Chapter 10- First Trial

(A/N) Sorry for the SUPER long chapter. The class trials are pretty long and a lot of information was pretty important for me not to cut out.

I walked into the room with everyone else as we gazed around the room in awe and shock.

The room seemed to be large and circular as in the middle of the room were podiums standing side by side to one another as they formed a circle. The walls were decorated with a pink checkered design that seemed to be giving off a scary aura as I didn't take the time to looked amazed by the room.

Somebody here murdered Sayaka, and they knew it. I was ready to prove them guilty no matter what it takes. It was what Sayaka would have wanted... The short time we spent together while here seemed to be a memory I will remember forever. How her life was sacrificed so somebody could leave here alone. I was ready to find out who it was.

"Goodie gumdrop! Took your time I see," I looked over to see Monokuma sitting on some sort of throne on the other side of the room that could overlook everyone else's podiums below. "Be honest, now; you expected something considerably less tasteful."

"Either way, some form of death comes out of this," I said, trying to stay calm as I felt a bead of sweat drip down my forehead yet again. I felt nervous if I were to get this wrong, that meant everyone else were to die as well. And especially since more than half our class thinks Makoto was the one to murder Sayaka, I had to proceed with caution.

"Before we start... I have a question relevant to our task," Kyoko said as she then gazed at two portraits hung on two separate podiums. "Why the portraits?"

As I looked over at the portraits. I saw one holding a picture of Sayaka with a bright smile on her face as it was in black and white. She had no idea she was going to die in the later future when that picture was taken. And the other portrait. That one held Junko's sassy look as it too was colored in black and white. Both of them didn't deserve to die... Why did this have to be so cruel...

"Why not? Just 'cause they're dead, I'd hate for them to miss the proceedings," Monokuma explained as I felt myself become a bit sad for the two dead students. It felt like Sayaka was still here, waiting for us to find out who murdered her. I wanted to make her proud, even if dead.

"And the extra podium belong to whom?" Celeste asked as she pointed towards a seventeenth podium in the circle. "Counting our departed classmates, we number sixteen. Why seventeen places?"

I looked up at the bear confused as well. Was somebody else supposed to be here? Or was it a simple mistake while making the courtroom?

"You're reading too much into it, darling," Monokuma said, shrugging off the question. "The extra podium just means this courtroom is tricked out for a maximum of seventeen jurors. Speaking of which: That's all the time we've got for pleasantries. So, everyone please move to your assigned podiums, and ladies and gentlemen, time to get judicial!"

We then all went to where our assigned podiums were and I found mine standing next to Taka and the dead portrait of Junko beside me. When looking over at her smiling photo, I felt fear rush through me. I worried what might happen if I were to get this wrong. We would all die, except the murderer. I didn't want to die... Nobody really does... But I had to find out who murdered Sayaka, who didn't deserve to die so that me and everyone else could live.

Standing on the podium made me nervous as I gazed at everyone else standing on theirs as well. I felt like I was on a show and all the pressure was put on me as I tried to stay calm.

"This is jacked up... Nobody here really thinks one of us killed her?" Makoto asked as he gazed nervously at everyone.

"It has to be one of us. No one else could have killed her except some idiot coward here," I said with crossed arms as I glared at everyone around the room.

"Right. Everybody close your eyes! If you're the murderer raise your hand!" Taka said as he closed his eyes tightly.

"Are you an idiot! They aren't going to reveal themselves that easily," I said to Taka as he opened his eyes again and shot me a glare before I turned away. How did he think that the killer was that dumb to just raise their hand in front of everyone else. The killer made an almost perfect crime. Except for when they left the sleeve behind along with Sayaka's dying message. I just had to think through this...

"Enough chit chat! Commence debating for your lives!" Monokuma announced as I felt the sudden pressure throw itself on me. Debating for my life, I either get this right, or die.

"So, uh... How does debating work?" Aoi asked nervously as I saw a drop of sweat move down her face. I never actually done debating before, it would be hard knowing how to start off.

