RE:WR CHAPTER 1 TRIAL

RE:WIRE RETRIBUTION TRIAL 1: IZANAGI TSUKADE

Monokuma: “Nice, huh?”
The room you step into is oddly lavish; expensive looking red curtains cover the walls, gleaming monochrome tiles the floor, and what seem to be solid wood witness stands sit arrayed in a circle in the centre. Monokuma has claimed the only chair in the room, a throne at the far side of the room. It waves jovially from its seat.
“Come along, come along kids, take your places next to Tsukade.”
Your stomach lurches as you recognise the portrait of Izanagi suspended behind one of the stands. His face is smiling. Covered in blood.
“The final verdict is in your hands. Vote with your head. Be smart. Be careful.”

TRIAL START
Nami Tsukade approaches her position, carefully impassive as she takes her place next to the portrait of her brother. It wouldn't do to start crying now.
Nami Tsukade: Let's get started, then.
Izo Iijima finds his podium and leans against it, grateful to have something to support himself on. He eyes Nami.
Jacoby Lamb is looking around the room, eyes darting from thing to place to person all in quick succession. They approach their own stand, next to Nami, and just sort of stand there awkwardly.
Jacoby Lamb: Err... ah, what should, where should, we begin?
Lolita Lovelace: "We had the body, so maybe there?"
Mameyoshi: Um... I suppose we should go over the basics of what everyone knows?
Mameyoshi: Didn't the bear give us a file of sorts...
Suzuka Shinonome: Mm, I agree with Lovelace and Mameyoshi. The state of the body and the cause of death provided by the file would be an excellent place to begin.
Suzuka Shinonome pulls out her file.
Suzuka Shinonome: Right, right... Says here he died of an Overdose, hm? Around 3 in the morning.
Izo Iijima: 3:28.
Mameyoshi: There's so many questions. The time of death, why the crime was so violent despite the cause of death being an overdose... how are we supposed to figure this all out?
Suzuka Shinonome: Step by step, Mameyoshi. The state of his body paints a different picture than just a simple overdose.
Nami Tsukade: Right. If we go through the evidence piece by piece... We should be able to figure this out.
Nami Tsukade's words are calm, but her posture is all wrong, tense and angry.
Suzuka Shinonome: Upon inspecting his body, we found some interesting bits of information. As the one who was up close and personal with it I suppose I'll go over it...
Suzuka Shinonome: He had a stab wound in his abdomen, and there was a significant amount of blood loss. There was a large shard of glass next to the body with a bloodied tip as well. His knuckles on his left hand were split as well. Interesting fact as well: the only trace of blood on his hands was on his index finger. Ah, and the left side of his face had a bruise.
Noa Saitou: Woah, woah.
Noa Saitou: Slow down a sec, Shinonome.
Suzuka Shinonome: Would anyone else like to carry on...?
Noa Saitou: That's a lot to take in all at once...
Suzuka Shinonome: It's simply the facts of his body. Is it so hard to take in?
Suzuka Shinonome: [she looks to the side and shrugs.]
Mameyoshi: Not everyone here is as...
Mameyoshi: [she paused for a moment trying to figure out the right words]
Mameyoshi: ...collected as you.
Jacoby Lamb: It is, a-a bit hard, yes...
Noa Saitou: Let's try it one thing at a time.
Jacoby Lamb: [the expression on his face shows that it's a Lot Hard]
Suzuka Shinonome: Whatever your heart desires.
Nori Katsutame: It's clear what happened already, isn't it? He got in a fight with whoever was trying to kill him, whatever, they changed tactics and dosed him up instead. We just ignore the physical parts of the fight since that clearly didn't kill 'im, and look at what did.
Jacoby Lamb: Erm... what else was there, a-about the body, I mean? What I... what I saw of it was...
Mameyoshi: Shinonome-san did most of the examining, but Lovelace-san, Saitou-san, Kanda-san, and myself also investigated around the body.
Akron Merieux: I'm... having trouble seeing that as the sequence of events, Katsutame-san. It's not impossible, but I don't think we should lay out something like that until we know more of the facts.(edited)
Nami Tsukade: ... Noa-kun, would you be able to take us through some of what you found?
Noa Saitou: Me? Uh... I'll try.
Noa Saitou: The bruise on Tsukade's cheek is old. He couldn't have gotten it at the time he was killed.
Nami Tsukade: shoots a glance at Suzuka. Well, she knew that.
Suzuka Shinonome: blinks at Nami with a blank face.
Izo Iijima: watches the exchange between Nami and Suzuka with interest.
Noa Saitou: The only other injuries he has are a stab wound, and the knuckles on his left hand are split.
Jacoby Lamb: So he was hitting something, o-or someone, then...?
Noa Saitou: Oh, yeah. Tsukade, was your brother left-handed?
Nami Tsukade: -- no, we're both right-handed.  Why do you ask?
Suzuka Shinonome smirks. How interesting.
Noa Saitou: I thought it was weird that his knuckles were messed up, since people usually punch with their dominant hand.
Mameyoshi: I agree, especially since that message was written with the other hand..
Mameyoshi: Oh! We can ask Tsukade-san about that now, since she speaks French.
Suzuka Shinonome: That message...
Nami Tsukade: What are you talking about?
Mameyoshi: What was it again... Encens Froid....? [pronounced in terrible French]
Noa Saitou: Yeah, that. It was written in blood next to him.
Nami Tsukade frowns, seemingly not understanding.
Nami Tsukade: Sorry, can you try that one again?
Mameyoshi: Encens froid?
Mameyoshi tries her best, still not pronouncing it right.
Nami Tsukade: Oh!
Nami Tsukade mulls it over for a couple of moments.
Nami Tsukade: ... I mean, I could tell you the literal meaning, but I don't know if it'd help.
Mameyoshi: Yes, that would be very helpful. We don't know if it will help, but we don't know that it won't either.
Nami Tsukade: Alright... translated literally it means 'cold incense'. But... I don't know what that means, I'm sorry. I don't know why he would write something like that.
