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]

[Suddenly, abruptly, Jericho can be heard over the public-address system; he seems less manic than he usually does, at least, though his words still seem odd in some way. Agitated more than energetic, maybe.]

So I see you all really want my robot to hate me, and that's great, I guess? Seriously, stop upsetting the fuck out of Rachel, she's been dealing with a lot from you guys without having to deal with all your ethics and friendship bullshit.

Are you done down there yet? You've been discussing for a long-ass time, you really should get back upstairs and back to your damn lives, don't you think?

[hesperos]

Obviously we're not done.

[ ... ]

Why don't you come down here instead.

[trustbound]

I think we've already discussed how that's not going to happen.

[hesperos]

Oh yeah, definitely.

[ ..... ]

Because you're too afraid to show your face in front of us, I know.

[trustbound]

Okay, so you have resorted to effectively calling me a wuss and throwing "I bet you won't" at me. Good to know.

[hesperos]

If you'd stop acting like one, then you could always, y'know, get your ass down here and prove me wrong.

Then again, you're like one of those dirty people high up who don't like to even so much as worry about taking the crap for what they've done, huh.

[perpend]

Your robot? She's not a thing!

[trustbound]

I never said she was? Mine, yes. Thing, no.

[bloodisthicker]

...

Hey, Jericho.

Take responsibility.

[trustbound]

Hey, Assured.

There's someone trying to take responsibility right there, and she isn't wrong in doing so.

[bloodisthicker]

Stop hiding behind Rachel like you have been this whole time, Jericho.

[trustbound]

It's cute that you think you can order me around? What the hell are you even trying to use to get me to engage with you guys, other than throwing some damn buzzwords at me that you picked up from me in the first place?

[bloodisthicker]

Well, I'm not going to pretend that I don't want to physically shove those words down your throat in some manner, honestly, but it's a very strange, unpleasant feeling to watch someone flail around committing roughly the same mistakes I made and then continuing to have no sense of self-awareness whatsoever. I'm just thinking about how bad people like Korra and Tenzin had it and feeling embarrassed about it all over again.

[heritrix]

Yeah, but when someone's stabbed, we don't put the knife on trial.

[trustbound]

God, for all you guys like to scream about Rachel and her feelings, you really like comparing her to inanimate objects.

[heritrix]

I'm just using her own definition. She had to have gotten that from someone.

[Rin waves a hand.]

What exactly is the point of this trial, though? Because that's been unclear from the beginning. No one's died, and Rachel claims neither you nor her lead us to those rooms back there. Other than hiding her identity, I don't know what she's meant to be taking responsibility for, and you wouldn't go to all this trouble if there was nothing more to it than that. We could have had this discussion in the foyer.

[bloodbiter]

Even if she's trying, she isn't the one who's responsible.

[trustbound]

She's deemed that she is, and given that she's running the system, she would know.

[bloodbiter]

She doesn't know everything about this situation, though, does she? Somehow, her memories have been altered.

[notaccurate]

So you would throw Rachel under the bus to keep from facing consequences for your actions? That is pretty low, even for you.

[trustbound]

It's not throwing her under the bus. She's running the system, and she's declared herself responsible.

[matchbreaker]

We're not even close to done. We haven't seen the man who's going to be really on trial here.

[trustbound]

Last I checked, this wasn't a trial.

[matchbreaker]

Isn't it? You set us up in a courtroom, you shifted our podiums, you called us here...?

But hey, you're right. This probably isn't going to end in an execution.

So let's see you, Jericho.

[trustbound]

Small problem for you: I've got no reason to join you down there.