"Knowing where to start's half the battle," Hifumi commented.

"Well, I suggest we begin by considering the murder weapon, itself, see where that takes us," Kyoko explained as I tried to remember the image of Sayaka's dead body. It sickened me a little bit still as I tried to get a grip of myself and remembered where the knife was taken from.

"We can be sure it was the weapon because of where it was found... Sticking out of the victim's mid-section is not generally where a knife is kept!" Taka practically yelled as I tried to ignore him to think about it.

The knife was sticking out of Sayaka's stomach, ending her life. Where it originally came from was the kitchen. How I knew that was because one knife is missing from the rack inside there. And Sayaka was the one to take the knife. But that didn't seem to add up. Why take the knife that would end your life?

"Congratulations. You're good," Mondo said sarcastically to Taka.

"It's a vital pieces of information," I said in a sigh as I put together my thoughts.

"What?" Mondo asked, completely confused. Geez, he was an idiot. Seems I had to explain it all since half these people couldn't find out a simple clue.

"The knife came from the kitchen. One was gone when me and Naegi checked during the investigation. The murderer most likely took it to end Maizono's life," I explained.

"So does... that mean anyone who was in the kitchen last night is a suspect?" Aoi asked. And of course, that would make me, Sakura, and Aoi possible suspects, but that wasn't the case. Because I knew neither of the girls took the knife, it was Sayaka.

"Whatever. Naegi is the killer, remember," Leon said with his shoulders crossed and I looked over at him with a furrowed brow. We couldn't jump to conclusions too soon. Why did he seem to be hurrying this?

"Actually, Naegi wasn't the one to take the knife last night," I started to explain as everyone looked over at me. "How I know this is because, me, Sakura, and Aoi were in there before night time."

"Seems I wasn't the only one to notice it then, huh?" Aoi said and looked over at me and I gave a sharp nod to her. Thank goodness I wasn't the only one to notice the knife disappear.

"We were there until late... Enjoying a lovely evening tea, as it happens," Sakura explained as I remembered the nice cup of tea I had that knife, when everything was completely calm and quiet and nothing violent happened yet.

"Haiyū and I were on edge... Sakura was nice enough to keep us company," Aoi explained as I then remembered why I had tea with them, because of my video...

"Well, what if you three all did it? If you teamed up... you'd just have to keep your stories straight!" Toko scoffed as she gave all three of us angered looks. How could three people commit a murder?

"Oh, please note: if two or more people team up to commit murder, only the actual killer is eligible for graduation. No exceptions," Monokuma explained as I noted this. So, there was no point in teaming up with somebody since they got nothing in return for if the killer graduates, the accomplice would get killed with the rest of us. Only somebody crazy enough would do that.

"Yes, it's clearly stated in the rules," Byakuya said. How could I have missed that?!

"I see... In other words, no one stands to gain anything from opting to team up," Celeste said while looking deep in thought.

"If someone was crazy enough to team up with another, they would just get killed with the rest of us then if the killer graduated," I explained.

"Yeah, fine... Then stop beating around the bush and tell us who took the knife already!" Toko demanded as she glared at me, Aoi, and Sakura.

"We were there and witnessed its removal," Sakura explained. Sayaka had to be the one to take it... Sakura and Aoi knew that as well.

"Yep, they came while we were drinking our tea together," I explained.

"Why did you not mention this sooner?" Byakuya asked me with his shoulders crossed. And I looked back with a smirk. I told him I had evidence to prove Makoto innocent, and here was one.

"Because I don't want my words used against me," I explained as I went back to my stern and serious look. "The person who took the knife is... shocking. But, it was definitely Maizono."

"Wait, what?" Makoto asked while giving me a confused look. I was confused as well. Seeing Sayaka take the knife that ended her life struck me as odd.

"There was no denying it was her," I said in a sigh. "She came into the kitchen while the three of us were drinking our tea. She didn't seem very suspicious as she moved passed us and to the fridge. But, when she left, I saw the knife behind her back. Maizono wasn't being very sneaky when trying to hide the knife. I spotted it right away."