Noa Saitou: Damn...
Lolita Lovelace: I know who we should ask~
Jacoby Lamb: Could it, erm, be, a metaphor, for something, perhaps? Or... maybe not, I'm, not sure...
Noa Saitou: That's right. Lovelace was saying something about...france canada?
Lolita Lovelace: Right! It's that guy, that guy! He's totally suspicious!
Akron Merieux perks up
Suzuka Shinonome: Akron Merieux.
Nori Katsutame: Who are you talking about....?
Mameyoshi: Merieux-san?
Nori Katsutame: ...You're French?
Akron Merieux: Me? I'm canadian... They teach us quebecois in school.
Noa Saitou: That message mean anything to you, then?
Akron Merieux: Uh... Hm. I haven't had to speak it since I read the audiobook in French but that seems like Cold Incense on my end too... Sorry, that doesn't seem useful.
Nami Tsukade: Maybe... the meaning will become clearer if we examine some of the other clues?
Suzuka Shinonome: My thoughts exactly.
Akron Merieux: Yeah... That sounds good.
Mameyoshi: We should go back to what Saitou-san was saying about Tsukade-san's knuckles...
Noa Saitou: I don't know about that... it doesn't really look like he was in a fight, so maybe he didn't get it from punching after all. Hard to say.
Lux Nagamine: Is it?
Suzuka Shinonome: Perhaps someone else was doing the hitting.
Nori Katsutame: Pfft. Maybe he punched the door handles or something.
Jacoby Lamb: Oh! Is that how they got broken, then?
Jacoby Lamb: You--you know, the cafeteria ones? Are we onto something?
Nami Tsukade: But there wasn't any blood on those door handles...
Nami Tsukade: Unless he cleaned it off, I suppose?
Noa Saitou: What are you talking about?
Nami Tsukade: -- oh, right!
Lolita Lovelace: Wait, what? Slow down and explain it, god!
Nami Tsukade: Sorry, sorry...
Nori Katsutame: Shit, you guys weren't there, huh. I forgot. We checked out the cafeteria and the handles were like... visibly fucked up.
Nami Tsukade: I don't think they were broken, but... it definitely looked like somebody had been trying to get in.
Nami Tsukade: I don't think they were broken, but... it definitely looked like somebody had been trying to get in. I've... never known my brother to punch things just because he was frustrated, though.  He's not really like that.
Nami Tsukade pauses; corrects herself. Wasn't really like that.
Lux Nagamine: Perhaps he needed something.
Jacoby Lamb: Erm... you, ah, you said the cause of... d-death was an, an overdose, yes?
Suzuka Shinonome: That's what the file says, Lamb... Read it, why don't you?
Nami Tsukade eyes Lux. What does he mean by that, anyway? What's he trying to imply?
Lolita Lovelace: You can't overdose on food, you know.
Lux Nagamine smiles at Nami.
Noa Saitou: You look like you wanna say something, Nagamine.
Nori Katsutame: You look fucking creepy, that's what you look like.
Akron Merieux: /Nori you have no goddamn idea/
Lux Nagamine: Oho? Do I? I suppose I did find something that could be of interest ~  ♪
Akron Merieux: /that was thoughts/
Suzuka Shinonome: Spit it out already, classmate-san.
Nami Tsukade: taps her fingers impatiently. This is all moving too slowly.
Lux Nagamine: The boy's bathroom had an aquarium that's . . . seen better days. Completely smashed. Not one fish left alive ~  ♪
Suzuka Shinonome smiles again.
Suzuka Shinonome: That is where our glass came from, I assume.
Nami Tsukade: ... makes sense. You think Nagi broke it?
Jacoby Lamb: Th-that's...! That's awful...
Lolita Lovelace: UGH... I mean, I guess but talk about gross! This killer's a jerk.
Lux Nagamine: What better thing to break, if you need a weapon in a pinch?
Nami Tsukade shakes her head.
Nami Tsukade: I see where you're going with this, and I'm going to suggest you don't. He would have told me.
Nori Katsutame: Well that means... the murderer is a boy, right?
Suzuka Shinonome: The scene we found made it seem as if the glass was used on him, rather than him using the glass.
Izo Iijima: There's no rule against girls entering the boys' restroom. Only implication.
Jacoby Lamb: Err... Monokuma-san? Would anything, h-have happened to someone entering the wrong bathroom?
Nori Katsutame: But why would they do that, if they could just go into their own?
Suzuka Shinonome: To throw us off, but a better question:Was the culprit even smart enough to think of that?
Izo Iijima: How is that a better question?
Monokuma: Oh, the punishment for entering the wrong bathroom is awful, just awful.
Monokuma: See what happens is, I stand there and stare at you judgementally the whole time. Very uncomfortable.
Suzuka Shinonome: How dreadful.
Nori Katsutame: I think that's illegal?
Jacoby Lamb: Oh, I see...
Lolita Lovelace: So you're a perv, what's new?
Mameyoshi: Ehhh, even if it's just an accident? That seems rather rude...
Akron Merieux: So is murder, Katsutame-san.
Monokuma: No not in a pervey way! No no no I just-
Monokuma: Oh wait that is bad isn't it.
Suzuka Shinonome: Perhaps we ought to hold another trial for the perverted bear, hm?
Nori Katsutame: You can't do either! They're against the law!
Monokuma: Arhan granted me diplomatic immunity! Ask him!
Lolita Lovelace: Agreed. You're sooo on trial, creep. On accounts of stalking, mind-stalking and being a general murder-endorsing creepwad!
Jacoby Lamb: I think, um, maybe, we should f-finish this one, f-first?
Jacoby Lamb shoots a glance at Nami.
Nami Tsukade is gripping the podium pretty hard.
Suzuka Shinonome: Shall we continue on with the clue sharing then? We have two acts of vandalism so far.
Akron Merieux: Hm... Okay, I had a thought.
Akron Merieux: Was Nagi's body wet at the scene?
