Part 56: Person Pitch

MUSIC: New Classmates of the Dead



Those who weren't present at the magic show heard it and came running...









Wha—? Break it?

Yeah, break it. It'll take too long to drain it by hand.

But what would we even use to break—



Huh? What do you mean, we're up?









N-Now wait just a second. You don't need to team up now—

AUDIO: Go! Keebo!



AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!



We watched helplessly as the area flooded with water. After some deliberation, we decided to start cleaning everything up. However, I made sure not to disturb the scene more than necessary. With Kirumi's expertise, we were able to clean up enough to start investigating.

MUSIC: Wonderful Story





...

Keebo looks depressed... He *was* just used as a battering ram, so I understand why.

He's been reduced such that he can be carried in one hand... How fleeting and fragile life is...



Piranhas all got big tummies. Gonta think they full.

Today, Ryoma is fish food... And tomorrow, he'll be fish shit.

D-Don't say such things...



Himiko, are you okay?



H-How...!? How...could this happen!? We...swore to each other, didn't we? We swore we'd never let the killing game start up again.



All you liars, apologize to Ryoma! He believed the killing game wouldn't happen anymore!



Oh, you figured it out? You've got a pretty good eye there, Kiyo.

MUSIC: Mr. Monokuma's Lesson V3













That means we can put all this borin' crap on hold and start playin' the blame game!





...

...MONOPHANIE, ARE-YOU-OKAY?

Five...



Hmm? Are you counting, Monophanie? Why are you counting...?





Ah! She puked again!



Listen up! We're here to make sure the killin' game goes smoothly, capice?







Hey, hey! This conversation is fun and all, but we should really get this over with!

Don't we need to start investigating or something?

Alriiight! I'll get the culprit this time for sure! Hurry up and give us the thingy!



I also investigated the cause of death this time, so read it to your heart's delight.



...Yeah, that's totally unrelated.



Y'know how it gets awkward at funerals when ya start askin' about the cause of death? If we pass out Monokuma Files, even the worst deaths will get a giggle outta the attendees!



You're so freakin' cute!

...Huh? Cute?

The way you pass out the files is just so cute. Why don'tcha come with me over here...?







Hmmm... You think maybe Monosuke's right? Maybe Father doesn't like us anymore cuz we're not hostile and threatening enough?



I think maybe I'll follow Monosuke.

...



They sound bummed out when they say it this time.

MUSIC: Wonderful Story



Investigation... So it's really going to start again.

I can't believe it... One of us killed Ryoma...

Someone among us...

No more... Gonta no wanna investigate friends... No wanna suspect friends...



...Huh?

You'll be fine if you're short a person, and I doubt a child caregiver would be much help.



I tried to stop her, but Maki didn't even turn around and kept walking.

The fuck is that bitch's problem!? She's seriously not gonna investigate!?

That seems...rather irresponsible.

She likely assumes someone else will take care of it...and I suppose she isn't wrong.

But why would she say that now? She participated in Rantaro's investigation...



I've been told she spends all day in her lab. What is she doing in there?



I'm seriously pissed we gotta do this, but it's our only chance to survive.

Yup! I'll do my very best, too!

Gonta and I have to work especially hard so we can regain everyone's trust!

Oh, yes... You right.



...What?

Ryoma was murdered during a certain little magical girl's show, right?

Nyeh...?



Nyeh!?

Buuuut...she's so suspicious that it seems not suspicious.

Nyeh...?

But then again, she's made herself look not suspicious, so now she's super suspicious!



You just said Himiko, didn't you? But I never mentioned her name.

Aaahh!!! Shaddup, shaddup! Himiko would never do something like that!

I know her best! Right, Himiko!?

No...



Himiko, can you at least tell us the trick behind the Underwater Escape Act?

If we know how the trick works, we can try to figure out how the culprit killed—



Not possible? Why not?

There's no trick to the Underwater Escape. Cuz it was my magic...



Himiko...in order for us to find the culprit, it's plain to see we need your help...

Nyeeeh...my answer won't change, no matter what you say.

There's no trick to my magic. Cuz...it's magic.

How long are you gonna keep that bullshit up? Listen, if we don't catch the culprit, we're—



Fuaaaahhh! I'll use my Neo-Aikido to obliterate any degenerate male who bullies Himiko!

