//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: Dungeons and Death - Deadly life part 1 // Story: Danganronpa V.E: Creating Chaos // by Lusaminia //------------------------------// The silence in the air seemed to carry the same thought from pony to pony. We’ve already seen so much death hear in such a small amount of time, and I thought I had seen everything. Twilight, Trixie, Rarity, and Octavia had all left an impression on us. I thought that, after all of that, nothing could phase me. I thought that everyone else would be the same, but here we all are. Ten ponies standing in a blood covered room, one of those clutching one of the recent victim’s close to her body. None of us wanted to believe it, and yet it was undeniably true. Not one, not two, but three bodies had been found, each belong to a fellow captive of this game. Flam, the Ultimate Con Artist, a pony who was far more trustworthy than any of us had expected. Flash, the Ultimate Guard, who seemed to trust only himself when everything came down to it. Both were shocking to see lying on the ground, but neither of them had gone through as much as the third. Pinkie Pie, the Ultimate Party Planner, who had just learned of her sister’s passing and had taken these murders worse than most of us. “This… this has to be a joke,” Applejack spoke up, her voice barely even a whisper. “I’m dreaming right? This has to be a dream.” “As much as I want to agree with you, this is very much real,” Doctor Hooves replied, looking down at his hoofs. It, like the rest of ours, were stained in blood. “What in Celestia’s name happened here?” “I hate to be that pony but it should be obvious,” Redheart said, her and Fluttershy being the only ones in the group not traumatized by this. “Three ponies murdered in a single room, a few possibilities are open as to how it happened. Perhaps they all killed each other, or one of us killed them all, or something far more interesting happened we don’t currently know of yet,” She licked her lips, tasting the blood in her hoof. That smile turned to disgust, though I had no idea why. “Or this could be some horrible joke.” “I don’t think this is a joke,” Thorax stated, the same thought going through my head as well. “Is Bon Bon gonna be okay?” My attentioned turned to the Ultimate Candymaker, who was still clutching Pinkie in her hooves. Blood had stained her coat, but she didn’t care at all. All Bon Bon wanted to do was cry into the body of the friend she had lost, one who she has been closed to ever since we arrived in this castle. I couldn’t imagine what she was going through. I felt terrible that Pinkie was dead, and yet for some reason I was just glad it wasn’t me. “Yeesh, enough with the frowny faces,” Monokuma said as he dropped from the ceiling, landing in front of us. “I mean, all of you should have seen this coming. It would be boring if the same amount of ponies are murdered every time, right? And rule of thumb is that the third murder will always have two ponies. Though, I guess it’s three in this case, puhuhuhu.” “Just get to the point Monokuma,” Redheart said, her voice oddly serious. I had expect her to giddy about the situation. “I want to start investigating, and the longer you’re here the more time we waste.” “Is something wrong Redheart?” A.K. asked, having also noticed the lack of crazy in Redheart’s voice. “Something is indeed wrong, but I can’t put my hoof on it just yet,” Redheart responded. “Which is why I ask for you to leave your stupid report and get out of here.” “Still no respect?” Monokuma threatened, claws out and held in front of him. “Even after I destroyed those lovely letters from home?” “Screw those stupid letters!” Bulk yelled. “I don’t care if they were for good reason, I don’t want to know what’s waiting for me.” “Okay, fine,” Monokuma said, taking out the next collection of monokuma files and throwing them in front of him. “Here you go, start investigating for all I care. Maybe after you’ll learn to respect your superiors.” With that, monokuma stamped off, leaving our first clues to the murderer behind him. Redheart was the first to grab one, followed by Bulk, Applejack, and the rest of us, until only one was left. Looking to see who hadn’t grabbed one, I saw that Bon Bon hadn’t moved the entire time, and quickly pieced together it was hers. Grabbing the monokuma file, I walked over to her, trying to find the words to get her moving. “Bon Bon, it’s time to get to work,” I told her, though I didn’t get any response. “Look, I can’t understand how you’re feeling right now, but we need to investigate. If we all work together-” “I’m not working with you murderers,” She finally responded, the words heartless and her voice cold. “I don’t know who it was, but I know why it happened,” She tightened her grip around Pinkie’s body, soaking her own in her dead friend’s blood. “Whoever did this is responsible for putting the letter back together, and that pony is one of you. I’m