tried hard enough. Just a flash, but his vision had picked them up--the killer. If only his memories would work.

He stumbled into a wall, sighing. "Yo, Graham. I'm trusting you not to pickpocket me, bro, but I could kinda use the support if you don't mind. I think I lost a good five inches of skull in those two attacks..."

Two? Two. There had been two, hadn't there? Faqir didn't register it until saying it out loud.

For once, he could be quite useful.

Faqir yelped at being picked up, but seemed to adjust to it oddly easily. Somewhat mockingly, he draped his arms over Graham's neck. "My hero."

As the conversation turned to their injuries, Faqir shuddered. Two attacks--the first was Mercy, right?

"Excuse you, sir, I will have you know that I have balls of steel, thank you very much. As a matter of fact I did attack Mercy." He allowed a pause for amazed gasps. None came. "...Okay, so she totally turned the tables in the first two seconds and smashed me in the face with a glass bottle. But still! And the second..."

His head was still fuzzy. Faqir was placed onto a cot; he released Graham and stared at the ceiling, trying to recall the details of what had happened.

"I think...no, definitely, Mercy went down first. I had my eyes closed at first, but when I realized she wasn't trying to strangle me anymore I opened them. I barely got a glimpse, I feel like...if I could just recover from injury, somehow I could...I can't remember," Faqir said at last. "A bit of time and I'll get it. Don't worry."

Whoever had killed Eriko couldn't be allowed to get away with it. And if it was Clair...she had a lot of explaining to do.

B*tch.

---

Madoka and Romano had just finished scanning every inch of the library just in case when the announcement played over the speakers--"Time's up! Everyone, report to the red door so the trial can begin!"

Madoka glanced at Clair, who had spent most of her time hanging in the back of the rooms. He looked at Romano, who met his eyes with a look that said, "I'm sorry, but she's definitely the one."

Madoka refused to think about it. He headed for the stairs, Romano trailing behind and Clair hurrying to take his arm. The others joined them, and as everyone piled into the elevator for the second time, Madoka couldn't help but feel Oni's comment the first time had been spot-on--this was hell.

The elevator careened to a sharp stop and the doors opened. The group went to take their places--Madoka realized more clearly now that he was standing right next to Clair. She had regained her composure for the time being, but still looked off into the distance with glassy eyes.

Monokuma popped up into his seat, rubbing his paws together. "Good, you all made it! Time for a review of trial rules. Your job is to find and vote on the blackened. If you get it right, that twerp gets punished for their unbearable crime! Get it wrong, and you all go walk the green mile instead! Now, let the trial begin!"

Madoka dreaded everything about this trial. As last time, Romano spoke up first.

"Pardon me for asking, but I was away when we received the Monokuma File and have not had a chance to review it. What was the cause of death?"

---

"'A blow to the head made by a blunt instrument,'" Vivara recited, crossing her arms.v "The time of death was around 11:09 AM, and as we all know, she was found on the casino floor, Tiger's Eye in her hands."

A somber expression passing over Finnian's face. "Right. And the way she was holding it, as well as Mercy's testimony, implies that Eriko knew she was going to die. For those who don't know, she... she was holding it to her heart. Let us pray that the Tiger's Eye gave her the strength she needed to pass on peacefully."

Vivara nodded. "Yes, let us pray."

She paused, then took a deep breath. "And let us make sure we find the person responsible for killing such a sweet young girl. Eriko wasn't here for as long as we would've liked, but for every second that she was, she brought joy wherever she went. Her smile was contagious and her passion inspiring."

Mercy held her stand for balance, heart knotting. It should've been me.

"As for finding her killer, we found some promising leads inside of the casino. Namely, these." Vivara held up a bloodstained piece of jewelry, her eyes almost immediately falling upon Clair. Upon looking closer, anyone could see that it was one of two emerald earrings that Faqir had given the Ultimate Makeup Artist. And as if that wasn't enough to point all fingers at Clair, Vivara held up in her other hand a lock of hair that had striking similarities to Clair's hair.

Mercy's eyes shifted to Clair, silently thankful she wasn't placed anywhere near Eriko's stand. Seeing her picture crossed out would only drill in the fact that she was dead, which as much as she hated to admit, Mercy had been trying to avoid from the moment she saw the girl's body.

"Clair," Vivara began, "anything to say about these?"

Clair.

Suddenly, it clicked. Mercy straightened her posture, grip tightening on her stand. "Clair asked Eriko to come to the casino. She specifically asked Madoka to bring Eriko to the casino, and when we got there, she was nowhere to be seen."

"One of the machines was cleared out," Vivara pointed out suddenly. "In the casino. Someone had taken all of the stuff out of one of the machines, making a space big enough for a small person to fit. A place small enough for someone like Clair to fit."

"Explain yourself," Mercy very nearly growled.

Oh my gosh. This is happening. This is real.

Madoka felt cold all of a sudden. He dreaded looking at the stand next to him. This was all just a horrific nightmare, right? It was all just a terrible dream, right? Clair wasn't a murderer. There was no way she was a murderer.

For her part, Clair was silent for a few seconds. She shook her head suddenly, as if composing herself. Madoka forced himself to watch her; her facial expression was calm and pleasant, but he could see the deadness in her eyes.

"Right, um...well, my good luck charm can help me explain that. Right?"

Madoka nearly fell. He clutched his stand. "C-Clair, please..."

"I'm embarrassed to say, but..." Clair's cheeks flushed, and she looked towards the floor, her eyes flickering up past her lashes every once in a while. Madoka couldn't see who she was looking at, but he could only assume it was Faqir, the one she'd been active with in the casino.

Was that what she meant? Madoka gulped.

"W-we got a little rough." Clair laughed nervously, fiddling with her hair. "I lost that earring in there long before Eriko ever arrived."

What? No...th-that's wrong...

Madoka shook. His whole body felt heavy, his head swirled, and his palms sweat. There was no way Clair had actually killed anyone, right? There was just no way.

And yet...

And yet...Eriko would...

"Isn't that right, good luck charm?" Clair smiled softly at Madoka. Madoka's eyes followed her tongue across her lips--plump, perfect...she was so perfect. There was no way. "You heard me in there. I-it was embarrassing at the time, but now you can really save me. You know that wasn't from the murder."

I'm so sorry, Clair.

"N-no...you're lying."

Clair's expression instantly changed to shock. "W-what?"

I have to do this. I'm the only one who can...

"I-I saw you..." Madoka clutched his bracelet until his knuckles were white and the stone had imprinted into his palm. He couldn't believe it. He couldn't, and yet... "I-I...I saw you after you were with that guy in the casino. You were finishing at that point and told me to get Eriko. And at that time...you still had both your earrings in."

Clair didn't move. Her body seemed frozen, her eyes returning to their glazed state.

"Oh my God, you killed her," Faqir whispered. "Clair, you b*tch! You killed her! How could you?!"

"N-no!" Clair insisted. "I didn't kill her, I swear! It was just--I don't know how I lost it, okay? I didn't kill her!"

"I want to believe you," Madoka nearly sobbed. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the incoming tears. "C-Clair...p-please, I'm begging you...please prove us wrong!"

Please, please prove us wrong...