Youth Center/Hotel Place

Maybe he was overreacting. Everything was fine, right? She had just gone for a little walk, and soon she would be back and they could all spend time together. No one would kill Clair--no one had any reason to want Clair dead--so she was fine, right?

Madoka leaned tiredly against the wall, slumping down to bury his head in his knees.

"M-maybe she'll come back," he muttered. "W-what should we do? I-I don't know what to do...maybe I should look for her, a-and then you can just find me if she comes back? I'm so worried about her...she was just here, I just saw her, sh-she was alive and well and everything was perfect and...and that wouldn't change so quickly, would it?"

He clutched the apatite on his bracelet, desperately wishing the "relieves grief" part hadn't been some horrible premonition.

"What do we do...?"

---

Mercy took a deep, calming breath. She glanced at Eriko and pulled her closer to her side, then looked back at Madoka. She readjusted her grip on the weights. "Madoka, calm down. If something really did happen to Clair, then we're not going to solve it by standing and panicking over what to do."

As she was talking, she realized what Eriko had said in the fitness room was right: she should take her own advice more often.

"Let's think," Mercy said. "Why don't... hmph."

In any other situation, Mercy would've agreed that Madoka go look for her while she and Eriko waited to see if she turned up on her own, but that seemed like a bad idea. Eriko agreed to come because there were going to be several people present, but if Madoka left it'd only be the two of them with everyone else being left unaccounted for.

"Just hurry and look for Clair," Eriko said to Madoka, softly. "We'll stay here in case she comes back."

"Eriko, I don't think--"

"I'd rather he check to see that Clair is okay than stay here. There's a chance that--" she paused, as if choosing her words carefully, "I don't think anything's wrong, really. Just please hurry, Madoka."

"Eriko--"

"Mercy, please."

"Right..." Madoka took a deep breath, rising to his feet. "I-it's all going to be fine. I'll find her and bring her back, and then we can all just have fun and everything will be perfect again. No one else is going to get hurt, because we all saw what happened last time and no one wants that again. No one could ever want that again. So it's all going to be fine..."

He hated how obvious it was that he was talking to himself.

Had Faqir killed her? Had he warned Madoka not to tell Eriko because he knew the Ultimate Puzzle Solver would figure him out? Had Faqir murdered Clair? Why?

Did she refuse him? Why would he...

Madoka had to find her. Nearly running, he stormed down the hallway towards the other end of the second floor to search the rec room and the library.

He had to find her.

Everything would be perfect.

No one would get hurt.

God, please, protect her.

---

"We can leave," Mercy muttered as Madoka walked out of earshot. "Eriko, come on. I said I was going to assume things were extreme, so that's what I'm doing. Let's--"

As Mercy began to walk off, Eriko dug her feet into the ground, staying put. "No."

"No?" Mercy echoed, glancing back at the girl. "Eriko. What are you thinking?"

"A lot of things," Eriko replied, eyes downcast. "We told Madoka we'd stay in case Clair came back, so we will. On the chance that something actually happened to her, then we should be there for her because she's a fellow student."

I don't care about Clair, Mercy almost blurted. She didn't have to speak, though, for Eriko to understand.

The girl gave her a look.

Mercy scowled, glancing away. It would be a lie if she said she didn't mean it.

"I do."

"You do, and that's fine," Mercy muttered, "but that doesn't mean you put everyone else above yourself. If you just told me what was going on, we could find a way to reason through this without anyone having to get hurt, I just--I need you to tell me!"

"I'm the Ultimate Puzzle Solver; I've already reasoned through it all!" Eriko cried. "Just stop already, okay?! Please! I need you to trust me when I make a decision!"

Mercy shook her head vigorously. "You--"

"I do everything I do for a reason," Eriko interrupted. "Remember that."

With that, Eriko seemed done with the conversation. Taking a deep breath, the girl secured her grip on Mercy's arm and glanced at the doors to the casino and dance hall. After a moment, she turned her gaze to the hallway, putting on a brave face.

Mercy scowled, heart still hammering in her chest.

A few moments passed. Just as Mercy began to regain what she could of her composure, someone sprung out of the casino. Eriko screamed. Without having to think, Mercy swung out of the line of fire, shoving their attacker into the wall. She paused briefly when she realized who it was--Faqir.

Something in her suddenly snapped. Grabbing him by the hair, she slammed his head into the wall again, turned him around and wrapped her hand around his throat. “You f*cking c*nt! Explain yourself or I’ll make sure you can never have sex with a girl again!”

Faqir yelped, holding up his hands in surrender. “W-whoa, whoa! O-okay, I’m sorry, bad call on my part! I-it’s just a prank, bro!”

Mercy's eyes briefly flickered to a glass bottle he'd had in his hand--it had clang'd to the floor, unbroken. He was going to attack her with it.

Voice growing oddly desperate (and terrified), he continued. “Y-you know, just testing your reflexes! Wow, that jewelry I made you must really be working, have your senses improved? That’s our Ultimate Hunter! ...Please don’t rip my balls off, I-I need those.”

Mercy stared daggers at him. "A prank? A prank? You think coming at someone with a glass bottle is funny, Faqir?"

Her eye twitched. She held out her free hand to Eriko, who had backed away from the two, trembling. "Eriko, do me a favor and hand me that bottle, huh? Let's see how funny this is."

Eriko stared at her for a moment. Warily, she crouched down and took the bottle into her hands, placing it into Mercy's own.

Without flinching, Mercy shattered the glass bottle across Faqir's face, her expression scarily dark.

I trusted you.

His hands flew to guard his face just a second too late--the shattered glass left cuts on their way down, and Faqir winced, shaking against the wall. “I-I swear, it was just--I-I figured, maybe you could use the test in reflexes? I-I didn’t actually intend to hurt you, I-I promise!”

As if suddenly aware how fine Mercy was with beating him to a pulp, he asked, “C-could you let go? I-I have no more weapons, I swear, nothing. I-I’m honestly not even strong enough to knock you out. I-I think I need to go to the nurse, a-are both my eyes still intact?”

She threw him to the side, spitting. "I sure as hell hope not. You try anything like that and I'll cut them out, you understand?!"

Faqir flinched back, squeezing his eyes shut. “I-I understand, I swear! I-it was just a misunderstanding! I-I didn’t mean to kill you or anything! God, where is Clair, she’s the one who told me--”

Clair?

Something smashed against the back of her skull, and hard. She fell into the wall, blacking out almost immediately.

Where first? The bar. It's closest.

Madoka nearly threw the bar door open. The very first thing he realized was that one of the barstools was missing--screws lay on the ground from where whoever had taken it had removed them. Madoka's heartbeat sped to unhealthy speeds.

He scooped up two of the screws and stuffed them in his pocket. Someone was out there carrying around a barstool, and he had a feeling he knew why. There was a killer on the loose--these screws might help with the investigation.

Feeling desperate, he checked the bathroom. Even if Clair couldn't get in, maybe there would be some kind of clue.

Madoka's forehead was wet with sweat. He hurried to the large roll of paper towels sitting near the sink to wipe it off.

Not here. Where next? Where is she?

