The restraint broke and Mukuro moved in a flash, making a desperate grab for Monobear’s head. It was like a play; he saw the attack coming, raised his arms, sprang into the air over her head, and landed on the floor in one swift motion. “No-no! Violence against the headmaster is off-limits!”
"I’LL KILL YOU!" Mukuro screamed. It was a guttural sound, reverberating as if she were hollow. She repositioned herself immediately and grabbed for Monobear again, again, again. Each attempt met with failure.
The school rules were clear. Violence against the headmaster was punishable by death.
Sakura grabbed Mukuro by the waist as soon as she approached. “Are you mad?! You cannot launch into an attack on Monobear in the middle of a class trial!”
Mukuro clawed at Monobear, stilljust a claw out of her reach. “W-why?! Why won’t you let me die?!”
Kirigiri realized Mukuro knew it was a suicide mission; whether she succeeded or failed, her suffering ended.
"Upupu… is this what sets you human beings apart from animals, like us bears? You’ve gotta learn to cope with loss, pain, betrayal… No. You’ve gotta learn to have Hope. I know your hope will grow ever stronger, Ikusaba-san!"
The fight in her died; Sakura’s grip loosened, but Mukuro didn’t budge. Monobear walked back to his seat with a spring in his step.
"Ahem! Despite our outburst, we got shocking new evidence from Fujisaki-san! A ghost might be the culprit?!" He paused to chuckle, covering his mouth with his paws. "What a surprise!"
"No, it can only be someone in disguise, right?"
Sakura shook her head. “Enoshima-san is no longer-” and she glanced down at the soldier in her arms, then revised her statement. “There would be nothing to gain from disguising oneself as Enoshima-san in regard to the possibility of being spotted before the murder.”
"Wh-what if it was lavender-hair here the whole time?" Fukawa said. "She could’ve dressed up as her!"
"I have nothing that resembles Enoshima-san’s outfits or hair color. You’re free to search my room for some kind of disguise."
"So who would be able to get to Enoshima-chi’s stuff, huh?"
It happened gradually—a small wave over the ocean before washing foot by foot over land. A few first turned to Mukuro, then the rest, then finally the last who were on the shore. The soldier’s limp posture didn’t change in Sakura’s arms.
"Ikusaba-san would’ve had access to her outfits and makeup at the least."
"Yeah, and maybe her hair dye or a wig or something like that…"
"Hold it. Why disguise herself as her sister?"
Mukuro shifted. Her figure tensed and Sakura’s grip strengthened, but she didn’t move to escape, only to loosen one arm enough to flash a peace sign. An odd smile appeared.
"Yoohoo! Junko Enoshima-san here!"
"E-excuse me?"
She cocked her head. “It’s been so much work being at this stupid trial. Don’t we know it’s Kirigiri? Being here is so… despairingly boring. Ahaha!”
"Ikusaba-san! What’s the meaning of this?!" another person from the group asked.
"Don’t call me by my sister’s name!" she spat back. "It’s me! Super High School Level Fashion Girl— Junko Enoshima!"
"It appears as if she’s assumed the role of her own sister," Togami said. The sympathy in his sigh was more appropriate for someone who had lost a dollar. "It must be a coping mechanism for her loss."
"Which would give someone a reason to go out dressed as her instead of pretending to be someone else during a murder."
"I think we understand now."
"Pardon?"
A wave of relief hit Kirigiri. “Fujisaki-san saw Ikusaba-san, as her sister, heading upstairs to where the murder took place. This was likely the third party. She wrote the note afterward.”
"Hold on!" Mukuro shouted. "I didn’t write any threatening note! That’s the type of fuckin’ stuff Mukuro does!"
"Do we need to compare handwriting?"
Junko’s familiar pout looked strange on Mukuro’s face.
"Yeah, and also, didn’t we see Ikusaba-san around then?" said Asahina. "Not Enoshima-san?"
"Ah, yes…"
"Excuse me?" Togami asked. "Do you think you have something of importance to say?"
Asahina clenched her fists. “As a matter of fact, we do! I remember that Sakura-chan and I were in the cafeteria right before Night Time and Ikusaba-san came by!”
"… Interesting. Does anyone else have any information regarding ‘Enoshima’s’ whereabouts last night?"
"I, um…" Maizono said, "I heard a knock on my door right after the Night Time announcement… Ishimaru-kun did that to say he was going to sleep and wouldn’t be watching over my door any longer."
Kirigiri thought on this. “Did you hear his voice?”
"The problem is… yes, I did."
"Bah. That’s impossible. He was already dead at that time."