"So the victim procured the weapon that would soon end her life!" Taka said as he seemed a little surprise by it.

"Of course. Yeah.... She must've wanted it to protect herself!" Makoto said with a hopeful voice. At the time she didn't know someone was going to attack... I had a feeling I knew why she took the knife...

"That being the case... The very thing she thought to fend off her attacker with proved her undoing... Simple, tragic irony at its finest," Byakuya explained and I had to agree with him for once. Sayaka took the knife and tried to protect herself, when the tables turned and she was killed.

"Yeah, no kidding," Makoto said sarcastically.

"All the same, Naegi... You're still rather far from clearing your name in this bloody business," Byakuya then said as I looked back at Makoto. He was innocent. I knew it. I knew it and I was ready to prove it with my next piece of evidence.

"Ah-ya! See?! There's murder written all over his face!" Toko said as she pointed a finger at Makoto.

"Damn it, I told you it wasn't me!" Makoto said with anger filling his voice.

"I agree with Naegi. There is no way he could have done this," I said as he gave me a small smile and smiled back before turning to everyone.

"Seems he was able to woo Miss Henka to speak in his favor. I wonder what it was he showed her for her to speak in his defense. I rather interesting choice, sir," Hifumi said with a perverted smile. "But, I am already satisfied with the art of 2D girls!"

"I'm not speaking in his favor at all!" I said while looking kind of shocked at what Hifumi said about me. "I found evidence to prove that he wasn't the culprit."

"Yeah? And what would that be, princess?" Mondo asked me.

"The doorknob. It was technically broken apart so the killer could get inside," I explained when remembering the state of the doorknob.

"What are you driving at?" Celeste asked me with a furrowed brow. I sighed. I had to explain everything, didn't I?

"The doorknob to my shower was thrashed. I saw it," Makoto explained.

"In matter of fact, it did look like it'd seen better days," Hifumi explained.

"So?! What is that supposed to prove except he broke it to get at his prey?! Animal!" Toko said as she gave her usual agitated glare at Makoto.

"It convinced me that Naegi didn't commit this crime," I explained as I seemed to grab everyone's attention. "It seems you are all idiots to not realize this. The boys' bathrooms don't have locks to them. Only the girls' do. So, the killer would have no trouble getting inside the bathroom."

"But, then why'd the killer have to go to the trouble of breaking the doorknob to get at Maizono?" Chihiro asked in a small voice.

"Because my door's wonky," Makoto explained to everyone. "There's a trick to opening it. They didn't know... figured the door was locked... For all intents and purposes, to them it was a girl's room... They'd have thought the only option was to bust the doorknob."

"If Naegi were the murderer, he'd have been aware and simply walked in," Kyoko concluded as I sighed in relief. At least I proved Makoto innocent.

"So, Naegi couldn't have committed this murder. Somebody else had to. And I think I can narrow down the list of suspects," I explained. "If I'm correct, only the boys got toolboxes while the girls had sewing kits. If you look closely at the broken knob on the door, you can notice two screws off it. Only boys with toolkits could've done this, meaning our list suspects dropped down to a male."

"I see. So, it seems our suspects have dropped down irrationally," Celeste said as she seemed to be looking at all the guys in the room. "Well, moving onto another matter. Let us assume the murderer is someone else...Where would they get the idea that the door was locked? We're they not aware that the two switched rooms? And why be there if they didn't?"

This is where the nameplate swap came into play.

"That's the point... From the evidence, I think we can safely assume the killer believed he was actually in Maizono's room," Kyoko explained.

"Let me get this straight... You're saying the culprit was in the dark about the room swap?" Celeste asked Kyoko as she put her hands into a thinking position.

"Please... We were all in the dark about it!" Toko said harshly, stating the obvious.

"It's true the killer didn't know that the two switched rooms. But perhaps they were tricked into entering the room believing it was Maizono's," I explained as I too was tricked into believing that Makoto's room was Sayaka's when going to get her, and that's when I found her... dead.

