//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: Despair Begins Again - Deadly Life // Story: Danganronpa V.E: Creating Chaos // by Lusaminia //------------------------------// I didn’t know how long I was screaming for, but in no time my throat had gotten too dry to continue. Fluttershy was holding her head to the ground next to me, muttering words that were too quiet for me to make out. I wanted to hug her, but my eyes were fixed on the body of the pony who laid dead in front of me. Her violet coat and mane was covered in blood, and the lifeless stare her eyes produced made me tremble. It didn’t get any better when what denial I wanted was squashed by Monokuma. Ding dong bing bong “A body has been discovered!” His voice echoes through the garden, filling my ears with his dreadful cheer. “Everyone up and at ‘em, and meet me in the garden for further instructions. It’s time to investigate!” “Dee, snap out of it!” Rainbows face suddenly filled my vision, and I was awoken from my despair inducing trance. “We need to get Fluttershy away before ponies get here.” “R-right,” I nodded, looking to see that A.K. had joined us, her eyes wide as she saw the body on the floor. “Can you give us a hoof or two over here?” “Oh!” Looking away from Twilight’s body she helped us get Fluttershy to her hooves and helped her away from the body. Placing her shivering body next to the door leading to the entrance hallway, A.K. turned to us. “So, can one of you explained what happened?” “Fluttershy and I woke up earlier this morning and… you kinda see what happened,” Rainbow explained looking back to Twilight, but quickly looked away as she focused her eyes on me. “Fluttershy wouldn’t move, and though I tried to help her up her body was stuck to the ground like a tree trunk. So, I grabbed Ditzy to help me, but looks like that didn’t really fix anything.” “My word!” Rarity was the next to arrive, along with Bon Bon and Doctor Whooves. “What… what in Celestia’s name happened!?” “So it really happened?” Bon Bon asked herself, her body rather calm compared to the rest of us. “Somepony really did murder another.” As time passed more and more ponies funneled into the garden, all responding differently to the sight that appeared before us all. Flam and A.K. had both known for a long time that a murder was inevitable, and were the calmest ones next to Bon Bon to first seeing it. Others like Octavia, Pinkie, Rarity reacted in a similar fashion to me or Fluttershy, the Ultimate Party Planner especially taking it hard. Trixie’s and Bulk both tried to leave the garden, only to be blocked by Flash as he entered. His first reaction to the body was to look at Flam, one that I had more than expected. “Murderer!” He cried out as he pounced at Flam, who managed to dodge him in anticipation. “What did you do to her? How long have you been planning this? Tell me now you monster!” “Flash calm down,” Redheart said, her and Bulk holding the Ultimate Guard as he attempted to leap again. “This isn’t the time to think irrationally, we need to keep ourselves calm.” “S-s-s-so it’s t-t-t-true?” A very shaken Fluttershy asked, doing her best to keep her words comprehensible. “T-t-t-twilight’s dead, and one of us murdered her?” “Now hold on a minute there sugarcube, this is obviously not one of us,” Applejack said, her denial still holding strong after all this time. “Why would any of us want Twilight dead? After everything that happened to her you would think she had no enemies.” “Oh reeeaaally now,” All of us looked back to the statue of Discord, Monokuma sitting on his head with that stupid, sadistic grin of his. “Now now, what would I have to gain from killing Twilight? I will admit that after what she pulled your first day here I’m not surprise she’s dead and I am very satisfied with her death, but that would be breaking my own rules. I only intervene if one of you were to break the rules.” “I don’t care what your lying face says. If ah say nopony is the killer, than nopony is the killer!” “Applejack, would you please stay quiet,” Flam told the Ultimate Farmer. “Your the only one here in denial, and if you want to keep yourself from being a prime suspect than I suggest you shut up. Of course, if you would rather be silenced in a more embarrassing way, I could always shove in apple in that hole of yours.” “Oh, now that is something that I would be very interested in seeing, but let's save that for later,” Monokuma responded with a chuckle. “No matter what miss country stereotype says over there, one of you are responsible for this death. Now, because I’m not completely heartless I have a little something for you all.” From behind his back he pulled out just over a dozen identical folders and waved them in the air. Jumping off of the statue and almost landing on Twilights body, he proceeded to hand them out one by one. The first