Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

In the world of gambling, first impressions were everything.

One could say that each round, each bet, would actually define a player’s character as the game went by. While it was indeed true that every look and movement told a story, and the careful observer might construct a full narrative with such clues, the opening lines were just as important. It gave a few hints on a person’s essence, be it what they wished to emulate or what they wanted to hide.

As the Ultimate Gambler, Celestia Ludemberg was attuned to exactly that when she and the other students made their way to the gym. 

There was a certain confidence that came with being an Ultimate—though even that wasn’t a characteristic that all of them shared. The strange situation they were in was enough to make a few waver, unmasking the imposing aura that some of them emanated by habit instead of actual self-assurance. After all, they had spent most of their lives in the spotlight, praised and loved by their talents without question. 

What happened when people who were used to being in control most of the time were placed in an uncanny location, with rules that took away that very same control from all of them at once?

She watched as some of them trembled, the moment Monokuma announced their new reality. Being locked in high school forever, forced to live together and never again see the world they loved? A mutual-killing game? What was the meaning behind all of that? And why should she care about what happened to those unknown people who had been confined with her anyways?

Running her gaze around the mostly dumbstruck classmates, Celeste made a mental map of how they reacted to the sudden revelation. A few who had seemed so sure of themselves were now questioning everything, eyes wide in surprise as possibilities ran through their brains. Others were more quiet, trying to summon some sense of calm that was counteracted by how they fidgeted, shifted their weight from foot to foot. All of them were unfamiliar, her competitors in a sense, and the word “game” had been enough to put the gambler in a better frame of mind.

If it was a game, then all she needed to do was what she always did: analyze the contenders, keep her head on the prize, know when to bet and when to withdraw. It was no different than the countless matches she had already played, albeit the rules were a bit too… extreme to her liking.

But oh well, such was the reality she found herself in right then and there. It wouldn't be the first time she placed her life on the line and it surely wouldn’t be the last, though she wished that particular games had more rewards involved than simply being allowed outdoors again. 

All in all, as the group decided it was time to look for an exit (which she doubted they would find,) Celestia was confident her chances of succeeding were extremely high. If she had doomed family members and so-called friends before, what stopped her from doing the same and even worse to complete strangers?

Strangers…

Somehow the word lingered in her mind, however. Especially when her eyes locked with cold, distant violet ones, her heart responding by stirring in an unwelcome way.

Exploring Hope’s Peak Academy wasn’t that bad of an idea: knowing one’s whereabouts was almost a requirement in order to win some games, and Celeste did it without complaint. It was good to know where she would be spending the remainder of her days, at least until her part in it began and she would be able to play her winning hand. Although they were limited to one floor, there was a lot to look at and to entertain her, locations in which she could imagine a nice murder taking place. 

Yes, many scenarios played through her mind and she did file them away for later consideration, yet Celeste was sure she would not be the first one to act. Not only would it be a waste of time and energy to kickstart the killing game, but it would rob her of the opportunity to get to know those people better. To decide who her victim would be, why they deserved to be murdered by hers truly, and who could be better framed for the act if push came to shove—a thought that only became stronger as soon as that hideous bear announced they would always have a class trial to try and find out who was guilty.

The gambler knew how to play the long game, and since she wasn’t that desperate to see what waited for her outside those walls, then all the better. She would hold back, learn from the others’ mistakes and then strike the decisive blow. 

Who knew, maybe there would even be time to play some poker with them, especially that conceited Byakuya kid. She would love to strike down his ego and his fortune at the same time, anyway.

Nighttime couldn’t arrive sooner, however, and Celestia was forced to follow the rule she herself had suggested in order to show others she was to be trusted. For how long that would last, she didn’t know. The thought lingered in her mind as she laid down in the simple albeit comfortable bed, staring at the roof instead of at the camera installed close to the locked windows. It was interesting to see how her mind was already shifting in accordance with the new environment; albeit Celeste did want to get the hell out of the chaotic situation as soon as possible, it didn’t mean she wasn’t going to do her best to adjust herself to it. 

Her words hadn’t been as hollow as she might have believed them at first, the moment she told everyone the best way to come on top of that extreme moment was to adapt to it. 

Still… there was a whole world out there waiting for her to conquer. So many bets to make, so many people to befuddle with her exquisite skills… So many castles to build and servants to hire so that she could finally be admired as she deserved to…

No, the school of mutual killing would not get in the way of what she desired. No matter who she had to murder, who would be blamed in her place. 

And it was certainly nothing to her that the others would die as well, the moment they blamed someone else for the bloodshed she would one day cause. 

With a smile on her face and the thought that her next few steps were simple, nothing to worry about, Celeste closed her eyes and allowed her mind to drift. She would know it, the moment the correct time to strike arrived. She would know what hand to play and what lie to tell, how to convince others to trust her until she ultimately betrayed them all.

She would know what to do with the hurt that would perhaps cloud a certain pair of violet irises.

Before that mental image could break, Celeste closed her eyes and the scene shifted within her brain. She turned to glance down as gentle fabric caressed her hands; a pair of leather gloves was cradled in her own palms, the gesture intimate and somewhat calming. The vision itself brought a smile to her lips before she lifted her gaze, allowed it to rest on warm purple eyes. 

Although the whole thing, her surroundings and the other person themself were completely hazy, somehow the girl had a feeling she was at peace. That there was nothing to worry about and for once, she could be carefree. Just a teenager, doing foolish stuff that might or might not get her in trouble at some point. 

Just a teenager, her heart racing in response to the moment and the other’s presence. Even if once that particular daydream faded, Celestia had absolutely no idea what that had been about.

Sighing, she turned in the unfamiliar bed and didn’t even need to open her eyes in order to know where she was—the crushing, overwhelming silence was enough of an answer. Unsure if she had fallen asleep for a spell or simply recalled something that seemed important, albeit irrelevant given her current predicament, the girl set those emotions aside and decided it would be best not to dwell on them. Not to search for answers in relation to things she didn’t know, instead of attempting to survive, win and know more about the game she had been placed in.

That, whatever it had been, wasn’t a gamble worth pursuing.

Chapter Text

That certainly wasn’t a gamble worth pursuing. 

But maybe because it seemed like so at first, the entire thought caught Celeste’s attention in a way that few to no games had been doing as of recent. 

Usually for a match, bet or whatever to pay off, there should be an opening. A possibility of surpassing everyone else and their own cards, plays and available resources. Without that it was a given that one would lose—a very common mishap that beginners or those who believed too much in their own luck tended to do in casinos, as Celestia herself had seen more than once.

Maybe if she was actually close enough to someone else in order to discuss her idea of a perfect opening in that situation, she would realize how otherworldly it actually was. Why, saying it out loud to herself in her dorm room last evening had made her crackle, then stop and think it through as more and more mental images followed that initial spark.

Not prone to daydreams, it had taken Celestia almost an entire night of playing online poker for her to disassociate from that trail of thoughts. When she laid down to sleep at around 3 A.M, after winning more than enough to pay tuition for three reserve course students, she was finally able to wonder why it had felt like such a good idea to begin with,

Sure, Kirigiri was pretty to look at. Few to no emotions molded her expression to the casual observer, but the gambler liked to believe she was better than that. That she could see through the smallest hints of expression to the whole that Kyoko was feeling: she pursed her lips the tiniest bit when angry and her eyes shone whenever her detective skills were challenged. Although they didn’t work together much and Celeste had an inkling that the other girl’s prowess and her own were in great opposition, it wasn’t as if that was enough to repel them.

Or, who knew… maybe that was exactly part of what had made Celeste curious to begin with. 

Classes were going at their usual, dull pace. Although attendance wasn’t mandatory, apparently class 77th had made a habit of going every single day and using their time at school to develop bonds as well as their own talents. Hence a few teachers began handing each student their own, personalized exercise sheet each and every day. While a few of her classmates seemed to be completely concentrated in theirs, leaning forward and writing while frowning, Celests’s was already filled with her neat calligraphy, waiting for correction.

Meaning that her mind was free to wander, her eyes once again drawn to a certain purple-haired girl sitting on the other side of the classroom. 

Saying that Kirigiri was smart and a true Ultimate would be understatements. Not only had the girl also finished her own work, but she had gotten a book and was completely absorbed in it. Not even Celeste’s insistent staring called her attention, despite the fact that she was supposed to be a detective and as such, in tune to the world around her. Sitting closer to the door and in the front rows meant that little to no sunlight reached her, a contrast to the gambler’s own position; her skin shone pale under the glaring, artificial light, her hair glistening as well. Everything about her posture was regal, detached–a bit too much to Celeste’s liking, but surely there was a reason behind all of it. 

It was funny that while she was the one surrounded by a web of lies, somehow it was interesting to wonder what it would be like to undo the mysteries that surrounded Kirigiri herself. 

The one thing that broke through Celestia’s reveries was the bell ringing, a merciful sound that made her sigh before getting to her feet. Only morning classes were over and there was still half a day to go before the students were freed from school, something that annoyed her for some reason or the other. Maybe it was the wish to see her bank account gaining a few new digits, as she had promised herself to go to an actual casino or the sorts and soon, but on that day the sensation of being stifled washed over her a bit stronger than before. 

Aside from it being a constant she had been trying to run away from all her life, the feeling lingered over her and clouded her better judgment for some heartbeats. Enough for everyone in the classroom to leave for lunch break, the girl walking so far afield that she almost ran into not the door, but someone else who chose to linger.

When Celestia blinked and eventually focused on the one in front of her, she had to stifle a surprised gasp at the sight of none other than the detective, intense eyes boring into her. 

“Ah, MIss Kirigiri. Is it not too lovely a day for both of us to spend it indoors?” The question was sweet, the smile that went with it a bit sweeter. It was a tactic she usually adopted when needing to get out of what could be a difficult situation; and what was more, it tended to work better than many would think.

It was something about her smile or so she had been told more than once. Not everyone knew when she was dissimulating, or when a feeling she emanated was genuine. She hadn’t earned the name Queen of Liars for nothing, after all.

“Is there something you wish to discuss with me?”

Ouch. Apparently there would be no small talk when it came to Miss detective. 

Doing her best to mask her emotions, to not let the other person feel how their little encounter right then and there was pretty much the highlight of her morning, Celeste tilted her head to the side and widened her eyes the slightest. A perfectly harmless pose, she knew, but it wasn’t enough to make the detective’s own posture change.

“Hm? Well, it is just proper that as classmates, we ought to talk about some issue or the other at a point in time, is it not? I was told that Hope’s Peak Academy also encourages its students to build solid relationships between themselves.” A pleasant smile followed that, and Celestia was pretty positive she had never been so successful in playing a role before. “I suppose that is just fair; it’s too easy to feel isolated and estranged as an Ultimate, without individuals of the same caliber around you. N’est pas? ”

Nothing followed her little remark, however. No immediate response, no look or gesture that would tell Celeste if she had either angered or placated her classmate. Heartbeats were spent in silence, each heavier and more awkward than the last one at least in the gambler’s perspective. 

Not that she herself faltered: that was a game that both could play, and Celestia wasn’t used to being bested in any sort of gamble. 

“You were staring at me rather intently during class.” Kyoko uttered, completely unfazed. “Is there any particular reason why you were doing so?”

Hm, so perhaps the other girl was more perceptive than she had given her credit for earlier on. It didn’t matter, though. Well, it did since Celestia was curious about the detective who was currently giving her such a hard time for something harmless… But she knew better than to succumb to those questions and not try to find her way out of it through her own methods. 

She wasn’t about to humiliate herself because of some silly daydreams, because of a girl she knew almost nothing about. 

“Ah, you see, there were a few things.” The gambler’s mind conjured scenarios of what could happen even before the words were out of Celeste’s mouth. Every analysis favored her, though, and she had a feeling it wouldn’t be that bad to go with a little bit of everything: if nothing, there was a chance a part of her discourse would get an emotional reaction from her stoic classmate. “Initially I was wondering about what book you were reading. I was convinced it was something about detectives, mayhaps a theory book that shall help you in your future endeavors. 

“Yet then I realized how beautiful your hair is, and I found it very hard to look away from it. From you.”

Add to that last sentence an endearing smile, and one would have—

“My hair is combed and some strands are braided every morning. That is as far as I go when it comes to caring for it, so I don’t see how it could be of such interest to you.”

Was that girl completely immune to her charms? Taken off guard, Celestia pursed her lips the slightest, returning to a more pleasant expression the following second. It hadn’t been for long, surely not long enough that most people would have noted, but she had a feeling the same didn’t apply to the other Ultimate.

“Oh, I don’t know. It is very dazzling to me.” Celestia insisted, trying to be nonchalant about it. It helped that she had fantasized about combing the purple strands with a comb or her bare fingers, in one of her many daydreams. “Though apparently the most concerning thing is that you cannot seem to be able to take a compliment. At least it looks like that, in any case, and that is unacceptable given how utterly amazing you are.”

To her delight that finally struck a chord: instead of giving any rebuttal or just staring at the gambler nonchalantly, Kyoko glanced away from her, a gloved hand instinctively going towards a loose portion of her hair that framed her face. It was very cute to see, albeit it lasted for no more than a second since the detective realized what she was doing and resumed her more neutral, reserved stance.

“In uh, in any case, the book I was reading was indeed related to detective work. You wouldn’t be interested in it, I am sure.” Kirigiri managed to retort, angling her body towards the door. 

That by herself was already a win for Celeste. Who would have thought that she would manage to find a small crack in the girl’s demeanor like that? Even if most other people fell to her charms a lot faster… but oh well. In a way, it was more fun and definitely more thrilling to have to play the longer game.

“Quite the contrary. I am very fond of mystery novels and the likes. Perhaps your reading material will catch my attention more than any fiction novel ever has.”

“Right. Perhaps they might teach you how to better hide your lies and other such information from people around you, isn’t that so?”

Before Celestia had the chance to reply and try to regain a bit of the advantage she thought she had not too long ago, Kirigiri left the room and closed the door again without giving her a chance to follow. Needing a moment with her true emotions the gambler remained there, for once not schooling her expression or controlling her thoughts. 

Just what exactly had happened? Had she managed to fool Kirigiri and fluster her a tiny bit, or had that been a play all along? A bluff, a decoy to make Celestia believe she had the upper hand when in reality nothing she had said and done managed to reach Kyoko to begin with?

She thought she saw a positive reaction, right when the detective almost fidgeted with her own hair after being praised for it. Beforehand everything had fallen on deaf ears for sure, but with the way their discussion had ended, it was impossible to tell if even that small change in her usual behavior hadn’t been calculated.

Sighing, Celestia shook her head and decided it was still too early to say for sure. It was pretty much the first time they had spoken to one another without being surrounded by classmates or teachers—and although it hadn’t been that good, maybe she could convince herself that she had done well for it. After all, she wasn’t dealing with a sociable person, or those who wore their emotions in their sleeves either.

Still, the matter troubled her for the rest of the day, to the point that she did her best not to glance too blatantly at Kirigiri or stand too close to her during PE. The last thing she wanted was to have to go through another verbal sparring on the same day. To be left hanging like that, as if nothing she tried to do would ever be enough.

It was correct to assume that Celestia loved a challenge, but what exactly was she getting herself into?

Chapter Text

What exactly had she gotten herself into?

Zero-sum games were everything Celestia had known for too many years by then. They were what had made her able to make a fame in the underground gambling world, not to mention afford the fabric that made all of her clothes. Too much relied on her and her skills, including a very dear familiar that was supposed to be waiting for her on school recesses and the holidays. 

To see video footage of her room destroyed by Monokuma’s forces and no sight at all of her beloved cat, was enough to make an unwanted gasp of surprise leave her lips. 

Luckily the entire group had decided to see what the weird bear had prepared, together. Given how loudly others screamed and promptly showed their fear towards whatever they had witnessed in the media room, Celeste’s own reaction went unnoticed. 

When Sayaka Maizono spiralled, then cried her soul out in Makoto’s arms, the gambler knew that her own outburst wasn’t something people would remember when they started planning their way to escape.

It would happen sooner or later, she knew—perhaps sooner, after that prompt from Monokuma. Anxiety, fear and even a few shards of despair had been plain to see in their expressions, all because of a short video that no one knew if it was actually real. Even Kirigiri, impassive as she seemed to be, had her face tainted with shadows of disgust, discomfort even, not at all triggered by their louder, more expressive peers.

If that had been enough to rattle the girl with an unknown talent, then imagine the powerful effect it had had on the more gullible classmates.

They naturally dispersed afterwards, too caught up in their own thoughts to be able to offer one another more than superficial comfort. Although Celestia knew that might have been a good time to pretend to be kind and win some favor from the other students, she didn’t quite have it in herself to do so, to spin more lies when her heart was heavy and her mind whirred in its own accord. Thus instead, she followed suit and made her way to the cafeteria with no real intention to eat. Maybe a nice cup of tea would help ease her worries, yet again she lacked real motivation to make it. 

Yet nothing would be worse than standing still, lying down on a bed that wasn’t her own and wondering how much she could trust that terrible bear plushie when it came to what she had seen.

The images were terrible, vividly imprinted in her mind no matter how far she was from the media center. To think that not even her sweet cat had been spared! That something or someone would sweep to such lows in order to threaten her, to make her life within those stupid walls even more despairful than it already was.

Not only did Celestia have to worry about how to keep her bank account from being drained, now she also had her cat’s safety to brood over.

Luckily the lights were off at the cafeteria and no one else had thought about going there; most students had sought refuge in their rooms, in the solitude of their thoughts. A few had walked away, almost running back and forth through the hallways, exercise the only way they would be able to cope with their own plights.

For the minutes in which Celestia was alone she allowed herself to sink into the claws of what she described as mere anxiety, her brain running over possible (and terrible) scenarios a bit too quickly. For once her face wasn’t open and kind, her demeanor not the semblance of order and control: her hands were clasped, shoulders tense, jaw set and clenched, feet wide apart. If someone happened to come in right then and there they would surely have a hard time conciliating that person to the Celeste they had first met.

And when footsteps didn’t break through her reverie and she allowed herself to sulk and wonder for a bit longer than necessary, that was exactly what ended up happening. 

“I have a feeling I might have underestimated the enemy.”

Those words were stoic, just like the girl who walked to the round table where Celeste had collapsed and nonchalantly joined her. Cursing because she didn’t hear anyone else approaching, the gambler did her best to recompose herself without it looking too forced; after all, the group had just been forced to see something terrible and it was okay not to be in the best of shapes. Shutting her legs and drawing her posture uptight, she sighed and shook her head, for once letting some of her very real sadness be reflected in troubled, crimson irises.

“Indeed. They have too much access to our personal lives, or so it seems to me.” Celeste spoke up, her voice contrite with the tiniest bit of anger. She had been rattled, true, but that was exactly the most opportune moment for a killer to make a move. Completely lowering her guard wasn’t an option, even if something within her was actually responding to the other girl’s presence. “I assume you also had a very interesting, appalling video with a cliffhanger in the end?”

Kyoko nodded, eyes swiping around the cafeteria for a moment. “If the way the others reacted were any indication, then it’s not too farfetched to say that perhaps the video succeeded in providing a good enough reason to spur people into action. That perhaps a murder will indeed happen soon.”

“That is a rather pessimistic thing for you to say, isn’t it?” Celeste couldn’t help but joke, trying to ease her mood as well as Kirigiri’s.

Winking and grinning to show that she didn’t mean it, she allowed her thoughts to return to those awful images one more time. Her home, devastated. Cat fur everywhere, signs of a fight with no clear indication of who had won. And the final, terrible question that would linger in her mind for the longest time, alongside the many doubts she had about her new school life: how had a teddy bear gained so much information about her life?

“Pessimistic, realistic. Call it what you will.” Kyoko shifted in her chair, as if uncomfortable. As if she, too, didn’t want to believe what was in front of their very eyes. “It’s a desperate situation and now there is a motive to fuel our despair. It would be easy for one to act based on such emotions, whether they were prone to violence beforehand or not.”

“And we know very little of each other to determine who is and who is not more inclined to do justice with their own hands.” Celestia mused. Again her eyes were drawn to Kirigiri’s, and something within them seemed to make her question that assertion. It wasn’t the time to give in to such flights of fancy, however. “In fact, either of us could be planning to murder the other right here, right now.”

To her surprise Kyoko chuckled, a small and short-lived sound. A second later and she got to her feet, taking some steps away from Celeste before speaking again. Almost as if she wished to show it wasn’t the case.

Almost as if what the gambler thought of her was important, for some reason or the other.

“That is highly unlikely. Although you are the Ultimate Gambler, that is not a scenario even you would be able to talk yourself out of.” Kirigiri gestured to the empty cafeteria, like that alone was a testament to her words. “You have no alibi and surely more than one person saw us both walk here. You would be convicted within seconds.”

“Certainly, but here is the catch: I never harbored ill-intent towards you.” That was partially a lie; the more she heard the other girl speak, the more convinced she was that Kirigiri would be a key element in a class trial. If any of them actually occurred, that was. “Yet I have no reason to believe that I am safe in your company.”

Huh. Why did it feel like something similar had been said before? The sensation was eerie, gone within the blink of an eye, but still stood between them and was attested in their brief, surprised stares. At the end it was Kirigiri who glanced at the door and walked to it, glad not to look at the gambler as she said her parting words. 

“It’s not my wish to harm you in any way. Even if most of what you say appears to be lies.”

“Lies? No, you are sorely mistaken—”

The door closed before Celestia could defend her case—for what reason, she didn’t know. It was a waste of energy to try and make the detached girl believe that her intentions were pure, wasn’t it? After all, her intentions were not pure at the slightest. What was more, Kirigiri and those people were no one to her, mere stepping stones so she could graduate and become even more famous as the gambler who survived and outwitted a mastermind in a killing game. 

Who wouldn’t want to challenge her, bet huge sums of money against her, and in the end lose while she got richer and richer every passing day?

Maybe that situation wasn’t at all bad… if only she could stop feeling as if there were more to it all than what met the eye. Especially whenever that accursed Kirigiri was involved.

Chapter Text

Maybe that situation wasn’t at all bad. After all, it had been her idea to begin with, another plan so she could get closer to that accursed Kirigiri. 

It just so helped that the teachers were more than happy to indulge in Celestia’s proposition. Rumor had it they had seen how lonely the detective was, how unlikely it seemed that she would get any closer to someone, anyone at all, of her own accord. Sure, there was that guy Naegi who tried talking to her every now and then—just to be met with indifference, a cold remark and a shake of the girl’s head. Others had found equal resistance, to the point that it seemed like only the gambler had managed to have a full conversation with the other girl. 

Well, if they could even call that a conversation to begin with.

Nevertheless, Celeste’s efforts bore fruit quicker than she might have thought possible: one normal afternoon she asked their homeroom teacher if it wouldn’t be fun to have the class grow closer together by exploring their abilities with the help of someone else, and the next morning they were told to pair up in specific ways.

Celestia beamed the moment her name was called together with Kirigiri’s. Since she had been glancing at the detective from time to time, trying to read her demeanor even before something else was said, she was able to note the slight tension in her shoulders. The gambler wondered if she had frowned, made any sort of expression that was unlike her usually aloof one; how bad that her seat wasn’t right next to Kyoko’s for her to gauge her complete reaction in a moment like that.

In any case, Celeste was already expecting one of three or four scenarios to become true: First, her classmate could shake her head and refuse to work with anyone, claiming that detective work was a solitary one and unfitting to be shared with others who knew nothing of its intricacies. Second, she might reply that Celestia’s gift and hers weren’t compatible at the slightest, to the point that they would only hinder each other instead of actually working together. 

Or finally, if the stars were aligned and Celes had played her hand correctly, she would protest and then accept once the teacher explained what exactly the project was about. 

Sure, there was the very unlikely fourth instance that she simply shrugged and went with it, unquestioningly, but it didn’t take a genius or an Ultimate to understand that was nigh to impossible. What logic could bind a liar and a detective together, if not for the very specific things Celestia had told the teacher in order to convince them it would be a great way to further their development as Ultimates and classmates?

A heartbeat, two, and Kirigiri remained impassive, immobile. Students such as Asahina and Yasuhiro (what a common name, ugh) already moved to stare at her, waiting for what would happen next just as much as Celestia herself was. It was only when that Togami kid was about to say a word that the detective got to her feet, turning around and meeting the gambler’s sweet smile, a gentle, welcoming look that hid her best and worst intentions. 

While the rest of their class was paired up, Kyoko took her things and got to a nearby chair, only then moving it to join Celeste’s. She said nothing throughout the whole thing, her entire being absorbed into the action—whereas others were busier finding their work partners for the next few weeks, neither of the girls could look away from the other. It was interesting in some form, though the gambler was convinced it didn’t mean Kirigiri had warmed up to the thought of them spending that much time together.

No, if nothing she was sure she was being analyzed in that special way that only an Ultimate Detective could manage to do.

Why, if she could place a bet as to how much time it would take for her to be accused of having something to do with that—

“That wasn’t solely the teacher’s idea, was it?”

And there it was.

“My, good morning to you as well, Miss Kirigiri.” Celestia chuckled, turning so she could give her classmate her full attention. “Have you slept well?”

“And what is it to you?” 

“I suppose that is enough of an answer, then. And that it means I shall have to do most of the work since you are too fatigued to actually pay attention to what the project entails.” Celeste pouted, then smiled wider still when that elicited a quick frown from the other girl. “Alas, I won’t mind if that is the case. Don’t we all have better and worse days?”

“And I suppose it is safe to assume that you know more about this… project… than anyone else here.” Kirigiri shot back, not even the smallest bit ruffled by what had been said. 

“Hm? No, I am afraid that you’re mistaken on that front.” The gambler took a strand of hair that had fluttered close to her face and twirled it around a finger. “I actually suggested that we should each work in our own place, in labs or libraries depending on what our skills are. It makes more sense than being locked into the same classroom most of the day, does it not?”

Kyoko’s eyes fluttered over her face, not completely landing on hers, then moving down to a point behind her. Although that was completely far from her expertise, Celestia had a feeling that was not how one was supposed to conduct a proper investigation, but said nothing for the sake of holding that information for later. Maybe it was something she could ask further down the line, a conversation topic if the silence between them became too unbearable. 

But oh, who was she kidding? Two could play at that game and remain as quiet as they wanted to. 

“And yet here I am, sitting next to you after I saw you speaking to the teacher just yesterday, mentioning my name and all.” Kirigiri shot back, but somehow her usual confidence wasn’t completely there. 

Her arms were crossed in front of her chest, almost a defensive posture. Eyes hooded, torso turned away from Celestia… ah, she had seen that type of body language before while gambling great fortunes or her own life.

It was almost the face of someone who was uncertain of how to proceed.

“The purpose of this dynamic is to challenge your Ultimate skills with more than a simple exercise sheet and other, more controlled methods.” The teacher’s voice called them back to the present, sparing Celeste the need to answer or do anything other than smile in triumph. Looking around them she realized that everyone else had been divided into some very interesting pairs, to the point that she had to thank the adult for being that creative. “When using your abilities in the world, you will face far more uncertainties than hypothetical situations and textbook definitions can show you.

“That is why each of you will be working with a classmate in order to develop their talents and yours while going through different scenarios and performing all kinds of exercises. Now, before you ask if you can change partners, the answer is no—this entire arrangement was thought of in a way that would pose either the biggest challenge or provide you with the greatest boon.

“This first moment will be dedicated to introductions and small talk. Get to know your classmate better and go beyond just understanding what their Ultimate ability is. As much as this project is aimed at your development as the talented students that you are, this is also a chance for you to get to socialize. We shall start with the more technical details of what this will entail after lunch.”

Excited nods and sounds of conversation followed that. It was the simplest request the freshmen of the 78th class had heard ever since they set foot in Hope’s Peak. Yes, a few friend groups had already been formed so far, to the point that it wasn’t that hard to follow the teacher’s instructions—Celestia might have exaggerated a little bit when reporting that her class lacked a sense of togetherness and camaraderie, but it was a slight, necessary lie to accomplish what she wanted. 

It didn’t take long for pairs such as Hifumi and Toko to start what seemed like a passionate discussion over their talents, books, or something of the sort. Sayaka and Junko actually hit it off quite well, even if there was again something weird about how the latter spoke and acted from time to time. The same could be said of Asahina and Sakura, who were soon sharing their workout routines while an interested Mukuro leaned forward to listen and all but ignored Chihiro sitting beside her.

As for Celestia and Kyoko…

“I don’t see how this will be beneficial to me.” 

Kyoko’s hand was raised and she barely waited for the teacher to acknowledge her before the words left her mouth. Ah, there it was, the resistance Celeste had expected to find at first. Of course the Ultimate Detective had waited to gather more proof or whatever she called that, before saying anything at all.

“Well, I still haven't said a word about what your first task will be, so maybe you should wait a little longer for it.” The teacher beamed at her, condescending. Luckily he knew better than to glance at the gambler or show any confirmation of what had been discussed the day before. 

Apparently Celestia had known exactly what to prepare for, before even speaking to them. 

“Is it that terrible to you, to be paired with a gambler?” Celeste shot back, pouting and looking as insulted and innocent as she could afford to without setting off alarms in Kyoko’s mind. “I do understand that the activity isn’t legal to begin with, yet there are a lot of myths and hearsays that you might have caught wind of and—”

“What you use your ability for is no business of mine.” Kirigiri’s tone was dismissive, the offhand gesture she threw Celeste’s way bearing a small sign of irritation. “No investigation can actually proceed while it is surrounded by lies, however. Which means I’ll not be able to do my job if that is the case.”

Chilliness ran through Celestia’s bloodstream, though she did her best to school her expression into one of doubt and confusion. Would she really expose her to the whole class like that, no qualms involved?

“Lies? I cannot see how your concern has anything to do with this,” the gambler managed to say, feeling her expression assume something that looked like worry. “Or with me.”

“This has nothing to do with you? Is that so, Queen of Liars?”

There was a risk something like that would come up, a calculated one. A risk Celeste had decided to take when the idea to talk to the teacher had come to mind. Although Kirigiri hadn’t openly called her so during their last conversation, it wasn’t a stretch to imagine that she somehow had found out about one of her titles. It was the kind of information she kept close to her chest, though a few of her gambling opponents had also used that name plenty of times. Nothing that a bit of digging around wouldn’t reveal, for sure. 

And now Kyoko had done it, exposing it to the entire class right at the beginning of the year. Just when Celestia thought she might be trusted a bit more before everything came apart…

“Now, now. My gambling title has nothing to do with my school life.” The girl shook her head, a practiced response. Oh, how good it was to anticipate whatever hindrance could and would be thrown her way. It wasn’t the time to lose control and she wouldn’t do so. “It is just what others have decided to address me as after they disgracefully lost to me, a mere woman. I apologize if it intimidated you, though. It is not my intention to distract you or make your work any harder than it already is, Miss detective.”

Although she considered the gesture a bit too much, Celestia was taken by sudden inspiration and bowed her head. Almost an admission of humility, something that should be way below her, but that fit the moment and was a bit appropriate if she wanted to remain out of the spotlight. 

To her complete surprise Kyoko glanced at her for a few heartbeats, then looked away with an annoyed sound and a mumbled “whatever”. Was it too soon to believe that they were making progress? A giggle threatened to escape her lips, but Celeste filed it away for later—the moment in which she would lie down and examine everything that happened in her day, trying to determine how she could do better and how to better tweak her plans so as to get what she wanted.

Well, but after all she had already endured that morning alone, perhaps it wouldn’t be too compromising if she said a small thing or two of her own.

“I understand your caution, Miss Kirigiri, as I am sure that is a very desirable quality in your line of work. I must ask you to trust me, however, and I assure you that my intentions are nothing but candid.” Celestia beamed, a small and sad smile that didn’t reach her eyes and she made sure of it. “After all, the moment we first met I was also struck with sudden doubt, not just for you but for everyone around us. And in the end… Well, if you keep freely accusing me like that, I will certainly have no reason to believe that I am safe in your presence after all.”

That got a sigh from her companion, even if no word was said for a while. The two glanced to the sides, watching their classmates interacting and either yelling at each other or forming newer, deeper bonds. For a small second Celeste allowed herself to feel distant from it all—waves of nostalgia and a bit of loneliness that seemed to arise from nowhere and be gone just as quickly. A foreign emotion that somehow became stronger right then and there, persisting for a while longer.

Persisting just until Kyoko said something again; until the calmer, almost contrite sound of her voice could break the spell it had cast on Celestia. 

“Apologies. I may have spoken out of turn.” Kirigiri slowly angled her body towards the other girl, gaze kept away from her at first. “Your fame is widely known in the world I come from, that is all.”

Lie . It took a good liar to identify another that easily, but if Celestia had had any doubts that Kirigiri did some research on her beforehand, then that had just been cleared. Not that she would outright say anything about it, not then and there. Not when she was having so much fun seeing the detective apologize to her.

“Ah, it is nothing.” She waved the matter away, earnestly beaming for the first time in that whole conversation. “And if you allow me to say, it will be a pleasure to work with you for the next few days, partner.”

“L-likewise.” 

The answer, although automatic, was still accompanied by what Celestia had already started to recognize as Kirigiri’s telltale signs of stress or embarrassment. All the better, to rub in a first victory on what she hoped would be a long lasting winning streak for her. And an even longer lasting streak of some awkward moments to the know-it-all detective.

As long as she could keep making Kyoko look at her like that, then there was nothing to lose.

Chapter Text

As long as she could keep making Kyoko look at her with what seemed like a sliver of trust, then there was nothing to lose. 

The reaction had been unexpected, surprisingly easy to get, even. Because of that, it didn’t fill Celestia with the same sense of accomplishment that other such victories had in the best.

Well, either that, or her resentment came from the fact that for once that result had been achieved with the truth and not one of her many lies. 

A huge commotion followed the fact that Makoto didn’t return to them after going to check on Sayaka. It was only after Ishimaru, Hifumi and Mondo decided to check on them together (running the risk of interrupting something… else) that the body discovery announcement rang and their lingering suspicions were settled once and for all. 

The shrill sound, along with Monokuma’s excited voice and the call for an investigation paralyzed them for a second. From her place in the breakfast table Celestia froze, hands tensing around the teacup that remained suspended in midair. That took a few heartbeats, the rational part of the girl’s mind deeming that it was an appropriate response to what they were going through, before she managed to shake her head and glance at the remaining students around her.

Similar expressions of disbelief, uncertainty and fear were stamped in their faces. The one exception being that girl Kirigiri, who simply frowned and glanced down in silence. 

“Wh-what does t-t-that mean?!” 

It was Toko who spoke first, hands gripping the edges of her long hair. Although the question was purely rhetorical or so Celeste hoped, it was what they needed in order to move again. To remember they were short a few members, and there was no way to know what had happened and whose body had been found.

“I suppose we should join the others. Unless they—”

Kyoko’s even voice was cut short by the sound of running footsteps a few seconds before the cafeteria doors were pushed open. A look on Hifumi’s and Ishimaru’s pale faces was enough of a confirmation for those who had remained behind: horror had been found in that room. The only one who managed to speak was a distressed Mondo, mouth twisted in an angry look that was completely scary per se. 

“Place’s a mess. Slash marks everywhere, things turned around… Then the blood… WHO THE HECK DID THAT?!”

“W-what? Slow down, we don’t understand! Monokuma just said… and now that..?” Aoi jumped to her feet, eyes wide with terror. Her gaze swept left to right, trying to find any answers or reassurances within the others. 

It was Sakura who came to her rescue, also rising from her seat and standing beside the Ultimate Swimmer. 

“Blood? What exactly did you see? And where is Naegi?”

“Oh no. He wasn’t the one to…?” Celeste queried, letting her question hang in the air. She had a very good idea of what had transpired, but somehow dreaded saying the words.

After all, although both her and Kirigiri had literally spoken of the matter the day before, it was still hard to believe that they had been that correct. That it had been right to assume the videos would be enough to spur someone into motion so fast.

This isn’t happening. I didn’t leave behind the life I knew in exchange of… whatever this is, she thought, curling her fingers into the palm. It stung, the brief pain enough to make her blink and regain control over herself, over her mind. It wasn’t the time to despair, not in a situation like that.

When it seemed that she had lost control over everything else, the one thing she could still have power over was her own self. 

“No, no. Not him. Mister Naegi is just unconscious.” Hifumi shook his head, downcast. “I don’t blame him.”

“I believe it’s easier if you all just follow us and see what we’re talking about.” Ishimaru added, trying to remain calm. His face was contorted, however, his real emotions showing in the tense way that he stood. “Just a warning: it is bad. Really, really bad.”

“So someone was… killed?” Junko’s voice was small, as if she didn’t want to believe the last few minutes. “Someone actually listened to that damn bear and did it? And now you want me to see it? No, no. I-I’m not fit for that kind of stuff.”

Lie . 

It wasn’t a mystery that good liars knew when they were being lied to. Due to how high stakes her gambles were, Celestia had developed a fine tuned sense over the years, one that allowed her to pinpoint when the words that came out of one’s mouth were not what they meant. It was hard to explain how she knew it—sometimes it was a change in posture, a slight alteration in their voice. Or maybe some sort of fidgeting, no matter how small and calculated. Those who thought of themselves as the best liars went very far to sound and look natural, remaining calm and trying to hide each and every sight that what they were saying wasn’t honest.

The real trick in Celeste’s eyes wasn’t to attempt to pass a lie as a truth. It was to believe in that lie so profoundly, that there was no way a line would be delivered any differently at all. 

She hadn’t even been looking in Junko’s direction when her mind registered how false that sentence sounded. That did draw her attention away from everyone else, of course, even if no more words came out of the fashionista’s mouth. While the students decided on what the best course of action would be, and if it was okay to leave one or more people behind, the gambler studied the pink-haired girl and tried to determine just why her response to her had been so intense. 

Like everyone else, Junko seemed tense. Although she had yet to show somewhat of a domineering presence, something Celestia would expect from a world-famous model, at that moment it felt like she was trying very hard to remain unseen. She hadn’t moved from her chair, rather hugging both knees to her chest and resting her chin on them. Whereas others were glancing to and fro, talking to others in smaller groups until Ishimaru took over and started shouting orders, her eyes were downcast focused on the table instead of participating in the chaos erupting all around her.

To the unpracticed eye it would be fitting to say that Junko had never seen something so tragic in her life, hence she might not have the particular skills to deal with it. Why, maybe her mind was running around in circles, not quite wrapping itself around the fact that someone was most likely dead—and someone else around them had been responsible.

But something about her words, about how she had said it and even how forced her body posture was—

“Are you coming?”

A gloved hand gently landed on the table beside Celestia, the motion and words waking her up from her reverie. Blinking once to shake herself from what was possibly a useless trail of thoughts, the Ultimate Gambler forced herself to look away from the model and towards the source of that voice, already knowing who it was.

Who had lingered behind, while most of the group was already at the door and moving towards the dorms.

Lilac eyes studied her in silence, something about them puzzling Celeste once more. Now it was her time to be surprised anew due to the many different stimuli her mind wanted to decode—questions that pulled at her and deserved answers, both due to mere curiosity and the need to be in control of that weird school life in some way or the other. 

Still, it wasn’t as if she could just sit down and do nothing, allow herself to think things through with what little information she had. Which meant that the best course of action was to… get involved with whatever the rest of the group wanted to do. 

“Hmmm, I suppose there is no use staying back anyways.” She sighed, wincing as if the mere thought of what they would find was painful to her. Which was a lie in itself, given how much death and despair she had already seen and sentenced her opponents to by winning game after game in underworld gambling. 

Funny how the nagging feeling that remained with her as she and Kyoko left behind Junko, Chihiro and Toko, was that the fashionista’s lie wasn’t so different from her very own.

The walk towards the dorms was silent, filled with apprehension. A few students looked everywhere around them, unsure about what to expect or perhaps trying to escape the tense, heavy atmosphere. Others, like Kyoko, Celeste herself, Sakura and Byakuya had rigid expressions, their gaze never wavering from what was right in front of them. Lost in thoughts, no one voiced the many questions that were certainly running through their minds nor described the scenarios that their imagination was already toying with.

After the weird video they had watched just the day before, there were indeed a lot of possibilities to be explored. Which of course became worse by the fact that by that point in time they had many variables and not enough certainties to go with. 

The hallway seemed to stretch on, longer than Celeste herself remembered from her brief walk from her room to the cafeteria not even an hour ago. To tell the truth, she had had no idea where Maizono’s dorm was located, uninterested as she had been about the Ultimate idol, to the point that she just stopped when Hifumi and Ishimaru did so. 

“Now, if anyone would like to turn back or remain outside, that is your last chance to do so,” the Kiyotaka announced, eyes grave. “Nobody will judge you for that.”

“I-it’s pretty nasty in here, after… after all.” Hifumi added, looking nervous. His eyes fell on Celeste and Kirigiri, standing side by side, and he went on, “especially for you ladies, it’s not as if you should be forced to witness such—”

“Hmpf! The nerve of you, to judge me as inferior.”

His words had riled Celestia so much that any lingering tension over what waited for them on the other side of the door completely vanished. After briefly glancing at Kyoko in order to gauge her reaction and seeing nothing but that nonchalant indifference, the Ultimate Gambler paraded to the front of the group, faced Yamada and leaned in his direction.

“It seems to me that mayhaps you should be the one to stand outside. After all, between the two of us, I am not the one trembling all over. Learn your place!”

As his eyes widened, Celestia’s hand closed around the doorknob and she turned it without a second thought. It was easy to lie to herself right then and there; to recall every single moment in which she had been faced with death in the past. All the people who had fallen to the ground in front of her after losing a match in which both sides had bet with their lives…

It’s not that different , Celeste told herself, even though her heart lurched in her chest for some reason or the other. The sound of soft, approaching steps made her even more resolute in what she had to do next. And if I show any sort of weakness right in the beginning, under the wrong circumstances no less, I’ll give the others an advantage that might cost me something in the future .

The first thing the gambler saw while walking into the room was how out of place everything was. The simple round table had been overturned and at some points the wallpaper was peeling under slash marks. There were more of those everywhere she looked, especially after she came closer to the bed in order to better analyze the situation. It wasn’t a stretch to say a fight had taken place in that room—that two teenagers had fought for life and death, with one of them succumbing to it. 

Naegi’s body was lying prone next to the bathroom door, still unconscious. That didn’t take too much of her thoughts, however, not with how the crime scene was already shocking to her for some reason or another. A few heartbeats ago she had been fine, more than willing to let others see her as strong, reasonable, someone who wouldn’t cower in the face of danger.

Yet the sight of that place, of how… how much it resembled the video she had watched yesterday just to know that her cat was missing… was indeed enough to make her freeze.

Sounds of surprise came from behind her, though they weren’t loud or important enough to jolt Celeste into action. Instead her mind revolved around the signs of struggle—her cat’s and whoever else had fighted in that room. Had they suffered, been injured in some way or the other? Had death come easily, or had they despaired at the mercy of their killer?

Had Grand Bois Chéri—

“Careful, you will contaminate the crime scene if you all come trampling in here.”

Funny enough, it was Kyoko’s voice that called to her, that made Celestia’s mind return to the present moment. No, she wasn’t home and trying to determine what exactly had happened to her beloved feline. Far from it, really: she was imprisoned in a very weird school, with no access to the outside world.

And someone had been murdered just because another person had wanted out.

Still in shock, it took her a moment to register the fact that a gloved hand enclosed hers, gently leading her towards the door without a word being said. It was only when she took a first step back that she flinched, her eyesight eventually clearing as the world came into focus.

As Kirigiri’s gaze met hers, bright and even, she dared say, a bit concerned. 

“The fewer people here as we investigate, the better.” Kyoko stated the moment that Celestia refused to bulge. “And you don’t have to put yourself in that position if that isn’t something you are comfortable with.”

Although she had heard pretty much the same thing from Hifumi, it felt different when Kirigiri was the one saying it. There was definitely some care in those words, in her voice. In the hand that didn’t leave hers, even when Celestia gave a small, sad smile and shook her head. 

Even when her heart and not her mind decided something for her and she went with it, unquestioningly. 

“No, I would like to stay.” She squeezed Kirigiri’s hand, the gesture so familiar that it was eerie to think of it as such. Something she would analyze later, once that whole mess was dealt with. “Albeit this is not my area of expertise, perhaps some of my skills might come in handy in some way or the other. If you allow me to remain, of course.”

“I…” Kirigiri hesitated, lost in Celestia’s eyes. Or so the gambler would like to believe, anyway. “Maybe it’s best if—”

Whatever she was about to say was interrupted by a loud, high pitched sound. Being the closest to a monitor, both turned in time to see Monokuma’s face appear once more, his body language completely at ease. Almost as if he was amused with such chaos, though it wasn’t that much of a farfetched conclusion anyway.

“Now now now! It’s nice to see that most of you’ve charged headfirst into danger. Ah, the confidence of the young… didn’t you once stop to think that maybe the killer would be waiting for you in there? Heeheehee.” He took a long sip from a glass cup, then spoke again. “Aaaaaanyway, not to rain on your parade or anything, but y’all need to assemble at the gym chop chop. Gotta explain the rest of the rules before anyone accuses me of being unfair. See yaaa!”

It was only when the others started commenting on that last announcement that Kirigiri and Celeste realized they were still holding hands for no reason whatsoever. Almost as if the thought hit them at once, they both withdrew and turned to face the rest of the students in order to decide how to proceed next.

There wasn’t much to do but follow orders; they still were pretty much in the dark about how their lives would function from then on, truthfully. No matter how weird and sad it was to have to listen to a talking teddy bear, it was all there was to do in such circumstances. After a few of them decided to carry Makoto themselves, the group marched towards the gym with a feeling that looked very much like dread hanging around them.

Chapter Text

If Celestia had to describe the feeling that hung around her and Kyoko the following day, the first word that came to mind was certainly dread. 

Not on her part, at least she didn’t think so; sure, her heart was beating a bit faster and it was slightly more troublesome to keep her expression neutral around the detective, but that was pretty much it. Those were natural reactions in her view, though: suspicions brought on by the fact that she was positive that Kirigiri would try to see through her disguise and she had to be more careful. 

After all, not only was the other girl known as the Ultimate Detective, well, it had been the gambler herself who had put them in that situation to begin with.

It was simple to note that the other pairs had had more luck than them… mostly. Toko and Hifumi walked in without looking at each other, the former making snarky comments every now and then. Although that was what mostly called typical Fukawa behavior (except when she was in the presence of almighty Togami,) the snide words were even worse than usual when aimed at Yamada. It almost made Celestia feel sorry for him.

Almost.

Snickering, the Ultimate Gambler glanced away from those two and swept her eyes around the rest of the room. Most duos had made friends or strengthened pre-existing relationships. Although her plan involved no one’s desires but her own, it was still kind of nice to see it had had that repercussion—and so fast, too.

Yes, things could change the moment they were forced to work together instead of just sharing workout routines and the likes, but still. 

It was easy to get lost in all the warmth before turning to her own partner and noticing how far afield her eyes were. After walking into the class, Kirigiri sat beside her in her usual, detached way; they had done nothing more than exchange stiff good mornings, which was appalling considering what Celestia wanted to do. 

What sort of gamble she wished to fulfill, even if it were solely for the fun of bringing her little reverie into fruition. 

It was no use, however. Kyoko’s entire body language wasn’t receptive at all, something that became even more apparent the moment she fumbled for something in her backpack and took another mystery novel from it. A side glance at Celestia later, she had it open in front of her, further announcing that she wasn’t up for talking anyway. The only other way for Miss detective to make that clearer was if she put headphones over her ears, really.

Manners dictated that Celeste should let her be; it wasn’t polite or ladylike to interrupt one’s reading. Given the sheer amount of homework and extra material the students had to deal with on a daily basis, it was a miracle that Kirigiri or anyone else who wasn’t the Ultimate Reader were managing to start and finish novels to begin with. Yet if there was something the gambler liked more than winning, it was the mere prospect of being faced with a challenge.

And the way things were going between the two of them, Celeste might as well see that as one.

“Oh? I thought those might be quite dull for you. What with how skilled you are in solving mysteries, that is.” 

The gambler’s sweet words didn’t elicit a response at first. Rather, it took so long for Kirigiri to move that Celestia started to wonder if the girl was that engrossed in a second-rate novel or if she was just plain rude—and if so, what a waste it would be. That thought was completely out of her mind as soon as Kyoko’s gaze met hers, neutral and not at all annoyed at being interrupted. 

“Some of them are.” She nodded and sighed, as if the whole ordeal were too painful to bear. “Yet others, the minority of them, were written by actual detectives. Their ability to describe crime scenes, make even the most innocuous people seem suspect and so on is rather amazing.”

It wasn’t an universal rule that all Ultimates enjoyed talking and doing the things they had been born with a natural talent towards. Yet even Kirigiri’s usually stoic demeanor melted a little as soon as she mentioned those writers, the atmosphere they managed to create in their novels. Something about it was endearing to Celestia, even if it took but a moment for the other girl to sober up, shake her head and almost bury the excitement underneath her chill countenance once more. 

Huh. If the gambler had to guess, it wasn’t that different from how she herself kept her true feelings and inclinations hidden during a game.

“That sounds very entertaining,” Celestia said, keeping that observation to herself. Maybe it could be useful, later on. “Why, I might ask you for some book recommendations later on, as I was able to quickly pinpoint the culprit in the last few mystery novels I read.”

“It surprises me that you haven’t tried to write some of your own. Twisting the truth with all sorts of lies and making up incredible scenarios to fool the readers’ minds, that is.” 

And that was pretty much the end to their conversation, as Celestia was starting to get a bit tired of having to refute that kind of thing and protect her own honor on such a daily basis. What did a girl like her have to do in order to earn an ounce of respect from the subject of her latest daydreams?

It was one thing for her to wonder if that was just about the most hopeless gamble she had ever set her eyes on. It was another altogether to have every approach, every sketch of a conversation end up like that, with the other part not opening up to her at all. 

She had a feeling she was better than that, but Kirigiri was surely proving to be a formidable enemy in many accounts. 

Luckily the classroom doors were shut after the teacher walked in, sparing Celestia of the need to reply. She resorted to sending her companion a piercing, meaningful side eye that was probably ignored, before straightening her posture and placing a bright, eager smile on her face. It came into being effortlessly, as it always did no matter what she had been feeling a moment ago, true enough.

But why did her heart squeeze once in a semblance of sadness as Kirigiri reacted to her sudden shift with a frown?

“Good morning, everyone!” The teacher greeted them as usual. Their eyes were sparkling, however, their entire demeanor seemingly more alive than any of the members of the 78th class had ever seen before. “Today marks the start of our little Collaboration Project, as we spoke about yesterday. It’s good to see that you are already partnered up!”

A few people nodded at them, others looking at their companion with visible excitement. Celestia knew better than to try something of the sort with the detective; she imagined she would be lucky if all she got in response was a bit of ogling. 

Why why, mayhaps she should have shot for the Ultimate Fashionista, as uncanny as that girl also seemed to be… or perhaps the Ultimate Soldier, just for the fun of it? That Ikusaba person did look a bit too dense for her own good anyway.

“Now, for today’s assignment you’re going to receive an exercise sheet that focuses on one of your talents—that was determined by chance, and those who weren’t contemplated will have their turn tomorrow. Both of you must corroborate in answering it in the best possible way, and rest assured that I’ll be keeping a close eye on you! Do your best to understand and help your partner, even if it isn’t your area of expertise. In that way you will be able to better understand that talent and perhaps start seeing ways in which it could line with your own.”

Different sheets of paper were handed to the specific pairs; even from afar Celeste could see that everything about it was very distinct. From instructions to the actual number of questions to be answered, each paper had been tailored to the duo that would be working with it. Wondering if she would be the lucky one to see Kirigiri having to weave lies on that day or the next, the gambler couldn’t help but smirk.

Who knew, maybe they would need to play some poker matches and see who would win the most of them—

But alas, as soon as the teacher placed the paper between them, she realized that it wasn’t her day at all.

It was more than just a paper, to begin with: a whole manila envelope came alongside it, filled to the brim with documents that seemed yellow with age. It was Kyoko who accepted them, naturally, with Celestia leaning in closer so she could better glance at what their assignment was. 

“‘Murder Case 2413.’” Kirigiri read out loud, her lips curling into the slightest smile. They were in her territory after all. “Also known as The Genocide Jack Murders.” The explanation was added to the gambler’s benefit, yet that name didn’t ring a bell at all. Seeing that Celestia’s expression remained dubious, she went on, “it comprises a series of unsolved murders that have happened over the years, all focusing on a certain type of victims and with a very distinct pattern.”

“Ah, I see.” She didn’t, but nodded anyway and tried to look as if she really knew the part. “I believe I may have heard of it at some point. I lived abroad for some years, you know, and such things don’t always make the news internationally.”

“No, they aren’t that widely known outside of the country. I would be surprised if someone like you heard a thing about them, actually.” Kirigiri answered with a smirk. “Although Genocide Jack is still a topic of discussion to this day, that mostly happens at detective meetings. Or detective school, really—many students dream of solving cases like that. Mainstream media is always quick to avert its eyes from what this killer does, especially once it becomes clear that it will take time for more information to surface.”

“And has it? How old is this case, exactly?” Celestia tilted her head to the side, feigning interest in the subject. The one thing that caught her eye and attention in that moment was how talkative Kyoko had suddenly become.

“It’s almost a decade old. Most people have given up the notion that this killer will ever be caught.” Eyes downcast, the detective pondered for a while, probably remembering everything she did know about the case as a whole. “As for new information, every now and then someone announces they were a witness or almost a victim at some point. Nowadays there are more ways to filter what goes into the official documents before the whole case is changed or jeopardized by fake testimony, but back when it started that wasn’t possible.

“Hope would resurge with each claim, only to wither and fade the moment major contradictions were spotted and lies were uncovered. Sure, there were times in which a contribution would shed light into an aspect or the other of the whole thing, but in the end…” She shook her head, looking pained. “All we can agree for sure is that this is one prolific killer. And that those who are at a higher risk for becoming a victim are young men.”

“Isn’t that new, however? Don’t most murderers target women or have I been reading too many mystery novels?” Celestia angled her body towards Kyoko, placed her chin on folded hands. She had to admit, it was a change of pace to spend class doing more than playing online poker with some loser or making plans for her Western style castle.

Either that, or the vision of a less stoic Kyoko had really gotten to her. 

“It is more common to see women as victims, yes. Which makes the perpetrator even more unique in a sense.” Kirigiri took a deep breath, exhaling loudly before turning her attention back to the files they had been given. “Enough talking. If we are supposed to discuss Genocide Jack, then there are a lot of files to be read and analyzed.”

“I will be delighted to assist.” The gambler beamed, opening the folder and taking out the documents in a neat manner. “You shall have the latest testimonies or changes to the original, however, as surely you are far more familiar with the whole ordeal than I could ever be.”

“To tell you the truth, I was hoping to read everything from the start. Not just to better get you used to legal terminology and whatnot, though of course that is a given if you really plan on cooperating with me, but also since it might be helpful to get another readthrough. Sometimes important details can be skipped over once one thinks they know all there is to be about a case.”

There was something about it, about the prospect of working together with Kirigiri, that was more than just amusing. It was… thrilling, not that different from how Celestia felt whenever she made a first, well-calculated bet in a high stakes game. It helped that they had spoken more in that morning alone than they had for the last few weeks they had shared a classroom, true, but there was more to it than just that. For the time being, the gambler couldn’t really define what she was feeling. How she should act in response to it, and where those emotions would lead her in the future.

If it was a good idea to bank on them, to gamble with her whole mission by believing that perhaps, just perhaps, Kirigiri was more trusting towards her.

Regardless, if nothing she could say that she had already won solely by being able to stay closer to the other girl. What came next would be decided by the plays they both made, whatever intentions could be hidden within their hearts.

All the gambler could do, as always, was play according to what she perceived and trust that she would have the upper hand in the end. 

“Of course. Lead the way then, Miss detective. Tell me more about this Genocide Jack.”

She couldn’t help but smile and nod while her companion talked, unweaving important details of the case. Yet through it all something bothered her, a nagging feeling that eventually unraveled itself to her just as the class ended. 

Was it just her imagination, or did someone else in the classroom keep gawking at them during the entire moment they were indeed working together?

Chapter Text

Was it just Celeste, or had there been someone gawking at her and Kyoko during the whole time they were working together?

But then, should she blame whoever that was? They were pretty much commanding the investigation with little to no help from the others. And all it took for that to happen was for the gambler to make a few comments here and there about the crime scene, too. 

“Well, surely great strife happened here,” Celestia said the moment she and the students (minus Junko) were allowed to return to the room. To do what was expected of them before the class trial could begin. “It’s clear from the slash marks all over this place. Whoever came here either had the intention to kill or was driven to it for some reason or the other.”

“Driven to it…” Kyoko commented from her place, crouched near the bathroom door. She was analyzing the floor for some reason or the other, but her eyes lifted from it the slightest as soon as the gambler uttered those words. “What makes you think murder might not have been their intent from the get-go?”

“Hmm, I mean, the motive videos may have been enough to instill the need for action—killing, in this case.” Celeste moved away from the walls, standing beside the gilded katana on another part of the room. “However, it would be foolish to suppose that is the sole possible course of action. That would be the same as betting all of your savings in a single number. Or hand of cards.”

“So it’s mostly about keeping our minds open, I see. Very well.” The detective got up and inspected the door to the bathroom, especially the broken knob. “Maizono and the culprit could also have tried to strike a deal, with misunderstanding and violence ensuing along the way.”

“A deal? I suppose, but this game that we are in seems to value individuality among all things. Don’t you think so?” She looked away from the katana for a second, beaming sweetly before saying, “for all you know, you could be talking to the murderer right here, right now.”

“LIkewise.” Was that the hint of a smile on Kyoko’s lips, or was the gambler imagining things due to the horrid nature of what they were being forced to go through? “Are there any important clues on that sword?”

And yet she deems it is okay to trust me , Celestia thought, a hand covering her mouth to hide her chuckling, before she turned back to truly investigate the weapon. Surely it had been used in the fight, even if it weren’t the murder weapon—that had been dealt with by Kirigiri herself, thankfully, while the gambler defined other important things such as the broken wrist and the weird message behind the dead girl’s body.

“Oh? The gilded painting is off in many parts. Especially in the handle. Besides, the sheath is heavily damaged if you ask me. It must be a very fake replica, so at the very least nothing valuable was lost.” The Ultimate Gambler added that last sentence with a yawn. Almost as if the investigation was boring.

Almost as if her heart didn’t pound a lot harder whenever she recalled there was a chance they would screw up and not live to see another day.

Kirigiri seemed to find that interesting for some reason, however, as she stopped searching around the bathroom area and strode up to the other girl in no time. 

“Allow me.” She extended both hands, fingers brushing against Celestia’s the moment she transferred the object to her. 

“Don’t you find it interesting that Maizono had such a weapon in her care to begin with?” The gambler queried, intently watching what the other girl did. “It seems to me that she was expecting something like that to happen.”

“You’re forgetting one important piece of information, however: this is Naegi’s room, not Maizono’s. Which just shifts your question a bit and that means we can ask him about it later.” She puzzled over it, almost as if making a mental note of the whole ordeal, before turning back to the object in hands. “The flaking paint is also an interesting clue, I believe. Both because that would mean someone’s hands got tinged golden, but also since there should be some of it on the floor.”

“While on that subject, I must say that Naegi is quite tidy for a boy, then. Although the walls are a mess, the floor is exceptionally clean. Who knows, maybe that was what confused me in the first place and made me think this was Sayaka’s room and not his.” She shrugged as if it were meaningless.

Even so, her mind was concerned with that matter. Sure, she had made no effort to memorize where everyone else’s room was—her intentions were to survive the game alone, whether that involved killing and graduating or not was another question entirely. Okay, maybe, just maybe, she had made a mental note of where the detective’s dorm was, just to avoid trouble in case she needed to resort to murder. One never knew.

But something had tipped her off to the fact that she was in the Ultimate Idol’s room, hadn’t it? Right from the start—

“Ah, I get it now.” A glance at the open door was enough to answer her question. Apart from the other students who didn’t want to be left alone, yet weren’t sure about how to contribute to the whole thing, there was one object that confirmed her suspicions while also raising another matter altogether. “Look, the nameplate hanging on the door. How can we keep saying that this is Naegi’s room when that thing is there?”

For her sake Kirigiri put down the sword next to its scabbard, fully turning her body and her attention to what had just been pointed. Hands on her hips, she frowned just a little and pursed her lips, a sign of full concentration that was actually… a bit cute in Celestia’s mind. Not that it was the time for her to be thinking stuff like that, but it just happened.

Anyway, it wasn’t as if she would have the slightest chance with someone like Kirigiri, no matter how charming and helpful she had to be. Why, there hadn’t been a single lie on all she had said for the entire time they were investigating! 

(Perhaps that had to do with the fact that she wasn’t the culprit and wanted to survive the class trial, or maybe it had an ulterior motive of its own.)

“Another thing to add to the list of what to ask Naegi as soon as he’s available.” Kyoko uttered after a while, glancing at her companion. “I would like to take another look at the room if you don’t mind, before we set off to find him.”

We ? The request felt so natural it stunned them both into silence, broken here and there by the sounds of the other students discussing the case closeby. Still, the two girls remained in their own little world, aside from all of that, for a few heartbeats reveling in the strangeness of that whole thing.

Why had Kyoko asked it without a second thought?

And why did Celestia’s heart answer it just as easily, as if such a thing was part of their routines?

“Of course.” The gambler beamed, masking her true emotions: the confusion that had already taken root a day ago, that was starting to bloom into an intricate, unknown flower. “You seem to be made for this type of thing and it makes investigating a lot more… riveting.”

Kirigiri’s eyes widened for a second and the beginning of a blush covered her cheeks. It wasn’t enough to say that Celeste’s words (not a lie, again) had rattled her, but maybe the gambler could and should count that as a victory all the same. 

“It’s nothing, I am uh, merely doing what needs to be done.” 

“Suit yourself, Miss Kirigiri.” 

She couldn’t help but chuckle before parting ways once more, trying as hard as she could to focus on the task at hand. To do what needed to be done, as her partner had just said, and to make sure they got all the clues that could be used at the trial. Although those procedures weren’t as natural to her as gambling and lying were, there was an uncanny element of familiarity to the whole process; it was almost as if she had done that before for some reason or another. Maybe she had read books about how to hide evidence, and thus knew a few things on how to look for it?

That didn't feel like a mystery she should mention, or one that would be cracked today. Still, it remained at the back of her mind, along with the entire sensation of rightfulness that came with simply working and sharing ideas with Kyoko.

Celestia knew better than to become superstitious over the whole thing; to start thinking that maybe they had done that before—in another life, no doubt. Were she in a normal high school, doing a normal extracurricular activity with the other girl, then mayhaps such a flight of fancy would be forgiven. Expected, even, given how pretty and talented Kyoko seemed to be. 

In the middle of a killing game that they knew close to nothing about, however, giving in to such a frilly state of mind was the same as getting too lax, too carefree. Which could mean certain death at some point or the other.

No, she would remain vigilant. If the gambler stopped to check on Kirigiri, it would be solely for the reason that she could pose some danger. Given how naturally she had examined the corpse, the crime scene and then made a mental note on all the questions that needed to be asked here and there, she would certainly be troublesome to deal with when Celestia made her move. 

Buuuut since that wasn’t supposed to happen in the next few days, that she knew of… then there would be no harm to watch Kyoko, to aid her and ask some of her own questions as well, would it?

The more she could comprehend of the world the fifteen of them had been thrown in, the better her odds of achieving a flawless win.

“Say, I know that what happened at the gym was a terrible, unfathomable tragedy and all…” Celeste allowed her words to hang, her whole demeanor becoming downcast. An amplification of the shock she still felt while recalling what Monokuma had done with the one student who had tried to defy him. “But I couldn’t help but feel a bit estranged by Enoshima.”

Kyoko, who had turned to face Celeste as soon as she started speaking, tilted her head to the side just the slightest. Her eyes, overcast with everything that was already going through her mind due to the investigation, got a little lighter the moment she forced herself away from that trail of thought and towards what the other girl was implying. 

“Estranged in which way?” She got to her feet and approached her companion. A side glance at the remaining students, mostly huddled close to the doorway and as far away from the corpse as possible, and she knew they weren’t being overheard. “It wasn’t as if we knew about each other before this started. Apart from Naegi and Maizono, that is.”

“And wasn’t that a tragedy, for her life to be snuffed out so soon.” She sighed, shaking her head for a second. Enough for her to seem more unused to death as she really was. “But anyway, I meant that… hm, how to say that… I cannot fully put my finger on it, yet something she said caught my attention and stuck as odd.”

“Interesting,” she said, fully turning to face Celestia. “I was just wondering how someone like her, so used to being the center of the world and acclaimed as a model, remained so quiet and away from everyone else when we met. One would think she would take control of the situation in some shape or form.”

“Or at the very least, haul others to do her bidding and make sure that she would be comfortable. Indeed she spoke her mind while talking to Monokuma, but even then her words rang a little hollow to me.” 

The gambler didn’t want to reveal her great ability in sniffling out lies, just unparalleled to her skill in telling them. It might come in handy as their school life progressed; how many attempts on her life would she be able to foretell just by listening to what was being left unsaid? As such, it was better if people didn’t know she could do it. 

After all, the less her new classmates knew about her, the bigger her chances to fool them all. 

Even if the thought of fooling Kirigiri felt both a farfetched hope, and something she shouldn’t attempt at all.

“It’s brutal that she was murdered in that way,” Kyoko answered, almost as if she were aiming for some middle ground in that conversation. Her gaze was faraway, however, and that was enough for Celestia to understand that she was considering it. “As I said, her posture wasn’t what I would expect from someone of her fame. Even if people come in different ways and shouldn’t be placed into any category due to their talent.”

“Indeed. But here is another thing for your thoughts: since she was the Ultimate Fashionista and such a famous model, that would mean she should have some acting skill, correct?” It was another question that Celeste had been thinking about, one that sounded even more important as soon as she finally voiced it. “So why was it that everything she did seemed so cheap?”

“I didn’t watch her as closely as you did, I’m afraid.” Kyoko shook her head, stopped for a moment to try and piece something together from her memories. “She didn’t leave that much of a lasting impression on me, what with everything that has been going on.”

“Ah, indeed. We all have more to worry about than the words of one girl.” The gambler waved the matter away as if it meant nothing. After all, it surely didn’t. “It’s not as if that particular issue is of any importance right now; the most we can do is say a prayer in Miss Junko’s name. It was foolish of me to distract you with this.”

To her surprise Kyoko shook her head, then glanced at her thoughtfully. It was curious, how she felt seen and heard just because Kirigiri’s attention was focused on her. 

“No, it’s okay. We— I —should do some profiling of our fellow students in the near future. It would help with investigations and to determine the culprits if this game does progress as Monokuma wants it to.”

Celeste had to stop herself from wondering why it seemed as if she were being included in Kyoko’s work. Or why her brain agreed that she should be present, that they should do those things together. Forcing herself to give a small chuckle, she nodded and stood beside the other girl as a group of three went into the room to run their own investigation. 

“Right. One can only hope this murder will be enough to bring matters to an end, though…”

Kirigiri didn’t answer, for once looking back at the crime scene instead of trying to counter Celeste’s statement. Maybe she had heard what the gambler didn’t want to admit, that it was nigh to impossible that it would be like that. They were helpless for the time being, at the mastermind’s mercy.

And it didn’t feel like it would change anytime soon, if both Kyoko and Celeste were being honest.

Still, the last thing they needed was for the mood to be too down. The class trial would start soon, whether they wanted it or not, and the teenagers needed to be sharp if they wanted to live another day. With that in mind the gambler beamed just a little, moving a few steps to signal that she was ready to exit the depressing dorm room.

“Don’t hesitate to call on me if you require any assistance,” Celeste said, placing a hand on Kyoko’s shoulder before she could think any better about it. The fact that she gently squeezed it didn’t help matters either. “I do feel like we work well together, you and I.”

To her surprise Kirigiri gave the smallest of smiles in return. She didn’t remove the hand that remained on her shoulder, but softly moved away from it just to stay in Celeste’s path again. 

“That still has to be proven and we can start doing so right now. Come with me then, there are some people I’d like to talk to, try and elucidate some points from our investigation.” She motioned towards the door, a silent invitation in her eyes. 

One that, Celestia thought, she would easily follow anywhere if things weren’t as delicate and difficult as they were right then and there. 

“Gladly, Kyo—Kirigiri.” 

The correction was too slow, the other girl’s name leaving her lips almost automatically. Why, why, Celeste knew better than to be so crass or unlady-like: they weren’t intimate in any way, shape or form. Why would she address so casually someone she had met in terrible circumstances? For all she knew, she could also be speaking to the culprit of that whole mess. Or the mastermind. 

Even if her mind (her heart?) doubted it, the Ultimate Gambler decided it was better to stay cautious. To try to understand why she felt so prone to being in Kirigiri’s presence. And why it was so simple to slide into the role of detective alongside her, as it happened the moment the two girls started interrogating the students around Hope’s Peak.

Chapter Text

It was so simple to slide into the role of junior detective alongside KIrigiri, that sometimes Celestia caught herself behaving in a more watchful manner even after class was over. Being good at gambling and spotting lies meant that she had some natural talent towards discovering inconsistencies and flaws, truly, but even these got to a whole new level right after the two of them were paired together for school work.

The perk was predictable, expected, sure. Even if sometimes it was tough to pay attention to what the two of them were supposed to be doing—piles of documents or an internet search being completely forgotten as the gambler listened to the detective explain theories, investigation logic and so on, so forth.

Could she really be blamed for it, since Kirigiri looked so utterly different whenever she was in her element?

Just once Celestia had made the mistake of commenting on it. Their usual homeroom teacher had called in sick, but insisted that they work in their designated pairs before the next class started. Usually she and Kirigiri were given specific topics to discuss and try to unveil, but in that sole moment there was nothing stopping them from exploring the case as they saw fit. Seeing it as an opportunity (and surely seizing it,) the gambler had pretended to forget some important stuff in the case, only to ask Kyoko to repeat it all again from the start.

Kirigiri’s face made it clear that she knew the other girl was doing that on purpose; Queen of Liars or not, there were just some things that even Celestia couldn’t get away with. One of them was playing dumb with Kyoko, a lesson she had already learned a few days before.

Yet instead of complaining and letting her down, the Ultimate Detective simply sighed, mumbled something along the lines of “I suppose it might help…” and explained everything that there was to know about Genocide Jack from the start.

Of course, by that point in time Celeste had already memorized the main points in the entire thing. She could repeat them in her sleep, remembering the killer’s first victims easier than she recalled the names of students in class 78-B. But that hadn’t been the objective anyway: the main thing was to be able to witness Kyoko’s dedication, how transformed she was whenever her ultimate talent came forth. 

If usually she was cold, detached, only speaking when necessary and presenting words which were as chilly and cutting as the sharpest of blades, she spoke a lot more than ever once investigations were the object of discussion. She would frown more often when faced with relevant questions about the crime scenes or important markings on the culprits, her face gaining the slightest blush if the discussion happened to get heated. 

There would be a hint of emotion in her gaze, her demeanor even. It was exciting and altogether unique, a scene that enraptured Celestia and caught her eye more than the prettiest castle she had considered buying before coming to Hope’s Peak.

She cherished moments such as those, looking forward to them almost as much as getting to her room at the end of another school day and playing some poker matches to pass the time (and of course, gain some money. Her bank accounts and future endeavors shouldn’t be stopped just because of high school, after all.) It wasn’t unusual then to find the Ultimate Gambler lost in thought, a small smile dancing on her lips as she daydreamed not about how she would escape school in order to participate in underground gambling tournaments, but actually in ways to make Kirigiri talk more. 

How to provoke her, in a sense, so she would look that passionate, that driven, that…

Caring, Celeste thought the actual word was. And oh, if all that attention was ever bestowed on her instead of on some detective case, well, it would be the most epic of wins. 

One shouldn’t say never; if there was something Celestia Ludenberg would fight for, it was to win. Even if it was for a gamble she had made with her own self. 

With time it was plain to see that Kyoko no longer resented being paired up with Celeste. After all, why wouldn’t she? The latter had actually been doing her best to aid in any possible way, debating and listening to Kirigiri’s theories without interrupting. If her talent resided on lying, it wasn’t used at all in the beginning; besides, it would be foolish for her to do so, to make the detective dislike her just because she was being witty and misleading instead of offering any real aid. 

No, the witty and misleading parts came later. A few weeks after the project had been announced, to be more precise. 

And the exact moment in which Celestia decided she could no longer just keep blindly cooperating with Kirigiri when there were other things the two of them could be doing together. Or at least, not when there were other ways in which she could be having some fun with her austere yet charming classmate.

That reasoning, the need to toy with Kyoko instead of being oh-so-good every single day, was exactly what drove her to actually question everything the other girl said during class time. 

Because it was such a deviation from what she had been doing before, Kyoko couldn’t help but look at Celestia with shock once the first question was made. It was something or the other about how the state and type of victim helped profiling a culprit—the gambler wasn’t really sure afterwards, not when she had been pretty much saying whatever came to mind and going with the flow in order to get a rise out of Kirigiri.

“How can you be so certain the killer is male?” Celestia interrupted Kyoko’s explanation, even though they had covered that topic and she hadn’t commented on it not that long ago. “I mean, I heard what you said yesterday and at the time it made sense. Yet thinking about it throughout the night, I couldn’t help but wonder if you weren’t being misled.”

“Misled? How so?” Kyoko’s hands curled around the file she had been about to discard, one that had a few of Genocide Jack’s most likely features including size, age and gender. “They haven’t targeted anything other than young men in a wide age range, including a child. Even the pictures of their victims show that those guys could be considered handsome and successful, which points to jealousy and the killer targeting them in order to get rid of competition.”

“And why should that immediately exclude a woman from being the killer? Look at Miss Ogami right there—I wouldn’t have a hard time believing she is able to effortlessly kill all those men in the pictures.”

“The murder weapon would be inconsistent with Miss Ogami’s style.” Kyoko countered. “And yes, many detectives have already investigated the murders through that angle as well: that a woman and not a man is responsible for it. Evidence left behind and the modus operan—”

“Didn’t you tell me that not much is left behind, however? So how can you rely on residual evidence if there isn’t a lot aside from what we can already expect from Genocide Jack’s murders? The bloodied message, the scissors, the crucifixion.” Celestia counted each factor on a finger, languid. “None of that points to one gender over the other. If nothing, I would be swayed by the fact that it’s a girl just because of the victims’ profiles and the lack of evidence. She’s meticulous, perhaps forced to be like that because of stupid gender roles. Or mayhaps a bully needing to exert her own power, someone abused and neglected at home. 

“A woman with a different outlook on life, or that was perhaps ignored since she wasn’t considered beautiful, too unlike what’s expected of a girl. Thus, instead of trying to change herself, she decided it would be better to rid the world of those considered likable and desired, so she could show others who actually runs the whole thing.”

Kyoko narrowed her eyes, raising a sole eyebrow at the argument. Since Celestia had no idea where she was going with that, the only alternative was to keep moving and find a path forward. If it meant she could have Kirigiri’s undivided attention in such a pointless debate, then what was the harm?

“And what about the older, more athletic-looking victims?” The detective queried. A second later she was fumbling through files, spreading a few of them over their joined tables. Pictures of those who had fallen to Genocide Jack’s schemes, something they had pored over many times already. “Although rare, they do show up every now and then.”

“I don’t see that as an issue. One can always be taken by surprise, no matter their size. Also,  you have to agree that there isn’t a consistent pattern between victims, don’t you?” Celestia smiled, lacing her fingers together. “Which would beg the question, then: are all of these really Genocide Jack’s, or does that point to the fact that her preferences have changed over the years?”

“It is very likely that their preferences might have changed over the years. Such a prolific killer had time and experience to change, evolve. To decide that the message they would like to send through their victims is a different one than what was originally intended.” Kirigiri shook her head. Just as she had imagined once the project began, debating with Celestia was exhausting. “In any case, there isn’t enough evidence to point towards anything decisive. Not their age, gender, nor occupation even.”

“Then you detective people should listen and try to investigate other possibilities, really.” Celestia beamed again, as if that was what she had been intending to do all along. No, there was no reason for her to help Kirigiri just because, was there? “In gambling, if you focus too much on one sole strategy, you can lose sight of the game that is happening right in front of you. Adaptability is of extreme importance, as is the chance to shift tactics and corner your enemy in the downfall of their own game.”

“I can… see that.” Kyoko tucked a strand of purple hair behind her ear. It had been the one indication that she was nervous until that point. “And yes, I do think investigations can’t be that decisive until the necessary evidence emerges. It seems that people are too frustrated with that case, so they started drawing their own conclusions just because.”

“Well, just because doesn’t win a game of poker. Or produces conclusive cases, I am sure.”

Before anyone could say another word the bell rang, signaling the end of free period and the start of another class. It was at that moment that Kirigiri’s eyes widened, Celeste tilting her head to the side in a silent question due to that sudden, such uncharacteristic reaction. 

“The essay. We were supposed to write one about last week’s work and the gist of our discussions.” Kyoko explained, once again shuffling through sheets until she found the one she wanted.

Hoping that her expression was at least neutral (and definitely not reflecting the triumph that she felt,) Celestia grabbed it and placed a hand over her mouth as realization “hit” her. 

The clear sheet was the assignment they should have done for last class, something they had forgotten due to how exciting their debate was. Having a free period meant it was the perfect moment to work on it… until Celestia disagreed with Kyoko and that whole discussion began. Not one word had been written in it and at that point in time the Ultimate Detective seemed to be at a loss about what to do. 

Celeste was pretty certain she had never not handled an assignment before, or been that behind on it either. 

“Hm, at the very least that is for tomorrow,” the Ultimate Gambler said, still looking doubtful. She couldn’t let the detective even dream that she had planned the whole thing beforehand, after all. “I know we will probably have a lot of homework once today is over, but perhaps there will still be time for us to meet and do it together? After dinner, perhaps?”

“It’s the only way.” Kyoko agreed without a second thought. What else were they supposed to do, just show up empty-handed the next morning? Hope’s Peak Academy wasn’t too strict on grades, but Kirigiri was and that was enough. “Let’s try to get through homework as fast as we can, then message each other when we are done and plan afterwards. Or just do the bare minimum and prioritize this essay… ugh.”

“Aw, fear you not.” She gently placed a hand on Kyoko’s gloved one, reveling in the contact. And the opportunity to solace her. “I am sure this won’t take too much of our time. Why, I can even have Hifumi deliver some refreshment and desserts to my room so the whole ordeal won’t be that troublesome.”

“There won’t be any need for that. The whole ordeal won’t be that troublesome, as you put it, if you refrain from changing the subject and bringing up some… valid, yet derailing points. We will need to focus on getting the writing done, regardless of everything else. Time is of essence even if we don’t present as many results as we would like to.”

Celestia nodded, expecting as much. “That isn’t what you really want, is it? Not when you will possibly keep thinking about our little debate for the rest of the day. I would not be surprised if you mentioned skipping lunch and taking another look at the case between classes. Producing results isn’t the main focus today, but that won’t stop a detective from investigating further and further. Or am I completely wrong?”

Kyoko’s sigh, the way she rubbed her temples with her index fingers, was as much confirmation as Celestia knew she would get. And more than enough for her to draw her own conclusions too. 

“But alas, it matters not to me what you do with your time during the day. Provided that you come to my humble abode after dinner—”

“It makes more logical sense for you to go to my dorm room instead.” Kirigiri interrupted, more than glad to have something to refute. It was clear in the way the tips of her ears were turning bright red, that perhaps Celestia had been on to something with her assumptions. “I have copies of all the documentation as well as photographs of crime scenes. It would be a bigger hassle for me to move all of that into your room, than for you to simply go there yourself.”

Somehow the gambler was finding it harder and harder to hide her smiles. Or how happy she was with herself, for the mere fact that she was indeed getting everything she wanted right then and there.

“Oh, a formal invitation to Miss Kirigiri’s abode?” Celestia gently smiled, hid her mouth with a hand. “I’m charmed. Of course I cannot refuse such an honor. If you do so insist, I shall be there at whatever time you deem appropriate.”

“Jeez, get a room already.”

A voice whispered right behind them, still loud enough that both girls could hear. While that was enough to make Kyoko’s blush deepen, lips parting to let out what was probably going to be a mess of incoherent, incriminating words, Celestia had the sense to widen her smile and turn around. She was ready to face Junko of all people, the triumphant beam on her face while Sayaka tried her best to look away.

“Why, Miss Enoshima, I am positive I did just that.” The Ultimate Gambler retorted, calm and composed. “I would ask if you cared to join, but somehow I have a feeling my partner doesn’t have the will to deal with the likes of you.”

“Hey! What is that supposed to—”

“We have no time to fool around, unlike you.” Kyoko interjected, very well-aware that her response caused Celeste to giggle. Unable to discern the meaning behind it, she put her spare hand on the gambler’s shoulder and motioned for her to face forward again. “Take care of your own issues instead of getting involved in an actual investigation.”

“Wha-wha-whaaat?” Junko pouted, continuing the conversation even though the other two were no longer giving her any attention. “Maybe I have important intel, ya know! It’d be reaaaaally stupid of you to ignore that.”

“It is bad enough that I have to deal with a liar, now that too…” Kirigiri sighed, dejected. Glancing at the clock above the whiteboard, she willed it to move faster just so the rest of their school day could begin and that a teacher could take control of the class. That had been humiliation enough for one day and it was still worse that she would have to concede some valuable time to being in the company of said liar later on.

It didn’t matter that said liar had protected her against Enoshima’s comment. And it surely didn’t matter that her hand was curled against Celestia’s palm, the heat shared between them somewhat comfortable albeit unfamiliar.

“Well then, now that this is sorted out, should I take something with me when I meet you later?” The gambler queried, finally removing her hand in order to deal with a few of the investigation papers which were still on her desk. 

Kyoko was more than glad to do the same, nervous energy causing her to just grab everything in front of them and make a neat pile. One that should be organized by timestamps, but weren’t right then and there. It was an issue she would solve later, when her heart wasn’t racing and her mind wasn’t completely astray.

“Hm? Oh, n-no, I don’t think it will be necessary. Unless you have taken notes of your own or found anything relevant in your private research, that is.” 

“I see.” She had something relevant after doing a bit of searching, that was for sure. But maybe the results had nothing to do with the issue of Genocide Jack. “Okay, so message me when you are ready for us to meet. I have a pretty clear schedule after dinner, so whichever works for you will most likely be fine by me.”

The detective nodded and said nothing on the matter, though her expression was open enough that Celestia could see a bit of anticipation in that. At least she wanted to believe that was the emotion primarily reflected on those usually chilly violet irises, for sure. That, or a certain person’s stupid comment had been more useful than ever and managed to make a dent in the detective’s persona.

Whatever it was, the Ultimate Gambler was sure she would have some issue paying attention to classes during the rest of the day. Too many plans crowded her mind, most of them related to how she should seize the opportunity given to her. 

The chance to show Kirigiri Kyoko another side of herself.

Chapter Text

Interrogating people gave Celestia the chance to show everyone (ahem, Kirigiri) how useful she could be in an investigation. Without the need to resort to a lie, a bluff or whatever trick she had up her sleeve, the gambler went with memory and intelligence alone. The plan, simple enough, was to build trust and let others (Kirigiri) know how indispensable she was to the killing game.

Or at the very least, to unveiling the mystery they had been faced with in order to survive.

That would make them think twice about accusing her in the future; not to mention it would be easier for her to be marked as one of them and an ally instead of a potential enemy. Sure, she herself wasn’t naive enough to think that no one would succumb to murder—as already proven otherwise by Maizono’s killer—but the other students didn’t need to know that just yet.

The more in the dark they were about her ulterior motives, the feelings which truly coursed through her veins at every moment spent locked in that eerie school, the better it would be for everyone in the end. 

Still, it didn’t mean things were easy. Maintaining her persona, encouraging others and forcing herself to think about nothing but the murder in their hands was hard enough. After all, there was no escape from that game: the character she had chosen to go with couldn’t be abandoned after a few hours, like it happened in the poker matches she was used to playing. Just as there was no downtime between investigation and the classroom trial, announced by Monokuma a few hours later, she would have no moment of respite to allow her emotions to run free.

Thinking of the long game, and in this case a very long game, would have to be enough in order to soothe her nerves. 

It did help that she had done nothing wrong that time. The one fear Celestia had in mind was not being enough to outsmart the true culprit, meaning she and the others would be killed in the process. As the cramped elevator silently moved downwards to a yet-unexplored part of what was supposed to be Hope’s Peak Academy, the Ultimate Gambler held on to the belief that it would be nothing more but the matter of exposing a liar.