"Now that I think about it... if Maizono was freaked out like Naegi says, how'd the killer get into the room to begin with? She wouldn't have let them in," Aoi said and I agreed with her. If Sayaka was really scared, then she wouldn't open the door for anybody. But, perhaps Sayaka was putting on an act. Deceiving Makoto into believing she was in trouble when she wasn't at all.

"Was the locked picked?" Chihiro asked.

"Not possible. The tumblers are all reinforced electronically," Taka explained as I remembered seeing that inside the digital notebook.

"Then, there is only one explanation that can explain how the killer got into Maizono's room..." I started as I saw almost everyone gaze at me confused. "Oh, come on! Use your heads for once! It's obvious that Maizono let the killer in herself."

"You really think that, Henka? We've been over this; she was too scared to open the door," Makoto explained to me as I looked at him calmly. Of course he would try to ignore the fact the Sayaka clearly let them in herself.

"Naegi, you may have the right to think that. But, it's the only logical explanation," I explained to him as he shook his head softly at me. Come on, Makoto! Just admit it! She opened the door and allowed the killer to come in!

"I know what I saw. When she came to me... she was practically in tears. Whatever she did, she wouldn't open the door. She promised not to open it up to anybody even if it was me. I don't know about you, but I have a pretty hard time believing she's answer the door after saying something like that," He said and I rolled my eyes softly. Even though I was fond of Makoto, it seemed he liked to ignore the truth.

"Naegi, let's not forget I'm an actress. I have a gift of telling when people are lying or not. And in this case, Maizono was definitely trying to put on a show. You told me she came into your room after telling you that she heard someone banging on her door and then suddenly disappear. Whatever you saw in her eyes was a ruse. She was acting. And you fell right for her trap," I explained calmly, as if not to hurt Makoto's feelings. But he seemed pretty offended by what I said.

"No! She wouldn't lie to me! Maizono and I were friends!" Makoto practically yelled at me as I crossed my arms lightly.

"Yes, I will grant you, it is an unpleasant possibility to consider..." Kyoko said as she suddenly pulled out a piece of journal paper and shaped it to everyone. On the paper was black chalk rubbed all over the white page to show writing against the blackness.

Please come to my room after night time. Make sure you check the nameplates so you make it to my room: Signed Maizono.

"What's that supposed to be?" Makoto asked with a confused gaze after reading the letter.

"The impression of a letter she wrote," Kyoko answered as she handed the letter to Makoto for him to see clearly. "I found it on the notepad in your room... I'm sorry. Are you trying to say it was you who wrote this?"

"No... It wasn't," Makoto said as he gazed down at the paper. Sayaka must've wrote it while in his room, probably to a certain somebody in this courtroom, and I think I figured out why.

"Of course not... I thought as much. As you can see, the signature is quite legible," Kyoko explained as she pointed out Sayaka's signature at the bottom of the page.

"I don't get it. Why would she...?" Makoto started but stopped mid-sentence. It was about time I explained it.

"She wanted to lure someone here to their death," I answered as I heard a few gasp. "But the odds weren't in her favor."

"Someone would have to be dead inside to overlook a personal invitation from a teen idol of Maizono's caliber... That is... unless they were already perfectly satisfied with those of the 2-D variety," Hifumi said as if somewhat proud of himself. Well, I could name one person here who seemed to be dead inside as I gazed over at Byakuya before looking away quickly.

"Yes, but... The note clearly says to come to her room.... So there we have it then, don't we? She wasn't in her room," Celeste explained.

"Right. Whoever it was would've gone to where Naegi was by mistake," Chihiro said nervously.

They both seemed to prove a pretty good point. But the words on the note rang in my head. I looked over at Makoto quickly. "Can I see that note?"

"Uh, sure," Makoto answered as he handed me Sayaka's note.

Just what I thought: Make sure you check the nameplates. This showed exactly how Sayaka was able to get the murderer to come to Makoto's room.

"Seems you figured it out too, Henka?" Kyoko said as I gazed up from the paper. "Want to share what you found out?"

