Accountability.

[ratingspoint]

"Killswitch? I 'left Alphys to die'? Please, darlings, don't tell me you actually buy all these tired old storylines..." It's been a few weeks since that particular voice has been heard by anyone in the Vault; it's sharp, flamboyant and incredibly familiar, and it's coming from the same place the Kingmaker's always seems to - nowhere and everywhere at once, piped in through some unseen system. "You know, normally I'd balk a bit at being dragged out in front of all of you for another trial, because I think you all know by now how much I hate repeat performances. Fortunately, there's a difference, isn't there? Between now and then... And if the crowd cries for an encore, who am I to deny it!" There's a panel of wall behind that balcony, one that slides open quickly and easily; the pair of people that emerge from it...well, they're different than anything the Vault has seen so far, that much is obvious. The first is reasonably slight in frame, his hair and his clothing bright in color; he's resplendant in...just about every tacky accessory Caren unwittingly brought with her to the Vault - with the exception of the bra, naturally. Because we've got to have some dignity here, clearly, even if that dignity doesn't extend to the fucking leopard-print bucket hat currently sitting on his head at a jaunty as hell angle. His expression is intense and deeply manic, his body shaking a bit and fists clenched at his sides as though he's trying to keep himself from laughing, from lashing out and hitting the wall, from doing something to relieve some of it, but his eyes... ...His eyes, though. His eyes are dead as hell, his stare cutting and utterly devoid of emotion all at once. And the second...well, he's familiar, though it seems his avatar has changed quite a bit since the last time you saw him. It's something more suiting, let's put it that way. He's the one leaning over to greet you now, hands braced tight against that railing spanning the length of the balcony. "Beauties and gentlebeauties, I'm pleased to introduce to you our hosts for the evening! First of all, the Kingmaker, without whom none of this would have been possible!" And that gets a sweeping gesture to his side, where the ginger just...enthusiastically pumps his fist in the air, and that's when the laugh escapes him, harsh and uncontrolled. "It's about time!" Mettaton tosses his head a bit at that; he doesn't laugh himself, but he seems pleased enough with it before he continues. "As for me? Well, I'd like to wish you good evening and good luck - both sentiments straight from the King of the Underground! Try to make this good for us, all right?" "Make it cool!" "...Sweetheart, really." ...Right, well! Let's begin, shall we?

Comments

[sleepingkogoro]

Yet you let her die. Can see how it happened. She was going to be part of your past life, what with how you were going to murder someone along with Uryuu-san, and therefore she didn't really matter anymore. You are absolutely great at leaving people behind.

Don't worry, it's completely in character for you.

[Mouri sounds so absolutely patronizing...it is his way to deal with the disgust he is feeling right now. He knows there's a possibility that stems from Mettaton's reaction: Alphys died and therefore Mettaton saw no reason to not to let everyone else in his group die.

But he wants to hear that from Mettaton himself, if the chance arises]

[ratingspoint]

That's enough! I did not let her die!

[captainobnoxious]

Because you killed her.

[... The secret she'd been holding off on saying.]

[notjustawriter]

[That earns a humorless laugh from Gabriel.]

[ratingspoint]

No. No, I...

[...]

I didn't murder her. Why would I? I owe her everything.

[isafraid]

Doesn't really matter either way, does it? She's dead.

[He sounds so tried. He's just stating the terrible fact of it.]

[greatestcool]

Of course it matters! That'd be like if you killed your friend! You wouldn't do that and neither would Mettaton!

[isafraid]

The fact is she's dead! [Oh look we're talking again. yaay...]

I would never strike down my best friend, but something clearly had to happen if you wished to get to where you are right now!

[greatestcool]

Yeah, something did happen, but Mettaton wasn't involved!

[isafraid]

[...That. actually brings him to a stop.]

...What happened?

[greatestcool]

[THAT]

S-So just... just stop, alright? Mettaton's done some awful stuff, but he wouldn't hurt her.

[captainobnoxious]

That's what your secret was, love. [... She can't help the little things. How her tone isn't as harsh, the pet names, things like that.] Mettaton killed Dr. Alphys.

I couldn't forget that because I can't forget anything about you. I don't know if it was in your world, indirectly, or if it was in your last game, but you did. And even if you hadn't just "left her behind" like they think, you still killed her when you took kingship with the other royal pain in the ass.

[ratingspoint]

...You're remembering it wrong. "Mettaton is the reason Dr. Alphys is dead." That's what it said.

[...]

She...committed suicide, back home.

[captainobnoxious]

[Exact words are hard, but they got through well enough.]

Sorry. If I remembered your exact words, I wouldn't be me. [...] I'm sorry about what happened there, too. It must've been weird to see her again.

[Before she. Er. Died again.]

Did you get to fix things up with her?

[ratingspoint]

...She remembered things ending differently than I did. She...remembered the barrier breaking, she remembered everyone surviving, even those dead people that I told you about.

How could I tell her otherwise? That she probably killed herself and I was pretty sure it was because of me, that I failed to do the one thing I was supposed to and-

[Ugh.]

It's not important.

[captainobnoxious]

[It really sucks that habit's hard to break, because Sigrun really wants to go lean against him. As it stands, though, she'll just grip the hem of her dress and wish she wasn't in killer boots that are killing her. In two ways now.]

I'm sure she would've forgiven you. But yeah, it's not important.

[greatestcool]

Stop it! That's not what happened, he already said that!

[sleepingkogoro]

Then you tell us what happened. Come on, I'm listening. I'm a detective, after all. Listening is what I should do.

[greatestcool]

Quit patronizing me! You obviously don't listen before you open your mouth and you'll probably do it again in five minutes!

[sleepingkogoro]

You have the chance to set the record straight and you let it go, all because you think I'll ignore what you'll say.

[greatestcool]

You've proven it time and time again! Why the hell should I believe you now?

[sleepingkogoro]

No reason at all. Sometimes you have to just hope for the best.

Besides direct answers aren't the only way to find out stuff. Your reactions, Mettaton-kun's reactions...it helps in a way. I don't know about Silver or about Alphys beyond what you two say, but from what I hear...they weren't really "bad people".

[Yeah, Mouri has been thinking about the bigger picture and all]

So something went wrong with Glory at some point. If the purpose to deal with "bad people" was never intended then it wouldn't have ever been touched, so I suppose it happened at least once before. Maybe it was with Ambitious, maybe it was before him.

...do you two have any idea how many times this could have happened before? It seems this whole matter is bigger than I thought at first.

[greatestcool]

[...Well, that will get him to calm down a bit. He props his elbows on the bar and rests his chin on his hands.]

I've got no idea. It never mattered. I don't think it matters now. The important thing is that you're up against us. So focus on that first.

[sleepingkogoro]

Yes, you are right. Sorry, it was necessary to know the extent of the mess behind the murdergames.

[And needling you two was a way to achieve it. Yeah, Mouri has made it a personal mission for himself to find out what the hell is going on with picking people from random worlds to make them kill each other.

But yeah, better focus on the actual trial now. The future comes later.]

[amygdalae]

...you did well, detective.

[He could probably work on his delivery a bit more, but hey. He did well.]