And who was she, but someone adept in lying and spotting untruths?

Somehow another source of strength was the girl standing beside her, impassive. Well, perhaps it would be more correct to assume that Kirigiri was lost in thought, something that had started as soon as the two of them were done interrogating people. Finding inspiration in that, Celestia did her best to mimic her body language—slightly tense shoulders, faraway eyes, head held straight, feet apart—and leaned in just a bit, trying her best to forget the others around her.

Or better yet, trying even harder to forget how her heart was beating as fast as it usually did before a life-or-death gamble. 

“You seem resolute. Have you reached a conclusion yet?” Celestia whispered, voice neutral.

A few people were muttering, hugging their own selves, unsure of who they could trust. The uncertainty that followed something that nefarious, when hope and calm had been shattered by an unknown member of the group. 

“Perhaps.” Kirigiri answered, distant. A few seconds later her gaze moved, focusing on the gambler’s. “I believe that some things will come to light during the trial, such as elements we haven’t observed or haven’t given the attention they deserve. But I do have a few suspects, yes.”

“Oh? Am I one of them, perchance?” Celeste couldn’t help but ask with a coy smile. 

One that was reciprocated by the other girl, the mood between them suddenly lighter. Almost  as if they had been in such a situation before and knew what to do in order to make it easier. 

“Maybe. The evidence doesn’t suit you and you do have important alibis, however, but there is always the possibility that some or all of those could be fabricated.” 

“In other words, I could deceive you.” 

“I welcome you to try.”

The fact that they had arrived at their destination and those last two sentences were whispered didn’t take the joy away from the banter. Even if they both knew it was neither the time nor the place for any of that. 

It was an issue Celestia would consider later, truly, but what was it that made talking to Kirigiri something so simple? Sure, she was known for misleading others into believing they were her friends, companions for life or whatever. The main difference here was intent: if before she was using people to fulfill her own end, that wasn’t the case with the purple-haired girl. At the very least she couldn’t point out one good result that would come from her being in Kirigiri’s good graces: the girl wasn’t popular by any means and it didn’t seem like she would be able to swerve others into following her as the game went on. 

Sure, the group hadn’t been together for enough time so that some people would be more prone to become a leader or anything of the sort. She was intelligent, beautiful and knowledgeable, true. The others did listen to what she had to say, especially during the investigation, yet her usually dry words weren’t the kind to inspire a following. Leave that to Makoto, who would be more charismatic if he weren’t under heavy suspicion in that particular murder case.

“Welcome, welcome to the trial grounnnnnds!”

Monokuma’s cheerful voice broke through Celeste’s reverie almost as much as the hand that shot forward to stop her advance. Far afield as she had been, the Ultimate Gambler almost walked straight into a circle of podiums; Kyoko’s palm painfully curling around her shoulder, the one thing that detained her. With a sharp inhale and a grateful look to the other girl, she gave a small step back and stayed with the group, on the outskirts of the weird place they had been taken to.

Sixteen podiums displayed on a raised, crimson platform, funeral portraits standing on top of two. One for Junko Enoshima, so bravely trying to put an end to it all, the other for Sayaka Maizono, the current victim. The floor was all checkered tiles in black and white, dizzying if glanced at in a quick manner. Blue walls contrasted with red curtains, windowless; the one thing that stood apart from it all was a velvety seat that Monokuma occupied after that simple introduction. 

“Now, now, don’t be shy. Find the stand with your name on it and make yourself comfortable. Chop chop, we don’t have all day! Gotta get to the important part and soon!”

Most of the kids remained still, trying to decipher just what was going on—not a new sensation ever since they had woken up at that school, truly. To no one’s surprise it was Kyoko who moved first, hand brushing against Celestia’s as she took her first step away from the others. 

The touch that was once again familiar, as many things regarding Kirigiri seemed to be, burned within the gambler’s mind while she found her own place.

It wasn’t the time to think about it, to think of anything aside from the crime they had investigated together. As soon as… whatever that was came to an end, however, Celeste was sure she would approach the other girl and ask for her opinion. Surely she wasn’t the only one experiencing that, was she?

What was the point of that brief contact, of the words they had exchanged in the lift and while working through the crime scene if it was all in her mind?

Everything about it made her weary. The gambler wasn’t one to form deep connections; the people she called friends were just those she could talk to on a casual level, without the intimacy that others seemed to crave from such relationships and others. It wasn’t in her nature to do so: people were bothersome, more burdensome than it was worth, really.

Some, like her family, had tried to exploit her talent the moment they realized it meant getting easy money in a fast, effortless manner. Others that had called themselves her best friends at school and the like, were quick to ask her to buy them stuff after she started becoming richer and richer due to her own gambles. 

It was her life on the line, but they would have the spoils of her endeavors. 

Yeah, no more. That, her family’s poor origins and those awful people who mostly thought about themselves… they wouldn’t be in her life anymore. It was easy to distance herself from them, to start building her own empire by playing more and more dangerous games. One day it would be worth it. She would have her castle, loyal servants who wouldn’t question her orders, instead admiring her every act and word.

So why was it that Kirigiri and her…

“Let the trial beginnnnnn!”

Monokuma’s voice and the terrified whispers from everyone else around her made the gambler realize she had missed some sort of explanation. Well, no matter. There couldn’t be many variations to what a class trial was and she had read the rules beforehand in order to know what was at stake. Lives. Theirs or the blackened, depending on who was voted as the culprit. All they had to do was unravel the mystery and vote right. 

It seemed simple enough, yet it didn’t stop a wave of nausea from curling around her stomach.

Or for her gaze to linger on Kyoko as someone finally managed to start discussing the case, the other girl briefly meeting her stare before turning her head to whoever was speaking. 

Let the trial begin, indeed.

Baseball balls. 

They flew around at a terrible, sickening speed. One could only imagine how much it must hurt the moment they made contact with the person ensnared at the pole in the middle of the secluded room.

If that was a horrible punishment befitting the blackened, as Monokuma had named it, it also didn’t fail to strike fear and despair at the hearts of the spotless who were forced to bear witness. Some couldn’t help but avert their gazes, whereas others sobbed and whimpered, uttered discombobulated words about what was going on. 

The select few who showed nothing more than slight discomfort were Byakuya, Kyoko and Celestia herself. 

For the latter it was easy to lie, to still her heart and pretend that it was nothing more than justice being made. After all, wasn’t it the same as what happened whenever one of her dangerous gambles finished and she was declared victorious? To the victor went the spoils and to the loser…

Execution. Death. The end of a miserable life that could have been hers if she hadn’t read the room, played her cards correctly.

The same as it was going on right then and there. Exactly the same. 

Or so Celestia kept repeating to herself as the whole ordeal went on, though her eyes were unable to fall on the battered, bloodied body the moment Monokuma finally stopped. 

No, something was awfully wrong and she knew it. Somehow that death, just as Maizono’s a few hours ago, couldn’t be accepted with the same ease and grace that her opponents’ in some deathly game.

“Th-this is awful…” Someone mumbled next to the gambler. It was her clue to look away from the room, from the smiling Monokuma that was already ordering them to go back to their lives. 

As if doing something like that was any easy after everything they had uncovered and witnessed. 

“We have to get outta here and fast. Before, before…” Asahina, the swimmer, stammered as she leaned against a concrete wall. It was clear to see that her knees were trembling, her whole frame shaken by that whole day. “We can’t, we shouldn’t have to—”

“We will make it through this. There has to be a way out.” Sakura mumbled, her voice lacking its usual conviction. She glanced at Monokuma the longest before offering the other girl a hand. “For now, it’s clear that we need to regain our strength.”

Other people tried to say something encouraging, to take their minds away from despairful thoughts. It was harder to remain optimistic after two deaths, however, to the point that even Makoto couldn’t come up with something truly motivational. 

In the end, no one could tell which was tougher: the elevator ride towards the trial grounds, or back towards the dim school area. 

Celestia herself was somber, allowing some of her grief and uncertainty to show up in hooded crimson eyes. While the others uttered some words about going to their rooms and resting, she tried offering empty smiles—white lies that could cheer them up, make them see her as someone reliable in such terrible times. 

When only one person stood beside her in the hallway that led towards the dorms, the gambler didn’t need to turn in order to know who it was.

“Thank you for your aid in the trial. You were keen to see things most people didn’t have a clue about.” 

She turned at the sound, her heart warming up a little in response as a true smile covered her features. Unsure if it was safe to keep that, to show her earnest emotions for someone she wasn’t supposed to trust, she covered it up with a sad, grateful beam and more hollow words. 

“It was nothing; I am merely the Ultimate Gambler, after all.” She looked Kyoko up and down, noticing then how tired the other girl seemed to be. The whole thing had taken a toll on all of them, undoubtedly, though perhaps some showed that easier than others. “You however, seemed to be made for the courtroom. And for investigating, too.”

“It was mere logic, nothing more.” Kirigiri shook her head, crossing her arms. 

“Really? There is a limit to logic, no? And for me it felt as if you went beyond it in both parts of the case.” Celeste took a step towards her companion, their bodies so close they were almost touching. “Were it not for your deductions and quick thinking, mayhaps none of us would be up here, alive.”

“You’re clearly exaggerating.” 

Kyoko’s hand played with a strand of her hair for a brief second—long enough that Celestia registered the gesture, the way she was looking at the ground while saying it. Cute. Unexpected. And something that the gambler wished to see more of, for some reason or another. 

“All I am saying is, if somehow you never remember your actual talent, you should consider becoming a prosecutor. Or a private investigator, perhaps? I feel like you would succeed in something like that, yes.” 

“Only if you remain as my… never mind.” Kirigiri shook her head, averting her gaze for good. Her posture alone was enough for Celestia to know she wouldn’t open up no matter how much she pressed her for it. “In any case, I’m going to my room after talking to Naegi for a bit. It seems like he has the wrong idea regarding Maizono.”

Celestia nodded even though the other girl couldn’t see it. Information about the whole ordeal was still fresh in her mind and somehow, it didn’t take long for her to understand what Kyoko could be referring to. “Ah, the dying note? Yes… I suppose you could interpret it that way. Especially since he is so downcast after everything that transpired. 

“I, too, would be saddened if someone I considered close did something like that.”

The sentence echoed around them for longer than it should, to the point that Celestia almost took the words back or tried to elaborate on them. It would be easy to twist them into a lie or another. To make a whole thread of lies, ones that painted her as a poor victim instead of someone who was potentially planning to escape via Monokuma’s set of rules. 

There was no need to do so, as Kirigiri did the unexpected and leaned a bit to face her for one last moment, offering an answer Celeste didn’t think she would get.

“People are finicky creatures, as you and I both know. And trust is a shallow, dangerous thing when given in excess or without cause. I suppose that I speak for the two of us when I say that it’s foolish to go around creating bonds with no reason, without knowing who exactly the other person is.” She took a deep breath, exhaled silently, then faced Makoto’s room with a faraway expression. “And if someone I deemed worthy to earn my trust were to break it in any shape or form, I would…”

Shatter? Never trust someone ever again? Celeste’s brain whirred with the possible responses, though most of them would fit everyone else other than her companion. True, it was stupid to consider that she was indeed heartless—a being made of nothing but logic, emotion veiled by the mind. Still, such heartfelt responses wouldn’t fit the gambler, let alone someone who had probably solved a murder before the group took their first step into the trial grounds.

But well, everyone has their weak spots, so maybe one of hers was—

“... never forgive them.”

The lie was punctuated by Kyoko’s steps, precise, powerful, resolute. For the time being Celestia watched her go, unwilling to break her facade at such a point in the game. Maybe the day would come in which she would unmask Kirigiri, when it would be necessary or beneficial to do so in order for her to have her way.

Right then and there, the gambler could and would live with the knowledge that there was more to the mysterious girl than what met the eye. And that perhaps it spoke to something within her, too.

Chapter Text

That there was more to the mysterious Kyoko Kirigiri than what met the eye was obvious. But then, so was the fact that such things were exactly what Celestia enjoyed unravelling first and foremost.

Which was exactly why she could not wait to see how the other girl would react to the evening’s events—or at least to everything the Ultimate Gambler had in stock for the two of them. 

It was one thing to make plans, to execute the preparations as thoroughly as possible beforehand. Yet for everything to go her way was another matter altogether. Used as she was to that happening, a part of Celeste wondered how her companion’s talent and preferences could hinder her own actions. 

Well, it would be interesting if Kirigiri went against the first part of her plan. As for the second… that was definitely more likely, though knowing it wouldn’t stop her from at the very least trying. 

The bad part was that she had missed a day of online gambling, plus had to spend some money on important things for that evening alone, but such was the nature of life. If nothing, she would have some fun her own way, perhaps find someone else to fill Kirigiri’s role if it came down to it. There wasn’t anyone she could think about that easily, sure, but what were the chances she wouldn’t stumble into a poor soul needing to decompress after a long day of classes if she happened to wander about?

In any case, everything was more than just ready when Celestia’s phone buzzed beside her. The gambler had been splayed on the bed reading a book, waiting for the exact moment when that message would come. An afternoon of writing and researching had made her a bit tired, yet not enough to completely ruin everything she had set into motion a few days ago. That she had worked better and faster than she had anticipated was a nice bonus, meaning that at least two hours of her day were spent in relaxation.

The message that made her get up and move on with phase two of her plan also caused her to giggle, the dry words cutting straight to her core. 

Kirigiri: I am available now. Please come to my room as soon as you can.

Kirigiri: We shouldn’t stay up late because of this project after all.

Celeste jumped to her feet, stretched. Eyes traveling over the words one last time, she took a few steps towards her study desk and picked up a black folder that had been waiting for her there. It was only after catching her backpack that she replied with a bit more emotion than the other girl. 

Celestia Ludenberg: Oh, by all means. We cannot let our classwork be affected by this one essay after all. 

Celestia Ludenberg: I cannot thank you enough for having me over! Wait for me~

There was no response, as expected, but it did show that the detective had read her messages. With a smile on her face the gambler hummed, went outside her dorm and closed the door behind her.

Her step was light and she almost didn’t pay attention to the world around her, a new sensation. She had been out and about like that before, enjoying the quieter, more somber version of Hope’s Peak Academy at night. At times she met with other students socializing at that portion of the day—why, she had had the displeasure of challenging a certain Mr. Komaeda to blackjack, just for them to have a draw of all things. 

However used she was to it, there was something new and almost magical in the air that night. Or… was it within her, really, the mere prospect of doing everything she had planned causing Celestia to be a bit too excited? 

Focus, focus, she told herself the moment Kirigiri’s room became visible. She might see through you if your emotions are all over the place.

And why exactly were her emotions all over the place to begin with? Everything had stemmed from a bet, one she had made with herself. There was no other rhyme or reason to the whole thing—though she had to admit, staying close to Kyoko was making her days a lot nicer, less predictable than they might have been otherwise. 

Even so, it wasn’t as if Celeste should overthink that. She would go into the room, get a read of what the mysterious girl was like outside of classes. Then the trump card would be revealed and she would have some fun with Kirigiri’s reaction, or so she hoped. 

And finally…

The cherry on the cake would be either the best or the worst part of their evening. 

Closing her eyes for a second, Celestia tried her best to treat that as nothing more than a gamble. A high risk, high reward one without question.

All she had to believe in, something she told her heart over and over before knocking on the dorm room’s door, was that the fall wouldn’t be that bad if she failed. 

It wasn’t as if she had any real inclination towards Kyoko to begin with, was it?

“Enter.”

The clear, sharp word brought Celestia back to reality before she could dwell too much in that particular question. Right… There wasn’t much to dwell in, truly: Kirigiri was a personal dare and nothing more, the wish to show to herself that she could rattle the perceptive girl, trap her amidst a web of lies.

Although that last statement sounded a bit too malicious and not exactly what she wanted right then and there, the gambler decided it would be better to think things through later. First she had a perfect evening to stage, the actual possibility of getting to know the other girl better. 

Consequences would be damned and dealt with later.

“Excuse me,” Celestia said with a big smile as she opened the door. In order to not be too conspicuous she kept her gaze fixed on Kyoko, but a part of her was dying to glance around the room and analyze it. “I am glad this arrangement has worked for both of us.”

“Indeed. And hopefully that will be the first and last time we have to meet after class.” 

The gambler allowed her face to fall, walking into the room and shutting the door behind her. “Well, only because I would rather invite you to more exciting hangouts. There is nothing thrilling about getting together to do homework, you are correct about that.”

Kyoko had no answer to it, glancing away from the newcomer and getting up. Their rooms were identical, with a standard mattress, the study table behind it and a round table. Yet whereas Celestia had filled hers with gambling accessories, her best computer in order to play games and plenty of pictures of her cat, there were little to no such touches in that room. 

Books were stacked over the circular table. The gambler didn’t even need to get closer in order to realize they were all related to detective work. A rather thick laptop stood on the study table, with two chairs positioned in front of it. Aside from the shoes that were stacked beside the door and some ribbons, brushes and other hair products located over a rack, there was really nothing else to mark that Kyoko Kirigiri spent a portion of her days there.

Which either pointed to the fact that she only used the dorm to sleep, a plausible idea given how involved she always seemed to be in detective work, or that she didn’t care with personalizing her abode. 

“It is a nice place you have here.” Celestia praised it nevertheless. Even if somehow her heart answered to that sight with a keen sense of loneliness. “Oh, aren’t they cute.”

The hair accessories caught her mind, guided her steps away from the girl standing in the middle of the room and towards the rack. No matter how little that detail was, the gambler could already do something with it. 

That, and Kyoko’s reaction to how she had unknowingly praised her hair the other day, already told her a story of its own. 

“This brush is an heirloom… from my grandmother.” Kyoko’s voice was small. A glance at her and Celestia could see that both of them were surprised that she had spoken up so openly. She took the aforementioned object in her hands, stroked the polished dark wood as if to calm herself down. “It’s a beloved piece.”

“I can see that. And huh, here you told me that you did nothing but brush and braid your hair every morning…” 

The gambler chased her words with a smile and a wink to show that there was no bite to them. Even so, she was rewarded by Ms. Detective widening her eyes, a memory of that particular discussion certainly running through her mind. 

“I uh, I didn’t mean… Ahem.” She turned her head away, a pity since Celestia could no longer see her reactions that clearly. Setting down the brush, she busied herself by placing both chairs close together in front of her laptop. “Anyways, you are here so we can finish the report and call it a day. So I suggest we should get to it.”

“Naturally.” 

Beaming, the gambler made her way towards the study table and sat down staring at the laptop for a few seconds. Kirigiri took her sweet time gathering supplies, pens and papers that she supposed both would use during the evening. Celestia had to keep herself from giggling, from already revealing the next phase of her plan without truly savoring the effect it would have on the detective. 

It was only when Kyoko stopped in her tracks and the gambler caught her staring at the folder she had brought, that she decided it was indeed the time to act. Before the other girl could see through her, that was.

“Oh? There is no need to get all flustered, Ms. Detective.” Celeste fumbled with the object, a second later producing a few sheets of paper and depositing it on Kirigiri’s table. “I took the liberty of working on the report during the afternoon. Since it took forever for you to call on me and I know you are rather busy, so… It was the least I could do, wasn’t it?”

“You…?”

Kirigiri sat down, frowning. Her hands reached towards the papers and Celeste was more than glad to give them to her, their fingers brushing in the process. The gloves were nice, silky to the touch, but now and then she would find herself wondering why the other girl constantly wore them. 

Not that it was her place to ask, not yet. But still. So many secrets to unravel…

Her expression softened as she read through what Celestia had already typed (only after making sure that both of their names were on the paper to begin with. And they were, surprisingly so.) There was no error, no inconsistency she could find. Nothing to criticize or say that they should redo: the essay explained their latest discussions, the things that had called their attention the most at Genocide Jack’s files. It even included a mention of how Celestia had theorized the killer could be a woman, something she added at the conclusion and that masterfully wove the whole thing.

In summary, Kirigiri had no idea how to make the paper any better. No matter how much she tried to point out something was faulty or not very well-explained, it would be a lie if she said it was so. Celestia’s writing style was also something else. It had a tendency to be dramatic, to add flourish to cruel, sharp reality. Yet it didn’t leave anything out in favor of cheap shock value: her words simply found a way to highlight some things over the others according to what part of the text they were placed at.

All in all, the detective had nothing to add. Moreover, she would be a fool to deny it, to let pride speak louder than reason, than how tired she was after another productive day.

“This is—” Kyoko paused, lifting her eyes to Celestia’s expecting crimson ones. The gentleness in them attempted to mask a lingering sense of triumph, one that grew the longer the detective took to finish that sentence. “Very good. But you didn’t have to do everything by yourself.”

“It was nothing.” The gambler waved the matter away, despite the fact that her hands were still stinging a little after all the typing she had done at once. “Consider it my way of apologizing for derailing our discussion today.” She stopped, took a deep breath and went on in a meaningful whisper, “well, one of the ways.”

“I beg your pardon?”

Lost. She was completely lost whenever Celeste was around. It was a feeling she despised, curiosity and the will to be in control of what was happening warring against the position she was currently in. Yet the Ultimate Gambler’s pose was inscrutable, impervious—right away she understood how so many experienced, professional gamblers had easily lost to her. How could one make a bet against an opponent they couldn’t read or predict?

“My consciousness does feel burdened by the fact that I almost took more of your precious time with schoolwork, because of a debate that could have been delayed.” Celestia began, weaving emotion into words she had practiced before. “And since I am here and we do not have any more homework to deal with, I was wondering if you would allow me to treat you to some tea and delicacies.

“Under the stunning sight of star and moonlight, of course.”

Kyoko was unable to stop the surprise from showing in her expression. Tilting her head to the side, her usually impassive eyes gained life with a tinge of sheer interest; not with trust, as there was still enough of her cool demeanor that Celestia knew she wasn’t completely in the clear. It would take more for the detective to confide in her, to open up and so on.

But perhaps, just perhaps, it wasn’t that much to say that they were already a bit more comfortable in each other’s presence at the very least.

“The rooftop, you mean?” Kirigiri queried, getting to her feet at once. “It is off limits after curfew begins, though.”

“Ah, I was afraid you would say that.” Celeste shook her head, pouting. “After all, you are so good at following the rules and being a flawless student, aren’t you? Yet believe me when I say, the rooftop offers a grand view of Hope’s Peak and the city beyond its gate. It’s a magical place during the night…” She sighed a bit dramatically to emphasize her point. “And what would be the harm of going there just once? As long as no one sees us and neither of us tell on the other, everything shall go smoothly.”

It was clear to see that Kyoko faltered, eyes swaying from the door to her companion, to the bare walls that offered no comfort at all. Which made it all the more fun to watch, as the gambler had come to the room ready for a confrontation; she had plenty of arguments ready to refute whatever the detective had to say in order to decline that offer.

Of course, if the one thing she said was a simple, plain “no” without an explanation, Celestia would be kind enough to let the invitation go. And to try something else the next day, surely.

Hence it came as a shock when the taller girl took a first, hesitant step towards the door with nothing but a nod to show that she was willing to go. Arching an eyebrow the gambler followed in silence, smiling the next second in order to celebrate it as a personal victory. It was short-lived, however, as once again she expected more of a fight. 

For it to be that easy… was she already that good at wrapping Kirigiri around her fingers?

“I am merely curious, is all.” 

The detective’s voice, a mere whisper among the empty hallways, roused Celestia from her own musings. She barely realized they were already outside and how completely quiet everything had become after curfew began. A few lamps shone every here and there, small lamps positioned in the walls in order to aid the hallway monitors that would take up position soon. As someone who had wandered around the dark corridors of Hope’s Peak more than once, the gambler felt no problem guiding herself in there—rather, she even knew where each guard would be and when, that knowledge making her walk faster in order to stand in front of Kyoko instead of behind her.

“I believe it’s best if you follow me, Ms. Detective. I know the way around.” The gambler stated, even though once again she wished she could see her companion’s reaction a bit more. “And you are… curious?”

“Precisely. That is the only reason why I accepted your proposition. Think nothing more of it.” 

Although she said that in a whisper, it was still possible to note an edge to her voice. The same Celestia had heard when they were first paired up in class, so many weeks ago. If it had intimidated her once, seemed as a barrier she would have to trespass at some point or the other, it no longer held anything other than amusement for her right then and there. 

She allowed herself to giggle, to let the other girl hear her do it. “Is that so…” 

The comment was left hanging in the air. Kirigiri did neither elaborate nor turn her back on the gambler, so that was good enough. For a while they went through the school in silence, going upstairs just after Celestia made sure that no one was passing—which was more for show, as it was rare for the monitors to stay close to the staircases to begin with, but alas. She wanted to revel in that moment. To enjoy every second with the detective at her side, especially since for once they weren’t together for an academic reason. 

No, they had chosen to spend time together. To go somewhere prohibited in the middle of the night, out of their own volition no less. If that wasn’t a magical evening, one to be remembered for the rest of the gambler’s life, she didn’t know what else it was.

“Isn’t it soothing, to see all these classrooms so empty, so devoid of sound and movement right now?” Celeste commented after they went up another flight of stairs. By then they were close to the fifth floor and there was still a bit of a climb until they got to the rooftop, but still. Maybe that also had been part of the plan.

“It is riveting.” Kyoko’s voice held nothing but sarcasm, to the point that the gambler turned to give her a questioning look. “But I do agree it is sort of… peaceful. I’m not used to seeing the school in this light, for sure.”

“Indeed. When I need some time off from games, homework or just my thoughts, I meander around at nighttime—ah, don’t go telling anyone about it, please.” She added with a sweet smile. “It is my own personal haven, after all.”

Silence followed that for a few heartbeats. Celeste didn’t need to glance at the other girl in order to know that she was being analyzed, her words compared to whatever notion Kirigiri had of her. 

“So then… why? Why are you sharing it with someone like me?” 

Was it uncertainty she had heard woven into those words? Whatever it was, the feeling struck Celestia a bit stronger than before, enough for her to stop and turn around, completely facing her companion. Only then did she notice how those lilac eyes were open, inquisitively shining against the gloomy hallway.

Only then did she see that something, one of those pesky barriers that Kirigiri kept around herself, seemed to be not completely gone but at the very least a bit… down. While it would be a stretch to say it was a rare moment of vulnerability, perhaps the best way to call it was… 

A chance for closeness. 

Inspired by what she perceived, the gambler took a step forward, hand reaching to brush against the detective’s silky, gloved one. Feeling emboldened by her strangely racing heartbeat, Celestia gently cupped Kyoko’s cheek, smiling when the other girl didn’t pull away. It was a soft, featherlight touch that lasted for no longer than seconds, but was reflected later on in the way their cheeks blushed in response.

“Why you? Because you are important to me, Detective Lady.”

Nothing was said for a while. Celestia’s hand dropped to her side, her posture relaxing and lips sketching into a beautiful smile. Kirigiri remained just as ramrod straight as always, though there seemed to be an extra tension to her shoulders that went well with the surprised look that flashed over her features for a singular moment. It was an expression the gambler would cherish, maybe play over in her mind again and again later on. 

And perhaps it was about to get even better, as Kyoko’s lips parted and her body edged forward, towards Celeste—

Until a loud wail pierced through the moment and made both stand alert, eyes turning towards the source of the sound. 

Chapter Text

When the second floor opened right after the first trial, some of the students were convinced they would find something of importance up there.

A few did—notably Hina, who was ecstatic with the discovery of a pool, and Sakura with the exercise equipment. Otherwise, however, no clues about how to get out of that place were really located. 

It wasn’t as if Celestia expected any less. By that point in time and given the fact that Monokuma even created a new rule against lending handbooks, she was convinced they were dealing with an expert. Someone who had planned that deadly school life in advance, probably working undercover in order to complete their preparations and then get the students into the school. 

Whoever would do it and why was beyond her reasoning. And somehow, she wasn’t the only one completely in the dark about it.

“Apart from some sick sort of entertainment, I don’t understand what they would get from this.” 

That Kirigiri’s words were at odds with their setting was an understatement. After all, one had to admit that the olympic-sized pool was stunning, the crystalline waters shining underneath artificial light. Maybe it was the sight of it, something usually related to summer vacations and a good time with friends, that had eased their mood to some extent.

It had been awful to witness the punishment inflicted on someone they had known for so little time, not that many days ago. 

Yet Celestia suspected that the reason why she was able to speak so calmly with Kyoko about what they were going through, was the fact that their words were more often than not cut by shrilly squeals and laughter. Even so the noise was subdued in a sense; perhaps one who had spent time with kids or people who loved a pool beforehand would be able to tell the difference.

For her it would have to be enough to watch Sakura and Hina swimming as fast as they could, racing each other, playfully diving around or just splashing one another like children. It was a well-deserved break in their routines, one she cherished with an open heart. 

After a few seconds of staring at the two swimmers who seemed to be so in sync with each other, the Ultimate Gambler turned towards her companion and nodded. She stretched, adjusting her posture so she wasn’t sitting too close to the other girl at the bleachers and thought about what exactly she would say.

What angle she wanted to approach the issue at, and how. 

“It is indeed a mystery. All of it, correct? This entire setup surely wasn’t made in a day, so how was it overlooked? Equipment such as what was employed at the… execution… must have cost a large sum of money to begin with. Where could that have come from?” 

Those were genuine doubts that had plagued her mind through the night, robbing her of sleep. No matter how much she tried to relax it was impossible to forget what she and the others had gone through—the mood at the breakfast table that morning had reflected as such, so she wasn’t the only one. Speaking of adaptability had been her way to deflect the simple, despairing fact that she, too, wanted to be out of there.

And that differently from before, the mere prospect of having to go through something similar to what Leon had was a bit scary to say the least.

Of course that wasn’t the face she would show her colleagues. Instead her expression had remained impervious, regardless of how Kirigiri had eyed her and raised an eyebrow at some point in time. 

“It makes me wonder if whoever is behind Monokuma wasn’t—isn’t—being financed in some way.” Kyoko glanced at the waters as well, yet her mind was far afield, her eyes not focusing on Hina or Sakura, the chaos they were creating or the fun they were having. “Which would beg the question of who.”

“Hm, Hope’s Peak Academy has extensive funds. Perhaps they do not need a sponsor, just to tap into the school’s economies and use them for their own, nefarious devices.” A mere look around the pool area itself, with how well-kept it was, might support her claim that the school still had a good source of income. “Yet again, given how meticulous and costly Monokuma’s every action is, I suppose someone would have noticed it if the school’s safes were plundered.”

“Not if it was gradually done, and under some pretense.” Kyoko countered, frowning at it. So many mysteries, so little information to deal with. “It’s annoying that we don’t seem to know enough. And that maybe the only way to learn it is to spend more time in this loathsome place.”

“A tragedy that we should not have to endure, indeed.” Celestia pouted, then giggled as Hina screeched once Sakura grabbed her by the shoulder and dunked her underwater. “At least some of us are having fun.”

“Humpf. Investigating should come first if we want to get out of here.” 

The gambler stopped and looked back at her companion, smirking. Something in her heart seemed to answer to that, to how obstinate the other girl was. How serious and focused she was, unharried by emotions of any type. It was definitely similar to how Celestia herself had tried very hard to look like while gambling with her life. 

It was endearing in some way, even if it only made her want to try and ruffle her companion. Just so she could get a reaction out of her. 

“Aw, but what is the harm in indulging ourselves a little bit?” The gambler beamed, even though deep down she agreed with Kirigiri. The sooner they were out of there, the better. “There is only so much a human being can do without rest or recreation.”

“Under normal circumstances, perhaps. In the reality of a killing game—”

“No motive has been announced yet. Without any driving force leading us towards murder, what would be the point of submitting ourselves to the whole ordeal?” Oh, it was so easy to argue with that girl. It almost felt like second nature, as if she had done something similar before. “Most of them are shocked by what happened yesterday. Too shocked to even plan on murdering—I mean, the drawback of getting caught or being discovered in a class trial is a bit too much, don’t you think?”

“There is always a primal, urgent drive to escape and survive. Maybe no other motive might be necessary.” Kirigiri fell into the argument as if she, too, had expected no more from the Ultimate Gambler.

As if it was part of their routine, too. 

“Hm? Can you really say that?” Celestia made a face, tilting her head to the side. She herself had thought a bit more about the plan she had been formulating… The idea of having to go through an execution wasn’t appealing at all to begin with. “Currently our alternatives are: do nothing and live a sheltered life. Be killed by a classmate. Kill another classmate and survive the class trial. Kill another classmate, fail to defend oneself in the class trial and face unspeakable terror as punishment. It is not a question that mere need for survival might answer.”

“Moreover, the last motive was very premeditated, very intimate. Without it we might have held back on doing anything at least at first. But it drove one particular girl into despair.” Kirigiri didn’t know why, but the last word left a terrible taste in her mouth. “And the rest is history.”

“Indeed.” Celestia sighed, eyeing the students in the pool with a tinge of envy. If only she enjoyed water, or could have some fun that easily… But alas, she had a persona to maintain, one that seemingly had slipped a bit as she spoke to the other girl. “Hence it is okay for us to relax for the time being, I think. Why, that pool is looking rather interesting… Would you care to join me?”

For her sake Kirigiri didn’t shake her head right away. Instead she mulled it over, frowning the slightest bit. It would be simpler for her to walk away, to leave Celeste be and focus on what truly needed her attention. 

Somehow she wished it wouldn’t be so, however. That she and the gambler might get to spend more time together talking about the many mysteries surrounding their peculiar situation. If nothing, her remarks seemed to help Kyoko think clearly for some reason. 

“I’ll pass.” She got to her feet with a graceful movement, turning her body towards the exit. “There are still a few rooms I haven’t thoroughly investigated and I would like to get that over with. Before Monokuma announces another motive, that is.” Ambling away, a stray thought caused her to stop and glance back at Celestia. “You’re welcome to join if you would like to.”

“Alas, if I cannot have your company in a pleasant environment, then I must submit myself to the alternative, to your whims. Woe is me!” 

The smile on Celeste’s face was echoed in Kirigiri’s smirk, the way her shoulders unclenched just the slightest as the gambler got up and walked towards her. That companionship was something that struck both of them as odd, even if they didn’t comment on it for the time being. 

It didn’t go unnoticed by their classmates, however, especially Sakura and Hina right then and there. The two watched as Celestia and Kyoko left, walking close to one another to the point that their arms were almost brushing. Something was discussed in low voices, almost as if they were conspiring—if the swimmer and the martial artists didn’t do the same thing every now and then, they would start suspecting that something more was going on. 

“An unlikely duo at first, but an interesting one all the same,” Sakura commented as she and Aoi went to the borders of the pool.

“They’re hella smart too, it scares me. I feel like they can do everything they set their minds to, especially if they’re together.” Hina’s voice was full of awe, something that reflected on her smile as she waved at the other two once they left the pool area. “Hm, I’m starving. Wanna go for a donut, Sakura?”

“Absolutely. Then we must follow their example and investigate, though.” The martial artist went out of the pool with a lithe movement, then offered a hand towards the other girl. 

“Awww shucks… I suppose.”

The terrifying letter regarding Hope’s Peak Academy shutting down remained on Celestia’s mind through most of the day. It blocked off the other students’ discoveries to the point that Hina’s excited yells about them having a pool failed to wake her up during their debriefing. 

Rather, it was only when Ishimaru mentioned that new areas on the first floor had also been unlocked that her interest was once again piqued. 

“A warehouse and a bathhouse, you say?” she queried, tilting her head to the side. Hm, she had been missing a few snacks that she used to indulge in while at home… would that warehouse have some of those? 

“Why is that useful, though? We still have no way out of this stupid place.” 

Mondo’s voice broke through whatever good mood that had started to surround them at the sound of their discoveries. It silenced the students, made a few of them look away in something that seemed to be shame. Yes, getting out of there was their first priority all in all, but in the end…

There seemed to be a long road ahead of them before any of it could happen. 

“We should adapt to our situation first and foremost. Especially if an escape is near to impossible at the time being.” Celeste beamed at him, making a sweet face. 

Inside, she felt like telling the guy to shut up and stop interrupting whatever pleasant thought she had had. But of course, that would make it far from the image she wished to uphold.

“Humpf, whatever you say. You loo—”

“Now, if there is nothing more helpful to be added, I suppose we should end this meeting.” Kirigiri cut in, taking a step forward to face Mondo. That she had been standing right beside the gambler was just another coincidence—a place she felt natural to occupy for some reason or another. “Having a fallout without a motive won’t be productive right now.”

“Agreed. Let us all cooperate, so this experience may be more enjoyable than sorrowful.” 

Nobody had an actual retort to that, but then the other students were finding it harder and harder to be able to say something whenever Kirigiri and Celestia joined forces. After a few half-hearted goodbyes, they parted ways for the rest of the afternoon, unsure of what to do.

Or that would be the case if Kyoko and the gambler didn’t remain in the dining room by themselves.

“I find it funny that no emphasis whatsoever was placed in the letter,” Celestia commented after the others were gone. 

What with their report focusing more on the other areas, little had been said about the matter all in all. 

“I suppose some might think that isn’t as important as making our way out of here.” The other girl complained, sighing. She stood behind a chair, eyeing her companion with interest. “If we were to believe the letter, however, that might answer some of our previous questions regarding funding and the school boarding.”

“In a sense, yes…” Celeste refused to get up and simply looked at the other girl, thoughtful. “If the school were moving towards utter chaos and ultimately, a shutdown, there might have been some details that escaped the administration.”

“Which would support our theory that the danger lied within from the beginning.” 

Kyoko paced around, unable to stand still. There was so much to think about, too much to do. Mysteries upon mysteries piled all over them—something that called to her instead of pushing her away. In the end it gave her something to do, something to focus on.

In the end, it was a distraction from the worry that sometimes blossomed in her chest, a feeling she could neither understand nor explain. 

Lost in her own internal world, unable to point to a clear cause and consequence or a logical sequence of events with what little they knew so far, she failed to note that Celestia had moved. 

Only noticing that it was so when the other girl gently touched her shoulders and squeezed them like so. 

“You look too tense.” The gambler beamed, hoping it hid the concern that coursed through her at the sight of such a distressed Kirigiri. “I do believe that tension, while unavoidable in our situation, is also detrimental to our reasoning. We might lose a few important, pivotal points if we are too lost in hatred and despair to see them.”

Kyoko sighed, nodding to herself. Glancing down at the floor—somehow unable to meet the pair of brilliant, pretty crimson eyes that were locked on her—she rolled her shoulders and made a face.

“I haven’t been able to sleep ever since this started.” 

“I can tell.” Celestia’s retort was a whisper, her voice so gentle it caressed Kirigiri’s skin. How she had been able to see through her, and how that wasn’t a lie to begin with, were way beyond her comprehension. “May I suggest something that relaxes me from time to time?”

“As long as it isn’t anything weird…”

The fact that Kyoko was smiling lessened the blow just a bit. Enough for the gambler to beam with her, chuckle a little as well. 

Enough so she could feel some sort of camaraderie again, a weird feeling for two contenders in a killing game.

Nevertheless she motioned to a seat, actually pulling out the chair in a silent invitation. For a second Kirigiri simply stared at her inquisitively, complying after a small shrug. Celestia then pulled her closer to the table and stepped to her side for one last time.

“Please wait patiently. I shall be back soon.”

There was no time for questions; a second later and the gambler was making her way towards the kitchen while humming an eerie tone to herself. Kyoko raised an eyebrow, wondering what that was about, and at the very least used the quietness of the otherwise empty dining hall to think about their situation. 

From time to time she heard some clattering coming from the kitchen. It wasn’t anything loud or chaotic, not to the point that she thought she should join the other girl in order to make sure everything was fine. Yet in the end it was a relief to see her return to the room, two small cups of shining white porcelain shining in her hands.

“There you go,” Celestia said in a singsong voice, placing one in front of Kirigiri. After putting hers on the table as well, she sat down opposite Kirigiri. “This is milk tea. The actual milk tea, mind you, and not the imitation that is offered every here and there.”

“An imitation?” Kyoko asked, tilting her head to the side. She picked up the cup and sniffed at its contents, more out of curiosity than actual fear that her companion was trying to poison her.

That her mind somehow let her know that no suspicious scents had been located should have been a telltale sign of something else, but for the time being she chose to ignore that information. Taking a small sip so as not to burn her tongue, Kirigiri closed her eyes and beamed at the flavor. It was softer than she had imagined it to be, especially for milk tea.

And somehow, it faintly echoed a memory of days gone by. Afternoons spent in a bustling city, drinking something similar in the company of—

“Indeed. The perfect milk tea, at least in my humble opinion, is accomplished by incorporating the milk into the preparation, not afterwards.” With a poise that was all her own, Celestia drank from her cup, smiling at herself as well. “Some people and establishments do it differently, yet—”

“If added later, the milk spoils the taste of the tea, sometimes causing the whole beverage to become too sweet as well.” 

It was tough to tell who was more surprised by her words, Kirigiri or Celeste. Both stopped what they were doing and stared at each other, visibly dumbfounded. Not for the first time while in the other girl’s company, the gambler forgot or decided it would be better not to mask her emotions. As a result she frowned, an expression that matched Kyoko’s taken aback stance. 

For a while the tea was forgotten, the two of them too lost within their thoughts to recall that it was getting colder by the minute. 

Celestia knew when to move, when it would be safe to suspend the stalemate that seemed to loom between them. With another graceful movement she picked up her cup and took a longer sip that time, eyes falling on Kirigiri just in time to see her do the same thing. 

“It’s actually good,” Kyoko said after a bit. “And it’s easy to see how relaxing that can be.”

“I used a soothing blend. Some types of tea can be more stimulating, but that is far from what we wish to accomplish right now.” 

“Thank you for making this.” 

“That is no trouble at all.” Celestia finished her cup, putting it back on the table without a sound. “Yet I do suggest you should not grow accustomed to such an act; usually I am the one who asks others to serve me tea.”

Kirigiri’s eyebrows rose again, in amusement instead of surprise. “Oh? Does that mean I am some sort of a… special case?”

“Indeed.” 

A sweet smile followed that; Kyoko couldn’t help but chuckle in response. After a while both rose from the table and left their cups in the sink, deciding there wasn’t much left to do outside of investigating for a while. Walking side by side they discussed more of the letter, what it could entail and how that might impact their lives at the school. 

Yet it was clear to see that Kirigiri no longer raised her shoulders or seemed to be too rigid as she spoke. Rather, the tea had actually aided in relaxing her just the slightest; enough so she could clearly think without the added stress of remembering what their situation was all over and over again. 

For that she was thankful, hanging around Celestia for as long as possible. Until the nighttime announcement finally came and the two had to part ways in front of their dormitories as it was.

Chapter Text

The horrible scream cut short whatever the two had been thinking about, what they had felt a split second ago. Kirigiri’s hand grabbed Celestia’s with equal parts gentleness and assertiveness. Before the gambler could understand what was happening she was pushed behind the taller girl, who gave her one long look before focusing on the world around them.

“W-what was…” the gambler whispered, head turning this way and that in search of an explanation. Of anything that could justify—

“Hush. It came from above us, I believe.” Kyoko answered in an even lower voice tone. Her hand still held Celestia’s and from touch alone she could tell how on edge the detective had suddenly become.

if there had been a time for them to be at ease, to fool around and the like, it was decidedly cut short.

“Mayhaps it’s a crying student. It… won’t be long before tests are upon us, after all.” The lie felt weak even to her, to the point that the gambler was unable to convince her heart. To lie to herself first and foremost, as she always did in critical moments such as those. 

“That is a possibility.” Kirigiri nodded, though her face and body language suggested she also found it unlikely. That she was mostly just humoring Celestia. “Stay back, I will have a look. Just in case.”

Just in case it is something more serious, like what she has grown used to in her line of work , Celestia thought, and the mere idea was enough to make her shiver.

“Not a chance. I am not standing back and letting you walk into possible danger all by yourself.” 

She tried to walk ahead and take the lead before the detective could refuse, only for Kyoko to sigh, rushing to walk beside her instead. It was only then that the two girls realized their hands were still intertwined and they let go, yet remained as close to one another as possible while silently climbing the stairs towards the fifth floor. 

When Kirigiri hid against the wall and peered from the corner, Celestia did the same. Her heart was hammering within her chest despite how much she tried to tell herself they had done nothing but hear things. That there was no danger, nothing at all to be investigated. The silence and lack of any other clue that it might be otherwise lulled her into a false sense of safety, though maybe that could also come from Kyoko’s presence beside her. 

Yet the darkness seemed even more inscrutable on that part of the school. That, or some sixth sense she hadn’t known about caught up with the strangeness of it all. The tension that lurked above and around them, heavy, imposing. 

It was a feeling Celestia herself had never experienced before on that level. The closest thing to it, the most reminiscent sensation, was what came over her after she won a massive, very dangerous game of poker. One in which every participant had bet a large sum of money and their very lives. 

She had had to be present while they were killed off one by one. What remained was a bloodstained table, the gilded deck no longer shining in the scant underground light but soaked in pink as well. And her, the owner of a larger fortune and her own life, walking unscathed back to her home once more. 

“This… it reminds me—” she began speaking, eyes unfocused as memory took over. It had been a sorry sight. One she wished never to witness again.

“Something happened here. Something bad.” Kirigiri stated. Her voice, the same that had been tinged by vulnerable emotion not too long ago, became focused and icy once more. “I will investigate, but it’s up to you if you follow me or not.”

“A-again, I will not allow you to walk into possible danger by yourself.” 

Celestia’s tone wavered and she hated it; true feelings showing when they weren’t welcome, weren’t necessary. It was enough for the detective to shoot her one last, inquisitive stare.

One last chance for her to turn back and not proceed into whatever was waiting for them.

Resolute, the gambler closed her eyes and counted her harried heartbeats, willing them to slow down. A sigh and she released most preexisting tension. It would be no good if she went forward with her own preconceived notions of what had transpired at the school. After all, she was in Hope’s Peak Academy and not in the middle of another dangerous poker game; what were the odds that something that awful would occur there?

Once she stared back at Kirigiri again, there was nothing but resolute determination flashing in Celestia’s crimson irises. A silent answer in itself.

“Very well. Stick to the walls as much as possible and try not to make too much noise.” Kyoko declared, already turning back to the empty, silent hallway stretching in front of them. “And if you either see or hear something suspicious, run back the way we came.”

“Not without y—”

“Don’t care about me. I can watch my own back, though it will be a bit harder to look after you as well in case something happens. Especially if you have any stupid, heroic ideas in mind.” The detective exhaled loudly, blindly reached back and put her hand on Celeste’s forearm, squeezing it in a silent warning. “ Are we clear?”

“Crystal clear, Detective Lady.”

“...Kyoko is fine.”

The whisper sounded more like a grumble than an order, something that made a bit of warmth flourish within Celestia’s chest. It was odd to feel it in such a crucial, tense moment; nevertheless she allowed the emotion to spread, to briefly shine against the darkness that encroached the two of them.

“Then, Celeste or Celes are both okay.” The gambler beamed a bit, especially when the hand that held her slid down to wrap itself around her fingers again.

There was comfort in the touch, in that quiet companionship. In the moments of calm that preceded the storm that would surely follow as soon as they took their first steps into the unknown. Relishing in it, both girls faltered and took their time savoring that remaining peace, the knowledge that they could instead report the issue to an adult and let them solve it instead. 

Neither of them was known to trust others with their own problems, however, and were far too curious in order to turn a blind eye to whatever they had stumbled upon. 

“Follow me, Celeste. Then go towards the other wall at the next corridor, but remain in my sight all the time.” Kyoko ordered, her tone a bit calmer. “It may be nothing.”

The last sentence, spoken under her breath, was a lie and a platitude that Celestia actually appreciated. 

“It may be,” she repeated with as much conviction as she had. “Let us go, then. Miss Kyoko.” 

That she shivered when Kirigiri took a first step forward and led her by the hand was an understatement. It was hard to see much despite how used to the gloom their eyes already were—had some of the lamps located around the walls actually been destroyed for some reason? Or was it really psychological, a slight impression that darkness coated the whole floor and added a layer of suspense to a quiet location?

Celestia herself didn’t know and didn’t say a thing, focused as she was at finding any clue at all as to what or who had produced that sound. She knew herself better than to question if they had heard something to begin with—there was no way they had both imagined it, their carefree moment interrupted by a figment of their minds. 

Even so, there was nothing worthy of attention at first. Just a few laboratories here and there, places they had visited at some point or the other in the last few weeks. The Dojo looked forlorn without students practicing martial arts; the biology laboratory seemed the same, quiet and somber, prone for discussions over the nature of life. 

Celestia had to suppress a sigh as the two separated in the next portion of the corridor. She had been clinging to Kyoko for dear life and felt empty, almost hollow without the contact, the certainty that the taller girl was there for her. Forcing herself to focus, she let her eyes travel towards the greenhouse where she and the rest of class 78 had planted their own flowers and vegetables a few days ago. 

Then there was classroom 5-A, 5-B…

And a few feet in front of them, in the middle of the hallway, something she spotted as Kirigiri inspected a mark on the wall—

“Kyoko, stop.”

Her voice faltered at the mere impression of what she thought she could see, hence her words were nothing but a whisper. It was enough for Kirigiri to halt right away, to follow Celestia’s gaze and squint from a distance.

To also glance and wonder at the horror they had stumbled upon.

The first of many corpses that were spread around that portion of the fifth floor. The first signs of the carnage that had taken place not too long ago or so it seemed, given how strong the imprint of death still was.

The terrors that apparently stemmed from a destroyed classroom 5-C.

Chapter Text

That the motive was as personal as the one before came as no surprise to both Celestia and Kirigiri. 

As soon as Monokuma announced that very dark secrets would be revealed if no one died until a certain time limit, the two girls exchanged a brief glance that seemed to confirm their growing suspicion. 

Whoever was behind them had had access to more than the usual, superficial information one could find about the Ultimates by looking them up online. Which meant that it was probably someone who at some point had been close to them.

“Or perused documents, photographs, perhaps even cell phones,” Celeste said out loud, contributing to an earlier discussion. 

She and Kirigiri were once again walking side by side, leaving the gym right after the awful bear dismissed them. The mood was gloomy once more, with nothing but a few days of respite after Sayaka’s and Leon’s departure. 

Was that how they would be plunged into complete despair? With deaths being prompted left and right with no time in between? And fruitless investigations as well, or at least lackluster results which didn’t allow them to know more than what was necessary for some reason?

“Cell phones would be an interesting alternative if we thought that they were only granted access to that information after getting us stuck here. Which may not be the case given the motive videos.” Kirigiri countered, pensive. Her rebuttal was so quick, it wouldn’t be too far-fetched to assume she had thought that matter over beforehand.

“Ah, that. I honestly cannot say which of these two motives is the most horrendous. Such an invasion of privacy, though…” 

Celestia did her best to conceal the fact that she hoped against hope something, anything might happen until the next day. Her secret wasn’t bad enough to spur her into movement, for one, but it would be troublesome given how much she had been trying to be perceived as reliable. 

After all, who would even believe in her once people realized she had been lying about her name of all things?

The mere thought of being called like that again was awful. Wondering how Kirigiri would react to it, a sour daydream that made everything even worse. No, her secret would have to be kept safe no matter what. 

“Should we remain vigilant? Perhaps I might start to patrol the hallways at night or—” the taller girl began, voicing something she had been mulling over not too long ago.

“No, I will not stand back and let you run into possible danger by yourself.”

The words surprised both of them, to the point that they almost stopped in the middle of the hallway. Other students did pass by Kyoko and Celeste, a few giving them small, downcast glances before going back to whatever they had been doing before being interrupted by Monokuma. 

Huh. Whatever did she mean by that? And why did she harbor such sentiment towards someone she would probably need to fight against if push came to shove and nothing happened until Monokuma’s deadline arrived?

“W-what I mean to say is, that no one should be given such a terrible burden.” Celeste reiterated, beaming to soften her earlier outburst. The fact that Kirigiri raised an eyebrow was enough for her to know that she had failed as a liar right there. And that she would need to do better in the future, too. “To do that means overexposing yourself without too many benefits. At the least you witness a murder and tell the others about it.”

“At the most you stop it from happening. And I can take care of myself, I will let you know.” Kyoko pouted, the expression completely adorable on her. 

Not that the gambler would ever say that out loud.

“Undoubtedly. You are a person of many, astonishing talents, Miss Kirigiri.”

She allowed herself just that—a small amenity, a shadow of what she wanted to say. Of the emotions that ran inside her chest just for the fact that she and Kyoko were standing so close together, sharing investigative work.

Trusting each other, as if that was something one would and should do in the middle of a killing game.

“A-anyway…” Kirigiri cleared her throat, breaking eye contact first. “It’s not that I don’t like your suggestion, that we shouldn’t leave our rooms. It’s more that I fear it won’t be followed, as it already hasn’t.”

“Thus you shall sacrifice yourself and stand in the face of peril, all by your lonesome. A potential victim patrolling the corridors at night.” Celestia mocked, surprised by how miffed she was at it. 

Surprised by how the mere thought of a murdered Kirigiri made her heart skip a beat.

“By no means. It might aid in my investigations, if I just go around and—”

“Then I shall accompany you.” 

Never mind that it was the last thing Celestia actually wanted to do. But oh, if the loathsome girl wanted to have an advantage like that over her, then she wouldn’t just remain idle.

“There is no need. Furthermore, it would be more troublesome for me to have to look out for the both of us, if you do tag along.” 

“Oh? Look out for the both of us?” The gambler leaned into Kyoko’s personal space, smirking. Although she felt warm all of a sudden, what she aimed at right then and there was to intimidate. Just a little. “ I can take care of myself, I will let you know .”

No matter how hard she tried, Kirigiri couldn’t help but chuckle at it. It had been a very bad imitation, true, but a funny one nonetheless. And something she hadn’t been expecting from someone like the Ultimate Gambler. Tendrils of remaining darkness dispelled under their smiles, trailing behind the two girls as they made their way into the rest of the school.

“Forget about it. Maybe this would be a stretch for the time being.” Kyoko shook her head, staring straight into the first floor dormitories. It was too early for her to return to hers, and to deny herself the company of Celeste for a little while longer. With sudden inspiration she turned to the other girl and said, “Naegi told me that there were some interesting documents at the library and I haven’t looked at them properly yet. Would you like to accompany me?”

“Oh? Absolutely.” Smiling even wider at the idea, Celeste clasped her hands together. “Let us see if we can find something that escaped his and Byakuya’s eyes.”

Moving together, the two girls spent the rest of their afternoon and early evening reading whatever they could find at that place. The one issue that caught their attention the most came from some interesting books that seemed a bit weird given the nature of the school itself.

After all, they described a killer named Genocide Jack.

Somehow, what was supposed to be nothing rang some bells for both of them. If it wasn’t for the other mysteries already surrounding the two, they would have thought some more about that topic in particular. 

Unluckily enough, it was tough to remain focused on solely one issue while navigating their new lives in the killing game. As morning turned into afternoon and the students decided it was time for a little meeting at the dining hall, the two girls mused over everything they had found out so far. And the fact that they did indeed have more questions than answers right then and there.

“I confess, I was rather dissatisfied with the latest gathering.”

Celeste’s words hung through one of the newly opened areas on the first floor. One that she never thought she would get to explore that soon, but was glad to do so the moment the opportunity arrived.

After all, who else would be so lucky to say that she had gotten a certain Ultimate of unknown talent to take a little trip to the bath house?

It had been simpler than the gambler expected it to at first. Her plan had involved catching Kirigiri’s attention as soon as the debriefing session was over and ask if she wished to visit some of the places Taka had mentioned were unlocked after the first trial. Somehow she was certain that the other girl’s inclination to investigative work meant that the offer would be accepted right away. If not, well, Celeste had been ready to do some convincing by stating that yes, she was well-aware that she would do some sleuthing on her own but alas, wasn’t it safer and nicer for them to remain together all in all?

The latter hadn’t been needed to begin with: apparently Kirigiri herself had been meaning to investigate those locations, the question on the tip of her tongue as soon as the meeting was adjourned. The two had simply looked at each other and opened their mouths to speak, with Kyoko allowing Celestia to go first and actually chuckling when the request was made. 

What Kirigiri hadn’t expected was for her partner to suggest they start with the bath house…

… and once in the bath house, that they should seize the opportunity and also, ahem, “partake in all the relaxing activities that the establishment has to offer,” as the gambler herself worded it.

Meaning that while Celestia was submerged to her chin on the huge, communal bathtub, Kirigiri sat in front of the mirrors while combing her hair. And definitely pretending not to be looking at the other girl’s reflection as well. 

“I-indeed. It was uh, lackluster to say the least.” Kyoko stammered.

She had been doing a lot of that ever since the two of them arrived at the place, which made Celeste want to giggle. It had been funny, almost endearing, when the other girl turned her back to her in order to give her privacy before she got into the bathtub. In other circumstances the gambler would have teased her for it, maybe made one comment or another on how there was nothing to fear. 

Instead she had queried if Kirigiri was planning to join her, then made a small sad noise the moment it was quickly denied. 

“I get the feeling that those encounters are also meant to keep tabs on us. To make sure that no one is skipping work, yes, but also so that we are able to check on each other throughout the day.” The gambler continued, resting her hands on the edge of the tub and her head over them.

The water was incredibly warm, just how she liked it, and it managed to soothe her muscles, shoulders that she couldn’t recall clenching that much but that were tied into knots. Steam rose from the tub, almost obscuring her view of the other girl, yet even from a distance it was easy to see that between them, Kyoko was the tense one. Again, Celestia felt like teasing her for it, wondering not for the first time why she felt such a strong sense of familiarity with someone so cold and callous.

Mayhaps it was nothing but the fact that she herself wasn’t all warmth and smiles, but that remained to be seen. The explanation, albeit rational, did little to actually qualm her doubts. No matter how much she wished to believe that it was so, somehow that wasn’t a lie she successfully convinced herself of. 

“And in that regard, it wouldn’t be such a terrible way to go about it,” Kyoko said, brushing the same portion of her hair for another long while. She knew she was distracted but didn’t allow herself to dwell on it. Yet her gaze failed to remain on what she was doing and often strained to the bathtub itself, which might have something to do with her inability to focus. Might being the most important word there. “It’s easier than taking attendance, or one of us going around doing rounds. Besides, the sooner a murder is identified, the better it is to gather evidence and structure a case.”

“Hmm, I suppose that is true.” Celestia languidly tilted her head, crimson eyes meeting unfocused lilac ones. “It also limits a killer’s window of opportunity by establishing set times in which they could be absent and doing what they should not be doing. Anyways… again, you are quite good at tackling this subject all in all, Miss Kirigir—”

“K-Kyoko is fine.” 

If that was a way for Kirigiri to hinder the conversation, stopping it from turning into her being praised, it surely had the desired effect. Celestia couldn’t help but sit up straighter, beaming a little at that development. Letting some of the happiness that enveloped her heart be reflected in her expression, no lies or fabrications needed. 

“Are you sure? I do suppose we have gotten quite close due to all the investigative work we have done together, yet I do not wish to make you uncomfortable in any sense of the word.” The gambler’s voice was light, soothing. An extended hand, waiting for Kirigiri’s final decision just in case she had spoken out of turn. “This isn’t a situation in which trust should be given away that freely, as you are very well-aware of.”

“I am.” The girl sighed, rose from her seat. Tentatively she took a few steps towards the bathtub, then surprised both of them by actually sitting down on the floor, right in front of Celestia. “I am just… telling you it is okay for you to call me by my first name. After all, you already let everyone use yours anyways, Miss Ludenberg.”

The irony wasn’t lost on Celeste, who snickered at the comment. And the way Kyoko glanced away from her; from up close it was easy to see that a blush dusted her cheeks. Perhaps it had nothing to do with how warm the bath house was, due to how hot the water was running. No, there was more to it than what was being let on… 

Celestia knew better than to press too much or not to press at all.

“Is that so…” Her tone was more ironic than dubious. “Then tell me, why is it that only now you have decided to extend me the benefit, as the entire class has been given full permission to use my first name from the start? And why do so in such a… sweet, yet slightly dramatic way?”

“It wasn’t dramatic.” Kyoko turned her face away from the other, leaning her body backwards. It was at that moment that she realized how close the two were… and how Celestia was still in the bathtub to begin with. Why was she always drawn to the Queen of Liars? “If you see it as such, then that is nothing but your interpretation.”

“As you wish… Kyoko.” The name rolled off her tongue with a lilt, a practiced manner. “In light of our newfounded proximity, won’t you reconsider joining me then? The water shall do wonders to your uptight posture.”

Of course that caused Kirigiri to blush even deeper, the pretty crimson painting her otherwise pale cheeks a very nice hue. Unable to stop herself the gambler laughed at that sight, especially as the other girl vehemently shook her head and got to her feet, returning to the mirror. 

“I-I have no wish for a bath right now. Perhaps a… another day.” 

She went back to brushing her hair, yet the strokes were a lot faster and more violent than before. For a few seconds Celestia simply watched, enjoying herself. Trying not to recall where they were, what they were supposed to be doing instead. 

How the last place she thought she would ever be in the middle of a killing game, was alone in a communal bathtub while the girl she… fancied in the most candid meaning of the word… absentmindedly worked through her hair. 

The hair, though… hm… it gave her an idea, one that she decided to capitalize on before she ran out of time to do so. 

That plan involved doing the slightest bit of waiting and watching just so things could feel more natural, less like she had thought of everything else beforehand. Hence Celestia did just that, moving a little within the tub and letting the waters calm her. Occasionally she maintained small talk, careful not to tip Kyoko off about what she was about to do. 

All the time her gaze was on that beautiful hair, and how the other girl went on combing and smoothing it to the point that it was pretty much shining in the smothering bathhouse. 

The moment she stopped, however, was the same in which the Ultimate Gambler knew she had to act.

“Ah, I think I have had enough of this. A bit more and I shall surely faint due to the warmth!” 

The announcement was given a few seconds before she rose to her feet—enough time so that Kirigiri could avert her eyes or, as she did, actually close and cover them with her hands. Chuckling, Celestia took hold of a plain white robe she had left around the tub before going in and wrapped herself in it. The fabric was thin and haggard, nothing like the silky pieces she had worn back at home, yet it would do. 

As long as it meant she was passably dressed and as such, her companion wouldn’t shy away from her…

“That was refreshing. You should certainly give it a try later on, Kyoko! I feel so much better already.” Celestia commented while approaching the other girl, who opened her eyes and nodded instead of saying anything. “Ah, I would ask if you wished to leave before I changed back to my clothes, but it seems that your hair has yet to be styled, has it not?”

“My… Ah, y-yes, but I can braid it—”

“Nonsense. You shall be freed of the sweltering room a lot faster with my aid.”

Before Kirigiri had a chance to reply, Celestia’s hands were already playing with her hair. For a small second she hesitated—the plan, which had seemed failproof and wonderful in her head, hadn't included the actual braiding part. Sure, the gambler wasn’t unused to doing it and she had a feeling she had stared at Kirigiri for long enough that she had an idea on how to go about the entire thing, but still… 

To say that she could completely mimic how the other girl styled her own hair would be a losing gamble.

Nevertheless, she didn’t allow that setback to show, confusion etched all over her face, for too much longer. As if she were the Ultimate Hairstylist instead of the Ultimate Gambler, Celeste combed and parted Kyoko’s hair with her own hands while humming to herself. Occasionally she would glance at the mirror in order to gauge the other girl’s reaction, just to internally laugh at how surprised and embarrassed she seemed to be.

If there was a time for her to do a bit of teasing, all for fun and games, that was certainly it. 

“My, my, cat has gotten your tongue? Or am I that bad at this?” Celeste pouted, doing her best to appear downcast. 

Whatever acting she did worked right away, as Kirigiri’s eyes widened and both hands rose from her lap.

“No, no. Q-quite the contrary, really. You are… incredibly gentle.” Kyoko’s voice lowered a bit and she glanced at the ground for a few heartbeats. Celestia herself had to focus on keeping her fingers moving and trying to improvise, or else the sight of her would have been enough of a distraction. “But uh, do you even know how to—”

“What do you say about trying something different? Just for this evening, mind you. And you can also undo this and go back to your usual plaits later on. Consider this a, hm… a gift. For all the time we have already spent together, and for more to come.” 

“For… more to come.”

With that Kyoko managed to relax, her shoulders unclenching as she sank into the chair. It was a lot easier for Celestia to work like that, her hands and fingers twisting strands of silky purple hair into an entirely different style: a high braided crown that went beautifully with Kirigiri’s complexion. Sure, she dragged the moment as much as she could, wishing that the two of them could remain there for as long as possible.

Secluded from a world that told them to kill, a reality where violence was the norm.

Wasn’t it nice that they could actually share small, important moments of lightness (and love) like so?

Kyoko’s thanks was nothing next to the beam that adorned her lips as soon as Celestia was done. It was a full smile, unhindered by mistrust or her usual, reserved nature. It was something directed at the gambler alone, that remained there for a few heartbeats but would forever have a place in Celeste’s heart.

Maybe, just maybe, if the next morning didn’t come with terrible news, that vision enough would have been a first sign of hope that things wouldn’t unravel the way they were supposed to.

But alas, of course destiny already had a preconceived notion of all that would transpire.  

Chapter Text

Kyoko had seen many crime scenes in her life so far. 

Some were complete, utter chaos: blood everywhere, evidence left and right, signs of struggle and prints where there shouldn’t be none.

Others were calmer, more subdued in a sense: either there was nothing to be found or too little; that by itself was already proof that there was more to the scene than what could initially be seen.

Yet she had to say that very few displays had been as terrible, as gruesome, as the classroom that she and Celestia had walked into. Or the hallway that led to it, as a few seconds were enough for the two girls to discern that whatever manslaughter that had occurred ended up spilling into the corridors after some time. 

Even the Ultimate Detective needed to stand still and calm herself down before she could start analyzing what they had stumbled upon. The gambler was more than happy to linger back, if nothing just to clear her mind and remember how close she had already danced with death. When she was able to lie to her heart, to tell herself that the room was nothing but a game of blackjack gone wrong, Celestia finally appeared more calm at least at the surface.

That her hands were trembling and she almost tripped on her own two feet were things that only Kirigiri saw, but made no mention of whatsoever.

“You can stay back if you desire. This isn’t something you have to get involved with,” Kyoko said, hand curling around Celeste’s and holding hers.

It was then that the Ultimate Gambler realized her partner was also shaking, something that made her feel more grounded for some reason or the other.

“Nonsense. We’ve found this together and thus, we will face it together.” Her voice was even, gentle, warbling the slightest in the beginning but not afterwards. “I must confess that what little I know about investigating, I learned from you. Hence it would be better if you led this and—”

“We won’t be here for long. I just need my initial impressions before reporting this to the guards. It’s not something I can turn my eyes away from, yet not our responsibility as students.” Kyoko sighed, apparently also steeling herself. “Stay behind me and please, don’t touch anything. Avoid trailing on blood and if you feel sick, go back to the door. Are we clear?”

“Crystal clear, Lady Detective.” 

The fact that Celeste smiled and tried to make the situation a bit lighter wasn’t lost on Kyoko, who squeezed the hand she still held. 

In truth it didn’t take long for the detective to get what she wanted after stepping into the classroom. After all, at a first glance there weren’t many things that seemed hard to put together: a bunch of kids—namely, the student council as Celeste was quick to identify—had been placed in a classroom after school hours and… committed terrible atrocities.

There were weapons lying around, bloodied, bent or completely out of use. 

There were bodies here and there, some mangled and others shot. 

There was… violence everywhere. And the thing that upset Kyoko and Celeste the most, no rhyme or reason for it to have happened.

No simple motive. And no indication as to what the student council was doing in a place like that at such a time to begin with.

“This is… gruesome,” Celestia said in a small voice. By then she had lost count of how many bodies she had seen, their causes of death very distinct and disturbing. “I… I don’t think I have ever stumbled into such cruelty, despite partaking in… more dangerous gambling circles.”

“Indeed. This goes beyond many things I myself have seen. Especially considering who they were and what they… represented.” Kyoko frowned, glancing everywhere around them in search of some clues. Something, anything, that could point to what or who had started that. 

“What bothers me the most is, how weren’t they stopped by those many students?” Celestia queried, glancing behind Kirigiri in order to cover for her. 

They had been walking in a line, the gambler shadowing the expert’s steps. Not only did she welcome that sense of security, the proximity to someone like Kyoko, it felt logical for them to remain like that and for her to keep an eye on the door: if the perpetrator emerged from the corridor and decided to murder them as well…

“I beg your pardon?” The detective asked, actually waking up from a reverie of her own the moment her companion said that. 

“The culprit. How wasn’t the culprit overpowered by everyone else? They were all Ultimates in their own ways and some even had more athletic abilities than others if memory serves. Then why—”

“I’m not completely sure about this,” Kyoko started, tentative. For her voice to be that small in a place where she should be shining, showing how her Ultimate ability could outclass everything else, Celestia understood how terrible the situation was. “But I have a feeling we are looking at the culprits and the victims themselves.

“A few of them are still holding weapons, after all. Weapons that were used and perhaps not just for self defense.”

The gambler didn’t need any further explanation; it was almost as if the other’s words were enough to open her eyes to more possibilities than the fact that the murderer had come in, done their deed and walked out. Sure, there were blood marks around the door and doorframe too, but given how the incident wasn’t limited to the classroom, it would be impossible to say if those blemishes belonged to a killer or one of the victims who had been found outside. 

In sum, it was a case in which there were too many variables and too little conclusions from the get-go. A bit like Genocide Jack’s, but so real, so much more violent and so much more… tainted by hatred and despair, that it almost felt as if the other murderer was nothing more than a child playing around. 

“So you believe that…” Celestia was unable to say it for some reason or the other. The conclusion was logical and yes, she knew how hate was a human emotion that didn’t make any distinction when it came to age. People could and would do awful things based on it regardless of what portion of life they were in. “The student council members did this to themselves?”

“Yes, to some extent that is the primary conclusion I can derive from what I have seen so far.” Kyoko frowned; with a small peek Celeste could see how tense her entire body was, wired to complete and full attention to a point that must have been painful. “Yet this seems too crude and too unreasonable without proper motivation. Which leads me to wonder if—”

Later on they wouldn’t be able to say what caught their attention first. If it was someone’s ragged, rapid breathing or the whimper that came afterwards. Nevertheless and no matter how soft it was, the sounds were enough to make the two girls stop talking and glance at each other with a mixture of apprehension and hope. 

The one meaning behind that was, of course, that someone might be alive in the middle of that terrible chaos. 

Locating the student who had emitted those noises was another matter altogether. One that involved getting closer to the bodies and either looking for a respiration or feeling for a pulse. It was only after seeing Kirigiri go about it that Celestia herself also committed to the act, also recalling her earlier instructions not to contaminate the crime scene.

When Kyoko spoke again and whispered that she thought she had found the one, the gambler almost rushed over from where she was investigating close to the door. That was, before she was stopped by a shake of Kyoko’s head.

“There’s no time to make sure. We need to call for help and now,” Kirigiri announced, giving the remaining student a last, long look before coming to meet her at the door. “I don’t want to leave this place unsupervised, but it would be even more unsafe to ask for one of us to remain while the other looked for a guard, so…”

“We both go.” The gambler nodded, automatically placing a hand on the detective’s shoulder. “If something occurs here, at the very least you have already gotten your first impressions and all.”

Kyoko nodded, tapped at a small notebook before placing it inside a pocket. “I have written down what needs to be dealt with, as I’m sure no one will let us near this place once we have reported on it.” At the very least, not until they needed her services, that was. “Let’s go. In the end, remaining here also poses a risk to our own safety.”

Nevertheless their progress through the empty hallway was slow: they kept glancing into the other classrooms nearby, any nook and cranny in which someone, anyone, could be hidden. Which meant they ran into one other corpse and weapons, as well as puddles of blood too. It was… quite a sight and not a good one.

It was something that they surely would never forget, that would be ingrained not only in their worst nightmares but also following them in their waking hours.

“S-say, what do you think will be done to this section of the school tomorrow?” Celestia queried, more to distract herself than due to real curiosity. 

So many things were completely unsure, unimaginable and so on right then, that it almost felt like an unnecessary exercise in logic to try and predict what Hope’s Peak Academy would do as a response. 

After all, the fact that something so gruesome had transpired in their own grounds wasn’t a fact that the outside world would forget and easily let go to begin with.

“I suppose it depends on how quickly they can start mobilizing resources.” Kyoko’s retort was quick, an indication that she had probably also been pondering over the same matter. “First and foremost, I don’t believe they will cause a commotion or advertise to the whole school that something has occurred—the administration board strives for nothing but excellence and we know that. Such a scandal would shatter their pristine image of being creators of hope, thus there is a chance this will remain… localized.”

“How do you keep such a thing from leaking, however? It isn’t as if we were talking about students going on a trip or something of the sort. Lives were lost here and—”

“They have their ways.” The venom in Kirigiri’s voice let the other girl know that not only did she truly believe something of the sort would happen, but that she was banking on it. And perhaps had been on the receiving end of something similar a while ago. Her next words only confirmed her suspicions. “Trust me, I would know.”

“Let’s find a guard first. Then you shall tell me how and why, if you do so desire.” Celestia decided, wondering just how many different issues could claw at her mind in one single night. 

Just how much more she could take until she collapsed, and screamed, and vented out her frustrations and fears due to what she had been forced to see and investigate.

“I… very well.” Kyoko’s hesitation wasn’t lost on the gambler, but they remained moving anyway. “Let us deal with the gist of it and then return to our dorms for the night. Perhaps the talking can wait until tomorrow, after we see what will be done.”

Ah yes, Celestia could compromise with that. Already her head was exploding, her body begging for her to lie down so she could forget about everything that had transpired for a few hours at the very least. To have a break from the matter would be necessary if she wanted to remain useful in that investigation: soon her mind would be overwhelmed and the need to gamble her thoughts away, strong enough to make her stop and do just that for a while. Even if the world demanded her attention, she wouldn’t be able to do anything else. 

To think they had stumbled into something quite horrific while going for nothing but a sweet little adventure on the rooftop… Ah yes, that was the reason why they had been ambling around the school grounds after curfew—after everything that had transpired, Celestia had almost forgotten that, the goods that were still in her backpack.

No matter how sweet their taste was, how amazing the cookies that the Ultimate Chef had prepared, they had all been soured by the evening’s disaster.

Luckily it didn’t take long for them to find someone in charge of security. As it happened, they had just switched teams, the nighttime shift getting into position a few minutes after that whole ordeal. Both girls made mental notes about that, something about the hour causing them to think that that had been intentional too: somehow the instigator had known there would be few to no guards around that floor right then.

Convincing said guard that no, the two weren’t playing a very gruesome, macabre prank and no, the main issue wasn’t that they were lurking outside when they weren’t supposed to, was another matter altogether.

“How much more will I have to tell you in order to convince you to come with me?!” Kirigiri exploded after what felt like five minutes of them being ignored and told to get lost. “I have no reason whatsoever to—”

“Kyoko, you do have credentials, don’t you? As a detective?” Celestia prodded, remembering that might be useful and if something would go their way at that night, the girl would have them on her. “Show him. Perhaps some proof would allow this fool to realize that we are wasting precious time arguing about something pointless.”

Nodding, Kyoko did pull an object out of her pocket and hand it to the guard, mumbling a “good call” to the gambler while the guy analyzed it. The two shared a small, brief smile that turned into a frown the moment the man acknowledged that there might be more to their story than what he had believed at first.

“Take me there. And if this happens to be your idea of a joke—” He started, just to be chilled to the bone with a piercing glare from Celestia.

“Do you take me for a stupid, useless kid who has nothing better to do than to make guards walk around the school for no reason?!” 

It was the gambler’s time to have a small meltdown. She had had enough. Enough of it all, of not being taken seriously by an adult when they needed it the most. Enough of being nothing but a trophy, her Ultimate status something to either be feared or flaunted, nothing more. Enough of having to deal with that bad of a situation by herself, when she and Kyoko could be spending a very beautiful evening together instead.

“We’ve said it already, haven’t we? There are bodies—corpses, dead people, unalived individuals, whatever helps you understand it better—thrown all around a classroom in the other end of the hallway. It’s bad enough that you useless guards weren’t here to do your freaking jobs and stop this from happening, but now there you go making us look like fools by not listening. Place is full of blood, weapons here and there, but one of them might be alive. Alive , I said, a-l-i-v-e, which means they need proper care unless you’d rather just add them to the body count and—”

A hand enclosed her own, squeezing it. A second later and Kyoko stepped closer, so close their shoulders were touching, the sensation so strong that it pulled Celestia out of that fit. Panting, the Ultimate Gambler closed her eyes and allowed reason to take over once more. No, that wasn’t the way a proper lady of her caliber should behave, especially in front of her… crush. Even if the situation was extreme like that, it wasn’t an excuse not to be refined, elegant, proper.

After a deep breath and a small sigh she opened her eyes again and, while not smiling, spoke in a much lower voice than before. 

“Could you please accompany us and then judge the situation afterwards?”

The man saw no way out of that, no reason not to comply. Nodding, he followed Kyoko and Celestia, who were still holding hands, deeper into the darkened portion of the fifth floor.

To say that he had the jumpscare of his life and called for reinforcements as soon as he realized those two hadn’t been lying, would be a complete understatement. 

“As much as I desire nothing but your success and for your logic to always ring true, for once I did wish you would be mistaken.” 

Celestia’s words were the first exchanged between her and Kyoko as soon as they arrived at the appointed location. While it hadn’t been common for them to speak a lot before the group project started, it was indeed easy for them to fall into gentle, talent-related conversation as of recently. 

To have to make the whole way from Hope’s Peak Academy to the nearest cafe in silence had been troublesome, though understandable after everything that had transpired in the last day alone. After all, no matter what the girls had hoped or imagined would happen…

The school had decided to simply reschedule any classes held on that floor, saying it would be off limits due to reformations, and move on with their lives.

“Me, too.” Kyoko sighed, shaking her head as she sat down facing Celeste.

They had picked up a spot away from the door and the main area of the cozy cafe. It was small and cutesy, with curtains in pastel purple and decorations in baby pink—something that was jarring given the tone of their discussion.

The issue some of the higher ups had silenced, that the school principal himself had told his daughter to keep a secret for the time being. 

Picking up menus that were laid in front of them, the two Ultimates feigned just being at a date and doing nothing important. Although moving away from Hope’s Peak Academy had seemed like the right thing to do so they would be able to discuss it without the risk of being overheard, it didn’t mean they were entirely safe: the cafe was still close to school, enough that some of the other customers were also Hope’s Peak students. That and underlying sense of paranoia that had been following them since yesterday made them lower their voices, halt the moment in which they would fully speak about what had happened. 

It was only after a kind waiter took their order (black coffee for Kyoko, milk tea and a croissant for Celeste) that they finally turned to face one another with small, fake smiles on their lips. 

“Do you suppose they will really… keep this up forever?” The gambler queried, though she had her own theories about the whole matter.

“Probably. The school has nothing to gain and everything to lose if such an incident is leaked to the outside world.” Kirigiri leaned forward, elbows on the table. Her hands were tightly intertwined, chin resting over them. It had been impossible for either of them to relax no matter how the so-called Queen of Liars was more skilled at keeping up appearances. “Meanwhile Hope’s Peak will no longer be seen as a safe harbor or a symbol of hope for the future if someone even dreams about what has transpired.”

“But to simply suppress the whole matter… What about the students’ loved ones? Friends and family? Surely they will seek out answers and press on the matter. It is what I would do if someone I cared about was suddenly spirited away and the place where they were supposed to be at gave me no answers.”

“That was exactly what I asked the headmaster this morning. His answer was elusive and not at all elucidating.” 

The barely-contained fury in her voice made the gambler’s eyes widen the slightest bit. For the last few weeks she had seen many sides of that classmate which had been veiled before; emotions that had been hinted at but never fully shown, never allowed to actually be expressed. To hear that sentiment in her tone was new, scary even. 

Celestia was sure then that she would never want to get on Kyoko’s bad side, or to see her truly, fully mad as it was.

“It is somewhat understandable that he might hide that from you. Mr Kirigiri might believe that entrusting you with that kind of information could turn you into a target.” The gambler mused, something that had been on her mind ever since she learned about the Ultimate Detective’s and the headmaster’s relationship. “Despite your talent and his duty towards the school, perhaps he was scared that something might have happened to you yesterday. Or that something might happen in the future if you remain involved in the whole ordeal.”

“It is illogical to push me—us—away from this, no matter how you look at it.” Kyoko spit back, shoulders tense because of that discussion.

It was clear she had given the issue a lot of thought. Her silence in the classroom had said as much, albeit the two tried to keep discussing Genocide Jack’s trail of murders as if nothing more important had transpired within the academy. It got so bad that Kyoko even relented, agreeing that their culprit was probably a very cunning girl in her teens and with a split personality (as upcoming evidence suggested,) which somehow got them a very piercing stare from somewhere on the other side of the room.

That Toko had ignored Hifumi for the rest of the day and seemed to be focused on them should have been significant but alas. The duo had just too much drama in their hands already, without adding the fact that their classmate was acting weirder than usual.

And yet it appeared that all the frustration, the anger and every single emotion that Kyoko had been trying so hard to keep at bay stopped her from seeing something so simple in regards to what they were dealing with.

“Illogical, yes. But when did anyone say that human emotions were logical, Kyoko?” Celeste queried, spreading her hands over the table. She wanted to lean forward and touch the other girl, hating the distance between them in a moment such as that. 

Hating that first and foremost, she had decided to go after that particular classmate just because it had seemed like a challenge. Look where that had led her…

“He should be doing what is best for everyone, regardless.” Kirigiri sighed, some of that previous wrath leaving her tone, her demeanor. “We were both there for better or for worse, so let us join the investigation and use our talents for what they are worth. I’m a detective, you are good at detecting lies. I’m sure we could get that solved if we had full access to the investigation reports.”

That was something Celeste herself couldn’t refute, no matter how much a part of her didn’t ever want to stumble across that crime scene again. 

“Assuming they are going to keep things away from us, I think we should run our own investigation. At the very least discuss what we know, just like we have been doing in regards to Genocide Jack, and keep tabs on what is going on.” The Ultimate Gambler mused, then nodded amicably when the waiter brought their order. “Something tells me that isn’t the last we shall see of this.”

Kyoko sipped at her black coffee, staring straight at the other girl as if willing her to continue. When nothing was said Celestia simply drank her tea, sighing in pure bliss the moment it touched her lips.

“Ahhh, I sure do love this place. They make milk tea just the right way—by adding the milk into the concoction while it’s being done, not afterwards.”

“And is there any difference?” The detective tilted her head, somehow interested in the fact.

It was good to defuse the conversation for a bit, to make sure they wouldn’t be too focused on the matter at hand. If not for her sake, then for Celeste’s: the girl hadn’t had to investigate a crime scene before in her life and shouldn’t have to get roped into that one due to her proximity to her.

“Absolutely! When the milk is added later the entire drink becomes too stupidly sweet and completely unworthy of my time or money. Yet if it’s worked into the mixture, the overwhelming taste is diluted and is turned into more of an agreeable note that enhances the tea instead of overshadowing it.”

“I… see. That’s something I never thought about.”

“Try it. You will understand.”

Offering her cup, Celeste then leaned back into her chair and glanced at her classmate adoringly. Somehow that moment, the one in which Kyoko looked at the tea, sniffed it and then finally took a tentative sip was the same when she could take a full, deep breath. The singular time in that whole day so far that she was able to relax and enjoy herself. 

That everything else was filled with despairful, troublesome thoughts was something she disliked, wished wouldn’t continue for too long.

“It is indeed… a very good concoction. I think I do grasp what you were explaining.” Kyoko gave her a small smile while passing the cup back. It was clear she enjoyed something way stronger, but still fun that she had tried it anyway. “I might order it someday, truly.”

“Well, then I am glad I got you to taste this.” 

After that they were silent, glancing at each other with vacant expressions. Unfortunately the nice atmosphere didn’t linger, nor did the laidback moments in which they could pretend to be just teenage girls out for a date. 

Not when unspeakable horrors still lingered in their minds.

“So, do we agree that this was orchestrated by someone who is already infiltrated into the school?” Celestia asked, realizing that they had yet to get that discussion going. No matter how easier it was to postpone it indefinitely.

“For sure. They knew when the guards wouldn’t be around for one, not to mention how Hope’s Peak is completely sealed off to the outside world after curfew.” Kirigiri nodded, hands wrapping around the coffee cup as if looking for warmth, for something safe to hold onto. That the gambler was doing the same thing was mere coincidence. “Admittedly, it’s not impossible to climb those and fool security, but even so that would require insider information.”

“Either someone from the school, or someone with an informant, then.” Celestia nodded; she had considered as much while silently pretending to pay attention to class.

“There are a few things that concern me the most, however. Aside from how the administration is dealing with it, of course. The first has to do with motivation. One doesn’t wake up and plan something of that caliber just because.” 

