Everyone took their places at their podiums, and Monorakun addresses us from his usual spot, above us.
"Alright, Yasuhiro Hagakure, the Ultimate Clairvoyant, couldn't foresee his own end. Or could he? That's for you to figure out. Let's go!"
I wondered Monorakun's words. "Or could he?" What did Monorakun mean by that?
Theo began speaking first. "My initial investigation revealed no bruises, broken bones, or major bleeding."
"Does this mean he wasn't attacked in the bathroom, then?" Chihiro asked.
Leon shook his head. "No, not necessarily. It just means he didn't, or wasn't able to fight back against whoever killed him in the bathroom."
Kaede, Kaito, and Kenchikka appeared to consider these words, while Chiaki asked a question.
"Was there any proof of anyone waiting inside the bathroom?" She asked.
Mukuro shook her head. "Not that I detected from the doorway, no."
Leon spoke up next. "Doesn't mean nobody was in there, though. Just means they left no proof, and didn't beat Yasuhiro to death."
"We haven't proven that no one was awaiting Yasuhiro in the bathroom yet, I think." Chiaki reminded us.
Sayaka, Kaede, and Kaito agreed. Kenchikka had a doubtful look on her face, though she said nothing.
"So, established only boys can enter. Therefore, gather every boy's alibi," Kenchikka stated.
Kaito stepped up first. "I spent most of the day with Celeste, debating over -"
Celeste cut him off. "That's quite enough, Kaito. Yes, you were with me most of the day."
Chihiro claimed to be working on a computer program, but no one actually saw him.
"Well, Leon was talking to me in the Gym about Sayaka and Kaede," Makoto volunteered next.
"Hey, man! You said that would stay between us!" Leon complained. "But yeah, Makoto's right. We were in the Gym most of the day."
Theo spoke up next. "Well, Bera here visited me in the morning, and we had a nice chat. Afterwards, I spent most of the afternoon pondering our situation here."
I went over my day, from talking to Theo (validating his alibi), to meeting Kenchikka in the hallway, to playing video games with Chiaki.
Celeste nodded, "So the only males without airtight alibis, for the entire day, would be Theo and Chihiro, it would seem."
Theo and Chihiro exchanged glances. Could it really be one of them? Something within me doubted it.
Kaede shook her head. "I don't think Chihiro's anywhere near big enough to take on Yasuhiro by himself."
Everyone else agreed, including Chihiro.
Our attention turned to Theo, but a problem arose immediately.
"Someone Theo's size, would leave bruises, blood, injuries. Yet, Theo says, none. Anyone prove this?" Kenchikka asked.
Leon spoke up. "Yeah, Theo let me in, in case someone questioned his search. There were no signs that Yasuhiro fought with anyone."
"Sounds like that would eliminate Theo, then," Makoto concluded.
Kaito and Kaede nodded in agreement.
"So, no injuries from fighting. What about turpentine?" Kenchikka asked.
Theo nodded. "Turpentine, while useful in painting, is hazardous to your health. It can cause breathing problems, nausea, and vomiting when inhaled, and can greatly irritate the skin as well. There's also very little ventilation in the Boy's Restroom."
Leon nodded. "So the turpentine could be our weapon here, along with that cleaning rag. Where did it come from?"
"From the Art Room, of course!" Angie spoke up. "I'm the one who gave it to him!"
We all froze and looked at Angie. What did she just say?
Angie continued. "Yasuhiro and I were painting in the Art Room today. We spent most of the day together, in fact."
Leon's eyes went wide. "Did you just admit to killing Yasuhiro? You IDIOT!!"
Angie, however, laughed cheerfully. "Oh, no. He went to the Boy's Restroom. And girls aren't allowed in there, remember? Even Atua won't let me go in."
Celeste spoke next. "Perhaps he realized he was too stupid to live anymore, and choose to smother himself in the restroom, taking his own life?"
Kenchikka cocked her head at Celeste. "You mean suicide? Yasuhiro offed himself? Hmmmm..."
Could it be possible that Yasuhiro, either intentionally or accidentally, ended his own life in the Boy's Restroom? We had to consider this option.
Angie continued. "I was showing Yasuhiro some of Atua's work with face painting. Afterwards, I helped him wipe off the paint off his face with soap and water, but that wasn't getting most of the paint off. So we tried a bit of turpentine, but then he complained that he couldn't see what I was doing, and he wanted to do it himself. So I gave him the rag and turpentine, and told him that he was welcome to clean off his own face. He left the Art Room with the turpentine and rag I gave him, and I decided to follow him to the Boy's Restroom."