"Clair?!" Madoka pounded on the door to the girls' bathroom on his way out, just wanting some kind of sign that she was alive.

No answer. Growing in desperation, Madoka headed for the library.

As he arrived, he peered into the library door, rushing inside. It was mostly empty--aside from Vivara, of course, who had spent the majority of her time there since it opened up. She was absorbed in organizing shelves in the back (another hobby of hers, it seemed), so it was likely she hadn't noticed anything--or if it had, it wasn't important enough for her to notice. Clair had not been here, and neither had the killer.

Should I warn her? No--no time now.

Ignoring Vivara, Madoka searched as much as he could before checking the rec room. It was empty.

Downstairs. Go. Hurry!

The conference rooms--had someone shoved her in there? Madoka opened both doors and found the rooms empty. He hurried to the fitness room and threw it open--no one. The gym was empty aside from Oni, who was setting up some kind of salt circle in the center of the room. She tried to engage with Madoka, but he ignored her. Next he tried checking the pool--empty.

Where is she? Where is she?!

"CLAIR!" Madoka hated the rasp in his voice. She was fine. She had to be fine.

She didn't answer. Nearly sobbing, Madoka charged for the girls' bedrooms and knocked violently on her door.

No response.

The other rooms were silent, the laundry room was empty, no one was in the arcade...

Madoka threw open the door to the cafeteria, startling Romano, who was busy wiping up crumbs at one of the tables. Madoka panted in terror, wiping the tears from his eyes as he headed for the kitchen.

"Master Madoka," Romano called, hustling after him, "what is your hurry? Has there been another murder?"

"I don't know!" Madoka sobbed, checking inside the kitchen. Still no sign of her. "Where is Clair?! Please tell me you've seen her, I'm worried sick, there's some maniac on the loose with a barstool and she's not in the casino but I swear, I just saw her, and now she's missing and I can't find her and I can't lose her--"

Romano grabbed his shoulder with surprising firmness. Madoka tensed, sniffling. He wiped his eyes on his sleeve as Romano gently led him to one of the tables and forced him to sit down.

The butler's eyes were gentle as he gazed at Madoka. "Please start from the beginning," he said. "What has happened?"

Madoka sniffled. "I-it started after the morning meeting...I was looking for Clair, and then I heard something in the casino--sh-she was there, she had just been there, she was there with Faqir and...a-and something was going on, I-I don't..."

Romano pulled a handkerchief out from one of his suit pockets, passing it to Madoka. Madoka wiped his eyes on it gratefully.

"Sh-she came out and asked me to get Eriko, because she wanted to spend some time together. I left and looked for her--she was at the fitness center with Mercy--and then she asked me to go check and find out who that guy was that I heard Clair with. That's how I knew it was Faqir, I saw him--th-then I went back down to get Eriko and Mercy but by the time we got back, Faqir was gone and I can't find Clair anywhere! I checked the bar but one of the barstools was missing...I-I've looked everywhere, someone is out there and they have a weapon and what if she gets hurt?! I have to find her, I-I can't...I-I..."

Romano was silent. Madoka buried his face in the handkerchief, trying to control his sobbing.

"I love her. I love her...I-I love her..."

Romano nodded thoughtfully. "Have you already checked all of the rooms, Master Madoka?"

Madoka shook his head. "Th-the nurse's office..."

Romano pulled Madoka to his feet, dusting off the boy's shoulders. "We shall search together. You are highly emotional, Master Madoka, and thus your perception may be warped. It is possible you missed her in your panic. I will go with you to double-check all of the rooms you have searched, and together we shall find Miss Clair and return to...where are Miss Eriko and Miss Mercy?"

"I thought Clair might come back, s-so I told them to wait for me at the casino...d-do you think something might happen to them? What if it's all some kind of diversion? Maybe Clair's been kidnapped!"

"Remain calm," Romano insisted. "We will have to hurry back to them. Come, let us check the rooms for Miss Clair and reunite with Miss Eriko and Miss Mercy. If we are careful and stay together, there is less chance we shall be caught by the killer on the loose. Does this sound like a solid plan to you, Master Madoka?"

Romano's calmness and resolve was something Madoka desperately needed--without Clair's presence, he was a wreck. Romano helped to fill the hole she left.

"Th-that sounds good. Thank you, Romano..."

"I am merely doing what I am able to as a butler, Master Madoka."

Together, the two headed out into the hallway. Madoka fiddled with his apatite bracelet, his fingers brushing the onyx set near it.

Protection from hostility. We'll be fine.

The search began with renewed vigor. With Romano's help, Madoka began meticulously checking every room, secretly dreading finding anything worthwhile.

---

Mercy shifted. Her eyes fluttered, briefly. Everything was a blur of colors.

She was awake, if just barely, but a minute or so passed before she began to register what was happening. Shifting again, Mercy groaned, attempting to hoist herself up off the ground and into a sitting position. Her head throbbed with pain. The world looked as though it were at an angle. She held a hand up to her head, closing her eyes for just a moment.

She felt like she was going to throw up all of her insides.

Eriko...

An unidentifiable feeling formed in the pit of her stomach. She turned her head, expecting the Ultimate Puzzle Solver to be standing next to her. Instead, Faqir laid unconscious on the floor, Eriko nowhere to be seen.

She stared for a moment.

"Eriko," she muttered, her voice quieter than usual. "Where...?"

The feeling in her gut quickly evolved, fear and panic now swelling in her chest. Breath catching in her throat, Mercy attempted to stand, but the second she moved everything spun with twice as much ferocity. She stumbled, hands falling against the wall for support. It was as though the ground below her was constantly moving.

I can't... Mercy held back another bout of nausea, feeling as though she was on a never-ending merry-go-round. Groaning, she steeled herself. Through the dizziness, debilitating headache, and circus ride, she made her way over to the closest door--the casino door. She rested against it for a moment, then opened it, attempting to focus her vision.

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

"No," Mercy whispered, staring in disbelief. "No, no, no, no..."

Breaking into a dizzy sprint, Mercy found herself running forward and crumbling next to Eriko's fallen figure. The girl laid on her side, blood pooling under her head and blonde hair spilling out in different directions. Her eyes were closed and her lips parted slightly, her face having completely lost its warmth. Mercy's gaze fell to the girl's hands, which were clasped together tightly, held close to her heart.

Water formed in Mercy's eyes. Her head pounded even more than before. Pain, tears, and dizziness blurred her vision. Hands shaking, she reached out to brush the hair out of Eriko's face, swallowing sobs that bubbled in the back of her throat.

Why?

Her heart raced.

"Why?" She whispered, suddenly taking the girl into her arms. Eriko was limp, her entire weight pressing into Mercy's body. In a word, she was lifeless. "Why!?"

Despite herself, she screamed out in utter anguish. "Why?!"

Sobs becoming harder to control, Mercy pulled the girl even closer to her, begging in the back of her mind for Eriko to somehow spring to life. She repeated things over and over again, unfinished thoughts becoming amalgamations of please and who and why. Finally, after all words had turned into strangled sobs, she choked out, "why her?"

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.