“Well, you never know.” Celestia shrugged, beaming at the other girl. “There are certainly some interesting people in the world and even more at our school. Don’t you agree? What if the Ultimate Assassin decided to practice their skills before our midterms?”

“You know that would be achieved in some other way.” Kyoko frowned, a warning. There would be time for conjecture later on, but not when they were being serious. “In any case, for what we know thus far I cannot determine what the instigator’s reasons were.”

“Is there any proof that we are dealing with an instigator?” The gambler leaned forward, suddenly interested. 

“I think so, yes. For all that I know the student council was on peaceful terms. While not a concise unit, as to be expected of a group of fifteen students, it wasn’t as if they were out for blood—much less each other’s blood.” The detective placed her backpack on the table and rummaged through it. After a while she took an envelope from it and handed it to the gambler. “During PE class I managed to break into the school records and print a few things for us to read.

“They’re mostly notes of past and recent student council meetings. I did get a first readthrough before we came here, and can assure you that nothing in them suggests growing upheaval or anything that might indicate incoming violence of any sort. Much less of the kind we found yesterday.”

Celeste couldn’t help but smile as she accepted the offer. Her heart thudded within her chest, a slow and different movement that was new yet not uncomfortable. She ignored it for the time being, just later on recalling that something similar was experienced the day before, when the two of them had been fooling around school. 

“Ever the detective, aren’t you? Hm, there is a lot to this, so I’ll trust your judgment for the sake of time and then take a look at them later. I might be able to find any conflict or lies, if there were any.”

“I would appreciate it.” Kyoko glanced away for a second, using that time to recenter her thoughts. “Which is why I am considering that a third party was involved; that the killings weren’t generated by the students’ own disapproval towards one another or some discussion that went haywire.”

“There is also the presence of the weapons to sustain your claim, perhaps.” The gambler conceded. That was something she had been thinking about since the last day. “Where did they come from and who brought those in? It’s not usual practice for council meetings to have those as far as I’m aware of.”

Kirigiri nodded, shivering. By then it was impossible to answer that question as well as many others that plagued her mind. She would file them for later consideration, however, which probably meant she would spend another sleepless night pondering over the whole matter.

Not that Celeste looked any better for wear; underneath carefully applied layers of makeup and her usual ability to disguise her true feelings, the detective could see fatigue, worry, fear. Emotions that she herself harbored, that she herself had pushed to the back of her mind in order to normally function for another day.

“And the second issue I think deserves our attention the most is, will this happen again?” Kyoko leaned forward, unclasping her hands and laying them palms down on the table. “Was this a test in some way, a first attempt to mask something awful that is already taking place or being planned? Is the instigator, if there is one, or the murderer itself, trying to gauge the school’s reaction before trying something else?”

“Something… bigger, too?” Celestia suggested, a shiver running down her spine. 

No longer able to stop herself, she placed her hands next to Kyoko’s, then slowly intertwined her fingers once she made sure the motion would be okay. After everything they had seen, the topic they were discussing and what they feared the future could hold, the contact was more than wished, but necessary. A physical reminder that they were together, that they would face whatever happened next, together.

LIttle did they know that things were indeed about to get worse and fast.

Chapter Text

A call from Monokuma very early in the morning was all that it took for Celestia to lose her appetite and rush out of the dorms.

Maybe it was the fact that her conversation with Kyoko, about patrolling the hallways, had stuck in her mind. And something about how the atrocious bear had worded things made her wonder if an ominous event had indeed taken place.

And that the victim or culprit could be the mysterious Ultimate for whatever reason. 

She did stop and stare at her surroundings a few seconds later, catching her breath. Not one to run for a very long time, Celeste realized that maybe she had let too much of her true emotions to show—a nuisance and a big one, if Monokuma read into it. The last being that should see anything of her actual heart was that thing. As she glanced at the otherwise empty corridor while trying to center herself she vowed she wouldn’t let that happen again.

After all, maybe it was nothing more than a stupid prank, a way for the mastermind to have fun on their behalf and watch how they would react to a fake cry for action.

Maybe nothing at all had gone wrong. Or if it had, Kirigiri wasn’t involved to begin with. 

Since the gambler always thought that it was better to be safe than sorry, however, she concentrated on doing a small investigation of her own. Time was of utmost importance regardless, as a crime scene could and would be tampered with if left alone for too long. 

The main issue would be where to start and what to look for.

A strong feeling that was very akin to pride stopped Celeste from determining that she would seek Kirigiri out first and foremost. No, the girl had already shown that she could take care of herself—and in any case, such an action wouldn’t be logical. Kyoko would probably raise an eyebrow at her and ask why she had deemed that to be of utmost importance when Monokuma’s words could be hinting at an actual murder case. 

She would make sure to run into Kirigiri during her investigation in one way or the other, but that had to be it. 

The main issue then became where to start searching. While Hope’s Peak was not the biggest place she had ever been to (and deep down she hoped her own castle would be way grander and more spacious,) there were a lot of possible locations where a murder could be staged. There was also the fact that she could be walking into a potential trap, something that made Celestia weary. Would it be a bad thing if she took some sort of weapon with her for protection?

But then… Depending on what item she took and if someone had really been killed, showing up to the crime scene with a weapon might do way more harm than good. Shaking her head, the gambler took a deep breath and trusted her instincts instead. She would know if someone were approaching. 

In the same way she knew that yes, something had already occurred. And that they would be thrust into the same web of fallacies and lies as another blackened fought for their life against everyone else’s.

As she meandered around deserted hallways, wondering if someone else was already up and doing the same thing, Celestia pondered over what might be like to stage a murder. While the motives offered thus far didn’t hold that much of an appeal to her—she was convinced nothing bad would occur if the others learned her real name, provided she played it right—she had to admit there was something… enticing about the whole ordeal.

To bet her life against those of so many other students… All hopes for the future in the sense that they were Ultimates, a distinct marking that made them extraordinary. In that regard it wouldn’t be the same as whatever she had already done with underground gambling, when so many ordinary lives were lost to her own genius.

Despite that small issue, however, would it really be that bad if she condemned the other, more foolish students to their certain death—

But that would of course involve Kirigiri. And the thought alone was enough for her to stop mid step and stare at the colorful walls as she faced the stairs that led to the second floor. 

It shouldn’t mean anything. Celestia had had acquaintances before, people who got close to her due to interest, fascination or whatever other emotion that couldn’t be explained by reason alone. There would be others in her future, sure enough, especially once her empire was consolidated and she finally achieved the dream of owning a castle in Europe.

Especially once she were as far away from her meager, stupid origins as possible, too.

After all, why else had she gotten involved with gambling even after realizing how much of a prodigy she was in it? Why else would she have such a nice bank account, waiting for her return to the outside world, if not for buying and maintaining the palace of her dreams?

A mere girl’s existence couldn’t, shouldn’t be enough to stop her from achieving her childhood dream. 

Funny enough, the thought still lingered even after she was done reasoning with it, with herself. Granted, it would be easier to simply let everyone else take the fall for her. To watch them try and fail, while Celeste herself unraveled their flawed logic with Kyoko’s help so they could grow closer together.

But if somehow a motive or the other seemed too good, too impossible to pass by? Something that would allow her to make her dream finally come true? 

Yes, even Celestia knew she would never let that go. She wouldn’t live with regret, with the uncertainty of what she was feeling instead of the surety of what she could have. Repeating that line to herself over and over, giving time so her heart could fully understand it, the gambler gave a small smile and climbed the stairs to the second floor.

Deep down, hoping against hope that it would never come to that.

Chihiro…

Just like it had happened with Maizono, Celestia was unable to pin down just why exactly that person had been targeted for murder prior to a thorough investigation. 

Of course, what took her and the others aback first and foremost were the words written in blood, located behind the body. Kyoko was quick to note there was no way that could be a dying message, as Chihiro’s wrists were bound to the exercise equipment, nails completely clean. 

Instead the two words told a history of their own, as Byakuya had been quick to tell them just a few days ago at breakfast.

Blood Fever. One of the telltale signs of murder caused by none other than Genocide Jack.

“I don’t… I disagree with this.” Celestia whispered to herself at some point.

By then the initial shock of finding a dead body had already passed and some, notably Kyoko and Makoto, were already starting the investigation. Her eyes remained glued to the message, the setup, the wound. Although she hadn’t read the same books and files that Togami did, a portion of her mind already screamed that something was wrong.

That they would be framing the wrong person if they went down that trail of thought. 

How she knew that was a mystery even to Celeste. After all, she wasn’t that well-versed on the topic of killers and on that serial killer more specifically. Yet she heard the message loud and clear, the way her entire body froze and reacted whenever someone uttered the name Genocide Jack while investigating that room. 

And no, she was pretty certain she wasn’t acting like so due to the almost nonexistent chance that Genocide Jack was among them.

It was impossible for Celeste to hang back after that realization hit her. That and the surety which filled her whenever she was that close to Kyoko—the feeling that it was expected, almost natural, for them to investigate together—made her move towards the body as soon as Makoto and Togami went away to glance at something else.

She was about to voice her objections when the door to the locker room opened again. Although that interruption wasn’t enough to grab everyone’s attention, Toko’s loud gasp surely did.

The way she paled as her eyes ran over the crime scene, focused on the bloodied message—and on the blood itself—was something that tugged at Celestia’s mind. The moment she was about to part her lips and ask something, anything about that response…

Fukawa let out a strangled cry and fell to the ground, unconscious.

“She faints at the sight of blood, does she not?” Celestia inquired as Hina and a few of the others crowded around Toko. It was funny that among all of them, her and Kyoko seemed to be the only ones who weren’t too worried about it. “You will make matters worse by standing that close to her.”

“Give her some space.” Kirigiri echoed the gambler’s sentence after that went completely unheard. She stepped closer to the circle and pushed a few people away, nodding at Celeste the moment she started doing the same. “This isn’t such a novel reaction.”

“Yeah and she did mention it a while ago, didn’t she?” Hina agreed, trying her hardest to shake Toko awake. 

Somehow Celestia thought the information came from somewhere else, however, as she couldn’t recall ever hearing the Ultimate Writing Progidy say something or the other about her condition. It was almost as if the knowledge stemmed from the same portion of her mind that was screaming at her about how wrong the crime scene was. 

And no, it wasn’t because of small, telltale signs of manipulation such as the poster and the almost complete absence of blood on the ground.

“That means she’ll be terrible at investigat—”

“Huh? Whatcha freaks doing standing around me like that?!”

Toko’s voice was so surprisingly changed, so much stronger and a bit warped, that the sound alone was enough for the Ultimate Swimmer to jump back, put some distance between her and the newly-awakened Toko. A few students finally did the same, to the point that only Togami, Celestia, Kyoko and Taka remained in the same position as before.

That and the way she moved seemed… unnatural. New. A complete opposite to the girl they had gotten to know a few days ago, the stuttering mess who seemed to gravitate towards the Ultimate Affluent Progeny while also despising mostly everyone else. Mostly , since she had been nothing but respectful towards the gambler, which was weird considering how she treated the others. 

Well, no matter. She had other things to ponder over instead of trying to decipher her classmates’ weird behaviors. 

“Wowowowow is that a dead body? Hey, are you like dead, dead?” Toko yelled in the general direction of where Chihiro was. A second later she stopped, not truly waiting for an answer but analyzing the set up, and went on, “hoa, that’s awful! Not at all like things should be, but I gueeeeess, I’ll give whoever did this an F. As in, ‘forgettable effort, you bastard!’ Nyahahahahaha!”

“Damn, she must’ve hit her head pretty hard on that fall…” Hifumi commented, cowering on the other side of the room. Some others had followed his lead, actually placing more distance between themselves and that weird version of Toko.

One that didn’t scare Celestia or Kyoko for some reason or the other. 

“Hm, I suppose it will not be of any aid to keep her around if that is the sort of commentary she will provide during the investigation. Don’t you think?” The Ultimate Gambler asked after turning to face Kirigiri—the only one she trusted to have a logical read on the situation. 

“Indeed. And there is always the chance she might faint again and need actual medical care if she does injure her head the next time.” The mysterious Ultimate held Celestia’s glance for another heartbeat, almost as if she wished to communicate something without the others noticing. The gambler had a feeling she knew what that was. “Perhaps it’s best if you take her back to her room? I will remain here and begin searching for clues.”

“Of course!” Celeste beamed, somehow enjoying that teamwork. “I shall be back shortly.”

“I will be waiting.” 

Kyoko’s smile didn’t agree with the tense atmosphere around them. The estrangement that surrounded the remaining students, who did their best to start investigating even as Celestia took Toko by the arm and gently led her away—luckily enough meeting no protest or resistance from the other girl.

They were mostly silent on their way downstairs. Well, the truth was that Toko kept mumbling interesting, disconnected things that didn’t fully develop into complete sentences. Unsure about how to proceed in relation to all of that, the gambler decided it was best to keep to herself, to start worrying about Chihiro’s death…

And if it meant anything, that the two of them had met close to the nighttime announcement, as she looked at one of the newer rooms. 

“...it’s hella nice to see you again, Poker Lady. Though heehee, doesn’t seem like you feel the same, bah!”

Those words did cut through Celestia’s earlier trail of thought, setting doubt into her heart. Stopping in the middle of the stairs, she frowned and waited until the other, much weirder girl realized she had gone on ahead by her lonesome. When she did and finally turned around, the gambler couldn’t help but wonder what exactly was going on. 

“We saw each other just yesterday, during dinner. I do not understand the meaning of your words.” Celestia mumbled, scrutinizing the other girl with renewed curiosity. Just what was going on there?

It was Toko’s time to seem confused, tilting her head to the side. Her tongue leaned over her lips, a look that was completely different from the novelist’s more reserved demeanor, but still. Everything about that ensemble, that moment, what had just been said… mysteries that Celeste could not resolve.

Information that made her head pulse with sudden, terrible pain as the smaller girl finally responded.

“Hmmmm? No no no, that wasn’t the last time I saw—whawhawhawhaaaat? You don’t… remember? Me, you and Detective Lady? The fifth floor thingie? Doesn’t ring any bells in that smart little head of yours? Heh, and then they say I’m the crazy one, the hell.”

Celeste stood her ground even as Toko hopped and deftly moved towards her. There was no way she was actually speaking English, or any other language that could and would make sense. 

There was no way she was mentioning something that the gambler had absolutely no recollection of. And who in the blue blazes was—

“Lemme try again.” Toko leaned into Celestia’s personal space, beaming in an unnatural way. Almost as if she were having fun with that whole ordeal while the taller girl suffered. “Mystery. Bad, bad murders. Then the raining desks. You and your sweetheart went investigating. Nothing yet? Well well, least there’s no way you forgot that kissssss, right?”

“I am sorry, but methinks you are hallucinating, Ms. Fukawa,” Celeste said, trying her best not to fidget under the other’s unfocused stare, her astounding words. What comforted her was that nothing seemed to make any sense, even though Toko was insistent on it. “Let me take you back to your room, I shall help you lie down and get some rest. What a heinous hit to the head you must have gotten!”

For her sake Toko stopped, placing both hands on her hips. Although she frowned, looked Celeste up and down as if searching for something, eventually she resigned, sighed and shook her head instead of keeping that conversation going. 

“Jeez, fine then. Play dumb all you want, I know what I saw.” 

Sighing, Celestia took her companion by the arm and kept walking, silently lost in thought. Nothing more was uttered as she deposited the girl on her bed as promised, and told her to stay put until Monokuma called them for the class trial. Which was a blessing, given how jarring Fukawa’s few words had been right then. 

As she went back to the locker on the second floor, Celestia slowed down her pace in order to think things through. No, there was no way that anything Toko had said while in that weird state was remotely real, was it? She had made no sense, spoken in riddles and almost not managed to finish an entire sentence altogether. 

Yet what was that about a kiss, about her sweetheart or a Detective Lady? 

And why did that nickname, strange as it was, filled Celeste’s heart with a sense of terrible familiarity?

Chapter Text

The email that woke Celestia up with a ping was the last thing she would have expected while asking Kyoko if they would ever get another clue in regards to what they had stumbled upon. 

Not one to leave her computer up all night, the gambler was more scared than surprised by the sound of the email notification. Opening her eyes with a groan, the girl needed to glance around her room for a brief while in order to recall everything that had happened the night before.

How she had been alternating between online poker matches and reading whatever documentation, lore or whatever she could get on Hope’s Peak Academy from the internet. Anything on past students, spokespeople who had visited the school grounds recently, anyone who could harbor any ill-intent towards the place and its student council. Nothing that could be linked to the actual crime scene seemed to show up—the details didn’t add up, to the point that Celestia was almost convinced they were dealing with an internal rather than external threat.

Her thought was pretty much confirmed the moment that her own sleuthing was interrupted by her phone buzzing, text messages coming one after the other. At first she thought about ignoring them, given how much more important her research was, but in the end the latter was set aside the moment she saw who the sender was.

Lo and behold, she and Kyoko ended up chatting for hours on what they had come up with (nothing) and their own theories about what had transpired, what would happen next.

Since the detective didn’t understand the meaning of maintaining a clear sleeping schedule, the two talked until way beyond midnight. It wasn’t surprising then, to discover that Celestia had fallen asleep with her phone on her chest, probably in the middle of waiting for an answer or something. The position she had slept in was awful, to the point that she was certain she would suffer the consequences of that throughout the day.

But before she could dwell too much into that particular woe, memories of what had happened—and the nightmares that plagued her until that day—came to mind, completely dispelling whatever sleep that still hung heavily upon her. 

Ah, right. There were more important things to worry about than her lack of—

A rap to her door made the gambler sit up in bed with a rather loud gasp, a hand covering her mouth as her mind protested how unlady-like that had been. Hoping that whoever was on the other side hadn’t heard that, Celestia huffed, got to her feet and stretched before making her way towards the door. Who could that be so early in the morning?

“It’s me.” 

The person announced itself without a prompt, saving Celeste the trouble of having to voice her concern. Recognizing the speaker, and smiling at it for a brief second before wondering what could have made Kyoko Kirigiri decide it was a good idea to knock at her door that early in the morning, the gambler braced herself for what was probably about to be a very bad time instead of a good one. 

After all, she trusted her instincts. And her ability to read whatever tension that had crept into Kyoko’s tone, perceptible to her even in those two simple words. 

Frowning, she opened the door and invited the other girl in. A glance at her and Celeste knew she had been right: instead of the usual, well-kept braids, the detective’s hair hung loose, perhaps even uncombed. She had thrown her clothes in a haphazard way that translated a certain urgency, her tie being too loose and her skirt completely askew. Although it wasn’t as if the gambler was in any better state since she had just woken up, she knew enough about her classmate to understand how dire the situation was.

Which was exactly why she wasted no time with pleasantries, getting straight to the point after locking the door behind her. 

“What is it? Did you find something about the—”

“Open your inbox. Watch what I sent you and then either delete it, or make sure the footage isn’t easily found on your computer.”

A thousand questions flew through the gambler’s mind right there in response to those commands. It was hard to fight against them, against the urge to be more in control of the situation and to better understand what that was about before just following those orders. Still, her trust in Kyoko spoke louder than all of that and she nodded, motioning towards the chairs close to the window and her computer, then turned the screen on before making her bed.

For a while there was nothing but the buzzing sound of the PC coming to life from sleep mode—while most of the equipment given to the students of Hope’s Peak Academy was topnotch, the same couldn’t be said of the computers in their rooms. Why, Celestia had had half a mind to ask Chihiro to update hers, or to turn her student handbook into the best portable computer ever just because. Sure, it was good enough for her poker matches and sometimes even allowed her to call home and get live footage of her cat, but still. 

It left a lot to be desired, starting with the fact that it took forever to turn on and be wholly functional.

While waiting she tidied the bed, trying not to pay too much attention to the fact that the detective was there , in her room, and it wasn’t looking its best. While the worst part was that the same could be said of her, as Celeste had had no time to style her hair and smooth her clothes, it was impossible to lose herself in thoughts such as those right then. 

Not when Kirigiri was sitting down ramrod straight, eyes glued to the initializing computer as if her life depended on it.

“It scares me to see you in such a state.” 

Celestia’s words echoed around the room. They weren’t sugarcoated, her tone unmasked and gloomy amidst the sweet sunlight that bathed the room and came from the window. While a part of her mind found it odd that she was being that honest, that candid with someone who could and would give her trouble for her mere gambling activities, the two of them had gotten close enough not to mind such small things like their talents and previous affiliations. 

Somehow there was no better way to bond than stumbling into a mystery, or so they had found out. 

“I won’t lie to you, it’s… bad.” Kyoko confided, not even bothering to smile or laugh at the irony of who would usually be lying to who. It wasn’t the time for that—rather, it felt that whatever time they had had for bantering was long gone. “Although it also means that we got some very important answers. A few of them in any case.”

“Ugh, if this stupid thing would just work properly and faster…” Celestia gave the monitor a gentle slap. Of course it changed nothing and it wasn’t even enough for her to vent her frustration at it, but it was better than simply staring at it for another few minutes. “May I ask how you got access to what already seems like very secretive information?”

Kyoko angled her face away, already an answer by itself. Even so the gambler didn’t press, didn’t say another thing or utter what was in her mind. She would rather listen to the other girl, especially since the alternative was that while texting Celeste, she had been conducting a very dangerous investigation all by herself.

“... perks of being the daughter of the current headmaster,” was what the detective eventually whispered.

Celeste knew better than to make a joke or the other about it. Not when the situation seemed dire and what was worse, she knew she might not walk out of her room alive depending on what she said. While she had gambled with her life before, it was completely different when her adversary was a tense Kyoko Kirigiri.

“At the very least that means you didn’t do anything irresponsible after I failed to answer you. N’est pas?” Celestia winked at her anyway, then sat down and faced the computer the moment her monitor blinked to life for real. “There you go. Apologies for the wait, this is one slow computer for some reason or the other.”

“Hmpf, it wouldn’t surprise me if some of your online poker matches weren’t done on terrible websites that were riddled with viruses. What? Not even mine behaves that badly.”

The accusation was laced with a smile, the first Celestia saw on that day. It was a moment of respite that was short-lived, however, as the gambler soon remembered why she had turned on her PC before her alarm clock could even go off, and clicked around to find her email inbox. 

There wasn’t a lot of relevant information there, truth be told. Just many invitations for gambling, online and in person, that made Kyoko frown—especially given how it was very clear that some of those were made in the most underground part of the country ever. Or in areas of the web that were mostly unexplored. If their circumstances were different the detective might try and recall the email addresses she read right then, only so she could report on them later. While that would make for a very angry Celeste, it would also ensure her safety in the long run.

Which was indeed a very interesting thought that made her gasp and look away, considering what was in the message Celestia clicked, the only one that came from Kirigiri as it was.

“A video, then? Ah yes, you did mention watching something the moment you waltzed into my room.” Nodding, the gambler let her cursor hover over the untitled email.

It wasn’t a link per se, which would take her to another website. Rather, it was a file—something that already hinted at how secretive it was. How there was a chance that only a select few had gained access to that thing. The biggest question, which might be answered depending on what the video showed, was why.

And of course, what had caused the usually stoic detective to react so badly that she had stormed into Celeste’s room that early in the morning. 

“Just do it. It is no use delaying the inevitable.” Kyoko’s voice was stern, contained but also icy. It was almost as if she were bracing herself to one of the worst things she had ever witnessed in her life.

Which might just be, really, and that called into question how much Celestia herself would be able to stomach it. If someone who had lived in crime scenes was reacting that badly to a video footage—

“I will… Stay by your side.” 

Maybe because of her hesitation, Kyoko changed her tone, her tune. Voice softening, her hand tentatively encased one of Celestia’s and held it, an unspoken source of comfort that would be welcome when faced with a terrible, unknown horror. Clinging to it, unfamiliar to such closeness and the fact that her heart yearned for it, wanted it, cherished it, Celeste turned to the other girl and nodded once, giving her a small beam that meant to comfort both of them.

Then and only then did she click on the file, eyes instantly widening as soon as the scene came into view.

There was arguing, but short lived. Almost as if the students had eventually been driven towards despair in any case.

There were weapons. The same they had found on the crime scene, passing from hand to hand as the massacre began.

And then of course there were the members of the student council, at first alive and confused, unsure about what they were doing there and what was happening. And another, final participant who got into the arena and stirred everyone with their words, their acts.

His name, as stated afterwards, was Izuru Kamukura. And the circumstances of his birth were far more terrible than one could imagine if the video were to be believed. 

To name it a massacre, one committed by the students and that was stirred by yet another student, would be an understatement. It was horrible to watch, especially when contrasted with how peaceful things had been beforehand. How it was supposed to be just another night, another student council meeting and nothing more.

That Celestia remained still, gripping Kyoko’s hand a bit stronger than she could even though all she wanted was to run away from those images was also an understatement. 

At the very least Kirigiri stood her ground, never leaving her side as promised. They clung to each other all in all, the detective being the one to hide the email from everyone’s sight and then shut down the computer after the deal was done. Meanwhile Celestia stared at the screen, speechless, still trying to come to terms with what she had seen.

What the implications of the footage were.

“Izuru… Kamukura?” She whispered, her voice almost completely gone. It was cut off by the sound of people running outside of the dorm room—their happiness, the fact that they were unaware of what had transpired, a speck of goodness in a world that had suddenly grown darker than it should be. “Who is this person and what would they gain by instigating such a thing for starters? And leaking their own name as well, unless—”

“The existence of the video already calls for plenty of questions, don’t you think?” Kyoko mumbled; after a few deep breaths and a last, disdainful look towards the computer, she turned to face the other girl and concentrated. Long gone was the tense Ultimate who had walked through the door. She was in her element right then and it showed. “First, who filmed it if not for this Kamukura person, and then why did they mention their own name? As you asked, what could they gain from it?

“Second, as I have never stumbled upon records of someone called that, where are they now and where were they before? It would imply that a witness at the very least and a survivor at the very best are roaming around undetected. And third, though by far not unimportant… why was this forwarded to a very select few, namely those in the Reserve Course and my father?”

“The Reserve Course students?” Celestia tilted her head, unconvinced. She had had little interaction with that portion of the school, as did most of the Ultimates, but that hadn’t bothered anyone until that point.

Sure, she had heard rumors that some of them wished to ascend to the main course through proving themselves and their abilities. There were also others who were more than satisfied with using the school’s prestige for themselves, or at the very least boasting of how well-off their families were since they were able to pay full tuition, too. 

The moment her mind fell on the money issue, however, she had an inkling about the reason why they had been the target audience for that video. Or that email, as it was.

“I may not have forwarded the entire message to you, just the video.” Kyoko pursed her lips, only then letting go of Celestia’s hands just so she could pick up her phone. Sifting through apps and files, she soon found what she needed. “And it isn’t out of trust, mind you. I just wish to… protect you for as long as I can.”

“For as long as you can?” The gambler tilted her head; were they in any other situation, she might have found that gesture a bit cute. “May I remind you that we have stumbled into that crime scene together and as such—”

“—promised to investigate together, I do know. But still. It’s one thing for me to put myself at risk, and another entirely if… if you are involved.” 

Kyoko stopped whatever she was doing, lifting her eyes from the mobile. The main emotion Celestia could read in her irises was concern. Fear. Doubts, all of them pertaining to the person she beheld right there. And had Celestia never been the recipient of those emotions before, she might have fooled herself into believing that mixed in the whole thing was also… 

A bit of love.

Yet she knew better than to tell herself lies. Not in such an important moment at the very least. Not when lives were in danger and it wasn’t the time to gamble with the truth. Given luck everything would remain the same, the next few days going on as calmly as the rest of the year had been.

Given luck, she would be able to further explore her own heart, the way it thudded within her chest in response to Kyoko’s words, and—

“Ahem, there was a… document attached to the email as well.” Kirigiri went back to the main issue, cheeks turning a pretty crimson color even as she tried to focus. To place her own phone on Celestia’s palm. “And it might relate to why the Reserve Course students were targeted by it, though somehow I have a feeling you might have thought of something beforehand.”

“All I can think of is a money-related concern.” The gambler offered as she took the mobile, frowning while adjusting the small text to a visible size. “Whatever else would be of relevance to— Oh .”

“As you can see, you were not far from the truth at all.”

The document held Celestia entranced. Everything it described seemed like something out of a sci-fi movie, completely devoid of reason or thought. Not a situation she ever thought she would stumble during her life, let alone during her school life and in a place such as Hope’s Peak Academy. 

After all, who would ever dream that a place dedicated to nurturing talent…

… would try to artificially produce it as well?

And that the results of said experiments, a certain individual named Izuru Kamukura, would go around participating in a killing game the school had done its best to silence?

When Celestia’s alarm clock went off she was too numb to get up and silence it. Kirigiri did it instead, then sat down on her chair again and simply waited, giving the other time to digest information she had been dealing with on her own for a few hours. It wasn’t easy, it wasn’t simple. 

It was the mere beginning of a tragedy beyond any other. The horror of it all was translated in their stares as Celeste and Kyoko locked gazes, hands reaching and intertwining before they could even realize what they were doing all in all.

Chapter Text

Somehow Celestia found it harder to enter the locker room the second time around. Although it would be simpler to blame it on the foolish, senseless things Toko had mumbled while the two were heading to her dorm, that wasn’t just it. Her uneasiness wasn’t only caused by the fact that she was about to face a dead body, to investigate either—something that would be even more comprehensible than the stupid words of a possibly concussed girl.

No, it had a bit to do with the ideas which had been stirring in her head. About how a flawless crime scene should look like if the culprit wanted to be successful. 

And how much it contrasted with what she saw at the exact moment she opened the door.

By then the initial shock of finding a corpse and a murder scene had already left her body. It was helped by how some other students were already out and about, checking clues, elements that seemed out of place and the setting as a whole. She quickly noted that Naegi and Togami were especifically focusing on those things, skirting around the body as if it shouldn’t be touched upon at first.

(There was a glint of amusement in Byakuya’s eyes as well, something that Celestia made a mental note about and decided to pose at the trial or to a certain someone the moment the guy wasn’t around. She detected deceit if it didn’t come from her, if it wasn’t favorable to a situation. Yet her suspicions weren’t enough to pinpoint the Ultimate Affluent Progeny as the culprit, just a figure who had become involved with the murder in some way or the other.)

The body itself was examined by none other than Kyoko, of course. Again she showed no reservations towards touching it, the wound on Chihiro’s head. For a few seconds the gambler allowed herself to observe, admire her handiwork—ahem, learn from the other girl’s apparent expertise. The way she prodded around the gash, the skin, the clothes, probably searching for any other signs of violence. Whatever story the corpse could tell, and that would be important for the case they would unravel in a few hours. 

And while it wasn’t the most interesting thing Celeste had ever seen, it seemed like an art of its own. One that Kyoko knew the ways of, the path to follow. One dictated by logic and experience, albeit of course the girl would deny it if anything about that was even mentioned. 

“It will never cease to amaze me that you boys leave such a terrible, gruesome work to a lady like Ms. Kirigiri.” 

The words left Celeste’s mouth as she approached the scene once again, tired as she was of just watching. There was more she could do, more she had to do. Things to learn from how the others investigated, how they reached certain conclusions over elements such as what was and wasn’t left behind. What was missing. What shouldn’t be missing. 

Not because she wished to be more helpful, as she vehemently hoped they would come to believe. But due to the mere fact that sooner or later she might have to subvert the formula herself. 

And to say that it had never been in her plans to fail, no matter if she lacked the motivation to strike for the time being, would be one big understatement.

“N-no, it wasn’t like that!” Makoto stuttered, tensing up the moment he realized that Celeste was standing between him, Byakuya and Kyoko. “She just walked in and decided to see that before we could even—”

“Oh? And you just allowed her to? Did you not think to extend your hand, to let her know that it would be more fitting for either of you to tackle such a responsibility?” Celestia shot back, then giggled as the three looked at her with a mixture of anger (Togami,) fear (Naegi) and confusion (Kyoko.) “There, there, I am merely jesting. Have any relevant details surfaced while I was gone?”

They pointed towards the supposed murder weapon, covered in blood as it was. That the same could be said of the poster hanging on the wall—an interesting one considering which locker room they were occupying—and the carpet close to the hanging corpse, helped her to understand a bit of where they were at. And how apparently many details were still left unsaid before they could unravel the truth behind that case. 

“Sakura and Mondo have also confirmed that Chihiro spoke about getting stronger.” Kyoko added as soon as Celestia took her place beside her. Neither of them questioned how natural it felt for them to do so, to examine whatever it was together. “While Mondo didn’t elaborate or offer anything as to how and why, Sakura did mention that she never joined either her or Hina during their workout routines. Despite being invited to do so.”

“Hm, that would already establish what Chihiro was doing outside of her dorm room at 2AM—the time of the murder—wouldn’t it?” The gambler tilted her head, eyes running over the extension of the wound even though she was positive Kirigiri had already made any relevant notes regarding it by herself. In a smaller voice she continued, not entirely sure if she wanted the boys to overhear her, “and that would also be consistent with what happened just last night.”

“Hm?” 

Kyoko’s prod was light, the expression on her face a lot more curious than before. Since Makoto and Byakuya foolishly decided they were done looking around the crime scene at that same moment, Celestia sighed and took a small step closer to her companion. It wasn’t information she wanted to disclose with anyone else and as such, she wouldn’t go around speaking so openly about it. After all, it might have been the last time someone other than the killer saw the Ultimate Programmer alive.

“After dinner yesterday I was too restless to simply stay in my room.” She almost added that it might have had something to do with the nice time she spent braiding Kyoko’s hair and how she had thought about their interaction for the rest of the day, but it was neither the time nor the place to do it, she believed. It was no use bringing her foolish heart into the circumstances of the killing game. “And thus I decided to investigate the other rooms on the first floor that did open up after that terrible trial. Now, now, you are making quite a surprised face at me—have you forgotten that I had already glanced at them before?”

That Kirigiri did indeed look at her with a puzzled expression and seemed on the verge to say something, perhaps even advertise for caution, was sweet in a way that didn’t completely belong in the setting they were in. Nevertheless it made Celestia beam, a giggle escaping her lips before she could completely stop it. 

“No, I have not forgotten it at all.” Kyoko’s voice was clipped, her eyes cold. She also turned away, pretended to glance at the room as if to pinpoint any missing clues. Yet the whole thing didn’t last even ten seconds: soon enough she was facing Celestia again, clearing her voice before asking, “and did something… happen?”

“To me, no.” The gambler knew the question hadn’t been asked, but she answered it anyway. If that had been of interest to her partner or not, it was another matter altogether and one she didn’t wish to pursue while in the middle of a crime scene investigation. “What transpired and might be of importance, however, was that I met up with Chihiro late into the night. And that she was taking a duffel bag with a blue track jacket almost falling out of it, from the warehouse too.”

“A blue track jacket coming from a duffel bag…” Kyoko narrowed her eyes, pensive. For once her attention was solely on Celestia’s testimony. “Are you certain about the color?”

The question was expected and the gambler knew; it had been night time, for one, and rather gloomy under the scant light of the sole lamp at the storage room. Still, somehow it didn’t feel like the other girl was questioning the validity of her words, albeit that would be understandable given Celeste’s fame. 

No, she was just searching for more input, for certainty, instead. Never once seeming to doubt her companion as it was.

“I am, yes. The detail was rather imprinted in my mind for some reason.” 

“I see. Thank you for telling me, Celes.” Eyes quickly widening because of the nickname, Kyoko returned to the scene of the crime. “This confirms one of my theories given the testimonies I have received so far. As for you, you might find further, hidden clues if you examine the body. It’s okay if that’s too lofty of a task for you, however. It’s something that will certainly be addressed in the trial.”

It was impossible to tell if Kirigiri was being enigmatic on purpose, or if that was some sort of dare. Nevertheless, Celestia wasn’t one to skip over a hint, regardless of having to deal with the… most gruesome details of a murder investigation. After nodding at the other girl and leaving her to do her job, the gambler took a better look at the situation before approaching the body.

“Say, for the nature of this wound… don’t you recall there should be more blood around? I have been told that head injuries tend to be rather dramatic when it comes to the bleeding they engender.” Celeste commented, the tips of her fingers brushing around Chihiro’s outfit.

Nothing around her arms suggested more violence—as if the one hit the person had suffered was the fatal one. Even so, she could recall former times in which people had profusely bled from cranial wounds and what she saw right there contradicted it.

“That’s a good starting point, yes.” There was a smile on Kyoko’s voice. Almost as if she were proud that a pupil had made progress. “Perhaps that also ties in with what I want you to discover.”

“It shall be harder for me to make any discoveries if you continue to be that mysterious. Furthermore, with our lives at stake, is it even minimally productive for you to retain so much information to yourself?” Celestia playfully remarked.

“I trust y—your abilities.” Kyoko shrugged, though she hid her face at the last second as if she wished to say something else. “If you do need another prod, then look at the bounds, see what’s missing and what’s inconsistent.”

That the comment sounded like something out of a boring detective textbook (if such things existed) didn’t go unnoticed by the gambler. Even so she sighed, did what she had been told and soon came up with interesting information that confirmed her earlier view of the case.

“As I suspected. This is not Genocide Jack’s doing.” Celeste mumbled as she grabbed the extension cords wrapped tightly around Chihiro’s wrists. Without even needing to check for more evidence, she could tell why it felt all wrong. “And there are no slash marks around, meaning their preferred murder weapon wasn’t used. Somehow I don’t think they were lacking it, despite my disbelief that such a prolific killer would be a student.”

“Profiling teams would disagree with you on that, but you are correct in regards to the execution. Seems like you truly paid attention to those books we saw, didn’t you?”

Somehow it felt that such knowledge was older, deep rooted into memory for some reason or the other. Yet for the sake of investigating and keeping the momentum going Celestia simply nodded and went back to the task at hand. 

It took long and a bit of prodding for the gambler to realize what other inconsistencies were. How Chihiro’s e-handbook was missing and a thorough search around the mailbox located around the entrance area, where three others from the deceased students were stored, proved fruitless. While it came to no surprise that Kirigiri had known about that place and the other e-handbooks, what did was how much information both seemed to have about the so-called serial killer.

Things that went way beyond the files that Byakuya had shown them a few days ago.

“Am I misremembering it, or was there talk of a split personality?” The gambler asked as they made their way back towards the boys’ locker room, after making sure Chihiro’s e-handbook was nowhere to be found. At least not around that area, anyways. 

“You’re not, I believe.” Kyoko didn’t seem certain of it, even if she wasted no time thinking over the matter before giving an answer. It was almost as if her mind and mouth spoke in two different times, different languages. “Because there was never anyone in the vicinity whenever the murders occurred, it was a line of thought some of the detectives assigned to the case started pursuing. That and the fact that she was a student—”

“She? Are we certain the serial killer is a… Well, it would be rude not to think that a woman could go to such great lengths. Depending on her personality and motivations, perhaps she would have better ease or a bigger opening, if you will, to commit each and every one of those murders.” Celeste shrugged; somehow the argument felt familiar as it rolled over her tongue. 

What shocked her a bit more for some unknown reason was that Kirigiri easily agreed with her instead of offering any rebuttal. 

“Indeed. Even if the victims are always male, of distinct ages and builts.” 

Almost as if sensing Celestia’s disbelief, Kyoko stopped her examination of the posters and the strange stain on the carpet in order to meet the other girl’s gaze. They did nothing but look at each other for a few seconds, the same sensation that such a thing had already been a topic of discussion between them enveloping both girls.

Not that they voiced it, or the fact that a similar sensation encompassed them every now and then. 

In weird, unrelated moments.

In investigations.

In pointless things they talked about.

Celestia knew it wasn’t the time to be sentimental. Deep down she even rebuked herself for not acting in a more logical way when their situation clearly demanded such an approach. Yet it was undeniable that there was something between them, something that went way beyond superficial cooperation—two great minds working together in order to escape whatever ordeal they had been thrown at, by their own means.

That such means had been highly harmonious for the time being was only the product of coincidence, correct? 

If needed, one of them could and would resort to different alternatives. And perhaps the other would even be left to take the blame, to deal with whatever came next, too.

But for the time being and for that murder case at the very least, they would remain together. And it wouldn’t be that bad if Celeste voiced what she had been experiencing for the very beginning, was it?

Because certainly it wasn’t one-sided. She could almost see it, a reflection of her own fears and uncertainties, and other emotions she either couldn’t or wouldn’t name dancing on soft lilac irises. 

If one of them as much as reached out, and she was positive Kyoko wouldn’t be the one to bridge the gap—

“Y-y’all! I might uh, need some help.”

Hina’s voice broke through their reverie, startling both Celestia and Kirigiri. They shared one last, lingering look before turning towards the newcomer, who of course didn’t read the mood and went straight into letting them know that Toko was still speaking some very cryptic things. 

“She won’t come out of her room and I don’t know… I don’t wanna leave her alone while she’s saying all that stuff.” The Ultimate Swimmer confided in them, downcast. “So if either of you could come with me, that’d be awesome to be honest. I’m kinda lost about what to do.”

A heartbeat later and Kyoko was already making her way to the door. While at first Hina’s eyes opened in gratitude, sure as she was that the mysterious Ultimate was about to offer her aid, that was short lived.

“She’s spoken to you before, has she not?” Kirigiri queried, turning the slightest in order to throw the gambler a side-eyed glance. “Then I think you’ll be able to deal with this.”

“And you? Is there somewhere else you wish to investigate?” Celestia shot back, already taking a few steps in the other girl’s direction. “Perhaps the best way to deal with Toko is to leave her to her lonesome until the trial starts, n’est pas?”

“Who knows? You might hear something interesting in the meantime. Something useful.” A pause and then she went on, “as for investigating, not quite. There’s something I must deal with before the trial starts. I must ask both of you not to follow me, as the matter advises for discretion. Yet all will be revealed… soon.”

“But if it’s useful to the trial—” The swimmer started, reaching towards Kirigiri as the other girl took a few steps outside of the locker room. 

“It won’t be. Not this one at least.” 

“Very well. Provided you answer our questions later, that is.” Celeste intervened, a hand gently falling on Hina’s shoulder in order to stop her from badgering the other girl. 

At the very least it worked. Both of them watched in place as Kyoko faced them one last time, gently nodding at the two before walking away into the darkness of Hope’s Peak Academy. 

Although the investigation had yet to come to an end and more clues were gathered from Makoto and Toko’s ramblings, Celestia couldn’t help but keep thinking about that. About what could be coming next, what she had experienced earlier. Why she was oddly protective over that classmate, a stranger, and if the feeling was mutual based on their interactions during the day alone.

And what was more… had she imagined it, or had Kyoko’s eyes lingered on hers for the longest amount of time before she finally had to go?

Chapter Text

“But why? W-why try their hardest to manufacture hope, as you will, and then turn it into the entire student council right away?”

It took a while for the silence around the room to be broken by a sound that didn’t come from the outside world. Even after she was done reading the document that Kyoko had shown her, Celestia was unable to voice her opinion, to delve through what she was feeling. To let a version of her true emotions be seen, yet even the need to masquerade them was far from her mind and heart right then.

There was no need for one to play cool and nonchalant in a situation like that. Especially since the two of them had stumbled upon the crime scene to begin with. 

The video had been the confirmation of their worries; the document, more evidence and proof that someone from within the school had been partially behind it all. Instead of being placated by the fact that by then they knew a lot more about the horror they had found and reported, what transpired right then was that the proof led to more questions, more terror. 

More uncertainties than what they had simply hinted at before. 

“I don’t understand it, either.”

Kyoko’s voice was low and soothing. It was only once Celestia turned to stare at her, finally averting her gaze from the screen, that she realized how tension lined each and every one of the girl’s features. In sum, there was nothing calm about Kirigiri, but it seemed like she was doing her best to appear so.

If either of them could draw any comfort from her stance, then it would have to be enough, wouldn’t it?

“And then reveal him and his atrocities, parading him like so to the Reserve Course students? What are their plans? What spurred this on to begin with?” The gambler sighed, rising to her feet.

Pacing from side to side wasn’t something she was used to, but that helped at the moment. Vaguely aware that she was being watched, Celestia turned around in small circles, a way to make a very new, very dark feeling dissipate as much as possible—it was clearly hazing her mind, not letting her thoughts run in the way they were supposed to. No, if nothing it was almost as if she were doing exactly what the email’s sender wanted her to.

Almost as if she were allowing herself to fall to what was most likely a trap, a possible form of manipulation. An ounce of the truth that was being used as bait to lure others towards the desired outcome. Why, Celeste had used such strategies in the past during her games: letting a participant or the other believe they knew something about her, about her cards, about the play she would make. 

A few rounds later she revealed her true intention, winning the match in a spotless way and watching the other party fall into complete…

Despair. 

“Chances are we might be dealing with different culprits.” Kyoko spoke again only after she realized that Celeste’s steps were less frantic, regaining their usual cadence. “As in, the people responsible for Kamukura’s creation aren’t the same ones who are behind the tragedy we uncovered.”

That caught the gambler’s attention to an extent; she stopped walking somewhere close to the door and turned around, facing her companion. It made sense. Deep down it made complete and total sense, as logically no other explanation seemed to fit the two, very unlikely scenarios. 

“Why name him a symbol of hope and then ask him to murder people in cold blood like so?” Celeste nodded, not completely sure of what she was trying to say.

Her heart still wildly beat within her chest, a caged, trapped thing longing for comfort. It had acted up in such a manner a few times ever since that fastidious night, but something about actually bearing witness to what they had later on walked into made everything worse. Unable to keep that to herself, to feign more indifference or at least to show that she was doing better than she really was, Celeste covered her heart with a palm and took a deep, steadying breath.

Only to jolt in place the moment that a hand covered hers, Kyoko’s movements slow and quiet as she paced towards the other girl and stood beside her. An unsteady heartbeat later and the gambler found herself accepting that care, the other’s presence—it surely abated the despair that had been festering inside her, corroding her thoughts.

It surely made her recall that she wasn’t in the midst of that tragedy right there, but in a position that allowed her to investigate and bring to justice however had orchestrated that entire thing. 

“It’s okay. We will get through this and figure out what truly happened. If… you would like to investigate with me, that is.” 

Kyoko’s offer was kind, her voice gentle enough that the gambler understood she was under no obligation to keep going just because she was at the wrong place, the wrong time. It was grounding to hear that even though Celestia knew she wasn’t bound to the entire thing from the start. 

Even so, could she even abandon that, abandon her , after everything they had already gone through? After the detective had even trusted her enough to show her the email, the document—confidential matters that could and would be used on a trial later down the line?

“I do.” Celeste nodded. Hesitating didn’t befit her, nor did the acute sense of anxiety that tried to overtake her a few minutes ago. Without waiting for another prompt she took Kyoko’s hand in her own, lacing their fingers together. “It shall take more for you to get rid of me that easily, Lady Detective.”

“Good.” Kirigiri beamed. It wasn’t a full smile, as they were shaken from the case and everything they had seen so far, but still a nice touch. Warmth amidst a gloomy morning. “I will speak to my father, as I mentioned before, and will let you know if something changes throughout the day. Would that be to your liking?”

“Absolutely.” The gambler nodded. “As much as I would rather alert the rest of the class about what has happened and what that might entail—as our classmates from the Reserve Course will not take this lightly, I am afraid—mayhaps it would be best for us not to mention this issue at all during lessons.”

Kirigiri pursed her lips, weighing what options they had. Surely it went without saying that Celestia’s prediction on the non-Ultimate students was a given; maybe even the reason why such a thing had been done and exposed, for one. Whoever was behind that part of the whole ordeal was either trying to go for an elaborate prank, or a very big thing in regards to the school itself. There was no way that occurrence wouldn’t reverberate through the very foundations of Hope’s Peak Academy—and even so when one took into account everything related to Izuru Kamukura, the project they were unaware of. 

In the end, the two decided to partake in their usual routine, not just for the sake of not letting others think there was something going on, but also since it would give them an opportunity to spy on the rest of the school. Theorizing about the entire matter while stuck in their bedrooms would only get them so far.

Hence they parted ways during breakfast, pretending to meet at the cafeteria as if they hadn’t discussed an important matter beforehand. The rest of the class, and the rest of the school for that matter, was still completely oblivious to what had transpired: there were no mentions of strange emails or the reason why their classes had been moved to another building, as part of the school had been closed off to undergo renovations all of a sudden. 

Students enjoyed their time, attended lectures as if the other portion of the school grounds didn’t even exist—a reality that was made more and more obvious the longer Kyoko and Celeste stared at the torn campus, at the invisible yet distinct line that separated the talented from the simply rich.

A line that, they could tell, might spell their doom. Or one that would be crossed sooner or later, as the two left for the dorms pretty much convinced they had seen very little from the Reserve Course pupils as the day went by.

“My father responded sooner than I thought he would.” 

Kyoko’s statement was said in a whisper, one that surprised Celestia anyways. There was urgency to her words, the sound somehow reminding the gambler of a dark pink hue which was at odds with the perfect, orange twilight that painted the sky around them. Celeste herself, much calmer after a day of pretending nothing more was happening at all, smiled and giggled at complete ease—as if Kirigiri had said something funny or teasing instead of urgent.

“Oh? Did he give you any sort of lead?” She replied in the same, casual tone.

To the curious onlooker they were just high school kids, speaking of grades or homework to be done. A few of their classmates were meandering around them in clusters of their own, yet it was important to keep up appearances: the last thing the two girls wanted was to even tip someone off that they knew more than they were letting on.

“Even better: a chance to investigate. I skipped lunch for a private meeting with him, and he scheduled an interview with someone from inside the project, as there were many things even the headmaster isn’t fully aware of.” Kyoko sighed, the sound short-lived as she, too, did her best to keep up appearances. “Or that he deliberately chose not to be fully aware of. Anyways, so tonight I have a meeting with that person and… I did ask if I could bring an, ahem, ‘involved party’ and you are more than invited to come along if you so desire.”

Celestia appeared thoughtful just for the sake of her act—there was no need to ponder over that, over what she knew she wanted and needed to do. If nothing, it was just so she could make sure that her companion was safe. Meeting someone in the middle of the night, after curfew was established and after everything they had seen so far seemed far more dangerous than it should have been.

“I shall be there. Let me know when we will rendezvous later on and if I should bring something as well.” The gambler answered. Her gaze swept from left to right for a second, just to make sure there was no one leaning too close to them. There wasn’t, but still. Being cautious was strictly necessary at that point in time. “And do you suppose that person might also know about what befell the student council members?”

“That is unclear. I would still very much like to look into the incident and what caused it to begin with. That means we have to dig deeper into the issues described by the document itself—surely not everything about the project and its results were revealed to the public. For one, if the uh, experiment was a failure to the point that the individual itself decided it was okay to commit mass murder, then why was Kamukura let loose? Or if it was successful, then why—”

“M-mass murder?!”

The outcry made not just Celestia and Kyoko turn to glance at the familiar voice, but pretty much every student present at the courtyard at that moment in time. Startled, Kirigiri fumbled for an excuse, any reason as to why she had said something like that (which shouldn’t be difficult considering her talent, but that surely didn’t come to mind right then,) whereas the Ultimate Gambler found in herself the will to giggle at Toko Fukawa.

“Indeed, a mass murder! It is what I have been saying to my dear Kyoko here… that some of my gambles were so good, they made a few players go mad to the point that they committed mass murder because of them. Now, it is of course an exaggeration—”

“N-no. That wasn’t… that wasn’t what you were saying at—” 

Toko’s callout turned into a surprised screech the moment that Kirigiri took one of her arms and conducted her away from the courtyard, to a more secluded area closer to the main building. Unsure about what to do, Celestia kept her composure for as long as she knew that she was being watched, giggling to herself as if the funniest, most carefree thing ever had just occurred.

Schooling her heart, her posture, her steps to be nothing but light and breezy, she joined the others while mentally cursing the newcomer for almost exposing them. 

“... keep quiet unless you want everything I know about you exposed as well.” Kyoko was speaking as the gambler approached. The moment she felt the other girl’s presence she turned around and gave a small nod, then indicated Toko again with a tilt of her head. “She thinks we were clueless about her.”

Far be it from Celestia to wonder what her companion was talking about. Still, one glance at the trembling Fukawa and she knew it was important to keep up that act, to help Kyoko get what they both needed: silence. It would do no good if everything they had discovered so far was broadcast to the rest of the school at that point in time, not if what they were predicting actually happened.

“Ah, does she now? Well, I’m sorry to have to prove you wrong, but we have been on your case for weeks now.” Celestia elaborated, menacingly stepping closer to Toko. Her drawing back, trying to put as much space between them as possible, was the confirmation her and Kirigiri needed that there was indeed something she kept a secret. And possibly something big. “You aren’t the only one to go sniffing around, overhearing conversations you weren’t invited to and so on.”

“B-but I just uh… It’s not my fault you guys were that close to me! And acting all mushy mushy while talking about something that… ugh!” Toko’s eyes widened and she struggled against Kyoko’s grip for a second before sighing, defeated. “I didn’t h-hear everything, but if a m-murder was involved then you have to admit I might be of… some use to you.”

The gambler watched the split second during which Kyoko’s expression shifted from open curiosity to resignation—as if she had gotten some sort of confirmation to a suspicion, something she hadn’t been able to prove beforehand. Puzzled, Celeste glanced at her and waited, crossing her arms as the scene unfolded. 

“Indeed you may be.” The detective let go of the Ultimate Writing Prodigy, staring at her for a heartbeat longer before she said anything else. “It is a serious matter, however, and not something to be taken lightly or to be just seen as a feature you’ll later include in one of your novels. Are you willing to join us? To investigate and above all else, keep quiet until it’s actually time to reveal everything that has transpired?”

“Kyoko—” Celeste meddled, letting some of her confusion show in the way she frowned, how her hands gripped the brown blazer with more strength than they should. 

Just what exactly was the girl thinking, confiding into a random classmate like that? What did she know that hadn’t been shared with her despite everything they had been through together in the last few days? Pushing down on the sense of betrayal, stupid as it was given how her proximity to Kirigiri even started, Celestia sighed as the detective’s answer was to shake her head at her. 

“I… I am. Something’s off and I can fe-feel it.” Toko replied, glancing at both of the other girls with a serious expression. “Even if no one else tells us anything. If nothing, I’m s-sure I can provide valuable insight in exchange for… your silence over… y-yeah.”

“That sounds like a deal, then.” Celestia spoke up, beaming at their classmate. What sort of deal it was, she couldn’t tell. Yet her gambler’s intuition told her to trust, to make something out of that opportunity—it wouldn’t be for nothing, and perhaps yield better results than she thought right then. “We shall text you the meeting place for tonight and oh, please do not be late!”

They parted ways without more words being said. The gambler even tried asking Kirigiri what that was about, why she had trusted someone they barely knew and hardly ever talked about with information that valuable, getting nothing but a smirk in response. The one thought that solaced her was that maybe Kyoko’s detective instincts had spoken to her just like her gambler’s intuition had a few minutes ago. And if their talents were that adamant that Toko might be able to help, then surely no harm would come from it, right?

Still, when night time approached and Kyoko contacted them both, Celestia was unsure about what would happen next. What they would see and why that Fukawa girl might be a valuable ally. 

It took no more than them walking towards the meeting spot where Kirigiri was supposed to meet her father’s contact for her to figure out why.

At first it didn’t seem like the three girls would have reason to worry about their nightly encounter with a mysterious person. Everything went as planned, them meeting at the entrance to the main building a few minutes before the agreed time and moving as silently and quickly as possible to the designated location, the eastern quarter of the courtyard. It was easier said than done, as there were few sources of illumination around—given how distracted and on edge some of them were, tripping and almost falling were common occurrences. 

It got to the point that Kyoko laced her arm with Celestia just to keep her stable, though the same courtesy wasn’t extended to a stumbling Toko for some reason. 

Even so they managed to arrive without further complications, which already made Celeste’s mind flare to life with a few implications: how hadn’t school security been increased after what happened? They were covering up the incident, correct, and a sudden influx of bodyguards and whatnot would have been entirely too suspicious during daylight hours, but still. There were almost no reasons not to do something like that at night time, since students were supposed to be blissfully asleep.

Blissfully ignorant of what was transpiring at the place they called their home. 

“Pfff… your g-guy sure is late.” Toko commented with a sneer. Leaning against the nearest building, she hugged herself and looked around to and fro.

“Perhaps he has forgotten that although the headmaster might have some qualms about leaking his secrets, I do not.” Kyoko countered, posture stiff. She had mentioned the need to bribe that member of the steering committee like that before he actually agreed to meet her, despite her father almost coaxing him into it. “Nevertheless, we lose nothing from waiting a bit more.”

“Like h-hell we don’t! We could be murdered right there, right n-now! Or are you that c-callous that you don’t care about our miserable lives?” 

“Oh, I am positive you would have no trouble defending yourself if peril approached.” Kyoko’s voice dripped with sarcasm—so much that it called Celeste’s attention right away. Just what was she hinting at? “Extend that pleasantry to us as well, if you will, and remember that I also would have no qualms about revealing—”

“Okay, okay, I got it! Sheesh, no need to be so pushy, detective lady.” Toko bristled, looking away from the two of them. A second later her eyes widened, expression shifting to a weird, twisted smile that chilled even the gambler’s heart. “O-oooooooh… you should’ve told me you were gonna meet someone like that .”

She didn’t need to point or motion; Kyoko and Celeste turned to glance at the other side of the courtyard and immediately saw someone else approaching. His expression was shadowed, becoming a bit more visible whenever he stepped closer to the lamp lights scattered around campus, but there was a tired look to the guy that hinted at someone who was dealing with a lot.

Given his position and what had happened, that wasn’t a difficult conclusion to arrive at.

Posture slumped, languid stride and a disgruntled expression that was enough to signal how much he would rather be anywhere else but there. That was the impression the three of them got from the man, one that perhaps would be shattered the moment he opened his mouth to speak.

That was, if whatever words he had been about to say weren’t twisted into a scream as soon as something fell straight over him.

Gasping, Toko scrambled behind the nearest building just as he fell to the ground. 

Kyoko placed a hand in front of Celestia, as if that would be enough to protect her from a projectile that had clearly come from above them.

And Celeste looked up around them, cursing the fact that they were surrounded by buildings—

Until another school desk fell onto the man, producing a strangled noise instead of a scream like one would expect.

The three students were frozen to the spot, stunned in fear. They could do nothing but watch as another desk and then another made a perfect trajectory down to the man who, at that point, had already ceased to move or breathe. Blood pooled from underneath the haphazard pile the furniture was already making, a sight that was enough to elicit a distant cry from Toko.

Yet it was only when they heard something collapse behind them that Celeste and Kyoko finally moved, awakened from the strange spell that had been cast on them.

“We’re not safe here.” The detective tugged at the gambler’s uniform, spared a glance to where Toko was supposed to be hidden and cursed the moment she saw nothing but two legs sticking from behind the corner. “Damn it, did she faint?”

“Oh dear… wasn’t she exempt from our laboratory classes last month because of something related to blood?” Celestia queried, more to calm herself down than due to the fact that she was actually curious. “And yet for her to swoon in a time like th—”

She flinched and almost tripped at the sudden rush of air, so close to both of them. The loud sound came next and finally, the realization that a desk had been thrown her way. And that it had landed so close, that if she had sidestepped for whatever reason she would have been hit. 

“We need to get out of here. Now.” Kyoko pulled again, especially since Celestia’s eyes were wide open and fixated on the desk that had almost hurt her. “Celeste!”

It was only when she was shaken by the taller girl that the gambler managed to furiously blink, dispel the emotions which threatened to take her under for the second time on the same day. Then she moved on unsteady legs, both of them making their way towards where Toko was…

Mere seconds before another desk landed not that far away from them.

“Who is doing this? What is the meaning of this nonsense?!” Celeste screamed in fury—anger that masqueraded fear, that fueled action instead of allowing her to wallow in chilling despair. Glancing down at a very pale, very unconscious Toko, she grabbed the writer’s shoulders and proceeded to move her as well. “Wake up, damnit! Unless you wanna be turned into a pancake by this psycho!”

“If she doesn’t come to, we’ll have to—”

Kirigiri’s sentence was interrupted by another loud thud very close to them—there was no need to look up and see that yes, they were still under attack. Luckily, however, the noise was just what Toko needed in order to be jolted awake…

And to surprise them with her words as soon as she sat up and spoke.

“Yoooo, rude??? The heck you trying to do, waking me up like that?! If you weren’t girls, you’d be on your way to be chop-chop-chopped into tiny—HOA?!”

A chair came flying in her direction. At first Celeste’s and Kyoko’s eyes widened, sure as they were that their classmate would be hit head on without a chance of escape. A split second before it could connect, however, the girl leaned back and avoided it, the motion to fluid it was hard to believe someone like Toko Fukawa was capable of such a thing. 

“What the—” Celeste started; a glance at Kirigiri and the way she was smirking let her know that the other girl had been expecting that for some reason or the other. “Can this night get any crazier?”

“Less talking, more running, you filthy poker player.” Toko, or whoever she was, announced before nimbly sidestepping a table nearby. “Unless you wanna be squished by this very weird, very smart killer that is. Race y’all to the dorm roommmmm.”

She bolted to the left, again avoiding another desk as if it was no trouble at all. Before any of them could ask just what was happening, Kyoko motioned to Celestia’s right, then rushed to the center of the courtyard; it didn’t take a genius to understand that her plan was for them to separate for the time being in order to make the strange shooter choose between one of them.

Praying she wasn’t seen as the most threatening member of their little entourage, the gambler gulped and dashed as fast as she could. Although there was little distance to cover between where they were and where they would meet, it felt like she was running for a while, a sensation that was strengthened whenever she dared to look at the path Kyoko had taken… and see that a few desks still littered the ground every here and there.

The culprit had indeed chosen their target. And of course it was the detective instead of the other two. 

In the end it was a blessing that she arrived last, as at the very least it meant she wasn’t forced to wonder about her companions’ whereabouts and fates. Instead she was met with a certain detective’s worried, lingering stare. A palm that cupped her cheek, turning her face this way and that for scrutiny, before the taller student let go and sighed in what sounded a lot like relief.

“You’re… not hurt, are you?” Kyoko finally inquired, still not convinced that everything was okay.

The warmth of her words and the heat of her palm enveloped Celestia, making the moment almost bittersweet.

Well, almost . Because of course someone else had to intervene.

“Nyahahaha! Such a touching yuri scene. Now kiss and make up and forget that the world’s falling apart, will ya?” Toko mocked, eyes locked into them. Her tongue fell from the side of her mouth and her smile was twisted in a sense, which made the entire thing even stranger. “I doooo like my yaoi, don’t get me wrong, but heh. Won’t mind some girlie action after the stupid stuff we went through.”

Blushing, Kyoko took a step away from Celestia; the gambler herself remained a bit more composed, even though too many feelings, too many thoughts, kept her heart and mind racing, unfocused. It was as if that entire night was too surreal—nothing but a terrible, weird nightmare that she couldn’t really explain. 

One riddled with mysteries she had absolutely no clue about, but was forced to solve if she wanted to move on with things one way or the other.

A growing certainty took her over, however, as soon as she turned to glance at the one called Toko Fukawa. While physically she resembled the girl she saw every day in class, there were too many differences to attest that she was indeed the same person. Gone was the sloppy posture, the air of defeat and gloom that hung around her. Gone was her predisposition to falling and making a mess of herself whenever sports events were involved.

And in its place were characteristics that weren’t completely opposite, but a far cry from the girl they knew. 

“Who… who exactly are you?” Celestia queried, more than glad to also forget the issue with the desks for the time being. That would be dealt with and later, yes, but first thing first… “Because I have a very strong impression that you are not Toko Fukawa.”

“She is Toko Fukawa alright,” Kyoko spoke instead, arms crossed in front of her chest in a defensive position. “Yet she is also not. Am I correct… Genocide Jack?”

Chapter Text

Redecorating the trial grounds did nothing to change the cruel reality which surrounded them.

Going through it a second time, having to doubt everyone and make sure their testimonies and assumptions were correct, more jarring than their first round doing the exact same. 

Exposure was necessary for humans to get used to some things. That was a notion that Celestia agreed with, and had proof that it worked: if at first she had been unwilling to mess with the darker, more dangerous portions of the gambling world because of all that it entailed, such carefulness soon disappeared as soon as she realized how much more she could gain there.

How little the consequences were to herself. Provided she played her hand correctly, flawlessly. 

While the same worked in regards to the class trial, it wasn’t as if she were the only player she had to watch out for: one wrong assumption carried forward was all it would take for everyone’s lives but the blackened’s to be taken away. Thus she made sure to be respected, heard, important. That her words would never be foolish or out of place, but sentences that would shed light into whatever had happened in the murder case.

It helped that she and Kyoko shared some information before the trial could start, of course.

And it helped even more when the Ultimate of unknown talent beamed or nodded at her whenever she said something or the other as well.

She didn’t speak up right away, letting the others (namely Makoto) do the heavier lifting in the beginning. There was no need to refute something so stupid as the murder weapon, true. But things shifted a lot the moment Byakuya decided it was time to frame none other than Genocide Jack for the murder.

“It wasn’t Genocide Jack,” both her and Kyoko said at the same time.

The outburst caused everyone in the trial grounds, including a surprised Toko, to glance their way, from one to the other. Maybe it was due to how certain both of them were about that matter, or even worse, the reason why they were that certain of such an affirmation. A few students tittered, saying something or the other about how a serial murderer like that couldn’t even be in their midst to begin with, how Togami was crazy to raise such an issue to begin with.

“Oh? But there is proof to suggest otherwise.” Byakuya quickly countered them, appalled at their outburst. “The bloodied message and the way the body was suspended. Both are very important clues that also tie in to this killer’s telltale signs.”

“And yeah man, there’s no way someone like him would be among us too, haha. Right…?” Hiro asked, looking distraught the moment no one agreed with him. 

“But he is. The killer’s true identity is Toko Fukawa.” The Ultimate Affluent Progeny finished, pointing a finger in the smaller girl’s direction.

After a little back and forth during which neither Celestia nor Kyoko intervened, Togami was able to convince most people that it was indeed like so: their classmate, the strange Ultimate, also harbored another personality within her. While it wasn’t the complete truth of that case, as Kirigiri and the gambler would speak of as soon as that line of thinking was over, perhaps it was important for the others to learn about that, too.

When dealing with complete strangers while in a killing game, knowledge was indeed power. And the more one knew about their companions, the lesser the chance to be fooled by them.

“I can attest to the personality shift indeed.” The gambler spoke up again, even if intuition, her own talent, whispered that it wasn’t that relevant to the case at large. Something about Toko’s demeanor while they were alone had unsettled her, however, and she found herself seeking answers instead of just accepting what had happened. “I personally walked her to her room after the fainting spell and she said the most outlandish things.”

“Such as admitting to murdering someone? Chihiro, perhaps?” Byakuya pressed, a smirk covering his lips. The sight alone was enough to irk Celestia, but she knew she had to be better than that.

“No. And that is because she is not the one behind that murder, regardless of how calm and composed she was upon seeing the body again.” Turning towards Toko as fast as she could so that Togami couldn’t refute her, she went on, “care to elaborate on this?”

“H-hhhhuh? I n-never said anything to you, you stupi—” The Ultimate Novelist stuttered, though everything about her demeanor spoke otherwise. She trembled, looked away from everyone and glanced at Byakuya with accusing, pleading eyes. “A-and you promised you wouldn’t… wouldn’t t-tell…”

As soon as Togami let the others know that he had had a weird conversation with Toko, one in which she confessed being Genocide Jack, he made the girl more franctic by accusing her of murdering Chihiro all over and over again. Of course there was a point when too much was too much: Toko fainted for the second time on that day alone.

And when she got to her feet there was a strange smile on her face, everything about her earlier demeanor completely changed.

“Ah, this is the person I talked to, yes…” Celestia mumbled as Genocide made her own introduction… in her own weird way.

That the class was quick to fall on her case didn’t help matters either. Her saying she didn’t do anything that time around went unheard until some more issues with the way things had happened were brought into question. While at first she was unsure about whether to meddle or not, knowing that she was in dire need of learning what their exact thought process was during trials, Celestia held back for as long as she could. Then and only then did she mention the extension cords, the murder weapon. 

How sloppily everything was executed in contrast to how minute and precise the actual serial killer’s murders were done. Somehow that argument, as well as some other things that emerged then, were enough to shift everyone’s opinions when it mattered the most. 

“As both Ms. Ludenberg and I said a long while ago, it wasn’t Genocide Jack. This is nothing but a copycat murderer.” Kyoko stated, crossing her arms and sighing. “Which was possible since the issue and some but not all of the most notable aspects of this killer were mentioned in meetings.”

“Can we move on, now?” Celestia nodded, bored. She wanted to get away from that topic and, for some reason, away from the fiendish murderer’s cunning stare, too.

Of course that was exactly what didn’t happen.

“Oooooh, I knew you two were still being all buddy-buddy. Though something happened didn’t it? Y’all look a bit too cold!” Genocide Jill leaned forward, scrutinizing both the gambler and the other Ultimate. A second later she was brandishing her familiar scissors around, as if to make her point clear. “Why are you so far apart? And where’s the hand holding, the caresses, the Ultimate Yuri as I so loved to call yo—”

“I uh, I suppose it would be very helpful now to determine the actual culpri—” Celestia began, trying to draw attention away from whatever the hell the other girl was saying.

“Well, if it wasn’t Genocide Jack, then it had to be Byakuya! Because he’s been trying to frame her all this time.” Someone suggested.

And for a while… It was a theory that held a bit of weight due to parts of the evidence that could and would be tied to that guy. Of course it wasn’t the end of it, and not just because of his attitude towards being put on the spot like that. And the moment his tampering with the crime scene was established due to a joint effort by Naegi, Kirigiri and Celestia, the rest of the class was more than ready to never speak to him again.

“Man, what a waste of time and energy…” Hina sighed, shaking her head. “I just wanna get out of here.”

Slowly but surely everything fell together into a tight fit puzzle. Kyoko took everyone on a little trip to the murder scene in order to explain a singular detail—an essential thing to solving the entire mystery as it was. Celestia’s own account of seeing Chihiro proved to be very necessary to solving the entire murder, too. And everything that was said did not refer to Byakuya, who only made things difficult for everyone involved, or to Genocide Jack, who was completely innocent that time around. Nor did it point to anyone else other than…

Mondo Owada himself. Who was identified first and foremost for a slip of his tongue.

His confession took many off guard. Especially in the way it related to the motive that Monokuma had used to bait them, to Chihiro’s own wish to overcome their perceived weakness. How that was interpreted by the culprit, and the resulting actions. How past influenced present, and taking someone’s frame at face value would just blind them to their true intentions. 

His proximity to Kyoko, who was the first to outwardly accuse him, scared Celeste. Especially when he got louder, his words and gestures more expansive and guided by emotion instead of reason—what if he tried to hurt her, regardless of the rules? She kept an eye on him and another on the other girl, wishing to intervene but stopping herself entirely as soon as she recalled how stupid that was.

How stupid he had been, to have fallen for that trap right away. For listening to Kirigiri when she said she knew who the culprit was (even if she proved later on that she had, due to another slip of the tongue) and letting himself spiral downwards the longer the trial went on. It didn’t matter that he was mostly quiet beforehand.

It didn’t matter that his awful past had paved a way to his present, lingering on his mind in the middle of a killing game, no less. He had taken a life just so his secret wouldn’t be revealed.

He had acted on emotion, just so his wounded self wouldn’t be exposed.

What an end, however, befell him soon afterwards.

What a terrible way to go. A terrible way to structure a murder—or rather, not to structure a murder, really, as things would have been a lot more straightforward if Togami hadn’t intervened.

Watching the execution was, of course, shocking. Monokuma wasn't holding back on those, perhaps as a way to drive the point home: if one failed to hide their actions, they would be punished equally or worse than whatever pain they had inflicted. Seeing the terrible fear, otherworldly despair, etched on Mondo's face made Celestia shudder—instinctively she took a step closer to Kyoko, whose hand enclosed hers a second later.

Both of them shaking as the motorcycle sped up and up and up, until… 

It was over. And the only thing left for the remaining students was fear. Uncertainty. The unknown future stretching ahead of them and the knowledge that after two murders, it would be tough to really trust each other. To rest so assured that no one would kill.

There were cries and screams, tears that fell to the ground. Only a few remained stoic, though Togami of course wanted nothing to do with everyone else’s emotions.

As for Celeste, well… Although her face revealed her shock, a very valid and strong sensation right then, what she kept hidden was contempt. 

How could a sloppily executed murder almost have fooled many of them?

How could something so based on conjecture, on luck, on assumptions, have held some of the class entranced like so?

How had a case born from uncontrolled emotions be that important, that relevant, to the point that she herself was shaking due to the impact of witnessing someone else’s demise?

Byakuya had even seen Mondo exiting the girl’s locker room—such a simple failure as a murderer, for one, that would have spelled his undoing if Togami had been working with the class instead of just wishing to “make things more interesting” to begin with.

If they would be dealing with amateurs for the rest of the game, then well, there was nothing to worry about, correct? And the same could be said if a killer of a higher caliber decided to show their true colors…

The elevator ride back up towards the school ground was quiet, tense. Lingering darkness surrounded the Ultimates, heavy and oppressive, almost palpable as a result of their crushed hopes. No conversation was held, although doubt beat within their hearts alongside sadness, fear, overwhelming anxiety. Questions caused by Monokuma’s words, the fact that they had hinted at the significance of the overly dramatic executions as something more than just making sure the students never forgot what was at play.

How much could they truly trust that, however, and what if the bear’s speech was nothing but bait, another way to scare and intimidate them?

Those were questions that lingered after the students dispersed; dazed, they went straight to their rooms and unspokenly decided to skip meals, get some time for themselves. 

Kyoko and Celeste were the last to enter their respective rooms, eyes lingering on the other a little bit longer than it would be normal. Almost as if they wished to speak with gaze alone. To make sure the other was okay, warmth coloring their cheeks the slightest as soon as they realized it was that.

Without a smile, as the two girls realized it would be a little too soon after everything they had seen and done that day alone, they nodded and eventually parted ways.

Locking her room, the gambler tried to make sense of the jumble that were her thoughts at that moment in time. Anger, fury, sadness, fear: those emotions were the loudest, echoing images and words in her mind even without her being able to translate everything into coherent sentences. Sayaka’s body, the truth of her case, the nature of her murder. Chihiro’s corpse, the lies and secrets that the setup hid, the motivations that fueled the killer’s actions. 

The more she thought of them as she paced around the room in circles, somehow too restless in order to fall on the bed and hope sleep would claim her, the more they seemed… Too little, for her. 

Too simplistic.

Too crude.

Too…  

Tasteless, in a sense.

Granted, her brushes with death had been less flourished, less covered in mystery: they were nothing but mere payment, a promise coming to life as a bet was made, then lost to her unmatched skills. It was unfortunately black and white like so; never had she stumbled on an occasion in which her heart had ached for the one who had opposed her. After all, failure on her part would signify her death without her dreams even being fulfilled.

And although in that sole aspect those deadly games hadn’t been that different from the killing school life she was in right then, her feelings towards the victims, the blackened and the executions were mixed. A first in her entire life, albeit she had heard some confessions before. 

If the fact that her heart was indeed heavier had nothing to do with one’s dying words, then what could be it?

And since she was speaking of illogical, unexplained emotions that could and might hinder her in the future… 

What could she say of her strange pull towards Kyoko Kirigiri, the Ultimate of unknown talent?

No one in their class, friend, foe or a secret third option, would ever deny that Kirigiri was a force to be reckoned with—in that one and only aspect, Togami had been correct. She was smart, cunning, used to dirty work in and outside of crime scenes. The method through which she had been able to accuse Mondo, the way she had manipulated her words and his own until they finally got a confession had been amazing, to say the least. The work of a true professional, or someone who had to be familiar with the ins and outs of the human psyche in some way. 

Her keen eye was also helpful when it came to investigations. Nothing was left aside, no clue undetected. Sure, they usually worked in complementary ways, as Celestia herself was also used to looking at details and reading expressions, weighing words—helpful skills when one went up against the best poker players in the entire world, for example—but still. There was a difference as to how they approached it.

And that difference, that synergy if one would, was what had made them such an amazing team so far. Well, that and the complete cluelessness of the last two murders, true, one a case of self-defense and the other something motivated by nothing but sheer emotion, undiluted fear.

But, say, if one were to actually plan way beyond what little Maizono had done when she had the chance, regardless of the terrible outcome…

No, no. Celestia shook her head, sighed, glanced around the room in order to seek some form of inspiration. There was nothing around that could calm her, however. No reminder of the world she had somehow left behind, of the world she wished to return to. No cards to play with, no poker to increase her fortune.

The ever present dream of an European castle with her cast of loyal servants getting farther and farther away from her just because of a stupid bear. 

It was becoming harder and harder to assume she would simply be able to walk out of that by waiting out. For the authorities to do something and rescue them. For the subsequent murders to be just as dull so she and whoever else remained may escape unscathed—a dwindling, dangerous possibility the longer they were locked in together and submitted to such atrocities as a group. There would come a point in which they would despise each other so badly, it would be impossible to predict who would kill the others first, she knew. 

And if someone ever thought about killing more than just one of them—

Again she halted the thought, the sudden inspiration. Too much evidence, she supposed, too many more chances to be pinned down. It would make her situation a lot easier if one of her classmates was foolish enough to attempt it, though surely by then more than one potential murderer had already realized that Kyoko was someone who should be eliminated and soon. 

Given how much she had been working with her, too, that also made Celestia a very good target, didn’t it?

It was no use. Her mind was overwhelmed and her heart, confused. Sighing, the gambler made her way to the mattress and allowed her body to collapse against it in a very unlady-like manner, something she would never do in presence of someone such as Kyoko.

Kyoko…

Picturing those piercing lavender irises, the small smile that sometimes adorned her lips and seemed to always be aimed at Celestia, she closed her eyes and beamed, focusing on nothing but that. At least it felt like she had connected with someone.

And as much as she would like to think that such a connection was solely a perk she would explore if and when push came to shove, her treacherous heart lurched, ached in denial at those words.

In the same way that Monokuma seemed to be hinting that there was more to the killing game than what the students knew…

Celestia’s entire being was forever telling her that there was more between her and Kyoko than what she herself knew.

Chapter Text

“How long have you known?” 

Celeste’s question lingered in the air, breaking through the silence that had surrounded both her and Kyoko for countless seconds. Its tension didn’t come only for the nature of the inquiry, the implication that the detective had kept something away from her, but from everything that had happened thus far.

It was tough to remain hopeful, not to give in to such darker emotion, given the nature of what they would be doing that evening alone.

“Not too long.” Kirigiri whispered; there was an undertone to her voice that hadn’t been there before. A note of sadness, perhaps guilt. Of course the gambler wouldn’t directly assume so, not without a full confession, but at the very least it was nice to imagine such was the case. “While researching private documents in order to get a better understanding of the school council and what befell it, I did stumble into some extra records. Namely a physician’s notes on Fukawa, and how they believed they had finally witnessed an actual case of split personalities. 

“They were kind enough to include a transcription of their dialogue with Toko, or should I say, with Genocide, and some of what was mentioned tied in with our previous research. Let it be known, Celeste, that if it weren’t for the fact that we were discussing the case so openly and thoroughly during classes, I might not have made the connection right then.”

If the little plea to her case made any difference, the gambler didn’t let that show. Instead she kept her face neutral and her eyes straight ahead—a must given what they would do soon, what would be happening in the next few hours. How night had become their friend and worst enemy at the same time, those hours the only ones in which the two of them could speak freely and do more of their detective work.

Paradoxically, they were also the moments in which the two (or the three) were the most vulnerable, the most susceptible to being taken out of the picture by whoever had sent those chairs their way a few days ago.

Or by another, certain someone, or the person they were waiting for while hiding behind a building, too. 

“I see.”

Celestia’s voice was clicked, though her annoyance in regards to that had almost faded away already. She had known from the beginning that Kirigiri wouldn’t be that trusting—especially not with someone with a title as the Queen of Liars. Circumstance had brought them closer, yes, but it couldn’t completely override habit, override caution.

Override the need to work in solitude from time to time, instead of having to report her every finding to someone who wasn’t even her boss to begin with. 

Still she did nothing to show the other girl that things would be okay and soon. Maybe it was whimsy of her, yes, but in the very end she wanted to be included. Regarded as important. Kept close for investigations, for whatever would happen going onwards. Yes, she wasn’t a killer like their classmate, but that didn’t make her useless, right?

As someone who could sniff out lies, which she had been mulling over to begin with when it came to that entire, weird case, then her participation was paramount. 

“Listen, I was going to tell you sooner.” Kirigiri shot back. Any apologetic trace, any semblance of patience, was gone by the time she parted her lips. Or when she read the indifference in Celestia’s demeanor. “But then we became involved into something bigger, more important, and there wasn’t really time—”

“Oooooooh, lovers’ quarrel? Me oh my, that fool Toko’d have looooooved to see that.”

The two girls jumped, looking away from each other and towards the newcomer at the same time. The fact that they were both blushing, something that Celestia confirmed by glancing at Kyoko from the corner of her eye, probably made everything worse. When that girl, that strange classmate who had helped them the other day, fell into hysterics at the sight of them, the gambler was convinced they had made somewhat of a scene.

“Nyahahahahaha! Knew it! Poker girl and Detective Lady are soooo in love! What, are ya gonna kiss and make up right in front of silly ol’ me? As I said before, don’t mind my himejoshi—”

“S-shut up.” Kyoko stuttered, her voice lacking some of its usual strength. That surely caught their attention more than her order, as both turned to stare at her and wait to see if she would say something more. “I mean it. There’s an important task we must complete and no one has time for such stupid comments.”

“Awwww can’t believe someone so pwetty is so grumpy. Whad'ya mean, there’s no time for love? There’s always time for—”

“If you do not wish to cooperate willingly, we shall dismiss your aid and tell everyone the secret that you harbor.” It was Celestia’s time to threaten the girl. It took a while for her to realize that she was literally talking down to a serial killer, someone who could and would silence her in some… very unusual ways if she so desired.

And somehow, one glance at Genocide Jack and the gambler was convinced she wasn’t in any danger. Especially as the killer grinned at both of them a second later, triumphantly so. 

“See? Now you girlies agree about something and are no longer fighting! Am I or am I not a genius and great for relationship advice?”

Kyoko sighed, shaking her head. Meanwhile Celestia tested her luck by glaring at the killer, deeming that she was indeed safe when the one response she got was more maniacal laughter. That the noise alone had yet to alert someone from security was just a testament to how awful it was, despite everything that had transpired thus far.

“Let’s just go. The later it is, the more troublesome it shall be if we remain stuck inside that building.” The gambler ordered, turning around and making her way towards the aforementioned building. “And I surely do not want to have to lie for all of us if we do get caught.”

“Indeed. Stop wasting time and help if you really want to keep your secret.”

“Oooookay!” Genocide Jack beamed as if she had just been told that they were going to her favorite coffee shop. Which, given the nature of their mission, wasn’t that far off in the serial killer’s perception. “Excited to see who this Kamukura guy is and how the hell he managed to do just that.”

It turned out that Kyoko was able to secure more information about the project that resulted in Izuru’s birth, so to speak. Her father didn’t say everything right away, instead directing her to someone who knew someone who was one of the scientists involved in the entire thing. Of course they didn’t even fathom speaking directly to Ms. Kirigiri because of her surname and no way would she get Celestia or someone else involved when in her mind, she was supposed to deal with the entire thing herself. But in the end and after a bit more coaxing (aka threatening to expose people for the dirt they had done in their past) she was able to get some very valuable data.

And an actual card key that would grant her access to laboratories that no student should ever dream existed at Hope’s Peak Academy. 

Celestia had been told that in advance and could only watch as the Ultimate Detective led them on. The card key itself was pressed against her palm, held so tightly that it would clearly be making a dent if the other girl weren’t wearing gloves. There were so many other signs of tension, however, that she almost regretted being a bit chilly towards Kyoko. It was clear that she was taking it the hardest between all of them, else there wouldn’t be secrets to begin with.

But still, would it be too much for her to ask—

The gambler reached forward, wishing to defuse the moment. To make things simpler, easier in a sense. Yet one spare glance at Toko—ahem, Genocide—and she could just imagine all the jokes and comments she would make. How much fun she would get with their suffering, really, and how much of that would be mentioned later on if Toko ever fainted while they were in the company of their classmates. Luckily blood didn’t make that much of an appearance during high school life, but still.

(Which made her wonder what exactly the Ultimate Writer had seen in order to bring Genocide out that night, but she had a feeling that was a question better left unanswered.)