Nori Katsutame: Ew! Merieux!
Noa Saitou: No, he wasn't wet at all.
Lolita Lovelace: And uh, speaking of, actually I have a question for the sister.
Akron Merieux: That's not- what I mean! Like- moist, you know?
Nami Tsukade: ... fine, let's hear it.
Izo Iijima: You're not helping, Merieux.
Akron Merieux: Okay the point is it was not so okay that's my line of questioning I am outie!
Noa Saitou: What you're saying is, he'd have water on him if he broke the aquarium? Right?
Akron Merieux: Yes, that is the point I am trying to get across. If you break a glass fishtank I'm willing to bet a torrent of water, broken glass, and dying, gasping fish are going to fall onto you, drenching you and your clothes to the bone.
Izo Iijima: That's what the scene seemed to imply.
Lolita Lovelace: What was he like, your brother? Like, when I spoke to him he seemed pretty rattled over the motive. Did he confide anything to you or whatever?
Nami Tsukade: Like... just in general? He's pretty quiet, compared to me. Kind of a conspiracy nut. He likes to read a lot and just generally... soak up a lot of knowledge. Uh... I don't know, I swear to god he didn't say anything to me!
Nami Tsukade: And... and he would have! I know he would have. He'd have told me if he was going to... to kill somebody.
Lux Nagamine: Tell me one little thing, body checkers. The dying message was by his right hand, wasn't it?
Mameyoshi: Yes, that is correct.
Noa Saitou: His right index finger has blood on it, too.
Lolita Lovelace: Body checkers? We have names, y'know...
Izo Iijima leans on his hand. There was nothing about the scene that implied that Nagi had moved after he had started bleeding, was there?
Suzuka Shinonome: There wasn't. He was laying face first with blood pooled around the wound.
Izo Iijima: Interesting.
Mameyoshi: Yeah, I think we would have noticed any extra blood. We searched the entire auditorium rather thoroughly.
Nami Tsukade: Is there... anything else? Was there any other evidence?
Suzuka Shinonome: I have an inquiry for the groups that searched the other areas.
Jacoby Lamb: Ye-yes?
Suzuka Shinonome: Did you happen to find any bottles of mediciations laying around where they shouldn't be? Perhaps any empty bottles?
Jacoby Lamb looks at Akron, Nami, Nori, and Kiko sheepishly.
Akron Merieux: I don't think I noticed any around the dorms, unless I missed something.
Jacoby Lamb: No, we--we didn't.
Lux Nagamine: As a matter of fact~
Suzuka Shinonome: ...Of course.
Lolita Lovelace: Right, there was that wasn't there, Shinonome-san? I'm not sure if it got brought up already, I don't think so, but we also had a note on the scene.
Lux Nagamine: Ahem ~ Your attention, please!
Suzuka Shinonome: Let the show begin, I suppose.
Suzuka Shinonome rolls her eyes.
Lux Nagamine: It seems that someone thought they were being clever, hiding anaesthetic in the infirmary fridge ~ It was so clearly used, too . . .
Nami Tsukade: -- anaesthetic?
Lux Nagamine perks up.
Lux Nagamine: 'Unconsciousness in three seconds or less!'
Suzuka Shinonome: What a disgusting spokesman.
Nami Tsukade: seems troubled by this.
Lux Nagamine: Is that any way to treat the deliverer of key evidence?
Akron Merieux: That sounds powerful... Could you overdose on that, then? Or did that just open the opportunity for something else?
Jacoby Lamb looks confused.
Izo Iijima: Your cutting words aren't getting us anywhere, Shinonome.
Lolita Lovelace: Okay so... that's good evidence I won't deny that but hm, hm, hm... errr... okay so like, you said infirmary fridge, right?
Suzuka Shinonome: shoos izo away.
Lux Nagamine: That's right ~  ♪ You know, where they keep the blood.
Jacoby Lamb: Oh...! Wait, is that, does that mean...? Blood...
Mameyoshi: Wait a minute--
Lolita Lovelace: Yeah, I've been acquainted with that. Okay but like, we had this note on the scene under the bleachers and it had a buncha buncha stuff on it. Remember? I wonder if any of that stuff like, matches anything.
Izo Iijima: What did the note say?
Mameyoshi: Perhaps we can see if any of the medications on the note match up to the ones found in the infirmary...
Lolita Lovelace  grins at Mameyoshi, like she's done her good mother proud
Mameyoshi smiles back at Lolli kindly. Mom is proud!
Akron Merieux: Well, let's hear it then?
Lolita Lovelace: Let's compare the stuff on this note to the anaesthetic you had, maybe it's a match!
Monokuma: One of the listed medications matches the depleted bottle found in the infirmary.
Akron Merieux: Hm... Okay, well it's definitely significant, so I guess the next question is who wrote the note, and for what purpose?
Lolita Lovelace: [if her nose could grow it would. Success!]
Ume Asari: So, what, someone either listed medications they intended to take legitimately, or a list of poisons? Does anyone know what the other drugs on this list do??
Mameyoshi: I suppose we should see if anyone recognizes the handwriting, first of all.
Ume Asari speaks up at last, having been ruminating in Intimidating Angst until now
Nami Tsukade shakes her head. It's all Greek to her.
Lux Nagamine looks at Nami.
Akron Merieux: Hm... Can someone remind me to bring up a point after we're done with this line of logic?
Lux Nagamine: You would know your brother's handwriting, would you? It isn't his?
Nami Tsukade: No. It's not. You can compare it to the handwriting on the blood message he left if you want - it's not his handwriting.
Lux Nagamine: And that message is?
Mameyoshi: Cold incense is what we figured out if I'm recalling correctly.
Nami Tsukade nods.
Nori Katsutame: Or, do you mean, that's his handwriting?
Lux Nagamine: Well then! The mystery continues ~
Mameyoshi: Oh, I'm silly! I must have misunderstood.
Mameyoshi gives a sheepish bow at her mistake.
