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

[crouching_sin]

Obscure? I've told nothing but the truth. Whether you believe me or not is your problem.

[losergod]

[ He looks... upset. ]

... Mister Naoya, why have you been so difficult? You have no reason to lie, right...?

[crouching_sin]

[His usual expression turns serious as he looks at C.]

I'm not being any more difficult than I am normally. So I'll tell you this one more time.

I haven't lied a single time this entire trial.

[losergod]

[ ... Just... breathe. Don't freak out yet. It's... it's not Naoya. Right? ]

... You can still obfuscate the truth if you're careful in your wording and don't reveal all the information. If you let slip only small truths... that doesn't technically count as a lie.

It's simply omission.

[crouching_sin]

Hmm. Well, I suppose that depends on your definition of a 'lie', then.

[losergod]

Lying by omission isn't lying, but only by technicality. So I'll ask again: have you told us everything?

[crouching_sin]

I've told you everything you have asked about. How many times do I have to say it?

[fashionfever]

Wearing a robe in a Japanese onsen implies that there's something wrong with your body - but you think there is something wrong with your body, enough to affect where you work! It checks out!

[crouching_sin]

[Oh. Well. His expression turns very cold as he turns to her.]

It's not that I think there's something wrong with my body. It's that others do. But here, no one cares, so there's no reason for me to wear a towel.

[mementodagger]

... unless you were using it to conceal something.

[crouching_sin]

Do I have to take off my clothes again?

[mementodagger]

I don't mean something about your body. Were you concealing a weapon?

[fashionfever]

You haven't said anything about whether you'd wear a robe! Besidses! In any culture of ours you'd need a covering when you left the onsen!

I never said anything about a towel, anyway! Is this another word game? The towel was soaking wet, the towel didn't get that way by a person wearing it sitting in the electrocuted water, because that person would be dead! The killer was wearing the soaking wet robe to run out of the onsen inconspicuously, made it to the bathroom, and then dried off with the towel!

[crouching_sin]

[He just laughs.]

Well, in an onsen, normally you wear a towel. That's what I'm getting at. But you still have no proof that it was me other than circumstantial evidence. What evidence do you have to link me to the crime scene directly?

[vividsins]

The kick was very clearly faked, and you kept saying you didn't want to deal with the fallout. But let me ask. What fallout, Naoya? We all knew why you were doing it. I don't think anyone would be angry at you too much when you were trying to clear your name.

[crouching_sin]

People hold grudges, even over stupid things. I'm sure you've seen that as well, Baku. Just because someone says they won't be angry doesn't mean that's true.

[vividsins]

So instead you risk your life looking suspicious. That makes complete sense.

[ SARCASM. ]

[crouching_sin]

I've risked my life for worse and come out on the other side.

[vividsins]

It's just that, right now, you're only looking worse and worse. And I think most of us think it might be you.

[crouching_sin]

I suppose that's up to the votes, then. You can't speak for everyone.

Though I will say - again - that I didn't put a hand on him.

[backuphero]

Naoya, if this is about... what we talked about....

[crouching_sin]

Hm? Oh. The larger thing? No. This has nothing to do with that, no more than everything in my life has to do with that.

[backuphero]

This wasn't - he didn't - none of us are from the same world, Naoya! For - not for God's sake but for your own, damn it, why are you being so goddamn CAGEY about this!?

[crouching_sin]

I know we're not from the same world, that's why I've been more honest here than anywhere else.

[tiefleaf]

I'll admit it - you all know I was lying about where I got the cut earlier, when I said I was practicing with the knives. I wasn't. I wanted to see if my powers still worked, I didn't want you guys to freak out and potentially get sidetracked with that, but you know what?

I don't like the truth. It's a nasty, vicious thing, always acting like it owns you.

But if it means not dying, then sure, I'll come clean. There's nothing I'm willing to take to my grave.

Naoya, tell me we could say the same for you.