gonna find which one of you did it, and I’m gonna kill you…” She looked to me, a fire in her eyes. “... even if I end up dying in turn. Just leave the file on the floor.” A few more ponies in the room tried to talk to her, but Bon Bon didn’t respond. She just sat their, whispering numerous apologies and promises to the dead pony in front of her. It took time, but everyone finally gave up on getting her to talk or work with us. They didn’t see what I did: a pony desperate for revenge against a foe they didn’t know. I could already imagine the suspicion that might fall on her, lashing out at everypony that might be involved. If I’m going to find the murderer and save everypony, then I have to keep her from painting a target on her back Investigation Start! “If any of you want to check the bodies, do it now before checking the monokuma file,” Redheart told us. “I don’t want to leave her without a gathering a full report, and that’s going to take time with three bodies. As such, I’ll also guard them.” “I’m surprised to see such a serious look on your face Redheart,” Doctor Hooves observed. “I expected you to be acting… a little crazier.” “Don’t get me wrong, I want to be excited about this just as much as last time,” Redheart explained, looking to the Ultimate Scientist. “But something about this rubs me the wrong way. This murder feels… unjust.” “I’ll guard the bodies too,” Bulk volunteered, stepping next to Redheart. “If Flash was still alive, he would obviously guard them. Though, with him gone-” “Ya don’t need to explain yourself. We know why he can’t do this,” Applejack explained. “Anyways, yer with me Ditzy.” “Wait, what?” I was shocked to hear those words from the Ultimate Farmer, considering the vendetta she seemed to have against me right now. “I-I thought you would want to go with somepony else.” “Well ma’ first choice is dead, and as much as ah hate to admit it yer one of the more coordinated ones here,” Applejack explain. Her compliments only led to even more shock. “So… ya gonna check the bodies or stand here with your mouth agape like a no-eyed bat?” “Oh, r-right,” I responded, nodding hurriedly before walking over to the first body. The body closest to us was Flam, who was strapped down to a table with a wire of some kind know that I was close. The wire was wrapped across his torso, legs, neck, and mouth. There was no blood from what I could see, and besides from a couple bruises I couldn’t see any damage. However, I hadn’t checked the monokuma file yet, so it was possible some damage might have been done on the inside. “That’s barbed wire,” Applejack stated, pointing to the wires on his torso and legs. She then turned to ones around Flam’s neck and muzzle. “That however, seems closer a standard cable.” “Really?” Looking closer, I could see that there was indeed a difference from the lower wires to the upper ones. They were small, but the former wires were indeed barbed. “That’s strange, I don’t remember seeing either of these at all throughout the castle. Where did they get these from?” “They’re stored behind some of the machines in here,” Redheart explain, having overheard our conversation. “Some of these machines are electronic, but most are rather old fashioned. The barbed wire was probably meant as a way to dissuade the victim from struggling, though to avoid damaging the neck they probably used the cables. Clearly they weren’t trying to kill him, or at least kill him by neck damage.” “Ya sound pretty sure of that,” Applejack pointed out, seeming rather suspicious. Redheart nodded in response. “I should be, I’m the only one who is ever down here,” She looked away, eyes closed as she thought about what she just said. “Guess that makes me the number one suspect.” I could understand why she was thinking that, but I had a feeling Redheart was innocent. The look of disgust from earlier, and the more serious nature she currently had. Either way, at least we knew where the wires came from, as well as a theory to their use. If the wire wasn’t meant to kill him, there was no reason for barbed wire to be around his body. It could have been for restaining, but something tells me there was a bigger reason Flam’s body was added to the truth bullet section of your handbook. Restraining wires was added to the truth bullet section of your handbook. With nothing else noteworthy about Flam’s body, I moved to Flash, who was probably the worst of three in terms of conditions. His body was heavily beaten, limbs twisting in ways that they really shouldn’t have been. Unlike Flam, there was no look of pain, shock, or terror visible on his face. At first I thought Flash had been killed before he even knew of his attacker, but that wouldn’t make sense with the beating he seemed to receive. “Doesn’t seem like a single piece of his body isn’t bruised,” Applejack said, looking at the body. The what her body language wanted to imply, but she was actually looking to the wall instead. “Flash, ah’m