Vivara's hand reached up to touch the blue quartz Faqir had given her. "Balance, strength, and relief of doubt. Eriko died with the Tiger's Eye in her hands, close to her heart. Perhaps she was channeling it so that she could move on peacefully."

Finnian walked over, kneeling next to the body. "If she was holding it when she died, then that probably means she saw it coming, right? What does the Monokuma file say about her death?"

"Let's see," Vivara muttered, flipping the file open. "The Monokuma file says this: the time of death was around 11:09 AM. The body was found on the floor of the casino. The cause of death was a blow to the head made by a blunt instrument, killing the victim instantly. No additional injuries were found."

Mercy rubbed her eyes, watching as Vivara read it aloud for everyone to hear. She didn't remember when they'd gotten it, but assumed she'd just been too wrapped up in her own head to notice. Taking a deep breath, she attempted to stand, but found the dizziness was rather debilitating.

"M-Mercy?" Finnian asked, watching her warily.

"What do you want?" She muttered, hand pressing against the back of her head. The pain wouldn't go away.

Cautiously, he took Mercy's arm from behind her head and stared. It was bloody. "Vivara, I trust you can handle the investigation of this room without some of us?"

Vivara looked over at him, raising an eyebrow. "Yes, but why?"

"Mercy, Faqir and I are all going to take a fun trip to the nurse's office," Finnian explained, wrapping Mercy's arm around his shoulders so as to help her stand up. "Right, guys?"

"I'm fine," Mercy muttered, pulling away from him. Contrary to her statement, however, she stumbled backward, balance non-existent. Finnian caught her arm, using all of his strength to keep her upright.

"I'm sure you are," he replied sarcastically. "Come on."

She scoffed, but found herself leaning into him for support. He helped over over the door, then glanced over at Faqir, seeming to be thinking. "Graham, can you help me out?"

Graham blinked, then nodded. "Yeah. What do you need?"

"Can you help Faqir if he needs it?" Finnian asked. "Something tells me there's more wrong with him than meets the eye. Not personality-wise, I mean, just--you get it."

Mercy thought, trying to recall what had happened with Faqir before she'd been knocked out. It took a moment to come back to her. "I'm fairly certain I smashed a glass bottle across his face."

Finnian blinked. "You what?"

Her response was delayed. "It was with good reason."

"Yeah," Finnian muttered, leading them toward the door. "I'm going to have to ask you about that after I make sure your head is still intact. Let's try and hurry, okay?"

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.

---

"Sure, bro," Graham said, walking over to Faqir, who after a brief moment of contemplation, he ended up carrying bridal style. "This probably feels awkward, but it's faster, and also there are stairs ahead of us. Stairs are dangerous."

Finnian blinked, seeming suddenly aware that there were in fact stairs ahead of them.

Mercy gave him a look. "I'm trusting you not to drop me, nerd."

"I-I'm not making any promises," Finnian replied immediately. Considering he was a fairly scrawny science nerd and she was someone who made a career out of shooting guns, he was already having a bit of trouble keeping her upright in the first place, but was somehow managing.

Graham quickly caught up with him, seeming relatively unaffected by Faqir's weight. Mercy imagined his experience in hauling piles of gold was contributing to that somehow. "We should hurry. We only have until the trial starts to make sure they're not about to die, right?"

"They should be okay, but yes," Finnian replied, attempting to quicken his pace. Mercy managed to keep up with him, though it was clear her coordination was severely off. "And I hate to drill you guys when you're like this, but it's kind of important. What happened? Or more specifically, how did this happen? Did you guys do this to each other?"

Graham thought. "Well, Faqir. You mentioned two fights, right? Assuming one was with Mercy, what was the other about?"

All the sudden, Mercy felt like she was forgetting something. The feeling confused her at first, but the more she thought about it, the more it began to bother her. She absentmindedly broke one hand away from Finnian to check her pockets. She felt her handbook where it always was, and...

...Eriko's handbook. It was missing.

"Eriko's handbook," she repeated aloud. "Sh-she gave it to me. She--she knew someone was after her, and she was scared, and she gave me her handbook, but it's not here anymore. Where did it go?"

Finnian perked up. "Wait, she knew someone was after her?"

"Yes," Mercy confirmed. "I-I can't remember when, but she came to me. She asked me to stay with her in case anything happened, and then Madoka asked us to...Clair. Clair."

"What about Clair?" Graham asked.

"I don't know," Mercy admitted. "Just something. Clair has something to do with this, and I know it."

Finnian nodded, taking in everything Mercy was saying. "Alright, let's see. According to what you're saying, Eriko knew that she was going to die, or that someone was after her. Out of fear, she asked the Ultimate Hunter to stay with and protect her. On top of that, Eriko gave Mercy her handbook, which is now missing."

He paused, thinking. "Somewhere in there, you ended up getting into a fight with Faqir. We're not clear on what happened there yet--maybe he knocked you out, or... I don't know. Faqir also mentions a second fight, which opens things up to other options, so there's that too."

Graham pursed his lips. "Maybe this is just me, but I find it kinda hard to believe that Faqir of all people had the balls and the smarts to knock out the Ultimate Hunter. Even if he got the jump on her, I don't think he could've won."

"Good point," Finnian muttered. "Then maybe the third party had something to do with it? I don't know."

Graham paused. "If Mercy was protecting Eriko, then they were probably together, right? Do you think it was actually Eriko who threw some punches?"

"No way," Mercy muttered, shaking her head. "She was terrified the entire time."

"Terror is a great motivator," Graham pointed out. "But she is kind of tiny. I don't know that she'd be able to dish out any moves strong enough to really do something."

Finnian shrugged. "With a good enough weapon and enough strength, you could do some decent damage to anyone."

"True," Graham replied.

They'd finally arrived at the nurse's office. As Graham laid Faqir down on one of the cots, Finnian assisted Mercy onto another and almost immediately took to the shelves.

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...

---

Mercy closed her eyes, trying to think through the cloudiness in her mind. All of the evidence was stacking against Clair, which felt right, but there was something wrong at the same time. She pursed her lips. "Faqir, why did you attack me? You came out from the casino like you knew we were going to be there."

She paused, rubbing her forehead. "Right. I should probably mention for those who don't know that Eriko confronted me after the morning meeting, afraid that someone was going after her. She refused to tell me who, but asked that I stayed with her all day as a bodyguard of sorts. I did, and everything was fine until we went to the casino, and..."

Vivara tapped her chin. "You said Eriko knew her would-be attacker. If she did, it doesn't make much sense that she'd come to the casino upon Clair's request, assuming Clair is the murderer here."

Mercy frowned. "Eriko did not want to come. She only reluctantly agreed after hearing that Faqir and Madoka were coming too, and even then she still seemed terrified by the idea. In fact, if I'm remembering correctly, the only reason she was going in the first place was because she felt bad for Madoka. She was half-convinced her intuition about someone wanting to kill her was paranoia, anyway."

Vivara raised an eyebrow. "Why was she worrying about Madoka?"

"Something about Faqir and Clair getting it on and him being jealous and awkward," Mercy replied.

So Eriko had known--that was why she was so reluctant.