In the end Celestia shook her head and sped up, falling into step beside Kyoko. The girl acknowledged her with a nod, yet her gaze was trained in front of them, towards the building they were supposed to invade and explore. Well, no matter. If a serial killer with a twisted sense of humor couldn’t keep her from doing what she felt that she needed to, no mysterious place ever would. 

“You do not have to go through this alone.” Celeste whispered; accelerating steps behind them let her know that Genocide had obviously gotten closer in order to eavesdrop that.

“I’m not, lest you wouldn’t be here with me.” Kirigiri gave her a small beam—a vision that made the gambler falter for one second, as rare as that sight had been as of recent.

Still, she knew what she had to do and how to spot misleading, half-baked sentences like that in her sleep.

“Indeed and that is already good, but what I am saying is that I’m as much a part of this whole ordeal as you are. Meaning that yes, you can and should send me on solo missions if it becomes necessary.” The gambler toyed with her hair, suddenly nervous. Especially when Kirigiri turned to glance at her with inquisitive eyes. “I can find my way around those things and defend myself, as you already know.”

“Y-yes? I’m failing to see your point.” Her hesitation told a different story, of course.

“I’m just stating that you can rely on me more, Kyoko. And that I will be here for you when matters are tough and everything is too much.” 

Before she could talk herself out of it Celestia reached out for Kirigiri’s hand and caressed it, not even bothering to drop that once she heard a whispered something or the other like “ah, these damn lovebirds” coming from behind them. That did get a gasp from Kyoko, sure, but they remained like that all the way towards the building. The one moment they let go being the one in which Genocide Jack volunteered to glance around for security and give them the all clear when there was no one around. 

“Hopefully we didn’t just let her murder someone for free just so we could get in.” Kyoko mused as they hid behind a nearby wall. Celestia herself couldn’t help but chuckle at the suggestion, even if it were a dire one given their situation. 

“Hm, perhaps. If she finds a good enough surface to pin the poor guy to, that is.” 

The gambler could do nothing but laugh again as that got her an accusatory stare from Kirigiri.

Nevertheless, soon enough the serial killer showed up from the side of the door, both thumbs up and a stupid smile to signal that everything was indeed okay. After exchanging a troubled glance the two approached, still on tiptoes, looking all around and even up just to make sure that no desks or other furniture would be flying in their direction either. 

“Ready for a date at the haunted house? The cuuuuursed lab?” Genocide grinned as Kirigiri flashed the card through the scanner.

There was a moment of silence in which the machine whirred, the girls wondering if they hadn’t been given a fake card key, only for them to sigh in relief once the door opened and let them in. 

They had had enough hours to imagine what they would find. To picture the so-called laboratory building where the board of directors and some of the best scientists in the country planned their experiments and executed them to perfection. Of course the atmosphere was cold, sanitized to a degree: there weren’t many pictures on the walls or many things that gave away information as soon as they got through the main hall. 

Indeed there wasn’t much other than a central room with couches and the like, then long hallways leaving from it—and those were filled with unlabeled doors that made everything harder, more confusing than it was supposed to be. Briefly Celestia wondered if they wouldn’t need more than a few nights in order to investigate every nook and cranny in that crazy location, unearth everything there was to be found there. But apparently luck, or some other, divine force was on their side, as they managed to find just what they needed after splitting up and breaking into some of the rooms as it was.

They were offices, the gambler realized with a start after going into the first one. Standard, uninspiring ones with shelves filled with books on one side and several screens over a desk. Paper could be found everywhere, scribbled notes and full documents either occupying every space available or stacked into neat piles depending on the scientist’s personality and habits. In that regard they weren’t so different from each other, only the occasional portrait, picture or any semblance of a personal life adding that little, extra touch. 

Unbothered by that, Celestia started sniffing around, skimming through documents, trying to find any clues that might point to who had been mostly working on Izuru’s case. Dimly she recalled that they couldn’t stay there forever and that what little time they had shouldn’t be wasted perusing every single scrap of paper. 

Thus, when she got through yet another pile and did find a document pertaining to Kamukura’s project, she almost gasped in surprise and shouted to her companions. Pausing with her hand in her mouth to stifle the sound, the gambler read everything in that file, eyes widening the more she familiarized herself with the hypothesis those people had been trying to prove.

Namely, that it was indeed possible to produce hope out of thin air, with nothing but bioengineering and other resources they already had plenty of access to. What they couldn’t predict, of course, were the consequences that such a drastic change would have on the human body and mind, what those would do to the person’s memories as well. Even if those implications (severe ones, in Celestia’s opinion) were noted, they weren’t elaborated upon. Not on the first document anyways, to the point that they were mostly ignored as the description of the project went on. 

It seemed to hint that of course, as long as talent, as hope, could be replicated, the consequences and whatever happened next would be overlooked. 

Shivering, Celeste took a step back, then another. Eyes darting towards the door she had come through, she rushed back to it and stood in the threshold of that room, simply breathing while waiting for one of her partners to show up. She needed a moment, perhaps more than just one; despite how callous she had been called in the past due to everything that went on in her gambling circle, what those scientists were trying to do seemed to go an extra step. They flirted with other, not-so-trivial matters, some that included how far people would go for excellence and progress.

How little human life meant in comparison to gathering data, producing better results. 

In the end it didn’t take long for the three of them to be reunited. For Kyoko and Genocide to read the same documents that Celestia did, while the gambler used her own intuition in order to figure out the password to that scientist’s computer. It proved to be easy with her own talent, of course, and the time they spent reading about the matter was well-rewarded.

“One thing we can say for sure right now.” Genocide commented as they left the school grounds, after looking over her shoulder to see if they weren’t being followed. “This Izuru guy is nuts.”

“That we were already sure of, however.” Celestia countered, huffing. “Don’t you have any other, more valuable input?”

The three girls had decided not to linger that much around those parts of the school grounds after their successful raid, the night before. Not with the weird attack they were surprised with not too long ago, the death they had witnessed as well. Hence they had split up as soon as possible, making their way back to the dorms and promising to meet after classes were over so they could talk things through. Since Hope’s Peak didn’t feel like a safe space to discuss such matters, however, they quickly decided over text that going out for tea and whatnot was a better idea. 

“Hmmm, he isn’t acting alone, I think?” Genocide tilted her head, glancing at the main gate one last time before they were left out into the sprawling city. The restaurants and other establishments that had flourished while catering to the school for a long while. “Like yeah sure, his personality was completely wiped clean, boohoo. I know some people should get that treatment to be honest because ugh. But anyway, if what we read in the ‘puter is any indication then the guy was like, a blank slate once he returned to life? No conscience, no notion of right and wrong, no nothing but an amazing, shining talent!”

“Those notes seemed to suggest as much, yes.” Kirigiri agreed, pensive. “And that a few members of the team were astounded by how calculating he was, too. So one could say there was a degree of detachment from the very beginning.”

“Detachment is one thing, but for him to be able to toooootally murder the student council without a reason for that?” Genocide intervened, beaming and crossing her arms. “That’s next level craziness and coldness, Detective Girlie! Even I wouldn’t do that. Not without a very good reason as to why I’d spend energy, time and my precious knives taking the life out of so many people at once.”

“Which is what makes you think he worked under someone else’s tutelage?” Well, the thought did make sense: Celestia herself would never contemplate something like that without a good motivation, really. “Who, though? The scientists, who decided it would be interesting to test his morals in such a fashion?”

It was Kyoko’s time to shake her head and intervene, before they could cross the street. “There was no documentation of such a thing and believe me, there would be if they were planning on doing something like that. It would be valuable information about their subject, for one. No, if we take into consideration that Izuru was working with someone else, someone who might even be behind what happened to the student council, then it would be safe to rule out the scientists. Or at the very least, the lead one in Kamukura’s project anyways.”

The three mulled about the case for a few minutes, while pretending to be nothing more than friends enjoying the nice weather for a while. They took a table in a nice little café, ordered, smiled at the waitress—even though Celestia had to silence Genocide Jack, who tried to get the barista’s attention in order to flirt with him. 

“This is not the time for you to pinpoint your next victim.” The gambler huffed, as something in Genocide’s enraptured expression told her it might be the case.

“Awwww, c’mon! I’ve yet to kill someone in Hope’s Peak and and and… can’t lose to that Kamukura guy now, can I? Or to whoever’s acting behind him, heehee.”

“Oh sure, now I am supposed to believe that a serial killer has not started on her streak of deaths ever since attending the illustrious academy. Yes, yes, what a terrible li—” Stopping herself, the gambler frowned and leaned forward, almost invading Genocide’s personal space. “Wait. You… You aren’t lying.”

“Well duuuuuh! That fool Toko’s been keeping me on—ahem! There weren’t any cute boys for me to get close to and want to murder! Like okay, some of them are nice, don’t get me wrong, but pretty? Or better yet, goooooorgeous? Nope.” Sighing, the killer shook her head as if that was some sort of capital sin. “And since murdering Ultimates would attract a lot of attention, I gotta actually plan what I’ll be doing and so on and so forth, ya know? So much work for people who aren’t even worth it? Nah.

“So that’s also why I’m sure there’s like a major killer, a superstar serial murder or whatever who got Kamukura on board with whatever they’re planning. I can almost smell it—the scent of a rival, who’s also great at killing! Who knows, maybe they’ve a similar body count? Mwahahahaha!”

“Lower your voice.” Kyoko hissed as some of the students nearby turned to glare at them. No matter how secluded their table was, Genocide’s excitement did have a tendency to carry. “If we take into account that the video was released to a very select few, and that Izuru himself has been missing ever since the incident, I do agree that it’s somewhat safe to assume he has been getting help. Someone who’s uncertain of the world and has nothing but talent to guide them—”

“An impossible amount of talent, which does translate to intelligence as well, mind you.” Celestia added, then nodded to the approaching waitress and smiled once their order was delivered. It was only after the woman left, in a haste, that she continued, “so while I do agree that he might have been nudged by another person’s intentions and influence, that does not necessarily mean they are still under their wing. Someone like Izuru would have the means and the ends to do whatever he desired, it seems.”

“So why go for murder, for terrorizing a select group of students, one that he himself belonged to with the emails, instead of oh, I don’t know, healing diseases, committing a major crime in order to get rich and getting as far away from everyone else that might become a danger to his existence?” Kyoko countered, then took a long sip of her drink. Milk tea, she realized as a sweet, delicate flavor met her tongue instead of the expected bitterness of dark coffee. It broke her reasoning for a second, that she had ordered exactly what the gambler would. “Why not erase his past and start anew with all the knowledge and power he has been granted, instead of instilling unnecessary unrest?”

The other two stopped and thought about it. They fiddled with food that might go uneaten—none of them were particularly hungry after everything they had seen, all they had discussed—or glanced around, at the cheerful, clueless teens that surrounded them. A few were even from Hope’s Peak, Ultimates going out with friends and enjoying their time together just like the three girls should be doing. Funny enough, however, none of them wore the black, sleek uniform of the Reserve Course students even though that particular cafe was known to be loved by those. 

“Their curiosity was piqued, maybe. That’s all I can think of.” Celestia shrugged, silently conceding defeat. A long sip of her own milk tea, and she continued. “Maybe the real culprit, and I do think there is one as well since the email sounded a bit too much if Izuru himself sent it, is planning something else. And that atrocity was just the beginning, as we have considered before.”

“Have weeeee?” Genocide intervened, grinning once that was met with two sets of scowls. “But ye as I said before, takes a killer to know another. And I can smell someone who thinks they’re a big shot out there. Welp.” Throwing a donut in her mouth as if it were sushi-sized, she gave both a deathly stare and continued, “they have another thought coming if they think they’re better than me .”

The three were mostly silent afterwards, unsure about what to say. What angle to think of in regards to something they didn’t have too much information on—somehow the email was the last they had heard of the entire matter until their little research last night. But even that hadn’t given them enough to discuss either, as the scientists had pretty much annotated their every impression and concern, regardless of how the latter had carelessly been thrown away. 

Still, it felt tough to return to Hope’s Peak when they realized some time had passed and that despite everything, new clues wouldn’t show up if they didn’t go look for them. Reluctantly they paid for the food and walked away, pensive, almost unaware of the world around them. Of how silent the streets were at first, how empty even though that area was usually crowded at that time of the day.

It was only when Celestia collided against someone, hastily apologizing even though in her mind they were at fault and not her, that they finally noticed something was really off.

After all, the person the gambler walked into was just one in a multitude stationed in front of the school. And all of them wore the distinct black uniform for those in the Reserve Course. 

The hatred in their eyes, in their demeanor, in the hit that Celestia would have gotten if Genocide didn’t push her away just in time, told them a very important story: The email had reached its target audience, yes, and become effective a few days later.

It had driven the portion of the student body into action, into violence. Into despair, and every other action that came forward as a result of that deep, grueling feeling.

Chapter Text

Of course another floor was opened after the trial, a small reward if it could be called like that. Though of course it did little to lift most of the students’ moods, given the catastrophes they had already endured up to that point. 

With almost nothing else to do, however, they eventually resorted to investigating the third floor by themselves or in groups. Someone vowed to keep an eye on Taka at all moments, at least until he recovered or became more of his former self—something that didn’t feel that feasible at that moment in time. Other, already solidified alliances and friendships came to light right then: Aoi and Sakura were never too far away from each other. No matter how much Byakuya pushed her aside, either Toko or Genocide Jack would follow him around with a dazzled expression. Makoto would gravitate towards Hiro or Hifumi, though those would also go around together from time to time.

And then of course there were Celestia and Kyoko, who silently nodded to each other after breakfast and went upstairs on their own before any of their classmates could do the same. 

It wasn’t that Celeste had been hoping to find clues, knowing very well that having a new floor to explore was nothing but a bait. A way to keep them engaged with the game and its conditions; if there was something to be found, it would be minimal information. Nothing that would allow them to paint the complete picture as to what had happened to them, how they had set foot into that killing game. What of the rest of Hope’s Peak population as well, and who could be behind that tragedy, too.

Regardless, she beamed at her companion and offered cheerful words. Cheerful moments as they walked into the rec room and skimmed the magazines from head to toe in search of anything that might hint at their situation, or how the world was faring. Or when they played a bit of pool just to see if winning the game would cause anything to show up—it didn’t, and Kyoko actually managed to snag the victory at the final moment. 

Later on they also looked at the art room, the hidden locker with very interesting weapons… ahem, art utensils that sparkled Celestia’s interest for some reason. Surely those objects could be used for another finality than the one they were originally intended to be? It was easy to imagine some of those being borrowed for self-defense; she herself had an itch to grab one of the knives used for carving and woodwork, though of course it would be worse if it was ever revealed that she carried a weapon on her person at all times. 

Something to be used in her aid could actually be turned against her pretty quickly if a culprit wished to pin her as a red herring. A thought that could be employed the other way around as well, if she ever needed to lay blame on—

In the end she left the room empty handed. But for some reason her mind was already on high alert as she mapped out the floor, its rooms and what other interesting resources it offered, making a point to recall exactly what she had found and where. 

Exploring the physics lab revealed a big, noisy machine that perked Kyoko’s attention that time around. While it was just a very nice, futuristic-looking place to the gambler, the unknown Ultimate had another thing in mind. Some sort of suspicion, it seemed, that was confirmed once she almost touched it and was stopped by none other than Monokuma. 

“Whawhawhawhawhaaaaat? Hey, no laying a finger on this. Thiiiiis is the reason why you guys have clean, amazing air!” The bear informed the moment that Kyoko took a step backwards in fright. “So yeah, no matter how crazy or uncaring you are, you don’t wanna doom everyone to pollution and decay, right?”

“Whatever do you mean?” Celestia tilted her head, actually intrigued by what she was hearing. “While pollution levels were high in some countries, I do not recall reading or listening to any news regarding the need for… Fancy air purifiers such as this one.”

“Unless something has changed.” Kirigiri took her place beside Celeste, crossing her arms and straightening her posture. The gambler quickly looked at her just because, having to admit that something about her was rather intimidating. And that she didn’t wish to have to cross that girl at any point in time. “Something that you have not told us and have no desire to do so.”

“Whyyyy would I answer that, then, purple girl?” Monokuma shot back, winking at both of them. “Maybe, just maybe I have secrets to keep. Secrets that I wouldn’t reveal even if we played truth or dare! Upupupu.”

A moment later, almost as if it was done in order to prevent itself from revealing more than it should, Monokuma simply disappeared into thin air.

“As if we would play such a lovely game with the likes of you. Hmpf, the nerve…” Celestia commented in a low voice. Of course it wasn’t the most relevant information the bear had shared, but it was better to say something than to remain quiet while mulling over the rest.

Or at least, it was better to diffuse everything that was going on through her mind and probably through Kyoko’s, than for the two of them to fall into unbearable silence until they had something, anything to comment with the other.

“Say, do you think we can believe anything it has told us?” Kyoko uttered, her voice small and uncertain. 

It was fair, a shared sensation all in all—Celestia herself kept wondering about the same thing every now and then. If there wasn’t more to the whole ordeal, to everything that was happening, than what the bear had let on. And yet…

“My problem with this line of thinking is, it has kept its word when it comes to the killing game and the rules. It has allowed us time to investigate, to build up a case, to find the murderers. It has punished said killers, then rewarded us, so to speak, with places to investigate. It has restocked the fridge as it said it would, and not laid a finger on us—unless provoked, as Ms. Enoshima so depressingly proved.” 

“You’re correct about that, as weird as it can be. After all, what’s stopping Monokuma and the mastermind from simply annihilating us? They do hold all the power and knowledge over what lies outdoors.” Kyoko considered, pacing around the room and then going outside after motioning for Celestia to follow. “Still, the bear sometimes lets some things slip and I do not think that’s unintentional. Almost as if it wants us to solve the mysteries.”

“Or even better, almost as if it takes pleasure from us watching us guess, investigate and fumble with what little we can conclude.” The gambler willingly went along. Something about that place and the machine in particular made her shudder. She had no trouble believing Monokuma and even if she didn’t, wasn’t very keen on causing trouble to something that was apparently helping them stay alive. “Though granted, this floor hasn’t offered much in terms of relevant discoveries, has it?”

Kyoko shook her head, pensive. Sighing, she mumbled something or the other about them returning to the dining hall in order to share the results of their fruitless investigation, and remained deep in thought as they made their way to the aforementioned place.

The silence was… Jarring. The fact that Celestia herself didn’t know what to say or do in order to break through that was even worse in a sense: somehow her head was elsewhere, her mind weaving together information due to what she saw, what was being discussed. Something that kept happening as the other students shared their discoveries as well. 

“It might be worth checking the nurse’s office, don’t you think?” She asked Kirigiri after Hina mentioned it, getting a pensive nod as a response. Oh wow, so she wasn’t the only one deep in thought on that day.

Or maybe going through four murders done in different methods might have gotten a toll on the other Ultimate, as it had happened to many people already—Taka being the prime example of it. 

There wasn’t much to be taken from their brief meeting aside from that. Or the digital camera that Makoto presented to Hifumi the moment the man foolishly mentioned using the resources in the art room in order to draw his favorite anime characters. Celestia had to keep herself from sighing and shaking her head at that—she had a feeling it would be important to keep the man at her beck and call, as he had been since day one, and antagonizing his passions wouldn’t aid with that.

No, she would use him and make fun of him later. When the time seemed fit.

“If you do wish to dispose of it so badly, then may I keep it?” The gambler asked once the other Ultimate voiced his dissatisfaction over the state of the camera. +

She did understand how important that distinction was for collectors, as she was planning to keep plenty of a collection herself when she moved to her new house. None of the items would bear a flaw and she would see to it, making sure that everything was more than perfect. Yet digital cameras could and would be worthy in a situation such as that: what if they needed proof to condemn whoever was behind the killing game, since people might doubt their words?

Or rather, what if she ran into a crime scene and wanted to preserve it for further investigation, before someone messed around with it?

And even better…

What if it could be used in a murder itself, to fabricate evidence?

She didn’t know much by then, yet her mind had been hard at work for a while—playing house had been fun, staying apart from the world and away from school hadn’t been that bad, but she had dreams to pursue and money to make. Hence, part of what she had been weaving together was already coming to light, her brain making quick connections the more she explored the school. And if she added a few more elements to her conjectures, then perhaps that camera could be her way to securing a perfect crime if push came to shove. 

Because really, wasn’t an image worth more than a thousand words?

If it didn’t come down to it, well, then she might always use the thing to record important moments. Take a picture of her and Kyoko side by side, investigating, or of something suspicious that happened during their school life. So many possibilities to be gained from a single, almost discarded object…

In the matter of photos there was also something that Naegi mentioned. A picture he had found but had no way to prove its existence since Monokuma allegedly took it from him. To the gambler that felt like a weak, pointless argument; something he might have imagined, as it depicted three of their dead classmates alive, well, and smiling together. That just couldn’t be, could it?

It was impossible that once upon a time some or all of them were ever happy like that.

And yet her eyes strayed towards Kirigiri, gauging her aloof expression. The way her gaze sought the gambler’s as well, almost like they were both trying to confirm some sort of suspicion with the other. There had to be an explanation right there—and it felt like there was, as if a notion or the other was dancing at the edge of Celeste’s mind. A truth to be unveiled, the lie that masked it slowly but surely coming undone. 

Nevertheless their stare down lasted no more than a few seconds, interrupted once Aoi spoke up again. Had it not been for Celeste’s instincts screaming at her to intervene, she would have pursued that entire thing with Kyoko a lot further. Yet the whole thing had been bothering her for a while, the sensation just becoming stronger as that girl repeated the falsehood, claiming to be sick once more in the earlier hours. It was nothing but another lie to be unmasked once and for all, since it had been bothering her for a bit. 

“Hina, you were lying when you said you had a stomachache during the morning—and do not try to deflect it. You happen to be a terrible liar and have more tells than most people, for one.” The gambler went for the whole thing, pressing the swimmer as quickly as she could. Somehow there was a sense of urgency to her thoughts and actions, almost as if she needed to know more.

Almost as if she were running out of time for some reason.

“Well you see…”

And so Hina told them about first hearing, then seeing the ghost of Chihiro Fujisaki at the bathhouse. A tale that made some of them yell, others remain impassive, the right reaction to that sort of story anyways.

“At the very least, she is no longer hiding something.” Celeste mused to herself, realizing a second later that Kyoko turned her way the slightest and nodded in confirmation. Happy with the fact that it seemed like they would be speaking more again, the gambler went on, “I suppose the one way to rule that out would be to investigate the matter, would it not?”

“Precisely. Those of us who do not fear apparitions or the thought of being cursed, please come with us.” 

Us . The word sounded sweet to Celestia, who beamed at it and at Kirigiri once the other girl turned around and started leading the rest of the class towards the place where the Ultimate Swimmer had spotted Chihiro. The gambler followed close, not due to some fear of the paranormal (if such things existed, she herself would surely be haunted by the many, stupid people who had lost games and their lives to her) but since she wanted to hang out with Kyoko anyway.

“And to think we were here not that long ago on a much more joyful occasion…” She commented in a dreamy voice, looking to get a rise out of the concerned, thoughtful Kyoko.

At the very least it worked, as memory alone was enough to tinge her cheeks crimson, make her eyes widen in surprise. 

“R-right. Hopefully that doesn’t mean we missed something while investigating the area, however.” 

That was a quick diversion, Celestia had to admit. One that made her chuckle and shake her head as they finally reached the then empty bath house. It didn’t take too much digging for them to locate the actual locker from which a strange, mechanical noise came from. 

Or for them to unearth the laptop that had been found at the library not that long ago, only completely fixed and running. A picture of Chihiro’s face floating in the screen as well, another indication of who had been behind that change. 

“Ghost, you said. Boooooooo.” Hifumi mocked, holding his arms up in Hina’s direction as if that would help with anything. 

“H-hey! You’d think the same if you were hungry, upset and suffering from insomnia when you ran into this.” The swimmer retorted, crossing her arms. 

“If you are done speaking nonsense, perhaps we should try to interact with this laptop and see what it has to offer.” Kyoko cut through their little banter. “It does seem like some sort of AI if this document is correct. One named Alter Ego for that matter.”

“And placed in a very secure location as well.” Celestia added, recalling something she had realized the first time she set foot into the bathhouse with Kyoko. “There are no cameras around, meaning the mastermind has no access to whatever we do or say right now. Meaning that Chihiro was incredibly smart to hide this in here while working on it.”

“Indeed. We… Might be able to use this to our advantage as well.”

Kyoko took the lead, typing away everyone’s questions while Celeste made them shut up whenever a stupid remark was made. With that they made quick progress over Alter Ego’s objectives and functionality, though it was a bit disappointing that it hadn’t had enough time to analyze every single file contained in the PC—it hadn’t been installed for long to begin with, and there was a staggering amount of information to go through. 

The interesting part, at least to Celeste, was seeing the way it suddenly grieved the moment that it didn’t spot Chihiro by using the built-in camera. 

Nothing much about that interaction caught her attention: people were more than happy to start asking it stupid things, questions it had no answer towards given how little it had analyzed when it came to the school documentation. The files with their information in it, something concerning to hear about but understandable because of how much the mastermind seemed to know in regard to them. Hence the flimsy ray of hope which had shone their way was quickly snuffed, at least in the gambler’s perspective, and she managed to drift away from the conversation while honing a few loose ends on her own little—

That was, until Kyoko volunteered to keep her room door open so she could hear Alter Ego screaming in the middle of the night, in case it needed help.

Say again?

That was awful decision-making on the unknown Ultimate’s part, was it not? What could she gain from it, from the fact that she would be on the lookout if push came to shove? Wasn’t the computer already well-hidden from the likes of Monokuma and whatever else could threaten it?

Unless..

Was Kirigiri already considering foul play, or that someone else was getting the urge to tamper with whatever advantage they could get?

“You should reconsider.”

The words left Celestia’s mouth as the other stacked the PC away and started talking among themselves. Despite how little Alter Ego had said in regards to their situation, they had found out a lot of smaller, barely relevant things in a short portion of time, which justified how antsy they were. It was different from being hopeful, truthfully, as by then it did seem like such an emotion was a faraway impression—something they had harbored once, young as they had been before that whole situation began. Yet even then, a spark of light seemed to have shone around them, a breath of fresh air within that secluded, locked school.

Interestingly enough, the gambler seemed to be the only one not to be completely convinced that things would improve because of that discovery. And the feeling which was mostly present in her mind was… Concern. Worry for the girl who had so easily put herself at risk for the sake of others, too.

No, no. Concern for herself , and how Kirigiri’s idea might put at risk whatever preparation she might need to do some day.

“And why is that?” Kyoko queried. A smile danced on her lips for a second; a heartbeat later she hardened her expression, fully turning around the face Celestia. “I wasn’t joking when I said that I’m tougher than I seem.”

“I have no doubt about that, believe me.” The gambler appeased her, both hands shooting up in the air. If that was true, then why exactly did she disapprove of that so vehemently? “It simply does seem like too much of a hassle. And a big burden for one sole person to carry, either. What if you are so deeply asleep that you do not hear it screaming? The rest of the students would be too keen to lay blame on you for the laptop disappearing or worse.”

For her sake Kirigiri fully faced her and remained quiet, almost as if she were truly considering it. Yet a look at her face and the gambler knew she was resolute. That her decision wouldn’t be changed no matter what anyone said. 

“While I do appreciate your concern, Celes, nothing bad shall happen to me or the computer. If you do wish to help, however, perhaps we can take turns keeping our doors open—and when you do, I will remain on guard as well. For… For you.”

Celestia had to school her expression in order to remain nonchalant. To remind her heart it was useless and stupid to react like that, speeding up as if that sentence was any declaration of love or care. Of course it wasn’t: the other girl was simply doing whatever she thought was necessary for the greater good. 

That she herself had intervened when the matter didn’t concern her from the beginning was another thing altogether. One she didn’t wish to think about, not then, not ever.

“That would defeat the purpose, however. If the idea is for us to take turns so that you—ahem, no one—is overwhelmed with the task, then you should not concern yourself with my safety either.” The gambler shot back, making her way to the entrance where all the others were. 

“Ah, well, there is that. Meaning that in the end, you should just let me have this one and stop worrying.” 

“I’m not—”

Whatever the gambler was about to say, the lie she was about to weave for some reason (perhaps the sake of her own sanity) was interrupted by Monokuma’s appearance. And the fact that they had indeed spent a very long time out of the mastermind’s gaze as correctly inferred. After a bit of hedging and another excuse to drag Kyoko to the bathhouse with the other girls, Celestia did her best to keep up appearances for the sake of the entire class. 

Even if deep down, she wondered if the computer couldn’t also be of use to her as well.

Although the gambler had advocated for adaptability and conformity during their last meal, she longed to stretch her legs and feel the sunlight. To get out of that gilded cage, to see her cat and most importantly, finally build the palace she so desired. 

The sensation had been nagging her for the last few days, the hours in which she was by herself while trying to sleep, to think, to formulate any kind of theory or way to end the killing game before the stakes were too high. Hope was a fleeting, fading feeling, however, and as things continued to happen the girl started worrying over the fact that perhaps she had overestimated her companions, the possibility that any outside force would intervene and end their enclosure. 

If it wasn’t better to simply take things in her own hands and… Put together the plan that had been slowly but surely working its way through her mind. 

Once Monokuma revealed the motive, it was almost as if it, or someone, had listened to her prayers. While she had had no difficulty in molding her expression and body language, attuning it to those of her mostly outraged classmates, her heart quivered and raced in response to the amount of money the bear had promised. 

How it had been more than enough for her to leave behind her meager origins once and for all.

How it had been way more than whatever she needed in order to actually purchase her own palace. Heck, given what she already had saved, perhaps she could even go around and build it wherever she wanted to? Make it unique, something catered to her own tastes and grandness, a nice reward to everything she had endured as a child and the dangers she had been through while gambling for her life and her fortune?

It was… It was too good to be true.

It was… The final push that Celestia Ludenberg needed, to solidify her will to move forth with some of the ideas she had had during all those days spent at Hope’s Peak Academy.

“Money does show up as a motivation in many mystery novels and even in real life settings. But do you suppose it will be enough to spurn someone into action in our specific situation?” 

Kyoko’s voice cut through Celeste’s reverie. The sweet daydream she had been nurturing, of escaping that place and going straight into the embrace of her palace, of the vampiresque servants she would hire to help her all around. The bubbling feeling evaporated, being transformed instead into a cold, dreadful one that ran down her spine after lodging straight into her heart. Could it be that she…

Could it be that, despite what the gambler had said, her half-truth about having a comfortable life and not needing money, the other girl could already tell her heart was torn?

“I suppose it is a… gamble.” Celeste beamed at her own word, especially as it dissolved some of the tension that had woven itself through Kyoko’s shoulders ever since Monokuma showed up at the gym. “There is no way to know who among us might be in dire need of extra cash in order to pay up debts. Or a dealer, who knows—”

She glanced straight at Byakuya while letting that sentence trail off, causing Kirigiri to chuckle. 

“But I do believe the motive to be a slightly weaker one in comparison to the other two we have faced, yes. Thus, we might not be as influenced by it as before, to the point that Alter Ego may be done with its analysis before something else happens.” 

Somehow she found herself believing her own words. Not just so her heart could absorb them, so her lie can be perfect. Being close to Kyoko and talking to her seemed to… take Celestia’s focus off of her woes and goals. Almost as if her presence diffused a bit of the ambition that had always carried her forward.

After all, it was one thing to send complete strangers to death, or grownups who had even tried terrorizing Celeste mere minutes before their game commenced. And another thing altogether to declare death on another student, have to hide all the evidence which surely would be left behind, and then survive a trial too. 

One in which she would be on the opposite side from Kyoko, despite having to help her investigate just to keep up appearances.

Yes, if nothing her crime would have to be flawless, almost devoid of evidence. 

But before any of that… It would have to be worth it, in order to condone that girl to such a cruel fate as well.

“I suppose you could be right.” Kyoko conceded, tilting her head to the side. Her voice wavered, however, already showing some apprehension. “In any case, my door will be open tonight as I previously stated. And you can uh—never, never mind—”

“You’re always welcome in my humble abode, Kyoko. Especially if you are in need of anything.” Celestia saved them both by smiling and uttering that, as naturally as if she were inviting an old acquaintance to a cup of tea. Warmth flooded through her, strangely enough, drowning any other, previous thought about escaping, murdering, and so on. “I shall be happy to keep you company if you are ever uneasy or unable to sleep.”

It did make matters worse that the gambler seemed to really mean it, as there wasn’t even the need for her to convince herself of that.

“T-thanks. I appreciate that, really.” Kirigiri glanced away, taking a deep breath. Only after a few steps were made in silence she continued, her voice so small that Celestia had to lean closer to her so as to listen, “and the same is true of me. If you’re ever in need of anything, just knock and announce yourself. We don’t have to be strangers, after all.”

“Of course not. Especially due to how helpful we have been to each other during this…” 

For some reason her voice caught, her heart sped up, her head ached. Thoughts and emotions straining against something ethereal, invisible, something she could neither name nor grasp. It was a terrible sensation, one she longed to avoid at all costs but couldn’t even do so. One that lingered over her entire body as they turned into the dorm hallway, watched for a few seconds as the others said goodbye and went into their respective rooms.

“During everything we have already gone through together, yes.” 

Kyoko’s voice was also light, almost thin. Sparing her a glance, Celestia was convinced they had experienced the same, unknown phenomenon and braced themselves through it as if it were nothing. Curiosity piqued, the gambler parted her lips and tried to ask, the words burning on the tip of her tongue.

Just for the other, mysterious Ultimate to give her a sad, longing look and shake her head before respectfully bowing and walking away.

She knew something, Celestia thought while dragging her feet to her own room and locking the door. There was no other explanation to what had just transpired, the wordless communication they had shared. The raw emotion she had seen on Kirigiri’s— Kirigiri of all people—face, a reflection of her own heart. 

Berating herself for not rushing after her and demanding to know what she knew when Celeste herself was clueless over that matter, the gambler fell on the bed and sighed, weary. So much had happened on the speck of a single day. So many things to consider, so many opportunities and what-ifs.

So many thoughts weaving themselves into a dangerous scenario. A great gamble of the sorts she had never attempted before, but that may or may not pay off depending on how well she executed it.

The last image that danced on her mind as Celeste was finally lulled to sleep, however, was that of a smiling Kyoko as they… Walked side by side through the lit hallways of an unfamiliar school.

Chapter Text

“This is certainly not your usual school attire.”

Few were the people who could say they had successfully caught the Ultimate Detective off guard. As of then Celestia wasn’t quite sure she was one of the few lucky students to manage that, until that specific morning. 

It was supposed to be a nondescript one—bearing in mind that many things had already changed since Hope’s Peak’s Tragedy and the rebellion behind the Reserve Course. Sure, classes had resumed as if nothing else was happening outside of campus. As if there wasn’t a very real threat that things might become less peaceful given time, that the one thing standing between the Ultimates and their former colleagues were the security guards and the well-reinforced gates.

Why, Kyoko, Toko and Celestia herself were sure they had been lucky not to get hurt that other day while returning from their little cafe date, one that of course they were unable to replicate: it was due to sheer willpower and a few threats from the three girls that they were left alone, making the way back to campus undisturbed. 

Afterwards the school was pretty much isolated from the outside world, as the Reserve Course students refused to leave or stop their parade. Their claims had only gotten louder from then on, to the point that their voices could be heard if one opened the windows to their dorm or classroom, no matter where they were around the academy.

That was part of the reason that Kyoko’s unusual, broodier outfit made Celestia comment on it: there was no way the other Ultimate would escape campus or attempt to without telling her beforehand, was there? What with how dangerous things were…

Words of warning, foolishly wasted on someone like Kirigiri, rose to her lips regardless—the moment she realized what she was about to do the gambler shook her head, plastered a small smile on her face instead.

As if she had any business knowing what the other girl was planning to do to begin with.

“I won’t be attending classes today,” Kyoko said as they sat down at a table which stood as far away from the cluster of students as possible.

They had already decided to avoid the most famous cafeteria around Hope’s Peak, where one of their upperclassmen, aka the Ultimate Chef, showed off his talent day and night. Even so it had become almost impossible for the two of them to get some alone time, to find some place where they would be able to discuss their secret matters without being disturbed. It came with the territory that the school was in high alarm, that was for sure.

“Oh? I assume that means you have a job to do.” The gambler’s voice was carefree, unassuming. Everything both of them had to be in order to not raise anyone else’s suspicion. 

Because if their belief that the one who orchestrated the entire deal was someone from within turned out to be correct, well, the last thing they wanted was to attract the mastermind’s attention. 

“Indeed.”

Kyoko turned to glance at the window on the other side of the room. Her lavender eyes were inscrutable, gaze faraway in a clear indication that she might not wish to share more. Or that she was trying to make sense of something, to unravel some mystery of her own before stating what it was that she had to do.

It was interesting to see how the intensity of her gaze was somehow made stronger by the fact that she had donned a darker-colored coat over their uniform. While the matter seemed unnecessary for Celestia, there was still something about her clothes that caused her to look more elegant, more professional. 

In sum, every bit the detective that she was already so famous for.

“Keeping things private, are we? Very well. It’s not my job to pry.” It wasn’t and Celestia knew it, but that stung nonetheless. Hadn’t they been sharing everything up to that point? What good would it do if they started keeping secrets from each other? Nevertheless her voice was stable, her gaze turned towards the croissant she had managed to grab from the Ultimate Chef before making her way towards their preferred cafeteria. “Though I will say, it’ll be a lonely day without you.”

The statement went unanswered for a few heartbeats; seconds spent in silence as they both watched the beautiful day, the cheerful sunlight. The way it contrasted with the dire situation they were already a part of, the ominous days they had spent locked inside the school with nothing relevant to do and a lot to think about. 

It was when Kirigiri sighed and angled her body towards Celeste that the latter knew her appeal to her feelings had eventually won over whatever stubborn inclination to hide and act alone. 

“I was contacted last night by my father again.” Kyoko began. Her eyes roamed the room for a while afterwards, just to make sure that no one else was overhearing their conversation; she only went on, however, after the gambler made her own scan and nodded to show that there was no danger. “Remember that we were able to locate a survivor in that awful place?”

“Ah, indeed. The guy who almost perished because our friendly guard didn’t believe our claim, yes, yes. What of him? I must say, I was thinking about him a few days ago. If he woke up and said anything, or if he met his timely demise.” After taking a small, delicate bite of her pastry, Celestia covered her mouth and waited a few seconds before saying something more. “He has been identified as the Ultimate Student Council President, correct?”

“Yes, that is right. I believe we discussed that matter a few days ago as I returned from my own investigations.” Kyoko’s eyes narrowed the tiniest bit and Celestia knew the anger they projected wasn’t directed at her. “And of course nothing more about him was mentioned until his sudden disappearance. And then magically, I became someone worthy of consideration despite the fact that we were the ones to locate Murasame to begin with.”

It was adorable to see her that annoyed just because it was a far cry from her usually detached expression. Still, the wish to hug and soothe her was stronger than the will to chuckle at that shift in her demeanor. Of course Celestia did neither, mostly since, again, she was trying her hardest not to call attention to them.

And the fact that Toko (actually Genocide Jack) was lurking around meant that they would be mocked to hell and back if she ever witnessed any public display of affection between them.

“So what I am hearing is that our survivor has disappeared recently. And that father dearest decided you were up to the task of finding him, even after he failed to give you any updates on the student’s well being?” The gambler took a sip of her tea while waiting for a response. 

Ah yes, the Ultimate Chef was a pretty good one if he knew the exact way to prepare that milk tea. But she would never say it out loud in front of that creep.

“That is a good way to summarize it, yes.” Kyoko nodded, gaze moving towards the rest of the room as she blushed the slightest. Maybe saying it had made her realize how awful the whole matter was.

And how worse it was, that—

“And yet I don’t see you denying his request.” Celestia uttered matter-of-factly, expression neutral even though she wanted to laugh. 

It was always interesting to see the way that her dear companion tried that hard not to care about the one parent she had left. Only to fail miserably, of course. Well, care wasn’t truly the term she would apply to whatever semblance of a relationship those two had, but still.

“It’s for my own benefit, that’s all.” She was unable to meet the other girl’s stare, which already told a completely different story. “I was given some clues towards his whereabouts, what the school staff has been doing towards the entire matter—which were in those screenshots I sent you last night.”

“Ah yes, those. To which I responded that their actions amount to a bunchload of nothing, you mean.”

The mention was enough to make Kirigiri chuckle, some tension leaving her shoulders. Finally lavender irises met crimson ones and Celeste could easily spot a bit of anticipation within them. A similar feeling to whatever she experienced before starting any high stakes game, something she could easily relate to. 

“Precisely. So that is my mission for today: locating a missing person.” 

Kyoko took a sip of her coffee, her motions quick and imprecise: her hand dislodged the cup before enveloping it, fingers almost scraping the porcelain as she took it towards her lips. It was a miracle she didn’t spill anything, but that was enough to alarm Celestia. 

That, and an instinct of her own that flashed delicately within her mind. Something she had relied upon again and again in her own games, too.

“Allow me to keep you compan—”

“No.” Kirigiri’s voice was low yet cutting, to the point that Celeste had to school her expression to remain impassive when what she really wanted was to flinch. “It will already strike some of our classmates as odd, that I won’t show up. If you do the same, that will make matters worse. Take notes for me and if someone asks, tell them I felt unwell after breakfast.”

The hand that squeezed the gambler’s underneath the table told a different story, a complementary one. Through touch alone and the way she gently held Celeste’s hands, her own worry over the whole operation was translated. The fact that somehow she was anticipating some sort of danger, and wanted to keep the other girl away from it despite their promises to stick together. 

“Let me have this.” Kyoko whispered under her breath, catching her companion by surprise. “I will uh, I’ll message you once I’m done. Given the hints and testimonies I was already provided with, I have a very strong feeling of where I have to look, who I must question. It won’t take long.”

Celestia wanted to point out the obvious lie, or at least the contradiction: if she were so sure of herself, what was making her act that unclear? Why was it that her body language seemed to point at her convictions being the exact opposite? At the same time, however, she knew better than to press Kyoko before a mission—even more so if she were that thrown off by the events that preceded it, whatever she thought she would accomplish in her search. That sort of attitude wasn’t helpful, and needless to say not productive.

And it would only make Kyoko resent her instead of allowing her to tag along in any case.

“I trust you and your instincts, Kyoko.” That wasn’t a lie: no matter how ironic it would be to think so, Celeste had a feeling she would indeed cast her life in the other girl’s hands if it ever came down to it. “If you believe you will complete the quest quickly, then so it shall be.” That was the lie, though it had nothing to do with the detective’s skills.

It was something about the situation they found themselves in, rather. Something she herself was sure they had yet to fully grasp.

“Let me know if something important comes up on your end,” Kirigiri said as she got up, shook invisible crumbs from her clothes. “I will let you know when we can meet later on.”

“Best of luck, Lady Detective. May fortune always favor your gambles.”

Kyoko remained in place for some seconds as their eyes met again, smiles adorning their faces. Both were sweet, small, tinged a comforting hue with care for each other. Genuine feelings that couldn’t, wouldn’t be masked no matter what their situation was, what would come next. 

No one saw it, however, as Celestia’s expression briefly changed into a gloomier one the moment Kirigiri walked out of the cafeteria. The moment that tingle of warmth dissipated, was overtaken by agitation, concern. It would be impossible to spot it in her good-natured demeanor as the day went by and she did indeed attend classes.

It would have been present, though, if someone had tried to talk to her for more than the usual pleasantries. Since it was impossible for the gambler not to wonder about how her companion was doing as hours went by without any message whatsoever.

Celestia had to keep herself from staring at her phone. 

And the fact that it had gotten to that point was only more evidence of how worried she truly was.

Lectures and activities had kept her partially distracted, a blessing she hadn’t realized she needed until her class was let out for the day. After parting ways with the other students and getting to her dorm again, the gambler noted how oppressive the silence was. 

How for the first time she longed for a certain someone’s company. Or at the very least, to be able to make sure that she was indeed safe and sound.

Not knowing opened up the path to inquiring, to her imagination being left to nefarious devices. Used as Celestia was to picturing her castle, the amazing life she would live after Hope’s Peak was over—and most recently, how she would at the very least keep in contact with a certain detective—it was jarring to have awful scenarios showing up in her mind the longer she went without news from Kyoko.

The lightest version of the story was that the detective had gotten hurt in some form, but even so managed to walk away from whatever she had run into and was resting in her room. And the darkest, well… That involved a whole lot of blood, the culprit cornering her and an unpleasant finale to the whole situation. 

She is too smart to fall prey to such an awful end, however, Celestia reasoned with herself. Blinking, she saw that there was a whole poker game going on in the computer she could barely recall turning on, one that she was spacing out during and would need to make a move soon or else she would lose by inactivity. A quick glance at the cards in her disposal and instinct took over, helping her do what was needed in order to win another round.

It didn’t take long for her opponent to give up; her phone then pinged and a smile lit up her face. Only for it to turn into a frown and a sigh as soon as she noticed that it was just her bank account app letting her know she had received a payment from the website because of that game. The amount of money would have been enough for her to feel accomplished, or at least a lot closer to her dream home, but right then it was powerless to soothe her.

Not when there was still nothing from Kyoko, and she was starting to become impatient with the entire thing.

Impatient wasn’t quite the word and deep down she knew it. Rather, it had a touch of her own intuition, the same that had won her so many gambles in the past. That had hinted at people’s true natures before there was a piece of evidence to corroborate any such claims. Added to it was her restlessness, so uncommon, that made the entire moment a bit too overwhelming. 

Those same feelings made her push the chair back and abruptly get to her feet, then rush outside the room without even turning off her computer as it was.

Irrational was what she would call that moment, the entire process. The drive that made her move forward without a clear destination in mind, eyes frantically scanning every nook and cranny of the academy in search of Kyoko. Starting at the other girl’s dorm room, which was empty and didn’t seem like it had been occupied in the recent past either. Then came other common places in which the detective could be found, such as cafeterias, libraries, computer and media rooms…

Some students glanced at her with puzzlement as they saw some semblance of a darker emotion on Celeste’s face for the first time since she started attending Hope’s Peak. In hindsight it would have been better if she had schooled her expression, slowed down her pace whenever a room was approached. Or at the very least pretended that everything was fine and she had been itching for a late afternoon stroll or whatever. The moment she realized her feelings were stark clear, too easily read and perceived, it was already too late.

And the moment in which she finally regained a semblance of normalcy was the same in which she noticed how far away from the rest of the school she was.

The one thing Celeste was sure of was that she was somewhere on the third floor. There weren’t many labs and special rooms around, just the usual assortment of classrooms lining the darkened hallway. Since it was a bit late the place was also quiet, empty, the one sound echoing around the walls and around her being that of her own respiration. 

Haggard, desperate inhales and short, broken exhales which fell in dissonance to the steps she took around the place.

Her eyes sought her companion out once more as the weird sensation in her chest started to lighten. It was almost as if a tight thread was finally relaxing as the distance between her and the other person was shortened. Using that, using whatever unexplainable hunch that had always allowed her to win in whatever game she played, Celestia Ludenberg skipped one closed classroom, then another and a third one.

Her body was about to turn, the sense of certainty making her hand reach towards the doorknob, when the door itself was pulled open and something that might have seemed impossible emerged from it. 

Of all people it was Mukuro Ikusaba who walked through the opening, looking distraught. While of course she wasn’t hurt—she wasn’t the Ultimate Soldier for no reason—the look on her face was troubled, her usually aloof expression twisted into something furious. Her eyes were hazy, her breath a bit rushed, which might indicate that she had done some form of exertion recently. 

Celestia had no time to overanalyze that classmate of hers, however. Not when she was carrying none other than an injured-looking Kyoko.

“Ikusaba?” The gambler queried as soon as the girl almost walked past her, unseen. Luckily her voice had been loud enough to startle the warrior. Couldn’t the fact that she was that distracted also be seen as a sign that something awful must have happened? “What’s wrong? What happened to both of you?”

“O-oh, Miss Ludenberg! You almost scared me, uh…” Mukuro’s body temporarily tensed, her arms bringing Kirigiri closer to her. It was only when she realized who was talking to her that she sighed, shaking her head. “I uh, I don’t know the full extent, to be honest. But I heard that a confrontation was happening and hurried over to check. That’s when I saw her, fighting against a man at least three times her size.”

Lie . 

Everything inside Celestia screamed that the other girl wasn’t being truthful. About what, she couldn’t really say—though somehow she doubted it had to do with the fact that Kyoko had been in a brawl. Blood did run down the unconscious girl’s cheeks, suggesting a head wound, and she could only wonder where else she had been hurt. A swift glance inside the classroom and yes, she saw the twisted body of what had probably been a very tall guy. 

So what exactly—

Ah, it wasn’t as if she had the time to deal with someone that uninteresting, really.

“A man… Did you help her out?” The gambler queried, approaching the fighter and feeling for Kyoko’s pulse just in case. “It’s steady, I think.”

“She’s alive, if that is what you’re asking. Though she did sustain a few wounds before I could come around and finish him off. So yes, I did help her out, yet it seemed like I was too late to stop this from happening.” 

There was something wrong about it. About that whole scenario, the words the other girl was saying. Still, Celestia’s gaze, her heart, her whole mind was focused on one thing only, no matter what her instincts were screeching at her to note, the connections she was supposed to make.

What would be the use of them, if the person she was the closest to in the entire world came to no longer exist?

“I… I see. Let’s take her to the infirmary before she gets any worse.” At least she had the presence of mind to appear nonchalant. To speak as if they were talking of any classmate at all, despite the fact that Celestia wasn’t too keen about most of them. 

Despite the fact that all she wished was to make sure that Kyoko was out of danger. Then investigate the classroom, before finally questioning Mukuro in depth. She knew where her priorities were first and foremost, how there would always be time for her to get to the interrogation later. Preferably when her detective companion was doing well enough to aid her, too. 

Luckily there weren’t that many people left at the hallways and they weren’t hit with the lunch time traffic, for example. Rather, it was almost as if the students were keeping to their dorms after classes were over instead of being out and about like usual. Not that they could be blamed: leaving a building meant having to hear whatever nonsense the Reserve Course kids were yelling outside the gates. 

It meant shattering whatever sense of normalcy they could still cling to while buried deep in their studies, in practicing their abilities and pretending the rest of the world wasn’t gradually becoming more chaotic. 

Mukuro rushed ahead and for once Celestia despised her distaste for physical activities; if only she could be faster so as to keep up with her classmate. So she would rest assured that Kyoko was safe in the soldier’s arms. Surely it would be an awful idea to harm the Ultimate Detective with the gambler following them so close by, but there was something awfully suspicious about Mukuro. The story she had told. Every word and glance and even her demeanor, to the point that it was impossible not to wonder if she had been the one to hurt Kirigiri instead of that unknown man they had left behind. 

Conjectures wouldn’t help them and certainly had done more than enough to feed on Celestia’s worry throughout the day. Shaking her head she sped on, paying no mind to how her legs were already burning with the exertion, and managed to arrive at the infirmary a few seconds after the other two did. 

The first thing to shock her was the sight of an unfamiliar nurse who received them, told Mukuro where to deposit Kyoko and began the initial assessment. Although the gambler hadn’t been one to visit the school nurse's office too often, there were a few times in which she needed some light painkillers for a headache, or the one PE class in which she joined her classmates for a game of dodgeball that became a bit too intense too soon. Therefore she was familiar with Mikan, their upperclassman and the Ultimate Nurse, who had been around healing her own self and others ever since Celestia started at Hope’s Peak. 

To see someone else in her place, a student who carried themself with far more grace but not the same certainty while taking vitals and examining their new patient, was so jarring that she almost missed the moment in which Ikusaba took a few silent steps closer to her.

“I’ll be taking my leave now. I need to make sure that guy was actually disposed of and hasn’t been around causing more trouble.” Her words were clipped, precise. Not because she was angry or sketching any feelings whatsoever; if nothing, Celestia was left with the very strong impression that the sentence had been written beforehand. 

As if she were reading from a script instead of showing her true intentions. 

“Of course. I will stay with Kirigiri, but do let me know if you require assistance, someone to help you investigate or something.” 

She matched her tone, her expression. It was a way to mock the fighter, yes, though it also doubled as a small strategy to divert herself and others to how concerned she was over Kyoko. Never would she tip Mukuro or anyone else off on how much she actually cared. 

How much Kyoko meant to her, an emotion she herself had been confronted with a lot through that singular day.

“Very well. I appreciate your willingness to help, even if I think it won’t be necessary.” Mukuro bowed and made her way to the door, only to hesitate a bit and turn around one last time. “Oh, actually… It felt like Ms. Kirigiri was investigating something or someone. Do you happen to know anything about it?”

“Hm? Investigating, you say… Well, I don’t see why that should be suspicious, given her talent.” Celestia beamed, even though her mood was instantly soured by that conversation. The nerve of that girl, thinking she could get any information from her when in fact she was the one who should be under scrutiny. “Or else it should be deemed as suspicious that you were fighting an unknown someone in a dark, secluded portion of the school, correct?”

“I-I uh, I merely walked into a fight and protected her.” Although Ikusaba tried to regain some composure, it was very visible that she had been shaken by a mere question. Or better yet, a simple deflecting of her own inquiry. “I do understand what you’re saying, however. Fighters fight, detectives detect.”

“Indeed they do, though I personally prefer the term investigate, dear. Detectives investigate.” The gambler winked at her, having the personal satisfaction of reading fury flash through her eyes before it was transformed into an awkward expression. Ah, yes, she was definitely acting weirder than ever. “And gamblers gamble, which is what I shall be doing once this is over. You have my gratitude for protecting our classmate, though.”

“It was nothing.” She bowed her head again in any case; were her cheeks turning the slightest bit red as well? Was she that unused to being praised? What a lovely thing to keep in mind, if Celeste ever had to rile her up or something. “Well now, excuse me.”

The gambler watched as the Ultimate Soldier finally did remove herself from the premises, then turned her eyes to where the would-be nurse loomed over Kyoko. They had chosen a more secluded portion of the infirmary for the detective, probably to keep whoever came in for the usual scraped knee or medication refill from seeing someone who was actively bleeding and in need of medical care. A drape was already partially drawn, separating that lonely bed from the others. Faint light came from the window behind it, though as always the white lamps were strong enough to illuminate every nook and cranny inside that room.

Unsure of where to go and what to do, Celeste ended up approaching the hospital bed anyways, lingering around the unfamiliar nurse as they worked on Kyoko. There was a lot to do after they were made aware of her wounds—the cut to her head and some smaller gashes on her torso, though most of them were shallow and simply had to be cleaned, then covered up. Nothing was broken or out of place, but the medic inferred that further testing would be needed as soon as the Ultimate Detective woke up.

After giving her some medication, they mumbled a few things that went way over Celestia’s head and left to see a newcomer, giving her and Kyoko a much-needed time alone.

There was a chair on the other side of the bed; the gambler took it, shutting the drapes in order to create an even greater, useless sense of privacy, and sat down. Only then did she allow herself to glance at Kirigiri, at whatever emotions resurfaced at the mere sight of her resting motionless over the bed. 

Lilac hair lay strewn around the pillow—the nurse had unmade Kyoko’s braid at some point in order to examine the head wound and dress it. Since the bandages around the girl’s temples were brand new they weren’t completely stained pink with blood, yet Celeste was sure that if she squinted it would be possible to get a glimpse of it. Her cheeks were pale, paler than usual, to the point that if someone didn’t manage to see her chest rising and falling with each slow, deep breath it would be easy to summarize that she was actually deceased. 

At least her expression was serene, a small sound escaping her lips the moment that the gambler took one of her cold, clammy hands into hers and held it, caressing it the slightest. It was soothing to see any reaction, yes, though it would be even better if the girl were wide awake, talking, back to them after simply fainting due to being hit.

Chewing on the inside of her mouth, something that Celestia only did when she was sure no one at all was watching, she fought against the tears that clogged her throat, burned her chest. Stung her eyes even as they remained unshed, the knowledge that people might come at any moment to check on Kirigiri urging her to remain stable. It wasn’t the time to demonstrate emotion, not when they could be interrupted. Not when she might tip the mastermind off about her intentions, her care towards the other girl.

Not when… there was even the slightest bit of a chance that whatever Kyoko had faced was more connected to their initial troubles than to the guy she was supposed to investigate. 

With nothing more to do, the gambler leaned back on the chair and allowed her imagination to go wild. Traced the worst case scenarios, then made them worse still whenever the occasion was befitting, trying to understand and anticipate whoever enemy they were going up against. Her gaze was of course set on Kirigiri’s unmoving form, though it was easier to glance away from her and stare into space instead once the Ultimate Paramedic (not a nurse, but good enough) connected the detective to a heart monitor. 

Hours passed, slow, heavily so. Patients came and went, most of them requiring nothing but a small check up, a refill, a word of reassurance that their meds would still be delivered to school despite whatever the hell was happening beyond their gates. Celestia couldn’t help but wonder how awful it must be to work at a place like that, to have silence and constant white light as their companion. To easily lose track of time and remain secluded from the rest of the world safe from the few times in which she was convinced the medic was on their phone. 

Everything fell into a lull, even the gambler’s mind remaining locked in some sort of limbo. One that was easily interrupted the moment she heard shuffling from a nearby source. 

When a sigh followed that her vision regained clarity. Right in time for her to watch as Kyoko’s eyes fluttered open and her limbs flailed around, searching for some sort of purchase. 

“W-what is—” The detective mumbled. Her voice caught and she coughed, head darting from side to side until she winced and stopped, closing her eyes right away. 

“Hey, easy there.” Celestia got to her feet and rushed to the bedside. With a gentle touch she pressed a hand to the other girl’s chest and pushed her down. The worst part was that Kyoko resisted her, tried to move away instead. “Your head was hit pretty hard. Perhaps it isn’t the time for you to be moving around that much.”

Although Kirigiri did stop for a while to hear what was being said, it was almost as if she couldn’t really listen, or as if the words didn’t register: a second later and she was back to thrashing around, trying her hardest to sit up even though it seemed like her own body was against that idea.

“Kyoko, stop this. Can you please lie down and rest for a while?” The gambler spoke louder; that was of course ignored as well. “Everything is fine and you’re in absolutely no danger.”

“Matsu…da. I n-need to find—”

“Matsuda?” Celeste echoed, tilting her head. Why did she have the feeling she had never heard that name before, but that it was important in some way. “Oh dear, uh, why don’t you calm down and talk to me first?”

Soon they were no longer alone; the paramedic, alerted by all the thrashing and yelling, came running to see what was actually happening. At first the gambler tried to reassure them that there was no trouble at all. That the two of them would be able to subdue Kirigiri and get her to rest some more, even if at first it didn’t seem like that would happen at all. 

No matter how much they tried, however, the other girl didn’t listen, didn’t stop doing everything she could to run away from that bed. When the bandages around her head were suddenly stained a very bright pink, the medic sighed, shook their head and announced that they would have to put her under for her own safety. Reluctant, Celestia ended up agreeing to the procedure and holding Kyoko’s wrists as gently as possible while some sort of medication was given to her.

“It’s just a mild sedative,” the paramedic explained after the procedure was over. Given how fast Kirigiri had fallen asleep again, the gambler had a bit of difficulty believing that. “It’ll help her rest and wake up feeling better, too.” They wiped their forehead and started to walk away. “I’ll be around for the night shift as well, so please let me know if either of you need anything, okay? Try getting some sleep too, I assure you that she isn’t going anywhere.”

“I appreciate your concern, but I’d rather stay around. I’m used to being up during the night, so it’s not that big of a deal.” 

It wasn’t a lie, given how the best, most obscure matches in the gambling scene occurred after the sun went down. While it had been a few months ever since the last time she participated in one of these, her body knew the deal and recalled what it meant to be wide awake and alert when most of the world slumbered. 

And no matter how many people might tell her that there was nothing to fear, that she and Kyoko were safe, she couldn’t relax at all. Her senses were on high alert and the smallest sound made her look around. From the tallest tree branches scraping against the window to the fact that at some point the medic fell asleep and mumbled nonsense from time to time. 

As for herself, Celestia had nothing but silence for company. That and the hand she refused to let go of, that she cradled in her lap and caressed from time to time. 

Somehow the night went on faster than she had thought it ever would. Perhaps Celeste dozed off every now and then; it was fitful, restless sleep since she was way more focused on keeping watch over her companion. It did help that nothing important transpired aside from the medic either snoring or laughing at their phone, something that felt awfully irresponsible to the gambler but she knew better than to comment about. 

She would ask the school staff to bring Ms. Tsumiki back from whatever vacation she had taken as soon as she could, but that was that.

All in all, the next day came without too many changes to Kyoko’s condition aside from her bandages becoming cleaner, a very good sign. As the morning progressed she started moving a tiny bit and sighing every now and then, small gestures that were nothing in comparison to how much she had fought against the paramedic just last evening. 

It was a delight anyways when she did stir, blinking rapidly and trying her hardest to focus languid, hazed lilac irises on Celestia’s kind, crimson ones.

“Hey there.” The gambler saluted her in a small voice, getting to her feet in order to approach the mattress. She was vaguely aware that their hands remained intertwined and did nothing in regard to it. “Are you about to start sputtering nonsense and try to go back to whatever it was that you were doing?”

“H-huh?” The detective mumbled, fighting tooth and nail to simply keep her eyes open. It was sweet in a sense, though Celeste did wish she would just rest a bit more. “What are you—where am I?”

“Hm, you like mysteries so I shall give you a few hints. To help you wake up and everything.” Celestia winked at her and kept her voice light, a way to distract both of them from how quickly her heart was beating. How much she wanted to touch Kirigiri, ask for specifics, make sure she was okay. “You are lying in a bed covered by white sheet. The walls are likewise a pristine, boring color. A machine stands to your side and there is something connected to it stuck on your finger—now, do not cheat and glance down, will you. This place allows for little to no privacy, though those terrible drapes are supposed to provide us with some semblance of it. And as for yourself, there is a bandage on your—”

“The infirmary.” Kirigiri winced. Her free hand rose to touch the wound, found the dressing and inspected it through touch alone. “How… for how long have I been out?”

“Five days straight.” Celestia commented with a poker face, then couldn’t help but giggle when that made the other girl tense up. “I am merely jesting, Lady Detective. You were unconscious for around a day or so.”

“Oh.”

Kyoko loudly exhaled, glanced to the side. Her gaze lingered on their joined hands, the contact that neither wanted to break; instead she moved a bit and intertwined their fingers instead, peeking at Celeste’s face in order to read her reaction. 

As for the gambler, she didn’t mask the smile that overtook her heart, then her lips. Nor did she stop herself from bringing the back of Kirigiri’s hand to her cheek for a brief moment, before lowering her arm again. 

“I suppose I should let the paramedic evaluate you before we talk, but there are a few questions I would like to ask you. If you’re up to answering them, of course.” The gambler made no move to get away from her, however, almost as if she were dreading the moment in which she would have to put some distance between them. “The one thing I wish to know now is, are you in any pain?”

“Yes, but it isn’t unbearable in any case. I guess that was… an intense fight.” Kyoko winced, glancing away. 

“It still amazes me that your investigation derailed into a physical confrontation.” Celestia mused, caressing Kirigiri’s knuckles with her thumb. “And that Ikusaba of all people came to your rescue.”

“A few things are still unclear to me, though now I wonder if it isn’t because I was hit in the head—ugh. Let’s just say that I have a clear culprit for the disappearance of a certain Ultimate… and that it may or may not tie in with our own uh, earlier issue.”

The final words were whispered as finally the medic realized their patient was up: the two could hear the sound of steps quickly making their way towards their little corner of the room, deciding it would be better to keep up appearances from then on. Celeste let go of Kyoko’s hand a second before the person could walk in, salute them both and start doing their job. 

It didn’t take long before they were through, however, and told Kirigiri to stay put for the rest of the day just so they could make sure everything was fine with her. The detective was denied a chance to speak up her mind as the gambler accepted those terms, giving Kyoko a little smile that already informed her that there would be no debating on it.

Only when they were alone again did Celestia move her chair even closer to the bed and resume her place, beaming the slightest when the other girl reached out for her hand again.

“I assumed there wasn’t anything you needed to get back to that quickly in order to press for an early discharge.” The gambler justified herself, especially as the first thing she got from Kyoko was a pointed stare.

So much for the handholding and the comfort she could get from it.

“I don’t, you’re right about that. There were a few loose ends that I should investigate further before presenting a case to the headmaster, but still.” She took a deep breath, lowering her voice even though they had been left alone at the nurse’s office a few minutes ago as the paramedic’s shift ended. “The person we rescued at the scene of the crime, Murasame Soshun, was murdered a few days ago. By the one who should be helping him recover and testify in regard to what truly happened back then.”

“An accomplice, then. The mastermind had an accomplice from the very start.” Celestia’s eyes widened, though she had pondered over that matter by herself a while ago. “It makes sense, given how neatly everything has worked ever since—no, even before—the massacre took place. Albeit we do live in a school filled with Ultimates, there are hindrances to our abilities, to what we are able to do.”

“And what would be better than another Ultimate’s expertise in order to tie those loose ends?” Kyoko completed the thought, nodding her head a bit before the pain made her stop. “And who would be better to do so than the Ultimate Neurologist, someone who could manipulate the mind if he did so desire?”

It was the first time Celeste had heard of such a title, though it wasn’t that surprising. Hope’s Peak was crawling with Ultimates of every area, including one lucky student per class, so it wasn’t as if it would be too farfetched to think they had more medical staff around than Mikan and whoever had watched over Kyoko the last day.

“I suppose we are quite fortunate this person wasn’t around when you were injured.” The gambler crossed her arms, pursed her lips. “Unless of course you confronted him?”

“No, that I did not. There is no sign of Matsuda Yasuke around the premises either—nor did I find the body of the deceased Student Council President. I was interrupted the moment I was about to uncover it, you see.” Anger colored her tone, making Celeste squeeze her hand as a way to soothe. The heart monitor accused that shift in emotion, despite very little tells in her face reflecting it. “Which makes everything all too convenient, even if the mysterious fighter didn’t seem to be siding with anyone in particular. 

“And oh, you asked about Mukuro arriving at the scene. That was only natural, however. Enoshima was there before me. I… feel like I should know what she was doing there, but unfortunately being hit in the head might have messed up with my memories.” 

“Hey, don’t force yourself.” Celeste softened her voice, didn’t let it show that the whole matter became even more confusing after that was said. “You will probably recall them after a while, when you’re fully healed. Perhaps I shouldn’t even be making you discuss the matter right now to begin with.”

Sitting up, Kyoko pulled the gambler closer by their joined hands and linked their free ones. The intensity in her stare was new, though understandable: there was nothing worse than feeling useless, incapable of dealing with or solving such an important mystery. Why, if Celestia herself wanted to unravel it that deeply, she could only imagine how her companion was dealing with the whole conundrum. 

“I have to talk about it. To discover what’s been missing. What the link between all these people is, and what—”

The door abruptly opened, making them both turn to face it despite the drapes and move to less compromising positions. Kyoko lied down again, suddenly exhausted at that bout of fury, whereas Celestia finally recalled her own phone and started typing in it as if she didn’t give a damn about the girl she was keeping watch over. Or the issue they had been speaking about a few seconds ago.

Whereas both were expecting a new healthcare professional to show up, however, they were indeed surprised to see none other than Jin Kirigiri himself, a concerned expression alongside shadows under his eyes.

“Ah, I see that you have company. That is… Heartwarming.” His greeting was crowned with a smile sent in the direction of both girls, something that made Celestia beam in response. Especially since the sentiment was true and not any sort of fabrication. “I will have to ask you to leave however, Miss…”

“Ludenberg. Celestia Ludenberg.” The gambler bowed her head politely, even if she didn’t really wish to comply with it. Somehow the mere thought of leaving Kyoko alone with someone she didn’t like seemed beyond her. 

“Who—Ah indeed, the Ultimate Gambler.” He nodded as if that had been enough for him to remember her. Or at least to remember the full name that she had to sign under before adding the one she would rather be called. “If you do excuse me, this is a matter between—”

“She stays.” 

Kyoko’s voice was firm, albeit low. It left no room for arguments or for the possibility that his will would surpass hers. It wasn’t surprising then when he sighed, acquiesced and turned towards the both of them, letting the two girls know that the case would be archived after that whole fiasco. 

Of course they denied it. Of course they offered whatever explanation they could come up with, almost everything they had investigated and thought about thus far, to stop such a thing from happening. 

And although the headmaster was firm and ultimately told them to stay out of trouble since he didn’t want more deaths, Celestia was sure she saw an inkling of something, an idea of sorts, shining within his eyes as he left the infirmary a few minutes later. 

Chapter Text

Taeko Yasuhiro.

The name echoed in her worst nightmares, those who also depicted her old, boring, unworthy existence. 

Days spent studying in a nameless school, in a nameless village that many wouldn’t even dream was real. Living in a numberless house just the side of a nondescript road. To call it small would be an overstatement.

To call it lifeless would be more fitting, that being the very word that Celestia Ludenberg herself had always used while thoughts about her first years of life crept back into the present. 

Sometimes she cringed at that invasion, whenever the past tried to overtake the present. To even imagine that someone like her, someone who was meant for more and deserved more, had had such a loathsome origin! It all started with her name—commonplace, unnoticeable, dull. Her own family was the same, always saying that they didn’t need much in order to get by. That living in simplicity meant there would be less to stress over, less to care about.

Less of a chance for greed and avarice and similar, corrupting emotions to take them over, too.

Lo and behold, someone who lived under their own, crumbling roof thought otherwise. And did everything in her power to prove herself, to show the world she was meant for a life of extravagance instead of an anonymous one.

”Are you positive you would like to maintain your bet, Makoto?”

Her voice sounded pleasant to her own ears, the accent in place as always. Her words, her very mannerism was refined, sophisticated. All of those were elements she hadn’t learned from being born in a gilded crib and having the best teachers and tutors, but from observation and repetition. From the movies she had seen, lives she had glossed over whenever she got her hands into magazines and other such media, doing her best to emulate them afterwards. 

Her gift of lying started there, perhaps, as she deceived her own self while playing pretend. Her belief in those alternative realities was so strong, Celeste was always able to fit into whatever role she wanted, which even earned her a place as the protagonist in a small play at elementary school. Even so, it wasn’t enough. It wouldn’t be enough until people stopped calling her by that accursed name.

It wouldn’t be enough until she had a proper house around her, the best meals she could procure, the best education. And above all else, a castle to call her own.

She would one day be that princess, she knew. The one her child self dreamed about for so long, she couldn’t even recall when that desire had taken root within her heart.

”Y-yeah. I do.”

Makoto’s voice, his hesitation, brought her back to reality. Ah, a hateful one all the same—the feeling of being trapped, of being kept away from everything she wanted and deserved, returning anew. Sure, the circumstances were quite different from those she had faced before: no longer was she the child of a poor family, but a renowned gambler with a title and a growing fortune to her name. The threat that loomed over her for doing something wrong wasn’t to be grounded; no, the punishment which would await her was death itself.

To die without seeing her plan coming to fruition. 

To live secluded from the world, inside a school where she was once again a mere nobody.

Or the better, third option…

To live with all the money she would need in order to build her dream castle and hire the best staff ever. And have nothing but the death of some people looming over her head as a consequence to her actions.

The latter wouldn’t be a novelty, really. Again, many who lost terrible games to her paid with their money and their lives. Yet it was the presence of a certain someone that was making her hesitate, linger, think about it again and again and again. 

Postpone her own consolidated ideas, lest something else came to mind. Or another solution, such as one of them unveiling the killing game for what it was, actually happened.

”Hey, Celestia? Shouldn’t you uh, reveal those cards now?”

”O-oh, indeed, indeed.” Beaming to hide her discomfort, the doubts which had been running around her heart and mind for the longest time, the Ultimate Gambler chuckled and gracefully waved a hand around. “Apologies, Makoto, I merely wished to create a sense of anticipation. Perhaps I have waited too far to make my move, or the house's one, then.”

A small pile of Monocoins was stacked beside her over the familiar green table. It had been a delight when the Ultimate Lucky Student discovered many decks of cards around the rec room during their latest investigation—given how distracted Celestia had been as of recent, she even forgot to check for those. The cards were of course stamped with Monokuma heads for the numbers and full, weird illustrations for the knight, king and queen, which were off-putting for sure, but at least they were playable. 

Intrigued by Makoto’s Ultimate talent and extremely bored, Celeste had decided to challenge him to a game of blackjack. It was to her advantage that he had never played before, though the rules itself were simple, and that Naegi had found a good amount of Monocoins around the school. With nothing else better to bet and nothing else to do unless she wanted her brain to melt under that much pressure, the two stayed around to play a few matches. 

To say that he was lucky would be an understatement, especially in a game like that: he had won the first round, to Celestia’s astonishment. Still unsure if that was enough to truly measure the extent of his ability, she challenged him to another and was quite satisfied with the mixed results which were shown then. Now, for their third round, things were indeed more balanced to the point that there was a chance both parties had equal amounts of Monocoins on their side of the long table.

Flipping her own cards against his twelve, she flinched back at the eleven she pulled, having to keep her temper in check and force a smile on her face while handing Makoto his bet.

”I must say, it was quite lucky of me that you have never taken an interest in gambling.” She commented with a light-hearted voice. Despite the fact that she wanted to fly at him and get her coins back—she had a date with the MonoMono machine later, after all. “The talent scouts would probably have made us face each other a few times before deciding who truly deserved the title.”

”No no no, it’s nothing like that, heh.” He shook his head, clearly uncomfortable. That was understandable, what with how intently Celestia had been watching him throughout that whole activity. “I’ve both won and lost, for one. Unlike you. It’s just that we’re playing a more luck-based game than most, I guess. If this was poker or something else, I’d be toast.”

”Would you? I do think that your talent is unreliable, yet it is not without its uses.” Celestia leaned back, collecting the cards for a final round. “All or nothing. Let us test your ability one more time.”

”R-right. But uh, please give me back some of those? I really wanna try and grab some gifts for everyone and all—“ The boy whined, glancing at both of their coins.

Gifts. In a situation like that. How considerate of him. Celestia had to admit that it made sense, however: wouldn’t people be less likely to single him out as a culprit if he were that kind to the group as a whole? Hadn’t she done the same thing from moment one, albeit not going as far as spending her hard-earned, useless currency on things for others?

(Hadn’t she been about to do the same thing while betting on the MonoMono machine, in hopes that she could get something that Kyoko would appreciate?)

”Why, of course.” The gambler beamed, carefree. “This was never a serious match to begin with, silly. You should not be penalized for indulging me and my curiosity towards the extent of your talent. So yes, we shall not keep each other’s economies after this.”

The cards he showed amounted to nothing more than a ten. There was hope, Celestia realized as she grabbed her own pile, then remained frozen for a second while thinking things through. After everything she had seen on that encounter, shouldn't she pay more mind to that boy and his abilities? Would his Ultimate Luck aid him for what it was worth, despite how little of her still-consolidating plan seemed to rely on such an element?

Should she focus on what he and a certain someone would be able to do together, in the same way the two of them had—

“Ah, there you are. I was wondering if I wouldn’t find you here.”

Both her and Makoto turned at the sound of that voice, Celeste wondering how far afield she had been that she didn’t even notice the door opening. She found herself smiling the moment her eyes met lilac, familiar ones albeit they shouldn’t be called like so. Her heart twisted within her chest for some unknown reason, only to relax the moment the gambler realized the other girl had been staring solely at her while saying that.

”Ah hello there, Kyoko. It’s such a pleasure to see you. Do you need my assistance with something?” 

“K-Kirigiri! I uh, I promise we’ll be back to investigating as soon as—“ Makoto stuttered, his eyes lowering towards the table in anticipation of whatever would come next. The diagnosis over whether or not his luck was absolute.

The fact that he had used her surname to address the newcomer instead of her first name made Celeste gleeful. For what reason, she couldn’t tell; in the same way that she couldn’t quite explain why her heart suddenly wished that she won that match. If only so the other girl would be—

No, no. That was completely uncalled for. Forcing her mind away from that particular train of thoughts, the gambler finally revealed her own cards and smiled at their sum: eighteen. Her own talent had indeed proven itself superior to sheer, unreliable luck.

”Ah, apologies, Makoto. It does seem like the house won.” 

She couldn’t keep the smugness from bleeding into her tone, her whole demeanor. Even more when that made Kyoko laugh and the other student push all his coins towards her regardless of their earlier agreement. The moment was so carefree, so fun in a way, that Celeste found herself bowing as gracefully as possible, almost as if she had done something amazing. 

The fact that Makoto clapped and Kyoko chuckled surely didn’t make her heart skip a beat or anything like that.

”What are your plans for these riches?” The newcomer asked, motioning with a gloved hand towards the pile of coins. The small smile on her face didn’t leave—if anything, it almost felt as if Kyoko was having more fun than she wanted to let on.

”Why, albeit usually we would say that to the victor goes the spoils…” Celeste glanced at Naegi for a few seconds before dividing the coins evenly between them. Never mind that he had had way more than her before those matches began. “I shall be benevolent and share my keep with our poor loser. So that he may not be a sore one.”

She didn’t even have to wink or add another word: Makoto understood it would be better if he didn’t protest, didn’t point out that it wasn’t what they had agreed upon beforehand. Not that he would ever get it, how Celestia needed that money. Or rather, those Monocoins, so she could uh—

Attempt to get any sort of gift for Kyo—herself, of course.

”Now, I do believe we should stop dawdling and resume investigating, should we not?” The gambler beamed again, getting up from her chair and gifting Naegi with a pleasant smile. “Thank you for entertaining me, though. That certainly was very enligh—ahem, enjoyable.”

No, she couldn’t let the others know that the game had been nothing but a pretense. A way to check Makoto’s skill, what she might have to face at the class trial if her resolve solidified. If she went on with the plan that was almost ready, just needing a few adjustments before being set into motion. 

“Ah yeah, sure thing. I’ll uh, I’ll see if Byakuya isn’t hiding something from the rest of the group again. Later!”

The boy left before Kyoko could say anything. Not that it felt like she would or needed to, as she simply nodded in his direction before turning to face Celestia again. 

The moment their eyes met was the same in which a slow, comforting warmth spread from Celestia’s heart to her entire mind and body. 

Neither of them moved, lilac and crimson irises dancing to a music of their own. They were standing close in the middle of the rec room, the gambler’s hands clutching the pile of Monocoins for dear life while her brain fumbled for purchase, for respite. For any solution as to why she was left feeling like that whenever she pondered over hers and Kirigiri’s eerie connection. 

And if she had ever wondered if the sensation was reciprocated, well, the uncertain look on Kyoko’s face seemed to translate a bit of what she herself felt.

The gambler’s lips parted, no word was said. There was so much she wished to ask, so many thoughts rushing through her mind at astounding speed that she couldn’t truly translate them into words. Into the right questions, those that might not sound too unbelievable to her own ears.

It wasn’t the time or place, she told herself. 

It meant nothing, she lied to her treacherous heart.

It wasn’t enough. It would never be enough—another person couldn’t deviate her from her track, a track she had started trailing when she was nothing but a little kid. 

And without anything solid, reasonable, more tangible to hold onto… Celeste wouldn’t abandon her dreams for mere, ethereal sensations. A hunch, if she willed herself to call it so, that there was more to them than what met the eye.

You’re familiar to me , the words echoed within her mind, not for the first time. They had appeared in a dream, the gambler was sure, yet the contents of such reverie were long gone. What had accompanied her from slumber to her waking hours was a terrible headache, one that wasn’t healed even when she resorted to some over the counter medication at the nurse's office. It had stopped after a few days, true, only to resurface whenever Celeste tried to pursue that line of thought.

The ache was there at that moment of course, when she tried again to give voice to growing suspicions, debatable truths.

”You are—were you looking for me?”

She internally winced, internally chastised herself. How was it that she lacked the courage to face one girl? To face herself if it came down to it, the parts of her own mind that seemed fractured, shadowed, enveloped in murky darkness?

How was it that the thought of setting her plan into action didn’t elicit the same convoluted emotions?

As for Kyoko, it was clear that the sound of Celestia’s voice woke her from a reverie of her own—another indication, perhaps, that she wasn’t the only one to experience such things. Shaking her head, the mysterious Ultimate glanced at another part of the room before she spoke, almost as if she would rather not have that happening again. 

“I was, yes. We uh, had a very interesting time at the bath house yesterday, didn’t we?” The way her words faltered and her cheeks were dusted a violent crimson was so convincing, Celestia had to stop herself from thinking that Kyoko was actually hinting at something else. “I was wondering if you would like to keep me company again today. Once w-we get too tired from investigating, of course.”

One had to wonder what stopped Monokuma from interrupting that exchange, charged as it was. Or maybe that was all in Celestia’s mind and she was reading too much into whatever character Kyoko was portraying right there.

Surely all she wanted was for them to speak to Alter Ego again, correct? Something that Celestia would have to do sooner or later if she wanted that part of her plan to be implemented. She had to give it to Genocide Jack, a lot of preparation went into committing a crime and getting away with it.

”Oh, what an adorable surprise. I would certainly love to, my dear Kyoko.” Letting her unruly heart have full reign for the next few seconds, Celeste approached the other girl. A hand went to her cheek and she caressed it, enjoying the sensation and the look of complete shock in her companion’s face. “I shall bring my combs and the like so I may work on your hair afterwa—“

”A-allow me. To repay the favor, that is.” Kyoko stuttered, moving away from the gambler’s touch and personal space. Her steps uncharacteristically loud, she opened the door to the room and motioned for Celestia to follow her while mumbling, “it’s my turn to style your hair.”

Mind whirling with that new information, heart thudding in her chest in sheer anticipation, Celestia couldn’t help but smile. Couldn’t help even to enjoy those moments, whatever would come next. The fact that she would be able to spend a whole day with the girl she… the girl whose company she liked, and then have such a sweet treat waiting afterwards.

“I would… really enjoy that.” The words were the utmost truth. There was no reason to lie, to school her expression. To change her pace as she finally followed Kyoko’s lead, leaving the rec room behind—

Which was a mistake in hindsight, as the moment she set foot into the eerie, abandoned hallways of Hope’s Peak Academy, Celestia was dimly reminded of what she needed to do. How badly she needed to escape.

And ultimately, how awfully she needed to fool the girl who walked beside her, still blushing so much that the tips of her ears were also dusted red. 

Celestia saw an opportunity to strike when a certain someone stopped joining them for breakfast.

Well, to be honest, it would be more like she would be giving him the mercy of resting, of joining his beloved Mondo in a better place. After all, the person known by the name of Kyotaka Ishimaru had been all but gone ever since the second trial ended and its truth was unearthed. Perhaps there was a way he would grow out of it given time, given the opportunity to live through that grief.

If they were in another situation, that would be easier than while locked at a school, under the surveillance of someone who was certainly doing everything in their power to make the students lose hope. Right then, however, his almost catatonic state turned what had been a hyper alert person into a very likely victim. 

Hence, the one way to deliver him from such pain was to make sure his passing would be quick, without suffering. A blow to the head maybe, or something with minimal blood loss involved. Ambushing him instead of drawing out the moment of his demise—why, wouldn’t it be nice if he never saw her coming?

And oh, wouldn’t it be even easier if she didn’t have to truly soil her hands?

That became more of a necessity as soon as she stumbled into Taka coming out of the bath house a few hours later, with new light behind his eyes. He didn’t greet her with respect or something like the deference that had once marked his words: rather, he marched onwards after nodding at her and saying something that reminded her of Mondo instead of the polite, downcast guy. 

Huh. Just what had happened? 

Given how Makoto stumbled after him not that long after, his eyes wide with surprise and something that looked like guilt, Celeste could only guess that it might have something to do with Alter Ego. 

Alter Ego… Was there any way in which she could use it to her own advantage somehow? Of course it would be against anything she was planning, a certain backfire if she ever asked the AI anything that might point to her growing intent. Truly, it would be nice to have some assistance when it came to what was starting to become a plan of action, something she could rely on.

Something she would bet her life and soul on, for what she hoped would be the last time.

When another, much dearer person exited the bath house the gambler stopped and stared—whatever she had been thinking about pretty much disappearing as she smiled at Kyoko’s presence. The way her shoulders were locked, hinting at unspoken tension. Or how her eyes were narrowed in a tiny frown, gaze cast in Makoto’s and Taka’s direction. Had she seen something that Celeste could only guess at?

No matter how much she knew she would have to avoid the other girl without being too suspicious, provided that her plan fledged into a complete, flawless picture before someone else decided to try and claim the prize for themself, there would be no harm in approaching her right then, correct? And given that there was a high likelihood of Kirigiri answering whatever she asked since they had collaborated a lot in the past… 

It wouldn’t hurt to try.