thing that caught my eye was the only two words on the folder handed to me: ‘Monokuma file’. I raised an eyebrow, not exactly getting where he was going with this. “I’m pretty sure you all, or most of you at least, aren’t experts at this kinda stuff,” Monokuma explained as he climbed his way back onto the statue. “That is what this wonderful thing I have just given you is to help. It contains all the basics on the murder without giving away who killed them. I like to call it: the Monokuma File!” “It seems kinda like a less detailed autopsy report,” Redheart said, already looking at the paper that was placed within the folder. “Still… the least I can do is find the killer, after everything I tried to do for Twilight.” “Yeah, that’s the spirit!” Monokuma cheered, clapping his paws. “Well, I’ll leave you to it then. Have fun investigating.” With that he disappeared, and the only sound that ponies heard was that of paper rustling around me. I had hesitated to open it, scared to learn anything about what could have happened. Than I looked around me, seeing the fear on Fluttershy as she tried her best to keep her eyes on the Monokuma File, and the others who were still alive. I hadn’t really gotten to know Twilight in any sense, but I believe should want us all to live. I had to investigate, for her if not for anyone else. Investigation start! “Ditzy, I recommend you look at the paper,” A.K. said as she walked up to me. “Monokuma wasn’t wrong when he said it would be helpful.” I nodded, reminding myself that I had to be strong. Heart full of hope I opened up the Monokuma file and looked at what was contained. “The victim is Twilight Sparkle, the Ultimate Magic Researcher. She died at around 11:30 pm in the garden by a slashing weapon. Her body contains several lacerations on the upper half of her body, the largest being on her hooves and chest. A deep stab wound pierced the front and back of her body in the chest area, damaging the heart.” “I see, so she was killed while everyone was still asleep,” Doctor Hooves stated, sighing afterwards. “I guess there really wasn’t anything we could’ve done for her, even if we wanted.” “Are y’all sure this is completely accurate?” Applejack asked, the expression on her face making it clear to me that she didn’t completely trust the information. “I mean, how could anyone know all of this?” “Whether or not you want to believe it, I don’t think we have a choice in the matter,” Flam said in response as he started pacing back and forth, a smug look on his face. “He can appear anywhere, make his voice heard from anywhere, and as far as we know can see everything we’re doing. If anyone knows about the time or place, it would be someone like that.” I couldn’t doubt anything Flam had just said, and despite all the hell he was forcing us through we had to trust Monokuma on this one. No matter how much Applejack or anyone denies it, if we don’t find the killer… we all die. Everything we learned could be vital to our survival, no matter how unrelated it may seem. Monokuma File #1 was add to the truth bullet section of your handbook. “Hm,” Redheart hummed loudly to herself as she walked over to Twilight’s body, looking back and forth between her and the Monokuma file. “Before we do anything, let's set two ground rules. We all search in pairs, got it? Everyone keeps tabs on each other, that way the murderer can’t destroy any evidence,” Everyone nodded, the logic seeming sound. “Secondly, we need to ponies guarding Twilight’s body, that way if the killer, whether it is or isn’t one of the two guarding, can’t destroy anything here.” “As the Ultimate Guard, I humbly volunteer for this duty,” Flash said with a smile, before looking to Flam. “And as for my partner-” “I-I-I’ll do it,” Fluttershy called out, drawing attention from most ponies in the room. “A-a-after e-e-everything I’ve shied away from in the past few days, the least I owe Twilight is some protection. “It’s decided than,” A.K. said, walking to the center of us all. “We should start investigating. Who knows how much time we have, and none of it should be wasted.” With most of the ponies in the room dispersed, the investigation finally got underway. Out of those who were still in the garden, it was Redheart, A.K., Fluttershy, Flash, and me. Despite having told myself that I needed to be strong for Twilight, I didn’t know where to start. I was a Mail Carrier, not an detective or private eye! The last pony that should be investigating this should be myself. “Ditzy,” A.K called out to me, walking up to me. “If Flash wasn’t on guard duty, I would have probably gone with him, but you are the only other pony who in here who knows about the meeting,” She took out the same book that she had during the meeting in the living room yesterday. “I know you didn’t do it, your motive proves that you had no ill against Twilight.” “Of