Madoka felt a weight press down on his shoulders. The tension was thick enough to slice, but he couldn't muster the courage to do so.

"You used us!"

Conversely, Faqir didn't seem to have trouble talking at all. Madoka was glad of it--he wasn't sure he could handle voicing his own feelings.

"You told me to attack if someone came with Eriko!" Faqir continued. He turned to address Mercy. "Remember what I said about this all being a joke and how I didn't actually intend to hurt you? She was the one who told me to! God, I can't believe I fell for it, too...you used me and you let me take the fall for you! I thought we were friends!"

I thought...I really thought... Madoka's legs wobbled. He couldn't stand it anymore--Clair couldn't have done it, and yet...

"The spill." Romano crossed his arms, eyes narrowed. "When Master Madoka and I went to check the bar for clues, we found a shattered bottle. The spill had mostly been cleaned up--however, Miss Clair commented on the spill as if she had seen it before, which would be impossible unless she had previously been in the bar when the bottle shattered. Perhaps hiding after her crime?"

Clair finally spoke up. "I was just guessing, I didn't actually know what the drink looked like! I was just suggesting that maybe the stain on the barstool wasn't blood."

"So then the answer is obvious!" Oni declared. "THE BUTLER DID IT!"

Romano frowned. "Why is it you seem to want me to be guilty? I am afraid to tell you it would be impossible. I was with Master Madoka when the body discovery announcement was made and was already cleaning during that time. I would have had to kill Eriko, clean up my crime scene, enter the cafeteria, and begin cleaning all before Master Madoka had finished one very quick, very panicked search through the hotel."

Oni seemed disappointed.

"I didn't kill her," Clair insisted. "You believe me, right, good luck charm?"

He desperately wanted to.

But the more Madoka thought things through, the more sick he got. He had been a pawn in Clair's little game too--being sent to get Eriko was obviously a diversion. She knew Eriko would be comfortable with him and that the girl's kind, compassionate heart would drive her to want to help Madoka even by putting her life at risk. She had manipulated and used Madoka as some sort of tool. After everything he had done, after he had been so terrified of losing her...did she even care about him as a friend?

An unfamiliar emotion caused him to speak up. "Your jacket."

Clair hesitated. "What about it?"

"Clair..." Madoka forced himself to continue. "You're colorblind, right?"

Clair cocked her head. "Well, yeah, but I don't see how that has anything to do with this."

"Th-the drink." Madoka's throat felt closed. He longed for a glass of water--something had to get him through this. He had to. He had to...

I can't.

To Madoka's immense gratitude, Romano sensed where he was going and continued. "The drink in the bar was spilled on you, Miss Clair. Perhaps in a panic as you were hurrying to hide your crimes. When you were checking your body for any stains, you must have missed the one on the right side of your jacket and mistaken it for part of the drink due to your colorblindness. However, those of us who can distinguish shades recognized that stain as blood."

Clair's eyes widened as she realized the severity of this clue. She looked around wildly, as if desperate for someone to speak up for her.

"That is not all," Romano continued, seeming more fired up as he went. "The paper towels in the rec room, which you came out of suspiciously soon after the announcement was made. They were dotted with blood, if I remember correctly. Blood that must have come from your earlobe after you tore the earring out--it was far too small to be from any other injury. Additionally, these towels came from the bathrooms in the bar, meaning that you must have been in there, thus connecting you to the spill. I believe this is where I am to say, 'Checkmate, Miss Clair.'"

"N-no..." Clair's eyes darted back and forth. She stared pleadingly at Faqir, who hissed at her. Desperate, Clair turned to Madoka. He faced her, eyes wet with tears and his body shaking with terror.

"C-Clair, you wouldn't..." he whispered. The apatite dug into his palm as he clung to it for dear life. "You...y-you wouldn't...s-so why did you?"

The Ultimate Makeup Artist was silent. She stared down at her stand, expression unreadable.

"It's her!" Faqir shouted. "She's obviously guilty! Monokuma, get us the vote so we can lynch this witch already! Burn her at the stake!"

His sudden personality change was jarring, to say the least. Madoka could only guess it was due to a mix of betrayal, grief, and delusions from his head injury.

Not that Madoka could blame him--his own stomach threatened to dump itself on the floor any second now.

He took a deep breath. "Clair...please, just...just tell me why. Please. I have to know."

She was still. Monokuma seemed ready to activate the voting.

And then Madoka heard it.

"...ahaha...ahahahaha...!"

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Madoka withdrew, staring at Clair in a mixture of terror and shock. Her laugh, once musical, was now stuffed with insanity and crazed intent. Out of the corner of his eye, Madoka noticed Braeden flinch.

But most terrifying...were Clair's wide, dead eyes, swirling with insanity. She was unrecognizable, her posture hunched and her body shaking. Her nails scratched at her arms, a wide, unsettling grin painted across her face. Her beauty was marred by a twisted expression, her whole being suddenly seeming replaced by someone else as her laughter echoed across the trial room.

Monokuma leaned forwards, intrigued. "Woopsy! Looks like we can't start the voting yet. Sugar's got something to say!"

"Shut up, you stupid bear!" Faqir yelled, pointing accusingly at Clair--if this madwoman could even still be called Clair. "She's obviously guilty! Let's just vote and get it over with!"

"You're wroooooong~."

Clair's voice had returned to a sing-song, childish tone that was somehow more bonechilling than Xhevona's crazed shouting during the first trial.

Faqir slammed a fist on the table. "Stop lying to us, crazy b*tch!"

"Ahahaha...I'm not lying, silly. I didn't kill her." Clair's eyes still radiated crazed intent, her smile etched into her face. "But good job connecting me to the crime! Just sucks for you that I didn't actually strike the killing blow."

Braeden suddenly seemed more alert. "Clair, what the h*ll're you talkin' about?! Ya got caught, 'kay?! Nothin' you can do 'bout it!"

"Au contraire...babe." Clair leaned across her stand, leering at him. "There's a lot I can do about it."

Braeden's face contorted. "You little--"

"Awww, Brae, baby!" Her expression switched on a dime to more mournful--Madoka could still feel the insanity floating off of her in waves. He held fast to his apatite.

Who is that? This isn't Clair. This can't be Clair. Please, don't let this be Clair...

"We used to be such good friends." Clair licked her lips, though this time the gesture seemed vaguely horrifying. "Alright, it seems you guys are ready to stop being witch hunters and listen to the truth. Stop focusing on the evidence linking this to me and focus on the facts. Fact one, the motive: do I have one? Fact two, the murder weapon: would I be able to get it out alone? Fact three, the cause of death: am I strong enough to kill her in a single blow? And fact four..." Her eyes darkened. "Who would I want to take the fall in this? A friend, or someone I already hate?"

Braeden's fist slammed onto the stand. "Clair, you better shut that pretty li'l mouth 'fore I go over there and rip it off!"

"Harassment!" Clair cried melodramatically, throwing herself against the stand. "Abuse! I call abuse!"

Braeden hissed at her. Her lighthearted giggle only made Madoka feel worse--he clutched his stomach to stop himself from throwing up all over the floor.

