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]

Still better than 1 out of the rest of us.

[ratingspoint]

One out of two, assuming no one else volunteered outside of you and I.

[...Because really, there's only one reason to call the Kingmaker regarding volunteers.]

[cherryblooded]

[Cherryblod looks a lot like someone just punched him in the face.]

[ratingspoint]

[He just smiles at that, really.]

I told you I knew for a fact that it wouldn't be you - didn't I, sweetheart?

[cherryblooded]

...We're going to talk about this. Later.

[ratingspoint]

I'm sure we will.

[Anyway.]

[sleepingkogoro]

[Now Mouri looks outright scandalized]

Mettaton, you too were going to...

[ratingspoint]

Now really isn't the time, is it? After all, two people did die for this - or, well, one did, and another is going to! So really, we can save the dramatic irony for later.

[amygdalae]

[...for a moment, there's certainly surprise, and then after that Bruce just laughs again, and this time it's tired and bitter and sad.]

I didn't think there'd be anybody who would be as much of an idiot as I.

[ratingspoint]

Oh, don't even start. I'm nowhere near as stupid as you are about it.

[...well, okay then.]

There are some people in this Vault I want to protect. That's all.

[amygdalae]

[thanks, mettaton.]

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

[ratingspoint]

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

[captainobnoxious]

[Hooooly shit.

... Sigrun can't find a reason for wanting to keep Mettaton around outside of "I don't want you to die" and she struggles to bring the shock off her face, but it's just... Well, she's not that good at hiding her emotions.]

You're not allowed to do that again either.

[that is all she's got.]

[ratingspoint]

No promises.

[And that's...flippant, because it's easier to have the emotions off and the empathy shot straight into the ground right now.]

Don't look so upset - I'm fine, sweetheart. Promise. And it's not like I particularly want to die or anything.

1/2

[captainobnoxious]

[She'll have all her feelings back in order later, okay, but she can at least right herself for now and take his words at face value, because...]

Right, I still have to give you and Cherry a grand tour of my place. And this place isn't half as pretty as you could ever make it. It'd be stupid just to give up before you've beautified everything.

[It's an excellent reasoning as far as she's concerned, however temporary. Whereas Zagi had felt like one of her brother in arms, Mettaton's just... kind of become someone she's used to be around and would be really sad if he died so don't??]

[captainobnoxious]

But really, don't you ever think to do it again. It'll be hard to figure out how to honor a robot and we apparently have a lot of people who're willing to kill to leave themselves.

[bloodisthicker]

...How many people considered volunteering here.

[ratingspoint]

I told you that I was sure someone did.

[bloodisthicker]

...

I might not exactly have wanted to connect those dots.

[ratingspoint]

Well, it doesn't matter now, does it.

[bloodisthicker]

...no, it really doesn't.