Take Responsibility.

[kingmakereffect]

And after a given amount of time, those elevator doors at the end of the first-floor corridor open up; as it was last week, the ride down is smooth and quick-moving, even if there are less of you this week. (Technically, you're only down by one in the elevator; Bruce has ensured that Pearl is with you in some way, albeit unconventionally and by the grace of Ziploc.) However, when the doors open up to the podium circle standing in the middle of that black void of a courtroom, there's no mistaking the fact that there are fewer people present than there were last week – Kamui and Pearl have joined those with podiums draped in black, their framed profile portraits watching the proceedings in shades of grey. It's still impossible to tell exactly where the Kingmaker is watching the proceedings from, though it's obvious that he is; he'll wait until everyone is settled before he speaks, his voice coming from everywhere and nowhere all at once. "Devoted has been taken from you. All of you know what the stakes are now, but this happened anyway – looks like someone's determined. Whether they succeed or not is up to you." Twenty-four Survivors remain. We'll see how many are still standing by the end of the day.

Comments

[captainobnoxious]

[Sigrun's looking at you, Black, but she won't say a word. That can wait until later.]

[lackinginfaith]

[Her hand goes to her shell, with the piece of Pearl wedged in beside her own pearl.]

I know that.

[devastation]

Caren-san...

[Once again, it's yet another trial where Megumi really doesn't know what she should say and do at these things, but...]

I wish you had trusted us more here... I'm sorry that you weren't able to...

[cherryblooded]

I might have done the same, in your place.

[No one knows better than him how important family is.]

...I'm sorry things came to this.

[lackinginfaith]

Key to the mystery, huh? Keep it. Maybe it means something.

[wokeupdead]

[Lynne just nods. She can feel sympathy towards Caren but that doesn't absolve her of her crimes.]

Even if you panicked at being seen there should have been a way to get out of there instead of fighting.

[Although if the story of self defense is true it really makes her worried.]

[lackinginfaith]

I tried to get out and failed. What else was there but to go for the incentive?

[lackinginfaith]

The radar's broken. And even if our worlds weren't destroyed, that still wouldn't do Noel any favours.

[happysweets]

Misa-Misa wanted to be your friend, too...I wanted to help, even if there was nothing I could have done...

[uro_cyon]

So you were the one who was that desperate, huh?

[amygdalae]

[Where would that leave him, indeed.

Bruce wishes he could have an answer to that question, but he's just as lost in the dark.]

Was that what your dream was about? [...is what he asks instead. After all, comparing between how she was last week and now...

Maybe he's wrong. But he just wants to know.]

[prismbloom]

Is Noel the person you wanted to see?

[ The answer's pretty obvious, but she says it softly, more curious than anything. ]

[lackinginfaith]

Maybe it might've been fun to be like all of you. But I haven't stopped thinking about how to save everyone who was hurt by Gackt.

[the panthalassa have a music theme i'm very sorry about this canon]

Even if it were just my own people, or just Noel.

[lackinginfaith]

I couldn't do anything else.

[lackinginfaith]

It's not a common thing, to be seen. At least not where I'm from.

[lackinginfaith]

[r u d e]

[amygdalae]

Thank you again, Captain Eide.

[He really appreciates it.]

[goingdigital]

Figures. What's her name?

At the very least we can free her, once we finally get out.

[lackinginfaith]

My sister. I heard she was captured trying to escape, that another target was with her, but she got free and just let Noel be taken.

[lackinginfaith]

You were always so happy, weren't you? They think it helps. If you think it'll do something, then go ahead. ...I can't complain about you anymore.

[lackinginfaith]

I shouldn't have. I didn't know what else to do.

[devastation]

Absolutely not.

[That suggestion actually gets Megumi, of all people, to actually glare at Sigrun.]

Comments like that... that will just be fuel for more deaths to potentially occur--how is anyone supposed to trust each other if we're making threats like that when someone shows the slightest amount of guilt?

[Because seriously, it's no wonder that people like Kamui (and Caren?) thought "screw these people they're not worth it" if one of them is going to casually suggest taking a sledgehammer to someone to get a confession.]

[lackinginfaith]

My dream was about finally tracking down the three others who escaped. But they were barely more than kids, splashing around and laughing when I'd dedicated everything I did to trying to save Noel. I couldn't join them. I definitely couldn't trust them. I had to save her on my own.

[cherryblooded]

[He knows. But there's nothing else to do now, really.]

I hope it's over quickly.

[pokexplorer]

I believe there is more to this place than we know just yet. There has to be an exit somewhere.

[He wants to believe, anyway.]

It has only been two weeks, Miss Caren. This just seems...hasty.