Taking Responsibility.

[trustbound]

A while after that space behind and above the game room has been accessed, after things have been looked over, Jericho can be heard over the intercom; apparently, it works over in that area as well. "Wow, you guys really are having a great time going through our stuff, aren't you? Good for you! Seriously, look at all of you go, utilizing Rule Four and everything. It's cute as hell. I'm guessing you want something out of all of this, though – I mean, we absolutely could leave you there to just sort of mull things over until somebody else dies, but that seems like a waste of everybody's time, and believe it or not, I'm not too crazy about wasting tme. So if you're all happy with what you found, go ahead and head down to the courtroom – as always, we'll be waiting for you." And as he's said, the door the courtroom below is unlocked and open when you arrive; as always, feel free to follow that darkened stairwell down to that familiar room made of concrete and steel. There are so few of you now. Kyrie's photograph has joined the others in the circle that have their pictures in monochrome, their podiums draped in black – but notably, the podiums have all been rearranged. There are definite patterns to it, if you look; either way, feel free to find and take your place. The pit in the center of the circle remains darkened, but it isn't as though it matters much for the time being, given that there would be no one in it; after all, the thirty-sixth podium, across from all of you, is occupied. Hilda is standing there, dressed in black as always, a notebook folded tightly against her chest – not the notebook that killed Aligula, but a nice leatherbound one. She looks at everyone expectantly as they walk in; the implication is incredibly clear. It's you against the guilty. Take control of your fate, and hold them responsible. When she does speak, it's simple and straightforward, especially as compared to Jericho's rambling. "Let's begin, shall we?"

Comments

[hesperos]

[ Wow, okay. ]

What's your damn problem with him anyway? He didn't do anything to deserve to be on a list like that.

[trustbound]

Is that what you think...? Sorry he's been lying to you, then.

[matchbreaker]

[ I mean even if he was coerced the secret did say he blows up worlds or whatever that has to kill a lot of people, right . . . ]

[hesperos]

[ He did, but it was also 'humanity's fucked if you don't' so it was a little more than an issue of black and white even if he didn't like it.

... They may be basing it upon the kill count but Yuri would die before he's going to agree with them on this. ]

[evilfrenzy]

What can I say? I did what needed to be done to keep my place in life.

[With what Adelina said, that is not him agreeing with Yuri. Oh.]

[hesperos]

[ ....... ]

Well, yeah. You mentioned that you had to go around destroying all of those dimensions and then working under Bisley.

[ But then again, he didn't know any more details on that, didn't he.

He is thinking that Rideaux's not defending himself because of that...his role in destroying dimensions, that is. ]

Doesn't mean you deserve to be on a list to be neutralized out of existence or whatever the hell.

[evilfrenzy]

Believe me, I intend to fight that. I didn't go through all of that back home...and all of this for my struggle to have meant nothing.

[He's a lot more furious about it than he's outwardly showing.

...

But he can't deny that Hilda called him the fuck out, and now Yuri's probably going to wonder.]

That said, I'm not going to say my spot on the list is not well-earned. Destroying dimensions was not all that I did to stay in Bisley's favor.

[hesperos]

Good.

[ Yuri had a feeling but he was about to be mad if Rideaux was just going to take this lying down. That is one less worry, however it doesn't exactly lessen the fact that he's feeling bothered right now -- or maybe he's mad. Yeah, just a little.

He would have really liked to know beforehand. Especially considering the circumstances. ]

What do you mean by that. What did you do?

[evilfrenzy]

[As much as Rideaux should look at least a little ashamed by what he's about to say to Yuri, he doesn't. As far as he's concerned, his actions are justified. He took any necessary measures to survive.]

I made difficult decisions that no one else wanted to. I was willing to eliminate people who impeded our progress. Nothing personal to them, of course.

[That quip at the end implies that whoever he killed was just as innocent as the people in the fractured dimensions he destroyed.

...there's more petty things he's done, but he figures that would be another thing to get him on the list.]

[hesperos]

[ Surprisingly, it's not mainly the fact that Rideaux is being so cavalier about this that is getting to him. It's ... ]

... So that's why, huh? You couldn't have told me this beforehand?

