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]

[ Huh. These are big words but he can understand that. ]

So, wait... that page on one of those files talkin' about 'Torrential showin' up somewhere that he's not supposed to be, following events he was definitely not supposed to experience.' might have something to do with the butterfly effect?

[ ... Wait a minute. He's thinking... god he's probably too dumb for this, honestly. ]

And I guess this probably has something to do with Jericho's attempts to neutralize people from existence.

[heritrix]

I'd guess that whatever is going on with that Torrential guy and the people on their hit list is clean up. Similar to how they're going after previous masterminds.

But as for why we're here, along with the reason Jericho and Hilda have been running events like this in the first place? [...] I can't say for certain, Yuri, but you might be on the money. If that idea holds water, from their perspective, by eliminating us they could create a better world.

[Having said that, though, she brushes back her hair.]

It's complete hogwash, of course. They're just making a bad problem worse.

[bloodisthicker]

Ask me about everything I did to try and create a better world.

...honestly no, don't, I'm really embarrassed by all of it at this point, but the point remains.

[notaccurate]

It is absolute hogwash, yes. Trying to play judge, jury, and executioner is how you end up with people like Hibiki in places like this.

[Like, okay. Most of them have their faults, faults that could easily be twisted into 'the world is better off without them'. But Hibiki in particular is one of the people Luca can think of that absolutely could not have done something to warrant this kind of punishment.]

There's a reason why separate people play those roles in any reasonable society.

[hesperos]

Something like that, yeah.

[ He feels like... there's a little bit of something else to it as well. ]

Obviously their process isn't exactly perfect here. If they were aiming for those 'masterminds' and those people on their 'hit list' by having them forced into a set up like this, we could've just happened to be brought along with them whenever they had those others come in from those other worlds. I kind of get the feeling that they don't think all of us that were brought here deserve to be eliminated, but they actually don't give a crap.

To them, we're worth the sacrifice for their "perfect world".

[ ... ]

But either way, yeah, they are full of it. It's obvious it's just been making things worse and messing up things for them, what with what's being listed in the files for when things go out of control.