course I didn’t murder her!” I yelled, realizing how suspicious it must have made me look. “I-I mean, even if I did try to kill her I probably would have ended up killing myself instead. That does seem to be how my luck works in situations like that.” “Then let's hope that your luck doesn’t impact the trial in anyway,” A.K. replied with a smile on her face. “However, out of those of us who were there, I can guarantee that nopony who was with my decision, even those who haven't opened them yet like Rainbow, are innocent. None of you had connections to Twilight in your motives.” “So we’re all safe then?” I asked out of curiosity. “Unless somepony manages to convince me otherwise? Yes,” A.K. answered as she put the book back under her cloak, giving me a quick glimpse at her wings. So she wasn’t an earth pony like I had originally thought. “However, that means everypony else, even Fluttershy, is a potential suspect. Remember that for the trial, I expect us to be carrying the entire thing… no joke.” Motive Photos have been added to the truth bullet section of your handbook. Having mentioned the shy, shaking pegasus, my attention turned away from Yearling and to Fluttershy. The Ultimate Author had seemed to get what was going through my head, as next thing I knew we were walking up to her with a single question in our head. It was Fluttershy who had discovered the body first, which would instantly make her a prime suspect. That said, I couldn’t believe somepony like her was the murderer, especially when the body she was now guarding was as bloody as it was. “Excuse me Fluttershy!” I called out to her, instantly getting the Ultimate Animal Caretaker. “I’m sorry to interrupt but… you were the first one to see the body, right?” “Oh, well, that’s sorta true,” She replied, looking down and rubbing her right hoof. “I-I had trouble sleeping last night and decided to stay with Dash last night. The bed was, well, uncomfortably small for the two of us and neither of us got a good night sleep. We woke up rather early and decided to get some fresh in the garden.” “And that is when you discovered the blood leading to the body.” A.K. predicted, as she wrote had taken her book back out and was writing things down. “Y-yes,” Fluttershy looked down to the floor in humiliation. “I was so scared, I don’t remembering anything that happened after that until everypony was in the garden.” “Of course, your account only checks out if Rainbow Dash agrees,” A.K. told the pegasus in front of her. “However, the rules of society are ‘innocent until proven guilty’ and at the moment all I can say is your innocent.” “Oh, thank goodness.” Fluttershy sighed as she returned to her guard duty, seeming more relaxed than she was when she started talking. Fluttershy’s account has been added to the truth bullet section of your handbook. “Hey, you two!” I heard Flash call as he looked inside one of the hedges that lined the garden. “I think I found something.” Rushing over to where he stood, we saw what he had been talking about. Inside the hedge was a sword, shining from water that had been used to washed the blade. I blinked, having not seen anywhere that a sword could have been taken from. Being careful enough to not cut himself, Flash took it out of the hedge hilt first and showed it to us. There was no dew on the hedge from what I could tell, which meant that it had to have been washed somehow. “That’s strange,” I tried my best to examine the blade, though it didn’t seeming to have a hint of blood on it. “What’s a sword doing in the hedges? Did the murderer place it there?” “I’m not sure, but I didn’t see it during my patrol last night,” Flash explained, the words immediately catch the attention of the author next to me. “You were patrolling the garden last night?” A.K. asked, suspicion forming on her face. “Well, in truth, I was asked to patrol the entire floor of the castle by miss Twilight,” He continued to explain. “She wanted to examine the statue in the garden for anything that might be a way out of here, and asked me to watch for anyone who could possibly be up. So I made a patrol route around the castle.” “Then, did you see anyone that might have been the murderer?” I asked, hoping that something could help us. “Actually, did you say anypony in general?” “The only pony I saw up was Octavia,” Flash replied, placing the sword next to the garden wall. “Other than that, I didn’t see anypony else, and the last time I saw Twilight must have been ten minutes before 11:30. I had headed back to bed after that, so I wouldn’t have had a chance to check on her. No one was up so I figured she would be safe.” “I can see how tense you are right now Flash, but I don’t think you did it,” A.K. told the ultimate guard. “Hey, could you give me the route that you took during your patrol for any chance? Sketch it on the map I just drew