Suzuka Shinonome: Are there any other clues we can share? I believe things are coming together, if only we had all of the pieces.
Ume Asari: Well then, the fact of the matter is that whoever wrote this note is the one who took the drugs. That much is at least something to consider.
Nami Tsukade: I know the group I was in found a couple of things in the laundry room...
Jacoby Lamb: O-or rather, we didn't find them!
Akron Merieux: Yeah, that's what I wanted to bring up
Jacoby Lamb: Go, ah, go ahead, Akron.
Akron Merieux: We found a laundry machine running in there at about 7, one we weren't able to get open. I was thinking about my last point of like, your clothes would be messy and fish stank-y if you got a fishtank broken on them, right? That's just conjecture, though. Wish we'd have been able to actually get in there...
Ume Asari: That's exactly what I had been thinking. One who broke a tank in such a hurry would have to get wet, and none of us here were dripping, hm? At the very least it's something.
Nami Tsukade: Makes sense.
Nami Tsukade: There was something else, too: somebody had taken down a line and at least one sheet. I think we mentioned it before, but we didn't go into detail.
Jacoby Lamb: Did anyone find, um, anything like that, elsewhere, p-perhaps?
Noa Saitou: What? There wasn't anything like that in the gym...
Izo Iijima: A misplaced sheet? No.
Ume Asari: Perhaps that was in the laundry as well.
Nami Tsukade: Hmm...
Jacoby Lamb: Ah... I-I suppose, that makes sense, but, what was it used for, to get it dirty, then?
Akron Merieux: Yeah... the body was dry too, right? Theoretically you could probably use a sheet to dry the body itself off
Ume Asari: Perhaps to cover up for blood. I have reason to believe there must have been a struggle, leading up to whatever occurred at the ....crimescene.
Nori Katsutame: Or to just wrap yourself in so you get no blood, water, or any other bodily fluid on you.
Lux Nagamine: Or was it used to relocate our departed dancer? So many possibilities ~
Jacoby Lamb: Oh! Naga-Nagamine-san, I was thinking, something similar, maybe!
Lolita Lovelace: I did kinda think it was weird he'd be in such an open kinda place.
Nami Tsukade: Asari-san?
Ume Asari: That's not a bad point, and what Natsukawa and I found could very well have been the original place of the murder.
Jacoby Lamb: !!! O-oh?
Ume Asari: In one of the classrooms, the two of us found quite a scene. Chairs and desks were tossed around and toppled over, and they led rather obviously towards the door. Almost like someone was assaulted, and tried to escape. Does anyone have an explanation for this mess that's.... ah, more pleasant?
Noa Saitou: You're just telling us that now?!
Nami Tsukade blinks, surprised.
Izo Iijima: There was a noteworthy drawing on the blackboard as well.
Ume Asari: I hadn't wanted to get us too off track so early. It seemed good to set up what we knew about the body itself before we got disoriented.
Ume Asari nods
Mameyoshi: lets out a slight gasp, trying to envision the chaotic scene... how depresssing.
Jacoby Lamb: What was, uh, on the blackboard, Iijima-san...?
Izo Iijima glances at Suzuka.
Izo Iijima: A rather poorly-drawn rendering of Yodelei.
Suzuka Shinonome: ...Huh?
Nori Katsutame: Of what?
Ume Asari: That was what I found as well. Shinonome-san, certainly you have an explanation?
Nami Tsukade looks alarmed, then narrows her eyes, slowly.
Mameyoshi looks at Suzuka sympathetically.
Suzuka Shinonome: I... don't.
Mameyoshi: Just tell them what you told us Shinonome-san...
Suzuka Shinonome: N-No, Mameyoshi, you don't understand.
Ume Asari: There is no shame in poor circumstances. If it was an accident, you can admit it, and still keep your honor.
Nami Tsukade: Wait a second!
Nami Tsukade: There's no need for that, she doesn't need to explain herself.
Nami Tsukade: I'll do it for her.
Mameyoshi tilts her head, her face growing concerned.
Suzuka Shinonome: Wh-What...?
Akron Merieux: Nami...?
Nami Tsukade: I figured something out just now.
Nami Tsukade: Shinonome, it was you who killed my brother, wasn't it?
Suzuka Shinonome: [staring blankly at Nami]
Suzuka Shinonome: You must be joking.
Nami Tsukade: This isn't a joke!
Izo Iijima: Come on, Tsukade. As if Shinonome would leave a drawing of her own mascot at the scene of the crime.
Nami Tsukade: Encens froid can only be a reference to one thing, and that's you!
Ume Asari: It does seem rather obvious, what would be the purpose? Though, I have an idea.
Suzuka Shinonome: Hah... I see. I understand.
Nami Tsukade: You hit him when he insulted your drawing and this time you decided to make it permanent, right?!
Jacoby Lamb: N-Nami, I don't... I... would the CEO if an entire company do that...? And leave, erm, a... wh-what Iijima-san said. A-at least she would, certainly, ah, draw it better...?
Nami Tsukade leans forward at her podium.
Noa Saitou: W-wait, you said it was a bad drawing, right?
Suzuka Shinonome raises her hand
Suzuka Shinonome: I see what is happening here.
Izo Iijima: I can't claim to be an expert, but it wasn't very good.
Suzuka Shinonome smiles with a bit of a wild look in her eye
Ume Asari: ...and what's that?
Suzuka Shinonome: The message... It was meant to be a cryptic message for my name, hm? Interesting...
Suzuka Shinonome: It's true, your brother and I were not on good terms before his death.
Nori Katsutame: Look, I love th' most simple solution but.. this doesn't really make sense. What about th' medication? This kind of sounds like a... frame?
Suzuka Shinonome: It is also true that the bruise on his face was my doing.
Ume Asari: You had a fight?
Izo Iijima raises his eyebrows.
Jacoby Lamb: Shinonome-san?
Suzuka Shinonome: We did, it's true.
Suzuka Shinonome: However, there is a mistake.
Nori Katsutame: Guys, I think I figured it... out... maybe...
