Chapter Text
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“That wasn't supposed to happen.”
“I know, I know.”
“Hoshi-kun was suppose to pass, not Yumeno!”
“I know, I know.”
“And Toujou-san was suppose to be the culprit!”
“Calm down!”
Saihara froze up as Ouma shook him back into reality. This was a brand new Era of Killing Game, and Ouma frowned as he watched with shock and awe. Saihara practically sobbed as he held Ouma close. They were outside the hall, and both Tenko and Saihara broke down. Ouma had questioned Toujou, but it seemed like she wasn't the one that did it this time.
Someone else had done it.
This is indeed a brand new Era of Killing Game.
“Look, Saihara-chan, I don't know what you're talking about.” Ouma frowned, as he hesitantly patted his back, “But you're gonna have to flex your talent for real, if you ever want to survive this killing game!”
“It's been over Ninety Loops, Ouma-kun!” Saihara cried, “It's felt like seven months since I even used my talent! I couldn't change anything in the past, I feel like my brain power has reduced since then!”
“N-No, no, I'm sure you're just as smart, Saihara-chan...” Ouma's eyes widen a little bit. Though, after a while, he realized he couldn't breathe, “... C-Could you let me go? You're squeezing me too hard!”
“S-Sorry.” Saihara let go of Ouma, before sobbing. “I'm sorry…”
Ouma caught his breath, before glaring at Saihara.
“Loops, you say?” Ouma asked, “I'm sure by now, you would've been more sane, or fascinated by the loops. Repeating the killing game over and over again, would've intrigued you… What the hell happened?”
“A-Are you serious?” Saihara asked, looking up with Ouma with teary eyes, “Y-You believe me? Just like that?”
“Yes.” Ouma sighed, “I do. Now, tell me what happened.”
Saihara wiped his tears, before sighing. Shyly smiling after a while.
“A different you sort of…” Saihara started before shaking his head, “... A while ago, I made a promise to a different you. One that sort of took over this entire dome, and just kept people prisoner. Let's just say I've been at the top of the Love Hotel, and I've since been yours since that timeline.”
Ouma stared for a while, before frowning. Ouma, himself, wouldn't do that to Saihara-chan. In fact, what was going through the others mind to be able to do that? So, this version of Saihara is loyal, and probably has repeated this killing game since he started. Ouma didn't think of this: maybe there is different versions of these people he didn't possibly think about before. In fact, maybe the ‘previous Oumas’ he has run into before has acted different, and Saihara was too busy to notice.
Or, maybe he has noticed, but didn't think much of it.
Ouma shook Saihara out of a daze, just to get him started. Now that he knows this kind of information, he can probably start using it.
“Saihara-chan.” Ouma spoke softly, “Oh, Saihara-chan.”
“Ouma-kun?” Saihara perked up, a little, “What is it?”
“Would you try and flex your talent for me?” Ouma pleaded in an innocent voice, “Pretty please?”
Saihara immediately turned red.
“Okay.” Saihara wiped away his tears, before leaning over to pull Ouma into a hug. “Just for you, Ouma-kun.”
Silence.
Saihara pulled away, and stood up to take a look around the gym. Ouma sat there, completely red himself.
He composed himself, before taking a deep breath. He stood up, and followed Saihara to the gym. He decided against being his partner, but he was also curious on what happened. Yumeno wasn't supposed to pass, Hoshi was supposed to pass. Though, they both died by the same thing: drowning.
Right?
Momota was usually his partner during this round, so he decided to investigate on his own until Saihara literally dragged him along to investigate with him. Momota wouldn't allow that, but he had to have Ouma stick with him. He literally had no choice. So, Ouma made sure not to make it obvious they're partners for this investigation.
Though, Saihara does that anyways.
“I'll ask my partner what he thinks.” He'd say, “My partner might have some ideas what's going on.”
Momota would glare at him, and Ouma would act smug. Well, maybe that might not be a bad idea. He was a little embarrassed, but at least he ones up Momota in something. He followed Saihara, only half listening to what people were saying, and not really getting the full picture, but…
All he got was that the stairs were hollow, and the entrance was sealed off. There were clothes that Yumeno was gonna change into, and a towel to dry herself and her hair. At least he understood the trick she was going for, but how the heck did she die? If Angie was her assistant, maybe she might have an idea what happened.
“I wasn't aware that the stairs was sealed off.” Yonaga informed, “In fact, I was under the impression that Yumeno-san could've told me before hand. I even checked before we started the show, it was open.”
“So, it wasn't sealed.” Saihara concluded, “Which means, it must've sealed during the actual show.”
“Or maybe I might be mis-remembering.” Angie smiled, “The days has been mixed recently. Maybe I checked yesterday, and then we practiced the trick.”
“Yesterday was the Meet and Greet.” Saihara informed, “But Yumeno was there. The only ones wasn't there was you, Toujou-san, Ouma-kun, Momota-kun, Iruma-san, Harukawa-san, Hoshi-kun...”
“Mmm, I was checking out the tank before dark.” Yonaga cheered, interrupting Saihara. “Atua intended me to help Yumeno-san with her trick. Though, I remember practicing with somebody. All I remember is a splash, and a confirmation. From a very enthusiastic voice. Though, it is a bit odd that I couldn't tell the difference between the voices.”
