I Soar!

Such a shame to start off with such dreadful mood. 

After calming down a panicking Konoha, Zean tried his best to help out in the investigation whenever he can. Then again, it wasn’t really a nice present to have on a birthday but still, Zean had to put that aside. Thank god for the mascots to not mention any of that. 

As the Folk Dancer settled down at his spot, he listened to the others before he chose to speak his side. Oddly enough, this trial is rather quiet than usual. Whether the evidence wasn’t all that clear or any other reason, someone has to continue it somehow. 

“In the first place, why would Miss Hana'lei need swimming lessons at a place like this? Such things aren’t that important, in my opinion.”

He glanced at Noctem, blushing softly before looking away. Hopefully, Noctem had a misunderstanding when he saw Zean and Konoha together. 

“I apologized for not wandering too much for investigation purposes. I had to comfort Konoha-san the entire time.”

Are you sure, Zean?  Were you really comforting Konoha or were you actually crying in your room? He then directed his attention to Haruka, her statement catching his attention. 

Well now things were in Haruka Mikazuki territory. We’re talking a bloody mess, body parts… in theory, the perfect case for her. But with the dull pain hitting her hard, she’d been a little off her game, to say the least. She took her place at the podium, looking out over the room. Sure enough, she spoke.

“So, uh… I guess we should review… Exactly which, uh, part we found, and where. I’m pretty sure I know where this happened. I just want to make sure we have all of, well…”

She looked away, wondering if she should raise the other question on her mind. After a bit of thought, she opted for a less heavy one.

“Also, if anyone found anything blunt that was broken or damaged, or bloody… let me know, please. I didn’t get around the whole place, so…”

Instead of a billowing cape and a prince oozing with confidence and charisma, Akihiko stood awkwardly at his place, trying to ignore the growing number of empty spaces. He hadn’t even looked up to for fear that he would see the spot Hana'lei should’ve been in… or meet Ororo’s eyes. 

This was all just incredibly embarrassing for him so when they were set to begin he kept his attention on his hands, fiddling with what little evidence he had found. After having been completely useless without his cards, Akihiko continued with that same momentum during the investigation. He had so many questions and nowhere near enough answers. Well here went nothing.

“I’m… honestly lost. On all of this.”

He was holding a few paper notes in his hand, all written in Hana'lei’s handwriting.

“Hana was… receiving swimming lessons from someone, I guess. Um, she didn’t want to ask Miyazaki-san, Barnett-san, or myself according to this… It doesn’t say who she ended up asking.”

Well this was a start indeed! He took a deep breath just so he could have enough strength to continue on.

“Maybe the killer was her swim coach? I don’t… I really don’t know. I’m sorry… I don’t even know much about Kei’s death… S-Sorry.”

Quite a few things were putting the blond florist over the edge in this place. First of all, the amount of creepy captors here were just getting off chart, the fact no one has come for them yet was bizarre. People here were trying their best to give him support, but, at the same time, words that were coming in his direction were leaving emotional scars on him. Death was lingering no matter what, that was true, but nothing that can't be handled right?

Everything is under control... Right? Right?

No.

"H-Huh?"

It took him a while to distinguish what was going on right there. Andrew, his roommate, came in and told the crowd he had found a leg. Soon the other thing he has discovered showed up and it was... even worse than he thought. He truly didn't want to believe that Seishiro was dead, but seeing the bodiless head of the guy he met in the bus stop that very and which he tried to give some support back there was too much.

"Oh shit... No." He managed to say, although those words weren't meant to be released. They just escaped his lips that were slowly getting lost in muttering. "N-No... Kei-san... Kei-san... KEI-SAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!!!!"

Getting on his knees, the florist started to cry like an absolute crazy man, bawling and sobbing over that scene. He couldn't find it in himself strength to hug his head or anything of the kind. It was too much for him. Too very much.

The alarm went off on your handheld and you knew that your time was up without even looking down. Without even looking down to see the caretaker’s grim face and his almost robotic words as if he read off of a script. Just as these murders might be wearing you down, so had it done to Yuudai. He seemed to be less present, less friendly, less motivated. Even as you were herded into the elevator once more, you noticed his lack of presence. It was your life guard that took head count. It certainly felt odd as you were lowered down without Yuudai there. 

Once the doors slid open, the man was present in the court room. He stood near the door, giving a small nod to the students as they looked at him. To let them know he acknowledged them. 

Then students filed into their spots. The new absence even more present. 

“Ah, about time you guys showed up. I was starting to think you guys thought you could investigate until the end of time. I’m sure the little puppets wanted to get rid of Ham’s body from the pool. Well, you guys do have two really delicious deaths on your hands but still, you couldn’t take any longer?” 

The masked figure seemed irritated as it waved you guys to start. It leaned against the scale in the back of the room, watching.