Suzuka Shinonome: I erased the drawing.
Nami Tsukade: Stop it! Stop lying! All you can do is lie, he drew a picture to make fun of you and you lost your temper and now he's, dead, he's dead, you killed him!!
Nami Tsukade swipes tears out of her eyes.
Suzuka Shinonome glares hard at the girl
Suzuka Shinonome: I understand... It's all so clear!
Suzuka Shinonome: Saitou!
Ume Asari: Tsukade, please. There is no point in rushing this, you want to be /certain/ of who hurt your sibling, don't you?
Noa Saitou: [tense.]
Suzuka Shinonome: You witnessed me erase the drawing from the board!
Nori Katsutame: Guys!
Mameyoshi: Everyone, please be calm! Arguing is not going to solve this murder...
Noa Saitou: Yeah, and Shinonome's really good at drawing, so it wouldn't have been her...
Suzuka Shinonome: The only ones who would have known would be those that saw it that day.
Suzuka Shinonome: That would be Tsukade and Saitou...
Suzuka Shinonome: Tsukade, a loving brother, obviously told his sister what happened between us.
Nori Katsutame: With Tsukade's death, if we guess the wrong person, who benefits?
Jacoby Lamb: You're--you're not, not saying...?
Suzuka Shinonome: I am.
Nami Tsukade: Of course he told me! There was huge fucking bruise on his cheek, how could I miss it?!
Suzuka Shinonome points at Nami.
Suzuka Shinonome: You set this up.
Nami Tsukade: What?
Suzuka Shinonome: brushes her hair over her shoulder
Nori Katsutame: Overdosing is not a painful way to die. If he planned to kill himself to let you go free, that would be a kind solution.
Nami Tsukade: I...
Suzuka Shinonome: You were going to do something horrible, weren't you, Tsukade?
Nami Tsukade: No! I didn't do anything!
Ume Asari: ...is it true, Tsukade? Certainly you have an explanation, an alibi of some sort, if this is a mistake. You were rather late to the discovery- where were you?
Nami Tsukade: Where was I? I was looking for him! I was scared out of my goddamn mind!
Ume Asari: Where did you look first?
Suzuka Shinonome: You knew exactly where he was!
Suzuka Shinonome slams her fist down
Ume Asari: Honesty is the best way to clear your name. Where did you go? Where did you think to check first?
Nori Katsutame: Scared..? You didn't know anyone had died, supposedly. Right? Why be scared?
Nami Tsukade: I'm telling you the truth, I swear, I didn't... I didn't kill him...
Suzuka Shinonome: Exactly.
Nami Tsukade: I was scared when I woke up and he wasn't there... I always wake up before him, always, it didn't make any sense...
Nami Tsukade swallows, her throat dry.
Suzuka Shinonome: Allow me to explain what I believe.
Noa Saitou: Hang on, isn't this weird?
Suzuka Shinonome: Mmm... It is a bit.
Suzuka Shinonome: There is no doubt in my mind that Nami Tsukade altered some things, but it still feels strange.
Noa Saitou: I hate to say it, but I can get why Tsukade would want to frame Shinonome.
Noa Saitou: But that doesn't explain why he was stabbed.
Noa Saitou: Tsukade wouldn't kill her own brother just to get back at Shinonome, that doesn't make sense.
Nami Tsukade: R-right, I was going to bring that up too! The glass doesn't make any sense!
Mameyoshi: Do you think that the glass is a red herring of sorts?
Nori Katsutame: Graduation...
Mameyoshi: Something added to the scene to throw everyone off?
Ume Asari: It's rather odd, going to the lengths of messing up that classroom and breaking the glass as well. So, perhaps theres more to this. If you're innocent, explain yourself, and maybe we can piece together the rest.
Nami Tsukade: I don't know what to tell you! I was asleep in my room, this didn't have anything to do with me!!
Ume Asari: Hmm.  I have another idea, then.
Ume Asari: The struggle in the classroom is pretty hard to look past. The chairs and tables are skewed all the way to the door, a clear line of escape and not just a mess made at random. Is it possible our victim was the one to make the drawing? To frame Shinonome here for another victim's death entirely? If he were overpowered, the struggle could well have led all the way to the bathroom itself.
Nami Tsukade: Listen, this is what I'm trying to tell you, it has to have been her! Shinonome! He must have drawn that picture to make fun of her and she... saw it and lost her temper with him!
Jacoby Lamb: Which is... um, where the fishtank was, broken, yes? Is that, where Nagi scraped up, up his knuckles as well? Fr-from punching it?
Nami Tsukade: Otherwise why would he... leave a message for me?
Akron Merieux: ...You didn't mention that, Nami.
Nami Tsukade: It's right there on the floor!! The encens froid!
Noa Saitou: You're saying you didn't do that?
Nami Tsukade is practically tearing out her hair.
Jacoby Lamb: You, ah, Nami, you never did, explain, how that referred to Shinonome-san...? I'm afraid I, I don't understand, I'm--I'm sorry.
Mameyoshi: I have the same concerns as Lamb-san...
Lux Nagamine: And why only now did you make that connection?
Nami Tsukade: I - it's her name, isn't it?
Nori Katsutame: Earlier you said it meant nothing.
Nami Tsukade: I hadn't figured it out yet! I didn't get a good look at it in the auditorium!
Nori Katsutame: You're not very good at keepin' your story straight, huh? Good actor, but bad improv.
Nami Tsukade: There's nothing wrong with my story. It just... it just took me a while to work it out.
Nami Tsukade: Silly Nami! I was always the stupid one, you know how it is!
Jacoby Lamb: I'm afraid I don't understand, ah, quite how 'cold incense' is related to Shininome-san?
Ume Asari: You're shaming your brother, Tsukade. The more you lie the more guilty he looks, and if you aren't lying, then we have no choice but to assume he was up to no good himself.
Noa Saitou: Oh... duh. It's the kanji in her name.
Noa Saitou: Can't believe I didn't think about it earlier...
