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]

I don't want your thanks, stupid cat. If there's anybody here that wants your thanks? They deserve what they get.

[Niko stop cursing the survivor pool. She flips the cat off!!!!!!!]

If a game is impossible to win, that's on the game master for making a shitty-ass game. I'm... not going to stop and stare at the damn wall just because a game looks impossible.

[ballooncaged]

[There was a pause!! There WAS a pause!!]

[whimsicalism]

Too bad. You're just as disappointing as Mao Ninagawa was in the end. How can I put it in a way you understand? You were only ever a non-player character. Your story was always to end with failure.

You can't blame a character's fate on the story. It's simply how things are.

[soverainty]

I'll take disappointing you as a compliment.

I've got no real interest in understanding you, or your piddly little idea of characters or story. If you can't figure out how to use perfectly fine characters in a story that has any meaning, that just means you've got no creativity and you're not worthy of those characters in the first place.

A good game means that any character can be used to its fullest potential.

[whimsicalism]

[It seems like the Cat is in a mimicking mode:]

I just felt like playing house for a while -- but it's my game. I'm not here to be a playing piece for anybody else.

[The Cat leans back.]

Disappointing as you are, you did well enough to make your soul more potent. It should be able to undo what Neku did... in the end a good game means that any character can be used to its fullest potential, hm?

[soverainty]

Hmph. Riding on other people's coattails really is the one thing you're good at.

[Scorn and acidity all intermingled -- there is a nerve being hit here somewhere, but she's also stubborn to the end.]

That's a completely different set of rules, but whatever.

I really hope you both choke on it.

[whimsicalism]

A sore loser, hm?

[Her voice changes to... Coriander's, for a brief moment.]

You had it almost all figured out.

[Then Manaka:]

For me, it's all the same in the end.