"What? Why?" I asked Angie. "You can't go inside to help him."
"Atua thought Yasuhiro might do something foolish on the way there, so He thought I should accompany him. I waited for him outside for a while, but decided to leave after a few minutes."
I had nothing else to ask at this point, but Leon did, as he glared at Theo.
"Did anyone else show up while you were waiting on him, Angie?" Leon nearly shouted at her.
Angie shook her head. "Nope. Just me, Yasuhiro, and of course Atua, who is always with me."
Most of us ignored the Atua part, focusing instead on Angie admitting that no one else came up to Yasuhiro in the restroom, while she was there.
"Alright," Makoto resumed. "So between the time Yasuhiro arrived at the restroom and Angie left, no one showed up. So that means, if nobody was waiting in the restroom for Yasuhiro, then -"
"Then Yasuhiro used the turpentine and... accidentally... killed himself?" Chihiro asked.
I had to admit, it made sense. Angie would not have been permitted to enter the Boy's Restroom, and it appeared that Yasuhiro used the turpentine on himself, foolish as that may have been.
Kenchikka didn't seem convinced, though. "Hmmm. Still, Angie used turpentine on Yasuhiro, encouraged him to use in bathroom. Could be... technicality?"
This got us thinking, too. It was true that Angie used the turpentine on Yasuhiro's face, after the soap and water failed. It was also true that Angie encouraged Yasuhiro to go to the Boy's Restroom to use the turpentine on his face, himself.
Did this account to murder, though? It reminded me of that girl who was sending text messages to her boyfriend, and convinced him to cease living. She was found guilty and sentenced to prison for murder.
But... did this fit here? Or was I stretching the comparison too far?
Makoto pondered. "Well, it seems we have two major options here. Either Angie's the Blackened, or Yasuhiro inadvertently killed himself. We need to figure this out, guys!"
Sayaka eagerly agreed. "He's right! We can do anything as long as we work together!"
Makoto looks up at Monorakun. "If a girl gives a boy something, and tells him to use it on himself, and he dies from doing so, does that make her the Blackened?"
Monorakun turned his head to look at Makoto. "Do you seriously expect me to answer that question?"
"Asshole Raccoon..." Kenchikka muttered under her breath.
"Monorakun has a point, though," Chiaki mentioned. "The Dungeon Master shouldn't reveal the ending of the quest before its due time."
So we would have to decide this for ourselves. I pondered to myself, while Leon and Kaito debated over... something. Honestly, I wasn't paying any attention.
If she suggested an item, and used it on him, then he left with the item to use it on himself (with her suggestion), is that considered suicide? Or assisted murder?
Returning to reality, Leon was arguing that Angie was the Blackened, for using the turpentine on him and suggesting he use it on himself in the bathroom. Kaito countered by saying that Yasuhiro could've stopped at any time, but didn't, essentially killing himself.
Seemingly realizing that the Class Trial was going nowhere anymore, Monorakun interrupted the two boys.
"Alright, enough! Unless anyone has any NEW evidence or testimony to introduce, I'm calling for a vote, NOW!!" Monorakun declared.
We all glanced at each other, eyes wide open. Was this really going to be it?
Chihiro wanted to speak, but was afraid to.
Kenchikka shrugged, having nothing to offer.
Kaito and Leon were staring each other down.
Theo was thinking things over, stroking his chin while glancing off to the side.
Sayaka and Kaede exchanged concerned glances.
Celeste smiled smugly to herself.
Chiaki seemed either lost in thought, or about to doze off.
Makoto and Mukuro were exchanging glances, then nodded at each other, as if agreeing to an unspoken term.
Angie seemed cheerfully oblivious to any of this.
No one, however, said a word.
"Well, I'm hearing nothing from anyone. Time to vote, then!" Monorakun announced.
Our podiums revealed the voting panel. Everyone (who were still alive) was shown on display. My eyes went to Angie, then to Yasuhiro, then back to Angie.
What should I believe? Was Angie truly the Blackened? Or was Yasuhiro the victim of an accidental suicide? Which made more sense?
With a deep breath, I decided to select Angie, and hope that majority rules would shine through.
After everyone had voted, a screen above Monorakun's podium turned on, revealing a Monorakun dealer holding a small deck of cards. He dealt them all face-up, revealing every surviving student in alphabetical order. Next, the dealer scooped them up and started shuffling the deck, cutting it every once in a while. After several rounds of this, the dealer put the deck on the table and flipped over the top card.
