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

[garudynamic]

What?! What are you talking about! He said it was going to be random!

[prismbloom]

You didn't want to die at the Kingmaker's hands--neither of you did.

[ .... ]

It does matter if you regret it. If you don't regret it... Those who kill without regrets no longer have any sort of humanity about them.

[ She knows it's silly--because he's a god, but. Aqua hopes he gets what she's trying to say. ]

[cherryblooded]

You were going to volunteer, weren't you.

[amygdalae]

It was, but I gave him an option to choose.

[guess who.]

[prismbloom]

Bruce...

[ ... She'd had an idea, based on how he'd been after the incentive, but having it confirmed... ]

[capyper]

... It's true that we agreed to it. Neither of us wanted to leave our lives to chance... we both thought we would rather at least live and die on our own terms.

The games room... we were there beforehand, that much is true. We didn't fight, though, we just played a game of cards... and I gave her that friendship bracelet.

Then we went to the art room... it's one of the emptier rooms, more room to move around. The sword was Mion's, but she didn't have much experience with it, so I disarmed her and stabbed her, and... well, it takes a while for a body to bleed out, so I knocked her out.

After that, I tried to clean up... but I was also looking for Mion's spirit. I wasn't sure whether I'd be able to do it, but I can make a human spirit into a Regalia, a divine weapon, so I thought maybe I could at least use her as a Regalia to cut a path out of here. That's why the games room and her room were messed up.

... What else do you want to know?

[sleepingkogoro]

Bruce-san? Are you meaning to say...

[God damn it, he asked you if you were fine precisely because he was keeping his eyes open for people like you, Bruce. Mouri actually feels bothered you weren't honest with him back then]

[garudynamic]

No... idiot...

[amygdalae]

...

Since Tuesday night.

[looking down here. He can't exactly... look anybody in the eye right now.]

[cherryblooded]

[Well. What can you say to that?]

...Please never do that again.

[capyper]

Well, I'm not a human, but... I know what you mean. Thanks, Aqua... don't make the same mistakes I made, alright?

[ Just the murder part, not the... botching everything afterward part. ]

[bloodisthicker]

[...he wants to be mad

WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THIS PLACE HE WANTS TO BE MAD HE'S JUST KIND OF UPSET]

...you didn't have to do it. I can tell you never wanted to be anything like that, you've made it really obvious --- I'm sure someone else would've volunteered today, or something...

[wokeupdead]

[She's... sobering up. Getting answers hurts but at least she's getting them. She won't watch another friend die because of lies to help another person. It's the one thing she will refuse with her entire being.

Except that last bit bothers her.]

If you killed her and won the game you would be free to leave. Why bother making a Regalia to cut your way out in the first place?

[Unless it was for everyone else. Which she thinks is the answer.]

[capyper]

[ ... That gets another proper smile out of him. ]

You'd better not! ... You guys all have to survive.

[capyper]

Hmm... a black cat, I think.

[ Unlucky to most. Especially beloved to some. ]

[captainobnoxious]

You haven't outlived your usefulness just yet, doctor. I wouldn't be so quick to throw yourself on the chopping block with that in mind.

[Is it a little cold? Yes. Someone like Bruce, who's basically their medic as far as she's concerned, has no right to offer himself up.]

[amygdalae]

...it would have been better that way.

[and then none of this would have happened.]

[ratingspoint]

[That just gets a wry smile out of him, really; when he laughs a bit, it's dry, humorless.]

You still would have had a fifty-fifty chance, then.

[wokeupdead]

[She's so tired. And sad. You guys...]

Don't even joke about something like that, Bruce...

[capyper]

... Tarrlok. I guess I'm not really suited to saying things like this, considering what an indecent god I am in general, but... I'm glad that nobody had to think about volunteering. It's... the only good thing about this situation, really.

... You've already seen my mistakes. Don't give in like I did, alright?

[amygdalae]

Yes.

[just straight to the point.]

[bloodisthicker]

[...he kind of bristles.

Well, not kind of.]

Don't consider that again.

[prismbloom]

... I won't.

I can't say murder is forgivable. But I'm glad for the time we spent together.

And I'm glad we met.

[capyper]

... Well, I thought it'd be easier on us all if I went out with all of you hating me, but I guess that plan is already dead in the water. Heh.

[ ... ]

Now that I'm going to be... going, you're probably gonna be the one with the most skills to kill people, you know? It's... a weird thing to think about, personally. I hope it doesn't weigh you down.

[capyper]

... Thank you.