“You just know you practiced with someone.” Saihara frowned, “You couldn't differentiate between voices though?”
“All I know is that it's a female voice.”
Toujou’s voice is female, but for once, it seems like she was not the culprit. That still seems odd that she wasn't at the Meet and Greet though. Saihara turned to Ouma, and Ouma brightened up.
“What?” Ouma smiled, “I wasn't at the meet and greet because I was collecting motive videos, remember?”
“I remember.” Saihara nodded, before rubbing his chin, “Though, there was a whole hour on unknown activity, Ouma-kun. Mind filling me in?”
“H-How do you know that!” Ouma acted surprised, “I didn't even tell you what I did for two hours!”
“I'm psychic.” Saihara jokes, “Remember?”
“I might as well tell you anyways!” Ouma smirked, “I ran into Toujou-san, and she ended up chasing me for an hour! Nishishi, just to calm you down.”
“Toujou-san?”
“Do not look at me.” Toujou spoke, seeming annoyed, “He had merely requested to catch him. I do not know why he was out during the night, but I can assure you, he has an alibi until the night.”
“Then something else went wrong.” Saihara mumbled, before shaking his head, “Everything went as usual. If that's the case, then why didn't you go to the Meet & Greet?”
“I was merely helping Yonaga-san with preparations.” Toujou spoke, “That is all.”
“You sure?”
“I am sure.”
With that, Saihara walked away, only for her to stop him.
She had a sad look upon her face.
“Saihara-kun.” She started, before looking down, at the floor. She seemed troubled. “Tell me, you have an Uncle, right?”
“I talked about my Uncle before, right?” Saihara smiled, “He's the reason I became a detective. Why is that?”
Silence.
“Toujou-san?” Saihara asked, tilting his head, “You okay?”
“Nothing.” She sadly smiled, “I think it's best to leave it be, now.”
With that, she walked away. Ouma and Saihara looked at each other, confused. Saihara kept his evidence in his monopad, and made sure to add Yonage’s account, and who wasn't at the Meet and Greet. Ouma peeked over to see that he also added the stairs and Toujou’s odd behavior.
He seems smarter. Faster to figure out certain clues. Especially since she was supposedly suspicious before. And he doubted himself before.
He continued to question everyone else, only for Ouma to realized something else. He wrote it down in his own pad, as Saihara continued to question people or gathered clues. Saihara turned, only to see Ouma writing something down on his pad. He peeked over, only to blink.
“We only spent one day, haven't we?”
Ouma, startled, looked at Saihara, only to hum.
“What do you mean, detective?”
“I usually spend my two days with you.” Saihara pouted, “I'd like to know what you even did during that day.”
“Oh.” Ouma smiled, “If I tell you, you won't tell, would you?”
“I promise.”
“Okay.” Ouma leaned up to whisper, “I was playing with the monokubs.”
“Y-You were?”
“Yeah!” Ouma grinned, “I know their every location, and I try and catch them in the act! So, I caught one of them, and started messing with them! It was hilarious!”
“Which one?”
“Monotaro, I think.” Ouma smiled, “The red one? Seems like the leader, and Monokuma’s favorite.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah. So, the rules didn't say I couldn't hurt the monokubs, just the headmaster.” Ouma snickered, “So, I just messed with his wiring. Nishishi!”
“Y-You messed with his wiring?”
“Yeah.” Ouma paused for a moment, “Though, I had to switch him back at that point. It wasn't as fun when you had to change him back. Oh well. He's just as forgetful, so nothing has changed.”
“That's it?”
“That's it!” Ouma grinned, “That is all. Though, I could be lying.”
“I-I can't exactly tell.” Saihara gave a strange look, before sighing, “Though, I'll keep it in mind.”
“Thanks, detective!”
Saihara walked up to the tank, and looked through the glass. As if the tank itself would help. The red blood didn't help and he turned to both Tenko and Gonta. He watched the two, only to realized something. He walked up to Ouma with a confused look.
“Usually Gonta and Tenko would toss Kiibo into the tank.” Saihara comments, “Usually you command Gonta to break the glass. Tenko helps…”
“Oh.”
He was in a state of shock after witnessing a murder like that. Especially since it something ‘unusual’ according to Saihara. He usually would command Gonta to use Kiibo to break the glass, would he?
“It's okay.” Saihara looked down, “It's just unusual. Got use to investigating the body while it's outside, and bones. The ground wet, and all. It opens up tons of new possibilities. Yes, I get to use my detective skills again, but it's with people I know. Though…”
Saihara looked at Ouma, with a worried look.
“You're different.”
Different. Speak for yourself.
“We got a case to investigate, Saihara-chan.” Ouma smiled, “We have a limited time, until trial time.”
“R-Right.”
With that, he went back to investigating the case. Barely keeping up with the case at hand. Everyone acted around the same, and their personalities would match on what their expecting when it comes to murder, and Ouma kept a mental note on anything odd.
Odd, one person was acting unusual.
Saihara was just about to ask them when the bells went off. Cursing under his breath, he turned towards Ouma with a sad look. Ouma barely can keep a smile at this point, so he just patted his back. They'll get their answers during the trial. He'll directly ask questions to them when that time comes, and it'll be something that'll come up when the time comes.
Though, Saihara and Ouma can agree.
Tenko seemed the most devastated.