sorry. This should have never happened to you.” “Is everything okay Applejack?” I asked. The moment I said her name she looked to the body, though it seemed to have been forced. “Yeah, just unable to believe somepony like Flash is dead,” She said, something that came off as a half lie, one she struggled to say. “How the hay did somepony manage to kill a trained soldier like him?” Despite being an attempt to turn my attention away from her, that was definitely a good question to ask. Flash was the Ultimate Guard, most likely trained in self defense and was not someone you would attack under normal circumstances. Not many ponies seemed capable of taking of stallion like him down, with the exception of Bulk perhaps. He was strong, which made sense as the Ultimate Body Builder, but Flash would know how to deal with him. “The only pony we can rule out is Flam,” I stated. “I could be wrong, but with the relationship between these two Flash was probably the one who tied him up.” “Ah guess that makes sense,” Applejack nodded, once again looking away from the Flash’s body. “He might have been the Ultimate Guard, but sometimes ah swear he acted like a grade school bully.” Flash’s body was added to the truth bullet section of your notebook “Okay, time is up,” Redheart announced, pushing me aside and kneeling next to Flash. “You had your chance to examine the bodies, but if I’m gonna finish before the trial I need to get to work now.” “Hang on, we haven’t even gotten the chance to examine Pinkie yet,” Applejack shouted at the Ultimate Nurse. Looking behind me, I saw multiple ponies starting to make their way out of the room. “Give us at least another minute or-” “Bon Bon isn’t letting anyone near Pinkie except for me,” Redheart explained, looking to Applejack in patiently. “She doesn’t trust anyone right now, and I only get a pass because I can give a more idea on the cause of death. Besides, there some more important things to focus on.” I had to force Applejack away from her, the Ultimate Farmer having some choice words for the nurse. We didn’t have time to argue, something that Applejack didn’t understand, and there was other stuff we could focus on. Neither of us had looked at the Monokuma file yet, and with three bodies it would probably hold a lot of useful information. While Applejack grumbled about getting cut off from investigating (despite not having the guts to look at Flash’s body) I opened up the third Monokuma File. Seeing photographs of all three victims, smiling as I read the contents, gave me an eerie feeling. “All victims were killed within a single half hour, with each on being minutes off from the other,” The file started, already sounding incredibly different compared to the last two. “The time of death ranges between 10 to 11 PM.” Those first two sentences quickly made something clear, one that I was both thankful and nervous about. The way Monokuma had worded this clearly meant that all the murders were related to each other. It had seemed likely before, but now it seemed certain that this was the case. All three were killed within minutes of each other in the same location, with another mystery pony making it out alive. That’s what seemed like the most obvious sequence of events anyway. Getting off track, I returned my focus to the file in front of me. “Flash, the Ultimate Guard, received major external and internal injuries,” The Monokuma file continued. “Multiple bones were broken, with major internal bleeding being a possible cause of death. However, the body also shows signs of severe trauma, beating, and punctured organs. All of this was done by hoof.” “By hoof?” I asked myself, looking to Flash’s body as I thought about that. “Guess that makes sense.” “Flam, the Ultimate Con Artist, was found tied to an interrogation table in the torture room. No harm has been done to the body; the cause of death is unknown.” “Pinkie Pie, the Ultimate Party Planner, was found in the corner of the crime scene. She was impaled through the chest with a large item, causing major bleeding.” “Hey Redheart,” I asked, getting a groan in response from the nurse. She didn’t want to be interrupted, but I had no choice but to ask at this point. “Is it possible for all this blood to be from a single pony?” “That is a good question,” Redheart responded. “No, the amount of blood in the room would not have been solely caused by one pony, but it’s possible someone among us might be hiding injuries. Now if you don’t mind, I’m trying to do something important here.” Monokuma file #3 has been added to the truth bullet section of your handbook “Hey, everyone!” Bulk called out from one area of the room. “I think I found the murder weapon!” “Really? Step aside!” Applejack commanded, dashing over to Bulks location. I followed after her, hoping this could give some insight as to why so much blood was on the ground. What Bulk had found definitely seemed like the murder weapon; a spear covered in