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

[soverainty]

It could have gone anywhere if they were up high enough, right? The side facing the pit, though. You think Spikes was the one shooting?

[battlestations]

Well, it was his gun. Seems like the most likely conclusion.

[he's SIGHING though because dammit Neku.]

[soverainty]

So they were both planning a murder somehow? I thought it was a pretty wishy-washy motivation from Alice-tan this week, but wow.

[battlestations]

I'm more surprised about Lena planning one than Neku. He admitted it, after all.

[Nigel is so annoyed. It wasn't like he wasn't watching him closely either, but he... actually started to believe he was a nice guy??? LAST TIME HE DOESN'T TRUST HIS INSTINCTS, HE'S NEVER BEEN WRONG THIS WHOLE GAME.]

I should have just drilled some metal plates on his doors.

[soverainty]

Sounds like it wasn't exactly Lena, and none of us really know what the hell was going on there. But...

[Stares at the diagram and the knives again!!!!! Seriously, what kind of villain. She blinks and then snickers.]

That's one way of countering him. I have no idea whether I should call that powers canceling each other out or not.

[prescience]

Obviously, I agree that no wish obtained this way would be well-earned or well-granted. But I've heard this more than once from you this week. Why is this a less palatable motivation to you than the week before?

I don't see a reason why you'd have to lie about this one.

[soverainty]

Isn't it the same as it was two weeks ago?

There's no point to a wish you can't make happen yourself.

[She seems perfectly confident on this answer.]

[prescience]

Is it the same, I wonder...?

Eliminating an obstacle, that's something that might be done as proof of one's strength, and therefore loses the sense of accomplishment when it isn't earned.

There's more variability in a wish...for many people. However, I understand if this isn't your perspective. It bothered you that much that people might find this offering more appealing?

[soverainty]

Hmm.

[She looks straight at Oriko, but there's something sardonic in her half-grin.]

Well, for me, it's all the same. But people running after a wish without looking at anything around them or the wish-granter? Yeah, it's kind of a pain in the ass considering where we're at now.

[prescience]

On that much, we can agree. [It's a pain in the ass but catch her saying it that way never.]

By "looking at anything around them," do you mean the other people their wish would sacrifice or the manipulative nature of this game?

[soverainty]

[That's what Niko is here for! To air all your vulgarities about the spiciness of life!!]

... Aren't those two tied together?

[prescience]

In practice, yes.

"They're foolish for not thinking of who their wish will destroy."

"They're foolish for not considering that this castle predicates itself on lies and their actions are in vain."

While not impossible, I would find it difficult for one person to maintain both perspectives at once. One predicates itself on a little more misanthrophy, don't you think?

[soverainty]

That's only if you want to make misanthropy and facing reality out to be the same thing.

The reality is, most people only care about a few people close to them, and screw everybody else. That's also the type of place this castle is, wouldn't you say?

So it goes together just fine.

[prescience]

Should it really bother you in the slightest, then, whether someone kills because they want to be rewarded with a wish or because they are looking out for their self-interests?

Just the hypocrisy?