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]

And obviously this involved more than just 'criminals'.

If you're involving innocent people in this you can't call any of this crap 'just'.

[ And don't get him started on the damn list. ]

[trustbound]

Why are you yelling at me about the ethics of all of this? I do what I was put here to do, and I'm a bad person so other people don't have to be. That's all that matters to me.

[heritrix]

[So would that make her Rachel, or Angra Mainyu.]

Well, ethics does have something to do with this, judging by the means we were brought into it all. What even counts as a "bad person"? By your definition of it.

[trustbound]

[You fucking know what, she just abruptly unfolds her arms, letting that notebook fall to the floor so she can slam her hands down on the podium and just - ]

I don't know! I do what I'm told, I don't know what else you want! Other people decide the truth for me, whatever they say is true - what the fuck else do you want from me, this is all I know how to do!

[heritrix]

I don't want anything from you. [And she's saying that with absolute sincerity.] You're just a pawn that's been used, and you say this is all you know how to do, but I think you want more. That's why Jericho is hiding things from you, and why your memory is faulty. Somewhere down the line, I think your definition of a bad person stopped perfectly matching his.

[trustbound]

He wouldn't do that.

[She's still obviously upset, but that...does not sound as certain as it could.]

[hesperos]

Are you sure about that?

You already know what lengths Jericho would go to ensure he has control over the situation, given what happened with Alena.

[trustbound]

Alena is technically safe. She's dead, but your friends weren't wrong in saying that she's still here.

[heritrix]

Of course he would. If you lost contact with the world outside, that means he's all alone, isn't he? You're the only one he can count on. If you turned against him, he couldn't keep doing this; that means he'll keep you on his side by any means necessary.

[trustbound]

I'm not the only one. Hilda is still here. Alena is dead, but she's...also still here. Like your friends are still here.

[notaccurate]

Oh, stuff it with that 'doing bad stuff so other people don't have to'. Jericho is blatantly taking advantage of that fact, you know. Even if you don't care that he's using you as a means to an end, I do.

[The next part he speaks is directed 'up', rather than at Rachel.]

Jericho, I know you're listening. Stop being a coward and speak up.

[trustbound]

Using a tool for its intended purpose isn't taking advantage of it - would you even care if I looked like a machine and not a person?

Just leave him alone - I'm responsible for this, like I said.

[perpend]

....you are a person. You might not be human, but that hardly matters.

[trustbound]

I know I'm a person.

People like you tend to not care about that if people don't look like it, though. Is Ziska a book or a person to you? How about the cat?

[perpend]

[girl you’re talking to the man who befriended a cat]

I haven’t spoken to her but I’d say Ziska is a person. The cat might not talk— at least not to us, but that doesn’t make... her?... any less of a cat. I wouldn’t have spent a decade trying to save Jowd if I didn’t think life is valuable.

[matchbreaker]

I would, as long as we could still speak, and have had the experiences we've had.

[ Elda says, pushing up a little on her podium. ]

I realize now I was reading into "Hilda," but I think the fact remains that your existence seems lonely to me. And-- Rachel. Would you be willing to be my friend?

[trustbound]

[...]

I like having friends.

[...i mean she sounds like an absolute five-year-old but at least it's less. everything she's been for like the past five or ten minutes.]

[matchbreaker]

[ Well then.

Elda's going to walk over towards Rachel-Hilda. She's carrying Ditty in one hand and Ziska in the other. ]

You've allowed me to sleep in that office, and you've seen me cry. You words allowed me to re-frame my hatred, however cruel they were. Humored my grieving, and dealt with a lot of asinine questions. You've not killed us now, and I still believe that you or some face of you might well have been the one who led us to the evidence we have now.

I realize there's some lack of depth here, and I have been prepared for war with you before now. But I see now that my qualm is more with the one holding it than the "tool" itself.

So I'm going to state, quite simply, I want to be your friend.

[trustbound]

[...That's a lot of words, but.]

...Okay.

[notaccurate]

When Kyrie shot me in the arm, I didn't get mad at the crossbow bolt. The crossbow bolt had no choice in the matter, it was doing what it was made to do.

Jericho is using you. That's why I want to talk to him right now: he's the one holding the weapon, making the choice to shoot people. It's not your fault that you are hurting everyone here, so I don't blame you for it. But I do want to talk to the person who is to blame.

[trustbound]

I'm not entirely innocent. I like executing bad people.

[...no...further comment on Jericho, apparently...]

[notaccurate]

[Today is just a day of revelations, isn't it?]

...be that as it may, it still isn't your fault. Jericho wanted to punish those 'four people' for taking over games like this, so why does he get to escape punishment when he is doing exactly the same thing?

[hesperos]

[ Using a tool for its intended purpose isn't taking advantage of it.

Yeah. About that. He's pretty sure Raven would have some words to say about it too. ]

Nah, it is. Even if you looked like a machine, you'd still be a person in your own right. You have your own thoughts and your own feelings. But all along you've been manipulated by him so that you would think otherwise.

[trustbound]

...He thinks he needs to do this.

[Just saying.]

[hesperos]

Well, what he thinks is full of crap.

[ There was a point in here somewhere originally but whatever. ]