Take Responsibility.

[trustbound]

This particular investigation was likely a difficult one, for various reasons; whether through frustration or sheer disgust at the level of depravity involved, it's been a long day already. It doesn't seem like it will get any easier by the time the door to the courtroom unlocks, gently swinging open to allow everyone downstairs. As always, the stairwell is dark, but the courtroom is already lit up down below, a thin amount of light bouncing up the corridor to guide everyone downstairs; the podium circle stands stark and silent in the center, marking spots for both the living and the dead; by now, the latter far outnumber the former. Kirei, Milla, Angel, and Susan have all had their spots altered, their podiums draped in black cloth and their portraits set atop them; they'll be joining those watching all of you in greyscale as you work today. Do you think you'll do them justice? Either way and as always, the thirty-sixth podium remains empty and unadorned. Once everyone has found their place in the circle, Jericho can be heard over the public-address system; he doesn't seem to have settled any from the investigation. "Peerless, Edifying, and Adroit have all been taken from you - and hey, it looks like you found all of them, we appreciate that. But even if you hadn't, you'd still be down here, and I'm sure I don't need to tell you what you have to do as a result of everything that's happened. This is another one of those things that's either gonna be great or it's going to be terrible, though maybe I'll add in a third option of 'interesting' this time, just due to the setup. As always, you know what's going on here - the innocent versus the guilty. Seventh time lucky, maybe. As always, do your best!" Thirteen Participants remain. We'll see how many leave here at the end of the day.

Comments

[bloodbiter]

What would the bigger one be, then?

[innocentloveholic]

Why don't you figure that out for yourself? I'm not gonna hand you all the answers on a silver platter, princess.

[bloodbiter]

...Because it was amusing for you in some way. The notes, what you did to the bodies... You saw this as a show.

[innocentloveholic]

Hmmmm, well... [ ....... ] Close enough! I wanted to have some fun, so I did.

[destage]

[Jesus christ, Aligula, she sees why you wanted to harp on her and Elda so much. These things never get easier...]

...So they were just fun for you, then.

[innocentloveholic]

[ ...Sorry, Sayaka. Not sorry enough, apparently, but sorry. ]

Setting everything up was! Thinking about how everyone'd go looking places, following my neat, simple directions was! I mean, I totally hate doing scavenger hunts, but... Watching everyone else work like little bees wasn't boring at all.

[destage]

[Guess that's that, then.]

Well...I'm glad you had that much, at the very least.

[matchbreaker]

No! Don't you dare leave it at that!

[ Elda uh. Slams her fist on her podium? ]

Was it fun watching me cry?! Or was the part you got a kick out of the part where you prevented me from damaging your art piece?! Which part, Aligula?!

[innocentloveholic]

[ Ah, shit, Elda. Aligula kicks her heels on her podium again, tap-tap-tap-tap. ]

All of it, Indomitable! Well, not specifically you... I didn't really see your attempt to throttle the life back into Adroit coming?

[matchbreaker]

Say my name, you selfish bitch!

[ She slams her podium again, her eyes turning into catlike mode as she glares daggers into the other. ]

What, was this stupid show to prove something to yourself?! That you could still live your life freely?!

[innocentloveholic]

[ Someone's soooooo pissed, she...

...does not love it half as much as she expected to, but she can't give up the drive now; she's never been afraid of commitment, after all. ]

Nope! It really was just to have a good time! And, you know, if I could get away with it... Then even better!! [ She had half a hope she might be able to, really, but she's complimented the group on being good at this before; she knows the risk is there. ] And if you ask a little nicer, Indomitable, I totally will! I mean, Alex asked me really nicely to call her that, and I did~! So ask, ask, ask!

[matchbreaker]

No.

[ She snarls this, and she's going to be... walking over to Aligula now. Well, her podium. Her eyes are hard in catlike mode as she goes, and her temper's flaring worse than it has at most of these other trials. ]

I'm not going to ask you for anything again.

[destage]

[...Oh my god, Elda, don't you dare--she's going to walk over there if she has to, goddammit, but for now she settles on shouting.]

Elda, she'll be taken care of when we cast the vote! Back off from her!

[...]

And I'm sure Ashworth-san will be able to lop off her hair or something to get even if she can't get back at her properly!

[innocentloveholic]

I look good with short hair anyway! I had it like that before I met Brody!

[ SO IT'S NOT EVEN THAT BAD ]

[matchbreaker]

Like I care! I've got something I've got to say to this woman personally and I'm not going to have anyone interfere with that!

[ She roars this back at Sayaka. Let's just close the remaining distance here. She did promise Aligula something back a few hours ago at the investigation, right? Aligula suggested something, right? She's going to get her due. ]

[innocentloveholic]

[ You know what, she can do that, sure. Aligula's fine up here, though her hands are by her apron pockets like she's got something there, just in case. ]

Then I guess you're not getting crud from me, huh?

[innocentloveholic]

[ ...it's not that she's deflating a little here, but— ]

Ugh, get mad or something, Attentive!

[destage]

Do I really have the right to, when I was close to doing something like this?

[She could get mad at the show, she could get mad at the people who've died, she could...well, pick a whole slew of subjects, really. But Sayaka just looks tired.]

If you want that, talk to anyone else here. They've got the right to be angry.

[innocentloveholic]

[ ......god, you— ]

You turned out to be so freakin' boring. [ That's not said with any malice though. ] Whatever.

[destage]

Yeah, well, I'm tired of losing people I care about. I guess we're even.

[So you know what? Whatever. Have your little show, Aligula.]

[evilfrenzy]

I suppose it was only a natural step up to incorporate your next party game into a murder spree.

[...it sure was "creative", he'll have to give her credit there.]

Congratulations for managing to off Maxwell, though. She's not exactly a slouch in combat. [...wow.] Let me guess, you were the one who braided her hair? How easy was it to talk her into participating in that?

[innocentloveholic]

Really easy, considering she wasn't responsive when I asked.

[ ......OKAY THEN. ]

[evilfrenzy]

I...see.

[Holy shit.]

[innocentloveholic]

[ you asked bud you wanted to know ]

[evilfrenzy]

[Honestly he thinks it's kind of hilarious.]