Take Responsibility.

[antitrust]

After a while, 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; it's not as bad as it was last week, but again, there are decidedly fewer of them than there were last time. The podium circle has changed once again, with Rick, Tabby and Sukuyo joining the ranks of the deceased, their podiums draped with black cloth and adorned with greyscale photographs. The shadows are quiet down in the darkness of the pit; for the time being, it's hard to say what the pit itself looks like after the explosion last week. One way or another, we'll find out by the end of the day. As usual, the proceedings are being watched from behind that panel of glass behind podium 30; he'll speak as soon as everyone has found their place in the circle. "Familial has been taken from you. Regardless of what her affiliation was – whether she was with me or the lot of you – you know what you have to do by now. 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." Ten Participants remain. However many more we lose today is up to you.

Comments

[announcemyvictory]

[One on his left. One on his right.

Elise turns slowly.]

Mr. Conductor, you've been interfering a lot lately. Is it because you think we're not worth saving, now? That's a little strange, given what you told me before!

[antitrust]

I haven't been interfering more than any of you have been rendering necessary. A little unfortunately so, granted, but sometimes things just work out that way.

[announcemyvictory]

And then you dragged more innocent people into it! Haven't enough people died here for someone else's ambition, people who deserved it the least? People who trusted you! People who trusted me, even when I didn't believe in a single soul in here! I told you I was done with this farce when I realized you were never playing fair!

[withabigsmile]

[...Elise is cooler than her...]

You too, huh?

[announcemyvictory]

We've been at his left and right this entire game, Blue. I should have known.

[withabigsmile]

You were so much cooler about getting it out in the open than I was! I'm almost jealous!

[She was just like yep I'm the mole and here Elise is talking about fairness and goodness and stuff. Jeez.]

[announcemyvictory]

Well, you've been better to the group than I was. As a whole.

[cough]

I-in any case.

[withabigsmile]

We can worry about that later! Right now, we've got a murder to solve.

[announcemyvictory]

Right. I still don't think it was her.

[antitrust]

Oh, I haven't dragged any innocent people into it, if you're talking about the incentive this week.

[announcemyvictory]

Sukuyo too, then. ...But she still couldn't have been the culprit. Someone made her do this. The evidence doesn't match up, does it?

[blazeit]

... Hey, princess. Elise.

What do you mean by the fact that he was never playing fair?

[announcemyvictory]

...He always said that the participants were supposed to be able to escape in the end. To have a fair chance. But at the same time, he had me -- had us reporting back.

[blazeit]

... I see what you mean.

[ Anyway, the things he wants to ask her aren't directly related to the trial, so... ]

Let's figure this death out first, though, I bet I'm not the only one who has some questions to ask.

[announcemyvictory]

Right. Someone got her and I don't think it was all how it was shown.

[blazeit]

Yeah, there's something really... bothering me about all of this. At this point, I don't think that the dining hall is where she died. It's too set-up.

[icysemblance]

...there was that weird stuff in the bathroom. Do you think that's where she actually died?

[blazeit]

I was thinking it might be her room, but the bathroom is also... weird. For one thing, her room and the dining hall are on the first floor... but the bathroom is the one on the sixth floor.

[icysemblance]

Right. Someone would have had to go out of their way to get her up there and back down again.

[blazeit]

Yeah, that's why I was thinking it was more likely she died in her room. But whatever happened in the bathroom... The distance there is what's weird. I guess the sixth floor is where the lab is, though, right?

[openterrain]

Yeah, but why would someone stop to mix something up in the girl's bathroom?

[blazeit]

I mean, as far as I know, they had to take a piss while they were on the way and went total fucking butterfingers all over the place.

... What I'm trying to say is, I have no damn clue and I wish I did.

[icysemblance]

...so in other words, we were probably never supposed to have a fair chance, because the odds were skewed in his favor.

[announcemyvictory]

Especially so since he knows the group's made too much headway.

suicide tw

[icysemblance]

...even though we know it's a murder, I can see how that would push someone to suicide.