Draped backwards over her stand, Clair gazed at the students out of the corner of her eyes. "But really, think about this and I think you'll understand: I did not kill Eriko, but I do know who did. I wonder, can you figure it out? Or will you need my help? After all, I was the one who ordered the kill, ahaha~."

No. This can't be real. This can't be real.

This can't be real...

---

Mercy hated the fact, but it clicked.

Whatever felt wrong suddenly solved itself when another person was added to the equation--or more specifically, when Braeden was added to the equation.

"Faqir was a distraction," Mercy realized, trying to ignore how everyone shouting back and forth was making her headache so much worse. "Clair had Faqir attack me to divert my attention so that when I was dealing with him, someone could sneak up from behind and knock us both out. You knew Eriko was wary of you attacking her, so you manipulated everyone into doing your bidding so that you could get her right where you wanted her."

Vivara frowned. "Of all the people here, I would think the Ultimate Hunter and Ultimate Yankee the ones most able to kill someone with one strong blow."

"I agree," Mercy said. "And considering I was unconscious during the killing, the permanent dent in my skull and Faqir's recollection of the event serving as my proof, that leaves one person. The same person who Clair seems to be waggling her finger at, I should warn, however."

"Lastly," Mercy said, "as for motive, consider this. We all know that Eriko had a habit of sticking her nose into other people's business. The habit alone is annoying on one level, but was fantastic about Eriko was that she could easily find out all of the things we'd dread anyone ever hearing by just asking us the right questions."

Vivara seemed to be catching on. "You're suggesting that Eriko found out something rather unsavory about Clair, and that this thing was in fact so unsavory that it lead to her death?"

"Yes," Mercy replied, thankful that Vivara had finished off the thought for her. Projecting her voice so that everyone could hear was making her head pound even more.

"There's nothing to back it up at the moment, but it is entirely possible," Vivara decided. "But if we're suspecting Braeden now, what would his motive be? The same thing?"

By now, Braeden was frantic. He glared furiously at Clair, who waved to him.

“She’s insane, I had nothin’ to do with this! It was all that crazy sicko!”

Clair laughed, shooting up and whirling to face Braeden forwards. “Listen to how desperate you sound! Think about it, really--what does the killer get if they get away with a kill? Remember that, and you’ll see what I’m saying.”

Madoka swallowed. What did the killer get? To escape, right--

Oh…

“They...get to escape the school.” The realization hit Madoka like a ton of bricks. “But Clair, you...you don’t want to leave the school.”

Clair squealed, clapping childishly. “Congratulations, give the boy a prize! See now? It’s a lose-lose situation for me to kill--either I get caught and die, or I get away with it and I’m forced to leave and return to hell. So what’s a girl like me to do, huh? Huh? See if you can guess, good luck charm!”

“Shut up!” Madoka recognized the fear in Braeden’s eyes. The sight surprised him--he never imagined a guy who got into the school by intimidating others and running a whole city through an underground crime ring could be scared by a flimsy little girl.

The pieces began to fall into place.

“That guy you were with,” he realized. “In the casino. I-it wasn’t Faqir...it was Braeden.”

Everything was beginning to make sense. Madoka was right, Clair wasn’t the kind of girl who would hook up with anyone who wanted her.

She was worse.

“Wait,” Faqir blurted. “Hang on, did you think I was getting hot with Clair?”

Madoka blushed. “I-I couldn’t hear the other voice and I saw you poking your head out of the casino! S-so I just...figured it was you.”

Faqir pursed his lips. “I mean, before now that would have been a compliment, but now I’m offended that you think I would sleep with this psychopath!”

“Everyone,” Romano called, raising a hand. “As amusing as it is listening to your soap opera drama, we do have more to discuss. We still have not determined exactly how Master Braeden ties into this crime, not to mention his motive, Miss Clair’s true role, or how the murder actually takes place.”

“I couuuuld just tell you all that,” Clair cooed, resting her chin in her hands. “But it’s kinda funny watching you all scramble around! How about I give you another hint? Hey good luck charm, here’s a riddle for you: what have you got in your pocket?”

“M-my pocket?” Madoka’s hand flew into the pocket where he’d hidden the screws. He drew them out, staring at them. “...Th-the barstool. Someone unscrewed the barstool and used that as the murder weapon. When I was looking for Clair after I left Eriko and Mercy, I-I checked the bar first and found the stool missing and the screws on the floor. So...I took some with me. When Romano and Clair and I returned to the bar later, th-the stool was back but it was missing some screws. These screws. That...should be enough to prove the barstool was the murder weapon, right?”

“That, and the hints of a remaining blood stain on the cushion of the stool in question,” Romano added.

“And if that’s not enough to convince you I had an accomplice…” Clair grinned--that wide, unstable, unsettling grin--at Braeden. “Think about what you would need to unscrew that stool and how you might get a hold of one. Ooh, isn’t this exciting? I’m about to lock you in, baby!”

“Clair, don’t you dare say another word, ya c*nt!” By now, the desperation in Braeden’s eyes was breathtakingly obvious. Madoka found he couldn’t answer Clair’s question--not if it meant condemning Braeden.

“You mean the tool kits all the guys got, right?” Faqir confirmed. “We got screwdrivers and pliers and hammers and everything. I used mine a bit to make that jewelry I gave everyone. You’re trying to say that you must have had a male accomplice since you have the sewing kit given to girls.”

Clair hummed, looking pointedly at Madoka. “There’s more proof, good luck charm.”

Madoka hated being at the center of this trial. He hated being forced to disclose this information. He hated having to send someone to death.

He hated that Clair had forced him into it.

He shook his head miserably. The words just wouldn’t come. Madoka felt like he was drowning in unexpressed sobs, his body convulsing once with a hiccup.

Romano looked thoughtful. “Master Madoka, those paper towels. Did they all come from the men’s bathroom in the bar?”

Madoka only nodded, immensely grateful for Romano’s assistance. He had never been more glad to have the butler on his side.

Romano nodded. “That is the other proof you have referred to. Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that there were two persons involved in this murder--Miss Clair, and a male student selected as her accomplice. We have concluded that the weapon used was the missing barstool from the bar. However, beyond his speed and advanced physical strength we still have no damning evidence pointing towards Master Braeden. Master Faqir and Master Madoka have alibis, however--the former was unconscious when the murder occurred and the latter was with myself the entire time. This also gives me an alibi, as Master Madoka can vouch for my being far from the place of the murder when it occurred.”

Faqir looked thoughtful. “Now I’m not saying he did it because I don’t think he did, but wouldn’t Graham have the strength for this too? Like, the guy carried me no problem and seems to have no issue hefting large chairs around the hotel.”

Madoka was surprised at how quickly Braeden latched onto that.

“Ya gotta be quick an’ strong to be a thief,” the Ultimate Yankee insisted. “So if all we know is it’s gotta be a guy an’ he’s gotta be strong, ya can’t pin this just on me! And forget what that b*tch is sayin’, she’s insane!”

Clair clicked her tongue. “You guys are never going to figure this out if you keep focusing on the physical proof. Another hint: focus on the emotional."