Full Name: Hana'lei Mahelona

Time of Death: 8:39 pm

Cause of Death: Drowning

Location: Pool

Did you think it was over? All that was left was the find the pieces of the figure skater, right? Then piece together the murder, just like the body. Things would go on auto pilot once again. Investigation. Trial. Execution. Motive. And repeat. Yet, you had seen so much death. So much blood and murder and you still seemed to be fully aware of how vivid loss was. The smell of blood that hit your nose as you entered the pool was familiar but not enough that you were numb. The pool, dyed red with blood, seemed to be brighter only in your awareness that something or rather someone was floating in the pool.

Closer, you approached to see not one but two people in the pool. Or well, one full person in the pool. Hana’lei floated in the pool, still in her swimsuit. Her body drifted slowly around the pool, pushed by the pool’s maintenance system. Not far either was what looked like a bloody torso. It was in the same cycle as Hana’lei, and you could only conclude that it also belonged to Seishiro. 

Yet, unlike Seishiro, scatted throughout the tower like a sick game of hide and seek or a cursed Easter Egg hunt, Hana’lei seemed completely untouched, minus what looked like a large gash in the side of her head. If horror had not met you previously, you might just assume she was peacefully floating if you were not unaware of her unease around bodies of water. 

Full Name: Seishiro Kei

Time of Death: -----

Cause of Death: ----

Location: Head ( Hallway on 1st Floor of Housing); Legs (Art Room)

You didn’t even get a chance to breath though. You didn’t get the chance to take in the horrific expression of the figure skater held before another voice came echoing through the hall way. They called out for someone, rotating between Andrew, Zino, Akihiko, or just desperately anyone. Your (attached) heads turned toward the source to see Momoko just as pale as the last person yelling for help. Was it a delayed response? Had he seen the head too? Or did he find the rest?

It was hard to tell. That is, until he came to a stop near Andrew and the rest of the forming group. It was obvious he had not just started his exercise from the same level as Andrew. He was out of breath but managed to get out:

“I found a leg in the art room!” 

If you did make it down there, if you did climb the steps or descend in the elevator, the floor itself made you shiver in fear. The very idea that a leg, an actual human body part was discovered here only made you dread it. But as you entered the art room where its former care taker had died, you could see the two legs sticking up out of the art supplies as if they belonged there. 

Then, the alarm went off on your hand held. 

It had been... peaceful? Quiet? Unproductive? It was hard to make the right word in this scenario. The silence only brought dread as you had learned there was always a quiet before the storm. There wasn’t peace in fear either, just hesitance. And was it really unproductive? Or was the action behind the scene? No matter what, the situation felt like an oxymoron. Both good and bad wrapped up in one, unsure if the situation at any given time was one, or the other, or neither. 

So perhaps it was bitter sweet that things felt more tangible, more sensical when you hard the blood curdling scream from the hall way. It bounced off the walls and flooded the rooms nearby or anything that allowed sound to pass easily through. 

Perhaps, you rushed out afraid murder was happening in that current moment. Though you were more considered it was a body discovery than an actual murder. At this point, few were so impulsive when they knew the consequence. And those nearby heard the scream for help as well.

It was Andrew who stumbled down the hall. His face pale as if he saw a ghost.... which wasn’t too impossible given the situation. He wasn’t able to get words out right away. He sputtered “help” and “there” and “word” helplessly as he pointed back down the hall. There, you could see the round object slowly rolling down the hall. The speed made it seem all the more eerie as it casually came to a stop within a foot of Andrew, the discoverer. 

When it stopped, you could make out what exactly had brought about the scream, what brought Andrew running away calling for help. What left the hall in utter, dead silence. 

You were enjoying the pool and the flowers. If you got the chance, your new character might have played some music for you. Regardless, you did your best to drown the troubles of the last couple of murders. You flooded your mind with distractions and conversations and kept yourself busy. 

Of course, no amount of flowers and swimming fixed the real problem. Nothing seemed to fix that you were trapped and forced to kill, that you had witnessed a handful of deaths, more than most of you would normally witness in a life time. It seemed to only come back to you when your life guard called out. 

“Hey, yo, guys, sorry to bother ya but boss man needs you guys up top. I think that’s what the boss said anyway... I dunno...”

It seemed strange and didn’t make a lot of sense but you got out of the pool all the same and went to the locker room to get dressed. For those elsewhere, Yuudai told you the same thing (though much clearer that Tirta). 

If you were in the pool and went to get dressed, you might have noticed it sooner. You might have noticed those coins that you put into the machine and got items from now seemed useless as items from posters to pocket watches were gone. Even items that weren’t in the machine had gone missing. Your heart stopped. You made a bolt for the auditorium. Of course, you were all too late.

You only got a glance as the pile of items were being sorted into small tubes that lead elsewhere. That lead out of your view. That lead to god knows where. Trash? Fire? Something far worse?

