![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
Take Responsibility.
| And when the door at the bottom of those stairs unlocks and it swings open gently of its own accord, allowing everyone back down into the courtroom, there are decidedly fewer of them than there were just a few days ago. The change in the podium circle is massive this time; Dio, Logan, Marty, Yuuri, Hibiki and Mordecai have all joined the ranks of the deceased, their podiums adorned with black cloth and greyscale photographs. Furthermore, the mass of shadows in the pit at the center seems agitated again, shifting and breaching upward toward the glass if one looks at it long enough. It's been something of a bad week, to put it gently. Not that it's evident from the Conductor's behavior; as usual, the proceedings are being watched from behind that panel of translucent glass behind podium 30, and he'll speak as soon as everyone has found their place in the circle. His words are a bit more rapid than usual; he seems interested in this one. "Temporal, Lucent, Vivacious and Universal...all four of them have been taken from you. Does whomever is responsible for this really deserve your compassion? There can be no hesitation; you should offer no mercy. It's you against the guilty. Take control of your fate, and hold them responsible." Thirteen Participants remain. You've lost five people this week, and eight since the last investigation; we'll see how many more you lose today. |
no subject
[ Despite having added Logan's school shirt as some horribly ill-conceived haori to her Logan's clothing ensemble, Youko herself looks... okay.
Better than okay, actually. It's different from the eery, nigh-impenetrable calm she'd spent most of last week stuck in. This Youko seems... grounded. There's a light in her eyes that's been missing this whole time.
It's good kind of light.
For once, Youko looks completely human. ]
The person who did this, did so out of spite. Four murders, no added incentive... unless they cut a secret deal with the Conductor, I think we can regard "spite" as a fact. Why else would they go after Mordecai, the man who swore he could bring everyone back? Even if he was a witness, they could have knocked him out.
So. Spite.
[ Youko pauses, mulling over her next words. She'd put some thought into... this, whatever this was beforehand, but some things she hadn't found the way to express. ]
...They wanted to hurt us, in the worst way they could.
And that's why I think we shouldn't let them.
I'm sorry, that probably sounds completely awful, right? Not mourn the lost? Push a button and stop ourselves from feeling things? But that's not what I'm suggesting. I'm saying, if we want to honour our friends - we've got to push on. We can't let this kill us inside the way they want it to. We can't, because then the dead will stay dead! If we give up before our last, dying breath - how are we going to beat this?! And we are going to beat this!!! Because that's the only way we can get them back!!! And I don't know about you, but I WANT THEM BACK!
[ SLAMMING HER HANDS DOWN ON THE PODIUM, WE ARE NOW ACE ATTORNEY ]
So this is it! The way forward! Winning! This is how we'll see them again! So if you want to see them again, don't give up! This is our only choice!
[ ... ]
................Oh yeah, and I thought of how we could do that. [ YOUKO ] I'll tell you all at the after-gathering, alright?
So let's do this.
no subject
(no subject)
no subject
BUT... ]
... Yeah, I'm with you. Let's do this.
(no subject)
(no subject)
no subject
For everyone.
(no subject)
no subject
We'll do it. For everyone.
(no subject)
(no subject)
no subject
(no subject)
no subject
We got all the others, right? We can do it again.
(no subject)
no subject
that sure was a speech that happened]
(no subject)
no subject
(no subject)
no subject
[ ...EXCEPT WHOEVER KILLED THESE FOUR, SHE GUESSES. ]
no subject
I found a couple of clues in the music room. Someone used one of those massive hammers from the vending machine to beat up the piano, then left it - wet under the lid. It wasn't bloody at all, meaning that I think someone must have washed it before leaving it.
The second thing, I'm going to need a handwriting expert on. There was a weird letter on the piano bench.
[She takes it out with shaky hands.]
no subject
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
mods
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
CONDUCTOR
So that vagueness... that's on purpose, right?
no subject
My phrasing has changed just about every week; it's hardly my fault that you haven't noticed until now.
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
no subject
So, right away. We...we need to bring up the idea that one of the dead guys coulda been a murderer. If only for the obscene amount of bodies.
no subject
[...the fact that Rick wanted to kill everyone at the beginning and the only thing presumably holding him back on a personal level is gone goes unsaid...]
...but it's important to see what we can and can't rule out.
