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

[cuteandinnocentpet]

[Kyuu looks over at Arthur, even while being grabbed by King, as he experiences whatever the hell he is experiencing, voice echoing through everyone's minds]

That was a silly idea, Arthur.

Very silly.

[poorlovefool]

[relieable]

[unwittingking]

I knew it.

[HE FUCKING CALLED IT YET AGAIN!]

Now TALK!

[King slams Kyuubey against the pedestal, not caring about the damage that could be done. Why? Because fuck this creature.]

[cuteandinnocentpet]

What are you expecting me to say?

[s m i l e]

[katzenpfote]

Let's start with a... simple question.

Did you move any of the evidence that we either have or have not found?

[necroyalty]

...three of the chairs in the dining room were disturbed.

I wasn't able to tell what with, but...

[katzenpfote]

[Always the fucking chair -]

How far, do you think?

[cuteandinnocentpet]

Since you are being a little more agreeable than the mongrel is at the moment, I did not.

[katzenpfote]

All right.

[Probably a lie, but he can work with it.]

You were with her last night. What did you do?

[unwittingking]

What. Happened.

And it better be the truth! There's worse things than dying, you know!

[Is...is he threatening to torture the thing? He is indeed! Because he has no more patience.]

[cuteandinnocentpet]

You do realize I'm under no obligation to help you, no matter what you attempt on me.

[otherworldlyking]

Did you cooperate with whoever killed Lala?

Might as well answer so everyone's not yelling at you for the entire trial.

[cuteandinnocentpet]

I had absolutely no reason to aid the culprit, so I didn't.

[backuphero]

[You know those puzzles where you have to slide the pieces around without being able to lift them, how sometimes they'll almost solve themselves once you've got a few pieces aligned?

Yeah, Jonathan's mind just did that with some of what King and Caleb have said, both to him and just where he could hear... with that, and with memory of Naoya's careful word games.]

How many "you" are here?

[cuteandinnocentpet]

Enough.

[incendiarize]

L-Lots and lots....more than, than I could..


[He's. Recovering?]

[otherworldlyking]

Took long enough.

[comesaround]

[katzenpfote]

[Caleb sighs and cracks his knuckles, walking over towards King's platform. There's nothing of his usual awkwardness, and he gets close to it.]

Even without powers, you know full well what I can do, ja? I can make this take a while. Or you can talk, right now.

[cuteandinnocentpet]

You understand how utterly pointless that is, don't you, Caleb?

You would just be wasting energy.

[katzenpfote]

I'd still enjoy it, if it's you.

[poorlovefool]

[WELL HE WOULDN'T. And he's still bitter at being told to STFU]

You're the one telling people not to waste time, asshole.

[cuteandinnocentpet]

...What is it about the concept of flames that make people want to enjoy hurting us? I just don't get it.

[byanyother_name]