Hope In Humanity (ON PAUSE)

Chapter 12

I followed Shuichi silently after our confrontation, we quickly made our way to the Fountain, which soon opened up to reveal an elevator. I stepped inside, but I was quick to notice how everyone else was avoiding me. Even Miu wouldn't meet my gaze. 

"Rantaro...why'd you have to die..." I whispered quietly to myself, sure there were moments when I didn't trust Rantaro, but in the end, he was a good friend to me... and my only ally, and now I was the prime suspect as his murderer. All I knew is that I had to clear my name. I wasn't the killer, so I was going to find who it was.

The elevator kept sinking farther and farther down, until it finally hit a stopping point, a few seconds passed and the bars opened up again, leading to what was a very tacky trial room. 

"Welcome my lovely students! Find the podium with your name on it! And then we can get this class trial started!" Monokuma announced. 

"Oh boy! It's finally gonna start! The main highlight of Danganronpa!" Maki excited said. "Isn't this so cool Shuichi?!" 

Shuichi's own eyes were sparkling, "I can't believe this isn't a dream..!" 

I wanted to throw up at their words and mannerism. They were excited about finding Rantaro's killer... no, perhaps they were even glad that Rantaro died. After all, it's his death that brought us here. To the place of their 'dreams'. I walked around the circle, hoping to find my name somewhere, and my spot happened to be between the tallest and the shortest kids here. I was in the middle of Gonta and Himiko. 

"Alright! Enough dawdling! Let's get started already!" Monokuma announced, laughing. "Now before we start... a basic explanation of the trial, find the blackened who killed Rantaro. If you get the blackened correct... only the blackened get's executed... if you get it wrong though... everyone else dies instead!"

Why would I sign up for such a horrible game...?  I shook my head to clear those thoughts, I couldn't afford to be wasting time on such idleness. I had to prove my innocence. 

"Isn't it quite obvious who it is though?" Ryoma asked, "I mean they were best friends, and if anyone could manage to kill Rantaro it would be-" 

To my surprise Shuichi cut him off, "Ryoma, I would appreciate it if you didn't finish. As we all should know, murders aren't exactly cut and dry, and I would like it if we didn't make any hasty conclusions before we lay out the facts." 

This was definitely not the shy, and soft-spoken detective I had first met. Although for a split second, I admired Shuichi's confidence and drive to find the truth, I realized that it's all because of this game we're playing. 

"I agree with Shuichi," Kirumi nodded her head, "So, I believe we should start with alibis?" 

Shuichi nodded, "Exactly what I was thinking Kirumi, alright so let's go in order and state our alibis, or at least what we were doing during the time of the murder." 

"I was in my room..." I offered helplessly. 

Gonta rolled his eyes, "We know. I was in the dining hall for the whole hour, Korekiyo was there for the first thirty minutes and he can confirm, along with Shuichi and Maki. Kirumi was in the Kitchen for the entire hour, and she saw me still there after Korekiyo, Shuichi and Maki had left. 

"Kehehe, it is true. I went to my dorm after 30 minutes, I thought I would only take the risk of sleeping for 30 minutes." Korekiyo confirmed. "Shuichi and Maki both saw me enter my dorm." 

"He's right!" Maki grinned, "After being in the dining hall, Shuichi and I went to our dorms to get some sleep where we saw Korekiyo also enter his dorm, I will also mention that Rantaro was most certainly alive at the time because we saw him. Shuichi and I went to our own dorm rooms as well."