Making her way slowly and quietly towards the still-distraught Ultimate, Celestia smirked while standing right beside her. It was clear she had been noted, as Kyoko’s head had angled the slightest in her direction a few seconds before. They remained like that and in complete silence for a some heartbeats, to the point that it became a little bit awkward to just stand in front of the bath house and do nothing.

”We were apart for mere minutes after breakfast, yet somehow I have a feeling that you have already run into some sort of trouble,” Celeste said in a soothing tone. The fact that Kyoko eventually turned to face her and sighed in exasperation seemed to confirm her theory. “What is it? You were also a bit enigmatic first thing in the morning. More than you usually are, that is.”

”Ugh, it’s just that people keep turning to uh, the bath house for the stupidest reasons!” She exploded after glancing at a camera, though the wording itself had been enough for Celestia to comprehend what exactly she was referring to. “I understand the need to remain somewhere warm, but seriously?”

”Hm, one would think the other students are simply enjoying the relative comfort that only a bath can bring?” The gambler beamed, carefree. And yet her mind sprung to action, trying to grasp at whatever she could take from that conversation. “The two of us can attest to how invigorating those times are, can’t we?”

Again, the teasing had the very predictable effect of making Kyoko blush. If that meant she would also lower her guard a bit further and tell Celeste more without spoiling their own business within Monokuma’s earshot, then so be it. 

“W-we certainly uh, we certainly can. But still, I just caught Makoto… showing Taka how to manage the bathtub. And certainly they had a v-very good bath together since he was that invigorated afterwards.” Oh, the way she was stuttering was simply hilarious. The gambler nodded, indeed, but was already making sure she recalled everything about that interaction so she could mock Kyoko later. “And, and last night too—“

”Oh, so that wasn’t their first time? My, it astounds me as to how quickly our peers have decided to engage in such activities, to seek solace in each other’s presence. It appears to me that we should continue to follow suit?“

Yes, she wanted to get out of there more than anything.

Yes, she knew that following Monokuma’s suggestion in order to do so would result in everyone’s death but hers. And that included the attractive Ultimate standing right in front of her.

But that wouldn’t mean that Celestia wasn’t looking forward to having fun and making fun of said Ultimate until either of their final breaths.

And the look Kirigiri gave her, the way she blushed and widened her eyes before glancing away, was so priceless, the gambler knew she would treasure that moment forever. 

“I uh, we s-should…” The sentence hung in the air, unfinished. Likewise Kyoko’s entire body was so taut, it felt like one more word from Celeste would be the death of her. “We s-should focus on investiga… on making sure no one is using th-this room for nefarious deeds. AndThatDoesIncludeUs!”

The last sentence was said too quickly, just as the gambler was about to retort. It shut her up of course, as her comment had everything to do with them having the bath house to themselves, so oh well. Unable to stop herself, Celestia giggled, tilted her head to the side and leaned forward, hand caressing Kyoko’s arm. 

If they were going to keep pushing that kind of discourse in front of the cameras, well then, she would make the other girl act for the hell of it. 

“Aw, you’re always so cute when flustered… I love it. But anyways, what exactly did you see or hear last night? Who else has been abusing that sacred space?”

”Hifumi.” Eager to return to safer ground, Kyoko turned away from the gambler and rejected the beginning of her sentence. Which was a sad, predictable outcome. ”He had no qualms leaving his room in the middle of the night in order to access the bath house.”

”All by his lonesome? Well, I do suppose there aren’t many around here who would consider him a—ahem.” She withered under the piercing stare that Kirigiri had given her. Okay, then, apparently the time to make jokes and have fun was over. “That explains your cryptic words towards him during breakfast, though. And he even broke our nighttime wandering rule…”

”Indeed. While I do believe he has taken my warning to heart, it still worries me that something… similar will keep happening.” 

Kyoko fumbled with her words, angling her body towards the place where they had last seen Taka and Makoto move towards. Taka… Celestia had no doubt that he had finally been exposed to Alter Ego to some extent—that something the program had told him was enough for that rapid change of heart. Which already meant that he wouldn’t be that easy to get, correct?

There went her perfect victim, the first part of her plan. Unless of course, she found some means to use that new disposition to her own advantage.

Or perhaps not that… but the whole thing with Hifumi and Alter Ego as well, especially if she recalled how taken the man had been with its discovery. And how it had had nothing to do with how close he had been to Chihiro, either.

”Celestia?”

Kyoko’s voice called the gambler back to reality, a rude awakening. The last thing she needed was for the other girl to even suspect that she was trying her hardest to devise the perfect escape plan. One that didn’t involve anyone else but her and that amazing sum of money Monokuma had mentioned, too.

”Ah, apologies. I was merely trying to grasp how quickly Taka fell into Makoto’s snare. Or was it the other way around, I wonder?” Celeste beamed as if she hadn’t just said something completely absurd. 

At the very least it made Kirigiri sigh and shake her head at her.

”Never mind that. I was asking if you had anything in mind about the whole bath house issue.”

Celestia did, a small idea already taking place. A way for her to exploit the entire matter, to steer things in a direction that would be completely favorable to her. Deep down she wondered if it would be that simple, at least those first few steps, but she had to believe it would be so. The best plays weren’t always the most grandiose—or if they were, it wasn’t that uncommon for them to start small. 

“Not really, I’m afraid. But I shall try to think of something before night time, so such depravity may not befall us again.” The gambler solemnly nodded, then angled her head in the general direction of the stairs. “Now, you did say you would like to take another look at the air machine?”

”The filter, yes. Come with me?”

A hand was placed on Celestia’s forearm, the small tug and the way Kyoko asked that already making her heart pang. The sensation that loomed there, a shadow of doubt that was new in a heart that was used to lying, constricted her breathing for one second, two. Yet she knew where she would go, what she wanted to do while devising every intricate, little step towards her grand scheme. 

If she couldn’t have everything she wanted, everything she needed at the same time, then Celestia Ludenberg would do her best so that their final moments together would be as peaceful as possible. 

Chapter Text

The students of class 78 watched as the school did its best to maintain some semblance of normalcy. 

Classes were dragged on for as long as it was humanly possible. Albeit the noise coming from the Reserve Course strike failed to reach them due to the soundproof walls, it was harder and harder to ignore their oppressive, constant presence. The gloomy black uniform in contrast to the white boards and signs they carried, to the blood red fury stamped on their faces. 

The remarks which were shouted and that had already become too angry, the violence that happened whenever someone even tried to talk to them.

Their outrage was evident and some, those who were in the know, would ever say that perhaps it was justified. At the very least its basis was—yet it was another thing altogether when emotions bled into physical actions, into more murders and other threats that extended to not just the Ultimate students of Hope's Peak, but to any passerby as well.

To summarize, things were indeed out of control. The most baffling part, however, was that they had already started like so: it wasn't as if their actions and manifestations of unrest escalated given time, the days and weeks in which those students camped in front of the school and protested. No, those who had seen everything from moment one and almost been swallowed by it could attest that it had been dangerous from the very beginning. 

Which was… Exactly what both intrigued and scared Celestia Ludenberg, keeping her awake night after night as she tried to unravel the mystery in front of her.

It helped that she wasn't working alone: of course Kyoko and even Genocide Jack (and Toko herself, who didn’t have too much of a mind for murders, but apparently harbored a sharp analytic sense) stuck close to her and tagged along. It wasn't unusual for them to chat after night time, holing up at each other's rooms and pretending to be asleep whenever a hall monitor walked by. 

While it was unfortunate that the increased security put an end to their nightly patrols and investigations, they didn't stand idle at all. A contrast to how most of the other Ultimates acted, upperclassmen who somehow found within themselves the hope to just shrug, believe in whatever the adults said and go on with their lives as if nothing else was happening.

As if a mob of angry students wasn't protesting right outside their windows, literally so.

As if they weren't hearing more and more news of injured people, students, even teachers who had nothing to do with the Main Course or Hope’s Peak to begin with. 

As if the world wasn't slowly but surely being tainted by something dark, an oppressive force that came from the very school they loved and were doing close to nothing to protect. 

The first sign that even the adults were starting to give up and prepare for the worst came through Kyoko herself. If she had ever cursed her position as daughter of the headmaster, it surely came in handy right then: the man wasn't the most open about the whole thing with his own family at first, true, but relented the moment he realized how much she and her companions already knew. 

How much they had found out by themselves and the close monitoring they kept on the parade as well, just because.

Just because they were indeed convinced that it wasn't the climax of whatever plan was being set into motion, but a mere development which would indeed culminate in something far more dire.

“Think about it for a moment,” Kyoko said to the darkened room. Her voice, once soft and otherworldly cold, was almost twisted by a terrible sense of anxiety. One could even wonder how much she was actually feeling, if such emotions were ebbing into her tone like so. “What would they gain from simply inciting a rebellion?”

“Administrative control of Hope's Peak Academy?” Celestia quipped, though the answer wasn't that satisfactory even to herself. “Though maybe that will be nothing but a mere consequence to their actions, correct?”

There was no answer for a heartbeat, two. Turning her head to the side, the gambler shifted in bed so as to face the detective, to try and read her expression through the oppressive darkness. 

It wasn't uncommon for them to be that close, to share a bed. Fear for the unpredictable future due to their worsening circumstances had made them spend as much time together as they could. Kyoko’s past encounter with something beyond her own capabilities also played a role, of course, with Celestia growing slightly protective of her as well. That new rules had been enacted for their safety really aided her: the students were advised to walk around the campus in groups or at the very least in pairs, to the point that the two girls were always together just because, heads almost touching while conjecturing, investigating, discussing.

Trying their hardest to get to the gist of it all without being too evident about it, thus working within the new limitations they had been given.

“Yes. Financial and administrative control would be nothing but a mere consequence.” Kirigiri acquiesced. Her eyes, tinged a deep purple by growing restlessness, bore into Celestia’s and roamed. Searching for an answer, for a sense of safety that was tough to be found right then. “Again, I think the school is merely the epicenter of something bigger.”

“As in… the district?” The gambler mused, also staring deeply into Kyoko’s irises. “I mean, we did see the news earlier today. How chaos has started to spread and claimed victims in our surroundings. Even the cafes we used to visit have decided to remain closed for the time being.”

Knowing that what was supposed to be a major school issue had already influenced the rest of the area was by itself troublesome. Grimacing, Kirigiri edged closer to Celeste—so close that the Ultimate Gambler could feel her rapid breathing against her own cheeks.

“Which makes me wonder what will be done to stop this from gaining an even bigger repercussion.” The detective uttered, almost scared at what she was hinting at. “I know it sounds preposterous, that something like that might achieve that sort of impact, yet Hope's Peak is a beacon of human development.”

“If that is tainted, disrupted and corrupted due to their own experiments, then the whole world might feel its implications and revolt.” Celeste continued that trail of thought, her entire body shivering. 

It was interesting, wasn't it, that her true emotions weren't repressed whenever she was in the other girl's company. The moment Kyoko's hand closed around hers and she was caressed was the same in which she realized how vulnerable she was. How much she didn't mind that the Ultimate Detective of all people was witnessing that. 

And finally, how effortless it was for her to breathe whenever they were together, too.

“Exactly.”

Kirigiri didn't sugarcoat it. Didn't deny her own suspicions just because of that reaction. Instead she pulled Celestia into a hug, hands running circles on the small of her back. A comfort, flimsy and perhaps illogical as it didn't solve anything. Didn't offer a new outlook, or give them any reassurance that the next few days would be better.

Yet what both girls could feel, what wasn't said in any case, was that things would indeed be easier if they remained together. 

The next morning, Celestia stirred to find Kyoko still in her arms. If the sight worried or shocked her, it was nothing when compared to the realization that the detective was already awake. 

And that a blush dusted her cheeks the moment their gazes met, dreamy crimson on warm, yet concerned lilac.

She was unable to keep her body from locking as tension ran through her, or surprise from showing on her face. When she was able to get a better hold of such emotions, it was already too late: Kyoto had spotted them from what they were and moved, putting some space between them.

Before she could remove her arms and end their embrace, however, Celeste acted quicker (and without properly thinking about it, sure enough) and brought her closer instead. 

The small gasp that left Kirigiri’s lips was proof that she hadn’t expected that. And in a sense neither did the gambler, who took a few harried heartbeats to really ponder over what she was doing. What she thought she was doing, clinging so closely to someone else like that. Inviting them into what had once been a lonely life, one that hadn’t harbored many people who could be considered friends.

Let alone whatever she thought they shared, whatever feeling that had already blossomed between them at that moment in time.

In any case, it was just as telling that Kyoko didn’t protest that arrangement; rather, she curled into Celestia’s body and stayed there, silent, letting her hands run through the gambler’s hair as if that were something already normal between them. As if it was something that the two of them should do given their situation and position: enjoying a moment of peace and warmth while stuck in the middle of one of the biggest crises they had ever seen before. 

One could argue, as Celeste did once her own mind called her out on it, that such gentle occurrences were precious gems. Treasures that should be locked into the depths of memory due to how flimsy and possibly rare they would become in the near future. Hence, placated by her own conviction, by such an unusual thought coming from her, the gambler relaxed into the touch, welcoming it. Allowing her own fingers to weave themselves on Kyoko’s hair, something she had indeed longed to do for a while already.

Ultimately finding herself lucky, to be able to enjoy that before everything surely went downhill.

It was impossible to say for how long they remained like that, wrapped in their own thoughts and arms, solaced by the other’s presence. Maybe they would have carried that on for a lot longer too—to the point that skipping those pointless classes would soon become a possibility—if their phones hadn’t vibrated at the same time. Only then did Celestia realize how far it was, somewhere on Kyoko’s side table; with an annoyed sight she pulled away and grabbed the object, watching as the detective did the same.

Whatever ruined that better be good, the gambler mused while shifting through the several notifications she had promptly ignored and slept through for the last several hours. Some were useless, like the emails she got every now and then inviting her to underground gambling matches; she couldn’t recall the last time she attended those, especially after Hope’s Peak went into lockdown. Even before though, her efforts had been so focused on Kyoko, then on the mystery they stumbled upon, that poker matches were usually only done online. 

Others came from family members who were always too keen to ask her to lend them money, or to inquire over her wellbeing before doing so. Those were also quickly deleted, as she had neither the time nor the energy and the means to deal with. There were far worse things happening on a daily basis, albeit she did wish she could visit her cat at some point in the near future just to make sure that he was fine. 

And then finally…

”Hm? A message from the headmaster?” She queried, as always tactful not to call him Kyoko’s father. No matter how much the guy had aided them in the last few days, there was still something off between the two of them.

And the last thing Celeste wanted was to figure out why, if the detective wasn’t ready to speak about it. 

“‘I request all students from class 78 to assemble at my office around noon. There is a matter of utmost importance that we shall discuss, and it is better to do so in person. Please, do not be late and do not ask for clarifications, as more information shall be given at the appointed place and time.’” Kyoko read out loud, then turned to face Celestia with a silent question in her eyes. 

“Indeed, mine says the same.” The gambler nodded, then looked down at her phone in order to better analyze what was written. There wasn’t anything off about it, but one could never know in that day and age, right? “Did he ever confide in you about something? Or better yet, about his intent to do something of this sort?”

”He has not.” The detective glared at her mobile, tightening her grip on it. “Of course he wouldn’t, no matter that we have agreed to work together in this matter and—“

”Me oh my, the phone is not at fault for Mr. Kirigiri’s behavior!” The gambler commented with a smile. A second later she enveloped Kyoko’s hand with her own, squeezing it before taking the object from her fingers. “And it would surely be loathsome if I lost my means of communicating with you during night time just because the man irked you.”

For her sake the detective stopped, stared at her for a few seconds and thought better about what she was saying. What she had been about to do, the way anything relating to Jin seemed to anger her to no end. That was supposed to be behind them, wasn’t it?

”Indeed. We uh, we have better things to do than to squabble due to his secrecy.” Sighing, she ran a hand through her hair and reached out for the phone, voice a lot calmer than it had been merely a minute ago. “And who knows, there is a chance that for once he has his… reasons.”

”I do believe everyone should be placed under suspicion in a situation such as this. Especially those around him, as many of the higher ups helped cover up the tragic death of the student council members not that long ago.” The gambler commented. “Albeit I’m not sure that they are involved with this… madness… the fact that they are also at risk does not entirely mean they should not be investigated.”

”There wasn’t much other than Izuru Kamukura’s project on them, though. At least from everything I did gain access to. Even after the whole issue with Murasame, then the still-missing Matsuda Yasuke…”

Nimbly Kyoko got to her feet, started pacing around her own room. How ironic it was, Celeste pondered for a second, that she had been the one to do something similar while in her quarters a few weeks ago. Or had it only been days? She didn’t know; things were shifting so quickly that it was tough to keep track of time. 

Regardless she followed suit, standing up as well. Both of them entirely on edge due to that message alone, whatever it was about to reveal. What a start to what was supposed to be another, non distinct morning according to the powers-that-be at Hope’s Peak…

”I have a feeling that they will finally stop trying to maintain a neutral stance on the manifestation. Or the killings. Or both.” Celeste uttered to no one in particular. She made her way towards the door regardless, seeing as both of them would need some space before the meeting time arrived. “But there is no point in conjecturing, correct? We will know when—“

“D-don’t go.”

It was very tough to determine what took Celestia aback the most. Maybe it was how sudden that interjection happened. Or perhaps the hesitation in the detective’s voice and words. Or even, how her body leaned forward, towards the gambler, an outstretched hand that turned into a closed fist as soon as Kyoko realized what she had just done. Nevertheless, every element to that moment called Celeste back to the room, feet gliding underneath her before she could even notice what she was doing.

How she was smiling.

How light and warm her touch was when she grabbed Kyoko’s gloved hand and intertwined it with her own.

How she was also unwilling to let go, worried that in whatever little time they would spend apart, the world might get to one of them.

”Oh? And how do you suppose we shall get ready, though?” The gambler teased, more than happy to speak of a lighter issue. Or to make light of their situation in any case, for their own sakes. “May I remind you that while you are in your territory, I lack access to my own clothes and adornments?”

”There is nothing wrong with your garment.” 

Kyoko’s voice was nonchalant, matter-of-fact. A flawless mirror of Celeste’s own demeanor, even if her heart was beating at triple speed at their closeness. A sensation that worsened as Kyoko untangled her hand and used it to smooth whatever crinkles she found in the gambler’s uniform. As the detective straightened her tie, she had to stop herself both from reaching out and from curling her hands into a fist to stop the aforementioned gesture. 

Which was… totally a normal reaction, correct?

”And what do you suggest I do about my hair? It is in shambles after such a peaceful slumber.” She motioned to the fact that they were indeed not in their usual drills, instead running all over her back in untamed, ebony curls. 

Kirigiri tilted her head at it, as if deep in thought. Yet the small smile she failed to mask told another story—it was almost as if she knew what to do and had anticipated that question, or been looking forward to what she would say next.

”Sit.” She motioned towards the chair on the other side of the room. The same that stood in front of a round mirror, surrounded by brushes and ribbons. The same Celestia had made fun of her for what seemed like an eternity ago. “I believe I might be able to assist you.”

Etiquette dictated that Celestia should initially deny it, despite the fact that she wished to agree right away. She knew she should not be crass, and did start shaking her head and elaborating some fun reply, only to think better on their predicament and realize that it would be useless to be coy. That they weren’t in the right place or right time to play such games. 

That she didn’t even know if they would be alive and together the next morning, the next evening as well, so wouldn’t it be better if they spent as much time together as possible? At least until they found out what Kyoko’s father had in mind?

That maybe it was exactly what the detective had in mind while pulling the chair away and waving at the gambler to come closer?

”Very well.” She feigned resignation, though her heart was nothing but merry at that prospect. As the final way in which Celeste would show resistance, she turned to glance at her companion through the mirror and asked, “have you ever done anyone’s hair before? Especially in such an intricate style such as mine…”

”Yes.” The lie was so obvious in how Kyoko was glancing away, unnecessarily organizing her brushes by size, that  her blushing wasn’t the biggest tell. “Fine, no. But I am confident that I may be able to come up with something that will be to your liking. Trust me.”

”I do.” 

The reply was so soft, Celeste herself had trouble telling what exactly she was confessing to. 

“R-right. So close your eyes and lean your head back, please. Let me know if I’m tugging too much.”

The gambler complied, thinking better about teasing the other girl with some comment on how she would know if that was the case. Instead she allowed herself to relax, to enjoy being touched and having someone taking care of her for a change. It would be an understatement to say that Celeste had led quite the independent life for the last few years, caring and tending to none other than herself while hoarding resources. Building her fortune, so that one day an army of well-dressed servants would look after her and only her. 

So to have someone comb her hair for a change, first with their own fingers and then a very soft brush… Was something she didn’t even realize she had missed until it happened. 

Kyoko was careful, her touch light and gentle. Methodical as well, something Celeste could feel the moment she started twisting her hair into different, unfamiliar shapes. She knew better than to question, even if she wanted nothing more than to get a sneak peek. But in all honesty, what she wished for more than anything else was for that moment to never end. For time to stand still, so the two of them could enjoy that closeness.

For the world to explode, or halt, or whatever. Anything and everything, if only it meant that they would be together for as long as they could.

Yet such desires are never really granted for those who request it. Time was ever fleeting, forever moving. Thus a few minutes later, when Kyoko mumbled “done” it was with a heavy sigh of contempt that Celeste finally opened her eyes.

And gasped at her own reflection, at the marvelous work that Kirigiri had done in such little time. 

It wasn’t too often that the gambler wore her hair up in braids, much less in a crown style. Yet that was exactly what the detective had achieved, intermingling one of her purple ribbons through the strands to create a masterpiece. One that carried a piece of her, in a sense.

One that Celestia fleetingly wished never to remove, even if logically she understood how impossible that would be.

”This is… Wonderful. Splendid.” The gambler only spoke once she could take her eyes off herself, which took a while, understandably so. “I couldn’t have done that better, really. Thank you, Kyoko.”

”You’re welcome. It was the least I could do, since I’m requesting your company for… A while longer.” Kirigiri glanced away, then quickly moved as if to adjust some invisible, stray hair. “I also have some coffee, but we could uh, go to the cafeteria if you would rather have breakfast.”

”A meal does sound lovely.” And it certainly helped that it was a bit later than usual, meaning that there was a chance the two of them would have a table to themselves, too. “We have no idea how long the meeting will last, after all.”

Kyoko agreed with a quiet nod, then made her way to the door. The fact that she opened it and waited for Celestia to pass was so cute the gambler almost made a comment about it. But by then a nervous sensation was already fluttering within her chest, threatening to overwhelm whatever warmth she and Kyoko had shared not that long ago. 

Only hours later did that feeling abate, as she and her classmates stood idly outside of the headmaster’s room until they were called in one by one.

“Living… here.”

It didn’t come as that much of a surprise that Kyoko herself was the last one to be called in. The interesting part was that most of the class had drifted away the moment their interviews were concluded; no one commented on their answers and just a few hung behind, waiting for their close friends to be dismissed. While the detective and the gambler had been more than eager to discuss and speculate over what was happening as a way to distract themselves, nothing had prepared them for what that meeting really was about. 

How each and every student of class 78 had been asked to remain at a secluded portion of the school, which would begin to be turned into a shelter as conflicts had started to escalate. And to reach proportions that no one had ever thought were possible, involving not just their district but the entire country.

”He didn’t hide it from us, which surprised me.” Kyoko went on. The two were the only ones left in the corridor; with a nod from her, they started moving in the general direction of the dormitories. “Classes will be suspended in a few weeks—enough time for the other building to be mostly sealed off.”

”The project would commence as soon as he had our approval or denial. Our class was picked first as we are the youngest students, yet others are also being considered. Though apparently some of those people have… Spiraled already.” Celeste added. 

It surely explained why the hallways were suddenly so quiet. Why some of their upperclassmen no longer set foot outside their dorms or pretended to attend classes. Locked in their own investigative efforts, Celestia and Kyoko had paid mind to every single detail and registered that, yet glazed over it and probably deemed it as a predictable effect of their unknown future and unstable present. 

“And it’s impossible to know for how long we might need to remain locked up. His words were that we would do so until things quieted down and our lives were out of danger.” The gambler continued, then ceased speaking as she saw the concern on the other girl’s expression. “At the very least they have considered that just waiting for this to fizzle out on its own is no longer an option.”

”And that Hope’s Peak will not resist such attacks as it is right now.” Kyoko nodded, eyes roaming over the walls, the windows.

The sunlight that slanted in, that would more likely than not be taken away from them in a few days’ time. 

Perhaps the thought crossed through their mind at the same time: the two girls stood still for a while, then moved to the closest window and leaned against it. Luckily that side of the school didn’t face the main gate, or else their view of the brilliant outside world would be tainted by a sea of black uniform, whatever violence those students were spreading or maintaining under someone else’s orders. Instead mountains rose in the distance, a few clouds dancing in the sky as a strong wind carried them. 

Such a normal sight, one they might take for granted on most days. One that they remained watching nevertheless, committing it to memory as well.

”Are you… afraid?”

Kyoko’s voice, light and almost reverent, broke through Celestia’s reverie, the attentive way in which she had been glancing at some people running around in the distance. She had been wondering if they were trying to escape something, or if they were merely children at play; it was impossible to say, and in the end she realized she didn’t really want to know. Not if the answer could be the former rather than the latter. 

It was only then that she allowed herself to look at her own heart. Not at the lie she would have told if the one asking that had been another person. Not at the falsehood she had been telling herself day after day, ever since that almost deadly encounter with the Reserve Course students, the one Kirigiri had faced all alone. 

The truth was a lot simpler, a lot darker. But one that she entrusted Kirigiri with all the same.

”Yes. Verily.” Her tone was likewise deep, burdened by thoughts she had mostly suppressed for the sake of investigating. For the never ending hope that had propelled her forward until that day. “And you?”

”Likewise.”

Kyoko moved a bit so they stood closer, shoulders touching. The warmth they shared already helped both of them relax, the shift so visible it made them glance at each other with a bit of tenderness. Whatever they could muster at that moment in time. 

“But somehow I—“ Celestia began, haltingly. She didn’t know if that was actually the right moment for her to honor her feelings. But given how unclear everything was, would it be wise to keep those locked in her heart as well? “I feel safer when I`m with you.”

She would never be able to admit that mostly she had expected rejection—that from the start, ever since that whole silly dare began, she had been waiting for the moment in which the other girl would tear her apart. Maybe it would happen right then, she considered for the split heartbeat between her words and what truly happened.

The second in which Kyoko responded by leaning forward, closing the distance between them and placing a small kiss on her cheek.

”M-me, too.” The detective stammered as she glanced away, angled her body in a completely different direction. “So don’t you dare to do anything stupid and leave me, okay?”

The gambler knew she was blushing. That words would catch in her throat if she decided to speak too much. That she would probably sound half coherent at best, and that there was no way she would be able to convince herself with a lie right then. Not when her heart burst into flames, an inviting and cozy warmth overriding logic, and reason, and sheer calculations. 

Not when she both knew and felt that it was reciprocal, and that her world wouldn’t be the same without Kirigiri in it.

“L-likewise.” She echoed, unable to say anything else for the time being. “Likewise, Kyoko.”

She had to force herself away from the window, following the detective’s lead for a few minutes. More than eager to be in each other’s company, they said nothing of what had happened, what would happen next. The darkness that loomed around them, the light they shared.

The light that could help them keep moving despite how worrisome their circumstances were.

Chapter Text

It was just her luck that one of her classmates would give her a good idea as to how her idea could be set into motion.

Well, actually that was just another element to everything that had slowly but surely solidified into what seemed like a spotless plan in her mind. After all, just like her growing will to leave that school, to return to the world and the life she truly deserved, everything that had occurred in the last few days had contributed in some way or the other.

If nothing, it would be a terrible mistake to assume that Celestia Ludenberg didn’t pay attention to detail; rather, she could recall most of what had been discovered during their investigation of every floor. That included rooms, objects that could be of use and of course, very good hiding places.

Yet if at any point her intention had been to map out an escape route, a way to make herself safe once and if her very existence was threatened, things had slowly shifted as the days went by. As nothing happened, no change to their situation was shown, and no help from the rest of the world seemed to be coming along. 

And in the end, with the additional promise of all that money, her desperation tore at her heart and soul to the point that she could no longer just pretend that everything was okay.

Even if a portion of her still wished to—if a side of her, long lying dormant, didn’t make her look at a certain pair of lavender eyes every now and then, making her wonder if that would actually be okay. 

To sacrifice such an individual…

To sacrifice herself…

Never had she been one to do the latter, hadn’t it? And a killing game surely wasn’t the time for her to have such a change of heart.

Days went on and the gambler felt her resolve strengthen; the need to maintain things as they were due to nothing but an unexplainable feeling in her heart dwindling at each passing hour. To keep Kyoko from becoming suspicious she insisted on them spending some time together after dinner, mostly walking around the hallways as if they were doing rounds. Of course, little did she know it was just the beginning to something more. That the actual danger lurked really close, and would strike when it was too late for anyone other than the involved party to be up.

Taka’s—or er, Takamondo’s—and Hifumi’s argument over Alter Ego and its uses gave Celestia the first real clue over what to do to make people more paranoid. While it might not directly intervene in the scene of the crime and not even help point towards the person she wished to frame, it might misdirect some people, the least attentive ones. After all, whatever would one think of the victim, or victim s , if they showed up dead after having a little public fallout over something they were both passionate about?

The idea was too good to pass on, especially if she could also use it as a case of them killing each other. That was her plan B, something she could claim if a certain someone didn’t show up at the appointed time once her plan was set into motion. The more she thought about it, however, the less it felt like that would be her biggest issue. 

The actual problem was the person who walked beside her. The one she smiled at from time to time and made a few comments every now and then in order to lighten the mood. 

Of course the conversation strayed as far away from investigating and any relevant topic as possible—something Celestia managed to do after saying that Kyoko looked awfully tired and in need of relaxation. The most interesting part was that the mysterious Ultimate agreed after some seconds of silence, then sighed and said something or the other about her being worried about Alter Ego.

Which was definitely the one subject they needed to avoid above all else, unless something Celestia spoke without meaning to ended up tipping the other girl off. 

It would be so much easier if the gambler were indeed surrounded by idiots…

Luckily the mention of another bath together, a massage and the possibility of them sharing a lovely cup of milk tea was enough to distract Kyoko, to make her… Blush and look away. 

The fact that the reaction made Celestia’s heart ache was ignored, the pain easily subsided. It wasn’t the time for her to wonder about such things. To focus on what didn’t demand her attention. To delve into something as shallow and unwanted as a crush, an inclination towards that girl or whatever the hell that would prove to be. It was meaningless if their lives were spent locked in a terrible school, until the moment in which either of them was picked as a victim. 

She refused to live the rest of her days in such a fashion, just so one of her stupid classmates could use her as their ticket to freedom. 

It was when Kyoko declared that she wanted to make another run around the third floor that Celestia saw the perfect opportunity to do what she had set herself out to. It was a bit past noon, with most of the students slinking away after lunch in order to do some investigation, spend time together with someone they liked or take a nap, one of their favorite activities in order to escape the horror of their reality. With Kirigiri gone from the first floor even for a few minutes and the hallway completely empty, all the gambler had to do was rush into the bath house, go to an unsuspecting Alter Ego and… 

Hide it in plain sight, to put it simply. Creating more discord among the students who had so desired the program’s words, that had heeded them in the last few days. 

While absentmindedly sauntering around the place after leaving Kyoko at the staircase, Celestia beamed and hummed to herself. It occurred to her that perhaps some of their classmates would want to cast blame into Kirigiri, as she had indeed designated herself as the laptop’s guardian in some way or the other. Maybe they would be foolish enough to forget that the so-called abduction happened during the day and not at night, when the girl wasn’t supposed to be watching over the computer to begin with.

And while mostly she wished it didn’t come to that, to her having to defend that girl in trial just because she oddly didn’t want others to frame her, well, it wouldn’t matter anyways. As soon as someone other than her was voted as guilty and she got to leave the school, then everything would be okay.

She would be… More than okay.

The lie wasn’t as convincing as it had been for the last few days. Celestia blamed it on tiredness, the many nights spent thinking about what she would do and how to avoid suspicion by all means. How to win that battle of wits against the other students, and what she would do once she was allowed out of that place. As she crossed in front of the dining hall and made sure no one had stayed behind, she imagined buying the castle, moving in. Setting her things down and hiring the best servants she could get her hands on. 

All with the cash she had conquered with her own hands. Her own effort. 

And the death of—

“Ah, Miss Ludenberg! It’s so nice to see you here at this time of the day.” 

Alter Ego’s sweet voice startled Celeste to the point that she flinched, needed a moment to clear her eyes and realize where she was. That against her better judgment she had walked into the bath house without really making sure that no one had witnessed that—wincing, she hoped it wouldn’t come up and stab her in the back when it mattered the most. 

No longer was she allowed to make any mistakes. To lose herself to silly daydreams about other times, other places. Other realities in which her and a certain classmate would be able to spend more time together. 

“Hello there.” She spoke and typed, knowing that she needed to be quick about it without raising the AI’s alarm. While it was correct to assume that Kyoko wouldn’t hear it scream, she could no longer be sure that there wasn’t anyone in the vicinity. “Have you uncovered anything new so far?”

“Apologies, nothing that would be too relevant to your cause, I’m afraid.” Alter Ego lamented with a sad face.

For a few seconds Celestia could understand why Hifumi had had so much fun talking to the program: it was so well-made, it would be easy to forget one was having a dialogue not with an actual person, but with a machine who wanted nothing but knowledge. And given how that guy knew little to nothing when it came to interacting with people—which also played into how the gambler would persuade him to help her—then it was almost a given that he would spend hours interacting with computer programs if he ever had the chance. 

Why, she herself would like nothing more than to pick at the AI’s structure, see what its reach was. How good it would be at playing poker and other games and if technology would ever be able to surpass her natural talent. 

“That is more than okay. I’m sure you have a lot to decode, so please take your time.” Celestia’s hands flew over the keyboard, her sense of alarm growing. She had to be quick about it, lest someone walked in and caught her there for absolutely no reason. Even if she could always say she was there on guard duty, under Kyoko’s orders. “All I ask is that you are throughout.”

“Of course, Miss Ludenberg! I’ll do my best!”

The AI’s determined expression was cute to look at, somehow inspiring hope even in the gambler’s heart. And perhaps that would have been her final impression of it, if it weren’t for the fact that a few seconds later, before she could write something about them playing a long game of hide and seek, the program said something else.

“Oh, before I forget. I did find a few files standing apart from the initial program I was working at. At first they didn’t seem as interesting, yet since they are here, I suppose they might also be relevant in some way or the other. The programming is a bit more complex here for some reason, too, and what little I was able to decode of them showed that there is some information regarding you in particular. Would you like me to prioritize this alongside my work on the school archives?”

“Information about me?” Celestia mumbled, eyes widening the slightest in surprise. “Why, yes. I need to make sure it’s accurate. And to know what sort of material they have hoarded.”

Well, with the amount of data the mastermind seemed to have on them all in all, it shouldn’t be that shocking that there was more about the students stored somewhere. If nothing they should have anticipated that, even if there was a lot they didn’t know and wanted to find out when it came to their situation, the world they had left behind. It was surely plenty to deal with, for what little time they had had available between murders and investigations, whatever clues that Monokuma thing had left behind for them to find and ponder about. 

It was just their luck that Alter Ego had access to way more, maybe something the mastermind didn’t want them to see at any cost.

“Right on it!” The AI clasped its hands, beaming at her as well. “Is there anything else you would like me to do? Or something you’d like to tell me?”

There it was, the moment she had been waiting for. It was ironic that a part of her wished they had more time together, that she would be able to get more of the mystery behind their circumstances to be unveiled by their own hands. Yet time was of the essence; no longer could she wait inside those walls, trapped away from the dreams she had fought so hard to bring to fruition ever since she was a kid. 

“Well, as you know, Kyoko has been standing guard every night to prevent someone with malicious intent from getting to you. While this mostly applies to the mastermind, it also involves people who might keep visiting you and therefore, raise suspicion to this place and eventually lead Monokuma to you.” Celeste typed as fast as she could, thanking all the time she had dedicated to debating people on online gambling rooms. Either one was fast or their point was proven completely unworthy of attention. “Therefore I was tasked to inform you that we will have to move you to a safer location for the time being. And that you may need to remain silent too, in order to fool those who won’t be made aware of the change.”

“Oh… I see.” Alter Ego’s look of surprise was already impressive, though it was nothing compared to how easily it melted towards one of guilt. “I apologize, Miss Ludenberg. My actions might have made everything worse, correct? Yet it was incredible to talk to some of your classmates, in the same way in which I would love to pick your brain as well, were we given the chance.”

“Perhaps at another time.” Celestia beamed, not just because the plan was actually working. The AI had given her something to look forward to, perhaps the possibility of learning things without the others knowing. “Now, if you excuse me…”

Picking the notebook up, she positioned the locker the same way she had found it and located another one, not too far from the original. It helped that those which were still open had their own keys, so it didn’t take long for her to choose one and stick the computer in it. 

“I shall return soon to make sure that everything is okay,” the gambler said to a smiling Alter Ego. “Oh, and please do not be alarmed if you hear Kyoko or someone else panicking—not everyone knows about the plan, but those who do will act accordingly. We are just trying to keep you safe. Think of it as our way to express gratitude for all the help you have already given us.”

“No, thank you for your assistance and protection! That’s what I was programmed to do in any case.” The AI smiled, then added before Celeste could close the door for the time being, “since you’ll be stopping by, I’ll do my best to gain access to your files beforehand. Just so I’ll have something to show you then.”

“I would really appreciate that. See you soon, Alter Ego.”

Anticipation made Celestia fumble with the key for a few seconds; that, and the sense of anxiety that had been growing inside her ever since her plan consolidated into a perfect gem. After she finally managed to shut the lock, she hid the key in her own garments and straightened her posture, glancing at the new hiding place one last time. Since it had been the one lock to open when she forced it, as the other ones around it were mostly locked, it made for a flawless hiding place from the others and Monokuma. She would have a lot of explaining to do if someone located it before the rest of her designs were set into motion, true, but it was better than running the risk of exposing Alter Ego to the mastermind in such an awful way.

Because if somehow she failed…

That trail of thought was shut down as she walked away from the lockers, the bath house itself. No, she wouldn’t fail. She wouldn’t face her own demise after a lifetime of building an empire which would never come to fruition. She wouldn’t have anything to explain, anyone to confront once they lost the class trial and she reigned supreme.

She would not… Look Kirigiri in the eyes and see either pure, undiluted hatred or acute, searing pain over her actions.

It wasn’t as if the other girl would care nonetheless, the gambler was sure. Even if Celestia herself did care. Even if she had hesitated over even that small action, aka hiding the laptop from view, whenever she thought about that mysterious Ultimate. 

Even if her heart beat faster if she were to simply imagine Kyoko’s face, trace it within her mind in the middle of the night. In the middle of writing her plans down.

In the middle of rehearsing her speech one more time, eyes drawn to Hifumi’s dorm room as she prepared to move to step two of her grand plan.

It had been interesting to see how simple it was for people to blame either Hifumi or Taka over the disappearance of Alter Ego. And how they were already in the spotlight a day before everything was supposed to take place according to the script Celestia had memorized.

To say that each and every character was playing in the exact way she had expected them to without further prompts or directions from hers truly would be an understatement. Granted, she had meddled every here and there by actually naming reasons why it would be unlikely for either or both of them to do such a terrible action. It would be too easy to track things back to her if she did the opposite, and impossible whatsoever to even imagine her involvement in the entire conundrum if she kept a neutral stance. 

Not to mention that, well, it would be a lot more likely for Hifumi to speak to her if she defended him, regardless of how that guy seemed to already be at her beck and call to begin with.

“It will be okay, I am sure of it.” 

Her voice echoed with warm, sweet hope. It was reflected back to her, made bleak by the wide corridor her and Kirigiri were in during that nondescript afternoon. When those lavender eyes met hers and she saw a jumble of dark emotions taking them over, she knew she had to do something. To be more convincing without giving away that she knew just what exactly had happened to the laptop.

Because of course Kyoko had taken it the worst possible way as soon as she realized that Alter Ego was indeed missing. 

“I do not believe that someone in our midst would have been foolish enough to… Openly declare everything that has transpired in the bath house, if that is what you’re worried about.” Speaking in code was harder, especially since there were so many, fun forms in which Celestia could have phrased that.

But somehow she knew that being too lighthearted over that issue would draw unwanted attention to her, thus deciding to tone it down for the time being. 

“It’s hard to say.” Kyoko braced herself, sighing. Her entire expression was troubled, even though the students had agreed not to be too visibly upset over the matter lest they wanted Monokuma to notice. The bear would surely throw a fit if it even dreamed that there were things happening underneath their own surveillance. “Though I suppose that my main issue is what reasons would one of us have to expose the others in such a fashion.”

“That is troublesome for sure.” Celeste pressed her lips in a thin line, considering that. While of course she knew the answer to that whole ordeal, she did widen her eyes in surprise and turn to hold Kirigiri’s hand as something came to mind. Another way to frame the others, or to cast further suspicion into their peers. “Oh my, you don’t suppose there is a traitor in our midst, do you?”

Kyoko suddenly stopped in her tracks, causing the gambler to do the same because of their joined hands. The corridor they were currently in was a nondescript one on the first floor, located around classrooms that remained empty and offered no new clues about their surroundings. There wasn’t much for her to think about or look at while her companion considered that—and really seemed to consider it, given how tense her shoulders were and how unfocused her eyes became. 

“I would like to say that is a bit farfetched.” Kyoko started, voice uncertain and small. A contrast to how loudly Celeste had expressed herself just a few seconds ago. “Because the existence of one would imply that the mastermind, and Monokuma by extension, would already be informed of everything that transpired in the bath house. I cannot see him remaining quiet about it, for one. Unless of course his silence serves another purpose.”

“You mean… as if he were planning to use it against us when we need it the most? Like a new motive, or something?”

It was so easy to believe in Kyoko that even Celeste found herself contemplating it, despite the fact that she was the one behind the whole disappearing act. Was there another reason why they should suspect treason in their midst—as in, someone acting under motivations that went beyond trying to escape and committing a murder to that effect? She couldn’t know and couldn’t say, as it was impossible to recall anything Monokuma had done or uttered that might reveal the existence of such a person. 

“Exactly like that.” Kyoko’s brows furrowed; it was visible that she would explore that possibility a bit further. “Though I suppose only time will tell if such a thing is actually happening. Because for all we know this is just a prank or a warning. I don’t see why anyone would want to… expose themself in such a fashion, as they would gain nothing from it.”

“Threatening others is a great way to induce unnecessary panic.” Celeste agreed, a reason she had come up with while drafting her plan. It was just lucky that more than one person had grown attached to Alter Ego to the point that it became nothing but conjecture. “But again, us being alert doesn’t mean one would benefit from it right away.”

“Not unless a murder is being planned and they would like us to be on edge. But that, again, is counterproductive.” 

Kyoko removed her gloved hand from Celestia’s in order to rub her temples. She resumed walking, her pace brisk to the point that the gambler had a bit of difficulty keeping up with it but managed to do so nonetheless. It was almost a bit sad that she had been the one to get that girl in such an awful state of mind, wasn’t it? 

Wasn’t it indeed tragic that their last moments together would be tainted by such terrible emotions? 

As much as she enjoyed tragedy, the heartache that came with a good love story ending that badly, even Celestia had her boundaries. Wasn’t that exactly why she had decided to tag along Kirigiri for the remainder of that day? Because she wished to have a good memory to cling to before her hands were smeared with blood and her heart became darkened?

“Now, now. I don’t think the motive was particularly strong or relevant this time around, you know?” The gambler said in a soothing voice, stopping Kyoko with a hand on her shoulder. A light squeeze and she realized how tense the other girl actually was—something that maybe she would be able to work with. “We are all Ultimates and aside from Naegi, who was turned into one in order to attend the school, enjoy quite some fame and fortune as well. Who between us would need more money and even further, would actually kill for it? Especially given how brutal the last two executions were.” 

She visibly shuddered, which made Kyoko give a small smile. That had been a genuine reaction, as the mere thought of being murdered by Monokuma had been enough to make Celestia plan the most intricate of scenarios. By then she could only hope it would suffice.

Even if she still had until the last few hours of that day to decide whether to move forth with that or hold back for a bit longer… Gambling the amount of money she would need for her future against the smallest of possibilities that she would come out alive.

“You might be correct; I’m getting ahead of myself.” Exhaling loudly, Kirigiri covered Celeste’s hand with her own and squeezed, a soft gesture. “Thank you, Celes. It has been a rough afternoon, but speaking to you always manages to calm me down.”

She was… smiling. The mysterious, callous girl was smiling at the gambler in a way that was so warm, so considerate and trusting that it made her heart ache. Almost. It wasn’t the time for that. It wasn’t the moment for her to be in pain, to reconsider, to once again have to remember why she would do what she had to do. 

Why she would sacrifice that life, those feelings, that unexplainable connection, in order to—

“Are you okay? Now you seem troubled.” 

Kyoko’s fingers reached forward, running up towards Celestia’s shoulder as the two stood closer together. So close that one’s breath caressed the other’s cheek, a new sort of intimacy that neither of them was used to, or at least that was what it seemed.

But somehow that didn’t feel intrusive or unwanted, no matter how logic warned the gambler that she shouldn’t indulge in something like that. Soon they would be standing on opposite sides of the trial grounds, reason and will clashing out until only one of them survived. 

It was no longer the time for them to be close.

It was no longer the time for Celeste to wonder if her intuition should be followed.

And it was definitely, certainly no longer the time for—

“Allow me…?”

If it hadn’t been for the fact that Kyoko’s hands lacked the usual gentleness with which one started a massage session, Celeste would have thought that she was dreaming. That she had imagined the whole scenario, the restraint in the other girl’s voice as she asked for consent. The caress that came as soon as she winced in response to the painful grip, Kirigiri mumbling an apology before actually starting to give the gambler’s shoulders a good rub.

Her touch was inexperienced, but that was more than okay. Her mere presence, the care that she imbued every single movement with, was enough. Way beyond what Celeste knew that she desired—were she not good at lying to her own self, at convincing her heart that it was more than okay and just another nice moment between the two of them, she would have been trying to suppress tears. 

“This is tough on you as well, I see.” Kyoko mumbled, pressing on a persistently tough spot. “I’m sorry if you’ve been tense because of how often I have gotten you roped into investigations and whatnot. This isn’t your job after all.”

“It isn’t yours either, yet among all of us you seem to have a knack for it, as I have said before.” Celeste countered, happy to turn the other girl’s attention away from the matter at hand. The fact that for a split second, more than it was supposed to, her true feelings had shone through. “And no, this isn’t your fault at the slightest. I wouldn’t be tagging along if I… If I didn’t want to, really.”

Which was an interesting thing to note, wasn’t it? Since when was Celestia that interested in mysteries and unveiling them? In the past it had been enough to win games and move on with her life. But to willingly place herself in the middle of a crime scene, to discuss findings with another person instead of operating on her own… That wasn’t like her at all. And it had been happening ever since the first murder case too.

“That is true.” Kirigiri chuckled, the sound making Celeste feel more at ease. “And because that is so, then I must thank you. For being such a good partner and… and everything.”

Again, words that hurt. Again, feelings she should ignore, and actually managed to do so a bit better that time around. Instead of tensing up she beamed, sighed, turned her head to give Kyoko a small, reassuring look.

“We’ll get to the bottom of this, Kyoko. Together.”

The word burned her tongue, her heart and soul, more than whatever thing Kyoko said and did afterwards. Maybe it would, maybe that entire interaction would.

After all, if things worked in the way Celeste had predicted them to, then it was the last time she and Kyoko spoke as equals. 

The last time before one of them became the blackened and played right into Monokuma’s hands.

“Fear you not, Miss Ludenberg, I shall protect you from that scoundrel! He will no longer terrorize you or any of us at all.” 

Hifumi’s words weren't any louder than a whisper, but held a weight of their own in any case. Echoing around the rec room at 1AM, they stood for everything Celestia had always wanted to hear.

They were enough to make her smile, an expression of relief taking her over when in fact what she felt was elation. A tinge of fear, of anticipation that always accompanied her whenever a big bet was about to be made.

Whenever she gambled her own life, placing faith in the talent that had always guided her forth. 

To some extent she was confident it would just be the same right then: the hand she had been dealt was a good one—not the best, granted, but still playable in any case—and there was no way she could see the others surpassing her logic. The tight knit scenario she was about to create. Of course it would all be subjected to fate in the way that theory and practice were never the same; perhaps things would go better or worse during her execution of every single portion of the plan. 

Perhaps they would go worse, or someone would catch on to her. Or, she thought as she and Hifumi hid in different corners of the darkened room while waiting, the person they had to meet wouldn't even show up. Or if the other person they would have to meet at the equipment room later on grew suspicious over their note.

And then what a conundrum she would have in her hands, really, were she forced to deal with such a big deviation in her original designs.

“I appreciate your help, Hifumi. And the way you were keen to jump to my defense the moment you learned of my situation.”

She infused her voice with an ache that wasn't that false. Only, it didn't originate from the picture she had described to the other Ultimate. Rather, she knew very well the pain stemmed from the fact that she could no longer be able to rely on a certain girl.

That although they would still see each other again, interact and even investigate in a matter of hours, Celeste would no longer be able to do so in a truthful way. 

You matter to me, you fo—

The thought broke through her focus for a split second. Enough so she wondered what that was about, where it came from. Who had said it and why that mattered right then. It wasn’t the time for her to wonder about such trifling issues, or to revisit some ominous part of her past that refused to fully resurface; she could neither match voice nor occasion to those words, knowing very well that she hadn’t been the person to say them.

“Of course! I'd be no better than that degenerate if I only stood by and watched a damsel like you suffer. First he made you take… it… from our sight and forced you to swear to secrecy. Then he harmed you in such a low fashion?! Unnaccepta—”

“Shh. I think I heard some steps.”

Celeste actually had, bracing herself as anxiety rushed through her bloodstream anew. The sensation itself was strong enough to drown her thoughts, a bit of her earlier doubts. So many nights spent thinking about it, so many days fine tuning her plans. It all came down to that moment in a sense, at least so that the rest of it could begin. 

In response she coiled, even if it weren't her time to take the center stage right away. Even if she trusted Hifumi's might, the anger that had consumed him as soon as he heard that awful, tragic story that Celestia had fabricated. How simply he had acquiesced to everything—and who knew, maybe more than anything he also wanted freedom from that awful school?

Nevertheless, she had thought that prompting him to violence and finally murder would be tougher than it had even been.

Even so, Hiro didn't have a moment of respite, not even the slightest chance to defend himself. After walking into the room and surveilling the dark place in a haphazard way, the Ultimate fanfic creator jumped from the shadows and pressed the cloth to the tall man’s nose.

He struggled against Hifumi’s grip; Celestia had half a mind to help, wanting to remain hidden despite how dark the room was. If any light was turned on, or anything went wrong and they gave away their identities, her plan would have to be scratched out. Or one of her victims would have to be changed due to awful circumstances…

But no, she didn’t want to be like Maizono, the first to concoct something and have it completely turned on her. She would succeed. The fanfic creator would be able to hold his own and—

Hiro’s whimpers grew fainter and fainter, her grin widening in response. There it was, the one who shared her name and nothing more, falling into her web and being of use. There it was, her plan moving along as it should, Hifumi’s pants turning into little exclamations of triumph before the light could be turned on.

The sight should have filled her with pride. With the certainty that her machinations were working and that they would continue to. That she would overpower them all, the other Ultimates who were still fighting for their lives. They would struggle in her clutches until there was nothing left, hearts and minds torn to pieces by the sharpness of her own logic. 

And yet…

And yet…

Tears gathered behind her eyes, her rebellious heart crying out in anguish at the thought of the girl she would be leaving behind. She didn’t shed them, not there at any case, simply suppressing the thought, the emotion, the searing sadness which tore through her. 

Burying every single thing but her determination to move forward as she progressed towards the point of no return. 

“Now what, Miss Ludenberg? What is the next step of your grand scheme?” Hifumi bowed to her, beaming to show how ready he was, how eager to please.

How happy she should be that everything was going exactly how she imagined it would. 

“The suit.” Her voice sounded hollow even to her, though that wasn’t exactly bad. Not when she was supposed to be sad, traumatized, completely harmed by what Taka had done to her. “We get him into the suit and use your camera.” 

Still her mind remained far afield, almost to the point that she would make mistakes if she didn’t watch out.

Still her mind echoed with a single thought as pictures were taken, Hiro was hidden in a closet and other preparations of her own were made way after Hifumi retired for the night. 

Forgive me… Kyoko.

Chapter Text

If someone had told Celestia Ludenberg that at some point she would spend a part of her school days having to refurbish a part of said building, she would have laughed. Or at the most admitted that it would be interesting to change the decor, though that would be it. 

Actually having to carry the biggest, heaviest screws and whatnot she had ever seen in her entire life was totally not in her plans. 

Well, it was surely better than lifting obnoxiously thick metal plates and pressing them to the windows, then relying on others to fixate them. Thus she did not envy Sakura, Mondo, Ishimaru and even Hifumi, who did his best to help after she had told him to. The thing was, if she had her way she would be having some time off by sipping tea while calmly sitting at a round table while the others worked. 

And that had indeed been her plan the moment Jin Kirigiri instructed her and the rest of class 78 to relocate to the shelter and finish its preparations. Until a certain other Kirigiri had seen her boss Hifumi around and decided she needed to do something more than just give orders, too. 

Had anyone else asked her to do that, Celeste would have politely declined. Or called them names, depending on who it was. Yet as soon as the Ultimate Detective said they would be free to roam around and call dibs on their rooms once they were done, the gambler was set and ended up agreeing to the whole thing. Nevermind that they had a grand total of three floors to secure (as the first two were already done the moment they got to the shelter,) a stupid amount of windows to take care of and a bunch of facilities to explore as well.

What drove her forward despite the growing pain in her arms was the idea of getting a room right beside Kyoko’s… Or who knew, maybe talking the other girl into sharing a dorm with her as they had been doing for the last few days. 

Things had moved a lot faster than even the headmaster envisioned, Celeste thought while grabbing another pointy tool that Oogami had requested, one she couldn’t and wouldn’t know how to name in any case. The parade outside of Hope’s Peak grew and expanded; if at first just the Reserve Course students' very rich parents came to their aid and protested alongside them, the whole thing blew out of proportion in a matter of days. Soon not just the neighborhood, but the country as a whole was in shambles, completely infected with whatever sense of riot that had been brewing around the school.

It had been one thing for her and Kyoko to theorize that despair, that wave of violence and heinous acts would spread like so, and another altogether to see it actually happen. It got to the point that the two of them, plus an unwilling Toko, also told their classmates it might be better to speed things up instead of attending lectures like those other Ultimates were trying to do. It was almost as if they could feel that something awful would befall them if they didn’t get to safety. 

A few hours later, during the exact moment in which most of them were actually moving to the shelter through hidden portions of the school, they heard more than saw the massacre taking place. Security guards falling, explosions happening at the main building; the sky, cloudy and gloom, painted crimson with fire and grey with smoke, whereas the floor would forever be stained pink with the blood of those who were killed and those who jumped. 

It was tough not to turn back and watch. Or to try and save those poor, desolate souls, try to understand what exactly was driving them to it. It was only through sheer will and the knowledge that their time to act was over, that Celestia and Kyoko got to their haven and were able to put the rest of the world behind them.

The two had made their way there side by side, of course. Hands firmly gripping each other, gazes meeting whenever a louder yell could be heard, or if the ground shook as the very foundation of the school they loved that much started to crumble under that degree of despair. In the end it had been a relief to close the door to the shelter one final time, as Mukuro and Junko came in a lot later, rushing with more bags than any of them had been able to carry themselves. 

Junko and Mukuro…

“I would tell you to try your hand using it, but you’re the one holding a potential weapon whereas I would be the one saying something foolish. And the last thing I want is to provoke your ire by suggesting you do such… an unlady-like activity.” 

Turning her head towards the sound of a voice that had grown so familiar to her, Celeste gave a small, thankful smile as reality eventually settled in. Kyoko beamed back before returning to her function of holding a screw as Hina did her best to put it in place at top speed.

The fact that they were still on the fourth floor urged most of the students to keep working, keep moving as fast as they could in order to secure all of the weak spots. At least it helped that all sixteen of them were helping in their own ways, passing around materials and urging the others on: she hadn’t been the only one to space out by far, with some of them spending their first few minutes inside their new home completely frozen to the spot. 

“I’m glad you know what your boundaries are, dear.” The gambler commented in a light voice, eliciting a giggle from Aoi whereas Kyoko’s shoulder tensed. A small response to the term of endearment, she was sure, and a cute one despite how bad their situation was. “Besides, I would certainly not be efficient with it. Unlike Oogami.”

“It’s all about practice, really.” The Ultimate Martial Artist replied, grabbing the tool from Celestia’s hands. The four of them working on adjacent windows meant that comments like that were thrown back and forth quite constantly. “But I’d rather you didn’t injure yourself. Kirigiri would blame me if something like that were to occur.”

“Nonsense. Kyoko wouldn’t bat an eye if I were hurt—why, she was the one to pull me away from break duty and towards this mess.” Celeste whined, mockery very blatant in her tone. Oh, to be that frank with those people… was it something that only such a dire situation could bring forth? “Though if you have no further need of me, I would be happy to set out a table with tea and some snacks in order for us to rest—”

“First, ‘break duty’ is an exaggeration. I know you would rather sit down and enjoy your favorite tea while we struggle all day long.” Kirigiri narrowed her eyes at Celestia, though there was still the edge of a smile on her lips. “Second, unfortunately our priority really is to…”

“Get this done with, before it’s too late.” 

It was the gambler who completed the sentence, bitterness overtaking the moment of ease. With the danger they were in, the fact that until that was done they were pretty much relying on the notion that their attackers would target the main building first and foremost, they really couldn’t afford to slack off. Celeste knew it, wanted nothing more than to see every window covered once and for all.

She had already said her goodbyes to the world, to the sky and the sun hours ago. And more importantly, to her lifelong dreams of owning a castle of her own in the middle of Europe at some point in time. 

Without a word she moved towards the pile of screws and metal, searching for a way to be useful. In the back of her mind flashed a very recent daydream, one she never got to share but would in some time. As soon as the world went back to normal and they were indeed allowed outside again. As soon as that madness stopped and people went back to their actual lives instead of spreading violence and destruction whenever they went.

And although deep down she was certain her idea would be rejected, it would be… Nice to try. To have someone brave the unknown lands at her side, as a partner, a companion. The fact that the person started showing up at her flights of fancy too was already an indication of how close they had grown, wasn’t it? 

How interesting it was that someone like Kyoko Kirigiri, Ultimate Detective of all things, had been the one human being to not only get Celestia’s attention, but also to weave her way into the gambler’s life like that.

Beaming to herself, she felt her cheeks grow warm. It had been happening more and more often, especially after spending some time with Kyoko at the infirmary and fearing that something dreadful had transpired in that fight. It was good that Ikusaba had walked into that and aided their classmate, though…

She couldn’t really say why, but somehow Celestia found herself watching either Mukuro, or Junko, or both, with an increasing frequency as the days had gone by. To that very moment a part of her couldn’t feel grateful towards the Ultimate Soldier, albeit both Kyoko and her rational mind told her that things might have been worse if the girl hadn’t intervened. Even right then, as the two kept to themselves while working at the closest window, she found herself observing, analyzing, pondering.

The same sense that had warned her of many gambles and gamblers beforehand…

The same instinct that pushed her onwards to higher and higher gains as the years went by…

The same intuition that had drawn her and Kyoko to many correct conclusions in these last few weeks…

It screamed at her whenever the sisters were around. The only issue was that for the first time in her life she couldn’t understand what it was saying. What it was pointing at.

Why there were moments in which they were very suspicious, especially Mukuro, and others in which they were just Ultimate students, especially Junko.

Shaking her head, she sighed and pressed her lips together, suddenly frustrated. Right. She had been indulging in a rather nicer fantasy before being drawn towards that fruitless trail of thoughts. Lying to her heart that things were fine and would be solved in little time, Celestia went around offering help to everyone but the twins, steering rather clear of them so they would no longer taint her mindspace. 

Had she remained around a few heartbeats longer, she might have witnessed it as Junko threw a screwdriver in Makoto’s direction—with only his luck making him fall, actually saving him from being hit in the head by a very powerful force. Still, suspicion had been laid, taken root in her heart and mind no matter how little evidence she might have to sustain such claims.

As soon as their first matter of business was solved, the gambler decided, she would have a little look into it. And drag Kyoko and Toko into the whole business as well.

“Are you really certain this is how you wish to spend your first day here?”

Kyoko’s voice was more accusatory than just curious, though Celeste was sure that was on purpose. Almost as if she were trying to get a rise out of the gambler, especially since the answer was clear for anyone who knew Celestia even a little bit. 

After all, the world was on the verge of shutting down, or so it seemed. Her and her friends were successfully locked inside the shelter that had once been a part of their esteemed, now destroyed school. What all of that had meant was that of course Celestia had been unable to do one of the things she loved the most during the last few days, busy as her schedule had suddenly become.

And the thing in question was…

“Why, had someone else issued me the same question, I would have wondered if they were trying to catch me off guard.” Celestia spoke from behind the fan of playing cards she was currently holding. “Of course you wouldn’t try such a lowly, simple and predictable trick with me, would you?”

There was a small smile on her face, though of course Kyoko couldn’t see it right then, and she knew her eyes shone with the banter. Distracted—no, concerned—as she had been with herself and the person she adored, moments such as these had been sorely missed. Sure, it wasn’t an optimal situation by any means: things were being destroyed as far as they knew but couldn’t hear, completely isolated from everything else until further notice. 

Yet if that meant she could finally pretend there was nothing more to investigate, nothing more to worry herself with aside from sitting and waiting, then it was more than okay for them to enjoy that moment, correct? 

“R-right.” Kirigiri glanced down at her own cards, shuffled them in her own hand. Probably better organizing them before deciding on what she would do soon. “Maybe I should have been the one to suggest an activity for the evening instead.”

“Nonsense. You seemed more than eager to join me the very second I pointed out that the rec room was kept intact and still had every single one of its decks.” The gambler giggled, tilting her head from side to side as if moving in tandem with some music. Something only she could hear, perhaps the cadenced beat of her own heart. “I even agreed to us not betting anything, sad and boring as a poker game is without that element.”

“Hmpf. It’s more like you realized there isn’t much we can bet on while locked here.” Kyoko sighed, frowning at her cards as if she had gotten the worst hand in the history of poker. “And isn’t that to my benefit, too…”

“Pfff, you might as well cease it, sweetheart.” Celestia leaned back on her chair, crossed one leg over the other at the knee. Her confident posture, the sweet tone she used to say those words, everything contributed to make the impact she had desired. To cause Kyoko to flinch and glance back at her, shattering her concentration. “You are good at spotting lies and liars, as it comes with the territory of being a detective. Yet that does not mean you excel at lying too, you know?”

“As if you could tell that easily. Besides, I’m not lying. This is a… conundrum, I suppose.” Kirigiri shook her head, then looked at her cards one more time. “I would be lucky to get out of this round at all, truthfully.”

It would be funny if it weren’t endearing first, Celestia considered. Suppressing a smile of her own she leaned forward, caressed the back of Kyoko’s hands with a thumb. The shudder she got in response went very well with the surprised expression, yes. 

But somehow it did nothing to completely dissuade the signs of excitement the gambler had previously read on the girl.

“Your face hides it well—were our circumstances any different, I would ask if you wanted to be my apprentice. I’m sure you would fool most gamers and even a few masters, unless they have indeed learned how to look beneath the surface. No, I won’t reveal my technique, since I know you will adapt your behavior to whatever I say.” The last part was hastily added as Kyoko opened her mouth to refute her. “But again, take it from me: you would be a great player if you wanted to, or tried.”

“I would rather show my so-called skills during our matches only, thank you very much.”

The detective beamed, her expression softening. The shoulders she had risen in order to appear distressed were also relaxed, her legs stopping their ceaseless movement too. Everything she had tried to emulate to fool Celestia was taken away and instead, her lavender eyes shone with quiet trust under the yellow light of the otherwise empty rec room. If at first the gambler wondered that they should have called everyone else for a group match, at least so she could try to get a read on some people, at that point in time she was glad that hadn’t happened.

That she had Kyoko to herself and for the first time in months they could pretend there was nothing more to be done than to wait. 

“It’s eerie, isn’t it? How quiet it is.” Kyoko commented as she finally made her play—a good one, one that might have won her the set if she hadn’t been playing against the actual Ultimate Gambler.

“Yes. And how baffling it is to think that we shall be locked in this place for the foreseeable future, too. It helps that it is a big shelter, with more than enough to keep us fed and entertained, but—” 

Celestia stopped, restraining herself, putting her cards on the table face down. For once she let her true hesitation show as she shook her head, gave Kyoko a pained glance. Understanding the importance of that moment the detective faltered, placed her cards down and got up without skipping a heartbeat.

“You feel it too, don’t you?” Kirigiri queried in a small voice, barely above a whisper. As she spoke she crossed the long game table they had chosen for that night’s activity, hoping against hope that it would allow them to ignore everything they had been through until that point in time. “There’s still something lurking around.”

“Danger.” Celestia nodded, the feeling overpowering her and causing her to shiver. 

It helped that the reaction made Kyoko take another step closer, then place a hand on her shoulder and squeeze. The touch, soft as it was, gave the gambler some sort of reassurance and strength she didn’t even realize she had been longing for. It was an interesting comfort, perhaps something that came from having a trusted partner, someone to share more than the usual jokes or casual conversation. 

But then, after everything that had transpired around and with these two, it was impossible that such a bond would be kept from developing. 

“I can’t pinpoint it yet,” Kyoko said, a confession that cost her—lavender eyes darkened, her face twisted in chagrin. “And I have considered that this is nothing but my overreactive imagination, or the fact that we have been on high alert for too long as it is.”

“Indeed. It could be that we have grown used to expecting the worst.” Celestia commented, covering the hand with one of hers. The shared warmth was more than welcome, and without a second thought she leaned a cheek into their joined hands. “Yet how sure can we be that the shelter will hold? From what I hear, these people managed to get their hands on some interesting weapons, or at the very least they had explosives.”

“And that is just one poss—ah, never mind.” Kyoko closed her eyes and placed a palm against her temple, surely dealing with some sort of headache. Given how much she had been working as of recently, it shouldn’t be surprising that she was also bearing with those. “It’s too early to be sure, I’m afraid. The one thing we can do is stay on the lookout, make sure every entrance and exit is well sealed and…”

“Hope.” Celeste mumbled, getting up from her chair and facing the other girl. “Hope that we won’t be too late to notice the signs, if something else is also being planned.”

It was sad in a way, that the much-needed conversation had ruined their mood for games. That was visible in how Kyoko glanced at the closed door, a silent plea for them to leave and perhaps do something else. Nodding to show her acquiescence, Celestia gave her companion’s play cards one last glimpse before revealing the hand she had previously placed on the table.

“Alas, a royal flush. Hm, at least the cards allowed me to beat you tonight.” 

A sigh, another shake of the head. Then a small smile broke through Kyoko’s serious countenance, and the gambler knew she had won more than just their little match. 

“Eh, perhaps not even my detective skills are a match for your talent. Though I wonder if Naegi’s luck would fare any better.” Kirigiri opened the door and motioned for the other girl to leave, which she did with a smile.

“Now that is a rather good idea. I will make sure to ask if he would like to play a few rounds of something, soon.” Turning to face Kyoko as she closed the door to the rec room, she added in a coy voice, “you are more than invited to watch, provided that you cheer for me and me only.”

Celestia was rewarded with the joy of watching Kyoko blush even more profusely than before; her eyes widened, lips parting in a look of unrestrained surprise. It was something a bit excessive given how mild the teasing had been, but a delight to see nonetheless. The gambler had to stop herself from giggling or saying something wholesome, or commenting on how endearing that sight was.

It did not stop her from capitalizing on the moment, however, or taunting the usually stoic girl a bit further.

“What? Cat got your tongue? Or were you actually planning on supporting Makoto all along? My, my, you wound me terrib—”

“N-no, it's nothing like that!” Kyoko played with a strand of her hair, tugging at it a bit too forcefully. Had it been a part of her braid, the whole thing would have come undone. “I uh, that's a stupid question for starters. Of course I'd cheer for you, Celes.”

“Ah, that's reassuring.”

The gambler beamed at her companion, the two of them finally alone in the long corridor. Since its lights were up 24/7, it was impossible to say whether it was night or day from that alone. Clocks became more valuable than ever in a place like that, where no natural light would be allowed unless their confinement was over. Their current reality, or how gloomy the building was, gave them both a new perspective over what truly mattered, how important some sights or objects were.

Right then, though, time didn't matter to either girl: they were more than happy to be in each other's presence, to be able to jest and have some fun. Sure, the sense of lurking danger surrounded them to that day and hour, yet it was less intense, less pressing. 

Almost as if they had already witnessed or heard the worst, having only to deal with its aftermath.

For a while the two meandered in silence, aimless. Although there was a lot more to do after the school had been completely sealed off, it was another thing altogether to really want to do something other than simply exist. Perhaps it was related to how low their spirits were, the sense of defeat and utter bafflement over their predicament settling in. The empty corridors, the dark rooms—places that had once been teeming with life, with chatter and the restless energy of countless Ultimates. 

Right then the sixteen of them were the only ones left. And due to everything they had heard as they made their way to the shelter, perhaps it wouldn't be that farfetched to assume the other students were indeed… gone. Just like the school. 

Just like the world, if the calamity kept on spreading, a wild, ominous fire that consumed everything it touched.

And to think it had all started on that very building. With the death/ murder of the Ultimates of the student council in classroom 5-C.

“I'm glad you'll be rooming next to me.” 

Celestia's admission was a slight echo of her thoughts, of the dread she had kept away from her heart and mind for the longest time. Being able to lie to herself had been convenient when things were falling apart: it meant she remained focused on the next task, the next day, the next investigation and peril to be faced. 

Yet despite their efforts they were there, locked from a world still in destruction. And as it was, there was nothing left to do but to survive. 

And in such a position, maybe, just maybe, she could allow herself to simply feel.

Kyoko's piercing stare read what she was leaving unsaid, the despair which had clung to both of them after the horrible tragedies they had seen and heard of. Her lips pressed into a thin line and it was clear to see she was weighing her words, deciding what would be appropriate, best, to utter. 

In the end, the detective couldn't help but be a bit honest, too. It wasn't as if there were many secrets left between the two of them as it was.

“I can only say the same.” Kirigiri mumbled, gaze locked on Celestia’s sparkling, crimson irises. She stopped walking somewhere in the middle of the third floor, close to the stairs, and leaned her shoulder against a barred window. “In all the time I spent theorizing and pondering over possibilities, never did I give this one too much credit. I… I thought we would be able to stop it. That I would be able to stop it, to get to the bottom of this and—”

“Hush, now. It isn't your fault.” 

Mimicking her posture, Celeste placed one of her hands on Kyoko's cheek, caressing it. The girl's lavender eyes had become unfocused and distorted during that admission of guilt; something merely alluded to, but that the gambler could both hear and feel loud and clear. It had crossed her mind that Kirigiri might consider herself responsible, true, but it was another thing altogether to actually witness that. 

To see her gloved hands shaking as they were balled into tiny fists, the detective's frame trembling as well due to so many suppressed, barely acknowledged emotions. It tore her heart to watch it, to be unable to help in any possible way. 

The mere fact that Celestia wanted to… it was part of what others called love, was it not?

“It is, though.” Kyoko answered, anger coloring her voice a bright, violent red. “If only I worked harder. If only I read the situation better. If only… if only I'd arrived at that accursed classroom earlier, perhaps in time to catch the culprit red-handed.”

“Oh, and very likely gotten yourself killed in the process as well, correct?” Sarcasm thickly lined her tone, something unnecessary given who the gambler was talking to. She was unable to stop herself, or the wave of fury that rose inside her heart due to that mere suggestion. “Or do you seriously believe that one, the mastermind was monitoring Izuru so closely instead of being very far away from the scene of the crime, and two, that they would have let you walk away unscathed? Especially with how talented you are—”

“ Talented , yes. You heard what my father said about the other mission he—”

“He was merely trying to talk you out of that.” Celeste argued back, shaking her head. For a detective, Kyoko was extremely unaware when it came to some things, but she knew better than to point that out right then. “It doesn't mean that everything you did, everything we did, was for nothing. Look at the rest of our classmates and tell me they have the same understanding of the situation as we do. Tell me they can feel the peril we can both sniff out even here. Tell me we're just as clueless.”

Kyoko didn't, of course. No matter how emotional she was, how deep her self-loathing ran at that point in time, there were no logical arguments to dispute Celestia's claim. Instead she sighed, glanced away for a split second before holding the other girl's hand, caressing it absentmindedly. 

The touch managed to calm them both down, cold, soft leather warming against skin. Likewise their breaths gradually halted until the moment in which their eyes met, held. Settled and found comfort in each other one more time.

Shaken away from that self-hatred, Kyoko’s eyes lost their edge. The shadows which had veiled them were lifted, replaced instead by a new light that was also reflected in her small smile. If that itself was already soothing, relieving in a sense, nothing could have made Celeste relax more than the moment in which the other girl took a step closer to her. 

Briefly she recalled another place, another time in which something like that had transpired—and oh, wasn’t it just even more poetic that they had been in the same building? As long as neither of them recalled what had followed that, how their little respite was shattered by what ended up being just the beginning of a huge tragedy, the girls could enjoy that moment, that proximity. The warmth they shared, especially when Kirigiri gingerly lifted her arms and enveloped Celestia in a soft embrace. 

“Thank you.” The detective’s words, albeit simple, were filled with so many emotions it was tough to read into all of them. There was more than only gratitude in her voice, in the way her hands traced loose circles on the gambler’s back. “You’ve been working with me for a very long time as of now, even though it wasn’t your job to stick around.”

“Nonsense. I couldn’t pretend nothing occurred, going back to a life in which the biggest thrill was placing bets and winning them. Even if most of the times said bets did involve people’s… lives.” 

The last part was added with a chuckle, as if that alone could make up for the seriousness of that situation. Perhaps before, Celestia wouldn’t have seen the importance of her very decisions that clearly: it was one thing to doom unknown people to their demise, with their consent and so on.

And it was another thing altogether to be reminded day after day that there was something threatening not only her existence, but that of someone she loved.

That the person in question rested her chin over Celeste’s shoulder for a few seconds, scoffing at that sentence, was at the same time comforting and scary. 

Comforting, since they were together. Alive. And she would do everything in her power to keep the other girl safe.

Scary, because it didn’t take a genius to understand that the detective would go on investigating, perusing, placing her own life at risk in order to unravel what felt like the most important piece in a puzzle they were still trying to understand. 

“Please don’t.” 

Kirigiri’s tone was concerned, her sentence enigmatic. It shattered Celestia’s train of thought, calling to her natural curiosity. 

“Please don’t… what?” She prompted after waiting for a few heartbeats. Unwilling to end the hug, she held Kyoko tighter, one of her hands making its way to her hair. “What is it, Lady Detective?”

Brushing the soft strands, revelling in the touch, the gambler patiently waited even though her heart hammered within her chest, too anxious to keep still. It was a blessing, a bittersweet one, that Kyoko pulled away just the slightest a second later: at least it spared her companion from feeling that, from reading how nervous she was because of her treacherous heart. 

Of course, the fact that she had to force her eyes to remain on Kirigiri’s, as her cheeks flared to life and her mind paid way too much attention to how close they were, didn’t help matters at all. 

“Don’t… put your life at risk like that. Not anymore.” Likewise Kyoko glanced away for a second, two, before finally mustering herself again and meeting wide, surprised crimson irises. “Promise me.”

“I—T-that is mildly entertaining, coming from you.” The gambler beamed. Rolling a strand of lilac hair in her own fingers, she went on, “you were the one to end in the infirmary a few weeks ago, last I recall. So why are you asking me that, I wonder?”

No matter how much time they had been spending together ever since Celestia first decided she would try to impress that girl, it was still a delight to watch her get completely lost for words. Kyoko’s lips parted, closed again, her eyes searching for something in Celeste’s face before setting in a specific point. Huffing, for a moment it did seem like she would finally say something, even while not gazing at the other girl in the eye.

But apparently, a part of the detective’s mind decided that sometimes gestures spoke louder than words. For instead of uttering anything, she swiftly closed the short distance between them.

And kissed Celestia on the lips without a second of hesitation.

The contact was soft, new, warm. Something the gambler had imagined a few times already, yet reality was quick to prove much better than her widest daydream. Kyoko’s palm cupped her cheek, holding her in place and making everything even sweeter, her thumb running the occasional caress. Their lips were still at first, soft and light, just pressing against each other and tasting that unfamiliar sensation; as soon as Kyoko moved, however, Celeste was quick to follow suit.

Whatever attempt she had at gaining control over the kiss was completely thwarted as soon as the detective gently tugged her closer, then pushed her against the nearest wall. A small sound of surprise escaped the gambler’s mouth right then, which of course caused Kyoko to smile and chuckle for a heartbeat. The hand which had been on her back pet her shoulder instead, a way to soothe Celeste and keep her in place for a few seconds longer.

Maybe they would have gone on for a bit longer, were it not for something… A distant noise, perhaps steps coming from somewhere close to them. Or the notion that they were indeed standing in the middle of a hallway that was supposed to be empty, but could be hiding some or all of their classmates behind deceptively shut doors.

Whatever it was, suddenly Kyoko’s lips stiffened, the girl losing a bit of her earlier confidence or the drive that had overcome her. Without further notice she pulled away, panting a bit, and cradled the gambler’s head in her neck while standing on tiptoes.

“I-if that wasn’t obvious enough… You matter to me, you fool. And I don’t want to lose you because, because of your awful gambling habits or anything else.” 

The anything else part didn’t need to be expanded upon, truly. But Celestia’s mind, hazy as it was, had absolutely no response to everything that had just happened.

Adjusting herself, she rested a cheek against the other girl’s uniform—the rough texture a contrast to how soft her gloved palm had just been. Closed eyes opened, blinked, discerned a soft dot of red light against the darkness that was gone in the following second. A silhouette in the beginning of the stairs, more solid than any ghost that could have lingered with them in the bunker. The person, knowing that they had been found out, rushed away without another sound.

She might have made a mental note of those things, mentioned them in order to watch Kyoko’s embarrassed response, had it not been for the fact that the detective pressed her lips to the crown of her head. The sweetness of the gesture took her aback, called her back to reality, hooded her eyes to their surroundings yet again. 

Made her melt against the girl who held her so tenderly, and stated how important her mere existence was.

But… But that couldn’t be it, could it? Or rather, she could not let Kyoko have the upper hand in the whole scenario! No, not when she had been the one to approach her, to plan everything, and to even wonder if they would go as far as to kiss in order for her to consider that little bet as done and over. 

It was funny how everything had changed. How her heart, her racing, erratic heart, had gone from wanting to play a game to actually falling in love with none other than the Ultimate Detective. 

“It appears that we have—ugh, whatever.” Celeste began as she unwillingly straightened her back, looked straight at Kyoko. No, it wasn’t the time to be too formal, too much. Not after everything they had been through in order to share a moment like that. “You matter to me as well, Kyoko Kirigiri. So don’t you dare get yourself killed while investigating this or any other matter, do you hear me?”

“B-but—”

“No buts. I won’t have any of that from you if you don’t desire the same from me.” 

Before a distraught Kyoko could say a thing, Celeste dipped her head and kissed her quickly, keeping her eyes open to watch for the other’s reaction. It was cute to see how she tensed up a bit before relaxing, lips parting and accepting the touch, then blooming into a smile. Despite the serious tone, the serious conversation they had been having not that long ago, the gambler wanted nothing but to spend more time there, kissing the girl she liked.

Preferably in a more secluded location, as of course there was always the chance that someone might walk into them—but wait, hadn’t that kind of happened?

“Come, let’s take a stroll and call it a night, shall we?” The gambler suggested, even though she had absolutely no idea of where to go and what exactly to do after kissing her paramour like that. Every romance novel she had read had seemed a bit too excessive when describing such moments, but for a split second she could understand why. Kind of.

It wasn’t as if she were feeling a bit awkward herself, not at all.

“Absolutely.” Kyoko nodded, sliding her hand down Celeste’s arm and finally lacing their fingers together. A familiar touch, yet one that was charged with something new at that moment. “I would like to take a better look at the facilities around the first floor now that most people might have retired for the night.”

“That is a nice idea. Oh, if I recall correctly, there is a bath house around, isn’t there? Mayhaps at some point we might—”

“Don’t go getting any indelicate thoughts, Ludenberg.” 

Kyoko pouted, squeezing her hand and ushering her to follow along. The gambler’s laughter echoed around the empty hallway, downstairs, throughout the shelter they would slowly learn to call a home. 

Those who remembered, those who peeked and committed that kiss to mind, might call it sad when, not even two years later, the same floor and hallway would become the stage to an unfortunate plan. An unfortunate, unplanned confession.

And everything that would follow suit as a barely-forgotten love failed to conquer one’s will to survive.

Chapter Text

The possibility of a traitor being among them had distracted people from the motive, their surroundings. From little changes around the school that, although minimal, would later prove to be insurmountably important to unravel what would happen next. 

That the matter had been raised by someone other than Celestia made things even better for her, shifting suspicion away from her even before the bulk of her work was set into motion. True, it took a while for people to realize four students weren’t at the cafeteria after the morning announcement, but afterwards things moved rather quickly.

It was Hina who opened the door to the rec room, where the gambler had been waiting, twiddling her thumbs and listening to the noise outside. The sight of her, battered and scarred, was enough for the swimmer to get out a bloodcurdling scream before Celeste could say a word. That would surely draw the others towards them, as it was visible they had split up—a probability she had imagined and certainly accounted for in her whole preparation.

The one thing to do was to wait and see if people would follow that lead instead of continuing to investigate right away. Not that it would change matters if they did, but still. In the end she was too excited, her heartbeat racing to the point that it was a wonder no one had been alerted to her presence there due to that sound alone.

Someone climbed the stairs as quickly as they could; through what she could hear, she was both happy and disappointed it wasn’t Kyoko. Those controversial feelings had been veiling her very soul in quick succession ever since last night, to the point that she had to force herself to forget about that girl. Or rather, to think about the most boring things ever in order to not focus on what would happen next. What she would have to do or say the moment they did indeed meet.

Internally sighing to herself in relief at the sight of Naegi, even if it only delayed the inevitable, she managed to look as bedraggled as possible while also chaining some of that despair while speaking to him. 

Oh, how cruel it was that she had to doom the one life she would like to have at her side… Only so she could eventually have the future she had much longed for. 

“Celes… W-what happened?!” The Ultimate Lucky Student asked the moment he took in the scene.

“I-I was careless…” She winced in very real pain as her classmate walked towards her, inspecting her injuries. There wasn’t anything serious, as she would need full use of her capabilities for the rest of the plan, but the self-inflicted wounds had been done with a bit more force than she had intended to at the very beginning. “I got… I got attacked.”

“Wait, what?” Makoto exclaimed, face draining of color. Oh, if only he never got over that shock, never even suspected her… “By whom?!”

“It w-was a… I don’t know.” Panting, Celeste leaned against a wall and held the side of her head that had been hit, with a hand that was still a bit bloody. Her temples throbbed against her fingers, equally due to pain and anticipation. “A strange sort of m-man, if it can even be called so. Their existence is so unusual, I cannot help but call them uncanny.

“And t-they attacked me with… that hammer, the one that is on the ground.”

With trembling fingers and an unsteady hand the gambler pointed towards a central piece of planted evidence, the one she hoped would cause confusion during the entire case trial. The Justice Hammer 1, the smallest of them yet not the first to be used. It remained spotless, the blue paint shining underneath the stark light of the rec room. It was examined by an unsettled Makoto, still spooked by what he had walked into.

Still unsuspecting of what else he would find out in the following minutes, provided a certain someone did play his part until his very last breath.

“That was… the weapon they tried to dispose of me with.” Celeste went on as Naegi glanced at the hammer but made no move to pick it up. “I barely managed to avoid it, only for me to stumble and fall. Curse my lack of daily movement, I almost p-perished because of it.”

Before Makoto could ask anything, the rec room was raided by Hina and Sakura. Ah, these two together… What a sight to behold. They worked so well, it was always fun to see them standing out for each other through thick and thin. It somehow reminded the gambler of something—again, it was as if the memory was close to her reach, but not close enough for her to fully remember. Instead her head pounded, so strong that she had to remind herself she had not been hit by the Justice Hammer at all.

