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

[relieable]

You're so willing to throw away your lives, you and Arthur. Why? Why should you suffer alone? I haven't done anything... to help...

[the wind is being knocked out of his sails, he has no idea what to do]

[carryabigstick]

Sorry... it's not like that. Really. I'm gonna put up a hell of a fight. I just-- don't want anyone else to die. And so should you. Because I haven't either yet and I'm not satisfied with that.

[She's just gonna squeeze Osomatsu's hands. Hang in there.]

[relieable]

[ah. they really don't need him crying at trial right now. they have to push through with this, all of them!

but Osomatsu's slowly cracking after several weeks of just trying to keep himself together. the tears are finally building up in his eyes. he hates this so much. he finally bows his head and squeezes his eyes shut.

deep breaths, he hears Caleb telling Eric. him, too]

[carryabigstick]

[Oh-- She doesn't know how much she was a part of it, but she feels guilty for contributing to him breaking down like that. She needs to pull it together too, for everyone's sake.

So she's just going to hug him tight.]

It's okay... take whatever time you need. Sorry. I didn't mean to add to your worries...

[incendiarize]

You're the reason we caught Felicity. Me, none of my visions've actually helped us much - if anything, I made things harder. I made stupid choices, like voting at random when I didn't know what to do. I couldn't save Emma.

And I've done bad stuff back home, too. Odds are my world's already wrecked, with or without their threat. I don't plan on going down quietly, but i'm sure as hell not letting anyone else go.

[relieable]

[by now he's got tears streaming down his face when he looks at Arthur]

Are you joking? I made a complete mess of that trial! At least you should be alive!

[illusionarymelody]

Does this matter now? You both are alive and will stay that way. I'm definitely not going to let my sister down by allowing anything bad to happen to her friends.

[incendiarize]

Your mistake got her to reveal herself! You're the reason we got her, in the end!

You have every right to hate me!

[relieable]

............

I don't hate you, Arthur.