"Actually, I do. The note specified for her victim to check the nameplates so they wouldn't mistaken the rooms," I explained as I looked at everyone in the room. "Before we knew Maizono was dead, I went to what I thought was Maizono's room to find her dead. But, it was really Naegi's. How I got this wrong, you may ask? It's because Maizono switched the nameplates and I entered Naegi's room by accident. So, all the killer had to do was look up at the nameplates and tell immediately that it was Maizono's room. And that explains how they thought the bathroom door was locked as well, because they thought it was a girl's room."

"So then she was luring someone it to Naegi's room..." Chihiro said in her usual small voice.

"Well, if memory serves... I believe that the phrase tossed out a little earlier was 'luring someone to their death'," Byakuya said.

"It seems like Maizono did just that," I said as I handed the note back to Makoto.

"And it's the only logical conclusion left... Of course, that points the finger away from Naegi," Kyoko finished as I felt happy I was correct about Makoto not being the killer.

"Fine. Whatever... So who killed her?" Leon asked as he scratched the back of his head.

"Isn't it obvious? Whoever she invited to my room turned the tables on her... Got to her first," Makoto explained as I remembered the state of the room.

"She worked up quite a fight against the murderer. You can tell by the state of Naegi's room with the scratches against the floor and wall. Maizono must've ran into the bathroom once she realized she was going to get killed. And the killer used a toolbox on the doorknob once it didn't open, getting to her and killing her," I concluded as I thought about what she intended on doing. "She was expecting that she would be the one doing the killing."

"Far from the worst of gambits," Byakuya said with his arms crossed. I raised my eyebrows slightly... Did he just agree with me?! "Once the deed was done, she'd have an out... to pin it on you." Byakuya then turned to Makoto.

"She'd never do tha-!" Makoto started with an angered look.

"I'm afraid she would, Naegi. People can play your emotions like a toy. You were vulnerable and Maizono took advantage of that," I interrupted with my arms crossed. Makoto most likely had a crush on Sayaka. Not admitting she was the one who wanted to pin a murder on Makoto seemed reasonable. But he needed to realize that people know how to act and deceive people, I know how to do that better than anyone else.

"Why would she even do such a horrible thing to-" Makoto started again as he tried to argue with me while giving me a very pissed off look.

"Oh, please... Wake up! What could she have been up to if not that? Her fatal misstep, of course, was inadvertently giving her prospective victim the opportunity to fight back," Byakuya said harshly to Makoto.

"They got the first strike with that katana!" Yasuhiro said.

"Actually, the killer used it to protect themselves because Maizono was going to kill them if they did nothing about it. Which shows how Maizono broke her wrist," I explained when remembering the katana laying on the floor in two pieces.

"Yes, the damage to the sheath implies as much..." Byakuya said as he looked down, deep in thought. "Had things gone according to plan... Maizono would be here standing here now, pointing the finger at Naegi."

"I trusted her... Why would she..." Makoto said in a small voice as I saw tears come to his eyelids. It must hurt to see a friend betray him...

"Why wouldn't she? It was an ironclad way out of here, was it not?" Celeste explained.

"She saw the motive along with everyone else here. Maizono saw an opportunity and took action," I explained as I remembered my own video... My dead sister...

"If we omit the fact that it was a spectacular failure, yes. Poor fool," Byakuya said as he looked over at Sayaka's picture. So, Sayaka did deserve to die... Should I really avenge someone who's first idea was to kill another person?

"Don't talk about her like that!" Makoto yelled at Byakuya with an angered expression.

"Oh, I'm sorry. You have a reason to defend her?" Byakuya asked with a stern expression.

"No, but still-!" Makoto started as his expression seemed to rise even higher in anger for how bad Byakuya was speaking of Sayaka.

"Calm down, Naegi," I said. He looked over at me before calming down a bit.

"This isn't the time to argue. Focus," Kyoko said in a sigh to Makoto.

"Yes, quite right. The murderer is still at large, and time is short," Celeste said calmly as I thought about anything else I found while looking around in my investigation.

