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

[captainobnoxious]

You get it first, then toss it around to everyone else!

[there!! fight for it!!]

[capyper]

[ Aw yes, now it's his turn!

... As it happens, he seems to have an idea of what he's looking for, because he glances down at it and then looks up and around the circle before looking at Mouri. Specifically, the nib pen that he's holding. ]

Ah... hmm.

[pokexplorer]

Have you thought of something, Yato?

[He was planning to ask to examine that metal piece somewhere down the line, so he's been watching everyone else examining it.]

[capyper]

[ He seems a bit startled when he hears his name, and looks up abruptly.

... There's a pause, and then he says, rather sharply: ] No, I haven't. Here, you can have it.

[ Aaand passing it right along. ]

[pokexplorer]

[Well that was strange.]

...Very well, then. Thank you.

[Colress looks slightly suspicious, but he accepts the piece without further comment for now.]

Mr. Banner, Tarrlok, both of you expressed interest before me. Would you like me to confirm anything about it or would you like a closer look yourselves?

[amygdalae]

Can you try and compare it against the device that the kingmaker gave us?

[...super far fetched idea but there you go.]

[bloodisthicker]

...You know, I had exactly the same idea, so... Colress, if you do that, I don't need it passed my way.

[amygdalae]

[good job mind melding, us.]

PAGING MODS

[pokexplorer]

Looks like we were all on the same page! That is what I was considering as well.

On that note, one moment.

[Colress pulls his own device out of his labcoat pocket and compares the piece to it. Is it similar in any way?]

[trustharder]

[Nope. It's definitely not a match.]

[pokexplorer]

[Dang.]

Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be part of the device. So no need to check everyone's.

[amygdalae]

I suppose it was a bit too far fetched to think it might be the case.

[bloodisthicker]

Well, you know, great minds do think alike...

[pokexplorer]

Indeed. Now if only our great minds had made a discovery...

[cherryblooded]

[This is an absurdly stupid question because skinny nerd, but are Colress's glasses chipped at all?

...Yeah, reaching.]

[pokexplorer]

[No metal object is safe right now, it's totally fair! Colress' glasses are completely intact.]

[amygdalae]

[AND BEFORE YOU ASK BRUCE, no his glasses are very intact as well.]

[sleepingkogoro]

[Yep, Mouri still has it. He's just playing with it. When Yato looks at him he raises his eyebrows as if asking 'what, kid?']

[capyper]

[ He's not actually looking at Mouri, just the pen, so it takes a few moment to realize he's also being looked at in turn.

... Then he just sharply breaks eye contact. ]

[garudynamic]

...

[Yato is acting weird. And has been since they really got to talking about the metal. Yosuke tilts his head at him and mouths: 'what is it?']

[capyper]

[ Yosuke's going to have to try harder than that, because while Yato sure isn't having fiery throes right now, but he sure is in the throes of... something that's got his mind occupied. ]

[garudynamic]

[It doesn't occur to him to think Yato has figured something out- no, he's thinking he's freaking out due to stress. So he slips away from his podium to go check on him]

Hey man, you okay? You need to step back for a second?

[capyper]

[ He seems surprised when Yosuke approaches him, but surprised in a good way. ]

Oh, nah, I'm okay! It's just... getting to go on for so long, that's all...

[garudynamic]

Yeah, we are kinda running in circles, huh? You were giving Mouri-san the stink-eye pretty hard though.

Still, if you need to check out a bit for awhile that's fine. We won't figure anything out if we freak out, right?

[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?