Take Responsibility.

[kingmakereffect]

For the third time, those elevator doors at the end of the first-floor corridor open up at the end of the allotted investigation period; the ride down is, as ever, smooth and quick-moving. You're down by five. When the doors slide open, the podium circle still stands in stark contrast to that now-familiar black void of a courtroom, and once again, it's changed to reflect your losses – Caren and Mion have joined those with podiums draped in black, their framed greyscale profile portraits staring out at the rest of you. (The portrait of Pearl hasn't been removed from her room, but it seems the Kingmaker has replaced it with another; either way, her photograph is in the courtroom along with the rest.) As before, the Kingmaker waits until everyone is settled at their podiums before he speaks; he still isn't visible, but he can clearly be heard, his voice coming from everywhere and nowhere all at once. "Capable has been taken from you. I'll confirm one thing for you so no one will waste time asking – the killer wasn't me. Looks like the guilty decided to take a shot at Rule Seven after all – and whether they succeed or not is up to you." Twenty-two Survivors remain. We'll see how many the group has lost at the end of the day.

Comments

[capyper]

You're right! So I think we should probably get back to something that is relevant. Like discussing the evidence and proof and all that.

[psychoh]

... S-So, she won. Did she?

[sleepingkogoro]

[Mouri leaves the piece of metal on the podium, feeling a sense of accomplishment. He lifts his own nib pen in the air]

That piece came from a pen exactly like this one!

[This was it. The breakthrough that could lead to the trial's successful ending. Mouri looks at Yato]

You do have pens like these, don't you? Do you by chance have any of these here, right now?

[capyper]

Won what, exactly?

[capyper]

[ There's a pause, and then Yato briefly smiles. He's usually smiling, but this one seems a bit... more emotional, somehow, and less like the default expression he chooses to wear. ]

Thanks, but you just worry about yourself, alright?

[bloodisthicker]

Well, you certainly have a commanding presence. How could I not?

[...he's got to be delicate here, actually...]

It does say you don't like taking risks, though, so I guess you might not like gambling that much.

[capyper]

I don't have anything like that with me right now, no. You can even check, if you want.

[capyper]

Ooh, I love gambling! I just don't win at it often. Much... At all, really.

[psychoh]

The card game, in the game room. We, we all thought she lost, because she's dead... But, she could've won. A-And whoever lost, didn't just accept it...

[garudynamic]

[If there's one thing Yosuke knows it's fake smiles. So seeing Yato's real smile makes him frown slightly. If it was himself or one of the girls he'd buy that Yato is just cracking under the stress... but he has no reason to think otherwise.

Still, he can't help a feeling of dread in his belly]

Okay... Once we're done with all this though we'll talk.

[He heads back, glancing behind himself with that same pensive expression, feeling like he's missing something]

[capyper]

Nope. Totally wrong! We didn't make any bets with each other.

... We did make each other an agreement, though.

[psychoh]

... About what? If you don't mind my asking.

[happysweets]

Are you really trying to say this murder happened because someone lost a card game against Mion...?

[ Considering the first one, she shouldn't be so surprised, but... ]

[uro_cyon]

He told me he grants wishes, if that matters.

[amygdalae]

Where did those pens come from? The vending machine?

[capyper]

Maybe I'll tell you later! If I feel like it.

Anyway, the point is that Mion and I did play cards together on Thursday night. But it wasn't for a penalty or a bet... we just wanted to play cards with each other.

[sleepingkogoro]

[Mouri narrows his eyes. Of course it wouldn't be so easy.

Instead he directs it to everyone]

There's no mistake there was a pen in the Game Room at some point before Sonozaki-san died, but nothing like that was found there. The culprit must have taken it away with them, but why?

It's just a pen, I doubt anyone would have thought of comparing pens to that tiny piece of metal.

How can a pen have taken part of anything in this murder?

[bloodisthicker]

Oh, really? I hope you're not a sore loser, then. You wouldn't believe how many reports show up on my desk about someone who just couldn't accept that they lost a game of Pai Sho.

[happysweets]

Maybe Mion used it to wound the culprit!

[sleepingkogoro]

I did obtain mine from the vending machine. It's conceivable he has one or more.

He did already recognize it, he said that earlier when I took mine out. It's pretty obvious he must own one.

[wokeupdead]

[Okay...]

Then was everything in there related to your game? The bracelet and all?

[garudynamic]

Well, in some card games you have to keep score. So that's not that weird...

Though I thought all the pens could only say that one thing?

[sleepingkogoro]

[Wound the culprit. Yes! Thank you, Misa]

That is it! Sonozaki-san could have wounded the culprit. The blood in the Game Room wasn't from her at all, it was the culprit's! A pen who caused a wound onto the culprit would have been an important clue. That would explain why one would get rid of it!

[psychoh]

Th-That's important, isn't it? You're the last person to see her alive, except maybe... Anything you talked about, it's a clue. If you just keep it to yourself... [there might not be a later. for any of them.]

[cherryblooded]

That's a different kind of vending machine pen. These ones work - I have two myself.