Emotional? Madoka had a feeling he knew what she meant, but he was far too drained to even say a word. He could only hope someone would speak out so he didn't have to.

"The emotional?" Vivara echoed, tapping her chin. "Are you referring to motive? I don't remember Graham or Braeden mentioning anything in the past that could be applied here. Not anything specific, at least."

Finnian frowned. "Well, hold on. Graham, do you have an alibi?"

Graham shifted. "Uh. Not a good one. I was in my room, alone, at the time of the killing, rearranging my collection."

"I hate to point this out," Finnian muttered, "but one of Graham's motives could've been wanting to get out so he could reunite with all of the stuff that he's stolen over the years. He talks about it a lot, after all."

Graham seemed genuinely taken off-guard. "Woah, hold on a second. I know I'm crazy, but that doesn't mean I'm so crazy that I'd actually kill someone."

"Yes, well, I don't think any of us thought Clair was crazy either, but look what happened," Vivara muttered.

"I didn't kill Eriko," Graham said firmly. "Think of it this way: if I was going to kill anyone, I wouldn't do it with an accomplice. It's too risky, and even then, among other thieves I have a reputation for working alone. Not to mention, if I somehow did end up teaming up with someone else, it wouldn't be Clair. She's been way too fond of this place, and not to mention, sweet--at least that's what we thought before the death--so I'd just assume she'd tell everyone the moment I approached her."

"Wait," Faussin muttered. He'd been quiet this entire time, though he suddenly stood up straighter, something apparently catching his attention. "I get it. That's what Clair's talking about. If she orchestrated this whole thing through manipulation, then the only people involved in this are the people she could actually manipulate."

Graham snapped his fingers. "Exactly!"

Faussin nodded. "Madoka and Faqir were her friends, and to be honest, there was something else going on there too, so that's how she manipulated them. But she and Graham never really talked much aside from some minor interactions and Graham... I feel like he'd make out with a chair sooner than he would with a girl. No offense, Graham."

"I'm not sure how to take that, to be honest," Graham admitted. "But go on."

Faussin continued, nervously, his eyes falling on Braeden. "But Braeden flirts with all of the girls a ton. If we're being honest, it's kind of creepy. Clair could've used that to manipulate him, right? Didn't Madoka say something about him and Clair doing some weird stuff in the casino right before everything happened, too?"

Vivara nodded. "Clair also mentioned that she'd rather manipulate someone she hates into performing the killing blow rather than someone that's her friend. Considering their past interactions, it's safe to say Clair isn't very fond of Braeden. Of course, her and Graham weren't particularly close either, but there were never any harsh words exchanged between the two of them."

"Sorry," Finnian said suddenly, "it's just kind of hard to follow the psycho's hints and assuming she's not leading us in the completely wrong direction."

"Regardless, there's no use in not exploring it," Vivara pointed out. "Does anyone have anything they'd like to add?"

Madoka let out a breath, then immediately covered his mouth with a surge of bile threatened to come with it. Everything had moved so fast--it was still so hard to believe that Clair was even there. The woman standing beside Madoka now was a stranger.

"I..." Braeden looked around at the group, realizing that at this point, it seemed the group had locked onto him as the only viable suspect. Madoka gripped the stand--he couldn't stand the thought of someone else dying here. "She...you..."

Clair giggled, twirling her hair flirtatiously. "Look at you go. You guys are pretty good at this deduction stuff. Not a bad leap, Fauss! Yep, you're right on the nose. If I was going to have someone take the fall, they'd have to be gullible enough to fall for me and despicable enough to deserve it."

"You lied to me!" Braeden suddenly shouted, nearly vaulting over the top of his stand. "You b*tch! You promised you wouldn't tell 'em! You promised you'd take the fall! You promised I'd get home, back--back to Mom! You promised, you f*cking b*tch!"

A smirk tugged at Clair's lips. "I broke our other promise too, why stop now?"

"She made me!" Braeden insisted, eyes wavering. "I didn't even hate the girl or nothin'! She told me she'd take the fall, I just..."

Madoka swallowed, trying to clear his throat enough to get a word out.

Only one came.

"Why...?"

Clair's expression faded, her face now blank if not vaguely annoyed. "Why don't you ask the teddy?"

"Huh? Oh, right." Monokuma shrugged. "But you can't pin this all on me! You're the crazy sicko who orchestrated the whole thing! It's a great story, you should tell it!"

"Oh?" Clair smiled softly. the sight made Madoka want to bolt out the door. He pressed his head into the stand, scratching at it. "...Alright, then. I suppose we've figured everything out by now. Then, with your permission, I'll explain everything."

Please do. Madoka let out an angry sob, pounding a fist on the stand. I need to know. I need to know...

Clair eyed him, then centered her gaze on Monokuma. "...It started with a secret. A very, very important secret. A secret I absolutely must keep no matter what. Even if it means..."

Her gaze flickered to Eriko's picture at her stand. Madoka tilted his head to peer at it past his tears.

Clair took a deep breath before continuing. "...Those of you who know Eriko know she was a bit nosy. And Monokuma here was kind enough to inform me that she had uncovered something she really should have kept her nose out of. No matter what. No matter what, I can't..."

Oh my gosh. Of course. It was him. It was that bear. It was all him.

Clair bit her lip, drawing blood. "I began planning right away. There were a lot of variables, but with enough help I could account for those. First, I needed backup--a plan to get out of the situation in case things went wrong. That backup came in the form of Braeden Carmichael."

Braeden hissed something under his breath, averting his eyes. His fists shook on the table--Madoka realized his was too.

"I invited Braeden out to the bar upstairs. While we were there, I brought up that Eriko was getting a bit nosy. Some revealed cleavage, some sweet talk, a bit of flirting, and I had him wrapped around my finger. We made a deal--he would back me up and help me with this plan, including dealing the killing blow if I ordered, and in exchange I would get myself voted as the killer so he could escape. To sweeten the deal, I promised him a night alone. In hindsight, he should have realized how bad of a deal it was--if I took the fall and you all got it wrong, well...we'd all die, and that would defeat the purpose. Secondly, it's not like Monokuma would actually let us sleep together. There's a rule, after all."

Hearing Clair so callously spell it out with that vacant expression and monotone voice tore Madoka's heart in two. He buried his eyes in his sleeve, trying to drown out her voice with his own sobs.

"I needed more than that, though. Eriko was too smart to come visit me if my only other companion was a literal gangster. That was where Faqir and Madoka came in. Thanks for that, boys!"

Faqir hide his face in his hands. Madoka let out a choked wail.

I can't believe it. She really used me. She used me...

There was a noticeable pause before Clair continued. "Right after the morning meeting, Brae and I got to work. We slipped into the bar, unscrewed the barstool that would be the murder weapon, and hid it in the casino. Braeden opened one of the machines and emptied it out enough for me to hide so I could create some kind of panic or alibi for myself. I couldn't let Brae give up on me, so I gave him a little tease in the casino while we waited for Madoka. Sorry you had to hear that, but I supposed it bought me a bit of time and gave you a nice excuse to use."

