WEEK 3 - TRIAL

[foundationmods]

TRIAL

The morning seemed so far away yesterday - yet, it also seems too soon when morning comes and you are all yet again ushered to the third floor by The Lady. The Captain is there, in all of his....wait, no, he's asleep.

The doors close, and...nothing happens. There's still the box labeled 'VOTES' in his lap on the couch, but...

On the table is a letter, that reads 'Only one person may be voted for execution this week. Please figure out who that will be during the time limit.'

As you finish reading that, music begins to play in the room...


VICTIM: SHIROU EMIYA, HIMEKO INABA, AND MUNEHISA IWAI

23 GUESTS REMAIN.

Comments

[purrtagonist]

It wasn't Minato!

[raising his voice as he says that]

[dolleyed]

Seems like that's just what the Barghest would want you to feel, right?

[messianic]

[Tiredly:]

Please stop taunting Akira. You've made what you think clear, and people will decide what they think is most valid.

[purrtagonist]

[THE ONLY REASON HE DOESN'T LAUNCH AT KOHAKU AND TRY TO PUNCH THAT SMUG SMILE IS BECAUSE MINATO INTERJECTS]

[tbqh]

[he's glowering, though]

[justfists]

Stop it.

Why are you doing this to Akira?! This is the second time you've pointlessly jumped on him!

[dolleyed]

He's at the center of your big cozy secret-sharing group. Sorry to say, but with this much knowledge and involvement, there comes more accountability and a tougher examination of his biases.

[justfists]

The secrets we share aren't roles-- if he didn't tell me, he wouldn't tell Minato.

And this isn't examining his biases, this is being pointlessly cruel.

[dolleyed]

Sorry, missy, just a tiny bit wary of a ringleader and his minions dictating everything here.

I can't say I don't understand why you all huddle together, but from where I'm standing, it puts the rest of us at a disadvantage.

[justfists]

How?

[dolleyed]

There's a lot of 'please just trust me' flying around here from a group that is clearly not sharing all their info with the class and who might very well have a mole influencing all of your opinions from within.

Maybe other people here are happy to believe in the power of your friendship, but I'm not. Last week you were right and I'll give you credit for that, but I have no intention of letting that precedent dictate whose tune we follow for the rest of this game.

[rosebridled]

Kohaku-san...

[latebluemer]

... Kohaku-kun. I understand your reasoning in this, but there's no need to go that far.

[There's going to be fucked up relationships and hurt feelings no matter what, but there are lines.]

[dolleyed]

Tch. Fine.

[ He looks pretty displeased by Aoi also intervening though. ]

[enter_the_darkness]

[ His lips draw together tightly... ]

... Is he worth potentially the lives of everyone here, to you, Akira?

[ In spite of the words, it's not actually said like a challenge? Just... a general question. ]

[purrtagonist]

Don't ask a stupid question. If he were possessed, of course I'd encourage people to vote for him, so we could exorcise the Barghest from his body once and for all.

But he isn't. He isn't. And he doesn't deserve to die here.

[he is adamant about that point]

[enter_the_darkness]

[ His eyebrows lift a bit...

The ghost of a smirk surfaces. ]

For the record, I wasn't asking because I thought he did it. But you do realize you're talking as though everyone here should know him as well as you apparently do, right?

[ He shrugs. ]

Anyway, you're determined to protect your - boyfriend, or whatever. I get it. He's clearly one of your favorite people, and you'd probably die for him.

[ VAGUE GESTURE... ]

Good luck.

[purrtagonist]

[OH MY GOD]

It isn't that. I mean, it's true I care about him, but-- I care about Cinque, too.

. . . but I really, honestly and truly don't think he's possessed.

[and perhaps there are a few biases involved, but. . .]

[enter_the_darkness]

[ He's quiet for a moment, the smirk lingering... but somewhat distantly. Tiredly. He shakes his head, sighing. ]

I guess, in the end, I can't fault you for sticking with what you believe in.

[rosebridled]

If you were asleep at midnight, can you know that for certain? Why is it possible for it to be Cinque-san and not someone else you like?

[purrtagonist]

[. . . he has no answer to that question, specifically]

Because I'd know if either of them were possessed. Neither of them have displayed any kind of weird behaviors since arriving here. Not like Cinque-san.

[rosebridled]

I thought you only knew Niijima-san and Iwai-san before arriving here.

...I don't think it's Arisato-san, either. I'm just saying.

[purrtagonist]

[lifts a hand and rubs at his temple, taking deep breaths]

. . . sorry. I know I got kind of defensive.

I just really don't think it's either of them.

[Makoto is his phantom thief. Minato is someone he's come to believe deserves to live, no matter what. it's difficult to imagine that either of them would be involved]