WEEK 3 TRIAL

[foundationmods]

It was noon on Saturday.

No matter where they were, no matter what they were doing...the moment the chimes rang out through the hall, they felt a change.

The world...began to expand, as they felt themselves leaving the world they were on, and towards another, much larger world...🗈

...As always, the courtroom was there - along with the audience, watching, waiting for the entertainment before them.

The Witch - Nirrti - was there, sitting in the most important place, watching all of them with a sharp, cruel gaze, a smile of pure delight on her face.

Watanuki was also there, but he merely lounged in the back behind them, smoking a kiseru pipe in silence.
...It seemed as if he was content to watch - that he had to watch - as part of the rules of the game.

There was no music to be heard, but... perhaps on another plane, in another place, someone else heard music as they gazed upon the proceedings.

Again, their forms had changed - perhaps into something different than last time, but...still a change, no matter how dramatic or inconsequential it was.

...There was a deep silence in the room, one that no one wanted to break. It was the faint tension in the air, like the moments before a race or a competition begins.

They had found the truth last time....but now, two people had died.
Was it possible for them to find the culprit this time?
A culprit that....had...

No, it had to be.

For the sake of the dead...and the sake of them all.

Comments

[anonnomnomnom]

[He just sounds faintly amused.] ... You're actually a pretty arrogant guy, aren't you, Doc?

[cryosurgeon]

... no. My own life means nothing, outside of what efforts I make to save others. I'm a prisoner.

[anonnomnomnom]

Sure, but that still means you think your life has some kind of meaning, and that you have the power to save others just because you happened to be awake one time. [He pauses, though, and looks over Erhard again.] That would kind of explain the shackles! What were you in for, Doc?

[cryosurgeon]

... that doesn't matter, Anon. Please focus.

[anonnomnomnom]

Haha, I think it does matter a little, because you were so busy sulking about it that you didn't even look at the bodies, did you? I was really hoping for better from you after last week.

[cryosurgeon]

I can barely see due to my injuries, and I might have a mild concussion. I would've been no help at the crime scene.

[He's not sulking at all. He feels guilty that he was useless.]

[anonnomnomnom]

Hmm. Humans really are squishy. [It's matter-of-fact, at least!] You're probably really lucky you weren't on the balcony!

[cryosurgeon]

If I was, I would've tried to protect the boys.

[anonnomnomnom]

And I'm saying you would be better off sticking to being a doctor.

[cryosurgeon]

[Erhard clenches his fists, his chains whipping about wildly, but he's otherwise silent.]

[foundfate]

Your shackles are loose, and unlocked. The only reason they remain on you is that you choose to keep them on.

[cryosurgeon]

... no, Watanuki. I don't know for certain if I committed the crime or not. I can't exonerate myself if I'm not sure.

[foundfate]

Those are bonds you put on yourself. And if you allow them to, they will drag you straight to hell.

[cryosurgeon]

... I'm already there.

[foundfate]

Witches cannot lie with the Red Truth. If we tried to, we would choke on our words.

[cryosurgeon]

[He wants to ask, to have it confirmed by Red Truth. It's haunted him since the day he woke up among all those bleeding bodies.

"Am I responsible for the Cumberland College massacre?"

But this isn't the time. This is about Akira and Ryuji. So he stays silent.]

[foundfate]

[Step into his parlor later.]

[keydomhearts]

[ Doo de doo. Grabbing his hand. hi ]

You should listen to him, Erhard.

[cryosurgeon]

[Erhard shudders and pulls his hand away.]

The charms aren't working in this distorted space, Sora.

[keydomhearts]

Yeah, I know. But I thought it could help even a little.

[cryosurgeon]

My feelings are irrelevant, and I'm losing focus even thinking about this. We'll talk later, if you insist.

[improbablenotimpossible]

He's right, just because you don't know, doesn't mean you should assume guilt.

[cryosurgeon]

It had to be me, I was the only one still alive at the scene.

[He shakes his head.]

We need to focus on the trial, Holmes. You know that.

[byanyother_name]

That's a fallacy. A murderer protected from his own weapons could leave the scene with no great difficulty before anyone arrived.

[cryosurgeon]

There was no evidence that anyone else capable of handling the biological agents used was there....

[His fists clench again.]

Focus on the trial, please. I'm not important.