Every word she spoke only hurt more. Madoka's whole body trembled.

"After I sent Madoka away, I found Faqir and brought him back to the casino while Braeden found a place to hide. Faqir was the backup for the backup--if Eriko arrived with someone else or Madoka refused to leave, I told him to attack. Supposedly, they were in on the joke--the 'joke' in this case being 'getting attacked by someone you thought was your friend'. While Eriko's companion--Mercy--was distracted dealing with Faqir, I sent Braeden out to knock her and Faqir out and get Eriko into the casino. And then..."

There was silence--thick, heavy silence. Madoka forced himself to look over at Clair.

She was crying.

Tears had begun trickling down her cheeks. She forced a smile, fake and twisted with emotion. Her eyes had faded out once more, as if she was witnessing a vision.

"I...I just didn't want her to tell anyone." Clair's lips trembled, but she continued. "I just wanted her to promise she wouldn't tell anyone. Because if anyone found out who I really am...i-if anyone knew, if--"

Her voice grew more frantic with every word, taking on an odd tone as her hands gripped her hair. It was as if the world around her had faded out--she was in her own world, and from the sounds of her cries and the horror in her voice, it was not a pretty one.

"I can't go back! I can't! I-if this gets out, he could find me! He'd find me, and then he'd make me go back! I can't go back! You have no idea, y-you have no idea how thrilled I was...t-to arrive here, to find out we were trapped but I was safe, th-this is miserable but it's not true hell! You don't even know the hell I went through, you don't know real hell until you've spent days in a row staring into the jaws of death and knowing there's no escape, there's nothing you can do, you're helpless and all you can do is hope one day he'll finally kill you! I WON'T GO BACK!"

Her hands tore out fistfuls of her hair, sobs escaping her throat and her eyes squeezed shut. Where once Madoka had felt nothing but hot fury and chilling betrayal, he felt a familiar sense of protectiveness rise in his throat.

C-Clair...what happened to you? Who are you? Who...who hurt you?

Desperate to calm her enough to get her to finish the story, Madoka feebly reached out to try and touch her. His fingers tapped the edge of her stand. Clair continued to sob into her stand, scratching at her own face until blood fell onto the wood. Clair..

"Do you get it now?!" she shouted, her voice breaking in an odd pitch. "I-I can't let her ruin everything! I worked so hard just to pry myself away, j-just to...j-just to climb that mountain and tumble into another abyss...I-I just wanted her to keep quiet! I didn't want her to have to die!"

A moment passed. Finally, Romano spoke up. "Then why did she?"

Clair was quiet, taking time to recover her wits. When she had finally recovered enough to speak without breaking, her story concluded.

"Because of Monokuma."

Madoka tried to keep himself from throwing something or cursing out the bear who sat at the judge's chair. Monokuma watched the proceedings unfold, quiet.

"H-he told me...h-he said, if I didn't...if no one died then he would...tell all of you. H-he was going to spill the secret I've thrown my entire life away to keep. I-I couldn't let that happen. I-I...just want to be safe..."

"Clair..." By now, even Faqir looked torn. He looked between Clair and Eriko's podium, fiddling with the chain around his neck. "Geez...whatever this secret is, it's so important you would kill someone for it?"

"You don't understand." By now, even Clair's voice was nearly unrecognizable. She cleared her throat, resuming her speech with the lilting tone she was known for. "I...I-I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I just...I wanted to let her go, but if she lived then...th-then I'd have to go back. I can't go back. I would do anything to stay away from there. Even if it means..."

"Even if it means condemning two souls to death." Romano looked over at Braeden, remarkably calm. "Master Braeden, have you anything to say regarding these accusations?"

Braeden remained quiet, staring at his podium. After a moment, he reached over to unhook the chain Faqir had given him from his belt loops, laying it on the stand. "...Only that they're all true. I...killed Eriko. One blow with that barstool was all it took. ...She didn't suffer. Neither of us wanted 'er to suffer."

The trial room felt bathed in negative energies. Oni began reciting Bible verses, scrambling for a vial of holy water. Her words came as practiced proclamations, as if chasing the bad energy from the room. Oddly enough, it made Madoka feel significantly more calm--or perhaps it was the apatite he clutched in his palm.

---

Mercy pounded her fist into her stand, feeling her composure start to slip.

Anyone else. She closed her eyes. That stupid f*cking bear could've taken anyone else and it would've been fine, but he just had to...

She laughed suddenly, fists clenching. "Of course."

"...Mercy?" Faussin asked, tentatively.

"Don't you get it?" She spat, a bitter smile stretching across her face. "He made an example out of her. We're never going to obtain peace here. No matter how hard we try, no matter how much we adjust, no matter how safe we feel, he's just going to find a way to sabotage it all."

Vivara shook her head. "We don't have to listen to--"

"How much are you willing to bet that he knows everything about us?" Mercy asked, her body beginning to tremble. Tears slid down her cheeks as she stood unsteadily, unstable and overwhelmed by grief. "He knew Clair's oh-so-terrible secret, didn't he? How much do you think she's done to cover that up over the years, huh?"

"That--"

"This is hopeless!" Mercy shouted.

"Don't say that!" Faussin cried back, tears suddenly forming in his eyes. "You're only going to make things wore if you do! We're stuck, and yeah, we may as well be in Hell, but just don't say that!"

Mercy laughed even louder. "Why?! You think ignoring everything is going to make everything better somehow? You know, you're a magician, why don't you just wave your magical f*cking wand and make everything better, huh?"

"I--"

"You can't, can you?! Nothing can make this better!" Mercy yelled.

"That's not true!" Faussin cried.

"Relying on the power of 'friendship' to save you, is that right?! Think about this, Fauss! More than half of us would kill another without blinking if given the right motivation! It's just up to Monokuma to find out what it is, right?"

"Stop!" Faussin demanded.

"What's your trigger, Fauss? What string does someone have to pull to make you stick a knife in someone's gut?"

"I-I would never--"

"Never kill someone?" Mercy finished. "Gee, well I think Faqir and Madoka thought the same thing before they helped Clair sign Eriko's death certificate. Isn't that right, guys?"

"That wasn't their fault!" Faussin shouted, growing oddly agitated. "Mercy, would you just lis--"

"Would you just listen?" She countered.

"I--"

"You're naive, Fauss!"

"No!"

Mercy paused, taken aback by the boy's sudden surge of anger.

He stared at her, exhaling slowly. A moment passed. Collecting himself, he continued, his voice startlingly low. "No. You can't call me naive when you don't even know a thing about me. Yes, it's true, things are terrible, but that doesn't mean we are going to give up hope. When you've fallen to the lowest of the low, when you're alone, scared, beaten, and bloody, when you'd rather die than live to see another day, hope is all that you have."

He made a movement with his hand, summoning a deck of cards from thin air. "You can always have hope--you can always have magic. When things have gotten absolutely terrible, you cling to hope and and magic, and that's how you find the strength to get through it."

"There is a way out of here," Vivara said, solidly. "And we will find it. Together."

"Viv is right. And you know what?" Faussin pulled a specific card from his deck, eyes glazing over with water as he held it up for everyone to see. "Eriko would've said the same thing."