"Let's get to it, then. It's one of us," Byakuya said.

"Well, duh! But how the hell do we pick?!" Yasuhiro asked while looking worried.

"Ugh! We're all goners! I know it! I'm too young to die! It's not fair!" Toko said while tugging on her braids and looking really nervous.

"Actually, we aren't goners just yet," I said and grabbed everyone's attention. "It seems you guys are looking passed something."

"What the hell are we missing?" Leon asked with a nervous look that I found suspicious.

"I think I know what Henka means," Makoto said beside me. "Maizono left us a message... Not the one on the notepad."

"She left us a dying message. One scrawled in blood on the wall behind her," Kyoko explained as I remembered the message: 11037. But what did it mean?

"You mean that random string of numbers?" Aoi asked.

"That's it! I got it!" Makoto said and I turned to him in confusion, what did he figure out exactly? "The message wasn't a string of numbers! She wrote out her killer's name!" I felt myself gasp as I remembered the numbers. 11037 kind of looked like...

"Flip the numbers around and what do you got: Leon," I finished as I gazed over at Leon who seemed to be sweating a lot.

"Wouldn't you know... That's your name, isn't it?" Makoto asked Leon. "Leon Kuwata."

I knew it! He seemed suspicious from the start. I just ignored it at first when he sweated a lot and acted pretty out of character, but now I couldn't help but notice it.

"So, Leon, if you got anything to say... Now's the time," Makoto said to Leon as he seemed nervous and gave scared looks to all of us.

"You killed Maizono, didn't you?" I asked Leon as I tried to stay calm by gripping hold of my podium's wooden arms and held onto it tightly to try and keep my expression the same. He was the one who murdered my friend. He was the one who put the knife through Sayaka's heart so that he could leave this hell hole! Why couldn't he die already...

"Gimme a break! You're seriously listening to this lying little punk!" Leon said with widened eyes as he turned to everyone else for support. Everyone else seemed mad at Leon's deed. "Maybe someone's trying to frame me! You think of that? Everything you've got is circumstantial!"

"Is it by circumstance when you tried to destroy the evidence?" I asked as I remembered the incinerator. Almost everyone else gasped at this.

"Somebody explain!" Taka said while looking confused.

"Yeah, of course! She means the charred pieces of shirt and glass ball fragments me, her, and Togami found in the garbage room!" Makoto explained.

"Of course. The piece of clothing left behind was his," Byakuya said.

"Y'know, come to think of it, I haven't seen my crystal ball in a while... Think that's what happened to it?" Yasuhiro asked us all. It was most likely the case.

"Seems we figured it out then," I said with a smile as I looked over at Makoto. "Seems our killer couldn't get to the incinerator on his own without the key to the gate down there, which Yamada had at the time. So, he used a glass ball to start the incinerator. And, the only person I can think of who has these skills is a super high school level baseball player such as yourself, Kuwata. You also threw your shirt in there because it had blood stained on it, but a piece was burnt off and left at the foot of the incinerator for me, Naegi, and Togami to find the next day."

I looked over at Leon as I finished explaining and he seemed to be shaken to his core as he looked down at the ground with his eye twitching like crazy.

"You stand accused. Now'd be the time to object," Kyoko said to Leon as he looked back up at us.

"Object? Hah. Yeah.... Let me think about that. You're damn right I object! This all a bunch of BS!" Leon yelled as his face turned red and he gave us all a pissed off look.

"You're the only one here with the athletic chops to throw Hagakure's glass ball far enough and hard enough to hit the incinerator switch and you know it!" Makoto argued with Leon.

"Yeah! Nice try, but screw you! What about Yamada?! He's on trash detail! He could've unlocked the gate!" Leon yelled as his face got even redder, if possible.

"The glass ball wouldn't have been needed then!" I yelled at Leon. "He could've walked up there and turned it on without needing to throw a glass ball to activate it!"

