15strangers | THE FIRST TRIAL

THE FIRST TRIAL

[Minutes after Detective Beauford Bottson rumbled off, an alarm suddenly starts to go off, complete with flashing red lights. This is followed by the very unwelcome sound of you-know-who.

Oh, what fresh hell is this.]

ATTENTION PRISO--GUESTS! GO TO THE ELEVATORS IMMEDIATELY! IT'S TOTALLY AN EMERGENCY! AHAHAHA!!

[And indeed, the elevators are open and ready for fast travel. Only this time, the elevator immediately takes the Strangers downwards, and into a large room of controls with a force field in the center of it. Beneath everyone is a semi-translucent floor, revealing a massive, futuristic engine beneath them. Despite how giant it is, it's unnervingly quietly, only letting out a hum that can just be heard.

The controls are beyond the force field in the center, so there's no way to get to them without naturally passing through it first. And as everyone enters into the force field - complete with a slurping sound as they pass through it, they will realize two things.

The first is that any weapons on them are somehow gone.

The second is that they can't get out of the force field once they've entered it. Instead, they will have to stand in a circle, with Bottson in the middle, transmitting the evidence found to the wristwatches.]

bASed on tHe inFormATion I have hEre IS...the suspects who stole my HnduyFDUFB mu-uu-U-rdered!

tHeRE yoU Go!

[Finally, above everyone and beyond the force field is Marie, flying around on a floating platform. She looks smug as ever as she leans over, chuckling.]

WELL, SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR HIGH AND MIGHTY RESOLVE, RIGHT?? SO GO ON, JUST TRY AND SEE IF YOU CAN FIGURE OUT WHO KILLED THAT WOMAN! AND REMEMBER...IF YOU VOTE WRONG, YOU'LL JUST HAVE TO LIVE WITH THE CONSEQUENCES OF KILLING SOMEONE INNOCENT, WON'T YOU?

AHAHAHAHAHAHA!!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Akira's going to approach her, but not get within range of touching her. He lowers himself to his knees in front of her, his expression strained. ]

... I was scared... she'd come after someone like you, if I let her--

[ He's actually tearing up now... ]

You're right. I'm stupid. I'm stupid and I should have- ...

[ There's no finishing this. He lowers his head, his eyes tightly closed. ]

[And in that moment, she remembers her talk with Vita before her death. They barely knew each other. She was so nice. So...charismatic. If she'd asked to see her...

She would've probably gone without a second thought.]

I...I...

[Before she knows it, she's throwing her arms around him. A boy that she didn't know existed two weeks ago, now someone she wish she could save so badly. She wanted to scream more. She wanted to cry until she couldn't cry any more. But instead, she says something to him.]

I...I understand. I just...I wish we had more time.

[ This hurts.

It hurts so much he can barely breathe, and there's an awful and sick feeling in the pit of his stomach, but... not from the hug. Not even from the words.

He's leaving people like this behind. He's doing exactly what was done to him, and he doesn't think he could possibly hate himself more than he does right now.

With a thick swallow, he firmly wraps his arms around her, tightly clutching onto her - not enough to hurt, but enough to try making sure she knows that, in spite of what's going to happen, she's protected... just for now.

Just... for now, let him make her feel safe... ]

So... [ the laugh is pained ] ... So do I, Barbara... You deserve... to be happy, you know? You're a really great person, and anyone would be lucky to have you.

[She squeezes herself up against him, just enough for it to be more comforting than painful. He might be getting tears onto her dress but she doesn't care. Right now, she just needs to make him feel better.]

You deserve to be happy too. I'm grateful I got to know you for this long. And I want you know, before...before it happens...

You did it. You made us safe.

Thank you.

[ Yep, he's. Definitely crying now!!! He doesn't want to think this way, but he doesn't want her... lowering her guard: ]

For now...

[ He swallows past the painful lump, eventually pulling back and looking her firmly in the eyes. ]

Naoya has... something to share with all of you, after I'm-... gone. [ his eyes hold some desperation in them, but that's nothing on his clear belief in her ] Please... I need you to stay strong. I need you to help everyone stick together. Don't lose faith in yourself, Barbara. You're much stronger than you know.

[God, that look in his eyes. The tears that he's finally letting out. It hurts her so much.

But she listens closely as he talks to her, and she nods her head rapidly after he's done speaking.]

I will, I will! I'll...I'll stay strong. I'll be strong. For you.

[ He hesitates a moment... and then he takes one of her hands, gently kissing the knuckles of it. In spite of the tears, he flashes her a warm smile. ]

I know you will.

THE FIRST TRIAL

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