Dangan RomPonya

by Serenade-Stereo

Day 13: Chapter 4

Author's Note:

SPOILERS FOR THE FIRST DANGANRONPA GAME SO, IF YOU DON'T KNOW HOW IT ENDS, DON'T READ THIS!

All eyes went to Serenade as soon as he said that, eyes wide, shocked expression and all absorbed in the deadly silence.

"...care to repeat that?" Monokuma asked.

"Digital..." Serenade clenched his fists. "Digital didn't kill Gold!"

"Serenade, what the fuck are you saying?!" Beau yelled at him.

"So, who do you suppose actually murdered Gold then?" Monokuma sharpened his claws. "Pick wisely...."

"It...it was the Mastermind!"

"Oh really? And who, pray tell, is the mastermind?"

"Let...let us take it to one last class trial! If we uncover the mastermind and therefore the true culprit of Gold's murder...you let us all go!"

"And if you guess wrongly?"

"Then it's just game over, right? That's how it works..." Monokuma was silent for a few seconds.

"Alright then...you have yourself a deal...you all have time to investigate the school with no restrictions, go to whatever room you want to go to and try to find evidence of the mastermind...search to your hearts content! I'll even simulate Gold's murder so better collect evidence of that too...byeeee!" Monokuma disappeared.

"What the hell are you thinking?!" Beau yelled instantly.

"I'm sorry!" Serenade yelled back. "I wasn't thinking straight but now we really have no choice..."

"You practically just gave the mastermind the win!"

"Not necessarily..." Grimdark says. "If we figure out the who the mastermind is...we win..."

"But, don't we need to figure out the true murderer of Gold as well?" B asked.

"Well that'll probably be easier to find than the mastermind's identity...so let's just investigate and hope for the best..." Grimdark walked off.

"Hmm...well, Monokuma will give us the Monokuma File soon so we don't need to worry about trying to remember that...I'll go with Grimdark since he wasn't here for Gold's trial..." Olive ran after the changeling.

"Alright people, spread out, we covered as much ground as we could with Gold's murder, try and find evidence for the mastermind's identity." Beau said, Orion nodded before heading off. "Serenade, you stay with Digital. He was the original culprit so we have to make sure he doesn't tamper with any evidence..." Beau told him before walking off.

"..you should know that I've already accepted that I am the culprit, Serenade..." Digital told him. "I don't think tampering with anything will change that..."

I've finally got a chance to get everyone out of here...but if I've messed up, it's really game over...

"Well then, Serenade...investigation start..."

"Digital, since you were the culprit last time we investigated Gold's murder. Can you tell me what you remember?"

"Of course: I was walking through the dormitory, thinking about the motives we had received. Just as I was passing by Tickery's room, I saw Gold coming down the hallway. I...I don't remember what had happened from then until he was dead, it's all just a big blur..."

Come to think of it...Tickery told me something interesting too...

--------------

As soon as Tickery heard the announcement, Tickery began her own special investigation!"

"Are you even sad?"

"Hm? I'm never sad, if Tickery is always sad, what happens to happiness!?" Sweet Celestia, what is wrong with this girl? "I guess it is kind of sad that he was killed...but we have to push on and find the killer, right!?"

"Um...right? Well did you find anything on your 'special investigation'?"

"Nope, but I ran into some of the other students. Like Hammer and Olive and Digital and Wild and B...and you!"

----------------

Maybe even in death, Tickery could still help us all with the case...

New Ammo: Digital's Testimony was loaded into Serenade's ElectroID
New Ammo: Tickery's Testimony was loaded into Serenade's ElectroID

"Remember, we need information on the mastermind as well so...this will come in handy..." Digital handed him the 'School Life of Mutual Killings' book. "And, the second edition..." He looked around and took down one more book entitled 'The Field Trip of Mutual Killings'. "That one is basically the same thing only it was on an island...read over it..." Serenade flicked through the pages.

"Sixteen high school students trapped on an island eh? I'll keep that in mind..."

New Ammo: School Life4 of Mutual Killings was loaded into Serenade's ElectroID
New Ammo: Field Trip of Mutual Killings was loaded into Serenade's ElectroID

"Serenade...I'm sorry for what happened to Samurai...it looked like you two had developed quite a friendship from your time in here..."

"It's not fault, Digital...don't think that..."

"I should let you know some things though...since I've spent my time here in the archives, I've been studying religiously on the mastermind, trying to figure out who they are...and here's what I gathered. The mastermind is Junko Enoshima, a human which are in alternate dimensions from our own. She is supposed to be dead at the moment but managed to find a way here, maybe through a reincarnation or possession and she is known as the 'Super High School Level Despair'."