I-I'm not bullying her. It's her fault she's being so stubborn...

Well, it's fine if you don't wanna tell us. I'll just find out myself.

Actually, that sounds pretty fun!



We have no choice in the matter.



We have no choice but to find the culprit who killed Ryoma.





MUSIC: Despair Searching



Hm? What's wrong?

Before we start the investigation, there's something I gotta tell you...



...Your sidekick?

I'm more of a scientist kinda guy, so I'm not really cut out for investigations.

But...that's a good quality to have for an investigation...

Yeah, but we're in an investigaation. There's a difference.

Plus, the only stage fit for Kaito Momota, Luminary of the Stars, is the universe itself.



Kaito's more of an "idea guy," and we all know how valuable those are in getting a project done.

Ah, but, I don't know what to do as a "sidekick"...

Don't worry about it. I'll make all the tough calls, you just gotta do what I say.

He...loves to make decisions on his own, doesn't he?

So...



Huh?

Alright, let's get started! First we gotta check the Monokuma File!

Y-Yes, right.

Kaito making me his sidekick like this... Could it be...?



I can't stop thinking about...the pain and sadness that comes if I reveal the truth. That's what I'm afraid of...



Hey, what's the matter? Let's check the Monokuma File already.

Ah, right. At Kaito's behest, I looked over the Monokuma File.





The cause of death was drowning. His body was consumed by piranhas until only bones remained. No other injuries can be confirmed at this time.





Hm?

The previous Monokuma File indicated Rantaro's time of death, correct?





The estimated time of death is 9:10 pm.

The victim was subjected to blunt force trauma to the back of the skull...resulting in cranial fractures and immediate death. No other injuries were detected.





No...this was intentional. Monokuma told us that he wouldn't give us any information that would reveal the culprit.

Thinking about it that way...



So that means the key to this case is the time of death!

Hah, there ya go! I knew I picked a good sidekick!

There's one more thing in the Monokuma File that catches my eye...



It says drowning... But if that's the case... We might be able to unravel the case from there...



Alright. Now that we're done with the Monokuma File, we can get started on the investigation. My first command to my new sidekick is...



"Also, don't forget to breathe! Breathing is very important!"

He's pretty commanding, as I expected...







When piranhas attack Ryoma... If Gonta had dived into tank... Then...Gonta coulda help Ryoma. But Gonta got scared. Too scared to do anything.



A man shouldn't apologize so easily... And even if you had jumped in, they just woulda eaten you too.

And from what I read in the Monokuma File, you couldn't have saved him anyway, Gonta.



You haven't even read the Monokuma File yet?

No...Gonta not really understand it... Gonta not smart enough to be help...



If you think you can't help, then work till you can! That's what you can do!

That's right, Gonta! You're a huge help! There's some information that only *you* know, after all.



Remember? During the show, you went up on the stage? That was about...20 seconds before the piranhas dropped, right?

Y-Yeah... Cuz Gonta worry about Himiko...



No, Gonta see no one in tank. Gonta kinda surprised...



B-But...if Gonta do nothing, Himiko get eaten by piranhas— ...Huh?



Yeah, that right...

Then when did Ryoma get in there? You didn't see it happen?

Gonta dunno... Everyone see Ryoma in tank when piranhas drop in. After that...





Y-Yeah. You right...

But...this is a problem... Now I'm even more stumped. Even if Himiko disappearing was part of the Underwater Escape Act...



I'm positive that mystery will be an important point of this case...













But with the way she is... How do we convince her?

Oh! What if... Ryoma was a former apprentice of Himiko's master and vowed revenge on him...



...Or something like that. It's happened before, probably!



But...I guess something like that isn't very likely in this setting...





...That's not a very polite way to ask someone for something.

It's got nothin' to do with the incident, but... I heard Gonta captured you guys last night?

The hell was that all about? I was runnin' around so I got no clue what happened.

Oh, yeah. Tell me too. I was also running, so I still don't know what went on.



Chop-chop, you slimy shit!

W-Well...I suppose you could say that Gonta was tricked into kidnapping us. The first ones to get captured were Keebo, Kiyo, Tsumugi, Tenko, and l. Himiko and Angie were brought in later.



