trusthell | Take Responsibility.

And once the allotted time for investigating comes to a close, those elevator doors at the end of the first-floor corridor open up; the ride down is fast, smooth, and understandably tense as far as atmosphere goes.

You're down to less than half of your original number.

The doors slide open and the podium circle comes into view, standing stark against the black-walled courtroom and encircling that pit in the center; Misa and Aqua have joined the ranks of the deceased, photographs in greyscale watching the proceedings from their podiums draped in black.

Of course and as always, the deceased aren't the only ones watching; the Kingmaker will make his presence known once everyone has settled at their podium, his voice sounding out through the room for all to hear.

"Resilient has been taken from you. Maybe this time the guilty party will actually succeed at fulfilling Rule Seven, seeing as this is the sixth try and all. Whether they manage it is up to the rest of you."

Thirteen Survivors remain. However many will be down by the end of the day is up to you.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

You'd better believe it is, sweetheart! Our ability to fight drops along with our will to do it - so if I didn't hate her, I couldn't have killed her like that! Simple. As. That.

... does that even still apply here though? I mean, the Kingmaker wants us to kill, why would he keep you like that? We already know he'll change things to allow someone to kill.

Unfortunately, darling, it's something that can't be changed - my soul itself would have to be altered. Sigrun has seen my soul and can confirm that it's white, as monster souls should be.

[doooon't do this to heeer]

... Would it still be white if you showed it to me right now?

Of course it would.

Then show me it.

[Like she wouldn't ask it of him.]

...Right, in front of everyone. Why the hell not.

[Well, we're about to prove that he can, in fact, do this standing; that panel at his waist will slide open, and he doesn't send his soul out very far, granted, before he retracts it - he is in a room full of people who are varying stages of "pissed off" and he'd prefer to not let anyone get within grabbing distance of the damn thing, but it is, in fact, white.]

[There. See. It's fine, Sigrun, it's as warm and vibrantly white as it always was. There's no way he could've done it, and she's standing by it.]

Why do you have to be so difficult, you stupid robot? Is that what makes this interesting to you?

Something like that.

You're a real dick.

[But she'll still fight for him.]

...It doesn't matter.

[He lifts his head, and it's obvious he's been crying, but he manages to keep his voice from shaking too much.]

B is wrong. You've told us from day one you were awful to your family, abandoning them for personal gain - there's no way you wouldn't remember that when choosing your words. You'll drop people if you need to get ahead in life, and here that means surviving no matter what.

If Aqua attacked first, you wouldn't still care about her nearly as much as you did the minute beforehand.

Besides that, you kill people for TV. There's no way you absolutely hate someone just because you're an entertainer with a show to put on. You don't need to hate them.

....That's right.

You've told me yourself you don't like your cousin, Mettaton.

[Cherry, please, don't.]

You of all people are turning your back on him? Don't you have any faith at all?!

Don't you think I want so badly to be wrong right now? Don't you think I want this all to be a terrible act he's putting on?

But I have two children here. If he's innocent then he can be honest about it and we'll find out who did this, but I can't - I can't just dismiss the idea. I can't...

(no subject)

captainobnoxious - 2016-04-09 20:10 (UTC) - Expand

isafraid - 2016-04-09 20:20 (UTC) - Expand

amygdalae - 2016-04-09 20:26 (UTC) - Expand

cherryblooded - 2016-04-09 20:28 (UTC) - Expand

notjustawriter - 2016-04-09 20:30 (UTC) - Expand

[Ah- ]

Well, well, well. That was a nice try, sweetheart! It was a valiant attempt, and maybe I'll give you points for moxie.

That still doesn't negate A and C, though, which are the most important - I'd be so easily defeated it'd be pointless to even try.

cherryblooded - 2016-04-09 20:11 (UTC) - Expand

ratingspoint - 2016-04-09 20:16 (UTC) - Expand

cherryblooded - 2016-04-09 20:17 (UTC) - Expand

ratingspoint - 2016-04-09 20:19 (UTC) - Expand

cherryblooded - 2016-04-09 20:22 (UTC) - Expand

ratingspoint - 2016-04-09 20:26 (UTC) - Expand

isafraid - 2016-04-09 20:31 (UTC) - Expand

notjustawriter - 2016-04-09 20:32 (UTC) - Expand

ratingspoint - 2016-04-09 20:39 (UTC) - Expand

notjustawriter - 2016-04-09 20:40 (UTC) - Expand

amygdalae - 2016-04-09 20:41 (UTC) - Expand

captainobnoxious - 2016-04-09 20:41 (UTC) - Expand

isafraid - 2016-04-09 20:43 (UTC) - Expand

ratingspoint - 2016-04-09 20:53 (UTC) - Expand

isafraid - 2016-04-09 20:59 (UTC) - Expand

ratingspoint - 2016-04-09 21:03 (UTC) - Expand

isafraid - 2016-04-09 21:15 (UTC) - Expand

pokexplorer - 2016-04-09 20:12 (UTC) - Expand

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pokexplorer - 2016-04-09 20:22 (UTC) - Expand

ratingspoint - 2016-04-09 20:24 (UTC) - Expand

[...]

You're saying a robot can't just pick up a damn wrench and do someone in with it?

That's exactly what I'm saying.

Well... excuse me if that sounds like a load of hogwash!

So does smelling people and discerning their morality, gorgeous, but you don't see me complaining!

Right... plenty of unbelievable things to consider, aren't there?

Basically!

Of course.

[...]

Sorry about all this. But I guess we're seeing this through then.

Oh...no, darling, you don't have to apologize to me. I don't mind it.

Whatever's necessary, right?

isafraid - 2016-04-09 20:42 (UTC) - Expand

ratingspoint - 2016-04-09 20:54 (UTC) - Expand

isafraid - 2016-04-09 21:14 (UTC) - Expand

You can be willing to kill people you don't hate.

You can! But I have no reason to be willing to kill her, especially not now.