T̢H̢҉̴E̢͝ ̡S͝E҉̡C̡̢O̵N̡̕͠D̵͡ ̕͠T̀͢R͞IAL

[strangerpeople]

T͝HE͘ S̴̸E҉̶̀C͜Ơ̷̢N͏D̡͟ T҉̧R͘I͟A̧͟͠L̢

Heyyyyyyyyy, Strangers! How's Valentine's Day going? Unfortunately we have to start the trial soon if you want to get any dinner dates in before midnight!

I know some of you have a very special day near today, too! So let’s get a move on, shall we? You know the drill! Though you know… since we saw one of those clues, you can bring your pets in today.

[And so it is. Just like last week, the elevator shoots everyone down to the trial room. Lala's podium, now, is Xed out in red. And like last week, five of the podiums' dot matrix name plates suddenly flash with a red border.]

THE BRITTLE	THE CIRCUIT	THE ENEMY	THE NOODLES
				THE UNKNOWN

[And clashing with the borders whether red or not, on each Stranger’s podium is a little piece of candy: A gray heart, printed with a message in nearly black capitals. These candies are similar to the pills in that they taste like nothing at all rather than sand; while a pill is meant to serve as a full meal, one candy is about as filling as a single apple.

The messages are as follows.]

KING: BEST FRIEND	ARTHUR: LOOKING GOOD	OSOMATSU: ONE OF A KIND	ESTELLE: BRIGHT SPARK	MCBURN: NEVER MEANDER	JONATHAN: DOUBLE THE FUN
AMBROSINE: QUEEN OF MY HEART	CALEB: HOT	KARMA: YOU’RE A DOLL	VITA: TRUE BLUE BEAUTY	KURAMA: FOXY	ERIC: SEW NICE

I'd call what you had to look at "inhumane", but Lala Hagoromo wasn't human, was she?

Now, now, Hiyori. I’m not human, either.

Doesn't change how sad it is that she lost her chance to be happy... Oh, why don't you give them a good look at what you have there, Link?

[Link holds up the heart labeled "OUT OF / THIS WORLD". The hosts are visible behind the glass of their sterile observation room this time by the way.]

We made too many because we hoped all of you would finally join in on the fun by today... So, if you retire, culprit, you can eat this one!

[...Well, maybe the evidence will cause the Hosts to eat their words. BOOM. Burn........or...well, it doesn't matter. The clock is ticking.


The trial for the murder of Lala Hagoromo, The Chance, has begun.]

Comments

[comesaround]

...Arthur. No. Don't be stupid.

[incendiarize]

I know what happened last time. but- but we won't all die if we get it wrong, this time!

[comesaround]

Just don't do it. If he killed someone then why put it off?

[incendiarize]

Do you want him to die again? It doesn't hurt any less the third time, and-- and you saw what the execution's like.

[comesaround]

I don't want him to die again, but he's the one who committed a murder. Not you.

[ There's a weird sort of angry desperation as he fully looks up at Arthur now. HE also might be shaking a little because how the hell does he deal with all these stupid feelings? ]

I KNOW what it was like! I was THERE and I saw it!

[byanyother_name]

Karma...

[It's soft and almost pleading.]

[comesaround]

....What? What... do you want me to say?

[ Is he upset at him for not fighting tooth and nail to save him like Akira would have done if he was here? ]

It's not like I want... I don't want to lose you either. Acting stupid here isn't gonna do shit...

[byanyother_name]

I know, Karma. It's the right thing to do. But you're shaking. You don't have to be the one to have this argument.

[Yeah, he's not upset with Karma. He's just worried about him.]

[comesaround]

...That's what friends are for, right? That's why I was...

[ His voice trails off and some of the anger ebbs away from his expression just a little bit, like he's trying to figure out what the hell he's supposed to be feeling in this moment beyond crushing hurt that already wants to suffocate him. ]

I had to say something. This is... I doubt there's any coming back from this, Kurama.

[incendiarize]

That's only if they're gonna punish someone for us not voting! It's my idea!

I know what Kurama was thinking and feeling, last time! Every bit of it! And he's going to be way more useful against IT! He didn't do anything wrong last night, there's no reason he should die here!