trustfell | Taking Responsibility.

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?"

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Jericho's going to be really mad if I answer that.

[ . . . ]

Fair. I suspect he'll be mad no matter how this pans out, though.

[ So that's basically a "yes," huh? ]

So Alena died ahead of time, but was Hilda ever involved with our exercise?

—I have a hunch the real Hilda is dead as well, actually.

I'm feeling the same way, but I don't have any evidence I can recall. Do you?

I dismissed it earlier, but Cabanela might have really been on to something. In that letter I read, Jericho refers to Hilda in the past tense.

Let's say that locket was Hilda's reminder that she was on the right path. The fact that it's here without her then can't be a good sign for her continued health.

But Rachel here just said that Hilda's off running other games.

... Wait.

Wait, the Kirei file! The Wordsmith one?! Does anyone have that one on them?!

Yeah, I do.

[ ... Because Yuri was carrying them on him just because. Here is Kirei's. He'll take it out. ]

You want it or something?

Yes. [ In fact she's going to take it ... ]

This is the one Hilda's referenced the most in, right? And this is the one that Rachel here, when I've talked with her, doesn't seem to have any memory of, she said she never met him before this exercise. She knew Archer's face at least, though... said she didn't know him that much either, and Hilda's "neutralized" in that report too, right? Even if it's in error. And then she's gone missing here and then is found again.

[ She doesn't ... mmm. She doesn't know where she's going with this though. If Hilda was never involved here, does any of this matter? ]

As do I.

She was not.

Well then... I'm sorry I didn't get along with one of your faces but I've liked you under this one. I suppose that's a little strange.

Not really. You were better-suited to get along with this one than you were the other one.

I like my mom a lot, but she's kind of a pushover.

Still, they're both "you," right? Or are those faces basically their own people?

They're both me, yes, just drawing on different personalities that have been uploaded into my system.

I can be anyone I want that way. I've only been women so far, though - I've never been a man, even if that sort of thing doesn't really matter to me. If a certain thing is programmed into my system, that's what it is, as far as I'm concerned.

So basically, if you controlled me you could name me whatever you wanted and tell me to believe whatever you put in, and that would be true from then on.

[ . . . what a sad existence. But if that's the case- ]

Does that mean that your memory issues are from previous faces you've worn?

...I don't think so.

I can keep track of everything they've done just fine, normally. I just have fragments of people that shouldn't be there for some reason. People who have never been in this building, to my knowledge. And yet I remember them being here.

[ . . . ]

Have you ever helped people run games who weren't a part of your group? Like someones named Kingmaker, perhaps?

[ The file say they used her to kill a bunch of people and then she should focus on Mastermind/Archer so... there's that? ]

I recognize the title, yes. They were a set of people. One of them called me Glory.

But at the same time, no one by that title has been inside this building. I know that for a fact.

(no subject)

matchbreaker - 2017-11-18 22:58 (UTC) - Expand

trustbound - 2017-11-18 23:04 (UTC) - Expand

matchbreaker - 2017-11-18 23:06 (UTC) - Expand

trustbound - 2017-11-18 23:18 (UTC) - Expand

matchbreaker - 2017-11-18 23:19 (UTC) - Expand

[Given she didn't get an answer over here, then, it's lead to a new thought. One she's kind of kicked around for a while, but feels like has something more concrete to build on now.]

You didn't answer my question before, you know. Was I one of those people, along with Sakura Matou and Shinya Kogami?

Edited (html) 2017-11-18 22:58 (UTC)

[thaaaaat's the mod didn't see this good lord almighty i'm sorry]

A few of you were, actually.

heritrix - 2017-11-18 23:10 (UTC) - Expand

trustbound - 2017-11-18 23:17 (UTC) - Expand

heritrix - 2017-11-18 23:21 (UTC) - Expand

At the least, those faces must be able to act independently of one another. There's no reason to lock up the Rachel Adelina spoke to if they're one and the same. Furthermore, the Rachel in front of us shouldn't have been surprised we found our way back there if she'd seen on of us with her own eyes.

That's what I've been wondering... unless all of that is for Jericho's sake. An act, you know.

It's like I told Securing. It's against the rules for me to help you.

[ But Jericho would still be mad if she answered it so...

So what even is the truth? She frowns a little. ]

Someone must've, though.

[ Could it be their ghosts? She frowns a little, looking around the room. Maybe she should check with the Silph Scope? ]

It's not something you should pursue right now.