of the castle’s inside.” “Anything to help the investigation,” Flash nodded as he took A.K.’s book. A minute or two later he handed back the book and we peaked at the route he had described. Flash didn’t let a single corner of the castle get away from him if the map was anything to say. Both hallways, the entrance hall, and the perimeter of the garden were all mentioned on his route. It would only make sense for someone like the Ultimate Guard to take such measures. It helped reassure me that he was on our side even if he was one of the only ponies up at around that time. Sword in Hedge was added to the truth bullet section of your handbook Flash’s Patrol Route was added to the truth bullet section of your handbook “Hey Flash, could I see that sword for a second?” Redheart called out as she continued to examine the body. “There is something that I need to check.” “Uh… sure,” Flash nodded as he grabbed the sword and walked it over to the Ultimate Nurse. “Now, let’s see here,” A.K., Flash and I watched as Redheart did… whatever the heck it was she was doing over at Twilight’s body. None of us could actually see what she was doing, but after a good ten minute she turned around to us. “Yes, there is no doubt that this is the weapon that was used, but I needed to know whether the entry point was through the back or front,” She handed the sword back to Flash, who proceeded to place it a safe distance away from the point Twilight currently rested. “Long story short, whoever is responsible not only stabbed through the front, but managed to stab it deep enough to go through her back.” “Than can we also assume that there was a struggle, given the cuts on her body?” A.K. asked. “You seem to know a lot about this for being a simple author,” Redheart said, seeming to be rather curious about A.K.’s knowledge. “However, you are correct. Unless they are an absolute psychopath I don’t think there is any other way to think about it.” “I see,” The ultimate author closed her eyes for a few seconds, before opening them again and looking at Redheart. “You know, even though Daring Do is my most famous… character, that doesn’t mean she’s my only one. I’ve written a lot more than adventure and action novels to gain the title of Ultimate Author.” “I guess that makes enough sense.” Redheart said, shrugging. Signs of a Struggle has been added to the truth bullet section of your handbook Stab Wound has been added to the truth bullet section of your handbook “Ditzy, I think it’s time for us to check elsewhere,” Yearling told me as she made her way to the door. “I have a few things I need to check, such as the barracks, Fluttershy’s alibi, and the kitchen.” “Um… why is that? Isn’t most of the evidence here?” I asked her as she opened the door. “Not all the evidence, especially the most important evidence, is always at the crime scene,” She explained to me as we exited the garden. Before we could take more than a few steps from the door A.K. had her attention taken over by the streak of blood that was on the floor in the entrance hall. I thought back to the thoughts I had this morning upon seeing it for the first time. When Rainbow Dash had told me that Fluttershy was in the garden, I had been scared this was her blood and she was left near death over night. All I could really think is how glad I was that Fluttershy was still with us, even if I felt horrible for Twilight and what happened to her. “That’s strange,” A.K. said as she finally looked back to me. “The monokuma file states that she was killed in the garden, so why is there blood here?” “Hey, A.K.?” I called to her, having noticed something strange myself. “Take a look at the floor here.” Her gaze followed mine as I noticed several large puddle of water in the entrance hall. They all glitter as if the sun was shining upon them, but that was what made them seem weird to me. No windows were in the entrance hall, which meant the sun could shine upon them, and the large chandelier that was usually on was currently off. “Good catch Ditzy,” A.K. stated as she turned me. “While I don’t exactly get what happened here, it’s obvious something happened to the killer that caused all this blood. I don’t think it could possibly be Twilight, as the monokuma file clearly states that the location of death was the garden.” Blood Streak was added to the truth bullet section of your handbook Glittering water was added to the truth bullet section of your handbook Our first stop was the kitchen, as A.K. believed that was the only place the killer could have washed off the sword. Pinkie and Octavia were also both investigating the kitchen, or rather Octavia was. The only thing Pinkie was really contributing was energy and a cheer, having at some point gotten into a cheerleader outfit. That said, I felt like something was wrong with the killer using the kitchen area. Once I remembered