The skittish gardener glanced at his handheld as he put one stuffed animal into the slot labeled for Haruka, then picked up what looked like a night light and tossed it down the tube labeled. Daichi looked up at students appeared and quickly started moving faster. Luckily, most of them were gone anyway. All that was left was a ratty puppet that had seen better days and a deck of tarot cards, expensive and demon themed. Those cards were tossed down the predictable slot for Prince Noctem.

“U-uh... um... sorry?” 

Daichi’s voice was quiet as he quickly ducked behind that hat once more and quickly darted away from the spot light. 

All this…It was wrong! So wrong…Hikari doesn’t like this at all. Honestly all she wants to do was have the earth open up and swallow her whole - shielding her from everything.

She wants to cry, and above all she wants to go home.

But…no. As Hikari exited the elevator from the trial room with her classmates - her ears and eyes picked up…various emotions. It was sad, angry, and most of all despairing. Just listening to her classmate’s hearts made her own crumble a little. To be in so much pain and not be able to show it…what is she doing? Can’t she see that her classmates need her now more than ever?

Right before everyone separates - Hikari makes an declares with a loud, but shaky voice.

“I-If anyone needs a pro-professional help. I’ll be glad to help!”

Therapy wasn’t exactly her strongest suit as a psychologist, but it didn’t really matter now, now did it? Her classmates need some serious help, and this was one of the only way for her to help! 

It’s not like she’s great at anything else to begin with.

She writes a sign with bold marker and sticks it outside the door on room 1.

Zean's coins are promptly slurped up by the machine, producing a pleasing whirr indicating that new riches will befall him...

California Roll --- A generic, 12 count set of a California roll. The cheap imitation crab is surrounded with avocado and cucumber before being wrapped in seaweed and rice. The wrapping of the box is cheap as well, but it comes with a set of chopsticks.

Cute Ribbon --- From the 6%DOKIDOKI line 'Fashion Cutie!'

Animal Biology Handbook --- A rather handy book, full of both text and pictures about the inner workings of various animals; everything from frogs to horses. It documents, among other things, how they function, how their muscles and bodies are built up, and their biological needs.

You go, little pink gremlin. Sell your soul for items before you are eventually sent to your death. Unless you endgame.

Binoculars --- To see all that far away junk with.

Bouquet of Yellow Roses --- Pretty flowers for a pretty someone. Judging by the vivacity of every single petal, one can say they are a gentle hug from spring right before your eyes.

Ranma 1/2 Manga Book --- Martial arts! Romance! Comedy! Fantasy! An old manga about a boy who was cursed when falling into a lake while training, turning him into a girl.

Hisa had been relatively quiet these past two trials. He was speechless, honestly. He couldn’t believe this level of depravity and barbarianism from the World’s Brightest. Yes, they were tempted and threatened, but... they were supposed to be better than that, right!? 

He watched the execution with puffy yet jaded eyes. He followed the cashier like a puppy as he investigated. Turns out he was the monster all along. Hidehisa felt a strange sense of fulfillment from this, but it sickened the boy immediately after. How could this be satisfying? Another of his classmates were dead.  

“E-enough...” he whispered, his voice soft and trembling.

“ENOUGH.”

“THIS ISN’T HAPPENING ANYMORE. I SWEAR. I SWEAR ON EVERY FIBER OF MY BEING. THE MURDERS STOP HERE.” the boy screeched, pounding his fists on the podium “WE’RE THE STUDENTS OF HOPE’S PEAK ACADEMY. THAT’S SUPPOSED TO MEAN WE’RE THE BEST. WE’RE SUPPOSED  TO BE THE BEACONS OF POSITIVE AND POWER NO ONE HAS EVER SEEN. WE CAN’T DO THAT IF WERE ALL DEAD.”

He was crying again. 

Hidehisa wiped at his eyes before continuing. “I’m going to stop this. I don’t know how, but... I’m going to stop this.” He took a second to thing. How was he going to? He wasn’t smart enough to help them out, but there had to be something...

Welcome to the world called "Making Up For Your Crippling Depression And Trauma With Material Possessions," Zino. We hope you enjoy your stay.

Plush Cat Toy --- Cute and blushing, this white kitty's got its eyes closed and little mouth turned up in a cattish grin! Of course, that's to be expected from, well, a cat. It's very adorable nonetheless.

Family Photo --- It appears to be a picture of a very big family, all dressed in quite traditional clothes. In a mirror, you can see the reflection of what appears to be a butler taking the picture. He looks very familiar, but you can't put a finger on it... Behind, you can read "Aveline's Commemorative Dinner."

Goru Hiroto Body Pillow --- A body pillow likeness of the popular otome game character Goru Hiruto! Posed in a way that would make maidens of old cover their faces in shame, his gaze enchants the viewer...that, or it just creeps them out. Anime boys aren't for everyone, after all.

A Minion --- A minion! Kill it with fire!...it's just a doll, but still, kill it with fire.

The machine welcomes you with open arms. The machine embraces Andrew, lowly chanting a Canadian chant before it provides the height of itemkind...