Mameyoshi: Well... I suppose depending on the kanji in Shinonome-san's name...
Nami Tsukade: Right!! Noa-kun's got it.
Nori Katsutame: Why not just fuckin', I don't know, write her name? In japanese?
Akron Merieux: Yeah, doesn't it seem weird to only let you know about this?
Mameyoshi: Suzu, as in cold, and Ka, as in scent, or incense...
Ume Asari: If he wanted to incriminate her, making it a secret seems..... stupid.
Akron Merieux: I don't think of Nagi as someone who's throw us all under the boat to keep the person who killed him alive... I'm sure he trusts you but. Still.
Nori Katsutame: He'd do it if it was his sister!
Ume Asari: Hm. Wait just a second.
Nami Tsukade: I... I don't... I don't understand.
Mameyoshi: I agree. if Tsukade-san had just written the kanji for Shinonome-san's name, it would have been much more obvious. Why keep it a secret from the rest of us....
Lux Nagamine: Would the culprit not think to wipe such an /obvious/ dying message away?
Ume Asari: You said that the handwriting on the floor didn't match the note, but that doesn't necessarily prove the note wasn't written by him. It just means that both weren't.
Nami Tsukade: No! I know his writing.
Nami Tsukade: He wrote it, on the floor, I know he did.
Noa Saitou: This still doesn't make sense. If Shinonome and Nagi just happened to get in a fight, what was the anaesthetic about?
Mameyoshi: lets out a long sigh. This was certainly all confusing!
Nori Katsutame: Maybe he knew he was gonna die from the stab wound, and wanted to go painlessly?
Ume Asari: Or maybe he intended to use it before the struggle began.
Mameyoshi: I agree with Saitou-san. It certainly would be difficult to administer an anesthetic while in the midst of an intense fight.
Lux Nagamine: The bottle was half-empty, don't forget ~
Akron Merieux: Well... The cause of death is still overdose. I feel like that's getting lost in the fact that there was a fight.
Izo Iijima: I can't imagine a fight would make it too difficult to toss back a handful of pills.
Jacoby Lamb: Does that mean that, uh, someone, administered it to him? So... he could... go... painlessly?
Mameyoshi looks at Nami
Ume Asari: Someone who cares about him..?
Jacoby Lamb: So why would, why would someone do that? Unless...
Monokuma: I feel I should mention at this point that only the person who administered the killing blow is eligable for graduation.
Nami Tsukade is shaking.
Ume Asari: ....
Nori Katsutame: He was already dying, and...
Monokuma: I feel also that I should assure you this was no suicide.
Noa Saitou: Tsukade?
Mameyoshi: Oh dear... Tsukade-san... why--
Mameyoshi is simply silent, a worried frown on her face.
Monokuma: The pieces are all here, I'm calling it.
Mameyoshi: Eh? We're finished Monokuma-san?
Monokuma: Yup.
Monokuma: Students, cast your votes. It is time to decide who you believe is guilty.
Nori Katsutame: We coulda been done with this an hour ago. What a waste of time.
Noa Saitou: Don't act so nonchalant about this...
Ume Asari: And what happens if we choose not to vote?? This isn't fair.
Mameyoshi: I agree with Asari-san! To make us draw a conclusion now is unfair!
Ume Asari: We can protest, join together and it can't force our hands.
Monokuma: You'll only be delaying the inevitable. I know you've basically made up your minds
Mameyoshi: her voice is slightly raised for once, and a tad frantic with the pressure added onto her suddenly.
Nami Tsukade: slams her hand down on the button for Suzuka.
Ume Asari: But it isn't just. What's the point of a trial like this??
Nori Katsutame: Pretty pointless to question the system. Not like he's gonna answer.
Izo Iijima: You're expecting justice from a situation like this?
Jacoby Lamb bites his lip anxiously, hands gripping the podium tightly.
Akron Merieux: Ume, I understand how you feel, but in a hostage situation-
Akron Merieux: /which this is/
Akron Merieux: -it's best to just do what the captor says.
Ume Asari: I dont know why I shouldn't. You should expect justice everywhere, it's... only what's right. If none of us stick up for the weak and the merciful, then we'll all turn into killers before this bear has even worn itself out on us!
Izo Iijima: How noble.
Nori Katsutame: Who gives a shit about what's right? What's right is not killing your brother to buy your own freedom.
Izo Iijima votes for Nami.
Jacoby Lamb is looking back and forth between Akron and Ume, unsure.
Noa Saitou: This is... we still don't even know what happened. Not really.
Mameyoshi: I understand where Asari-san is coming from. It's not our place, even if we have drawn conclusions we have no conclusive evidence.
Mameyoshi: Just... very strong assumptions.
Nori Katsutame: Who cares about the details. The means are essentially irrelevant, when the ends are found.
Mameyoshi grimaces at Nami.
Mameyoshi: If there's anything you can do to prove your innocence, please speak up now...
Nami Tsukade is silent, waiting for everyone to cast their votes.
Mameyoshi: Tsukade-san...?
Noa Saitou votes for Nami, cursing under his breath.
Nori Katsutame looks unusually satisfied at having being right, completely contrary to the current mood in the air. She pressed the button for Nami on her podium.
Mameyoshi looks at her with a pained expression, taking her silence as her sentence.  With hesitance and regret, Mameyoshi votes for Nami.
Akron Merieux stares down at his panel. He wishes there was something that could tie the evidence together more, something more conclusive, but...
Ume Asari: And if it's true that she only did it to ease his pain, then who are we really sending to prison? How long will she suffer, wondering if an act of kindness was wrong or right?
Akron Merieux logs his vote for Nami, letting out a deep sigh.
Jacoby Lamb 's knuckles are white from holding on so tightly to the podium.
Ume Asari grimaces, then slams her fist down onto the podium rumbling it. she seems to realize her words are just wasting time at this point, and takes this time to press her vote in for suzuka,  though her usual certainty is gone
Jacoby Lamb: I don't... I don't know...
