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

[amygdalae]

[thanks, mettaton.]

And there are things I have to do as well, so we're even on that account.

[amygdalae]

...I'll try to keep that in mind.

[Only because he knows how much this is all affecting you, Lynne.]

[amygdalae]

[...not expandable, huh.]

If you say so.

[amygdalae]

[To the baffled look Bruce returns that with a small smile. It's alright that you don't understand, Colress. Bruce doesn't expect anybody to.]

[amygdalae]

...if that's what you want.

[Guess who's not going to be sticking around after this.]

[amygdalae]

It was my decision alone. None of you had any part in influencing that.

[amygdalae]

...we both have our own reasons.

[And Bruce will be the first to admit to himself that his own reasons aren't as noble as Mettaton's.]

[ratingspoint]

Then act like it, sweetheart, and don't give us all the sanctimonious "it would have been better that way" crap. All right?

[wokeupdead]

Don't just keep it in mind. Just do it.

[Doing it being... not dying. Whatever.]

[goodforsomething]

Bullshit. You're just tellin' yourself that so you can do what you want.