THE SECOND TRIAL

[strangerpeople]

THE SECOND TRIAL

[Soon after the finals clues are found, there is a beep on everyone's watch. Then, the Conductor's voice echoes through the jail once more.]

Attention. All passengers of the Eventide, please come to the building in the courtyard. If you are not a passenger, you must have a ticket to enter.

[A ticket? Oh boy. And everyone's suspicions are confirmed when they come to the courtyard and find people-many of them who had been fleeing the prison that very morning-queuing in line to enter the building. Not the Strangers-they are immediately escorted in.

They find themselves in a courtroom, with them sitting at podiums in the center. Above them in the ceiling is a retractable dome; all around on the walls are large screens, so people can watch the proceedings no matter their location. People are filing in, even as a recorded voice drones that the jail isn't responsible for lives lost during the trial-or the sentencing.

Hm.

Lilac is in the judge's seat, the pangolin in her hands. Nearby, the captured animals-sans the rabbit, for some reason, and the sheep-are inside another pen that has been set up. The force field seems to have been quickly erected. After announcing the court proceedings and registering her right to magistrate, as she did the previous week, she clears her throat.]

THE WATCHFUL	THE CAVIAN	THE BRITTLE	THE FORLORN
				THE ENGINEER

You all know what you must do. You have your evidence, and you must decided who is responsible. Remember-every vote counts. And...just pretend you're alone again, if it helps, I suppose.

[There's not much else to do. There is the option to ask for the concessions they are selling to everyone, though its mostly water and popcorn. Otherwise, you are once again on a time limit. This time, the audience is watching. Their eyes stare hungrily at every action.

The trial for the murder of Atsushi Nakajima, the Rushlight, has begun..]

Comments

[technicolourdifficulties]

...? What about his expression?

[biddentodance]

Wasn't shocked or angry. Just looked....sad.

[technicolourdifficulties]

...That almost makes it seem like he expected this to happen, at least on some level.

[He can't say he doesn't somewhat understand.]

[biddentodance]

...or....he allowed it.

[technicolourdifficulties]

...That may be. My memories of that time are unclear, but he tried to offer himself in your place on the first train, did he not?

[Quietly, enough so to be inaudible to any save perhaps Minato, he adds:]

Must heroes all be such self-sacrificing fools...?

[biddentodance]

He...he did.... [And Minato is distressed just at the memory. And, well...]

Fool is careless but carefree...ready to become anything.

[technicolourdifficulties]

...Being adaptable is necessary to move forward. I understand that much well. But if you destroy yourself in the process, you can't continue on.

[One cannot move forward if they die, and to just stop in the middle of a story, purposefully...]

Atsushi may have forgotten this, but you must remember, a hero is just as important as the people they save.