the rules pertaining to what areas are closed off during the nighttime it made sense. “Wait, isn’t it impossible to get into the kitchen during the nighttime?” I asked my partner as she searched around. “Don’t the rules state that the dining hall, the only way into the kitchen at all, is closed during nighttime?” “Wrong!” Pinkie suddenly shouted as she dragged me over to the wall located closest to the hallway. “Watch this!” As she said that she pushed a stone brick on the wall, and I watched as it seemed to slide in as her hoof touched it. Moments after the wall started to move away from us, and after a point moved to the side to what seemed like the hallway. I went wide eyed as the revelation happened in front of me, taking a peek to see if this really was the left hallway of the castle. As my eyes caught the barbed wire blocking the stairs at the far end of the hallway, it was made perfectly clear to me what I was looking at. “The kitchen has a secret entrance!” I yelled in shock, looking back to Pinkie. “Yeppsy depsy, it sure does,” Pinkie confirmed as she bounced around me. “I remember finding it on complete accident the first day we got here and being like ‘whaaaaat’ only to then be like ‘oooooo’ when I realized I could cook during nighttime. I mean, don’t tell me you haven’t noticed how me and Bon Bon had been able to make pancakes and breakfast before the morning announcement has occured, right?” It was true, I hadn’t really noticed that at all during the morning hours, by I was usually one of the later ones up anyways. Still, if Pinkie and Bon Bon knew about the secret entrance than A.K. must have known about it too. That would explain why she would want to investigate this place, as now it was entirely possible to get in here during nighttime. If that’s the case, than the killer must have known about it as well. Secret Kitchen Entrance was added to the truth bullet section of your handbook As I looked back to Octavia, I realized the bags that were under her eyes. I remembered what Flash had told me back at the garden, how she was the only one, other than Twilight, who was up at the time. A.K. Yearling was searching around the kitchen still, so I decided that I had to take some initiative. “You okay Octavia?” I asked as I approached her, though I was pretty sure I knew the answer. “How could I feel okay at a time like this,” She said to me, doing her best to hold back a yawn. “Last night was the worst night of sleep I’ve had since I first met… I first met...” realizing she was falling asleep, I gave her a quick slap across to keeping her awake. “OW!” “Sorry, but I just need to know something, then you can fall asleep as quickly as you want,” I told her. “Flash said you were up last night, and I just wanted to know why.” “Oh yeah, that,” She seemed rather upset about the topic, but she decided to tell me anyway. “You think that when Monokuma says the walls are soundproof, he would be right. I don’t know how it’s possible, but I could hear Bulk Bicep snoring through the walls. I tried to get him to stop but he.... wouldn’t open… his door.” With that she yawned again and fell back asleep, too tired to continue talking. However, I had manage to get just enough out of her to know what happened. Her state definitely backed up her statement, and I doubt that she would be very happy if I decided to slap her again. I decided to leave her be, having known myself exactly how a ponies like her or Rainbow react to a bad night’s sleep. Octavia’s account has been added to the truth bullet section of your handbook A.K.’s search didn’t come up with anything too helpful, but after filling her in on what I had learned we decided to next look at the barracks. Apparently she had no clue the hidden entrance to the kitchen existed, but she had figured something like that would exist in an old castle like this. As we walked out of the castle’s interior, we came face to face with Rainbow, who was watching from high above the two of us for anything. A.K. didn’t even notice her, being to focused on getting to the barracks, and as Rainbow swooped down ran right into her. The two tumbled to the ground, both getting up with a groan. “Rainbow, A.K., are you alright?” I yelled to them as I ran over to where they had landed. “Anything broken?” “Other than a slight headache and aggravation, yeah,” The Ultimate Author replied, looking to Rainbow. “Let me guess, you weren’t watching right in front of you.” “Yeah, sorry about that.” Rainbow apologized as she started to take off once again, only to be stopped by A.K. “Hold on, before you go,” She waved her hooves in front of her in order to keep Rainbow’s attention. “I just want to know real quickly if Fluttershy was with you last night. I doubt she could murder anypony, but you never really know.” “Oh, well we did sleep together, and she wasn't the only pony