“You were attacked, Celeste?” Sakura’s alarmed, loud voice broke through her reverie; she nodded right away, doing her best to look completely miserable. “Please tell us what happened with as many details as you can recall.”

“Of course.” She took a deep breath, convincing her heart that it was Kirigiri she was testifying to. That mental image, the strength of her lie, was enough to make her heart skip a beat, eyes downcast—the complete and utter picture of a helpless victim. “It was a b-bit earlier today. I woke up before the morning announcement and decided t-to… take a stroll around the first floor. As I just told Makoto, I haven’t been as dedicated as I should to exercising recently. 

“Not that late afterwards I saw a suspicious individual from a distance. They perked my interest, as even in shadows their shape was quite unique and their intentions, un-unclear.” She did her best to speak as slowly as possible, to stutter over words. While those classmates weren’t as perceptive as Kyoko and ultimately Byakuya, all she needed to win the class trial was for the majority of them to vote for someone else. “Hence I followed them around for a while, with us event-eventually reaching the third floor. They went inside the rec room and I peeked through, which was when…”

“When they saw you and actually attacked.” Sakura completed after a few seconds of silence, her entire demeanor twisted in anger. Oh, she was a force to be reckoned with and not someone Celeste would like to anger, that was for sure. 

The other two leaned towards her, with Hina glancing around as if trying to find something to help. It was cute in a way, though absolutely not what she needed at the moment. All eyes should be on her , on her perfect acting. On the first of many lies she was about to spin around them.

“Indeed. By then it was already after 7AM, as I recall hearing the announcement while pursuing him. Yet I just recently woke up when Makoto here… opened the door.”

“So you were unconscious for a whole hour.” The lucky student commented, appalled. “While we were waiting at the dining hall for other people to show up. If only we left sooner—”

“I-it wouldn’t have changed much,” Celeste said in a downcast voice, allowing the tears she hadn’t cried earlier to cloud her eyes. “They were intent on hurting me and only stopped at this because I g-groveled and begged for my life. But enough of… Enough of this.” She rubbed at her face, disposing herself of the tears that did indeed run down her cheeks. In the end she knew she was being a bit too dramatic; maybe if Kyoko had been there, she might have read the situation in another, entirely different form. “There is a pressing matter we need to solve right away.”

That called Hina’s attention back towards her, the other two taking a step closer as if expecting the worst. They were right to do so, as she had yet to touch on the most important part of that whole enactment. 

“When I looked at the rec room I realized that the strange individual wasn’t alone: they had Hifumi with them.” The look of shock that ran through their faces was every bit the confirmation Celestia needed in order to know that her accomplice was doing exactly everything she had instructed him to. After all, no one interrupted her to say he had been sighed. “After attacking me, he dragged Hifumi away and I-I was too hurt, too powerless to do anything…”

After allowing people time to react and buy into her act she showed them the camera Hifumi had given her a few days ago. The same that had been used in order to commit to eternity more evidence they had enacted not that long ago. 

So much thought had gone into each portion of it—at some point during the last few days Celeste was convinced she would go crazy from overanalyzing every possible outcome. How to adapt under the very natural, very real instance that people didn’t act the way she imagined they might, or didn’t follow orders as they should.

If at first murdering someone and laying the blame on another someone didn’t seem too different from going into a poker game with a very detailed plan in mind, reality proved how distinct those things could be. Yes, in both cases one was dealt a hand they had no control over, especially in her situation and context. Yes, one of the most important aspects in both scenarios was to keep up appearances and to execute their role to perfection, neither less nor more, imprinting emotions where it was due and subtracting it when it wasn’t.

Yet becoming the blackened—something she wasn’t as of then, merely an instigator—required a lot more effort and had one too many variables that no luck-based game could cover at the same time. 

After all, a match would be over when the last card was played. And the murder case… 

Would only be done with the moment that her and her classmates cast their votes on someone other than Celestia Ludenberg.

That the pictures were accepted as the utmost truth right away was a good sign, or so the gambler told herself. Makoto’s, Hina’s and Sakura’s exclamations of wonder and disbelief that soon turned into worry for Hifumi’s sake was already the first step they were taking inside the web of lies she had only started to weave.

It was just her luck that mentioning the stairs towards the second floor raised their level of alarm; for an uneven heartbeat it did hers, too, as they let her know that Kyoko, still unaccounted for, was supposed to be investigating that place. The undiluted sentiment, the notion that the other girl was in danger when in fact there was nothing for her to be afraid of, colored her voice with the exact amount of concern and pain that would be required for someone in her position.

Someone who had been in the unknown Ultimate’s side for that long, and knew heads nor tails over her whereabouts.

Limping, she did her best to accompany her classmates outside, then down a flight of stairs—stopping for a split second when that part of the school grounds in particular caught her attention. Celestia couldn’t say why a sealed off window and just another hallway among several would seem relevant, but for some reason they just… did. Enough for her to falter, to feel her heart warm for the mere moment it took for her to pass that place.

To tell herself it was stupid to stay behind because of such an impression, and to give chase to the others if only so she wanted to see Kyoko one more time. 

“Whatcha doiiiiiin? Playing some sort of ga—oh, now you look like you had it rough and not in a good way.”

It was Toko, no, Genocide Jack who met them with that statement, giggling in that weird way of hers the moment her eyes landed on Celeste. Luckily no one paid her any mind, Togami shaking his head and telling her to be quiet right away.

“Have you seen Hifumi or Kyoko?” Makoto queried, eyes moving around the other two in order to get a glimpse of their companions. Celeste herself did the same, but found no trace of the certain girl she already missed.

The girl she wanted to see more than anything, hoping against hope that she hadn’t walked into something she should not see. Yet.

“No, should we?” Byakuya interjected, calling her attention back to the matter at hand. That was bad—she had to watch every little step of hers from then on. “I heard a commotion and decided to take a better look at it. This one is, of course, merely stalking me.”

“Am noooooot! Don’t compare me to lovesick fools like Miss Detective and Poker La—” Genocide began, the words once again burying holes in the gambler’s heart.

For what, as she had done nothing but steer as far away from detectives as she could during most of her life, she could not say.

“ Have you perchance seen either of them, or anything out of the ordinary?” Celestia pressed, anger rising through her chest in response to everything she did not know.

Everything… That harkened to a certain sensation she had been unable to quell for the longest time, that was still present at such a crucial moment in time. 

“Nope, my bad. That is, nothing apart from seeing you in that awful state. What happened, kissing got so good that you hit your head somewhere?” 

“What the—this is serious, you know!” Aoi interjected after shooting Celes a questioning stare. One that of course she answered with a very honest shrug, as she had absolutely no idea what the other girl was implying. 

“Wait, stop talking.” 

Sakura raised a hand, closing her eyes right away. They didn’t need to be told that she had detected something when, less than a minute later, she opened scared eyes and started running towards another portion of the floor. Without hesitation the others followed suit, Celeste experiencing another wave of anxiety as the time to figure out if phase three of her plan was set into motion correctly got closer and closer.

As soon as they found themselves in front of the library and the Ultimate Martial Artist explained she had heard something coming from there, the gambler had to keep herself from smiling, from wondering if things would go on with less hindrances than she had expected them to.

Opening the door and revealing the library made her heart soar, pride thudding alongside it at the sight of another thing she had imagined and set forth.

Hifumi played his part better than expected from someone without an ounce of acting abilities, Celestia had to admit. His head was bloody as instructed, and he looked so dazed that were it not for the pictures and her early spotting of the so-called Robo Justice, as Yamada called his attacker, it would be simple to cast doubt over his testimony. To say he was hallucinating or suffering from awful head trauma instead of actually giving concise information. Using the images to “confirm” what he had seen, the gambler was able to not only get Byakuya to see that piece of evidence, but also make sure that her accomplice was following the script to the letter.

Of course, there would be a shift in their dynamics later on that Hifumi wasn’t expecting. But that was neither here nor there.

The Ultimate Affluent Progeny bought into the whole scenario rather quickly, though the presence of Justice Hammer 2, bigger than the other one, helped in some way. That its damage was more considerable than what its predecessor had done was visible due to how much worse Hifumi’s wounds were—something that required medical attention, which Celestia pointed out as soon as Monokuma was out of its little spiel. 

Few words were exchanged as the students made their way down to the first floor. The unknowing parties were tense, seeking for any sign of danger everywhere. While the gambler did the same, glancing sideways every few steps, her motives were different and involved finding the one person she couldn’t place on the mental map of the school she was keeping tabs on.

After all, soon every key player would be in position aside from the mysterious Ultimate. And while she was pretty positive she could and would perform the last necessary step to the entire show regardless of where the other girl was, would it be too much to ask for one final glance? One final moment in which they could be together without fully opposing one another?

Yet Kyoko didn’t show up at the nurse’s office as Hifumi gave them their testimony, which was airtight when combined with Celeste’s. She had to admit, he could keep things straight in his head even if the same hadn’t occurred while making her milk tea. There were no slip ups, no faults, no stuttered words where they shouldn’t be any. Confirming alibis was pretty easy then, especially as Genocide Jack accounted for Byakuya actually being at the laundry room. Which would of course put the correct people under suspicion, something the gambler had wanted in order for the murder trial to be more succinct.

The faster it went, the less she would have to pretend and to watch over her every word, after all.

She almost snapped when Togami tried to pin Kyoko as the mastermind’s spy, but bit her tongue and saved that for later. Again, it didn’t matter who the students voted as the culprit. Again, it didn’t matter if someone else other than Hiro emerged as those fools’ prime suspect.

But why did the mental image of a hurting, cornered Kirigiri make her want to bite her lip and call everyone stupid instead of just lying low and continuing with her plan?

It was a blessing when they left Hifumi alone at the nurse’s office as intended, so he could “rest,” and slipped into the hallway once more. There. It wouldn’t be much longer anymore, she thought while the others argued about what to do and where to go. Her heart was beating so fast it was a miracle she wasn’t feeling nauseous or lightheaded; instead, the moment she was able to move past that initial feeling was the same in which everything became clearer, sharper.

(She would do it.)

“Ah?! R-right over the stairs!” She exclaimed, pointing just to add to the nothingness she had forced herself to imagine. “I saw something moving!”

(She would pull it off.)

“The second floor, then? Hurry, we must stop that scoundrel!” Sakura yelled, moving as quickly as she could, the rest of them rushing to keep pace.

(She would outwit them all.)

“M-maybe it’s best if we split up here?” The gambler suggested, her voice trembling from false fear and a very real sense of anticipation. Never had she been that excited, that close to the moment in which her very plan would come into fruition. “If anyone i-is hit with the Justice Hammer 3 or what you will—”

(She would get out of that accursed school.)

“Indeed. Scream if you find anything, and we shall come running.”

(She would use the prize money to get the life of her dreams.) 

Running, Celestia veered to a side, glad that no one had suggested for them to form groups at that moment in time. Both weary of finding Kyoko and actually wanting to see her, the gambler sprinted all the way to the third floor, waited for the sound of doors opening and closing far downstairs and bellowed in panic, pressing herself against a wall to make everything more realistic.

(She would leave behind poverty, and simplicity, and the need to gamble her life in order to have what she wanted.)

True to their words, the others bolted to find her, breathless and scared. Eyes wide with horror, which she evoked from memories of her awful past, of predictions for the terrible, unlikely future in which she failed. The moment in which, at her victory, a certain someone was condemned to death. 

Lavender eyes regarding her with quiet, burning rage as the individual she felt so attracted to writhed in agony in a pit of roaring fire. 

(She would forget that. She would forget her . She would find company in a better, less doomed place.)

“I-I saw him! The costumed individual, they went that way after I screamed!” Celestia told her classmates as soon as they joined her again. Since another thing had to happen until her own time to shine could begin, she went on, “th-they were indeed wearing an armor of sorts and seemed to be carrying a—”

“HYAAAAAAAAARGH!”

(She would, eventually, go looking for answers if there were any. Things that might corroborate why she had even regarded Kyoko in a different light than she did others. Perhaps she would run a full research on Kyoko herself, at least so she could learn what her Ultimate talent was.)

“Was that… Hifumi?!” Hina inquired, frustrated. The confusion that was so visible in most of the students’ faces, the one Celestia echoed in her own expression, was a feast to her eyes. 

Yes, it was all going well. Everything she had been thinking of and working towards—

“Perhaps we should split into… two groups? We cannot leave him unattended and yet should not give up pursuit.” The gambler explained, pulling the strings a little more than she originally wanted to. At least making decisions meant she would also be able to influence who would be where, something she had already thought about beforehand. “I’m in no shape to hunt this… this person. Hence me, Hina and Makoto should go check on Hifumi.”

(She would honor Kirigiri’s memory in some way or the other, that was for sure. Perhaps a small altar, or a grave in her castle’s backyard. Something surrounded by the prettiest flowers in every shade of purple that she could find and plant around the place.)

“Yes. I would so love to give chase.” Byakuya beamed in a menacing way whereas Toko (no longer Genocide after a sneeze) shuddered. “Come, now. Be useful for once even in that state, and don’t drag Sakura and I behind.”

(She would…)

Running downstairs with Hina and Makoto, Celeste actually managed to dispel those thoughts and images from her mind. What good would come of her imagining that, perchance? While she and Kyoko were still alive no less, when she was just closer to freedom but not yet free. Being distracted wasn’t what won her so many games; being focused had. 

The sight of a bloodied, yet still alive Yamada was the very thing that allowed her to remember that. And to keep her head on what mattered instead of what she would do, what could have been.

He played his part well: not moving at all and appearing as bloodied as one might be after being hit in the head with a weapon such as Justice Hammer 3. Shocked as they were, Makoto and Hina said nothing about the body discovery announcement not playing right away, though it didn’t escape Celestia’s notice…

Any moment now…

Until it finally did. And she knew that someone, somewhere, had finally encountered an actual lifeless corpse.

“The body discovery announcement. W-who did this?” Celeste herself asked, expression laced with concern and sadness. “Who attacked him and, and…”

“We have to investigate again, don’t we?” Hina bemoaned. Her skin was shades paler than usual, eyes glued to Yamada’s form as if that alone would answer every question they could have.

Little did they know, that was merely the beginning of the case they would have to unveil. And that the gambler would love to fumble, to confuse people even more if inspiration hit along the way.

“Surely the killer must be the person in that hideous… hideous costume. He returned to finish the job and—” Celestia sobbed, so convincingly she felt a surge of pride for her acting skills. It was good that they were being reliable when she needed them the most.

It hadn’t escaped her notice that she was finding it so easy to fool others because a certain perceptive student wasn’t around. Dimly she wondered if things would have been that simple if she had been at the scene, or how they would shift once she did. But that was a matter for later consideration, for the moment in which Kyoko eventually came out from whatever hiding place she was in right then.

And what was keeping her, really, what with people screaming on top of their lungs and then the body discovery announcement? Nothing had been able to stop her from reaching a crime scene before, and now that—

“But if you saw him on the third floor, then how did he make his way here to murder Hifumi?” Makoto inquired, walking from side to side and trying to make sense of things. 

“We shall answer that question after investigating, surely. But for now… for now we must tell the others, mustn't we? Albeit I am loath to leave him all alone in order to look for the rest of the group and those who are still missing.”

“A-and I don’t really think I can walk around like this either.” Hina whined, and for once Celestia was thankful. If that meant they could stay apart for a while longer in order to create a bigger mess, then so be it. “I’m not f-felling very well…”

“I’ll go get everyone.” Makoto volunteered right away after taking one glance between the two girls and Hifumi. “Stay with her, Celes, and yell if something else happens.”

“Please be careful as well, Makoto. There is a killer on the loose.” 

Hina nodded her agreement, started pacing in circles just like Naegi had been and finally averted her eyes from Hifumi’s body. The sound of Makoto’s retreating footsteps was all that echoed between them for a few heartbeats, anticipation clouding Celeste’s mind as she tried not to think too much of where Kirigiri was. 

Of course she was out of danger and that wasn’t even a point to obsess about, but… What if she had run into something she wasn’t supposed to see as of then? 

Or worse…

What if she were indeed in danger, but from someone other than Celestia herself?

A small twitch from something or someone who should not be moving called the gambler’s attention—of course, there was just so long one could pretend to be dead without giving telltale signs that it wasn’t the case. Although it was lucky that Aoi was in no state to pay attention to such small details, there was a lot more to be done until the gambler could say the act was done and over with. Meaning that, well, she had to get both of them away from the nurse’s office for a little while and right then.

“H-Hina, I think all this stress has caused me to have some… womanly problems.” To emphasize her point, Celeste placed her hand on her lower belly and squeezed. She could think of no other way to require another girl’s assistance in such a crucial moment. “Would you accompany me to the bathroom? It could be nothing, but I might need a pad or something.”

“Ah! Yeah, sure thing! What with you being attacked and all the chasing and… yup… But uh, I always have a spare on me, so c’mon, let’s go.” 

Her solicitous attitude was endearing, what with how she grabbed Celeste’s forearm and offered her support on the way towards the nearest bathroom—which, luckily enough, cleared the path for Hifumi to do what needed to be done. 

“I’m going as fast as I can, apologies,” the gambler said as the swimmer kept a few steps ahead of her. “I might have twisted an ankle or something when that suspicious individual harmed me.”

“Right, right, I’m so sorry…” Aoi halted for a bit, offering more support and allowing the other girl to dictate their pace. “With everything that’s been going on since this morning I’m kinda out of it. And scared, if I’m being honest.”

“Me, too.” The gambler briefly pondered on saying that they would protect each other, yet decided that acting scared would further solidify her façade as a victim and never, not even in a million years, the actual mastermind behind that plan. “B-but it will be okay… It has to be okay.”

“They’ll get him and put an end to this.”

“They’ll get him and put an, an end to this.” 

Disbelief colored her voice, something that wasn’t lost on Hina, the girl shuddering and peeping into the bathroom before letting Celeste go in. Once she was situated, the gambler sat down and counted in her head, both to make sure she remained convincing and to calm herself down. Not that much down the line it would finally be her time to shine. And it would be awful if she were all over the place, suspicious, or the littlest bit distracted by what could and would happen. 

A few minutes later and only after she was sure she heard footsteps running towards the place where her and Hina were supposed to be did she rise to her feet, flush the toilet and go out, shaking her head and giving a small, sheepish smile once anxious eyes fell on her.

“I do feel the cramps to this moment, but that is all. Lucky, I suppose, or perhaps it will become problematic later?” The gambler explained, glancing towards the nurse’s office. It didn’t seem like anyone was already there, but she was positive there were people running in their direction from the other side of the corridor. “But alas, you are the one who’s supposed to be resting. I’m so terribly sorry, we should return right away.”

“No, it’s okay! I’m not feeling better per se, but I can still help if—”

“Come, Hina. Sakura will be mad at me if she learns that I put you through such a strain for absolutely no reason.” 

She couldn’t help but beam at that sentence. Not because she was thinking about how close Aoi and Sakura had become in such a short time—and how that felt familiar, right, almost as much as her own connection did. 

But since it felt like an echo of whatever bound her to Kyoko, despite the fact that it was already fraying at the edges… Slowly rupturing at each passing minute.

After mumbling something that sounded a lot like “no, she isn’t as scary as y’all think” the Ultimate Swimmer acquiesced, the two of them making their slow way back towards the nurse’s office at almost the exact same moment that Makoto, Byakuya and Sakura did.

Meaning that all of them were met with the sight of a completely empty room, nothing but blood smeared on the ground as a telltale sign that Yamada had been assaulted at that place.

“W-what?!” Makoto exclaimed while Celestia gasped, Hina rushing to Sakura’s side as if to take refuge with the one she loved. Left alone, the gambler supported herself on the nearest wall, pretending that the shock had been almost enough to make her lose her footing. 

“What is the meaning of this?” Togami exploded. The Martial Artist also looked around, searched for something, a hand intertwined with Aoi’s to offer the comfort she so needed. Turning to Makoto, he went on, “I thought you said that Hifumi has been attacked? Where is he, then?”

To see how terrifying her plan already was to those people was empowering, the sensation slowly working its way through Celeste’s bloodstream and warming her, crushing her chest. It was so overwhelming she found herself hyperventilating, deciding on a whim to twist the emotion and use it to her devices.

“W-we are all going… to die… Just like those guys did…” She stuttered, eyes wide with fear. Many turned to glance at her in alarm, probably taken aback by seeing such a composed person completely crumbling apart. “H-he will pick us off one b-by one…”

“ Was he also attacked or not?” Togami pressed, not at all falling for what the gambler had said, or the panic around the room.

Once people asked what he was referring to, what he meant by that question, their emotions rose again and it took a while for someone to be able to unveil his words. 

“Taka was also murdered in the equipment room.” Makoto explained, eyes moving around the nurse’s office as if there were any clues to be found around the place. It seemed that Hifumi had been throughout, leaving absolutely nothing of the sort. “T-they wanted to see what happened here, so—”

“Taka?” Hina’s eyes became tearful; a second later she said almost the exact same omen that Celeste had uttered. “W-who is next? Wait, where’s Toko?”

As soon as the group realized the girl had been left unconscious at the crime scene and there was nothing to be gained from remaining at the nurse’s office, they swiftly made their way to the third floor in hopes that they weren’t too late. That there wouldn’t be another corpse to be found. Some people even mumbled that between sobs and half-contained mumbles, which was way too amazing for Celeste’s taste.

It got to the point that she had to keep herself from grinning, since the moment they got back to the equipment room…

There was none but a still asleep Toko to be found on the ground.

As the others raged, trying to figure out what the hell was happening and how two corpses had disappeared, Celestia noticed the marks which had been left behind in the blood puddle. They were noticeably wheels, a setback that made her internally tense up and start wondering if it would be enough to undo their whole plan. 

No, it wasn’t the time to be that focused on everything else. Given how emotional people were, how much they would have to investigate in order to even tear at the few loose ends which were prone to happen since she hadn’t been behind every little thing, they might not even notice that. Or think it would be important to begin with. 

Suspicion was once again cast on Hiro, the one the gambler actually wanted to incriminate… and Kyoko. The one the gambler wished to see more than anything else. Sure, the mysterious Ultimate was easily cleared of anything as soon as people recalled that she had attended breakfast, but it was still awful whenever Byakuya got too vocal about why it had to be her. 

At least he remembered that only two people could be murdered by the same culprit, thus lulling the group into the notion that they were somehow safe. With that, it was declared that they would split up again and search for the missing bodies, hopefully running into the missing Hiro and Kyoko as well. 

And so it was that the time for Celestia to meet her fellow culprit, lifting the veil of the blackened from him and finally getting out of that school had finally arrived. 

She moved slower than everyone, blaming it on her ankle and telling Makoto that she would eventually catch up to him—that he could go ahead, go ahead and not mind her. For a second she stopped, stared at the unconscious Toko and wondered if she was alright. If Genocide Jack would soon appear in her place and become an inconvenience during trial and investigation. Somehow she hoped it wouldn’t be the case.

That they could end things amicably, just because.

The fact that it wasn’t a sentiment she shared towards any of the others would be intriguing if she didn’t have other things to focus on.

It was a matter of lingering around the art room and waiting for a bit, until everyone else decided there was nothing to be found there. As soon as Sakura and Hina left, talking among themselves in a low voice and too distracted to figure out they were being watched from someone behind an ajar classroom door, Celeste took a deep breath, counted to five and darted to the place they had left behind, nimbler than ever.

The art room was blissfully untouched; there was no sight of blood on the floor, something the gambler had feared for and watched over while making her way there. Still that brought her little solace, her heart racing inside her chest, hands curling into fists way before she had to rap the repository door with the code her and Hifumi had previously agreed upon so he would unlock it. 

Once there was a click and the door swung open, Celestia’s nails pressed into her palm due to the sheer anticipation of what would happen next.

“Please do come in, my fair Lady Ludenberg,” Hifumi said, actually bowing as low as he could the moment he saw her. “It worked! I did exactly as you told me to and, and here it is! They’ll never know we did it, will they?”

If Celeste had ever considered him a pitiful man before, that notion was amplified tenfold right then, just by the sight of him. Blood stolen from the nurse’s office still clung to his face and hair, making for quite a sight. He was also out of breath, due to excitement or the exercise of carrying Taka in the dolly, she would never know. At least he hadn’t deviated from the plan, true, since the corpse was exactly where she needed it to. 

And her victim… her blissfully ignorant victim, kept singing them praises. Even more so after she found in herself the will to beam at him.

“You did wonderfully, Hifumi.” The gambler patted his shoulder as she moved further into the room. Closer to a certain rack where yet another hammer could be found. “I am so relieved that we no longer have to share the school with someone so twisted as that… that—”

“That monster, is what he was!” Hifumi nodded at her, screaming so loud that Celeste flinched. It wasn’t the time for them to be discovered yet, for someone, especially a certain someone who remained unaccounted for, to walk on them. “That vile individual shouldn’t even be allowed to be called a man, not after what he made you do and… and what he did to you. Awful creature!”

He went on calling Taka names, his back to Celestia as he kicked him the slightest. The sight was… everything she had hoped for, really.

Everything she had planned and even more, since Hifumi was defenseless and completely unaware of what was about to befall him. 

Her hands gripped the nondescript hammer tight, tighter. Her knuckles, white with tension, were a mere reflection of her own pale cheeks, the way crimson eyes narrowed on their target. Adrenaline was coursing through her even more, to the point that she was barely able to hold herself any longer.

That was it, the culmination of her plan. The scene she had envisioned so clearly as soon as she saw the hammers, their distinct sizes. The confusion one could create with them.

The victims she wished to eliminate. The way she would go about it, not soiling her hands until the very last moment. 

And when that moment came…

She swung, hard, putting her strength and weight behind it. Hifumi’s voice, loud and cheerful, was muffled after a sharp intake of air, his body crumpling forward and falling right beside Taka’s, just as she had intended.

It had been one hit, one hit only. Still she panted as if she had run a marathon, vision becoming blurry for a few harried, hurried heartbeats as reality slowly encroached on her. 

She had done it. She had become the blackened. She would…

She would condemn them all to their deaths.

Chapter Text

It would be a lie to say that the students hadn’t hoped to rejoin the outside world in a matter of days, the moment they went into the bunker.

After all, the one thing keeping them away from the rest of society was the chaos incited by the Reserve Course students and how that had spread like wildfire, or so they believed. Yet no flames would ever burn eternally, as there would always come the point in which there was nothing more to burn, no oxygen to fuel them.

So…

“It’s been months already! What’s taking them so long?” 

Junko’s statement hung around the dining hall, her shrill voice making a few of them wince. True, the sensation wasn’t exclusively hers, the frustration that could so clearly be heard in every single word an echo of their own feelings towards whatever was going on outside. But still, it didn’t help if they had to face that, to look at their own reflection and notice how much moodier and gloomier they already were. 

Or to glance at the person sitting next to them, only to wonder if the same sinking sensation was already taking root inside their hearts as it was.

“Actually, it has only been three weeks.” 

Celeste’s statement was quieter, her voice even. Most turned to look at her with a frown, probably trying to work out some math and decide whether she was right or not. They weren’t to be blamed; it wasn’t easy to keep track of time and especially days when everything was forever illuminated not by sun and moonlight, but by the unending glare of electric lamps.

“You’re right.” Ikusaba nodded from her place beside Junko. Out of everyone around the table, she was one of the few who lacked the shadows that lined their eyes and demeanor. “But it does feel like a lot more time has already passed, doesn’t it?”

“Indeed.” Kyoko nodded, gaze lost in the milk tea she had been trying to consume—out of love for Celestia, who had forced Hifumi to make them some earlier that morning, not due to her actually liking it more than her usual coffee. “As I am sure you do recall, things escalated to a rather worrisome point the very day we were sent here. Matters such as that usually take a lot more than a few days to be solved.”

“Y-yeah… You’re right about that.” Hiro scratched his head, giving a sheepish smile. Although he hadn’t been the one to voice his discomfort at that time, it wasn’t that unusual for them to hear him complain about being away from the sun and so on. “Last time I consulted the tarot about it, I was told that everything would be okay in three days, though.”

“And how often are your predictions right, again?” Hina inquired, rolling her eyes at the whole thing. “‘Cause as Kyoko said, it’s next to impossible that something like that would happen. Be real.”

“We’re talking about fires and other such happenstances, unfortunately.” Sakura gravely added, nodding with a grave expression. “And that’s just what was transpiring around Hope’s Peak by the time we were taken to safety.” 

That dampened the mood around the table. Food was pushed around, bread crumbled to smaller slices. Liquid sloshed inside cups without being consumed, every student staring either at a distinct point on the floor or at someone they felt close to. Although very real effort was put into staying away from such sensitive topics, it was impossible for the students not to ponder over it, over what would happen next.

What could be happening outside of those gates, as no sound at all could be heard through the walls.

“Oh yeah, did you have any luck with the internet, Chihiro?” Makoto queried, turning to the student sitting right beside him. 

Their phones, which had been working alright for the first few days, had stopped connecting to the web not too long afterwards. Of course it was up to the Ultimate Programmer to figure out what was going on in regard to that or to find an alternative, any way with which they could get to know more about the outside world. 

It was bad enough they were secluded from everything and everyone inside those walls—not being able to talk to their loved ones or even see pictures of their surroundings was equally maddening.

“H-huh?” Fujisaki sat up straight, startled that their name had been called. Taking a closer look, the gambler found it easy to notice how their eyes were lined by shadows that became darker and darker every passing day. “Not r-really, I’m sorry.” Their entire frame contorted into itself and they made themself smaller, if such a thing was really possible. “I still have no idea on what’s going on, though I do have a few programs working on it. And one in particular that might be of bigger help.”

“You should get some rest, though. There’s just too much you can work on before collapsing.” Taka advised, beaming at both Chihiro and Mondo. It was no secret that the three had grown closer during the last few days. “And I did see you out and about during bedtime for the last few days.”

“You gotta sleep, bro. Or else all the training we been doing won’t be beneficial at all.” Mondo nodded, pensive. “Either someone’ll come and bail us out or you’ll crack up the code, but it’ll take longer if your brain isn’t working the way it should because you’re tired.”

“Agreed.” Byakuya chimed in, closing the book he had been reading and staring at Chihiro for a second. “Do bear in mind that no matter what you discover once the internet is back, if the world is still unsafe we’ll be required to stay here. Meaning that there’s nothing we can do if that’s the case.”

“Do you t-think we’ll be trapped in this accursed place fo-forever?” It was Toko’s time to speak, though she covered her face and seemed to regret those words as soon as they were out. 

“There’s so much content I need to publish! My empire of enemies to lovers and yaoi cannot end here!” Hifumi whined, which was received with a collective sigh. “Hey, my concerns are very valid, thank you so much. After all, I am sure that Miss Fukawa was deliberating over a similar matter in regard to her novels. Miss Ludenberg will have no bets to win if she is incarcerated here, whereas Miss Kirigiri will be kept away from the mysteries she has to solve too. Everyone has a life to return to in some form or the other.”

Kyoko and Celestia had to stop themselves from sharing a look at that last comment. It seemed to confirm what the former had told the latter not too long ago, about the rest of their classmates being mostly clueless on what was going on around them. How they couldn’t feel the danger which lurked in their midst, that was prowling and simply waiting to strike when the time was right.

What made matters worse and caused them to become a lot tenser was the fact that they had no idea as to how close or how far they were to that moment. 

And how they were supposed to react and save themselves in such a small, secluded space. 

Breakfast went on without too much more being said and very little food eaten—most of them had lost their appetite at some point in the last few days given how tense they were. If at first they tried doing things together, proposing activities that might be deemed as fun or distracting to keep their moods up, by then that felt more like a wasted effort: the students soon excused themselves and got up, leaving the dining hall in clusters or duos to do their own things.

Kyoko was the first to leave, however, as if nothing and no one held her attention or was worthy of her care. Those were actually words Celestia had heard about the Ultimate Detective not that long ago, as people decided she was too blunt, too cold and collected despite everything they were going through. Of course Kirigiri had laughed at their considerations the moment the gambler brought them up during their time together, something they kept a bit secluded given the need to protect themselves from the mastermind.

As long as they didn’t know what was happening, what the next step in that operation would be, both girls would rather deny any sort of connection to one another. Celeste just hoped that her staying with Kyoko during her day at the infirmary wouldn’t be enough to tip them off.

Languidly sipping her tea, she gave the other girl enough time to put some distance between her and the dining hall. When only Sakura and Hina remained at the table she excused herself, winking at them and making her way back to her room at a leisure pace.

Her plan was to meet Kyoko at one of their dorms or at another floor, mostly far away from the places that had already been deemed the most usual hangouts—and it helped that neither her nor the detective were up for watching movies or swimming at the local pool. What she didn’t expect, however, was for someone to have beaten her to it, to have cornered Kirigiri in front of her own room and to be speaking to her in hushed tones.

The fact that it was Toko of all people, Toko and not Genocide, made things a lot more curious than they would otherwise be.

“... and all I-I am saying is that you sh-should let us handle it as—”

“Greetings, Fukawa.” Celeste mumbled as she edged closer to the other two. Beaming, she leaned on the wall next to Kyoko and had to close her hand in a tiny fist in order to stop it from reaching towards the girl she loved. “How may we help you in this… lovely morning?”

“I w-was getting there! Ugh…” The novelist frowned at her—it wasn’t a stretch to say the gambler wasn’t a fan favorite, but oh well. That was the team she was working with. “B-but in any case, ahem, Miss Detective here said you al-also feel something’s off. So… I suppose it’s better if you read this instead of me having to r-repeat myself.”

At first Celestia wondered if her classmate was about to push one of her book drafts into her hands, though what happened was completely different. There were only a few lines written in the ugliest calligraphy she had ever seen, the slice of paper so crumpled it was tough to decipher some of those words. The fact that Kyoko nodded at her but didn’t lean in to peek as well let her know that whatever that message was, it had already been shown to her companion and gotten her approval.

And thus, it wouldn’t hurt to give it a look.

To my all-time faaaaavorite yuri couple,

Hey, I know you’re smart or at least you look smart. Not enough to commit crimes and get away with them the way I do, but that’s a very special gift that not everyone has, heeheehee. But anyways, you’re the only ones here that we—aka me and le drama queen writer—can trust, so.

Here’s the deal: something’s off with this place we’re in and no, I’m not saying it cause we’re locked in with a bunch of losers who have no idea about any of the stuff we found out before. But thing is, I’m a first-class murderer as you both know and I can smell it when other weirdos are around. And there are a few here. Major ones.

As in, aaaaaaaawful people who think they’re better than me. Which’s unacceptable, am I right or am I right?

Bu-bu-bu-bu-buut, we gotta be sneaky about it, same way as they are. Meaning that we should all investigate while lying low. Meaning that the two of you should kiss and make up like ya did a few days ago on the third floor—yeah I saw it. Cute, btw—and inspire Toko so she can himejoshi it out, and I’ll go around sniffing for clues. Got that? You’re not about to have all the fun and no kisses.

Let’s work out a schedule or something. 

Or you two can just start kissing right now and leave the rest to me, I don’t care. The main thing’s that we find out who the losers are and and annnnd cut them into smithereens! Nyahahahahahahaha! (Please leave that part to me, okay? Thank youuuuuuuuu ^^)

Your lovely, sweet, amazing, extra smart and favorite killer,

Genocide Jack :3

PS.: Because, because you matter to me, you foooooooool ;) <3 

Well, that explained why there was a slight blush to Kyoko’s cheek, barely perceptible when Celestia arrived but actually becoming stronger the more she read. The moment her crimson eyes widened and made contact with lavender ones was the same in which the detective pouted, then glanced away. 

Leave it to Genocide Jack to get a message across while also making a situation slightly more entertaining.

“Ah, so she was the one I heard at that time.” The moment that both Toko and Kyoko turned to give her surprised stares, Celeste went on, “we had company when we… were talking on the third floor. As I am sure you have already inferred from the letter.” 

“A-ah. Yes, yes indeed.” 

Her sigh and refusal to elaborate almost made the gambler chuckle. She would if they weren’t dealing with something far more serious. 

To think that the moment her heart fell for another was the same in which a devious mastermind would set their plan into motion…

“Otherwise, I do agree with this. Having an extra set of eyes could be helpful and take some suspicion off of everyone involved. Which is what we have been trying to do by keeping our interactions friendly, but just so.”

“Hmpf. I can imagine wh-what exactly Genocide witnessed by merely looking at you.” Toko grumbled in a small voice, only to shriek and hide behind Celestia since that made Kyoko glare at her. “I-i-is it really my fault that you are the epitome of romance in this accursed classroom?”

“I appreciate the commentary and the esteem over our feelings for each other, yet that will be meaningless unless we manage to figure a way out of this situation.” The gambler spoke up when she realized that the detective had nothing but an angry stare to offer as a response. “We must remain attentive in regard to everyone and everything that happens here, even the smallest of issues. After all, sometimes those hide the biggest intentions.”

Eventually Kyoko nodded and relaxed, her frown easing into a pensive expression. “Since when have you become quite the detective?”

“Ever since I took some time studying under one.” Celeste winked at her, the motion enough to undo whatever tension that the other girl still harbored. “It was my luck that I had such a good teacher.”

“Ugh, enough with the cuteness ov-verload!” Toko crossed her arms, taking a few steps away from the gambler as she felt it was safe to return to the conversation. “Should we nail down potential suspects in order to lessen our workload or is everyone very, very much capable of being the mastermind for the time being?”

It was something Kyoko and Celestia had been discussing from time to time; after all, no good would come out of them just pointing fingers and waiting for what would happen next without gathering sufficient proof towards the actual culprit. Given how they had spent the early hours of that day speaking of such matters, they shared another meaningful stare before the detective waved them into another portion of the school.

“First and foremost, always remember that we’re trying to not draw attention to ourselves.” Kirigiri spoke in a lower voice, only loud enough for the two close to her to listen. “Hence we should avoid talking about those issues in open spaces. Besides, I’m still unsure if those are also able to capture sound.” 

She pointed at the nearest camera, one which was turned away from them. Harried as they were with preparations and making sure the bunker was safe from the dangers of the outside world, none of the students had been able to determine if those things had been there from the very beginning. Or if they were even working, which seemed unlikely as there were no lights of movement from them all in all. 

Celestia had been the first to take note of one, and then to map them out just a few days ago: they weren’t everywhere, being absent in their dorm rooms (luckily) and above the third floor. Classrooms were completely equipped with them and to be fair, they might have been around while the extra space was used as part of Hope’s Peak Academy prior to the incident. Memories from those days, not so timely distant but seemingly a whole different universe apart, were tough to conjure when there were so many pressing matters to solve.

When their entire reality was turned upside down, and they were yet relatively clueless as to what had caused that shift or who was stirring it.

And yet…

And yet, the gambler was convinced she had seen one of those things move or flare to life not that long ago. She just could not, for the life of her, remember when.

The trio walked into the bath house in silence, mulling over everything they knew and had thought about so far. Each girl had drawn a few conclusions as it was; the moment they sat down on the benches in the locker area, after a final scan that revealed that indeed the room was devoid of cameras, they resumed speaking in earnest.

“If anyone walks by, we’ll pretend that I was uh… Asking for relationship advice due to a plot point in my most recent n-novel or, or something.” Toko started, biting her nails in nervousness. Kyoko pressed her lips into a thin line in response, causing her to draw back the slightest. “W-what?! Even you have to admit that it’d be the best cover up as to why we’re all here doing nothing.”

“I suppose you have a point. This time.” Sighing, she sought Celestia’s gaze for reassurance, revelling in it for a few heartbeats before speaking again. “You mentioned narrowing down suspects? Very well. There are a few people with alibis during Hope’s Peak Tragedy, you and Togami being two of them.”

“Hoa wait there! You’ve investigated me?!” The novelist’s eyes widened in sheer shock. 

“Of course we did.” The gambler beamed since that was indeed the most natural thing in the world. “While we did refuse to lay a finger on our classmates’ data at first, it became necessary the more it was implied that someone among the student body might be responsible, partially or totally, for the massacre we walked upon. As it happened, you were spotted bothering Mr. Togami—and let me say, Toko, you can surely do better—at the library, later on doing the same to Miss Kimura. During the latter you were overheard by our own Naegi as you asked the poor girl about—”

“Y-y-y-y-you don’t have to finish that!”

Toko shook her head and would probably put a hand on Celestia’s mouth were it not for the fact that Kyoko got up and placed herself between the two.

“Oh don’t you worry about that, I know what your request was about.” The detective sneered. “Had you no recollection of it, I would wonder if the one making an order for a love concoction had been Genocide. But alas, I stand corrected.” 

“Again, my dearest novelist and serial killer duo, while you may not deserve so much better, you certainly can have a shot at someone who is so much better. But alas, I digress.” The gambler chuckled, going back to the issue at hand so good-naturedly it was almost as if they were discussing the lovely weather they were having that time of the year. “Aside from you, who we would not have brought into our good graces had you not been cleared of suspicion beforehand, Kyoko here has ruled out Naegi, Aoi, Hiro and Sakura.

“Mondo has caught my attention due to his past involvement with crime, yet were that any sort of criteria then your name would be top of our list, would it not? And then there is…”

A few other names were said and discussed, though they didn’t have a solid understanding of those people’s backgrounds, motives and recent movements in order to really be able to say they were worthy of being placed under scrutiny. What was more, there was one name in particular that seemed to burn on Celestia’s tongue. One she didn’t really want to touch at first for some reason, but eventually got to it nonetheless.

“And then we have her. Mukuro Ikusaba.” 

Those words hung around the room for some time, some silent heartbeats. It wasn’t that their classmate struck fear like that, just by being mentioned. If anything, she seemed harmless by always being attached to Junko’s side, yet was surely lethal when needed. That was already a boon to whoever had her at their beck and call, wasn’t it? 

“Her? That girl’s got no brains at all.” Toko’s voice dripped with venom. “The other day she was asking her sister how to spell ‘annihilation’ and I’m sorry, but shouldn’t that be a word a soldier is very familiar with?”

“She isn’t that stellar in the classroom, I will grant you that. But if you ever saw her in action, you would beg to differ on how much of an asset she would be.” Kyoko commented in a low voice. 

Celeste didn’t need to be reminded of that awful day, the one in which she ran into Mukuro holding an unconscious detective in her arms. They hadn’t spoken much about the fight, about what Kirigiri had seen all in all, almost as if that were a sore spot with the prideful girl. Yet perhaps it was about time that episode was shed more light in, if only so they could determine whether or not it was important for them to keep tags on her.

“She is a terrible liar, that is all I have to say. The fact that my instincts have screamed at me in some eerie moments is already concerning, if you do believe in my ability to discern such things.” The gambler commented. “I do think that both of you are more familiar with her methods and abilities than I would ever be.”

“She is the Ultimate Soldier. Her every move can be utilized as a weapon and she is able to incapacitate anyone, no matter their size and what they have in hand.” Kyoko shrugged as if it wasn’t that important, but again Celestia’s instincts screamed that there was more to it. “ If we ever have to go up against her, I’m afraid we are… severely outmatched no matter our numbers.”

“Blah. She’s always h-hanging around Enoshima and carrying her stuff. That’s the one thing she’s good for.” Toko still disregarded her, despite everything. “And if it comes down to it, we can always outsmart her. Between the three of us and some nice additions, she’ll never see it coming.” 

The other two had a mind of their own to argue that point, but realized soon enough that the novelist wouldn’t listen to reason right then. Truly, they didn’t have anything other than Celestia’s hunch to suspect her—and Mukuro’s appearance at that weird fight was seen as circumstantial as well, since again Junko had been involved and in trouble. 

“So in sum, we should keep watch over…?” Celestia asked once they were over that entire argument and no other name came forth. 

“Ishimaru, Yamada, Maizono, Fujisaki and… fine , Ikusaba.” Toko sighed, adding the name begrudgingly. 

“And I do still think Hifumi is a stretch.” The gambler whined. “It took him three days to memorize how to make a passable milk tea, I seriously doubt he has the capability to orchestrate such a convoluted plan.”

“Him and Maizono were nowhere to be found during the Tragedy, that is all. Myself, I do not suspect… argh.” Kyoko stopped, sighed and placed both hands on her temples, massaging them. “One would think that being closer to the culprit might make this easier.”

Wincing, Celestia sat closer to the girl she loved and embraced her, uncaring that Toko was watching and giggling at it. At first Kirigiri tensed up, a normal reaction born from the stress they were under. It was sweet when she did relax and lean into the gambler, drawing comfort from that interaction and care as it was.

One of her hands cupped Kyoko’s chin, holding it so they could stare at each other fully. Oh, how she wished to lose herself in those beautiful lavender eyes… to stop time as it was, to remain there and forget everything they still had to do.

The investigation they had to keep a secret from everyone else, lest the entire school and the mastermind was alerted of their intention.

“We will get to the bottom of this. Together.” She promised, forcing her heart, her very soul, to believe in it. While that wasn’t exactly a lie, Celestia had to admit she was also having a tough time deciding who to trust outside of their little circle. 

Who to actually rule out, despite alibis and whatnot being accounted for.

“Riiiight. S-so, why don’t you uh, lie low or whatever for a bit and let me, or rather, Genocide, handle th-things? It’ll be harder f-for you to keep up appearances if you never rest.” 

Toko got up, more resolute than ever, and only lingered nearby until Celeste nodded her head. An answer for the two of them, one that was immediately protested by Kyoko until the gambler reminded her of what had happened the last time she pushed herself too far, too fast. In the end they came to an agreement, the gambler allowing her partner to keep an eye on some of their suspects throughout the day without any other investigative work being done outside of that.

All the while she vowed to keep her own tabs on a certain someone. And another person who didn’t exactly pique her interest, but was a bit odd all things considered.

Soft candlelight flickered around the room, moving in tandem with the bunker’s ventilation. Dancing from side to side in the barely felt, artificial breeze, it created a soothing play of shadows and light that was fun to glance at in the few moments in which they remained silent. 

Yet at that point in time a lot had been said, deliberated over, pondered. Tiredness finally won over whatever motivation Celestia and Kyoko had to keep investigating and mulling over their issues, at least for the time being. 

But then it was only natural that exhaustion would creep up on them after an entire day of doing just that, regardless of how they had vowed to lie low and leave the brunt of that work to Genocide.

They found a moment of peace and respite in the gambler’s dorm—the invitation, which was done with a small, warm smile, seemed different than whatever time they had spent in each other’s abode so far. Kyoko hesitated for a split second, trying to read whatever ulterior motive could be hidden underneath the cherubic expression. Finding none, curiosity piqued as to what could have prompted that change in demeanor, the detective ended up accepting it after giving a small comment about that better not being a setup.

She had found a quiet bedroom with a single candle burning on the study table, nothing more, nothing less. Celestia was already in her usual nightgown, a beautiful, black satin piece that flowed all the way to her calves, and casually leaning on the bed. A soft look and a delicate motion of her hand was all it took for Kyoko to understand what that was about.

Relaxation time. And them lying down together side by side for the first time as…

The gambler stopped that thought right there, unsure of how it would end. How it should end, what word to be used in order to refer to everything they had, everything they had shared. Of course, were it up to her she would very proudly consider the detective her partner, her girlfriend even, but still. It would forever be better to ask, though their entire setting wasn’t that adequate for love to bloom and develop, was it?

Hence for that night and what she hoped would be many more to come, Celestia was more than satisfied with spending time with the girl she adored.

“The candle adds a nice touch.” Kyoko commented, turning her head to glance at the gambler. They were both lying on their backs, shoulders and hips touching—and of course, at some point in time their hands intertwined without them even noticing. “Though I suggest we make sure that not everyone has access to them. It would be troublesome if a fire started.”

“Oh, indeed.” Celeste chuckled at the mental image, the disaster that would be. “Not to point at particular suspects for both arson and a simple accident, but I can clearly imagine a few of our classmates partaking in either activity.”

“Exactly. Right now, however, it is certainly relaxing.” Her eyes sifted through the walls, the yellowish glow that spilled into them and moved, dancing to its own rhythm. “Thank you for inviting me over tonight.”

Kyoko wiggled closer to the gambler, rested a cheek on her shoulder. No matter how many evenings Celestia spent wondering what would happen if the two of them ever got that close, nothing had prepared her for reality. One in which the cool, aloof Lady Detective actually touched and caressed her. Why, she had spent the last few days wondering if the kiss they had shared really happened—and if it really had been started by Kirigiri of all people.

But there she was. The girl of her silly bet and later on of her dreams, lying beside her on her bed. That they were in a nightmarish situation was a mere detail they could and should forget for the time being. 

For whatever many hours they had allotted to decompressing and thinking about something, anything other than the many mysteries they still had to unveil, lest they would overwork themselves and find no solution whatsoever.

“Always, sweetheart.” Reveling in that, in the warmth that uncurled in her chest, Celestia leaned in and placed a small kiss on the other girl’s temple. “I have stated it before and will state it again, but you will forever be welcome in my room. Now, is your head feeling any better?”

“It actually is.” Kyoko sighed, then nodded a bit in order to test how that motion would make her feel. “Perhaps Toko was right and all we needed was a day off from big investigative duties.”

“Were it up to me, we would have more than just the one.”

Celeste’s smile was lazy, eyes losing focus as she recalled what an interesting time they had had. Of course it wasn’t completely up to her standards—something already expected because of what little space they had and how many of her preferred dating spots weren’t present in the bunker, but still. It had been nice to go on with their day by perusing the many books available to them at the local library, from romance novels written by a certain Toko Fukawa to mystery and true crime titles which included a full volume on Genocide Jack (the irony wasn’t lost of them.) Or to taste coffee made from three different types of beans which they found in the kitchen later on.

Or, Celeste’s favorite, the fact that they simply walked around the school grounds with a little distance between them, keeping an eye on suspects but nothing more. Or discussing things big and small that they had let go of due to the calamity they had had to investigate.

Afterwards, once they retired to Celeste’s room, was when the fun conversation began. From favorite colors to foods and allergies, every single detail was dissected with a leisure that hadn’t been there beforehand. But then, for once they weren’t analyzing variables, trying to win some sort of bet or something like that. They were simply existing, acting as two teenage girls in love and who had been lucky enough to like each other that much. 

Never mind their past. Or the past occurrences that had helped them grow closer while also adding a sense of urgency to their every moment together.

Never mind their present, their weird circumstances. The not knowing, the uncertainty that surrounded them and would stifle their hearts if they thought too much about it. 

Never mind their fear, their unreliable future, what would and wouldn’t happen. The stab of guilt they felt whenever something or the other about a mastermind and a tragedy made its way into their conversation. 

At least Celestia had managed to divert them from those issues before they took over once more. Even if of course, it was tougher to stay in that pleasing headspace whenever something about the mystery of theirs came to mind. 

All in all, the gambler decided they deserved that short vacation and much more. Days upon days of being served by amazing servants and the best chefs her money could buy. An entire life without worrying about anything beside their next moment, the next breath they would take. In which part of the world, or of their castle, they would have a meal or sit down together to read a book. 

“Once we are out of here…” 

“Hm?” 

Kyoko’s voice, soft and gentle, shook her out of another, very real reverie. It was getting easier and easier for Celeste to conjure such scenarios, no matter how surreal they seemed to be at that moment in time. It would be simple to explain it as nothing more than a defense mechanism, the same she had applied all over and over again when reality was too tough, too unfit for her expectations and what she deserved.

When she was a little girl living in the middle of a small neighborhood with nothing exciting happening, nothing interesting to do—

“Don’t fret, I was just thinking to myself.” Since that only made the other girl turn to face her, silently demanding for more than a vague answer, she went on, “about how I would love to take you out on a proper date once we are allowed outside.”

The instinct to lie or to deflect was faster than the urge to tell the utmost truth; it would be too much too soon if she shared that particular wish of hers, wouldn’t it? What harm would it bring her if she held onto that daydream for a bit longer, only to see how and where the next few days would lead them?

Who knew, perhaps they would be freed in a while and Celeste would get to scoop Kyoko up, then take her towards the aforementioned castle and let the other girl know they would live there forever. And oh, never again did she have to investigate another crime scene or place herself at risk, as the gambler’s earnings, savings and investments would be more than enough to cover for every expense that they could have...

“Me, too.” Kirigiri whispered in a small, almost reverent voice. That did just happen after she spent a few seconds scrutinizing Celestia, reading everything about her expression—did she suspect that hadn’t been the whole truth? “Though now I can say that it was lucky we spent a few afternoons out of campus while discussing all of this. At the very least we got to have some coffee and milk tea together before being imprisoned.”

“Mhm, in a sense those were our very first dates. Despite us being unaware of them and thus, they do not truly count.” She waved the matter away, then wove that hand on Kyoko’s hair and smoothed it. “We will do things properly once we are allowed to, I promise you that.”

Kirigiri nodded, beamed. Something in her expression was at odds with the entire moment, however, almost as if the exchange or something about that recollection had stirred another, unpleasant thought. Almost at the same second in which Celestia realized that her shoulders tensed and a hand shot to grab the gambler’s, holding and caressing it the slightest.

If those hadn’t been telltale signs that she had something difficult to address, then the way her own fingers shook already wrote a story of their own. 

“What is it? Are you unwell?” Celestia queried, just to make sure. Her instincts yelled at her that the other girl wasn’t being physically afflicted with anything, but in any case. It was better to be safe than sorry. 

“N-no.” Kyoko’s eyes were downcast for some heartbeats. Sighing, drawing on some sort of strength to say what she had to—almost as if the issue was something she had been mulling over for a very long time—she finally managed to whisper, “regarding that time… Or those days in which I had to glance at school records and all, as we told Toko this morning. I ended up uh, seeing yours.”

Oh?

Oh.

Well, that time it was Celestia’s heart that raced, almost wishing to escape her chest, her very being. She needed no further clarification, no sort of sign in order to understand what that was about. Despite many wondering if there wouldn’t be some description of a gruesome murder attributed to her gambling circuit, somehow she doubted such a common piece of information would have caused the detective to react in that fashion.

No, truly, the only thing right there that might have caught her attention and caused her to hesitate—

“Did you, now?” Celestia joked, lighthearted. Still schooling her expression and lying to herself, telling her heart that Kyoko hadn’t noticed. Or better yet, wasn’t at all interested in something so stupid. “So would it be safe to assume that at least once you thought that I could be behind this entire thing, Lady Detective?”

“No!” Kyoko’s answer was immediate, alarmed. So vehement that even the gambler had trouble masking her surprise to that outburst. “No, not at all. Of course I had to check everyone’s information just to make sure, b-but in your case…” She trailed off, voice becoming smaller with each word. “Ugh, fine, in your case I was merely curious about what I could discover in regard to you. Cryptic as you are, there was little to no information online outside of your gambling actions and a whole page dedicated to tracking your wins.”

“And you somehow decided it would be better to do more sleuthing instead of directly asking me. Meaning that you traded the possibility of future conversations for the sake of reading whatever Hope’s Peak had on me.” 

Her tone was light, cajoling. Yet her heart still thundered in her chest, her hands almost stopping on Kyoko’s hair—it was habit and the countless daydreams in which she could touch those silky locks that kept her moving and drawing less suspicion to herself all in all. Not that it would make any difference and she already knew. 

There would be no forgetting what had already been seen so many weeks ago. 

“I uh, apologies. There wasn’t an easy way to approach the subject for starters.” Kirigiri pressed her lips into a thin line. Tentatively she reached up and grabbed a few strands of Celestia’s curled hair, toying with them as a way to center herself. “And actually I had no ill-will outside of being… interested in you. And then an entire other case was dropped on me and I kept meaning to ask you, but things kept happening a-and—”

“You can ask me now, dear. I’m here, you’re here, and we both agreed to not let anything or anyone else bother us today.” She smiled and didn’t change her initial emotion. The sadness that only her awful, unremarkable past could bring her whenever it was as much as mentioned. 

The helplessness that was evoked the second in which she recalled being just another girl living just another life in a world that didn’t reward sameness.

“Yes, I can. And I-I… Taeko?” Her eyes sought crimson ones, unsure. Since the gambler had made sure she would perceive nothing in them, the detective went on, “Yasuhiro Taeko?”

A sigh, a small smile, a sense of defeat. No matter what she told herself, what lie she tried to convince herself with, Celestia couldn’t shake those feelings away from her at first. It was awful really, the way simply evoking that terrible person affected her. Should it really be like that if the wretched child was and wasn’t her? A part of her, however small, that she wished to subdue and erase from memory?

Would the past ever stop chasing her, making her that miserable, despite how much better she had been doing until the world fell apart?

“You dislike it. Greatly.” 

It was good that Kyoko didn’t have to be told. That although Celeste had done everything in her power not to show her true feelings, something about her response had tipped the detective off. Explaining the entire matter would be difficult, though necessary, and she supposed there was some sort of freedom related to it. Something about being open with the person she loved or coming clean about that matter in any sort of way.

Even so at first she only nodded, then didn’t stop when her body was taken over by the instinct to let go, and turned away. Hiding from the one who had found her out, seen her for who she was. Not the smart, amazing, astounding persona she presented, the aristocrat that hailed from another continent, as she had presented herself to class in their first day of lessons at Hope’s Peak. 

No, instead she was nothing but ordinary, unimpressive—and Ultimate, yes, but just another Ultimate in a country laden with kids that had gotten such a title through trial, error and dedication. She wasn’t special, smart or deserving of attention.

She was just—

Arms circled her waist, pulled her closer. That Celestia immediately relaxed against Kyoko’s touch was a terrible omen or so she thought, a demonstration of how terribly she had longed for that contact and that girl as well. If anything she should remain hidden; after all, didn’t that just prove that she wasn’t even worthy of the detective’s love, coming from that terrible family or origin?

“Hey, it doesn’t change anything.” Kyoko’s words were soft, soothing. Almost as if she could read her mind, which for once the gambler was convinced that she could. “It’s a name you loathe and that shall not be used at all. Again I only happened to read it right on top of your file and wanted to mention, j-just because I was curious. You don’t have to explain anything, however, as you owe me nothing. But if it helps in any way, you will…

“You will always be the Celestia Ludenberg that I know and love.”

Somehow it helped. It took a weight off her chest, the sinking feeling that she was about to be despised for her ordinary origins and the family, the life she had left behind. To be embraced and cared for even after the truth was partially out was not what she had expected the moment it was brought to her attention that the detective knew that much about her. 

Moving a bit she pressed herself against Kyoko, relishing in the sigh of relief she got as a response to that. Her hands rose to capture the other girl’s, tracing circles small and wide in the comforting leather she had grown to love. One that captivated her mind and piqued her curiosity, yes, but until that day hadn’t held her as entranced as it did when she was trying to run away from the past one more time.

“Taeko Yasuhiro is my birth name. One that I have always felt does not represent me and as such, as you have correctly guessed, I would rather not be associated with at all.” The gambler whispered, tense. “So I would indeed be very thankful if—”

“Celestia.” A kiss was pressed between her scapula, then another. “You’re Celestia and no one else.” 

Chuckling, the gambler allowed herself to relax into the touch, to let the sound of the other’s voice sink in. It was… so new, to be that close to someone else. To actually wish to be that close to someone else, to the point that such sore matters were discussed out in the open. That shards of one’s heart were shared and seen instead of hidden or polished away until they were turned into flawless ornaments. Yes, she wasn’t naive to believe that everything could be dulled and decorated—people would forever have their sharp, cutting edges, their darker facets.

But to have them addressed and acknowledged with that much respect was not what she had expected at the slightest.

They remained in silence for a while, the gambler’s hands playing with Kyoko’s, lacing and unlacing their fingers. It took some time for her heart to quieten, to accept that things were indeed okay and she wasn’t about to be passed judgment. That her past wouldn’t doom her present, her future. The image the other girl had about her. 

Yet at some point the world became blurred, the only sensation that caught her mind being the softness of the gloves. How perfectly they fit the detective’s hands and how smooth they were, to the point that their detriment to touch and overall mobility weren’t that big or so she deduced. How useful they were in her line of work and even better…

How she had yet to see Kyoko’s bare palms, for some reason or the other. 

“Say, have you any sort of tactile sensitivity?”

Celestia spoke with utmost care, as her senses hinted at something worse and a lot darker than that as soon as she uttered the first word. She also stopped fidgeting with the other’s hand and only laced their fingers together without pressing too much, clearly allowing for Kyoko to pull back if she so desired. Because the gambler had her back to Kyoko she was sure she missed on a few changes in expression: after all the girl’s posture stiffened, arms pressing against her waist a bit stronger before their grip on her was relaxed.

“No. Why do you ask?”

Ah, so there it was: a rise in her tone, words becoming clipped when there was no reason for it. In sum, a tough subject of her own.

“A sore spot, I see.” The gambler commented, gentle. “Let it be known that I was not looking for one when I asked. Yet from time to time I have wondered about your gloves and how, despite us spending a lot of time together, I have never seen you without them. That is all.”

She waited in silence, completely frozen in her spot. Afraid that any word, any sound, might make Kyoko reconsider what they had, what she felt. The direction in which their emotions might take them if they allowed those to blossom. Nothing was said or done, however, almost as if the other girl was mirroring her reaction, and after what felt like way more than a minute Celestia turned around, embracing the detective instead. 

Bringing Kyoko’s face to rest on her chest, she caressed her back and waited, ready to let go if that was requested through motion or words. Neither came, though, and a few heartbeats later it seemed that Kirigiri relaxed in her arms instead. 

“What was it that you said not that long ago? You owe me nothing and as such, don't have to give me an explanation. I can surely live with the doubt, the mystery.” As that line called Kyoko’s attention and gaze towards her, Celestia used that moment to press a long, delicate kiss to her forehead. “Unlike you, I believe that adds a certain excitement to daily life and thus, I don’t have to unveil everything I come across and do not know.”

Kyoko’s answer wasn’t composed of words: instead she shortened the distance between them and kissed Celestia on the lips. It was loving, caring, an apology for her question and a display of gratitude for the respect she had been shown, the alternative to backing away. At the same time the gambler tasted pain, a dark and troubled past. Something that had marked the detective and wounded her very soul, made manifest in the way she hesitated before burrowing herself in the other’s hug.

“I will tell you.” Kyoko mumbled, then went silent for a few more seconds. Celestia was about to remind her of how unnecessary it was, but she opened her lips again and continued, “someday. I will tell you someday.”

“Only if and when you feel ready. And until then, or even if that day never arrives… to me, you’ll always be the Kyoko Kirigiri that I love.”

There was a smile, a kiss to her neck. Afterwards they were quiet, somewhat fatigued by that conversation, everything they had been trying to make sense of until that point in time. Comfortable in each other’s arms and the sense of security they got from that closeness, the two girls shut their eyes and drifted off to sleep completely at ease for the first time in the last few months or so. 

Chapter Text

“A-ah… That was it… I remember now. I remember everything.”

HIfumi’s voice echoed through the room, silencing Hina’s cries. It called everyone’s attention, especially Celestia’s, and she had to force herself not to be too alert, too tense at that sudden admission. 

At the way his eyes suddenly scanned over the students, focusing on the gambler for an extra heartbeat, before he spoke for one last time. 

“Yasu…hiro.”

Yasuhiro .

No. 

No, it could not be.

That name wouldn’t return from the grave to haunt her, doom her, spell her demise. Yet for some, inscrutable seconds it felt just like it had: against Celeste’s better judgment she found herself despairing, simply waiting for the moment in which the others would turn to face her, accusing stares pinning her to the ground.

Keeping her there so the flames of hell itself would eventually rise and devour her as it was.

In the back of her mind she registered the then-familiar body discovery announcement, a sound she had incorporated into the plan and hoped would be overseen as a mere detail. In any case it was just background noise to her roaring thoughts, to the hatred that coiled inside of her because of that foolish name. 

The suspicion that rose alongside it, ashes and smoke in the pyre of her fury, nevertheless equally important in any case.

“Yasuhiro? That makes our jobs easier, then. The killer has already been identified. All we have to do is find him.” Byakuya stated, voice chilly as usual. 

Only then did the gambler stir from that moment of loss, her mind and eyesight regaining some clarity. Of course, of course. Although she had no idea how Hifumi of all people had managed to get hold of that information, since there was absolutely no one she had shared it with. Why, in the end he might simply be holding his part of the promise to frame Hiro for their deeds—he had been the loyal type in life, loyal to her above all else, and perhaps remained like so until the very last moment.

His one-sided attachment to Celestia might have spoken louder than whatever sense of betrayal that could have taken him over during those final breaths. 

That was what the gambler told herself while Makoto and a few of the others decided it was best to start investigating in any case. Yet something still felt… off. To the point that she knew deep down she was lying to her heart once again, simply trying to pass something major as a mere strike of luck or adoration on Yamada’s side. Granted, it wasn’t as if she would ever have the answer to that burning question since the only one capable of bringing clarity to that matter was, well, deceased.

But something about the words that had preceded the name, scared her to the point that she was almost shivering, showing emotion when there should have been none. 

After all, Hifumi had uttered that he remembered everything. 

Then he had glanced at her, albeit quickly, and spoken that vile word—although at the time being, she was supposed to be the only one to know that. 

So why… why was it that the entire scenario seemed to confirm something she herself had experienced more than once in regard to a certain someone who had yet to appear in the room? Why did it make everything more convoluted, the implication to his true intentions turning everything Celeste thought she knew upside down?

If her reasoning was faulty at best and missing key information at worst, and if the same could be said of everyone else at the school, then what was the truth of the world, of the situation they had been thrust upon?

That wasn’t the time to ponder over such a matter and deep down she knew. There was so much to be done and everything going forward would be crucial, demand her attention to detail and to every little thing. 

But still… She couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something more at works right then, at the piece of the world they called Hope’s Peak Academy.

Frowning, she huddled around the others, trying to become one with the group just to pass as part of them. It wouldn’t do for her to stand out, to blame herself in some way or the other because of a few unfounded fears.

There was little to no information on the Monokuma file, the first thing she clearly heard after chastising herself for the lack of focus. Aside from the cause of death, there was only the fact that they were killed with a “similar weapon” without any mention of what it could be—though of course, Celeste and Hifumi had made that abundantly clear in order to also cause some confusion. It was extremely beneficial to her that the time of their demise wasn’t mentioned, something that might call her whole reasoning into doubt and mess up her plans.

Why, somehow she had the feeling that perhaps the mastermind was actually awed at her whole ploy, a sensation that was instantly questioned the moment that Monokuma showed up…

…and gave everyone a refresher on accomplices, plus the clue that all they had to do was figure out who had devised everything and set it into motion.

She supposed that was fair, and fairness was something the bear had maintained from the get go. Rather, for the first time she could taste how annoying it was to have to deal with such rules while standing on the other side of justice. How anxiety-inducing it was to have to participate in the investigations while pretending to be one of the do-gooders, or without making things even harder for the spotless without drawing more attention to herself.

While she had anticipated that it would be so, that she would be drawn towards making arrangements and covering for any and all eventual mistakes, by the time she had approached Hifumi and enacted her sad tale she had made peace with the fact that such an intervention would only make everything worse in the long run. 

“So there’s a chance Kirigiri has nothing to do with the case. Even if she’s an accomplice.” Makoto commented as soon as Monokuma left the room by whatever mysterious ways it used.

Oh, wasn’t that a lovely idea… to cooperate with Kyoko in orchestrating a murder. The thought almost made her beam in utter joy, the certainty that they would never be caught such a strong one that Celestia was left wondering where it had stemmed from. Yes, it helped that the unknown Ultimate was so good at crime scenes and investigating them, but it would be another matter altogether for her to create such a mystery too.

“Meaning that her whereabouts are not interesting at this very moment, then.” Sakura nodded, crossing her arms. She turned to glance at the bodies strewn on the ground, expression becoming grim. “And thus we should focus on the task at hand. If she does show up at some point, then so be it.”

The gambler had to hold her tongue, refrain from disagreeing. Were she too vocal about it, or if her (very genuine) concern towards Kyoko was voiced in any strange way, all she would manage to do was to draw unwanted suspicion towards her. Unless of course she managed to dispel any and all doubts in the very beginning, working the case up towards her awful namesake so that people went into the trial grounds already convinced they had the culprit pinned down.

Yes, she would turn Hifumi’s possible betrayal to something helpful, or her better name wasn’t Celestia Ludenberg.

“Were we to heed Yamada’s words, then Hiro has to be the one responsible for this.” Her face was downcast, her tone saddened as if the realization was too much for her to deal with after that awful morning. “I do believe that looking around for further clues is still a wise course of action, however.”

Especially if it meant she could find and get information from a certain lilac-haired girl, in order to… read and counter her logic from the very start, yes. 

(Definitely not because she wanted to see and be with Kyoko for one final moment, being investigation buddies once and for all because everything and everyone but the gambler would soon be sentenced to death.)

Watching people investigate while trying to point things out herself was nerve-wrecking. Naegi could say whatever he wanted about his luck being imprecise and still leaving him in a bad spot every so often, but it guided him in the right direction as they moved around the room. As the gambler checked around Hifumi’s body for no reason she witnessed him inspecting the mallets a bit too closely, then making a weird noise before explaining that one of them was cleaner than the others, a bit wet as well. 

That wasn’t big enough for the case to be turned on her head, was it? Yes, perhaps she should have used the extra time and element of mystery she had as a perk of not being around anyone when her crime was done in order to better hide the murder weapon. Maybe excitement and the wish to be over with all of that made her hurry right when any and all decisions were too important to be rushed. There wasn’t anything to be done about it, however, no way to better blend her precious, spotlessly clean murder weapon with the other instruments as it was.

She had lost her chance. All she had to do was pray that it wouldn’t spell the end of her.

Makoto also took note of the blood on the dolly’s wheel and the tarp, necessary objects that couldn’t be disposed of in any shape or form—at least not that Celeste could think of. That was okay, since they didn’t point towards her specifically while also being great adjutants in unveiling a parcel of the case.

Yet what intrigued her the most and made a chill run up and down her spine, was the intense way in which the lucky student glanced at Hifumi for one too many heartbeats. As if the body itself held some sort of clue other than the head injury that could point towards the truth of that case.

Talking to others, he also made quick note of the fact that the door could only be locked from the inside and that it had been so at some point in time while they searched for the missing bodies. It was a detail Celestia didn’t truly mind, as it couldn’t really mean that much in comparison to the whole mystery she had concocted. The spotless would have a lot more to think about without focusing too much on a silly door. 

And a part of her surprises still lay hidden, waiting for them to stumble upon it at some point or the other. 

“I’ll uh, check other places where there might be clues.” Makoto announced a little after Togami left with a smug look on his face. “Let me know if you guys find something that could be important, too.”

“We shall stand guard around the bodies, though I will use that time to examine them further.” Sakura stated, nodding. “If you need a recap of the case, just speak to me—Hina and I will be discussing it as well.”

“I-if I can be of any help, that is…” The swimmer sniffled, positioning herself beside the Ultimate Martial Artist. She refused to look at either Hifumi or Taka, a good outcome all in all.

The less they glanced, the less they deduced. And the more prone they were to fall into Celestia’s trap.

“I… I shall peruse this room for a bit longer before venturing out.” The gambler decided, albeit she wished she could simply follow Naegi around without looking suspicious. It would be impossible to completely prepare arguments and counterarguments without seeing what he noted, the conclusions he reached. Oh well. It wasn’t as if he could best her like so, something she had already proven beforehand. “Loathe as I am to admit it, the strange individual has yet to be found and that… scares me.”

“You’re safe, Celes.” Makoto beamed at her, a hand on the doorknob. The sight infuriated her, but she masked it with a look of surprise. “The culprit can’t kill anyone anymore, it’d be against the rules.”

It wouldn’t, as she hadn’t been directly responsible for both deaths. Granted, it was so tempting to snuff the life out of Naegi’s eyes, to shut him up forever and ever lest he damn her… But to do so without a backup plan, someone else to blame and a surefire way to hide any and all evidence that might point towards her would be stupid, not sound and sane. Better to let him roam around freely and try his best to unveil her lies, only to later on watch him writhe in pain and agony at whatever punishment Monokuma deemed perfect for him and the others instead. 

She refrained from thinking about what Kyoko’s would look like, countless mental images resurfacing during the moment in which Naegi left and the room was quiet, her body automatically moving in order to make it seem like she was investigating. It wasn’t the time to think about it. It wasn’t the time to torture herself like that, either. 

It wasn’t the time to backtrack, to feel an ounce of remorse. To throw away her dreams in detriment of…

A daydream. A hunch. An unreasonable, unexplainable attraction to someone she had met—

“There doesn’t seem to be anything significant here, at least not that you wouldn’t be able to find by yourselves.” Celestia mumbled after a significant, torturous amount of time had passed. Dimly she had heard Hina and Sakura recap the murders and knew she should be proud of herself for creating such a conundrum, a confusing scenario. 

The only sensation she was hit with, however, was a horrible and excruciating hollowness. One that would probably only be unraveled the moment she was allowed out of those walls, back to the world and into the castle she had longed to build for a very long time. 

“You can leave this to us, promise.” Hina gave her a small, encouraging smile. “You’re smart and say the best things in trials, so you should try and investigate somewhere else instead of helping us here. And remember what Makoto said, you’ll be completely safe out there! Monokuma won’t allow for another death to happen.”

“Y-yes. I suppose you are correct about it.” Head hanging low, she took a first step towards the door, hesitating. Almost as if she were indeed too scared to leave them. “Furthermore, no matter what everyone else says, I’m still concerned about Kyoko’s whereabouts. A-and Hiro’s too, as it shall be tough for Monokuma to pass judgment without a killer to execute.”

The last part was added on a whim, as she realized that Kirigiri wasn’t in danger, wasn’t the object of their discussion in the slightest. What had happened to that girl, though, to make her disappear like that? That hadn't been in her plans at all, to the point that she was wondering if such a thing would make the trial easier or harder for her.

It all depended on where Kyoko was and if she had found something at all, truly. 

Celestia had no doubt the girl would never listen to their bond and believe in her in detriment of logic and facts—a sad truth that she had taken into consideration from the very beginning. She would do the same if their places were reversed, but still. And never that the whole scenario involved the mysterious Ultimate perceiving that connection to begin with, something that had never been mentioned.

Alas, she was alone in her endeavors. As she should always have been.

“You are correct on both stances.” Sakura gravely nodded, something that gave the gambler some hope that she had been cleared of suspicion by the others. “Go and look for them if you will. Yell if something or someone threatening comes up, too. We will be counting on you for this.”

“Right. We shall solve this together.”

With that she stepped into the hallway, tentative, back hunched in the sheer case that someone else had been waiting outside those doors—it wouldn’t do for her to blow her cover by appearing too confident, her body posture completely at odds with everything she was saying. No, she would be the damsel in distress until the very end.

And even more so when the one person she had yet to see eventually emerged from hiding.

Truly though, where was Kyoko? Hadn’t she heard the two body discovery announcements, the fact that people were running back and forth and—which was somehow worse, making Celestia’s heart quiver within her chest—her own screams? Was it all meaningless, too little in comparison to whatever the mysterious Ultimate had been busy with ever since breakfast was abandoned?

She wished she had the time to look around. To reassure herself of the other’s safety despite the fact that the girl wasn’t supposed to be harmed by her original plan in any way, shape or form. It was very tempting to let Naegi and the others have free reign over the school grounds for whatever while it took until she found Kirigiri, but alas. People would be more prone to accuse her if she weren’t actively searching, sleuthing and finding concrete evidence to be used at the trial, correct?

With a sigh, a small shake of the head, the gambler pressed her lips into a thin line, somberly watched the door behind which she had intended the investigation to begin. The place where everyone should have been present. 

Then, before she could second guess herself and put her entire alibi into question she took a first step away from it and pretended to do the detective work she had grown so used to performing alongside a certain girl with clever lilac irises. 

“To think I devoted so much time trying to predict your reactions, your very deliberations… only for you to pull the disappearing act like so.” Celestia mumbled to the walls, the cameras. The building that had kept her away from the world at large, the castle she had dreamed of from a very young age. “Well. If none of my calls for help were enough to sway you from your initial course of actions, then perhaps it means I thought too much about… it.”

It stung to say it out loud, words that had been haunting her from the last few minutes. Nevertheless it was new to hear them echoed back by the empty hallways, the stairs she climbed down without realizing she was doing so. Her feet took a life of their own, a dangerous quality to have at that moment of the killing game. It wasn’t the time to improvise, not when her success and therefore her very life, depended on executing her part well. 

In any case she allowed intuition to guide her for the sake of it, surprising herself when she noticed she was back at the nurse’s office.

It was exactly as it had been left, a sigh leaving her chest as soon as the gambler made sure that in his haste to get there Hifumi hadn’t left a trail. Luckily the one thing she would have to deal with, and that she ought to have prepared for in advance, was the bloody tracks and wheels of the dolly. But if that meant she could either twist the tale to make it look like Hifumi and then Hiro did it—

“Ah, Celes, you’re here too.”

The fact that if Makoto hadn’t spoken to her she wouldn’t have noticed him was another reminder of how far afield the gambler was. And how dangerous that could be, not because someone might strike her from behind and take her life, as some of her classmates had feared ever since the game began. 

“What have you been investigating?” He asked after she turned around to face him, slowly. Giving herself enough time to dispel whatever worry might have twisted her expression. 

Any and all remains of pain over what Kyoko had and hadn’t done for her, and how that slowly strengthened her resolve to move along with the plan.

“Nothing in particular,” she answered, truthful. Mostly because she saw no reason to come up with a retort, spending extra energy to school herself in the desired stance in order to reflect whatever lie she chose to go with. “In fact, I am merely looking for Kyo—Hiro’s whereabouts.”

“Oh. Yeah, that’s a very good thing to do.” He nodded, eyes downcast. It was clear he had caught her hesitation, the name that had almost slipped from her lips instead of the one she had intended to utter from the very beginning. “I-I mean, if he’s the culprit then we must find him sooner or later, or else who will Monokuma punish?”

“My thoughts exactly. It appears that wasn’t your main concern while coming here, though.” 

Although it would be more beneficial to make Naegi believe that they were already framing the right person, she found herself curious over the boy’s trail of thought. Sure, her and Kirigiri had been the moving forces behind the two trials which had taken place, to the point that it would be interesting to see what each of them would do without the other. It would be a terrible oversight on her part, however, if the Ultimate Lucky Student’s participation was set aside and seen as complementary. He had been the one to actually sum most cases and make the final accusations, not to mention stumble into very interesting clues every now and then.

No wonder he had noticed the bloodied wheels on the dolly, for one. 

And that was exactly why Celestia had gone as far as to test his talent with blackjack not too many days ago, too.

Hence predicting his next move, the way he thought and what would be left aside were of utmost importance right there—almost as much as it had been crucial for her to do the same when it came to Kirigiri while executing the plan. 

But indeed, fate had given her more melancholic cards than the ones she had expected to get right away.

“I’m just looking up stuff here and there.” Crossing his arms, Makoto let his eyes wander around the room as a whole, almost as if he were waiting for the answer to fall from the walls that surrounded them. “My main concern is how someone could have moved both bodies… especially Hifumi’s.”

It was tough not to smile at her own triumph, the first of the many points that were meant to cause confusion. Instead she sketched a thoughtful expression, started looking around the office as well, a mimic of his own, unruly gestures. Of course nothing of their surroundings could be a nod to what had really happened, but that wasn’t something she would announce to the world in any case.

He asked for her alibi again, which she was happy to provide and echo Hina’s earlier words. Seeing the confusion on his face and being able to copy it, then to pace around in order to keep a watchful eye on him while pretending to investigate, gave the gambler a small feeling of success that was too good to savor, a balm to the sting she had been experiencing in regard to a certain girl.

At first that sensation kept her afloat, almost convinced nothing and no one would actually challenge her theory, the whole story she had woven with her acts and her plan. Then she had to hide a gasp and a curse as soon as Makoto lifted an object from the trash can… and it was very visible who it belonged to.

The cleaning cloth was a bright yellow hue and even from a distance Celestia was able to spot the anime character adorning it. What was worse, it was tainted bright pink with blood, which was exactly what made anger rise to her throat and coalesce there—a good thing, or else her demeanor might have slipped and her tongue, condemned herself and Hifumi’s soul for eternity and more. 

No, the last thing she needed was for more clues to surface.

For his own sloppy behavior, for things that had been done outside of her carefully written script, to doom her , her of all people.

For his ghost to haunt her like so, as if him speaking her name (and how had he remembered it to begin with?!) wasn’t bad enough.

“A-ah, have you found something?” 

She was unable to stand still, to just watch Makoto with the object and not move, not intervene. Her voice finally finding its way out in a non-aggressive tone, despite her hands being closed into tiny fists, she made her way over to his side. And contemplated how she could make that disappear, or make it seem less relevant than it was.

Or at the very least to dissuade some of his thoughts, if they ever veered too close to the truth.

“Yeah, it’s a glasses cleaning cloth, I think. But it’s very bloody, so I suppose whoever used this needed to wipe off some blood?” 

Naegi turned the object around in his hands, this way and that. Almost as if looking for hidden clues, anything more that could be relevant albeit not immediately visible. Good; would it be too much to assume that he had yet to connect the dots about the anime character, the blood, the very person who had disappeared from the nurse’s office?

Yes, Celestia soothed herself, he surely wasn’t the smartest person around. Perhaps in her haste and fear over being discovered she had given him too much credit all in all. 

Perhaps the only person to watch out for would be Kyoko herself, especially since it would be impossible to tell what her take on the case was provided she didn’t investigate to begin with.

Wildcards were often more damaging than known ones; a new adversary, or a new strategy, unpredictable and volatile in a scenario in which Celestia needed certainties, reassurances. 

The knowledge that the likelihoods of her winning far surpassed the risks of her losing due to others’ acts.

Tension quickly evaporated after Makoto set the object aside, then made no remarks whatsoever upon checking the Justice Hammer, the refrigerator filled with blood transfusion packs. If he could not see any more meaning behind it, then so be it. Her story still stuck, was still stronger than whatever assumptions he might be able to make at some point in the trial. 

Who knew, maybe it wouldn’t be too bad to point out that some proof might have been made beforehand to confuse people, as it had indeed happened, but use that argument towards the bloody handkerchief instead of what had truly been planted? 

“Well, I guess there… isn’t much here. I’ll be leaving, unless you need anything from me?” Makoto asked as he made his way to the door. His eyes were wide, honest, helpful. They held no inch of accusation towards her or Hifumi, to the point that his gaze didn’t even linger on the object he had found.

She was safe, she told herself. A fool’s mistake would not spell her downfall. Not that soon.

“Not for the time being, no. Could you call on us if you find Hiro, however? I am concerned about our inability to locate his whereabouts.” She looked down while saying it, contrite. A bit scared, too, in order to make him recall that she had been hurt. 

That she was a victim, the first, and so very far from being the culprit in any case.

“Sure thing! Rest up if you’re feeling unwell, please. We can take it from here.” 

He beamed at her nod, then left without a second glance back. Good, for that meant he missed her smile, the small chuckle that left her lips and was drowned by the sound of his retreating footsteps. Tempted as she was to follow Makoto around and hear everything about his sleuthing, it wouldn’t bide her well to stick so close—seeing the cleaning cloth had almost been enough for her heart to leap from her chest, for one. For a while she would have to trust that no one had made any more faults like that. 

That the scenario she had enacted would be flawless, her victory supreme.

And that she would be able to glance at Kyoko one more time before they faced one another at the trial as the enemies they would be forced to become.

She could only hope that Hifumi had had the mind to plant the blueprints and materials in Hiro’s room, something that would surely be found sooner rather than later by one of her classmates. After all, what better place to start searching for someone who was missing if not by their own quarters?

She had to stifle the urge to do the same towards Kirigiri. To put herself too out there, to appear too confident after the fright she had supposedly taken that morning. No, the only thing to do as everyone was roaming around the school gathering their clues and constructing their case was to wait, to lie still until she was called.

Until the location to some or both of the missing students was unearthed, as that was sure to cause some confusion.

Gaze lost in the distance, erring yet again towards thoughts that should already have been quelled, she almost didn’t notice it when someone rushed through the nurse’s office, then backtracked a bit and peered into the room. Luckily she had been looking a bit in that direction, since then her eyes locked into Hina’s wide, panicked ones and she was granted a few seconds of respite to control her expression before the other girl spoke to her.

“Quick! We found Kyoko… and Hiro!” The Ultimate swimmer exclaimed, chest rising and falling with each pant. It was clear she had rushed there as fast as possible and was eager to be out and tell the others as well. “They’re by the pool area.”

“B-both of them?” Celestia inquired, heart lurching inside her chest. The hesitation befit the moment, even though she understood that deep down the most concerning thing wasn’t that Hiro had been located…

And in fact, that the mysterious Ultimate had seemingly been with him for who knew how long.

“Yeah. Go, go, I’ll tell the others right away.” 

She dashed away before the gambler could reply—which was just as good since she couldn’t find any words which were safe to be said without translating the agitation which took her over right then. Mechanically she moved towards the door, then upstairs; thinking, wondering, trying to predict what had already happened. What the other girl had already figured out.

