trusthell | Take Responsibility.

The elevator doors slide open at the end of the allotted time for investigating, and the ride down is quick-paced and smooth; there's a lot more space in here than there was at the start of the game, that much is obvious.

But then, perhaps that's to be expected with almost a third of your original number dead.

The doors slide open when the courtroom is reached, the podium circle waiting as always in the middle of what still seems to be an endless dark void; Yato, Taichi and Megumi have joined the ranks of the dead, their podiums draped in black, greyscale portraits set upon them. Watching the proceedings.

And as always, they aren't the only ones watching.

The Kingmaker waits until everyone is settled at their podiums to begin speaking; it's still impossible to tell where his voice is coming from – other than, perhaps, 'everywhere.'

"Protective has been taken from you. Looks like the guilty thought their secret was worth more than her life... Or maybe they just wanted out and decided to be the one to succeed at Rule Seven where everyone else has failed. Whether they succeed or not is up to you."

Nineteen Survivors remain. How many are still alive at the end of the day is your decision.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[...this isn't what he expected. This is...]

You!

Say what happened. Now. How did Norman kill her? If you say he is framing you.

Edited 2016-03-26 20:00 (UTC)

[practically preens god is there anything better than throwing your shitty child under the bus?]

Well, for starters, he was clearly in love with the girl. Not that it means much; he'll fall for anyone who shows him the slightest scrap of affection, the little wretch... But, he's never quite learned to handle that sort of thing. Doesn't know how to express it. Drives him a little... mad.

So, he gets his little toys, the ones he got from the strange machine. The wig. The dress. Makes himself look pretty. Knocks on that poor girl's door. She opens it up, and he... has his fun.

... And then comes the guilt.

He can't handle that very well, either. So, obviously, anything bad in his life must be my fault. He convinces himself of that, as he convinces himself of it every time, and, being a dutiful son, went to clean up the mess.

[smiles] And now, here we are. Having a wonderful time. I haven't felt this alive in years.

I see. Is that how it is.

[Cherryblod's got that thin smile again.]

Miss Bates, it really doesn't matter to me whether you killed her or he did - you're both Inviting, so you'll both die by execution in a few minutes. Perhaps you should have raised your child to know how to treat women better.

I raised him exactly the way a boy needs to be raised: to know that all women are whores and will inevitably lead to your downfall.

A woman lead us here. I always do love being proven right.

Shut up already!

[His smile twitches, just a little.]

It's such a shame that I couldn't prove you wrong and be your downfall myself.

You.... you bastard.

...Please tell me "all women are wh- that" includes you. You are counting yourself, right?

Of course not.

I'm his mother.

Well, you're doing a great job leading to his downfall, baby, so it's not like you'd be wrong in including yourself.

You bloody witch!

[Speedwagon doesn't even know what to feel anymore. There's a bubbling rage mixing in with disgust and abject fear.]

You're wrong! This is sick beyond words!

[It's wrong to want to put the murder weapon between whatever the hell this thing's eyes, right.]

Looks like you're leading him to his too then, aren't you, seeing as he always wanted to cover for you.

Shut the fuck up, you piece of shit.

[ YEAH HE'S MAD. ]

Well, I guess you could be right about one thing in that statement... the vast majority of women have absolutely nothing wrong with him.

However, the woman who led us here was you.

[...Mouri feels like he is going to throw up. He is no stranger to wretched criminals, but this is entirely new for him. Nothing in the world could have prepared him for this]

Absolutely disgusting. I don't care if you are a ghost, or a second personality or Norman-kun playing a role.

You don't have even a shred of love for your son.

[The son that was despairing so hard, the one that had made Mouri promise not to say a thing. He isn't planning to divulge any of that here, though. Bates did that very well already]

And now you and him are going to die.

How could anyone love a monster?

[there's a sort of... odd pause. an odd twitch of the face.]

And what is a boy who takes his own sweet mother's life than a monster?