"Who says we can trust her anyway?!" Mukuro said. "She’s just as big a liar as the Mastermind!"
"It’s not impossible."
"I’LL KILL YOU!" Mukuro screamed. It was a guttural sound, reverberating as if she were hollow. She repositioned herself immediately and grabbed for Monobear again, again, again. Each attempt met with failure.
The school rules were clear. Violence against the headmaster was punishable by death.
Sakura grabbed Mukuro by the waist as soon as she approached. “Are you mad?! You cannot launch into an attack on Monobear in the middle of a class trial!”
Mukuro clawed at Monobear, stilljust a claw out of her reach. “W-why?! Why won’t you let me die?!”
Kirigiri realized Mukuro knew it was a suicide mission; whether she succeeded or failed, her suffering ended.
"Upupu… is this what sets you human beings apart from animals, like us bears? You’ve gotta learn to cope with loss, pain, betrayal… No. You’ve gotta learn to have Hope. I know your hope will grow ever stronger, Ikusaba-san!"
The fight in her died; Sakura’s grip loosened, but Mukuro didn’t budge. Monobear walked back to his seat with a spring in his step.
"Ahem! Despite our outburst, we got shocking new evidence from Fujisaki-san! A ghost might be the culprit?!" He paused to chuckle, covering his mouth with his paws. "What a surprise!"
"No, it can only be someone in disguise, right?"
Sakura shook her head. “Enoshima-san is no longer-” and she glanced down at the soldier in her arms, then revised her statement. “There would be nothing to gain from disguising oneself as Enoshima-san in regard to the possibility of being spotted before the murder.”
"Wh-what if it was lavender-hair here the whole time?" Fukawa said. "She could’ve dressed up as her!"
"I have nothing that resembles Enoshima-san’s outfits or hair color. You’re free to search my room for some kind of disguise."
"So who would be able to get to Enoshima-chi’s stuff, huh?"
It happened gradually—a small wave over the ocean before washing foot by foot over land. A few first turned to Mukuro, then the rest, then finally the last who were on the shore. The soldier’s limp posture didn’t change in Sakura’s arms.
"Ikusaba-san would’ve had access to her outfits and makeup at the least."
"Yeah, and maybe her hair dye or a wig or something like that…"
"Hold it. Why disguise herself as her sister?"
Mukuro shifted. Her figure tensed and Sakura’s grip strengthened, but she didn’t move to escape, only to loosen one arm enough to flash a peace sign. An odd smile appeared.
"Yoohoo! Junko Enoshima-san here!"
"E-excuse me?"
She cocked her head. “It’s been so much work being at this stupid trial. Don’t we know it’s Kirigiri? Being here is so… despairingly boring. Ahaha!”
"Ikusaba-san! What’s the meaning of this?!" another person from the group asked.
"Don’t call me by my sister’s name!" she spat back. "It’s me! Super High School Level Fashion Girl— Junko Enoshima!"
"It appears as if she’s assumed the role of her own sister," Togami said. The sympathy in his sigh was more appropriate for someone who had lost a dollar. "It must be a coping mechanism for her loss."
"Which would give someone a reason to go out dressed as her instead of pretending to be someone else during a murder."
"I think we understand now."
"Pardon?"
A wave of relief hit Kirigiri. “Fujisaki-san saw Ikusaba-san, as her sister, heading upstairs to where the murder took place. This was likely the third party. She wrote the note afterward.”
"Hold on!" Mukuro shouted. "I didn’t write any threatening note! That’s the type of fuckin’ stuff Mukuro does!"
"Do we need to compare handwriting?"
Junko’s familiar pout looked strange on Mukuro’s face.
"Yeah, and also, didn’t we see Ikusaba-san around then?" said Asahina. "Not Enoshima-san?"
"Ah, yes…"
"Excuse me?" Togami asked. "Do you think you have something of importance to say?"
Asahina clenched her fists. “As a matter of fact, we do! I remember that Sakura-chan and I were in the cafeteria right before Night Time and Ikusaba-san came by!”
"… Interesting. Does anyone else have any information regarding ‘Enoshima’s’ whereabouts last night?"
"I, um…" Maizono said, "I heard a knock on my door right after the Night Time announcement… Ishimaru-kun did that to say he was going to sleep and wouldn’t be watching over my door any longer."
Kirigiri thought on this. “Did you hear his voice?”
"The problem is… yes, I did."
"Bah. That’s impossible. He was already dead at that time."
"Who says we can trust her anyway?!" Mukuro said. "She’s just as big a liar as the Mastermind!"
"It’s not impossible."