Angie Yonaga's face was on the card.
"Now, I will admit, this was NOT a unanimous vote. A few of you voted for Yasuhiro. But when someone uses an item on someone that is known to be dangerous, then encourages them to use it on themselves, and that something ends up killing them... Sorry, but the judge can't call that suicide."
Angie cocked her head, confused. "Why is my name there? I am merely a vessel through which Atua makes his will manifest."
Angie's eyes then lit up. "Ohhhhh. It's because you don't know what Atua looks like, so you use my face instead. I see, I see!"
Everyone else, meanwhile, was looking at Angie like she grew a second head.
"No, dipshit. Asshole Raccoon declare, you murder Yasuhiro. Not concerned?" Kenchikka nearly spat back at Angie.
Angie smiled, holding her hands to the side. "Nope! Of course not! While Yasuhiro's demise was unexpected from me, it just means Atua took him for a greater purpose. And soon, I will join Atua too! Nyahahahaha!"
...What? Had Angie lost her mind?
Angie then turned to Monorakun. "Now, Atua knows that you must end my life, but He has one request, if He may?"
Monorakun's red eye began to glow, but then it faded out. "I'm listening."
"Back at home, we would have blood sacrifices. While these are usually non-fatal, Atua understands the situation, and grants you permission to take all of my blood, on the grounds that you donate it to the Crimson Rood. Do you accept these terms, Monorakun?"
Wait a minute. Was Angie... trying to negotiate the terms of her own execution?
Can she even do that? And even if she could, would Monorakun accept her request? He certainly was under no obligation to.
Monorakun's eye glowed bright red as he stood up from his little throne. He did not look amused.
"You seriously expect me to just let you choose your own death, after all the hard work I put into its setup?" Monorakun sneered.
Monorakun's red eye began flickering erratically for nearly a minute. After a while, the eye returned to normal.
"Hmmmm. It seems your blood type, A, is actually in high demand right now. I suppose I can accept your request. Alright, now it's time -"
Angie, to everyone's surprise, stepped away from her podium as everyone started to spin, and walked towards the Execution Doors herself, a smile on her face and a spring in her step.
"No need to send the chain for me, Monorakun. Atua is waiting for me, and He would be disappointed in me if I kept Him waiting!" Angie explained.
Kenchikka looked up at Monorakun. "Just donate blood, right? Not brain?"
Monorakun chuckled. "Just blood."
The Execution Doors opened after the roundtable spun to where Angie's spot was facing them. There was a gurney with two Monorakuns in nurse outfits and hats, one on either side, awaiting Angie. As we departed our podiums, Angie walked up to the gurney and laid down on it. A gate closed between Angie and the rest of us, and a sign dropped down, in white with red lettering.
"Angie Yonaga's Execution: Blood Drive"
One Monorakun nurse prepared a device that connected two empty blood bags to a Y-tube, with a switch that appeared to direct the blood flow to one bag or the other. At the other end was a needle, which would be inserted into Angie's arm, most likely.
The other nurse moved Angie's sleeve up from her arm, then placed her arm onto a part of the gurney before strapping it down. She applied something to the inside of Angie's arm, then stuck the needle in.
As we watched, the blood began flowing into one bag, much like you would see at a Crimson Rood blood drive. Angie was calm, almost smiling even, and silent.
However, as the first bag filled up, the second nurse flipped the switch, causing the second bag to fill up. The nurse then removed the first bag, placing it into a white cooler with a red plus sign on it, and replaced it with an empty blood bag.
As the bags continued to be swapped out, Angie's eyes became dazed, and her mouth started to droop a bit, and she started to move her head side to side.
This escalated to Angie starting to sweat more, and she began to groan, her eyes shut tightly. It appeared as if she was suffering from a headache, and she was starting to look pale, but the nurses paid no mind to her condition.
Finally, Angie's head slumped backwards, as she appeared to lose consciousness, and her normally-tan skin began to get seriously pale.
Still, the nurses didn't stop drawing her blood, switching between filling up one side of the device and the other, until finally, there was no more blood going to the bag.
Angie Yonaga had departed, reunited with Atua in spirit.
Somehow, this wasn't as shocking to me as watching Hifumi die. Maybe it was because Angie embraced it with open arms, or because she looked so peaceful in death. Maybe it was because she truly believe she was going to Atua, to serve a greater purpose.
Either way, Angie was dead now.
We had arrived at this horrible place on 10/26. It was now 11/1. In the span of six days, four of us were already dead.
What was happening to us? And why?