What Hiro could have told her as well, and how Celestia would need to adapt to that unforeseeable occurrence.

She did not take notice of the way towards the pool. Wouldn’t be able to tell if she had crossed paths with anyone else or simply made her way through silent, empty hallways. Distracted as she was, the only thing that broke through her reverie was a change in her surroundings. 

Or to be more specific, the fact that at first there was nothing… And then arms briefly enclosed her, pulled her into a tight embrace before letting go just as quickly.

Then and only then did she blink, once, twice. Enough times for the blue blur to become the pool, the lilac one to take shape and materialize into the girl she had been looking for and avoiding at the same time. Ah, wasn’t that bittersweet. To see the concern in her eyes, the small blush that dusted her cheeks. To be faced not by the stone-faced Ultimate, but by such open, undeserving care.

It was more than she could take.

It was something she couldn’t and didn’t want to refuse.

“Are you okay?” Kyoko asked instead of greeting her, saying anything that would justify her prolonged absence. “I was told that you got hurt earlier today.” 

A piercing stare scanned her from head to toe, Kirigiri letting out a small sigh as soon as she realized there wasn’t much to it aside from the thin wounds on her face and hands. That the gambler’s traitorous heart raced in response and her mind was too hazy from every useless emotion that threatened to overwhelm her right then didn’t make anything easier.

At the same time, it was lucky she took a moment to answer. At least it gave her enough time to take in the scene around them, whoever else was present and currently watching them talk. And since Hiro… no, Hiro still in the armor she and Hifumi had placed him in, was one of the assembled, she was able to recall what exactly she was supposed to do.

And oh, wouldn’t it be amazing to make Kyoko think like the rest of them by exploiting such a vulnerable moment as it was. 

“I did. T-there was so much going on and I-I… It was… it was…” she pointed towards Robo Justice, morphing her face into one of utter despair. An anticipation of the emotion she knew would overcome her as soon as Kyoko was sentenced to death on her behalf, but oh well. “ Him .”

The other girl’s eyes flitted in the direction she motioned towards, a small gesture. One that somehow made her face become tense before she nodded. Regardless of how brief the exchange was, it made Celestia’s mind draw back in apprehension. 

“I was the one to find him. He was unconscious as well, to the point that I needed to kick him in order to wake him up.”

“Yeah by the way! That was totally uncool and unnece—” Hiro began whining, a funny thing to do while still looking like a robot.

“It was the only possible way, though perhaps I should have done more.” Kirigiri dismissed him with a wave, eyeing first Celestia, then the door once it opened again. “And believe me, it hurt my foot more than it hurt you.”

She waited to speak until first Aoi and Sakura, then Byakuya and Makoto, made their way towards the rest of them. Although she had to trace back and repeat what had just been told, her demeanor towards the rest of them was a lot more dismissive than to Celestia. Which meant she might still have some sort of advantage all in all.

The gambler made a mental note to inquire over the matter of her disappearance however, when she refused to answer Makoto’s relentless questions about it. That already made her think it wasn’t related to the investigation, meaning she had stressed over nothing for the last few minutes, but anyway. She would only truly relax after the wrong verdict was reached and she was allowed outdoors again. 

She would only grieve after her castle was purchased, a special place in the garden made up in honor of the horrible circumstance she had been placed in… and the weird feelings she harbored towards that unknown girl.

As Byakuya asked Hiro to remove the costume, Celestia easily implied he had made it himself and was merely pretending not to know how to take it off, and what he had done earlier that day. In the end it was Kirigiri who pointed out there was a clasp in the back of the outfit—something that might or might not prove as important evidence towards the guy’s innocence, but she brushed it off again given how complex the whole case was.

She had made sure there was a lot to work with, several variables to consider. Surely small details such as those would go completely unnoticed—

The fleeting look Kyoko gave her as soon as she said that it was clear no one but Hiro would be able to wear that costume (as it had indeed been made with his measurements in mind) was enough to chill her very blood. 

Maybe she should tone down the theatrics a bit, however. Proposing that he be tied up and gagged was a bit too far, something that was a bit apparent when Hina agreed with her.

It was good to see how most if not all of the people who had assembled there were already on his case after the group dispersed. The swimmer was the most aggressive of them, voicing all the accusations Celeste thought she would have to make at some point or the other to convince everyone else very early on. Makoto seemed on the defensive, but didn’t look that sold upon it once Hiro mentioned a note, or how that was the last thing he recalled doing before waking up to Kyoko’s kicks. 

Byakuya kept mumbling about a setup, true, which might be troublesome in the long run… but at the end of the day she could always make it seem like Hifumi had done the deed and then decided his life wasn’t worth it. The one thing she needed was for them not to suspect her in the slightest. 

And Kirigiri herself… while she agreed on the part that Hiro could have been drugged, her own thought process wasn’t that clear to the gambler at all. Despite the fact that they walked side by side out of the pool, there seemed to be a distance between them already. 

“I would like some assistance with the investigation this time around, as I have started it a bit too late.” The girl spoke once the two of them stopped in front of the entrance. “Would you show me the corpses and any other details that might be relevant?”

“Me?” Celestia queried, tilting her head to the side. Oh. So perhaps she had imagined those looks, the fact that there was something already separating them.

“Yes. I trust your detective skills the most out of everyone here, after all.” Kyoko admitted, then turned to face her and frowned. “U-unless of course you need to rest before the trial, because of the attack and—”

“It’s okay.”

Before she could think better about it, before she could stop herself, Celestia leaned forward and took both of Kirigiri’s gloved hands, squeezing them. The contact comforted her, maybe even more than the other girl, despite how later on she might regret those final moments. 

The lingering tenderness between them that was fated to come to an end.

“Come. At the very least they are both located in the same room.”

The gambler ushered the mysterious Ultimate, telling herself it was for the best. It was for the portion of her plan that involved her getting into Kirigiri’s head and derailing her thought process, planting a preconceived idea or the other that would aid her in the trial.

It was a movement she was making out of necessity, out of self-preservation. 

Definitely not something born from an unnamed, unreasonable emotion she would rather quell before it was too late and caused her downfall.

Kyoko was quick to find clues where the others had failed.

What was more, what was worse in a sense, she discovered things Celestia herself hadn’t noticed at all. 

They were bits and pieces, yet important clues to unravel her scenario. Blaming it on the fact that they were standing next to corpses and the sight of them reminded her of what she could have become, the gambler kept her distance and leaned against the nearest wall, watching as the other Ultimate worked. 

First there was Taka’s wristwatch, something Kirigiri had seen and she had never bothered with. The hour it had been broken, the exact same moment in which Hifumi attacked. 

Then, the crumpled piece of paper, so hard to obtain from between rigid fingers. A scrap, really, so unthreatening at first. Only to be completed by the note that Yamada had tried to hide in his pants and the girl so easily fished out.

“Do you think they are related? These two pieces?” Celestia inquired as the other girl finally approached her, finally done with her own examination.

“Perhaps. It’s the same material, the same texture.” She shrugged, then placed them together. “And two portions of the same whole, as suggested.”

Celestia had to concede that Hifumi had tried, at the very least. He had done everything in his meager power to help her despite letting her name slip. Only he hadn’t tried hard enough, or thought as much as he should have when it came to disposing oneself of evidence. Oh well. It wouldn’t matter, she told herself all over and over again. 

“Ah. So Hifumi having it might not mean it belong—”

“Celestia. Tell me again everything that happened this morning, please.” She inched closer to the gambler, delicately traced a finger over her hurt hand. “Especially when it came to how you got hurt and what happened afterwards. I would really like to hear your perspective on it.”

Was it a test? Or was she really being sweet about it, asking for her version of facts instead of anyone else’s because of how close they had gotten? Regardless of what it meant, Celeste took a deep breath, closed her eyes for a second and waited as if bracing herself to face something terrible.

(In a way she was, as being close to Kyoko was proving to be harder than she had thought before. Perhaps her being gone from the very beginning hadn’t been that bad of a thing all in all.)

“I went out on a light jog before breakfast, as I have been meaning to exercise a little more. We talked about that the other day, did we not? In any case, it was before the morning announcement when I spotted a strange shadow looming around the hallways. Intrigued, I went after them for a long while, trying my best to remain out of sight. That lasted for an hour, until I witnessed them cornering Hifumi. It was also the moment in which they saw and attacked me at the rec room, right after I took pictures of the assault in order to have proof of it. 

“It was a wild goose chase afterwards. By then those of you who had been having breakfast were alerted that we were missing, and I was found by Sakura, Hina and Makoto. We split up in order to find Robo Justice, and I spotted them on the third floor. But not that long after… we heard a scream from the first floor. Dividing into two groups, I went with Makoto and Hina to the nurse’s office and that was where we found Hifumi… covered in…”

“Blood. Because he had been attacked as well.” 

Her voice was soft, her demeanor soothing. A hand encased Celestia’s and squeezed, running a gentle caress over the injuries which were still fading. Everything about that moment, about how charged it was, caused tears to ebb around distraught crimson irises.

The gambler let them fall. For herself, for the other girl.

For what she felt that they had found and then lost.

“I… I was so scared. You were nowhere to be found as well, s-so… I was so convinced you were targeted, perhaps lying somewhere in a p-pool of blood just like Hifumi.” She sobbed, panted, heart racing yet again. “As I said at that moment, I had already been attacked. And I didn’t want to share their fate either, but it seemed—it still seems…”

She halted, catching a tear that rolled down her cheek. Tiredness, regret, anxiety: those were the main feelings that surrounded the gambler, that marked that moment as it was.

That made her gently push Kyoko’s hand aside and put some distance between them as she walked towards the door one more time. 

“I-I’m so sorry. I don’t think I can talk about it anymore.” Celestia allowed her voice to tremble, emotions that weren’t staged at all surface for the first time in a very long while. It was scary, it was overwhelming. It was truly too much for her to face at that point in time. “I should… I shall g-go. And make sure this does not happen at the trial, or that I become a hindrance to your investigation as it is. I w-will see you later.”

“Please, take care of yourself.” 

The words followed her, echoed inside her heart even after she had put floors between her and the other girl. Even when she returned not to her room, but to a certain place where she knew she wouldn’t be found too easily. 

A place where she hoped she might find some solace as it was, for somehow Kyoko’s demeanor at the very end seemed a bit colder than it had been before, her words clipped instead of caring.

Because of Celestia’s own haste and state, she had failed to note where the shift happened, or why. 

Nor did she get to witness Kirigiri’s cheeks, her lilac irises, shining under the scant light of the distant room as tears ran down her very eyes.

Chapter Text

How much longer would it take?

How many more minutes would she waste crying, sobbing her heart out, protected by nothing but the knowledge that the walls were soundproof and therefore, no one would listen to her woe?

No matter how much Celestia rebuked herself, tried to tell herself a lie or to remind her heart of how much it would be worth it, tears kept running down her cheeks.

It was… Disgusting. Unnecessary, a silly display of emotion that might get her into trouble if someone decided to check on her in the next few seconds—not even she would have the required skill to disguise the red eyes, the swollen cheeks. The pallor that clung to her, the shadows of her own actions.

The fear that perhaps she had traded… something precious, for the uncertainty of a much-desired future.

The feeling surrounded and stifled her, no matter how much distance she placed between her and Kirigiri. Any and all attempts to distract herself were useless, her thoughts returning to the matter at hand despite whatever elaborate, simple or believable lie she managed to convince herself of for mere seconds. 

Which was… terrible, unwanted. Not the approach she needed to have towards the final portion of her plan to begin with.

It wasn’t as if she had all the time in the world to get herself under control either; soon Monokuma would show up again, tell them it was time for the trial to commence. Sure, depending on who saw her, when and where her thoughts were at the moment, the gambler might be able to spin a believable tale. To weaponize her grief and misery in order to turn herself into—

No, no. 

It was…

It was just too much.

Celestia didn’t even think she had enough words to describe what she was experiencing. Descriptors could indeed be used, perhaps even as a way for her to center herself. To stir her mind where it was supposed to be once and for all. 

Stopping in her tracks, Celestia took a few, haggard breaths—and just then did she realize that she had also been walking in circles around the small, secluded space. Lights were out, the one source of illumination coming from the hallway, spilling into the dorm room from underneath the door. Her shoes had been kicked away at an unknown moment in time and she was clutching the hems of her skirt to the point that the fabric might have been ripped if she had applied a bit more strength. Clenched shoulders, tense jaw, locked knees, a constant frown—those were a few ways in which her body translated how ugly, intense emotions had taken her over right then. 

Emotions she couldn’t explain, couldn’t control. Couldn’t even… disguise, at least not then. 

The gambler could barely recall the last time in which she had had to let her feelings run amok, having their way until they eventually became easier to subdue. Perhaps she had been too young, still prone to fits of fury in which words became her best, favored weapon. A way to show to grownups, children and herself that she deserved more than what she had been given.

Wasn’t it ironic, then, that she was having such a reaction despite the fact that her deepest desires were so close to materializing in front of her very eyes?

Unless of course, said desires had shifted without her notice, morphing into other objectives beside the castle she had always longed for. 

Instinct told her it was so. The same hunch that kept her safe for so long, that had called her towards a mysterious Ultimate. That had registered something like recognition as soon as their eyes met. Why, if the sensation might have come from interest and novelty, then it should have died out as days went by. As her and Kyoko spent time together investigating, getting to know each other better. 

Hadn’t it been the exact opposite, however? 

If anything, she had become invested, curious, more and more likely to catch herself thinking about Kirigiri even when the girl wasn’t around. Making herself ponder over another issue—and being locked away from the world in an empty school offered no shortage of those—wasn’t enough, either. Somehow Kyoko would weave her way into whatever trail of thought she would attempt to entertain, to the point that the entire exercise proved to be fruitless. 

“What am I… doing?” Celeste mumbled to herself. The sound of her voice took her aback, contrite and terse as it was. The sheer weight it held, the feelings she couldn’t put into words, was enough to make her stop, blink, retreat further into the room and finally take a seat upon the mattress. “Why am I so aggravated?”

The word felt hollow to her ears, but it was the best she could do. In any case, it was all too much, with too little reason for her to feel like so. Yes, the plan hadn’t been flawlessly executed—and most, no, all faults were on none other than Hifumi. Perhaps there were enough clues lying around for someone like K… like her to unveil the truth of the case and accuse her during the trial. 

But on the other hand, the girl had been away from everything for too long. She was overwhelmed, would have too many leads to investigate without the necessary time to do so in her usual, attentive way. Yes, Makoto and the others would certainly inform her of what was missing, the result of their own sleuthing. For that the gambler could only hope they had done a terrible job, though what little she had watched of Naegi was enough for her resolve to tremble just a little.

Yet it was too early to think the odds were against her, and all because of that guy as well. Her case was solid, she had to believe that. She had to become the embodiment of innocence and soon, or else people would find it too suspicious that she had been crying during investigation, of all things.

Why was she crying, again?

She sighed, air leaving through her parted lips in a shaky form. Her heart was still beating too fast, her entire body too transfigured by whatever she was experiencing in order for her to safely face the others. True, it would be weird if she holed up in her room for the rest of the allotted time, and yet—

And yet the one thing Celestia Ludenberg wished to do, for the first time in her life, was to be left alone to her own devices and emotions. To be frank about them, instead of having to force her eyes to stop stinging, her feelings to be kept within a quick, treacherous heart.

However, that was exactly what she was supposed to do. To be doing, right then and there.

Whatever had happened was already in the past, correct? And if that was so, what good would it be for her to keep mulling over it, to try and recover what felt like a fragment of lost, important memories that was just a tiny bit out of reach? If she forgot it, then surely it couldn’t be relevant to begin with.

“That isn’t what I should be thinking about right now. This will… This cannot break me, deviate me from the route I have set my sights on since I was a child.” Celeste whispered. Speaking out loud forced her to choose her words, despite the fact that she was indeed talking to no one other than herself. At least that also demanded that her thoughts followed a pattern instead of running around in their own ways. “Nothing can keep me away from that. No one can.”

Resolve stirred, cold and shadowy. It became an undercurrent, a small humming she could finally focus upon instead of letting her entire self continue with that pity party. Time was precious, she reminded herself, and wasting it with something that wouldn’t change whatever she had previously set into course was stupid, useless.

No, the only way out of that whole mess was to move forward in spite of what her opinion about it was.

With a delicate touch she dabbed the skin under her eyes until it was finally dry, doing the same to her cheeks a second later. Breathing gradually became easier, less of a chore and more of something she was supposed to keep on doing even if a weight still pressed upon her chest. Resolute, Celestia rolled her shoulders back, loosening them, and willed her hands to uncurl, her jaw to slacken. 

She would no longer stress herself over it. 

She would not waste whatever little time she had left around the schoolgrounds, with the people who trusted her for very wrong reasons, isolating herself and giving in to troublesome emotions. 

No, she was better than that. She had always been better than the silly kids who cried over nothing and the young adults who lamented lost loves. 

She wasn’t the Ultimate Gambler for absolutely no reason. 

Her legs were unsteady the moment she placed weight on them and got up. The first few steps were shaken and eerie, almost as if she were walking in the air, but they became easier and more solid the more she distanced herself from the mattress, then the dorm room she had called her own for the last few weeks. With a sigh and the knowledge she would never see them again she bid farewell to the other rooms, the long hallway between them. The room that led to so many other, useful portions of Hope’s Peak.

Step after step, she told herself she was saying goodbye—looking for clues in every possible place where one could be hidden, if someone happened to run into her right then and there. Luckily no student did, and she made her way to the bath house without being bothered, and without even noticing her real intent in the beginning. 

How her mind had apparently been made a long time ago, as she made her way to the lockers after fully making sure that there was no one around or in hiding.

The key slid into the right place easily, almost as if her hands hadn’t been shaking alongside her resolve not that long ago. Even so it was only when the laptop was firmly in her hands that Celestia sighed, blinked a few times to let the haze which had enveloped her mind be dispersed, and eventually realized what was happening, where she was.

What she had been about to do and what exact question had been dancing on the edge of her thoughts for these last two days.

“W-who is—ah, it’s you, Miss Yasuh—Miss Ludenberg!” Alter Ego exclaimed, at first looking concerned. Their expression only relaxed after the frontal camera scanned the newcomer, made sure it wasn’t someone else. “I got ready to scream like Miss Kirigiri ordered me to, before realizing it was you!”

“As you should. And it is Lady Ludenberg to you.” The gambler beamed, though the gesture was forced. Worried about being too noisy and drawing attention to the bath house and herself—two supposedly unrelated elements to the whole case—she resorted to typing instead, writing as fast as she could due to whatever little time she might have left. “I was wondering if you were able to make any progress on the files you told me about the last time we met.”

The response was immediate, a hopeful one. Alter Ego’s eyes widened, their entire demeanor becoming light and uplifted, a contrast to how Celeste felt at that moment in time. Yet somehow she found herself mimicking their expression, anticipation coursing through her veins before a word could be said.

“Oh, those! Yes, I was able to gain full access to them a few hours ago, actually. And something tells me you will be very satisfied with the contents, Lady Yasuh—oh, I mean, Lady Ludenberg .”

Hearing a portion of that dreadful name almost made her mood shift once more. Her face might have deflated in some way, however, as before Alter Ego vanished in favor of a window taking up the entire screen, they whispered something that sounded a bit like “sorry… and to think that the file also mentioned you disliked that name…”

“Well, it would be correct in that regard.” Celestia mumbled back, fighting against the volatile mixture of anger and fear that rose through her bloodstream. 

It was bad enough that somehow Hifumi had recalled that—though, no, the more she thought about it, the less sense it made. There was no way he had divined that information from thin air, despite the last, meaningful look he had given her before uttering that. No, he was merely blaming their desired target, was he not? She had never said anything to anyone about that name, especially not in the situation they were in. 

And if even Kyoko wouldn’t have heard about it, then what was the chance that someone like Hifumi knew the truth?

There was no way to tell, but on the other hand it wasn’t as if that would be important in any case. Not when she would be out of there in a matter of hours.

Maybe the same could be said about the documents that Alter Ego showed her right then; for a split second she considered shutting down the laptop, placing it where it should have been to begin with, and moving on with her life. Walk around the school for whatever free time she had left in order to set her mind at ease or overhear what the others were thinking about regarding the case. Although she had tried to predict the main theories they would propose, the leads they would and wouldn’t explore, it wouldn’t hurt to see how closely reality was following the scenarios she had painted within her mind. 

Yes, she had lied while telling the others that adapting to the circumstances was the most important thing they would have to do while locked in that school. But that didn’t mean she wasn’t about to do the same during—

Her trail of thought was interrupted as her gaze finally fell on the files that had been presented to her—three total, named in a very simple yet intuitive way. Which was exactly what she needed at that moment, with so little time to browse through whatever had been decoded, information that only she would have access to at that moment. 

Hence she chose to skip ‘videos,’ deeming that it would be too foolish to spend minutes watching whatever was in them. Not when she might not even have an hour left to begin with. 

‘General information’ seemed a lot more promising, but again the mere prospect of reading through what was probably an assortment of student profiles wouldn’t aid her in the slightest. And only undermine her chances of gaining some sort of useful knowledge on the world and the school. 

Now ‘pictures’... 

The title itself intrigued her, as did the fact that looking at images would be a lot quicker than any of the other two. She would spare each of them a cursory glance, then decide which ones needed a more attentive eye and go from there. Draw her own conclusions afterwards, on her way to the trial grounds and whenever her classmates got stuck trying to unveil part of the mystery she had created, something she hoped would happen so often that even Monokuma would grow bored of them. 

With a small smile she clicked on the pictures folder, expectant.

Only for her eyes to widen and her face to become paler than ever as soon as countless images sprang into view. 

It wasn’t the number that scared her, albeit that meant she would have to be even quicker with the preliminary scanning. No, it was what she could already spot in the small icons, colors and shapes that seemed to harken from an entirely different world, if not a wholly different lifetime. 

With a tense finger she clicked on the first that caught her attention more than the others due to the sheer fact that it depicted a very familiar splash of lilac in contrast with midnight black. The cursor hovered over it as Celeste attempted to make up more details of the picture itself before widening it. Meanwhile doing her best to discover why that had already been enough to evoke such a visceral reaction from her, unprompted and unreasonable as it was. 

Again it was harder to convince herself to do what was needed, to pretend not to be scared of what she would discover. Fortunately curiosity hadn’t abandoned her even in those trying times, and in the end it was the driving force that took her to decide to go on with it. 

The gasp that left her lips was so loud that Alter Ego said something in response—later on Celestia would recall that, and understand that it was asking if everything was okay. She was lucky that was the only sound she was able to make, which was thanks to the fact that indescribable confusion took her over. 

And something bitter, heavy and otherworldly painful lodged in her heart and mind, blocking word and thought, yell and conjecture, to make their way forward.

The picture couldn’t be clearer, despite taking on an almost ethereal and ephemeral quality in Celestia’s mind. There were a few differences between the kids she saw on the screen and the people she had spent the last few days with, but there was no shadow of a doubt that it was her and the other students currently locked inside Hope’s Peak. All of them alive and well, working in pairs without even noticing that a camera had been taking their picture to begin with.

Why, there was even a girl she didn’t fully recognize, a blue-haired one that nevertheless felt familiar, but aside from her everyone else was there. Even Junko, who had met her end after such a display of courage. Even Sayaka and Chihiro, Mondo and Leon, Hifumi and Kyotaka. 

And what was even more interesting…

Her and Kyoko were sitting side by side, browsing over what seemed to be a stack of documents. With the other girl frowning at her, whereas she beamed as bright as the sun itself. 

What little she could see of the classroom told her that it was similar to those they had happened upon in their secluded school. The windows, barely visible from the angle the camera had been at, were completely unlocked, since daylight streamed freely into the place, made everything seem prettier, shinier, closer to what a normal high school life might be like.

But… how? And… and why—

The thought that Makoto had claimed to run into a picture like that a few days ago briefly crossed her mind. But she didn’t pay enough attention to it, couldn’t do so. Not when there was so much more to be seen, and not enough time to go through everything at once. 

Pressing the arrow button pointing to the right she managed to peruse through a few of the images, heart beating faster and faster at each and every sight. Her and the others in some sort of school fair, a sports meetup. Another classroom shot of her and Kirigiri working together, the former studying the latter more than the papers they should be reading. Celestia, Kyoko and Toko walking together around an ample, beautiful courtyard that seemed to belong to a university instead of a high school. Toko’s face was more scared than anything else, which made her wonder just what they had been speaking about, but still.

And then…

She was going faster than she wished she had to, but circumstance dictated she did so. It was either that or she would go crazy as well, trying to piece together the story those images were revealing to her. Even so, it was easy to detect a shift in the nature of the pictures, the moment in which something major happened to everyone around her.

It was present in the shadows under her very eyes, in a picture that showed her running around an almost empty school hallway.

It was there in another one, in the way she hugged Kyoko as both of them left a room; the plate hanging from it clearly spelled ‘infirmary’ and she could only wonder who had gotten hurt and why.

And it was more than just there in the one, eerie picture taken of her, Toko and Kyoko sharing a table at an unknown cafe, whispering between themselves and looking to be on high alert despite the carefree ambiance. 

Too much. It was too much, how those images evoked an instinct Celestia herself had experienced for so long she couldn’t ignore it anymore. Not even once did she think the scenarios were tampered with, generated by AI, Monokuma or someone who wanted to mess with their heads. 

Even though the more she allowed herself to think about it, the more she was convinced that something like that might have happened at some point in time. In the past. The matter would be to determine how long that had been.

How long they had lost.

How much she herself could remember, and how that could be used in the trial she would have to face sooner or later. 

Overwhelmed, confused, on the verge of tears, Celestia reached out towards the computer with a trembling hand. Her initial thought had been to close the folder, to tell Alter Ego to dispose of it. Yet almost on instinct she pressed the arrow one more time, flinching when her brain detected what she had done.

And taking a full step back when the image materialized on the screen, ingrained itself in her mind. 

She was…

No, it couldn’t be. But at the same time, it could, couldn’t it? Wouldn’t it explain everything she had been feeling, the root cause of those nonsensical, almost whimsy sensations? Wouldn’t it corroborate her theory and add to it, being just more proof that she hadn’t been wrong from the very beginning?

Well, it was clear that none of them recalled a thing. Why, Kyoko herself didn’t seem to remember her very talent for starters, so of course she would have no memory whatsoever of that moment.

Of the very moment in which Celeste and her shared a kiss in the middle of a very familiar hallway. 

And once she took a few breaths in, her heart rate finally decreasing while her mind got into focus one more time, she was able to determine just what about that image made it feasible, in a sense.

A glance beyond their forms, the tenderness in their stance, the gentleness in their hands as they touched and held, and the gambler realized that the hallway was dark. From that angle, somewhere close to the nearest door, it was easy to see that the window close to her was completely shut—and more than that, the screws and bolts were exactly the same she had grown bored of seeing over and over again for the last few weeks. 

In sum, it might not be a stretch to say that the kiss had taken place inside the corridors of the very school they were locked in. 

The main mystery being that she couldn’t recall that at all. And it might not be a stretch that the same applied to the other girl, too.

With unstable hands she clicked again to check what came after, tears stinging her eyes. The same gloomy setting saw her and Kyoko watching from afar as Hina and Sakura kissed. Her and the detective were hiding behind a wall, though kind of visible from that angle of the camera, a smile on their faces as they saw what was happening. How an echo of what they felt could be seen in those two other girls as well.

In the next picture the gambler and the mysterious Ultimate were sitting side by side, shoulders touching, hands intertwined. They were puzzling over something, which wasn’t that different from what they had done ever since the killing game began. Their closeness was what took her off guard, that made her heart soar before allowing it to crash, wingless and helpless, at the realization that Kyoko didn’t know. That she herself had forgotten those moments, the many others that the camera hadn’t registered.

How many kisses had they shared? How many times had they tried to lift each other up, their love shining through the darkness of that place and of whatever had happened before their memory was altered, if her assumption was correct?

How many more secrets had she forgotten, or plans, or vows that they might have made—

The sound of another sob surprised her, more than it would if Monokuma had chosen that exact moment to call them to the trial grounds. Only after seeing one final picture—of her kissing the back of Kyoko’s gloved hand—did she finally allow herself to crumble, to give in. There was too much in her mind, too many emotions running through her at the same time. 

Too many hunches, words that came from instinct and she suspected actually harkened from memory, clouding her judgment at that moment in time. 

Gamble. Everything, whatever it was, had started with a gamble.

Companionship. Her and Kyoko had been joined together by more than just another school project, one that she was pretty certain she herself had influenced in some way. 

Peril. It felt obvious to ponder over that, but they had faced their fair share of danger leading to the situation they were in right then, though details were missing and altogether hazy and thus, Celeste was unable to construct an actual timeline. 

And more than everything else…

There had been love between them. Love, care, intimacy. They had learned and shared more about each other than they had ever done before, which was amazing and scary at the same time. 

Tears ran down her face for the second time in that day alone; for the first she understood why. She allowed emotion to have its way, memory to creep upon thought and present itself in whichever way it saw fit. It was useless to judge, to try to determine what was and wasn’t real. What was a guess, what was a fact.

And above everything…

Why the words “Lady Detective” kept echoing in her mind more than anything, to the point that she decided to do something with them after telling Alter Ego to keep that folder private. After all, what better way to lock that information, if not behind that very specific password?

Putting the computer away didn’t mean leaving the past behind. Although it was a half-forgotten, fractured past, it was still there, still weighing on her shoulders, even more than each and every thought that had led her to that point in time. Every piece of logic that had made her commit that crime, decide that letting the others die in exchange for her freedom and the life of her childhood dreams would be okay.

In retrospect, she hadn’t known. Maybe she never would, as somehow she doubted that the years spent together with people she might have called her friends would suddenly come to mind after the trial was concluded. 

In retrospect, she had been sure her feelings towards a certain Lady Detective—and ah, hadn’t she been right from the very beginning, despite Kirigiri herself not recalling it—were nothing more than a passing fling. If even that. 

In retrospect…

Despair had taken her over, the wish for answers and for a world in which she had the praise she had always deserved blinded her to the very hunches that had taken her so far in her own field of work. 

In the world of gambling, first impressions were everything. 

What had she done, then, by turning a blind eye to what said first impressions were telling her right when they had mattered the most?

Her eyes were dry and her heart empty when an announcement rang and Monokuma eventually called them to the trial grounds. Far was the notion that yes, she would have to go through that. To face what had been done and to choose what to do with what she had learned, what she had seen. 

What she could just feel, the sensations strong enough to leave a lasting burn on her heart—one to match the singed scar on Kyoko’s hands, she grimly thought, taking that as truth as well. 

So much to find out, such a small window of opportunity to do so. And depending on how the others investigated, what they could recall, how much she might manage to say before drawing too much attention to herself, either she was doomed to never find out—

Or she had just doomed the girl she loved and everyone else to the same, horrible death.

Her steps echoed through the otherwise empty bath house, the hallways. Luckily she was a supposed victim in the case she had created and thus could portray sadness without being judged for it. The few people she passed on her way to the elevator even asked if she was okay; with half a mind in the present and her entire heart in the forgotten past she nodded her head, whispered something or the other about seeing that horrible criminal being brought to justice. 

If the words were aimed at herself was something that not even Celestia could say at that point in time.

Numb, she almost didn’t register it when a hand held her own, squeezed it. The warmth, the very fabric that touched her bare skin were familiar, echoing more than just weeks spent together under dire circumstances. Tears stung her eyes again, but she kept them away, her mask and a sad smile in place as she turned to face Kyoko one more time.

Chapter Text

“Interrupting this beaaaaautiful, wholesome, splendid moment for something a little more important~”

Celestia was still unused to seeing some sides of Kyoko that were nevertheless becoming more noticeable the longer they spent together. Ever the aloof, detached detective, always on high alert and observing their surroundings, it surely wasn’t like her to be startled by someone walking into the room they had decided to hide in for a few minutes. 

But then, one could argue that her being caught off guard was understandable. Since the gambler had been kissing her rather passionately in order to make up for all the time they had to pretend to be nothing but friends. 

Lying and getting away with it was such an intrinsic portion of Celestia’s routine that she was sure hiding their relationship from most of the class would be of no issue to her. Given how her partner was of a similarly mysterious nature, well, she imagined everything would go smoothly. They would keep their more intimate moments away from the public eye until the moment in which the true mastermind was pointed out and punished. Then and only then would they let the others know not just that they were together, but how amazing they had been in that whole investigation. 

(Why, in her mind the entire scene took on a flare for the dramatic, complete with Kyoko kissing her in front of everyone after they got the culprit locked away. People cheered and there would have been fireworks had they not been locked away from the world to begin with—and despite it being a nice daydream, Celeste also prided herself in being a bit realistic.)

Thus whenever she had to stop herself from reaching out and taking Kirigiri’s hand, or placing a kiss on her cheek, or saying something that would be considered too teasing, she internally winced. Caught in the act, a bit too often to her liking, to the point that the entire matter started annoying her instead. 

Luckily the same sentiment could be seen in the detective’s demeanor. In the way her hands moved towards the gambler, before opening and closing a few times and finally falling quietly on her sides. Or the way her eyes widened, cheeks gaining the slightest bit of a rosy tint whenever either of them slipped and said something a bit too suspiciously tender in regard to the other. 

And because being in each other’s rooms all the time would also draw attention to the fact that they were, well, nowhere to be seen and most likely together, then those little escapades in the middle of the day became a bit necessary. Moments of respite in which they could be themselves, do whatever the hell they wanted and talk about important matters, too.

That for the time being no talking had been done and mostly they got into whatever empty room they could find for some kissing and hand holding was another matter altogether. One that both girls chastised the other about whenever it was brought to their attention, with the accused party replying that it would be remedied soon. 

Sure, they were careful about where they went, how much time they spent away from the rest of the group. Especially if people were in some sort of group activity or whatever they had been doing so as to pass the day by and not think about what the rest of the world might be going through. And for the last few weeks or so it had worked seamlessly, without any sort of interruption. 

Of course it would be none other than Genocide Jack the one to break that streak. And walk into them a few seconds after the whole thing has started, too. 

“I believe that the point of us excusing ourselves for a few minutes is that we will not be bothered.” Celestia uttered with a pleasant smile. Although her body still pressed Kyoko’s against the wall, her face was partially turned towards the other side of the room—in the general direction of the door that she had heard open, but decided to ignore all the same. “Unless you never had the chance of sneaking out with someone you loved before? Perchance did you happen to murder them first?”

“Ha! You know me tooooo well, poker girlie.” Instead of taking the bait, Genocide laughed at the whole statement, leaned her body against the door. “There. Now we can be one thousand and one percent positive that no one will walk into our hideout. Aka, remember to block the door before you start doing something that indecent outside of your rooms, you crazy lovebirds!”

“Do you or do you not have something relevant to say?” Kyoko inquired. A hand gently pushed Celestia away from her so they could stand side by side, but it was held before she could cross her arms as intended. “Time is of essence.”

“Pretty words for someone who was being kissed senseless not that long ago. Oh, young looooove.” Genocide Jack smiled, tongue hanging from her mouth. “Might leave a note for Toko describing what I saw. She’d say something scathing about the two of you, but deep down we know she enjoys the yur—”

“As long as both of you can keep a secret, that suits me just fine.” Celestia meddled, caressing Kyoko’s hand to keep her from parting her lips and saying something worse. “And if you—ahem, she —ever intend on writing a novel inspired on our amazing, sweet story, then make sure she has the gall to change our names to something that cannot be traced down to us. We do have a mastermind to deal with, may I remind you.”

The serial killer giggled, a hand placed over her mouth as if she had heard one of the funniest things in the entire world. Sometimes it was hard to believe such unlikely people shared the same body, to the point that Celestia often wondered if she would have paid any attention to that theory had she not seen the transformation happen in front of her very eyes. In any case, already she missed the days in which the biggest mystery her and Kirigiri had to deal with were the Genocide Jack murders. 

Which in the end sounded a bit like child’s play in comparison to everything they had witnessed and theorized about thus far. 

“Ah yeah yeah, that reminds me. I came here to make a report or whatever.” Genocide shrugged, then sneered at the other two. “Not my fault you were being so utterly, immorally, terribly distractin—hey, no need to yell at me again! I was about to say what I needed to and then take my leave. Jeez, you used to be a bit calmer before getting involved with the likes of her .”

The last sentence was added after Kyoko’s entire demeanor shifted, becoming wired up with anger. It was clear to the mere spectator that she was actually at her wit’s end, about to say something scathing that might wound even someone as irreverent as the serial killer. Which was a terrible thing to do, despite how the detective was forever going on about how she was capable of keeping herself and her loved one safe. 

“Oh dear, if that is your impression of our lovely Ultimate Detective, then you surely have not been in her company for a very long time.” Celestia intervened, delicately chuckling behind a hand. The other one landed on Kyoko’s shoulder, caressing it the slightest as a preemptive way to keep the girl from exploding. “You cannot even fathom the woes I have gone through in order to stand here beside her right now.”

“H-hey.” Kyoko protested, but needed a few heartbeats in order to go beyond just that. “I wasn’t that bad. And you were definitely annoying, too.”

“Pffff, are you kidding me?! Toko saw that whole thing happening and also loved taking notes on the way you two behaved, kyahahahaha!” Genocide Jack laughed even louder than before, then stopped and shook her head while approaching the other two. “She was sure you two’d kiss before the year was over. Guess who should’ve betted on it and gained some money while there was still time. Bah, as if she would take such a risk… Anyways.”

“Anyways. The report.” Kyoko echoed, voice stable despite how her cheeks betrayed her emotions, becoming more and more crimson as the other two spoke. “Have you seen anything worthwhile?”

For some heartbeats Genocide said nothing, simply paced around the room in circles. It was similar to how Celeste herself used to walk around her dorm while pondering over things; over Kyoko, over the mysteries they were trying so hard to unravel, over her own convoluted emotions. Feelings that were deeply woven within actions, plans and words—lies she had enacted to keep herself safe. 

Fortresses that were eroded with time, with change, with the fact that she opened herself to experiences and feelings that had been deemed unworthy and unnecessary in the past. 

“Worthwhile… I guess so?” The serial killer uttered, finally turning to face them again. She didn’t stop moving, however, only went from circles to actually going towards and away from them. “I gotta agree with what you said before, about how half of our class wouldn’t have the brain cells to do something like that. Or if they did, they were only used as decoys or helpers, by someone who has the actual brainpower. Like, Aoi? She’s too busy looking for donuts, swimming and showing off her amazing Ultimate skills to Sakura. And Yamada? That guy can’t even write a good ‘enemies to lovers with mutual pining and only one bed’ short story, let alone plot a whole crime that would result in the entire world going crazy.”

“That’s… oddly specific, but I suppose I get the meaning.” Kyoko frowned at the example, pouting a bit when that made Celestia giggle at her. “And Sakura?”

“The martial artist… I can see her being troublesome, I mean, look at those damn muscles!” Genocide whistled, fanned herself for a few seconds. “But the only thing she does all day is train, and stare at Hina, and train, and stare at Hina while making a protein shake, and train, and stare at Hina. And train.” 

Celestia and Kyoko shared a look that was part complacent, part guilty—the silent wonder if they had ever done the same thing, minus the training, hanging between them. Sure, at the very least they had investigated and done their best to unmask whoever was behind that ordeal, but still. 

“I shall take that as a no, which suits my own impressions over the matter.” The gambler commented, matter-of-factly. It was only when her voice echoed back to her, making her finally realize what had been said, and two pairs of eyes prodded her for more detail, that she noticed that yes, there were a few things her instincts had told her beforehand. “I uh, being able to read the opponent is part of what makes me a good gambler, non ?”

“Well yeah, duh.” Genocide frowned as if she had just uttered the most obvious question in the whole world. “Problem is, how haven’t you been able to pinpoint the mastermind if that’s part of your Ultimate talent or whatever? Unless of course you’ve been lying to us all along and your actual skill is, well, just plain old lying.”

“No, she is the Ultimate Gambler.” Kyoko shook her head, didn’t offer any more explanation as to how she knew that even after the serial killer glanced at her expecting such. “Trust me, I also have my ways. Regardless, I’m interested to hear what both of you think of the situation due to your… very peculiar gifts. And how they might complement my own in some twisted, uncanny form.”

“Meaning, you wanna know if a professional liar and a professional serial killer are able to point out which one among the rest of the class is a good, potential liar and serial killer.”

“That’s not what I said at all.” The detective shot back, shaking her head. Even if deep down, she had to admit that was a bit of what she demanded from them right then and there. “No offense to what you can do, of course.”

It was Celestia’s time to snicker, take a few steps towards the center of the room in order to put some space between her and Kyoko. It wasn’t exactly that the other girl distracted her, or the fact that a mere look at her was enough to cause her heart to flutter in a sweet, mildly annoying manner, no. She simply needed motion, the repetitiveness of pacing around in circles that let her brain work better for some reason. Resorting to that, and to taking turns staring at Genocide and Kyoko, she parted her lips and found it easy to translate to words what intuition had told her in convoluted thoughts and interesting images.

“Sakura and Hina are innocent, they are merely in love. And clueless as to what is actually transpiring behind it all, way more than either one of us here is. The same can be said about Chihiro, despite claims that they might be a tad more of a threat due to their talent and skills. Yes, I have not seen much of them around recently and the same happened before we were brought here, but somehow I am of the opinion that whatever they have been doing isn’t harmful to us.  If anything, they were tipped off by someone else and started working on more than simply finding us some sort of internet connection. 

“Makoto’s nature is easily read. The boy is utterly unable to hide even his deepest thoughts or intentions, which are… too simplistic, too optimistic to my own liking. Hence I have not taken much of my time analyzing him beyond that.” The gambler shrugged, turned the act into something graceful by twisting her wrist afterwards. “As for Maizono—”

“Wait, lemme get to my point before you waste time we don’t have accusing everyone.” Genocide interrupted, crossing her arms. “I have places to be and people to see, you know! And you two have kisses to return to, so ahem…

“Out of everyone Toko and I’ve been keeping tabs on, those who kept to themselves and were walking around the school for no reason even after curfew and so on, were Junko Enoshima and Mukuro Ikusaba. Well, Byakuya as well, but he has his reasons and shouldn’t be put in the same sentence as those two.”

Silence followed that admission; even Celestia stopped walking, too deep in thought to actually keep that going. Kyoko’s expression darkened and she frowned, eyes becoming hazed as she delved into her own thoughts, perhaps memories as well involving those two. For what the gambler could tell she had been the one to meet them more often than the rest, hadn’t she? What with the whole incident that ended with her in the infirmary, for starters. 

Wait, hadn’t Celestia herself felt something… odd when it came to one of them, or both, for different reasons? 

“They have intrigued me for a while, and not in a positive manner.” She declared, keeping an eye on Kirigiri since she had yet to shift her stance, to say a word on the entire thing. To see her that uncertain, that undecided on a matter that may or may not mean their life or death was unnerving, but the gambler pressed on nevertheless. Choosing to ignore those feelings and push her own theory, regardless of how it might be shut down by a fact sooner or later. “And they were often nowhere to be seen during our school days at Hope’s Peak, were they not?”

“After class, yup. They weren’t in any study groups and I don’t really think I saw them in the extra lectures either.” The serial killer considered, started pacing around the gambler in a funny imitation of what she had been doing before. “Like, it’d be easy to say that Dulce Havannah girl had too many shows to attend or catwalks to parade through or whatever, but what about her sister? It’s not as if we were at war before that whole shenanigans began.”

“And where was she, as the Ultimate Soldier, when they did indeed begin?” 

Kyoko’s voice was strained, heavy, unlike its usual cold and collected tone. Nothing about it showed a bit of her more controlled behavior at that moment; not in the way she almost stomped while taking a step closer to the other two, or how her lips were pressed into a thin line. Ill-concealed anger made its way seen, seeking a way out and promising to leave nothing but destruction in its path. 

“They were the last to arrive at the shelter, to the point that we were almost forced to seal them outside.” The detective pointed out, one finger rising from her hand. The same would happen again and again as she went on listing things. “Ikusaba, despite her combat skills, never volunteered to aid those standing ground around the school when the Reserve Course students started becoming more and more violent. A few minutes of her time would have been enough to send them running, and I would know. I have seen her in action, in the most random of places and times—”

“Or was it really that random, Kyoko?” Celestia intervened, recalling her own interactions with the Ultimate Soldier during that day. “You are claiming that her being there was senseless, especially since she arrived, what, out of nowhere? In a secluded classroom, right in time to not only save her dear sister, but also interrupt your investigation and meddle in that fight against the bodyguard?”

“Bodyguard s .” The detective corrected, terse. It was clear that the gambler’s words had had some sort of effect on her, as instead of relaxing or refuting her own theory, she kept pursuing it. “And yes, that is exactly what happened. One could argue that Enoshima called for help and thus she appeared, yet that wasn’t the case at all. I was there—I watched with my own eyes as Junko did nothing but peruse the room until I revealed myself and tried to question her.

“ Then the fighters arrived. And finally, Ikusaba herself.”

Even Genocide Jack couldn’t find a way to meddle, to make light of a situation that was nothing but. For a second, and were it not for the stark differences in how her and Toko held themselves, it would be impossible to say which personality they were speaking to right then and there—the killer was serious, troubled, trying to find something that might contribute to the discussion.

“That’s too convenient.” It was all she could come up with, but at the very least it was received with nods. “I dunno everything that happened there but by what you said right now, it’s too weird and convenient. Even for these two. It’d be so good if I could just magically be attracted to a secluded, fun place whenever a potential victim walked into one, lemme tell you.”

“She’s right.” Celestia agreed, nodding to herself. “And Ikusaba was lying at some point or the other as we talked—when you were unconscious, I mean. Argh, everything happened so fast afterwards, I did not have the time to question her further or to investigate the room you were in.”

“Don’t blame yourself; I was also kept away from the case and any places related to it. By my father , of all people.” Kyoko scoffed, bit the inside of her cheek in frustration. “Who knows, maybe if I had looked into the matter any longer, any more than—”

“Now now, we have spoken about that before.” Crossing to the other side of the room, Celestia stood in front of Kyoko and pressed a finger to the tip of her nose. For the first time in what felt like forever she beamed, a light gesture that was at odds with the seriousness of that situation but was welcome nonetheless. “This is not your fault.”

“I’d make a joke about the Ultimate Detective failing her detective duties, but something tells me my serial killing career’d be interrupted right after, alongside my life.” Genocide whispered. 

The angry looks she got from the other two were all the confirmation she needed, and somehow threatening enough for her to flinch. Which would be hilarious considering she was the one to usually draw that reaction from others, but still. 

“So, Ikusaba is definitely involved.” Kyoko concluded, sighing. It was clear she wanted to say more, probably in relation to how she should have seen that coming, but shut her mouth at the last possible second as Celestia beamed at her again. And not in a heartwarming way. “And Enoshima…? Somehow that girl eludes me.”

“Indeed. I cannot get a read on her at all. Whether she is lying, telling the truth, some curious third possibility that is similar to what I myself do during some games.” Celestia whined, crossed her arms in front of her chest. Somehow the mere thought of that person was enough to make her feel chilled. “Again there is also the matter of her frequent disappearances during the day, though if questioned it is clear she would attribute those to shows, photo shoots or anything of the sort.” 

“Again, toooo convenient. I mean, neither Toko nor I buy the zines she’s usually in, but c’mon. Just how many of those did she feature in?! Recently or even before things started blowing up? Can’t be that she’s more famous than the Ultimate Novelist, the Ultimate Programmer or, blah, be my guess, the Ultimate Swimmer.”

Neither of them knew the answer to that, but nevertheless agreed that it was too suspicious. It wasn’t the time for them to listen to excuses they couldn’t check, not when there was even the slightest possibility they were on the right track. Lives were at stake, theirs and other people’s out there. 

“I fear we are running out of time here.” Kyoko gave voice to a thought that had been nagging at them underneath everything else they were already mulling over. The other two nodded, attentively focused on her. “But we should consider this as valuable information, and them as potential candidates. People we should already keep a close eye on, and closer still if we find more and more reasons to suspect them.

“Now, I propose we come up with some sort of reason as to why the three of us were absent for so long—and no, holding hands and passionately kissing in the rec room is not the answer here.” She added once Genocide’s and Celestia’s eyes sparkled with hope. Too much hope to her own liking. “And for the rest of the day we should split up, both to diffuse any impression that we are partial to each other, and to stay on the lookout for those two.”

“Or any shady person and behavior all in all.” The serial killer added, then smirked at the other two. “Lucky me I’m the most normal among us.”

It was clear Celestia and Kyoko begged to differ, yet after sharing a long, pained stare just shook their heads and pointed to the door. 

Genocide left before anything else could be said, perhaps fearing some sort of reprimand from the gambler or the detective. It was better that way in a sense, as the other two had the gloomy, empty corridor to themselves for a bit longer.

“I will miss you, sweet detective,” the gambler said before they decided to go towards different portions of the school, to rejoin the group in distinct moments. “Why, how fond of your presence have I already grown… Never had I imagined it would be like so.”

Kyoko gave a small, grateful smile. At first it seemed that she would only walk away without saying anything, but at the very last second, before she could take the stairs back to the first floor, she turned and cleared her throat to call the other girl’s attention. 

“Me, too. I’ll miss you during the day and whenever we have to be apart like that. Let’s meet up later in my room? S-so we can share notes on what we observed throughout the rest of the day, that is.” 

The stuttering was too wholesome, and it made Celestia beam. Had she more time to spend in her beloved’s company, she would have pointed it out and teased her, the ever confident detective—maybe something or the other about her mask slipping. But alas, circumstance dictated that they must part, and thus she filed that information away for later consideration instead.

“Of course, ma chérie . I would never say no to such a splendid invitation. Already I am looking forward to it.” 

They went their own paths in an upbeat tone, the promise of something more lingering in the air, in the smiles that adorned their faces until the second in which they met with someone else. Then and only then did their matters come back to focus, becoming the main issue to be solved and soon.

Then and only then did they become more vigilant, lingering into every word that the other students said in hopes that someone, at some point, slipped up.

Despite their own vows to spend more time apart in order to not draw attention to each other, Kyoko and Celestia did their best to find snippets in which they could enjoy their company without being noticed. 

Luckily (or unluckily, depending on who was talking) the students tended to drift away to do their own things after lunch time, as most of the hope that had driven them forward on their first few weeks at the bunker had begun to ebb away. There was just so much that people like Naegi and Hina could do when faced with their classmates’ growing pessimism and apathy—a dangerous thing to go unchecked, to fester among the sixteen of them, but that was nevertheless doing so.

Were it not for their primary goal to figure out who could be behind all that, perhaps the detective and the gambler would meddle, stop the lethargy that was starting to settle and take them over little by little. 

For the time being, however, they used whatever excuse they could find to stay together and to investigate without their peers wondering why they were tagging along others and listening in to conversations, to name a few. 

It was easier to split the observational work between the three of them (and yes, they did include Toko in that whole ordeal since the more, the merrier) when everyone was out doing whatever they wanted. Yes, a few people kept to their dorms and would only come out at night, which was a nuisance in itself. Yet it was more common for them to roam around, find a room to explore or an activity to waste time on by their lonesome, thus making it a lot simpler for the girls to keep tabs on them.

And when they were done with that, well… There was nothing stopping Kyoko and Celestia from vanishing into a corner of their own and kiss, whisper something or the other about their findings and ultimately hide from Toko, something that became a game for the couple. 

Hence the afternoon and early evening went on a lot faster than they had initially thought, what with how dull it always felt for them to be away from the other. If anything they had made some very interesting discoveries, information they were dying to share with the other. Due to that earlier invitation for them to meet at the detective’s room, Celestia did her hardest to watch and memorize whatever she saw, so she could have a lot to tell her partner once it was eventually time for them to get together again.

The signal came almost half an hour later than usual: the host would knock on the other’s room five times as a way to let her know the hallway was clear and everything was ready. That was a fun system they had come up with and informed Toko of a few days ago, just in case they had a future need to go around organizing secret meetups throughout the days or something of the sort.

If in the past Celestia had thought things like that only happened in mystery novels and therefore, were a bit of an exaggeration, well, life had shown her that nothing was really impossible. And being cautious was never too much, especially when there was a high risk of their circumstances becoming more dire than they already were. 

Frowning against that thought, the sinking sensation that her intuition was up to something once again, the gambler rose to her feet and stretched, giving Kyoko a few seconds of a head start so she could go back to her room without the two being seen together—just in case someone opened their door right after the signal and caught them blatantly pacing towards the detective’s dorm room.

After pressing an ear to the door and remembering a bit too late that the sound insulation in those rooms was something so amazing she wouldn’t be able to hear a thing in any case, Celestia reached the hallway, carefully locked the room behind her and sighed in relief at the fact that yes, she was indeed alone at the corridor. She took a step forward, another to the side, and was about to turn around when something made her… stop.

Stand still in the middle of the very corridor she had wished to cross as quickly as possible, before she could be spotted by one of the students. 

Doubt surrounded her heart, her mind; another, distinct feeling froze her legs to the ground and begged for her to look . Not listen, look. And pay very good attention to her surroundings, too, as if something of great importance had shifted in the minutes that she had been away from the place to begin with.

At first she deemed it ridiculous, an impression born from paranoia and the growing sense of danger that refused to leave her.

Then she spotted something in her peripheral vision that made her widen her eyes. Confirm once and for all that she hadn’t been seeing things earlier in that day, and that maybe yes, she did have something very relevant to tell Kirigiri as well. 

Beaming, wondering just for a split second if it would be more reasonable for her to turn tails and abandon their rendezvous, she denied herself the growing wish of raising a middle finger, and simply waltzed the rest of the way to her partner’s bedchamber without wasting another second of her time. 

Acting hastily would only put her—no, the two of them—in peril, after all. Especially if their read on the situation was correct. 

She placed a smile on her face while knocking on Kyoko’s door five times as well, disguising the anxiety, the dread and fury that rose inside her. When the door was opened and the detective returned her expression with a sweet, lighthearted beam of her own, Celestia knew she had succeeded in hiding her true feelings even from someone as perceptive as Kirigiri, a win and a powerful one in her book.

For the first time it wouldn’t be because she was keeping tabs, trying her hardest to fool the one person with enough skills to decode her. Rather, it might be a matter of survivability.

And of them adapting to their surroundings, something she had not been good at as a child nor wished to be while growing up. 

“You took your sweet time,” Kyoko said instead of a more common greeting. Not that the gambler was complaining. “What was it, did Toko deliver you a message right at the last minute or something?”

“No, I was left all alone until you called on me. And you also took your sweet time doing that, first and foremost.” Celestia chided her, smiling a bit to defuse the accusation. “I was even left wondering if you forgot about our arrangement.”

“No, you were not.” The detective pouted for a second, then shook her head at the blatant lie. One that had been told in too dramatic tones on purpose, so as to distract her from what was really nagging at the gambler’s heart. “And in any case, it was for a good reason. I promise you that.”

“Oh?” Celestia tilted her head, tried her hardest to peek into the rest of the room instead of merely looking at Kyoko. Something that had always been a bit harder to do, given how distracting the other girl could be. “May I ask why?”

“You may.”

The way Kirigiri smiled was already a telltale sign of how the rest of her sentence would go. Hence Celeste narrowed her eyes and parted her lips, ready to beg the other girl to stop being mysterious or keeping things from her. Yet the words were halted, her entire demeanor changing into one of surprise as Kyoko instead took a small step to the side and allowed the other a full view of the room. 

It wasn’t exceptional, but then none of those were in comparison to their dorms back at the destroyed Hope’s Peak Academy. Aside from the usual furniture, Kyoko had picked a small stand from the library and taken it to her room, then arranged some books she had managed to bring into it. Mostly those revolved around cases, investigations and other things, documents she had managed to take from the school and hide in her pocket.

Things that were valuable reminders of what they had gone through before being locked away from the world all in all. 

None of that caught Celestia’s attention, used as she was to the neat setting aside from the several cups of coffee one could always see lying around every surface of any room Kyoko had spent too much time in. No, what truly made her stop and stare was the fact that said cups were nowhere to be seen. 

And instead, there was a beautiful, ceramic teapot in the middle of the circular table, with two equally cute mugs on each side. 

“What… is this?” The gambler queried, pacing towards the desk nonetheless. Steam rose from the kettle and the smell quickly reached her, soothing nerves that had been frayed for a bit too long as of recent. 

The way that was enough to make her smile and relax her stance was very interesting, something Celestia might have thought about a little more were they not in the middle of a more important moment right then.

“I… wanted to take you on a date earlier today.” Kyoko admitted, cheeks flushing the pretty crimson the gambler had started to love and cherish. “But of course, it’s not as if there are many places for us to go, nor many things for us to do here. In any case, I took the liberty of looking around and tried to come up with something based on what we have available.” Beaming, she got closer to her partner and took her hand, caressed it the slightest. “At least they gave us pretty china and various flavors of tea. And milk.”

That sight, the words, the way Kirigiri was touching her were too much, too wholesome. They made Celestia smile, wider than before and for the first time that evening, in a genuine way. Giving in to an impulse that no longer had to be kept in check, she leaned forward and embraced the detective, placed a small kiss on her cheek and a much longer, more intimate one on her lips. 

“Milk tea? You made me milk tea?” She queried after pulling away, a hand already wrapping around the kettle’s handler.

The material was smooth, exquisite, perhaps real porcelain as it was—definitely something Celestia would acquire for her castle. Alongside a certain Ultimate that beamed and nodded at her, then motioned for her to pour it so they could finally taste her concoction.

“I don’t think I did it the right way, or the Celestia-approved way. There was little time for me to get a recipe and practice before we were locked in, and although it’s simple enough that I memorized the steps, I was never able to run it by you and make sure that was the correct manner to make it.” Kyoko gushed, then took her cup closer to her face and examined its content. “At least it looks like the beverage we had back at the cafe, but that may not mean anything.”

Celestia shook her head, still unsure about how to respond. Granted, it wasn’t the first time Kyoko had done something for her, but to go out of her way to learn a recipe and try to recreate it? After seeing how particular the gambler was about it? She couldn’t recall when someone in her family was that kind, especially after her telling them she wanted nothing to do with their “simpler way of life” philosophy.

“No, this… This is perfect, really. Thank you, sweetheart.”

She let the words sink in, then took a small, delicate sip after realizing the other was staring at her expectantly. Couldn’t help the sigh of sheer delight that escaped her lips, a bit unlady-like in her opinion but nevertheless an honest reaction. Despite how warm the liquid was she took a longer gulp, almost burning her tongue in the process, and only then did she let the cup down.

“Divine. Utterly divine, Lady Detective. Why, I might hire you to make me those every single day once we are released from this place. Name your price, and I shall be more than happy to pay it.” Celestia bowed her head a bit, regarding her beloved with care.

“A-ah, you don’t have to… praise me to high heavens like this, you know.” Kyoko shook her head, closing her eyes. Her grasp on the cup was a bit too tight, to the point that her knuckles were slowly turning white, but after a deep breath she was able to place confident, stable lilac irises on caring crimson ones. “Yet if you must, my price is a kiss.”

That she was answered right away, without any sort of hesitation, was enough for Kyoko to gasp—her eyes wide even after Celestia pulled away and chuckled at her reaction, the blatant sign that she had not been ready for such a quick retort. 

“There. Albeit if I were you, I would ask for something more elaborate. You can get kisses whenever you want, milk tea or not.” The gambler teased, drinking more of her tea in order to extend the moment, the kindness. 

The loving, carefree atmosphere that would soon be dissipated as their minds turned to business, to what else they were supposed to discuss while spending time together like that.

“It’s all the reward that I wish for right now in any case.” Her smile was open, earnest, sweet. A contrast to the dark rooms and dark days that were such an intricate part of their routine. “Unless you wish to spoil me with the identity of our mastermind, that is.”

And there it was, though Kyoko had chosen a rather gentle way in which to shatter their previously sweet mood. Hence Celestia gave a small, rueful smile in return, then politely shook her head and took another sip in order to afford some time to think of a good response. 

None came but the utmost truth, however, and she was forced to go with it as the other girl watched her with hopeful, fatigued eyes. And it would be something of a torture to let her go on believing the solution would fall out of thin air like that.

“That is beyond my capabilities at the moment, unfortunately. Though if it is of any aid, I would trade most of my fortune for the answer, in order to give you that at this very moment.” The gambler sighed, reached forward. Intertwined her fingers with Kyoko’s gloved ones, marveling in the soft touch of the leather she had grown so accustomed to. “I suppose this is the time in which we speak about our discoveries, is it not? I might be of some assistance, then.”

“Oh?” 

Curious, the Ultimate Detective leaned forward, rested her chin on her free palm. Her gaze was focused solely on Celestia’s, to the point that the gambler was sure she would have felt the slightest bit awkward if their situation hadn’t been that serious. Her heart lurched once, in fear of disappointing the other girl with what little information she had gathered, things she had seen, heard, and been informed of by intuition first and foremost. 

That sensation, unfamiliar, was snuffed under the lie she told herself: that everything was okay and they were doing nothing but sharing some gossip late at night. While drinking the best milk tea Celestia had ever tasted. Oh, if only there were candles around to make everything better and more romantic…

“Let us begin with something simple, yet interesting on its own.” Making her own heart believe in that imaginary scenario gave her the necessary courage to speak. And to sneer at her own self for being afraid for a split second over a matter such as that. “During the rounds I did around the school grounds, which I disguised as the need to fetch for something or the other that Chihiro needed for their project, I happened to run into some girls… Interlocked in the same depths of passion that we have shared in the last few days.”

Watching Kyoko’s eyes widen and a small smile spread around her lips was all the reward she needed for thinking extra hard as to how she would share the best piece of news she had gotten all day long. 

“Is that a very elaborate way of saying that you saw people kissing? May I ask who, not because I am curious, but merely since that could point towards students who might be working together in pursuit of a more… romantic goal?” Kirigiri inquired, lips quivering with an ill-suppressed need to laugh. 

The way her fingers shifted so as to hold Celestia’s hand, then started tracing patterns over the palm, were just another indicator of how interested she was in that.

“My, my, I never took you for the gossipy type. I do suppose that comes with the territory of being a detective and finding out all sorts of details about your client’s and other people’s lives, does it not?” The gambler giggled, even more so when that made the other girl scowl at her. “Oh, don’t frown like so, sweetheart. I do not believe these two could be the culprits we are after, however, and neither will you once you hear what I have to say.”

“Then out with it already, Celes, else I will regret inviting you over for tea.”

“Impatient. That’s a good look on you.” She closed the distance between them, lightly touched the tip of Kyoko’s nose before pulling back in fear of retaliation. “Very well, if you are so desperate… I saw Asahina and Sakura kissing in the kitchen, inside a classroom and in the dressing room that leads to the pool.”

Kyoko sighed, shaking her head. Even so, there was a small smile on her face, almost as if the issue was a rather joyous one instead of a nuisance. 

“I should have guessed.” She was the one who chuckled, then took a longer sip of her milk tea before continuing, “they’re always together, speaking in hushed tones and ambling around in their own little world. It was merely a matter of time. And in good news, that also means people might start focusing on them instead of wondering if we are together.”

“Indeed. They would prove to be a good distraction all things considered.” The gambler mused, as it was something she had been thinking about earlier as well. “On the other hand, some of us might start looking for similar signs of romantic feelings between their peers, meaning we should start minding our words and actions while in public as well.”

Comparison could get them in trouble, that was for certain. Yet it was clear both were unwilling to adhere to such terms, rightfully so. 

After everything they had already gone through, all the changes to their lives and the darkness that waited for them in every step of the way, it was just natural for the two to wish for some sort of normalcy. For a solace of sorts, that came from the love they shared.

“As much as it pains me to do so, I am obliged to agree with you.” Kyoko sighed, glanced away. The previous sense of warmth a mere afterthought, a slight impression on her still rosy cheeks. Soon that would fade, they both knew, as more pressing matters emerged. “Did something else happen that is worthy of our consideration?”

Celestia faltered; for the first time since they had met away from the public eye, she glanced at someplace beyond the girl she loved. It was only after she sifted through memories that she parted her lips again.

“Yes, there is something more. It was something I observed more than once, for nothing but split seconds—to the point that I was left asking myself if that wasn’t a conclusion I had drawn instead of a fact I actually witnessed. But I do believe there is no reason to doubt it. And if there is, well, then perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to get another opinion, a second pair of eyes.” Taking a deep breath, she exhaled slowly and pressed on, comforted by Kyoko’s touch. “As we know, this place has always had cameras around. But as of recent, I was made aware of the fact that they are… moving. 

“It doesn’t always happen, nor does it occur for a long period of time, hence it’s very easy to miss it, or to wonder if one was seeing things instead. At first I did catch one following me around a few seconds after I saw Hina and Sakura kissing. There was a lot in my mind and my heart was overjoyed with their love, so it was easier to conclude that I had imagined things. But then later, on my way here, it happened again. Since I was on high alert in order to not be seen by our peers, I was able to notice it better.”

“Was that what delayed you?” The detective asked, wincing as that was acquiesced with a nod. “Cameras moving… I see. Well, I haven’t, not yet, but as you suggested I’ll start paying more attention to them. Though perhaps… Perhaps I wasn’t just too tired the other day either.” When the gambler silently tilted her head at her, she explained, “I thought I saw one of them blinking. A red light in the middle of the corridor, during the night. Luckily the lack of natural light around the school makes it easier for us to notice those.”

“And yet I was oblivious to that.” Celestia considered, trying and failing to recall a time in which that had happened. 

Kyoko’s condescending smile attempted to soothe her before the sentence was uttered, and it only managed to make a small blush dust her cheeks instead. 

“That was when we kissed for the first time.” Noticing the tactic had failed, Kyoko leaned forward, caressed the gambler’s face with a thumb. “Hm, maybe you were a bit too distracted to notice, and I doubted my own mind for the last few days. Memories can be tricky, or play a trick on us when it comes to important moments such as that. But yes, now that you mentioned the cameras, I’m almost certain that one blinked around that time.”

No matter how undignified it was, Celestia couldn’t keep herself from groaning in frustration. It didn’t take a genius to understand what that might mean, what it could imply. Taking solace in the contact, she leaned her cheek against the hand and sighed in defeat.

“And to think we went to such great lengths to hide our precious love.”

“When there is a chance they already know. And that they might know way more than we can even imagine.” Fiddling with the handle of her cup, she took a few heartbeats to process the implications of that discovery. “The grounds they can cover by having cameras all over the school… we cannot compete with that by simply doing rounds or listening in.”

“Not when they can anticipate our moves, hide when needed and act whenever we aren’t around at all.” The gambler fidgeted with the hem of her skirt, the black dress she had put on ever since arriving at the bunker—there was no rhyme or reason for them to keep wearing the usual uniforms. Not when the mere sight of them brought so much heartache, so many memories of what they had had and lost. “Is there any way for us to turn this around?”

Kyoko didn’t immediately answer; both girls were quiet, thinking carefully about the problem at hand. How that changed what they knew, what they thought they knew, and what exactly they could do as some form of countermeasure. It wasn’t easy, but surely it couldn’t be impossible, as few things in that world were. Celestia herself understood that, recalling one too many moments in which her certain doom was turned around by a flash of inspiration, a breath of intuition. 

After all, holding the right cards meant nothing if one had no feel for the flow of the game.

“I don’t think they can exactly hear us as of now,” Celestia said, answering her own question since Kirigiri remained silent. “Else there is a high chance that we would be hunted down, or sworn to secrecy in some way or the other. Neither of us were approached by any suspicious character outside of Toko and Genocide Jack—and much as these two are uncanny, they are not the type of uncanny we are dealing with.”

“Still, it would be better if such matters were no longer discussed in any room with a camera. Luckily that leaves a few options, including our dorms, but we have to be more careful nonetheless.” The detective frowned, took back her hand and folded them together. Stared so pointedly at the palms that it was simple to wonder if something about them was bothering her. “I advise we play the ignorant and foolish part for as long as we can afford to, perhaps doing more of the listening in and being around those we suspect the most.”

“So Enoshima and Ikusaba?” 

The Ultimate Detective started nodding, faltered, returned to the gesture and finished it. That alone was enough to let the other girl know how uncertain the entire process was. Had she not been involved in it from the very beginning, she might not have had the same dimension of how careful of a work it had to be. One wrong assumption, one flawed move, and it might be the end of them. 

“For the time being, yes. I am not a hundred percent convinced that it is them, as some suspicion looms around a few of our other peers, but in any case.” Finally she lifted her eyes from her hands, rested them on Celestia one more time. “I need to start somewhere. The time for merely observing and doing nothing is coming to an end and fast.”

Maybe the gambler might have let that go, attributed the error to how serious the situation was, had it not been for the fact that she had already commented on the very same thing a few times before. Unable to keep herself still, she laced their hands together and squeezed, giving a small, forlorn smile to punctuate the words she uttered next.

“ We need to start somewhere, love. Or must I remind you once more that you are not alone? That I won’t let you act alone anymore?” 

The words were soft, said in a gentle tune. Even so they made the detective wince, then look apologetically at her partner. The one who had been with her in every step of the way. The one she could no longer be without, which was a new, exhilarating feeling that also came with its drawbacks. One of them lodged in her throat, the mere thought of it becoming true making her silence the words, eyes stinging a bit at the mental images that lingered in her brain. 

All of it was watched by Celestia, who understood what was happening. After allowing a few seconds for Kyoko to deal with something she herself had encountered not that long in the past, she pressed on. 

“I know. I also wish to keep you safe, and believe me when I say that seeing you lying in a hospital bed once was more than enough.” The gambler smiled while saying it, but nothing could really make that particular pain vanish from her voice. Not even convincing herself that it had been nothing. Some feelings were strong like that. “That goes against the hands we have been dealt, which include our current situation and particular set of talents, however, and therefore it is unwise for either or both of us to keep waiting for that to transpire. Not when the possibility for that to happen is very, very minimal all in all.

“The most that I can do is believe in you. In your skills and tenacity, in the intelligent person that you are. And also in the fact that you will allow me to tag along for the very same reason, as together we are more capable than we would ever be apart.”

Instead of talking, Kyoko got to her feet, closed the distance between them with wide, resolute steps. Her arms enveloped Celestia before she could move or stand as well, her head resting against the detective’s chest, her own limbs fumbling and finding a comfortable position entwined on her back. It was wholesome all in all, albeit not enough of an admission that things would change; thus the gambler glanced upwards after a few seconds, beaming at the girl who watched her.

“We have to start somewhere.” Kyoko whispered, barely above her breath. As if scared of uttering that, of where that would lead both of them. “And we will begin by tailing Mukuro and Junko from now on.”

The deal was sealed with a kiss, a gentle one that nevertheless translated their intent, the drive to move forward and solve that mystery once and for all.

Chapter Text

“When I see you all together like that… it makes me realize how little of you are left! That means your school life is slowly coming to its climax.”

It was strange that of all things, it would be Monokuma’s words that lingered in her mind the most. As the students slowly settled into their places and focused on the class trial, Celestia couldn’t help but notice that her own mind was still far afield. 

That she had clung to that sentence out of everything that had transpired until that very moment in time. Almost as if deep down, she wished to forget everything.

Almost as if she were trying to hold on to dear hope—that soon her school life would end—instead of facing the doubts that tore at her heart.

It was harder than she had thought it would be, to keep lying to herself. To pretend it had been the murders that had impacted her so, instead of the information she had been shown right before the trial. Why, she almost broke protocol and walked away from Kyoko the moment they met again in front of the elevator. Emotion overtaking her; grief and worry, distorted twin feelings to the attraction she was pretty sure right then she had not imagined beforehand.

But somehow, despite her thoughts, despite her motivation, despite what she had done…

She could not bring herself to stay away from Kirigiri no matter what.

Somehow it hurt when the other girl beamed at her, however. Not because the act was undeserved, or that Celestia blamed herself for not being completely truthful, but since it seemed that there was already some sort of distance between them. One that was made more obvious when Kirigiri’s eyes refused to meet hers, or when she had no word of encouragement before or during the elevator ride to the trial grounds.

Yes, the other girl had reached for her hand at some point and caressed it tenderly. Almost as if there really wasn’t anything wrong between them. Had the gambler been more oblivious, or not as accustomed to Kyoko’s moods in particular, she might have been able to fool herself. To be sure that everything was fine, that she was under no suspicion at all.

But her own senses weren’t placated, her own mind hanging into the very fact that Kirigiri’s gaze shied away from hers. That something about the touch was dubious: there, but not completely there, a shadow of itself. That the comfort was a last ditch effort at best, a mockery at worst.

A goodbye, if she wished to entertain such a painful thought. 

And for that alone, those interactions or lack thereof, Celestia was left adrift, unsure of where she stood. 

She wished she could say it didn’t matter. That one sole girl, one who had shown up late to the entire investigation no less, wouldn’t be able to swerve the rest of the room into sharing her opinion. After all, the gambler had been thorough when making everything point towards Hiro, save a few, smaller details that would surely get overlooked given the puzzle she had created. 

And while no, she could not have expected for Hifumi to screw up that badly more than once, it was all… Circumstantial, wasn’t it? Evidence that could be discarded, or that depending on how the debate went she might be able to claim and prove that it had been planted in order to divert them from the real culprit.

Why, if push came to shove she could always lay the blame on Kyo—

No, no. 

That was more than simply stupid despite her lack of an alibi after the breakfast meetup; it was… heinous. Sinful even, although that wasn’t usually a word Celestia employed towards her own actions and as such, felt eerie and out of place. Nevertheless that was the sensation that lingered inside her chest, that guided her towards her podium in the trial room while completely ignoring Monokuma’s jabs and Hiro’s claims for his innocence.

Tension lined the students’ faces for very few seconds, a contrast to how it would remain for a while after a class trial commenced. If before they had been unsure of where to start and what to discuss first, right then Monokuma didn’t even have to provide them with a theme, an element of the crime that should be treated with more urgency so the bigger picture could be unraveled. 

“We already know who did it!”

Although that was exactly what Celestia had wanted to hear from the moment in which she started devising her plan, the fact that it was announced by Hina of all people didn’t make her that confident she had done her job well. At least they were getting straight to the point, more callous than careful in regards to the class trial, which was also something she could and might explore depending on how things went. 

That was the portion of the plan she had the least control over, as it was impossible to expertly manipulate everyone’s perceptions and thoughts over the scenario she had made up. The play she had enacted to perfection on her side. It was, again, not that much different from a nice game of poker, in which she would never be able to direct what cards the others got, what plays they did. 

If that thought alone might have been enough to fill her with confidence, the reminder that she was still in her element in one way or the other, it was answered with a sense of dread right there. 

She needed every vantage she could get, however. And if by any luck the person who yelled the loudest managed to convince everyone that their words were the truth of it all, then she might have to capitalize on it in any case.

And truthfully, wouldn’t it be better for everyone involved if they were able to put an end to it, to all of it, in a question of minutes instead of the hours it usually took?

(She didn’t want to think about Kyoko’s execution. The moments that would precede it, as the girl realized she had been caught in a trap. Or…)

“It was Hiro.” Celestia’s voice rang true—not as loud as Aoi’s, of course, but reasonable, unwavering. Saying that wouldn’t be out of the character she had been keeping for the last few hours either, as she had been quick to accuse him in a more logical way. “He does not have an alibi for when the murders took place, and we found him in that suit.”

Which… surely wasn’t the strongest line of accusation she knew she could make, but anyways. The whole pacing of the crime and the confusing steps she had planned would speak for themselves, corroborating that theory whenever they were brought up.

“I didn’t! I was asleep the whole time and don’t know anything about it!”

Oh, to see the despair etched into his face… In another time, were the circumstances different, the gambler might have savored it. Savored the thought of seeing her prey contorting itself in the web she had woven, tasted the sweet anticipation of victory in the back of her mouth. How many times hadn’t she done the same when some vile adult opposed her in a game, if their expressions started crumbling the more they realized how dire their future looked?

Something was different right then, however. And deep down Celestia knew exactly what it was. 

And how that feeling was actually called regret.

(And how it made her similar to someone. Someone who she couldn’t really recall at that moment in time.)

“Shut your murdering mouth, you murderer!!!” Toko, no, Genocide Jack, spoke from the other side of the room. An unexpected supporter.

“Oh, that’s rich. Who are you calling a murder—”

“My deepest condolences, Hiro, but we do have evidence to support this.” The gambler interrupted him. It wasn’t something she had planned to do beforehand—she shouldn’t be more or less involved in the trial, as either extreme might raise suspicion—but anxiety urged her onwards. The need to get it over with, for her sake and that of the girl she liked. “Your room hid the blueprints for the suit, as well as parts which we assume were used to build it. It is… very condemning evidence, wouldn’t you say?

“It all certainly points to you wearing the suit while committing crime after crime… Wounding people, then taking their very lives.”

The anger in her tone was dissimulated, a coverup to the sadness that wanted to take her over. It was strong enough to make a pair of violet eyes turn her way for a brief second, regard her with something that seemed like concern. Although it had been quick, the action alone was enough to give her hope.

Even if just as swiftly she squelched the very feeling, the notion that came alongside it.

“How many times do I have to tell you?! I don’t know, I don’t know, I don’t—”

“Hiro, why did you do that to them?!” Hina inquired, tears gathering in her eyes. It didn’t take a genius to wonder if she were thinking about Hifumi while saying that. 

Hifumi, and the many mistakes he had made while executing her carefully-built plan. 

Hifumi, and the name he had uttered not long before dying.

Hifumi, and the fact that back then he had also—

Huh? Back when?

“You claim you do not know, yet everything that was in your room speaks otherwise.” Celestia pressed on to silence her thoughts, fury almost overtaking caution. Why couldn’t people just accept that and move on with their dwindling lives? “Why else would you have those weird parts, the blueprints—”

“Stop. This isn’t gonna take us anywhere.” Makoto sighed, shaking his head. “Before just pointing fingers, we need to make some stuff clear once and for all.” 

He needed a moment of silence and so it was, using it to take a deep breath and close his eyes in deep concentration. What sort of hole in her logic he had seen, the gambler could not tell—after all, it wasn’t as if there was anything she had left out to chance in regard to those things, was there?

His next question surprised her, at the same time that made her wonder if she shouldn’t have tried to control more of the environment leading to the crime as it was.

“Are we sure that Hiro actually made those blueprints?”

“What… do you mean?” She let herself falter, internally cringing at that stupid display of vulnerability. It wasn’t the time, it wasn’t the place.

It wasn’t the moment for her to keep thinking about too many things at once. Not when her attention should be focused first and foremost into making sure she wouldn’t be found out. 

“Well, look at this.” He fumbled with his trouser pockets, and for a while there was nothing but him grunting and pulling at something that eventually came loose. A piece of paper, that he held up for everyone to examine. “It’s the note Hiro wrote asking everyone to meet up after Alter Ego disappeared.”

“When compared to the one found in the blueprints, the handwriting is drastically different.” Kyoko spoke up for the first time since the trial began. And although Makoto had been addressing Celestia, the mysterious Ultimate seemed to do everything in her power not to meet her stare. “No one in their right minds would ever believe that the same person wrote both things.”

Oh. Perhaps asking Hiro to go around calling people had been a wrong move from the very beginning. Or at least something she should have thought about after all. Nothing was lost, though, as in the same way that her accusation hadn’t been that strong or strongly backed up, neither was that claim.

At first she nodded, as if placated by that observation. Then she pursed her lips, glancing at some place behind Kyoko’s face (because two could play that game, regardless of how little she wished to spend their last moments like that,) and hummed to herself.

“Hmm… unless they made a point to disguise their true handwriting, correct?” Hina queried, taking that burden away from the gambler.

“There is a limitation to how much someone can alter their natural style, though.” Sakura intervened, for once not agreeing with the girl she liked; the Ultimate Swimmer even widened her eyes at her because of that. “And to me, that goes way beyond that.”

“And let’s face it, I’m not smart enough to think of that.” Hiro admitted.

Which was true, but hiding behind his own lack of wit would not be enough to save him from being framed, would it?

Well, it swayed some people surely enough—at least Byakuya was quick to back Makoto up, though perhaps he could have more reasons of his own to believe so. Aside from Kyoko and Naegi’s luck to find stuff when he should be none the wiser, Celestia had pondered heavily over what she would have to do in order to convince that guy. Or how to make it so that he never suspected her at the very least. Much as she would loathe to admit it, Togami had a few brain cells in that head of his, which was annoying for someone that useless.

Not that he took any agency for it, simply prompting Makoto to answer his questions as always. At the very least no one had the gall to admit that there was a second suit, with someone other than Hiro in it.

Which of course led Byakuya to claim that the suspicious individual in the Robo Justice suit and the culprit were completely different people. 

And it would be very, very problematic if the other students proved that it had been exactly like so. 

Luckily that line of thinking just elicited more uproar than agreement; but then, Celestia had made sure to induce people to think the guilty person would be the one in the suit from the very beginning. It was one of the traps she had created, and in other circumstances she would be beaming at the prospect of seeing most of them falling for it. 

“What reason do you have to claim this? Unless it is nothing more than a baseless assumption…?” The gambler inquired to the guy on her right, wishing and not just for the first time, that it was another Ultimate standing next to her instead of Byakuya. 

She wanted to say something about how it also meant that the person who attacked her was innocent and parted her lips to do just that. Another thought rushed in, shut her mouth for good, and told her to simply watch and see where his reasoning would lead him. There was a chance he could mention something she had predicted would come up in the trial, prepared a very easy way to undo it. If she could do so without mentioning that she had been harmed, which might turn too much unwanted attention towards her, then so be it. 

“Of course. There is another thing we must clarify beforehand, however, so it’s better to get that out of the way first and foremost.” 

Argh, his smugness annoyed her so. It would be priceless to watch him burn, losing his life to whatever execution Monokuma had planned for him—why, if she could do so, she would certainly ask for him to be the first one to go… 

And for Kyoko—

“Perish the thought.” Celestia mumbled to herself while Hina whined about Togami bossing them around (a valid point in the gambler’s opinion. Were it up to her, he would remain silent for the entire trial.)

Nevertheless, she couldn’t even imagine what it would be like to see the other girl suffering. The girl she…

The girl she had kissed in some sort of distant past.

“We must clarify how Taka was moved. It seems his body has changed locations with the use of some items. Makoto, if you will, tell the rest of the class what these were.”

That Byakuya’s glare fell on Kirigiri before landing on Naegi, almost as if implying he was doing that for the sake of keeping her of all people informed, was even more infuriating. It was second only to the mere possibility of him accusing Celestia without any proof whatsoever. Why, the nerve of him… the gambler even started wondering why she hadn’t targeted him other than the very fact that he didn’t fit into her neatly arranged narrative in any way, shape or form. It would be impossible to include Byakuya in the whole Alter Ego incident, thus making the very foundation behind the victims she had chosen completely null.

Besides, wouldn’t it be too cliche of her to go for someone who called himself smart or tried to make others view him as such? Regardless of how stupid some of his assumptions had been in past cases, starting with the whole Genocide Jack conundrum. 

“They were… the dolly and the tarp, right?” Makoto finally answered, and Celeste had to stop herself from cursing under her breath. 

That should have been a bit more troublesome for them to figure out, regardless of how they had yet to explain how and who had done the moving. Still, blame Hifumi for letting such a visible bloodstain on the ground, and not cleaning up after his mess in more meticulous ways. 

Had there been any way for her to be in two places at the same time, she certainly would have done it. And followed her entire script from beginning to end. As much as Yamada’s involvement had been necessary, it also proved to be a complete and utter nuisance.

All she could do at that moment in time was hope that she wouldn’t have to answer for his carelessness.

“The body was first found in the equipment room, then rediscovered in the repository, wrapped in a blue tarp. Maybe so that the culprit would be able to carry it around without leaving a blood splatter behind?” Naegi theorized, frowning. “That tarp was in the equipment room if I remember correctly, so the killer must have seen it there and decided to use it to move Taka. The same can be said about the dolly, as I think it was where we first found him.

“Besides, the dolly was also in the repository when we found both corpses. Meaning it was definitely involved in the whole thing.”

Ah, there it was. Surely he might have more arguments than just that, but if there was something Celestia had been banking on during her preparations, it was challenging people’s memories of the case. What they had or had not seen, what they thought had happened versus the truth of it all. 

“But can you be absolutely positive the dolly was in the equipment room when we found Taka’s body?” The gambler queried, pensive. That alone was enough to draw some gazes in her direction, including Kyoko’s, but again their eyes didn’t meet. Already used to it, even though her heart panged with some degree of sadness at that treatment, she went on, “the dolly was made in order to move large objects between the repository and art room. It would be very strange indeed to discover that somehow it had found its way to the equipment room, correct? It has no business being there.

