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

[trustbound]

No. I know who most of those people are. They've been explained to me by Jericho.

[matchbreaker]

Then who? I know most of this stuff you already know about...

... I could go give you Ziska?

[ I mean, she was going to either way, but. ]

[trustbound]

You're going to give me Ziska either way.

[matchbreaker]

... Well, yes.

[ Look she- ]

... I think we've been surprisingly friendly with each other, I sort of wanted to see if I could help work out your memories is all.

[trustbound]

They aren't anyone you know. They're just stupid things I write down sometimes. I don't see why it matters to you - and don't give me this "friends" bullshit, given that you're all prepared to do war with me or whatever.

[matchbreaker]

I am. [ . . . ] Honestly, both are true? I'm more than prepared to do all I can against you as an "enemy," but... I mean, I would like that not to be true.

[trustbound]

You can't have it both ways, Indomitable.

[matchbreaker]

[ She knows. She just sort of smiles a little sadly at that. She doesn't have a good response for it. ]

[heritrix]

Personally, I'd rather avoid your death as well as my own. That said, if there must be a better reason, is there anyone's name in there that I would know?

[Like was that shooting down Elda personally, or could the names in that notebook belong to people some of the rest of us here would recognize?]

[trustbound]

[...]

Yes. One I know for sure, one that I...

[She pauses. Shakes her head.]

One that I'm pretty sure you know?

[heritrix]

[Rin feels her blood run cold. If there's two people in there... She was asking because she suspected a specific person, of course. When she tries to think of a second person besides that... In the best possible scenario it should be Kirei; that would be the one Hilda could say she knows for sure.

But what if it's the person she's thinking of and someone else?]

Can I see? [...] Or just tell me, if it's really that important we don't see the whole book.

[trustbound]

One of them is Sakura Matou. The other is Shinya Kogami.

[That's immediate; it seems we're going the telling route.]

You can tell me if those names mean anything to you, or you can keep it to yourself. I don't really care. But that's what I have.

[heritrix]

[When Rin hears those names, she lets out a slow breath. There's equal parts relief here, like she's gotten the answer to something she's been wondering about for a long time, even if it's an answer she doesn't like. She doesn't look surprised.]

I can't say I've heard of a man named Shinya Kogami. [Though strangely, she can't help but think she likes the sound of that name. Whatever the case, she's just glad it isn't the name of someone she really knows. For a moment, she'd worried it was Shirou.] I'm not sure why you'd connect me to him.

But Sakura Matou is my biological sister.

[It's a name she's mentioned to a few people, though not everyone would know that fact. Adelina, for instance, who drew Sakura's portrait and saw her ribbon, but never got her full background.]

[trustbound]

...I thought so.

[heritrix]

Is her name in there as part of another hit list?

[trustbound]

No. I feel like she's someone I used to speak to often. Something like a friend.

[...]

Shinya Kogami is the same way.

[heritrix]

[...oh.

I'm glad Sakura had friends. That's her first thought. The second leads to a tangled spider's web.]

...If you were sure he and I knew each other, that says something strange about me. Hilda, am I someone you used to speak to as well?