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
no subject
Okay, I took the game room and Yuuri's room for investigation...I also dropped by the bar. Uh, someone seriously needs help this week, because there was a "you lose" message in blood with a skull on one of the go tables in the game room..the fucker spelled you as "u", the letter, too. Not sure if that matters, but there you go. From the bar, looks like someone tried to clean somethin' up, but I reckon Jean can tell you more 'bout that.
[ She reaches into one of her uniform pockets and comes up with a letter. ]
Most importantly - I know why Yuuri was at the art room. Anyone got anything Hibiki wrote, or know her handwriting well? I got a note signed from her askin' him to go there, but I'm not real familiar with her handwritin'. I'd like to at least check if it's a forgery before we assume it was really from her.
no subject
MOD CHECK
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
you all drove her to this
[Weiss is now standing on her podium to make sure she's visible.]
Four people are dead, we have a lot of evidence to sort through, and some of us have gotten ridiculously sidetracked over what happened in the last trial. That needs to stop. Do it later.
What we have are four people, two stabbed, one burnt, two beaten to death, weird blood drawings and weird letters, and we owe it to them to get ourselves on track and get this solved.
no subject
[ Damn Weiss doesn't fuck around. ]
... Maybe we should focus on one set a murders first? Figuring out what happened with one, then the other, and then figuring out if there are any connections?
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
(no subject)
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
WARHAMMER RECAP
[ Much as he hates to admit to it... ]
So I think we should focus on narrowing it down between the four of first.
no subject
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
(no subject)
Re: WARHAMMER RECAP
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
...
(no subject)
1/? you'll know when to reply
If there ain't no evidence, i-i-it's all bullshit! Ain't gonna fly! So why don't - why don't all of you SHUT THE FUCK UP! You've been out - been out for my blood since Day...Fucking One! I mean, you know, I-I might've been willing to go after you guys first, but...but.
Fuck.
I tried to play nice. I rea-[urp]-really did try to...to make friends. Fun fact, ain't all it's cracked up to be. Not when you - you know they're gonna die each and e-every single fucking week just because all of you asshats insist on - y-y-you're going around and...giving this fuckbag whatever he wants! Right on a silver goddamn platter! He wants to see you fucking murder people like a buncha - buncha asshats. It's so oragnized. So goddamn bureaucratic. Only because o-o-of because of your shit. People who I care about keep dying every. single. fucking. week. It's why p-people like Ashley died.
Why my grandson died.
[Rick grasps his podium tightly with one hand, waving his other arm around like a madman, almost threatening to smack Tabby in the face with it the way he's going at it.]
M-M-Morty would want...he'd want this. He'd want his grandpa to - to stand up for himself. If only because - because he wasn't able to. Not against me or - or against anyone else. When he should have. So, if - if this is the best you can do, you're gonna need to do better than that. In - in the words of the great Pat Benatar, hit me with your best shot.
Or, you know, I guess - guess Anton Ego said it too. The really...really lean-lookin' piece of shit from Ratatouille. Might be a more - more relev-[errrghh]-relevant reference for...for the kids at home.
[With that, he slams his hands down on his podium, death in his eyes.]
SHOW ME WHAT YOU GOT!
[ START ]
2/?
[silence]
3/?
4/?
5/5 - cw: suicide
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
no subject
...He confessed to Hibiki and Yuuri, but - we still have one more case to solve, don't we? The person we're votin' for today, our next question: who killed Mordecai and Marty? Let's sum up what we know about those murders. All the stuff at the bar is probably related to those two, right? The chicken, the pepper, the broken bottle...
[ They don't have time to mourn. Or boggle. ]
We can ignore all the shit from Rick's murder. For now, let's assume they're not connected and work the next case.
no subject
Yeah, you're right. What do we know about the fourth floor murders? Mordecai was slashed up, probably by a sword. Marty got burned up, but he also has two stab wounds that don't match. What else?
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
ROUND UP
First off, the murders themselves. Mordecai and Marty were both stabbed. Marty was set on fire in the hallway, but Mordecai's body was left alone.
We know someone used alcohol to burn Marty. A bottle of it was missing from the bar and found broken in the hallway. Another broken bottle was in the bar itself, but it was probably empty when it broke. That, and someone cleaned it up. There was a dead chicken and some salt mixed with pepper in the bar, too. Youko found some of the pepper on Mordecai's body.
And some reason, there were darts and billiards in the hallway with Marty's body, and the floor around him was wet and mostly undamaged by the fire.
So what are we missing?
Re: ROUND UP
We're missing that item of Mordecai's wife, some sort of robot part fixer? If I understood it correctly.