to find the body,” Rainbow told us, seeming anxious to get back to flying as she hovered in the air. “I was right there with her when we saw the blood leading to the garden. After we found the body she was completely paralyzed, too scared to move even as I yelled to her. Should have known that made her suspicious. Can I go now?” Rainbow’s Account was added to the truth bullet section of your handbook A.K. motioned that Rainbow was free to go and the Ultimate Stunt Flyer took off into the air. With that I followed A.K. Yearling into the training field, this being the first time I had stepped hoof inside this part of the courtyard. It was rather similar to what you would see at a high school including a track field for all three races (earth ponies and unicorns sharing the same one obviously). At the far end was our destination: the barracks. Upon walking inside I was greeted by the sight one would expect walking into a barracks. Racks of weapons and bunk beds lined the walls. It was enough room to fit those of us here plus a couple more, but the bunk beds had no mattresses on them, making them completely useless. Decided it was better not to ask why, we instead started searching, both our eyes landing on a weapon rack at the very back of the hall, weapons lying on the floor in front of it. “I think it is safe to assume that this is where the sword we found earlier came from,” A.K. told me. “It seems that every rack here has at least one axe, lance, and sword, resting from top to bottom in that order,” I looked around to the other weapon racks, confirming that A.K. was correct. “Considering that the axe is on the floor, the lance is still on the rack, and the sword is nowhere to be seen, we can safely say this was where it was originally located.” Weapon Rack has been added to the truth bullet section of your handbook Ding dong bing bong “Ahem, can I have everyone's attention,” Monokuma’s voice called out from wherever he currently was. “Investigation period is over, and it is time to commence the first cla- wait I can’t call it that, can I. W-well either way the first trial is going about to start. Please make your way back to the garden and you will be escorted to the trial grounds.” “You ready?” A.K. asked me as Monokuma finished speaking. “From this point on, everything we say is important and can decide if we live or die.” “I don’t think it matters how ready I am,” I explained to her. “Monokuma is in charge, and unless we want to die we need to follow what he says.” With a smile and nod, the two of us made our way back to the garden. As we arrived everyone else had been waiting, some more patient than others. I could sense I feeling of terror in the air from some, and I could feel it trying to overtake me. I did my best to shake it off, looking to A.K. as she stood firm and straight. Deciding it was best to copy her, I tried my best to also look brave, though I knew how afraid I was on the inside. “So… anypony have any idea how we are going to get to the trial ground?” Applejack asked, looking around. “Ah don’t see anything that could resemble a door around here.” “Monokuma wouldn’t have asked us to gather here unless the entrance was inside the garden,” Doctor Hooves reminded the Ultimate Farmer. “It will probably make itself known in a matter of time, especially now that we are all gathered here.” As he finished, the ground started to rumble beneath our hooves. Some like Fluttershy and Rarity took cover in fear that the walls might fall apart, but in the end everyone's eyes landed on the statue that stood behind Twilight’s body. As if it was magic, the statue moved without any trouble, revealing a large platform underneath it. It didn’t take much time for us to release that this must have been the entrance in some way, and everyone soon filed onto the it. The platform underneath us suddenly started to descend, and we watched as the world around us was taken over by darkness. The light from above us faded away as the platform continued down, the statue having probably returned to its original placement. After a long descent something opened up in front of us, revealing a chess-like room with a throne in the back of it. In the middle was a circular stand with our names written on it, making me release this was the courtroom. “Alright everyone, take your places and let's begin this first, heart-racing trial!” Monokuma commanded, and out of either fear or understand we followed it. However, only one thought was racing through my mind at that moment. Twilight Sparkle, the Ultimate Magic Researcher, who Redheart and I had tried our best to help, was killed by somepony here. Who it was I didn’t know, and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to find out, but it was all too clear… … and with that, this trial of life and death, hope and despair, chaos and harmony, had begun.