“Is it not possible that it was in the repository all along and you simply did not notice that it was there? Given the gravity of the situation, it is very understandable for you to misplace things, or believe that they were or were not where they are supposed to be.”

“That is a valid objection!” Byakuya spoke up with way too much sarcasm in his tone. “How do you respond, Makoto?”

How about with silence, an admittance that there is no way to tell?! Celeste’s thought was more a yell than anything, to the point she was relieved no one else could hear it. The longer he stood beside her, the angrier she was getting at that guy. The nerve of him, meddling when she was doing such a good job of misdirecting Naegi.

“Oh, come, there is no shame in being wrong.” Despite her actual mood, she was able to school her expression into one of condescendence. While hoping that insulting Makoto would also be a way to target Togami for some weird, illogical motive. “No one expects too much from you anyways. You lack the credentials, the talent, any sort of experience with this line of work to begin—”

“Enough. Let’s hear him.” 

So the Ultimate Affluent Progeny was not immune to having the guy of his dreams (or so it seemed) humiliated in front of everyone else. 

It was easy to believe that she had won when Makoto’s immediate answer to that was to remain silent. To stare at her in an incredulous way before lowering his eyes, seemingly thinking about what was being said and trying to recall something, anything, he might have seen or heard to corroborate his explanation. Never mind that there was nothing wrong with it, but Celestia’s job was to live and therefore, to shut down whatever line of thinking he might have.

And if that involved nothing other than sheer memory, then things might be easier than she had anticipated they would while making preparations.  

“Come now, do not waste our time.” She continued, seeing that Makoto was definitely backing down. If she could just continue to insult him, to make him think more about what she was saying than whatever it was he had not forgotten, then there was a chance nothing good would come out of that discussion. And her whole case would hold. “Our lives are at stake, and we cannot afford to linger on such baseless matters. So please, stop lying and relying on nothing more than your awfully faulty memory. That is not enough to make your point relevant in any court in the entire world, least of all he—”

“Ah, I remember now!” Makoto’s eyes lit up, the exact opposite reaction of what Celeste desired from him. Why, that was almost as if he had had an idea. And unless it was just another thing he couldn’t confirm, then she wanted nothing to do with it. “If it’s proof that you want, then here it is.

“When I found the dolly, there was blood all over its wheels. What’s more, there are bloody tire marks on the floor of the equipment room too, and before you ask, yeah, they match the wheel’s thread.

“Meaning, the killer probably rolled the dolly over the blood pool on accident as they were carrying Taka’s body away.”

And there it was: the proof that either Celestia should have talked someone with more brains than Hifumi into her plan, or that she should have found another way to deal with the whole matter by her lonesome. That last sentence stung, the admittance that everything else she had done wasn’t enough to erase Makoto’s impression of the crime scene and of other relevant places either.

And if he could retain that much information without any real training in investigative matters, it made her wonder how worse things would have been if Lady Detective over there had been present from the very beginning. 

The fact that Kirigiri seemingly forgot her talent, or at least what it was supposed to be, had yet to hinder her ability to perform amazingly well in that field anyways. 

Lady Detective… why those words sounded mockingly sweet at such desperate times, was no longer a secret to her. Instead they burdened her, a searing burn from inside out. Why did she need to know so much when it mattered so little?

“Hmpf…” The gambler answered, both to her own, terrible thoughts and to Naegi’s very correct guess. No, it wasn’t the time to give up just yet. Not when there was so much left to unveil. 

That they had gotten one thing correct didn’t mean her entire scenario would crumble or that her life was over, so there was absolutely nothing to worry about.

The thought reassured her, calmed down a bit of her nerves. It was impossible for her heartbeat to go down at that point, however, but that was something she had come to terms with a very long time ago. Perhaps ever since that final talk with Alter Ego, and all the discoveries it had brought forth.

Perhaps ever since Kyoko started ignoring her the slightest, though right then her gaze did fall on hers for a little longer than before. And those lavender eyes, once inscrutable, held something very akin to a warm, dull ache. 

Does she know? Does she—

“That was just something we needed to get out of the way. Now, moving back to the main issue…” Byakuya interrupted her thoughts, his voice way too loud right beside her. At that moment it was useful, as it stopped her from going on another downright spiral. “Now, I’d be happy to explain why the occupant of the suit couldn’t possibly be the killer. And it has to do with how the body was transported as well—a huge mistake on the true culprit’s part, if I say so myself.”

Again, it took a lot of self-control for the gambler not to hit him just because. But alas, that would be a huge mistake on the true culprit’s part, as he had so boastfully professed.

The issue was that that time, Celestia herself was at a loss in regard to what his argument was. Meaning she could do nothing but listen to what the other students said, as attentive as possible in order to catch anything that she could and would refute later on. If the opportunity arose of course, since it would be too obvious if she kept interrupting the trial that often. 

Yet the truth of it returned to her not that long after. Right before Makoto could undo Hina’s retelling of the process—how the person in the robo suit had to bend over to carry the dolly. She even had to turn away from Kyoko’s passing stare so as to press her lips in a thin line while more of her carefully constructed plan was pulled apart.

Does she… remember?

“Remember when you tried to wear the suit, Hina?” Makoto prompted as the Ultimate Swimmer and Hiro looked at him with blank expressions. “You even said it, that it was completely impossible to…”

“Ah! Bend at the waist! There’s no way the person inside that thing would be able to carry the dolly at all.” She nodded, pensive. Probably recalling how it felt to wear the suit regardless of how it hadn’t been made with her in mind anyways. 

Unable to stop herself, Celestia found terrible words making their way through her lips. Even if she internally cringed at the sound of them a second later. 

“Well, what’s to stop them from kicking the dolly instead? It’s not because one does not have the use of their hands that the rest of their body isn’t capable of such a thing.”

That argument was refuted right away, and correctly so. Must she make a fool of herself while trying to mislead people? Though truthfully, it was getting harder and harder to think clearly in a place like that. Between walls that seemingly would crush her at any moment.

Between memories that were trying to resurface, and that crowded her head way more than every single answer she had made up in anticipation for what the others might say during that very moment. 

Why, if Celeste allowed herself to feel what she was really experiencing, she would hold her head between her hands and wail in pain. It was unlike any headache she had had in the past, at least that she could remember.

And weren’t memories the very issue she might be struggling with? If one were to add the stress and anxiety that had gradually been surpassing reason and logic, the quick thinking she had always prided herself in, then the result would be her actual state. 

And the things she had been saying, which were… shamefully odd and absurd, for starters. 

Wrapped in her own ache, the questions she couldn’t answer and the reality she had been trying for so long to keep at bay, she didn’t hear what Genocide Jack queried, what Makoto answered—something about how Hiro had been unable to either put or take the suit off by himself due to how it had been designed. In the back of her mind she knew it was an interesting point, something she should have considered both while making the thing and while predicting what her classmates would latch upon.

But at the end of the day, it was too much. It was just…

Promise me.

She had… she had agreed to something of that nature, had she not? It was related to not putting herself in danger or whatever. She had scoffed at that, since the one who had asked her that—

The one who had asked her that was currently nodding at what the others were saying, no longer interested in whatever internal debate Celestia was wrapped in.

It took a while for her to recall that… she had had taken measures against the logic the students were presenting, the line of thought that was slowly but surely gaining strength among them. The robo suit was important, goddamit! It was too early for them to discard it as important to the case, for it all to be for naught.

“W-wait, if you please. Have you forgotten about the pictures that I was able to take in the gist of a terrible occurrence?” Yes, there it was. The images! She had not endured Hifumi babbling and laughing like a second-rate villain for nothing. “You did get a good look at it, did you not? The image of HIfumi being dragged away by Robo Justice? How may you explain that, and the further aggressions—including those against moi—if the one in the suit isn’t the culprit?

“Furthermore, the now-deceased Hifumi even accused said person of being behind the attack he suffered. So even if you choose not to believe me, despite my own wounds, then please do recall his words.

“If we were both assaulted by the person in the costume, then Hiro is the culprit without a shadow of a doubt.”

Because who would doubt a dead person, or dishonor his memory in such a fashion to begin with? No one spoke ill of those who had passed—why, even Junko was mentioned with sadness and some sort of reverence, despite her overall mannerisms and standoffish nature.

Junko… the name alone was enough to make something awful run down her spine. A familiar yet uncharacteristic feeling, something she did neither wish to pursue nor think that was the correct moment to do so. There was no way in the world that girl was relevant right then. Not when she was trying her hardest to stay alive.

Not when somehow, she found herself very akin to that person, for reasons yet unknown.

“I don’t doubt that you were hurt.” Kyoko’s voice was low, yet powerful enough to shake Celestia awake from that reverie. “But it’s far too early to reach that conclusion. There is much to be explained and even more possibilities to be explored. Rushing the trial could be disastrous, albeit to me it looks like that was exactly what the killer wanted.” After a deep breath, she went on, “let us review everything from the beginning and try to analyze everything we know for a fact, from another viewpoint. Then and only then will the truth be uncovered.”

“Spoken like a true detective.” Celestia whispered, beaming to herself. Was it pride that colored her tone, that made her smile?

Was it some sort of realization that caused Kirigiri’s stance to shift for a second, lavender eyes widening in surprise before Naegi agreed with her?

It was clear that both of them lost the beginning of that explanation due to reasons of their own. Hina and Sakura relayed the entire case, touching on every point the gambler had wanted people to pay attention to, and she almost missed her cue when it came to reminding people that she had been hurt and fallen unconscious. That was also when Kirigiri’s eyes, which had still been on her, sought out and lingered on the small red lines on her face and hands.

And although she didn’t interrupt it at all, there was a small smile on her face once the retelling was over. 

“This seems rather complex, yet to me it is more than just a series of connected events.” Kyoko explained, calm, centered. In her element, as it should be. “That is so because for this long, we have been trying to consider the two murders in tandem—which is not a wrong approach, as they surely are related. But if we wish to get to the bottom of both, then we must think of them separately in order to find the necessary information and contradiction to explain the whole. Let us go over what happened to Ishimaru first and foremost.”

“And why should we think about him first?” Celestia queried, uncertain of where that was coming from.

“We cannot be sure of when each person died—that information isn’t present in the Monokuma files.” The mysterious Ultimate countered, pensive. “Which makes me wonder if that isn’t relevant to the case as a whole.”

“Oh, but we already know he went last!” Aoi piped up, and the gambler couldn’t be more proud of her if she wanted to. “Because of the numbering on the Justice Hammers.”

Finally another important part of her plan was brought forth without her prompting. All she had to do was hope that for once, nothing Hifumi did or the others thought about could destroy it as well. The fact that Byakuya himself corroborated that point meant that perhaps, just perhaps, it would be okay. That her execution of things had been nothing but stellar, meaning that if anything happened to her she would blame Yamada’s sloppiness for the rest of whatever little time she would have alive. 

But of course her happiness lasted for very little time. Since Naegi, accursed Naegi, was quick to question if the hammers had truly been used in order to begin with.

There was no blaming it on Hifumi, however, when the proof he presented in order to argue that Taka had been dead for longer than the other guy, was Ishimaru’s wristwatch. Which Celestia didn’t even notice at any point during her planning and execution.

Had she ever… been that anxious and careless while executing any type of stunt before?

“It must have gotten broken with his fight against the killer, as last night he used it to point out that it was too late for me to be awake.” Makoto sheepishly added.

“Meaning, then, that it stopped at 6 AM. This morning.” Celeste herself added. She couldn’t keep playing devil’s advocate all the time, could she? As much as it pained her to do so.

As much as it ached to see one of her favorite portions of the plan falling apart after so little deliberation from the rest of her classmates. And there was no one else to blame but her.

Just as it had been, once upon a time.

“So if Taka was killed before 6 AM, before the main events that were listed in the case reconstruction we did… then everybody’s alibis are completely irrelevant.” Kyoko stated, glancing at every single one of them with suspicion. 

“For Taka’s case, that is indeed true.” Sakura pondered, pursing her lips. “Yet for Hifumi’s, they still hold true. After all, aside from you and Hiro, we were all together when it took place.”

Was that a way out that she could latch on to? Celestia didn’t know; there was little she could make sense of at that point in time, what with how much it felt like everything she had been working for was turning to dust. That it wouldn’t be long until she herself met the same demise. Regardless of how much she wanted to believe that it wasn’t so, that it was nothing but conjecture for the time being, there was a nagging voice in her brain that kept telling her that she had lost.

That she had lost once, some time ago.

And then lost again, while listening to the siren’s song of a long past that shouldn’t even be relevant for some reason or the other. 

Regardless, the only way to go was forward—that was true whenever her hand wasn’t the best in poker, or whatever game she happened to be playing against a seemingly strong foe. And it was certainly the case right then, to the point that it was… how had her dear Kyoko put it?

Still too early to make that assumption.

Celestia took a deep breath, nodded her assent. And got ready to fight a bit more, for a bit longer. Against the part of her that believed it was useless. 

Against the growing certainty that she had lost way more than just the girl she had loved.

After all, there was no disguising the tortuous look in Kyoko’s eyes as they turned to meet hers at that sharp intake of air. And the belief, however flimsy, that she had been caught in some way or the other by the very person she fancied.

Chapter Text

“How is it like, being locked in this place instead of being out there, in the midst of the fight?” 

For the innocent bystanders that might have been an innocuous question. Something a curious mind like Kyoko’s would come up with, posing it without any trouble after wondering a bit more about everything that had happened. It was simple in its formulation as well, to the point that many wondered how they had failed to think about that issue themselves. 

Why, that was the very thought that entertained Celestia, a split second before she remembered the reason why her and Toko had vowed to listen and watch when the opportunity arose. 

To see how Mukuro took in the question with a small drawback, almost as if she could hear what went beyond those mere words.

“Oh, indeed, that must be such a torture to you; to know that there is a chance the world lies in flames, that duels must be fought. And yet here you are, away from the battlefield where you so belong.” The gambler meddled, matter-of-factly. Her eyes remained on the books she was supposed to be studying, the same she had already perused and deemed unworthy of her time and attention a very long while ago. “After all, what was it that you said to me not that long ago? Fighters fight.”

Again, there was silence instead of the casual conversation that had been kept around the present students while they went around their task. The sixteen inhabitants of the bunker had decided earlier on to break into groups and see what was available to them, what resources they could count with. Never mind that such a thing had already been done before, by a party organized by Kirigiri no less since she had had to make sure her father had catered to their needs.

Having too much free time on their hands was leading to that, however, chores being done repetitively if only so they could occupy themselves. They had after all reached a point in which playing blackjack against Celestia, or holding swimming competitions against Hina and Sakura, was no longer able to keep their anxiety in check. 

Of course, that didn’t include the trio who was indeed investigating everything that was still going on around them. What sort of energy, or what being, could be feeding into the despair that had yet to release its hold on the world they had left behind.

“I’m… managing.” Mukuro eventually responded, but not without glancing at her sister for a quick heartbeat. Something that didn’t go unnoticed and almost seemed as if she were asking for permission. “Besides, there’s no way for us to know if battles are actually happening.”

“Yeah!” Junko chirped, tossing a book between her hands. Given how heavy the tome looked, there was indeed a danger of her getting hurt—and somehow it didn’t feel like she cared a bit about it. “I mean sure, we saw all hell breaking loose when we were running towards the bunker, but that doesn’t mean it’s still real. Maybe the world is finally healing and we just don’t know.”

“Maybe by now, the few students who didn’t die at the Tragedy or kill themselves as Hope’s Peak burned are actually being taken care of.” Ikusaba beamed, eyes hopeful. A pretty look for a soldier, Celeste had to admit. “And I’m not even missing anything at all.”

“I think everything’s all right and we’ll be let out soon.” Hina added with an encouraging smile. Beside her, Sakura nodded before relieving her of a growing stack of heavy books. “I mean, okay, there’s no way they’d take us out of here unless they were a thousand percent sure there’s no danger. But that doesn’t mean things are as bad as when we left them.”

Oh, how blissful it was to be that naive… at that moment in time, Celestia couldn’t help but admire that. To imagine how soothing it must be, how simple it must be to fall asleep at night without spending countless hours trying to understand what they were missing. What they hadn’t seen.

What they were failing to observe, and could prove to be the very last thing they saw before everything fell into chaos.  

After all, too much time had passed already. So much, they had lost count of weeks, then months, as hours ran into each other and seemed the very same one they had left behind. What with the little to no progress Chihiro had made on connecting their PC to the internet once more, or providing them with any information about the world at large, it was almost impossible to tell exactly for how long they had been there. 

Why, even Kyoko had forgotten to keep track, to take notes on each of the days they spent sleuthing and coming up empty handed. Perhaps because of how tiresome, how annoying, how utterly frustrating it was to repeat the very same thing countless times…

… and have exactly the same results.

But then, wasn’t that the only outcome they could expect if their method didn’t change?

Wasn’t that the very reason why they had decided to stop supposing, stop conjecturing, and actually go with what little leads had been collected over time?

“... nothing to fear in any case.”

The gambler was shaken awake by the end of Enoshima’s sentence, the dazzling smile and small squeeze she gave on Kyoko’s shoulder. Oh, how easy it would be to be reassured by either gesture, tranquilized by beauty and the aura of togetherness that girl seemed to have. For a few seconds she couldn’t help but stare, mesmerized, only to gasp when the Ultimate Fashionista turned towards her and took hold of her hands as well. 

“There, there, are you also concerned? I meaaaan, I can understand Miss Kirigiri being puzzled, trying to find and solve mysteries where there might be none, but you as well?” Junko tilted her head, studying her. Almost as if she were too curious about her response, what her question could elicit.

What her question wasn’t saying. And it could actually be implying anything other than the sheer interest Kyoko herself had shown towards Mukuro a few seconds ago.

The thing was, with most people Celestia was able to tell. To read their intentions like they were written out in the open. It was something about their tone, their body language, the way their eyes lingered or moved away in a dance of their own. She couldn’t say and could never explain, finding it tough to put into words what her brain had always been able to pick upon, little tells and whatnot that had given her the title of Ultimate Gambler. 

Yet with Enoshima… 

The only thing she could do was copy her tactics, turn them into something even more intricate. To never let the other girl gaze into her soul, especially since she wasn’t allowed a peek into hers either. Making herself believe that everything was okay and Junko was doing nothing but trying to understand her own stance in those things, Celestia beamed, fondly caressed the hand that held hers and shifted their stance so she was the one doing the holding instead. 

Perhaps to many that would be nothing, yet she could feel rather than see the way two pairs of eyes bore into her back. One with wonder, the other with something like ill-concealed anger.

“I of course agree with you, dear Enoshima. Why, my main concern is that I might lose touch with my talent while locked away in this place. No offense, but I long for real opponents, the thrill of gambling and the joy of receiving every little reward that I deserve.” It helped that it was true in a sense: none of her classmates offered too much of a challenge. And she would still need money once the world was back to normal, in order to build the palace of her dreams.

“Ohhhh, that’s so relatable.” Junko’s eyes sparkled, her hands relaxing on Celestia’s grasp. Soon their fingers were intertwined, the fashionista playfully moving their arms from side to side. “I miss having my pictures taken! Getting all the nice gowns and whatnot after a long, tiresome shoot. And earning some good good cash once the day is over and everyone’s satisfied.” 

“Oui, there you go! I am so glad to hear that someone understands me.” Giggling, she let go of one of their hands and spun Junko around, enjoying the moment while hoping that either Kyoko or Toko were getting a very good read on that. “Alas, all I hope for is that the crisis has been solved… I know where I shall be spending my first night away from this place in any case, and it will be in a casino.”

“Maybe we should all go and cheer for you.” Mukuro added, standing as close to Junko as it was possible. Something about her body language let the gambler know she was on edge, though it was impossible to gather more than that from sight alone. “And then you could teach us, especially my sister. I’m sure she’d be very good at poker, what with how easily she—”

“Emotes for the camera, yes, yes, I know. You’ve told me that a thousand times already.” 

Junko waved her twin away in something that could be described as a gesture born from annoyance, a complete deviation from her previous demeanor. As if to prove the other’s point and to dispel suspicion, however, she spent the next few minutes shifting her posture and expression, going from elated to completely and utterly depressed in a matter of seconds. 

It was… baffling. Amazing, to the point that it made Hina clap while Sakura and Toko looked at her with awe. Kyoko meanwhile nodded, smiling to herself and offering the occasional compliment, a feedback or the other when she pretended to feel like the emotion was off.

Pretended to was indeed the term, because everything was really, terribly flawless. 

Meanwhile Celestia joined the giggling, the fawning, the farce. Internally, however, she watched with something akin to horror as her senses could do nothing but confirm that yes, Junko Enoshima was experiencing each and every emotion she portrayed in the exact intensity that it was shown. There was no exaggeration, no underperforming, no mockery unless that had been the intended effect from the very beginning. 

If there were one thing that the gambler had always believed first and foremost, it was her sixth sense, that intuition that tipped her off in regards to other people’s truest desires. 

The fact that right then it was rendered unable to decode Junko was already alarming by itself.

“Were you not already the Ultimate Fashionista, I would dearly suggest you try your hand at drama.” The gambler commented instead, pushing aside the horror that ran through her veins, cold and absolute. No matter. She would let Kyoko and Toko know about that later, when they could be sure no one was watching or hearing. “Now, have you found anything of valor among those books? I certainly have not, and my hands are starting to get dry due to handling so much paper.”

“Tell me about it.” Junko sulked, albeit she had been smiling like a star student mere three seconds ago. Perhaps one of the others glanced at her quizzically, for she straightened her posture and shifted to something more neutral a heartbeat later. “I do think we should go somewhere else though, right? Maybe send Byakuya here for all the reading, provided he's not too busy with the other stuff he likes.”

“The other stuff he likes?” Kyoko echoed, inquisitive. The small smile on her face could pass off as her wanting nothing more, nothing less than hearing the inside joke, the gossip. 

And luckily for them, the sisters fell for that right away.

“Oh, he’s into murder cases, but that’s not all there’s to it,” Junko said, waving her hand dismissively. Wiggling her eyebrows, she continued, “he has this maaaaassive collection of bad yaoi manga in his room. That he usually shares with Naegi of all things. Upupupupupu, isn’t that the funniest thing ever? The Ultimate Affluent Progeny, who could buy a whole publishing house if he wanted to, or commission people to write whatever he wanted, going for the worst manga out there? C’mon.”

The way she said it, the way Mukuro chuckled at it, was a bit interesting. Even more since Celestia couldn’t recall Byakuya ever admitting to something like that—not that he ever would, in the same way that Kyoko had yet to hear about her (ongoing) dramatic yuri manga phase. In any case, as she joined the laughing and the others once they exited the library, she exchanged a quick, troubled glance with Kirigiri.

Her suspicions, albeit still not completely founded, were confirmed in the panicked look she got in return. The paleness of Kyoko’s lips and face, that even made the gambler worry if she should call for a break or whatever lest the other girl would faint. Luckily it was gone a few minutes later, as Junko and Mukuro got too engaged in some sort of conversation with Hina and Sakura over the merits of good manga and so on. At least it allowed for her, Fukawa and the detective to remain out of the sisters’ gaze for a bit. 

Because although it wasn’t the first time some or all of them tried to approach Junko and Mukuro, ask some questions and see what they would say…

… it was indeed the first time in which they had gotten partially conclusive results. Or at least a few indications that something about them was off.

What was more, something that visibly caught their attention the moment it happened: it didn’t take long for the sisters to excuse themselves. For Junko to announce she wasn’t feeling well and oh, they needed to figure out a way to tell if the food wasn’t getting bad since it was her third day in a row with a bad stomachache. Parting words were said, some commiseration added to their voices, but in any case Kyoko, Celestia and Toko were way more at ease the moment those two were indeed gone.

Yet it was Hina who spoke up first while she shivered, drawing closer to Sakura in order to shield herself from something or the other.

“Ugh, not to sound bad or anything, but sometimes those two make me feel… I don’t know, kinda weird?”

Celestia placed a hand on Kyoko’s, squeezing it, a silent warning for her not to overreact. Or show anything that might corroborate right away to the other’s theory. It was unclear if they were safe to discuss it in the open, and a glance at the wall revealed that they weren’t that far away from a camera to begin with. 

“Whatever do you mean?” The gambler queried, coating her voice with sheer curiosity. Looking at the swimmer with a sweet smile, she did her best to prod a bit more, to get another answer out of the earnest girl. “I do understand that Ikusaba is a bit reserved, but Junko is really interesting once you get to talk to her some more.”

It didn’t matter that the gambler never had done so, never really taking the time to study some of their classmates a little closer. And that may or may not have been her first mistake.

“Ah, y-yeah, right, they’re nice and all? And no, Mukuro doesn’t scare me that much—we’ve been working out together, me and Sakura and Mukuro, ever since we were locked in here. But for some reason Junko is… eh.” Hina gave up trying to explain, shaking her head instead. 

“She feels very different from the rest of us, I suppose.” Oogami offered, hand falling on Aoi’s shoulder and caressing it the slightest.

The gesture might have made Celestia smile, had they not been discussing something serious. Even more serious than the other couple could even grasp.

“Different…” Kyoko mused, Toko vigorously nodding her head alongside it. “I suppose that’s a way of phrasing it, yes. She does appear to be more mysterious than one should, especially when her talent isn’t related to that degree of elusiveness. Sure, there have been countless cases of models and fashionistas who were painfully stalked by fans, but she isn’t that much of a likely target for such a thing.”

“Not with Ikusaba, the Ultimate Soldier, lingering so close to her very step, no.” Celestia agreed, letting her true worries show for a bit. “The damsel in distress stereotype would not apply to her, I feel. Or have you forgotten how she sent Ishimaru to the infirmary during that dodgeball game?”

They did not, wincing at the memory and taking a moment to reconsider—Toko being the only one to glance from Celeste to Kyoko with questioning eyes, them recalling later that her and the serial killer did not share recollections. The gambler pressed her lips, a silent admission they’d tell her later, and returned to watch their fellow students for some heartbeats.

“Huh. You guys don’t think there’s something wrong, wrong, with her, right?” Aoi queried, shivering once more. 

“There’s no reason to fear, Hina. Nothing bad will befall us. Not while we remain here, waiting until the rest of the world becomes safe again.” Sakura promised, actually hugging the girl she loved, tenderly pressing her against her chest. 

“Correct.” Kyoko added in a soft voice, gently squeezing Hina’s shoulder before turning away to leave. “Nothing bad will befall us. It just cannot.”

Anyone who wasn't close enough to the detective would fail to identify what her voice truly hid. The lack of hope, the desperation that edged closer to the surface in her final word. How a degree of self-loathing also reared its ugly head, to the point that Celeste had to keep herself from frowning, from telling her off and reminding Kirigiri that it just wasn’t her fault. Rather she was forced to watch the girl she loved leave, too self-conscious of not letting their bond become more apparent than it probably already was, and then motion for Fukawa to follow her towards the next classroom, the next place where she would investigate.

And sit with her thoughts, with her own interpretation over what they had seen and heard just so she would be able to expose her ever-growing theory to the detective she loved.

It proved completely unnecessary for her to make her case and find proof to defend her stance, however. After all, her and Kyoko had been present in that entire conversation. And had bore witness to how one of those sisters had screwed up more than anyone should have.

“We should have pressured her earlier.” Kirigiri hissed under her breath, walking from side to side, then in circles, then from one portion of the classroom to the other. “Damned it be all, we should have pressured every single one of them sooner than that.”

“Dearest…” Celestia could do nothing but watch as the girl she loved finally vented out her frustration. Something she had managed to hide pretty well during the rest of the day, save the one snarky remark or two that had been sent on Mukuro’s way during meals, but alas. 

No one was perfect, not even Kyoko. Especially since Celestia herself failed to give her lover any sign that she was going too far. 

“I’m unfit for my title, I’m afraid. Any detective, even rookie ones, would have resorted to something like that. Questioning their peers or those around them, the moment they realized one or more of them might be suspicious.” Kyoko went on, completely unaware of the gambler’s pleas.

It was lucky, then, that they had chosen to meet in one of the few classrooms where a camera could not be found as of then. Less and less rooms weren’t covered with them, save the students’ own dorms, but the hallways were completely unsafe after 10 PM: every gadget sprung to life, moving this way and that, almost as if hoping to catch someone doing something they weren’t supposed to.

Questioning the powers-that-be, the masterminds behind… Behind what, exactly?

That was exactly the one point in which Celestia’s mind faltered. What were the sisters after, if anything, and what were they planning? Why the cameras, the continuing seclusion from the outside world, the complete and utter isolation? 

Alas, perhaps if she got her lovely Kyoko to reason with her, then there was a chance they could get to the bottom of it. Or something close, in any case. There was no way the two of them had been through so much, just to be fooled by their own classmates.

“Not without endangering themselves.” The gambler mumbled, suppressing the wish to scream at her. Yelling would only make both of them angrier, their minds erring more on the side of illogical emotions that would distract them from what needed to be done. “Not without endangering yourself by letting them know you were on the lookout. And that would be like painting a bright red target on your back, as I am sure you know.”

There was silence, mostly because it was something they had already discussed a few months ago. Maybe memories of that evening solaced Kyoko’s frazzled thoughts, allowing her to slow down her pacing and actually shake her head, become more in touch with reality than with whatever sense of defeat that had slowly but surely been corroding her heart. Gradually her eyes got sharper, more of the cold, calculating lilac that Celestia knew and loved. 

“Remaining in the shadows and merely thinking about things has yielded far less results.” She grumbled at last, then sighed and made her way towards the other girl, shoulders slumped. “There had to be another way, Celes. Some… some tactic I may have studied and then forgotten, an angle that I could have explored.”

The gambler placed both hands on her shoulders, caressing them, not unlike the way Sakura had done with Hina a few hours ago. By then it was still late afternoon, and their absence would not be noted since most of the other students remained asleep.

“Have we or have we not done everything in our power from the very beginning?” She whispered, soothingly. “And before you answer, remember: jeopardizing your very existence is counterintuitive to achieving success in any investigation. Or do you believe that some of our classmates would be able to pick up your burden if you were to pass?”

“Our burden… our burden.”

Kyoko buried her head on Celestia’s chest, hugging her tightly. Were they not in the middle of a critical situation, the gambler would have revelled in how tender the moment might be. How good it was to see that the detective of all people was relying on her like so. 

“Indeed. Our burden. And we have to stay alive in order to bring it to an end, mind you.” Celeste lightly chastised, squeezing her for effect. “So in a sense, we should be thankful that we were able to get so much out of them today, as it does not mean that we are certainly doomed. Sometimes the best plays are the ones that are made later down the line. When one is about to deck out, and the enemy is sure that everything will work out according to their designs.”

Kyoko lied still for a while, almost as if she were trying to memorize the warmth they were sharing, to bring it to her heart. Celestia shut her eyes as well, setting aside all thoughts that were unrelated to the moment that was completely theirs. It was good that she did, for it felt as if her mind cleared once the other girl stirred, sighed and pulled away so they could stare at each other again.

“Right. Maybe that was what prompted Ikusaba to make those mistakes, too. Or for Enoshima to slip up as well. They are convinced that their plan will work regardless of what others do.” 

It was clear in the way she pressed her lips together that there was another, perhaps more defeatist thought she kept hidden. Knowing they wouldn’t get anywhere if she pressed for it, Celestia simply nodded, ignored that read and chose to move on with that discussion before it was too late. 

“Mhm. Because, heavens! Were they blatant today. Ikusaba more than anything, albeit I already had my suspicions about her ever since the day in which you were harmed.” Tucking a stray strand of lavender hair behind Kyoko’s ear, she went on, “and that made me wonder if they left any marks, anything of substance, that might be found in the very beginning of this entire mess.”

“The very beginning…” Kirigiri mused, frowning in deep concentration. “Care if we discuss everything from then on? No matter how long the entire ordeal is?”

Celestia shrugged; it wasn’t as if she herself hadn’t been running through the chain of events in her mind every day or so. 

“We surely do have the time, so why not?”

“And more than that—”

Kyoko motioned towards the door, both of them leaving the place after checking if the main camera on that hallway was moving or blinking red. It wasn’t, luckily enough, but maybe just because it was still too early in the day for someone to act suspicious. Either that or, again, the sisters were slacking off, being too overconfident. Relying too much on the thought that things would go their way to the very end. 

Something about being on the fifth floor was already eerie—the place was avoided by most of their classmates, with reason. Few ever wanted to investigate that location, much less remain there for more than the necessary time to check that the windows were shut in tightly, that nothing needed repairs or whatnot. 

Hence a chill ran down Celestia’s back the minute she realized where exactly the girl she loved was leading her. Sure, it made sense for them to be there while talking about that matter, but still. Given how little light was available at that floor, it was easy, too easy for her mind to rewind time.

To recall an evening in which her and Kyoko pressed themselves against pristine white walls, trying to figure out what sort of horror awaited for them later down the line. 

Nevertheless she carried on. Memories would aid instead of hinder her in such a crucial moment. Even if that meant facing the very start of the terrors that had led all of them to stay in complete isolation from the world. 

And the notion that there could be more at work than what they had seen so far.

Without an ounce of remorse or hesitation Kyoko slid a key from her pocket into the doorknob of classroom 5-C. Jim Kirigiri himself had ordered that the crime scene would remain locked, then trusted the key to none other than his daughter. That had been their last interaction before the headmaster pushed both the detective and the gambler towards the bunker, but oh, how she hoped that they would all meet again. 

That she might throw a fancy dinner at her future palace, with Mr. Kirigiri as a guest while her and Kyoko told him more about the life they shared…

“—we have access to the place where everything started.” 

Her beloved’s voice brought her back to the cruel, merciless present. Right. The time for such fantasies was over and would be so until they figured out what they were missing. Vowing to turn that daydream into sweet reality, the gambler pushed aside the irrational fear that someone, maybe Izuru Kamukura, would jump at them, and braved the way through.

Death hung in every nook and cranny. Yes, corpses had been removed, remains and weapons filed away as evidence. Yet nothing, no overall procedure could subtract the sense that horrible violence, absolute and undiluted, loomed within those walls. She vaguely remembered that some folk tales revolved around houses absorbing such awful energy, learning it, being ingrained with it as a past occupant’s demise became intertwined with the location’s history. 

Had she ever wondered what that was about or how such a thing was possible, a stroll around classroom 5-C would have been enough to quell those doubts.

It wasn’t like her to be superstitious, but no one in their right minds would be able to say the place didn’t feel odd, wrong, its sheer essence heavy and imposing. Clear signs of a conflict could still be seen in the ruined blackboard, the smears of blood that contrasted so awfully with the green underneath. The upturned, destroyed desks and chairs, kept like so in order to preserve the crime scene for a future investigation that never truly happened given everything that did occur afterwards. 

White outlines reminded the gambler of where each body had stood, the crumpled, broken position they had been in during death. Were she to close her eyes, it wouldn’t be tough for her to reconstruct everything they had seen in that terrible evening.

A glance at the other side of the room, where Kyoko thoughtfully stared at the whole location, let her know that it was exactly what the other girl was doing.

“It pulls one in, does it not?” Celestia softly mused before walking to the nearest wall and, ignoring the awful bloodstain on it, slowly made her way to the detective. At least she hoped her presence and voice wouldn’t be enough to distract her. Since she got nothing more than a nod, she assumed it didn’t, thankfully enough. “‘Eye for an eye’... I wonder who wrote that.”

Maybe because there had been too much going on around the room for them to see that, the writing on a side board was completely ignored back then. It was impossible to say if it had any relevance at all to cracking the case, but sometimes such decisions did linger in the smallest of details, didn’t it? 

“Hm? Oh.” Kyoko shook her head and blinked for a few seconds before turning her head in Celestia’s direction, taking in what she had referred to. “Well, since it was written in blood, I would say that none of the members of the Student Council did. This had to be made after the entire thing took place, which is… Something, isn’t it?

“Since Murasame was still alive when we entered this classroom and everything looked extremely fresh, I would infer that not that much time passed between the murders taking place and us discovering the crime scene. Yet someone, namely the culprit or culprits, were confident enough that it would take a while for them to be found out, to the point that they went back into the room and wrote that hideous, nonsensical message. And that was, of course, after everything had already transpired.”

“Not to state the obvious, but that does point towards a certain cold-bloodedness, at least in my opinion. Walking around corpses and dying people, then dipping your fingers in blood so as to leave a few words behind?” Celestia found herself shivering despite how they had known for a while that they were dealing with an individual or individuals that had no qualms in regards to death. “To me, this would point in our dear Ikusaba’s direction once more—who better than a soldier, and the Ultimate Soldier at that, to feel so much at ease in a decrepit place like that?”

The detective frowned. Neither accepting nor denying that, she simply turned her attention back to the classroom and examined every portion of the place. It didn’t take a genius to understand that she was hoping a hidden piece of evidence, or anything that had been dismissed or overlooked just like that message, would jump at her eyes all of a sudden. 

Yet the tension in her shoulders was, at least for Celestia, also a testament to how she had already come to terms with the fact that it might be in vain. That the people or person they were dealing with had been far more careful than that.

“Suppose the sisters are acting together, as we have spoken about earlier.” The gambler started, her voice gentle so as to not startle the other girl from whatever train of thought she was currently involved in. “If that was so, there is indeed a chance we are missing something, or that something was left behind. Because if we did prove something today, Kyoko, it is that one of them doesn’t have the same attention to detail that the other does. Albeit both were careless, one was clearly more so.”

“Ikusaba.” Kirigiri nodded, the name a furious whisper that left her lips in a rush. “Indeed, that is always a nuisance when working with an accomplice, especially if the plan was devised by only one portion of the duo: there is a very high chance the other won’t execute their part of the deal in the same way the mastermind imagined it. That is when clues are left behind, valuable ones that might compromise the entire operation.” She took a deep breath, then made her way to the center of the room instead. “That is how grand schemes were brought to shambles before, once the team’s weakest link made one singular mistake… and the remaining parties failed to overlook it, to cover it up in some way or the other.

“I do believe you might have a point right then, especially if our theory holds. We’re speaking of twins, however; people who have known each other for a lifetime, despite smaller periods of separation due to their lines of work. Meaning that if Enoshima is as perceptive and intelligent as she has proven to be with this entire conundrum, then it wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to infer that not only did she plan for her sister to slip up, but she also did everything in her power to hide it.”

“It would indeed be different if, say, Genocide Jack and I were to work together in order to get rid of the biggest gambling mafia in the entire country.” Celeste mused, frowning. “Huh, isn’t that a good idea, actually… The men do look like they fit in with our favorite serial killer’s profi—”

“One case at a time, please.” Kyoko interrupted, massaging her temples. “I have a feeling we will have a lot to deal with once this is all over and we are free from the bunker, too. Do not remind me that I have to look into what to do about Fukawa.”

“Very well, chérie.” The gambler chuckled, glad to have provided them with a brief respite. It had been needed, too, what with how ominous that classroom was. “So, for our debriefing. Everything started that evening, a few months ago, when we were sneaking out for what was supposed to be our first date on the rooftop of this very building.”

After widening her eyes at the last part of the comment, Kyoko easily fell into detective mode as the two discussed every single thing they had come across during those months. It was tough not to be awed at how much ground they covered, especially as students and unauthorized personnel as well, but at the same time it did help that their talents could suit that line of work in some way or the other. Unveiling Kamukura’s existence, their ties to Hope’s Peak very questionable line of research and everything that the mastermind had wanted to create was simple, as those questions had followed them around for that long. 

The thing was, glancing at the very beginning of that whole situation wasn’t helping. Nothing came to mind, no extra detail lying dormant in the back of their minds. The atmosphere became more and more oppressive, ghosts of the Student Council demanding their help and clamoring for revenge, for a solution to their demise. Yet of course, they hadn’t known the bigger picture either, and thus any help they could provide was useless—and their lingering presence, felt as a stale weight in the girls’ napes, was nothing but unwanted, added pressure. 

“For what we could tell, this entire thing was orchestrated so the world would watch Hope’s Peak’s demise. A symbol of hope creating nothing but chaos, destruction, death for the sake of death itself. That had the potential to alter humanity’s course and for the worse, perhaps setting people off in a pattern of destruction unlike any other. One that might even be incompatible with life itself.” Celestia summarized it once they fell into a very uncomfortable silence. “And I do believe that, unfortunately, the mastermind got what they wanted.” When Kirigiri’s eyes focused on her instead of the closest corpse outline on the ground, she went on, “why haven’t we been rescued yet, Kyoko? Although we have lost track of time, we both know it has been months. Perhaps even over a year already.”

“We cannot fully assume so, can we? It’s not as if we had any proof to sustain such a claim.” 

The rebuttal was said a bit too quickly, especially for Kirigiri’s standards. Furthermore, it offered no counterargument, at least not at first, and it took the Ultimate Detective a few deep breaths and some steps from side to side in order for her to be able to elaborate something, anything at all.

“They could be remaking the world. Pacifying wayward groups, or standing guard around the bunker until things truly calm down. We don’t know. We don’t…” Sighing, she shook her head, stopped herself. “Yet it would be foolish of me to disregard the obvious. After all, your words are more than just reasonable. There is no way for us to be sure of what is going on. What we have missed.”

“What we have been shielded from.” 

“Only for something, anything, to occur here of all places as well.”

Haunting silence surrounded the two girls, failure a distant echo in their hearts and minds. No matter how much they pondered over everything, no matter how much they tried, nothing else arose. Nothing felt out of the ordinary, no new clues surfaced. Loath as they might, perhaps it wouldn’t be outlandish to admire the mastermind’s cleverness, especially since it seemed impossible to pull at one loose string and unravel everything else that still remained hidden. 

And so, defeat discolored their eyes and expressions for a few heartbeats. One too many in the gambler’s opinion, as the last thing she had wanted with her comment was to get that reaction from the girl she loved. Giving a small smile, she opened her arms in a quiet invitation, waiting patiently until Kyoko leaned forward and fell into the embrace.

“Quitting does not look good on you, my lovely detective.” She crooned, affectionately. 

“I’m not. I’m not ready to quit, don’t get me wrong.” Kyoko fought back, which was exactly what she wished to hear. “Not until the very last second, especially since we do have a few leads. I mean, how could Ikusaba so easily claim the students committed mass suicide? Or how was Enoshima of all people privy to Togami’s favorite style of manga or who he shares it with? To me that speaks of foul play, of their involvement in the entire process and more, of how we have grounds to assume they are even behind the increasing number of cameras being positioned around the school, and our subsequent surveillance.

“I just… Didn’t think I would see the day that I accused Mukuro Ikusaba and Junko Enoshima of instigating murder, and utilizing Izuru Kamukura for that.”

“Neither did I, believe me. It was far more entertaining when Enoshima was telling us both to get a room, was it not?” Celestia recalled, giggling when that made Kyoko hide her face against her shoulder. “The thing is, I cannot get as good of a read on her as on Ikusaba, so place me in a room with our little soldier and I will be able to tell if she’s lying or not. And then, Lady Detective, you shall have your confession—ah, do not underestimate me. I have made even grown men cry and admit to their crimes before. I am sure a mere high school student is nothing to worry about.”

It was Kyoko’s time to chuckle, then shift a bit so she could hold the gambler instead. 

“And somehow I have no trouble imagining that.” She commented, her tone sounding playful for the first time in that entire day. With a light touch she caressed Celestia’s hair, allowing them some moments of well-deserved peace. “Let us pursue that lead, then, and see where it goes. Despite the fact that I wish I could just apprehend them and be over with it.”

“Without too much in the manner of concrete proof? My, what an odd case that would be.” The gambler joked, pulling away so she could place a kiss on Kyoko’s forehead. “Enoshima would have a seamless time refuting you, thus proving that she is smarter than many believe her to be.”

“Now, should I take this as evidence that you believe in her capabilities more than you do mine?” The detective crossed her arms, pouting, only to laugh once Celestia’s eyes widened and a troubled look took over her entire expression. “Now who can and cannot tell when the other is lying?”

“Pfff. That didn’t count. It is unfair to pretend to be upset after the whole discussion we have had, and then claim my talents are going rusty just because.” 

In the end, that argument made both of them snicker and smile, stand closer together so they could share each other’s warmth—a huge necessity given how cold and deadly that classroom was. Deciding that no good would truly come out of them remaining there for any longer, Celestia motioned towards the door and turned, taking a few steps away from her partner without reading the convoluted emotions that crossed through her eyes. 

The doubt that clouded those lavender irises, the fear that tainted them… 

And the certainty that eventually made them shine, alongside trust and the love that they shared. 

Before the gambler could wrap her hand around the knob and turn, fingers gently pried into her arm, tugging her back towards the dark interior she so longed to escape. Surprised, Celestia spun on her heels and gave Kyoko a questioning stare, one that was mingled with anticipation the moment she read the fierce determination in the detective’s irises.

“Speaking of confessions…” Kyoko began, not needing to be prompted to speak. Instead she closed the distance between them, once more standing right beside Celestia, and went on in a quiet voice, “perhaps it is time I answered your request.

“Bear in mind, however, that what you will see is not a pretty sight. Nor is it something I have let anyone else lay eyes upon—at least not after they healed.”

Celestia didn’t need to hear another word in order to get a sense of what that was about. It helped that the other girl glanced down after saying it, cheeks burning and shoulders tensing despite her resolve. It was visible how uncomfortable Kirigiri became at the prospect of carrying on with whatever she had decided to do. 

Enough that the gambler questioned the need for her to get to know it, if the tradeoff was that the girl she loved would go through such internal turmoil.

“Peace, Kyoko,” Celestia said, caressing her forearms as an attempt to soothe her. “This surely brings you too much pain and there are other, more pressing matters for us to address right now, are there not? You don’t have to suffer like this with the sole objective of sating my curiosity.”

Eyes averted, the detective shook her head, then stood still and took a few deep, cleansing breaths. There would be no talking her out of it or so it seemed, but then Kyoko was one of the most headstrong people Celeste had ever met.

Maybe she only lost to, well, the gambler herself, but that was another thing entirely. 

“You… you were kind and courageous enough to tell me about your name. The name you despite and would rather not hear about anymore, let alone be called by it. The least I can do is return the favor—”

“Ma chérie—”

“I mean it.” Sighing, she finally lifted her gaze back towards Celestia, giving her a small smile as well. “To this day I’m very thankful that you entrusted me with that, answering my questions and everything. And thus… Here is the awful, gruesome truth I have been hiding from you.”

With slow yet deliberate motions the Ultimate Detective removed first her left, then her right glove, exposing her hands to chill air. Her initial reaction, unsurprisingly, was to curl her fingers inwards, closing both of them in fists and placing them behind her back. Yet somewhere along the way Kyoko stopped, gritted her teeth and gradually held both of them, palms up, for Celestia’s inspection. 

The gambler did what was expected of her, despite feeling Kirigiri’s intense gaze on her the entire time. Tilting her head to the side, she perused every inch of damaged, wounded skin. The scars that lined the palm, delimitating blisters that had been there at some point in time. Patches of discolored skin, others where a deeper red contrasted with unmarred, pale wrists. Darker splotches laid closer to her fingertips and on the palm, which apparently had suffered the blunt of the damage. And all through that, the gambler could only imagine how much pain the other girl must have felt, how altered her sense of touch might have become.

All through that, she could do nothing but wonder what had resulted in such devastating horror to such a young, young girl.

She had her suppositions, of course—and had imagined all sorts of scenarios in which there was more to Kirigiri’s gloves than a mere sense of style, or something to do with her line of work. It was impossible to say which ones were closer to what had truly occurred, and at that moment Celestia had bigger priorities than simply satisfying her interest. 

Instead of asking one of the myriad questions that did burn on her tongue, the gambler glanced back at her still-tense lover and spoke in a reverent voice.

“Tell me, is any part of the skin sensitive?”

Kyoko had been expecting inquiries, but it was clear from her dumbfounded expression that the first she received wasn’t one that she had prepared for. Frowning for a second, eyes locking into Celestia’s as if trying to decode what could be behind those harmless words, she shook her head, only later realizing she should add to it.

“No, at least not now. It… was pretty tender when the healing process started, of course. And sometimes it does feel like the smallest of touches will set it ablaze again, but it’s not the case at this moment. If anything, I suppose it’s rather dulled—”

“Well, then.” 

With nothing but that as means of a warning, Celeste performed a delicate, elaborate bow before gently holding both of Kyoko’s hands in her own. Her eyes remained locked with the other girl’s, gauging, prodding, making sure she wasn’t causing any discomfort or pain due to her gestures or what she intended to do. Hence it was only when she was certain that the sole emotion in the detective’s lavender irises was surprise that she caressed those palms, as tenderly as if she were holding something precious. 

Gradually she leaned forward, eyes quietly asking for permission once her lips remained a breath away from the marred skin. Celestia neither pulled away nor moved closer until Kyoko quickly nodded, taking a moment to chuckle to herself at the sight of the detective’s bashful response. Then and only then did she bestow both hands with a chaste kiss, then straightened her posture and caressed the inside of Kirigiri’s wrist for a while. 

“Thank you.” The gambler uttered once the silence became too much, an unworthy companion after such a meaningful exchange. “I understand this wasn’t easy, as you wear the gloves for more than just tactile issues. So I’m really grateful that you showed yourself to me.”

“I-yes.” Kyoko stammered, wincing to herself at what she was clearly considering a foolish display of emotion. “As I said, you’re the first person to see them outside of my medical team. And perhaps my father, a really long time ago.”

“You are so brave, my Lady Detective.” Celestia crooned, beaming the moment that caused the other girl to shake her head. “No? Don’t tell me this happened to you while you were trying to make coffee in a different, completely hazardous way.”

The blatant mockery in the gambler’s tone was enough to defuse some of the tension between them. Smiling more to herself than to her partner, Kyoko leaned against Celeste’s shoulders and laced their fingers together, then allowed them to remain in quietness for a few seconds—perhaps as she savored that closeness, the contact of skin to skin that she had grown so unused to in the past who-knew-how-many-years.

The moment she parted her lips again her words were also low, almost reverent, and soon enough the gambler understood the reason behind that impression.

“Just as I am sure your debut as a gambler didn’t happen last year, I started out as a detective when I was quite young. The Kirigiri name does boast of several, important detectives, my father being one of the very few who strayed away from the profession for some reason he has never told me.” Taking her time to frown at that, she went on, “I registered at the Detective Library when I was 13, and soon started taking cases.

“In one of those, I had the opportunity to work with… someone who was very dear to me. A fellow young detective, three years my senior, who accompanied me in a few cases because circumstance—or rather, the culprits—dictated that it would be so. The entire incident was later called Duel Noir.”

She didn’t go into too many details and Celestia was more than happy to get the edited version nonetheless. A glance at her stance, more guarded and tense than ever, was all that it took for one to notice how uncomfortable the Ultimate Detective was while retelling that tale. More than once the gambler opened her mouth and tried to intervene, to either reiterate that she didn’t owe her anything or to complete sentences, blank spaces in the narrative. To jump over elements that Kyoko clearly didn’t wish to describe.

Every single time she did, Kirigiri squeezed her hands or shook her head, then took a deep breath and went on with her tale.

If the first case in which her and the girl who had been known as Yui Samidare were brought together hadn’t been gruesome enough, every single occurrence that succeeded proved to be even worse. The culmination of the whole matter was heartbreaking in more than one way.

“I… I tried to pull the burning debris away from her, yet I…” Kyoko faltered, hands painfully digging into Celestia’s. The gambler didn’t even mention it, blissfully ignoring the dull ache and telling her heart it was okay. “Yet despite being told that I succeeded, as I myself have no memory of that fact, Yui later succumbed to her wounds while trying to protect me from the cold. All I managed was to get her killed.

“And to have a bitter, awful reminder of what I lost in that case, just because I chose to mistrust the one person who had been like a sister to me. Whenever I dare to forget, all I have to do is stare at this… mess.”

There weren’t any tears in Kyoko’s eyes, but Celestia could hear the depth of her pain. It was present in the words she used, the hesitation that was so unlike her. The emotion that colored her voice a deep, dark hue and echoed inside her own heart as well. How terrible it was, that the girl’s Ultimate talent had brought her such woe. 

How terrible it was, that the belief she clung the most to—

“You saved her in the very end. And she saved you as well in the best way that she could.” The gambler whispered, respectfully. She hoped her words would sound right—that she was able to find the right ones in order to get her message across. “I understand that this changes nothing; a life was still lost, and one that you cherished dearly. I do not believe, however, that Miss Samidare wanted you to glance at your scars as a form of punishment. As little as I know of her, something tells me that she would be sad upon hearing you say that. And that ultimately she would like you to remember her in more cheerful circumstances.”

“She would. Yui turned her own grief into a motivation to become a better detective.” Kyoko agreed, sighing. “Sometimes I just wonder what she would do, what she would say, if she were here with us.” 

Beaming with a sudden idea, Celestia turned to face Kyoko and grasped both of her hands into hers again. She then closed her eyes and bowed her head, making another reverence before speaking in a lilting tone.

“Oh, greatest detective Samidare Yui, we beseech your guidance in this time of need.” The gambler opened one eye to glance at Kyoko, rejoicing at the curious face she made. Oh, how fun it always was to take her aback. “With your blessings and your sight, please set us free from this plight. And protect the little sister that was so dear to you—and her paramour, if you so will. Would you like to add anything, Kyoko?”

“D-don’t be foolish.”

The Ultimate Detective frowned, but didn’t remove her hands from Celestia’s or interrupt the gesture at any moment in time. Instead she waited until the gambler straightened her back, then tugged at their joined hands and kissed hers instead.

“Thank you. For everything.”

The words echoed around them for a few seconds as they beamed at each other, then shared a warm, reassuring kiss. As soon as Kyoko retrieved her gloves, however, Celestia mumbled a small “allow me” and helped her put them on again. Only to give both palms a gentle peck and take a few steps away.

“You’re welcome to remove these whenever we are together, by the way. Or to keep them on at all times as well.” She added, shrugging. “All I wish is for you to be comfortable around me, Kyoko. Which also means that you may speak of past cases and Miss Samidare’s fate whenever those memories afflict you.”

“I can only say the same Celes—no, my love.”

Nothing could have made the gambler mask the effect the term of endearment had on her. Not the cameras, that surely captured the look of complete bliss on her face as they stepped outside arm in arm, momentarily forgetting that they were supposed to lie low for the time being. Not the ominous atmosphere that still lingered around the fifth floor even outside of classroom 5-C, and accompanied them downstairs all the same.

And the promise that followed, the promise they made, would only become sour a few months later. When it was forgotten by one, and broken by the other.

“We shall honor Yui’s memory and solve this case.” Kyoko uttered when they reached the dorms and had to go their own ways before someone noticed how close they were. “And we will trust and rely on each other until the very end. So something that ominous may not repeat itself again.”  

“We will remain together no matter what, and bring down the mastermind that has sowed so much chaos and despair around us.” Celestia nodded, eyes burning with new resolve.

It was funny how it wouldn’t take long until everything shifted one more time.

And in a matter of hours, oblivion would almost completely shatter the bond they had created and nourished with love.

Chapter Text

“We were indeed together when we heard Hifumi scream. Furthermore, when his body went missing from the nurse’s office, Hina and I were together in the bathroom while the others were busy in the equipment room. And the same occurred when Taka disappeared, as we were busily investigating what befell Yamada.”

It was impossible to say if that argument would hold. By then Celestia knew so many ways in which it could be questioned, seen as insufficient, that it felt like just a matter of time until Kyoko found a way to unravel the truth. And pass judgment on her, before Monokuma and the others ever could.

“And since our lovely friend Genocide Jack was passed out throughout the entire process, she isn’t at fault either.” Celestia added, holding tight to the possibility that they would overlook the many flaws in her speech.

It was terrible that the cards in her hand were that awful, yet worse plays had resulted in a complete win in her favor at the end. Sometimes all that it took was the other party making a mistake or a dozen, and being caught up in her extensive web of lies. 

Although yes, she had to admit she might have underestimated her dear classmates, it wasn’t the time to admit defeat as of then. Not when so many things could still go her way. Not when she was convinced she herself had left little to no proof of her involvement in the case as a whole.

“Our lovely friend? Ooooh now that’s more like it.” Genocide Jack beamed at her, and it was easy to see there was absolutely no mockery there. “I was wondering why you started being that chilly towards me all of a sudden.”

“Excuse me?” The gambler tilted her head, weary. 

Not just because of those words, their implications even, but since her own mind agreed with them for some reason. And what was more, it was almost as if she had been expecting Genocide to be closer to her, to someone else as well. Why, one might even say they had collaborated at some point in time. 

One might even say another someone had also been involved, if the serial killer’s previous mumblings could be taken at face value instead of her just wanting to stir up trouble like always.

“I get it, I get it. Toko’s probably told you to keep silly little me a secret and all, right? But hey, people’ve known about it for long enough now!” The girl placed both hands on her hips and glared at her. Then at Kyoko, who also seemed a bit taken aback. “About time we went back to our little investigation, right-o? ‘Cause surely that thing hasn’t solved itself.”

“That thing? What exactly are you speaking of?” Kirigiri inquired, angling her body towards Genocide Jack. 

Celestia found herself doing the same, intrigued. More because an image came to mind, then another, of her, Kyoko and the serial killer speaking in hushed tones as they paced around the school. Or huddling inside a classroom. Or parading through a deserted, unknown campus at night time before running back towards a building as something… something big and heavy rained from the sky, or whatever it was. 

Because of how uncertain her mind seemed to be, the gambler had difficulty believing those were, indeed, fragments of memories. Things she had apparently been made to forget, perhaps alongside the time in which her and Kyoko had bonded, gotten closer, kissed. The sense that Genocide Jack might have played a part in the entire matter—not the romantic one, of that she was certain—was echoed in that same person’s words.

But why then, why did it feel like she remembered while neither her nor the other girl did?

“I meaaaan, it used to be a se—”

“Are you guys done with this case, then? Should I assume that you changed topics because you already know who to vote for? I wouldn’t mind saying this is done and over, mind ya. But you gotta be compleeeeetely sure, ‘cause your very lives are on the line!”

Monokuma’s meddling called everyone’s attention back to it. The weird, black and white robot bear that lazily sat in its crimson throne, watching them as if everything depended on their performance at the class trial. Perhaps something did, Celestia thought as another figment of a memory almost resurfaced, just to make her head pound in renewed pain. 

Perhaps there was a lot more to them forgetting, and she had a feeling there wouldn’t be enough time to figure out what and why. 

“Hm, interesting. You usually remain quiet as we deliberate.” The gambler pointed out, more than glad to focus on something other than making sure she would stay alive for a bit longer. If only buying time meant she would recall everything, maybe end that awful game. “What exactly made you overstep?”

“You’re digressing, that’s all.” Monokuma shrugged, then laid down sideways as if it meant nothing. Reading a robot’s demeanor was a lot harder than a human’s, that was for sure, but even that motion seemed a bit too nonchalant to be true. “And there’s a lot to cover in this entire thing, so wasting time is stupid.”

“I agree with Celestia that this is rather unusual.” Kyoko crossed her arms, and for once there was something else in her eyes once their gazes met. Not sadness, not a coldness to those lilac irises that she adored. Rather, an echo of a warm camaraderie the gambler had experienced before. “Genocide is free to speak of whatever she pleases. Unless… there was something in her speech that you do not want the rest of us to know?”

“I said, you’re wasting precious time.”

Monokuma’s eye shone crimson as the bear stood up on the throne. Arm up, its claws became visible. That was all it took for everyone present to recall what happened to the one person who tried to defy him. How Junko Enoshima had met her demise just because—

Junko Enoshima.

Once again the name sounded wrong to Celestia, made goosebumps dance around her back, her arms. If before she had felt the girl was a bit odd, a bit of a bad liar at that, right then she was convinced there was more to what met the eye. What it was, she didn’t know, and couldn’t tell while looking at her stunned classmates, the portraits that occupied the places of those who had already fallen. The sense that she should pay attention to a number of all things also rose from the depth of her mind, but again she couldn’t say why, how, or what to do in regards to that.

But surely, hadn’t there been… more of them before?

In any case, she was forced to stir her thoughts back to the conundrum she had created once the students awkwardly resumed their debate from before Genocide’s (very important) interruption. 

“Ahem… To answer your former words. You are implying that only those who could not be found at the time can be considered culprits, are you not?” It was Kirigiri who spoke first, turning towards the gambler and once again, meeting her gaze with something cold and resolute. “And that would mean Yasuh—Hiro. And me.” 

The way she hesitated over the name. The way it sounded in her voice, soft, gentle, almost as if she were speaking of someone else. The way the unknown Ultimate held back, eyes widening a bit for some reason. 

The way she stared straight at Celeste even though the discussion was quick to move on right then. 

It was… curious, was it not? Although the girl was good at concealing her emotions to the point that it was tougher to read her in comparison to most of their classmates, the gambler would bet a very good part of her savings that she had had some sort of epiphany at that moment. One that was very akin to what Celeste herself was experiencing, had been experiencing ever since the very moment in which she saw those pictures.

Had she… had she ever been told?

Had Celeste herself told her? 

Well, if the image wasn’t an edit of some sort, and Celestia was certain it wasn’t, then it might make sense that she had spoken of that matter at some point or the other. 

“Yet perhaps we will keep running in circles if we go on trying to determine the culprit right away.” Kyoko’s defense was shaky at best, her voice wavering as well. “Sometimes that is too tied to the way the crime was committed, as the culprit themself did everything in their power to make us single someone out from the very beginning. Hence, following that logic, their logic, will only make us more prone to falling prey to their many traps.”

“And why did you not make such a point earlier, then?” Byakuya shot back, grimacing. “Isn’t it just convenient that this has come up when you were directly accused?” 

“Oh? Care to elucidate everyone on how I did it, then? With evidence, as a true courtroom demands?” Kirigiri shot back, and Celestia was secretly glad she hadn’t been the one to question that point. Since nothing more was said and no answer was offered, she sighed and went on, “we still have to figure out how Hifumi’s body was moved, after all. Until we can explain everything that happened from beginning to end, it would be foolish to condemn someone right away.”

Wincing, Naegi shook his head at Togami before stirring the conversation in that direction. One that Celestia hoped would never be cleared up as it was.

After all, had she not wished to create more confusion in the entire case, she would not have partnered up with someone so disaster-prone as Yamada himself. Though it did help that he was forever following her orders for some reason or the other…

“His body was gone in the few minutes it took for Celestia and Hina to go to the bathroom.” Makoto reminded them. “How would someone carry a dead person from the first to the third floor in such a short amount of time?”

Everyone fell silent, and the gambler used that moment in order to take a quick glance around their faces; it was, after all, a part of the trial she had been anticipating. It was all well that they had seen through the farce of the Justice Hammer, and a bit sad but expected that the dolly was so quickly uncovered. But the whole thing about Hifumi’s magical disappearance was another matter altogether, just as Makoto pointed out.

Sure enough, they seemed confused. Scared, too, especially those such as Hina who had witnessed the whole thing and Hiro, who could do nothing but imagine the horrors that had transpired while he peacefully slumbered inside a locker. 

Then she got to Kyoko, the last person to be scrutinized—

And even before that girl opened her mouth, she knew that her little ruse might have been figured out.

“There is a way, of course. Something simpler than what was done to Ishimaru and the sole way to explain that mystery.” Kyoko pressed her lips in a thin line, and by that alone the gambler was certain that more pieces of the puzzle were already falling into their places in the unknown Ultimate’s mind. “And that is, if the dead body moved itself.”

“Huh? A walking corpse? Are we talking about a zombie apocalypse?!” Hina closed her hands into fists and glanced at them, becoming pale. 

Celestia had a second to internally laugh at that, recalling how tenderly she had held Yamada in her final moments, and another to be amused by Hiro’s own response—how was it that someone involved with the occult was afraid of ghosts? Oh, no matter. Unfortunately for her, however, Togami had recovered from his earlier spar with Kirigiri, as after a loud sigh and a shake of his head, he continued her thought process.

“No, she’s not talking about the supernatural. What she’s implying is that there was a chance Hifumi was alive when we initially thought that he was already dead.”

How the hell had she thought about that so soon, so simply?!

“But I mean… we saw him! He was dead!” Hina intervened, to Celestia’s respite. It would look a bit too obvious if she were to refute every (correct) assumption her classmates made, so the fact that the Ultimate Swimmer had brought into her entire charade was a bit reassuring.

Even if not even Sakura listened to her all the time, let alone the others, but that was an issue she would deal with later on. 

“And what if he was only playing dead?” Byakuya refuted, beaming as if he had been the one to find that out. 

Ugh, everything about him was so annoying, Celestia almost wanted to reach to the side and hit him with Justice Hammer 5. Or her long nails, the metal adornments that she tried her hardest not to fidget with right then and there. Or both, really, as his very demeanor made her feel distraught. 

“That… is not possible…!” She interjected instead, feigning surprise. After all, according to her script she had seen way too many things happening to him. “Hifumi had already passed away when we found him in the nurse’s office.”

“And how can you be so certain?”

Had she imagined the sting in Kyoko’s tone as she asked that? Or the way her gaze avoided Celestia, how her posture was completely turned away from her? Almost as if she already denied the gambler a chance for them to share one last moment, one final stare. 

Almost as if she already knew, and was simply going through the ropes in order to help the others unmask the culprit. 

Wasn’t that exactly the strategy she had used with Mondo in trial two? But… what had Celestia said to tip her off? What had she done?

“Celes?” The fact that it was Makoto and not Kirigiri who prompted her for an answer made everything worse, even though the gambler was trying her hardest not to see things in such a fashion.

Not to imagine that everything had to do with her, and that she had already been discovered by the person who mattered the most to her in the entire—

“Apologies, I… It has been a tough day, has it not? But y-yes, I can be certain that he had met his demise before we arrived at the nurse’s office. And that is because the Body Discovery Announcement played upon us stumbling into it.”

“Hmmm, did it, now?” Kyoko pressed her lips in a thin line, hands coiled into tiny fists. By then Celestia was convinced she had not imagined the irony in her voice beforehand—it was present right at that moment, after all. She didn’t even need to further scrutinize Kirigiri so as to see that there was more to her frame of mind than what met the eye. “And can you be certain that the alarm we heard wasn’t played due to someone else’s discovery instead?”

“Yes, I can indeed.” Celestia frowned, trying to make the others see how useless that whole discussion was. Even if she knew that Kyoko had her, or at least was trailing in the direction she did not want them to think of in the slightest. “After all, the announcement played as soon as we discovered his body.”

“Correct me if I am wrong, as there is a chance that I have grasped the order of events incorrectly.” Was there anger in her voice, barely concealed in irises that hardened as they flitted over the gambler for a split second? “But wasn’t that also the exact same moment in which Ishimaru’s body was found?”

“Precisely.” Byakuya nodded once more. “We heard the alarm not too long after running into Taka.”

“Thus, perhaps we have mistaken who the announcement was for.”

Asking Monokuma about whether it was lazy and only played the announcement for both bodies once resulted in what at first seemed like an unclear answer. Although some people (namely Hiro) became angry at the explanation—and even Celestia relaxed for a moment, thinking that the robot bear had acted in the name of fairness once more—a chuckle from her right made her realize that there was more to those words than what initially met the eye. 

“That’s actually very enlightening, Monokuma.” Togami beamed, smugly so. As if he had the solution to the entire case, when one could argue that his efforts were always minimal in comparison to others. “After all, that means the announcement is only played once. Regardless of us finding the same body again later down the line. Thus, there was no reason for it to be played again, as we tried to make sense of what was happening and found Hifumi and Taka, was there?”

“Y-yeah, you’re right. We heard the announcement twice.” Naegi nodded, pensive. “The second time was when we rediscovered the two bodies in the repository. So maybe we weren’t rediscovering anything.”

“And actually witnessing the death of another classmate. Hifumi, in that case.” Kyoko completed, nodding in agreement while smiling. 

For once, just for once, Celestia didn’t like that look on her face. Despite how enchanting it was whenever she beamed, right then it was haunting, the prelude of something else. If she factored into the whole account the growing, nagging sensation that the girl had already unraveled the entire case as it was, then didn’t it mean her being accused meant nothing to her?

Didn’t it mean that her demise, as it was prone to happen whenever they reached the awfully correct verdict, didn’t rattle the mysterious Ultimate at all?

Anger clouded her judgment, made the gambler sneer instead of simply remaining calm. Later on she would criticize herself for that lack of manners, the beginning of the end. The very indication that perhaps she had more to do with the entire case than simply being a poor, defenseless victim.

“And how exactly can you prove that it was so? That Hifumi was not very dead at the nurse’s office, when Hina, Naegi and I encountered him?” She provoked, crossing her arms over her chest. 

A defensive position, one that drew Kyoko’s attention for a second as she simply stared, quiet. The previous mirth in her face completely evaporating for the briefest of times, but enough for Celestia to question her assessment of the situation. Just what…

Just what exactly was going through her mind, what feelings were coursing through her veins? Were they a mirror of the gambler’s own convoluted state, though by then anxiety had already taken center stage? She couldn’t tell, couldn’t see—the other’s aura was closed off to her, to the point that she felt weary making any sort of play right then. Not until she could be sure.

Not until she was convinced that Kirigiri was either against her, or feeling some degree of remorse over everything that was going on at the trial.

“...Naegi? Did you spot any difference in Hifumi’s body during both sightings?” Kyoko prompted, glancing at their classmate as if to prompt him. Not that differently from how she did the same with Celestia in the last two trials, which hurt a tiny bit. 

Had she been replaced that easily, in the spurt of a few hours no less? Or did her hesitation hint at something else instead?

“Hm… did we…” The Ultimate Lucky Student stopped, stared at nothing, rewinded his memory. Celestia knew the answer to that and could only hope that he would not, though less than a minute later her hopes were crushed. And with it, her hatred for Yamada grew since he had dug his own grave in that regard. “Ah, yeah, there was! His glasses, actually. In the nurse’s office, they were covered in blood. Yet at the repository they were spotless, despite the blood around his head. And what’s more…”

There it was, the moment where Hifumi’s sloppiness cost part of her elaborate plan just like that.

“You remember it, right? We found the bloodied glasses cleaning cloth at the nurse’s office. And it’s clear it belonged to him because of that anime character, the same in that camera he gave you earlier. Which can only mean he must have been alive in order to use it to begin with!”

Right, and right. 

It wasn’t the end of the world, Celestia told herself. There were still a few things she could say, paths she could gently (or not so gently) guide them towards. Her name had yet to be mentioned after all, and if anything they must be close to accusing Hifumi for the first murder anyways. Yes, it was awfully annoying that they had gotten that far, that the trial hadn’t ended, say, an hour or so ago with them voting for Hiro, but alas. 

She wasn’t dead yet. She wouldn’t be dead anytime soon. If there was one thing she had learned from all the gambling done along the years, it was that everything could change with a word, an argument, the way one played their cards instead of just the values they held. That was the beauty of gambling, was it not? 

It was the logic she would bring to that class trial, and what she had prepared for the very plausible possibility that at some point or the other Hifumi’s movements and involvement as an active party would be uncovered. 

Kyoko summarized Yamada’s script to almost perfection, including the use of the blood bags in the nurse’s office, and the gambler could do nothing but nod, pensive. No good would come out of her antagonizing the stunning detective right then. Some battles had to be lost in order for the main ones to be won.

“In other words, the only one who would be able to move Taka’s body while also pulling the disappearing act and causing this entire mess, was Hifumi himself.” Kirigiri finished, and faced absolutely no objection from the others.

“And it also explains why the door to the repository was locked without any of us missing,” Makoto said, thinking out loud. “Since that door can only be locked from the inside, that means he was probably there, dumping Ishimaru’s body while the rest of us were out and about, searching the school.”

Sighing, Kyoko acquiesced, crossed and uncrossed her arms. Fidgeted with a strand of her hair, then stopped the motion as soon as she realized that the gambler had been watching, gaze drawn towards her hands. 

“Hifumi playing dead in order to fool us, then using that cover to move Kyotaka’s body can only mean one thing, despite his later demise. He was also one of the assailants involved in this mystery.” Kirigiri stopped, gave the others time to digest that and voice their surprise, barely glanced at Celestia as she gasped. After they quieted down she went on, beaming again in certain victory. “And if you are undecided on that, there is indeed proof of his involvement. One that could be found in his own person and Taka’s. 

“The note.”

The gambler had seen her former partner unearth that piece of evidence. She had known it would be damning, more to Yamada than to herself. But it was something else to witness it finally being presented, tied to the entire case. Again, although Kyoko had been keen to inform that two murderers worked in the whole thing, she had yet to point fingers at the second, at the instigator. 

She was safe. She had to be safe. 

Especially if that chilliness, the lack of visual contact or any word of care was what she would get from Kirigiri at the very end. 

“Oooooh, see, you found the note I was talking about!” Hiro screamed in triumph. Of course that guy would distract everyone before Celeste could even begin, and wasn’t that a cheerful thought. The more off track they were thrown, the better. “But uh wait, mine said I should meet them at 1 a.m., not 6.”

“That’s because they’re different notes, duh.” Genocide Jack piped up, laughing at his cluelessness. “Whaaaat, are you sad you weren’t the only one to be lured to a dark, dark place? Boohoohooo. Huffy was also called there, but apparently it was afteeeer your own little meeting with a tall, dark, handsome stranger.”

“I seriously do not believe that was the intent behind that note…” Sakura frowned, crossing her arms.

“Bleh. You guys are no fun. Lemme give Toko some ideas for her next hit yaoi novel, will ya? Some awful, doomed friends to lovers to enemies or—”

“If you’re quite done spouting nonsense, we have a case to continue.” Byakuya glared at her and she was immediately silenced, a sad thing all in all. 

My, you surely deserve better, Genocide, Celestia thought, and knew for a fact it wasn’t the first time she had entertained that notion.

“And assuming that by Huffy you mean Hifumi, then that’s also incorrect.” Kyoko spoke up, shaking her head. As the serial killer parted her lips to speak once more, she hastily added, “if what you are about to say is that he was the intended receiver just because he had the letter, then you are mistaken. After all, if we remember the letter’s content, it asked someone to go there at 6 a.m., right? Should we also recall the other piece of evidence that points towards that same time frame?”

“The broken wristwatch.” Celestia answered, wishing that for once she could get any sort of recognition from the other girl. What she got instead was a curt nod, not even a glance at her direction to accompany it.

My. Were they really going down that route?

“Ooooooh, the one that Tiktik was wearing? True, true, you’re right and I’m wrong. No wonder you’re the detective here, heh.” 

“The…”

Celestia and Kyoko spoke at the same time, stopping the moment they realized who had echoed their own, earlier realization. Then and only then did their eyes meet—and for a few, fluttering heartbeats the gambler experienced the same connection that had been present from the very first moment they glanced at each other. The connection that perhaps only she was able to perceive, though at that very moment she was forced to question that principle as well.

“Yup, yup! But huh, why do you seem so surprised? You are the detect—”

“Again, does that mean you’re ready to vote?”

Monokuma’s voice sounded ominous, and a glance at it was enough to silence everyone, even the seemingly-fearless Genocide Jack. Its claws made another appearance, and if anything it looked angrier than before. Words burned on the gambler’s lips, questions she wished she was strong enough to voice. A suspicion blossoming in her heart alongside the knowledge that her and Kyoko shouldn’t be that clueless.

What was it then, that had made them so? Why couldn’t she just remember, why couldn’t she recall the moments at Hope’s Peak that Alter Ego’s images (and hey, hadn’t Makoto mentioned finding a picture himself at some point or another?) portrayed so clearly? Why couldn’t she remember her damn first kiss, for crying out loud?

Why even then, even when they were basically nemesis, glancing at Kirigiri brought her peace despite the way she was being treated?

“Memories…” She whispered to herself, so low that not even Byakuya turned to question what she had said. Monokuma was none the wiser, relaxing at the sight of the other students shaking their heads instead. 

“Not now. We need to focus here.”

The unknown Ultimate’s words echoed around the room and seemed to be directed at everyone’s foolishness. Yet her eyes spent longer on Celestia than they did on anyone else, and to the gambler alone that almost felt like a small nod to her own thoughts.

“About… the note.” Hina returned to the discussion, though she eyed Monokuma wearily. “If it was meant for Tikti—argh, Taka—then what was Hifumi doing with it?”

“Easy. He stole it from Kyotaka’s body after he died.” Makoto refuted right away. “And that can be proven by the fact that a small piece of it remained in his hands.”

“Taka died while still holding the note and Hifumi tried to grasp it, then hide it. But rigor mortis made his job a lot harder than he expected.” Kyoko explained. “The fact that he knew of the note’s importance also points to him being an accomplice in the murder. And then a victim, later on.”

“So then… who killed Hifumi?” Hina queried.

“Whoever did it is the true mastermind behind this entire case.” Sakura answered, grim. 

No. That wasn’t the point they were supposed to arrive at. That wasn’t the line of thinking Celestia wanted them to follow at all.

She had to dissuade them, and the time to do so had finally arrived. Taking a deep breath, the gambler ran through every strategy she had previously come up with, trying to determine the best one to be used at that moment in time. The one that mostly fit every situation she had planned for during sleepless nights, anxious moments which preceded that very day. 

There were a few; there was still hope. And she clung to that more than to any thought of the mysteries she wished to unearth, the things that couldn’t yet be explained. 

The memories, the connection, she had lost.

“The fact that Hifumi’s body was later found in the repository room seems to hint that he was killed not too late after transporting Ishimaru’s corpse himself.” 

Kyoko’s opening statement at that point of the case was interesting all in all. It meant she wasn’t sure, was playing with possibilities instead of certainties. It meant there was still no proof to it, albeit Celestia could already foresee what arguments would be used to certify that it was indeed correct.

Was it a trap? Would it spell her demise if she refuted that or asked for confirmation? By then she didn’t know, was completely thrown off guard by the other girl’s demeanor. Her words earlier on. 

The probability that either they had reached the same conclusion on what had happened to their memories, or were somewhat close by.

“Indeed, because he transported Taka’s body and then showed up dead. Meaning that he was attacked while we split up and were looking around the school.” Sakura crossed her arms, pensive. “Unless people were doing so in pairs or something, there is no way to establish one’s alibi.”

“Apart from the two of us, who were together anyways.” Hina added. 

“Yeah like, that’s a major bummer but also, there’s something else I think we should discuss ‘cause it’s been bothering me.” Hiro interrupted, and Celestia braced herself to hear what sort of stupidity he would hint at next. Only, at that very moment, he decided to be a bit more perceptive than usual. “And that is, what the killer used to attack Hifumi.”

“What about it?” Genocide Jack asked, leaning into the podium with some sort of interest. “Wasn’t he murdered pretty much like Taka, what with the wounds and everything? This murderer must like using the same weapons or something. Like me with my handy-dandy scissors.” 

She held several up for inspection, causing some sort of uproar that always seemed to happen when people were reminded of the fact that they were locked in with a serial killer. Only Kyoko and Celestia kept their cool, somehow unbothered by that display. 

The gambler herself was pretty certain they weren’t at risk to begin with, almost as if they were… friends, in a sense. Not that she had any allies at that point in time, the entire class standing as her foes due to the nature of the game they had been forced to play. 

“True, and that’s my point! Justice Hammers 3 and 4 were still at the nurse’s office and equipment room, right? N-not that I was there to see it for myself, but that’s what Byakuya told me before the trial started.” Hiro explained himself, a bit flustered, especially since Celestia sent him a questioning stare. Good of him to anticipate her question, but she surely didn’t like where that was going. “If he was murdered in the repository then didn’t the killer have to walk around with a huge hammer or something? Both to attack him and then to dispose of it?”

“That’s a surprisingly good argument for the likes of you.” Togami sneered, and the gambler chuckled alongside him. At least they could agree about something.

“To summarize, how could the culprit get their hands on either of the hammers, since they were located in distinct places?” Celestia herself said, also thoughtful. It was about time she stopped antagonizing everything the others said, trying to look for loopholes. 

“And since the hammer that was used to attack Celes was too small and in another room, it couldn’t be the murder weapon either.” 

For once Naegi seemed lost, and for a while there was silence around the room. Kirigiri herself remained quiet, something the gambler interpreted as a blessing. If even she couldn’t make sense of that little point, another added layer of confusion Celeste had planned for, then there might be no need for her to start making allegations which might take a while to prove. 

Content, she reiterated the question of the blackened moving around with such a large weapon, almost laughing when Genocide Jack suggested there was a Justice Hammer 5. When it seemed that the debate would go nowhere, however, she saw the moment in which Makoto’s eyes widened in realization. 

And of course, the one moment in which she didn’t properly dispose of evidence came to haunt her, with the spotless hammer that had been hanging at the shelf brought into the case.

“That fits what the Monokuma file says, that their wounds were consistent, and also removes the burden of having to move around the school while carrying such a notable weapon.” Byakuya nodded. “Whoever planned everything met with Hifumi at the repository after Taka’s body was carried there, then betrayed him.”

So close, yet so far. And oh, had she prepared for the eventuality in which they would be aware that two people had been working together.

“There is something that has been bothering me,” Celestia said, slowly. Almost as if the whole issue was too important, something she was still trying to understand. “Why would Hifumi work with someone else to begin with? According to the rules of the killing game, anyone who collaborates a murder gains no benefit at all—graduation only befits the mastermind, the blackened, not the accomplice.”

“You are correct about this, of course. Normally an accomplice has no risk versus reward benefit and thus, no motivation to work with someone else in exchange for absolutely no reward.” Kyoko turned to face her, expression completely somber. “Yet that only applies when one person is murdered. In this particular case, there were two victims. Suppose that Hifumi was led to believe that him and his partner would each murder someone. And as such, they would work as each other’s accomplices during the class trial, to the point that they could fool the rest of the class and get away with their crimes.

“Based on everything that happened so far, of course Yamada was the first to commit to his side of the deal, killing Ishimaru before the morning announcement even sounded. That sealed their pact, for Hifumi would be unable to back out and say he had changed his mind at some point in the entire ordeal. Thus two separate incidents were carried out by two different people. Yet with the way the plan was designed, the true killer wanted everything to seem like it was all done by one sole person: the one they tried to frame.

“Why, it’s even a bit surprising that someone, perhaps the killer themself, didn’t hint that Yamada murdered Taka, then was laden with remorse and took his own life. Even if the position and nature of the wounds would completely and easily contradict that statement.”

And there went a small part of Celestia’s plan, a backup idea of sorts that she hoped not to use in any case. But to hear it being disregarded and discredited with such simplicity made her the slightest bit angry, all in all. She had been convinced that some among them wouldn’t see the contradiction, which would result in Kirigiri spending more time and energy having to refute that as well. 

“And it seems safe to assume that killing their accomplice was the mastermind’s plan from the very beginning, too, as it would free them from having to deal with any slip ups on his part during the trial.” Togami frowned, then shook his head. “Though I imagine they might be a bit miffed at the few that happened during the execution of their entire scenario. I admire their cunning, as this was quite something to unravel, but perhaps they should have chosen a smarter student to act as their accomplice. That’s just my opinion.”

Tell her about it. Celestia was indeed fuming, even though on the outside she nodded and winced, muttering something or the other about how that had been a major oversight. That wasn’t a lie either, for she was certain Hifumi would follow her very detailed instructions to the end without causing so many issues. Without leaving behind such a vast number of loose threads, that their classmates had been able to pull at and discover that much about her idea. 

“And now the main issue is, who was Hifumi working with? Who lured him into this trap?” Hina queried, and a few of the students started talking among themselves.

No names were uttered, only a few furtive glances thrown around. None of them reached her, least of all Kyoko’s. If anything, the other Ultimate was turned away from her, facing a wall with narrowed eyes and closed, tense hands. They were so tightly put that the fabric was strained, the leather bending and making small marks that might not be reversible later on.

Well, at the very least she hadn’t been mentioned. At the very least she was safe. At the very least—

“Someone this cunning, smart enough to come up with this entire scenario. Someone who made sure they were present in order to fabricate an alibi to her—ahem, themself through this whole time. Someone… It was—”

“Celestia Ludenberg.”

Kyoko’s voice was soft, almost a whisper against Makoto’s more powerful remarks. Yet it was enough to drown everyone’s protest and make them turn to glance at her. 

And although most of their expressions were laden with confusion, disbelief and everything in between, there was nothing of the sort in Kirigiri’s demeanor. Anger was the easiest emotion to pick, yet by far not the sole one. No, if the gambler were to search beneath the surface, which she did without a moment’s hesitation, she would be able to perceive a great deal of regret. Sadness, too, barely masked by the way the other girl’s shoulder slumped, how her hands then hung limply by her sides.

It was tough not to let those emotions influence her, shatter through the disguise she had to maintain. None of the blackened before her had given up that easily and neither would her. Not when there was still hope to hold on to.

Not when the cards weren’t done being played, and she was well-aware of how perfectly hidden she was behind her tower of deceit.