Lux Nagamine: That expression . . . I think it says it all, little darling ~  ♪
Lux Nagamine laughs behind his hand and votes for Nami.
Nori Katsutame: That's stupid, to think it was just to ease his pain. Don't be childish.
Mameyoshi: You're laughing at a time like this?
Ume Asari: I'm not stupid just because I choose to have faith in a sister's honor! Would you so easily kill your sibling? Would you watch your family die and not try to do something to make it better for them, even if it was foolish??
Mameyoshi: [there's a slight edge in her voice. The tense situation is really starting to do a number on her composure.]
Nori Katsutame: She can be as loving and caring as she wants. Girl's still human. She's still selfish.
Izo Iijima: lets out a quick breath—almost a laugh of his own.
Jacoby Lamb gently moves his hand over and just barely presses the button to vote for Nami. He mumbles "I'm sorry" in a very quiet voice, but since Nami is the next podium over, he hopes she can hear him.
Ume Asari: Hmph. Then what are you, for sending her away to who knows where, without minutes to think it over? Vote what you want to, but don't act like you're better than me for it. Right or wrong, I know where my values stand.
Nami Tsukade: Has everybody voted?
Noa Saitou is quiet. There's too much he still doesn't understand.
Nami Tsukade: Alright, Monokuma. What's the verdict?
Monokuma: [ding ding ding]
Monokuma laughs quietly
Monokuma: Sorry Tsukade. Nearly had them for a minute there, too.
Nami Tsukade: I know.
Nami Tsukade: I did my best.
Monokuma: Go ahead and tell them.
Nami Tsukade takes a deep breath.
Nami Tsukade: Alright.
Nami Tsukade stands up straight, completely dropping the tension and anger now than her fate is sealed.
Nami Tsukade: I'll explain how we did it first. Then if you have any questions, I can answer them. Does that sound fair?
Izo Iijima: Fair enough.
Ume Asari clenches her fist, but says nothing
Nami Tsukade: Nagi came back to our dorm one night with a horrible bruise on his cheek and explained to me that Shinonome had slapped him. He had to stop me from going to kick her ass right there and then. That much I think you all knew.
Nami Tsukade: It was mostly for that reason that we decided she would make a good candidate for framing. So we went about our business like we would basically any day, but making preparations. On the night we decided to do it - last night - we left our dorms at probably about half 2 and went to the cafeteria. We'd planned on getting a knife there.
Nami Tsukade: Obviously, as you might have guessed, we'd forgotten the doors would be locked.  We tried to get in, but couldn't, and that's when we damaged the handles.  Then I had the idea that we might break one of the aquariums.  We didn't want to risk anyone hearing the glass, so we decided we'd break the one closer to the infirmary on our way there.
Nami Tsukade: We were panicking, you understand. We hadn't factored this in.
Nami Tsukade: So we went over to the laundry room first and took down the line and sheet, then I bound up Nagi's hand and he smashed the aquarium.  He split his knuckles in the process, like you guessed, and got some water on him.  But this gave us a big enough piece of glass to work with.
Nami Tsukade: Then we went into the infirmary and took the anaesthetic bottle and a syringe - Akron, you might remember, we were in the trash room and I pretended not to see something on the floor? Anyway, the list you found was the shortlist we'd made of chemicals we could use. I didn't lie when I said it wasn't his handwriting! It was mine.
Nami Tsukade: Once we had everything we went over to the classroom and just sort of messed the place up, to make it look like a struggle. Nagi described that creature to me and I drew it, but it didn't come out great because I'd never seen it. This was part of the setup, obviously.
Nami Tsukade: Last stop was the auditorium. I admit we stalled for quite a while here. I don't remember how we justified it. After a lot of ill-advised wasting of time I wrapped the glass shard in the sheet so I wouldn't cut my hand and... I stabbed him.
Nami Tsukade: Don't think I enjoyed it.
Nami Tsukade: He wrote the message with his own blood while I prepared the anaesthetic. It was only supposed to put him to sleep but... he was fading faster than we'd figured and I panicked and... I gave him too much. Way too much. He died very quickly after that.
Nami Tsukade: I returned the anaesthetic to the infirmary, went to the laundry room and threw the sheet and line in the wash with his wet clothes he'd changed out of and set it on a long timer.  That left the needle. I didn't know what to do with it so I just threw it as hard as I could threw the grating of the trash room.
Nami Tsukade: Then I went back to my room and waited until I heard a commotion.
Nami Tsukade: That's all.
Mameyoshi: You... you sacrificed your own brother...?
Jacoby Lamb is just sort of standing there, head bowed, his fingers worrying on the podium again. He doesn't look at Nami. Everything Is Awful.
Nami Tsukade: He sacrificed himself.
Izo Iijima: You went along with it.
Noa Saitou: You...
Nami Tsukade: I did.
Noa Saitou is shaking.
Mameyoshi fixates her gaze on the floor, feeling rather conflicted about all of this.
Nori Katsutame: Good riddance.
Noa Saitou: You killed your brother? You let that happen to your /brother?/
Ume Asari: ........
Namiko Natsukawa is hugging herself, staring straight down, simply muttering quietly "Wake up, wake up..."
Ume Asari is no longer talkative, staring at Nami with obvious anger bubbling up about her, but saying nothing
Noa Saitou: And you tried to blame Shinonome? You tried to push that guilt onto someone else?
Mameyoshi gives a concerned look at Namiko. Oh dear.
Nami Tsukade: Of course I did?
Nami Tsukade: I wanted to get out.
Izo Iijima: Over a slap, no less. It's all so juvenile.
Mameyoshi: Your brother was very noble for making that sacrifice... however, I cannot condone your actions, Tsukade-san.
Nami Tsukade: It just made her an easy target.
Nami Tsukade: We didn't frame her because of the slap. It would've been someone.
Jacoby Lamb: Nami...
Nami Tsukade: You might be wondering why we didn't just work together and kill somebody else?
Jacoby Lamb: It's... it-it's like Monokuma said, isn't it? Only... the person who, who, who did the... k-killing blow, could graduate...