blood at the very back of the room. The metal tip was covered in scratches, though it was impossible to tell if they were recent or not. Otherwise nothing but the recently dried blood at the end of the blade stood out all that well, but Applejack couldn’t stop staring at it. Something was going through her mind, something that may be detrimental to figuring this murder out. “Applejack, did this spear belong to Flash?” I asked, hoping she wouldn’t pretend to ignore me. “Did you… see something that you aren’t telling us about?” “Ah guess,” Applejack responded, finally looking away from the spear and to me. “Ever since the first murder Flash has been keeping a spear in his room for self defense. Ah know this because he spoke to me about it yesterday. Frankly,” Applejack pulled her hat over her eyes. “Ah don’t understand why he was so surprised about Pinkie’s letter.” “You mean he might have known about it?” I question, seeming to have landed upon an interesting piece of information. “Ah don’t think he might have known about this,” Applejack said a stern look on her face. “Ah know he was aware of the letter’s message. He was one of the ponies who put it together after all,” Bulk gasp loudly, quickly reminding me that he was also here. “I found them talking about it down here two nights ago. A heard a few voices, but no idea on who they belonged to. Only one I could pick out was Flash and… no, that can’t be right.” That revelation definitely took me by surprised, considering exactly who it was that we were talking. Applejack was right, Flash was oddly angry about the contents of the letter, but thinking it over it wasn’t specifically the letter he was angry at. He was angry at Fluttershy for being so insensitive about the information it contained. Either way, he should have known well what the letter contain if Applejack was correct. “Weren’t you also the first pony to find the bodies?” Bulk Bicep asked. “Yep, though ah wasn’t alone,” The Ultimate Farmer confirmed, before looking over at Pinkie’s body. “Huh, guess Bon Bon left. A-anyways, I had heard somepony shouting from downstairs and had found Bon Bon tied up in one of the cells.” “That’s odd,” I closed my eyes, playing the scene that Applejack had described in my mind. “Who tied her up? My first thought was the murderer but leaving somepony alive would but them in danger,” Done thinking it over, I opened my eyes and focused solely on Applejack. “Is that why you were so eager for my help, Applejack? You’re afraid that what Flash was caught up in got him murdered?” “I’m not asking to be friends, and I still don’t like you after the whole ‘destroying the messages’ thing,” Applejack explained. “But Flash and I actually got along rather well. I didn’t bring him up earlier because I don’t want to think he got killed for killing somepony else. The Ultimate Guard doesn’t kill good ponies, and that’s the only truth I am accepting,” For the first time since we had met, I saw a look of fear and weakness in her face. “So, even though I seem like a complete ass to you, please help me find the truth?” “Applejack,” I hugged my fellow Ultimate, an action that seemed to shock her. “As much as Flam was right about you, always wanting to be right and all, I was in the wrong that time. Don’t feel like you need to like me, because that would be wrong, but know I will do everything in my power to help you.” After a few moments, we got back to investigating. So many possibilities and pieces were now available to us that it was hard not to ignore it all. That spear was definitely a murder weapon, and one carried by Flash no less. He obviously had some intention of using it, but for what reason I was unsure. Applejack and Bon Bon had discovered the bodies, with the later having been tied up by an unknown suspect. Everything pointed to one truth we could be absolutely sure about: the destroyed messages were at the center of all of this. “The hell were you thinking Fluttershy?” Flash asked, clearly frustrated by the lack of care being shown from the Ultimate Animal Caretaker. “Pinkie already had enough to deal with after Rarity was killed. Why fan the flame even more?” Now that I thought about it, Flash was actually trying to defend Pinkie back then. For him to kill Pinkie seemed backwards after that. In made more sense for him to be defend her from somepony, but whoever that pony was we didn’t yet know. This group of ponies, putting the messages back together, wasn’t trying to tear us apart. They simply wanted to give ponies closure, one that had sadly led to this outcome. A bad outcome, all of which paved with good intention. Group reforming messages has been added to the truth bullet section of your handbook Applejack’s account has been added to the truth bullet section of your handbook Bloody spear has been added to the truth bullet section of your handbook “Well, since Bon Bon is no longer at the body, should we check it real quickly?” I recommended, knowing