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

[katzenpfote]

He missed and hit her instead. If he'd had just left it, he still would have delivered the killing blow.

[mermaidkin]

I'd like to hope that Karma Akabane means that Kurama didn't have to fire a gun at Kyuu in the same room as Lala Hagoromo in the first place.

Because he didn't have to do that. He could have just respected her decision.

[comesaround]

I don't want to hear your goddamn input.

[ He almost snarls out that in Hiyori's direction where they're separate from them in the trial area. ]

You're the last person I want to hear talking to me.

[mermaidkin]

I'm not surprised. I know you don't listen. Everything about the Noise - god, where do I even begin? Eliminating Noise is the same thing as eliminating humanoid negative emotion to a transgressive degree. Acting as a Composer is the same thing as watching people get Erased - whether by Noise you create yourself, or by Noise that happen to exist in the environment, or by your own hand if you're a real sadist, I guess.

I'm glad you'll be surviving instead of him, if he was that delusional about how to do his job.

[comesaround]

[ There's a moment where he seems to still, and the air around him seems quieter than normal. ]

Don't you say another fucking word about him.

[mermaidkin]

[The sharp curve of his mouth is like a shark's fin. He's an accommodating host who doesn't overstep his boundaries. For now.]

[cuteandinnocentpet]

Indeed, even though I'm used to being shot at when someone is trying to make a wish by now!

[unwittingking]

Shut the fuck up.

[Patience? Gone. Kyubey's neck? Snapped.

Hotel? Trivago.]

[cuteandinnocentpet]

[wow touchy much dude]

[poorlovefool]

....

[The snap echoes in his ears. He sees the disjointed neck.

Eric falls to his knees behind the podium, hugging himself desperately.]

...S-Stop this... Dad... he can't breathe... I ... oh no.... please please please

[katzenpfote]

[He pushes aside his own panic and dashes to Eric's side, Frumpkin following quickly. He kneels down.]

Breathe in and out. You're here, not then. Breathe with me, Eric. One... two... three. One... two... three...

[poorlovefool]

[It's more like he's heaving than breathing, but he's a little distracted. Still mumbling between breaths though, as a few tears slip out.]

The... the lake... I put his body... in... the lake... it's not my fault... it's his fault... he's the bad one... aah... ahhhh...

[katzenpfote]

[He glances at Frumpkin and nods, and the cat leans against Eric.]

Eric. Can you hear me? I know it's difficult to pull yourself out, but you need to right now.

[unwittingking]

[…fuck fuck, he just hit a trauma button SHIT

Just dropping the Kyubey and trying to comfort Eric, though by speaking softly and keeping his paws up rather than going towards him.]

He's not here. I promise. It's just...I'm just an idiot.

[poorlovefool]

[He's just going to try and cover his eyes so he doesn't have to see horrible stuff like that anymore.]

[unwittingking]

[He had to do something wrong at the trial, apparently...]

[cuteandinnocentpet]

[just gonna




sneak over and drag the kyuubits before scampering back to wherever the heck it goes when it's not being a douche

and then nom it

you don't get any king]

[unwittingking]

[HE DOESN'T WANT ANY WHAT THE HELL HE'S STARTING TO HATE DOG EARS FOR HEARING THAT

W H Y]

[illusionarymelody]

[And Grianos sees that and is going to go try and grab some Kyuubits to munch on and hope they don't taste all sandy like the rest of the stuff here. His witch isn't going to do a thing to stop him either.]

[byanyother_name]

...if she had still chosen it when she knew how much she was risking, I would have. I didn't expect to get rid of Kyuubey for long.

Just for long enough to explain how dangerous this place is for magical girls.

[mermaidkin]

Who cares about that? She still could have gotten a wish out of the end of her ordinary life! You're not even letting a world get any protection!

[byanyother_name]

She might have cared, knowing she'd be endangering all of us if she turned here.

[mermaidkin]

For someone who picks so many fights, you're really afraid of one measly little hypothetical witch.

[byanyother_name]

It wasn't about me.

[This is possibly the fakest smile anyone has ever or will ever see.]

Informed consent is the basis of ethical practice, Hiyori-kun.

[mermaidkin]

She knew she was going to end her ordinary life, so I don't see how you can decide she needed a couple more days, but okay.

Explain just one thing to me, then. If this entire painful trial wasn't about you. And you also weren't interested in the motive.

Why not explain yourself to the others right away? They said last week, they would have completely understood if you tortured to death the man who killed your boyfriend. Estelle Bright even said she most deeply hates killers who lie. Why force Karma Akabane to drag it out of you?