Mercy choked back a sob, staring at the card he had pulled.

It was the Queen of Hearts.

Madoka wiped his eyes, staring with a subtle sense of awe at the trick Faussin had performed. His eyes stuck to the card--the Queen of Hearts, the symbol of everything Eriko had worked so hard for--and the longer he stared at it, the more courage began to rise.

They still had hope. They had to still have hope. If they didn't have hope, what did they have? A growing sense of dread? Hatred? Fear?

Despair?

As he looked around the room, Madoka realized almost everyone's eyes were drawn to the card. Faqir wiped tears away, his usual carefree smile springing to his lips. Romano's stone-cold expression shifted slightly to show a warmth in his gaze. Oni had stopped mumbling her verses, soaking up the light Faussin's card had brought.

The only two who still seemed consumed were Clair and Braeden. Clair had stopped screaming and her eyes seemed drier, but she continued trembling miserably against her stand. Braeden...

Braeden silently passed his chain to Vivara.

He looked around at the others, taking a deep breath. "...'Thank you.'"

Clair sniffled, looking up from her hands.

"Eriko..." Braeden paused, as if composing himself. "Eriko had some last words she wanted me to tell all o' you. ...Those words were 'thank you.'"

Madoka felt tears return to his eyes, but this time they felt different.

This time, he wept to honor Eriko's memory, not to grieve it.

Braeden stuffed his hands in his pockets, looking over at Vivara with a bored expression. "...Yo. Ya said you were workin' on somethin' with those jewels. ...So before all o' you send me to the choppin' block, I want you to promise you'll include mine."

"Braeden..." Even if he had committed the killing blow, Madoka found he couldn't hate the Ultimate Yankee. For the first time, he remembered they were all high school students, forced into something they couldn't control, forced to act to save their own skins, forced to confront a terrible reality that they could do nothing to fix...all of it was outside of them.

For the sakes of those who had acted on that helplessness, Madoka felt more strongly than ever that they had to find a way out.

Braeden looked up at the ceiling, oddly contemplative. "She was grateful to have met us. All o' us. ...Man, that one sure was a queen."

He paused. After a moment of thought, Braeden drew his hands out of his pockets and clapped once.

"Yep, that was it. Don't think she asked for anythin' else. ...Listen, ya gotta vote for someone, a'ight? An' if ya vote wrong, this world loses twelve lives instead o' one. Not like this 'one' ever contributed anythin' to society, anyways. If anythin' you'll be doin' everyone a favor pressin' that button. I've done a lotta really sh*tty stuff. ...But if a sewer rat like myself even deserves any last requests, then mine's this: you gotta get outta here. You gotta get outta this place, get back to your homes and families, and...you gotta tell my mom I'm sorry. Tell 'er I really tried to make 'er happy. Tell 'er that even if I was a mistake, I really did love 'er. Tell 'er..." Braeden took a deep breath, closing his eyes. "...Tell 'er I tried."

Clair's eyes flickered with realization. She nearly bolted upright, her face contorted. "I'm so sorry, Brae. I-I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, I-I...I'm so sorry."

"Little late for that now, Green-Eyes." Braeden offered an awkward smile to Clair, eyes sparkling. "...And one more thing, if it ain't too much trouble."

"Nothing's too much trouble for you, man." Faqir smiled at Braeden, who returned the gesture with a nod.

Oni reached out to touch Braeden's podium, eyes watering. He touched her hand.

"Then this one's the most important." Braeden cracked his neck, a fire in his eyes that made Madoka realize why he had been the Ultimate Yankee. "Kick that f*cking bear's a*s."

Faqir "whoop"ed. Monokuma looked aghast.

"Well, I never!" Folding his arms, the bear looked out over the students. "Geez! Save the emotional breakdowns for the last trial!"

Madoka surprised even himself by the words that came out of his mouth. "This is the last trial."

Braeden laughed, all previous tension seemingly alieved. "There's that spunk, kid. Keep that attitude up an' maybe you can actually escape this place with everyone else."

"B-Braeden..." Madoka swallowed. He had to say something.

"Let the voting begin, then!" Monokuma cheered. The buttons popped up on everyone's stands, and slowly, one at a time, the students locked in their picks. Madoka stared at his panel, then glanced up and locked eyes with Braeden one more time.

"I forgive you."

Braeden's eyes shimmered; he reached up to wipe his eyes, chuckling. "...Go ahead an' press it, kid."

Taking a deep breath, Madoka's finger pressed down on his choice.

...

...

...

"And there you have it! The blackened, voted in by majority rule: the Ultimate Yankee, Braeden Carmichael!"

Madoka realized the wording--"majority rule" versus "nigh-unanimous vote". He wondered in that moment just how many of the students had selected someone other than Braeden.

"As mentioned, only whoever made the killing blow is counted as our blackened, so..." Monokuma grinned. Madoka tried not to look at him. "Let's give it everything we've got! IT'S PUNISHMENT TIME~!"

Punishment. The word weighed heavy in Madoka's mind.

By the time he had decided to beg Monokuma to reconsider, Braeden was already gone.

---

---

---

---

The battlefield was a deserted street. Police sirens wailed in the background, a crowd of Monokuma robots dressed in various forms of street clothing slowly closing in on the lone human in the center.

Braeden noticed a rusted crowbar by his feet and lifted it, gaze swapping from quizzical to amused as he bopped it in his hands. A laugh escaped his lips.

"Ya gotta be kiddin' me."

As the first Monokuma launched itself at Braeden, he whirled and caught it in the ear with the crowbar, leaving a fist-sized dent in its skull. The thrill of the fight seemed to kick in--adrenaline pumping, Braeden charged the next group, mowing them aside with expert accuracy. The numbers steadily increasing didn't even seem to slow the momentum of the Ultimate Yankee, his fists, feet, and crowbar connecting smoothly with each would-be assailant as they advanced with metal pipes and iron knuckles.

Cutting down the Monokumas was surprisingly easy. Some "punishment". Ya gotta do better'n a fight to kill me, b*tch.

A light appeared near the end of the street. Laughing uproariously, Braeden charged for it, barely hindered by the always-approaching robot bears.

The light took shape into Melissa.

Braeden froze. Melissa turned, slowly, and seemed to spot him. She grinned, opening her arms.

Mom?

Barely looking, Braeden smashed an incoming Monokuma to the ground, taking cautious steps towards his mother. She beckoned him closer, her features soft.

Mom.

He broke into a sprint, kicking up dust on the way towards home. Somehow--through some miracle--their hope had been worth it. Monokuma had been soft. Did the evil creature really expect to actually hold Braeden back using something as mundane as a street fight? He'd been in hundreds--no, thousands--of those.

He was going to live. He was going to survive, get home to his mother, finally prove himself--

The Monokumas threw away Melissa's disguise just before Braeden could reach her fingertips.

A bullet surged into his shoulder, throwing him backwards a few feet.

And as the remaining Monokuma robots caught up, iron rods, iron knuckles, and robotic feet smashed him until the blood was drained from his body.

In the background, a single siren carried on into the night.