15strangers | THE SECOND TRIAL

THE SECOND TRIAL

[Soon enough, once the final clues have been uncovered, the telltale DING echoes through the Mall. The elevator in the food court has opened once more, and it will not close until all of the remaining Titled have gotten in it. And, as before, a thought comes to them, the realization that they needed to get on the roof, and get to the bottom of this.

Soon enough, everyone is back on the roof, and they will find that their platform arrangement has changed to reflect those who had died since last week. The podiums of Dio, Torri, and Yuuri are each all lowered and covered with white cloths. Otherwise, everyone else's platforms also have food and drinks, just like last week.

It's probably still not much comfort, especially with what everyone knows must happen. They must look at the evidence they have gathered, and once more, they will have to figure out the truth, putting their lives on the line to do so. Hopefully, their luck will hold.

So, get ready.

The trial for the murders of Torri Feiji, The Bliss, and Yuuri Katsuki, The Future, has begun.]

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[He's quiet for a moment. Then he chuckles. It's not a happy chuckle, though...rather the laugh of someone torn between depression and terror. Akira already knows, he could out him for lying...]

Goro Akechi is the illegitimate child and personal assassin of Masayoshi Shido.

[ What. ]

G-Goro...

[ No, no, no no no no no no no no. ]

A... assassin? You... you wouldn't--

[ No, there's a better thing to focus on here. ]

... Why?

Because my father is the kind of worthless human garbage who would kill someone for defying him without a second thought, with more than enough power to make me disappear if I started being more of a liability than a benefit.

... S-so let us help you! I'm sure there's something we could do!

[ She's desperate. ]

Goro, why didn't you tell anyone?

Think back to last week, when the subject of a traitor first came up. What were the words? Oh, right. "Being threatened into it wouldn't change anything. A criminal henchman deserves as much punishment as their boss."

[His expression twists into something so far unseen on Goro Akech's face: a harsh sneer.]

So tell me, why didn't I tell anyone?

... I never agreed with that statement.

[ And she didn't, at the time. ]

And I still don't now. Goro... you have friends here. People who care about you. Why would I have told you my past, otherwise?

An accident isn't the same thing as killing people in cold blood. I'm already a murderer, how many of them do you think would have stood by me if they knew about the blood already on my hands?

If they can't understand, then screw them! You're clearly in this position in the first place because your father made you be!

[ She slams her hands down on her podium. ]

Killing is wrong, but you know what's worse? Being a horrible person to your own flesh and blood!

It's not like he knows. Then again, if he did, I would already be dead.

[It's said so casually, like it's a fact he's accepted long ago.]

Do you think the families of my victims would agree with you, Ursula-san?

Maybe they should consider taking that problem up with the person extorting you in the first place. Nothing can ever excuse taking a life, Goro. I'm not saying it does. But I am saying people end up in positions like that for reasons.

[ She sighs. ]

No matter what you say, no matter what you do? I will never hate you. And I will never view you as anything less than my precious friend. Maybe I'm biased. I suppose that's human nature, isn't it?

... But I care about you. And I want... you to be happy. And I can tell there ARE things that make you happy. Your favorite coffee. Being with Kurusu. Playing a dancing game and winning. Those things were all so genuine. What you've done doesn't make you not a person.

You're right, they were genuine. So, what do you think it says about someone who would throw all of that away?

That they were desperate.

[Britt doesn't look away, but he clearly shows some discomfort.

Not that he regrets what he said, though. He's all about dealing with the henchmen]

[Yeah, he's looking right at you.]

I guess you'll get one bit of satisfaction out of this, huh? I'm going to be punished for every crime he made me commit. I hope you feel good, helping remove another piece of criminal garbage from the world.

You really are a messed up kid.

[He's not feeling good at all, that's for sure]

[He shrugs, spreading his arms exaggeratedly wide.]

Tell me something I haven't known for my entire fucking life.

I...

[Have no idea who that is.]

...you're an...I thought...

[She shakes her head. She has to stay strong, or someone innocent could die. Presumably her.]

And would you kill to keep the world from knowing that?

I'm both, to clear up that confusion. Being a detective is the path I picked for myself, the assassination is something my father picked for me.

[...]

If either half of that secret got out, Shido would have me killed as a security leak.

You didn't answer the question.

Would you kill two--no, that's not right. Would you kill nine people, including Akira, to save yourself?

I wanted to save Akira, too, but...he would have died too, if his secret got out.

So it comes down to you dying or him dying with the rest of us now, huh? Is that it?

I wanted to save both of us, but I guess that isn't happening, huh?

[She can't look at him anymore. It's a thousand times worse than when she snapped back in the department store.]

If...if it really was you...and you love Akira...vote for yourself.

No matter what you've done, you can still do the right thing now.

I already planned on doing that, actually. I'm not that petty.

[Unlike SOMEONE.]

THE SECOND TRIAL

Major spoilers

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