The floor around Marty's body - was that blood, alcohol, or water?
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
no subject
Are you happy? Do you wanna do a
no subject
Why two? You only need one to get caught. Why not knock Mordecai out instead of killing him? ...And why set Marty on fire?
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
SELECTION.
[The Conductor's voice cuts through the...everything this trial has currently decided to be; this is heartfelt and all, but.]
There's no need to do anything regarding Enduring, as the vote is concerned. He's already taken responsibility for his actions; let him lie in peace.
Otherwise, hold the guilty accountable for their actions; make them take responsibility. As always, majority rules.
Re: SELECTION.
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
Re: SELECTION.
ACCOUNTABILITY.
She walks into the arena of her own volition; she's looking around, her gaze flicking over the sides and her head cocked back a bit, and while to a casual observer she would probably look like the biggest goddamn tourist as it stands she is actually a woman on a mission.
She's looking for those shadows.
And when they make themselves known, they don't do so halfway; she faces the tremendous black mass almost casually, hands on her hips as though she's waiting
And when those shadows strike she doesn't flinch – rather, she runs toward it, and as she does so her fingers have dipped into the pocket of her skirt and when she pulls her hand back out from the fabric she hurls the flash grenade directly into the creature's face, and for a moment the entire pit lights up, throwing blinding white light up into the courtroom itself.
And when everyone's eyes have adjusted and the courtroom is no longer so bright it hurts to see, the creature is gone entirely.
Any relief from this realization only lasts a moment, though; it seems that the shadows take a second to regroup but not much longer than that, and before long they're amassing themselves again, and Tabby doesn't wait for them to take any sort of corporeal form before she's sprinting toward it, throwing another blast of explosions and light into the creature's face. This is followed by another, and another, and another, drawn from her pockets and her jacket and the holster at her thigh – the blinding white flashes are brief but intense, and each time it takes the shadows longer and longer to regroup themselves. By the time almost all her flashbangs are spent, it's difficult to say whether the thing is just getting smarter about dodging it or legitimately dying.
The last time she does it, however...well, things don't go as planned.
The Conductor's voice cuts through the blasts of light and sound.]
Goodnight, Dynamic.
[The white light from the next makeshift flashbang she throws is joined by another ring of light from around the edge, bright energy shining out from the outer edge of the arena, crackling and heady, the sound similar to a sharp electrical charge, far stronger than anything that's been witnessed in the Academy so far. And it's no sooner charged up than it lashes out, a bolt of it whipping out and striking her in the back.
Like last week, this, too, was probably a tactical error; at least whatever remains of the shadows have the common sense to get the hell out of dodge and retreat back from the pit before the explosion hits.
Fact: Rick wasn't the only one who brought a concealed weapon to trial.
Fact: If you can make flashbangs, you sure as hell can make a makeshift bomb out of enough match-heads and the stuff you find in the chemistry lab upstairs, and you can certainly think to wear it strapped to your back under your jacket.
Fact: Undyne wasn't the only one with strange body chemistry happening.
Fact: Unlike Undyne, Tabby doesn't explode into dust.
Fact: Tabby does, however, explode in general.
It's very, very fortunate that the building is reinforced as thoroughly as it is, and that the entire place seems designed to withstand bomb blasts with all the concrete and steel reinforcing everything; the explosion is massive, rocking the foundation of the building and everything above it, though the building remains standing.
Thankfully for everyone in it.
When the shockwaves wear off and everything seems to be returning...well, as close to the status quo as it can, given that a girl just exploded and Rick's bloody body is still lying behind his podium, the room is completely enshrouded in darkness; the light from the pit seems to have gone out entirely, and given the breaks in the ground it can be assumed that it took some serious damage. God only knows if the glass is still there. The lights are completely down in whatever room behind the glass panel the Conductor usually occupies as well; after a while, the main lights in the courtroom will come back up, though they're incredibly dim, and when the Conductor addresses the lot of you it takes him a bit longer than usual to speak.
When he does, his words are breathless; the light in that observation room of his is still darkened, presumably due to the blast, but at least the damn intercom still works.]
Return upstairs; there's nothing more for you to do here today.
Oh, but when you go – mind the rule change that has been posted as of this evening. Rule Seventeen is effective immediately.
no subject
only on top if you discount everything Ryuuko-chan or Satsuki-sama have ever done, so.]... Gosh, she really was prepared!
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)