"Thanks Digital, that should come in handy..."

New Ammo: The Mastermind was loaded into Serenade's ElectroID

"We should search elsewhere. See what the others can tell us...re-collect the evidence from the trial..." Digital suggested.

"You're right...we should go to Gold's room, that's where most of the evidence was..."

"Right, let's go."

--------------

Upon entering the deceased unicorn's room, the wall had a projection of Gold on it to simulate the crime scene for the investigation.

"So, do you remember what evidence you collected from then?" Digital asked.

"Well...I remember these spears: They had come from the weapons museum."

New Ammo: Spears were loaded into Serenade's ElectroID

"Also, with the force, I doubted that he died without a fight..."

New Ammo: Signs of a Struggle were loaded into Serenade's ElectroID

"But, I killed him with one stab, remember? He died instantly..." Digital says.

"You said you don't remember exactly what happened, right? You can't say that for sure..."

"I suppose not..."

"There was also the gaming handheld that was on his person which ended up having the hypnosis chip inside."

"I don't think the actual handheld would be relevant but the chip would..."

New Ammo: Hypnosis Chip was loaded into Serenade's ElectroID

"Now...I remember the knife that was used to stab Gold was Tickery's knife and was her weapon. Come to think of it, if the knife Beau found in here was Tickery's, where's Gold's weapon?"

"That's a good point...I wonder what it was..."

New Ammo: Gold's Weapon was loaded into Serenade's ElectroID
New Ammo: Knife and Other Hidden Weapons were loaded into Serenade's ElectroID

"Oh, so you two are here..." Grimdark's voice came from the shower room. "Olive just showed me around the crime scene and headed off to see if she could find new clues...looks like the shower was used during the murder? Doesn't loon like the projection has wet hair or anything..."

"That's true...but that just proved that the weapon was washed, nothing more..." Serenade told him.

"Still, any information is good, right?" Grimdark folded his arms. Well...he's right about that I suppose...

New Ammo: Gold's Shower was loaded into Serenade's ElectroID

"So, Grimdark, was it?" Digital asked. "Did you find anything useful in here?"

"Well, since you asked, I looked under the bed and found a poster under there with blood on it...obviously it was just a projection though..." Serenade looked under the bed and sure enough, a poster had been slid under there with visible blood splattered over it.

"This is new..." Serenade said. "Though, I guess nobody looked under the bed during the investigation..."

New Ammo: Bloody Poster was loaded into Serenade's ElectroID

"Also, I've been thinking..." Grimdark said. "And I want to know who you two think the assassin is..." Digital and Serenade seemed caught off guard by the question.

"Why do you ask?" Digital raised an eyebrow.

"How do you know about the assassin?" Serenade looked at him.

"Beau told me today before you all found me. But as for your question...I'm not really in any position to say...since the student records went missing..."

"Student records?" Grimdark asked.

"Yes, they show the names of the students, a photo of them and their talent is displayed as well...it most defiantly would have revealed the SHSL Assassin...but to think that Hope's Peak would someone with such a title in here?"

"They probably gave them a fake title..." Grimdark said.

"True...but I guess we just need to figure it out later, it's not the most important topic right now."

"Unless they're the mastermind!" Grimdark said.

"Not a chance, with a SHSL Mastermind on the run as well...which do you think is running the show?" Serenade asked him.

"Oh, right..."

"Serenade, we should head to the weapons museum...recollect evidence from there." Digital suggested.

"You're right, let's go..."

---------------

The two entered the museum to see Orion and B over by where the spears once were.

"Oh, Serenade and Digital..." B greeted. "I take it that you two are here to remember the evidence here, right?"

"Yeah." Digital confirmed. "Though, there's still no way that I didn't kill Gold so this is a pointless class trial."

"Uncovering the identity of the mastermind." Orion objects. "That is the true purpose of this, is it not?"

"It is, if we uncover the mastermind, we get to go home!" Serenade says.

"But I still would have killed someone..." Digital looks down.

"Digital...I didn't think you killed Gold at any point..." B says.

"Huh? But the vote was unanimous..." Digital's eyes widened.

"True, I just followed everyone's lead back then though so...I'm sorry about that. But I never thought that you would have it in you to kill someone, I don't think you're that kind of person..."

"B, I...thank you..." He gave a soft smile.

"Alright, did you guys get the evidence?" Serenade asked

"Indeed, we found the piece of laminate that we assumed was from Digital's badge..." Orion told him.

New Ammo: Laminate was loaded into Serenade's ElectroID

"There was the glass arrangement..." She continued.

New Ammo: Glass Arrangement was loaded into Serenade's ElectroID

"And I believe that was it..." She gave a smile.