[ He still has his priorities in order, however. He's not going to agree with the way they're doing things, and -- for fuck's sake Rideaux. ]

And that's all, right?

[evilfrenzy]

[Ah... This is where he chooses to avert his gaze a little.]

What? I already told you I've done unpleasant things to prove my usefulness. What's this about "you couldn't have told me beforehand?" Are you saying this is where you draw a line with my actions? Not many would even be willing to justify what I've already told you.

[He never outright lied to Yuri... It just turns out he has a lot more secrets than just the one that ended up burned into the wall with the others'.]

[hesperos]

That's not the damn point.

[ ... ]

There are a lot of unpleasant things that don't include killing innocent people ontop of the other ones you were killing as a result of destroying those dimensions.

I justified it because you had no other option and because you had given me the run down with those circumstances.

I was ready to point out -- and did -- that you being on the list was full of crap because of what I knew, but now I can see why you're on it. If you had just told me at least a little more of those details, I wouldn't have bothered.

[ ... You know what. He just does a hand motion, beckoning him to come over. ]

[evilfrenzy]

[Rideaux clenches his fists, anger simmering just beneath the surface as Yuri goes on.]

Say what you want, but it's not going to change the fact that I determined those actions necessary. If I hadn't eliminated that girl, I- we wouldn't have been able to finish the trial. I wanted it to be over before I exhausted my Chromatus uses and-

Oh, why am I bothering with wasting my breath on this with you. I didn't amount to anything in the end.

[At no point does he sound regretful about his actions, though. But...that isn't to say that he's unaffected by how Yuri is taking it.]

I appreciate the fact that you felt any desire to defend me, but as it turns out, your impression of me was flawed.

[...unfortunately, he's not budging from the spot. He's having trouble even looking Yuri in the eye right now. But he also won't move if Yuri comes to him.]

[hesperos]

[ Fine, then, apparently he's going to be coming right over. ]

Well maybe if you just told me more of what the hell you did then it wouldn't have been an issue. Maybe I should've asked more, but I guess what is done is done.

[ God he's ... technically Rideaux didn't lie to him but he's still mad he didn't tell him? He can still be mad about that, and -- well, there's too much of a short time for them to properly even talk about this. But--

Even though Rideaux's having trouble looking at him now is he managing to do so now? ]

[evilfrenzy]

[His voice is lowered now since Yuri has decided to come over. It's bad timing to have this conversation for sure, but he'd like to keep it as private as he can.]

Honestly...I've told you more than I've told anyone outside of a select few. Ever. Only Julius and Bisley know as much as you do.

[And...yeah, he's looking at Yuri.]

I still can't believe that you could justify that much. I justified it for myself of course, but there is a reason why I am on that list and you are not.

[hesperos]

Yeah, whatever.

[ He'll reach over to try to punch him in the shoulder. ]

It'd be different if you didn't have a good reason for what you were doing, you know.

[ That talk he had with Rideaux back then? Was just a very escalated version of him wanting to know a 'good reason' for what happened. Like when he was trying to figure out what happened with Judith. ]

As far as I'm concerned, though, I still don't like that you're up on there. You're no longer the type of person who'd need to do those things anymore, and... I don't want you to be erased from existence.

[evilfrenzy]

[He'll take the punch. Honestly, he would've understood if Yuri punched him in the face for all of this.

In the grand scheme of things, his reason wasn't even that noble, even if "protecting the prime dimension" was involved. He just wanted to live, even if everything in that world worked against him. But if any of that is good enough to Yuri...

Ugh, just hearing those words... He bows his head a little bit.]

If that's truly the case, I probably have some idiot standing beside me to thank for it. [Who he has already thanked.] An idiot that I certainly don't deserve.

[hesperos]

[ He thought about punching Rideaux in the face, but he wanted to punch him somewhere else more. Count yourself lucky on that one. Or everything, apparently. ]

Oh yeah, you definitely do. I got some people back at home who'd agree with me being an 'idiot' too.

[ ... ]

Pretty sure I'll be the judge about whether or not you deserve it though.