Exactly. And Kokichi left the room after, around 9:00 pm... So they must have been brought in about five minutes before that.

We were all forced to participate in Gonta's Insect Meet and Greet. We were freed about an hour into nighttime, around 11:00 pm.



And then those people without an alibi are me, Kirumi, Maki, and...Ryoma.

Hah-hahaha! I see you've learned what an alibi is, thanks to the previous incident! But what the fuck is this "Insect Meet and Greet" bullshit!? Hah-hahaha!



Hm? O-Oh...u-uh...well...

I, uh...I had to use...my secret woman weapon... A-And let's just leave it at that...

..."Secret woman weapon"?



Ah, hey, what's a "secret woman weapon"—



Is she trying to laugh it off...?

Shuichi, let's just leave her be. Listening to her will just tire you out.

You're probably right... Perhaps it's better to get the truth out of her at the class trial.







Hey, Angie. I wanted to ask you some questions about the stage...

Yep, I was in charge of all the art. I even built and painted the stage.

Then, do you know anything about Himiko's trick? How it worked, perhaps?

No, I dunno the trick. Himiko only said it was "magic."



Ah, by the way...you asked other people to help you with the preparations, right?

Yep! We started the prepwork yesterday. Lots of people helped out. Like, when we were moving the heavy tank and the stairs from Himiko's research lab...



The tank had a pulley, but because it was so huge, it was still a lotta work.

And I asked Kirumi to sew the curtains cuz I hate sewing.

So basically, it's all thanks to Atua that the show was a success.

No, it's because of all of us.



By the way, were the piranhas your idea?

On its own, the Underwater Escape Act is no different from a normal magic show.

I thought it would make the show more exciting and divine if we used piranhas.

That's what Atua told me.



And about the piranha tank and the timer... Those were from Himiko's lab, correct?

Yep, yep. According to the piranha tanks' manual, it's synced up with the timer... When the timer goes off, the bottom of the piranha tank will open automatically.



And right when we finished the prepwork and were about to take a break...

Gonta captured us, so we couldn't rehearse at all. Nyahahaha!

When Gonta let us go, it was already nighttime so we couldn't go back to the gym.



So we decided to come to the gym today, before the morning announcement.



So no one could have snuck into the gym before those two got there...



Don't worry, it'll be fine.

...What?

Atua has spoken... You have nothing to worry about.

Nothing to worry about?





Angie is starting to sound more and more...creepy.





D-Don't worry! Everyone *is* smiling!

Ah...I don't think any of us can smile right now.



We need to understand how your trick works if we're going to solve this mystery...

There's no trick to my Underwater Escape Act. It was magic...

You're still saying that? Do you understand the situation we're in?



B-But—

Okay, your time's up! The Q&A session is now over!



Man...this guard is more strict than the security at idol events.



Hmhm... Even after all my warnings, you still wanna harass Himiko, huh?



This is pointless, Shuichi. Let's leave before we get thrown out.



Talking to Green Hornet over there just makes him tell you to find clues again, so we'll skip over him and click Dung Beetle instead.





But if we don't understand the magic trick, how can we possibly survive the trial?

Fat lot of good that does us.







Well, in the middle of the show, obviously. The culprit knew how Himiko's trick worked and took advantage of it to kill Ryoma.

In other words, everyone watching the show isn't suspicious.



N-No, but I'm still not suspicious. I forgot a promise...so I was just eating breakfast.



I do not understand how that explanation is supposed to convince me.

Keebo does have a point...





Kehehe... Why did the culprit commit such a barbaric act? Did they wish to see us panic?

I don't think that was the sole motivation. There was some other reason for it. And that reason must be related to Himiko's magic show somehow...



If that's true, did Himiko tell someone? Someone who thinks the trick is actual magic?

Since the show was used, we must investigate the trick as well.



Is there anything to investigate backstage?

...Let's follow him. We should investigate the entire area anyway.

We followed Kiyo backstage.

Next time, we find out what's behind the curtain.

Cosmic Violet Theme
Kaito Momota's Theme
Make your mark on the universe!







I like the look of that black sign in the middle. Not sure if it's a good fit for Kaito, though. Oh, it represents liftoff from a planet. Neat.