"Hmm...what about info on the mastermind?" Serenade asked.

"No, but when I saw Ms Love earlier...she seemed to have something clutched in her hand...like a tape recorder..."

"A tape recorder?" B asked.

"Yes, I'm not sure where it came from though..." Orion admitted.

Why would Beau have a tape recorder...?

New Ammo: Tape Recorder was loaded into Serenade's ElectroID

Just then the doors opened and Olive came running in.

"Guys, guys, guys! You won't believe what I found when I was looking through the media room!"

"What is it?" Orion asked her.

"I found Gold's video!"

"You mean the motive?" Digital asked.

"Yeah, problem is though...the disk is broken..."

"What?" Serenade raised an eyebrow.

"I found it in pieces, and I could tell it was Gold's because of these." She held up two pieces with the label still attached. One with the letter 'i' and the other with 'o'. "See? The letter 'i' and the letter 'o' like in Gold Coin!"

"Well...it may come in use...I suppose..." Digital said unsure of the 'evidence' Olive had delivered.

New Ammo: Motive Disk was loaded into Serenade's ElectroID

"Also, don't you think these projections are pretty high tech?" Olive asked them. "I mean, since they're 3D? It would totally hard to pull this off otherwise!"

"Yes, it is quite state of the art, but with other things in this school it isn't so surprising..." Digital said.

"I know but it is still freakin' cool!"

"Hey, Serenade...? There's just one more place I'd like to check out..." Digital said.

"Where would that be?" Orion inquired.

"It's none of your concern, don't fret..."

One more place...?

"Let's go..." Digital headed off.

---------------

The two stood in the hallway of the dormitory in front of an unexpected room: Serenade's.

"Why are we here?" Serenade asked confused on why Digital wanted to come here.

"Well, it's right across from Gold's room so it may have some connection to the case...plus I think I stored the body in here, remember?"

"Oh right...you did...maybe..."

"Defiantly..." Digital corrected before entering the room alongside Serenade. "Now let's see..." He looks at the ground. "The blood pools are here...so the body must have been pulled in here. I guess that confirms my suspicions...."

New Ammo: Blood Pools were loaded into Serenade's ElectroID

"Hmm?" Digital walked over to the bedside table and picked up Serenade's photo album. "What's this?"

"Ack! G-give it here!" Serenade snatched it away quickly. He held it close to his chest so it wouldn't leave his grasp.

"What's wrong? Is there something in there?"

"N-no...it's just a little...private..." Serenade's voice got quieter and quieter as he spoke. "So, can you leave this alone? I don't want other looking in it..." By the end of the sentence he just sounded like he was begging with his now almost silent, meek voice. Digital raise an eyebrow but didn't argue about it.

That was too close...

New Ammo: Photo Album was loaded into Serenade's ElectroID

*Ding dong, Bing bong!*

"Looks like...we're out of time..." Digital says ominously.

"Alright, bastards, time to get this show started! Head to the red door and we can get this final trial over with!"

"Did he say...'final trial'?" Digital gave a nervous look.

"Looks like he has something planned for this..." Serenade says.

"Well, we can't waste time, let's go. We have no idea what he'll do if we're late..."

----------------

When Digital and Serenade arrived, the other five had already turned up.

"So, this is it?" Grimdark asked.

"It seems so, otherwise 'final trial' would not make any sense..." Orion says.

"Yes, it does seem that he has some sort of plan for this..." Beau folds her arms.

"Beau? Where have you been during the investigation? I don't think anyone saw you..." Olive asked her.

"....I was in the media room, I saw you leave with that broken disk." She answered.

"Did you find something?" B asked her.

"...I'll explain when necessary..." She answered vaguely.

"Alllllllright everyone! Time to finish this here and now! Step into the magic elevator and get ready for the final showdown!" Monokuma's voice echoed from nowhere as the elevator door slid open for them all.

"Well then...it's now or never everyone...we have one shot at this so let's make it count..." Grimdark says.

"We don't need the motivational speech, sergeant." Digital told him.

"Well excuse me!"

"Can we not argue now...?" Olive asked. "We should just get this over with, right? I don't want any of this to continue and neither do any of you, right?"

"Of course...let us proceed..." Orion stepped into the elevator first, a fire in her eyes that seemed to just scream: 'This is for you' which could only mean Nimbus.

"Tickery...Lock...I'm gonna help you two rest in peace..." Olive said quietly before joining her.

"Gold..." Digital folded his arms and ventured in.

And everyone else... The rest joined them all the elevator started moving downwards. For Gold, Moonlight, Wild, Lock, Zoom, Tickery, Punch, Hammer and Nimbus...and Samurai...we have to win this!

I won't let the mastermind win!