THIRD TRIAL

[whimsicalism]

To the court room. Make it quick, alright? I don't really know about any of you but I don't want to waste more time on a couple of bratty teenagers.

[The Queen still is silent as you descend to the court room. There are ten less of you than when you began. The podiums look empty as you go to them. Even if the podiums are getting empty, though, there is a new jury box near the Alices that is rather full... of ghosts of all the participants of the previous round you've discovered and of your dead compatriots. They don't talk but they're there. Judging. Always judging.

There is someone who doesn't notice this addition, though. Queen Alice.

The Queen is quiet but she's next to the Cat. Her head is bowed to her chest as she seems to sleep quietly. Then as movement she jolts up, smiling vaguely as she nods.]

Yes, a tea party--that's what we...need...

[Her head drops back to her chest as she falls asleep again. The Cat glances at her then back at the crowd with agitation.]

Someone is responsible for Lena and Neku's deaths. Do something about it, will you? Why did you even bring one of those ghosts in with you, anyway?

Comments

[strictura]

I mean, the person I know of who's like this is normally a mousy author and has an alternate personality that's a serial killer, so...

[soverainty]

Why do you know a serial killer.

[Just here to ask the important questions today apparently.]

[strictura]

She was in something that aired on TV in my world. A killing game similar to this one, actually.

[ ...Also he owns some of her romance novels. ]

[soverainty]

[Nagisa why is your taste in literature.]

You guys air this stuff on TV? I mean, I know you said the place was messed up, but that's a whole new level even for digital dystopias?

[strictura]

It was one of the later parts of the Biggest, Most Awful, Most Tragic Event in Human History. It was supposed to be especially despair-inducing because of the people involved, but the deaths themselves weren't really anything most hadn't seen before by that point.

[soverainty]

............... The what.

[strictura]

It's really not the time to get into a history lesson.

[soverainty]

You were being all apocalyptic and dramatic and shit and then you were like, the Biggest, Most Awful, Most Tragic Event in Human Historyyy~! and I totally lost track of what we were even talking about.

[She like, mimicked Nagisa's voice in an entirely undeserved falsetto there. F.

Though she's not prying, she is definitely Judging.]

[strictura]

That's literally what it's called by historians! I was just answering your questions.

[soverainty]

You really need to get some new historians. Even the Internet quacks back home aren't that bad.