"Ha-ha! You must think you're soooo smart to think you could trick me into fessing up! It's all circumstantial!" Leon yelled at me as I tried to stay calm. God dammit, just admit you killed my friend so I can make this easier. "What?! Are you going to make something else up!"

"Care to explain the bathroom doorknob then? I'm sure if you aren't the murderer, you can show us your tool box!" I yelled at him, almost to the top of my lungs with how pissed he was making me. He stayed silent as I then saw his face turn from red to a pale color in less than seconds as his eye twitched uncontrollably. "If you aren't the killer, you can show us your tool box to prove your innocence..."

Leon stayed silent as his face grew more pale by the minute and looked as if he were trying to make up some other excuse as of why he couldn't have been the killer. But I knew the truth, and so did everyone else, he killed my friend. He killed my friend Sayaka and he knew it! He deserved to die! He deserved any last minute punishment he was going to get.

"Bear in mind, if it's been used, prepare to explain... In minute detail and until every last one of us is satisfied," Byakuya said to Leon as he continued to stay silent. "Predictable. He has nothing to say in his defense."

I looked over at Leon as he continued to stay silent. What now? How did I vote him guilty and send him off to whatever punishment was waiting for him. I wanted him to pay for what he did to Sayaka.

"I'd say you kids have hashed this one out nicely... Major kudos!" Monokuma laughed as he stood up in his chair and overlooked everyone else. "Let's now move onto Voting Time! Kindly lock in your votes by pressing the switches there in front of you. Who's the guilty so-and-so? Feel good about your final choice?"

I gave Leon one last disgusted look as I looked beside me to see a lever stand out against the wood. I put my hand towards it and locked my vote onto Leon. I couldn't believe it. He murdered my friend. One of my friends here and now one less person to hang out with, or talk to, or turn for trust... Because of Leon. The piece of shit. I couldn't wait to see what terrible way he was going to die.

"And the award goes to... Correct! Well done, peeps! Sayaka Maizono murderer was indeed... Leon Kuwata!" Monokuma announced as we all looked over at Leon with looks of anger and disgust.

"I didn't want to... She was... I mean, she was trying to kill me, right? I just.... I didn't know what else to do, okay?" Leon said weakly as he gripped onto the wooden surface of his podium while looking down at the ground. I then watched as he sobbed and tears fell down his face.

"Right, is there you have it! Excellent job dispensing tough justice; and I mean that..." Monokuma said with a cheerful voice as I continued to gaze at Leon sobbing into his podium. "Moving on now to the punishment phase!"

I then saw Leon's eyes widen as he stood up and looked over at Monokuma with a pale face. "No! I didn't have a choice! The crazy shank was gonna kill me, what was I supposed to do?! I-I'm not really a murderer."

"Cry and beg all you want! Rules are rules! Now, for the all-star athlete Leon Kuwata, shows talents behind the plate certainly held more promise than his career as a lady killer, I've come up with a very special method of execution... Play ball!"

I looked over at Monokuma with my hands shaking as I then heard Leon five a high-pitched scream before a chain wrapped around him and yanked him away from the trial room.

And before I knew it, we were watching Leon's execution. We all stood behind a chained fence as Leon was tied to a metal pole that seemed to be in the center of some baseball field as he was sweating like crazy as Monokuma moved up to the familiar plate for baseball and a machine started in front of him. Monokuma raised a baseball bat in a swinging position as the machine started to dispense ball and aiming themselves at Monokuma.

Monokuma swung the first baseball as it landed on Leon. As another came. And another. Hitting Leon all over as one after another continued to shoot out of the machine and towards Monokuma as baseballs began firing themselves like a machine gun as Monokuma swung each baseball right at Leon hitting him all over the place.

I tried to cover my mouth as my hands shook uncontrollably while watching this. The baseballs continued to make contact with Leon's skin until finally... He went limp. His body didn't move anymore as a baseball fell to the floor splattered in blood.

I tried to stop myself from throwing up suddenly as my face turned pale and sweat went down my forehead. He was dead. He was really dead...

And that was only one death from what was yet to come...