that we wouldn’t have much time with Redheart present. “Why wouldn’t we?” Applejack asked, her head tilted slightly in confusion. “I mean, she is a victim in this case?” Walking over to Pinkie’s body, my heart sank a little at the very idea of checking her. I knew I had to, but of all the ponies that could have died, she was not the one who should have. Her entire world seemed to have crumbled in a matter of days, going from a chipper, hyperactive ball of energy, to someone barely able to stand in front of us with a smile. She didn’t need to know the truth, and Fluttershy no longer understood that. Just how far had Monokuma twisted her? “The cause of death is most likely impalement,” Applejack recited, looking at the Monokuma file. “No doubt the spear we found was the cause of this, but I doubt Flash killed her.” “If he was any other Ultimate, I would disagree, but the Ultimate Guard?” I questioned, pondering on what Applejack had said. “At the very least, the murderer must have taken it from him. Still, why was Pinkie down here when she could barely see?” “What do ya mean ‘barely see’?” Applejack asked. I facehooved, realizing nopony but Bon Bon and I knew about Pinkie’s eyesight. “Last I checked, starvation doesn’t do anything to a ponies ability to see.” “Actually, Pinkie didn’t have good eyesight to begin with,” I explained. “When I met Pinkie this morning, she actually attacked me because she thought I was someone else. Apparently she wears contact lens, and couldn’t find them when she woke up this morning.” “Hopefully no pony took them in an attempt to cause an accident,” Applejack replied. “It definitely is strange though. I’m not to sure what kind of vision she had or what lead her down here, but do you think she might have walked in on the murderer?” “If this wasn’t related to the letters, I would believe that. Since it is related to the letters, clearly Pinkie had some involvement in the scene before us,” I told Applejack, coming up with a possible theory. “With a group working on the letters, three victims, and a murderer, anyone could have taken part in what happened. Who is or isn’t involved is something we’ll need to figure out during the trial.” Pinkie was definitely the most clear victim of the three, and the most cleanly killed despite the blood splattered in the room. Her death wasn’t an accident, even though a part of me wanted to say it was, and something drew her down here. She was probably the first pony killed, but until we have Redheart’s autopsy we won’t know. Yet, for some odd reason, her murder seemed off to me. I don’t know why, but there was a mystery to her body that wasn’t being told to us.” Pinkie’s body has been added to the truth bullet section of your handbook Morning events has been added to the truth bullet section of your handbook “So, what should we do from here?” Applejack asked. “Until Redheart is done, nothing else in here seems useful.” “We should check the rest of the dungeon,” I explained. “You mentioned Bon Bon being tied up in a cell, and I saw the locked door at the end of the hall open for some reason. We could probably find something in-” I suddenly heard the door slam shut, distracting everyone inside of the murder room as an unknown figure suddenly darted off on the other side. Following my gut, I rushed to the door to open it, wondering what the figure was up to. As I reached the door, I tried to open it, only to find it wouldn’t budge. Applejack and Bulk joined at my side moments later, each of us attempting to open the door to no avail. We had been locked in the murder room with no ability to leave. “Ditzy? Somepony?” I heard the familiar voice of A.K. come from the otherside of the door. “Are you okay?” “We’re okay!” I called to the otherside, glad to hear the voice of my possible sister. “We can’t open the door from our end, can you?” “I just tried,” I then heard Thorax, his voice sounding panicked and alarm. “Somepony busted the lock from the inside. If you are wondering how I know, drones have training in infiltration, sabotage, and other things. I’m not proud of it, but give me some time and I should be able to get you out.” “We don’t have that time,” Applejack whispered to me. “How can we check the rest of the building if the door is locked.” “I got this,” I reassured her. “A.K., could you check the opened door at the end of this hall and the dungeon cells? They might be important to the murder.” P.O.V. Change: A.K. Yearling is now investigating “Alright, leave it to me,” I reassured Ditzy from the other side, Thorax already at work on fixing the look. “Thanks Thorax, I don’t want to know what Monokuma would do if they didn’t arrive for the tiral.” “No thanks need,” He said, looking to me with a smile before returning to his work. Doctor Hooves, my partner for this investigation, was currently pondering what had just occurred. “Should we tell them that Bon Bon did-” “Later,” I interrupted. “We have thing to do.”