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]

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.

[heritrix]

[...can he see them, though? A question to ask later.]

Let me frame this in another way, then. Would he be able to keep this exercise up without you? His own notes seem to think he can't.

[trustbound]

[...]

No.

[heritrix]

The next question for you to consider is how important is this to him, then. What matters most to him, Rachel? How he treats you, or continuing this operation?

[trustbound]

How he treats me doesn't matter. Like I've said, this is my purpose. It's what I was put here to do.

Besides, maybe once he's done with all of this, he'll go back to being the way he used to be and we can figure out what to do from there.

[heritrix]

I only said it because you seemed insistent he would never do that to you. From everything you've told me, I think he absolutely would.

[That notebook is still on the floor, right? Rin's going to move towards it, if that's alright.]

So before you make any decisions on anything, I think we should get to the bottom of that. You can't act properly if you don't know all the facts.

[trustbound]

[It's still on the floor, yes.]

I know as much as I need to.

[heritrix]

Some part of your design seems to think otherwise, if memories that don't make sense are resurfacing.

[Is it okay to pick the notebook up? Rin is approaching it like she intends to. Actually, she'll ask outright.]

Can I look at this now?

[trustbound]

[...]

I'd prefer that you not.

[heritrix]

Why?

[trustbound]

Why do you want to so badly?

[heritrix]

Because it's the things you remember, right? If they felt important enough to write down, that might mean that with the context of the other clues we've been given, we can figure out what's really going on here.

[She glances down at the book.]

...And even if it turns out to be nothing, you called Sakura your friend. I never did anything for her, so in that respect I owe you now. One of us should be able to remember our time with her clearly.

[trustbound]

...It's just names. They don't connect.

[heritrix]

Are you sure about that?

[bloodisthicker]

....

[Likes: saving people.]

What changed with Jericho?

[trustbound]

He was a good person. He wanted to save us. I don't know what he was trying to save us from, but that's what was important to him.

[bloodisthicker]

...

Listen. I know this is difficult to hear... and Jericho probably doesn't want to hear it either, if he's listening.

But he's not going to change for the better if he doesn't stop what he's doing and listen to those instincts telling him he was wrong. Things will never go back to normal, I don't think... but he might be able to change for the better if he accepts that and stops.

[trustbound]

He can't stop until we've finished what we're doing. He's adamant about that much.

[...]

He's the other person in that locket that Indomitable was asking about.

[heritrix]

[...]

Does that make him your father?

[trustbound]

Oh, god, no. He had nothing to do with that, and I think he'd find being called that weird for a lot of reasons.

Besides, it's Hilda's locket, not mine.

[heritrix]

That's a relief. I'd find that pretty weird too.

[And right, it was Hilda's first. In that case...]

...what's his relation to those two, in that case? Are they family members?

[trustbound]

Yes.

[bloodisthicker]

I know that's what he thinks, but he's wrong.

[trustbound]

It'll fix everything. And then he can stop being Jericho and we can figure out what to do.

[bloodisthicker]

It's really not. Trust me. It's really not.