Nami Tsukade: That's right. If I had gotten away with this, you all would have been killed.
Akron Merieux: ...So what was it you were willing to have us all killed for? You just wanted to leave?
Ume Asari: And how long did it take for him to convince you, anyway?? How quickly did you condemn your own family?
Nori Katsutame: Thanks for spelling it out for us. I'm sure since you see us all as fucking idiots who would have fallen for that, you think we need our hand held at the end too.
Nami Tsukade: One at a time, please.
Monokuma: Hah hah, well uh...
Monokuma: I think you may have misunderstood that part.
Nami Tsukade stiffens.
Monokuma: I'll be honest, I thought it was quite funny, the conclusion you and Nagi jumped to after that dream.
Monokuma: So close! Much closer than anyone else. To be honest, I think you're the only ones who read anything into it.
Monokuma: But no.
Monokuma: Killing everyone for a single mistake would end the game too soon, wouldn't it? Be very little fun for the rest of us.
Nami Tsukade: ... you're joking, right?
Nami Tsukade: And you just let us go on believing it too. You really aren't on anybody's side.
Monokuma: Certainly, had you gotten away with it, someone else would have been punished in your place, yes.
Monokuma: But...
Monokuma: Just the one.
Monokuma: There was really no need for Izanagi to die.
Nami Tsukade looks out at the rest of the class.
Nami Tsukade: Well, don't say we died in vain. Look how much you all know now!
Nori Katsutame: Helpful as always.
Nami Tsukade: You know me.
Monokuma:
Pfft, alright Tsukade.
Monokuma: Now, I believe it's time for your punishment.
Nami Tsukade: May I have one moment more?
Monokuma: Hmm, alright.
Nami Tsukade: You're all going to come out of this looking at him as an innocent victim and me as a monster, and I want you to know it wasn't like that. Nagi made the decision of his own free will. It wasn't even my idea. He understood that someone was going to die, and odds were it was going to be us, and his reasoning was that whoever strikes first stands the best chance.
Nami Tsukade: I agreed with him.
Nami Tsukade: I didn't want to die in here. And he didn't want me to either.
Izo Iijima: Concerned about your image at a time like this? Little good that will do.
Nami Tsukade shrugs.
Nami Tsukade: I'm just saying. It's not good twin and bad twin. It doesn't work like that in real life.
Jacoby Lamb: Nami... no one--n-no one had to die... no one would have...
Nori Katsutame: If it's any consolation, I don't think of either of you as innocent. So don't worry about that.
Jacoby Lamb wants to believe.
Mameyoshi: I agree. While I think Tsukade-san made a huge sacrifice in your name... neither of you were in the right.
Mameyoshi: You could have disagreed... both of you...
Mameyoshi: frowns, stopping herself before going into a full on lecture.
Nami Tsukade: ... Alright. Take me away, officier.
Monokuma: Okay.
Monokuma laughs quietly
Monokuma: 'Prison.'
The lights go out.

--- [EXECUTION]: LA DANSE MACABRE --

Nori Katsutame: Huh.
Jacoby Lamb 's voice is panicked, eyes wide, heart thudding in his chest. His short nails dig into the podium as deeply as they can, which likely isn't at all. But then he releases it, staggering backwards, looking from the scene to Monokuma and back again.
Akron Merieux lets in a shaky, scared breath
Akron Merieux: J-Jesus......
Jacoby Lamb: No, no, no, no, no, no, no...
Noa Saitou wants to scream, but he can't seem to make any noise.
Monokuma: You alright there kids?
Nori Katsutame: That was... unexpected.
Nori Katsutame takes a deep breath.
Mameyoshi: [absolutely speechless. She wants to scream, run, do anything but be here. Instead she simply stands at her podium, her jaw clenched.]
Nori Katsutame: Is that the punishment we'd all face in the situation?
Jacoby Lamb has tears streaming down his face.
Jacoby Lamb: How could--you--that--- how could you??
Monokuma: Well, not that one exactly.
Monokuma: But yes, in essence.
Monokuma: Pretty sweet, huh? Did you see the fire?
Nori Katsutame: It'd be hard to miss.
Jacoby Lamb: / Oh god, oh god.../
Mameyosh takes a deep breath... just breathe...
Mameyoshi: Monokuma-san... what is the point of all of this?
Mameyoshi: Why did you have to make them suffer? What's the point of it all...
Monokuma: The point? I'm sorry, I don't understand.
Izo Iijima 's eyes are wide as he clutches the edges of his podium, but what plays across his features isn't fear or anguish but exhilaration. Never in all his life has he seen /anything/ like this.
Monokuma: This is what it is. Distrust. Pain. Suffering. Despair. All ground up in my crucible and scattered to the winds.
Monokuma: It is exactly what everyone /wanted/ it to be.
Jacoby Lamb whines softly and closes his eyes and just kinda... leans against the nearest wall and slides down it until he's in a heap in the floor.
Monokuma: I'm just a facilitator.
Mameyoshi: Everyone?
Mameyoshi: No. I won't believe it.
Mameyoshi gestures to the trial room.
Mameyoshi: Do any of these faces look like they wanted this?
Mameyoshi: [well... maybe a few of them did...]
Mameyoshi frowns at Izo's apparent excitement.
Monokuma: Whatever, maiko. Believe what you like.
Monokuma claps its hands together
Monokuma: Anyway, hop into the elevator when you're done looking shocked.
Ume Asari spots Jacoby having trouble, and puts aside her anger to channel herself into something useful. She walks over and just... HOISTS him up into her arms with no warning.
Jacoby Lamb half sniffles half hiccups and sort of squirms a little but nothing of consequence. She Is Strong
Ume Asari: Now now, no use sniveling on the floor. The bear's made it clear, it's time to leave.
Ume Asari carries him right to the elevator
Jacoby Lamb just sort of awkwardly clings to her in hopes she doesn't drop him while still being Noticeably Upset.