trusthell | Take Responsibility.

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.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

...Please stop staring.

Mine aren't that good. Never was a boy scout. But it's easy to fake not being able to tie a knot.

You do learn how to tie good knots as a sailor, though.

I'll spare you the time - and your sweater! - and say that I can, but there are a lot of reasons this couldn't have been me already.

Right, so if the blood is Mion's, the real question is... how did it get there?

I was just taken aback!

[ He'll stop staring.

... Maybe he'll chance an aside glance, though. ]

You can fake not being able to tie a knot, so...

...Are you sayin' Pines could have done it?

[.....excuse him?]

I told ya I'm not actually a sailor.

I learned how to tie my shoes and how to loop a rope to choke an animal, but... Dad usually took care of that.

[ Like, literally take care.

...also there's enough out already to say he's not the guy we're looking for, so o7 ]

[ Enjoy the view, Yato. ]

Right now I have no idea who did it and I'm only throwing out random facts. That's a fact.

It'd be a pretty obvious flub, in my experience. I've gotta really try to mess up a knot since my hands automatically just work the way they do.

[... So maybe it'll be the same way.]

Have you, really? I don't mean to cast suspicion on you, but I don't remember this conversation.

Well, when you put it that way, I may as well save you your sweater and just admit it! I can tie some pretty nice knots, it's one of those things that used to be a lot more useful, like, a bunch of centuries back. Just one of my many talents!

Ah, maybe I didn't tell you. [Stan glances around the circle, nodding at Misa.] Talked to a few people about it after that crossword, though.

[ Well Aiden's not to shy about it, and he unbuttons his shirt. He's got plenty of old scars and he's surprisingly built, but nothing else to see here.]