THE SECOND TRIAL

[strangerpeople]

THE SECOND TRIAL

[Soon after the failed attempt to contact the dead, the tell-tale alarm suddenly rings out, rattling everyone's teeth alongside Marie's voice.]

ATTENTION! EMERGENCY ALERT! PLEASE GO TO THE ELEVATORS IMMEDIATELY!! HMHMHMMM! I WILL NEVER GET TIRED OF SAYING THAT...!

[And so, once again, the elevators bring everyone back down to the trial room, where the table has been...altered, slightly, color-wise, to reflect those who are no longer among you. And once more, upon entering the force field, weapons disappear - and powers fail to work.

Bottson hops up onto the center of the table, transmitting the evidence found.]

heRe yOU Are eVerYBOdy! THe sUsPECt lISt!



YoU cAN Do THiS!


[Above everyone once more is Marie, floating around in her hover platform.]

WELL, WELL! FANCY MEETING YOU ALL HERE AGAIN! I GUESS YOU ALL FAILED TO KEEP THAT GUY ALIVE, HUH?? AHAHAHA!!

WELL, LET'S SEE IF YOU CAN GET WHO DID IT THIS TIME, HMM??

Comments

[losergod]

...

[ It just makes him chuckle. Like something out of one of Vincent's stories... Baku really is like something he'd written given life. ]

I suppose you would be.

[leftthelighton]

Indeed. Your fake attempt was 'the dumbest'.

[crouching_sin]

Because if I injure you then the others aren't going to let me live it down. Do you think I want to stick around with people who are mad at me?

[losergod]

[ A long pause while he considers this. ]

Yes, but thrashing that hard? Enough to make a bruise this badly?

[losergod]

[ Smiles at Nagisa!!!! ]

I'm glad to see it wasn't you.

[tiefleaf]

I'd been doing some knife-throwing practice earlier this week, there was no way I was letting being trapped in some weird metal prison make me get rusty.

[ He's not bringing up the weird blood powers, gdit. He's not even sure if that would go over well, but also, this is a man who lies out of force of habit. ]

[crouching_sin]

... I've seen awful things, C. So yes. The beds here are a bit smaller than the one I have at home, anyway.

[losergod]

...

[ Wait. ]

You use knives?

[backuphero]

[No preamble whatsoever. Desire to not die, rather like the desire to bathe, does away with his shame entirely.

Maybe not entirely, since he's blushing and avoiding looking at the only ladies present, but...]

...you're welcome.

[vividsins]

[ Interesting. ]

...Then Sir Naoya... Why is that your only bruise?

[theserpentsmiles]

Like I said.... I have no need for invincibility. That's what my education is for.

[backuphero]

Yeah.

Which... God....

[HE IS NOT OKAY WITH ANY OPTION IN THIS SITUATION]

[crouching_sin]

Because I was sleeping much better when Akira was around.

[leftthelighton]

So you risk what happened to that young man, instead?

That is rather faulty logic to me.

[theserpentsmiles]

[Oh, you got him a little mad.]

Spoken like someone without much imagination.

[fashionfever]

I never said, "Hey, everyone, let's vote for Baku." I'm just trying to point out his ability might balance out his weaknesses and the character defense isn't a big deal. Naoya's the only other one doing anything like that, trying to rule himself out? Like, as a night owl? And Passe took care of that for me.

[crouching_sin]

If you've never had to sit with a group of people that includes someone you've injured by accident for a long period of time, I envy you.

[theserpentsmiles]

...what kind of knives were you using?

[vividsins]

You've had a full week, and only one bruise? I'm sorry, Sir Naoya, but I think you see why it's suspicious. We have to explore and question every avenue.

[commandurr]

I HEARD THAT!!!

[crouching_sin]

Oh, I understand your suspicious, I'm simply saying that's what happened.

I... haven't been sleeping much this week at all, actually.

[leftthelighton]

You have no idea who I've sat with, sir. There is not much to envy there.

[ Other than Fogg, but he will not taint his name by mentioning him in a place such as this. ]

[fashionfever]

When you get bruises like this do they heal really fast?

[vividsins]

...I'm sorry to ask this, Sir Naoya, but...

[ Listen Naoya is the most useful person here with his skills. ]

...You stated you wouldn't kill for this motive. That you wouldn't kill to go home, either. ...But did anyone say you had to go home and not some new, less awful world?

[ ...The devil's in the details, or so they say. ]

[crouching_sin]

No. My immune system has never been the best.